#v: variant

[emeraldxphoenix]

plotted starter for @wildcxrds for Alex

It’s infuriating to travel everywhere by foot. Asgard has horses and ships, and Midgard has cars, boats and planes, but the only transport currently available to Loki is his own two feet. Any use of his magic beyond the basic signature concealment spell he uses would advertise his whereabouts to his pursuers – Heimdall, Thor, Odin – like a fucking beacon. Which would obviously be game over. Not that Loki thinks his adoptive father would kill him for what he’s done ( – though such a sentence might actually be a mercy – ) but the trickster doesn’t doubt that Odin would imprison him, leaving him a sitting duck for Thanos and the punishment sure to follow. All in all, not a viable outcome.

Which leaves him to walk across this damn realm, scurrying from bolt hole to bolt hole like a fox being hunted, or a rat that knows the palace cats are nearby. It would be humiliating, if the god weren’t so focussed on simply surviving. There is no plan this time, no scheme, merely the desperation to keep moving, and the need for his fractured mind and broken body to heal. When that finally happens, if it ever does, the trickster will make a plan.

Dried leaves crunch underfoot as the god comes to an abrupt halt. Between tree trunks, comfortably concealed some distance away, sits the outline of horizontal logs and a low hanging roof. Gaze flicks down his body, over stolen clothes and long, matted hair. Perhaps he can beg – or steal – some aid. Perhaps, out here in the middle of nowhere, his face will not be known. Cautiously, Loki bends his steps towards the cabin.

Thud. One boot makes contact with the lowest step. “Hello?” Thud. And another. “Is anyone here?”. Thud. “I am here to... I need help.” Thud. “I was… lost in the woods. And I… fell.” Slightly lame, as lies go, but hopefully it will do for now.

[emeraldxphoenix]

The girl’s silent gaze is answer enough to his question. Before him, sitting on the floor of his Essos house, in old and filthy rags, with a tiny dragon on her shoulder, is a girl of one of the most noble bloodlines in the land. His father would have a conniption if he knew. Thankfully, Loki hasn’t spoken to Odin in years, and is wise enough to know what information his mother and brother can or cannot be trusted with; an occurrence such as this is not one to be shared, even within his own household. Bea will be informed, and nothing is kept from Sigyn, but anything beyond that would compromise all their safety. The conflict that led the girl here may be over, but it would be foolish to assume that those remaining have chosen to forgive and forget it all. Best to keep her hidden until the region’s stability is certain.

“Let me guess: your parents sent you away to escape the bloodshed, and somehow you managed to make it to the continent.” It’s obvious, really, when one thinks about it. “But you lost your protectors, and were captured by slavers,” – green eyes flick down to the soiled dress – “brutes who could see neither the humanity, nor the business sense, in properly caring for you.” Lips curl in distaste at the thought. It’s hypocritical, Loki knows – after all, he put money in those slavers' pockets by purchasing her – but he has spent his life working within systems, bribing and threatening, finding loopholes to exploit. He does not have his brother’s naive hope that such systems can be overthrown. People are simply too selfish. 

“You kept this beautiful creature a secret though…” The Mage has his gaze fixed on the tiny dragon, eyes alight with wonder. “Since you wouldn’t tell me your name, will you tell me theirs? Unless, of course, you’ve changed your mind about sharing your name. Or talking to me at all.” Lips quirk in sardonic amusement, certain that such a thing is merely wishful thinking. Still, it doesn’t hurt to try. Speaking of trying, Loki slowly and carefully reaches out a hand towards the dragon, offering it to be sniffed before twisting his hand in an attempt to run a finger down the elegant scaled back. Is it unwise? Most definitely. But the Lysene can’t help his impulsivity sometimes, and the whole situation has his reckless side just itching with curiosity. Just wait until he tells Sigyn about this.

Sapphire chirps softly and nips at her cheek as if she is trying to comfort the child. They have been through so much together in the short few years they have been alive and Elaena should not feel as weary as she does at the age of eight years old. If she is to be murdered here in Essos, at least she knows her family is awaiting her when the Stranger comes to collect her soul. Mother always warned her of men and refused to send her away with the boys, because she didn't trust anyone around a little girl. Now she is trapped in the household of one and he not only knows of Sapphire, but also Elaena's heritage as it seems. It's not hard to make assumptions after seeing the dragon, because there is only one dragonseed family left in all the continents. No other house is able to claim dragons the way the Targaryens do and even the people in Essos are aware of that, given her father spent a decade living here in Pentos with his first family.

When he asks if she is a Targaryen, Ella doesn't speak but just fixes him with a weary gaze. The silver hair and lavender colored hues are all the answer he needs to that question, alongside the dragon that is currently coiling its tale around the girl's neck and scuttling down her arm to sniff at the air and breathe out a puff of smoke. Sapphire cannot produce fire yet, most dragons can't. Her brother's dragons were almost fully grown when they died and she had never seen them breathe fire. It takes time to develop such abilities and they never had time to grow old enough to learn them. All her brothers and their mounts are gone now. The war claimed them all and there are no dragons left in Westeros, she supposes. What a sad end to the house Targaryen, once mighty and proud, now reduced to a scared child in a completely different part of the world.

When the man claims that she is safe with him either way, Elaena doesn't have the energy to disagree. She was supposed to keep her identity hidden, but that is easier said than done when one sticks out like a sore thumb. The people of Essos are tan skinned, with dark hair and eyes so even on the best of days she is hard to overlook, given how fair she is. If her new master is able to figure out the truth, others will as well. And she is certain there is a formidable price on her head. Even if there isn't, she is sure that people would try to sell her out to Aegon for their own gain and her bloodthirsty uncle would kill her, she has no doubt. The way he came to their home and dragged them before his dragon to slay his own sister - she thinks him a monster. And monsters don't have mercy with children, that is one truth the war taught her.

[sami32e]

DeviantArt mirror here

Here is a project almost one year in the making: A sprite chart of Undertale AUs and Multiverses. The credits are massive, so I'll keep it brief.

The order of characters in the rows is: Ink, Error, Core, Dream, Nightmare, Fresh, Blueberror, Fatal, Dr. Sans and an extra Outcode.

Enjoy

Undertale & Deltarune by Toby Fox

Underfell by @underfell (Vic the Underfella)

Underswap by Hatsune Miku

Swapfell by Kkhoppang

Hardtale by CedDrawsNear

Fellswap Gold by @blackggggum

Underfellswap by @swapfell

Swapswap ( @swapswapofficial ) by @oranskullblade, Resurgence Swapswap by Dunkly

Dusttale by Osteophile and @ask-dusttale

Remains (Dusterror) by @flapvoir-real

Horrortale by @horrortalecomic (Sour Apple Studios)

Killertale/Something New by @rahafwabas

Paper Jam by @7goodangel

Gradient Sans & @askcomboclub by @roseworks

Quantumtale by @perfectshadow06

Superior Papyrus by Kurbo0

Index Sans & Dr. Clockworx by @tgps-crib

Mr. Paradox by @jaumj

Goth Afterdeath by @nekophy

Paper Crane by @little-noko

Goopytale by @sunnysheadraws and Arts Kislali

Xtale & Underverse ( @xtaleunderverse ) by @jakei95

A L I V E by @tatatale

Challenger Papyrus & R.E.M.N.A.N.T. by Waterfallapollo

Cutter Chara and Needle Asriel by @zaylephant

Agent Buttercup by me

Inktale by @comyet

Errortale, Aftertale and Underfresh by @loverofpiggies

Core Frisk ( @corefrisk ) by @dokudoki

Dreamtale by @jokublog

Fatal Error ( @fatal-error-blog) by @xedramon

Doctor Sans by @flapvoir-real

Honeycomb Ralsei by @laptoparmageddon

Fellink (Dye) and Fellgravity by Alter9code

Fellafter by @medioric-hyper and Ermburh

Fellerror (Flaw & Flawine), Felldream (Oneiro & Ephialtes) and Fellfatal by Mettalicc and Daviduzzzzzz

Fellcore Frisk by @inkbrucel

Fellfresh/Unfresh (Rocker) by me

Fell Dr.Sans by @tresh4kww

Swapink (Indi) by @wishingstarinajar

Swapafter & Swapfatal by ZeroCofee06/ZeroSans06

Swaperror (Fallacy & Fallrot) and Swapcore Chara by Mettalic and Daviduzzzzzz

Fallacy redesign by me

Swapdream take and Doctor Paps by @tresh4kww

Swapfresh (Zippy) by @rainbowsans

Hex Error Sans by @stankychee

Supremeverse by @flapvoir-real

The Variants by @glitchy-squidd

Airbrush (and by extension Brushwork) by @adorablemew

NO!Sansverse by @tging24

Swapfellverse by @enigmapapyrus

Hardafter by @medi0creking and @medioric-hyper

Hardink (Pastel), Harderror (Critical), Harddream (Euphoria & Misery/Nightterror), Hardfresh and Hardfatal by @medi0creking

Pastel redesign and Hardcore Frisk by me

[vertigoartgore]

2023's Detective Comics Vol.1 #1071 variant cover by artist Ivan Reis, inker Danny Miki and colourist Brad Anderson.

[viyojo]

slice

[emeraldxphoenix]

Frigga had been the bearer of the news. She – the woman he had once called mother, who now was not and yet could never be anything but mother to him – had knocked on the door with gentle surety, and then had the kindness to wait for him to open it rather than simply let herself in. Odin had always just let himself in, but not her. The compassion cut deeper than the knives Loki had concealed beneath torn curtains. He didn't deserve it, not any of this; a monster is not entitled to respect, to tenderness – and yet Frigga offered it to him anyway. He despised it. 

Still, Loki made use of that moment. A flash of green eyes cleared the floor of blood and broken glass, and a golden glamour shimmered into existence to conceal sunken eyes, matted hair, and self-inflicted wounds. Mo– Frigga will have known that he was hiding, but hopefully she believed it merely a prideful presentation choice and nothing more. Whatever she surmised from her shrewd gaze when she entered, the goddess chose not to share with him – instead she had embraced him, named him son, and told him of his fate. Marriage. Banishment, in all but name. She called it a kindness, a relief, but Loki merely wished that Odin had chosen to execute him. It’s what is supposed to happen to creatures like him, after all.

For him, however, there was no such release. There was only continued confinement to his rooms, trunks for him to pack his belongings in ( – he packed nothing, he has no right to any of it – ) and awkward, stifled visits from not-family who no longer, aside from Frigga, knew how to look him in the eye. Sigyn didn’t visit. Loki didn’t blame her. The only glimpse he received of her was as they were leaving, the Queen exchanging final words with Thor while Asgard’s guards escorted the trickster to the gathered Vanaheim delegation and gladly washed their hands of him. Loki of Asgard no more.

So now he waits, alone in the rooms he used to stay in as a prince, and methodically cuts away at illusion-flesh. No guards wait outside the door beyond what a royal family might expect for protection. No wards upon the doorway prevent his exit, or restrain his magic. But none of it matters: Loki has nowhere else to go. Instead he will remain, seated on the floor in the far corner of the room, ignoring the food left for him on the table ( – he hasn’t eaten since he failed even at dying – ) and waiting for the arbiter of his fate to pay him a visit. They were friends once. He doesn’t have the strength of mind to hope that will make her kind.

A knock on the door. How long has he been sitting here? It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. Loki, it’s Sigyn. May I come in? She has Frigga’s compassion. It makes Loki want to tear his hair out. A swift twist of his hand and the bloodied knife is returned to his pocket dimension; a flash of magic and the same glamour he used earlier settles upon his skin. He looks well, healthy, Æsir. What’s one more lie to add to the many coiling around his heart?

He rises gracefully to his feet. “You may.” She enters then, the woman he loves – no: loved, because surely frost giants aren’t capable of love? – as beautiful as she ever was, wearing Queenship like she was made for it. Perhaps she was. Loki drops his gaze respectfully to the floor, falling back on long-learned lessons from the royal court. “My lady Queen. It is kind of you to visit.” A bow – because they are not equals anymore, in truth they never were – and the trickster falls silent, waiting for question, or instruction, or permission to speak. Why am I here? He wants to scream. You should have thrown me from the Bifrost. But he doesn’t. Instead he waits; waits for the Queen of Vanaheim to tell him what she wants with a mad and disgraced frost giant runt.

When word first reaches Vanaheim of the events on Asgard - Thor's interrupted coronation and banishment, Odin's incapacitation, Loki's ascension and swift descent into what the Realms are calling madness - Sigyn feels her blood run cold.

Her advisors call for her to use this unrest to their advantage, and their Queen can see their point, but she'd called Asgard home for such a long time, considered Thor to be her friend... And had been betrothed to Loki, before her life's path had diverted from the one they had planned to walk together.

It's that last fact which burns in her mind as she travels to Asgard to meet with Odin.

The two monarchs bargain and debate over Vanaheim's fealty to him as Allfather for hours, and it is clear from the off that Odin expected this to be easy. But Sigyn is not cowed by him, and she has always been a shrewd diplomat and a confident negotiator. Now that she is Queen of Vanaheim - now she has things that he needs - her confidence in facing him is a thing to behold.

In the end, terms are agreed. In exchange for the people of Vanaheim continuing to recognise the Allfather's authority over even that of their own Queen, they will receive an increased presence during inter-Realm diplomatic discussions which concern them. In exchange for their assistance in rebuilding the Bifröst, the Vanir will receive aid in defending their Realm's eastern border, which has been beset by marauders in the aftermath of the bridge's destruction.

Sigyn's final term is a personal one, but is framed as a benevolent act to relieve the Allfather of one of his more pressing issues. Odin cannot allow Loki to retain his status in Asgard after what he did, but Frigga will not condone consigning her son to a life locked away as the Æsir's shameful secret. Sigyn offers them an alternative, one hinging upon the fact that her betrothal to Loki was never formally dissolved.

And Odin accepts it.

Without the Bifröst, travel between Asgard and the other Realms is reliant upon Odin wielding old, complex magic. One of the outcomes of this is that it means that the time between the decision being made and her actually returning to Vanaheim with Loki is incredibly brief - which means she doesn't have time to speak to him, before it happens.

He is not coming with us as our prisoner, she insists to the advisors who accompanied her to Asgard, and she is thankful that none of them question her.

Not only have her advisors known her for her whole life, but she is also acutely aware that the fact that they know Loki is likely working in her favour here. They remember the young Prince who was adored by their second Princess, and Sigyn is relieved that they understand her decision now.

There are other titles which she has possessed since long before she held the title of Queen there were others she possessed, and the Goddess of Fidelity won't abandon someone she loved - someone she loves.

Rooms are prepared for Loki - the very rooms he used to stay in when he visited Queen Freyja's halls when he was younger. He is not heavily guarded, and no restrictions are placed upon his power. Sigyn trusts him, even after all this time. Even now.

And from a less sentimental perspective: he is injured and (she presumes) still mentally reeling from everything that has happened to him. He's hardly in much of a state to cause any serious trouble.

A few hours after their arrival in Vanaheim, Sigyn finally manages to extricate herself from discussions with her advisors. She needs to speak to him, alone, and it can't wait any longer. She regrets having had to make him wait at all.

When she comes to stand outside the door to the rooms he has been placed in, she hesitates. She doesn't feel like a Queen, now. She just feels like a girl who has loved somebody for almost her entire life, and is trying to find a way to help them.

Sigyn raises her hand, and knocks on the closed door. Her voice is gentle, just loud enough to be heard.

"Loki? It's Sigyn." No titles, just her name. "May I come in?"

surprise(ish) starter for @emeraldxphoenix

[iraprince]

Being a long-time Ira Content Consumer™️ is extremely funny when an OC gets recycled because you get a sudden ‘Huh wasn’t that the guy who had cat ears?’ And you look them up in your high school yearbook and they sure do have cat ears and appear to maybe have green goo joints. Then you open facebook and they have Two Beautiful Girlfriends and No Cat Ears. You stare out the window. Perhaps in another lifetime…nay…another universe…

oh yeah varlet in particular has been body snatched/renamed/sliced up and divvied among other oc concepts more than once. that cat has been through the wringer. not even a cat anymore. turned into sausage and then reconstituted into a robobunny. haven't even decided the new pronouns yet if we're being honest

[xia0ming56]

Hated that last episode so i drew this to convince myself i liked it

[smashpages]

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 (DC, August 2024) variant cover by Homare

[loversgothic]

quick alt style sketches

[batbabydamian]

Al Ghul enjoyer PKJ as writer and Rebirth Nightwing artist Javi Fernandez for the new Batman and Robin team…fascinating…

this new run is distinctly darker in tone just based on the summary alone, but i’m so curious how “a different way to help the world begins to present itself” could mean for Damian!!

[emeraldxphoenix]

@victoriousfidelity said “   The multiple failed assassination attempts against me have helped build both character and self esteem. ”

As the timing of entrances go, it’s pretty spectacular. The Queen’s council sits around its usual table, Sigyn herself at its head as she, typically, manages to see the good even in attempted murder ( – the same kindness and strength that meant she saw the good even in a disgraced frost giant). And then Loki enters – not a council member but permitted entrance as per the Queen’s prior instruction – the conclusion to these assassination attempts contained within the sack he has clutched in one hand.

Attention shifts to him of course, various flavours of outrage passing across old men’s faces, confusion across some, concern across his wife’s. Before she, or any of them, can speak, the trickster strides forwards, black boots marking confident steps across the polished floor. Violet blooms across his cheekbone, and he really needs to speak to a healer about the angle of one of his fingers, but delivering this information could not wait.

“Your majesty. Council.” A respectful bow to his wife, and inclination of the head to the others present. Many of them are not on the best terms, but at this moment Loki couldn’t care less about political squabbles. “It is my pleasure to inform you that the source of the assassination attempts has been discovered. He will present no further problems.”

[emeraldxphoenix]

The Mage leans back in their seat, elegantly crossing one leg over the other as they wait for an explanation. It is not often they involve themselves in discipline, whether of their slaves, employees, or children, but by skipping out on her lessons today, Elaena disobeyed one of their few rules: do not lie to Sigyn or Angrboða. So here they both find themselves in Loki’s study, the girl caught out in a lie – she really is an awful liar – and called upon to provide an explanation. The absurdity of disciplining the daughter of a former queen is not lost on them.

Eyebrows shoot sky-high at the claim that lessons are boring and that she, and the unruly twins, elected to do something ‘more fun’. Loki would be the first to admit that being forced to learn or abide by rules one is not interested in is tedious, but Elaena is not permitted the same excuses as their other children. While they have been educated equally – boys, girls and neither all together, learning skills of the battlefield and the household, tutored until the beginnings of adulthood – and each has been permitted to leave their studies once they have determined upon a course of further study or employment, it is not so for the princess. Sleip excused himself from lessons aged thirteen to become an equine physician-groom, and Fen aged twelve to breed dogs for hunting and working, and Loki supported their efforts wholeheartedly. But Elaena is royalty, and her education cannot be considered complete until she is adept in the history and diplomacy of her people. As much as they don’t want to admit it, her adoptive parents know she will wish to return one day.

It seems that ‘one day’ is today.

“You did what?” Their voice is icy cold, initial disbelief over the girl’s tale morphing swiftly into horror. Eleana is an adult now, there is no denying it, but she remains young, naive and delicate-looking. Easy prey for any man with ill intentions. “Am I to understand that you skipped your lessons here to go into the city, without proper protection – and no, my sons do not count before you say anything about them – to meet an unknown man who you knew was searching for you?” Loki, now sitting forward in the chair, lifts a hand to run long fingers through their hair. “By the old gods, what made you do something so foolish?”

A beat of silence, and the Lysene abruptly rises from their seat, releasing a frustrated sigh and pacing to the window. What the fuck will all those years, and all those spells, have been for if Elaena is so reckless with her own safety? Spinning round on their heel, they address the princess again. “While I understand you wish to return and meet your family – and I certainly will not stop you from doing so – what you did today was not the correct way to go about it. That man could have been anyone, and you went to meet him without so much as a second thought! Please, for the sake of my extremely fragile sanity, tell me you didn’t tell him who you are?”

@emeraldxphoenix said: [ lie ] sender catches receiver in a lie - for Elaena, whatever age you like. (With the side note that Loki will not be mad if his kids lie to him. Up to you if she knows that yet or not)

Elaena fiddles with the sleeve of her gauzy lavender dress, trying to find a perfect excuse for why she has been out in the city all day, when she was supposed to attend her lessons and even roped the twins into tagging along. "Lessons are boring. We did something more fun", she says with a nonchalant shrug, but she doesn't meet Loki's gaze. Despite years of pretending to be someone else and keeping half of who she is hidden from others, Elaena is not a great liar. Every thought she has is usually on the tip of her tongue and it is rare she holds something back in the confines of Loki's house, unless he entertains guests.

"I went into the city and met with a man...He was looking for a silver haired girl with violet eyes, saying the King of Westeros sent him to look for his sister...the boys overheard him at the market yesterday. So I met with him." She sighs deeply and looks up at Loki. "My brother Viserys returned to Westeros. We thought he was dead, but apparently he was living here in Essos all along as well. And he told my brother Aegon about the rumors that a girl with a dragon lives here. So he sent a guard to investigate." Elaena allows the words to linger between them for a moment. "I want to go home and see my brothers and sisters. They're all married, have children...I want to see them."

[jkparkin]

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #6 (DC, January 2025) variant cover by Mark Spears

[iliketoreadstuf]

i mean this in the nicest way possible but jegulus and solangelo are not variants of each other i’m sorry

[the-masquerade-council]

Queer-ish/Variant-ish part 2

Homo-ish(using this flag)

A term for for when someone's close to but not quite homo(sexual,romantic,ect). This can be for a variety of reasons, including being homoflexible, having a gender that doesn't have "a same/similar" gender(s), have a fluid orientation and/or gender but most commonly experiencing homo attraction, being caed or shadow orientationed, questioning one's orientation but knowing you do experience homo attraction, any other experiences of near but not exactly homo attraction and/or homo attraction with additional complexities to it.

Different specific versions of homo-ish

Lesbian-ish, and Gay-ish,

and Cenelian-ish, and Celarsian-ish