#yurax-mae

[my-words-are-light]

The White That Blinds

So today is the birthday of @yurax-mae and, as she’s a friend of mine, I wanted to write something for her. I don’t know much about her OCs, Caroline and Ebigail, but I’ve always been drawn to the former’s design. Also, I’m a sucker for a good relationship so I wanted to get this written. 

Goddamn it, Mae, would it kill you to tag your posts featuring Caroline and Ebigail? Also, none of your bloody images load. Fix that, damn you.

Oh yeah; happy birthday. Hope it’s a good one, buddy. And hope you like this, too. 

Walking knee deep in the snow was one thing. Walking against a storming wind carrying more snow was another. Having to carry her injured best friend all the while through all that snow was almost too much but Ebigail would not, could not give in; she was determined to bring Caroline to safety in spite of the world itself seemingly out to get her.

Her arms were getting tired. She still wore the thick metal cuffs on her wrists. Carol cut the connecting rope but they couldn’t be removed and they were uncomfortably heavy. Not to mention, with how cold it was, it was affecting the metal and it was starting to bite into her skin. To make matters worse, she was wearing a thin white dress and that was essentially it; her shoes were the barest of sandals. Carol was the one dressed for the snow, with her black hooded coat with matching boots and purple pants.

She was so exhausted and tired… The snow-laden winds obscured any hope that waited in the distance, if there was even any to begin with. She couldn’t even see that well anyway as her eyes were growing heavy with fatigue.

This felt impossible. More than anything, she wanted Carol to wake up. The strong, confident Carol who saw rivers, chasms, and mountains as challenges and wastes of time, never as unconquerable forces of nature. She’d have found their way out of this blizzard by now. She’d smirk and tell her they would march out of this like an evening shower as she rolled her shoulders.

Ebi couldn’t believe like that.

Ebi wasn’t strong like that.

Her heart and body were weak.

She was going to die here and take Carol with her.

That thought had to be defied. To defy it was the only thing that drove her on. Carol didn’t deserve to die. Ebi was worthless but Carol had so much to give to the world, more than Ebi ever would.

And yet Ebi knew, in this tundra, that she could not save her.

She begged for someone to save them like Caroline saved her. For someone, anyone, or anything to come in through the winds and take Carol off her shoulders and to safety. They could leave Ebi behind for all she cared; all that mattered was getting Carol out of this hellscape.

Suddenly she could see a tall dark silhouette ahead beyond the snowstorm.

Ebi nearly tripped in her own disbelief. Something was there, something that could break through this. Something that could save Carol, maybe even herself.

Stay awake… Stay awake… Only her thoughts kept her up as she pushed on with one step after the other. If she fell, she’d never get back up. She just needed to get close enough to make out what that object was. She didn’t have the mental energy to guess; all she could do was discover it for herself.

Her vision blurred and dimmed. Her legs and arms were frozen and numb. She couldn’t feel herself breathing anymore. Yet she finally reached the silhouette.

It was a cave. Shelter.

She scurried inside and threw herself on the ground. As rough as the earth was, she was too numb to feel any pain from the fall. The earth was also cold but at least it was dry and she was no longer being buffeted by the howling snow. She rolled Carol off her shoulders onto the ground next to her, relishing in the relief from the load she was bearing.

Free from the wind, Ebi remained lying where she collapsed. Her panting filled the dark space as she got her breath back. She just needed some more energy. She just needed to recharge.

All the while her eyes never left the unconscious Caroline lying beside her.

Ebi could still hear the wind roaring outside. How did she survive getting here thought that, and while carrying Carol? She almost couldn’t feel anything at this stage and yet she had walked all the way here after all this time. She shouldn’t have. Every instinct told her she shouldn’t have been able to make that trip. That’s up to Caroline…

Carol still wasn’t moving. That was to be expected, given the trek through the snow, but Ebi felt there should be more to do, that they couldn’t relax just yet. She moved closer towards Carol and rummaged through the pockets of her black coat, hoping she would forgive her for the invasion of privacy.

She found what she needed very quickly: a heatstone, an opaque orange gem in which dwelled a faint yet restrained light. She took it to the middle of the cave and placed it in the ground, although the effort took nearly all the strength she had left. She placed her hands on the heatstone and closed her eyes to focus. She prayed. She pushed her thoughts as hard as she could onto the heatstone, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn’t faint from exertion before...

The heatstone started shining. Its light pierced its husk brilliantly, lighting up the cave with a warm light.

It brought an energy that already invigorated Ebi to smile.

She then collapsed on the ground. They had shelter. They had light. They had warmth. Now Ebi could finally sleep, having hope.

“… wake …”

The voice came to Ebi, although it was muffled by her exhaustion. She had no strength to open her eyes, much less respond in kind.

“… Eb, wake up…”

Oh, it was Carol’s voice. Ebi would’ve smiled if she was able. She felt sad for not being able to respond to Carol, even if she was tired.

“Eb, you okay?”

She tried as hard as she could and managed to breathe out a “Yeah…”

“Ah, alright. Take it easy. Snowing hard out there. We’re not getting out for a while.” A thud sounded throughout the cave and Ebi could tell it was from Carol sitting down as abruptly as was natural for her.

The heatstone was still active; Ebi only just realised she could still feel its warm light. At least they didn’t die from the cold. And yet Ebi still felt sore and frozen in her arms, legs, and face.

She slowly opened her eyes. The heatstone was bright as usual and Carol was indeed sitting down next to her, but also looking at her. An eyepatch covered one of her eyes, under which the ends of a scar escaped from the top and bottom, but Carol still looked friendly in her own way. She smiled and raised a hand in greeting.

Ebi couldn’t move her head but she did her best to smile back.

“The hell happened, by the way?” asked Carol. “How’d we end up here?”

“Carried…” Ebi panted. “Me… you…”

Carol’s eyes widened. “Are you saying you carried me? All the way through all that snow? To this cave?”

“Mhm…”

Carol leaned back, taking a breath. “Wow. Didn’t know you could hike.”

Neither did Ebi. She still didn’t think she could.

“Oh, and, uh… thanks. Appreciate it.”

Ebi didn’t hold the delay against her. She was sure Carol was thankful even if she didn’t express it at first.

“Your face is really messed up, by the way.”

“Huh…?”

“Yeah, like…” Carol leaned down towards Ebi to look closer at her. “The right side of your face looks like the back of a crab.”

What did that mean? Did she mean her face felt hard? Ebi couldn’t tell; she felt numb and frozen.

“Might be frostbite? You must’ve been out there a while.”

“Mhm…”

“Your toes look pretty bad as well. Like bad sausages.”

Ebi couldn’t see her toes from this angle but she’d take Carol’s word for it. She trusted her, much like she trusted how she couldn’t feel her toes.

“And you look pale all over…” Carol frowned. “Damn it, Eb, why didn’t you take my coat? Or even my boots? You walked all the way here.”

She knew Carol was concerned for her. She didn’t think much of herself but she at least knew Carol wasn’t angry with her. “Cold…” she muttered.

“Huh? Yeah, what about it?”

“You’d… be cold…”

Carol regarded her with a flat expression. “Yeah, it’s snowing. And you’re wearing a huge tissue. You needed warmth more than I did.”

“No…”

Carol raised the eyebrow of her one visible eye. “No? No what?”

Ebi looked away from Carol. “I’m sorry…”

“Sorry for what? What’s going on?”

“I’m…” Ebi bit her lip. “I’m worthless…”

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa.” Carol quickly yet firmly placed a hand on Ebi’s shoulder. It was a practiced gesture, not an instinctive one. “No you are not worthless. I know worthless people and you are not worthless. You need to stop telling yourself that.”

“But…” Even as her eyes trembled, she still looked back at Carol. “What am I good for? You’re so strong… You look after me… All I’m good for is getting saved and wasting food and time on… I can’t help you… I can’t help anyone…”

“Says the girl who walked through that much snow and got me into a warm cave.”

“So…? You weren’t supposed to be there anyway. You went there to get me out of trouble… It’s because I’m here you’re getting hurt…”

Carol sat back down again. After a moment, she grinned at Ebi. “I think it’s cute we have a lot in common but that’s one thing only I should think.”

Ebi blinked suddenly. “What…?”

Carol pointed a finger at her eyepatch. Without being touched, it flipped up. The good news was that there was still a whole eye under it. That said, the eye’s schlera was black and the iris was the yellow of a predator hiding in the bushes. You could call it whatever you liked but it was not a human eye.

“Remember this?” asked Carol. “This—and, well, the telekinesis I guess—should tell you what the hell I’m doing here. You’re not meant to help me; that’s my job. I’ve got the means and everything and I’m supposed to be looking after you. I’m supposed to save you and give you food and time.”

Ebi had to think about her answer. “But why? Who told you that?”

“I did.” Carol pointed a thumb at herself. “I thought, if I’m this good, I don’t need to rely on other people. You’re not this good and that’s why you do. I’m supposed to be looking after you. What good am I if I don’t?”

“But you’re not different from us.”

Carol scoffed, raising the eyebrow of her scarred eye. “You really believe that?”

“Yes.”

Carol froze. “Really?”

“You’re so much more than your powers or what you look like.”

There was no answer for several silent moments. Then Carol looked down at Ebi sternly, just as Ebi thought that… “The same goes for you, then.”

Even after double the quiet that Carol was granted, Ebi had no answer for that.

Outside, the snow was still raging. How long had it been since they got inside this cavern? They had no way to keep time in here but it felt like it had been days.

“Alright, that does it,” said Carol, standing up with a grunt and flipping her eyepatch back down. “We can’t stay here any longer; you need a doctor. I’m carrying you.”

“What? But Carol—”

“And this time,” she began as she slid off her coat, revealing a frilly pink undershirt, “you’re wearing my coat.”

Carol took Ebi by her wrist and pulled her up into a sitting position but that was as rough as she was going to get with her. As she put the coat on, she was gentle and patient, even as she struggled to pull the coat’s wrists over Ebi’s metal cuffs.

It was a very warm coat. Thick and heavy, too. It was just Carol’s style and Ebi could see why she wore it all the time. Even then… “Carol, please, I shouldn’t wear—”

“Eb.” Carol picked up Eb and carried her on her back. “You’re right about one thing.”

“Huh…?”

Carol smirked at her. “I’m strong enough. We’re gonna march out of this.”

Without waiting for an answer, Carol strolled right out of the cave into the snow.

Writing this taught me that I have three goals:

1) Find out how to start sentences without pronouns.

2) Find out how to write short stories that aren’t just conversations where the characters are doing jack all.

3) Make my friends happy.

Happy birthday, Mae. I’m lucky to know you.

[gravity-memories]

✨Gravity Memories Contributor Spotlight✨ It's time for our very last spotlight, featuring Yurax-Mae! Her charming artwork includes dozens of Gravity Rush characters having a fun night out! Will you be able to find all of them?

[gravityrushcentral]

"Me. My girlfriend. And her four foot stuffed rabbit from god knows where." A funny Gravity Rush version of a recent meme on Twitter, made by Yurax-Mae!

For more of Yurax-Mae's work, check out her Twitter and Instagram:

https://twitter.com/yuraxmae https://www.instagram.com/yurax.mae/

Based on this original tweet: https://twitter.com/SkoochLoL/status/1269363003901657088

[tichshowers]

Tagged by @nazzkid!

We’re snooping on your playlist. Put your music library on shuffle and tell us the first ten songs that pop up. Then tag your victims.

1. This Is Not The End - The Bravery

2. Mastering the World’s Smallest Violin - The Flatliners

3. Waterslides! - The Aquabats!

4. Along for the Ride - The Bronx

5. Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard

6. Worlds Apart - .. And You Know Us By The Trail of The Dead

7. The Walking Wounded - Bayside

8. Skate Or Die - Teenage Bottlerocket

9. I Don’t Care - Fall Out Boy

10. Tihuana Sunrise - Goldfinger

I tag: @yurax-mae, @limbonix, @lugiponi, @clawsible, @felidaeng, @ithilmiriel, @lavalot, @newcalamity

[limbonix]

Taleons RE #3 by Limbonix

[nightrainrosefaunus]

RWBY Blake by Yurax-Mae

[z-foodzine]

Z-Food! Zine: Artists

Here is the finalised list of all the artists who have been selected to participate in the zine! Thank you so much for joining us!

ZINE ARTISTS

Aaaliya MJ @aaaliyaamj

Alu @rainingcats

Annie @artmishap

Ash Cancio @arc-etype

Auru @aursaurs

Cat Azevedo @unregisteredcat

Charlotte.M @saladmay

heybutterbee @heybutterbee 

ieafy @ieafy

Jestenia @citrusfoam

Jody Perkins @dizzieskizze

jojostory

Katha @keypyon

Lemoncreamsicle @lemoncreamsicle

Limedumplr @limedumplr

mahou @mahoupoop

Mimi @2mi127

Minji Fox @artblogofminji

mistawolfie @mistawolfie

Miupachi @miupachi

Mori @azuumori 

Naomi Romero

Olivine Arc @olivinearc

Pinochi

Pixie! @bibbidibobbididette

Munchkin Works @munchkinworks 

Sen @sen-paaii

Siplick @siplick

Sly-8 @sly-8

Sony-Shock @sonyshock

Stephanie Priscilla

Sunniiee @sunniieedraws

Yoriel @yoriel-wiz

Yuny

Yurax-Mae

Zebraa4 @zebraa4

Zungie

Zenith @jar-of-rubies

MERCH ARTISTS

Bea @sillybro

Cremechronicles @crispycremespace

Emalf

Isabella Scott @extracrabs 

Laur @lauren-n-taylor

Nivetha @redsketches

[didweallfalldown]

ying yang by sackura ❤ liked on Polyvore

Keep Moving Forward, yurax-mae: Transparent Neo anyone? :) ©... / Black Pink opens official Instagram account / 4shared - View all images at Efeitos folder

[gravityrushcentral]

This is stellar work from yurax-mae who did a #sailormoonredraw and #asukeredraw challenge for Kat and Raven!

Be sure to check out Yurax-Mae's other work on Twitter and Instagram:

https://twitter.com/yuraxmae

https://www.instagram.com/yurax.mae/

Original tweet: https://twitter.com/yuraxmae/status/1263538938037190656 Reposted with permission.

[my-words-are-light]

Destiny Pride/Saverstar references

So you know Destiny Pride’s the protagonist of the Ngawooin Project (pronounced nar-woo-in). I’ve commissioned a lot of resources to be drawn of her and I shall share them with you now.

Here are Des’ reference sheets, which I commissioned from the wonderfully talented @yurax-mae​ (and whose OC, Caroline, I imagine would get along swimmingly with Des).

Here are the symbol and bow of Saverstar, commissioned from the graphic designer @danielscholes who is a joy to work with. Look closely and you can see the symbol on the bow’s handle in the middle.

[my-words-are-light]

10 Songs Tag

Finally, a tag game I can finally be in despite lacking any WIP to speak of! Thank you, @raiswanson (Also, fantastic taste with Undertale)!

Fortunately, even though this isn’t a writing specific tag game, I will use songs that are connected to my writing and how so.

Rules: Write down 10 songs you’re currently obsessed with, then tag 10 people.

1) The Second One by Machinae Supremacy

Out of so many songs I listen to, The Second One has a dear place in my head. I love its beat and, like so many other Machinae Supremacy songs, I love its lyrics. This is where I think the vocalist truly shines, whereas he’s rather divisive in every other song.

This song fits a certain sort of character. A character who is tormented by the harm they’ve wrought and that they’re capable of. But they’re working through it, thanks to the people that believe in them. People who are actually capable of good, who aren’t inflicted by the same vices they are. But this character wants to be like that as well. Although they’re not “The One”, they can be a hero all the same.

2) Perfect by Ed Sheeran (with Beyonce)

Oh don’t give me that. I’m a sucker for a good romance and, cross my heart and hope to die, Ed Sheeran utterly nails the tear jerking, heartfelt love between two people. Beyonce, albeit a bit questionable at times, is the second one (tee hee, puns) and gives the story of the song its second leading role that compounds the message better than anyone alone could.

To define a good romance is hard for me but Ed Sheeran sings it better than I can say it. That said, I like to believe I’m a better writer than that so I’ll at least say this: everything you’ve heard about love being the most powerful thing in the world is true, for better or worse. It drives you to act, it drives you to care, and it drives you to want. But there’s something important about that last point; it drives you to want not just for your sake, but for the people you love.

3) Silent Melody by Working For A Nuclear Free City

Like inFAMOUS itself, this song makes me feel empowered. The lyrics and instrumentals alike conduct throughout my body. At last, I believe, I feel like I have the entirety of God’s power coursing through my arms. What’s important here isn’t that the song sounds as much or says as much; it’s that it feels as much. The song is, most importantly of all, visceral. 

If you ever want to tell of a story of a godlike being, or someone who believes their power is as such, this song is a perfect fit. Put it on repeat for eight hours and get writing.

4) I’m Born To Run by American Authors

Many thanks to @brynprocrastinates for introducing me to this song. This is basically the musical version of a character running down a hill in a verdant valley and then leaping off a cliff only to fly high above the nearby town. It starts off good and pumping but it’s after the second chorus that it really shines, coming to life with truly electrifying energy that makes me feel unstoppable.

This song is perfect for a traveller on an epic adventure, preferably not a grimdark one. Who truly enjoys the freedom of travel and the wind beneath their wings as they take flight.

On that note...

5) Don’t Worry by Hiroyuki Sawano

Goodness gracious, does this song come late in the game. Not only do you have to get a Skell, which is at least 20 hours into Xenoblade Chronicles X, but then you have to get the bloody flight module, which is about double the way through the game. I’ve had exams that didn’t feel like they lasted that long. But that’s the wonder of it; as they say, a pleasure delayed is a pleasure magnified. And once you’ve fought and struggled and worked to get that flight module and you go on your maiden voyage, this beautiful song plays.

There’s a contrast between this entry and the last; while I’m Born To Run fits well with the commencement of a journey, Don’t Worry has no better place to be than the journey’s zenith, when you peak above the clouds and see the heavens and be among them, and it is beautiful.

6) Further by LifeForce

DAMN THIS FIVE VIDEO LIMIT!

Oh whatever. I discovered this song at the end credits of the freeware game Iji and I fell in love for morbidly depressing reasons. What a perfect yet awful time for the song to play. Make no mistake; it’s not bleak, since you’re definitely making progress, but it’s to a deep darkness. Worse yet, you want to go there. There is something there that will save you by dooming the both of you.

It’s a very nihilistic song but with a sense of progress. Never did I think I’d hear something like that.

7) With Me by All Ends

Of course it’s a Sonic song. The series has a bad reputation for its gameplay and a stellar reputation for its soundtracks. With Me from Sonic and the Black Knight is no exception; this absolutely atrocious game has one of the best final boss themes for the series. The vocals are from the viewpoint of the villain, who has their reasons for doing the things they do but it’s clear they cannot be allowed to continue.

We say villains are more than monsters. Villains are heroes of their own stories, with their own reasons and motivations. This is a gracious mercy we offer them but With Me makes it perfectly clear: they do not offer such mercy to heroes in kind. They will fight, they will fight hard, and heroes must answer them.

8) Jet Set Run by Yuki Hayashi

There are very few things I can say about this track that other people haven’t, and better at that, but this truly is a fantastic song for fist-pumping heroic moments. Seriously, there are analyses of this song. Look for them.

9) Welcome to the Show by Britt Nicole

No, this song has absolutely nothing to do with that My Little Pony song by the same name. However, I LOVE this song. It is as energetic as all get out and it’s like a theatre and a rock concert inside a giant hamster ball rolling down the Mountain of Doom towards the Fortress of Doom. 

Whenever I think about a light-hearted adventure story featuring a cast predominantly full of girls, I think of this song. I think of that cast kicking arse without angsting and without worrying about their bad guys who are unambiguously evil but lightly so like Lord Hater. Just them, bad guys, and a whole lot of fun. I love this song.

10) Kryptonite (AOL Session) by 3 Doors Down

Yes, this version takes the final slot instead of the normal radio version. This song, this version, is my most favourite song of all time. This version specifically captures the desperation, the loneliness, and the sheer powerlessness one feels as they try to do the right thing. But it’s something worth doing even while it’s destroying you.

This song inspires my visions of heroism. Both Renna Gonn and Destiny Pride take cues from this, albeit in very different ways. 

Tagging: @cog-writes, @yurax-mae, @kaleidic-art, @ononokinonon, @limbonix, @derpyslurpy-da-derp-master, @destiny-smasher, @sakura-rose12, @greenhousewriting, and @byjillianmaria.

[my-words-are-light]

Fatal Flaws

Got tagged by @ononokinonon for this thing right here. I’ll be doing Destiny Pride and Renna Gonn.

Destiny Pride

I) Fatal flaw: You’re an idealist in a cruel, callous world.

You want the world to be good. Here’s the problem: it’s usually not. At best it’s subpar. At worst it’s a nightmare void, and your naiveté is simply a plot device used to emphasise this point. Your inability to accept the world’s present darkness will lead to your untimely downfall, but not before your dewy-eyed idealism and rosy visions of utopia erode away. You will become a shell of your former self. Sorry about that. Yikes

Renna Gonn

A) Fatal flaw: Your uncompromising sense of justice.

When it comes to right and wrong, there’s no gray area. Not for you. You’re like a cop who says stuff like, "Listen, buddy, I don't make the rules—but I WILL enforece them." Look, you’ve got principles, and I get that. I can respect that. But you’re going to wind up dead in a river (JAVERT) if you don’t ease up a little on the rulebook and reconcile these two opposing viewpoints before a convict saves your life and shatters everything you thought you knew.

Personal assessment:

Destiny’s not that much of an idealist; she knows how dark the world can be and people can be monstrous. The thing is that she just doesn’t want to have anything to do with it; she wants to coast through life without drama. So yeah, Destiny’s an idealist in that she just wants the world to work for her. Problem is that it won’t and she needs to get used to her new gig soon.

Renna is probably more aware than everyone how grey right and wrong can be. In fact, she is probably as far from any law book that exists and she goes by her own moral code, hence her name. She also keeps in mind the morality of the people she interacts with. In fact, she keeps everything in mind as she approaches a situation. Also, Vansphor has no naturally occurring bodies of water. Also also, Renna is as far from Javert as she can be.

Tagging: 

@author-intraining, @greenhousewriting, @freshairandspearmint, @learning2beme, @byjillianmaria, @lady-redshield-writes, @writingswitch, @sincerestaffect, @tea-and-pirates, @beefragment, @cadewrites, @embarrassingwriter, @eric-fi, @bwauthors, @writerkaitlinm, @robinbibliophile, @rabbiteclair, @yurax-mae, @ononokinonon, @owlfamilies, @destiny-smasher, @sakura-rose12, @cog-writes, @h-brook-writes, @kaleidic-art, @incandescent-creativity, @sai-shou, and @liberlibelula.

[my-words-are-light]

So I saw this from @embarrassingwriter and I wanted to try my own hand at it for self-esteem reasons.

Once you get this, you have to say five things you like about yourself, publicly, and send it to ten of your followers. Spread positivity!

I like how unique and creative I am with the aesthetics of my story concepts. Too bad I’m a writer and not a drawer but I reckon I can make it work.

I’m wholeheartedly compassionate for others and complete strangers.

As my dearest friends know, I would do anything for the people closest to me.

I’m funny.

Little by little, I’m opening up from the closed-off secretive person I used to be.

Tagging @raiswanson, @fatal-potato, @beta-type-jakuri, @lorddoughnut-thecuddly, @yurax-mae, @destiny-smasher, @ononokinonon, @owlsofthecosmos, @byjillianmaria, and @malansa (I don’t know why you haven’t shown up for so long, my friend, but I hope to see you again some day)

[nightrainrosefaunus]

RWBY Blake by Yurax-Mae

[pokemasterlink]

NEPU! by Yurax-Mae

Permission was granted by the artist to upload their works.

[pokemasterlink]

Green Heart NEXT form by Yurax-Mae

Permission was granted by the artist to upload their works.