#last piece of the animal catalogue

[kipine]

🍊

[meathunt]

Dry seeds

What if naga yandere? Tw linfantilization, non human yandere * . ` ✧*✧ ✶ * .* . ` ✧*✧ ✶ * . You finished taking a very needed sip of your water bottle, the sun of the desert hitting hard while the dry air gives you some comfort.

For the last years there have been sightings of new creatures and strange plants all around the globe, humanoid forms being photographed or barely being able to be seen in videos.

This inspired some groups to start to investigate, private organizations funding trips to get to the bottom of this.

You were part of a group of explorers taking samples and observing the flora and fauna, and cataloguing the changes they have, your group was assigned the dessert where some of this sightings have happened.

You were a botanist, a student that instead of using their vacation time to rest or maybe hang out with friends, you were approached by one of your professors with the opportunity of going on this trip.

You were ecstatic about it from the start, and even now having to endure the heat and filling tired from the walk, you couldn't contain a silly smile and that spark in your eyes. The expedition was very simple actually, constant walks around the determined zone, everyone on the team had some specialty and even if you were more of a helper than one of the main investigators, you still were allowed to participate and make your own investigations.

The allotted time for this trip was almost two months.

And coming to the middle of the first month you started to notice things, first was the constant feeling of being watched, no matter where you were, how far or how close of the group you stayed, eyes were always on you, you were convinced of this, but had no proof.

The strange things were found near the camp, at first there were strange trinkets, some shiny rocks and metals that from what you were told, had no business being so close to the surface. Then it was carcasses, when you found one of some type of dog looking thing you almost passed out. Not doing well with gory things. The others in camp dealed with those.

The group started to think that maybe you guys had stepped near some animals territory and that maybe these were warnings. So you moved camp, but even then you guys still found weird stuff.

No longer dead animals but now you found what only could be described as trinkets, toys of some kind, a bit rustic if you said so yourself, and what could be described as small sculptures made of stone, clay or wood. Some of animals and flowers, but one looked like a person, a bit funky but it had the shape, those were kind of cute so you decide to keep some of them.

The things that cached your attention were the plants, obviously ripped, and so eye-catching for their colors and characteristics, but the strangest thing was that they were just so out of place in the desert. They were withering quickly under the force of the sun, and held too much humidity, extremely rare to just see it in the middle of the sand.

Today you were a bit far from camp, and you found just a little ball of moss, but what catcher your attention was that the dark little ball seemed to glow in the darkening day.

It was a pretty sight and when you held it it was cold to the touch, you played a bit with it when you saw another one laying a bit farther from you, your curiosity is picked as you get closer taking the next moss ball in your hands, you excuse it in your mind as good samples for the lab.

You catch what seems like another moss ball ahead a bit buried, but when you try to pick it, it doesn't come off, seems like it was a larger piece than the others. You decide to see if with more force you can unlogged it.

You put the moss balls into your small bag and started to tug, you felt some resistance but after putting more force it dislodged, but before you could celebrate you felt the sand under your feet give up, and the next thing you knew you were falling. You didn’t even have time to scream when you felt your head hit something hard, and instantly lose consciousness.

* . ` ✧*✧ ✶ * .* . ` ✧*✧ ✶ * .

Ishan felt when you hit the ground, sliding quietly near the entrance where you fell, he was proud of the trap if he says so himself, he planted those little toys to lure you further from your pack. He was absolutely smitten when he saw your group approach, humans, he knew of your kind, once upon a time he knew his ancestors encountered your kind, and while some started to worship his ancestors, others decided to hunt them, making them decide to go into hiding.

He heard of how deceiving and resourceful you guys could be, a danger in disguise if not kept in check, and some vermin that was better far than close. That’s what he grew up thinking at least.

But when he saw you all, he found humans adorable, you were just so tiny! Curious little creatures exploring his territory, he wasn’t as naïve as to go to reveal himself to all of you, he decided to watch what you wanted. In that initial spying he saw you, considerably smaller than the rest of the pack, he could sense you were the youngest out of them. You were just the cutest thing he has ever seen, and before he knew he started to leave little gifts for you. Some you kept, but most of them were taken by the rest of the pack. Where you some kind of runt? Was your pack not taking care of you? Even the toys he left for you was taken by the others. At some point that was starting to piss him off. It was obvious you needed most of the resources as the hatchling of your group, but they didn’t even let you keep the toys!!

He still didn’t feel like revealing himself to your group, or give them the chance to alert the others. But what if he made you take the first steps?

Now you layed there, in the cold ground. He checked on you, seeing that you were still breathing, some scrapes in your skin and a cut on your forehead, but you were alive, and for now he was content with that.

Softly he raised you in his arms, holding you close to his chest. You were so small, he just needed one arm to hold you like a baby, a tiny little thing that weighted almost nothing, that fact worried him a it, but you were so warm, soft skin compared with his scaled cold one, and just so squishy! He was smitten with your form. Holding his babies felt nothing like this, he felt that you would break in pieces if he applied the smallest of pressures on you. Placing a soft kiss on your forehead he started to cover the hole you fell from, after all he would hate if that mean pack of yours, stuck their noses in here. After he finished he started to go back home.

Once he arrived he proceeded to clean you up, changing your strange clothes into soft silks he had, treating your wounds and after all that he placed you in his nest, he was so excited! It has been so long since he had eggs on his nest. And even if you were just one hatchling, he would make sure to spoil you rotten, giving you all his attention and love. He proceeded to coil around you, strong tail maneuvering you until you were resting against his chest. Holding you tight he decided to take a nap with you. His baby was the cutest, he couldn’t wait till he got to bond more with you. Maybe he would be able to show you off to his older children!

* . ` ✧*✧ ✶ * .* . ` ✧*✧ ✶ * .

[miryum]

"Pilot"

Summary: Detective!Jason Todd x detective!Reader based on Jake and Amy's relationship

Series Warnings: Swearing, descriptions of violence (but nothing descriptive), guns and other police stuff

Series Masterlist

Richard Grayson was surveying his detectives, assessing whether or not they were ready.

Cassandra Cain was glaring at her computer, angrily typing away. Dick had to get someone to fix her computer a week ago and he really didn’t want a repeat. But, seeing as she had yet to punch a hole through the screen, Dick was satisfied. Status: Ready.

Stephanie Brown was in the kitchen, humming to herself as she lathered peanut butter onto some bread. Dick couldn’t see the beginning of a toaster fire, so he moved onto his next detective. Status: Ready.

Timothy Drake’s eyes never left his computer as he chugged his fourth cup of coffee. Dick made a mental note to cut him off. Luckily, Tim had gotten a full four hours of sleep last night, so he shouldn’t pass out. Status: Ready.

Damian al Ghul technically wasn’t part of the precinct, but he was a loose cannon nonetheless. From Damian’s phone, Dick could faintly hear the sound of a dog’s bark, and based on the slight upturn of the boy’s lips, Dick guessed that he was enamoured by animal videos. At least he wasn’t causing chaos. Yet. Status: Ready.

Jason Todd was finishing some reports Dick had assigned him, but his eyes kept flickering to the unfinished book on his desk. In the past, Dick had to confiscate books and lock them in his desk drawer to keep Jason focused on his work. Somehow, however, the boy had found a new book, or roped Cass into helping him steal it from Dick’s desk. For now, though, he was occupied with his work. Status: Ready.

And then there was one. Y/n L/n. Dick sighed heavily, preparing himself for the shenanigans she would surely have gotten herself into. Dick’s gaze swept to the desk opposite Jason’s but… Y/n was sitting in her seat, cataloguing evidence. Dick’s mouth fell open. It was a miracle! What did he do to deserve this?! And on today of all days! Dick was silently celebrating when Y/n’s phone chimed and she peeked at it, a grin instantly coming to her face. She slowly turned her head to meet Damian’s Cheshire smile from behind his phone screen. 

“Are you sure?” Y/n asked. Damian nodded. Dick whimpered, pleading to his gods that whatever they were planning would come to a halt. The new Captain was due any moment and he couldn’t risk things not going perfectly. “Terrific,” Y/n cackled. 

Gotham had been gloomy that day, as it always was, but the dark sky was instantly forgotten as the elevator door hissed open and out stepped Captain Wayne. He was greeted by Y/n blasting Hello - I just came to say Hello sung by Lady Aqua on her small, Bluetooth speaker.

“Hello!” Y/n called to the emerging Captain, “And welcome to the sixty-sixth precinct in Gotham! Or as I like to call it, one six away from Hell and the devil herself.” She sang along with the track, “I just came to say hello! Steph! Now!”

Stephanie threw her hand up and let pieces of confetti fall to the floor. “I’ll clean it up later!” she shouted to Dick over the music.

Dick cradled his face in his hands. Captain Wayne did not seem pleased. Dick sighed before plastering on his award-winning smile and striding up to his new Captain. “Captain Wayne. I’m Sergeant Grayson. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us.”

Captain Wayne held a hand up and Dick slowly closed his mouth, his unshaken hand dropping to his side. “I am your new commanding officer, Captain Bruce Wayne. Sergeant Grayson? A word.”

“Of course,” he nodded, following Captain Wayne into the man’s new office. Dick shot Y/n a warning glare just as the music changed to Classic by MKTO. She bopped her head song to the beat, giving her superior a thumbs-up.

Damian didn’t look up as Captain Wayne marched by. After the door clicked shut, the civilian administrator muttered, “anyone else get a gay vibe?”

Y/n slowly turned the music down until it was a hush in the background. She hummed along before stating, “he and I are gonna be besties!” Steph cringed and Jason huffed a laugh.

“Sergeant Grayson,” Captain Wayne stood stoically, gazing out at his new team. “We served together in the fifteenth. How have you been?”

“Good, good. My wife and I just had twin baby girls.” Dick pulled out his wallet to show a family photo with him and Kori cuddling two little girls and grinning at the camera. 

“Adorable,” Captain Wayne barely glanced at the picture. “Tell me about your detective squad.”

“Okay.” Dick turned to stare out the office window with his senior officer. “Damian is our civilian administrator. He… has opinions and can rudely say them at inappropriate times, but the few times he does his job, he’s incredibly good at it. He grew up with L/n and that’s mainly how he got the job. He’s putting himself through law school and is surprisingly top of his class.”

“Damian, I need you to catalogue these files for me,” Cass said.

Damian held up a finger, typing away on his phone.

“Damian,” Cass repeated. 

“Hold on. I need to send a scathing email to my professor.”

Cass hummed and said, “fair. Take your time.”

“Cass is tough, fair, and impossible to read. Her specialty is silence, both in the field and in the precinct.” Dick exhaled, nodding towards the woman’s desk. “She’s brilliant and somewhat terrifying, but we all know she loves us.”

“How long has she been sitting there?” Y/n whispered.

“It’s been eight minutes and thirty one seconds,” Tim said, fixated on his watch.

“Damn,” Steph murmured. “What’s her record?”

“Eleven minutes and fifteen seconds,” Y/n answered automatically. They were all carefully watching Cass who was scowling at the wall. 

“Alright, everyone!” Dick barged into the briefing room and the three detectives cried out in protest. “First order of-”

“Dick! Shut up!” Y/n shushed him. “You’re disturbing Cass! This could be a new record.”

“Wait wait!” Stephanie slapped Y/n’s arm. “She’s still in the zone!”

Y/n gasped. “You got lucky, Grayson.”

“Stephanie is our optimistic cinnamon roll.” Dick beamed and gestured to Steph who was faithfully sweeping up the confetti. “She’s super dedicated to her job and no one can stay mad at her. She’d do anything for this precinct, as we would her.”

“Hey, Tim? Tiiiiiiim… Timmy!” Steph tapped his desk. “That’s your eighth cup of coffee.”

“It’s decaf!” Tim protested.

“No, it’s not. I watched you make it.” Jason pipped up. 

“You’re not helping!” Tim glared across the bullpen. Steph clicked her tongue accusingly, pointing at Jason to help prove her point.

“Fine.” Tim dumped his coffee in the trash. Steph ruffled Tim’s hair before bouncing back to her desk. 

“Tim is a coffee addict. He may be the most academically gifted on the team, except when it comes to his sleep schedule. He’s dreamed about being a police officer his entire life and his face when he made detective… you should’ve seen him.” Dick chuckled, shaking his head.

After Steph walked away, Tim fished his coffee out of the trash and quickly chugged it. Jason frowned at him disapprovingly.

“Jason grew up on the streets. He had a… bad home life and was surrounded by gangs as a kid. He was sure he would end up behind bars instead of putting others behind them. An older officer, Alfred, picked him up off the streets. Jason pulled himself up from his bootstraps and is now here. Contrary to his large, tank-like frame, he's just a kid who loves Jane Austen.”

“There’s a perp running around,” Dick said in the briefing room. “Who keeps breaking into people’s houses and stealing oddly specific items. Certain books, a vase, even a pillow-”

“It's a crazy ex-girlfriend,” Jason called out. 

“What?”

“The owners of the apartments all just got out of a relationship. The ex is stealing things that were meaningful from the relationship,” Jason explained. “The timeline adds up too. The robberies had time in between them for a relationship to grow and foster- a year or two apart.”

“Like your sex life,” Y/n snickered, high-fiving Cass.

“And Detective L/n?”

Dick shook his head, smiling softly against his will. “Y/n is my best detective. She’s always wanted to be the good guy and solve the hardest challenges. The only challenge she hasn’t overcome is how to grow up.”

“Well put,” Wayne raised an eyebrow. 

“Thank you!” Dick mentally patted himself on the back. “I’ve spent a lot of therapy time talking about her. But you can’t tell her that. She already has a big ego.”

“Noted.”

“I’ll need a list of your employees and anyone who has a key-”

Crash! Bang-bang!

“Really?” Jason turned to Y/n who was messing with a mini electric keyboard. “What are you? Twelve?”

In response, Y/n hit a button and a fart noise filled the air. “And I’d like to apologise for my partner,” Jason rolled his eyes. “Her parents didn’t give her enough attention.”

Y/n loudly asked, “if I solve this case, can I get this for free?”

“If you solve this case, I’ll buy it for you,” Jason deadpanned. 

“Yay! We’re looking for a perp with a buzz cut (ew, by the way) and a dragon tattoo on his left forearm.” Y/n stuck her tongue out at Jason. The man just frowned in question. “I have a confidential informant.” Y/n’s voice turned low and menacing. “He spent years in this place, slowly losing his sense of self. Watching, learning, listening… WE HAD A SPY ON THE INSIDE! HERCULES MUFFIN MAN!” Y/n proudly held up a small, fuzzy teddy bear. “Did I forget to mention he’s a nanny cam?” She turned Hercules Muffin Man around to show a camera implanted into his head. Her phone showed a grainy video of a guy breaking into the electronic store. “Oops!” She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. “Guess I get a piano for my desk.”

“You’re dismissed,” Wayne nodded to Dick who saluted. “Please ask Damian to join me.”

“Yes, boss?” A minute later, Damian stood in the doorway.

“Close the door behind you,” Wayne instructed. “Tell me about L/n.”

“Y/n? I’m assuming you’re inquiring about personal details because I’m sure Richard gave you the professional. Y/n’s in love with Jason.” He shrugged, staring at his new boss with a look that asked Is that what you wanted to know?

“Oh.” Wayne didn’t know what else to say other than, “Does he like her back?” He cleared his throat. 

“I don’t know,” Damian muttered. “I know my best friend, but I know shit about Jason.” Captain Wayne took a breath and excused Damian with a wave of his hand. He rubbed his temples, wondering what he had done to deserve the DA assigned him this precinct.

Bruce set up a photo of him and Clark as Rasputin blared on Y/n’s speakers.

[rahuratna]

Synopsis: As the new research assistant to the Astrum Unit, you have a rather embarrassing secret. You're a superfan of the renowned team now based in the Forbidden Lands.

About to come face to face with your idols, it's up to you to prove your worth (before Athos sniffs out your Olivia figurine collection or Erik drags you straight into the jaws of a monster). [GN Reader character]

Genres: Humour, fluff, crack.

Dividers by: @saradika-graphics

(Wrote this silly little fic in between getting work done. Have some Astrum Unit shenanigans!)

PART 1

The airship arrived during the season of Plenty.

Feet planted on the deck, overalls dampened by the light showers that blew in periodically from the coast, your grip on the handrails grew white-knuckled.

You were here, finally!

Below you, the desert vista brushed edges with sweeping grasslands, the majestic arch of the Wind's Gasp growing more visible through the haze.

The airship was heading for the Base Camp of the Windward Plains, where you would be tasked to assist the research team of the Astrum Unit.

Recent events, including connections with various settlements throughout the area, and the appearance of stronger tempered monsters, had allowed for the researchers here to sink greater footholds into understanding the complex ecosystems and fine balances maintained in the Forbidden Lands.

As such, a greater workforce was needed to handle the growing influx of samples, the cataloguing, to bolster the field teams and to process the huge amounts of data.

Your own specialty was scientific illustration. It had been something of a risk, choosing to hone your skills in this area. Back home, the ecological research centre prized analytics and novel scientific methods. Your illustrations were the kind more favoured in the field, and those selected to pioneer such efforts in unchartered lands were the best of the best.

In spite of it all, you'd been selected for this expedition. You had lived for this moment, for being here, on the deck of this airship, shifting your weight from one foot to the other in anticipation so severe you thought you'd felt a wave of nausea coming on.

There was something else driving your burning ambition, you see.

You were, undeniably, an absolute fan of the fabled Astrum Unit and their exploits, which had traveled back to you in your dusty little loft at the academy.

You'd spent the last few years poring over the monthly gazettes, the new research breakthroughs that came from the Forbidden Lands, the engineering marvels and innovations, the brand new materials and animal parts, the plethora of new data that your colleagues fluttered over like excited hummingbirds.

But you'd known about the Astrum Unit's members from before the expedition. You'd seen brilliant, eccentric Erik's star rise, the illustrious (and thrilling) career of Captain Olivia and her palico, Athos, the steady path that Werner forged for himself, an engineering attack dog set upon each new puzzle with unerring focus.

You had a collection of all of their exploits pasted across one of your walls, along with the small figurines you'd custom carved from ironwood, each with their own distinctive set of clothing or armour.

You had managed to dig through the academy archives to find prototypes of Werner's earliest projects, Erik's masterful bound presentations of endemic life and pieces of Olivia's favoured training dummy (which was more scrap metal than monster-shaped, as expected of something that had been repeatedly smacked with a huge hammer). 

Of course, little of that cherished collection of items had made it onto the airship with you. They were safely locked away with the rest of your possessions back home (except for your precious figurines which had made the journey in your backpack).

Besides, you had so many new memories to make (and the fact that you wouldn't want your new comrades to think you too weird or obsessive, haha).

A shout from up on the prow caught your attention, and you rushed forward, eager for your first glimpse of the camp you'd been longing to see.

The airship pulled slowly into the dock, sinking until the deck was on level with a sloping gang plank. You gawped at the sheer scale of the camp, which had been steadily expanding over the past few years. It was certainly a lot larger than you seen in those early (amateurishly) sketched illustrations.

You got behind a large barrel and started to help push it out, availing yourself to the crew members and palico teams offloading the cargo into the waiting area.

Once the airship had been fully divested of its cargo, and your belongings were safely carried off deck, you tugged on the straps of your backpack and started to make your way towards the most nerve-wracking objective thus far; meeting the rest of your team.

You had no aspirations of making the acquaintances of the revered leaders today. They'd probably be out on important missions and business. You'd settle for meeting the rest of the research team. Hopefully, there'd be others as green as you clearly were.

You soon found yourself outside the Astrum main tent, which was simple in design and feature. Looking around, you couldn't spot anyone of note.

There was a research station set up nearby, devoid of personnel, and you decided to pitch your belongings there and wait for direction.

You really were itching to get to work, so out came your art supplies, the stack of sketchbooks with custom-made stain-proof and water-proof covers, the grids for proportion, the various tools for preparing your drawing implements. You'd also brought along several scientific journals and reference books as a guideline for your future work.

Scattered over the research table were various objects, small jars of preserved specimens, plants growing in small wooden troughs, larger bones and what appeared to be an interesting collection of animal teeth.

Among them was a Quematrice feather, the outstanding quality of the specimen immediately catching your eye.

What colour! And what form!

You just had to make a sketch. Maybe add more details later.

Occupied as you became with your current task, it did come as something of a surprise when a voice spoke up behind you.

"Wow! You're really skilled! And so quick at getting down the basics too."

Smiling sheepishly, you added a last touch before setting aside the sketchbook.

"Oh, I've had a lot of practice. Spent the last few years - "

Your voice died in your throat.

Standing before you, in a worn coat with pockets that could probably contain an entire ecosystem, was none other than THE Erik of the Astrum Unit.

Silvery hair cascaded forward over one eye, his elfish visage gave him a deceptively boyish charm, one that you knew all too well hid a razor sharp intellect and an analytic ability far beyond the norm. 

Seeing your dumbfounded expression, his eyes curved upward cheerfully and he gave a small wave.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm from the Astrum Unit."

He leaned towards you conspiratorially.

"I don't know why, but sometimes the newer teams coming in think I'm some kind of weirdo trying to sell them insect repellent."

He spread his hands and shrugged.

"I mean, I'd sell you something, sure. But you can bet it would attract every bug in the area so I can observe their mating habits!"

With that ... concerning pronouncement, accompanied by a small giggle, he promptly turned and bustled over to the research station, exclaiming in delight when he saw that you'd set up already.

Re-discovering your ability to move, you followed him in a half-daze.

Erik! Erik? It was him! It was really him!

You couldn't lose this opportunity to actually unstick your tongue from the roof of your mouth and make a good impression -

Erik was still rambling.

" - and I was just telling Olivia that I need to get out in the field soon to observe more of the Doshaguma herd, because they're already showing signs of competing for the alpha position, and - "

Just name-dropping Olivia so casually!

You nearly choked on your own saliva. Mind scrambling to piece together the information he'd just provided you with, you interjected hesitantly.

"Ah ... you're going into the field soon? For observation?"

"Yeah! If Olivia allows me."

He turned hurriedly and ... was he stuttering? Was he trying to explain himself to you?

"I mean ... not that I need Olivia's explicit permission or anything, haha. It's just a formality. There are other hunters who could accompany me. You know. For safety. And - "

"What's this about other hunters, Erik?"

Erik glanced past you and blanched a little, ruffling his hair with a nervous hand.

"Ah, Olivia! Didn't expect you so soon! I was just telling - "

His words were rapidly vanishing into the depths of the cosmos as you took a moment to absorb what he'd just uttered.

Olivia? Olivia? Was he -

No. No, it couldn't be. If you turned around now -

And doing exactly that, you came face to face with an imposing pair of buckles over white and green armour, those particular shades ingrained in your mind from the sheer number of times you'd re-painted your dozen small Olivia figurines.

Your eyes tracked upward and -

Holy mother of Khezu, what a woman.

Tall, statuesque, blonde hair flicked out in signature rakish style above the simple silver hoops in each ear, Olivia was every bit the charismatic figure you'd imagined, and more.

Her pale, sea-green gaze flicked over you with curiosity, sharp, observant, assessing. She offered a small nod of greeting which you, somehow, shakily returned.

And now she was holding out her hand for you to shake!

No. No, you couldn't let yourself be reduced to a quivering spectator between the two collosi of your dreaming world.

Straightening your back, you took her hand, some unacknowledged part of your brain screaming that you'd never wash that particular appendage again.

Her grip was powerful enough to fling you across the breadth of the camp. Probably.

"Olivia, of the Astrum Unit. That there's Erik, our Head Researcher."

Oh boy, if only they knew how much you knew. Best not to speculate.

You cleared your throat, voice emerging slightly hoarse.

"Um, I do know who you are, Captain. The honour's all mine."

She waved you off, seemingly unconcerned with the title.

"Just Olivia will do. And you are?"

You introduced yourself, internally cringing at how stilted your speech emerged.

" ... and I'm here to assist the Astrum Unit with my particular skill set, scientific illustration."

Erik danced into your view, shaking something in front of Olivia's face. She leaned back and squinted at it and -

Wait, was that your sketch? WHEN DID HE -

He shot you a sunny smile.

"Oh, your drawing was so great that I just decided to borrow it. That's not a problem, right? Look, Olivia! This is the kind of detail I've been looking for!"

She took the sketch from his hand and - oh goodness, was Olivia looking over your work and nodding in approval?

Glancing up at you, she offered a small smile which punched the breath right out of your chest harder than a Gravios blast.

"I guess it is as Erik says. You're certainly talented, and I'm sure his research team will benefit from your skills."

She rolled up the paper and whacked him smartly over the head with it, ignoring his plaintive protest.

"Just keep an eye on him. He tends to run off at times and if he does, just report to me and Athos."

Erik huffed ruefully.

"They don't even know who Athos is!"

"Oh, of course I know who Athos is!" you blurted out, "That's Captain Olivia's most trusted partner."

Panic immediately rose in your chest as they both stared at you.

Oh no. Now you'd gone and done it. They'd think you were some kind of crazy-

Olivia's expression suddenly morphed to something much warmer, and she looked you over as if re-forming an opinion.

"You're absolutely right. Not everyone refers to Athos as my partner, but once they see her in action, it's usually a wake-up call."

You had somehow managed to make a good impression with that statement, but you were aware that it all came down  to how well you knew Astrum Unit. Olivia had met with Athos in the early days of her career and they'd been inseparable ever since.

Olivia paused and looked around, brow furrowing.

"Speaking of which, where's - "

"There she is!"

Erik pointed in the direction of the research station. Near your belongings was none other than Athos the palico, resplendent white fur gleaming in the dim lamplight within the cavern, nose glued to ... your backpack?

And ... oh Raving Rathalos, was she focusing on the pocket where you'd kept the only portable items in your collection, the small figurines of Erik, Olivia, Werner and Athos herself?

Hurrying over, you stopped before her, bowing awkwardly in greeting. She stopped her examination, clear, curious eyes taking in your form. You felt sweat break out along your brow. There was something about her gaze that felt like she could plumb the depths of your soul.

After a few moments, she bowed slightly back, responding in the muted mewl of Lynian.

"Well met, mew recruit."

She left your backpack alone, scampering over to Olivia's side.

You breathed a sigh of relief.

Olivia smiled down at Athos before turning briskly to you.

"How do you feel about hitting the ground running? We've got a survey in the plains tomorrow. There've been sightings of a tempered Rathian. Erik, you should be able to observe the Doshaguma herd while I observe you."

She shot him a look that reminded you of a hawk pinning a rabbit to an empty mountainside. Erik grinned in return.

"It's not like I'd run off on you or anything!"

He tugged at your sleeve eagerly.

"Now's your chance to join us. Bring your special sketchpad. Who knows how much more could be accurately recorded if we have you along as illustrator!"

You let out a shaky breath.

"Of course I'll be there! You can count on me!"

Olivia nodded.

"Excellent. We'll re-group at the main entrance at first light tomorrow. Erik, get our newest recruit oriented. Get Fritz to set them up with a seikret and field pouch for their supplies, and brief them on researcher safety protocols in the - "

She cut off abruptly, eyes narrowing as Erik blinked innocently back at her.

"Actually, forget that. I'll get someone else to brief them on safety protocols in the field."

"I'm perfectly capable of that, you know!"

Ignoring him, Olivia placed her hands on her hips and addressed you again.

"We watch each other's backs out there, so look out for your teammates and mind their signals. Welcome to the Astrum Unit, new recruit."

If there was a backing track to your simple academic life, it was at this moment that it swelled to a deafening anthem of heroic exploits.

Here comes adventure! Here come the accolades! Here comes the chance to prove yourself to the very members you've idolized for goodness knows how long and -

A soft tap to your forehead brought you back to focus as Olivia lowered her hand, her expression a combination of amused and concerned.

"Hey, you okay? Looked like you were forgetting to breathe for a minute there."

Erik gave an enthusiastic nod.

"It's exciting, isn't it?"

Athos held out a furry paw.

"Hunting is like catnip, but don't get confused and try to catch your own tail, mewbie."

You adopted an expression of fierce focus.

"I'll do my best!"

[ohsalome]

Ivan and Phoebe by Oksana Lutsyshyna

Ivan and Phoebe is a novel about a revolution of consciousness triggered by very different events, both global and personal. This is a book about the choices we make, even if we decide to just go with the flow of life. It is about cruelty, guilt, love, passion – about many things, and most importantly, about Ukraine of the recent past, despite or because of which it has become what it is today.

The story told in Oksana Lutsyshyna’s novel Ivan and Phoebe is set during a critical period – the 1990s. In the three decades that have passed since gaining independence, Ukraine has experienced many socio-political, economic, and cultural changes that have yet to be fully expressed. The Revolution of Dignity in 2014 marked a pivotal moment in the country’s history, as it signaled a shift towards European integration and a strong desire to distance itself from Moscow. Prior to this, Ukrainian culture had remained overshadowed by Russian influence, struggled to compete for an audience and was consequently constrained in exploring vital issues.

77 days of February. Living and dying in Ukraine

"77 Days," is a compelling anthology by contributors to Reporters, a Ukrainian platform for longform journalism. The book, published in English as both an e-book and an audiobook by Scribe Originals.

"77 Days'' offers a tapestry of styles and experiences from over a dozen contributors, making it a complex work to define. It includes narratives about those who stayed put as the Russians advanced, and the horror they encountered, like Zoya Kramchenko’s defiant "Kherson is Ukraine," Vira Kuryko’s somber "Ten Days in Chernihiv," and Inna Adruh’s wry "I Can’t Leave – I’ve Got Twenty Cats." The collection also explores the ordeal of fleeing, as in Kateryna Babkina’s stark "Surviving Teleportation '' and "There Were Four People There. Only the Mother Survived." 

It also highlights tales of Ukrainians who created safe havens amidst the turmoil, such as Olga Omelyanchuk’s "Hippo and the Team," about zookeepers safeguarding animals in an occupied private zoo near Kyiv, and one of Paplauskaite’s three pieces, "Les Kurbas Theater Military Hostel," depicting an historic Lviv theater turned shelter for the displaced, including the writer/editor herself.

In the Eye of the Storm. Modernism in Ukraine 1900’s – 1930’s

This book was inspired by the exhibition of the same name that took place in Madrid, at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, and is currently at the Museum Ludwig, located in Cologne, Germany. 

Rather than being a traditional catalogue, the publishers and authors took a more ambitious approach. Rather than merely publishing several texts and works from the exhibition, they choose to showcase the history of the Ukrainian avant-garde in its entirety – from the first avant-garde exhibition in Kyiv to the eventual destruction of works and their relegation to the "special funds" of museums, where they were hidden from public view.

These texts explain Ukrainian context to those who may have just learned about the distinction between Ukrainian and Russian art. Those "similarities" are also a product of colonization. It was achieved not only through the physical elimination of artists or Russification – artists were also often forced to emigrate abroad for political or personal reasons. Under the totalitarian regime, discussing or remembering these artists was forbidden. Archives and cultural property were also destroyed or taken to Russia.

"The Yellow Butterfly" by Oleksandr Shatokhin 

"The Yellow Butterfly" is poised to become another prominent Ukrainian book on the themes of war and hope. It has been listed among the top 100 best picture books of 2023, according to the international art platform dPICTUS.

The book was crafted amidst the ongoing invasion. Oleksandr and his family witnessed columns of occupiers, destroyed buildings, and charred civilian cars. Shatokhin describes the book’s creation as a form of therapy, a way to cope with the horrors. "During this time my vision became clearer about what I wanted to create – a silent book about hope, victory, the transition from darkness to light, something symbolic," he explains.

Although "The Yellow Butterfly" is a wordless book, today its message resonates with readers across the globe.

A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails by Halyna Kruk

A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails is a bilingual poetry book (Ukrainian and English) about war, written between 2013 and 2022, based on Halyna’s experience as an author, volunteer, wife of a military man and witness to conflict. 

The Ukrainian-speaking audience is well-acquainted with Halyna Kruk – a poet, prose author and literature historian. Kruk is increasingly active on the international stage, with her poetry featured in numerous anthologies across various languages, including Italian, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, English, German, Lithuanian, Georgian and Vietnamese. 

For an English-speaking audience, her poetry unveils a realm of intense and delicate experiences, both in the midst of disaster and in the anticipation of it. The poems are succinct, direct, and highly specific, often depicting real-life events and individuals engaged in combat, mourning, and upholding their right to freedom.

[z-eel]

remus reaches out and toys with the rosary – their rosary he supposes – around regulus’s neck. he tells him he’s felt touched and guided by angels all his life, but nothing compared to the sweetness of their touches. he was right to let them go when he did, but he missed them. two pieces of his heart had climbed into that car and drove off that night, and now he feels complete again. he can still be a man of god with them, just no longer an agent of the church

he knows he shouldn’t, someone may notice that he’s not home, but that night he stays with them. he spends all night holding them and kissing them everywhere. he finally gets barty to let him take his clothes off and he runs his fingers over barty’s tattoos in reverence. barty looks nervous as remus does it, but regulus knows remus is in absolute awe of him. remus catalogues all the differences in the boys he knew and the men they were now. barty’s tattoos, regulus’s confidence, barty’s relaxed deference (don’t worry remus he’s still a brat, he’s just excited), the way regulus kisses like a man starved instead of a spooked animal. they fall into bed together like that’s where they were meant to be. remus makes a new alter of them. he kisses them all over, spends time on barty’s thighs because he really did miss them, leaves marks on regulus’s collarbones like he’s always wanted to, lets barty leave scratches down his back as regulus still clamps down on his shoulder. it doesn’t feel like regulus is hiding anymore. it feels like regulus is claiming him, marking his territory, making him their shepherd led astray.

-💫🐀 did i send this twice. did i imagine the first send

in the morning light, everything from last night feels like a dream. Barty is warm and tired and is tangled in between Remus and Regulus. their bodies enough proof that what happened was real.

Regulus pulled him closer, and Barty could only kiss the top of his head before he untangled himself from both Regulus and Remus. Remus had opened his eyes and watched as Barty moved across the bedroom and dressed. once upon a time Barty would have been the last to get up.

Remus shifted, causing Barty to turn and smile. i'll get started on breakfast, you can go back to sleep. it was followed by a kiss and a dazed expression from Remus, as if he was still in a sleepy haze and unable to figure out if Barty was actually standing in front of him. he wonders how many times Remus has dreamed of this, having Barty and Regulus back in his life. having them in his bed again.

Regulus shifted, this time he reached out for Remus, muttering how he was cold. and that was enough to draw Remus back to sleep.

Barty stood there staring at their sleeping forms. they always had something about them that made Barty feel like a stranger, that made him feel like an outsider. he used to think that it was the fact they had something to worship, something that made them better, holier than him. in reality, it was just that Barty was human compared to them. Regulus was his angel, Remus was his god. he was their disciple. a follower of their every word, every command. he didn’t connect with their god because he already had one of his own. one who grounded him, who stood by him, protected him. proved his love when Barty showed his devotion.

this was what he was meant to worship. this is who he was meant to follow. Regulus whose hair shined in morning light and Remus whose skin glowed gold in the evening sun. this was his religion. this is who he would dedicate his life to. he didn't care if it was a sin in the eyes of their god. this is what Barty would do. he just hoped that he would be allowed to follow them in whatever paradise they would enter after death.

(i will forever associate the rosary with these three)

[ask-reed-ghoul]

Hey everyone! I wanted to check out all of the latest fashion we saw at the ghoul awards last week. I know everyone is talking about the eye gouging that happened there. All the blood and the truly crazy way it came to an end. I don't wanna get into that, I'm just here for the fashion. So let's check it out!

This is @ask-papa-primo is a Barbani grass suit, classic lawn couture. The cut on the grass is both understated and elegant, this is clearly a custom mow. It's very eco-chic and definitely something I can see an animal defecating on. Rest in peace, Primo.

Here is @frjimdefroque wearing the Derek outfit from Mezzli's "store manager" collection. This look has the confidence of someone who sets the schedule. The tucked in polo and ill fitted dress pants scream "team huddle". It's not fully business, it's not fully casual, it's 100% stupid, but I will tell you this - Jimmy could tell me what to restock any day.

Okay here we have @chaintheghoul standing eerily off to the side and wearing what he always wears. It's his classic suit in beautiful puss yellow. This outfit whispers "my grandma is in absolute control". I don't think I've seen him in any other clothes but I would like to see him without clothes because he is a virus in my loins.

Okay this look is just straight up bananas. It's @ask-onyxghoul in the banana chip dress by Rivi and Loronna and I think its a healthy dress to eat. Normally when I eat banana chip dresses, though, I eat too many which negates the added health benefits over other snacks, so this dress DOES trigger me and I AM panicking.

@ask-seestor-imperator wearing a dress made of sticky cardboard. This is extra sticky and of course extremely uncomfortable but she effortlessly pulls it off. I want to note that it takes a lot to get cardboard this sticky, that's not a one ghoul spitjob. The color palette is a clear homage to garbage, and the cut is inspired by pieces you might find in the stink markets of Linköping. I'm in love with it, it's very "baby brother".

This is @askspitfireghoul in an absolutely offensive mono suit. The Orb of All is too low here and the chiseled design seems like something straight out of human lore. The black does help accentuate his arm wrinkles, but other than that, I'm really glad that Spitfire is no longer with us.

Here is @heisthethird 's head lodged in a bowl of hand towels from Flore's "Bowl of Hand Towels" catalogue. Personally I'd like to see more hand towels in the bowl because normally when you say "bowl of hand towels" I think most ghouls expect it to be full, and this is really more of a bowl of some hand towels. Either way, you will be missed, Terzo.

Overall, I would say I'm constantly worried about what others think because how could they not secretly hate me?

Okay thanks, bye!

[duckprintspress]

Recent Patreon Releases: New Queer Short Stories and Art from Duck Prints Press!

On alternating Thursdays, we release brand-new, usually queer short stories on Patreon for our backers there! Backers also get access to our back catalogue of Patreon release stories (100 and counting!) with how many they can access dependent on backer level. At the low end, $3/month backers get immediate access to 50 stories. It’s always a great time to become a Duck Prints Press Patreon supporter!

Check out our most recent four releases…

How the Story Ends by Genevieve Maxwell

modern with magic, hauntings, sapphic vibes

Excerpt: Bethany gathered a reasonable pile of books in her hands, their pages filled with so many memories. She smiled with warmth recalling her favorite scenes and passages. She set the pile on one of the middle shelves against the left-hand side, angling the last book in the hopes they wouldn’t all slide down before she could get the next batch placed. Bethany didn’t own bookends, as her personal library contained more than enough books to fill the shelves. Bethany turned back to the box for more books. Whump.

Available to backers at the $10/month level and higher.

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Last Boat to Heaven by Max Jason Peterson

surreal apocalyptic magical realism with horror and death themes and a trans main character

Excerpt: I knew that the end of the world was near when I woke one morning with my dead love in bed beside me. She hadn’t been gone long, so it didn’t seem strange to wake to her smile, that languid arm along my shoulder. Love doesn’t die, just fades away, and this one was fresh, so near I knew that one morning I would cut myself shaving, a bit too deep under the chin, and they’d find me on the floor. “Hello,” said my Brynn, eyes bright beneath sandy bangs. “Wake up, lover.”

Available to backers at the $10/month level and higher.

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Tainted by J. D. Harlock

fantasy with horror vibes, family feels, enduring The Terrors together

Excerpt: The cold night had stretched on for longer than anyone in the lone cottage could remember. Windows had been bolted up with whatever the family could get their hands on, and every single hole and crack in the makeshift roof was carefully blocked with leftover pots and pans. Those who believed it was better to sleep through the whole affair retired early, hoping rest would ease their minds, but they found little comfort in the straw beds and animal-skin pillows they now had to get accustomed to. This left Umm Kamila and her granddaughter, Nahla, by themselves in the parlor—the former humming hymns she recollected from a childhood that felt so long ago, the latter fidgeting with a contraption she had found in the last scavenge with the children of the other families stranded in their village.

Available to backers at the $7/month level and higher.

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Tough Job, Sweet Reward by Samantha M. Piper

sapphics! in! spaaaaaace! (and having sex)

Excerpt: Cam dropped her towel and reached for the drawer that held their sleep clothes, but Mads’s hand darted out to stop her with a touch to her upper arm. “Ah ah ah,” Mads said softly. Cam frowned in confusion. “First things first, I think you need a bit of self-care after the day you had.” Mads trailed her fingers down Cam’s arm. “And since I know you won’t take care of yourself properly, I’ll do it.”

Available to backers at the $7/month level and higher.

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We also recently released the November art reward for our backers at level $5/month and higher!

Samhain by Aceriee

Image is a trim of a larger piece.

Aceriee had this to say about the inspiration behind this piece: The illustration is (very) loosely inspired by an Irish myth about Morrigan and Dagda meeting on Samhain. Handfasting is an old tradition and Samhain represents new beginnings and rebirth. It’s also a day where the veil between the worlds are at their thinnest making it a perfect time to start something new while honoring lost loved ones.

Different versions available to different backers; all backers have access to at least one!

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Patreon backers at the $10/month level and $25/month level who also back our current Kickstarter campaign for A Truth Universally Acknowledged: Queer Fanworks Inspired by Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” will also get bonus extra merch: 5 notecards + envelopes featuring a fourth rainbow Pride peacock design by A. A. Weston!

Support a queer indie press in these difficult times. Become a Duck Prints Press Patreon backer today!

[yourknifemyside]

"When the night isn't ready for you it's a fleeting, unorthodox view"

#3. Comedown Machine, by The Strokes (2013) ✨

With this, I've finally finished my run-through of the full Strokes discography. It took many years of on-and-off sifting through, so I feel like a full relisten of their catalogue is in order soon! But for now, let's take it from here, the black sheep, king of polarization amongst fans of The Strokes: 2013's Comedown Machine. I know people despised this thing when it came out, and I know there are a large contingent of hipsters who treat it as the unsung gem of the band's discography. So, where will my thoughts fall on the spectrum of Comedown Machine think pieces?

I guess the only place to start, is with the sound of this record, the one thing every aspect of this stream of consciousness is going to filter back to, like a vortex sucking in every thought around it. The big point of polarization surrounding Comedown Machine that I had heard recycled plenty of times coming into it, was how "experimental" of a record it was. On my first time listen, I quickly wrote this off as a product of the band not trying to sound like Is This It for the third time—something they had already departed from in a notable way with Angles two years prior to this point. In truth, I think the soul and essence of a lot of the material on Comedown Machine is undeniably The Strokes, and feels very in-line with that which came before it. This isn't an "experimental" rock album, it's all pretty standard fare. The only distinguishing factor between then and now, is it's sound and production.

Look, I'm not going to be the first person to say it and I promise that I won't be the last, but... "why does it sound like that?" The Strokes are a band I've often seen accused of retreading the same sound that won them so much acclaim when they dropped Is This It in 2001. It's a common criticism that I'm sure was pervasive at the time too, and I'm sure this sentiment was at least partly responsible for where we ended up. We're trading out this big open soundscape that’s been synonymous with their summery rock songs of the past, for a low fidelity, yet simultaneously clean and sanitized sound. This is a pretty bold shift in style on paper, and you’d wonder exactly what The Strokes are looking to create here, given this creative choice.

Okay, so if the decision was to take the band's sound in a different direction, the fact that half these songs still feel like they could've been written for Room On Fire becomes a lot more confusing. Literally the first four cuts off this album, Tap Out through Welcome To Japan, plus maybe 50/50 and Happy Ending, could have been mixed differently and repackaged as an EP, and if you told me it came out in 2004, I would never have questioned it for a second. What results from wrapping typical Strokes tunes in this paradoxical production, are a bunch of songs that sound out of place and edgeless. Where similar songs were produced in a way that empowered their music with life and energy, they are now being drained of all life force, and end up feeling claustrophobic. This becomes significantly more baffling when you factor in the other half of the runtime, filled with songs that actually attempted to take advantage of the production style. The title track 80's Comedown Machine, Slow Animals, Chances, and the album closer Call It Fate, Call It Karma all actually feel like they were created with this particular soundscape in mind. There's such a clash in vision and direction—half the record is trying to be a more standard Strokes album, but is suffocated under very narrow and condensed production, and the other half is trying to be something completely different, but is afraid to fully commit to it because it's still gotta be a Strokes record. It's experimental in sound, but not in songwriting, except when it isn't and when it is, respectively. What is this album trying to be?

I have to reel back in what I said earlier for a moment, about being able to remix and repackage half the tracks as if they were recorded alongside Room On Fire. I don't think it would actually be able to trick me for one reason, and it's Julian Casablancas. Specifically, his vocal performance. I just... don't understand what's going on here. I have my suspicions as to why he sounds asleep at the wheel for half the album—maybe he was trying something different in service of the intended vibe of the project, maybe he was just really bored and really over all of this—but really, I don't know. To contradict myself again, some of the songs where he doesn't sound like he's on anesthesia are among my least favorites. I think he was going for a punk rock kind of thing on 50/50, but it does not work for me at all. I'm also really not a big fan of this overdose of falsetto. I never fully appreciated just how important this man's voice is to these songs before now. It's such a driving force, it's the connective tissue, it's the tone establisher, it's melodic, and it's just lacking on so many of the cuts off Comedown Machine. I think I notice it even more here, because on the more typical Strokes-brand songs, the band is working their fucking ASSES off. Tap Out honestly has one of the best Strokes instrumentals I've ever heard. Amidst the overly sanitized and counterproductive production, and a singer that's in the process of getting a wisdom tooth removed, the instrumentals are really, really fighting to hold things together. And in a handful of cases, it really does break through and deliver on a good song, that could have been great.

The blanket issues at play here really bog down the record, and make it weaker than the sum of its parts. The individual cogs themselves are largely fine, maybe none amongst the top crust of their catalogue, but there really are good songs here. I already mentioned Tap Out earlier—I tend to have a bias towards opening tracks for some reason, but I do really like this song! Julian was just conscious enough to sing with some kind of melody and soft conviction here, and that instrumental is really fantastic. Welcome To Japan is another one that manages to break through and deliver a solid song that is distinctly The Strokes, without feeling too derivative. Lyrically this might be the band at their absolute dumbest and most inane, but it doesn't really bother me that much.

For as much as I've complained and complained about the album's sound, I have to clarify that there are songs that actually work, in part, because of the attempted lo-fi angle, and not just in spite of it. Call It Fate, Call It Karma is a track that really could have only worked on Comedown Machine. I still don't particularly like the falsetto thing Julian was married to on this album, but it's best utilized here. I mess with this one, it actually takes advantage of the wonky production to establish a unique vibe that kinda works. I also have really come around on Chances, which I did not like at first, but clicked after a few more listens. That first verse is a little rough, and the soundscape feels particularly empty at times, but the song at the core of it all is really solid.

... I think I came across as particularly negative on this one, more than I even mean to. I'm more confused as to how this album came out the way it did than anything else. Maybe I am a little wistful for what these songs could have been like if they had just fully committed to a better different sound, or what unique songs could have potentially emerged in service of fully committing to the sound they actually chose. People hated this album when it came out, and I struggle to say that the people simply weren't ready for Comedown Machine, more than that The Strokes weren't ready for Comedown Machine. Perhaps Comedown Machine wasn't really ready for itself.

This album is a walking paradox, and as it turns out, so are my opinions on it. Despite everything, I don't dislike Comedown Machine. In fact, I do find it to be an interesting full-album listen because of all its flaws. It really feels complete in its incompleteness—actualized in its confused and unrealized ideas, in both its misguided and its magnificent material. It's somehow weaker than the sum of its individually decent selection of songs, yet more interesting than the sum of its parts, because of its weaknesses. I don't think this is a good album, but it sure is an interesting one, and that honestly makes up for some of its shortcomings in my eyes. I know that's weird, but what can ya do.

5+ / 10 Favorite tracks: Tap Out, Chances Least favorites: Partners in Crime, 50/50

Listened on Jan 12th, 2025

[shadowknightapologist]

random shadow knight thoughts until i make an official post and actually know what i want them to look like.

WARNINGS FOR: (body) horror, monsters, dead animals (briefly mentioned), possible contradictions to myself (i try very hard to avoid that, but it's inevitable while i'm working through ideas).

i've mentioned this before, but shadow knights have several forms. for now, the working names are: imposter (human-passing), intermediate (the hulking, armored form you see in canon MCD), inherent (the form developed after "the remaking"), and divined (enhanced forms gifted only to ascended knights and the lower king, previously called a "beast form").

the process for turning someone into a shadow knight is going to be referred to as "the remaking" unless otherwise decided.

i've been recently inspired by cosmic horror steven universe AUs, resident evil, and the mandela catalogue, so i'm thinking shadow knights, in their natural form, are very vaguely recognizable by humans but very obviously not. here are some links to give you an idea of what i mean :3 (these apply more to intermittent forms btw!)

(NOTE: i started looking on pinterest, so some of these might not have the original poster linked; if anyone recognizes a piece and can link me to the origin, i'll add it!!)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 (links not in order of images)

basically i'm going for something very uncanny valley/alienish with some biblical and some folktale aspects. but idk this is just me thinking for once /silly.

in order of most to least likely to occur, shadow knights resemble: armored netherian predators -> scaled netherian predators -> furred netherian predators -> overworld insect predators -> scaled overworld predators -> furred overworld predators -> marine overworld predators.

i previously mentioned that sasha would probably be inspired by a snake, but i think i'm going to instead base her off a ghast and a jellyfish and move the snake concept to a different character >:3

zenix's concept may change too... he was previously listed as shark/alligator but i may go for hoglin and/or bat instead but we'll see.

gene stays a feline, and laurance is confirmed as a wasp (maybe with some praying mantis traits).

vylad is kind of an enigma to me, but we don't have a lot of nether-inspired shadow knights so i might base him off of a wither skeleton.

i'm thinking coyote for vincent, snow leopard for amethyst, and maybe blaze for glenda.

man i really need to lock in.

shadow knight bodies periodically break down so they can re-strengthen themselves and it's so fucking nasty. i'm talking skin sloughing off, limbs tearing off easy, teeth and hair falling out. i'd say it happens really infrequently unless a shadow knight is severely injured or levelled. laurance thankfully gets kind of desensitized to his body falling apart, otherwise he would have crashed out early asf.

i'm kinda crazy and love rank/role shit, so in addition to the four ranks available to shadow knights, every one of them is given a role that probably dictates what their inherent forms look like. for example, sentinels are usually very tall and thin with large/many eyes and can sometimes float (to increase how much they can see). sasha, for example, would be classified as a sentinel.

other roles i'm thinking of are: mothers (remake knights), priests/priestesses (usually magik users who are used both offensively and defensively, often sent to the overworld to extend shad's influence), brutes (highly aggressive, offensive knights).

but idk i don't want this to get corny or like. dumb LOL.

last thing for this post is... sort of cute? depends on the individual.

shadow knights can get hellish cuteness aggression. because of who by and how they're made, most of them express themselves violently even if the emotion is positive. zenix would be a really good example of this; the guy is ALWAYS screaming or beating on something or eating something and it's just how he's wired at this point.

other than him, the rest of our shadow knight cast can keep themselves pretty much in check. they are exceptionally bitey if given the chance though. i also imagine they bring dead things to their select people as some sick symbol of affection. sort of like how cats think they're providing for you when they bring you a dead mouse, but it's also like "i killed this thing instead of you, isn't that cool?"

gene is like this, creepy mfer. when he finds dante in s3 he keeps leaving tiny dead things on his doorstep. nana assumes they have a sweet little kitty hanging around and plans to catch it.

(unfortunate.)

[dangermousie]

I am barely into my reread of 2ha but:

1. I am reading the Russian translation and WOW! The English translation is excellent but the Russian one is beyond - it has footnotes explaining all the slang (a lot of it!) and character combo puns, and name meanings etc. I love it. The footnotes are as long as the chapters :) Also, I have learned that apparently male duck = slang for a man living off sexual favors. Heh.

2. On a more serious note, it caught my attention that before taking poison, Taxian Jun transported all the remaining servants away. He did not murder them all as a last hurrah, or even leave them there on the peak to be possibly murdered by the invading army. TXJ is, by that point, a thoroughly mad monster who’s killed an untold amount of people but it’s these little bits that “don’t fit” that on reread go “hmmm” - like his innate humanity occasionally seeping through the cracks of the insanity and hatred prison the flower put him into.

2. Taxian Jun wakes up as Mo Ran, catalogues Rong Jiu next to him - his delicate, “girlish” looks and is repulsed. That is before he thinks about how RJ betrayed him; in fact his “ugh” is based solely on looks at this point - he remembers how in his past life he used to love those looks but now he’s wondering why and is feeling repulsed. That is so telling! Because elsewhere it talks how RJ’s type of looks reminds him of Shi Mei (and as we later find out, the fact that both are acting and betrayers is also similar) and yet here we are - Mo Ran with flower removed finds that kind of looks not at all his bag (which makes sense - if his type is Chu Wanning, older, icy, in control and, as Meatbun keeps reminding us, despite his gorgeous looks, not in the least delicate and girlish looking), then Shi Mei is not his type on the animal level. And yet he seemingly pines for Shi Mei and when you first read this book, you do not catch this odd misalignment at all, that without the flower spell, Mo Ran would have never even looked at Shi Mei as attractive whether CWN existed or not. But on reread! I love the way Meatbun sprinkles crumbs.

4. Mo Ran wonders how he actually got reborn. Ooooof!

5. The way Meatbun mentions “this may have been a matter of heredity” (OK not sure what’s the good word - heredity/genetics/background) about how Mo Ran built his foundation so quickly. There are so many hints, everything is so meticulously planned out!

6. When Xue Meng is cursing him out and Mo Ran is enjoying it - and it’s described as his enjoying feeling strong emotions directed at him. In fact, reading between the lines, everything seems stronger and brighter for him - emotions (his and others), colors, tastes, his own emotional state. That is because he is beginning to feel normally, without the spell on him, and it’s like coming out from beneath a thick, distorting piece of glass. 

7. I love that he thinks of cutting Rong Jiu’s face but does not because Rong Jiu hasn’t harmed him yet and going down the same vengeance path would mean a bad end, why waste his second chance. All correct, all logical - but is it something the man who fried his wife and murdered half the world and then killed himself capable of? Once again, Meatbun, you genius!

8. The way TXJ didn’t even bother to put an inscription on his own grave. But what he has in the coffin are dumplings and pear blossom wine and the grave is under the haitang tree. He wants to die surrounded by CWN even though he has no idea with his conscious mind.

[asksavel]

How do you find the music used for the story posts? Every one is so good!

Thank you very much ^^~

I have a lot of music on my computer, but I also watch a lot of Anime and movies / TV shows, and then look up the soundtracks for them if I find a piece I really like.

If I'm searching for a specific sound, I usually just scroll through as such.

I also listen to a lot of music on YouTube while out on walks or as background noise, so if a piece sticks out, I'll save it and go through the artists catalogue at a later date. It's how I discovered Epic Music World and The Awakening - the latter of which I had struggled to find the perfect track for the scene I had in mind.

I found it in a low fi compilation XD;

I'm pretty set on the last songs I plan to use for the blog, but I can only say to those out there looking - keep your mind open and look EVERYWHERE for your songs.

You never know where they'll show up. ^^

[archoneddzs15]

Super Famicom - Shin Kidoh Senki Gundam Wing: Endless Duel

Title: Shin Kidoh Senki Gundam Wing: Endless Duel / 新機動戦記ガンダムW(ウイング): ENDLESS DUEL

Developer: Natsume

Publisher: Bandai

Release date: 29 March 1996

Catalogue Code: SHVC-AEDJ-JPN

Genre: 2D Fighting

Gundam Wing was the first Anime that I watched that was not kid-focused like Dragon Ball Z or Pokemon. When I saw it on TV, I was blown away by how amazing the robots were, how cool the art was, and how it blended war drama with awesome space combat. How cool would it be to play a game where these giant robots could battle each other?! Little did I know that in Japan, a Super Famicom game was released that allowed this very thing. It is a crying shame it never saw a Stateside release.... that is until this very game got an English fan translation. Nice!

The game does a poor job of explaining what the actual story is – mainly because it is in Japanese (which is a language that I do not speak), but it doesn’t really matter because giant awesome-looking mechs are fighting each other all over the place. This is a fighting game built around the design of Street Fighter 2 or maybe Super Street Fighter 2, perhaps? Players select their own giant robot to do battle with against one another. There are a total of 10 robots to do battle with, with each one having unique button combinations to do special moves. In addition, they also have different stats like speed, defense, power, and weapon strength. I played many of the characters and they all felt quite different with lots of cool moves for each.

In terms of controls, each mech has a strong and weak punch, and a strong and weak weapon attack. Each mech also has a counter of 300 power below its life bar which shows how much backup energy for attacks they have. Power attacks take between 100 and 200 power, and shooting a machine-gun-like attack takes it down one at a time. Without this power, you cannot do all the cool fancy destructive moves. It gained be regained though! If you block or use regular attacks, it will refill, and you can unleash some new devastating attacks. There is one last cool feature – you can jet around in your mech! While mechs are somewhat sluggish, if you hit two buttons at once (I think strong punch and strong weapon) plus a direction, you can jet in any direction. What’s even cooler is that do a second jet at the end of your first, so you can jet up, then towards your enemy, and do a dropkick on his head all in one attack. This ability really made me feel like I was fighting in a mech!

While there is the traditional arcade mode where you battle against the computer against all ten mechs, the main fun of this game really is the awesome multiplayer. There are no special options, but it is just a blast bashing each other into the ground! In terms of graphics, this is one of the most beautiful 2D games that I have ever seen. The animations are smooth and there is little to no slowdown! I don’t know how they did it, but they did! The special attacks and beam swords all look great too, and the set pieces for each level really help to see the scale of how large these machines actually are! In terms of music, this game also dominates. I can’t count how many times I looped the intro song when writing this review. Most if not all of the songs help produce a sci-fi war atmosphere that suits this style of game. The sound effects also make it even more satisfying to pummel your friends into the ground.

Next to Street Fighter Zero 2 and maybe the SFC version of Fatal Fury Special and World Heroes, this is my favorite fighting game on the SFC. It’s beautiful, fun, and has giant mechs that battle each other! With a bunch of pals over, this game is endlessly replayable. While the game was never released stateside, there are numerous game sites that produce reproductions of the game. 

[alicenpai]

art thoughts lately!! particularly about con prep ..

- i am getting tired of drawing chibis during con prep season 😔 like i mentioned before, i think im "good" at drawing them, but they are kind of uninteresting to draw. and i get bored after a while! i think that's why charms burn me out so fast. luckily my last "specialty" merch design was just submitted so . i can move on to prints and other designs now

- i still like designing charms but i think i might try portrait charms. which means that like . my charm catalogue will cover a less broad range of fandoms (?) bc portraits will take a lot more work + harder to draw characters i don't know well

- might also still do buttons bc i like the idea of having low cost options on my table (i.e. canadian con goers tend to have a lower purchasing power?) although i think i may have been under charging...... i might have to raise the price by a few cents, because again, they do take time to draw. i put unnecessary amounts of detailing in them . it sparks joy ok 😔 anything priced under like. $10 (?) will be a low cost merch option and i like the idea of still having my art be "accessible" and not just like. having $15-20 charms and prints

- i also want to lean more into like. stickers in the style of the baccano sheet i drew last year! i think it's a lot of fun to interpret a favourite series in this graphic design style. a lot of work and research but yeah

- i hate lineart again so it might be time to learn how to clean sketches again

- might also be time to crank out the chisel brushes again - whenever i see artists using the chisel brush it makes me miss my 2017-18 era art sm .... there's such a delicious flow in chisel brushes .. part of the reason i stopped using them is 1. i was getting tired of using the brush (though i think my 2019 art was a bit tame compared to the previous year), and 2. complications on my computer with photoshop and then having to move on to clip. i can't replicate the tilt sensitivity of my ps brushes (specifically the helen chen brushes) in clip ^__T so i had to learn to wield another set of favourite brushes. i know clip also has chisel brushes but this one was my favourite aughhgh. will have to dive into the brush settings window for like 2 hours again ..

- overall, im really looking forward to stickers and prints the most! esp prints! i have a greater vision of what i want to capture in my art, after doing the Halloween piece and the pandora hearts twin mirrors piece. i want to push my art in a more illustrative direction (thank you miss shirahama kamome of witch hat atelier you have changed my life), if it works out. ill definitely have to toss the old prints that don't suit my style anymore, though ill see about doing a "last call" to see if anyone wants em during anime north 🤔 if not they will be recycled hehe

[bogkeep]

last year i wrote my opinions on all the movies i watched on my Very Long Flights to australia, since long flights are a great opportunity to watch some movies i probably wouldn't have bothered to seek out otherwise. here's the stuff i watched this time around

the first 13 episodes of rurouni kenshin: okay so back when i watched demon slayer for the first time i asked around like "does anyone know any other Good Sword Animes. i'm in a big mood for Sword Anime" and a friend told me that they were going to tell me about THE sword anime, but with a BIG caveat. and the caveat was such that i went "ah yeah maybe i won't look into that one". i've since heard more about this series and been very curious about the story, because it sounds like My Shit. i figured in-flight entertainment is probably one of the more ethical ways to watch it, and i have confirmed that it is indeed My Shit. extremely skilled swordsman torn between his bloody past and a new life? he can win any fight, but at the cost of his soul? yeah. yeah. will say that the subtitles left in a lot of japanese terms and words that i think i would've greatly benefited to know the meaning of - like i figured it out from context eventually, but yeah. so Now I Know. at least my curiosity is sated.

the new wonka movie - it was Fine! i appreciated the sincere efforts of whimsy and trying to stick to a roald dahl-esque tone, though in hindsight it's ENTIRELY too magical and sugary sweet (hah). could definitely have done without the fatphobia - something that is very present in the source material, so i shouldn't have been surprised that it features in the prequel, too... it just made me go "nooo noooOooooo don't do that uuughhh noooooooooooooooooooo" a lot. honestly, as far as vibes go, this movie reminded me the most of the first f*ntastical beasts movie (you know, the one that came out in 2016, when we were still young and innocent) - like, decently charming, very cgi.

the old willy wonka movie - i had never seen this one before, and it provided me a lot of context for the New movie :') now THIS really hits the Unhinged Dangerous vibes the new movie lacked. easily the best played willy wonka. a grand old time. i <3 practical effects.

3/4ths of the barbie movie rewatch - is the barbie movie still fun to watch, even after a year of Essays and Takes? i think so. i was in a practical effects mood and had less than two hours left of my flight. like, it's The Barbie Movie. it will never be That Deep because it cannot escape its corporate mainstreamness, but i love the actual play-pretend whimsy and exorbitant amount of pink paint and funky outfits.

killers of the flower moon - i'd considered watching this on my previous flight, i had heard of the movie and put it on my to-watch list, but the THREE HOURS AND TWENTY SIX MINUTES runtime scared me off. not because i didn't have time (my flights were 12 hours and 7,5 hours respectively), but because i knew it was gonna be Heavy and Depressing and you gotta have the right mood for three hours of That. both of my flights had the exact same entertainment catalogues i gave it a try first thing on flight #2, knowing i don't have to finish it if i don't want. it was very good but oh boy heavy and depressing was correct! really good buildup of dread and despair as the web of murder closes in like water circling the sink. very good period piece, and everything i've read about it after indicates that martin scorsese worked very closely with the osage people to create this movie.

the lego movie rewatch - this is one of my favourite movies that i've seen many times but haven't in a while, and after the Three Hours And Twenty Six Minutes of indigenous people getting poisoned and murdered i REALLY needed something light-hearted. i was also severely sleep deprived at this point. all this to say that i was almost overwhelmed by how fun this movie is and kept tearing up at almost every scene. it's just such a good time!!!! my critique of this movie has always been that it has two tropes that annoy me - the "highly competent girl is reduced to an assistant for the clueless 'chosen one' dude" and "person who has changed their name goes back to use their ~*real name*~ because it's more valid than whatever they picked" - that only annoy me because of how prevalent they used to be at the time when this movie came out. in isolation, the story works really well and i still like it so so much. everything is awesome!!!!!!

anyway those are my movie thoughts

[rubiatinctorum]

Bees are a really popular motif in jewelry these days, it seems. They have been for a few years. I'm also seeing butterflies make a return. A couple of years ago, it was a struggle to find more than a couple of options for a butterfly necklace across multiple stores, and in gold, there weren't really options for butterfly earrings or rings. When I wanted a butterfly necklace after finishing my first degree, I had to get a bracelet charm ordered specially into the store from a catalogue. Now, if someone wanted a new gold butterfly necklace, their options in stores would be vastly expanded.

Bees have increased their numbers, too. A couple of years ago, there were small bee and honeycomb designs I saw, but now, there are larger ones, also, and more of them. It's interesting how individual bugs as motifs can trend like that. It causes me to wonder what other bugs will trend. In a couple of years, wouldn't it be cool to see more beetles, or maybe ants, or spiders? Will the selection of dragonflies expand from the few options in stores now?

What about other animals? There are often cat and dog motifs in jewelry, because they are popular with pet-owners. Didn't the elephant trend in jewelry a few years back? When I worked at a jewelry store the first time I was there, they seemed to just be phasing out the remaining pieces from an elephant trend. For my sibling's sake, I hope there is more snake jewelry soon readily available. They are right: there isn't much, except for very large pendants for very large chains, or snakes that are not close to anatomically correct. Even then, those don't have much selection either.

In a broader sense of jewelry trends, I think it would be nice to see gemstones become popular again. Pearls in irregular shapes had a moment a few years ago, so maybe something will happen to cause gemstones to do that, too. They seem to have a backseat to all-metal jewelry or pieces with diamonds or other white gemstones in the past few years. Part of my hopes for this is so selection will expand (selfish reasons) and part of it is because I wonder which gemstones other people I know would choose to wear (nosy reasons).

Maybe I'd like to wait a while before that, though. A lot of jewelry with gemstones right now is taking a shift into smaller designs than in the past few years, maybe for affordability since people are not in an economically good position overall. More pieces are also being made in silver plated with gold, like the necklace I bought on Monday. I really like it, but I hope the plating is good enough to last many years. I suppose it will be; I haven't worn the rhodium plating off of most other silver pieces I have. I like the affordability boost silver plated with gold brings, and that it allows yellow metal for larger styles to be stocked, even as gold and gemstone pieces get smaller and smaller.

I don't love thinking too much about trends in real time. I'm a little bit obsessed with trends of the past for previous decades, though. But when it comes to jewelry (of the sort that won't cause problems for my nickel contact dermatitis), there are only a few stores with a few pieces for each type of gemstone or motif each, if a gemstone or motif can be found at all at them. So, trends really dictate what a person can buy at that time, or how many hoops they'll have to jump through and how many weeks from a catalogue order they'll have to wait to get it.