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writerblue275 · 7 months ago

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Random BF!Heartsteel Headcanons!

Inspiration: You know what, why the hell not? I had these random thoughts and decided to jot them down and expand on them!

Genre: Headcanons

Type: Fluff

Gender: Gender Neutral reader

TW: None besides general swearing (because I swear lol)! This is very fluffy. 💙

Aphelios

Aphelios is an excellent gift giver. It’s not his main love language, but he is SO GOOD at reading people, so finding gifts that he thinks you’d like would come second nature to him. Not necessarily just big or grand things or even clothing. Phel is the type of person to see a cute little thing, like a keychain or pin, and because it makes him think of you, he just gets it for you. (Hehe he’s even gotten you a recepticle/container where you store all your other small gifts from him!

He would absolutely go to Comic Con-esque events and would do a couples cosplay with you if you asked him to and would totally do a professional-level photo shoot to capture your outfits. Aphelios might be cool as hell but this man is a NERD too (hell yeah). Absolutely loves watching an anime/show with you (he won’t even watch ahead because it’s not the same when he’s not watching with you) and gaming with you. He will also gladly game while you’re settled on his lap or whatever.

When he’s tired he’s extremely needy for physical affection. Like if you’re relaxing on the couch, he’ll come over and either lay/sit on you (congrats on your Aphelios model weighted blanket btw. A true one-of-a-kind model) as his way of demanding cuddles. And he’s not subtle about asking for affection either. Alune absolutely has a video of a very tired Phel, who is nuzzled against your neck, taking your hand and placing on his own head to signal he’d like his hair played with (he may or may not have also softly whined).

Ezreal

Ezreal is the king of coordinating outfits with you! And it doesn’t even have to be super overt, like not necessarily wearing the same things as each other. Think more like corresponding colors in your outfits, similar patterns, matching accessories, things that still show off your personal styles, but at the same time, show that you two are a pair. He just really loves to do that. (Also it makes for some extremely cute photos together.)

MUSEUM. DATES. Ez is such a history nerd and it’s so fun to watch his unbridled excitement when you’re visiting museums with him. If it’s a topic he knows a lot about, Ezreal’s going to discuss it with you further in-depth. When he’s traveling he’s even more excited because NEW MUSEUMS OMG. If you’re not with him, he’ll tell you about all the things he saw. (People might think him a bit of an airhead, but nah. Ez is wicked smart for sure.) And he’ll always buy you something cute from the gift shop to memorialize the visit.

The two of you have just the cutest dates in general (even beyond museums). We’re talking amusement parks, arcades, fruit orchards in summer/fall, bowling alleys, etc. All the other super fun shit that you can think of, he plans. Ez just has such fun and bright energy (Hey that’s one of the reasons you fell in love with him!) And he puts so much thought into planning dates for you! As suave as he tries to be, Ezreal still even gets a little nervous before every date just because he really wants you to have a good time. (He’s got those perpetual butterflies for you, fr!)

Kayn

Kayn is a big back hug man. Like it’s his favorite way to hug you and he will do so whenever he has the chance. If you’re hand-washing dishes? Boom, you now have arms around your waist, a chin on your shoulder, and a low voice asking if you want help. Whenever Kayn’s stressed he clings to you from behind and nuzzles your neck and just stays there for a while, blocking out all the bullshit. (Whenever he hugs you from behind he loves when you reach back and play with his hair.)

Whenever he has to leave you for any extended period of time, Kayn always makes sure to bring a clothing item of yours with him. You calm him down the fastest, so when you’re not physically around he wants a piece of you with him to keep himself grounded. Before he leaves, he’ll have you spray whichever item he’s taking with whatever scent you wear. (The opposite is true too btw. Kayn will make sure to leave your favorite hoodie of his with you, and he’ll spray his cologne on it, just so you can always have his comfort with you.

He secretly loves to do skincare nights with you. Listen, Kayn might be chaotic, but you know what isn’t? His skin. Flawless (fucking jealous). The first time you found out your boyfriend had a very rigorous skincare routine, you were shocked. But that shock quickly turned to glee when he asked if you wanted to watch an episode of a show while doing sheet masks with him. Kayn has the good shit too. And so that’s now become a tradition between the two of you. Twice a month you two have a night where you just do masks and serums and all the extra bells and whistles, chatting and watching media while you do. It’s great!

K’Sante

K’Sante loves to discuss art with you. His brain just seems like it would be really interesting to pick on the topic. Especially as someone who is involved in creative endeavors, and uses his sketch pad to design both clothes and other things (take the background effects in the “Paranoia” MV which I believe were designed by him in lore), K’Sante has a deep understanding of artistic concepts (and he’s always happy to show them to you if you aren’t visually artistic). He has a growing art collection and especially loves commissioning local artists to make gifts for you!

K’Sante definitely has a “secret” folder on his drawing tablet dedicated to sketches of you. This folder has both designs he wants to make for you and just sketches of you because he loves to draw you. Often times when the two of you are just quietly spending time together, you’ll notice K’Sante drawing on his tablet, and while he does so, he keeps looking up at you before going back to sketching. Once he’s done with any sort of sketch, whether or not it involves you, he always asks for your thoughts!

K’Sante will absolutely cook for you whenever you ask him to (idc if Sett is the best cook in Heartsteel, you cannot convince me K’Sante can’t throw down in the kitchen almost as well). He absolutely loves to do so, finding it an excellent way to show his love for you. He quickly learns all your favorites so he can make them for you when you need a pick-me-up. And when you let out a happy sigh after the first bite of a meal he makes? It’s lowkey the best reward he could ask for. That wordless praise makes him so happy.

Sett

An odd one, but Sett totally reads romance novels/watches rom coms (though you’re like the only person that knows). If you also enjoy rom coms, then trust that watching a rom com is a very common date night activity for you two. And it’s super fun and sweet to just cuddle with him and watch these cheesy movies (occasionally you just get so comfy cuddling with him you fall asleep before the end of the movie and Sett finds it adorable).

You’re Sett’s guinea pig for new knitting patterns. Whether it’s for a new style of hat he’s making, or if he wants to try a new type of yarn, it’ll always be used in a project for you. Even the experiments that aren’t so successful (which is very rare because he’s a GREAT knitter), you keep because Sett made them for you and that’s really sweet. You always feel how much love he put into each project.

Sett loves when you serve as his work out buddy. You know the cheesy thing where someone lies under a person doing push-ups so that each time the person doing the push up goes down, they get a kiss? He adores doing that with you. Same with sit ups. You waiting to give him a kiss really helps motivate him to do his sit ups properly. Even if you’re not much of a fitness buff, just having you there makes his workouts so much more enjoyable! And Sett’s such an incredible workout partner, always making sure you’re doing things safely and just being so encouraging to you!

Yone

Yone is a big fan of spa days with you. Do you see how stressed this man can get? First of all, the music industry can be BRUTAL. And secondly….his fellow band members are a little….chaotic sometimes. Any sort of relaxation he can get is well deserved. And it can be at an actual spa, but it doesn’t have to be. Yone loves doing at home facials, shower steamers, yoga, and anything else that can help him distress and unwind. And doing that sort of stuff with you makes it 100x more relaxing to him.

Yone is always doing something with his hands. You’ve often caught him tapping out rhythms on his leg with his fingers. Whenever he’s with you, well, you’re somehow involved in that fidgeting. He loves to gently play with your fingers/hands. And when Yone’s holding your hand, he always likes to rub his thumb along your knuckles or gently massage your hands when you’re stressed. He also likes to run his fingers through your hair (if you let him). He finds it soothing when you do it to him, so he wants to return the favor.

Yone has all of your orders/preferences memorized. (I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: The quiet ones are the most perceptive!!!!) Even before the two of you started dating and you were just friends Yone memorized your favorite restaurants so he could help brighten your day. Once the two of you get together that knowledge extends to more domestic things. Like what area of the closet you prefer to keep your pants on. how many blankets you like to sleep with, or which toothpaste or toiletries you like to use. He is just incredibly sweet and thoughtful when it comes to knowing exactly what you like.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed these fluffy thoughts! Things have been so chaotic lately and it was really lovely to get back into writing some more! 💙

#heartsteel #heartsteel headcanons #heartsteel x reader #reader insert #headcanon #heartsteel aphelios #heartsteel ezreal #heartsteel kayn #heartsteel k'sante #heartsteel sett #heartsteel yone #heartsteel fluff #fluff headcanons

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t4kalcvr · 2 months ago

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VAMOS A BAILAR — k. tsukishima smau

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ S2, EP 5 . man of the hour

tsukishima wasn’t an expert, but he was quite familiar with the mechanics of mortal kombat. the game consisted of three rounds, and to claim victory, you needed to win two out of three. and the moment that crimson-haired figure stepped into the apartment, it began.

round one. FIGHT!

“hi tennie!!” you rose from your seat and walked over to hug tendou, and the moment your arms wrapped around him—

tendou wins. round two.

suna, being tsukishima’s long-time rival, was well-acquainted with his strategies and mindset. despite tsukishima’s reluctance to embrace the label, he was undeniably a geek. and with that information, suna had a pretty good idea of how the night would unfold—at least until two rounds were secured.

“hello everyoooone,” tendou’s voice carried a tantalizing tone as he strolled over to the dinner table with an effortless grace.

“hey tendou,” suga said, his voice calm but welcoming. “lemme get you a chair,” he offered, rising from his seat. without hesitation, he made his way to the pantry closet.

everyone else shared a quick sentence of welcome as suga returned with a chair. “i’ll sit right by n/nieee!” tendou cheered enthusiastically, his voice filled with energy.

“um, actually, it’d be easier if he sat at the edge,” hinata chimed in, his tone light but practical, “you know, so we don’t have to scoot all the chairs!”

hinata gave an awkward smile—it was comical, really. you could almost picture a sweat drop slowly falling from his forehead.

tsukishima had never appreciated his presence until now.

“yeah, that’s true,” akaashi reassured.

tendou had a face no one could quite describe. “hm, okay,” he agreed, though his tone didn’t carry the same cheer as before.

dinner played out the same as before, but no one could ignore the way tendou always managed to capture your attention and keep it on him.

whenever someone called your name, it took a few tries before you even heard. yaku had to slap your arm a couple of times just to get you to focus.

to tsukishima, it felt like a losing game—none of your closest friends could grab your attention, no matter how hard they tried.

“y/n,” a deep voice called, finally breaking through and catching not just your attention but practically everyone’s at the table.

you weren’t gonna lie—the sound of tsukishima’s voice had your heart jumping in every which way. you knew you were blushing redder than a rose, but you couldn’t help it.

“yes, tsukki?” you replied, your voice timid. whatever this feeling was, it was strangely foreign. it wasn’t like what you felt with tendou.

to be fairly honest, tsukishima didn’t think he’d get this far. he didn’t even realize he had actually said your name. he’d just been running one of those cringey, badass scenarios in his head when, all of a sudden, your name slipped out of his mouth.

he was sweaty. “um…” he cleared his throat. “do you—” another throat clear. “do you mind passing the dumplings?”

at that very moment, everyone at the table slumped back into their chairs, sighs echoing all around. well, except for one person.

“BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” tendou burst out, finding tsukishima’s lack of confidence absolutely hilarious.

your face sprang into surprise. “oh,” you said, not meaning to sound so disappointed.

you grabbed the bowl of dumplings and carefully laid some on tsukishima’s plate yourself.

“HEY, WHY ARE YOU GIVING HIM ALL THE FLUFFY ONES?” nishinoya shouted, clearly offended.

“because he’s cute and you’re not!” you shot back without hesitation.

even after what happened? tsukishima thought, and he was sure he wasn’t the only one. it must be some sort of redemption.

“y/n,” he said again.

this time, you hummed softly in response, trying to mask the excitement in your voice from him simply saying your name.

“after dinner,” he paused, “would you mind teaching me some more dance styles of spain?” his tone was velvety, the way he spoke sending a wave of numbness through your body.

you smiled, genuinely happy someone was so interested in your ways, your culture. “OF COURSE, TSUKKI!” you said, maybe a little too excited.

tsukishima wins. round three.

and tendou wasn’t laughing anymore.

[ cue more dramatic music and end credits ]

CREDITS —

previous episode ‧₊* ‧₊ masterlist ⋆·˚ ༘ next episode

translations 🪇 : none.

🗒️: the tendou slander is hilarious and the tendou love 😭 yalls is so bipolar. guys i promise i’ll include more spanish next episode, and the one after that. i got some good ideas flowing here, ALSOOOO do yall want a season three or do ya’ll want it over this season ?? AAAAND HAPPY NEW YEARS EEEEVEEEEE ENJOYYYYYYYY <33

ko-fi :: soobinz, all donations are tremendously appreciated <3 and SOCIALS !

🏷️: @mjustag1rl @ast4rg1rl-deactivated20241103 @empress-pug-pug @softpia @yuminako @kagtobis @tsukistopglazer @yessimo @spicana @juie13 @whosmarjj @yamsverse @g-l-1-t-c-h-3-r @gravetomb @wearecooler @punkhazardlaw @theycallmenanamisgirl @mimisweetz @zahrawr-writes-fanfics @jojo23allegra @rory-cakes @ghostgoosygoose @hycuye @walllflowerrrsss @axquella @brithedemonspawn @anqelkoz @lsunncy @dudekiss3r

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thephantomcasebook · 2 years ago

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How fucking gross is it for the casting director to make sure that the gut who plays Blood has a comical sense of humor? I'm just going to drop this show. If they keep pumping up the awesomeness of Rhaeneryas fam.....I'm fucking done. Hopefully the Greens skewer him alive if they find him.

Well, according to the book, Blood is captured alive and brutally tortured till he gives up the entire conspiracy and who hired them. While Cheese gets lost in the tunnels under the Red Keep and starves to death. In "A Storm of Swords" Jaime and Tyrion find his skeleton and the gold that Daemon paid them.

From what I understand from hearsay, Criston catches Blood and Aemond is going to be the one that tortures and breaks him, in the show.

Like I've said for years and years, the ASoIaF Universe is a litmus test of a writer's ability to tell a coherent story without getting distracted by the more nihilistic elements that exist in the world of Westeros. And how quickly, even good writers, end up coming out like edge lord eighth graders whenever they're given a chance behind the wheel.

Just because the world sucks, just because anything bad might be possible, doesn't mean that it has to happen. The glee and joy that too many people have taken in the Nihilism of the world of Ice and Fire shows, to a point, the superficial understanding they have of storytelling.

In a world where all things terrible is permitted doesn't mean that all things should be in your story.

The "Blood" with a sense of humor has several distinct possibilities.

1.) They want to shock the audience by building him up to be likeable and goofy, only for him to show a really dark and evil side once he's got Jaehaerys and Maelor.

2.) They are trying to balance out the horror by making a strange David Lynch or Quentin Tarantino type of surreal farcical comedy within the violence and dark deeds. In the hopes of either making it artistic or providing levity to the scene.

3.) They want to make him bumbling and stupid in order to frame the entire incident as an accident or a dark comedy of errors.

Either way, I feel that the writers are just trying to find a way to have their cake and eat it too. They want to have the hard core dark violence and tinge it with cringe level millennial style irreverent, tone breaking, meta humor.

Mark my words, this isn't going to go down the way they think.

It sounds like the kind of unfunny meta jokes that D&D tried every once in awhile to put in "Game of Thrones" that never landed but for a some stuck up ultra rich liberal jerk offs chuckling to themselves as they discuss the latest "New Yorker" article.

And making "Blood" and "Cheese" some British comedy double act is fucking armature hour writing.

#House of the Dragon #Aegon II Targaryen #Helaena Targaryen #Alicent Hightower #Aemond Targaryen #Criston Cole #jaehaerys targaryen

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soyouareandrewdobson · 1 year ago

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Nintendo-vember Level 4 (Part 2): Because this one had way too many pictures to make a point...

Continuation of the following post

Okay, so in addition to Dobson's own Link not really looking very familiar to the actual Nnintendo designs, I also decided to do the following. Getting a bit into hair sperging, I pulled out this little chart for hair color.

Now, to compare it with the Link designs predominant before OoT came out.

So we got Link from the first Zelda being somewhere between light blond and blond, Zelda 2 Link being dark blond and SNES and Gameboy era Link (who are the same and as such the favorite incarnation of Link gamewise according to Dobson) at Light Blond.

Where could dark brown haired Link come from?

Oh, right! The Douchebag of Time.

It is just weird to me, that the hair color is something Dobson has taken such a grief with when it comes to Link. Cause in all honesty, I am not certain how such a minor design detail can affect ones enjoyment of the Zelda games that much. Anyway, to the last point

?????

Yeah okay, I admit I am not quite certain what the last panel is even supposed to be about. I think Dobson wants to criticize the fact that now multiple Links exist, instead of the Legend of Zelda series being kinda like Mario. You know, one character all the time fighting the same villain over and over, instead of there being different incarnation of the character (and others such as Zelda and Ganondorf). I should admit, that aside of the OoT/Majora’s Mask Link, I kinda assumed actually till the release of Four Swords/Wind Waker, that the Game Boy and the SNES games followed only one Link. Which even nowadays in the branched timeline continuity they still do

Which btw proves my point from earlier, that it was only post OoT the execs kinda screwed the timeline up in such a manner, we would need the TVA to fix it. Anyway, till Four Swords came out, I thought Link was really just going to be the same hero in all games, just with a different design each depending on whatever console’s technical abilities. Then the multiple incarnatins and timeline thing became the norm and… well, I don’t get what is bad about multiple Links or making it that the games are kinda their own thing/continuity in a certain manner.

For example, I can still play Wind Waker also as something of a solo game if I take the backstory of how Hyrule ended up under the sea just as a backstory on its own, instead of thinking about its context in a bigger narrative. Plus it allows programmers and people in the story development department to kinda go crazy/creative with designs for characters and locations, because they aren’t “bond” to capture the style of a previous game to the point that even slight variations would feel out of place. Like imagine doing Breath of the Wild style Ritos in Wind Waker or adapting the 2D Zelda environment of A Link to the Past without much variety into 3D. Plus I think that if we only followed one Link time and time again, his adventures would pretty much become less special over time, because him fighting Ganon then becomes more of an average Tuesday chore.

So…That was Dobson’s comic venting about what he hates about OoT. And I have to say, a lot of these complains (as I tried to explain here) are arbitrary as hell to me. Dobson essentially complaind about aesthetical choices the game made, that all things considered were kinda necessary for this franchise to make the jump not only into the 3D era of gaming, but also in the storydriven era of gaming itself.

See, I like the Zelda series, but as a fantasy series up to this point, I wouldn’t really call it the most “challenging” game storywise. Defeat an evil pig demon, save the princess, explore dungeons. That was it and kinda is still the base line appeal of those games. But even just compared to some stories we got by comparison for example on the SNES (Breath of the Wild 2, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6) Zelda was not really that deep. This game may not have even been the first Zelda game with a bit more “depth” to it (Link’s Awakening was that for me with the island being revealed to cease exisisting once the Widfish awoke), but it certainly was one that fleshed the world of Hyrule out a lot and in doing so introduced multiple technical, story relevant and aesthetical aspects to the franchise, that went beyond what A Link to the Past already had done in 1991. And that game in my opinion, while great, mostly just improved on the aesthetical aspects by assuring the game looked better in 16-bits than anything on the 8-bit NES.

To be fair though, I may also just be a bit biased here, because Ocarina of Time was an important game in my childhood I have very fond memories of. Both in context of the game, but also outside of it. But considering I am not the only one who likes it, I think it is safe to say that it is a good game. Is it the best Zelda game ever? Well, we have Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom now, so likely no. But it is certainly within the top four Zelda games and will likely stay there even the next few decades. And acting like it is total shit and its fans are “lesser” being for enjoying it, is not just contrarian, it is outright insulting. So in that regard: Fuck you Andy. May Octorocks ejaculate upon you, while the rest of the world finds enjoyment in that game.

And on that note... Happy anniversary to the Ocarina of Time. The best wishes from me for Impa, Ruto, Darunia, the Twinorvas, Ganondorf, Epona, Sheik, Zelda, Link, Navi, Sarina and all the other characters and the people behind Ocarina of Time for giving us one of the best games on the N64 and within one of the most beloved Nintendo game series ever.

May your melody be heard for 25 more years at least.

youtube

#so you are a cartoonist #andrew dobson #syac #adobsonartwork #webcomic #tom preston #adobsonsartwork #so you are andrew dobson #legend of zelda #ocarina of time #link #nintendo vember #nintendo #Youtube

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bulgariansumo · 11 months ago

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My brain wants to ramble about Mario movies, so I will do that. There will be bias, and there will be spoilers, but I think I'm going to at least put the section about the 2023 movie under a read more. Let's begin.

Super Mario Bros.: The Great Mission to Rescue Princess Peach! (1986)

My love, my light, my heart.

Making a movie based on the Mario origin story(?) of "guys stumble into fantasy world, save princess from monster" is difficult if you don't add something to it, but adding things comes with the risk of deviating from the source material’s vibe, since it’s so simple. It’s the same problem with movies based on Dr. Seuss books.

Something a lot of people don't realize when watching this one is that Super Mario Bros. only came out a year prior. The people tasked with making this movie had very little to work with. Luigi didn't even have a consistent color scheme (though prior to this, he was always depicted with green somewhere.)

This movie’s solution to these problems? Keep it simple. Mario and Luigi spend the movie collecting "the three legendary powerups" with a dog and then go fight Koopa. They have misadventures on the way, and Mario eats Mario-branded ramen. It's fun, it's silly, it's goofy!

This is all accompanied with a charming art style that really takes advantage of the ability to push character expressions. For the cast, we have:

Mario - He’s not the smartest, the strongest, or most fearless, but he’s determined, and sometimes that’s all you need. This movie depicts him as a lovestruck dreamer, so a good chunk of his lines involve him calling out to “Piichi-hime~” Also, he’s a gamer. His character is nothing unique, but it sets the tone of this movie, something that I feel like Mario’s character does in all three.

Luigi - Pickaxe in hand, his number one priority is getting his coins. He and Mario share about three brain cells total, but he lacks the idealism of his brother, trying to keep him grounded in the things that really matter: money, food, and their business as…grocers? He’s there for his brother when it counts, though. Most of the cast has their fair share of goofy moments, but he is the designated comic relief, and Yuu Mizushima’s performance serves that well. He sounds unhinged half the time, it’s great! Fun fact: This is the first time Luigi is depicted as thinner and taller than Mario.

Peach - She spends most of the time wishing that Mario would save her, as one might expect, but even this early on, she has a little bit of agency. Her first introduction is her fighting off the enemies after her, and she manages to pull a clever trick on Koopa midway through, though it doesn’t help her much.

Koopa - Very doting on Peach and willing to accommodate her whatever way he can, except for letting her go. His portrayal by singer Akiko Wada combined with the rounded artstyle makes him more adorable than menacing.

Kibidango - The dog that tags along with Mario and Luigi. He tries to be their voice of reason, but he can’t talk, and they don’t listen. He’s mostly there to help the plot along and provide a twist at the end.

For the most part, this movie sticks to using material from the game. There’s some deviations, like the dog and a wizard, but they don’t feel too out of place and, if anything, lend to the movie’s fairy tale-like quality.

Mario games generally try to maintain a whimsical, timeless vibe, and this movie captures that best. It’s not perfect, but it's a fun little romp that I highly recommend watching at least once, only an hour long. Please watch it!

Next are my thoughts on Super Mario Bros. (1993).

I also finished my thoughts on Super Mario Bros. (2023) if you're interested.

#text post #super mario bros #the great mission to rescue princess peach #it's so strange to me when people say this version of luigi is wario-like #yes they wear yellow and both like money but wario is greedy out of selfishness. this version of luigi is greedy out of practicality #he's a small business owner #he has bills to pay #his brother is running off after a girl who for all he knows is a gaming-induced hallucination

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gophergal · 3 months ago

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Is there anything specific that’s been a big influence on your art style? Particular artists or kinds of art? Specific movies, shows, games, etc.? I’m curious :3

Ok, so. It's really hard for me to answer this because I am CONSTANTLY going "oh, I like that art! I wanna draw that way!" and I'm eternally dissatisfied with my art style. *Shrug*

However, I can list a few things that have definitely affected my artstyle!

For one, one of the first art books I ever learned from was "How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way." American comics in general, really. Though I much prefer the style trends from the 70's and 80's to more modern stuff. Not that it's bad, I just adore the look that the old printing methods kinda bred

I consumed a lot of anime/manga growing up too (my first was Rosario + Vampire and I guarantee that encountering ecchi so young rewired my brain), and that probably shows through a bit no matter how I have tried shaking it. I'm struggling to think of any specific titles where the art was a notable influence though

I also do a lot of master studies for school. I'm very fond of Albrecht Durer, personally. The way he captured muscles, folds, and wrinkles in the human form is just so amazing

In terms of fellow fanartists I look up to and actively want to absorb their ways.... (I am NOT fucking tagging them lmao)

Ncalabby, for one. Not big surprise. Everything about his art drives me insane. Especially those expressive faces...

DashinSlashin isn't exactly active anymore, but around the time I started this blog I was actively studying their style because of the sheer level of skill on display.

VirtualMish is another inspiration that's probably obvious. The way he handles anatomy... that balance of realism and stylization.... fuck dude its so good.

Also literally all of my artist mutuals fill me with envy and I'm not brave enough to actually tag them about it. Their styles are so distinctive.... (sobs)

#gopher rambles #anonymously ask me anything #I try not to say it because its not something I'm looking for sympathy about. but I dont think my style is very special!#I've kinda always been a knockoff of more skilled- FAR more creative artists than myself. And I'm trying to come to terms with that tbh #it is what it is (shrug)

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thevindicativevordan · 6 months ago

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Comics this week ? (like WW #12)

Superman #17 - The good Absolute Power tie-in of the week. Glad to see Clark is pissed about Jon and not handling it well. He’s much more aggressive and short tempered here, with Zatanna playing the cool head. An underrated aspect of Superman is that when he loses his powers he also tends to lose his patience and his restraint. Something to unpack there about how much of the cool-headed friendly personality we normally associate with Superman is an act. But of course I am not unbiased when it comes to Superman and Wrath…

World’s Finest #30 - Waid managed to write a story that even the Wondy fans enjoyed, truly a Herculean feat given the grudge they bear towards him for his self-admitted tendency to misrepresent Diana. Themyscaria came off well, they had advanced tech, kangas, and not all of the Amazons were hostile to the World’s Finest trio.

Wonder Woman #12 - Bleh. Good to let Sampere get ahead so that the actual story has consistent art, but these AP tie-ins from King are not hitting.

Green Lantern: War Journal #12 - Loved the ending. Finally have a stand-alone story for Stewart that I can recommend. I'm not sure about keeping Ellie around as her own entity. I interpreted the bit about John's Mama being preserved in the ring as John rewiring his ring to be based on his mom's personality rather than literally preserving her soul or what not, and that interpretation strikes me as very touching. Montos for Stewart is what Reis was for Hal, what a shame we can’t get a 50 issue run on Stewart from this team.

Jenny Sparks #1 - Judging by the complaints, it’s seems like this was a lot of people’s first exposure to the Ellis style of sneering bastards making fun of “capes”. King captured that tone perfectly I’d say, even if some of Spoke’s imagery was heavy handed. Old bearded white guy feeding the birds for no reason other than he wants to (God as a benevolent provider) contrasted with Atom saying he wants to kill and eat the birds because he can (God as a terrifying force of destruction) was not subtle at all. Will King bring up the High is my biggest question. After all it was the High who in a way caused Jenny to form the Authority in the first place, since she seems to have a negative opinion of Superman here I want to know what her history is with High/Superman. Especially in a post-S&tA world (even if it is an Elseworld) you could wrong some interesting stuff out of Superman and Sparks talking about the Authority.

Ultimate Spider-Man #8 - If my clothes started smiling at me I would simply never wear them again. I would also set them on fire. If it wasn’t obvious, the picosuit is 6160 Venom. I loved how ominous this entire issue read, even without any major action you can feel the swords dangling over the cast. AI Peter is already referring to himself as his own entity, he’s focused on the kids just like regular Peter, he’s teasing that he can do stuff Peter doesn’t know about, how long until he starts trying to “take the wheel”? Maybe we’ll get a version of Earth X Venom where the suit tries to bond with either Richard or May in an effort to protect them.

Harry meanwhile gets a small humiliation in that Maker didn’t even consider him worthy of notice, which is only going to fuel his need to prove himself. Been going back and forth on if Richard or Jonah would be the ones to die, and after this issue I bet it’s Jonah. Killing Jonah would affect both Richard (with whom Jonah bonds in one of the best Jonah moments ever) and Ben (who is clearly lonely after his wife’s death and Jonah dying could push Robbie to join Ben or Peter to jump ship too). Kingpin gathers his Sinister Six, and I loved how Mysterio is shown to be playing mind games with his fellow villains.

#weekly reviews #ultimate spider man

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ganonfan1995 · 2 years ago

Text

I've thought it through, and I'm not really sure when I'm going to pick NHFOM back up.

I really wanted to see it through, but if I'm being honest, it was a project I started during a point in time where I was feeling 100% myself (both mentally and artistically) 2022 really slonked my shit stupid style, and recovering from all the trauma and misery has been a long loooong journey for me. Trying to revisit it now, while I still love the characters and the AU I built up around it, has been really complicated for me. On one hand I still think the material holds up, but on the other hand I've really lost a lot of the jokes and I've been struggling to connect with them. (maybe it's the depression, maybe its maybelline)

While I've been doing a lot better in this year, 2023, the further I move away from NHFOM the more I feel a bit alienated from it? I'm not sure how to describe it, it feels more like an obligation rather than something I'm excited to do.

That's all to say, is that I'm going to post the outline I had written back in 2021 for the first chapter of NHFOM. I might still pick this back up, but it feels weird to let it just rot in my google docs, unread and unloved. So if you're curious as to what Link and Ganondorf get up to, it'll all be under the cut. NOTE: The way I write comic outlines is VERY bare bones. These are mostly quick ideas and lack any sort of dialogue/structure outside of general pacing and ideas.

NO HYRULE FOR OLD MEN

Aryll’s Birthday:

Link convinces Ganondorf to allow him to send a letter to Aryll for her birthday.

The Soup:

Link tries to recreate his Grandma’s soup, destroying Ganondorf's kitchen in the process.

Heroes Clothes:

Ganondorf convinces Link to dress in Time’s clothes. They do not even remotely fit.

Link of the Past:

Ganondorf and Link drinking and reminiscing over OOT events, Link is trying to play along.

Thank god they’re both trashed.

The Bandana:

Ganondorf reprimands Link for being so careless about his appearance and asks him to get a haircut.

It’s revealed that Link has MPB and Ganondorf shares a culturally significant hairstyle w/ him in solidarity.

Miniblin:

Link befriends a Miniblin? I don’t have a joke for this one, it’s just cute.

Ganondorf’s Day Out:

Link discovers the portal Ganon uses to teleport between worlds, he follows him in disguise and learns about his “secret hideout”

Therapy:

Ganondorf is having his monthly therapy session with a bokoblin, distressing over Link and contemplating why he’s different now.

Link is fishing naked w/ Miniblin

Helmaroc King:

Aryll discovers that Helmaroc King loves fish and forms a bond with the giant bird. She breaks a deal to send letters to Link once in a while in exchange for a tuna.

The Boat:

Link notices a weird red boat with a face hanging out around the tower. He and miniblin decide to take it for a joyride.

Hero in Training:

Sick of his devil-may-care personality, Ganondorf convinces Link to take up some serious training. Link immediately throws his back out upon lifting a mock master sword.

Princess Zelda:

Upon learning more about the Triforce, Link purposely misleads Ganondorf in his quest to locate the third Triforce…Because he doesn’t want to move out.

The Desert:

Ganondorf recites his “my country lay in a vast desert” speech. Link interrupts to ask what a desert is.

Family Dinner:

Link makes dinner, Ganondorf is late and Link chews him out for his lack of appreciation towards him.

Ganondorf feels bad and surprises him with breakfast in bed. (this one is just gay)

Daddy Issues:

Ganondorf inquires about Link’s family, Link reveals that he never had a father and was raised by his grandmother. Link is surprised to find out they both have that in common.

The Boat Pt. 2:

King of Redlions stressing to Jabun that he thinks he may have discovered the Hero Reborn who has since been captured by the Demon King himself. Also tries to explain that…maybe it’s okay actually.

Cutaway to Ganondorf and Link playing a drinking game?

Aryll’s Visit:

It’s Link’s birthday this time, and Helmaroc King has a surprise planned for Link on Aryll’s behalf.

She reprimands him for still not changing his outfit.

Queen of Pirates:

Following rumours of a sunken kingdom, a mysterious Pirate Queen finds herself lost in Hyrule. Link scrambles to get her to leave, but she threatens to return and rob him and his ghostly king blind.

Minitime:

Link doing some introspection, discussing w/ Miniblin that, even though he’s evil…Maybe Ganondorf isn’t all that bad?

General Malaise:

Ganondorf has locked himself in his room for far too long, Link busts in to give him a heavy hitting pep talk.

Poetry Night:

It’s poetry night in the Tower, and everyone has something to share. Link prepares something that leaves Ganondorf legitimately moved.

Blinded with Science:

Ganondorf tries some new spells out to see if he can relieve Link of his triforce…prematurely. It does not work.

Accidentally Holding Out For A Hero:

Link follows Ganondorf to his hideout again to find the place besieged by the Pirate Queen’s crew. Link accidentally does something heroic to keep Ganondorf from harm and Tetra out of his grasp.

Streetwise Hercules:

Ganondorf finds himself in emotional turmoil after Link’s show of heroism, the urge to utterly crush him returns. Ganondorf is in an oddly optimistic mood.

Tennis Practice:

Link is in his weekly training w/ Phantom Ganon, Link has a lot on his mind. He questions his attractions to his captor while beating Phantom Ganon effortlessly.

Adventure of Miniblin:

Caught unaware, Ganondorf vents his emotions over Link to Miniblin. Miniblin is later found by Link who does the exact same thing. Miniblin is not capable of common speech, and is sick of the lack of communication between Link and Ganondorf.

The Duel:

Ganondorf approaches Link and passes him a note that says: “Do you wanna spar? Y/N”

The Duel Pt.2:

Link and Ganondorf find themselves evenly matched, both exhausted from age and lack of physical activity. Link convinces Ganondorf to join him in his weekly training sessions w/ Phantom Ganon.

The Duel Pt. 3:

Ganondorf joins tennis and finds the activity to be actually kind of fun and quite the workout. Admits he might not have given Phantom Ganon enough credit and offers him an additional day off from his duty.

The Outfit:

Aryll sends Link a new outfit, Ganondorf finds it to be too titillating and begs Link to change back.

The Nightmare:

Ganondorf is plagued with bad dreams and has difficulty falling asleep, Link offers him a homemade remedy, Grandma certified. (It’s 1:5 warm milk and rum)

The Boat Pt.3:

King of Redlions approaches Tetra, he has devised a plan to “rescue” Link from the demon king but he needs her help.

Miniblin Musing:

Link, playing with miniblin, asks Ganon where these things come from anyway. “I am not explaining the Dark World to you right now.”

Namesake:

Link has to explain that “Link” is just a really common hylian name. Some famous dead guy or something.

#nhfom

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blazehedgehog · 1 year ago

Note

For your BTAS-inspired Sonic cartoon, would you want the freedom fighters or other non-game characters to be included (even if it was only for a one-off appearance)? If so, do you have any ideas on how you’d incorporate the freedom fighters?

As much as I like the Freedom Fighters and wish there was a way they could return to comics, I don't think they would fit the theme of "Batman: The Animated Series, but for Sonic." They are fun in a spinoff where they get to live in that spinoff, but so much of the point of those comics were that they explicitly separate from every other universe.

They were from a time where all video game cartoons, all video game movies, etc. had no source material to work off of because the source material was either on the other side of the planet in Japan or just did not exist. Or both! Sega of America explicitly threw out whatever Sega of Japan was crafting for Sonic's backstory and made up something totally new.

They were hardly alone. While capturing video for the Sonic Frontiers video, I watched this video on the Pac-Man and Donkey Kong vinyl records from the 1980's. They are FULL of characters, and concepts, and ideas that have nothing to do with what we would come to be enforced as the "canonical representations" of these characters.

That's just how it was.

But whereas those representations only existed briefly, for a couple years or so, the Freedom Fighters stuck around for over twenty years. That little spinoff burrowed into its own little niche in the franchise, built a nest, and roosted there. As Sega of Japan re-established themselves and took control back of Sonic from Sega of America, the Freedom Fighters hung on for dear life and just kept going on pure momentum. After a certain point, it almost felt defiant.

The whole point is that they weren't part of the Sega games. It would feel weird if they were. Even after Ian Flynn tried to incorporate more elements from the games, it still felt noticeably incompatible with Sega's narrative style. The fact they weren't part of the games felt almost like a point of pride, to me. It meant they were uncorruptible from the stupid garbage that gave us something like Sonic Lost World.

The problem there is if you're making a TV show, there's not much of a rogues gallery to work with. It's pretty much just Eggman. This was the problem we faced in Sonic Lost World, right, where they made a big deal about bringing back Sonic's rogues gallery.

By which it meant they brought back basically the only villains that weren't Eggman: Shadow, Chaos 0, and Zavok.

Like, at least if you do a Mega Man cartoon, you get all of the robot masters. If you do a Mario cartoon, you get all of the Koopa Kids and a ton of second-stringers like Kamek and Boom Boom. But with Sonic... it's pretty much just Eggman. You get badniks, sure; and early Archie Sonic tried to make Crabmeat (and to a lesser extent, Coconuts) into lackeys for Robotnik, for instance.

But for the most part, badniks are tools. They are less intelligent than Metal Sonic, less capable. They are cannon fodder. Meant to be easily controlled.

So, really, your only villain is Eggman. And maybe you could expand that to include the Mecha Sonics and of course Metal Sonic if you stretch.

Now, there are other ways to generate conflict. We could downgrade Knuckles as a friend back to a "friendly rival," for one. Somebody who maybe isn't always happy to see Sonic. And, of course, there's what we do with Shadow. Because, like, we can't not do Shadow.

Shadow is a weird one for me, because if we still have Classic Eggman as I suggest, putting Shadow in the mix there feels strange. Even though I kept saying "no origin stories," it's important to note that Batman TAS did actually do a few real origins, and even some original characters. It debuted Harley Quinn, for instance, and season one dedicated an entire two-part episode to showing Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face.

Batman TAS also evolved over time. It introduced its version of Batgirl, Dick Grayson graduated from being Robin to becoming Nightwing, Tim Drake came on as the newer, younger Robin, and so on. There is wiggle room here.

I imagine you could do at least a whole season (10-20 episodes) of exploring Sonic and Tails versus Eggman and robots, and then maybe we hit our evolutionary point where we could do a, like, Sonic Adventure adaptation, or Sonic Adventure 2. Give us leeway to change up Robotnik's appearance, maybe mellow Knuckles out, bring in Rouge and Shadow.

Like, imagine an episode where Knuckles confronts a post-SA2 Shadow like "dude, I used to be mad at Sonic all the time too, but he's not so bad once you get used to the way he does things." and Shadow's just like, "I'm not mad at Sonic. I'm mad at myself."

We could also pull an Ian Flynn and maybe start bringing in guys like Bean, Bark, Fang, and since he loves her so much, even Wendy Witchcart.

My point here before I trailed off on this tangent is that if we did dip into the Freedom Fighters, that would give us a larger pool of villains to pull from. We could bring in Snively, Ixis Naugus, and um. Uhhhh. Lazaar? Remember Lazaar?

Listen, it's fine if we don't include the Freedom Fighters. We're not trying to make "SatAM 2: This Time It's Late Archie Sonic." I wouldn't mind that, but that's not the prompt being given here.

#questions #Anonymous #sonic the hedgehog #sega #sonic team #satam #freedom fighters #batman

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omgfloofy · 2 months ago

Text

Let's just answer the whole damn list.

1: How many fics have you worked on since January?

I've got the ever present dal segno al coda that I've always been working on this year. However, in May, I came up with the concepts that turned into The Insurgent King and this has kind of taken over EVERYTHING in my mind.

I also got a couple of Ys fics out, a pretty dark story for Van Arkride, and a couple of one shot stories for FFXV.

2: What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year?

👏 MAFIA 👏 ADJACENT 👏

Insurgent King has been SO MUCH FUN because it's really delving a lot into the dark underbelly of stuff. I also got to use my AP style from Endless History in a fic with The King's Interview in that series.

But in general, writing has been amazingly therapeutic for me. It was something I started after my mom's death in 2022 as a bit of personal therapy. I think having time to be in make believe worlds writing fantasy and adventure when it sometimes feels like my world is falling apart has helped me more than you can believe.

Additionally, an upcoming story that I've been planning for Insurgent King is straight up a heist story, ala Oceans 11 and so forth. I've never done something like this before and it has been the craziest thing I've had to plan. And it's the one story that doesn't have a shit ton of stuff already written for it, since the heist needs to be so carefully put together.

I'm SO excited for that story to finally get released. I can't wait for people to read it because it's been so much fun to plan.

3: What piece of media inspired you the most? (This can be the fandom you wrote the most for, the one that spawned the most ideas, the one you thought about the most, etc.)

Final Fantasy XV seems to be the game to keep on giving me a lot of inspiration for ideas. However, I've been finding inspiration for my stories in so many things all over the place.

Trails Through Daybreak has served as much of a supportive 'vibe check' for Insurgent King, as an example. Watching through Tower of God's S2 anime has reminded me of how COOL that comic is and since I've started writing, I've started finding a whole new appreciation for fiction and other stories all over the place. The biggest influence this year, though, has been from old TV shows ala Lost and Stargate, both of which have been an immense inspiration for the storytelling method behind Insurgent King. Look at it like a serialized TV series and the way I'm writing it will probably make a lot more sense.

4: How many fandoms did you write for this year?

For things published, three: Final Fantasy XV, Ys, and Trails.

For things that are still in my WIPs bin? Lost Universe, No Man's Sky, and Helldivers.

5: What ships captured your heart?

I adore Lunoct - but I fully understand that my bias comes from working on dal segno al coda, which is kind of my baby. I can't wait to start releasing it, because Noctis and Lunafreya are the quintessential power couple in it, and fate does not want them together because of the shit they can do when united in it.

6: What characters captured your heart?

I know this was from something I released last year, but it was at the very end of the year, and it still carried over through this year: Anemona from Ys IX. I would not have written anything for her if it wasn't for the Yuletide exchange.

I've also found myself loving the hell out of writing Gladio in my FFXV fics. He's started to become one of the easiest characters for me to write, even.

Also, writing in the point of view of Regis in The King's Gambit. I want to write something that's far more enjoyable for him than the ball of anxiety he was in that fic. Shit was going poorly and he had to change everything to make it go less poorly in that story. I just want something with him being happy.

7: Did you write for any new fandoms or ships this year?

I hadn't written/released anything for the Trails series, strangely enough, until I wrote Cannot Deny His Sleepless Eyes. I have another fic that I've been dabbling with that's Trails from Zero/Trails to Azure, but I'm not far enough to really call anything for it.

8: What fic meant the most to you to write?

The Cordelia Manifest.

This was the first fic of the Insurgent King series. Think of it like the pilot for a TV series. I wrote it based on vibes I got while listening to music from Bubblegum Crisis. While doing so, I realized that I love this setting a LOT and really needed to delve into it more and explain out how Insomnia fell and Noctis became a king of the criminal underworld in it.

9. What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

Lost and Found.

This was my fic in the FFXV Remix event that happened earlier this year. I had so much fun reading a fic called The new guy by MiraNjell and chose it for my remix fic.

A lot of this was pulled from my own personal experiences from getting a new puppy this year.

10: What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing?

The Insurgent King.

In this case, not the series, but the fic named for the series. This is my longest published fic on AO3, and I felt so proud of actually getting it done.

11: What fic was the most difficult to write?

ad astra is one of my FFXV wips. I've come and go with it several times, but since it delves very hard into concepts that are "beyond human understanding" and kind of delves a bit into cosmic horror… it's easily one of the most difficult projects ahead of me. I want to read more cosmic/eldritch horror before I try to write more of it, and I really want to become a much better writer to do this concept justice.

With what I released, it would be Cannot Deny His Sleepless Eyes. I've never written whump before and this was somewhat uncomfortable as it has a lot of heavily implied child abuse. It's only 400'ish words, but I didn't want to expand on it any further.

12: What fic was the easiest to write?

Infiltration! I just sat on the ending for ages, and then decided "boom" and knocked that shit out in a couple of hours. A lot of Noctis and Prompto's interactions remind me very much of the same kind of 'two friends who lose all brain cells when together' friendship that I have with my best friend.

In fact, the "be quiet" aspect of Infiltration was actually based on a real bet with my best friend from years and years ago.

13: What were your shortest and longest fics posted this year?

Shortest: Cannot Deny His Sleepless Eyes - 414 words

Longest: The Insurgent King (story, not series.) - 62,638

14: What were your go-to writing songs?

I made a whole ass playlist for Insurgent King.

15: What was the hardest fic to title?

Filed Away. I still am not 100% happy with the title.

16: What's your favorite title of the year?

There's an upcoming story in my Insurgent King series called A Field of Flowers. I love everything about this title. I can't wait for people to see just why it's an amazing title, too.

17: Share your favorite opening line

Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring. Click. "Fisherman's Lighthouse." "Good… [afternoon], this is an automated call from Concordo Shipping. Your freight parcel has been scanned in at… [Pier Lots Warehouse] and will be ready for pick up in… [forty-eight hours]. Failure to pick up your parcel… [one week] after its release will see that your parcel is forfe–" Click.

The above is the opening from Observator, one of the side stories in Insurgent King. I love it because I think you can hear the automated voice on the line.

18: Share your favorite ending line

Voices echoed through Regis' quickly fading consciousness. He saw the flash of blue, glimmering magic in front of him. He couldn't make out the words from the woman's voice — it sounded as if he was under water. He had no time. He held his left hand up to her. He needed the ring to be noticed immediately. "Take it." His strength faded fast. "Take it to…" But Regis Lucis Caelum never got out that last word before he died on the steps of the Citadel.

The above is the ending (before the super short epilogue) of The King's Gambit, the third story of the Insurgent King series. Regis' death is a catalyst to everything in the series, and I wanted the story that was in his POV to end abruptly as he died. There would be no more 'voice' for the POV any longer, afterall.

19: Share your favorite piece of dialogue

"It's not home." Noct said as he crossed the room and started to poke through the bag. It's dinner, but instead of commenting on the food, he mused out loud, "I'm surprised, though. Ignis is usually super critical when I'm too lax about hiding my identity." "You could make it easier and introduce me to them as your cousin Gladio Gar." "No." Noct stopped, then looked up. He sounded a lot sharper than he initially intended, but continued with it, "Don't. That's my thing." Gladio leaned back with a smug grin. The chair groaned in protest at the large man's weight from the action. "Yeah, I know." He paused for a second, just for the timing of it. "It shouldn't be." "I have a good cover here." Noct mumbled as he dropped into his own chair and opened the box to look through the food. It was a burger — he was surprised it wasn't Cup Noodles. "It's about as great as a baseball cap." "It works!" Noct grabbed a fry out of the box and threw it at Gladio. He laughed as it only bounced harmlessly off his head.

The above is from A Part to Play, one of my Twilight extra stories that's still in WIP format. I have to be extremely careful with this one because it has some very technical stuff to describe and I need to take my time. It should be out soon, though.

19: Share your funniest line

This time, the roles were switched. Luna took hold of Noctis' wrist and walked ahead to lead him, instead. "What's the worst he could do to us?" "To you." Noctis didn't fight being pulled along. "He wouldn't do anything to you." A beat. "He'd just kick my ass in our next training session." "If he's kicking your ass," It was so weird to hear Luna repeat his own words. She always knew what to say and the perfect way to say it, when Noctis felt he fell short in that skillset. Luna quickly glanced back to say, "Then you just need to…" She paused, as she seemed to search for the words, then continued, "get good and show him what for." Noctis thought, at first, that he must have not heard her right. The words and Luna's voice just didn't sound right together. After running that over in his head again, he finally laughed. "I'm sorry. Who are you and what did you do with Lunafreya?"

This is from Date Night, my little 'preview fic' for Noctis and Lunafreya in dal segno al coda.

This fic is a single night of events that just didn't fit in the full narrative of the main story and is Noctis and Lunafreya having an evening out together in Insomnia. (takes place during part 2)

I really have a lot of fun with Noct and Luna in segno. I know I said it before, but I'll say it again: I really can't wait to get comfortable enough to start posting it, because I want people to really have fun with what the two are capable of in that story.

As I said before, they are very much a power couple in dal segno al coda, except there are points here and there when Noctis and Lunafreya just have the chance to be the people they could never otherwise be.

20: What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

I would go as far as to say that the sudden idea behind Solus popping into my head was a big surprise. It doesn't change the overall story of the Insurgent King, but it does add more to it, I feel.

There's also a contender for biggest 'surprise' that came about from writing part 2 of segno. This wasn't this year - I think I wrote the scene last year, even - but I'm still trying to contend with it. I feel like I have to fight over 'how far is too far' with the idea.

It changed a LOT of segno and triggered a lot of rewrites, as well. However, it was very much a case of 'Lunafreya wants what she wants, and it's not necessarily what the author originally wanted.' LOL

21: What writing programs did you use? Did you write by hand?

I started using Google Drive, but I was introduced to Ellipsus this year and I love it so much. So I've started migrating my works to it.

While it's not the main parts of the story themselves, I have a plnner for dal segno al coda, that I use to keep track of dates in it and what happens around said dates.

I also have been carrying a tiny composition book in my purse to use when I get ideas while away from home.

22: If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year?

I would actually put that towards The King's Interview and when I looked at the finished product on AO3. Not so much the writing part of it, but the design work and workskin editing. Since I have a web development background, I really love playing with AO3 workskins and think they can be a very powerful tool in storytelling.

That header image was made from two different stock images, and intended to illustrate the interview, as you would see on a news site or newspaper.

I also did something like it for the Epilogue for The King's Gambit. I made a faux newspaper front page in InDesign, complete with making a believable printed halftone look of the front of the Citadel. There's so much more of that layout than what I showed.

I've also got a story that's doing something like this further down the line in segno - so I may have just lifted that idea from there. segno's 'front page' is a little more complete than this one, however. Complete with extra fake headlines and snippets of other articles and stuff.

23: Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

Not necessarily. I think the only real time to celebrate finishing one would be when I finished The Insurgent King - the story, not the series it's named after. This is probably due to the nature of the series, though, since I was immediately in my files and making notes of where to go with the next story and what had to be revealed in it (as well as what I can't reveal yet).

24: How did you recharge between fics?

I might just pull up a game and play a bit. Nothing too fancy.

25: Did you create fanworks other than fic?

Not really, no.

26: How many events did you take part in? (bangs, exchanges, ship weeks, zines, prompt memes, they all count!)

Just one, really. It was the @ffxvremix. I wrote Lost and Found for it.

27: If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

I'd thank, of course, @firefallvaruna for being my amazing beta reader. I'd also thank @snifftheraven. He's been the best sounding board for a lot of my ideas. He's also super honest and tells me when my ideas are too much, or if I have gone down a path that I probably wouldn't want to take.

28: What's left on your to-do list for 2024?

Sadly, my to-do list included getting part 1 of segno done. Then I got sideswiped by a whole new AU called The Insurgent King. Which is on point for that AU's version of Noctis.

I might celebrate the end of the year by working on segno a bit more and maybe pushing that 75-80% completion a little closer to 100%.

29: What would you like to write next year?

Getting segno's part 1 done and started to AO3 is definitely on my planned list for next year. I'm also continuing onward into Insurgent King.

I know the ending to both series. I should be able to make it.

A slightly revised version of last year's questions! Two ways to play: Reblog and have your followers send you numbers, or answer the whole list!

How many fics have you worked on since January?

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year?

What piece of media inspired you the most? (This can be the fandom you wrote the most for, the one that spawned the most ideas, the one you thought about the most, etc.)

How many fandoms did you write for this year?

What ships captured your heart?

What characters captured your heart?

Did you write for any new fandoms or ships this year?

What fic meant the most to you to write?

What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing?

What fic was the most difficult to write?

What fic was the easiest to write?

What were your shortest and longest fics posted this year?

What were your go-to writing songs?

What was the hardest fic to title?

What's your favorite title of the year?

Share your favorite opening line

Share your favorite ending line

Share your favorite piece of dialogue

Share your funniest line

What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

What writing programs did you use? Did you write by hand?

If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year?

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

How did you recharge between fics?

Did you create fanworks other than fic?

How many events did you take part in? (bangs, exchanges, ship weeks, zines, prompt memes, they all count!)

If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

What's left on your to-do list for 2024?

What would you like to write next year?

#fic writing #final fantasy xv #trails through daybreak #dal segno al coda stuff #the insurgent king #ffxv twilight #writing memes #question and answer

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wantednuzlocke · 2 days ago

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Time for another retrospective, this time we covering chapter 1

Meta stuff

Hoo boy, we're going digging into the actual game now. This is the part where my first attempt at making a comic for this particular run ended... Right as we met Nascour actually.

Phenac City is what I generally refer to as 'tutorial town'. And this place is notorious for any attempt at Orre Nuzlocke comics to end. IF they are of Pokémon Colosseum that is.

This has mostly to do with my perception of what the line is at which comics die on a permanent hiatus. Every region seems to have an uncanny similar spot where certain nuzcomics just stop updating. Not because the author lost their nuzlocke there. But simply because they just stopped making their comic entirely.

This is by the way not something that sprang to mind to me while I was working on this chapter, mind you. Plus I feel like it's unfair to throw Phenac in a similar bag as all the other nuzlockes. Because, even if statistically most Colosseum Nuzlocke comics ended before we could even leave Phenac city, I suspect that is more rooted in the fact that it's the start of a big project. While most uncanny indefinite hiatuses I mentioned are basically half-way the journey.

Besides, Wanted! is not the first nuzcomic to make it past Phenac either. That title I'm sure actually goes to Matters of the Heart. I think the author actually finished drawing the entire comic, but just didn't publish the last few pages online.

In-game Experience

Alright so... What do I think of this first leg of the game? Well... It's pretty simple and straight-forward actually.

You do get to start out at level 25-26, so thats nice, really giving that feel that you aren't a beginner trainer. Everything is double battles. Which. I actually do not mind, I actually love them when it's consistent so I can accomodate what moves I choose for that. But is certainly a battle style that will trip me over in the future when taking type advantages in account.

It is my first impression of the game, and frankly... I actually tried to be strategic at first, but that went out of the window real fast when I realised I could OHKO everything during this section. The stakes at this point in the nuzlocke are still very low. Everything gets demolished on sight. EVERYTHING. So my first chapter definitely reflected that one-sided pummeling. And also, 'lots of actually wandering around like the completionist that I am, trying to leave no stone unturned.

This is also the part of the game where you learn that you'll have to steal pokémon in order to get a team together. And all you can capture is shadow pokémon, for that matter. Well... To be honest, I was aware of the concept of shadow pokémon and something along the lines of purification (and hearing in passing by mention one should keep shadows since they are better), but I thought that was an XD Gale of Darkness thing, not Colosseum. Not to mention... THEFT!? LMAO!! That sure is fun as hell.

Also, getting fucking attacked by Power Rangers I guess. Their color codes gave me the impression that this was the part where you chose a starter. And yep. I was right on that. ~

Plot Planning

So, anyone who has read the first chapter of Wanted!, and has played Pokémon Colosseum can tell you one thing for certain about this first part of my plot planning: closely resembles ingame events.

And yes, frankly I had no idea what I was doing to begin with. Sure, I put in research and studied dialogue and details. But other than that, all I had was my gameplay notes, and video footage of the game. Not much else.

In hindsight, having a foundation of some basic worldbuilding would've been best so I would have some decent footing from the get-go. But I also told myself not to worry about it too much so early on in. I would either figure it out, or this would become a comedic run that faithfully followed Colosseum's plotline, just with a bit of my own commentary on events to be said by Yume. Most nuzcomics I have read lean into this direction. It's one of the benefits of starting a comic based on gameplay you've done. You technically already have a skeleton in place to work with. So more of the focus will be able to go into telling the stories of the characters.

That said... Most I had on paper was that Yume was a criminal with no intention of doing anything morally good. Considering I've put in my own OC with her own personality in place of Wes, who in the games is a pushover with no personality. The original plot was quickly going to drive me into a corner. Rui convices Wes very easily to get the plot going by simply dragging him around with a "We must do this!" attitude, but Yume surely wasn't going to have none of that forceful behavior move her. And I absolutely didn't want to wring out something that would make characters act in ways that's simply... Not them.

Speaking of Rui, I actually had two potential characters in mind that couid replace her role. Though, considering Yume already has the ability to see shadow pokémon it was going to be a bit more of humor to bounce off of. I figured it made sense to replace Rui with another OC of mine as well, since you can name her whatever you like in the game as well. One was Sora. A pyrotechnist who enjoyed making pretty fireworks along with her fire-type Pokémon team. Or Chou, a survivalist with her Kommo-O ride. I figured Chou would fit the best considering her outfit and the region's general aesthetic. Consdiring she was already confrontational avoidant in concept worked perfectly for the role I had in mind at least.

In any case, digging deeper into what to do for Phenac by watching gameplay footage made me think a little bit harder on where I wanted the eventual story to end up. And accidentily predict the finale of the game. Which uh.. I was so fucking mad when I got to the end of the game but also laughing hysterically.

Keeping Yume and Chou somehow together for good reason required a lot of flex tape and mental gymnastics at least. Phenac City is definitely not my strongest chapter due to how poorly prepared I was. But thankfully, as slow as making comics as a medium is. It gave me a full year to sit on the ideas, branch them out and come up with something more substantial and stable.

Artistic Journey

Something that definitely surprised me when Wanted! came up on the nuzlocke reading club is the fact that somehow readers noticed a visual "improvement" in my work. Which felt weird to me. I don't think that much happened in Phenac that could warrant a noticeable change in my skills. But then I recall one noteable change that this chapter brought: I moved over from Fire Alpaca to Clip Studio Paint. Or at least, I started using the trial version of CSP to see if it was worth buying. I also got a little bit in the habit of using CSP's 3d model feature to pose characters better.

The backgrounds of some of the pages of this chapter ended up looking very cringeworthy bad. But sometimes you gotta just take the L and move forward if you want to keep momentum going. I had already just recovered from a burnout which threatened to make me quit comic making forever. I didn't want anxiety of things not looking quite right bolt me down and stop me from posting altogether. 'Just focus on story-telling' really had been the sole force driving me forward during this ordeal. I could always improve visually when I was feeling more stable and had more experience under my belt.

Do I sometimes look back and consider redrawing these old pages so they look a bit better? Well... Yes. But I know it's also a trap many webcomics have fallen into before. "Just gonna fix a few pages." And before you know it, all motivation of continuing the comic altogther has a risk of fading. Fixing things up to be better is neat. But it can also trick a brain into assuming no progress is made. Which in turn breaks morale.

And to be frank, while old stuff makes me cringe how bad it is and how I could possibly think it was okay enough to post, it also gives me a milestone to compare how much I have improved over time. I don't think it's shameful to keep my bad art up. I think it shows I am a human, and where my roots have been at. And if that can motivate another budding artist to continue or even start drawing, then that is more than worth the occassional cringe I feel when I look back at my old work. It does make me think twice about ever printing it, though, like sure, I'm working on this page size so I could potentially print one as a memento for just myself but... Oogh do I really dare immortalise that on paper?

In any case, this is all I got in retrospective of Chapter 1 of Wanted! until the next one owo/

#Not comic #Retrospective #pokémon colosseum #chapter 1

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edwardwriterman · 8 months ago

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Family Visit

A few months after the events of Arkham Knight, Jason decides to visit Scarecrow in prison.

Batman: Arkham (Video Games), Teen & Up, No Warnings Apply, Gen, Jason Todd & Jonathan Crane

##Post-Batman: Akrham Knight, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Jonathan Crane is Jason Todd's Father, implied familial relationship, Author has not read the comics, 3rd Person Jason POV, Jason Todd does not like Bruce Wayne##

Arkham was as cold and damp as Jason remembered it. Sometimes he wishes they'd never refurbished the old place, but the villains had to have somewhere to go, right?

He walks until he reaches the end of a derelict hallway, standing in front of a stand alone cell. J. Crane Ph.D. 054. Maximum Security. the rusted plate on the door claims. Jason pulls back a small window, before banging on the tough metal.

"I'm here." He calls, watching the scarred form of the psychologist approach the door.

"Red Hood." Jonathan's raspy voice speaks. "That's what you're calling yourself now, isn't it?"

"You've been keeping up." Jason states with a small laugh. "How are you doing in here?" He knew he shouldn't be getting too cozy, but he couldn't let go of the attachment he'd made with Crane over the year they worked together.

A sigh can be heard from within the cell. "They will not let me continue my research. I have not been able to speak to anyone else, and all my writings are confiscated."

Jason shifts uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, doc." He shouldn't feel bad. But he'd worked with the man for months. He'd seen how much the toxin meant to him, and hell, he'd started to get interested in it too.

Crane just looks amused. "It is alright. They have let me keep the radio you delivered. I am keeping myself entertained. He pauses for a moment, looking through the small window. "Did you know Mr Ryder has styled you as a vigilante?"

Jason almost splutters. "What?!" He shoots forward in shock, as if getting closer will help him understand what Crane said. "I- I told him that was not what it was about! I smoked Sionis for my own sake, not for the good of Gotham! I'm not Bruce."

Jonathan only laughs, amused by Jason's frustration. "He left that out of the interview." He steps back from the door, sitting down on the metal cot in his cell. "I always wondered what you would do when the Batman was dead."

Jason shrugs, recollecting himself. "Yeah. Got some unfinished business to take care of." He leans against the door. "What'd you think I'd do?"

Crane is quiet for a moment, as if considering the sensitivity of his answer. "Once Cobblepot told me who you were, I assumed you would go back to working with your brothers."

Jason frowns. He didn't like that his secrets had been spilt by Penguin, but he couldn't exactly blame Crane for it. Cobblepot had really been the only one properly operating during Jason's run as Robin. Jason was sure everyone else had been too busy to even notice when he was replaced by Tim only half a year after his capture.

"Fuck off." His words have no bite behind them, though. "They're not my brothers. Just kids who worked under the same egotistical guy." He places emphasis on kids. He never wanted anyone to forget what they had been through.

An uneasy silence falls over them, before Crane speaks up. "What was it like?" He asks, "Working as Robin."

"Hell." Jason replies instantly, expression hardening. "Don't ask."

Jonathan tries to speak again. "I wasn't speaking of your torture-"

"Neither was I."

More uncomfortable silence.

"It was…. difficult. Bruce wasn't exactly easy on us. Either we were too useful to fight, or expected to be able to go one-to-one with one of you." Dick always said Bruce had been good to him. Jason didn't get to see that same kindness. Maybe it was because he was just some street criminal, and Dick was some poor relatable orphan. Or maybe he had just purposefully forgotten the good times to further his villainization of Bruce.

"I'm sorry." Crane says. He wasn't apologizing for asking, but out of courtesy.

Jason rolls his eyes under the mask. "Yeah. But what does it matter now? Bruce is dead, and I'm free to do whatever I want to." He wants to change the subject desperately.

"So, when are you getting out?"

Crane looks up, eyebrow raised.

"C'mon, I won't tell the guards- or Robin." He mentions the latter man with disgust. "It's just between us." Perhaps he shouldn't be encouraging this, but he missed talking to Crane outside of prison bars.

Jonathan shakes his head, as if he was a father who'd just heard his son say something ludicrous. "I have not decided yet. I was hoping to speak to Edward or Harvey, they have a plan. But as I mentioned, that is not a viable option anymore."

Jason hums in thought. "Want me to shoot them a message?" He hated Riddler and Two-Face as much as the next guy, but he owed Jonathan a favour. Several favours, probably. Crane had helped him when he was at his lowest during the militia operation, irritable and depressed. Being the man Bruce could never be for him.

He considers it. "It couldn't hurt." Crane responds. "Are you leaving so soon?"

Jason feels guilty as he answers, looking away, almost regretful. "Yeah. Heard some of Black Masks men are regrouping, trying to get the gang back together. Shutting them down."

Crane nods, as if he's come to terms with Jason's early leave. Jason watches the door for a moment, before sighing and stepping back.

"Wait-!" Cranes voice is loud, and a hand shoots out, grasping the edge of the small letterbox window in the door. "Red Hood."

Jason can feel Cranes glossy, blinded eyes staring at him. He approaches the cell again, and in a moment of weakness, removes a thick glove, taking Jonathan's thin hand.

"Do me the honour of knowing your name." This wasn't the first time Crane had asked. This wasn't the first time it'd sounded slightly like a plea. Maybe it should be the last, though. There was a connection between him and Jonathan, even if it was unspoken.

"…" Jason looks at the hand held in his, frail fingers wrapped tightly around his strong grip. "Jason." His voice is quiet, making sure only Crane could hear it.

"Jason…" Jonathan repeats, lifting his hand to the hard shell of Jason's cowl. Jason can't stand not being able to feel the comfort Crane is trying to give. He pushes a button by his jaw, and the visor opens up. Cranes hand is immediately moving to his unscarred cheek, thumb brushing over it almost tenderly. "Jason."

Jason looks down to Cranes arm, seeing the mauled and twisted flesh contorting around the mans arm, a reminder of what happened to him only 2 years back. The scars were still healing. He reaches up to the mans wrist, holding it gently.

"You will return again next month?" Crane asks, and Jason would mistake that emotion for hope if he thought the man could feel anything but muted rage and scientific curiosity.

"If you're not out by then" He jokes lightly, almost sad as Cranes hand leaves his cheek.

"Good." Cranes voice is soft. "You are always welcome."

Jason shuts the visor of his helmet to hide his smile.

"Goodbye, Jason."

"Yeah. Goodbye."

#fanfic #fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #on ao3 #dc #detective comics #batman #arkham knight #batman arkham knight #jason todd #jonathan crane

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twittercomfrnklin2001-blog · 9 months ago

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A Bucket of Blood

“Ring rubber bells! Beat cotton gongs! Strike silken cymbals!” Shooting in five days with next to no budget, Roger Corman made a better comedy horror film than many big-budget production companies have made in months. For a rush job, his A BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959, Shudder, Prime, Tubi) has an amazingly consistent tone and point of view. He and screenwriter Charles B. Griffith borrowed plot elements from MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933) and threw in their observations of the California Beat scene to create a film that mocks artistic pretension while also taking on the generations of wannabes who think they can win the prize without any discernible effort. If you made it today, you’d have to create a cameo for one of the Kardashians.

Walter Paisley (Dick Miller) is a busboy at The Yellow Door, a Beat hangout. He dreams of becoming an artist like his beloved Carla (Barboura Morris). When he accidentally kills his landlady’s cat, he covers the body in clay and passes it off as a sculpture. And he doesn’t impress just the pseudo-artists whose coffee cups he collects. He also has big-time art dealers and critics falling all over themselves. To maintain his pose, he has to start killing people, creating a series of murderous abstracts.

Corman has called Miller “the best actor in Hollywood.” His Paisley seems a little overstated at first. If he slouched any more in his first scene, he’d be dragging his chin on the floor. But he finds a style for the performance that fits Griffith’s screenplay. He’s seriously goofy. When he tries to create a sculpture based on Morris’ photo, he throws clay at the thing while shouting, “Make a nose!” Corman, who knew how to pace a horror film shot on a slender budget, also turns out to have great comic timing. After one murder (of future game-show host Bert Convy), Walter stashes the body on the kitchen ceiling, and as his landlady barges in, an arm drops down at just the right time. After she leaves, the dripping blood accelerates at the perfect pace to make Walter’s soliloquy screamingly funny. Corman and Miller also pull off the incredible feat of keeping things buoyant even when Walter starts killing people intentionally. The shots of him grimacing seriously as he wrings a neck or saws off a head are beyond silly. Corman also gets good work from his supporting cast — the beatific Morris, Anthony Carbone as Miller’s corrupt boss, Julian Burton, who seems to be channeling Laird Cregar as a Beat poet, and Ed Nelson, who has great line readings as an undercover cop. Cinematographer Jacques R. Marquette captures some great nightmarish shots of Venice, CA, at night. Jazz great Fred Katz did the score.

#horror comedy #roger corman #charles b. griffith #dick miller #barboura morris #bert convy #anthony carbone #ed nelson #jacques r. marquette #fred katz

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luesmainblog · 9 months ago

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alright so AGES ago there was a tumblr post going around

this inspired an artist, @secondlina, to draft up an idea for a comic based on this post. Nope The Anime! However, due to various circumstances, the project was abandoned. but unbeknownst to the internet, lina was not the only person planning out a potential comic for this idea! I've been building this in my mind since highschool, a little project i call Miahara's City.

the basic plot is just the same: Shizua Miahara - a young girl born with pink hair - convinced she is the main character of an anime, has spent her entire life trying to AVOID becoming a main character. every day she avoids plots, opening pitches, and anything else that might land her squarely in a completed episode; all of which she calls Tropes. Shizua has learned to survive through consuming everything she can of anime, manga, video games, even light novels. she studies them like a hiker studies survival techniques; she NEEDS to know how to avoid them, and how any situations could go. Her ultimate goal... to become a background character with a completely boring life. to 'win' against the forces of the universe intent on sending her into adventure.

on the first day of her grade 5 year(senior in highschool), as she tries to make her way to school safely, she bumps into a girl with blue hair. an obvious trope for sure, but this one won't let her get away: we meet Ai Miu, a fellow otaku who fully, truly believes that they are currently living in an anime. HER goal is to find the main character and convince them to let her take their role.

And so begins our adventure: despite knowing what a futile effort it is, Shizua can't resist the possibility of finally being free of her curse and passing it to someone who actually wants it. along the way they meet a girl in class with green hair, Mizumi Kainara, who doesn't believe them about the whole anime thing but thinks it's interesting.

While there is obviously a lot of comedy and love for all things otaku built into this, my plan is to really dive into the deeper themes of what happiness looks like to different people, how we treat eachother, and the ways that neurodivergency and/or trauma can completely shape the way our life goes. After all, for the majority of people, a girl who claims her hair is Naturally pink and that she's actually the main character of an anime, who dictates everything she does around that concept and never breaks character, is... a cringe-ass chunibyo loser who's clearly delusional. i also want to try and capture the essence of why Anime Club-types have always been the safest people for me.

it will still be quite a while before i can get to actually drawing out a comic, but i've been soooo excited about it for YEARS now, and it's continually inspired me to watch more anime and really take in the inspirations. and obviously it will have some innaccuracies to it since ultimately i am an american drawing on my personal experience with the anime scene here, which i'm aware can ultimately be very different from how it is over in japan. but hey, trying to learn enough to avoid those mishaps is part of the fun! right now, i've been having a lot of fun figuring out everybody's sense of style when they're not in uniform.

elevator pitch me!!!!! tell me about ur projects!!!! hiiii

#yeah enjoy those concept pages they're the closest i've gotten to actually starting this damn thing in uuuhhhhhh 7 years? 8?#in fairness i had a BAD depressive episode that kinda shut down my will to work on any of my projects :(#but hey tolkein didnt publish his thing until he was in his 40s so i got time #god though this always takes me straight back to being a teenager. i love them all so much

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