#the last two might not be so accurate to the character herself cause i sketched them out in class without too much of a reference :P

[camphorcapstan]

Here’s my part of the art trade with @weullney !

It was rly fun to draw Xiphiidae! Thank you for doing this trade with me! :0!

[wevegottogetaway]

Thanks fo’ saving my ass (Part 2)

There is a part 3 coming, I think these two deserve the...culmination, but I wasn’t sure if I could have it ready soon enough. Stay tuned for more, hope you enjoy! x

Part 1   -   Part 3*

It starts with a resounding bang. A back curving over maple hardwood; taut muscle stretching soft cotton fabric; twin jades squinted in concentration; a shoulder blade protruding briefly for one swift determining movement. Red, blue, yellow, purple, orange phenolic resin scattering across green worsted wool like a dozen pinballs simultaneously kicked in various directions.

It ends with the deep echo. A ball falling into emptiness before meeting rock-bottom; the release of a soft withheld breath; firm flesh unflexing with satisfaction; two sets of glossy eyes meeting in a knowing look. "Nice break, Styles. Stripes it is," y/n happily comments once Harry leans back from the pool table.

Gibson’s is full of rowdy chatters, tipsy laughs and fulsome smiles. Strangers bonding for a night of undiluted carefreeness, clicking drinks after merry drinks in honor to their new ephemeral best friends. All sorrows have been forsaken on the coat rack at the entrance,  hung in insouciance, leaving nothing but good spirits to sit at the tables and loiter near the bar. Everything about this place is warm and nurturing, a cosy embrace after a tedious day, a home for the people that lets them nurse bottles and wounds alike, and sees them leave later on, cheerful, relaxed and healing. It took but a second for Harry to understand why y/n is so fond of the place and he was not surprised to find her on a first-name basis with the barmaid, the two of them catching up on life while she was preparing the drinks.

Now, fifteen minutes in, they’ve happily made their way to the vacant timeworn pool table at a secluded corner of the bar, drinks and grins in toe. The space is only lit up by a single lamp hanging from the ceiling, casting daedal shadows along the walls and across the table’s carpeted surface. The subdued light and music crooning in the background make for a suggestive atmosphere, air thick with limitless curiosity and enticing promises.

The corner of Harry’s lips quirks in a wry smile and a bold glint takes residence at the crease of his eyes; the telltale sign of a burgeoning idea brewing up in his cheeky mind. "What’dya say we make this a lil more interesting?" The offer is served with a raised brow, a hand on his waist, and one foot perched on its toes over the other as he leans against the cue.

From across the pool table, y/n is quite endeared at the sight but her response comes out in fake offense,"oh I’m sorry, am I boring you already?"

"Quite the opposite actually." His head tilts the slightest bit to the side, gaze unwavering from her face in a mission for persuasion.

Her lips grimace as she tries to suppress a betraying smile to no avail, "fine, I’m listening."

He grins victoriously at her inability to keep a straight face, his limbs dislodging from his casual pose. "We take turns," his motions at the space between them. "F’we pocket, we get to ask one question. No bullshit answer, jus’ the truth." His eyes are wide as he gauges her response.

"A question, huh?" she takes her time to contemplate the proposition just to watch him squirm in impatience. "Damn, for a sec I thought you were about to suggest strip-pool." She sends him a playful look as she walks the length of the table to step closer to him and have a better look at his chiseled features.

"I mean, m’totally down but might be a bit unfair on your part," his eyes briefly trail down her body in silent conveyance of her single-piece attire. He’s got much more material to shed before exposing skin than she does.

"Wouldn’t you like to know." The suggestive retort has Harry’s stomach churn with humid passion, the question of just how many layers she’s wearing exactly, playing with the most lascivious parts of his brain. "Not that it matters, you’d be butt-naked before you’d get a nip-slip."

"Overestimating yourself?"

"Just giving you fair warning," she shrugs in nonchalance running her fingers along the edge of the table, "so you know what you’re getting yourself into."

When she lifts her head back to connect their gaze again, she finds him biting at his bottom lip to contain his signature smirk, "no worries there, darlin’. M’all willing." He almost punctuates his retort with a salacious wink but decides to save it for a more opportune time. Something tells him he’s in for a long evening, not that it’s any cause for concern. Like he said, he is very much consenting to anything her heart desires to do to him.

"Good to know." Y/n quips back with a smile before leaning on her hand resting upon the pool table. "What’s your question then?"

For a moment, Harry forgets he just broke the rack and successfully sent a plain purple ball in one of the table’s pocket, taking him one step closer to victory and granting him one question as per his own proposition. He quickly gathers his reeling thoughts before settling on an easy inquiry, fingers fiddling with the desire to sketch every bit of her character. "Right um, do you have other hobbies besides playin- or should I say, winning pool?"

She wants to slap- or should she say, kiss the smug look off his lovely face, but her answers airs in the same level tone she employs at work, "yes I do."

It’s not enough for Harry’s archeologic curiosity though. He’s barely dusted off the ground beneath his feet to reveal the hint of new groundbreaking findings; armed with sieves and brushes, he is eager to dig a little further, "and what might those be?"

However, y/n is quick to rebuff him, "uh uh, that’s two questions."

Indignation soars through his straightened posture, as he cries out a faint ’what? no!’ and her own ego grows two size at her cunning deceit, "gotta up your game if you wanna keep that perky bum intact, Styles."

Earlier words resonate in the confines of his outfoxed mind then, you can kick my ass at that game of pool as promised, and he tries really hard not to think about the promise following them. Instead he counterattacks in obvious diversion tactic, "that’s twice you’ve mentioned my ass in the past 5 minutes, perhaps I should read into it?"

"I guess you’ll have to wait and see," she lithely deflects as she grabs her own cue with a determined look etched upon her face, "my turn now."

With powerful strides, y/n navigates around the table to position herself at the most promising angle for a score of her own. Once she has both her target and the cue ball in firing line, she tunes out every last bit of stimulus encompassing her; the muffled sound of the music, the sticky oxygen filling up her lungs with sensual tension, the charming presence of the beau intently ogling her every move.

It barely takes her a couple seconds of intense concentration before a sharp thump is bouncing off the table and piercing through the air. The shot is so accurate, clean-cut, vigorous yet graceful and elegant all out once, Harry finds himself mesmerized by her skills more than the subtle form curving out from her bent posture.

The satisfaction is evident in her traits as she straightens up to face him, a pleased rictus forming at her lips. She doesn’t let any suspense unfurl before she cashes in her prize, "so what’s up with the muffin deliveries? You a stress-baker or summat?"

It’s a puzzle that’s been boggling her mind for while now; ever since the first time she watched him gallivanting around the office, handing out kindness and freshly baked goods for the small price of a friendly smile; it’d been a reoccurring thing ever since. The recollection has Harry’s cheeks warm up to a bashful shade of vermillion at the thought of admitting the reason behind his action: he’d bake a basketful of cakes just so he could give her one without exposing himself. Being straight forward with his infatuation may have been unfeasible at the time, but there was nothing against inconspicuously indulging the sweet tooth he knew she had, right?

"I dunno, just like seein' people smile, and everyone likes a good muffin, right?" His answer teeters on the ledge between veracity and evasion, the genuine ‘they were all for you’ being replaced by a less naked truth.

Y/n nods at his answer and waits until he is about to aim for another shot to voice her musings out loud, "mmm, they are quite delicious." Her attempt to distract him turns fruitful when his ears perks at her sultry voice right as he pointedly knocks the white ball with his cue. It’s off by an inch but a near-hit doesn’t help assuage his frustration, "fuck."

"Oh bummer. Guess you’ll have to pass," y/n can’t help but to tease him.

And the pout on his lips does nothing to quell her amusement, "bollocks, you distracted me."

"I did no such thing," she denies before taking his place at the table. The odds are in her favor, a perfect alignment offering itself to sink the blue striped ball right into the closest pocket. And because y/n never misses a clear shot when she’s handed one, that’s exactly what happens. Tucking the cue back at her side, she mulls over the hundred questions titillating her mind and settles for another pass at him,"is this suit the most extravagant you own and if not, what are the others like?"

Harry scrunches up his nose at yet another dig taken at the expense of his clothes, his voice pitching a halftone higher than usual, "hey, s’nough outta you, leave my suits out of it." There is a pout puckering at his lips and y/n giggles at his theatrics when he brings his hands to his chest in a protective gesture. This man and his suits…

"Somehow I don’t believe you give a single fuck about people’s opinion on your fashion choices."

"Very true. But I do value your opinion." For a brief moment, humor and wit give way to vulnerable sincerity as the two of them lock eyes over the pool table. A shy smile graces y/n’s lips, her heart faltering at his sweet sentiment before Harry gently breaks the consuming stare-off, "well, if you’re lookin’ fo’ more extravagant, I actually have a canary yellow flared suit that goes with a violet dress-shirt." And just like that, they found their way back to confidential banter.

"Damn, now I have to see it."

"One day if you’re lucky," this time he does wink at her, and this time he doesn’t let her enchantress juju distract him from the task at hand. As soon as the balls vanishes from the table, the question flies out of his mouth, "do you really find my suits obnoxious?"

Y/n pauses at the inquiry and tries to read into his eyes. She inspects the bright emeralds for  any unsuspected insecurities and when she finds none, she sends him a simple smile, "I love them. I just enjoy too much your reactions when I give you shit about them." Her chuckle tugs at Harry’s lips, before she lets honesty flooding past hers, "you got such a great sense of who you are, Harry, it just shows in the way you dress. I admire that, don’t let that go."

Interiorly, he’s heart is jumping in somersaults at possibly the kindest compliment someone’s ever granted him, the fact that it came from her only sending his beating organ into more acrobatics. Exteriorly, he returns her tender smile and mutters a timorous ‘thanks love,’ before watching her pocket another ball.

This time she doesn’t have to mull it over, "why did you wait?"

"Huh?"

"When we kissed earlier, you said you’d wanted to do it for a while. Why didn’t you?"

Her words are bare of any reproach as they both lean on their side against the table, inches apart from each other. It’s a fair question; one that she doesn’t really own as the word could have easily tumbled out from his mouth instead. It’s him on the spot though, and while he didn’t quite expect to broach such hazardous matters over a game of pool, he appreciates the openness of their bond. "I dunno, you always seemed so attached to boundaries at work, always so professional, I didn’t think you’d want me to make a move."

"I secretly did," she whispers.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm."

Goosebumps race down Harry’s arms as he takes in her confession and the way her teeth are  nipping her lips into a darker shade of pink. His eyes are drawn to them, the urge to close the gap and have her moaning in his mouth growing harder and harder to ignore, "fuck that’s sexy. You’re sexy."

The praise washes over y/n like a cold shower after a scorching day at the beach; startling shivers at first, golden skin tingling, and then all-encompassing relief. She loves how unfiltered he is with her, baring his thoughts to her just as they come, no editing, no secret agenda, no diffidence. Just her pure effect on him plastered across his beautiful face and candy-coating his words with a thick oozing layer of honeycomb syrup.

Leaning the slightest bit towards him, she tempts him with a near-kiss, almost dipping her lips in exquisite spongy fudge, but stops just as their breaths starts blending in one hot mess, "your turn," she purrs against his lips tantalizingly, before stepping away.

Harry looks like he is now the one in need of a cold shower, eyes pinched closed as he tries to compose himself, "right," he clears his throat. It takes him a bit more time to regain enough focus to make a successful go at the game, but once he’s got a good hold on the cue, a stable breath and a clear view of the shot, he takes it with ease and fortune.

As soon as he straightens up, he erases the distance between them, a determined look hardening the subtle lines of his face. "Did you ever think about me like I thought about you? At work, did you ever see me pass in the hallway and it took everythin’ you had not to follow me and kiss me senseless in the copy-machine room while no-one was watchin’?"

"Fuck. The thought might have crossed my mind once or twice," y/n confesses in batted breath. It’s clear the scenario isn’t so much a fabrication of his mind made on the spot as it is  a confession of his own experience, and the thought has the air in her lungs going scarce, as though she’s reached the apex of Mount Everest.

Harry isn’t fending off the heated tension much better, fingers twitching around his cue as he’d rather have her underneath his fingertips instead. He takes one look at the ceiling to stave his yearning some and draws in a deep breath."This is killing me," he whimpers while his lips skim over he skin of her forehead. "Go on, take your damn shot so we can be done with this game."

"It was your idea," she reminds him wryly. All of it, really; coming here, playing pool, playing 20 fucking questions, this heated hodgepodge of salacity and virtuous adoration is all his doing.

"I miscalculated."

"Poor you," y/n gently mocks is disgruntled attitude before scoring another ball, or as she likes to regard, another question, another opportunity to further tease at his already crumbling countenance, "what about you, Harry, do you ever think about me? At work… or otherwise?"

She already knows the first half of the answer and only voiced the double-entendre to rile him up, so she’s quite stunned when he whizzes, "too fucking much fo’ my own good."

The pained expression on his face is almost comical for y/n, she can’t resist probing at his despair, "me too." He groans at the flowing visuals he can’t ban from his filthy mind before she gestures towards the pool table in a gentlemanly way, "and that’s your cue," they both share a chuckle at her silly pun.

If Harry wasn’t so lost in a whirlwind of lustful thoughts, he would revel in the way their intellects seem to dovetail on all fronts; humor, banter, seduction, sincerity, nothing is lost in translation, they seem to talk in the same love language. From teasing digs and dirty innuendos to play on words or heartfelt confessions, they know exactly which frequency to tune in.

"Fuck, I can’t see straight," he laughs as he misses a shot for the second time, and y/n quickly takes over his spot around the pool table. Settle, relax, aim, breathe, shoot; another point to her flawless record. She turns to him, looking intently at his blown irises to stir up the flame already inhabiting them, "was it good?"

"Mind-blowing," he answers without unlocking their eyes, and the whole conversation is starting to get to her too. Her thighs rub against together, knuckles turning white around her cue as she tightens her grip and Harry has to bite his lips to contain a moan. He tries to distract himself by taking his turn in the game, and burst out in laughter when he pockets the ball and y/n cries out, "blue ball in the pocket! I feel like their might be a subliminal message somewhere but I can’t quite put my finger on it"

Once they regain their breath from laughing, tears of joy actually peeling from the corner of their eyes, they go back to staring at each other. It’s Harry’s turn to ask a question, and the anticipation had y/n fidgeting under his consuming gaze. She expects him to bounce back on the previous question, but to her surprise he decides to take a different route, "tell me darlin’, if I were to kneel at your feet and look up that pretty dress right now, what color your lil panties would be?"

The question sounds boyish really, yet instead of rolling her eyes at him, her core clenches around emptiness at the thought of having him between her legs right this moment, "can’t answer that, sorry."

"Oh come on love, you gotta say. Them’s the rules," Harry tries to coax the answer out of her but she’s not budging.

"Sorry, Harry. I’d tell you if there was anything to tell." His eyes widen at her lewd implication, the revelation of just how many layers away she is from being in the nude, coming into light. Damn, he would have gotten much more than a nip-slip.

"Fuck me, I need to sit down for a mo’."

She laughs at his dramatic response before picking up her cue, "you do that, in the mean time…" The rest of her sentence is cut short as she positions herself at the pool table, and the next sound cutting through the humid atmosphere comes from the ball falling into its target.

"Jesus, do you ever miss?"

"I don’t play to lose, Styles," she quips back. "Now, what’s your biggest fantasy? Aside from shagging in the copy-machine room, that is."

Harry takes one step closer, gently backing her against the table with one hand encasing her at either side of her waist. As he towers over her, his ardent look ignites a fire at the pit of y/n’s stomach, flame licking all the way up to her heart and down to her toes. Her core throbs before the words fall out of his supple lips like maple syrup on a stack of fluffy pancakes. "Right now? Bend you over this pool table and have my way with you."

"In front of all this people?"

"What d’you think is stoppin’ me from doin’ it right now?"

"Manners?"

The retort earns her a deep chuckle, as he shakes his head in disbelief, "fuck y/n, I lost my manners the moment you kissed me."

The raw admission sends a shiver down her spine, before she regains her full bearings and pushing his cue against his chest for him to grab, "your turn."

Barely moving from his spot nestled against her, he successfully sends the ball down the drain and doesn’t waste any time before asking in the same sultry voice, "favorite position?"

‘Why are y’asking?"

"Future reference," he announces confident.

"Well in that case, kinda like this…" she brushes against him as she bends over the table, ass jutted out on one side, before adjusting the angle of her cue and aiming for the pocket, "…when everything aligns and it just sinks…" bam, she propels the sphere in one strong hit "…right through." She finishes her demonstration with a score and a suggestive smile, only but one ball left for her to obliterate; the eight ball. "Are you ready to lose, Styles?"

"Dunno, is that your question?"

"Yes. I got everything I want to know already."

"Then I don’t fucking care about losin", s’not the game I wanna play anymore," he trails a finger down the skin of her back, goosebumps erupting at his touch. He is stopped by the tip of her cue pressing at his chest, slowly pushing him back from her space, and his hands meet this air in surrender. She’s got a wicked smile on her lips and a title to uphold after all, "last shot, make it count."

Harry takes the shot hastily, half expecting another miss, but the solid yellow ball disappears into the table’s corner in a vibrant crash. Eyebrows raised and shallow breath, he pivots back towards her, "please tell me this is turnin’ you on s’much as it’s turnin’ me on?"

"Yes," she rubs the exposed skin of his chest, eyes leaving his face to trail down his torso. "I’m just better at hiding it," she brings her lips to his ear, "physically or otherwise apparently." Then she leaves a loud smack on his cheek and goes around the table to sink the last ball standing in the way of her victory. In true y/n fashion, she completes a faultless round with one last graceful hit that leaves Harry transfixed by her dexterity.

"Damn, you are the queen of pool, I’m bowing down to you. Any final question?"

She lays the cue down on the table before coming up to him, "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Take me back to my place?"

His head falls back on its neck, eyes closing in deliverance, "fuck yeah." This whole night may have been the most intense and rousing foreplay he’s ever experienced, he can’t wait to deliver good on his own promise.

➪ Masterlist

[undertheinfluencerd]

Loki: 10 Non-Marvel Easter Eggs You Probably Missed | ScreenRant

Loki was full of Easter eggs that referenced comic books, creators, and other MCU movies, but it also had subtle nods to non-Marvel items and events that can be easily missed. While major Marvel Easter Eggs like the Thanos Copter and the statue of the Living Tribunal are undoubtedly exciting, subtler, lesser-known references scattered throughout the show can be equally satisfying to find.

RELATED: The 10 Best Characters From Loki

These non-Marvel Easter eggs are just more proof of how meticulously crafted the series was. As fans begin the long wait for the next season of Loki and make predictions about how the multiverse will be explored in the ongoing series, What If…?, it’s the perfect time to delve into the Easter eggs that don’t have anything to do with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

10 The Case Of D.B. Cooper

The first episode of Loki gave crime and mystery fans an unexpected treat. While delving into Loki’s past, viewers learn that he was the man behind the infamous D.B. Cooper case, as he had to pull this stunt as punishment for losing a bet with Thor.

The unsolved case took place in 1971 when an unidentified man hijacked a Boeing 727 and held it for a ransom of $200,000. Like how it was shown in the episode, D.B. Cooper parachuted out of the plane and scattered cash everywhere. Even the way Loki looks in this scene is surprisingly accurate to the actual forensic sketches of D.B. Cooper, from the dark shades to the slick hair.

9 Music From Se7en

While Loki is unsuccessfully looking for answers in the TVA’s library, there’s a recognizable sound that starts to play in the background. Bach’s “Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major” may just be another classical song for some, but for diehard fans of Se7en, it’s a clear reference.

It’s a subtle nod to a similar scene in Se7en when Detectives William Somerset and David Mills are doing their own research in a library. According to Looper, a panel with the stars and producers of the show confirmed this reference. Director Kate Herron herself said, “There’s a little reference to Se7en in Episode 2, a little needle drop which I’m sure fans of that film will recognize instantly.”

8 A Lot Of 90s Drinks

The TVA workers sure love their discontinued drinks, as fans can spot them throughout different episodes in the show. The first drink that makes an appearance is the 1995 PepsiCo energy drink, Josta Cola, which Mobius can be seen sipping in the first episode. Another TVA worker, Casey, enjoys a 1990 fruit juice, BoKu in episode 2, before it’s hilariously ripped away from him by Loki.

RELATED: 10 Things About Lady Loki Only Comic Fans Know

The last drink is not in the hands of a TVA worker, but is instead held by one of the best Loki variants from the MCU and the comics, Kid Loki. The 1989 drink, Hi-C Ecto Cooler, was released after the massive success of Ghostbusters in 1984. Fans who are familiar with the short-lived drink might be able to spot Slimer on the juice box.

7 Soldiers From Aliens

In episode 3, Loki and Sylvie are attempting to board the ark, but have to get through two guards who are checking for tickets. The credits reveal that the guards are named Corporal Hicks and PVT Hudson, which is a nod to the cult classic 1986 sequel, Aliens.

In Aliens, Private Hudson and Corporal Hicks are played by Bill Paxton and Michael Biehn, respectively. While they’re not running away from any aliens in the MCU, they do lose to the wit and cunning of the two Loki variants that work together to get past them.

6 Lady Sif’s Locks

After Mobius locked Loki in a time loop, viewers are greeted by a very angry Lady Sif, who is furious with the protagonist for chopping her hair. This is a story that is directly taken from Norse mythology.

In the tale, Loki casts a spell on Sif which puts her to sleep. While she sleeps, Loki mischievously cuts off her golden locks, which were both her and Thor’s prized possession. This act is definitely something the God of Mischief will have to add to his list of things to make up for, though it’s questionable that any of Loki’s nicest gestures will ever be enough for Lady Sif to forgive him.

5 Oak Island’s Treasure

Back in the TVA in episode 5, a dizzying pan gives viewers a glimpse of the TVA monitor, which mentions “Oak Island, Nova Scotia.” This real-world island located on the south shores of Canada has been shrouded in mystery for years.

RELATED: The 10 Most Powerful Characters In Loki, Ranked

Rumor has it that great treasures are hidden somewhere on the island, and since the 1700s, treasure hunters and thrill-seekers have visited the location hoping to discover its secrets. Its appearance on the Sacred Timeline might be hinting that there is some truth (at least in the MCU) to these rumors, but fans aren’t likely to find out.

4 The Mystery and Lore of Monsters

While the Loki variants are drinking Roxxiwine in their hideout in The Void, a pile of books can be seen next to Alligator Loki’s kiddie pool. One title stands out in particular in this scene from episode 5 – The Mystery and Lore of Monsters by C.J.S. Thompson.

Originally published in 1930, the book details the origins of mythological creatures like fairies, dwarves, and giants. Its core message is to explain how monsters are, in fact, a normal part of real-life and society. This is a fitting story for a scene that features the Loki variants that have been excluded from their own timelines and societies.

3 Polybius Arcade Game

In episode 5, an inconspicuous arcade game can be spotted in the variants’ hideout in The Void. The label reads “Polybius,” which is an urban legend from the early 2000s. The fictitious arcade game is said to have been placed around Oregon during that time, as part of a secret government experiment that went terribly wrong.

Those who tried the game allegedly got quickly addicted to it and experienced hallucinations. Legend has it that men in black would even visit these machines to collect data. It’s not surprising to find this controversial game in The Void, as it likely caused a Nexus event that made it necessary for the TVA to prune it (and possibly the entire bowling alley) from its timeline.

2 The Philadelphia Experiment

As the Loki variants formulate a not-so-brilliant plan to fight Alioth in episode 5, a massive pruned ship appears in The Void. Alioth then annihilates the ship and its crew, which is actually based on a real ship from the Navy.

RELATED: 10 Things About The Time Keepers Only Comic Fans Know

The USS Eldridge was said to be part of the “Philadelphia Experiment” back in 1943. The military experiment was testing a cloaking device and, according to the myth, rendered the ship completely invisible. The fact that it appears briefly in The Void is a testament to just how much work the creators put into referencing and “solving” these popular urban legends.

1 Famous Quotes

During the intro in episode 6, viewers hear some of the most memorable quotes from the MCU that are also interspersed with non-MCU lines. As the camera pans away from earth to the rest of the universe, fans may recognize some of these lines from famous personalities.

These quotes are taken from real-world figures like Greta Thunberg and Neil Armstrong. Some of the more memorable quotes include Armstrong’s “one small step for man” and Maya Angelou’s “I will rise.” Fans are reminded that in the Sacred Timeline, these real-life superheroes exist and play an important part, too.

NEXT: Every Main Character In Loki, Ranked By Likability

[the-golden-city]

Unofficial Name Reference

Once Upon a Time there was a girl named murakumo who said she’d write a list of preferred name spellings for the Shoukoku no Altair fanbase. She’s been pretty busy and kept forgetting to honour her promise, but she finally decided to make a start…

Part 1 - Türkiye

Kato Kotono

Japanese: カト�� コトノ

Explanation: I decided to make an addendum and include Kotono, just because. While romanising her last name as “Katou” or “Katō” isn’t incorrect and Hepburn would be proud, official materials always write it “Kato” in English.

Rumeliana

Japanese name: ルメリアナ (rumeriana)

Other names: Rumeriana, Lumeriana

Pronunciation: roo-mel-YAH-na

Explanation: The roman letters R and L are rendered the same when converted to Japanese using the ninth row of gojuon katakana (ra, ri, ru, etc), so it’s easy to get mixed up between the two. However I believe that Rumeliana is most likely the intended spelling because of its similarity to the name “Rumelia”, in turn derived from the Turkish “Rumeli”, which historically referred to areas of Europe under Ottoman Imperial control. “Rum” is derived from “Rome”, meaning the Roman peoples (i.e. non-Muslims). Incidentally, I call the inhabitants of the continent “Rumelians”. 

Türkiye Stratocracy

Japanese name: トルキエ将国 (torukie shoukoku)

Other names: Türkiye Devleti, Torqye Devleti, Turkiye

Pronunciation: tuhr-kee-eh

Explanation: Türkiye is, pure and simple, the Turkish name for the country of Turkey. Kotono uses this spelling liberally on maps and such. It seems the anime may have changed it to Torqye to prevent any backlash from people mistaking the portrayal as real, rather than fictional? I don’t know. “Shoukoku” is a made-up word indicating a country governed by pashas, or “generals” in Japanese. There’s no accepted English translation, but in the magazines Kotono writes “general nation” in the roman alphabet. The earliest scanlators instead picked “stratocracy”, which is a military government. “Devleti” is a Turkish word meaning “state”, so in using that name the military aspect that sets Türkiye apart from its neighbours is lost.

Altın (The Golden City)

Japanese name: 金色の町 (kin’iro no machi) / アルトゥン (arutun)

Other names: Altun

Pronunciation: AL-tuhn

Explanation: Most common roman typefaces still don’t support several letters of the Turkish alphabet. To avoid using a lowercase “dotless i”, the official English version of the manga decided to call the capital “Altun” instead. Its name is Turkish for “gold” and also the colour “golden”. Most towns in the Katoverse have a phonetically written foreign name, and also a Japanese name explaining the meaning behind it, so Altın’s Japanese name is “the golden city”, or perhaps “golden town”.

Divan (The Council of Generals)

Japanese name: 将軍会議 (shougun kaigi) / ディワーン (diwaan)

Other names: Diwan

Pronunciation: DEE-van

Explanation: “Diwan” is perhaps more commonly known in English (where “divan” refers to a type of furniture), but it’s actually Arabic. Kotono appears to have also made this mistake. “Divan” is the correct Turkish word for a council of state. 

Pasha (General)

Japanese name: 将軍 (shougun) / パシャ (pasha)

Other names: Paşa

Pronunciation: pa-SHAH

Explanation: Ugh okay I’ve been wondering for a long time now whether or not to switch to the Turkish word “Paşa” instead of the romanisation (which is in the English dictionary and everything). But “s-cedilla” is such a bitch to typeset and I feel like many people, most of all myself, are very attached to the name “Pasha” at this point. Maybe it’s the one spelling I’ll never change… For the sake of consistency, I’ve rendered other Turkish ranks “Vizier” (not “Vezir”), Binbashi (not “Binbaşı”), and so on.

Note on Turkish names: Katoverse Turks don’t have surnames, so the first word is an epithet, a kind of official nickname, and the second word is their given name. Their title - if any - comes last.

Burak 

Japanese name: 大将軍 (taishougun) / ビュラク (byuraku)

Other names: Büyük Pasha

Pronunciation: BU-rak

Explanation: Give me strength… I don’t know this man’s name! My main issue is that, while “Büyük Pasha” would make sense as a translation of his title, the katakana rendering of his name isn’t anything like “Büyük”. However, it does resemble “Burak”, which is a masculine Turkish name, so my current theory is that it operates much like the names of cities, combining a Turkish name and Japanese title. It would seem strange, after all, that every other pasha is addressed by first name except him. In Toukoku no Subaru, Turkophile prince Yan Tao adopts the same Japanese title, but is still addressed by name.

Tuğril Mahmut

Japanese name: 犬鷲の将軍 (inuwashi no shougun) / トゥグリル・マフムート (tuguriru mafumuuto)

Other names: Tughril Mahmut, Tuğrul Mahmut, Mahmud

Pronunciation: TOO-ril MAH-moot

Explanation: “Mahmut” is a Turkish variant of the name “Mahmud”, which is Arabic. Maybe the French release thought it sounded more familiar to their audience. Otherwise it’s consistently been “Mahmut”, and Kotono has confirmed this. His epithet is a bit of a headache; “Tuğrul” might be more accurate, if it weren’t for the Japanese pronunciation. In any case, all of the above are variable spellings of the same word, which refers to a mythical bird also called “Turul” or “Togrıl” (and described as a hawk or falcon, not an eagle). It was also the name of the founder of the Seljuk Empire, often romanised as “Tughril”. 

İskender

Japanese name: イスカンダル (isukandaru)

Other names: Iskandar

Pronunciation: is-KAN-dar

Explanation: “Iskandar” is the Arabic and Persian form of the name Alexander, whereas “İskender” is the Turkish form. Kotono has written his name this way in the roman alphabet on several sketches. The name became popular in Middle Eastern countries out of admiration for Alexander the Great.

Zehir Zağanos

Japanese name: 毒薬の将軍 (dokuyaku no shougun) / ゼヘル・ザガノス (zeheru zaganosu)

Other names: Zaganos

Pronunciation: ZEY-heer ZA-ah-noss

Explanation: Note the “soft g”, which is more-or-less silent and always a nightmare to typeset. Kotono doesn’t seem to have realised this at first, judging by the rendering of his name in katakana. I found out a while back that the Byzantine Greeks called certain types of falcon and kestrel “Zaganos”, which sets up a pretty neat contrast to Mahmut. 

Şehir Halil

Japanese name: 大都市の将軍 (daitoshi no shougun) / シェヒル・カリル (shehiru kariru)

Other names: Khalil, Shehir Halil

Pronunciation: SHEY-heer HA-lil

Explanation: Kotono seems to have initially made another mix-up with this name, since “Khalil” is the Arabic form (and even then, the “k” is silent). She later corrected herself and has consistently written his name “Halil” in the roman alphabet on sketches and artwork, though the katakana stayed the same. The curse of “s-cedilla” sabotages attempts to get his epithet right. 

Tesisat-Kapı Saruca

Japanese name: 水門の将軍 (suimon no shougun) / テシサトゥ・ カプ ・ サルジャ (teshisatu kapu saruja)

Other names: Sarjah, Salja

Pronunciation: TAY-see-sat-ku-puh SUH-ru-jah

Explanation: It’s a shame Saruca kicked the bucket before I took over, so I’ve never had a chance to correct his name in the manga. “Sarjah” and “Salja” don’t mean anything as far as I know. I went through a fair amount of trouble finding out the truth, however patience prevailed and I discovered that his namesake was fittingly a real-life pasha who served Mehmet the Conqueror, alongside the men who Zağanos and Halil are named after. May be derived from the Turkish word for “yellow”. His epithet is a bit of a mess; “tesisat-kapı” does not mean “watergate” as the Japanese implies. 

Şanslı Nurcan

Japanese name: 幸運の将軍 (kouun no shougun) / シャンスル・ヌルザーン (shansuru nuruzaan)

Other names: Şanslar Nurzan

Pronunciation: SHANS-luh NOOR-jahn

Explanation: Kotono threw me a red herring with this guy by writing his name in katakana “zaan”, as the Turkish letter “C” usually becomes “J” in names like Saruca and Cemil. Nurcan is fitting for him, however, since it means “light of life”. In one chapter Kotono miswrote his epithet in roman characters as “Şanslar”, which means “luck” and sounded legitimate enough, throwing me yet again. “Şanslı” is an adjective, but fits the katakana spelling better.

At-Nalı Cemil

Japanese name: 蹄鉄の将軍 (teitetsu no shougun) / アトナル・ジェミル (atonaru jemiru)

Other names: Atnal Cemil

Pronunciation: AT-naluh JEH-meel

Explanation: A minor detail - “atnal” and “at nalı” both mean “horseshoe” and are pronounced roughly the same way in Japanese.

Kara-Kanat Süleyman

Japanese name: 黒翼のスレイマン (kokuyoku no sureiman)

Other names: Suleiman

Pronunciation: KA-rah KA-nat SU-lay-man

Explanation: Yet another case of mixing up the Turkish and Arabic transliterations. His title, “Başkan”, is a pain to typeset, so Bashkan will suffice.

Caterina

Japanese name:  カテリーナ (kateriina)

Other names: Katarina

Explanation: We’re talking about Süleyman’s golden eagle here. Since it came to light that she shares a name with Caterina de Rossi, I changed to an Italian form.

Şapka İbrahim

Japanese name: 飾り帽子のイブラヒム (shapuka iburahimu)

Other names: Shapka Ibrahim

Pronunciation: SHAP-ka ee-BRAH-heem

Explanation: The curse of “s-cedilla” strikes again. In Turkish there are of course two letter i’s, dotted and dotless. They are pronounced quite differently and should not be confused.

Şara

Japanese name: シャラ (shara)

Other names: Shara, Shahra

Pronunciation: shah-ra

Explanation: This caused me so much grief that I was glad the artbook gave me a way out by rendering her name “Şara”. Though it’s not a common name even nowadays, it fits the bill better than any alternative spellings.

Koko & Koran

Japanese names: ココ (koko) / コラン (koran)

Explanation: I’m really not sure about these two girls. Their current names are just romanised Japanese, and don’t resemble anything used either historically or contemporarily in Turkey or Arabic-speaking countries. I’m tempted to assume that Kotono made them up.

Unchanged Names

Liman

Japanese name: 港の町 (minato no machi) / リマン (riman)

Pronunciation: LEE-man

Uyandırma

Japanese Name:  警告の鐘 (keikoku no kane) /  ウヤンドゥルマ (uyanduruma)

Pronunciation: oo-YAN-dur-mah

Kurt Kurt

Japanese name: 狼の将軍 (ookami no shougun) /  クルト・ クルト (kuruto kuruto)

Pronunciation: koort

Mimar Zeki

Japanese name: 建築家の将軍 (kenrakuka no shougun) / ミマール・ゼキ (mimaaru zeki)

Pronunciation: MEE-mahr ZEY-kee

Deve İlkay

Japanese name: 駱駝の将軍 (rakuda no shougun) / デヴェ・イルカイ (deve irukai)

Pronunciation: DE-vay EEL-kai

Abbas

Japanese name: アッバス (abbasu)

Pronunciation: AH-bass

Ahmet

Japanese name: アフメット (afumetto)

Pronunciation: AH-met

Roxelana

Japanese name: ロクセラーナ (rokuseraana)

Pronunciation: ROCK-say-lah-na

[fifiliphaser]

A Promise In The Proposition

The Beauty In Bones

[AO3 Version]

Relationships: Jack Hodgins/Angela Montenegro, Wendell Bray & Angela Montenegro, Temperance Brennan & Angela Montenegro

Characters: Jack Hodgins, Angela Montenegro, Wendell Bray

Summary: A passionate palaeontologist and a beautiful artist—at first, they don't seem to have much in common. However, a set of bones and a murder mystery draws them together in a rather unexpected fashion. It may be a begginning of a long lasting partnership, or maybe something way more exciting.

("The 200th in the 10th" 'verse; basically, it is a collection of Hodgela-centered ficlets, because that one cute scene from that episode just wasn't enough.)

A week later than it was supposed to be, but it is here and we are, slowly but surely, getting somewhere :)

Once again, I hope everyone is in character, and you can slowly notice that some other relationships than Hodgela may play quite a significant part in that story.

However, I'm not sure when you can expect the next ficlet, as I have a few other projects waiting to be finally finished.

(And the apparent lack of interest is hardly encouraging. But—don't worry—I have ideas and a strong drive to do something with that story ;) )

I hope you'll like it! :D

Angela left the Chief’s office with a broad smile lighting up her face. She was proud of their work and very happy for Temperance succeeding in her investigation, and she had to admit that the last two days were actually really enjoyable, some break from constant sitting behind a desk more than welcoming. Searching for necessary pieces of information and new exciting clues proved to be quite engaging, especially with Wendell by her side, who was surprisingly good of an investigator himself. She could definitely get used to it.

The man in question showed up by her side, catching up with her in a few steps, his face mirroring her own expression. “Must admit it’s a really good fun,” he commented, hiding his writing pad in one of the pockets in his jacket. His smile remained on his lips for a moment, but then he frowned as if something troubled him out of a sudden. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m very sorry for Eva Braga’s death…”

“I get it, Wendell,” she cut him short with a reassuring smile of her own. She tilted her head slightly, studying thoroughly young man’s face. He was a clever reporter and she couldn’t help but like him; he happened to appear in the LAPD headquarters quite frequently as soon as he heard about an intriguing case that might be interesting for readers. Even though some might see him as nothing more than a noisy reporter, Angela couldn’t refrain from admiring his skills. Maybe he could do something more than just reporting interesting stories? “Brennan could use your help, you know,” she remarked, turning away.

They had just reached a telephone that Angela had planned to use to contact Brennan to check on the progress of the investigation. Calling Temperance’s home proved to be fruitless, so she soon let it go, assuming that her friend might have found out who the killer was, and begun her pursuit with Booth. Hopefully.

“Nah, it does sound great, but I’d miss reporting,” Wendell declared with a light chuckle, leaning against a desk on which the telephone was placed. “Besides, I doubt that Miss Brennan would like to have a company while working,” he commented, casting a meaningful look in Angela’s direction. “She seems to be something of a lone wolf to me.”

Angela narrowed her eyes, glancing at him skeptically. “I don’t know, but I think she would appreciate the help of someone who knows what it is like to actually investigate things,” she declared slightly flirtatiously, earning a young man’s smirk in return. It was only then that she spotted someone hoovering around her desk somewhat impatiently and awkwardly at the same time.

Wendell was quick to follow her gaze, and his smile only grew. “I think the professor would like to talk to you,” he remarked seemingly casually. “And I have an article that won’t write itself.”

She looked at him questioningly, only to be even more surprised by a wink he gave her.

“See you soon, Miss Montenegro,” he added light-heartedly, heading towards the exit.

“If you’re implying anything, there’s nothing…” she yelled after him, feeling warm gathering in her cheeks and desperate to ignore it. Unfortunately, Wendell soon disappeared behind a closing door, and the only thing she achieved was bringing the attention of other people on her.

She bore her eyes into the floor, clearing her throat. Taking a deep breath would be definitely helpful while dealing with embarrassment, she reminded herself. Besides, ignoring all these interested gazes, especially the one of those incredibly intriguing blue eyes, couldn’t be really that difficult, could it?

Angela smiled brightly as if nothing had just happened and started walking slowly in the direction of her desk. The professor looked away from her as soon as their gazes met, and she immediately spotted that he had to be way more embarrassed then she had been just moments ago.

“How can I help you?,” she inquired gently when she reached her desk.

The professor stepped back, allowing her access to a chair. She nodded in acknowledgement, but refrained from sitting down, instead opting for putting away papers and notes she grabbed on her way and turning towards the man.

“I believe I have a small proposition for you, Miss Montenegro,” he stated a bit shyly, his eyes still avoiding her.

“You do?,” she asked, trying to encourage him to continue.

“Well, being as a wonderful artist as you undoubtedly are, you could be of a great help for me, as I would love to work with someone capable of creating such accurate visualisations of how the creatures I am studying might have looked like,” he explained hurriedly, as if fearing what her reaction would be. “And I can’t think of a better candidate than you,” he declared with a weak smile, hesitantly glancing at her.

“So… You’re asking me if I’d like to help you with your work? Making sketches of some extinct dinosaurs?” She raised her eyebrows, taken aback by his proposition.

He winced slightly, scratching his neck, his enthusiasm slowly fading. “If you put it that way, it may not seem appealing, however…”

“I’d love to, doc,” she beamed, stopping him in mid-sentence.

He looked at her incredulously, apparently not expecting such a response. “You agree to…?”

“Yes,” Angela confirmed firmly, nodding. “Office work can get so boring sometimes, and I could use my talent to do something meaningful,” she added eagerly.

“That is… splendid.” The professor smiled brightly, but looked away once more. “Thank you once again for your help with the sketch and I hope to see you soon, Miss Montenegro,” he stated, his voice soft.

Then her gaze finally met that incredible pair of blue eyes and Angela wasn’t able to give any other response than a warm smile. She had no idea what it was about that man, but he was so much more than what meets the eye. At first, he seemed to be just another crazy scientist, obsessed with their work and not paying any attention to anything else. However, in the few short hours since she had met him, Angela had seen the passion that was driving him to discover secrets hidden in bare bones. He wasn’t afraid of new challenges, such as determining the cause of Eva Braga’s death – something unheard of, for a palaeontologist to examine human remains as a part of a police investigation. Truth to be told, that curiosity and open-mindedness were in some way attractive, she realised.

It was the professor who broke the eye contact first, gazing at the pile of documents next to Angela. “You are welcomed at the museum any time,” he mumbled, clearly doing his best to keep his voice steady. “I hope to see you soon,” he repeated, smiling lightly at her, and walked away.

Angela could only follow him with her gaze. She didn’t know why, but she was unable to find her voice. Saying a few words of a goodbye wasn’t difficult, yet she was still only smiling.

Oh, she must have looked like a love-struck idiot.