#rather than just a blank slate that posts art

[pachirobi]

Hi chat I wrote something for 4/3 also

Except I DIDNT because I'm EVIL and this was written over a year ago and I never posted it because I got scared so have fun with it now I guess

[ufonaut]

"space case": the pre-2005 martin jordan

these days the quintessential hal jordan is easily defined by two traits: a distinct lack of fear, and a penchant for wearing his father's air force jacket. hal's father is his hero, you all know that. or, that's what you've been led to believe by the post-2005 geoff johns era of green lantern that has completely overshadowed everything that had come before and worked hard to erase the slightest hint of friction between hal & his father.

first things first, the post-2005 continuity can be looked at as half a fanboy's wish and half editorial mandate -- the biggest inspiration for hal's hero worship of martin (+ the whole deal with his jacket) and his overall attitude comes from darwyn cooke's elseworlds dc: the new frontier 2004, its unparalleled commercial success was undoubtedly a leading factor in the changes that followed and cooke had once spoken about being asked to work on green lantern secret files and origins 2005 (the one-shot that would jumpstart the 2005 ongoing series after the rebirth miniseries) for precisely that reason.

(graphic ink: the art of darwyn cooke)

secondly, for thirty (count 'em!) years of hal jordan's existence there had been no mention of his parents whatsoever. he had brothers, cousins, uncles come in and out of his life throughout green lantern 1960 but never parents. that all changed in 1989 with green lantern: emerald dawn #1, the first real attempt to give hal an origin (see below).

lastly and most importantly, martin had undoubtedly been an abusive father to hal and remained one of his few deep deep actual fears.

i'll be your guide through these pre-2005 appearances and mentions of martin and his relationship with hal, presented in chronological order based on real life release dates rather than internal chronology.

("you just can't make me proud of you, can you, son?" emerald dawn 1989 #2)

("well, he's still like he always was. i guess i'll always be a failure in his eyes, that's all. nothing i can do is going to change that", green lantern 1990 #48, published 1994)

("my fault! all my fault. father always said i'd be a failure!", superman: the man of steel (1991) annual #4, published 1995)

("the problem with you, hal, is you always got your head in the clouds", unpublished 'emerald interlude' originally slated for legends of the dc universe 1998 #33)

("screwed up again, didn't you, space-case?! just once i'd like you to get something right!", legends of the dc universe 1998 #35, published 2000)

("you become what you know. and what you didn't know you knew. like what you learn at the end of someone's arm. you learn to go blank. like maybe things with him would change if you could just give him what he wants. if you could just take it like a man", dc comics presents: green lantern 2004 #1)

interestingly enough, each of these stories is the work of different writers and between legends of the dc universe and dc comics presents: green lantern the narrative woven throughout becomes explicit -- hal perceives martin's abuse as abuse of power first and foremost, and doesn't just fear becoming 'what he knows' but also fears that he already did by abusing the power of the green lantern as parallax. all in all, it's an incredibly complex narrative seldom afforded to superheroes nowadays and an entirely vital part of hal's characterisation that we've been robbed of for far too long now.

[dalesramblingsblog]

In honour of an episode that seems consciously about the construction of narratives around fundamentally meaningless aspects of the universe, a Twitter conversation with one of my last remaining mutuals to survive the Muskening, lightly repurposed to serve as a singular, narrativised Tumblr post in a way it was never designed for.

Who says art is dead?

73 Yards was strange and haunting and not entirely comprehensible in a way that Doctor Who seldom manages.

I suspect it's one where personal tolerance for that sort of thing will make or break the episode, but I certainly think that, knowing this was Gibson's first filmed episode, she did a phenomenal job.

It was also, for me at least, a more generally successful invocation of the kind of eldritch horror implied by the Toymaker or the Maestro, largely by virtue of it giving itself room to be ambiguous.

I've seen the complaints about stuff like the PM being a blank slate, but I do rather feel like that might be the point. It's an episode all about perception and projection and narrativisation of a universe that can be cold and hostile and incomprehensible.

(And frankly, I'm starting to suspect that the whole of RTD2 might be about that on some level. "We see something incomprehensible and invent the rules to make it work" and all that. It's audacious and bold in a way that Doctor Who hasn't been in half a decade.)

And as someone for whom those themes really hit home a lot of the time, yeah, I loved it. I know I probably sound like a broken record but I am genuinely just having a blast with this latest series.

The worst thing Doctor Who can ever feel like for me is an obligation that I only keep up with out of a need to stay relatively current in writing about it, and that was what the Chibnall Era often boiled down to for me.

Part of the reason, in hindsight, I poured so much of myself into my book reviews was that the show itself was simply failing to excite me with the level of regularity necessary to keep me engaged.

Knowing that I can put on Doctor Who on a Saturday night and be reasonably well-entertained and intrigued is, frankly, enough for me, but I do think there are enough aspects of genuine quality that I'm not just blindly worshipping at the altar of a false idol or w/e.

I dunno, I think at the end of the day I'm just a big sucker for TV that makes sense to me on an emotional rather than logical level. It's why I'm a big fan of Twin Peaks, or the second season of Millennium, or hell even Masks over on TNG.

The episode had the general feel of one that will be quite important to the overall themes of the season, so I can't imagine it will linger in *complete* ambiguity forever (though honestly if it did I would kind of love that).

Like I wouldn't be surprised if we're building up to a similar time loop reveal wrt Ruby's general existence. The fact that we've now got at least three instances of her timeline being haunted by mysterious old women cannot possibly be coincidence.

(Well, it can be, but that way lies goblins, as we know.)

IDK, there's a strangeness to Davies' acknowledgments of mediality here that goes even beyond Moffat's usual tricks. Casting a recurring actress by the name of Susan Twist while conspicuously mentioning Susan for the first time in forever feels so on the nose that while I initially suspected we might be building to the return of Susan, I now feel like we're instead headed for something much weirder.

There is so much going on and so much to unpack and frankly I don't have any idea how it could possibly tie together but I'm fascinated.

And again, the fact that this episode was almost explicitly about the process of fans theorising as to what the hell is going on with the season makes me further suspect a rebuttal of theory-focused cult fandom is in the offing.

When I first watched Once, Upon Time in 2021, I commented that it felt like Chris Chibnall's attempt to do a big, bold, incomprehensible piece of television, something almost in the vein of Twin Peaks: The Return, Part 8 but for Doctor Who.

But it's revealing that the only thing he could really think to do was dump a bunch of Doctor Who lore and simply edit things out. He's a mystery writer in the most tediously literal sense of the phrase, creating gaps that feel like they were made with a hacksaw rather than feeling like any sort of deliberate lacuna.

And I'm sorry Chibnall fans, there are some Thirteen episodes that I do like, but when I look at an episode like 73 Yards... whatever its faults may be, and I'm pretty confident I don't actually believe it to be perfect, it is bolder and weirder than anything Chibnall ever wrote. This is the kind of television I want to watch, and I make no apologies for that.

It's a rare piece of Doctor Who which comes close to capturing that sheer, terrible splendour I felt watching a slow zoom into an atom bomb explosion while being serenaded by the Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. And sure, it's still very far out from being quite that strange, but it retains a curious power nevertheless.

What a show.

[meowuff]

Let's do a proper introduction!

☽ Udon ☽

Leaf tailed Gecko Yokai

Assassin with passion ~

I already info dumped a lot about him in my last post so could be that some of the info is gonna be repeated.

Lots of words below!

Let’s start from the very beginning.

It is not 100% clear where exactly Udon came from but somehow, they ended up at the ceiling of an old traditional assassin company in the hidden city. They haven’t been bigger than a common chicken egg, barely a week old, and had just been crawling around with no real goal in mind. As chance would have it, his tiny baby gecko feet lost their hold above the company’s headmaster, who had been eating his dinner in peace, and landed in his bowl of soup and udon noodles.

Quite confused by the sudden child in his food, the headmaster fished them out of it and, shortly after, decided to keep them as his new apprentice. Finding new members for an assassin business was harder than it used to be, so he welcomed the chance for a “blank slate” to be formed into a perfect replacement to take over his business one day.

Udon was a pretty easy child to raise. Surely, their habit of climbing up the walls or hiding at weird notches had been quite stressful and annoying in the beginning, but they were a quick learner and knew in just a few months how to behave like a good child in the presence of other people and to obey when being told to. They still enjoyed scaling the walls and ceilings, but it only needed a single word to get them down again.

As soon as they were able to stand safely on their legs, the headmaster let them be trained in the various methods of martial arts and archery. With only 3 years old, they witnessed someone being killed for the first time. One year later and they did the act of killing themself.

They enjoyed the praise they got for doing a good job, so they set it as their goal to become the best assassin of the company as quickly as possible. Most of their time was focused to perfect their skills, being most comfortable with the bow and arrow, but also putting a lot of focus to master the close combat with a knife.

With 6 years old, their telekinesis like mystic abilities awakened. A lot of training was poured to get them to control these powers to perfection in the shortest time possible, which they didn’t mind due to the fact how well it harmonized with his archery. Two years later they had a hit rate of 99%. Around that time, they started to accompany some of their supervisors on their missions, to get used to the job of an assassin and learn things first hand.

Through an accident, where another member of the company accidentally drunk out of Udons cup, they found out that their saliva is venomous. Luckily, small dosages, are not lethal but rather paralyzing. They never truly figured out how much would be needed to kill someone, but they started to lace their arrows with it, to keep their victims from getting up and running away after being shot.

Over the years they started to develop a very strong sense for when they need to be serious and when it’s okay to cut loose. For other people it could come over as two completely different people. If not being on a job, Udon enjoys chatting and talking a lot, even being up for some shenanigans. But if they are hired to eliminate or retrieve a target, there is nothing that could distract them from that. All their time and focus will be directed at their job and fulfilling it to the clients liking.

The payment for their work doesn’t even reach Udon, but instead lands in the headmasters’ hands, due to him being the closest to their guardian there is. But they are not interested in the money anyway but more in the approval and praise of their superiors, so they don’t really mind it.

At just 17 years of age, they are already one of the most outstanding assassins to have been seen in years and they hold that title with a lot of pride.

Apart from training or working, they don´t have any specific hobbies to enjoy, other than watching the people of the streets from high up, being plastered to house walls, or following with big amazement the fights in the battle nexus, often playing with the idea to maybe join one day but knowing better than to actually consider it. They have been at the upside world a few times, following a target trying to hide among the humans together with one of their teachers, but they weren’t a big fan of all the noise and blinking lights of New York.

Even if everyone in the company calls them by he/him pronounce, they never particularly felt quite male nor female. Gender never played a role to them or their performance as assassin so they decided for themself to let everyone choose how they would see them without being bothered by it.

First Background info rant with lots of additional doodles~

[utilitycaster]

💙💜

Which character is not as hot as everyone else seems to think?

We've talked about this in DMs anyway but OTOHAN. She's physically attractive I suppose, although that's 100% from official art and absolutely not from initial description (perhaps that's just me, but Matt described her as having eyes like a bird of prey, and somehow the image of her in my head has always been. does anyone remember the weird turkey pictures of Ole Golly in Harriet the Spy (the book). Is this too weird a pull? Did I make it up because I can't seem to find an online image? Unclear.) But point being before the official art came out I was not imagining her as attractive, even. And then there's personality. Like, yeah, you can say someone is hot based on just a physical image without knowing them; this is how celebrity works. But when you've only one got one singular physical image and it doesn't really match your mind's eye which isn't terribly attractive, anyway and then there's no personality but...I can't even say zealotry because we literally don't know anything about her motivations other than raw murder. I can't even enjoy the inherent eroticism of the sword. Anyway. If you want hot middle age women villains why not og Delilah before she became a loser, or Raishan's human form, or Ripley, or Avantika, or Vess deRogna, or Liliana. If you just want hot middle age women with a propensity for violence why not Deanna with Jerry the Goat. If you are specifically interested in the "milf" archetype (Otohan is not a mother, so this is rather telling) then might I suggest Veth, who is not middle-aged yet but she is a mother and she is super good at violence. All of these women have hopes and dreams and personalities and aren't a blank dull slate to project upon, as I personally am entirely unattracted to the latter. Anyway hopefully this also fulfills one obligation to either @playerkingsley or @whirlingbadger who asked about "mischaracterized"; Otohan is a polarizing figure with many who agree with the above as well but she is also wildly mischaracterized as hot and interesting when she is at best depicted as attractive and deathly (and deadly) boring. She bored everyone to death; the sword just got in front of her.

Which character is way hotter than everyone else seems to think?

Eshteross. I fear we moved on too soon when he died. Everyone in Bells Hells wanted a slice of this hot old orc man when he was doing his sword practice, and also he was community-minded and loyal and devoted. More generally you know that post that's like "hobbits have it all figured out, farmers market high as shit, why are people horny for elves"? This is true but also might I suggests orcs. Elves are overrated. Why are people's fantasy lithe hairlessness. This is a very narrow beauty ideal and I reject it. We, as a fandom, and dare I say, a society, need to be hornier for orcs.

I'm going to go watch candela and the inbox remains closed and will for much of the rest of the day but there are two more asks that have the exact same two hearts and I will be providing two more separate answers as well as another mischaracterization answer, and possibly making an eye appointment although I'm inclined to think the hearts just look super alike on my computer.

[cadybear420]

hello! i do want to preface this by saying im not trying to be judgy im just wondering what is it about og choices hss that makes you so obsessed with it? it was a hs book so i could never really get into it but seeing this be one of the most talked about books after the aichoicesapocalypse is unexpected to me ngl

The Key Reasons Why I Consider OG Choices HSS So Great

Don't worry, this question isn't rude or judgy! And apologies for the late response I was very busy and distracted... but hey, I got it done in time for HSS Appreciation Week 2025! @hss-appreciation-events

Honestly though, even though I've been obsessed with OG Choices HSS since March 2021... I'm still not sure I can fully explain why I like it so much. Even the Cadybear's Reviews post I made for it in March last year doesn't fully cover it anymore.

I'd like to keep this brief and not delve into an essay because otherwise I'd be here forever. So here's my list of the key things that are so great about OG Choices HSS. Enjoy! <3

The Art and Heart Of It All

On a surface level, HSS is a genuinely fun, lighthearted, and escapist series. From its characters to its scenarios, it's "high school but if it was actually good". Stuff like hanging out with the LI you or your character (depending on how you play the story) has a crush on doesn't have to be so agonizing. Instead of dealing with college apps and AP exams, you deal with pranking bully schools, catching culprits, taking down a corrupt principal. And it can be enjoyed as a purely escapist story if one so wishes.

But at the same time, even though these are situations are escapist and more likely to be found in TV show high school rather than average IRL high school, it doesn't feel like it's being cheap about it. In a general sense, there's sort of an art to how it's all structured. Because at its core, HSS is about a high school with a promise to be accepting and enriching to all students. The plots are very much driven by the characters' personal struggles– and so, seemingly basic overarching goals like "win the homecoming game and beat Hearst" feel like truly important goals because they become representative of the characters being able to grow from their struggles. Almost everything seems to have a justified place in the story, no matter how seemingly cheesy it may or may not be. Even a good amount of the little details feel like they contribute something.

The MC

In my opinion, the OG HSS MC is one of the best MCs on the whole damn app and I have a whole essay in progress about them. They're a very wildcard blank slate, with a background very open to interpretation and quite a variety in ways to shape their personality; you aren't necessarily getting the exact same character every time. I can (and do) get excited to replay it as a different main character with different choices. The extracurricular activity choice is of course the most forefront of these and it is fantastic, but there are lots of other features as well like their skill at their activity, certain decisions they can make, certain outcomes they can have, their general personality, and more.

This benefts HSS both as an interactive novel game mechanic feature, and as a narrative element. The point of Berry High from the very beginning is that you can become anybody you want to be (as reiterated by Principal Hughs) and that you would be accepted no matter who you were (as reiterated by HSS Prime MC's quote on the statue of Ollie the Tiger). OG HSS MC can be anybody you want them to be, there's no singular version of their high school story. They're no ILW MC, but the way thi MC's character and game mechanics are structured is really well done and they don't get nearly enough credit for it.

The LIs and their Romance Routes

I could write an essay just on Ultimate Cuntress Aiden Zhou alone and I probably will one day, but really, all 5 love interests in this trilogy are very well-rounded and compelling. Something HSS is good at, both in OG Choices trilogy and in Prime, is that on the surface it does seem like it's made of high school tropes. Everyone you know is based on some sort of stereotype you've probably seen in your average Disney Channel high school show. But as you get to know them, you learn there's more to them. Everyone is some sort of twist or subversion of those stereotypes, and they truly feel like real people with different sides to them.

And however you play their romance routes, the relationship between LI and MC develops so organically. There's kind of a coming-of-age element to them too, with how they can sort of help each other grow as people. There is a sense of grandness larger-than-life to them since an average high school relationship probably doesn't happen quite like them, but at the same time they still feel real and believable.

The Supporting/Side Characters

The LIs aren't the only characters that are well-written. Characters like Myra, Frank, Sydney, etc... even the returning HSS Prime characters like Julian, Mia, Koh, etc... even the incoming Hearst kids in Book 3... just about all of them have really strong, memorable, and unique personalities despite their smaller roles. It's one of the few books where the larger cast benefits the story. Berry High truly feels alive with these characters.

Passing Down The Torch from HSS Prime

While I did play Choices HSS before Prime HSS, playing Prime HSS only made me appreciate Choices OG HSS a lot more. For the most part, I quite like how the OG HSS Trilogy connected to its predecessor AKA the original HSS Prime mobile game, with a lot of the storylines being centric around dealing with Hearst and maintaining the school's promise of being accepting to all. It's clear that they sort of want to "pass down the torch" to a new MC and cast after the older MC has graduated and the older cast is nearing graduation.

I especially loved that a lot of the returning Prime characters had these senior figure roles– both in the sense of them being soon-to-graduate seniors, and in the sense that they're sort of more mature versions from how they were in Prime. And I really do respect that PB could integrate them organically into the story and give them strong personalities even while their roles and characterizations were more minimized than in their original iteration. Again, I played OG Choices before Prime– and characters like Julian, Payton, Mia, and the rest were all characters that stuck with me that first time around. Playing Prime of course gives the Origin Story for them, but I didn't feel like I had to play Prime first in order to care about them, y'know?

Well I hope that covers it. A lot of these topics I plan to go more in-depth on in their own pieces, but these are more or less the key reasons why I think this trilogy is so great and why I'm so obsessed with it <3

[kultklassickiller]

Turning Tables a novela (1)

Summary: Janessa Davis lives for the drama—and she’s got a front-row seat to the wildest show on Earth: professional wrestling. As a reporter, content creator, and certified shit-stirrer, she’s earned a reputation for being the backstage wildflower everyone loves to hate (or secretly loves to love). Most of the roster can’t resist her probing questions and chaotic charm.

But the Bloodline 2.0? Oh, honey, they’d rather suplex her into next week than entertain her antics. Insults? Check. Threats? Double check. A few creative “Yo Mama” jokes? Let’s just say tensions are high, and Janessa isn’t exactly making friends.

She should probably quit while she’s ahead—but where’s the fun in that? Janessa loves playing cat-and-mouse, especially when she’s convinced she’s the cat. But someone in their camp knows the truth: she’s no predator. She’s the prey. And the Bloodline? They’re sharpening their claws.

There’s one man who might save her neck… or hang her out to dry. His loyalty is as questionable as Janessa’s filter, but he knows how far the others are willing to go to make her disappear. The real question is: how far is he willing to go to keep her alive—or keep his secrets hidden?

In a world where every feud blurs the line between fantasy and reality, Janessa’s about to learn the hard way: when the lights go out and the crowd goes home, the real monsters come out to play.

Pairing: Tonga Loa x Janessa (Nessa) Davis (OC)

Author’s Note: This begins right after the Bloodline 2.0 loses War Games ’24. I envision this happening over a certain period of time only focusing on major turning points, past and future. This is AU so it follows the timeline and certain events but not really.

Additional parts may be added..

Warning: None.

Disclaimer: This work of art is fictional in nature including the original characters created by me. I do not own any of the existing characters or lyrics from songs referenced in this story. All rights belong to their respective owners with the exception of my original characters. This work is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to cause harm.

Chapter One: After the Fall

The locker room was a powder keg waiting for a spark.

Janessa Davis leaned casually against the cold brick wall, watching the fallout unfold like a director surveying their magnum opus. She’d positioned herself just out of their immediate line of sight, tucked in the shadows but close enough to catch every heated word. Her phone was poised to record, though tonight she wasn’t planning to post anything. This was for her, and only her. She knew better than to poke a bear nursing its wounds—but watching? That was fair game.

The Bloodline 2.0’s War Games loss had shaken the entire arena. The crowd’s deafening cheers for the OG Bloodline members still echoed in Janessa’s ears as she lingered backstage, soaking in the bitter aftermath. Solo Sikoa sat in the center of the chaos, a storm cloud personified, while Tama Tonga leaned against a locker, fists clenched, his face a blank slate—which was always more terrifying than when he was openly angry. Jacob Fatu paced like a caged lion, muttering under his breath. Bronson Reed sat in a corner, his broken foot propped up on a bench, the cast glaringly white under the harsh locker room lights. Meanwhile, Tonga Loa sat with his arm cradled in a sling, his torn bicep evident in the grimace he couldn’t quite hide.

“What the hell was that?” Solo’s voice cracked like a whip, cutting through the tension. “We had it. That was our match. And now? Now we’re a goddamn meme.”

“Ain’t nobody told you to…” Tama started, but his words died in the face of Solo’s withering glare.

“What? What did you say?” Solo stood, towering over Tama. “Go ahead, finish it. You want to say something, Tonga? Say it.”

Tama hesitated, his bravado faltering. “Nothin’, man. Forget it.”

“That’s what I thought.” Solo sat back down, his face a mask of cold fury.

It was a ballet of implosion, and Janessa couldn’t help but smirk. She didn’t pity them. Not after the months of hostility, the snide comments, the veiled threats. To the Bloodline 2.0, she was nothing but an interloper, a nuisance who didn’t belong in their sacred domain. She’d heard it all before—the warnings, the promises that she’d regret sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. But Janessa had never been one to back down from a fight, even one she couldn’t win.

Still, her smirk faltered when her eyes flicked to Tonga Loa. He was unusually quiet, his pain evident in the way he avoided moving too much. A pang of guilt twisted in her chest, but she pushed it down. She had no business feeling sorry for him. Not here. Not now.

“You gettin’ this, reporter?” Jacob’s voice startled her, his sharp gaze cutting through the shadows and landing squarely on her.

Janessa’s smirk returned, though it didn’t reach her eyes. She didn’t bother to hide her phone. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Fatu.”

Tama stopped pacing, turning his full attention to her. “You’re like a damn cockroach, you know that? Always crawling where you’re not wanted.”

“If I’m a cockroach, then what does that make you?” She shot back without missing a beat.

The room fell silent. Even Solo looked up, his dark eyes narrowing as they locked onto her.

“You think this is funny?” Solo’s voice was low, dangerous.

Janessa shrugged, pushing off the wall and stepping into the light. “I think watching the mighty Bloodline fall apart is… fascinating. But funny? Not quite the word I’d use.”

Bronson shifted uncomfortably; his frustration palpable despite his inability to physically confront her. Solo held up a hand, silencing any further movement or words.

“You’ve got guts,” Solo said, rising to his full height. “I’ll give you that. But guts don’t keep you safe, Davis. You’re playing a game you can’t win.”

She tilted her head, meeting his gaze head-on. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just better at it than you think.”

“Watch your back,” Solo said, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. “Because when you least expect it… we’ll be there.”

The unspoken threat hung in the air as she walked away, the weight of their stares burning into her back. But she didn’t falter. She’d been in worse situations—or at least, that’s what she told herself as she stepped into the empty corridor.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out, her pulse quickening at the name on the screen.

Unknown Number

She hesitated before answering. “About time.”

“You shouldn’t have been there tonight.” His voice was low and urgent, but unmistakable.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she snapped. “You know how this works.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not working anymore,” he said. “They’re not just mad, Janessa. They’re out for blood.”

She leaned against the wall, her smirk returning despite the unease creeping into her chest. “Then maybe you should tell your family to chill. Or better yet, stop pretending you don’t have my back.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “I’m not sure I can keep doing this.”

Her smile faltered. “Then you’d better decide whose side you’re really on.”

The line went dead, leaving her alone in the dim corridor. For the first time that night, the thrill of the game didn’t feel quite so exhilarating.

[tyran-the-tyranical]

HELLO

This is just an update post on a little (it's so not little) comic I'm working on rn. (The updates are at the bottom (ง •_•)ง)

OKAY, for starters this is a kinda scrapped first ver of the first few pages. It's scrapped because it was just a test/thumbnailing for how I want the first pages to be, but I salvaged some things in it.

It's chaotic but it wasn't meant to be the serious storyboard, especially since there's very little references for inside the keep so I'm going to cut those early scenes so it just cuts to when she arrives at the door. The chess opening is cut as well, EXCEPT, I'm planning on doing chapter covers and I want to keep the two pawns on the chessboard as the chapter cover for the first chapter.

Okay...

This is also chaotic but these are just the closest designs I've been happy with for the Tarnished, these are not the first times I've designed her, actually her design has changed SO much, originally she's just a character in my own story but I use her for a lot of fan stuff, like BG3 and etc, so I just used her for the elden ring fic too lol.

This was an old ver of her planned design, don't look at her ass, ignore it.

(This was actually a scrapped ver of the drawing below)

Anyway, I didn't like it. There was also another design...That I shall not name nor show (Its ugly asf, I called the file burn with fire)

There was also this design, which wasn't bad but wasn't what I was looking for. Tbh her design still needs work but I'm happy with how it looks now, it just needs a few more tweaks.

This is actually what she looked like in the early sketches of her more finished design, I fixed her proportions and switched the armor, at this point I was trying to find an art style more suited for a comic and also her herself. I'm very stuck between either anime/cartoony and realism and I want the comic to be semi-realism, and my biggest issue is I always make the eyes too big lol.

Like this was the closest I've gotten to the design I want for the comic but it's too realistic and detailed so I need to simplify it alot.

Now, I want to make it clear, I want this comic to really be/look good, I've made comics in the past now and again but they're never too crazy, but if I can get chapter one done, I'll be happy, but yknow as it stands it's still in like pre-production where I'm trying to plan things out, so probably not this year 〒▽〒

Though I'd really like to get the comic before Act 3 since that act is gonna have a lot of payoffs, and I don't want the fic to spoil something really good that the comic hasn't got to yet, and the comic has a lot to catch up to, but I'm also planning on cutting things or condensing them down since act 1 kinda meanders in the ruins of Rauh and I could so cut a lot of that down.

I've been very reluctant to describe the Tarnished bc even though I have a backstory for her and a character arc planned, she's s nameless Tarnished and I always feel like people would rather her be a blank slate, undescribed, especially in the fic, but in the comic that's unavoidable so therefore not an issue, but if anyone is genuinely interested in what she looks like, the concept art is basically that, tho it's not exactly finished or complete, I'll update again once I've done it tho!

And another wip of their designs, not entirely finished but just there :D the colors still need work

Edit: here’s a heavily censored version of the first ten storyboard pages (it’s obviously not much but at least the first few pages are completely planned now 🥲) rlly into color scripting atm

(PSSST, there are actually two other finished designs of her, one from the first day she was in the lands between and one for the future/ending, there is supposed to be another one for her real past but I haven't designed it yet etc, I can't show you either bc spoilers, but remember when I said the helm motif thing will come back? yes, but funnily enough her early design for the past scares me more than her other ones, ok maybe scares is a bit of an exaggeration, but especially with how she was before she OK I'll shut up now )

(Another lil secret wip for the meantime too...I had to remove his scoliosis 😔) it's all just sketches but we're getting somewhere 👁👁

[neonlitlesbians]

do you have a masterpost or some key posts that help explain the setting/worldbuilding or context for your ocs? or intro posts to learn about them?

oh shit oh shit oh shittttt ok i really need to organize a little better around here BUT i have a little bit i can offer right now! (ive been meaning to make intro posts for my ocs, thank you for the reminder—i will try to get on that soon!)

(LOTS under the cut you have no idea how much i have to say!! thank you SO much for this ask)

The World

Alana and her friends live in a huge, dying cyberpunk city.

Nine years ago, the algorithm governing the city decided that infinite capitalistic growth was no longer sustainable, and went into power saving mode. Those who hid, survived; the vast majority of the city's inhabitants were given a choice between dying and going into stasis. The remaining inhabitants have come to refer to this event as the Crash.

It's not like they could just leave—The Old Internet is chewed up and defunct, existing only in archives; the remains of GPS satellites have long since crashed to earth; and it's not like an old map would be much good, since a city in what was once barren Nevada is now... on the coast.

Understandably, the ones surviving today are still traumatized, as well as lost and more than a little bored.

(The city's name hasn't been established yet—i might just call it The City but i'm not sure yet.)

Characters

Each of these characters is diligently tagged on my blog, so you can search through all of my art that features them!

Alana/The Watcher (she/her) – One of the most capable fighters in town. Angry and quiet, but deeply caring. Died and was brought back to life by Ethlyn, now running on both red and black blood. Literature nerd and occasional writer. Zinnia's lover, Ethlyn's best friend, and Hostility's dueling partner.

Electra (any) – Alana's childhood best friend, returned after a nine-year absence. Can suck the charge out of electronics, store it, and release it. Incredibly strong, and one of the two people who can evenly duel Alana (Hostility being the other). Protective and confident.

Zinnia (she/her) – A workaholic journalist who was nearly killed by a structural collapse. Saved by Alana and given a new body by Ethlyn, she now tails Alana with a camera and documents the ruined city in photo form (not like there's much to write articles about). Quiet and serious, tending to come off as rather cold. Alana's lover.

Ethlyn Calloway (she/her) – A genius engineer, especially in the field of cybernetics, and kind of a horndog. Made most of her friends' augments and then some. Extremely hyperactive, chronically short of sleep, and prone to mood swings. The cast's leading historian on the old, defunct Internet. Bell's girlfriend and Alana's savior.

Bell Anderson (he/she) – An incredibly skilled medical doctor and surgeon. Helps Ethlyn with installing cybernetics, and was critical to Alana and Zinnia's survival. Also a highly capable chef (a good thing, too—Ethlyn would survive on nuggies alone without him). Amiable, generous, and open. Ethlyn's lover and caretaker, but gets along well with just about anyone.

Hostility (she/her) – A capable engineer and swordsmith. Made all of her own augments, as well as Nico's and some of Darcy's. Makes and maintains Alana's weaponry as well as many others'. Built an entire car out of scraps from the junkyard that she melted down and reforged. Wise and laid-back. Crowe's girlfriend, Alana's friend, and one of Rat's closer friends.

Rat Manchu (she/it) – An informant. The "word on the street." Shrewd, greasy, and much smarter than she looks. Kind of an asshole and hard to get along with, but ultimately means well. (Usually.) Also has a car (but Nico usually takes the keys before she can do anything stupid). Gay and in love with Nico and Darcy.

Nico Lombard (they/them) – A former cop and current encrypted-data-vault-slash-blank-slate. Jailbroken thanks to Hostility and Darcy, and now lives with Darcy and Rat. Still figuring themself out. Gay and in love with Darcy and Rat.

Darcy Relayer (shx/hxr) – A 1337 H4XX0R with some of the juiciest databases on the network at hxr (many) fingertips. A little bit insane. Just as hyperactive as Ethlyn, but more data-driven. Prone to using goofy slang terms from bygone eras. Gay and in love with Rat and Nico.

The Guitarist (she/her) – A traveler from abroad who plays at the Z-Axis, though sometimes you can hear her music on the wind at the edge of town. Blind and mute, relying mainly on her guitar to communicate. Doesn't really have any strong ties to anyone, past or present. Mysterious, but easy to get along with.

Crowe Stormwell (she/they) – A dancer and prostitute at the Z-Axis bar. Ethlyn's favorite test subject to try new types and models of cybernetics on. Whimsical and sensual. Hostility's girlfriend.

Aly (they/she) – [WIP] The bartender at the Z-Axis. The cast's only fully fledged android. Happy-go-lucky. Narcoleptic due to a faulty power source. Crowe's roommate, when they don't just pass out at the bar.

Lizzy (xe/xer) – A reclusive tailor, printer, hairstylist, and artist responsible for a lot of the group's clothing, especially the quality stuff like Alana's outfits and Bell's lab coat. Capable of restoring physical media like books, as well as giving tattoos.

The Keeper (she/her) – The sole occupant of the lighthouse at the edge of town. A little cagey, but ventures into town now and again. Farms her own food, and trades with the rest of the cast on occasion.

[shinjukuspiritcommittee]

Hakkenshi Flower Crowns 2023

Hey so it’s been a while since I’ve done a proper headcanon style post like this. I hope I didn’t disappoint in my hiatus, but with Valentine’s Day and the new Valentine’s event so close I couldn’t help but want to make a new proper post with a bit of a blog tradition Hakkenshi Flower Crowns~! Since we’ve had some time with the newer dog warriors I’m feeling a bit more confident in these takes on them, and also I rewrote one for Yasuyori simply because I feel the boyo deserves better from me. Hope you all enjoy~

Tanetomo

~Tanetomo enjoys making things much more beautiful so the task of making flower crowns comes naturally to him. When choosing the flowers he tends to favor pink and white flowers for their more pristine reputation. He wants to appear as pure and delicate as possible since that is what is typically seen as beautiful. He also makes the best flower crowns of the dog warriors and they tend to last the longest.

~When making one for you Tanetomo will lean more so to white flowers. He sees you as somewhat naive, much like a certain other warrior he knows. Because of that he wants to convey and preserve that innocence in a crown most fitting to your nature. White flowers can also help convey a blank canvas and fresh slate since Tanetomo can see there's plenty of options you have in your life, unlike himself.

~At the end of the day Tanetomo strives to make beautiful flower crowns you both can proudly wear and show off.

Masanori

~Much like Tanetomo, Masanori also enjoys the art of making flower crowns. However rather than simply choosing flowers based on color he chooses flowers based on their general meanings. For instance he will decorate his own crown with daffodils since they're a flower that ties to rebirth and creativity. He is quite a stickler for the symbolic significance in his creations- a curtain can't just be blue!

~When making a crown for you he insists on decorating your crown with lilies. Much like Tanetomo he views you as a symbol of innocence and naivete. You're the reason he strives for a change in the system- so those similar to you can live in a world with simple strife and the freedom to express themselves without oppression. While you appreciate the poetic symbolism you aren't ashamed to admit it goes over your head at times. But you still accept the crown because it's very cute and it's coming from Masanori.

Yoshito

~Yoshito only remembers doing this activity one other time with Moritaka back when they were both young children. Since it's been so long since he's made something like this you help him through the process of making one step by step. As you're helping him though he can't help but be reminded of that time he and Moritaka made crowns together and it both makes him glad and disheartened. Glad since he can now share something like this with someone, but disheartened since he can never be with Moritaka as he is now.

~Even though he has Moritaka on his mind a lot, Yoshito definitely thinks about you and what you'd look nice with. Someone who makes him smile like you should wear flowers that make everyone smile, and after consulting with Masanori he'd decide to make you a crown with lots of yellow flowers since they symbolize joy and happiness. However Yoshito doesn't just pick one flower, he collects a bunch of different yellow ones from tulips to sunflowers.

~When he eventually presents it to you it's a bit of a messy crown that you can see being held together with some sort of thread or twine that he obviously needed to hold all the flowers in place. But given the earnest nature of his gift you place it on your head with pride and you suggest to make one for Moritaka. Though he's hesitant at first since he doesn't have the courage to gift something like that to the fellow dog warrior, he becomes enamored with the idea when you offer to gift it in his place.

Yasuyori (again because i feel the last time didn't capture his essence)

~Yasuyori is a bit of a dense man in his own eyes. He doesn't quite view himself capable of something so dexterous as flower crown making. However when you assure him that it's not so much about the quality, but the thought behind it Yasuyori agrees to give it his best shot. With trembling hands he weaves his first one fairly decent. Only ripping or tearing it a few times out of nervousness, but when you guide his hands through the motions those nerves relaxed and he was able to complete the process just fine.

~He isn't quite as astute and informed as Masanori nor is he as analytical and insightful as Tanetomo so when he decides on a flower it's through pure instinct of what generally feels right for you. So naturally Yasuyori defaults to using roses which he prunes the thorns off of and puts into said crown. When he finally gifts it to you he insists on putting it on your head for you and seeing how you look in it.

~You offer to do the same and you both stare at each other with the crowns on. The sight of Yasuyori with a full head of flowers brings a hearty chuckle to you and Yasuyori is absolutely smitten with your look that he can't help but hug you in joy.

[kamaela]

preface by saying 1) i generally dont prescribe to drarry is canon 2) i also think canon is pre bare in harrys pov so basically a blank slate do whatever tf you want 3) related to prev point, we all read/interact with books/music/art through the lens of our own preferences, biases and experiences. interpreting harrys actions in dh as a demonstration of "this fuckin guy" or "empathy" or "pity?" all valid. suggesting there's concrete evidence in canon for or against any of these takes is a bit of a stretch.

now ill go on to share my take that no one asked for

when reading canon interactions b/w harry and draco in DH, i consider how much capacity harry has by the end of that book. like this guy's been through hell and back, likely hasnt slept properly in weeks, probably feeling completely overwhelmed by all the emotional upheaval he's been through/witnessed - the boys gotta prioritise! i think at that point harrys well past the realisation that there are things far far worse than a childhood bully/rival. harry focusing on snape, or grown ass adult death eaters tryna kill children, or the way voldemort is using draco, is just harry saving resources! he cant possibly have the energy to feel angry or whatever at draco in those moments. there is a real actual Big Bad around him, a teenage school rival who has proved himself time and time again to not actually be a serious threat (see dumbledore murder attempts: 1 through 3) is NOT harrys priority at that point.

extending what fai said, the absence/reduction of expressed animosity/anger from harry in those moments does not mean its gone away forever (it could! or maybe not! theres plenty of fandom creations out there that make convincing arguments either way)

i dont have any trouble with the idea that post hbp harry might recognise that dracos not exactly loving the whole death eater life, that he might consider draco to be acting out of fear rather than willful malicious intent, but to say these realisations for harry lead him to feel NO feelings of animosity towards draco?? that doesn't track for me.

draco wants to survive, hes not out here ready to die for the cause (see flip flopping: im going to capture you and bring you to voldy harry > oh no save me from fiendfyre harry > no dont kill me random DE, im one of you). harry on the other hand is quite literally ready to sacrifice himself for the cause. there are fundamental differences in these two perspectives that would simply not disappear just bc harry saw draco crying in the bathroom or lowering his wand when facing dumbledore.

sure, harry may not feel angry towards him, but he probably feels a lack of respect, a level of disdain or exasperation (this fuckin guyyyy). ill argue that a low level of respect is a pretty decent base for animosity to spring back up again during any post-war interactions, including but not limited to; forced marriage/bonding, coworkers, competitive quidditch, stressful situations such as time travel or amnesia etc etc.

if draco is not at all a prat when they meet post war, maybe, maybe harry thinks "alright lets let bygones be bygones." but if he is a prat (and he IS and thats why we LOVE HIM) then its totally reasonable that harry meets that prat-ishness with his own brand of surly irritation (this fuckin guy!)

and then when he cant stop thinking about draco? this fuckin guy

and when they inevitably start fucking and draco is all draco about it (the arrogant smirk is basically canon at this point)? this fuckin guy

and when harry falls in love with the prat? this. fuckin. guy.

im not a fan of the 'post-hbp harry just sees draco as a victim' view bc a) harry's known him for longer than the duration of hbp, b) draco was a victim of circumstance sure but also did several shitty things all on his own, and c) one of the last times they interact is when harry finds draco trying to convince a death eater that he, too, is a death eater for real, come on you guys, it's me! your old pal,

and the feeling that surges in harry in that moment i am convinced is not pity but rather, "this fuckin guy"

i was talking to @faiell about how "this fuckin guy" really sums up harry's pov for me. "this fuckin guy" teeth grit, "this fuckin guy" speechless, "this fuckin guy" furiously jerking off,

and there's i feel certainly a clear path to "this fuckin guy" (fond) as @faiell put it, but it takes a minute and that's ok. that's the magic :)

[scuba-divers]

Grave Brigade: The Great Info Dump Thus Far.

Okay, so Grave Brigade- What, exactly, is it, and what am I planning to do with it?

You may have heard of Grave Brigade if you lurk around my page. It's usually in the tags of art posts I make related to Terraria [typically Terraria's enemies] or it's mentioned in the text I put in a post. Well, here's what it is, summed up and compacted into a rather large nutshell.

Grave Brigade, nutshelled. [A tl;dr]

Basically, Grave Brigade is an Alternative/Alternate Universe, or AU for short, of Terraria. Now I expect that if you've seen this post, it's likely because you're following me, so I'm going to assume you know at least a bit about Terraria. Now, why on earth do I call this an 'AU' and not just 'my interpertation of the Terraria lore' if Terraria's lore is so open? Well, you see, that's the neat thing, it isn't focused around lore change or anything. It's focused around enemies, but not just any old enemies.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking: "How can you make an AU based off of enemies??" Well, it focuses around the unique enemies, specifically the main three linked below:

Of course, there are other unique enemies that'll likely be included [Eyezor, Nymth, Tim, Rune Wizard, ect.] but these three are the main cast. Why? Well, it's just because they're my favorite enemies in the game.

My project plan for GB

So, what, exactly, am I even doing with this AU of mine? Well, it could just float around in my mind and sort of exist, but no, I'm taking it a bit further. I'm not making a comic or a written story, however; I'm planning on making this thing into a series. An animated one, to be exact. I've been building up characterization for the three I mentioned earlier for months, and since little is actually known about these guys, they're basically blank slates for headcanon characterization. Using Blender for effects, IBISpaintX for sprites backgrounds, Google Docs for scripting, Ableton Live 11 Intro [along with my mediocre composing skills] for a soundtrack, the possible help of some others and more, I'm going to attept to make a cartoon series about my versions of these wacky undead people that I'm obsessed with, infused with the worst possible mixture of headcanons, headcanon personalities and awful animation because almost everything I know about Blender was found out by fucking around while making VRchat avatars.

What's up with this series?

Grave Brigade [The Series] follows the wacky and sometimes [usually] dangerous adventures, situations and shenanigans that a trio of zombies get themselves into, and that's basiaclly all.

Who are the characters, and what are they like?

Well, putting it simply, the characters are my versions/characterized versions of the unique enemies from Terraria.

The Main Cast

The main cast is composed of my characterized versions of the three I mentioned before:

Doctor Bones, or, as everyone just calls him, Bones, an undead archeologist who unfortunatley lost all of his memories from when he was a human. The only thing that remains of his past self is his obsession with anything regarding nature, archaeology and/or history. Outgoing, energetic, uncannily physically strong and lacking common sense, this guy can easily unintentionally [or intentionally] cause trouble wherever he goes. [Yeah, I'm aware that in the canon game he's supposed to be a reference to Indiana Jones but I have always and will always disregard that fact because he's at very least 20x cooler than the original source.]

Victor [A.K.A. The Groom], an awkard guy who doesn't like talking to people he doesn't know [or even being around people he doesn't know for that matter] and would much rather wander around pouting about his afterlife choices than go on a rampage for human flesh. Obviously the husband of Angela.

Angela [A.K.A. The Bride, A.K.A. Angie]. She gets bursts of rage and pissed-offness every now and then, but she's usually pretty chill. She's always the first one to choose violence in any situation, because despite the fact that she's typically pretty chill, she always thinks it's the easiest and fastest answer [She isn't always wrong with this view, but but I'm gonna say that ~65% of the time, she is]. Obviously the wife of Victor.

Why am I putting actual effort into characterization and a series?

I just felt like I had so many ideas and concepts for these undead dorks, and I wanted to do something with them. Not a lot of people in the Terraria fandom/community even aknowledge these guy's existances, so I thought that since I'm the one big fan of these guys, I need to make something! And boom, Grave Brigade was born.

Conclusion

So basically, this freakishly long post is just to provide information on my Terraria AU. That pretty much draws a conclusion to my current plans for it, so I'm done writing.

[daeva-agas]

Ayakashi Koi Meguri/Ayakashi Romance Reborn production behind the scenes (part 1 & 2)

ARR Japanese app is releasing some character design/production behind the scenes. Apparently these were materials that were shown during some live events in the past, but they’re now distributing it in the app.

Tag for Behind the Scenes posts

Yakumo and MC - Writing staff comments

Part 1: “Marionette event”

This is an event currently running at the time of this writing. It’s a Yakumo route pre-release, where you get early access up to 10 chapters of the Yakumo route from the event. 

Staff abstained from commenting about Yakumo route itself because spoilers, but said that the SSR card story has content that is relevant to the route. (also the event cover art has Yakumo in vampire form dancing with a life-sized Futaba puppet, it’s HECKING CREEPY)

The SR card is Kagemaru with Zantetsu and Oboro plushies. Staff said they imagined it to be made by Futaba/MC at first, but then they remembered that she is not that good at needlework, so... there goes that line of thought.

Part 2: About Yakumo

Since he is a Real Person his route will involve a few characters also based on real people associated with the real life Yakumo. There will also be some references to Yakumo/Lafcadio’s real-life writings.

While they’re not necessarily relevant to the route, this writing staff says that Lafcadio Hearn’s books are interesting, and are enjoyable reads. (for what it’s worth, his youkai books and other Japanese culture stuff is often highly recommended in the English-speaking world too)

Part 3: MC/Futaba

Reader preference of otome MCs vary. Some people prefer blank slates, but ARR/Ayakoi’s MC is intended to be a character with distinct personality. The reason is so that the bond and relationship between the love interest and the MC can be more strongly defined. 

Futaba is created with the image of someone who is excited/looking forward towards modernization. She prefers learning foreign languages rather than home-making in school and helps her father with his job. 

Yakumo and MC - Artist comments

Staff remarks on the creepy as heck Yakumo + doll CG art. Goes all “Yes we know this is weird, wait for the explanation in route~ *wink wink*”

Part 1: MC character design

She is shown dressed in hakama and a kimono with vibrant designs to reflect her personality as someone who is interested in modernization and Western things. She has lace in her obi, and she wears boots instead of sandals.

Detail: She has a bracelet on her right hand in the shape of a leaf sprout. This is based on her default name Futaba (literally means sprout)

Part 2: Yakumo design

Yakumo’s left eye being blind is true. Lafcadio Hearn did injure his left eye in school, and it was untreatable and became blind. Also his costume being a mix of Western and Japanese style clothing is based on “true story” too. (Not sure if he actually wears stuff like that in real life; it’s not shown in his photos at least)

They said his “battle attire” is spoilers (IT’S OBVIOUSLY A VAMPIRE THO), so they can’t talk about it yet. Just more of the *wink wink* “look forward to his route” comments. 

[mmikmmik2]

If you were to sort the Infinity Train cast(s) into the Major Arcana a la the Persona games, which Arcana would you give everyone?

anon I had SOOOOO much fun thinking about this, thank you so much for sending me this. I sorted all the major characters, plus a few other entries, based on a mix of Arcana symbolism, Persona series character archetypes, and general vibes. I came up with answers I feel pretty good about for all but four of the Arcana. (Was really tempted to say Strength is every human character who doesn't board the train because they can handle their problems on their own lol.) This is going to be a long-winded post, so I thought I’d post just the list as an image (which hopefully won’t be too blurry!) rather than wrestle with Tumblr formatting trying to make a short list, and put a big text wall under the readmore talking more about my picks.

If this list does end up illegible, the same info is under the readmore as text! Plus some characters for Magician, Strength, Justice, and Death that I didn’t want to add to the “official” list because they’re more based on headcanon. (Although my reasoning for some of the “official” picks is pretty weak lol.)

One-One as 0. The Fool

Oh my gosh, what am I?

IT is great at fleshing out character backstories and families, so One-One at the beginning of S1 is one of the few characters who really feels like a blank slate. He's got a lot of his baggage back by the end of the season, and I think One and One-One are more similar than they seem at first glance, but S1 does seem to have been very formative for One-One and how he thinks about what he's supposed to be doing and how he relates to other people. So it does kind of feel like his fool's journey.

Alrick Timmens as I. The Magician

The magician begins the journey... by beefing it on a dirt bike, dying, and sending his wife flying off the deep end. Rip.

Alrick was an engineer like Amelia, so I could see him suiting some of the themes of the Magician, like conscious thought and manifesting ideas. His apparent playfulness and insecurity are similar to the Magician characters in Persona.

Kez as II. The High Priestess

“We can’t make this decision for you, Kez.” “You know what to do.”

I thought really hard about making Kez the Magician because just like every Magician since Persona 3, she's dumb, horny, and insecure dlkjasfdkl

(and also her showing up at the start of the story arc and being helpful but also super needy is very Magician)

But the idea of "intuition" really does suit Kez. Sometimes her intuition is as bad as her conscious reasoning, but I think that's a lot because she's so confused about what happened with Jeremy, and Morgan making Kez feel like she did a bad thing by helping him.

Tuba as III. The Empress

She made me feel like I was warm all the time.

Tuba's a mom. Sorry, this one's not that deep, haha.

Simon Laurent as IV. The Emperor

Highest number! I'm the leader now.

Simon has a lot of issues, but the one that felt the most prominent to me was his unhealthy relationship with power, authority, dominance, and rules. Another quote I considered using here was what he said in Grace's memory of meeting Amelia: "I never thought I'd get to see the Conductor with my own eyes. He's perfect! Everything finally makes sense again." In his emotional crisis, he thought everything could be fixed just by the existence of a huge, scary, powerful, male authority figure, even if they weren't doing anything helpful or informative.

Atticus as V. The Hierophant

I like to think that our stones are sturdy and handsome, like the Corgis that crafted them.

Atticus is a figure of traditional authority who deeply loves the history, society, and culture of his people. He often provides spiritual wisdom and encourages Tulip to get out of her own head and engage with the world around her. Also in Persona, Hiero is the Dad Arcana so it's very funny to me (a) to make the little dog be Hiero and (b) that the little dog really does have the strongest Wholesome Dad Energy of the whole cast.

Jesse Cosay as VI. The Lovers

Don't tell me what to do. I'm not going to be a part of anything like this, on or off the train.

This was my first and easiest pick lol, Jesse is sooooo Lovers. Like, the focus on choice and personal values and relationships? Yep, that's Jesse. It works on an "actual meaning of the Arcana" level and a "vibes with the Persona characters" level lol... popular, upbeat, and having such an identity crisis.

Lake as VII. The Chariot

I'm my own person, who is getting off this train!

I don't know if Chariot captures all the ways Lake grew over the course of S2, but I feel like they had the most externally focused conflict of all the IT characters, which suits Chariot. They've been fighting to stake out their personhood from start to finish, and they took action and used their willpower to achieve that goal. Also they have at least a little jock energy which is a prereq for Chariot tbh.

Frank as VIII. Strength

I dunno, I kinda imagine him as a simple man and easily underestimated, but with a lot of heart. The Cat may say they're keeping things casual but I don't think she'd take him with her on her private vacation unless he had some kind of inner toughness that would let him stand toe-to-toe with her.

Morgan as IX. The Hermit

I need to be alone right now. Kez... maybe... we can talk later.

I like that Morgan embodies toxic self-isolation and stonewalling and rejection, but that she seems to be moving towards the positive aspects of Hermit and taking some time to calm down and process and think. I like it when characters can embody the best and worst of their Arcana.

Tulip Olsen as X. The Wheel of Fortune

We have to adapt to the changes in our lives. It's the only way things can get better.

Tulip has a lot of themes and conflicts, but this one is a clear standout as the most important. I also like it for Tulip because, while she has to handle a lot of difficult and even traumatic situations, some of the change that challenges her isn't as unambiguously bad as e.g. the death of a loved one. It really is just change itself she's struggling with, and that's Fortune babey. Also, from the perspective of the train itself and lots of other characters, by reversing Amelia and One-One's positions again and changing how One-One administrates the train, Tulip is the one giving the wheel a spin. That's fun.

Lucy as XI. Justice

One of my friends once described the Justice characters in Persona as "the ones the player character is ultimately accountable towards", and I like to think of Lucy as kind of being that for Grace (...since Hazel has excused herself). Lucy is the Apex kid we see Grace interact with the most, the first Apex kid Grace admitted to herself that she had harmed (see Grace very briefly showing distress and then regret when Jesse points the harpoons at his face and she stops him), and the first person to confront Grace when she came home in The New Apex.

Min-Gi Park as XII. The Hanged Man

I don't know if we'll sell a single album, but we'll figure that out as we go.

Min-Gi sacrifices his "realistic", "sensible" goals for a more personally (spiritually, even?) enriching life that's beyond his control and outside of the expected norm. Like the Hanged Man, who dangles foolishly upside-down, but as a deliberate choice and in a state of serenity and enlightenment. I also think this arcana suits a reading of Min-Gi's character development as starting off going slower as a way to stall and live in denial, but then going slower with deliberation. Compare his arrogant insistence on refusing to act in The Astro Queue Car to his patience and care in The Castle Car and The Train to Nowhere.

Jeremy as XIII. Death

This isn't about the death of his family - I'm thinking of his reluctance to admit his number was going down. He cared about Morgan and Kez, and it's possible both that he may have really wanted to stay with them despite his exit and that that might even have been a healthy choice - they're real ass people with feelings and everything, not holodeck characters. But I also think Jeremy was using his life with them to avoid moving on out of that fog (because it was hard and it hurt and he didn't want to think about what that would mean for him and Morgan) and Morgan was enabling him.

Ryan Akagi as XIV. Temperance

Maybe the experience is the point. I wasn't just rushing you. I was rushing myself.

I think this one speaks for itself. Also, the other quote I considered putting here, from The Art Gallery Car: "You told me I can't appreciate the song without taking in the rest of the album. I need the whole package."

The Cat as XV. The Devil

I always do the right thing.

Honestly, this is one I really wasn't sure about. The Cat isn't a great pick for a lot of the meanings of Devil. She is definitely consumed by material comforts, and the short-term rewards of ignoring her issues at a long-term cost, though. This is more of a "vibes with Persona characters with this arcana" pick... Devil characters tend to start off being somewhat exploitative or even antagonistic towards the player character, and gradually showing a more conflicted and genuine side.

Amelia Hughes as XVI. The Tower

There's a hole in the universe where Alrick used to be.

Amelia's life is defined by catastrophe and upheaval - both those she's suffered and those she's inflicted on others.

Hazel as XVII. The Star

I'm going to keep loving you like you're still here.

When I think of "The Star" as a small but inextinguishable light in the darkness, Hazel seems like the obvious choice. Although we left her deeply wounded, I think she still has a flicker of her hope, faith, and purpose.

Grace Monroe as XVIII. The Moon

But it's unfair for me to tell you how to understand yourself. I mean, I don't even fully understand me.

Grace is probably the most complex and dynamic character on the show and hence one of the most difficult to place. I considered Empress, Strength, Devil, and Judgement for her... I think ultimately, lies and illusions are the most unifying theme of her character arc. Also, from a Persona angle, her pursuit of status out of a lack of true self-worth reminds me of Ai and Mishima.

Alan Dracula as XIX. The Sun

Brought together by the majesty of a superpowered deer!

I'm sorry dkjasfklads this is largely because I thought it was funny to have this completely inexpressive dead-eyed deer as Sun akfk but also... like... it kind of works okay!!! Think about the genuine joy and comfort and positivity he brings to Lake and Jesse (and me)!

The New Apex as XX. Judgement

"Then what are we gonna be?" "Guess we'll have to figure it out?"

This is kind of a Persona mythology gag again because of Judgement being a group social link near the end of the narratives of P3 and P4, when the protagonists have pierced through the lies and actually figured out who the villain of their game is and are ready to really start making progress.

0 as XI. The World

Ah, train does it again!

It's an ending and the completion of a journey, but also the beginning of a new one. And the world is literally what the passengers receive at the end of their train journey. Welcome home.

[celestialsblues]

okay so @radiosandrecordings said I should make this post so here I am. I wanna talk about the tma fandom’s treatment of jon as a character. while I’m not super active in the fandom I thought I needed to share my two cents.

I think the tma fandom has an issue with treating jon as if he’s an oc and not an entire, very well written character. while projection can be fun and all, as oran said, he definitely is being transformed into a Relatable OC. rather than being a very realistic flawed character people reduce a lot of that to tropes and easily relatable hcs. many headcannons are completely out of character for him, making him seem like a blank slate when he’s not.

there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, people can have fun however they want. however I think it misses a lot of the points of having such realistic and interesting characters. I’m not saying that everything has to have a huge purpose and everything has to be like an english class, I’m just saying that taking more time to think about your consumption of media would be really helpful for everyone in the long run and could foster a lot of interesting conversations.

many people see this very flawed man, rife with trauma and struggling with addiction, and turn him into the next #Relatable Character. and I feel like that does a disservice to jonny and his writing. this is not to say that everything has to be serious, however I think more people should put thought into what they choose to consider “canon” or what they force onto jon as a character. jon is a very interesting character and to see him reduced down to essentially just tropes and stereotypes is honestly sad. while I’ve seen people talking about people doing this to characters like tim I haven’t seen anyone talk about how similar it seems to be with jon.

people will take simple aspects of his character and blow them out of proportion while also completely ignoring some of the key aspects of his development and growth over the show.

this reduction of his character is something I see a lot with fandoms, where instead of thinking critically or introspectively, people just do what they want with absolutely no consequences. I think the fandom would genuinely benefit from more people offering up their opinions on jon as a character rather than turning him into a blank slate that anyone can just force their hcs on. I feel that that would make some really interesting conversations! as well as interesting art/fanfics/etc.

some of my favorite works in this fandom have been ones that analyze these characters and use them in super interesting ways. and I don’t mean that you can’t do that while also writing fun fluffy fanfics! trust me, you can do both! I’ve seen it before. it doesn’t have to be super Deep and Interesting either, there just needs to be a little bit more thought put into it.

obviously fandom doesn’t need to be super serious and whatnot but I think a little more introspection on these characters would bring a lot of interesting things to the table. and again, this is not me saying that you all have to stop having fun and write an essay, this is just me saying to look more closely at the media you’re consuming

[miraculous786]

Cracks Are All It Take To Shatter

All Miraculous Ladybug Works

First Ending

First Ending - Part Two

First Ending - Part Three

First Ending Art

Second Ending

Second Ending - Part Two

It all began months ago.

When Marinette Dupain-Cheng strolled through the halls of DuPont with her posture straight, her movements stiff, her eyes empty.

They were bluebell. A colour that, though is associated with clear skies, sunny weather and sweet-smelling flowers, was actually the opposite of all those implications when on the girl. Her features were always a blank slate - like a canvas waiting to be painted - contrasting her vibrant orbs and bubbly personality.

Her white cheeks, usually pale when not showing emotion, were constantly a rosy pink, with their freckles accentuated. They were sunken in and smooth, with no blemishes or bumps in sight.

The marble spanning her whole body was exactly the same.

Whenever Marinette walked, or performed something as simple as a gesture, her ligaments would let out an audible creek, reminiscent of the noise a porcelain doll would make when doing the same.

Because that was exactly what she was.

From the way her joints clicked into place with every action, or the way that her limbs could turn at any angle, she was a doll - whichever way you sliced it.

However, the one difference between herself and the toy was the gaping whole in the centre of her chest. In the place where her heart should have been.

There, at the core of her very soul, was what could best be described as an abyss. Black as night, darker than a shadow, stranger than a mystery.

The only thing 'heart-like' about it was the flapping of a butterfly's wings every second or so. It was meant to be the sound of what would usually be a beat, from whenever blood flowed through a person's veins.

With the that way Marinette had drastically changed, one would think that it was obvious. Obvious that a man who was known to manipulate emotions had too messed with hers.

But it wasn't.

No one noticed anything. No one suspected anything. No one did anything.

Since they didn't notice her new look, nor the fact that starting from her chest, cracks had started to appear, leaving behind the fractured skin of a broken doll.

She was exactly that.

Used by her classmates for tiring work, for an endless stream of commissions, for a laughing stock whenever the going got tough.

Then, thrown away by those very same people when the next big thing came, almost how toys were, as games entertained their users more than what they had abandoned.

For days, weeks, months, Marinette stalked about with her creaky joints and hollow eyes. Clacking shoes and ever-changing outfits.

Throughout the whole period, the cracks emanating from her chest expanded. They increased in number - in size. They began to stretch out until they reached to the very tips of her fingers and toes.

Every cruel comment.

Every snark.

Every trip.

Push.

Shove.

Shout.

The severity of every fracture upon her skin sped up from each and every one of the actions.

That was when fragments of her fragile skin started to fall.

The snow white chips dropped to the ground in tiny pieces, yet no one blinked. They piled up on her pillow at home, where she often had memories of the past. Flashbacks, if you will.

Though most of the time, they were nightmares.

Nightmares of ostracism, abandonment, broken hearts, and much more.

However numb Marinette became to it all, it didn't stop the splitting of the porcelain covering her whole. Nor the fact that the nightmares in her head were not, in truth, part of her imagination.

No one batted an eye when the girl halted in her claims of innocence. Tries of forgiveness. Words of encouragement. Rather, they were all the more happy with the result.

The outcome, for them, overshadowed the consequences.

Her emotionless features were ignored. Her fissured skin went forgotten. Her once bright eyes that dulled in colour with each passing day?

Swept under the rug.

The shards of skin from the broken doll were left to rot. The chippings that fell in a trail whilst she walked were blown away by the wind.

The flutter of her once lively heartbeat was left unheard.

Until, of course, the day when the cracks became too much. The day when the porcelain couldn't hold itself together.

And, just like how a certain girl's heart originally had, the illusion shattered.

~*~*~

This whole idea was by the AMAZING @hauntedwintersweets​​, who came up with the concept, story and endings! Thank you so much for giving me the honour of writing it!

Be sure to check out her Akumanette art for this story, along with the many more fantastic drawings she has on her account!

There will be two endings to this story - this post is the basis of it of it all, which includes all you need to know for the backstory along with a good ol’ cliffhanger. :)

Hope you enjoyed this! :D

This was saved as a draft, I wrote this before my little break.

@soupfilledboots​