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#a lot of the designs are also just so neat and make me smile
glocodile · 2 years
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Owl House is really nice
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astro-royale · 4 months
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AstrologyObs: Appearance
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Disclaimer:my opinion
Cancers are the cutie of the zodiac!! Round facial features. Cozy, comfy, warm and inviting. They may look great in Asian make up styles or old classic make up styles. Bohemian. 70s look or even 50s.
Gemini have a cheekiness to them that’s apparent in their features. They look like troublemakers in a wholesome way. They usually have quite sharp smiles. They have a very on the go energy , and I think they can get away with being sporty or even messy. But they also look so good with a basic 90s style which reflects their logical mind.they may also have a “rebel” “punk” or even Avril Lavigne vibe.
Pisces just feel like a wave of tranquility and I just want to chill with them. They have such dreamy eyes that make you want to get lost in them. They look so good with shimmers, in make up and clothes. Also metallic colours. Glowy make up. MERMAID. They suit modern style of clothing a lot.
Sagittarius, the free spirits, can actually look great with more revealing looks. They can get away with over the top things, and they will make it look cool, like their way of dressing is part of their philosophy. I feel like Sagittarius also has a lowkey sense of humour to their style, “ I did it for the fun of it, why not” also look so good in red:::
Scorpio.. you guys just remind me of Johnny Depp in pirates of the Caribbean, looks wise that is. Very alluring, darkness around the eyes. You change and transform people so no one will ever experience another you again. Your dress sense may have elements of danger. Leather jackets. A sense of shock, uniqueness . Darkness. Alternative or femme fatale.
Aries yall look good in office things, or just sophisticated and sharp styles tbh. There’s an angularity to you but it looks very cool and dramatic, it makes you interesting and cool. Lush, and sharp.it gives lip gloss and matte outfit vibes.
Capricorn, your organisation influences your dress sense so much and i actually think that Capricorn represents a mainstream dress sense or something conventional and basic you see everyday. So you look good in that. Simple. Classy. Timeless. Capricorns with Aquarius placements may disagree
Taurus, yall look really good with heavy makeup up looks, or full face glam. you guys look good with mullets. And electric colours. Graphic liners. Cool eyeshadow looks. IG baddie make up looks. May also suit dip dye hair styles or highlights.
Virgo, I feel like many of you may have had a hipster phase, plaid shirt and boots situation. Or some kind of lowkey emo phase . Even a tomboy phase. But anyways, you look great with slicked back hairstyles, neat loose natural hair. You Look Royal, in a laid back way. No matter your aesthetic. Virgo, you look best when you take care of yourself, when you look very clean, and tidy. Clean girl aesthetic
Leo, Animal prints look so great. You’re royal in a flashy way. You may feel like you look great in designer clothing or higher end brands. The quality and brand may be of importance to you and you won’t just buy things from anywhere. You’re going to attract looks, because the planets revolve around the sun. You look good being flashy and fully expressing your authentic self and uniqueness, don’t hold back your greatness.
Libra, yall could wear a potato sack and still look great asf. Your facial features are usually very proportionate and balanced. I think your natural glow is what suits you best, and an elegant outfit. You look great showing everyone the embodiment of Venus on Earth, and I think you have “aesthetic” in your genes.
Aquarius, you look good in unisex or androgynous, long or short hair, any colour, you will make it work. Doesn’t matter if things clash, you can make it work. The innovated. Unique style. Dreamy aura, they have an intelligent vibe. You’re giving the audience a taste of the stars. Of intelligence beyond this earth. Cyber /rave styles can look great on them too. Or very artsy looks. Many of them also get into cosplay. They look ethereal so they can embody what isn’t real (anime, cartoons, movie characters etc) People may even say they look like an anime character.
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harrysonlylover · 1 year
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Find Your Pleasing*
In which you have a heated meeting with the hot CEO
Wc:2.4k
Warnings: MATURE & SMUTTY CONTENT.
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The floor was buzzing with workers frantically running from one room to the other as they made sure everything was perfect and neat for him.
Mr. Harry Styles, owner, and founder of Pleasing for sex toys. He started this company from the bottom in 2017 with no one to motivate him but his own will.
Back then CEOs of big companies laughed in his face when he proposed his project, they even scoffed and made fun of him. Now they are waiting in the lobby for their turn to have a word with him. He likes- no loves how they behaved after he outsmarted them in the business field, he even enjoyed watching their face turn pale whenever they entered the headquarters because everyone knows that he’ll be reigning on the top for a very long time.
The secret to his success was the face of Pleasing which also happens to be him. He caused a revolution of some type in the sex toys world after he launched an ad making every man and woman drool for him. There were even rumors about couples breaking up thanks to Pleasing’s glorious toys. When the news reached Harry he smirked, secretly liking the idea of having power over others.
He didn’t even need to try and well the rest is history.
There are lots of things that the public does not know about the successful young man, one of which is his sex club also called “Pleasing”. It is mistaken for being inspired by the company, little do they know the devil himself built both of them.
The sound of printing machines, telephones, and employees shouting got closer as you neared the 5th floor also known as Styles’ Headquarters. You had a job interview and you were required to know some crucial details about him.
You approached the receptionist who was thankfully not so busy and she helped you reach his office, the room that was isolated from the entire floor.
She went in before you and you could faintly hear the murmur of words exchanged between them. It wasn’t long before she gave you the green light to enter.
A big mahogany desk was placed in the center of the room behind which he stood with his back to you, and you couldn’t help but notice the display of many sex toys on the counter.
At the sound of your footsteps, he turned around, his right hand still placed on his hip. He was dressed in an elegant navy suit that made sure he appears as the CEO. You caught a glimpse of his painted fingernails varying from turquoise to transparent while his hands were complimented by luxurious rings, a lion, a pearl, and his initials. You were very familiar with his hands just like the rest of the world was.
“Mrs. Y/N it’s an honor to finally meet you, have a seat please.” He signaled to the comfortable chair in front of his desk.
“Same goes for you, Mr. Styles.” You smiled as you lowered your skirt to adjust your seating while feeling his eyes raking your body.
“I know, now y/n please call me Harry. I hope this doesn’t bother you but I would rather be straightforward with this.” He was now standing in front of you leaning on his desk with his arms crossed over his chest, and you caught a whiff of his perfume. Tobacco Vanille that sent vibrations throughout your body.
“I’m a very busy man and I’m in a rush but please don’t worry I already scanned your file, so I’m being righteous with you. Which is why I prepared questions for you to answer.” He spoke fishing out a document and relaxing more on the desk, you couldn’t help but let your eyes drift to his front and you wondered if it was a bulge or just a wrinkle of his pants.
“Anything caught your attention, Miss?” You immediately straightened your posture trying not to turn red in the face.
“No nothing Mr- Harry.” He hummed and flipped the papers while you refrained from looking down again.
“So I gather that you’ve worked with big companies before, nice work indeed. How would you approach Pleasing’s designs?” He turned his gaze to you and rubbed the light stubble on his chin.
“First of all Pleasing has a wide range of items that are no doubt causing global chaos in a good way of course. No one is even thinking of designing sex toys anymore as they stand no chance but Mr. Harry did you ever ask your customers what they want.?”
He was listening to you attentively, his eyes never leaving yours and the corners of his mouth were itching to offer you a grin.
“Sometimes yes, but how do you suggest that happens?”
“You focus on the people who are against Pleasing, who do not enjoy sex toys. Dig deep into what makes them feel good, I think that the initiative you’re looking for here is not to sell more toys but to help everyone find pleasure. Even those that think they can’t.” You spoke confidently already feeling him become amused at your thoughts.
“Hm, so Miss tell me what would the motto be for this campaign?” He shifted around and stood behind your chair, his fingers lingering over the expensive leather.
“Find your pleasing.”
“And do you know what’s yours?” He leaned down and whispered in your ear and you could swear his voice suddenly became deeper.
You nodded your head and he moved forward examining the display of toys, his left hand was in his pocket while the other hovered over the items till he picked the one.
“This is a unique one, I didn’t get to try it yet but I’d love to give you the honor.” He presented it forward in front of you like a piece of candy. It was a plug or at least it looked like one but with a button on the side.
“Now?” You inquired feeling a bit surprised at his playfulness.
“Only if you feel like it Miss, I’d never push you out of your comfort zone. If you want you can take –“
“Tell me Harry do you know what’s your own ‘Pleasing’ “ you shot back at him as you watched his expression shift and eyes darken.
“Hm yes I do but I’m afraid I’m a visual demonstrator Darling.” He lowered down to your level and his hot breath was doing things to you.
“And I’m a fast learner Harry.” He wasted no time in grabbing you by the throat, managing to pull you up on the counter without hurting you just keeping a good amount of pressure on your neck.
He kissed all over your collarbone as you wrapped your heels around his torso, and his cock was being pressed into your core.
“I find my pleasing in others, so pretty girl when you get yours I’ll get mine.” He muttered hungrily over your lips pushing his tongue as his jaw flexed. His hand found its way beneath your skirt and immediately cupped your cunt with his ringed hands.
“I saw how you were looking at my hands pretty, you’re not so sly you know? What did you want, my hands to hold your cunt like this as you hump for relief? His thumb was pressed on your clit making you jolt while his buttoned nose grazed your neck.
“Yes and your thick fingers inside.” You replied quickly as you were heating up by the moment.
He suddenly pulled back and removed all of his rings, slicing his eyes up to you while smirking before placing the rings on your fingers. They were a bit lose and almost fell out.
“Tsk tsk even my rings can’t fit, how will you handle me pretty.” He chuckled pushing one finger inside making you grasp onto his shoulders.
He gently added another finger and began massaging your labia, with his forehead laid against yours. He fastened his pace going in circles and when he found your g-spot he teased you by delicately returning to his massaging technique.
You moaned against him, with your nails digging into his back. He was smiling at the sight of you falling apart on his touch.
“See this? This is my ‘Pleasing’, getting to satisfy a woman like you. Look at these pretty moans and your fucked out state already riding my fingers like a whore. Anything to get stuffed yeah?” He bit at your earlobe and when you didn’t answer him, he curled his fingers at your g-spot.
“Yes I love it, I love your thick fingers inside of me.” You continued to moan in ecstasy feeling his fingers hit deep spots and despite trying to jerk and shift around he kept a firm grip on your hips.
His thumb moved to your swollen clit lightly tapping at it before pinching it and grinning when he heard you scream due to oversensitivity.
“My favorite spot, this little pearl just like the ring yeh? Like being in heat as I play with it?” His other hand dug into your back resulting in the both of you becoming fully intertwined as you shifted closer to him.
“Please I need to cum Harry.” You begged in a rush, his fingers felt so good and the pressure in your lower stomach was getting more and more intense.
“Cum pretty, let me find my ‘Pleasing’ in yours.” And right on cue you closed your eyes shut, as you saw nothing but black, his eyes were still set on your face watching you almost black out from the mind-blowing orgasm he just gave you.
He leaned forward kissing the tip of your nose and slowly removed his fingers for a taste making you whine at the empty feeling.
“You just had an orgasm and you still need something inside you?.” He raised his eyebrows not to inquire but to make sure.
“Need you to stretch me out real good Harry.”
That was all he needed to hear before he unbuckled his pants and dropped them to his ankles, his bulge looked painful as he took his briefs off to reveal his erect cock ready and glistening with precum.
He grabbed you roughly placing you on your stomach with your ass in the air and ripped off your skirt with his bare hands effortlessly.
“My ski-“
“I’ll buy you a Skirts company.”
He mumbled through heavy pants before leaning down to your cunt and grazing his nose at it before breathing in its scent and groaning loudly.
If you could see him right now he’d probably be looking at your puffy pussy with puppy eyes and a drooling mouth.
You wiggled your ass back at him making him chuckle and bite at your ass before standing up and placing his tip at your entrance.
He plunged in slowly but easily due to your wetness, you were so warm and snug yet so fucking tight he had to grit his teeth to stop himself from coming despite having stamina.
“Perfect pussy wanna make it drip all day fucking hell.” He rolled his eyes back and moved his hips slowly before pulling you back to his chest by your hair and thrusting in at a fast pace.
The sound of skin slapping and moaning filled the room as he whispered the filthiest words in your ear.
“My Pleasing is destroying your cunt and knowing you love every second of it.”
“My Pleasing is seeing you beg to be filled with me as you tell me how much you adore being a cockslut.”
“So tight already eager to milk every drop yeah? Well, take all of it it’s yours.”
He nibbled at your earlobe and you could no longer do anything but moan and whimper at the feeling of his veins massaging your walls as he hit your g-spot repeatedly. His thick cock stretched you out and reached your insides as he poked near your belly button.
His hand was around your neck choking you, while the other pinched your clit to overstimulate you making you jolt and cry out in pleasure.
“When you beg for it, it means you should be able to take it.” He slapped your sensitive clit three times as you clenched around his cock uncontrollably letting go and reaching your second orgasm.
Harry followed you immediately too overwhelmed by your tightness, you stood chest to back with his bicep tightly wrapped around you while he spilled into you, load after the other.
“Take all of my cum, let your cunt swallow it up.”
His hips stilled inside of you until every last drop was spilled, he moved strands of your hair from around your face, allowing himself to kiss all over your skin.
He reached over grabbing the same toy from earlier. “May I?”
You nodded your head feeling eager for what he was for you, he slowly pulled out not giving the chance for any of his cum to drip before inserting the plug inside your creamy cunt.
You hissed at the feeling of it along with the sticky cum, his eyes were twinkling as he almost died from the sight.
“My ‘Pleasing’ is making pretty plugs to keep cum where it belongs.” He whispered and reached down to the button you thought about and pressed it making it vibrate with the cum inside of you allowing it to reach even deeper.
“H-harry too sensitive.” You tightened your grip on him as you could quite literally feel the cum vibrate inside of you.
He smirked and turned off the button only to push another one leaving you with a whole other feeling.
Emptiness.
“What is this?.” He laughed at your shock before pulling the plug out of you and showing you its transparent tube filled with cum.
“This one allows you to hold on to cum when you need it, fills up sluts like you when needed. Now open up.” He tipped your head backward and you didn’t get to see what he did since the cum was already spilling on your tongue.
He ordered you to take every drop and you did. You laid down on your back feeling spent out as he got a wet cloth and began cleaning your thighs and pussy gently leaving delicate kisses there.
When he was done he tossed the cloth aside and sat back down with you in his lap and head buried in his chest.
“Did my little minx like my new invention?” He asked feeling quite eager for the answer.
“Very much my love.”
There are lots of things that the public doesn’t know about the young successful man, one of them is his love life…
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iirc I think you said you don’t like Trey and Malleus’s hair but somehow excuse Rollo’s hair 😨 so where does everyone else stand if you were judging them based only on physical appearance?
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Disclaimers: I'm not including any Yuus (like, from the manga), mob students, reused assets (ie ghosts and pixies), or characters that we've only gotten the silhouettes for (that means no Mrs. Rosehearts, no Farena/Falena, no Zigvolt parents, etc.). I am only giving my thoughts on the looks of named characters with fully realized designs. If there is a significant variation of their hairstyle I like, I'll make note of it. Additionally, I will be commenting on general style rather than on individual outfits.
These are my opinions, please don't take them too seriously. I think all the designs work as is to convey the background and personality of each character, but everyone will have different tastes and preferences in terms of visual design; these are just mine! (And remember, just because I may like how a character looks doesn’t mean I like the character overall!!)
***PLEASE NOTE: This post contains spoilers for the main story and events that have yet to be released in EN!!***
Pretty
Jade - I'll admit that it took me a while to get used to his haircut (I typically don't go for the super short bangs), but it grew on me! I really like his face in particular; it can be very calm and pleasant but also mischievous and sinister. When he's angry or upset, it's much more subtle and hard to read in his face. That's something I can really appreciate. It all works very well with his neat, tidy, and unassuming appearance.
Jamil, Najma - THE VIPER FAMILY HAS SUCH GOOD GENES, just look at their luscious hair and mysterious, dark eyes... They dress so well too, I love all the hair accessories and flowy fabrics the Viper siblings have.
Meleanor - Malleus's mom has got it goin' on 🙃 She really kills the warrior princess look! Very imposing, yet elegant. I can totally understand why Lilia used to crush on her.
Fellow - Not usually a fan of gingers (and nor do I simp for fox man), but there's just something so charming about Fellow's face. I think it's the eyes and his self-assured, fun-loving smile. His outfit's snazzy and he makes it work so well! I especially like the cravat, spats, and the cape hanging off one shoulder.
Cool
Leona - OKAY FINE I'LL ADMIT HE'S HANDSOME, ARE YOU HAPPY NOW????? 😭 As much as I want to wrestle Leona, I have to admit that he has a very striking face (especially when he smirks) and powerful presence. He knows how to command a room (and he’s just about the threshold of muscle I’m willing to accept). I'm not really into hair past shoulder length or how he usually dresses, but what I think is the coolest about him are his eyes. It feels like they'll follow you everywhere. Ponytail Leona is the best Leona, in my opinion.
Ortho - I was debating between putting Ortho in "Cool" or "Cute", but ultimately went with "Cool" because he by far has the most unique look of the entire cast. I love learning about his different Gears and their functions, each one different than the last. I don't find the pale skin and blue hair as off-putting on Ortho as I do on Idia, and I think that's because Ortho's more child-like.
Crowley - His aesthetic is nice! I find the bird mask really goofy and his hair a literal rat's nest (DON'T @ ME, IT LOOKS LIKE LIMP SEAWEED), but his suit and cape are so dapper! All the keys and mirrors would look gaudy on any other character, but they fit so well for Crowley. The extra shiny details give him an air of mystery, like threads of light peeking through the dark.
Trein- Trein's robes and cravat make him look so classy and regal! The colors also remind me of Edgeworth from Ace Attorney-- He looks very stern at first glance, but when he gives his little smiles you can tell how much he really cares.
Sam - He's way overdressed for running an on-campus school general store but hey, it works for him. There's lots of little details I enjoy in his design, from the stitching on his top hat to the locs he sports.
Cute
Lucius, Grim - LIL' KITTY CATS 🥺 I especially think Grim is adorable whenever he gets a new themed bow or a whole ass outfit like in the Halloween events!
Chenya - His haircut is so uneven but I commend his style. Chenya's look isn't too busy; his jewelry and decorative patches are spread out so they don't crowd for your attention. Gotta love those callbacks to Alice in Wonderland! This might sound weird, but there's power in his plain white shirt half-buttoned and loosely tucked into his pants; it gives the right amount of casualness to feel "accidentally stylish". There's also just something really whimsical about how cat-like his facial expressions and gestures are. It's quite endearing!
Ruggie - His hair looks perfect for ruffling! The fact that he often dresses in hand-me-downs and Leona's oversized clothing makes him appear "small" and even cuter. Pair that with Ruggie's crooked little smile, and it's perfect. I like that his build is lankier than those of the other Savanaclaw students; it makes him appear less intimidating on an initial evaluation.
Cheka - Have you SEEN Cheka?????? How does your heart not melt at the sight of him 😭 I adore his little :3 face and how he shines when he's innocently asking Ojitan to hang out with him...
Floyd - I feel like I kind of have to put Floyd in "Cute" since he's Jade's twin. Floyd just places lower because I find his eye shape less cute and his personal style doesn't really align with my tastes.
Kalim - This type of hair isn't usually my jam, but Kalim dresses it up well with a headband/scarf (?) and jewerly. When he moves, I imagine that the jewelry is jingling its own song. Kalim always seems to be smiling, so just looking at him puts me in a good mood too. His fashion choices tend to be extravagant and not very viable for everyday wear, but it's fine as long as Jamil stops him from making impulsive decisions.
Rook - I actually don't like his bob (I prefer it in an awkward little ponytail), but his face--especially the mouth--is beautiful. I BEG OF YOU, LOOK AT HIS CEREMONIAL ROBES GROOVY. Rook can be so expressive, it's like he's a one-man play. Alas... He looks naked without a hat :(( but I appreciate the mystery of covering up his limbs for the most part so we can’t see how truly muscular he is.
Lilia - Peepaw really stands out from the rest of Diasomnia; he doesn't come off as scary right away, he just relished in how adorable he is and is confident in that. Lilia's shorter stature and more experimental style certainly plays into that uniqueness too. It's fun to see what he comes up with! I especially love that he wears more traditionally feminine things like tulle skirts and gathered fabrics, and even dyes his hair and paints his nails in various colors. The cut itself is a bit of a clusterfuck when I first saw it, but I've really grown fond of it over time. It's such a bright expression of who Lilia is. I can't say if I prefer his long ponytail or the shorter trim; both are good!
Sebek - Like Jade, Sebek is also very well-put together. I like him with both his hair up and down; each has its unique appeal! With his hair up, Sebek appears much fiercer. With his hair down, he reminds me more of a puppy drenched from the rain. I feel like even though his face can be menacing, his smile overpowers how scary he can be. It feels so pure, clashing with his usual attitude... (His pathetic/sad expressions are also cute, but don't let him know I said that.)
Marja - Sweet granny... She looks so kind and cozy, I just wanna give her a hug.
Rollo - I’m a bowl cut apologist, what of it 😭 I like how he's so straight-laced and proper in his dress. It goes together with his face very well. Moreover, the dark eye bags and pinched, stern mouth only add to his charm. Rollo can go from neutral to devious smirk to a flash of anger--it's so interesting to observe how his face contorts.
Gidel - He looks like a mix of Ruggie and Cheka, so by default Gidel goes in "Cute". His oversized sleeves, patchwork pants, and mismatched socks give him such character!
Dylla - ANOTHER ATTRACTIVE MOM!!! Her clothing is more on the tomboyish side, but she still wears them well. Dylla's face in particular is really stunning; I get a mature big sis vibe from her.
Mid
Ace, Deuce- The most generic hair styles of the entire cast. I don’t have much else to remark on.
Azul - I don't know how else to say this, but I think Azul is handsome but in heavily regulated manner... to the point where it doesn't feel natural?? Like yes, he obviously cares about his appearance, it just feels "too" controlled of a narrative to me. The same goes for his smiles. Like Eliza says, he does it too much, so it feels fake.
Neige - He's wearing such an ugly sweater, but the innocence of his face evens things out. I find Neige cute in that generically sweet way, and for that I cannot place him higher than "Mid".
Epel- Same "generically sweet" cuteness as Neige. I do like his colors though.
Silver - Also has very generic hair. I disagree with the notion that he's handsome or has a noble constitution (even if the game itself says otherwise). Silver just looks like Some Guy to me. I’m slightly put off by the super muscular arms in his PE uniform too.
Eliza - I think Eliza could be a lot more appealing if they hadn't presented her to us in such a different style. Like the generic ghost NPCs, she's drawn more like a western cartoon rather than like an anime so she feels "off" from the rest of the named cast. Because there isn't unity between her and the characters she is shown with, Eliza sticks out like a sore thumb. I gotta hand it to her though, she still slays in that tattered wedding dress.
Fairy Queen - Love how the buns in her hair resemble roses, and how her entire body looks like it's golden and glowing from within. I wish her dress was more detailed though, more fitting for a queen.
Don't Like, but Could be Worse
Riddle - ROACH ANTENNAE........ . .. ... . . .... . ...... . .. . . . .. .... . .. Oh, and he looks so funky when he gets all red in the face.
Vil - For as much as we're told he's beautiful, I don't find Vil's brand of beauty to be digestible. He comes off too strongly, if that makes sense??? 20 cm heels, face beat to the gods with makeup, carrying himself at all times like there's a camera pointed at him and he has to pose 24/7 (look at most of his groovies)... It's hard for me to get behind that, it feels too overwhelming.
Seven Dwarves - I find most of the dwarves way too cartoonish, and not in a cute way. I think the only design I genuinely find okayish is Timmy (the timid dwarf).
Ambrose - He's an older gentleman in his wizard Halloween costume. I find his design sort of... generic??? But I'm knocking him down a little because I also find his overall appearance to be goofy and unflattering.
Idia - I DON'T CARE WHAT THE MAGICAL ARCHIVES OR ELIZA SAY, MAN LOOKS LIKE A WALKING CORPSE AND THAT AIN'T CUTE 😭
Shroud parents - Cool helmets, but I wish we actually got to see their faces.
Baul - I find Sebek's hair color more pleasing to the eye. Baul has a lot of other elements that Sebek doesn't (due to Baul being full fae and Sebek being half), and I find that they overcomplicate his design. It's hard for me to focus on his face because there's just so much to take in, from the scaley beard and more voluminous hair to the fangs and pointed ears.
Dawn Knight - This is the "bro, can I copy your homework" / "sure, but be sure to change it a little so the teacher doesn't notice" meme. I wish the Dawn Knight wasn't just long-haired, recolored Silver (with the exact same voice actor too). I would place the Dawn Knight in "Mid", but that armor is not doing him any favors. It's way too excessive with all the wings.
Crewel - His mostly monochromatic color scheme with splashes of crimson is cool, but I'm not into his clothing or even his hair. It's very jarring to see his hair and vest color blocked, and I don't find his big flashy fur coat appealing.
Kifaji - The big brows and the really long goatee make me go "???"
Actively Dislike
Trey - His hair reminds me of a freshly mowed lawn. Trey's design is otherwise inoffensive to me, but that hair color and cut are bringing him down so much. The only memorable thing about how he presents are those rare moments when he whips out his one brow raised smirks, and even then I think he looks slightly silly and it's hard to take him seriously.
Cater - Again, it's the hair for me. I like it better when it's all down (like in his Club Wear card). In his usual hairdo, there's a middle segment that's weirdly pulled back from the rest of his face in a... scruffy ponytail??? That really bothers me. I don't vibe with his usual style of dress or how he presents himself either, it's a bit too... lax?? (I know I said the same thing about Floyd, but he looks similar to Jade and therefore gets a pass).
BURN WITH FIRE
Jack - He commits the sin of having a confusingly styled mullet and has a muscular physique which don't bode well for my tastes. I guess he does have those "looks intimidating, but is actually a softie at heart" vibes going for him, but I just cannot look past the haircut I'M SORRY.
Malleus - I'm not into super pale emo/goth guys, and Malleus somehow presents as even more of that than Idia. He dresses in mostly black (and while there is a lore reason for this, that doesn't make me like the color any more or less), has a sort of mopey face (I guess it's supposed to be elegant, but I don't perceive it as that), and dear god that haircut and the ashy grey lips… It doesn’t help that the expressions he makes (particularly on his birthday cards) give really strong “are u lost bby ghorl” energy and that weirds me out 💀 So many things about him just don't work for me.
Vargas - Too muscular. Also not a fan of facial hair or athletic wear. Vargas doesn't seem to have a very keen fashion sense either, judging by the outfits he put together for his camp events.
Heinrich - His face is very grotesque and twists into making some of the most comedically evil and smug expressions I've ever witnessed in all of TWST.
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hollowtones · 1 month
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opinions on yoshis story? imo that game doesnt deserve to have music that good
I haven't played very much of it and I've been meaning to do something about that forever. I've played some of it and I've watched others go through most of it.
I know I've seen a little bit of modern grumbling (I don't know if this was a point of contention when the game came out because I was three at the time. OK I looked up some reviews from the era and it looks like it was also a thing people were mad about back then. LOL) over the fact that the game isn't more like "Yoshi's Island" & that it feels like it's aimed more at younger audiences. I dunno. I've never been bothered much by games with some tie to one another doing something different. (Some of the response reminds me of Transformers fans being upset over Hasbro making toys and shows for very young children sometimes; admittedly maybe I'm off the mark here.)
It's a very easy game if you want it to be. You can just eat any fruits you want forever and it's over in a blink. And it's fine. It's fine if the video game lets you beat it very fast if you want to. You can also try to collect only one single kind of fruit in a level and that makes things take longer and makes them feel like more of a scavenger hunt (especially if you're trying to get all the melons). I think that's neat. There's sort of an interesting design trajectory from "Super Mario World" to "Yoshi's Island" where the levels become a little longer, a little more meandering, a little more exploratory, sometimes (not always, and not massively, but it's still there) a little less linear. No time limit. Going for collectibles instead; making every level about getting a score of 100 (if you want to). You can see that iterated on in "Yoshi's Story"! No singular end point of the level. Bigger rooms to explore (while still keeping levels relatively short). More of a focus on puzzle solving and exploration. Collectibles simplified to one meter that you fill up, but there are multiple things that can fill it & you get rewarded for only collecting one kind. (And also the hearts that let you pick what level you go to next. There's a lot of "opening up more of the game for yourself if you want to go out and look for it" here. Are there other collectibles, actually? I don't really remember...) Secret fruits that give even more points. It makes the levels feel more like puzzle box toys that you roam around in. It's neat that they designed that for younger kids and it's neat that you can make it more difficult if that sounds fun to you. (I would have to play more of it myself to decide if going for all melons is fun for me specifically. But I like it on paper, y'know?)
The pop-up storybook theming is cute and the visual aesthetic of the game overall works really well. It feels like arts & crafts dioramas made by kids (or with kids) so they could play pretend with their toys while reading a storybook. It's got very strong toy feel overall. The music is really fun!!! It does the dynamic soundtrack thing where some parts of the track change depending on your health!!! I'm always clapping my hands like a seal with a game's music changes depending what I'm doing!!! Maybe it's a little silly of me to say this, given that it's a sentiment I've had in the past, but nowadays I scratch my head a bit at "the music in this has no right to go this hard" type comments. It goes hard because the musicians got hired to make it like that. (I'm imagining a guy who thinks the "Yoshi's Story" music is the hardest music ever created and I'm smiling serenely about it. I hope he's real & I hope he's out there somewhere.) I'm glad they let Totaka do something that feels at least a little experimental for the goofy Yoshi babies storybook super happy yay & jumping throwing game soundtrack. It's a fun contrast, isn't it? It feels very of-the-era in a way I'm having trouble externalizing outside of "well it's a little weird and multi-genre". It's neat that they all have a shared melody that they draw on.
Thanks for reading my short essay on a childrens' video game I haven't played a lot of yet. I need to go take a shower now.
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adracat · 10 months
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GWitch: Finale thoughts
Pardon for the lateness on this, got busy after the episode aired and then proceeded to write a fic using my achemy brainworms lmao. But here it is, the end of a terrific journey!
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The permet stress really took its toll upon Suletta after her bout with Eri but that won't stop our girl from trying to save her family. So rough to see though.
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Gotta say, besides Nika and Chuchu, Aliya is easily my fav Earth House kid. She's into divination, takes care of animals, and is just so chill
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Surprise Surprise SAL are being cheeky assholes. They don't care what Delling/Benerit has to say since this is just a grasp for power on their behalf. They have all the cards atm with that WMD
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This was nice I guess, but I really dislike him so I just rolled my eyes lmao. I guess the one Lauda stan is happy he got screentime.
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For Mio to keep entreating Prospera is admirable on her part. She knows it might fall on deaf ears but she has to try for the sake of her future wife and hellish mother-in-law. It was so good how her faith in Suletta never wavers. She knows Suletta is coming and isn't surprised once she shows with Aerial
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And Suletta demonstating her growth by ignoring Prospera's command? Top-tier fr fr. Loved that entire exchange and call back to ep12
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I don't mind 4 but it is painfully obvious he was slotted into this role because of the truncated re-write. 'I guess I'm like her' No sir, you were explicitly not in S1 LMAO! But I guess they needed a newtype to overpower Eri even though it doesn't narratively make sense for 4 to be one. Ah well, in another world where Okouchi got the seasons he wanted ;-;. It was a nice send off nonetheless
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Rainbow party permet is so cool, pride Gundam!! I wasn't too keen on Calibarn's design before, tho I love the broom, the rainbow really sells it for me. And that coven of gundams?? So cool. Schwarzette usage here, abysmal pilot, and wealth of unused symbolism stings a bit. They so clearly had an arc planned but had to cut it :/ I would love to see the initial draft before cuts were made
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MIOMIO DISSOLVES BENERIT. Hell yeah. Had a feeling she would choose to go this route. Also, the stone cold way she stares down the barrel of a gun... Ma'am, my heart <3 The best peace princess ever
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This hit me in the feels. Suletta forgiving her mother, Eri begging for all of them to be a family, and Prospera seeing the ghosts of Vanadis smiling at her lovingly. It was everything to me.
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The soundless fake-out as Mio believes Suletta is dead was cruel and brilliant. The horror in her eyes that morphs into weepy happiness when Suletta awakens will stay with me for a long time. They even did the little gundam helmet bop again!
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Shaddiq taking the fall for everything was good of him, but it feels a bit too neat haha (They had to wrap up loose threads hastily and it shows) He really is an interesting character that, in a longer run, could have been amazing
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Surprise! Sulemio got happily married during the timeskip and now Mio has to suffer a keychain's negging. Super funny outcome but I hope Eri can move between devices or else that's a bit hellish
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Mio stealing Shaddiq's highly trained girlsquad is amazing. Ain't no one getting to the president of GUND-ARM without a fight. This also opens up the possibility for more Sabanika, so excellent decision all around
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THE RINGS!!!! Ahh any nitpicks are nothing compared to sheer happiness I feel when seeing them. They fought and suffered so hard for this ending and it was all worth it! Eri and Prospera sharing in their joy is the cherry on top~
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This image is my fav. Suletta is such a special protagonist and her relationship with Miorine broke ground in a legacy franchise no less. They are in love! They married! And no one can take that from them. Thank you GWitch, I love you lots. This ride has been unforgettable from the beginning <3
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adobe-outdesign · 28 days
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YOU ENDED UP GETTING ME INTO NEOPETS NOW SO WHAT R UR THOUGHTS ON JETSAM(S)? IM A SUCKER FOR SHARKS LOL SO IM RLY HOPING TO GET ONE AT SOME POINT
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Jetsams are sharks, and are meant to be kind of a counterpart/natural predator to the dolphin-like Flotsam; to the point where the two looked near-identical. Nowadays there are more differences, with the Jetsam sporting two fins, sharp teeth, slightly different markings, and an upright posture. Personally, I like to think of these two as a case of mimicry, with the Jetsam having evolved to trick Flotsam from a distance.
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Visually, the Jetsam has a nice tough look to it that gives it a lot of personality, and the way it sits upright plus the two fins gives it a bit more uniqueness so it isn't just a normal shark. My only issue with it is that the gray underbelly is a bit too dark and low-contrast. Gray as the accent color is fine; it just needed to be a lighter tint.
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The Jetsam benefited quite a bit from customization, as its old art was starting to get very dated and needed a redraw anyway. The new Jetsam looks a little less tough, but the smile is nice as it shows off their teeth, and it gives them a fun kind of mischievous look. The overall look didn't change much, but the head has been changed significantly to have a much better, less wonky shape to it, and the markings now stop above the mouth instead of near the eyebrow. The shape of the hind fins have also been improved, and they're one of the only pets who can make the customization fists look good.
Favorite Colours:
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Maraquan: How do you make an underwater version of something that already lives in the water? Make it into a deep-sea fish, obviously! The overall design is easily recognizable as a Jetsam, but its been given a horizontal posture with bioluminescence and an angler fish light/teeth. The palette is great, using neutral browns and greys for the body and bright neon blues for the accent color. My only nitpick with it is that the teeth feel a bit busy and don't quite make sense if you look at them too long, but overall, this is a great design.
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Pastel: The pastel Jetsam is just plain pretty, using a soft pink and turquoise palette. What really makes it work is that instead of using flat colors, it employs subtle gradients so the turquoise becomes blue in areas and the pink gets some subtle highlights. On top of that, it's also given a sunlight-under-water ripple texture, with a few small speckles on areas like the eyebrows and tail. A lot of effort went into this design compared to your standard pastel pet, and it really paid off.
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Toy: Alright yeah, this one's just fun. The pool floatie idea is a great concept that works perfectly for the colour, and the execution is also really solid, including lots of raised plastic ridges, seams, and plenty of highlights to give it that plastic look.
My only issue with it is that weird handle on the side of the head. I guess some shark toys have these, but I've never seen one personally and it honestly just looks distracting and kind of out of place. Also, I do wish it was semi-transparent (think like the good Jelly-coloured pets), but that's not a big deal. Still a really good colour regardless.
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BONUS: The robot Jetsam has a mostly red and white palette with a few black accents, and it works really well for this pet. I love the visor, and the patterning on the fins is really neat. Both versions are fine; the UC/styled version looks a bit more robotic, but the customized version reads a bit better overall.
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chloessleepystories · 8 months
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Chocolate Fog
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Mind control, Drugged, Male/Female, Male Dominant
This was sparked by a patron's three-word prompt: Airplane. Eyes. Chocolate.
***
The setting sun was glaring through the little airplane window, so Amber, squinting, lowered the shade halfway. She was a pretty white girl in her early 20s, blonde, with a thin sweater stretched over generous breasts. Her seatmate had noticed them – noticed her beauty – but hadn't been creepy about it, and she appreciated that. They were only an hour into their 4-hour flight, and she didn't want to feel creeped out the whole time.
He seemed like a gentleman. Older man, with dusky skin and a trim white beard. Dr Suresh or something like that, he'd said, with just a hint of an accent, as he'd smiled and exchanged pleasantries before takeoff. She got a warm feeling from him – partly from his nice smile, partly from his rich, deep, soothing voice, but mostly from his eyes – they sparkled with warmth and mischief, and there seemed to be golden flecks in those kindly, chocolate-brown eyes.
The snacks and drinks trolley was coming down the aisle. She found she was really looking forward to that little packet of peanuts. She pulled down the little tray, moving her paperback to the empty seat beside her. How fun air travel was! And how cool that the flight wasn't fully booked, so she had room to spread out. Dr Suresh had spread out too – he'd laid a small case on the seat between them when he first sat down. So that was nice – a shared space, but also a buffer.
She ordered her peanuts and a Diet Coke from the nice stewardess.
"There you go. And for you, sir?"
"A scotch and soda, please. Neat."
"That's all?"
"That is all. Thank you. Oh – a blanket, perhaps, when you have the chance."
Amber leaned over, once the stewardess had moved on. "No peanuts? I think the peanuts are my favorite part. For some reason, peanuts on a plane just taste better than peanuts anywhere else!"
He chuckled in his throat, as she giggled. "This is true. Perhaps someone should do a study as to why. Me, I do not need them, for I bring my own snacks." He patted the small sample case between them. "The finest chocolate bars no one has heard of – yet. New, from my company."
"Wait – you make chocolate?? That's awesome! What are you, Willy Wonka?" He laughed again at her little joke. She liked his laugh. "Wait a second, I thought you said earlier you were a scientist?"
"This is indeed true. I am a scientist," he said, and his eyes twinkled. "There is a lot of science that goes into making good candy. Did you know this?"
He was already opening the case, so she decided he didn't mind talking about it. "So what's special about it?"
The bars were packaged more like an extra thick Hershey bar than a Snickers or 3 Musketeers – a dark-brown sleeve around a foil wrapper. The sleeve said "Chocolate Fog."
"Our chocolate is made from a very special bean just recently discovered deep in the Amazon rainforest," he said in his rich, melodic voice. "Its flavor is unlike any other kind of chocolate previously tasted outside of Peru. In our labs, it goes through a special process designed to enhance its unique properties, until we arrive at what I believe is the best chocolate bar ever created."
He peeled open one end of one bar to show it was segmented. He broke off a chunk and held it out. "You will have a taste, and you will agree, yes?"
Well, how could she refuse free chocolate? She popped the thick square in her mouth, and her eyes lit up at the explosion of taste on her tongue. "Mmmm! It's so rich, and ... nutty? But also there's a softness, like ... almost a little nougat in there?"
"That is what gives it its ‘fog,' I believe," he murmured. "That airy quality."
"It's amazing!" she said, and drooled a little speaking around a mouthful of chocolate. "Could I ... Could I have a little more?"
"You may have the whole bar, dear lady," he said, and the golden flecks in his eyes sparkled as he smiled. "I have plenty more ..."
Half an hour later, the plane interior was much darker. The sun had finished setting, and people were dozing, or watching movies with their headphones. Only a few overhead pinpoint lights lit up the interior gloom.
Amber had a tummy full of chocolate. She'd finished the bar in a surprisingly short time, and had been allowed to devour a second too. Now, she leaned back in her seat, feeling the gentle rocking of the plane and hearing its dull roar, and feeling ... lulled. Lulled into a repose.
Lull, lull, lull. What a funny word, she thought. Lol. Lull. Lulllllled ...
She looked over at Dr Suresh, with a dopey smile and lidded, glazed eyes. "Thasss so good ..." she whispered. "Bess chocklit ever ... It makes me, like, happy ..."
The chocolate taste coated the inside of her mouth. It felt like was coating her brain, too, which was sluggish. Thoughts were moving slowly through the rich, chocolatey fog in her head.
"I am very glad to hear that," said her seatmate. "You look like you are enjoying it thoroughly."
He raised his armrest and, moving his sample case and the blanket he'd gotten from the stewardess, slid into the seat beside her.
"I am always interested in learning more about the special properties of these special beans. So I do enjoy finding more test subjects. Tell me – and please be honest, this is for posterity – how do you feel?"
She giggled, quietly. "I feel ssoooo goooood ..." she whispered. "Like, rosy! Like no worries, no stress, all the tension I was feeling in my body that I didn't even know I was carrying, has melted away! Like every cell in my body has gone on a happy lil vacation!!!"
"Well, that does sound delightful," he said, making a few notes on a small pad.
"Whadid you ssay was in there?"
"A mild sedative to slow the limbs, dopamines and opioids that produce a gentle euphoria, similar to being pleasantly intoxicated. Some components of the bean that inhibit activity in the prefrontal cortex and make you highly suggestible, that we have ... enhanced. And of course some pretty damn good chocolate."
He smiled, and his teeth seemed to shine in the dim light of the plane interior. She could see his eyes glittering, almost like a cat's.
"... Huhh?" she slurred. There was a bit of chocolate-brown drool at one corner of her mouth. She seemed to be having trouble focusing on him.
"Now," he went on. "Here's my question. I know the chocolate makes you happy. Makes you dopey. And it sometimes can be addictive. What I don't know is ..." And he leaned closer. "Does the chocolate make you horny?"
She blinked, and focused a little bit, looking deeply into his eyes. "H-horny?"
"Yes. You can feel it now, can't you? You can feel the rich, melting pleasure coursing through you, from your tongue up to your brain, and down through your whole body ... Melting away your inhibitions, covering your objections with flavor and pleasure." She was captivated by his eyes, dancing and sparkling. She hardly had to listen to his words. "The chocolate fog fills your whole body, making your nipples erect, yes? Your tummy tingle. Your arms and legs are like lead, heavy with the weight of their happiness, and your pussy ... oh, your pussy is singing, and buzzing, drinking in the rich, chocolatey heat. It's getting so aroused, so needy. Why, if you think about it – and it is hard to think, isn't it? – but if you think about it, you can feel your whole body, and all your mind, melting into your needy, foggy pussy. If only you could lift your arms, you would be desperate to pinch your nipples. Desperate to rub your clit. As it is, you can't help but squeeze your thighs together, around that heat, that aching need ... Isn't that right? You're squeezing right now, aren't you?"
She couldn't look away from his eyes. She could barely blink. Her eyes were watering. She nodded. Her whole body was consumed with hunger – no longer for chocolate, but for sex. For carnal pleasure. For cock. Yes! She needed to be filled with cock! That's what she craved now!!
She whimpered, quietly, in that dozing, dark plane filled with unknowing passengers, staring into the eyes of her kindly seatmate.
He moved the blanket over her lap without breaking eye contact, and pressed his hand into her crotch under its cover. He raised her skirt and stroked a finger along the moist heat of her panties-covered mound. She moaned and twitched, her mouth falling open, staring into his eyes.
"Please ..." she whispered. "Please, I'm so horny ..."
"My only question," he said, smiling directly into her eyes, "is whether you would have gotten so horny if I hadn't suggested it. Did I implant that thought into your suggestible brain? Or does the chocolate actually make you horny by itself?"
He moved her panties aside, and stuck a finger deep into her wetness. Her eyes filled silently with gratitude, already dreaming how she wanted to spend the whole weekend with him, letting his fingers and his cock and his chocolate do everything he wanted to with her.
"Every time, I tell myself I'm going to just wait and see," he went on, stroking her sex, already bringing her close to her first mind-breaking orgasm. "I won't say a word, just observe. But every time ... well ... I can't help it. I tell you how good your body feels. And it does."
She grasped his strong arm in both her little hands, and gasped in ecstasy, trying to be as quiet as possible and mostly succeeding.
"Six times now, and every time, I ruin the experiment. I just can't stop talking! It is a failing. I am a bad scientist."
He grinned.
"But you forgive me ... Don't you?"
And his eyes sparkled.
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hero x villain snippet
I won’t go into the details because they injure my pride, but I ended up captured by dragged to the Dark Prince’s throne like a common criminal. 
Which, of course, I was, but that’s besides the point. 
I wrestled against my captors — a futile attempt. They anticipated my strength. I had five soldiers holding me with chains as though to touch me directly would kill them.
They weren’t exactly wrong. 
They dragged me through a stronghold violently, the irons hurting my wrists terribly. I marked each turn in my brain — how stupid of them not to blindfold me — committing every detail to memory. It was a tasteful place, I decided reluctantly. Well decorated, without the lavish excess the aristocracy is known for.   
The throne at the end of the hall was imposing — no expense had been spared to make this place fit for a king. 
A king. 
A shiver went down my spine. 
Perhaps those are his designs. 
The Dark Prince was no royalty. He was appointed in a position of power out of fear that if it was not given to him, he would take it.
Upon further inspection, the throne was impractical. All dark spikes and coiling iron. Not the throne of a king, but one of a death god in his underworld. That made me admire the lord for a moment for his eccentricity and his bravery in not being afraid to utterly terrify the Emperor. 
Dark shadows drifted around him, flitting around seemingly of their own volition. And those eyes. They almost seemed to be made of the same stuff as the shadows; perpetual, eternal, ethereal. 
He lounged elegantly on his throne like a panther both at ease and ready to pounce. He was neat, for a drone under the false king’s command. Elegant and pristine to the degree where I felt almost ashamed of my scruffy leggings and tunic and downright embarrassed of the sorry state of my hair. 
When my escort neared him, he began to smile. 
“How lovely. The forest’s self appointed little heroine deigns to visit me.” He said as the guards shoved me onto my knees. 
 I didn't answer him. Despite his lovely exterior, I didn’t lower myself as to address him with the same familiarity he assumed we shared.
His gaze on me narrowed and he rose to his feet. “You’ve caused me a lot of trouble, you know.”
I sure hope I did.
“I’ve waited a long time for this.” He went on, descending the steps that led up to the raised dais on which his throne was set. “It’s been three months and I haven’t been able to find you until yesterday. Quite impressive actually.” He stopped in front of me so close I had to tilt my head upward at him. I felt the cold of his shadows on my cheeks. 
I only glared in response. 
“Do you not speak?” He asked, tilting his head. Not at all irritated, only curious it seemed. 
I couldn’t help myself. “I do.” I cleared my throat, my voice having come out husky and hoarse. “Just not to you.”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he chuckled. “Good to know.” He regarded me for  a moment and then turned to the small table at the bottom of the dais on which a pair of expensive glasses and one bottle of whiskey had been set. He set about elegantly pouring a glass of whiskey. “Don’t you know why you’re here?” He asked off-handedly. 
“Tacky.” I muttered.
“What?”
“It’s tacky. The trick. You either want me to admit what I did or you don’t know how I did it and you think I’m going to reply with that.” I fixed him with a look. “You tell me what I did.”
“I’ll be honest with you, I was indeed intending that.” He leaned back against the table, sloshing the liquid about in its glass. “But what you think is my principle concern is not even on my mind. There are far more important things at hand."
He drew nearer. “Since you prefer a more direct approach how about you just tell me what I need to know, Miss Vasiliev?”
I only looked at him. “Your cape.” I said bluntly. 
He blinked. “What?”
“It’s crooked. Also, should be a bit longer to go with that tunic. The balance is a bit off right now.” 
He tilted his head. I couldn’t quite discern if his expression was one of amusement or irritation, though I felt it was some strange meld of both. 
“You aren’t what I thought you’d be.” Was all he said in response, regarding me. “Strange. It’s not often that people surprise me.”
“That says a great deal about the people you surround yourself with.” 
He chuckled. “Perhaps you’re right.” He raised his glass to me in appreciation. “Tell me, if you were in my position, would you surround yourself with people you could not predict, Miss Vasiliev?”
“I’m aware that you know my name there is no need for you to keep mentioning it. With all due respect.”
“And with all due respect, you’re avoiding the question.”
“I am a mere forest Færie. What may I know of such matters as crowns and kingdoms?” I said innocently. 
“Humor me.”
“I don’t know who I’d surround myself with, but it’s certainly not these knuckleheads.” I commented. The second the words left my mouth, one of my captors threw me against the marble floor. Hard. 
I saw stars but I forced myself to laugh. “See? Predictable.”
“Indeed.” He approached me and then knelt so we were eye to eye. “I’m a mere lord and do not pretend to know anything of such matters as heroism and protecting the weak and whatnot.” He said in a low voice, his breath warm on my face. His voice lowered even further and he put his lips near my ear. “But I don’t think you’re in the forest for heroic purposes. I think you’re hiding.”
“Answer a question for me first.” I breathed. “Do you imagine yourself to be a hero?”
He drew back from my ear so we were facing, his gaze intense. “Take off the mask.” 
I smiled. He didn’t mean the one on my face. “And if I don’t?”
“I’ll kill you and leave you for the wolves.”
“And then you tell me you’re the hero.”
“I am.”
“I must disagree once more.”
“I’m sorry, who’s the prisoner?”
“Well, certainly not me.” 
His brows marred with confusion and before he could think, I whirled around the cuff I’d broken in a violent arc so it cut the throats of the guards around me.
He didn’t stop me as I made the run for the door. 
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queewp · 1 year
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I wanna hear more about ur merturtle au pls. I think it's pretty neat and u have very squishy designs. Also is it okay to write fanfic of ur au? It wouldn't be much and it'll be my first time writing but I have a tentative idea.
OH!! Ofc u can use the designs // idea with credit ^^ If u ever write something, defo mention it to me on here so I can read it >:) The overall thing was originally just going to be fun ideas, and nothing major. Overall, basically everything is the same from the original, other than a few quirks and designs the turtles have. Leo would always make a snarky comment about how he'd have "The voice of a siren." Which ofc, Donnie would always correct. He's the fastest swimmer of the group, and is the one that usually dominates fighting fields. Ofc- only if he uses his brain, which he kinda needs to work on. Donnie on the other hand, had to figure out how to comfortably live his life out of the water, and be able to be happy with it. He's made a few adjustments, probably like keeping water in his battle shell and having a regular schedule to keep himself from not being too agitated. In this version ofc, he's made all of his equipment waterproof! Including Shelldon ofc!! Raph, as a thresher shark, I'd imagine his fighting style would change a bit. Ofc he'd still be the absolute tank, but I like to imagine he'd manage to kinda use his tail to his advantage. Like Splinter, he uses his tail as a weapon and can stun enemies And as the Raph fan I am, thought that maybe it'd be cool to explore a small idea: Raph's always been paranoid of his smile, of being too rough, of being too scary, etc. I want him to both understand his struggles and realize that those he really cares about just want to see the true him, and not a hand covering his sharp smile. Aka, some free angst I could mess around with ;) Mikey... i actually don't have a lot for him? He'd be a force of keeping the family together, kinda like in the cannon. He'd have the most colorful fighting style, especially when u add water to the mix! He'd be the one to make Raph realize how wrong he was about himself, he'd be the one to help Donnie with his designs, and he'd help Leo realize that a lot of the stuff that's happened to them wasn't his fault. Also, part of me would find it funny if HE was the one who had some sort of 'siren' 'mermaid' powers. Or this could just be me watching too much avatar and the last airbender- but i think it'd be funny if he could manipulate water, and have all that cool mermaid powers!! Just an idea tho ^^ NOW UH- sorry if that's a lot to read, so have this lil comic WIP. I probably won't finish it knowing me- it is my birthday after all, but I'm glad people are taking interest in my little au :]
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punsmaster69 · 4 months
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25/DEC/20XX
wooooooooooooooo.
that day.
the one.
the twenty fifth.
the holiday.
if i list what everyone got from everyone, i'll be here all night, so just the most notable stuff.
got some new books. and socks. and a giant blanket. and a sweater.
i'm feeling very cozy.
frisk shrieked when they got one of those rock excavation kits from my bro.
(little known fact: frisk has an innate fascination with rocks.)
asgore gifted them an art kit.
alphys got them a mini salt lamp. they immediately licked it.
i got 'em a tungsten cube.
"Why are you so excited over a hunk of metal?"
"It's not a 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘬, it's a 𝘤𝘶𝘣𝘦."
"It's a hunk of metal."
"I'm gonna 'hunk' this at your face in a second."
"Do you WANT to kill me?!"
"No. But stop calling it a hunk of metal. It's a tungsten cube."
"Why do you care, anyway? It's MY cube, not yours."
"It's boring."
"Not to me."
"You underestimate my ability to find entertainment in shiny objects."
"Whatever. Suit yourself."
a lot of us had similar ideas, because flowey got a decent amount of (mostly dinosaur related) brick sets.
it's hard not to notice the pieces constantly strewn about flowey's half of their room.
walking over there's like a spike trap.
might be purposeful.
tori also got him some simulator game. he apparently already had the others in the series, so it makes sense.
papyrus has been using the same pots and pans for ages.
they're a bit charred and dented in places.
so, paps got gifted new cookware.
undyne got him utensils, and alphys got the pots.
tori gave him new oven mitts that don't have holes in them, unlike the previous pair.
i got him a giant puzzle cube. it's got so many rows.
it'll take him forever to solve.
he seems excited.
mettaton got him a robe, because apparently paps been admiring his. they match now.
got asgore some new teacups.
his current ones work fine, but didn't have many ideas outside of that. besides, when have extras hurt anyone?
undyne gifted him a book on slang and how to use it.
alphys' face dropped when she saw it.
"have fun with that."
(some kind of disgruntled lizard sound.)
alphys was ecstatic about receiving a manga she's wanted for ages from undyne.
tori got her some t-shirts. the one alphys liked the most is printed with a ramen brand.
undyne was gifted another giant foam sword.
that was the most exciting one for her.
they've been into collecting these specific stuffed animal things lately, so i got alphys and undyne matching ones.
mettaton had a similar gift, but luckily we didn't end up on the exact same stuffed animal.
something i'll probably regret was getting mtt a tub of glitter.
i know he likes the stuff, but i'm realizing now how this is probably ending.
already preparing to have glitter stuck to me every time he's in the vicinity.
...so not much will change, actually.
papyrus gave him a pillow custom-altered to have mettaton's branding on it.
giving mtt an mtt themed item...
he loved it. suggested that paps could help design products with him at some point.
alphys' gift was apparently done earlier, as it was an adjustment that enabled him to sign things without having to worry about carrying pens.
because his finger turns into the pen. kinda neat, honestly.
napstablook's headphone cord was looking a bit rough, so that's what i got them.
simple, but they smiled.
must not have been too bad a choice.
mettaton gifted tickets to a live band. they'll go together at some point.
me and tori, being old nerdy bookworms, exchanged exactly that: books.
frisk gave tori a cutesy handmade card, signed "by frisk and flowey but mostly frisk" on the back.
asgore gave her a necklace.
she stared at it and flatly thanked him before tucking it into her purse.
undyne gave a pie tin. self-explanatory.
probably exactly as expected, grillby was gotten a lot of various kitchenwares.
we have a lot of cooks in our friend group, i realize.
anyway, he was fond of the sturdy glass mugs i picked out for him.
that's the notable stuff gift-wise.
as for stockings, i went with chocolate bars for the other adults.
plain, simple, don't know anyone who doesn't like it.
safe bet, y'know?
got frisk a bag of those fake rock chocolates. the ones that look exactly like real rocks. they always talk about wanting to eat certain rocks; figured this would be a better alternative to shattering their teeth on real ones.
gave flowey a bag of fake coal.
"for being a butthead this year."
"Jokes on you, I'll gladly take this. And I'm STILL being the same next year!"
"didn't expect any different."
"besides, that's why you got coal last year too."
"Does it even count if it's chocolate coal? Not much of a punishment."
"it's the idea."
"The idea?"
"that you're eating rocks."
"Frisk is the one eating the rocks."
"you want real coal next year?"
"No!"
"Give that to Frisk instead."
"wouldn't be a punishment to them."
there's a lot of candy in each stocking, and most have forgotten who got what anyway.
the certain thing was everyone getting a bone in their stocking.
you know who from.
he gives 'em every year, this being no exception.
——
previous rock-paper-scissors decisions on who brings what dish collaborates now into a holiday feast aplenty.
or whatever jolly terminology i'm supposed to use to say: there was a lot of food. it was good. asgore overcooked the rolls a little. edible enough though.
——
somehow still full of energy, paps, mettaton and frisk are belting holiday songs.
napstablook's dj-ing for them.
undyne and alphys are chatting quietly beside the tree.
asgore is trying to help flowey put together that brick set.
his big hands aren't doing great with the small pieces.
grillby's trying to help him help better.
leaned against me, tori is chilling on the couch. i think she's convinced everyone else she's asleep, but under the blanket, her hand lightly tightens around mine every once in a while.
might be that she doesn't want to draw any attention to it.
...
i don't either, so i'll close my eyes too.
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that-ari-blogger · 4 months
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Stray Gods: The Role-Playing Musical
If I asked you to close your eyes and picture something that you have lived through, what do you picture?
Chances are, you are picturing a single moment in time, and feeling all the emotion that runs through it and connects it. Maybe it makes you smile or cry. But it's a single moment, crystalised in a wonderfully imperfect brain.
Life isn't about the great stories and sagas. Sure, that's what historians write down, but that's not what the life of a person is about. It's about falling in love, it's about a cup of coffee in the morning and a conversation with a friend, it's about crying in the rain, and it's about a moment of song and dance. Life is about the little moments, the things that you remember.
Stray Gods: The Role-Playing Musical is an epic, but it's also very much not. Stray Gods is about small choices and moments that add up. So, in this post, I'm going to be looking at some of those moments that I liked, and that some of y'all liked, and doing some analysis of what they say about the story as a whole.
Let me explain.
SPOILERS AHEAD
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Stray Gods is a video game. That's really important to the themes and emotions. Video games are often collaborative endeavours, the game itself often just serves to facilitate moments with the group. A perfect example of this is Ludohistory's streams with the crew from Overly Sarcastic Productions (Link).
I have played the game a few times over, with family members and friends, and on my own, and it's a lot less fun playing solo. Not that the game isn't fun to play on my own, but it felt like it was designed to be multiplayer.
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The other benefit of the medium is Stray Gods' calling card. The story is interactive. You make choices and interacts with people within the game. When you convince people to give love a chance, that's your choices leading to an outcome.
One of the best examples of this happens twice. Once halfway through the first song, and then again later on in the story. You get to choose your primary character trait from Charming, Kickass, or Clever. And I think these three are interesting, because their names are misleading. Charming doesn't make you more charismatic, and clever doesn't make you more intelligent.
Instead, I read them as relating to the different driving forces. Emotion, empathy, and logic. I tried to map these on to Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, but it's not quite accurate. Pathos is emotion, Logos is logic, but Ethos is credibility, which isn't the same, but it's a neat idea. In any case, a kickass character is more likely to make rash, emotion driven choices and a clever character is more likely to step back and think, and that is reflected in the choices made available later.
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@rosespark2 gave a different, more fascinating read of the concept (source).
I personally think that [the second choice of personality trait] is supposed to act in a way as Grace developing in the story. An example I could think of being maybe Charming Grace gaining Kickass trait later as her being a more open and compassionate person but seeing the injustices in the system become more glaringly obvious it starts to frustrate her and make her more aggressive.
I genuinely hadn't considered this, but it's fascinating to me. Specifically, because of how these choices influence the story. Your primary character trait lets you make slightly different choices, it affects the little moments later on down the line. For example, Clever lets you ask more questions or make different observations. Case and point, in Aphrodite's party, Grace gets asked if she knows the purpose of this event, and the clever choice is the exact opposite of another option.
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You can say it's to forget, but if you're clever, you can say it is to remember. This gave me a chuckle the first time around, but on a second playthrough, it reminded me of something.
One of my favourite songs is Hotel California by the Eagles and part of the second verse goes like this:
"How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat. Some dance to remember. Some dance to forget."
A party can be for remembrance and for its antithesis at the same time. Because that's what this event is for, it's for keeping the good times and replacing the bad ones with new moments. It's a time to reminisce. And a clever Grace could work that tiny little detail out, and it could change your perspective on the entire story, a small moment having a big impact.
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But as Rosespark pointed out, you get two choices of character trait, and they can act as character development. And the way that the story uses these choices works with this take. Because instead of your second choice superseding or supplanting your original, it adds to it. Because character development can mean losing parts of yourself, but it can also mean developing. Maybe you are clever and kickass, and that lets you make both clever and kickass choices.
This retroactively makes the Grace from the first half of the story feel incomplete, and that's exactly who this character is, she is young, and lost at sea, trying to find a way forwards. This is a character who needs to decide who to be, and that doesn't happen all at once, it happens gradually, in the smaller moments.
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When you play a TTRPG (be it Pathfinder, or DnD, or Raccoon Sky Pirates), you usually play as a single character. And one of the fun things about those games is finding out in real time, who your character is, and it's influenced not just by your choices, but by those of your friends, and the rolls of your dice.
And characters are made in the little moments, because you cannot look at the wider story. I remember two separate occasions where characters went in completely opposite directions. One champion I made to seek out power wherever she could find it ended up being the redeemer of the group, and one alchemist I made to seek revenge ended up being a father figure. And those two characters came about not through looking at how the plot would play out, but by small decisions in the moment of play.
Stray Gods works a lot like that, and that's for one key reason. TTRPGs are reflections of life, in a way. They are spontaneous, and that's what Stray Gods seeks to achieve. It is possible to play the game with the intent of being specifically charming, but what happens when you get given a choice with no charming options. Most notably, do you side with Persephone or Apollo in Old Wounds? Character comes about in the small moments and the little choices that lead to a large outcome.
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This all works for little choices within the game and within its music. The neat little instrumental association of the choices (Electric guitar for Kickass, harp for Charming, bass clarinet for Clever) is a cool choice that associates the choices with distinct moods that can really help to back up the choice as being charming or clever or whatever. And the repetition of this means that you end up associating those instruments with their choices. So, when a character other than grace starts singing with these instruments backing them up, you associate them with that character trait.
For example, Orpheus is the owner of the single coolest looking guitar ever made, and in The Throne, is preceded by this instrument. So, you immediately associate him with strong emotions, just through the music. When you finally meet him, he isn't particularly rash in action, but you are wary of him because of your intuition brought on by the guitar.
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Another example of a small musical choice affecting the story is in Cast A Spell and was pointed out by @adragoncat (link):
[Asterion] might be singing a harmony, and when [Hecate] accepts his proposal, she starts singing a melody to compliment it.
It's a tiny choice in the grand scheme of things, within the entire musical, the Asterion and Hecate love story has no plot bearing. But I have gone into detail on the thematic significance in a different post.
But what I think Adraconcat is pointing out is that the music signifies the connection between the two characters. Asterion's singing is less than immaculate, and that is the point, but when Hecate joins in, she doesn't make his singing obsolete, but she adds to it. The two complement each other. Not only is Asterion's song more bearable with her addition, but his singing itself becomes a harmony as the voices intermingle and complement each other into something infinitely better than the opening fumbles.
Things don't have to be plot relevant to be remembered. You remember Cast A Spell because of the emotion you invest in the relationship, and if you don't invest, you don't remember. And there's nothing wrong with that. Memories are unique to the person. My favourite moment in the entire musical is a small line by Eros in The Ritual:
"My arrows are rusty, forget the bow"
The arrows rusted because they were metal, but forget the bow because it was wood and rotted away. (That may be obvious, but I thought it was cool). That bow, mythologically speaking, is what makes people fall in love. It gets used on Jason and Media, and it gets used on Psyche and Eros himself. Probably a mythological interpretation of the flightlines and unpredictability of love, it was a purpose for Eros, and this single line conveys a loss of purpose as time has shifted, and the song attributes that to the pain of Aphrodite.
This is especially powerful because Grace's entire journey is finding her own purpose, and she can empathise with that. If you get invested in Grace's story, there's a high likelihood you will empathise with this as well.
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But the line that sums up the themes the most comes in The Trial:
"Give it time you'll find even an island drifts. You don't notice 'cause it only moves in teeny, tiny shifts."
Stray Gods is about the small moments, because Stray Gods is about choices. You make decisions, you accept the consequences. But sometimes you get so caught up in the small things and you don't understand or see what they all lead to.
You are defined by your choices, for better or worse. And sometimes you look back on yourself and don't recognise who you were or who you have become. And it's important to do so, because the moments keep coming. Even now, there is the choice to change for the better, even when all is lost, you can make a choice. And that choice will be remembered as a tiny moment that might just change your life.
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Final Thoughts
This musical is phenomenal and my greatest respect to Austin Wintory for the music, David Gaider for the writing, and everyone else involved.
This is game niche, and that is a strength. It's a Greek mythology, murder mystery, musical, coming of age story, video game. But it zeroes in on its heart, that being the small moments and choices that make a life.
This game made me laugh and cry and sing along. It made me dance, and brought about some fantastic memories, and that's the best praise I can offer it.
Thank you to all those who have read my posts and fed my ego. I put out a request for y'all's opinions on this and while I admittedly overestimated how many responses to that call I would get, it was fun seeing what y'all thought and working that into the final analysis. I am eternally grateful to those who offered their thoughts. I might do it again for other series of analysis that I do.
But this isn't it for my analysis of musicals. In the new year, I plan to take a look at Wicked, so stick around if that interests you.
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trashcanfills · 1 year
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I SAW A SET OF OBLIVIOUS ALPHA!LUMINE POSTS AND I RAISE YOU
OBLIVIOUS OMEGA!AETHER
Who’s somehow strong on his own yet whose helpful and sweet nature attracts all the alphas around.
Doesn’t get why people compliment on his scent. Is it the shampoo he uses?? What is it abt his smell that people keep sniffing and going oh wow u smell really nice. He keeps getting mildly flustered over it, and some hint that there’s a bit more to it than what they say but he isn’t sure and chooses not to overthink it and accept the praises when they come by.
People are weirdly affectionate with him but he doesn’t mind or likes it! It’s very comforting and nice to hug with friends. Except Aether does NOT realise that the point of physical contact is marking him with their scent to warn others away and poor aether keeps getting glomped everytime he meets with someone else
like after meeting with childe who was all to eager to get into an impromptu spar and tussle with him, he meets Ningguang who is absolutely irritated that the smell of that battle-crazed Fatui harbinger is all over him and aether is frantically apologising for looking messed up since Childe is childe. Ningguang has him cleaned up and get some new clothes (scented with some verrry light perfume she uses herself ha) and drags him to a fancy dinner in Liuli Pavilion.
Yae Miko is not happy to see the Head of the Yashiro Commission strolling around with Aether in the Grand Narakumi shrine, sticking a bit too close to the traveller to her liking. Ayato and Yae Miko of course exchange some snark commentary the moment they meet and hidden barbs that Aether tries his best to mediate. Unfortunately something happens that requires Ayato to leave earlier to handle, and Yae is all too smug to smirk at him while placing herself at Aether’s side just where Ayato himself was and accompanying him instead. Ayato gives her a blank polite smile with no friendliness in his eyes.
Every Alpha wants to keep him but can’t do much for now as he’s focused on looking for his sister, and they want him to be successful on that. In the meantime whenever aether comes by to hangout they show off and present themselves in a myriad of ways to signal Aether that they could be potential mates for him.
I know a lot of people like Lumine and I do too, but I like Aether equally as well. Both are pretty neat as individual characters and I like to think Aether is the more soft-spoken gentle-mannered twin compared to Lumine who’s more outspoken and headstrong. If im not wrong when you see their attack animations, Aether is more defensive while Lumine is more aggressive hence why i headcanon aether as the more passive twin and Lumine as the active twin. So essentially soft boi Aether and boss ass bitch Lumine hehe
Don’t know if it’s just me but Aether doesn’t get as much attention or appreciation because he appears to be the typical uninteresting isekai’d protagonist to most people. Also hoyoverse keeps defaulting to him in promotional materials for genshin even tho they are like either twin being Traveller are equally canon, which makes everyone feel like Lumine is neglected and focus more on her. That’s fine but i still think Aether’s cool. I actually like his design way more than Lumine’s but that’s because I greatly dislike Hoyoverse female character designs for being more fanservice than anything.
ALSO If you cant tell I really dig mixed gender harems because ANYONE can be in it. More options, more the merrier and more fun :^)
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felassan · 11 months
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its that time again! 🍵 
Thoughts/wonderings on Dragon Age: The Missing #4, under a cut due to spoilers for The Missing -
I'm probably becoming a lil unhealthily obsessed with this building. what do we think it is? the Archon's Palace is the highest building in Minrathous (tho I guess not, as it has sewers and this is floating). A Circle? it has a similar shape to the logo for the Circle of Magi. the meeting place for the Magisterium senate, lording over everyone below from high above? whatever it is it looks cool and it must be important to be featured on the map. I wanna go there (๑*ᗜ*)
I love Neve Gallus' design. it's fresh and cool, and she just looks so cute and neat okay. also full of detail - the snake pattern on the headpiece, shoulder 'scales' and scales elsewhere, collar & jacket like one of those hooded snakes, snake-'tailcapped' footwear (rather than steel toe-capped), the serpent belt and of course most of all the beautiful snake design of her prosthetic limb. 10/10 character/costume design
this page had me on my knees basically. my heart.
surely this panel is a new meme format hh? same goes for the one where Varric is saying "Then perhaps all this is linked" and Harding says "And we've led them here"
you walked into the wrong neighborhood bro
I also liked this pair of illustrations, they had a nice 'bookend' feel and reminded me a lot of Lord of the Rings.
Other thoughts:
Minrathous looks kinda cyberpunk and (despite what Harding says in the opening panels) feels quite clean in this comic
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Is that the person tailing them lurking in the doorway that Harding is catching sight of here?
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These holes in Varric's ear seem to be new. What happened? Injury from the leopard attack?
confused a bit by the perspective flip in this issue. In issue 1, Varric was more like 'stop', and Harding was more like 'talk to him'. it's flipped around a bit here.
Varric smiled when he thought about Neve and then lit up when he saw her. she calls him an "old friend". I wonder how they met and how long they've known each other. something to do with varric's spy network?
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This panel felt a bit meta hh.
When Neve says "Your friend is quite intense" is she referring to Solas or Harding?
Then we come to the two main things we learn in this issue:
We learn that Solas has been in Minrathous causing trouble. He's been attacking Venatori locations in the city, stealing artifacts from them and freeing elven slaves in the process, which has greatly angered the Venatori. The Venatori now want revenge and a "bunch of rebellious elves" are "causing trouble throughout the city, presumably in the name of the one who freed them". I wonder if the artifacts weaken the Veil, are connected to the idol somehow, or are simply sources of great power that Solas either needs for himself/his plans or that he simply thinks should be taken away from the Venatori so that they don't cause harm using them? Tevinter Nights showed agents of Fen'Harel seeking artifacts and referenced rumors of elven artifacts that strengthen the Veil, like the ones from DA:I. freeing folks also makes sense, "I am not a monster" and it's something he has a history of doing
In this issue we also learn that Neve works with a group called the Shadow Dragons, who have been trying to help the former slaves. indeed they're trying to help anyone who is held as slaves in Minrathous. this is our first time hearing about this new group. they make it their business to help those in need and Neve makes it her business to help them. I'm a bit ¿ about their name, just due to how it sounds, but it's exciting to learn about a new group/faction. Each issue of this DA:D prequel comic has shone a spotlight on a faction - Grey Wardens, Antivan Crows, the Veil Jumpers and the Shadow Dragons. two new, two old. it's a nice balance. and it brings to mind the common fan theory/speculation about the PC of DA:D having a different faction background depending on the player's choice. at the very least it feels like a way of saying 'these four groups [or characters from them] will feature in a significant way/be 'players on the board' in DA:D".
thinking about the Shadow Dragons' name in an in-world context, like thinking about why they may have chosen their name: dragons are emblematic of Tevinter. dragon imagery is everywhere there, dragons are a symbol of power and Tevinter heraldry shows a dragon. the Tevinter Imperium is a 'dragon', or several (metaphorically) - Magisters, ruling over the classes below. the "shadow dragons" feel like "the other side" of Tevinter, the side in shadow, the underside, the 'anti-Tevinter'. I'd guess that they are the "Tevinter you forgot", i.e. the Viper's faction. (and if you look at Tevinter heraldry, there is also a snake 'in opposition' to the dragon.) before Missing #4 I wondered if “the Tevinter you forgot” "means they are a group of folks who have fallen through the cracks in Tevinter society or who are the downtrodden in Tevinter society. is it some sort of uprising or anti-Magisterium movement?" - here we learn they're trying to help people Tevinter 'forgot' like slaves and former slaves. I also commented "from the story it sounds like the dark-clad card dealer is the Viper. the magister in the story is afraid of him and tries to claim that the Viper is just a tale, implying that the Viper’s name has become known as a sort of shadowy, stealthy urban legend in Minrathous and that it has a sort of bogeyman effect on magisters." Shadow indeed. Neve later comments that the Shadow Dragons are trying to "help anyone held as slaves in Minrathous". I think it was in the Dorian short story in Tevinter Nights that there's a reference to how there's now an anti-slavery movement in Tevinter. Is that the Shadow Dragons? you can see possible echoes of "the Tevinter you forgot" in later comic dialogue "The Shadow Dragons have vowed to help us restore our dignity. To get back the lives that were stolen from us by the Venatori. To make sure we don't have to scrabble in the dirt for food and warm", imo.
I wonder if Dorian, Mae and the Lucerni know anything about the Shadow Dragons? maybe they've done some work together?
and while the Viper/Viper's faction/the Shadow Dragons themselves didn't appear in issue 4, issue 4 still highlighted them, continuing the pattern I speculated about, of the DA Day short stories (Evka/Antoine/Wardens, Teia/Viago/Crows, Strife/Irelin/Veil Jumpers and Viper's faction/Shadow Dragons), one from each of those short stories per issue.
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Varric is still having a bad time. also he was born in 9:1, and so if DA:D is set in 9:52, he's now over 50. from these comics, he's feeling old and tired. I don't expect that he'll be a companion in DA:D. more like an advisor (off-field), a contact or quest-giver, or the person that recruits us.
"But why? What did he get out of it? Surely, he wanted something in return" was an interesting line. because like on one hand "I am not a monster", he has a history of freeing people who were enslaved and he's shown as valuing freedom and not enjoying needless suffering. setting people free definitely is the only decent thing. but he's also smart and does things with purpose, always playing 4-D chess, and has been outwitting Varric and Harding at every turn throughout these comic issues, always one step ahead. it seems like a 'it's both' situation. like two birds, one stone. he would free people and it's the right thing to do, and he also gains from it strategically. Varric lampshades this in the final page: and it's three stones, actually. Solas freed people, dealt with the Venatori on his tail and slowed Varric/Harding down long enough to escape all in one move.
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Also, at first I wondered if the brown-haired elf was sort've projecting his own perceptions on Solas (with the "his kin" lines). but look here. the leader of these Venatori has a pouch round their neck. the others don't, it's prominently placed and it's consistent on this Venatori in every panel they're in here. and where have we seen that before? around the neck of the Venatori stalker that saved Varric from the leopard in Issue 3. I think we're supposed to conclude that the ringleader of the Venatori that attack the elves in this issue is the Venatori person that's been tailing Varric and Harding all throughout these comic issues. the Venatori ringleader seems to recognize Varric in a later panel, with the "You!". They fight and Varric starts demanding answers from the Venatori leader. but then, just as he's about to get answers, the brown-haired elf intervenes and kills them at that very moment. they won't hurt their people anymore, and conveniently also (more than one purpose to things again..), now Varric and Harding won't get any answers. and also this:
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another - not two, but - three stones. when the brown-haired elf kills the Venatori ringleader, A) preventing them from further harming his people and B) preventing them from giving any answers to Varric and Harding, C) the killing blow also cuts that pouch from their neck. a very specific thing to depict. presumably in the chaos of the Venatori leader's death (you can't see the elf's hands in the very next panel) the brown-haired elf has grabbed the pouch, and part of his goal all along was to take it. I think we're supposed to conclude that the pouch contained the crucious stone and that the brown-haired elf works for Solas. so the "You're too late, I already have the crucious stone" letter from issue 3 was a Solas fakeout, the Venatori at that point in time did in fact have the stone (having beaten Solas to the vault, and as-shown by the Venatori who saved Varric from the leopard having the pouch around their neck), and the events of issue 4 were part of Solas' plan to steal it/steal it back from them (and going by Neve's earlier dialogue, it's not the first artifact he's stolen from them). so two things here: one, Solas' 'three stones' are actually-actually four (free the slaves, deal with the Venatori on his tail, delay Varric/Harding long enough to escape, and steal the crucious stone artifact from the Venatori [my head hurts]). and two, the brown-haired elf was working for Solas after all. he'll give the pouch (and the contents, the stone) to Solas, "he set us, his kin, free" wasn't projection considering that he does work for him, and him being there in the alleyway when he was, with the information that he had, was part of Solas' plan to escape and get the stone. otherwise, it's pretty convenient that one of the former slaves at the place Neve's aware of where former slaves have been eating scraps, at the time when she takes Varric/Harding there, just happened to have helpful info about the meeting that Varric/Harding needed and also happened to kill the Venatori leader and in the process cut the pouch from their neck. idk if it means all the elves here were working for Solas or just the brownhaired one or the brownhaired one & the blond one, but yea. definitely the brownhaired elf is I think.
Neve fighting was cool: staff-less magic and then as a mage using a dagger or shortsword.
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party combo-kill! ice spell + finishing blow - a comic depiction of Shattering :)
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Brown-haired elf missing his elven ear here.
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A cool panel. Also, you can't see his other hand..
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just really liked these two panels :) also, they missed their chance, they missed this chance, in this, a comic called The Missing... is that why it's called that?
[clenches fist] vowing to protect Neve and her good heart at all costs
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and he stole the crucious stone artifact from the Venatori.
I am not sure that I agree with the premise of this article that BioWare retweeted, that The Missing is required reading before DA:D. I enjoyed issues 2 & 3 a lot! I was hoping for a bit more from the end of issue 4, perhaps a small Solas appearance like at the end of Dark Fortress or just a bit more insight into his plans or things in/the setup for DA:D. finishing on the Dread Wolf mural from the DA:D TGA 2020 trailer as a reminder was neat but the highlight reveal from these comics as a whole was definitely the new mural depicted in issue 3.
"He knows us too well, we need to find/use people he doesn't know" is the same conclusion that was reached at the end of Trespasser (and Harding was present for that conversation). I guess the meta irl reasons for The Missing are: A] since it'll be almost 10 years irl between games, to refresh folks about that conclusion and the fact that it will be a new PC and why it has to be 'someone he doesn't know', since most new players to the franchise at DA:D aren't going to buy years old DA:I and DLC and play til it the end of Trespasser B] fill some irl time C] do some marketing/advertizing and D] highlight these four groups/factions and introduce the two new ones (Veil Jumpers and Shadow Dragons) in advance of DA:D, and possibly highlight these specific characters (Strife, Teia, Evka etc) the same way (though I speculate those characters are more like DA:D 'contact' cameos rather than that they will be companions themselves). Certainly if I was Varric at the moment when Harding asks "So who are you thinking?" at the end here, after the events I had experienced and people & groups I had met in recent weeks, with those being fresh in my mind, I would be thinking about the Grey Wardens, the Antivan Crows, the Veil Jumpers and the Shadow Dragons, both as groups and terms of the mental list of people that I had recently met who Solas doesn't know. again it makes you think about the popular speculation that the DA:D PC will have the background of being from one of these groups. also, those 4 groups aren't ones which were referenced in Tevinter Nights as keeping an eye on Solas/as Solas having some info on them in turn (unlike some other groups like the Mortalitasi, the Executors, the Ben-Hassrath etc).
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Masterpost! :D👍
Hello, friends, welcome to my art blog!
I hope my silly doodles can bring you a little bit of happiness, or a brief moment of amusement at the very least 🧡
Art requests: you will see [Req's open!!] In my blog title when I'm taking requests!
If you've sent me a request while my list is full, I will keep it in my inbox until I have an empty slot. It will not be ignored! :]
If I don't end up drawing your request, it just means that it didn't pique my interest at the time! It doesn't mean that I think your idea is bad in any way, I'm just chasing The Dopamine™
If there is a specific thing you would like to see me draw, be it a character, an item, or a scenario, don't hesitate to tell me!! I would love to hear any request you might have, and I'd be honored to make your day just a tiny bit brighter with some shiny new art ^-^
These requests aren't something I will be prioritizing over other projects, but rather something that I'll turn to whenever I feel like it. I'm currently trying to put together an art portfolio for future commissions, so requests are incredibly appreciated!
If you do have a request you want to make, please leave it in my inbox rather than my DM's! This just makes it easier for me to keep track of things ^-^
(This of course doesn't apply if you have reference pictures that you'd like for me to use, or if you'd like to discuss some details about an OC of yours. I just want the initial message in my inbox for the sake of organization :])
I have a second blog where I'll be hoarding all the shiny posts I come across that I think are neat, don't hesitate to check it out if you wanna discover some really awesome artists!! I'm sure that another reblog (or maybe even a comment!) would put a smile on the faces of the original creators ^-^
You'll find it at @antics-of-a-spiteful-stickbug , I hope you'll appreciate all the funky posts as much as I do c:
Will I be posting mature content? I have a tendency to use pretty mature language (I swear a lot), but that's about it. There will be no nsfw content on this blog. I might post stuff that contains artistic nudity every once in a blue moon, (emphasis on might), but that's about it. The same goes for my second blog, there will be no nsfw content but I might reblog stuff that contains artistic nudity, should I come across it.
Some info about me! For those who might be curious :]
Age: 19 [nov 30, 04]
Nationality: Swedish 🇸🇪
Gender: genderfluid/agender, (it's somewhat of a mix between these two) and I'm AFAB
Favourite colour: all of them. (But if I have to choose, blue and orange make for a pretty neat combo 🧡^-^💙)
Interests: just about anything bahahaha, but I'm a huge nerd when it comes to character design, be it written, drawn, or animated! I'm also a huuuuge fan of colours, how they look together, and how they can influence the way we percieve things. I could sit for hours just making up different colour palettes, it's a hyperfixation of mine ^-^ I also like to write! I used to spend all my free time writing, and even won a short story competition held by my school when I was in 9th grade B] (I know, huuge achievement lmfao) I might post some writing here and there if inspiration strikes, but I'm not making any promises.
Now that all of that's out of the way, I do hope you'll find my blog entertaining, and that you have a wonderful rest of your day ^-^ 🧡
Yours truly, Stickbug 🪲
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imaginativeshrimp · 2 years
Text
𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲? (connor x male reader)
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request: Okay hello It’s me again! With a request this time. I was thinking about maybe a situation where there’s a wedding (Kara and Luther? North and Markus? Idk skdkd) where Connor takes his date and at first they’re both really awkward but maybe they’re teased into dancing via Hank meddling or something? Idk I just want super cheesy Connor at a wedding with his partner if that’s okay. With male reader maybe also 👀👀
theme: romance, slight comedy
TW: none, just Connor being an awkward sweetheart
author's note: i absolutely love this, this is fucking adorable <3 i love connor with all my heart.
Today's the day.
markus and north's wedding connor was invited to.
the android was nervous, he was awkward at social gatherings and he knew it. Connor was going with his boyfriend, who was also awkward.
Connor had on a different suit which wasn't his usual work attire, it was a dark grey suit with a matching tie.
fixing his already neat tie how he usually does, he went to check up on his boyfriend who was getting ready in the bathroom. "how the fuck do you put on a fucking tie..." Y/N grumbled, struggling to make the tie look neat, he always wondered how the hell connor could do it...he's an android, he knows how to do almost anything.
Connor peeked into the bathroom, "do you need help with your tie, Y/N?" his boyfriend sighs, nodding in annoyance. "i do, love." connor smiled sightly, walking to him and straightning out his suit's shoulder blades. Connor gently fixed his tie, making it look just like his quickly, "i'm quite jealous of your tie skills." Y/N chuckled, looking down at his now neat tie. "i could teach you, if you want." Y/N nods, smiling at connor and cupping his face in his hands. "you're so precious." Y/N kissed the tip of his nose, "you look handsome too. always." he then walked out the bathroom to get other things ready before they leave.
Connor stood in the bathroom, his led turning yellow. was he blushing?
yes. yes he was. Connor was absolutely in love with this man.
after composing himself, he looked for Y/N again. "Y/N, are you ready to go? Markus said the ceremony was approximately at 4:30 pm."
“Almost!-“ he ran back to connor, almost tripping over furniture.
“Our suits look too plain, I’m adding something to them.”
He then puts a rose with a short stem in connor’s suit pocket along with his own.
“Now we look a bit more fancy.” Y/N smiles at his little detail, “now we can go.”
He grabs connor’s hand, leading him out their shared home.
Once they arrived at the wedding, they signed the guest book and looked for their designated seats.
As they searched, Connor found hank and walked over to him to say hello.
“Good evening lieutenant Anderson. I’m surprised you’re here.” Connor smiles, as Hank rolled his eyes, “I’m also surprised I’m here.” Hank stood up and looked at Y/N. “Oh, and you brought your boyfriend too, huh?” Y/N smiles, extending his hand forward to hank,
“It’s super nice to see you again, hank.” Hank shook his hand, “likewise.”
Luckily, they were in the same table, and so the ceremony begins.
After Markus and north’s bows, along with the yes’s and the kisses, it was now the after party.
Connor was now sitting awkwardly while music was blasting, Y/N was talking to Markus.
“I really do appreciate the both of you for coming. Connor speaks a lot about you to me, even north knows about you!” He laughs, Y/N couldn’t help but blush, “hopefully only good things, yeah?” “Of course!”
Markus then walks over to Connor, patting his shoulder and leaving to talk to other guests.
Hank was sitting with them, sipping on a cup full of red wine.
Y/N Didn’t know what to do, he’s never been to a wedding before and well, he didn’t want to bother Connor asking him to do something he doesn’t like. Hank raised an eyebrow, scooching his chair closer to Connor.
“Hey, why don’t you go dance with Y/N, hm?” He asked the android, who looked at him with a yellow led.
“I haven’t asked Y/N if he likes dancing.”
Hank deadpanned, “ask him, you dumbass.”
Connor looked at Y/N, who was busy on his phone. Two awkward men being in a relationship wasn’t always easy or comfortable. Yea, Y/N loved Connor, and back and forth, but…being antisocial was a bit of a problem.
Hank sighed in annoyance, “go for it, Connor. Don’t be a party pooper.” He teased, slapping connor’s arm with his hand.
Connor nods slowly, his eyebrows slightly furrowing.
“…Y/N..?”
Hank frowned, “louder!”
“Y/N.” He spoke a bit louder, getting the attention of his boyfriend. Y/N smiled softly at Connor, “yes, love?”
Connor looked at the dance floor and then back at Y/N, “do you like dancing?”
Y/N nods, “I do, even if I’m not so good at it, I find in enjoyable.”
Hank was watching from the corner of his eyes, an eyebrow raised as he watched the two young men be stupid together. What a good wing man he is.
“Would you care to dance with me, then?” Connor stands up, his arm extended for Y/N to take.
Y/N smiles wider, taking connor’s hand. “I would love to dance with you.”
As they walked to the dance floor, the music changed to a soft rhythm. Perfect timing to slow dance.
Connor stops in his track, putting his hand on Y/N’s waist, and held his hand, while Y/N puts his hand on his shoulder.
Connor started to move his feet slowly, Y/N catches up and chuckled as he almost stepped on connor’s shoe. “I almost stepped on you-“ “android’s can’t feel pain, so if you did step on me, I wouldn’t have felt it-“
Y/N deadpanned, “I’d still feel bad if I did step on you.” Connor raised an eyebrow slightly, “you don’t have to feel bad, I can’t be hurt.”
Y/N shook his head, “you’re pretty real to me, so I will feel bad.”
They both moved in sync, looking into each other’s eyes as the music played.
“Connor, you know I love you right?”
“I do, I feel the same way. I cherish the small and big moments I have with you.”
Y/N smiled, leaning in to peck connor’s lips.
“Good, because I’m not going anywhere.”
Tag: @writhingcreature
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