#//visually its more interest. It makes more sense with the 'night' thing. It makes more sense with the 'Night' idea

[ingravinoveritas]

irvinis replied to your post “Thinking about the photo from tonight, i almost…”

@ingravinoveritas this may be fanon (canon created by fans), but it fits so well into the daddy/boy dynamic. Michael comes to David's performances with his doors wide open, wearing his best sweater (or baring his arms) and giving a standing ovation: THIS IS MY BOY! And David makes his way to Michael’s performances, wrapped in a scarf up to his eyebrows and sighs quietly in delight from an inconspicuous place in the corner.

@irvinis Ohh...this is tickling a very specific part of my brain. Oh, I love this. In the past I didn't usually go for the daddy/boy dynamic with Michael and David (because I've always seen their relationship as one of equals/switches), but this absolutely fits them like a freaking glove.

We have the picture Georgia posted of David all wrapped up exactly like that, so right away that gives us a visual:

And what you've described goes perfectly with what we saw when Michael went to see Macbeth in December--that white-bright moment of Michael gazing up at David from the audience, and David looking right back at him, captured forever on film and in our hearts. That, in contrast with last night, with David quietly going to the show and doing everything to keep the focus on Michael. David waiting until the lights have dimmed and all eyes are on the stage to let out that little sigh, feeling a shiver of unrestrained happiness work its way through his body as he watches, enraptured, as Michael does the thing he does best.

It's also interesting how this potentially ties into Michael not doing the matinee today. I know we could say it's because he's still recovering from being sick (and that would certainly make sense), but I love the thought that Michael sat out so many performances earlier in the week to make sure he had his strength specifically for last night's performance, because he knew David was coming and wanted to do a good job for him.

I could also see David going to Michael's dressing room after (with thanks to @greeneyed-thestral for planting the seed of that lovely idea) and seeing Michael all enthralled with a post-show high from performing, yet still anxious about how things went--worrying if he was on key for the musical number, if he missed any cues. I can see David slowly backing Michael into the mirror without a word, until the lights frame Michael like a halo. He takes off his ball cap and unravels his scarf in an elegant heap on the dresser, revealing himself, both of them now bare and vulnerable. David grasps either side of Michael's face in his hands, thumb tracing over the crow's feet at the side of Michael's eyes, and smiles softly. He kisses Michael, mouths opening just slightly as the kiss deepens and their tongues meet. Kisses him long enough to quiet Michael's mind, to get the overthinking voice inside to stop.

He is quiet, this David. Always making himself smaller to fit in rooms within rooms, hiding away, keeping the peace. Until Michael. Michael, who somehow had the key to every door. Something in David expands, becomes louder, growing to more than his slender frame could seem to handle, and he pours it into that kiss. A mark of this moment, of Michael bathed in light, of the two of them together and David silently saying, we are here. We are together and I am going to take care of you now.

Oh, yes...I could certainly see that happening. Thank you so much for this delicious prompt on a Saturday morning...

#irvinis #reply post #michael sheen #welsh seduction machine #david tennant #soft scottish hipster gigolo #why does this seem so plausible though #Michael's breath catching in his throat at the kiss #sliding an arm around David's waist to steady himself #both knowing exactly what the other one needs #they are perfect together your honor #fanfic ideas a-brewin' #fanfic #good omens rpf #yes to all of the above #ineffable lovers #discourse

[leona-florianova]

While the dependant plants in Trigun Stampede look cool as combination of angelic alien orchids and some sea creatures in their little aquariums, im intensely bitter because of how literal they made it (oh they really are plants plants huh) and the lack of the absurdly massive light bulbs they resided in in the 98 anime and manga..Like, Not all of the light bulbs were humongous, hanging over towns, but the ones that were, were mindboggling...There is something intense about something so powerful (and kinda eldritch) being captured in something so massive yet fragile looking.  I loved the old bulb and plant designs so much because they werent just cool aesthetics... I loved them because their size and design didnt make sense. As a man made horrors beyond our comprehension shouldnt make sense. And their visuals evoke in me memories of how it felt standing at a foot of a 125 meters tall cooling tower of a nuclear power plant. Its monumental, useful and potentially very dangerous... so much so one has to feel humbled.

- Plants in trigun 98 (we didnt learn much about them because there wasnt enough of material to work with)

- Plants in the manga...whats important to note, is  that the plants often stood over the towns as in constant vigil (monumental yet sentient)... not just visible from all around by everyone, but they themselves kept on observing all the people living their lives underneath their bulbs... All the people prospering from their services.... or fighting and killing over them

- Plants in Stampede.. While they are still interesting designs, the little aquariums conveniently small enough to be more easily stolen dont do it for me, even though they still represent the power of captured nature. They are also...very very sheltered from humans. Hidden and overlooked, although important.. Which makes me sad. And doubtful that there will be many interaction scenes between them and the people... Hopefully in next season there will be big bulbs and interactions.. but who knows.. (Ok, like, it makes sense that a core of a power plant should be hidden and protected inside of a building,  but I wish to see some big bulbs!! I wish to see them spilled out of the wreckages of the big space ships)

And to illustrate what I meant about the comparison to actual nuclear power plants in their absurd monumental insanity (which is somewhat also sort of mundane??).. here are some photos of our nuclear power plants. Dukovany and Temelín

-Dukovany photo by Zdeněk Dvořák

- Temelín as the Big Night Watchman (video mapping by Milan Cais, photo by ČTK)

I love this sort of thing so much n need more of it.

#trigun #power plants #trigun maximum #trimax #trigun stampede #thoughts #text post #other peoples photography #temelín #dukovany #personal gripes #in the end most of the things i dont like about stampede come from the fact that they dont lean into what i loved about the older versions #like.. all the very specific things that i enjoy #but it gets point for the scene where knives opened that trap door under vash into something #that looked like nuclear power plant core #with the beautifully blue water #long post #trigun 98 #im also gonna that this as #the allure of the machine #and #because who am i kidding #eroticism of the machine #cause big macinery but also kinda sexy but uncanny feminine angelic eldritch beings #man made horrors #dukovany and temelín my beloved thank you for your service

[avonne-writes]

hm I think its very interesting that although u think buck bottoms more, they're still willing to switch (I really agree with this take and I actually think it makes the most sense). how do u think sex changes when who tops/bottoms changes and why do u think they each prefer both (basically what im saying is what is it about bottoming and topping that's each of their favourite parts)!

It's always interesting to talk about these intimacy headcanons! These can differ vastly based on how you interpret the characters, but this is my take on it.

Headcanons under the cut:

In general, how sex changes for them

If Bucky bottoms, it's rougher, which is what he wants. He knows he shouldn't be rough the other way around.

On normal days, regardless of who tops or bottoms, Gale helps calm Bucky's excitable energy. He's more in control of the situation.

On Gale's vulnerable days, he’s going to bottom and will put everything into Bucky's hands.

Buck's personal preferences

When he bottoms, it feels like an affirmation of trust to him, and it's something he likes to give to Bucky.

As a bottom, he likes not having to wonder if it's good enough because it's obvious from how hard Bucky is.

He likes the weight of Bucky's body on him, of Bucky manhandling him and holding him in the position they want. It makes him feel so safe and loved. Usually, he's still calling the shots but if he’s having one of those submissive nights all of this is amplified. (you will see in detail in the subspace fic)

This isn’t something conscious but he also just enjoys being given things, and yes, that includes a certain part of Bucky's body.

Finally, just something as simple as the physical sensation - he just loves that kind of deep, slowly building pleasure you get from prostate stimulation more than the faster but shallower sensation of topping.

Topping is nice too, and he especially likes how he can basically fuck the restlessness out of Bucky if he does it well.

That said, he’s flexible about top-bottom roles and quite inflexible about submission and dominance. He’ll keep the reins in his hands for the most part on normal days and submit completely on difficult days. By this I mean on normal days, he doesn’t mind or even likes that Bucky doesn’t submit to him and there's always this playful push back, but he won't relinquish the final say. He'll keep the control. But on submissive days, he doesn’t make any decisions and can’t be provoked to take back control. He'd just end the encounter if Bucky tried.

Obviously, his submission is a bit of a whiplash at first but it all starts to make sense to Bucky when he realizes it comes from a combination of deep trust + emotional distress + inability to articulate a need for comfort + inability to accept comfort unless he’s made to take it.

Bucky's personal preferences

It's likely that the only person he has ever bottomed for is Gale. Even if he had other sexual contact with men before, he’s too big and doesn’t have the personality to draw attention from tops. He was a womanizer too, so being on the receiving end is something way less familiar to him.

He loves bottoming the most when it hurts just right. He has masochistic tendencies so the pain of that stretch makes him rock hard. He always tries to goad or urge Gale into putting it in after only the slightest prep.

He also likes play-fighting and wrestling, and if Gale tops, he’ll constantly try to move and squirm and buck against him just to make Gale put him harder in his place. (He's a brat)

He prefers topping because of 1) the visuals(!!), 2) the sensations - yes, he prefers something tight squeezing around him to something hard pushing into him, 3) he loves giving things, including that certain body part 😉, 4) he loves the idea that he’s of service as a man.

He likes putting his entire body weight on Gale even in a non-sexual way, but even more so when they're making love. He had to be more careful with the women he slept with, but not with Gale.

Gale's submissive nights are a challenge to him but they’re also the most rewarding.

These are the headcanons that came to my mind at the moment but I feel like there are more things that can be said about this. What do you guys think?

#mota #buck x bucky #john egan #gale cleven #anon #bedroom headcanons

[ditzydoodiary]

autistic ramble about twilight sparkle because i love her sm and shes my fave autistic comfort character !!!

this took a really long time to make, and im really proud of it, so any reblogs/reshares would be appreciated ! especially if you like mlp !!

when people say she isnt autistic, i always find myself very surprised. i think to myself, have these people even watched the show??because yes, while the writers and lauren faust may not have intended for her to be explicitly autistic, she is very clearly portrayed that way, intentional or not. not to mention that lauren faust (creator of friendship is magic) has recently responded to a tweet saying that she thought pinkie pie being adhd was obvious; lauren faust has adhd herself, so its not surprising that so many of the mlp fim characters also posess many of the same traits as her. and i also raise the question; if she thought pinkie pie was obvious as having adhd, then why would twilight be any different?? she is very clearly autistic, but i dont think twilight's obvious neurodivergence has been addressed by lauren yet (unless im wrong of course, but i just haven't found anything about it when ive searched for it).

anywho, to list just a few of twilight's autistic traits:

- trouble socialising and making friends (this is literally the main plot point of the first few seasons and is even still present in the later seasons, so its not like this was just a one time thing). an example of this would be in the very first episode when twinkleshine, lemon hearts, and minuette invite her to moondancer's party; she awkwardly declines, saying that she needs to catch up on her studying instead. to this the other ponies say, "ugh, does that pony do anything except study? i think shes more interested in books than friends"

- she has a very obvious special interest in reading, books, research, and the study of pony magic. she indulges in these interests to such a level where she often loses track of time and stays awake all night, and often misses out on opportunities to socialise with her friends. when she cant indulge in them, she gets upset. this ties into finding comfort in routines, too.

- taking things literally (e.g: that part in "look before you sleep" where she takes rarity's statement about them getting warmer in regards to playing a game literally). look before you sleep is also a great episode showing her need to have everything planned out; in this episode, twilight has her first slumber party, and uses a slumber party planning book as a guide. she thinks has to follow every single instruction in the exact same order, and when rarity and applejack dont oblige, she gets upset.

- HEAVILY relies on schedules and planning. she utilises all kinds of lists; visual lists, written lists, checklists, etc. when she's unable to stick to her routines/plans, she becomes irrationally upset and/or angry, lashes out at other people and can have meltdowns. this is again shown all throughout the show, but is more prominent in the episode "lesson zero".

- LOVES organising, lining things up, and finding visual patterns in all sorts of things. she'll often just do this for fun and as a way to calm down, while others might find this more of a chore. i suppose this can be done as a form of visual stimming? I don't really know what this is called; but i know a lot of autistic people do it. i suppose this could also tie into needing routines and structure, as organising things can help autistic people feel more in control and can provide a sense of stability.

- she can often come off as insensitive or rude without meaning to, and sometimes she struggles with tone as well as being quite blunt. this is most likely due to her misunderstanding or being unable to read typical social cues. this could also perhaps be linked to low empathy, which is something a fair few individuals on the spectrum experience. this is especially true in the earlier seasons, but still shown in the later seasons as well.

- twilight also struggles with regulating her emotions and having meltdowns; this is typically the result of her needs not being properly met and her routines being changed. and when she's not having full blown meltdowns, she can at least be seen being snappy towards her friends when overwhelmed.

- stimming !!! oh boy does she stim a lot. stomping her hooves, jumping up and down, PACING (this is a big one), teleporting spontaneously when overwhelmed, flapping her wings, etc. in fact, twilight once paced so hard for so long that she made a groove in the floor without even realising !! (this was seen in the episode "its about time" - which is also a good episode that showcases her autistic traits)

- shes also sometimes shown struggling with overstimulation; in the third episode of the series, "the ticket master", twilight gets overwhelmed by her friends crowding around her and loudly shouting, resulting in her running off and snapping at them.

- shes often shown struggling with generalised anxiety, which is another common trait of autism.

and the best part is, this is obviously a common occurrence, and her friends fully support her through her struggles !!! her meltdowns, overthinking and anxiety are so frequent, that her friends know exactly what to do and how to help her.

obviously, this isn't every trait, this is just all the surface level stuff !!

i would have included more video and photo examples, but tumblr has a limit on how many you can add to a post :( i hope i still got my point across despite that !!

all in all, i think she's wonderful autistic representation !! even if this wasn't intentional, i still think it's great and love the way her personality and traits were portrayed. the main character of a children's show possessing these traits is awesome and something you don't see too often !! i hope lauren or at least someone on the production team talks about this, because it means a lot to myself and many other autistic people who love mlp <3

#autism #actually autistic #my little pony #mlp #twilight sparkle #twilight mlp #twilight my little pony #autistic headcanon #this is basically canon at this point so is it really even a headcanon #lauren faust pls confirm this im going ballistic #autistic #disabled #disability #shes just like me fr

[eldritch-elrics]

so me and my friends decided to watch all of skibidi toilet together last night and i've been having way too many thoughts

first of all it's unironically pretty good? great animation, and the guy who made it clearly has a very solid sense of pacing, escalation, and visual storytelling. it's also made all the more delightful by the fact that it's just one guy fucking around in sfm - just a great example of something that never stops being deeply stupid even when it evolves into a more serious story. corporate entertainment could never hope to replicate this energy with the same level of sincerity and pure shitpost vibes

i've also been reading some of the journalism trying to make sense of the series and i think it's funny how many are claiming that it's a pure gen alpha thing when it's so clearly born out of early gen z internet culture. there is nothing surprising to me about skibidi toilet except its quality and virality. "sfm series that starts as bizarre shitpost and then grows into something with serious plot" is absolutely nothing new, and it's kinda wild that this has now broken into the mainstream. i think a lot of the people reporting on skibidi toilet just do not really know how to talk about it you know?

lastly, it's really interesting to see how skibidi toilet uses diegesis. it's that "the telling of the story is diegetic to the story" and "the fact that this thing is being recorded has consequences for the narrative" type of storytelling that you see in stuff like r/nosleep stories or web fiction such as marble hornets. sometime i'd love to dive into why this sort of storytelling is so common in internet fiction because i think it's fascinating

#skibidi toilet #my post #media studies

[katherinecrighton]

Nuts and Bolts: Some Writing Advice

(Reposting a 2013 post from the Anna Katherine co-tumblr)

A friend of mine awhile back asked the aether for some practical, straightforward writing advice, which I assumed meant nuts and bolts stuff.

This is what I ended up writing to her.

(Caveat emptor: 1. The reason advice looks contradictory is because it literally is different for everyone — shit that works for one person won’t work for someone else. Just stick it in your toolbox and move along. 2. I will say obvious shit that you already know. Because it’s possible somebody else doesn’t. 3. You may totally disagree with anything/everything I say, oh my god, that’s fine.)

1. Use the word “said.” Throw in a “she declaimed” every once in a while if you like, but don’t do it all the time. Feel free to put in no dialogue tags at all, if it’s clear who’s speaking. But “said” is free and generally invisible to the reader (and the goal is to not remind the reader that they’re reading).

2. Writing advice for short fiction and writing advice for novels are and writing advice for one genre versus another are all going to tell you slightly (or wildly) different things. So, you know, watch out for that. I suggest switching mediums entirely, and try reading up on screenplays or three-panel comics.

3. Stick your finished draft into a Kindle or some other robot reader, and have a mechanical voice read the story to you. It’s a step removed, and you’ll hear where it clunks. Make notes as it goes.

4. If you don’t have a robot reader, read it out loud to yourself. Actually out loud. Put check marks wherever you cringe. It’s where the reader will likely cringe too.

5. Start your story at the point of change. It’s more interesting. Backfill with exposition a couple of paragraphs later.

6. Sometimes, if I’m writing a one-off, I pick a motif and stick with it as a lodestone for all my descriptions. It’s a way of creating a sort of subliminal mood and atmosphere for the reader, while at the same time maintaining a nice sense of continuity.

7. The English language likes to hear things in threes. Three bears, three nights, three wishes, and what with one thing and another, three years passed. English also likes iambic pentameter and any other rhyme or rhythm scheme it can get its hands on. Readers want language to both have a pretty meaning (three brothers seek their fortune) and a pretty sound (now is the winter of our discontent). The fastest way to do this, and not have it be totally obvious, is to combine the two. Have three lines of description, three examples of something, three jokes — and do it semi-regularly. It creates a rhythm in your work, like a heartbeat. Study other people’s stories and see if you can find where they’re doing the same or similar things. Count stuff.

8. Then, later, fuck with your readers by breaking the rhythm. Stop the heartbeat. Miss the step. The reader will get nervous and uncomfortable and have no idea why. Makes for good tension.

9. Other things that make readers uncomfortable: Set dressing. We’re used to visual mediums. If you want to set up a really uncomfortable scene, describe key things around it going in, and make it clear that it’s Not Okay. A pair of scissors that have been left half open. A door that is not entirely shut. A radio caught between two stations, the garden hose still left running. Nothing overt, nothing obvious – just stuff that feels uncomfortable to read. Do enough of those in a row, as you head toward a confrontation, and the reader will be a ball of avidly reading tension by the end of it. 

10. Graphic sex scenes are equal to action scenes. In both instances, know where everybody is, and what everybody’s doing. Describe with more physical action than you think is necessary. If the reader doesn’t know where everybody’s limbs are and what tools are being used, then they’ll get confused and bored. You can always edit later.

#katherine crighton #writing #nuts and bolts

[adobe-outdesign]

I know you reviewed the original Ursaluna but could you review the Bloodmoon variant as well?

Honestly, I think the last thing I or anyone else really expected from the DLC was another form for Ursaluna. Seeing as Ursaluna was just added in in PLA and was already a much-needed third stage to the Teddiursa line, it getting a new form in SV was completely out of left field. I'm not really opposed to it, but it does feel like they had tossed this idea around for PLA as a split evo and then decided to tack it onto the SV DLC because they didn't have the design finalized in time or something.

Speaking of which, it's also a bit odd because it's just its own Pokemon—it doesn't evolve from Teddiursa, it's not a form a regular Ursaluna can switch to, it's (in-universe) a lone individual that changed based on its environment in Kitakami. It's kind of shame that it's not something you can evolve, but the idea of "individualized" Pokemon like this is intriguing, and could be an interesting concept to explore with other Pokemon in future games.

With that said, conceptually, it's pretty neat. Ursaluna, if you couldn't tell from its name, is based on the idea of a full moon. Bloodmoon Ursaluna is, get this, based off a blood moon, i.e., the moon during a total lunar eclipse. That makes sense thematically, and the red does make it stand out against the original.

Visually, the two are also similar enough to feel like they're the same 'mon, but there are some major differences. The Bloodmoon varient has an angrier expression and walks on its hind legs—ironically, making it more similar to Ursaring than standard Ursaluna. Personally, I love regular Ursaluna's slightly dopey expression and the more bear-like stance, but I can definitely see the appeal here.

In addition to the change in stance, the Bloodmoon version has different mud placement (more on the face but less on the front legs) and is almost zombie-like, with cracked mud, a lighter base color, and a blackened eye. I do think the explanation for the eye is pretty weak (why would it only need night vision in one eye??) but it does look hella cool.

So overall, while this probably wasn't a form we needed at all, it is a neat concept and is well-executed, and should make fans of both Ursaluna and Ursaring happy.

#ursaluna #bloodmoon ursaluna #pokemon #pokemon reviews

[deerspherestudios]

How do you organise the process of creating a character? like, to me its too confusing, i dont know what i do first because there are TOO MANY THINGS TO DO, like backstory, personality, looks, what they like, so what would be the “steps” to make them?

(Since @isabellaswork asked the same thing recently I'm tagging you here, hope that's okay!) Omg I'm flattered I'm the person you'd wanna ask such a big question ;v;!!? Honestly the process is different for everyone, but I'll give it a go <3 This is how my process usually goes:

Personality first, backstory later. Flesh out the concept of the character before deciding their origin story if that makes sense.

Build a moodboard for your character! The more ideas the better!

Time for visuals! Sketch out multiple iterations, looking at the moodboard for inspiration. Colors go last.

Finalize! Once you've got your final sketch + colors, draw a proper illustration and see if you vibe with the design. Repeat previous steps if necessary <3

Extra: Since you've got the design and story down, add some fun facts. This is where interests, likes and dislikes go!

I'll use my VN characters as examples below in case someone wants it in more detail! Mychael (Mushroom Oasis) and Alma (Lift Your Spirits spoilers!! + horror imagery) process ideation under cut:

Usually I start with personality first. Because for me, when you first meet someone, you see what they're like in the present; their past doesn't matter as much until you get to know them. I can decide the backstory later so it doesn't limit the personalities I'm playing around with. Of course I must have gotten the idea from somewhere so these two things work in tandem most of the time.

Then it's just a matter of how they look!

After deciding on personality traits, I start by collecting references from everywhere, even the smallest of things. I think of how I want them to look plus how they would dress. Anything goes at this stage, so just go buck-wild gathering ideas!

Here's a moodboard for Mychael:

This one was for Alma, from their normal self to their monstrous self:

Then it's time for drawing and doodles. As I sketch, I look back at the moodboard I've made and pick out things I like, while drawing things really loose. Copy paste if I need to!

I've shared the ones for Mychael here, here and here! Here's some sketches for Alma from last year:

This part takes the longest but is always the most fun! Don't feel limited by what you had initially, just test out ideas! Here are the final designs!

Mychael(s):

Alma(s):

Then once I'm happy with the design I can flesh out the backstory as much as I like!!! so long as it fits the presentation of the character in current time. Of course this process can differ when you already have a story in mind and need characters to carry out the plot, but I'm definitely not big-brain enough to make an all-out story like that </3 I just enjoy designing characters visually haha

Oh and just for fun, I like to sprinkle in some extra (but kinda unnecessary) background info. It can be the most mundane thing but it gives them more life (to me at least!) Maybe they drink flat orange soda, or enjoy riding trains at night, or hate the smell of french fries, or think apples are disgusting etcetcetc.

Of course there's like, tips for professional character designing like silhouette, shapes, proportions but I assume this ask was for a more casual approach <3 That's all I could think of if I were to describe my process,,, I hope that answers your question!

To recap:

Start with personality traits and decide backstory later. Or work them together as one. It's more concept than visuals at this stage.

Assemble a moodboard for inspiration. The more ideas the better! Look up anything that might relate to your character if it helps.

Sketch, sketch and sketch again! Keep things loose and free. I usually start from the face, to clothes to accessories. Colors go last.

Finalize! Put everything together in one rendered drawing, and see if you vibe with it. You can always go back to previous steps if you're still not happy with it.

And you're done! :-)

#mushroom oasis vn #lift your spirits vn #bts #cheea chatter #i rambled so much so i hope the TLDR helps fhjds #q

[dragon-ball-meta]

Akio Iyoku And The Future Of Dragon Ball

Got a huge news drop last night, courtesy of @SupaChronicles on Twitter. I've linked the full tweet if you want to read his translation of the original article sans editorializing, but I wanted to attempt to explain a few things here. This is unprecedented for the franchise, and we're in untested, but very exciting times right now. The short version is this: Akio Iyoku and Capsule Corporation Tokyo have succeeded in gaining control of the rights to the Dragon Ball Franchise, in all but the manga side of things, for the next ten years. DAIMA is actually their first project. Now, some excerpts from the translated article: "Indomitable Dragon Ball, Inheriting the Mission: A Global Strategy to Reach the Next Generation" featuring Akio Iyoku, the President of Capsule Corporation Tokyo 'Dragon Ball' will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024. Dragon Ball is a unique and amazing work. Rather than thinking of the work in relative or uniform terms, the keynote is to think about how it should be done as a work of art. As the Executive Producer of a work with unprecedented longevity, my mission is to expand and convey what the original creator, Akira Toriyama, has created. I will continue to produce works, such as anime series, movies, and games, over the next 10 years. (...) Adopting what is popular at the moment does not increase the probability of success. I will not be swayed by the current trends, but will create works that I feel will be 'good enough'."

Iyoku is saying that, in his new capacity as the executive producer of Dragon Ball, he's doing this as a means of protecting the Dragon Ball IP as a work of art, and wants to release content that he feels upholds that integrity, rather than trying to use the IP simply to chase current trends and try to cling to relevancy. He says he also wants to keep the spirit of the series Toriyama intended. Now what's especially interesting to ME is this bit. He stops short of making any sort of direct confirmation, but this really, REALLY seems to lend credence to the reports that Shueisha was deliberately leaving Dragon Ball out to dry in favor of One Piece. "There was a time when the Dragon Ball craze, which had spread around the world over the past 40 years, had died down. When I became the head of Shueisha's Dragon Ball Room in 2016, I could not visualize what was really happening. 7-8 years ago, I went to a huge event in Brazil called "CCXP." I was told that Japanese anime were popular in South America, but there was a discrepancy from what I was told. The feedback from fans was weak. It may have been at the peak of its popularity when it was on-air in South America. (...) I also thought it was the result of relying on old-fashioned zeal. Therefore, starting with the 'Dragon Ball Super Broly' movie in 2018, we took steps such as actively participating in events. I felt concerned that Dragon Ball has not been expanded worldwide. Originally, we didn't see the strength and diffusion power of the work. We need to take a closer look at this and see if we can do more. We are not looking for a "one-size-fits-all" approach, but rather, we are looking for events such as the Dragon Ball World Championships, the expansion of games, creating facilities, and anything else that we can do. We will work on them in parallel."

And this bit: "Never before was there such a simultaneous worldwide reception of anime. (...) It can be said that we are now able to do things that we had not even considered before. From the beginning, I began to think about the overseas expansion of Dragon Ball. With 'Dragon Ball DAIMA,' which will be released in Fall 2024, we are taking on the challenge of creating an anime series with a completely original story. I am glad that all our works have been well-received overseas. 'DAIMA' was announced at New York Comic Con. The 'Dragon Ball' series is recognized around the world. It makes no sense to announce it somewhere domestic. Comic-Con is a great place to announce your work. People who understand the value of the culture are gathered there, to begin with, and we chose Comic-Con because of its ability to spread our work throughout the world. Overseas expansion is currently being considered as a necessary means of spreading the word about our work. If we compare the flow of manga titles selling in book format and then finally becoming anime to a river, the overseas developments were the ones that followed the river, meaning that in the past it was a "fan" (in the sense that the overseas expansion followed later.) I am convinced that Dragon Ball has pioneered many things as a Japanese anime. I have a sense of mission that if there is something that no one else has done, I must continue to challenge it." That sounds to me as if this was done at least in part because he felt the series was being mishandled, both on a promotional and quality control front. He also feels that there needs to be content created at least semi-regularly to keep the franchise relevant, as opposed to announcing something and then leaving long gaps of nothing, as almost happened after the Super anime went on hiatus. There's also some more implication about the series not being promoted to its fullest. "- The industry is over-competitive. It is tough to see the competition among anime (due to the emergence of streaming sites, etc.). Competition has become excessive. We must not create a situation where a manga becomes anime, and when the anime is over, the content ends as is. The ideal situation is to create a situation where the average viewer sees the content. We are in a cycle of consumption, and in some aspects, the cycle is becoming short-lived. I don't think it's good at all to have a boom that builds up and then burns down, which can be a factor in the content not lasting long. It will be tough if we do not create a place to compete differently from anime as content. It is advisable for works that are popular now to be distributed simultaneously around the world to repeat generations and reach the next stage of popularity. (...) In order to bring in overseas strength, a leading role is needed. In order for a producer to take on this role, they must transcend the boundaries of the corporate organization. There must be someone who has a "birds-eye view" of the work and is in a position to say to each company, "I think you should do this." I push myself to be a catalyst for this through various discussions. For Japanese content to continue, it is necessary to have someone who can say, "The status quo is not good enough."" So essentially, we're going to see more content. We're going to see more quality control ON said content. Both are being done to respect Toriyama's work, and to actually try to be competitive as opposed to simply relying on the legacy and the baked-in fandom to carry it in the sea of anime and manga franchises out there. He also feels that they shouldn't try to solely rely on adapting things, and create original content as well, while keeping it in line with the spirit of the series as opposed to just chasing whatever's popular. That's the intent, at least. Now we just need to wait and see how this all shakes out.

#Akio Iyoku #Capsule Corporation Tokyo #Dragon Ball #Akira Toriyama #Dragon Ball Daima #DBS #Dragon Ball Super #DBZ #Dragonball #Dragonball Z #Dragon Ball Z

[yanderend]

Male Yandere Demigod x Gender Neutral Reader

Nitai, The Deity ; First Encounter

Requested by an anon

It had been exactly a year since The Deity had started his whole 'I'm just a normal man' schtick, and he was already getting irritated.

He found it completely unfair that people were expected to show up for things on time— it should be accepted that he can take a week-long nap to recover from the last irritating human he had to deal with by conventional means, that stuff's exhausting!

Even with all the downsides, Nitai was enjoying his new friendships, and being treated equally within said friendships!

Sure, it was hard to hold back his impulses of using his powers around them, but it was worth it to get the authentic human experience!

There's one thing about his friends that he never related to, though; Their obsession with finding romantic partners. Nitai had felt romantic love before, but he'd never been desperate for it— it's never been a necessity.

That being said, when his companions set themselves up for blind dates, he can't help but be curious— Humans never cease to find new ways to make things more entertaining than they are, huh?

Before The Deity knows it, it's date night!

He puts on his coziest outfit and mentally prepares— he knows he already looks cute in a sweater, so he doesn't care too much about visual performance. It's just a gamble, meeting someone new, they could be boring! How awful would that be...

The Deity arrives at the venue and greets you with a smile.

The combined nature of his less-modern way of speaking and near unnaturally large stature already sets off questions in your brain.

On his end, he's quietly looking you over and evaluating all the little details. Your outfit is comfortable, and suits you well, the way your face emotes isn't too overwhelming for him, and your aura is surprisingly pleasing. He shouldn't be getting ahead of himself, though.

'Have you been on a blind date before, Nitai?' You ask at about the third question into your back-and-forth.

The Deity hums, thinking. 'No, not really. It is rather a new invention, isn't it?'

'I suppose?' You question yourself. 'I guess what I'm really asking is if you were anxious, coming to meet me?'

Nitai is caught off guard— he doesn't show it on his face, but he pauses for a little longer than usual.

'Oh, anxious? In a way... I was worried about getting bored.'

'That makes sense. You never know what kind of a person you'd meet, doing this, right?'

In the middle of this seemingly mundane conversation, you throw a genuine smile at him, and he's momentarily stunned.

He takes a sip of water, quickly averting his eyes from you. He feels heat rising to his face— What's gotten into him now?

It seems like every minute he spends with you the atmosphere changes, little by little. It feels familiar...

Nitai tries his best to ignore it, and the night goes on. He's just a little more interested in what you have to tell him than he'd expected.

The sound of your voice tickles him, he finds it cute; 'Like a rabbit,' he says.

You laugh at that, and he thinks to himself that your laugh is rather cute as well. It's almost a shame he can't be the only one to hear it.

Then it hits him: The familiar feeling, its power! Could you have some hidden ability, be some other deity's descendant? It has to be something... Maybe you're just a mortal that's actually worthy of him, who knows?

Eventually, the evening draws to a close, and you say your goodbyes.

'It was enjoyable dining with you, mor- uh... my dear?' The Deity cringes at his slip-up, avoiding your gaze.

'Are we at pet names already?' You tease, 'Okay then, oh beloved Nitai, it has been a pleasure going out with you as well. Maybe we can do this again sometime, yeah?'

The Deity nods, and you go your seperate ways.

On the journey home, that last line plays in his head again; "Oh, beloved Nitai."

He's not a fan of sarcasm, and would so very much like to hear it again, but only genuinely, and only from your mouth.

What to do, what to do...

—

Bonus: General Headcanons and Trivia

Despite sleeping all the time, Nitai has never had a dream! His powers don't control whether someone dreams or not, just rest as a whole.

The Deity is very particular about clothes, he finds dressing up fun! He refuses to wear any itchy fabrics, only soft and silky ones— at least his one-colour fashion sense isn't hard to buy for.

He's majorly unaware of most things going on around him, and the times you spend together only make that worse, with his eyes watching you he often walks right into things.

That's okay, though; If he gets hurt it's no big deal, because he gets to whine and complain until you give him aid and attention. That's the majority of his plan to win you over...

The Deity is manipulative, but not on purpose. He's just simple-minded, and if he notices any tiny reason to keep his angel by his side he'll take it.

The sun is setting? Let him escort you. It's raining out? Just don't leave! It's cold? Cuddle up! Oh it's your face that's cold? Kisses it is, then~

#The Diety #yandere oc #yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere scenarios #yandere imagines #male yandere #yandere god #drabbles

[moonlitempty]

The World’s End (2013), Dir. Edgar Wright, Starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost

One night. Six Friends. Twelve Pubs. Total Annihilation.

And with this beautiful entry we end the Cornetto Trilogy Journal Entries (C. T. J. E.’s for short), it’s been a truly beautiful ride! I hope my (frankly deficient and almost awful) little journal entries have provided at least a little bit of enjoyment or inspiration to all of you, my beautiful Peggsters <3

I had a lot of fun making them! And this served almost as an exercise or test in if I had any creativity left, I hadn’t done anything like this before so it was a nice little refreshment from my normal journaling routine.

(Pss, there is one for Spaced on the way, this is not the end!)

The World’s End proved to be the most exotic (for lack of a better word) movie out of its siblings, while I felt like Shaun and Hot Fuzz were grounded in reality enough that their events could realistically happen in our reality (well, perhaps excluding the zombies), I felt like The World’s End went all out with the mysticism, fantasy, extravagance, and exuberance.

Of course, this is to be expected, it IS a Sci-Fi movie after all! And I didn’t realise how much I needed a nice, time-to-fight-a-planetary-menace movie until I saw this beaut.

Which speaking of that, this movie is visually beautiful! All of Edgar’s Cornetto movies have this signature look I can’t quite put my finger on, but World’s End (I’ll call it that from now on for the sake of convenience) exudes a certain look and feel that I can’t quite describe, it’s sophisticated almost?

The editing in this film is the best in the entire trilogy, it’s got that signature snappy and dynamic style Edgar does so well, but this time it’s refined to the maximum level, with every scene change and transition leaving you in awe in a “THAT IS GENIUS!” sorta way.

Actually, I remember absolutely losing my shit at the intro ALONE, it was that much of a treat to the eyes.

The score was just PHENOMENAL as well! Normally I’m not one to pay much attention to a film’s score, they almost blend in and become complementary to the film in some cases, but this score drew me in almost immediately. It just started to become more and more impactful and present with each passing scene, I stopped taking the score for granted, and the whole film became a feast for the senses, the scene where Gary, Andy, Sam and Steven are driving away from Newton Haven was so powerful and imposing, I must get this score on some sort of physical format (don’t trust digital media to last forever! much less streaming!)

The plot was the thing I was most afraid of, I’m not known as a huge Sci-Fi guy, I find it quite boring and even uninteresting most of the time, so I was terrified of feeling disconnected from this film. The contrary ended up happening, I think this film may have put me onto the genre! That strange sort of cosmic horror and the implications of bigger and stronger societies outside of our own planetary grasp is very, very intoxicating.

GARY WAS PHENOMENAL.

The first time I watched the film I was honestly a little afraid that I’d dislike him, every little juvenile and childish joke or one liner he’d pull made me worried, specially since he was surrounded by a bunch of people that clearly knew he was not someone to trust. This all changed relatively quickly though, I learnt that Gary was just someone clinging to the past and the fun times he used to have with his mates, and honestly his struggles with addiction and feeling like you have nothing going for yourself hit particularly close to home for me. I ended up completely adoring Gary and I wish him the best, my sweet 40 year old baby boy.

The dynamic between Gary and Andy was perhaps the most interesting in the entire film, you could even argue it’s the central theme of the whole film, and seeing how it all slowly developed, unraveled, and blossomed, and Andy grew to care for Gary again was very, very sweet. The scene where they’re together at The World’s End was the most cathartic and powerful moment of the film. To err is human, truly.

I struggled to grow particularly attached to the rest of Gary’s and Andy’s friends, besides Steven and Sam, I didn’t care much for Oliver and Peter, admittedly, sorry!

This movie was surprisingly powerful, even now I find myself still thinking about it, specially the message of how making mistakes and being imperfect is part of the core nature of being human, to rob us of imperfection is to rob us of humanity, of warmth, of thought, of intention.

The World’s End. 10/10.

Until I (inevitably) rewatch you again, Cornetto Trilogy, which will probably be sooner than I expect it to be ❤️💙💚

#the cornetto trilogy #simon pegg #nick frost #edgar wright #the worlds end #gary king #andy knightley #this is a soliloquy at this point #movie #movie journal #journal #film #film journal #movie thoughts #absolutely stunning

[rayan12sworld]

💠🧡The Second Jade of Lan's late but incendiary sexual awakening

By:KizuKatana

Summary:

Lan Zhan was not interested in sex or romantic relationships. He had watched with a dismissive glance as his classmates made fools of themselves and wasted a considerable amount of time and energy on various hook-ups and romantic entanglements.

Aside from the fact that his lack of sexual interest kept him laser focused on his school and research, Lan Zhan’s reason for it was based on something more fundamental. He did not enjoy the company of most people fully clothed, and he couldn’t really imagine that improving if they were naked.

Which was why he found himself shocked at the visceral image that slammed through his system of grabbing Wei Ying by his messy ponytail, forcing him to his knees, and fucking his mouth until he cried.

Chapter:6/6

Words:41,198

Status:completed

Dude, give me a fucking break. I was dead asleep after a really long fucking first two weeks at this school when my RA came banging on my door. You’re lucky I even pulled some pants on.” Wei Ying had. Pulled his pants on. Implying that Wei Ying had been… sleeping without pants on. Since pants were the only thing he was wearing, that meant Wei Ying slept naked. Lan Zhan had excellent logical processing skills, and he was quite sure his conclusion was correct. Lan Zhan’s brain was over actively processing that fact. With how thin the man’s pants were, and the fact that the streetlights were providing a backlighting that made them translucent, Lan Zhan did not have to exercise much of his imagination to be able to visualize that. Wei Ying’s long, dark hair was falling down to the middle of his back in messy waves, free from its usual ponytail. Lan Zhan had a sudden vision of what his hair would look like spilled across a pillow. Lan Zhan’s pillow. Specifically.

~~~

"You must be freezing. Here, you can borrow this,” she said. Luo QingYang’s words snapped Lan Zhan out of his thoughts. He felt an urgency to stop the conversation that was happening, which—in complete consistency with all of Lan Zhan’s other thoughts since leaving his dorm that night—again made no sense. Wei Ying was practically naked and it was cold outside. Lan Zhan had forgotten the temperature in the haze of… in the haze of Wei Ying. He turned around just in time to see Luo QingYang offering Wei Ying her blanket. Why had Lan Zhan not thought about offering Wei Ying his sweater? Lan Zhan’s entire body was practically on fire, and therefore definitely did not require it. Wei Ying should be wearing his sweater. Not Luo QingYang’s blanket. He was not entirely sure why he felt this at such a visceral level, but he had an abrupt but deeply felt need for it to be his sweater touching all of the skin that was currently causing Lan Zhan’s brain to malfunction. “No, i-it’s fine. I’m g-good,” Wei Ying said, his teeth chattering. “Don’t be an idiot,” Luo QingYang said, ignoring his words and wrapping the blanket around him. Lan Zhan could see Wei Ying visibly relax into the warmth of it. The blanket would have been warm from Luo QingYang’s body heat. It could have been Lan Zhan’s body heat seeping into Wei Ying’s skin, if he had thought to offer his fucking sweater.

~~~ you only had said one word to him yet your this jealous 😂😂

On Monday, Wei Ying showed up to fluid mechanics wearing an oversized, pink fluffy sweater that clearly did not belong to him, given Wei Ying’s favored color scheme tended towards black and red, exclusively. . It was thick and warm, and Lan Zhan instinctively hated it. Wei Ying was wearing someone else’s clothes. The notion prickled him like nettles all through class, making it almost impossible for him to focus on what Professor Xiang was saying. In high school, girls would sometimes wear the sweater or jacket of their boyfriend as a signal that they were together. Did this mean Wei Ying was dating someone? He had only been on campus a month! But Wei Ying was very charismatic and outgoing. It would not be surprising if someone had already asked him out. Someone who was better at words and had more experience with dating and attraction than Lan Zhan. The thought of Wei Ying some day wearing his clothing had his hand tightening on his pencil in a crushing grip.

~~

Wei Ying gave a slight chuckle. “Thanks. It’s actually not even mine. MianMian took pity on me since I don’t really have anything warm and I was freezing my ass off with the sudden snow.” Lan Zhan felt as though he had been struck in the stomach. The sweater was Luo QingYang’s. And she had evidently spent Sunday or Monday morning with Wei Ying. And seen he was cold. And given him her clothing. “It didn’t get this cold in Yiling,” Wei Ying was continuing, unaware of the effect his words had on Lan Zhan. “I guess I wasn’t really prepared for it when I transferred here. MianMian has a whole closet full of warm, fluffy sweaters, so she let me borrow this one. She said my teeth chattering was making it hard to study.” “Oh,” the student said, sounding slightly disappointed in Wei Ying’s answer. Lan Zhan could relate. “You mean Luo QingYang? She’s a year ahead of us, right? You two must be… close then.” “Yep! MianMian’s great. We met during a fire drill at my dorm. She was the first person who actually talked to me when I transferred here.” Lan Zhan felt a flare of intense frustration at himself. Why had he not offered Wei Ying one of his own sweaters? He had Wei Ying’s contact now. He could have messaged him. He had several, and he knew that it was getting colder. It had been increasingly clear that Wei Ying did not own any warm clothes. Perhaps if Lan Zhan had loaned Wei Ying some of his sweaters, Wei Ying would not have felt the need to borrow them from Luo QingYang. And if Lan Zhan hadn’t been having a complete mental breakdown at the sight of Wei Ying shirtless during the fire drill, then maybe he would have been the one Wei Ying had grown close to.

~~

Lan Zhan wondered if somehow he was having a delayed puberty, because he had never thought about sex much in the past and now he was thinking about it nearly constantly. If this was how most people went through their lives, Lan Zhan was amazed that anyone got anything done at all.

~~~ wth 🤣🤣

“I should stop by campus one of these days to meet the boy who has finally managed to draw my didi out of his shell!” Lan Zhan hoped Lan Huan’s project did not give him a day off for the foreseeable future. Or at least until Lan Zhan had gotten his thoughts under control. He did not think he could handle having Lan Huan see him interact with Wei Ying until then.

~~

Wei Ying slipped his arms into the sleeves of Lan Zhan’s sweater. It was too big on him, and the sleeves hung down past Wei Ying’s fingertips. Wei Ying just grinned hazily up at Lan Zhan, wrapping it tightly around him. Oh. Lan Zhan really liked Wei Ying in his clothing. There was a visceral satisfaction in it that Lan Zhan did not understand but felt in his core..

~

There weren’t many students out this late, but the one or two who passed them did a double-take. Lan Zhan did not give a fuck. In fact, he hoped that they all made note of the fact that Wei Ying was tucked inside Lan Zhan’s jacket, being taken to Lan Zhan’s car, wearing Lan Zhan’s sweater.

~

Then I am pleased to be Wei Ying’s first.” Wei Ying let out a helpless bubble of laughter. He slanted a grin at Lan Zhan that should have been a warning, but Lan Zhan was not prepared when Wei Ying said, slyly. “Is Lan Zhan planning on taking all of my firsts then?” The spike of lust that shot through Lan Zhan at the words nearly made him lightheaded. He told himself that it was good he had taken Wei Ying to a restaurant rather than ordering take-out, because otherwise he might have pinned Wei Ying to the nearest wall and taken at least a few more firsts.

~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Su She Eats his Heart Out

By:KizuKatana

Summary:

The (bitter) third party pov of the epic college romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, as told from the pettiest NPC to ever exist.

- - - - -

A new student transferred into the university in their second year, and Su She was gleeful to see how much Lan Zhan was irritated by him from the very first day that the student (Wei something) showed up late for class with a ratty hoodie pulled up over his head and proceeded to sleep through lecture. Finally, someone else would be the butt of everyone’s jokes as they watched Wei Ying constantly try and fail to get Lan Zhan’s attention. When midterm grades came out, Su She was expecting the guy to be humiliated.

That was… not what happened.

Worse still, Lan Zhan was now actually turning his head to look at the guy when he spoke. And... wait, was Lan Zhan… putting his hand on the guy’s ass?!

No. Su She does not accept this.

This story is complete, but I am just cleaning it up as I post.

Chapter:3/3

Words:16,770

Status:completed

#wangxian #wangxian recommendations #mdzs #mxtx mdzs #wangxian fanfic #ao3 recs #the untamed #mdzs fanfic rec #mdzs lwj #lwj x wwx #lwj #mdzs wwx #wwx #su she

[mobumi]

So Here's my final Bucchigiri review!

Overall a fun ride, but something is missing.

I give it a 6.8/10.

First time I saw the teaser and trailer for this l was so curious because the visuals looked amazing and I couldn't wait to see it. When I finally watched it, I have to admit I was disappointed, not because I thought it was bad, but because I thought the plot would be something completely different, especially judging Utsumi's previous works. I wanted it to be my new Buddy daddies, but alas.

As I mentioned before, I noticed some problems in the pacing and writing which, in my opinion, affected the quality of the show. But what I really enjoyed was how entertaining it was. The comedy seemed just right, the running gags were okay, and just the vibe in general worked for this universe they created. The 1001 nights lore was really well used!

I liked how this anime subverted my expectations and played with the shonen genre and overused tropes, that was definitely the fun part. There were some very good parts and metaphors that I think elevated the show and gave it something special.

But with this finale, you can clearly see all the things that the show lacked, more so in the writing. Ichiya's motivations were nonsensical and it didn't justify manipulating a teenager or killing him just to fight his former bestie. Arajin has such a rocky development and seeing him the exact same at the end felt kind of useless after his face off with Matakara. Added to that, the genie lore that doesn't make sense even with the great metaphor of being a Honki person and some plot holes here and there that are hard to look past. It almost feels like the people working on this project were not fully invested in developing the world more or the characters, just enough to keep the audience guessing. For me it was like eating something good but lacking in seasoning. I wanted more SEASONING, and not just salt and pepper (ok I'll stop with this analogy 😂) but yeah something more consistent.

I didn't expect something incredible though, so in terms of ending it did do the job and overall gave us something more than satisfying for what it was.

I had fun watching Bucchigiri and getting involved in the fandom! Though I have conflicted feelings about this show, it made me watch until the end so that means they did a good job making the audience interested and see its potential.

If there is a season 2, I would probably check it out of curiosity, but I think it'd be better to just end on this note and move on...

#bucchigiri?! #i probably forgot things i wanted to mention #but yeah overall this is my take #it was fun reading all the posts and people's opinions about the show #bucchigiri #anime #anime review

[anomia-sama]

HI !! i just found your blog and followed and i'm so excited to read your works !!!!! i was wondering i could get a scenario (in english!) about Saigiku Jōno falling in love with a regular civilian (someone without an ability)? and his s/o is the opposite of him, very sweet and naive. i think it'd be really interesting to read about this!!!

thank you so much and have a good day/night!! take care ♥️♥️

Hi dear, thank you so so soooo much for your kind words, I really hope you would accept my sincere apologies for making you wait so long. Unfortunately I had a bad moment in my life, so I neglected for a while this blog, but now I'm here and I want to start from your LOVELY request! I love Jōno, he's one of my favorite characters and I crave writing about him! I hope you enjoy it. <3

Pairing: Jōno Saigiku x Reader

Warning: Gender neutral reader (they/them), probably uncorrect english, Jōno being Jōno.

Notes: It's a bit longer then I expected (it's more a one-shot than a scenario, btw), but I was inspired! It was hard to describe the way he fell in love without any visual expression, but I tried my best. Y/N is a florist!

✦ Lilac ✦

Your first meeting was a mere coincidence.

It was an early summer afternoon and Jōno was walking down the street leading to the Hunting Dogs headquarter, perfect as always in his uniform and in his calm but rhythmical, elegant, proud pace. He was so upset, arguing with Tetchō-san about how disgusting was the idea to eat butter cookies with mayo on top, and then he suddenly sensed something new. He knew that street pretty well: smells, voices, sounds, people, he walked up and down that road so many times it had no secrets for him. But that day... that day something different caught his attention, strong enough to interrupt him from harshly scolding Tetchō-san. There was a new fragrance in the air, a caress to his heightened senses, a sweet and intoxicating scent. Jasmine, yes. The bold, unmistakeable and intense smell of jasmine flowers. But also... pink geraniums, so delicate, and roses too. A pleasant symphony of lilies and delphinium. He stopped his walk, slowly tilting his head toward the source of that beautiful smell.

 «...You need flowers?» Tetchō-san asked, confused.

 «What?»

 «You stopped in front of the new flower shop.»

 «I know where the hell I stopped, shut up.»

The new flower shop, huh? It was the only one in the entire neighborhood and the crowd around the little store (Jōno heard an annoying interweaving of voices and heartbeats) showed how well it was welcomed by the inhabitants. But there was still something out of tune in that moltitude of environmental stimuli, something he didn't fully understand. A peaceful heartbeat, different from the others, a deep scent that had nothing to do with flowers. He heard a crystal-clear laughter, the most lovely sound he heard in a while, and then some hesitant steps getting closer and closer. When you talked to him, his brain went blank for a second o two.

And that was the scariest thing he ever felt in his young yet dangerous life.

 «Good afternoon, sir.»

Your voice pierced his mind and then exploded in his nerves. His hearing was delicate and sharp, he always said everything has it's own internal music: an interweaving of tones, rhythms, vocal inclinations that defines its pleasantness. Your voice was something out of any competition. It was an auditory paradise.

«I'm glad to meet you, people here keep talking about you. Since it is the open day, please, accept this as a little gift. I hope to see you soon in my shop, I'll wait for you.»

You put something in his and Tetchō's hands, and Jōno was sure you were smiling (he just felt it, like a shiver down his spine), then you went back to your customers. He was totally unreadable, in that moment, an inscrutable mask on his face, a calm attitude despite the strange feeling he was experiencing. He just approached your gift to his nose, gently holding it in his fingers, and deep inhaled.

 «A white rose. It's nice.» Tetchō-san commented.

A white rose. His mind ran fast.

Purity. Innocence. Reverence. Humilty.

Flower language never fails.

«Yeah, nice. Let's go, we're late.»

Jōno started walking again, but for a second a soft smile, so distant from his usual grin, appeared on his soft lips.

******

It’s been exactly six weeks since that day.

And today is the day.

Jōno sits all by himself in a lonely table at his favourite cafè. Goddamn, he loves that place. It's never too crowded, so he can rest his head in peace, they have his favourite coffee, some desserts he truly likes, and it's right in front of the flower shop. He doesn't wear his uniform, today, he took some free days after a long and difficult hunt. Well, it was an interesting hunt, he enjoyed every single moment of it and had a lot of fun torturing his prey, but now he really needs some time to recharge. He needs to stay away from his work environment, from the stress the other Hunting Dogs use to cause him, and as close as possible to something pleasant. He doesn't stalk you, he really doesn't. He genuinely likes to sit in that cafè and hear you talk with your customers, laugh with them, chant while you water the flowers. Listening to the variation of your heartbeat and of your breath jut makes him feel in peace. But today it will be different.

Today is the day, yes.

He finishes his coffee slowly, then he leaves a generous tip on the table and patiently wait for the moment you greet your last customer, before heading to the flower store. His entry is marked by the soft sound of his hearring, and he can hear you murmur something to a bouquet of peonies. He chuckles quietly, thinking it's kinda cute, but you notice him and Jōno can clearly hear your heart beating suddenly faster. He embarassed you, huh?

«Good... good evening, sir, I didn't hear you coming, my apologies!»

But Jōno isn't upset at all. He slowly walks with elegant pace among the flowers and his fingers soflty caresses some purple orchids. He's so calm, so unreachable, so ethereal...

«Is it true? Does speaking to plants help them grow faster?»

You violently blush at his insidious question. You hide your face behind a hand and laugh.

«I swear, sir, I don't always talk to my flowers. But I'm always alone here, sometimes it happens. Anyways, if you really want to know it, yes: showing plant some love and care make it grow stronger and faster, sir.»

The Hunting Dog listens to you silently, charmed by the way you talk about your work and flowers. He show you an enigmatic smile, leisurely reaching the counter.

«Jōno Saigiku. "Sir" sounds a bit too formal.»

He can't see your face but he feels that old shiver running down his spine: he's sure you're smiling again.

«Nice to officially meet you, Jōno-san. I'm Y/N L/N. How may I help you?»

It's not a surprise, but he already knows your name. Again, he's not a stalker, but find secrets and information is a crucial part of his job, so he's pretty good at it. He think nice names fit nice persons, anyways he wisely decides to keep it to himself; Jōno's not comfortable yet with such gentle thoughts about someone so he just smiles and patiently crosses his arm. It's the first time he's alone with you, and you're so close your perfume dulls his senses. Once again his mind goes blank for a second or two and once again he's terrified.

You have in your soft hands a terrible, dangerous weapon.

«Lilac. I need a bouquet of magenta lilac. The prettiest you have, thank you.»

Before you can even move, he already puts some money on the counter. Maybe he's in a hurry, you think, so you're pretty fast to react.

«Of course.»

You disappear for a minute in the backroom and come back with a huge pot of fresh and fragrant lilac. Well, he asked for the prettiest flowers you have and that's exactly what you offer him. You start selecting the best flowers right in front of him and braid them with skilled hands, creating a lovely bouquet in a few seconds. He just listens to you: the way you move your hands, the way you caress every single corolla to find the best one, the way you use your mental scheme and creativity to realize something new. Your heartbeat is so calm it almost sounds like a lullaby.

«Is this for... someone special?»

You ask hesitantly, breaking the silence between you. You don't want to seem too nosey, you're genuinely curious about that man. Does he have a significant one in his life? A partner? A family?

«Maybe. I'm trying to figure it out.»

His answer is laconic, but the grin on his lips make your stomach hurt for a second.

«Well, if it's for someone "maybe" special, let's add a ribbon. What color?»

«I don't know. Any suggestion?»

«I'm not reliable, I would put yellow everywhere. It's my favourite color.»

«Yellow is good.»

You smile at him, and even if he can't see your smile he feels that shiver again. Then, with a satisfy and proud expression on your face, you put a yellow ribbon around the bouquet and you offer it to the young soldier behind the counter.

«Here. The prettiest lilac in town -and trust me, they truly are- with the prettiest yellow ribbon for someone maybe special. I hope they will be happy to recieve such a lovely bouquet.»

He stands in front of you, but against all expectations he didn't take the flowers. Jōno just approaches his face to the bouquet and deep inhales its intoxicating scent. His left index glides through the petals in a gentle touch, a slow and quiet study of your masterpiece that ends with a smile.

«Perfect. You truly are a natural, y/n-san.»

He feels proud of himself whe he hears you holding your breath for a moment. You truly are sensitive to praises, he will remember it (oh yes, he will). Keeping his back straigh, then, Jōno waves his hand in your direction and steps back from the counter.

«Well, I think it's a goodbye. 'Till the next bouquet, of course. It was a pleasure, y/n-san.»

He carefully articulates your name before turning his back and slowly walk away. But your voice suddenly stops him, loud and worried.

«Wait, Jōno-san! Your bouquet.»

You tend your arms holding lilacs in his direction, but he suddenly raises his left hand to interrupt you. You can see an enigmatic smile reflected in the showcase of your flower store.

«No need to worry. I think my lilac bouquet already reached the right person.»

And then he walks out of the door, leaving you confused and surprised at the same time. You hold the bouquet to your chest, an intense frown on your face, and the meaning of his action suddenly hits you with the force of a typhoon.

Lilac. A new love.

You smile.

Yes, flower language truly never fails.

#bsd #bungou stray dogs #bungo stray dogs #jouno saigiku #bsd x reader #bsd x y/n #bungou stray dogs x reader #bungou stray dogs x you #bungo stray dogs x reader #bungo stray dogs x you #jouno x reader #jouno x y/n #jouno x you #jouno saigiku x reader #bsd jouno #bungou stray dogs jouno #hunting dog #bsd manga #saigiku jouno

[alatusxiaoo]

✎ [ 14. ] a…date?

“so,” venti begins, taking a sip of the iced americano stationed in front of him. “a date. that’s what became of your genius idea.”

you and your friends had gathered at a nearby coffee shop as soon as university classes ended. you messaged them about the news on the same day heizou confessed to you about how you owed him a date — however unfortunately, none of you were able to decide on a convenient time for everyone to meet during the weekend.

you slack your head in defeat, shamefully admitting your next ten words. “i haven’t went out on a date in three years.”

“oh, how pitiful indeed.” hutao lets out an amused snicker. “you sound just like an old woman.”

“do you at least know why you owe him a date?” ayaka chimes from across.

“yep, i called him yesterday to ask. he laughed and said i lost a drinking competition,” you whine in complaint. “we made bets and he wagered to take me out.”

“ah, that’s why you were so heavily inebriated…” hutao deadpans with a sigh. “does this mean heizou is interested in you? or is he simply being a characteristic flirt?”

“the former would make sense if they kissed at the party.” lumine proffers.

“mhm, and we’re not even sure what time he left that night.” you lazily swirl the straw on your iced coffee. “with the information we find every time, it’s eventually going to get harder to multitask between the guys in proving certain situations.”

“so we make priorities.” ayaka adds with a tone of determination. “and at present, i think childe should be at the bottom of that list.”

“she’s right,” venti agrees, waving a hand. “he drank a lot at the party too. he won’t be useful right now if he doesn’t remember much, because no one else was there to witness what happened to him that evening.”

“thankfully, we also now know exactly who we write at the top of your list.” lumine snaps her fingers in clarity.

“yep, because albedo is still currently busy with the upcoming university fair.” ayaka nods. “you’ll get your opportunity once he’s finished with his work. for now, we focus on that date you owe heizou.”

“what about thoma though?” you wonder aloud. “i mean…can we really trust the claim that he just so happened to stumble into me inside that bathroom, when even none of you could find me? or did he know i was there because we kissed prior to that?”

“y/n has a point. despite the fact that he’s not as suspicious…we can’t rule him out yet.” hutao hums, scratching her cheek while deep in contemplation. “frankly speaking on our list of priorities, at the moment he’s probably just a little bit above childe.”

“we also can’t be certain that he was solely searching around for childe that late at night either…maybe he took some sort of detour.”

“okay ~ let’s not think about it too much you guys,” venti pipes in cheerfully. “the truth will eventually unveil itself on its own. thinking about what we can’t find out now will only waste more of our time. i also lose hundreds of braincells the more you talk about your theories, so we should just move on from this subject.”

“perhaps we should consider plotting this out on one of those boards.” ayaka taps her fingers on the table excitedly. “you know, the ones often displayed in crime shows? like some sort of suspect wall!”

“that’s a great idea!” lumine clasps her hands together in agreement. “it would make it way easier to visually keep track of these things.”

“i can start on one later this evening.” hutao suggests. “but what about y/n’s date? didn’t you say heizou was willing to take you out whenever you’re free?”

“yes he did…” you chew thoughtfully on your lip. “i was thinking maybe we could do it sometime next week.”

“i guess this means you won’t be able to implement much of your genius idea anymore.” venti snickers at your dissatisfied expression.

“unless you probe him with questions about what happened at the party.” ayaka replies, fiddling around with the string of the floating tea bag on her drink.

“he’s bound to get suspicious.” lumine frowns. “we’re dealing with a guy who majors in criminology, for goodness sake. this was the person we were previously trying to enlist for help before we realized he could have potentially kissed y/n.”

“she doesn’t have to ask about everyone else,” venti shrugs. “she should just ask questions centered around him and what he did. it would be best if she discovered whether he had a solid alibi during the time he spent at the party.”

“sure. and how exactly do i disguise that?” you snort, taking a big gulp of the sweetened iced coffee in your hands.

“feign interest in him, what else?”

you inadvertently choke on your drink.

venti shrugs with nonchalance at your astonished face. “why are you surprised? you know heizou does that to literally every girl he sees without feeling anything. why can’t you?”

it makes sense.

“besides, if you miraculously begin to feel interested in him, the more genuine it will sound.” hutao grins deviously. “oh shit, it’s perfect. it has to work.”

god, it makes sense.

“and what if he inquires about the sudden spike of interest?” you retort, a light blush adorning your cheeks.

“i don’t see how that will happen. it’s obviously the perfect time to express your interest.” venti puts his hands forth to prove a point, a smirk crawling across his lips. “he asked you out on a date. what better time to show you’re undeniably attracted to him, if not by then?”

oh fuck, i hate how it makes so much sense.

you shut your eyes to calm yourself down, loathing the all-too-familiar fluttery sensation that lightly fills your stomach. you’d almost forgotten how it felt ever since then.

“venti’s plan works.” ayaka pushes her empty glass aside. “i think we can run with it.”

“what do you say?” lumine asks, snapping you out of your trance. “will you do it?”

can you successfully feign interest in a boy who’s been posing his to others all this time?

or — well, it wasn’t like you had any other choice in this situation.

because one way or another, you were going to have to successfully feign interest in a boy who’s been posing his to others all this time.

“uh, sure…next week it is.”

I WISH YOU WERE SOBER — [ previous. masterlist. next ]

synopsis — in which you were never really one for spontaneity or precipitous decisions, until you got yourself drunk at your senior year university party and woke up the next morning with the most dreadful of hangovers…along with a painfully distorted memory of a stolen kiss on that hazy evening.

note — finally back from a couple of stressful weeks !! wonder what’s going to happen on the date 👀

taglist — @tihgnari @ceylestia @eissaaaa @venyan @sohyuki @senjurro @bobaducky @dinoshimaaa @sharoshing @ioverjn @hey-comrade-hold-stil @skaramush @lesboluvs @clovcly @ventuswhat @zephestia @theother-victoria @neptun-estate-blog @ihaveahunterlisence @minyoungieee @astolary @wrenhyperfixates @heartonthemoon @goodthingimsam @capybara4lyfers @slvdsjjk @michelindu @kimiesstuff @itssoizzy @kazuzux @hiqhkey @layla240 @justrisahere @one-offmind @diaflower @liquor-kissez @tokanite @pooonyo @sweetstrawberrybabe @yeeden @nejibot @lcvez @rion-s @sakushoujo @koiir @lost-wicked-artist @dampam @q1ngx1n @yer1sdi4ry @bleedingwhiteroses222 @starglitterz @xdncrkay @uwak-uwak-uwak-uwak @apyrose @zanashair

#fanfic #genshin impact #fem reader #SMAU — i wish you were sober #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact headcannons #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact drabbles #genshin albedo #albedo x reader #genshin ayato #ayato x reader #genshin childe #childe x reader #genshin diluc #diluc x reader #genshin kazuha #kazuha x reader #genshin heizou #heizou x reader #genshin thoma #thoma x reader #genshin scaramouche #scaramouche x reader #genshin xiao #xiao x reader

[cheapsweets]

The garrulous Slagzogg

My response to this week’s BestiaryPosting challenge from @maniculum

A little rough this week, but wanted to get it out there (perfect is the enemy of good :p).

Jinhao shark fountain pen with fine, hooded nib, with Monteverde Raven Noir ink, over initial 5.6mm HB pencil sketch.

Process and resoning notes below the cut...

"The Slagzogg marks the watches of the night by its constant cry. No other creature picks up the scent of man as it does.  There are two kinds of Slagzoggs, domestic and wild. Wild Slagzoggs fly high, in a an orderly fashion, signifying those who, far away from earthly things, preserve a rule of virtuous conduct. Domestic Slagzoggs live together in villages, they cackle together all the time and rend each other with their beaks; they signify those who, although they like conventual life, nevertheless find time to gossip and slander. All wild Slagzoggs are grey in colour; I have not seen any that were of mixed colour or white. But among domestic Slagzoggs, there are not only grey but variegated and white ones. Wild Slagzoggs are the colour of ashes, that is to say, those who keep apart from this world wear the modest garb of penitence."

Okay, we know they fly. We know they have beaks. Hence, it's pretty obvious what kind of creature this is...

A pterosaur! Er... Well, there's no mention of feathers (which is probably reasonable...), perhaps I'm just tickled by the thought of medieval domesticated pterosaurs? I probably spent way too much time trying to draw a wattle fence, too. We have a farmer feeding her flock of domesticated miniature azhdarchid pterosaurs, while a few wild slagzoggs fly high overhead, looking down on their cousins below.

I went with azhdarchid pterosaurs since I felt that would be more visually distictive, and fit better in the picture given their more upright and distinctive method of locomotion on the ground. I also love the idea of a slagzogg 'village' cackling (like the one spreading its wings on top of the fence), clacking beaks, preening themselves, and generally making noise!

We also know that 'no other creature picks up the scent of man' as well as the slagzogg... We do know at this point that the bestiary authors love their superlatives almost as much as Pokedex descriptions, but we have no reason to doubt it. So, looking at modern archosaurs with a great sense of smell... Apparently, crocodiles actually have a fairly good sense of smell, but we're looking at birds to work out how best to represent this in a creature with a beak. Now kiwis have nostrils at the end of the beak, vultures also have a great sense of smell (though they completely slipped my mind until I was most of the way through), which left me with petrels... Petrels are diving seabirds with a distinctive 'tubenose' (their nostrils form a tubular nasal passage atop the beak), and use their sense of smell to detect prey (and their colonies) at sea. It's definitely a distinctive look!

What do they use their great sense of smell for (apart from identifying their keepers, one assumes)? Maybe these are truffle hunting pterosaurs? ;)

Actually, my first thought on reading the description was the dog vultures from the Judge Dredd comics (unfortunately I can't find any pictures online), until I re-read the description and noticed the reference to beaks!

This all raises an interesting question about how I (we? I don't want to assume too much) approach these challenges.

I feel like most of the time, I'm trying very hard to approach the prompts with a completely open mind; in many ways, a lot of the fun of these challenges is seeing what designs we come up with compared to the bestiary illustrators, given the same prompts.

Occasionally I'll have a pretty good idea what the creature is meant to be, in which case I will sometimes exercise a form of 'malicious compliance' where I'm either sticking as closely as possible to the description, or more rarely pursuing a parallel direction that I know is not the 'correct' one, in order to avoid drawing anything too close to the animal I believe the prompt is referencing.

Most rarely, I just have a cool idea from the prompt (like the Blisheag) and head off in that direction instead.

Guess which one this is :D

So what I'm also learning here is that I need more practice drawing humans, and drawing pterosaurs!

As an aside, this week I discovered this site;

It's basically a giant repository of links to various images and sites relating to medieval life and culture (so for example, I looked up the links for straw hats to get some medieval straw hat references this week...). There's so many links in here that some of them will inevitably have moved or expired, but it's potentially a really good source of references! I was able to find this image (partway through drafting the drawing) that I ended up taking heavy influence from;

#maniculum bestiaryposting #bestiaryposting #my art #pterosaur #azhdarchid #art challenge #slagzogg #Slagzogg