#it's definitely surreal to go home and learn everyone thinks you're dead. useful for overthrowing the queen... but surreal.

[destinywillowleaf]

Oh hey look @greentrickster, I actually settled on an Apollo design. With both a composite look (sans the boots because shoes are still a struggle) and the piece-by piece, it's a miracle that I've actually made some vague attempt at a reference. I still have no idea how his hair works but that's a problem for future me.

(Left was done first, then the right.)

One of the things that quickly became apparent as a result of Apollo being the "Dragon's Dog" in this AU(acting as a lookout for the Defiant Dragons when he was younger) was the amount of dog symbolism/ideas that could still appear in his prosecutor design. Like how canon!Nahyuta has his Defiant Dragon tattoo covered by Ga'ran's symbol, obviously SOMETHING similar had to happen here. A glove didn't really feel right though (anything that looks like gloves is just me trying to draw hands), so instead it became something like the tag on a dog's collar.

Some things have yet to be fully fleshed out (colors, coat pattern, what the deal with his vest buttons is gonna be, if he has the Defiant Dragon tattoo and whether or not it's on his palm) but a transcript of the image text (and general rambling from me) is gonna be below the cut.

Trigger warnings in advance: gaslighting (to a degree), manipulation, mentions of death (but no one's physically dead).

LEFT IMAGE, TRANSCRIPT

~~vague concepts~~

-> Apollo is the "Dragon's Dog", maybe symbolism of a muzzle of dog on a chain? -> hair spikes stand up for surprise animation -> not sure if he'll have prayer beads like Nahyuta -> green said lawyer monk rights ->-> looser clothing around joints? (note: second half is cut off in image) -> bracelet on LEFT wrist -> shouldn't look overly fancy. he's put together but not royalty. -> either cloth over shoulder or around waist

(next to the small sketch on the right) kinda looks like a tail...

-> could serve as a way for Ga'ran to "keep him on a leash" and pull him back into line during Revolution...? -> jacket has loose/bell sleeves, tighter uniform/shirt underneath with collar+badge like a dog collar -> i swear he's not a furry in disguise. that's Agent Lang. -> if it is waist fabric it really is gonna be a tail lol. unless outside?? -> ...you know with the way Apollo's bracelet works it COULD be the collar. god how f*cked up would that be.

(underneath Apollo)

-> no eyeshine; regains it once all is resolved and he can be himself again

RIGHT IMAGE, TRANSCRIPT

"Casual"

-> turtleneck -> regular work pants -> "socks & sandals" like Puhray Zeh'lot b/c monk (I don't actually know what they would be called /~\ but I just didn't want to give him regular socks. This is both the "casual" look and the "first layer of outside clothing" look.)

Layer 2

-> vest thing; Ga'ran spider emblem on collar ->-> symbolic of dog collar -> like the glove covering Nahyuta's dragon tattoo -> boots??

(off to the side, top) Ga'ran's spider emblem

Prosecuting Outfit

-> bell sleeves to cover bracelet ->-> secondarily to make him seem younger/unfit for the position -> butterfly design on bottom of jacket is not final; might just be plain -> waist fabric is there to keep jacket closer to body ->-> also easy to grab & pull Apollo back. sorta like a leash & tail in one.

......

The reason Nahyuta's hand was covered was both to silence his role as a Dragon by covering the tattoo, but it also makes Ga'ran present in his daily life as well. Every time he would go to pray, her influence would be there, reminding him who he had to follow orders from. He couldn't separate his faith from the role he was being forced to play. He couldn't keep two elements of his life divided.

The same thing happens with Apollo here. His voice is a huge part of who he is, and sitting right on top of his throat his Ga'ran's symbol. Stifling the things he wants to say and preventing him from being the person he wants to be. She also influenced much of the rest of his clothing choices. The coat is a little big on him (which, really, is to be expected since the Khurainese royal family is on the taller side and Apollo is very much not)(no seriously Amara and Ga'ran are the shortest adults at 5'8", and Apollo is only like 5' without his hair spikes), which serves dual purpose in covering his bracelet and making him seem that much younger. If he weren't glaring so much, he wouldn't look like he was in his 20s. He'd look like a middle school or high school student trying to look more professional in clothes that don't fit right. Because that's all he is in Ga'ran's eyes. He's just a kid that tried to take her down and failed, now forced to serve her and prevent others like him from usurping her place.

It's a way for Ga'ran to continue minimizing the power Apollo has, keeping him in line and following her commands. When he starts to get agitated and acts "out of turn" in Turnabout Revolution, she's able to LITERALLY pull him back and keep him where she wants. She doesn't know exactly how his powers work, but she's aware that it does involve lies. If Apollo is refusing to listen or submit to her words, she will start to lie in order to cause him pain.

...

If that description makes you uncomfortable, that's the point. Ga'ran is not a good person and will do all within her power to keep things how she wants. She knows Apollo can't fight back without risking the lives of Amara and Rayfa, so she's free to more or less gaslight and manipulate him into the prosecutor she wants. Apollo is her attack dog now, not the Dragon's lookout boy. He obeys her commands, not those of his adoptive father and his insurgent group.

And it's not like most of the Dragons would recognize him anyway. As the lookout, he was always wearing a mask and barely spoke a word outside of alerts. He didn't stick with the main group, and most only saw him at the start, and only saw him at the end if it was a successful mission. But Apollo still remembers some of their faces. He remembers the people Dad recruited to fight back against Ga'ran and now he's the one condemning them to their graves on her orders.

Ga'ran holds the cards. There's not much that can be done in Khura'in to oppose her. Really, the only chance of things changing would be Nahyuta coming back, but that's less likely by the day. Coming back without a plan would be a death wish, but with no way to meet up and not have Ga'ran listening in, it's all too easy to let go of the false notions of salvation and accept that things won't change.

After all, Nahyuta Sahdmadhi is dead.

Drowned in a mountain river without a soul to save him. His body was turned to ash to prevent him from being paraded around like it was something to be proud of. His restless soul still wanders this world, because Ga'ran is the reason he is dead. Until justice is brought to her, he will be unable to move on and be channeled.

(At least, that's the story Ga'ran is told.)

(As far as Apollo's concerned, his brother is dead. Why waste time in holding onto hope when the reality of the situation is so clear.)

.....

I know I've probably said this before, but Green I really appreciate that you sorta let me go wild with this AU! It's fun to take a crack at character designs and "what-if" scenarios on how things would change, and explore different character dynamics that result. Granted, I also have the advantage of future knowledge and not being restricted to a limited case format so it's easier to make things connect and expand on characters outside of legal drama.

(also may or may not be drafting up ideas for Nahyuta's Plumed Punisher self-insert OC cause a friend asked and I got Ideas. >:))