#ffvii would include

[localchocobomerc]

I tried telling someone about this yesterday and they felt it was very bleak, but it doesn't feel that way to me:

I really like what final fantasy 7 has to say about failure! I read it as showing how much defining something as just a failure and assigning blame exclusively to the fail-er depends on removing it from the stream of causation and isolating it from context...

For instance:

1. Zack's failure to get him and Cloud to safety after escaping the Nibelheim lab. This is an easy one, because who looks at what he did and calls it a failure? It's obviously incredible that he made it that far AND was able to protect Cloud enough. But his goal was for both of them to make it, and he couldn't do it. I don't think he felt like he failed overall (thank goodness), but another person might have. Which, in context, and looking at the effects of the attempt, is ridiculous.

2. Cloud's failure to keep an independent sense of self after Zack died (after being tortured for years, after being impaled, after losing his mother, Tifa, and his hometown, all in succession). Maybe the not-that-rare attitude of blaming him for this is a fault of the OG script, which I think makes it sound like more of a reasoned choice than it is, whether through translation error or through Cloud being the only one to really talk about it after he realizes that's what happened (and blaming himself for it). Regardless, it is a failure, in the sense that Cloud definitely wouldn't want to forget Zack, never mind construct a false self from pieces of his memory, but he did. Looking at all the causes of this, and the effects (including both vulnerability to external control but also the ability to be present with Tifa when they met again, and to continue to function as the situation demanded), it just starts to feel too simplistic to view it as a failure only.

The story is full of people trying to protect each other and themselves and not being able to, or not being able to in the way or to the extent they wanted, like failing to:

- Keep the sector 7 plate from falling

- Keep the Black Materia from Sephiroth

- Save Dyne

- Save Aerith

- Save Zack

- Stop Sephiroth from calling Meteor

But if you look at each of those things in context, they both have many causes besides "I wasn't enough" and more effects than just "the loss I couldn't prevent." And in most if not all cases, making the attempt achieved other good things, like saving Marlene or giving Zack the chance to see that it wasn't all for nothing... Things that really matter a lot. Ultimately, saving the rest of the planet besides Midgar is another one of these... a good thing grown in the rubble of failure.

I just feel like, as someone well acquainted with failure, this game is saying it's worth trying and continuing to try after you fail, and that's not bleak to me at all.

[oddlyspecificff7headcanons]

mod Zuko here, this is what i think the gang would be like as roommates

cloud is quiet and doesn't bother you much, he cleans up after himself in shared spaces but his room is a complete disaster. the type to have long conversations with at 2am over some shredded cheese

tifa is very attentive and you'd wanna become friends with her, would comfort you after a breakup and buy things for you, picks up after herself well and keeps her room clean

aerith would make you help her decorate and would not be shy to tell you that you forgot to do the dishes. but otherwise she is very nice

barret is surprisingly chill and respectful of your space, but mostly he likes to do his own thing. he's out a lot and just minds his own business unless you're being extremely loud

yuffie is a NIGHTMARE. she's a total mess and very loud, but will buy enough food for the both of you and try to make friends with you. you'd have to beg on your knees and cry to get her to wash a singular dish though

cid would mostly stay out of your hair but he has a schedule and you have to adhere to it. if you're not quiet when he's trying to sleep you get cursed out for an hour or two, and he's mean about chores and he smokes indoors. but if you're chill enough with him he'll give you some mean advice

vincent is a mystery, he's either in his room or just... gone. for days on end. ask anyone where he is and you won't get a straight answer. ask him where he went, same thing. somehow he makes absolutely no mess, his room does not look lived in, all as if he is ready to move out tomorrow. he starts tweaking in the middle of the night sometimes

reeve's cool but he isn't home much, cleans after himself and brings home stuff after any excursion, usually a snack to share with you. he's very polite

[oveliagirlhaditright]

It's so sad how fast things can change in some cases...

Because, before we knew how many millions of dollars Square Enix had recently lost, I kept wanting to make a post about why I thought that a Final Fantasy VIII Remake was a really good/fun idea, even though Square Enix themselves and some fans might be hesitant about one in some regards.

And IDK... I still might end up making that post. But do I honestly think we'll ever see one now? No.

Chances were slim before... But if Final Fantasy VII Remakes can't really sell well (at least this most recent one -sobs-), we can honestly kiss our chances at most other ones goodbye:( Especially ones that would be even harder and more time consuming to make (and more costly).

Though I do think FFIX Remake is still happening. And maybe that rumor about an FFX Remake could be true.

[catboyidia]

okay i am entirely aware that i may be absolutely delusional but in the opening scene for the first soldier when sephiroth is trying to call genesis, it looks like sephiroth is fucking crying! like i’m 100% aware that its raining in this scene and he has rain on his face but if you look closely at his eye (the one closer to the light) that streak looks like it’s coming from his eye (unless it’s rain… that close to his eye… which i mean is technically possible i guess)

even in this picture if you look closely it looks like it comes from the bottom lid(?) of his eye! like there is no space between that streak and his eye

[justsomeunsurefancat]

I just discovered you can go with Red XIII on the Gold Saucer hell yeah!!!!

[stingslikeabee]

❛ give up the gossip. who's the worst lay in midgar? ❜

unscripted asks . always accepting

The Turk's voice carried its normal amused edge - the only evidence that Reno was buzzed was the grin on his face: a better translation of his good spirits rather than some sort of veiled threat. The question was not surprising, but it did give Melissa pause - her eyes drifted to the ceiling of the suite before finding her friend again with mirth in her own gaze.

"Contrary to what Corneo says, I have not personally fucked the entire city. But if we combine the experiences of all the girls here, we may get somewhat close to that," the brunette chuckled, legs shifting over the chair where she had been siting sideways, looking nothing like the queen she presented herself to outsiders. Melissa was off-duty - and it showed in how little care was given to her own hair and overall appearance, not to mention the shockingly unladylike manners.

"But I have to say it's probably your boss," the madame concluded with a nod for added gravitas, and saw Reno's eyes widening in such a disbelieving way that sent Melissa into a laughing fit. It was almost enough to have her rolling off the seat with the way her body convulsed, but the brunette managed to regain her balance over the furniture while catching her breath, cheeks flushed and eyes shining with amusement.

"Shiva's tits, no - not your immediate boss, Reno. I have no idea how good Tseng is in bed, I don't think he's ever been down here for anything but business," inhaling sharply, Melissa pushed herself back in the chair again, sipping the champagne to help clear her thoughts and remedy the suddenly dry throat, "I meant the top boss, the president. Good thing he has no favorites so I get to switch girls for their benefit, too."

Melissa's fit subdued at long last, so she just chuckled again at Reno's expression - now something much more fitting for him with clear understanding rather than the prior incredulity. "Not that surprising, to be honest. Usually anyone who walks in here talking a big game is just disappointing; but as long as you're paying well, we will pretend otherwise. At the end of the day we're just all good actresses - we could be cast for Loveless and deliver."

[kplays]

*xi and xiv not included for being online. Might do a different category for final fantasy that can connect online.

Might also do one for spinoffs. I'll see how I feel, and if this gets a lot of attention.

*XV included in spite of some online features.

* Vii and XVI not included for being recent, and therefore would probably dominate (also the poll only has 12 options)... I'll put them into finals then.

*** vote about favorite vii game here, for which one to include in a future poll. Sorry to people who have already voted and might miss this.

Feel free to give reasons or fond memories in the notes or reblogs

[yutaan]

Holiday sale!

Hey there, my lovelies! Once again, the end of the year is fast approaching, which means we’re all hunting around for gifts for our loved ones (or to keep for ourselves - after all, you deserve gifts too, my lovelies). And what’s a wonderful present for a fandom-savvy giftee? That’s right, it’s ART!

My INPRNT shop is back open, and all items there are 10% off for the entire month of December with the code "FZE4NF"! And below, we have a wide array of beautiful papercraft originals, pre-made, packaged, and ready to be shipped to YOU! Happy holidays, my lovelies!

(Please note that due to tumblr’s image resizing, the artworks are not necessarily displayed at an accurate size in comparison to each other.)

~

BUSTS (approx. 4″ tall)

Harrowhark (The Locked Tomb) - $70 each [BOTH SOLD]

Lady Amalthea (The Last Unicorn) - $65 [SOLD]

Edgeworth (Ace Attorney) - $65 [SOLD]

Jasmine (Aladdin) - $50

Mirabel (Encanto) - $60 [SOLD]

Meg (Hercules) - $50

Hiei (Yu Yu Hakusho) - $55 [SOLD]

Liu Qingge (SVSSS) - $70 [SOLD]

Katara (Avatar: the Last Airbender) - $70 [SOLD]

Ed (Fullmetal Alchemist) - $75 [SOLD]

Yugi & Yami Yugi (Yugioh) - 8" wide - $210

Jiang Cheng & Jin Ling (MDZS/The Untamed) - 6" tall - $200 [SOLD]

~

FULLBODIES (approx. 6″ tall)

Aerith (FFVII) - $85

Kagome (Inuyasha) - $75

Sakura (Cardcaptor Sakura) - $85 [SOLD]

Yor (Spy x Family) - $85 [SOLD]

Reigen (Mob Psycho 100) - $80 [SOLD]

L (Death Note) - $75

Vash (Trigun Stampede) - $95 [SOLD]

Howl + Calcifer (Howl's Moving Castle) - $95 each [BOTH SOLD]

Haku (Spirited Away) - $90 [SOLD]

~

MINIS (approx. 3-3.5″ tall) - $30 each, three for $80, five for $125

Jin Ling, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, Lan Xichen, Jiang Cheng (The Untamed/MDZS) [ALL SOLD]

Batman (DC), Anya (Spy x Family) [ALL SOLD]

2B (Nier: Automata), Chat Blanc (Miraculous Ladybug), Hunk (Voltron)

Sailor Moon, Dark Lady (Sailor Moon), Pikachu (Pokemon) [ALL SOLD]

Bakugo (BNHA)

Nezuko (Demon Slayer) [ALL SOLD]

MINI SETS - $60 each

WangXian (MDZS/The Untamed) [ALL SOLD]

Yunmeng Shuangjie (MDZS/The Untamed) [ALL SOLD]

Jin Ling & Jiujiu (MDZS/The Untamed) [ALL SOLD]

HuaLian (TGCF) [ALL SOLD]

BingQiu (SVSSS) [ALL SOLD]

Crowley & Aziraphale (Good Omens) [ALL SOLD]

~

SIMPLE PAPERCRAFT (approx. 5" tall) - $20 each

~

ZINES (5x7")

TALL ♥ small - 20 pages, handmade, personal illustrations, all-ages - $10 [SOLD OUT]

Battle Damage - 28 pages, pro-printed, multiple artists, teen and up - $15

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If you are interested in purchasing any of these artworks, please email me at yutaanchan23@yahoo.com with the subject line “Holiday Sale.” In the body of the email, please include:

Which piece(s) you wish to purchase

Shipping address (please note that shipping outside the US may cost extra)

Preferred email address for Paypal invoice

If you have a tumblr username and would like to include it so I can recognize you, you can also do that! :D But it’s not a requirement.

~ 

Pieces are first-come, first-served, so be quick! (Likewise, please note that I cannot reserve a piece for you indefinitely unless you are able to pay for it or place a down payment on it at the time you contact me. Thank you for your understanding!) This post will be updated throughout the month to show which pieces have been sold.

Happy gifting, lovelies!

[logicbutton]

Hey guys what's up I learned bookbinding to make @cindthia a physical copy of Synchronized Cardioversion for our anniversary :3

Pics and process documentation below!

I used the following resources:

How to Make a Book by ArmoredSuperHeavy

Bookbinding Resources Master List by Renegade Bindery

r/Fanbinding

the fanbinding tag on AO3 - shoutout to r3zuri's fanbinding of a FFVII fic for their extremely informative cliff's notes version of the process

the Intro to Hand Bookbinding class at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, an incredible resource for anyone in or near Minneapolis interested in learning how to bind their own books.

First, I typeset the fanfic. I did this by downloading it from AO3, trying to figure it out myself, checking How to Make a Book for help with a problem I was having, and realizing that I should have just used it from the beginning in the first place. I used Microsoft Word 2013.

Fonts: Palatino Linotype, Helvetica (for the characters' text messages), Beatline (for titles) Margins: .88" top, 1" bottom, .75" inside, .75" outside, .25" gutter Front matter: - Title page with only the title - "Praise for Synchronized Cardioversion" with comments from the fic - Title page with title, author name, and a colophon I made - Copyright page with fic copyright, fic URL, TLT series copyright, disclaimer, AO3 fic summary, first chapter author's notes, copyright for in-text art, book design credit, font info Back matter: - Acknowledgments (from the fic) - "Also by CindFourth" with all their TLT fic separated into Synchronized Cardioversion Extended Universe (might make another book of this at some point); Other Camgideon, Campal, and Team 69; and Other Locked Tomb

I set the page layout to "book fold" with 16-page signatures. As for the art, one of Cind's requests in last year's TLT Holiday Exchange was for art of this fic and they got not only a fantastic one-page comic from their assigned creator, our friend @anaeolist (who also did a sketch of Cam and Gideon kissing - we'll come back to that later), but also a lovely piece as a treat from our friend @kat-hikari. I got permission from both artists to include their work in the book.

The finished file was 408 pages, so I added four blank pages (two sheets) to the beginning and the end to make 26 signatures even.

Next, I printed the pages. I used my Brother DCP-L2550DW and Hammermill 11x8.5 24/60 lb. cream bookbinding paper from Church Paper. I'd read that sometimes using short-grain paper in a regular printer could cause it to jam, but it went fine. The cream color made the pages look so professional.

I folded the pages into signatures and then pressed them overnight. Since I don't have a book press, I sandwiched them between two sheets of bookboard and put a heavy box on top, and that worked well.

The next step, punching holes and sewing, was my favorite. I'd made a punching cradle using instructions I got in my bookbinding class. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, and it only used bookboard and PVA glue, so I didn't even need to buy anything I hadn't already bought for the project.

I used three pieces of tape and sewed them on using a kettle stitch.

Then I went to MCBA to use their guillotine on the text block and their board shear to cut boards for the cover.

I chose orange cardstock for the endpaper, and because I am a novice making novice mistakes I unfortunately forgot to get a size of cardstock that would let me fold it on the grain, but anyway. I trimmed it to the exact size of the pages and glued it to the text block. Next I glued the spine of the text block, rounded it a bit (not the way an expert would; you learn that in Intermediate Hand Bookbinding), added a strip of super mull and headbands at either end, and sat it under a weight to dry while I made the cover.

The Bristol board I cut for the spine was probably 1/8" too wide, which makes a bigger difference than you would think. Next time I'm going to err on the side of slightly too narrow when I'm already giving myself three board widths of a buffer on either side.

Aside from that, the cover turned out great! I could have done a better job lining up the endpaper when I glued it in, but that's the kind of thing you practice I guess.

I love the way the navy blue bookcloth looks with the cream paper, the orange endpaper, and the red and white headbands.

Now that I had the exact dimensions of the book, I could finally design the dust jacket. Remember that sketch of Cam and Gideon kissing that anaeolist did for the holiday exchange? I commissioned them to turn it into a finished piece for the cover, and boy did they ever deliver. I also asked some of our other friends who had read the fic to give me blurbs for the back cover, and they delivered too. Cind's and my relationship wouldn't have been possible without the wonderful community we met in and I wanted this gift to reflect that.

I created the jacket in GIMP at a print resolution of 300ppi and saved it as a pdf. The final step was to get it printed, which I was nervous about because it was the only part of the process that I had no control over at all. Long story short, I ended up with something I was very happy with done by a small chain print shop where I had to go in and talk to a human about what I needed.

I also posted this to AO3!

[miss-midnightt]

Random Thoughts I have about FFVII characters

Genesis would absolutely adore factoring (as in math factoring). He’d also TOTALLY be into needlepoint.

Angeal crochets + knits and taught Zack how to do both. Zack prefers crocheting because it works up faster.

Sephiroth keeps a list of words that have literally nothing obviously in common. The only reason a word gets on the list is because he likes the way it looks (ex syzygy) or it’s fun to say (like lackadaisical). This list also includes made up words such as “thneed”.

Cloud WOULD listen to vocaloid change my mind. Also he kicks ass in dance dance revolution and just dance. Actually any dancing game.

Vincent loves playing card games. Unfortunately, he has a hard time finding people to play with so he mostly sticks to playing solitaire.

Rufus is a MASSIVE Zelda nerd.

[ashinaisshin]

Excerpts from the annotated voice script in ff7 remake ultimania plus – some scenes related to Sephiroth

The ff7 remake ultimania plus (the offical English version is releasing in November?) contains a large section of voice script of the game, which includes the script along with many annotations from the devs that provide additional context and voice direction. It is also accompanied by a series of Q&As with FF7R co-director Motomu Toriyama. Here I translated some parts of the script and a few Q&As specifically related to Sephiroth. I also translated the in-game voice lines in a way that’s closer to the Japanese script, instead of using the actual English localization.

1. Sephiroth imitates Cloud’s mother saying her last words when Cloud first encounters him in Sector 8 (Chapter 2)

[Nibelheim in flames]

The same shot was in the original FFVII, taken from the perspective of Cloud who has fallen on the ground. He is looking at the door of his house that’s engulfed in flames. Cloud is whimpering, his voice barely coming out.

Cloud: Mom… Mom…

Sephiroth (offscreen): Were the planet to die, this hometown of yours that burns so brightly would also disappear. The voice of the woman pleading in tears for me to spare her son… the sensation of me cutting her down – they would all disappear.

[Sector 8, illusory alleyway]

Cloud struggles to breathe as he confronts Sephiroth.

Sephiroth: To lose the connection which binds us would be harder to bear than my own death. Cloud, lend me your strength. Don’t worry, it’s a simple thing.

Sephiroth continues to tease Cloud even further.

(The following lines are the last words of Cloud’s mother, which only Sephiroth knows. It is also spoken with an awareness to somewhat imitate the tone of Cloud’s mother.)

Sephiroth: Cloud… You have to run… Run away… And live…

Cloud looks puzzled. Sephiroth grins. Realizing that those were the last words of his mother, Cloud suddenly opens his eyes wide and raises his sword –

Cloud: You bastard!

Scenario Staff Q&A, answered by Motomu Toriyama

Q: The Sephiroth in this scene and the Sephiroth that appears at the Edge in Chapter 18 seem to share the goal of “preventing the demise of the planet”, so are the two of them related?

A: The Sephiroths that appear in different occasions are manifested in a variety of ways – some of them are hallucinations that only Cloud can see, some of them are illusions created by Sephiroth, some of them are mimicked by the men in black cloaks, while some of them are Sephiroth himself. Since all of them act according to Sephiroth’s transcendental will and consciousness, they all speak of the same goals and toy with Cloud’s psyche when they approach him.

Q: Sephiroth has the line “That is a precious memory we share [referring to Cloud throwing him into the mako in Nibel Reactor]” (t/n: the English localization here is “That is the crowning moment of our time together”), which is reminiscent of Cloud’s line from FFVII Advent Children: “Stay where you belong… in my memories.” What was Sephiroth’s intention behind saying this?

A: Physically, Sephiroth is already dead, and even the fact that he died at Cloud’s hands is one of his “memories with Cloud”. Since Cloud is one of the few people who understand his history and can even be called his comrade or nemesis, he would like to maintain a strong bond with Cloud, and this is the sort of feelings that are driving him to use the word “memory”.

2. Sephiroth tells Cloud to enter the Singularity with benevolent intentions (Chapter 18)

[After opening the portal to the Singularity]

Sephiroth: Come quickly, Cloud.

This sounds like a call to the Reunion, but Sephiroth’s true intention is to urge Cloud to come to the other side of the wall so he can show him the truth about the fate of the planet. He is calling out to Cloud with benevolence. A brief smile appears on his face before he enters into the wall. Cloud stares at the wall for a moment in hesitation, but he steps forward to follow Sephiroth. However, Aerith grabs onto Cloud and stops him.

3. Since Cloud refuses to join him, the real(?) Sephiroth follows his original strategy to manipulate Cloud (Chapter 18)

[The Edge of Creation]

Sephiroth: Seven seconds till the end. But, there is still enough time.

Sephiroth curves his lips into a menacing smile. If Cloud wouldn’t fight alongside him, he has no choice but to toy with Cloud as he guides him along his path, like he has always done.

Sephiroth: The future is up to you, Cloud.

When Cloud turns around, Sephiroth is nowhere to be seen; only a black feather dances in the air.

Scenario Staff Q&A

Q: The way “seven seconds till the end” is phrased seems to be hinting at something. Please tell us the meaning behind this phrase.

A: The dimension where Cloud confronts Sephiroth in the final scene is something like the Apocalypse; it is the edge of space and time at which the planet arrives – a place where time is stopped. Little time is left for the planet, which Sephiroth refers to figuratively as “seven seconds till the end”. Once the progression of time resumes, whether the world will end for good after seven seconds, or perhaps some forces will be able to alter the course of space and time – this is, I think, as Sephiroth says, “up to Cloud”.

[whetstonefires]

ask game for fanfic writers: 7. tell us about the plot of the first fanfic you ever wrote (that you remember). OR 11. what’s something neat you’ve learned while doing research for something you were writing? also, how much do you worry about doing research in general? (yeah, I just want to listen to an infodump)

hi!!!!! lmao confession, the time lapse between when you posted that ask game and when i reblogged it from you was me keeping it open in a tab trying to send you an ask, like a polite person. but sending asks is, like watching television, one of those things that ought to be straightforward but which i find astonishingly difficult for no clear reason. so while cleaning out my tabs i just lowered my standards and reblogged it.

7. oh, this is a funny one actually! so this was around two years before i learned fic was a thing, so i'm in like the sixth or seventh grade. i had this really inexplicably intense dream about spiderman. i woke up and it stuck with me, you know.

so i was like, well loads of people write stories about spiderman, i don't need permission, i'll write it down and then it will leave me alone.

naturally i forgot over half the dream before i finished getting it down. but the plot definitely involved being stuck to the ceiling due to inexplicable spider-powers and a very strained conversation with spiderman on one of those external cornices you get on the fancier class of brownstone. i think whatever OC i was inhabiting was mad about spiderman existing and he was increasingly fed up with me being insane, but trying to be patient.

ig there was no plot. strictly speaking.

11. gonna answer these in reverse order.

so first, there's two classes of research for fic, as far as i'm concerned, probably because i spent too long in comics. there's general knowledge about real things, and then there's finding the correct reference points within the canon you're working from.

the first one i'm not that intense about. sometimes there's a thing i really have to Get Right so i go looking, or i'll commit to including something and then need to go read up for verisimilitude, but i generally do not get into the deep factfinding tunnels people talk about.

because i enjoy the process of learning and the process of writing, but i tend to find it very stressful to suspend the act of writing in order to pursue knowledge, so that particular constellation makes both experiences worse. so i'm more likely to redirect the story around a knowledge roadblock so i can keep moving, than really dig in to break through it, and i'm very willing to go 'okay that'll work' and return to the story if i do break for research.

rather than try to track down That One Datapoint, if i'm writing fic that requires or would benefit from knowledge of [subject], i will tend to do general reading on that subject, and then let my improved background knowledge and store of Fun Facts shape where i go with the story.

this is more fun and more likely to come in handy for other purposes later, and the writing result tends to be more natural. same approach with original fiction.

with the kind of research designed to get my fic latched into canon correctly, on the other hand, i keep trying to be more casual about this, especially for fandoms where the canon material is a hot mess, but i also keep regretting that attempt. because it lets me get a fic actually started rather than bogged down in preliminaries, but then i reach a certain point and get frustrated that this is a good fic except it didn't bother to be chronologically coherent and now it's too late.

i didn't write any ffvii fic until i'd played through the original game and taken notes, and i definitely don't regret that!

now, cool things i've found out...the first one I think of, i stumbled across an unexpected gem while browsing to brainstorm night hunt ideas for mdzs fic.

turns out one of the many many many many many archaic chinese words for ghoulies and ghosties, for which it's very unclear what the specific differences between one term and another were in any given usage, is wangxiang. translations proposed include both 'mountain spirits' and 'water demons,' but it's definitely some sort of supernatural entity, and an unfriendly one.

there's a semi-major plot point in the book where, when they were teens, Lan Wangji named a song he'd composed Wangxian, which is also their portmanteau shipname. which by his standards was a romantic declaration. but Wei Wuxian passed out, and didn't actually hear him say it. so whether it would have worked as a romantic declaration remains unclear lmao. lan wangji refuses to tell him again later.

i think a very funny element for an AU would be if he only almost passed out, and just went away believing the song was named 'wangxiang,' which sounds very similar and is a word he's reasonably likely to have relatively high in his lexicon on account of their job is monster hunting and his education is distinctly monster slanted, and was just like, 'what a creepy name for such a pretty song?? lan zhan is so weird lol.'

bonus misunderstanding points if he said it was creepy but didn't explain why and Lan Wangji was like i have been brutally rejected 😢

you aren't actually in that fandom though, so this feels like a lame answer. uhhhh.

for my Earth-3 fics when I put mirror Dick Grayson through a recovery/redemption arc and he was laying low in Europe to avoid both Bruce and Slade ('With Tongue of Wood'), i basically stuck a pin in the map and spun a dial in my head and was like he's in...Romania...working in a...bakery.

so then i had to take a hiatus to research Romanian bakeries and it turns out Romanian cuisine is in possession of many fantastic varieties of fancy pastry, and i want to eat them. it's been what, seven years? but still. curse of knowledge. there are delicious pastries in romania.

[freelanceexorcist]

FFVII Rebirth spoilers under the cut.

I don't know how I managed to miss the scene in the Gi village the first time, but I was skipping around, so that's probably why. Well, I just watched it and...wow.

So it would seem that the Gi are actually humanoid extraterrestrials who appear to date back to at least the era of the Cetra and may have been there even longer for all we know.

They're very tall, very slender beings with blue skin and purplish pink eyes. Wait, doesn't Jenova look like--

They kind of beat us over the head with lore regarding this one. The first clue was Sephiroth rolling up then disappearing in the same manner that Gi Nattak did as well as the invocation of "all born are bound to her."

Anyway, if I'm thinking correctly, the only way for the Gi to be free of their current predicament is to seriously transform the planet. Maybe by, say, using the black materia to start a merger of the worlds into one perfect one, and one of those worlds may include a Lifestream that isn't so hostile to them. I'd say this gives the Gi a legit beef with the Cetra, seeing as the Lifestream is some kind of exclusive club and they designated themselves the guardians of the velvet rope.

So this would mean that Jenova isn't just some cosmic serial killer tearing apart worlds for shits and giggles, she just wants to be able to rest after thousands of years of being stuck as a homeless ghost (and don't even get her started on Shinra shoving bits of her body into fetuses). It seems that Jenova's attack on the Cetra-assuming they're going in that direction this time-wasn't just an act of her being a colossal, cosmic bitch. She wanted that black materia for, dare I say it, a legitimate reason.

Now whether the black materia-wielding smokeshow we see throughout the game is Jenova presenting herself as Sephiroth or Sephiroth embracing that he's half Gi on his mom's side and leaning into his heritage, that raises some interesting questions. It even makes them somewhat sympathetic.

"It's not death, it's homecoming." We're already dead, and we just want to go home.

It casts the bit in The Case of the Lifestream: Black in a new light, too. The memories and emotions that he abandoned to the Lifestream were the human parts of him being accepted. What was left was pure Gi, and destroying the planet in Advent Children was how that part of him could go home, sailing the cosmos looking for the Gi homeworld.

Damn, I hope they give us more Gi lore in part three.

[ariseur]

taglist ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹

*ੈ♡⸝⸝⋆୭ ✧ ˚. ᵎᵎ 🎀✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

ᯓᡣ𐭩 featuring a taglist in my pieces now, if you wanna join it then comment on this post with your username and the fandom / character(s) you’d like to be tagged for—!! (ex., “hii, [username], sephiroth, ffvii.)

ᯓᡣ𐭩 in the case that you’d want to be tagged for multiple characters, you could put, “[username], [character a], [character b], [fandom]”

ᯓᡣ𐭩 and in the case that you’d wanna be tagged for the whole fandom or multiple fandoms, you could put, “[username], [fandom], all characters.”

ᯓᡣ𐭩 reminder that being included in this taglist will involve you being tagged in anything that involves this character— for example, if you were to request to be notified of something with arthur morgan and i end up writing something with the entire van der linde gang that will include arthur, you’ll be tagged regardless unless stated otherwise. if you would not prefer to be tagged when your character is grouped with others, please specify!!

ᯓᡣ𐭩 how does a taglist benefit you, you ask? in case you’d like to remain anonymous, you can still be notified of when your request / a new work comes out!! it also helps a lot if you don’t like turning external notifications on but still get notified whenever you’re in the app of when i post something new—!

[i-plague-eater]

It took me long to choose characters but I've ended with Elyon, Orube and Yazoo (from FFVII). First, Elyon.

I like her shaggy hairstyle in cartoon a lot! It is a reason for Kane/Phobos to has his hair so wild! But in a comic book her silhouette is much closer to Weira and they're said to be very look alike, so I've came with a compromise between comic and cartoon versions. Her iconic sweater is a noticeable detail too, plus it's purple and purple always gives a magical and mystique vibe.

I'm not gonna lie: as a kid, I've never been fond of her. As far as I know, most fans say the same as I do: she's too sugary sweet, naive, gullible and never had a chance to kick Phobos's ass. But as she's one of the characters in my fancomic In Breach, I followed my commom approach "You can't have a character in your script and feel a subjective grudge towards them". So I started asking myself why Elyon is acting the way she does. And I've discovered а very interesting fact.

Why she WOULDN'T act the way she does?

She is an ordinary teen girl, not the smartest, not the brightest (when it's not about amazing drawing skills that she share with Hay Lin. I mean, come on!). She isn't the most socially successful, as she mentioned in a cartoon "I'm a teenager without friends" (in rus dub). The ordinary "normal" type. Her only stable relationship is with Cornelia and Alchemy. She's so unnoticed that only Alchemy notified the police that Elyon is missing. And Alchemy is not a teacher, just a classmate. A family has disappeared and literally no one (including neighbors) told to police that lights were off for a long time.

Yes, we see Elyon in a background from time to time and she even says a phrase or two. She's not an outcast type, she hangs with the others BUT every time we see her involved it also involves Cornelia who was most likely the one who invited her. And she's always slightly away from the rest making me think she only does this to mix with her surroundings. We never see her hanging with her own company or even a single friend instead of the main heroes or Alchemy (who's also a Cornelia friend). Or Bryan... but it was a sad and short story. We never see her having a long dialogue unless we know who she really is. It's an arguable point tho as the story is about W.I.T.C.H girls and script writers probably were trying to keep a secret of her true nature.

But when Cedric appears! Unlike her furtive parents that always withhold something and Cornelia who's all about herself (with all the respect to Cornelia), Cedric just... listens to her. He shows compassion, non-judgmental approach and sound sincere. With him Elyon feel being special. Not to mention that Cornelia has betrayed her for Will (we know the reason behind it but Ely doesn't).

And then! Bang! Suddenly Elyon becomes THE special. The only one! She's like Harry Potter who got a letter from Hogwarts, like issekai character, the fucking King Arthur, THE CHOSEN ONE! Common people of Meridian are praying on her, servants are ready to perform any caprice, Miranda is being nice and ready to play with her, her older brother is such a sweet and cheerful person who would do just anything for her. She's like Coraline who found the other mother. And this case is actually so good that it should be in a video "How and why people fall for abusive relationship or being lured into a sect".

The only thing she can be accused is being too gullible but she acts as a person who grasps any straw. Who would you choose? Parents who lied to you for your whole life? Fake friends who replaced you with a new girl.

We can go deeper here. Remember the first scene with Elyon in a comic book? She got a low grade and instead of supporting her, her "friends" invent a humiliating punishment to hit on a stranger. Although they know she's quite shy! What a nice company we have here, don't we?

Don't get me wrong, teenagers may show low empathy due to their age. Cornelia isn't a bad person too. She's the most loyal friend one might only dream of! Both in a comic book and cartoon she stays at Elyon's side and refuse the idea of her friend being evil. Although Elyon did a lot in a comic book to be judged. Cornelia risks her own life to get to her. BUT she's still quite an narcissist type. Such people attract very specific friends: those who always stay in their shadow, never a threat or a competitor. You can see others confronting her in either passive-aggressive form or trying to show her a place like Irma does. But Elyon was with Cornelia since they were small kids. I have a theory that Elyon actually wins from it too: she seem very "normal" by hanging with a popular friend who would invite her to every party. And literally no one can say no to Cornelia, right? And Elyon seem present in the society. And at the same time she actually isn't.

So here's the whole picture: Elyon isn't a scapegoat outcast like Martin, she isn't labeled as "odd" like Hay Lin. BUT she's not a successful either. She's a blank one, that average conformal person that does their best to suit "normal" standarts. She's short on social contacts, she's breadcrumbed by Cornelia and has no friends outside her pack. As we remember, Alchemy is also Cornelia's friend. Both Browns are hideous, insanely quiet people who made a very, very isolated, incapsulated family to the point that no one even notices their absence. They do their best to lay low and they teach Elyon to act the same way (we know why, but it's quite unhealthy thing you know). I bet Eleanor is quite unhappy with Ely's marks, but I'm not sure if she's strict about it. She's been shown as a good parent in both comic and cartoon. Although the way Elyon agreed to throw them in prison in a comic so easily is something that keep my brain buzzing.

Sooo my idea is that her reliance problems has started long before the cartoon events. Her social contacts never worked properly to begin with and that's why Cedric got her so easily. Not to mention his speech skills. Elyon was a quiet, shady kid with a certain tendency for escapism. Drawing on her level is quite a specific trait that requires a lot of time spend alone and some wild imagination. I think while she never shows this in a cartoon and probably suppressed it, she was really envy of Cornelia, Irma, Hay Lin and even Taranee having huge and nice families, lots of friends and being very bright people. While she's... on the sidelines. There's a thick wall of white lies between her and her parents. She's... no one. Only Cedric shown her what being heard and important is.

Although all the above is cool, it makes her a bit bland to my personal taste. So in my AU called In Breach I given her a bit salt and spice by returning her some of her comic characteristics. I see her as a stalker type, very jealous and vengeful, but too afraid of showing aggression and staring a feud. She would write some really nasty fanfiction about her foes and spread rumors, make ugly caricature on Grumper sisters. Might even play a nasty prank on someone if she can get away unnoticed. But nothing violent, just humiliating.

So, imagine this lost envious girl stumbling across another narcissist. Different from Cornelia, quite a violent type. The one who seem to be afraid of no one. Like, literally not a single person can tell him what to do - even the police (on a first glance. In reality, he's afraid of jail as fuck). The one who questions the moral, the normality, the good and evil. AND telling her this is what she can and should be. WELL WELL WELL WHO COULD THAT BE)

Also, a song that must be a soundtrack for her kicking Phobos's butt in a cartoon.

[noxsylvania]

I'm Opening Commissions Once Again!!!!!

Hey y'all! I'm likely gonna be running into work issues real soon and need to get some extra money. If you've been following me a while you've probably heard me talk about not planning on ever doing commissions again, but desperate times and all that.

ADDITIONAL SECRET SALE [aka I forgot to write it on there...]: If you show me proof of a donation of $20 or more to the PCRF, I'll knock 25% off of ANY commission.

More Details Below the Cut!!!

What I will and won't draw:

I will draw, mechs, furries, Sonic characters, complicated armor and clothing. However these may be subject to change in price for extra detail.

I will draw gore, blood, and mildly suggestive art (including partial nudity). However on account of gore, I will not allow self harm injuries or heatshot wounds.

I will not draw NSFW, porn, or fetish art. Sorry! Maybe someday!

I will not draw anything I find might be offensive and I reserve the ability to decline a commission request for ANY reason. Feel free to ask anything if you are unsure.

Payment

I accept payment through Paypal and Venmo, payment must be in USD. After I complete the initial sketch for your commission I will ask for a down payment of $5USD, this payment comes out of the final price! Tips are greatly appreciated as well, but please make a note of it so I know there wasn't a mistake on your end!

Additional Characters:

For lined drawings each additional character is the base price minus %30. For render style 1, each additional character is the base price minus 15%. Additional characters in render style 2 are however the same as the base price, digital paintings take a long time.

About Sales

I have two ongoing sales currently available, Sonic art and Final Fantasy VII art. All sales apply to the full price of the piece, so if you have extra detail or background charges, the sale will apply to the full price PLUS these charges. And of course, if you'd rather I draw a character that you or a friend created, so long as they are designed to be from either Sonic or FFVII, they are included in these two sales. For proof of donation to the PCRF I only need to see your email confirmation showing the amount you donated, feel free to redact your name if you want. All three current sales can stack to a maximum of 35% off! All sales however have a minimum of $5USD, you have to pay me at least SOMETHING..

All sales end on April 1st! If I start working on your commission before that date, the sale will apply to your total even if I finish it AFTER April 1st.

About Backgrounds

I am absolutely happy to do backgrounds, for a price! The price of backgrounds is highly dependent on what you want so I can’t really put estimates here. Please know this can vastly extend the time I would require to finish the piece which may affect refunds. By default, all of my drawings will be transparent PNGs with a solid color BG variant. If you would like a gradient background, those are completely free! Just ask!

Timeline and Refunds

Art takes time, for me as a disabled artist, it's a bit more time than many other artists I know. Commissions are first come first serve, so please know that I can only get to you when I finish anyone else on the waitlist before you. If I do not finish your piece in 30 business days, I will refund your down payment, regardless of how far in I am.

If you have any other questions just ask! Thanks so much!