#cicada blabs

[cicadagaze]

btw someone (nimaereth) on the clangen discord made a cat generator/creator and it's sooo fucking cool

look at this. this is awesome.

you can even export the sprite in multiple sizes!

but the COOLEST part is that you can actually put the cats into your saves!

fucking awesome

[cicadagaze]

oh hey I actually did an entire sheet of this with firestar earlier this year- but here's some of my oldest ones, and my newest one :]

firestar 2011 - 2013 - 2023

I have. so many other designs for him over the years, but these are just some of The Oldest. and yes, my current design was indeed inspired by my 2013 designs. turns out, that was the key to finally making a firestar design that I'm satisfied with! (he has gone through at LEAST 10 other designs)

Hi reblog this with your old and recent designs/art of a wc character for comparison. Also feel free to ramble about them, like what you changed/improved or if it's for an au, etc

[janetbrown711]

i'm curious so did Li Na inherit any powers from Tang? Who's her least favorite villain? What's her relationship with Mei like/what does Mei think of her? & (how) does Li Na's birth affect how Pigsy's noodles is run ?

She has inherited magic from Tang!!! She's got cicada powers, but she's only four months old so they're very limited and act more like Pigsy's (though will cause her a lot of pain and angst in the future teehee)

Her least favorite villain is probably Lady Bone Demon because it's clear she was the first domino in MK's fear of hurting others and his overall mental health struggles

Mei is her super cool auntie she loves very much !!!! She's super cool and fun and awesome and they both love hanging out and having a good time 😎👍

Pigsy's Noodles stays closed for the first six months of Li Na's life and after that it opens later/closes earlier than normal, but other than that it's pretty much business as usual, minus the occasional emergency/school event (but this is technically normal operations Pigsy's Noodles underwent w/ MK when he was a kid)

[lotusrootdesignerpants]

I’m up at five to get the train two hours from the city. She drives me out to a lake, the quarry kind, and says time to hitch a ride. Sheepish. Are you crazy. Hitch or walk twenty-four kays. First are partner visa sweethearts having trance vibes, she an English rose, he Moroccan from Lake Como dripping sacred geometry bracelets. In town we get sunstroke, get to noon, uncollected, unloved, in fudge shop dairy cow kitschtopia, till she flags down a big old beast whose backseat turns out to be full of slobbering dog and detritus, like, hoarder car, and she blabs our full hike itinerary and places of residence while I clench my legs in the junked up filthy cluttered but dogless front seat and obfuscate her disclosures. Gritted teeth, girl squeeze my hand if you are capable of strangling him from behind… and then he lets us out and I’m scampering around tripping over my reprimands. We get in behind rainforest waterfalls all day and eat whole mangoes and cliff-jump and stand right in the falls being pummelled. Pools stacked on pools and pools and pools all bridged by falls. Stairway to heaven. Wiry little albinos fearless getting feet in crevices hopping right round us and leaping off. Twelve k in our bikinis. We have surgically unpicked ourselves from our lineage and then every member of that lineage, in receding order, from their forebear. I’ve had the thought: I am game to talk forever. I never want to need to break or go to sleep or anything. But then lapse and like, la petite silent mort of the ego, infinite regress of selves watching selves. Normal. And all this week I’ve been swimming circles around the teatree watering hole, running barefoot on the empty beach at dawn, getting lost in the forest, swimming in rips in storms, walking on the empty beach in storms, clearing the backlog of mental sediment until thought is distilled to a single monologue and then once the thesis is set down to a dialogue. An internal forum of supreme health. Next waterfall sweeps us 500m back. Deep qld afternoon blue, cornflower now with no canopy. Every few minutes of nothing: a deafening eruption of cicadas. Then nothing. We access a fearful memory, she comes with me into my fear, it’s educational, she wants to teach me how to feel, but I access it via thoughts: “I am suffocated. My autonomy is taken.” I am ideal for death row. I’ll grieve my own life with a series of cue cards, with ticker tape. I am switching over the cards or I am in the newsroom typing. Now breathwork. I get to like, almost feeling something. Gold star! Her stupidest student. Then I feel cold. I’m still in a whirlpool, flattened against a rock, hands clenched, air suddenly dark, a black-green. The shivering implodes into a feeling I’ve only ever had during sex. Quivering annihilation. Paralysis. I am laying back, in the memory, with my teen self in the bedroom, assuming the very posture. Cicada crescendo. My lip quivers, I mean pulses, as I flee. Need sun and rock. The kind paternal bone of the world. I’ve animorphed to snake. Stretch and roll. (Now I am on mushrooms on a clifftop in Herzegovina at sunset, another heatwave day, the hazy Ottoman warmth throbbing up through my spine.) She looks at me as I’m standing weakly up from chaturanga and struggling back against the current. This is the first day of my life. What’s the bright world. I don’t know where I am, I don’t know where I’ve been, but I. Know where I want to go. Oyster-blue milk starred by pondskaters spiking red into the blue opacity. Angles of the RGB light. Fern crosshatching. Yes, swear I’ll remember it… how ridiculous… I cannot forget what I have seen so clearly. It will be safekept somewhere. Because I have worded it. I made those descriptions in real time, I confess, oyster-blue, it’s true because I peeled the label straight off the world. I encountered it, FOR THE FIRST TIME, as plain text, emotional domain bypassed.

Back in rainforest (and unsteady still and amorphous and dusk coming) I am in floods of logorrhoea. Talking really earnestly about memory, knowing my handwriting when I write will be the huge rambling cobwebs that follow the use of certain drugs. Loosethumbed. I’m like, yes, yes, you’re good, you’re amazing, I’m okay. I’m just gonna do this more and more forever and why would I not? And yes community, yes intimacy, yes we must all live together and feel each other’s wounds, it’s impassioned leftist sentiment… and she’s affirming something too.

[eien-no-gakusha]

Did a quick translation of the last part of the Taisho era Eruri trilogy by TWOFRAME.  Firstly because I wanted to see what happens next & I figured I should read non-zuka things once in a while for reading practice lol.  It’s a un-proofread first draft so sorry for any mistakes.  I’ll be releasing in parts or else it’ll get long.

You can read the entire dj on TWOFRAME’s pixiv for free:  https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/71167656

Yonakiugutsu

by TWOFRAME

[summer, cicadas chirping]

Erwin (flashback):  I love you...Do you…?

Erwin (present):  How cruel you are…

Levi:  What?

Erwin:  Morning~

Erwin (monologue):  When I asked, you couldn’t answer...

Erwin (mono):  Summer came.

Erwin:  Today’s nice, isn’t it?

Levi:  Yeah

Erwin:  In that case, want to go for a walk?  It doesn’t hurt to go out once in a while

Erwin:  What?  Surprised?

Levi:  Just taken aback you’re asking at all

Erwin:  Huh?

Levi:  Yeah, fine…

Levi:  Usually, you would just grab my hand without asking and drag me along

Erwin:  You’re too pale from staying indoors all the time.  You need more sun!

Levi:  Enough with the advice!

Erwin (mono):  I’ve been here a year yet I still did not know his name.

Erwin (mono):  His name.  His “Erwin” and me.  There’s this unbridgeable gap between his Erwin and me.  The deeper I dive, the more I want to see him at ease but...me and him...the answer I want is nothing but my wishful thinking.

Erwin (flashback):  In that case, want to go for a walk?

Erwin (mono):  In my fear, I’ve become overly cautious in my every move.  And he is such an undeniably compassionate man.  Perhaps it’s time I should come to terms with all this...the answer I’m afraid to hear…”Sorry, you’re not him.”

Erwin (mono):  But...if only he would turn to me and say “you remind me of Erwin.”  If only he would look at me affectionately just a little, even if only 1%...

Erwin:  Rain?

Erwin:  Whoa, it’s coming down fast!

Erwin:  I can’t believe that just happened...and it was completely clear earlier too…

Erwin (thinking):  Ah!  Shit, this is bad…

Erwin:  My house is nearby, do you want to come over?

Levi:  Bastard…

Levi:  I can only assume you’re more used to hotels from the state of your house

Erwin:  Well, when compared to your impeccable home…

Erwin:  Here, a towel

Erwin:  I’m aware of what this looks like...the towel is clean so no need to worry.  I usually rely on my housekeeper of an aunt for cooking and laundry, cleaning too.  Coupled with the fact I’m always at work, I’m not exactly good at hosting guests.  Ha...sounds like I’m making excuses huh?

Erwin:  You’ll catch a cold soaked as you are, here you can wear this.  It’s my shirt.

Levi:  ...and pants?

Erwin:  Unfortunately, I don’t have anything in your size.  I’m going to make some tea, make yourself at home.

Erwin (thinking):  Since I usually don’t have guests over, I have nothing to serve…

Erwin:  Sorry about the tea...it’s subpar compared to the nice stuff you serve at your place

Levi:  Don’t worry about it.

Erwin:  Here, your tea

Levi:  Thanks

Erwin (mono):  Him growing cold in my messy room that stinks of tobacco, bad tea...everything he dislikes.  Overall, nothing to be ashamed of but he’s definitely unhappy.  Despite all this, he bears with it silently.  He’s so considerate it’s cute!

Erwin (mono):  What a devious person I am.

Levi:  What are you staring at?

Erwin:  You wearing my shirt for the first time...I’m not used to it.

Erwin:  You’re still all wet.  It’ll be bad if you caught a cold.  We can’t be careless just because it’s summer.

Erwin (mono):  Ah...those eyes again…from time to time a trivial thing will spark a terribly nostalgic look in his eyes.

Erwin:  You really are a cruel man…

Levi:  What?

Erwin:  Wanna do it?

Levi:  You bastard, you’re asking before doing it now?

Erwin:  Hearing this coming from the guy who just grabs your hand and drags you along...must be shocking

Erwin:  You never show me this side of yourself

Erwin:  You’re so beautiful, I can’t resist…(1)

Levi:  You’re...hands...they’re so hot...

Erwin:  It’s not that my hands are hot, it’s your body that’s cold.

Levi:  What now?

Erwin:  I haven’t gotten an answer yet…

Erwin (mono):  Of course, I wanted to respect his wishes most of all.  But, this not insignificant passion that burns within me...I want to know it’s not one-sided.

Levi:  Forget about that already…

Erwin (mono):  It’s always me wanting him

[love scene start-o!! ^o^ most of it is intuitive but I’ve gone ahead & translated highlights such as…]

Levi:  Your mouth’s so hot on me

Erwin:  Must be the tea from before…

Levi:  Quick blabbing!

Erwin (mono):  Even if he wants me, it’s only lust.  But as long as he wants me, I’ll take whatever I can get.  Regardless if I’m sick in the head or not, I’ve certainly become pathetic.  With my heart aching, I mindlessly thrust myself into a stupor.  Willingly I descend into the darkness (1), submerging myself in the sea of oblivion.  As if consuming the poisonous sap of hemlock or being drunk on opium.

[morning after]

Erwin (mono):  As long as you’re happy, I can’t be jealous.  When you’re happy, my heart is overwhelmed with joy as well.  I have taken hold of your light wings and…[there is a tree/forest metaphor here, probably about Levi isolating himself and Erwin trying to have Levi trust him with his feelings/heart.  Too many blurry & unfamiliar kanji to be certain.  Also, Erwin may be quoting poetry.  He’s a professional writer in this universe & waxing poetic throughout his whole narration]

Erwin (mono):  In that manner, with clear voices we sang the lighthearted songs of summer.  However…

Levi:  *cough cough*

Erwin:  Are you alright?  Here, water.

Levi:  Yeah, thanks…

Erwin:  This cough has lasted longer than usual

Levi:  Just feeling sluggish, I have a cold after all.  I’ll be better soon.

Erwin (mono):  At first, though he was concerned, I thought it was just a cold

Levi:  *cough*

Erwin:  I’ll be back with water.

Erwin:  I’m back-

Levi:  ha...ha…*panting*

Erwin:  I have so much regret I could die.  Because he got soaked in the rain...everything after that summer went to hell

Levi:  Get out!  Are you deaf!?

Levi:  I’m fucking tired of seeing your face!  Get out of my sight!

Levi:  I said get out!

Levi:  Don’t even try coming back!

Levi:  Don’t come near me…!  Just get the fuck out...if you dare come back, I’ll wind up killing you first

Levi:  If you come near me, you’ll get sick too!

Erwin:  I don’t mind

Levi:  You wanna die too?  Let go!

Erwin:  That doesn’t matter

Levi:  Let go of me, already!

Erwin:  I want to stay by your side...let me stay with you…

Erwin (mono):  I was overwhelmed by an intense longing.  If this is all I can have, I would take it all and quietly leave the world with you and disappear into that dark forest

[cicadas chirping in the evening]

Erwin:  Where did he-!

Erwin:  Hey, where are you!  Answer me!

Levi:  What?

Levi:  Is something wrong?  Erwin…?  Are you ok?

Erwin:  That should be my line…

Erwin:  Looks like you’re in a good mood today

Levi:  The hell’s wrong with you?

Erwin:  Nothing

Levi:  Erwin, you’re heavy

Erwin:  Let me stay like this a little bit longer

Erwin (mono):  Though I knew I would lose him before long, there was nothing I could do.  Gradually, his weary body grew so pale he was almost transparent under the sun.  It was as if he was slowly disappearing in the light.

Erwin (mono):  And then the day finally came, when the house fell into a dreadful silence.

Erwin (mono):  It was the last day of O-Bon (2)

Levi:  I had a dream last night

Levi:  It was from before I met you, a dream of a time long past

Erwin:  Is that so?

Levi:  Forget about me and go back to Tokyo...go back to your old life.  Forget about everything here and live out your life.  From the start, the thought of leaving you, who has been by my side despite by illness, has worried me every day.  You can’t die yet.  Not now.

Erwin:  Not yet?  What kind of talk is this?  I’m by your side of my own will

Levi:  Then...when I’m gone you won’t have any reason to stay here.  This time, live on...live for your own sake

Erwin:  What are you muttering about, all of a sudden?  Please, don’t leave me.

Levi:  Erwin...thank you

[Erwin flashback]

Erwin:  Levi

Erwin (reading letter):  Come back to Tokyo already!  Niles, huh…

Erwin (mono):  I’ve been separated from Levi but...I can’t bear the thought of losing him.  This solitude is nothing.  Torture me.  Curse me.  Break me.  Make me vanish completely.  Until I forget everything.

[14 years later]

Erwin:  Camellias, huh?  How rare for for flowers to bloom now.

Erwin:  ? What strange weather we’re having…

Erwin:  Wel...come…

Levi:  Um…

Levi:  I’m looking for an anthology of poems…

Erwin (mono):  Is this an illusion?  A daydream?  That endless song has stopped.

Erwin:  Levi!

Erwin (mono):  Am I even awake right now?

Levi:  What the!?  Let go!

Erwin:  Levi…!

Levi:  Don’t touch me like you know me!

Erwin:  Levi, why are you…

Levi:  You...know me?  How do you know my name?

Erwin (mono):  Ah...How long do we have to keep repeating these new meetings, I don’t know.  But one thing’s certain.  That we will never recall our memories at the same time.

Erwin:  Levi

Erwin (mono):  Even if I have to wait an entire lifetime to regain my memories of us…

Erwin:  I’ve been waiting for you.

Erwin (mono):  No matter when, no matter what we turn out to be; I will absolutely believe in our love.

---

Uh...me being unable to read one specific blurry kanji throws off this whole line

Japanese Lantern Festival/Day of the Dead

[cicadagaze]

oh my god i didn't know you could do this. I am DEFINITELY bumping that sucker up. my leaders should not be so bad at dying lmfao

Sorry if this was asked before! Are there plans to have leaders lose their lives more frequently than other cats? And is there a chance to see which code is broken/more detail of what happened after getting a “[Cat] has broken the Warrior Code!” message?

Leaders already lose their lives more often than other cats!

And perhaps. We're always expanding the moon event possibilities.

[cicadagaze]

heartbreaking! man wants to play clangen but he fucked it up trying to edit updates in so he wouldn't have to transfer all his mods over

[cicadagaze]

also my first medic in this clan is named Pinkstem and I love him

he's not very pink but it's okay because it's a cute name

and of course my mediator who's been hacking up blood for the past 6 fucking months

[cicadagaze]

omgg I feel so honored to be considered the nightstar spokesperson ahgjnkfmld

and YES just like that map!! it's an idea that means a lot to me.

I see nightstar as a he/it nonbinary man! what do you mean I'm projecting on my favorite character. noooo. definitely not (sarcasm)

also an unrelated headcanon, but I like to imagine that after his death, Firestar visited Smudge, just to see his old friend one last time.

-cicadagaze

Ur so right tho with Nightheart it is such a he/it non-binary cat. Honestly there are certain tumblr users for certain cats and u are Nightstar’s spokesperson to me

I love that idea… like the lovely The Woods map with Smudge and Fire.

[cicadagaze]

some neat kitties i've made so far on the creator <3

[cicadagaze]

super enamored with my mime white patch tbh

[cicadagaze]

actually no I'm gonna talk more about why amber-eyed ravenpaw is good.

imagine being apprenticed to one of the, if not THE biggest cat in the clan. a large, powerful cat. his eyes glow amber and quite frankly, you're terrified. and as he shows you no kindness, you wonder why, out of all cats, he was chosen to be your mentor.

you see him kill the deputy. and he knows. and if you say a word you know it will be your demise. if you don't? you're probably not any safer. his amber eyes look at you in distaste. you know he wants you gone.

and you look at your reflection and you see those same amber eyes in yourself. you look into a puddle and you jump back because you saw amber. and you saw him. a large, hulking frame overtakes your small, thin one.

you have the same eyes as the cat who wants you dead.

[cicadagaze]

someone with better editing skills should do this

took the MOST dramatic picture of Bridgey that makes her look as though she isn't the most pathetic creature in existence

[cicadagaze]

first, you're the only one of your siblings to not get my new eyes, then you end up with chronic joint pain.... man. I'm so sorry buddy. but also same. chronic joint pain buddy

[cicadagaze]

no adhd meds today so absolutely no focus, but apparently I'm still able to make more eyes??? will be taking some suggestions for this round!

included are all the eyes I've already done so you know what not to suggest

already planned are: pale pink, light brown, dark brown

[cicadagaze]

i am very normal about nightstar (no i am not)