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#i thought my original designs looked a little plain
yumeka-sxf · 6 months
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My thoughts on Spy x Family: EYES ONLY Guidebook (English ver) - part 1
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I finished reading through my copy of the English version of the SxF manga guidebook "EYES ONLY." There's tons of fantastic information about the series, but I wanted to share my thoughts/commentary on parts that were the most interesting to me. Since there's so much content to cover, I'll be dividing it into a few different posts. Also, rather than go in the order of the book's sections, I decided to group the content based on topic. This first post will cover Endo's comments about the characters individually, as well as information about Garden.
Endo's Q&As and comments about the characters
Loid:
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I like that Endo provides a reason for why Loid wears a WISE logo pin as it's something more than one fan of the series has questioned! And I totally agree with Lin about his "lack of distinctive features." Compared to so many other anime characters, especially shonen main characters, Loid's design is so plain, particularly in his hair and clothes. At least in his spy outfit he has a gun to make him a little flashier, but when he's in his casual clothes, he literally just looks like "some guy," haha. But that also makes sense for his character.
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I love how Endo gave specific numbers for comparing Loid and Yor's strength (Yor: 10, Loid: 6-7)
Anya:
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I did notice what Endo is talking about how Anya's design changed over time. But that can be said for all the characters really, and it's definitely not uncommon for manga-ka's styles to evolve as they get a better feel for their characters and world.
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He mentions the classical language thing that was also brought up in chapter 42. Definitely makes me think that will somehow tie into her backstory.
Speaking of Anya's backstory, there was this little excerpt about the researchers at the lab. So one thing we can say for sure about her past is that she was not treated well there at all (which has been hinted at in the series).
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Endo also discussed the origin of Anya's pink hair (namely, there really isn't any origin, lol).
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Yor:
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Interesting that he spent the most time designing Yor, and also about the origin of her stilettoes. And his apology to the cosplayers for that bonus feature about Yor's hair, haha.
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I had to chuckle when he said they can't measure her strength because she keeps breaking the instruments! Also the fact that she hasn't learned how to make a single successful meal since the stew…Endo is such a savage sometimes, lol. But keep in mind that this book was originally published over a year ago, and obviously we know from recent chapters that her cooking is improving. I also like that he mentions that she has left witnesses to her work, like in Extra Mission 2. I wonder if that will be a bigger plot point somewhere down the line.
Like Anya having pink hair, Endo expresses some regret about making Yor an assassin (but his laugh makes it clear he's not terribly hung up about it!)
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Bond:
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I know some people are bothered by the fact that Yor is Bond's least favorite. But I think Bond's (initial) dislike for her originated from the chapter where he assumes he would have died from her cooking. Also the fact that Anya put the idea in his head that she would "murder" him if he did something she didn't like, like shun her food (which is obviously heavily exaggerated). But again, this book was published over a year ago, and the most recent chapter revealed that he definitely doesn't dislike her even if she's not his favorite. It's perfectly normal for pets to have family members they prefer over others for whatever reason.
Franky:
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I love that Franky does charity work. I hope we'll see that in a future chapter.
Fiona:
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It's interesting that he ranks Fiona's combat ability so low, especially when you consider what she did to Wheeler in the recent arc. But to me, that wasn't so much a display of combat prowess as it was totally raw, uninhibited willpower.
Yuri:
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I love his blunt answer about whether Yuri has other interests besides Yor. Also intriguing that he mentions Nightfall when discussing Yuri's combat ability…maybe those two will meet eventually?
Information about Garden
Since Garden is still such a mysterious entity in the SxF universe, I tried to gather everything about them that the book mentions.
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It's interesting that Yor sees Shopkeeper as her mentor since he taught her survival skills in her youth. The book also raises the question about how Yor found Garden in the first place…maybe something Endo will expand on in the future?
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So the information Franky gives us about Garden is exaggerated? Gah, that just makes them even more mysterious!
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The above was a cool bit of trivia...so it seems like the secret police might know more about Garden than WISE. Perhaps Yuri will find out about Yor's real identity before Twilight?
Continue to Part 2 ->
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dirtyvulture · 7 months
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Natasha Romanoff x Tattooed!Reader*
18+ only, read at your own risk
Requested by anon: Hiiiii I'm the one who asked for the tattooed reader with nat and I wanted to say thank you, I love it... I have another request... Maybe younger reader, who is a virgin, with nat who literally praises them throughout the whole thing and just kind of guides them... Not necessarily a totally innocent kind of reader, just that they don't know exactly what to do. G!P or male reader would be great, just whatever you're comfortable with, and if you can/want, reader has tattoos (if you haven't noticed I'm kinda obsessed with them). Hope you had/have a great day❤️ (sorry if it's kind of confusing, English isn't my first language sooo yeah) 
AN: Reader has a penis, no pronouns used.
Read the original blurb here!
You’re a little surprised when Natasha asks if you want to go to her room after the party, but not enough to turn down her offer. You’re not stupid, and you’re pretty sure your little display at the pool was enough to catch her eye. But at the same time, you’re a little nervous, because despite what everyone thought about you, you’d never actually done it before.
She holds your hand while she guides you into her room. You’re a little surprised at the lack of character it has: just a bed, a plain dresser, and a desk in the corner. There are no knick knacks, no memorabilia, no pictures or posters.
You knew that Natasha Romanoff is a woman who is very hard to read and immensely secretive, but you hadn’t expected this to extend to her own private room as well. But this was your chance to get to know her--assuming you didn’t disappoint tonight.
Natasha guides you over to her bed and sits down to face you. You don’t even realize that you never put your shirt back on from the pool until she leans forward to run her fingers across the sword tattoo on your left side.
“I got that after I spent six months in Japan,” you volunteer, a little uncomfortable with the silence. 
“What about this one?” Her fingers move up to touch the dragon on your chest.
You shrug. “My friend designed it. I just thought it looked cool.”
“You’re not wrong there.” Natasha drops her hand back to her lap and leans back, biting her lip as she looks you up and down. She spreads her legs and grabs onto your shorts to drag you forward until you’re standing between them. “Obviously I brought you here for a reason. But only if you want to.”
“O-Of course I do.” But your stutter gives away your nerves.
“Are you sure?” Natasha hesitates.
“Yes. It’s just...I’ve never...” Your cheeks heat up at the fact that you have to explain to her that you’re still a virgin, but she tugs on your shorts again, bringing you down into a kiss. Her lips taste like coconut lip gloss and press against yours softly.
“It’s okay. I’ll take care of you,” she says.
You want to tell her that you’ll take care of her, but your words are lost when she kisses you again, wrapping her arms around your back and pulling you on top of her. You put your hands on her shoulders, not really sure where else to put them, but as the kiss deepens you find them gravitating towards her chest and groping her over her bikini.
“Hold on,” Natasha says, breaking away from your lips and sitting up to undo the knot behind her neck. She slips out of her bikini top and you have to consciously keep your jaw from dropping when she exposes herself to you. 
“Can I...”
“You don’t have to ask,” she chuckles, amused by your manners. 
You cup your hands around her breasts, surprised at how soft they are and rubbing your fingers over her nipples.
“My turn,” Natasha says, practically panting as she reaches for your shorts. You’re a little nervous to show yourself off like that, and she can tell, but she brushes her hand along your thigh and asks you to take them off yourself. With a deep breath, you pull your shorts down, your cock springing out hard and ready, and it’s Natasha’s turn to hold back an exhale.
“You’re gonna stretch me out so good,” she hums and you feel yourself throb at her dirty words.
“I can’t wait to be inside you,” you say, not sure if the words will turn her on or further show your lack of experience. 
But Natasha doesn’t comment, lying back down and sliding out of her bikini bottoms. You carefully move on top of her, enjoying the silky feeling of her bare skin against yours. Your hips rock against hers, your cock twitching as it makes contact with the insides of her thighs.  
“Inside,” Natasha begs suddenly. “I need you inside.”
“I...I don’t have protection,” you say, the thought suddenly dawning upon you. 
“You don’t need it.”
“Are...Are you sure?” The last thing you need right now is to become a parent. 
“Do you trust me, baby?” Natasha asks, and your heart soars at the pet name.
“Of course.”
You sit back to line yourself up, tensing in anticipation and not wanting to blow too early. As you slide yourself in, all you feel is a warm tightness around your cock, better than your hand or any toy you had ever been inside of.
“Oh fuck, Nat,” you pant, pressing yourself deeper, desperate to feel that same warmth along your entire length.
“Finally,” she moans, dropping her head back on the pillows. “Start thrusting, baby. Fill me up and make me feel good.”
You take her waist in your hands, jacking your hips forward in uneven, short strokes. You don’t really have the focus or the patience to take your time, but you also want Natasha to be happy with your performance. 
“Fuck, right there,” she says, her nails suddenly clawing at your back as you lean down to kiss her again. “A little harder, baby. Don’t be afraid. You won’t break me.”
You grunt as you try to deepen your strokes, railing into her harder. Her walls clench around you perfectly and you know the stimulation is already too much. You try holding out as long as you can, but you spill before you can even give Natasha a warning, pausing as you release your cum into her in sporadic bursts.
“I...Oh, God,” you mumble, embarrassed and ashamed. “I’m so sorry, Nat--”
“Don’t be,” she says, stopping you from pulling out. “We’ll try again when you’re ready. It feels nice to have your cum inside of me.”
It’s strange to hear something so crude come out of her mouth, but it makes your cock twitch. Maybe it’ll be ready for round two sooner than you thought.
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AN: Please like, reblog, and comment! Follow for more content. 🥰
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wilted3sunflowers · 8 months
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Baroque Pearl : SOLD Level headed and a sharp tongue she could be utilized much more as an advisor than just a simple decorative pearl to entertain if she got that chance. Sadly it seems shes only here to be a good hostess and cater to guests and entertainment.
Babydoll Pearl: Sold A hot headed pearl who hates it here. She doesn't like frilly little outfits, she doesn't like holding her tongue. She's petty and keeps causing trouble for her owner [if they even care].
First come first serve, i take payment over paypal USD They come with a toyhouse: transparent files, full shaded and flat and their little additional comic of them interacting. which clearly...didnt turn out well.
Design Notes on Baroque Pearl: Of course the fan in the reef gives total Jellyfish vibes and I did entertain the thought of it. I do a lot of changes while sketching, originally Baroque pearl wasn't going to be Baroque. Yet. I decided to play further with the spirals present and the already drawn short curly hair I had drawn on her. Since baroque pearls are textured and some have more twists I thought it'd be very cute head nod towards the actual real life Pearls structure. With that single word change it also influenced more baroque to Rocco outfit - especially the shoes, since baroque pearls aren't perfectly round it even influenced her skirts silhouette more looking like the shape of a trapezoid as if there was a hoop skirt structure reminiscent of that fashion era previously mentioned.
Design Notes of babydoll Pearl: I knew almost right away when seeing that fan in the reef that the name that came to me was 'babydoll'. It's a very plain and simple clamshell fan with just a bow. It's not too descriptive and it's just there almost like an afterthought. of 'its a pearl, give her a clamshell with a bow' type of knick knack to toss at them like a doll with an accessory to add on. I knew i wanted a very soft coloring for the clothing, white to pastel pink. There was some strife in the coloring of thumbnail palettes, she almost ended up in a completely different and stronger color palette but in wanting to keep with the name "baby doll pearl" I stuck with the original first one. I'll repurpose the other color palette i admittedly liked more but it didn't feel proper for both the name and this specific pearl feeling I wanted to evoke. Also her eyes are very notably different than all my other pearls eyes. Big and shiny and such voluminous lashes. I really leaned in for big doll like eyes to match the name. That it's a very notable feature of hers and her pouty lips. Not only her angry personality but even a few key features show shes not a traditional pearl just at a glance.
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grendelsmom · 4 months
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Knitting Update or as I like to call it: the ice bear sock (mis-)adventure
So, I've been getting more comfortable with patterns lately and I thought "Hey! I wanna try my hand at this with something easy!". Seeing as christmas is around the corner I decided I would knit a pair of socks for a friend. And as a little challenge I wanted to design my own pattern for it. Which I mainly did by taking inspiration from an old pair of socks and changing the design around until it fit the amount of stitches required for the size of socks I wanted to knit. And look at that! They look nice - don't they? And they're almost finished!
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Lovely ice bears walking through the snow! Only, I made a mistake with the first sock, which I only noticed once I reached the Zwickel of the second sock (my dictionary is telling me it's called gusset or gore? basically the part of the sock where the heel turns into the foot). In the first sock I had forgotten to leave two normal rows inbetween the decreasing rows - meaning that that part of the sock is now much steeper. It does still fit me, but it could potential be a problem for someone with bigger feet. So, I asked my other friend with the same shoe size to try them on for me. It wasn't a problem. What was however a problem was the ice bear pattern part at the top of the sock. You see, I did try my hardest to knit it as loosely as possible, but I still only knitted the stitches recommend in the guidline for a normal pair of socks without a two colour pattern. Meaning the part, because of the two colours, is less elastic and therefore too tight.
At this point I concluded that I had two options. The work I already done wouldn't fit my friend, so I decided to make them shorter later on and use them myself or gift them to a friend with smaller feet so they wouldn't be wasted. Continuing with the project I could either re-work the pattern so that it would work on a higher stich count or knit two plain socks and then stitch the pattern on afterwards. Because the second sounded like less work, I decided to go with that. And tada!
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Looks fine, right? A perfectly normal sock, just waiting for the pattern to be stitched on. Yeah... well... as you can see I used a different yarn for this one. (I was getting kind of bored of the first one and the local store didn't have it in stock anymore anyway so I decided to change it up.) The first 1 1/2 socks were knitted in a 4 ply yarn. The second one in 6 ply. Or so I thought. Until I put them next to each other and realised that the second version looked way tighter.
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So, I looked back on the yarn label (something I apparently hadn't done since buying the yarn) and - yes, you guessed it - turns out it was actually a 4 ply yarn and I had somehow confinced myself that it was 6 ply to the point that I never double checked it again. (Actually, I know how I did it. I was choosing between two different yarns and the other was a 6 ply. I thought "Oh, I definitely must remember that, because I'll need a different amount of stitches then". Which, yes, I remembered that. I just didn't remember that that wasn't the yarn I went with.) This is a sock the length of a EU 44/45 (US 11.5) with the amount of stitches, so width, of a EU 34/35 (US 4.5) - yes, it's that ridiculous.
So, instead of fixing the original problem of the socks being too tight, I actually just made it worse. And now three weeks after I started a project, that was supposed to take me a week max, I have 2 1/2 socks I cannot use for their intended purpose and just started the first sock I will hopefully, actually be able to gift my friend.
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vasira96 · 11 months
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story time!
i have this super vivid memory of when i was a wee lass on the cusp of my adolescence. i was holding this tiny little doll in my hands, rotating her and absorbing all the little details, picturing myself sculpting or designing such a toy myself. she had short blonde hair, whose texture i can still recall under my fingertips. i noted her clothing, simple enough; she sported attire fit for summer, i recall the shirt being light pink with ruffles and a flower detail, plain green shorts, and white socks with pink shoes. i remember seeing the color of the base plastic peaking under the chipped factory paint, aged from years of play
i no longer have this doll, (i donated it during a move) but i kept recalling the memory, especially as i began to get into customizing fashion dolls, thanks to the copious amounts of hours spent binging doll customizing youtube and instagram. i thought since i no longer have the doll, i would try to design a fashion doll based on her design, then using the power of the internet! i would find a picture of the doll on google to compare
so a little while back i made some sketches, the idea being i create a fashion doll type character based on the original doll from my memory, and then compare her to the original doll. and after that i would do one final design that did the same concept but instead of being based off my memory, i would just base it on the original doll
so here’s how that went
sketches
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1st design
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as for the original doll itself, i was really excited when was able to find her even though i couldn’t remember the toy line name. these are considered vintage toys, (she’s from late 90s early 00s) so i had no online official catalog i could search, however google is a god of data so i prayed to it and i found the toy line!! growing up me and my siblings called the toys “family people” but i knew that wasn’t the actual title, turns out, they’re called “loving family” by fisherprice
anyway this is her, this is the doll!
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i hadn’t been 100% confident that i remembered her correctly, but i was nearly dead on in the initial sketches. it’s a simple design so probably not that impressive, but memory is fickle, and i know that i have certainly thought i knew what a bicycle looked like, only to go try to draw one from memory and it looked like trash
that said, today i finished my final design ✨ i have no fucking idea what the youths are wearing these days so maybe they would find it cringe, but it appeals to my inner child, so, this is for you, little emma 💖
final design
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brandedfool · 11 months
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Notes from the Deathworld Earth: A Night at the Opera (3805 words)
"You still have to dress up," Sandra told me. "Even with your scales. Your usual robes are nice, Archie, but they're working clothes. Put on something fun."
I did, because I didn't want to stand out. And because I wanted to impress Sandra and Nick. Just a little.
So I dug into the very bottom of my suitcase to retrieve my one and only formal Chint-made garment. It’s traditional for planetary surveyors to wear formal dress from their home world when they graduate and to take that clothing with them on their travels. I’d worn it a few times at formal ceremonies. I guessed it would be fine for the opera.
Chintilik formal wear often denotes their position within society. Chintilik nesters, Nren, always have many, many pockets, for instance, and their formal wear usually matches the color of the sands. Chintilik academics and artisans, Cikn, wear robes very like humans during their graduations but without the square hat for every formal occasion. And, finally, warriors and guards go nearly unclothed in formal settings, wearing only the straps and pouches necessary to carry their weapons.
Dron wear a garment whose name, Pt’orgla, translates almost directly to “shredded.” Luckily, the name isn’t literal. It wouldn't matter on Chint, but some humans take offense to nakedness. Instead, the name comes from the texture of the cloth. Pt’orgla are traditionally made from scraps of cloth from other clothes layered on top of each other to create waves and ruffles and loose folds of fabric. The effect can be wonderful if done well, and ugly if done poorly. The idea is that the richest garments come from unwanted scraps.
My Pt’orgla was tailored for me. It was made from layers and layers of soft pastel fabrics that gathered at my waist into a swell and then fell softly around my legs. Of course the original design assumed that I wouldn’t be able to walk and was meant to downplay that fact. That was fine by me.
It took me an hour to clean it by hand and another three for it to properly dry, but I got it on well in advance of the opera.
Sandra was in the bathroom applying pigment to her skin when I came out of my room. Make up, as it's called, is an art form of its own in human society. Sandra knew just enough to "make myself look presentable when I have to," as she put it.
She was wearing a plain, satiny black dress and tall shoes that made her much taller than me. Just looking at them made my legs hurt, but they made her look graceful and angular.
“Hey Archie,” She said as she turned to me, “did you figure out your... clothes?” She stood up, one eye outlined in black and soft pinks, “Wow. That looks great on you."
I was caught off guard, but managed to say, "Thank you. It was tailored for me."
"Fancy," she said, and went back to the mirror.
A few minutes later, when Nick arrived, he looked at me and said, “I didn’t expect a dress.”
“You thought I would put on trousers?” I asked.
“I hadn’t really thought about it,” He admitted, “but I just assumed that formal wear would be...more formal?”
“Hey!” Sandra said, “pants are not more formal than skirts!”
“Especially when you have rough scales,” I pointed out, “that tear through fabric.”
Both humans were quiet for a few seconds, and then Nick said, “Good point. I didn’t think about that.”
“Now isn’t really the time to talk about Chintilik clothing,” I said, “we have somewhere to be.”
The theater sent a car to pick us up: Sandra, Nick, and I. They went through the trouble of “rolling out the red carpet” as a human might say. They offered us behind the scenes access and talks with the actors and musicians. They even asked me to make a speech.
I declined all of the special treatment aside from the car, much to Sandra's and Nick’s annoyance, but if I was going to take part in human culture, I was going to be doing it as if I was a regular human. I had arranged for an additional ticket, so that both humans could come along. That had been easy enough to do, and it meant I wouldn’t be watching the play with the opera’s director sitting next to me, thank goodness.
But nothing in the world could stop the director meeting us at the door and shaking my hand with such intensity it hurt.
“Thank you so much for coming,” He said, “it’s an honor to have you here. We’re expecting a great performance tonight.”
“Thank you for inviting me,” I gave the customary reply. “This is the first time I’ve had the chance to see an opera.”
His eyes fairly lit up with delight. “Then you are in for a treat! We have a world-renowned cast and orchestra...” As he led us inside, he continued to tell us about the cast and the musicians and the production.
Perhaps I should describe the Sydney Opera House, in case a picture is not provided. Picture a solar wing, as one might find on an adolescent civilization's starship: curled in on itself, colored silver-white. Imagine a dozen of them all layered on top of each other, as if they were all some great beast. Multi-winged and large enough to move planets. That is the shape of the Sydney Opera House. It sits on a pier beside the ocean, and humans come from all over their world to fill it with song. The interior auditorium is also like a living thing, or perhaps the shell of one. It was more like a huge cave than a typical human dwelling. It made me feel as if I was inside a huge hive of bugs, one that hummed and throbbed with activity.
The director took us up several flights of stairs to a small balcony to the left of the stage. From there, we could see the whole of the enormous sloped auditorium.
We sat: me in the middle, Sandra and Nick on either side. They leaned in a little, over the edge of the balcony, peering down. Both of them were quiet with wonder and excitement. I was quiet with apprehension.
The director appeared again and gave us each a thick pamphlet containing, among other things, an English translation of the opera we were about to see. I read through the first few pages, getting a grasp of the story. It was about a troupe of human artists freezing to death in an apartment, trying to survive a particularly brutal winter. I knew immediately I was going to have a very hard time relating to anything on stage, since I had no experience with any of the themes. Except that the play was also about love, and that I thought I understood.
“Are you excited?” Sandra asked me.
I rumbled at that. “I suppose,” I said. “I don’t think I’ll be able to make any sense out of this.”
Nick heard me, “Yeah, me neither. I’m just going to sit back and enjoy the music.”
“It will be in Italian, which I don’t speak,” Sandra said, “but, honestly, I just want to hear a real soprano.”
“Soprano?” I asked.
“Someone who can sing at a very high pitch.”
“Oh,” I said. I wished I’d brought ear plugs.
There was a swelling of noises down below, a strange harmonic buzz that reminded me of wind blowing through hollow rock. The crowd hushed. The lights dimmed all at once, and the room was dipped into shadow.
“What is that?” I asked.
Sandra heard the anxiety in my voice, or perhaps saw that my ears had flattened back against my head. She touched my arm gently, smoothing her hand in the direction of the scales. I patted her hand with mine, comforted despite myself. Her hand withdrew again, and she settled in her seat.
"It's the orchestra," Nick answers me in a whisper. "They're tuning their instruments."
Soon enough the harmonic screech died too, leaving the theater in silence.
A single spotlight lanced out of the darkness and illuminated a single human figure walking to the center of the stage. The audience began to clap, a polite surge of noise. The figure was the opera’s director, and he introduced himself again over the microphone.
“We have an amazing performance for you tonight,” He said, “but before we get there, I have a few announcements to make.” The audience shifted and murmured, then settled again. The director talked for a moment about the Sydney opera house, their productions, and how the audience should attend their other performances. Then he thanked the orchestra, actors, crew, and their donors.
And then, the director paused, made a gesture to the orchestra pit. “We have a very special guest in the audience tonight,” He said. “I’m sure all of you know that we are no longer alone in the universe. That ten years ago, alien life reached us, introduced humanity into interstellar society, and that every day, aliens come to Earth. Specifically, they come to the United States of America. Well, that is no longer the case, because today, in this opera house, the first alien to ever walk on Australian soil is here.”
Now there was a reaction. People turned in their chairs, craning their necks to see me. I was grateful I had been seated where none could see.
“You’re famous,” Sandra told me playfully.
“Yes,” I said, “I know. You two will be too if this keeps up.”
“That wouldn’t be so bad,” Nick said.
The director waited for the audience to quiet down. “Acharya, that is her name, is also the first ambassador to humanity from the Galactic Library, that organization which holds all the knowledge of every interstellar civilization. They are here to add our knowledge, and knowledge of our world, to that collective. And while I have no doubt they have visited plenty libraries and met with the best scholars, read and learned all they can from books, they have not truly experienced this planet.”
Here I huffed. Some species have a deep-seated belief that their experience is somehow more profound than others. I knew humans felt that way, and the egoism of it irritated me. But I would indulge them, since only time and experience could show them they were wrong.
The director continued, “Tonight, I would like to give her an experience, before our main performance. I have a small favor to ask of you.” Now two more humans had joined him on the stage. One of them was carrying a small musical instrument and was dressed in all black. The other was wearing what was clearly a costume. The director set them center stage.
“To be human,” He said, “is to sing. So, please, join me and our wonderful musicians in singing Hallelujah as a group. I trust you know the words.”
He handed the microphone to the costumed women, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and exited the stage to baffled applause.
The woman smiled at the audience, said nothing, just gestured to the woman beside her, who lifted her instrument and set it under her chin. There was a moment of breathless silence as she positioned a long, delicate piece of wood over the tightly-held strings, and then the first note of the song swelled outward and seemed to fill the whole auditorium with sound like sunlight.
I had been intending to say something about preferring if they had just got on with the play, but that first sound froze the words in my throat. It was such a mournful, sweet thing, high and fine and exquisite.
After a long moment, the singer added her voice. It was also high and sweet, but her voice was more hopeful than mournful. The audience let her sing alone for a few lines, and then, as if in unspoken agreement, they added their voices to hers. And the swell of the human voices became its own living thing, separate yet together. Sandra and Nick, on either side of me, were singing too. Nick loudly, confidently. Sandra quietly, like she didn’t want to overpower the others but couldn’t help but join in.
I didn’t completely understand the song: how could I hope to unravel something so deeply entwined with religion and culture in a few minutes. I knew it was a song about God and faith. And that it was a song about love, and the loss of love. As I heard it then, in the dark Sydney Opera Hall in six thousand human voices, I understood too that it was a song about being human. Each human sang the song, and knew themselves to be human in the singing of it. It was as if the act of singing alone could make sense out of their lives.
The desperation, love, and madness in it caught me off guard, and I found myself sitting, entranced, while the immense chorus sang. As the song crescendoed, I heard a sob in the audience below us. Someone, somewhere had been brought to tears by the song alone. Sandra and Nick were sniffling too, their voices clogging with emotion.
As the last “hallelujah,” faded, echoing softly away, the singer and the violinist bowed to the audience, who immediately erupted in applause. It took minutes for them to calm down, longer than I thought. My heart was pounding in my chest and my hands were shaking. Beside me on either side, Nick was breathing deeply, and Sandra had leaned all the way into me, over the armrest between our seats, so she could rest her head on my shoulder. It only lasted a second, and then she sat upright again.
As the noise subsided and the orchestra began to play again, I looked at the two humans beside me. They were both riveted to the stage in a way I hadn’t expected. I chose not to bother them with my questions just then, but I made a mental note to interrogate them about it later.
The actual opera was pleasant, but not particularly interesting to me. I didn’t grasp the themes or the character motivations, and it was in a language so foreign that the song was reduced to pleasant noises. I actually caught myself dozing off about halfway through, only to be awakened by the high eerie keen of a soprano singer at full-volume. Sandra and Nick were both still and attentive, as was every other human in the room. It was eerie how focused they were.
It was a relatively short opera, and there was no intermission. After the show ended, I made them stay put while the rest of the theater emptied. I didn’t want to be harried by the other attendee
s on the way out. The director met us at the bottom of the stairs and shook all our hands again.
“What did you think?” He asked me.
“I didn’t understand it,” I answered truthfully, “but I enjoyed the performers’ singing. They’re skilled artists.”
“Ah. Well, thank you. I’ll pass that on to them.” He said, “What about the song before the show?”
“That was,” I thought about it. “stunning. I wasn’t aware that humans had such ingrained cultural memories that they would be compelled to sing like that.”
Now he looked genuinely confused. ‘What do you mean?”
I looked towards Sandra and Nick, but they both looked blankly at me. “I assume you have some kind of cultural memory. Traditions that compel you to perform certain actions. Or do you have shared cultural consciousness?”
“I wouldn’t know,” The director said, “I reckon...well maybe we do. I’ve never thought about it before.”
I twitched my ears at him. “You mean humans have auditory and visual triggers that cause involuntary reactions, and you haven’t studied that phenomenon? You haven’t figured out if you have a shared consciousness, or genetic memories?”
“Oh!” Sandra exclaimed, “We do, yes. Memetics are what Acharya is talking about, I think.”
The word translated fairly well into galactic common, so I nodded, “Something like that,” I agreed. “It is the study of how information is transferred between individuals, through genetics, a common consciousness, or verbal communication.”
“Fascinating,” The theater director said like he thought it was anything but.
“You’ve kept Acharya away from Reddit, haven’t you?” Nick asked Sandra.
“No,” She said, “I showed it to them during their first week here, but they didn’t really care.”
“Oh.”
“Thank you,” I said to the director, “for the tickets and the experience.”
“You’re very welcome. If you’re planning on staying in Sydney for a while, please come back. Our event manager would be happy to arrange a speaking arrangement for you—”
My communicator, not my human phone, began to chime insistently in my pocket. “Excuse me,” I said to the director and my human companions. I took it out.
Skaalt’s name, in their native language, was glowing on the screen, pulsing in time with the chiming.
“I’m sorry,” I said to the director, “it’s a colleague.”
“Another alien?” He asked.
“Yes. It’s an interstellar call. I need to answer it. Thank you again for your time.” I headed towards the door, taking the call as I went.
“Shki-shkri,” I said, which is a very rough approximation of “hello” in Skaalt’s native language that my anatomy can produce.
Skaalt responded in galactic common, the language rumbling through his translation implants and breathing orifices. “Greetings, little one. I sent you a letter, but you didn’t reply.”
“Ah, yes, I’m sorry,” I replied in the same language, “I was forced to put attention elsewhere. This planet is trying to drive me even more insane.”
There was the deep purr-rumble of his amusement made tinny and tame by the communicator. “What did the humans do?”
I told him about the opera and the communal singing while Sandra and Nick woke themselves up from their music-induced stupor.
“Bizarre,” Skaalt concluded, “but not dangerous. Your letter made it seem as if you were near death.”
“I am not,” I said, “but I was a little scared when I wrote that. I had a human follow me halfway around their world, across an ocean in fact, for no other reason than she felt like it.”
“Oh?” Skaalt said, “and this isn’t just a case of Surveyor Fever, is it?”
I felt a prickle of annoyance at the implication, but suppressed it. “No. If it is, it's a different sort than I've seen before. She's a very rational and intelligent being, and I don't think she would abandon her whole life to chase someone she wanted to mate with. If anything, I'm the one who's a little in love with her.”
He was quiet for a long moment.
Sandra came up from behind me, she signaled at me that she and Nick were going outside. “I’m coming,” I said to her, “I hope you don’t mind if I talk in the car on the way back.”
“Not at all,” she said.
“Is that her?” Skaalt asked.
“Yes,” I said to him.
“And she’s the reason you think you might be on a Deathworld?”
“Among other things.” I said. I told him about the deadly diseases and ferocious animals, the tendency of humans to gloss over the horrifying details of their world. By the time we’d gotten back to the rental (all of a fifteen minute ride), I had gotten all the way back to the damned heat of the deserts on this planet compared to the freezing winters, and the terrible storms I had heard of but never seen. And yet how all the evidence of humans I’d seen pointed to Earth being a comfortable, hospitable planet.
I got out of the car and lead the way into the house, then left Sandra and Nick to their own devices and headed into my bedroom to continue the conversation.
Skaalt hissed into my ear, “I think you already know what I’m going to say, Archarya.”
“I can guess,” I said, “but I need a second opinion before I do anything. If you were here, you would understand my hesitation. If this is a deathworld, or if I name it as such, it will change humans forever."
"Yes," Skaalt said, "I know."
"They aren't as dangerous to be around as your species is, but they are still formidable, and they are going to be exploited by others as it is. I’m already being forced to classify them as a biological hazard because they carry bacteria in their saliva, nevermind that I’ve never seen one of them bite someone else.
“You are by far the most qualified surveyor when it comes to Deathworlds, and I don’t feel right about classifying this planet until you’ve seen it. If you concur with my final assessments, then maybe we can make it easier on them.”
"Have you spoken to the Librarian about this?" Skaalt asked.
"Not yet," I admitted. "The Canteron have occupied its attention on humans."
"Yes, the Canteron. How do humans feel about them?"
"They are eager for war. They see it as a chance to prove themselves."
"Does your Sandra feel that way too?" In Skaalt's voice, Sandra's name was sharp and jagged.
"She isn't war-hungry, but she is confident in their ability to win. It isn’t even a question for her."
"Understood.” Skaalt said nothing more.
“So are you coming here?” I asked.
“Don’t be foolish, of course I am. I’m very curious to see this new Deathworld and talk to its people.”
“When?”
“I’m already on the way, so not too long. My baby is better than the Canteron’s warships, so I will be there before them, but not by much.” For as long as I had known him, Skaalt had called his ship his baby. He loved it more than some people loved their children.
"I’ll find a place where you can land safely. I probably won’t be near the established spaceport, but I can make my way to an ecological dead zone.”
“The middle of the ocean is always a good choice.”
“They’re actually very protective of their oceans,” I said, “they're key to regulating the biosphere here."
"Another place then,"
"I'll send you coordinates when I have them."
"Excellent. Tread carefully, Acharya. Earth is a Deathworld, and that makes every square inch of it dangerous."
"I know." I said.
"I'll see you soon, little one. Stay safe."
"You as well. May the stars light your way."
"Keep your spikes sharp and your eyes keen."
The communicator went dead.
I say back with a sigh, already thinking about where I could possibly send someone like Skaalt on this planet without repercussions.
I'm collecting these narratives on AO3, so if you're interested in reading more, consider following it there. And let me know if there are any other sites should post to!
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sangerie · 5 months
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So I have a question; as one of the handful of people that love looking more into the Vinsmoke kids. I’m so curious about Sanji’s Raid Suit canister. When could that have been made? Maybe when they were all kids and it stayed collecting dust? For them to then give to Sanji as a wedding gift as a prank or genuinely in their own way to accept him back? Or just having been made recently for the reason above?
I have a fanfic that will delve into giving their humanity back even a little so I love everything you and a few others have thought up!
Ohhh~ I've actually gone into my thoughts on that a little bit in another post!
(Gonna go off here a little bit about the raid suit and symbolism/design/motifs because I want to explain why the raid suit was remade for who Sanji is today and not the original Stealth Black outfit that would have been given to him if he were a "successful" experiment...it's a little long tho so I'm sorry in advance....!!!💦)
Basically it's my thought that they did make that for him somewhat recently and that it was supposed to be Sanji's wedding present which is why they had it with them at the wedding. I'm honestly not even sure if Judge had anything to do with Sanji receiving the raid suit, I think it was just the brother's thing that they did on their own and I also think Ichiji had a heavy hand in it's design. (I don't even think Judge knew that it was made lmao because there's no way he was going to want him back in the family.)
I went into this on the other post, but basically, it's a complete inverse of Ichiji's colors. Niji and Yonji aren't allowed to have That Many colors in their raid suit design, only Ichiji has that privilege of the brothers. Which means the fact that Sanji has HIS colors but in reverse when Sanji was SUPPOSED to have some kind of plain Yellow/Black combo is super significant.
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Something I didn't point out in my original post though (I was always intending to make a part 2 to that post but I'll just say it all here ig lol) is that Sanji's scarf goes the opposite way of Ichiji's. Which is like, really important as a detail. Because usually if you see soldiers all wearing the same military uniform and then see a solider with something like, say, a scarf--and if it's going the opposite way that means they are either, like, a traitor of that faction or they represent a resistance of some kind. Something like that.
Another important detail is that, Judge's colors are Orange and Grey. Only Niji and Yonji have Judge's grey imparted on their raid suit design and it's on the part that lines the inside of their capes. Meanwhile all of the boys have the signature orange...except for Sanji.
Sanji has dark yellows but not Judge Orange. Which means not only did they send him off with the raid suit as a way of saying "you're still our brother"/"wear this to protect you" but they ALSO said
"You are Not Judge's son"
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Another very important detail is the fact that Sanji's uniform isn't following the same style or motif that their uniform is.
A sad and subtle implication that goes largely unnoticed is that Ichiji and Yonji were made to be a duo together. They have complementary powers and are trained to deal heavy damage with close-combat punches. They are paired together as the youngest and eldest, matching red and green with "66" on their uniforms to show that they are a pair.
Meanwhile Niji deals damage by kicking and he's a sword fighter. Sanji obviously also deals damage with kicking too AND he was trained in the way of the sword but doesn't follow it. So what's implied here is that Sanji was actually Niji's other half. (Which explains somewhat why Niji, specifically, was very very mad at him...)
They were supposed to be a pair. Ichiji and Yonji do more close up bombastic attacks while it was intended for Niji and Sanji to do more ranged attacks and stun enemies, catching them off guard and by surprise. Electric Blue and Stealth Black.
When they do the move "Black Bug" you'll notice sadly enough that it is Sanji who is missing by Niji's side. The move is actually incomplete without him. He's Niji's other half to this move. But, he's not there.
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When I said before "it's so sad that they had to reject not only one of the last remaining pieces of their mother but also reject part of themselves when they rejected Sanji" and "Judge took them away from their best friend" this is what I meant btw...
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(It's sooo sad that Sanji's favorite color is even blue but he hates his blue brother that was supposed to be his other half;;; )
So what we can infer by this is that Sanji's original raid suit would have matched Niji's the same way that Ichiji and Yonji match. And Niji's raid suit is based off of Judge's militia style raid suit. They are like, a set. The only ones that are really different are Reiju (because. girl. 😐...but also because Fuck Judge) and Ichiji (presumably because he's special for ✨firstborn prince✨ reasons but also because look at him. He honestly looks like he'd rather die than wear whatever Yonji is wearing. 4 similar shades of red? No contrast? No layers? Ew.)
Not only that but all of the raid suits are based on the comic book versions of them to a degree (*cough except for Ichiji who was actually supposed to be orange and the leader was supposed to be wearing red...so he's like. Saying something here....)
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(Almost like....he's the real leader and Judge is a follower....or something....*pretends to be shocked if/when Ichiji overthrows him*)
But the Original Stealth Black was supposed to be like. This ugly yellow and black outfit with a bit of white. Terrible....
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So we can PRESUME.....WITH ALLLL OF THIS INFO that Sanji's ORIGINAL outfit was SUPPOSED to look more like This if matching his partner Niji and based on the Original™ Stealth Black;
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But the outfit WE GOT doesn't look like that and do you wanna know why????
Because Sanji's outfit is actually based on... Sora, Warrior of the Sea.
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The hero that defeats Germa 66. The one with the same name as their mother.
(Also *cough*
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....on a meta-level, it also looks like his pre-timeskip Baratie uniform he was introduced in....and it's ALSO a reference to 009 Joe Shimamura from Cyborg 009...the child that was outcasted and became a delinquent and then got kidnapped and was turned into a cyborg only to use all of those powers for good when he otherwise would have been a weapon....)
So this raid suit design is LOUDDD AS HELL IMO......it says SO MUCH and SO LOUDLY....it says "you are our brother" / "we want you to be protected" / "we accept your individuality" / "you are a hero like our mother" and even BETTER yet it says that Sanji is Ichiji's narrative foil. It says that Sanji is the antithesis to Ichiji.
One of Germa's main symbolic things is Yin&Yang. The clone soldiers wear white and black and the skulls often have broken up magatama symbols in them.
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(Presumably stinky bitch ass Judge probably wears grey for this reason, too....I bet he thinks he's a morally grey and a neutral/justified person. He probably thinks he has a very sad meow meow past for how he came to inherit such a country. Nobody cares though...😒)
I said in my original post that one of them is symbolically the black knight and one of them is the white knight.
But the more I've thought about it, which one is which? Is it the prince that is cloaked in white yet stained in blood--hailed by all in his country and praised as being a perfect ideal? Or is it the outlaw pirate dressed in black where blood cannot be seen--thrown away and deemed a failure?
One cloaked in love and the other caged in hatred--but the answer for who is who is different depending on who you ask.
If you asked a citizen of Germa, they would tell you that it is Ichiji that is cloaked in love. Cloaked in the love of his people and praised within his family. The perfect prince, the perfect soldier. Ichiji living in the freedom of being an adored prince while Sanji remains caged within the dark dungeon.
If you asked a One Piece reader, they would tell you that it is obviously Sanji that is cloaked in love. That he is the white knight. Sanji has more freedom now than ever while Ichiji is caged both in his own body and in his own home.
If you asked citizens within the One Piece world itself--Germa is really only known by it's victims and the underground. The rest of the world doesn't even think they actually exist despite being a royal family with the right to attend the Reverie. And those who do know they exist hate them. Meanwhile Sanji is now known world-over. He is one of the wings that stands at the side of the future pirate king. And many people around the world know him as a hero. Ichiji kills countless people while Sanji saves countless people--one was made into a weapon by another ordered to kill and harm while the other has made himself into a weapon in order to save and protect others of his own free will.
One is told that his greatest strength is being emotionless while the other is told his greatest weakness is his emotions.
Which one truly lives in the light of the day, showing his face to the world and which one basks in the shadow of the moon, obscured from sight and faceless? THAT is the kind of symbolic ass shit Niji slipped into his pocket silly👅style like it was NOTHING......!!!!
And then CRUNCH......
Sanji destroyed that thang.......AND LMAOOO FAIR ENOUGH 😭
I honestly don't blame him at all. (I know that nobody would have been able to stop my petty ass from chucking that thing in the ocean if it were me, personally...😒)
And if we're being real, it was still a nazi uniform. Given to him by people he does not fucking like for obvious reasons no less. I don't even want my boy dressed in their brand, either. Even though they dressed him up really fancy within their hierarchy abiding family....😤
So;; hopefully Usopp and Franky will whip up something even better for him like they promised...maybe Vegapunk will help...maybe it will be called something cool like Vega Black....yeah....it will be *looks away with tears in my eyes* so so....so much cooler....!
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lightandfellowship · 1 year
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Please Consider Him (my attempt at a Quadratum Vidar).
Design notes under the read more:
There were multiple elements of Vidar's original design that I wanted to maintain for his Quadratum look: his blue/yellow/black/beige color scheme, his black turtleneck, his asymmetrical top, and his partially uncovered arms. I felt these elements were essential to properly capturing Vidar's vibe, and changing or removing them would make him feel...well, less like Vidar.
For his top, I knew I wanted to simulate the asymmetrical jacket, where one side was longer than the other, and also give him something with a collar since his jacket kinda has a collar, so I thought a half-untucked button-down would do the job nicely. I didn't really want to give Vidar a typical coat or anything long-sleeved, even though that would be a natural route to take given his original jacket, because again, like I said, I wanted some part of his arms to be uncovered. So I made his button-down have rolled up sleeves that are secured in place by a button. I copied the beige lining design from his original jacket, of course, along with the square design on his shoulders, only facing out instead of in so that his collar doesn't overlap it.
I originally considered turning Vidar's sash chain into a pocket chain, since that seems like the most obvious way to translate it into a more modern accessory, but I decided not to for two reasons. One, Baldr's design already features a pocket chain, and I didn't want to pull from other characters' designs. And two, I thought it might conflict with the untucked shirt, making that area of the design too busy. So I decided to turn it into a necklace instead. I also gave Vidar matching earrings, but I mostly just did that for style, not for any specific design reason.
I was really torn about what to do with Vidar's yellow sash. Some options I considered were a yellow buckled belt or a yellow jacket tied around his waist, but I felt like these fashion choices would be too loud for Vidar's personality (idk, that amount of yellow looks fine for Vidar's more traditional clothing, but modern fashion in bright yellow just doesn't feel right for him). I eventually settled on turning the sash into a cloth bracelet. It maintains the knotted cloth look while also being more understated, just a small pop of color on his wrist. I paired it with a beaded bracelet that matches his necklace, and a plain black bracelet on the opposite wrist to resemble his original right glove design. I also noticed that Vidar has some white cloth wrappings underneath his left glove, and even though they're probably not meant to be bandages, I took inspiration from that regardless and gave him a little bandaid on his elbow.
I decided to translate the black obi underneath his yellow sash into a black buckled belt. His original left glove also has studding on the top edge, so I gave this belt some studs as well. I think it helps it to stand out from the black pants better, since they're so similar in hue/value. (Tangent--apologies for not adding belt loops to his pants, I couldn't get it to look right. So his belt is just kinda suspended there without anything securing it in place. Oh well.) I also let him keep the fingerless gloves from his original design but just made them shorter so that they'd be more practical to everyday living. And also so that there's more room for his bracelets.
His pants are basically the same, I just made them a little less poofy, for that jeans-tucked-into-boots look (even though these pants probably aren't jeans). And I wasn't really sure what to do with his boots (shoe design is an enigma to me), so I just took the belts from his gloves and put them on his boots to make them look a bit more interesting.
So yeah! That was my thought process for this design.
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I've seen people confused on why Rouge is with team sonic (+ Cream) in Sonic Dream Team and I don't really get why, I think it's quite understandable when you think about it.
Just look:
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This thing in Sonic's hand. The orb thing. In the plot synopsis it says the following:
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The Reverie. While it's described as a device I'm assuming it's that orb thing Sonic is holding in the app icon. And what does that orb look like?
A big fancy, shiny, glowy, sparkly gem. And what does Rouge like? Big fancy, shiny, glowy, sparkly gems. So... it's it obvious? Rouge, the treasure hunter, is in it for the fucking gem. Just like in Sonic Prime, where she was the one to tell Sonic about the paradox prism and only really was working with him because she wanted it. Speaking of Prime, we got this exact complaint of: "Why is Rouge suddenly working with team Sonic???? Why isn't she with team Dark????"
GEMS PEOPLE. SHE WANTS FUCKING GEMS. THE SPARKLIES. THE SHINIES. IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED.
Like it's in Rouge's character from the beginning, yes she is deep down a caring person even if she tries to hide it under her flirtatious persona, she's still very selfish and will absolutely do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She's absolutely willing to work with other teams that isn't her own (the one she's the Leader of btw in case you forgot, the only team I will argue she's actually loyal to) if it comes to her benefit, but I absolutely wouldn't consider her an actual part of the team and She absolutely wouldn't consider herself part of the team. And sure, I can see her definitely wanting to stop Eggman and whatever crazy Eggman Land-esk nightmare he comes up with in this game but... she's 1000000% in it for that shiny gem though, let's be for real.
Anyway, let Rouge have her sparkly hunt. She deserves to be playable and especially playable without having to be tied down to Adventure treasure hunting mechanics.
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Edit: she actually doesn't have fangs apparently, the original image I had thought was nabbed from the official Tails Channel twitter but it wasn't and was a fan edit with no sort of differentiation to tell that it wasn't real from a glance with no @ or credits of the sort and the Tails channel info graphics just left plain in tact where it caused my confusion, sorry for letting myself have a little hope for Sega doing good choices for character design 😔
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astralbulldragon13 · 2 months
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Arrigo Makes a Mistake
(This is a fanfic using an original character insert for the listener in Escaped Audio's 'New Jersey Rats' Series. Warning, there is some implied racism in this story, if that does not jive with you, feel free to skip. I completely understand)
Skyla Ghost Bear the Intern half-way listened to the conversation between Jean and Tricky Ricky, talking about the logistics needed to complete the job with the gold. It had been about a week since the incident with the Feds, and they were invited over again to 'talk shop', with the gold. Jean still was insistent on no one, not even the Bada Brothers knowing about that little incident.
Jean seemed a bit nervous when it came to inviting Skyla along, but she wouldn't say 'no' to some, really good, home-made Italian food. Even if it was in the company of the Cosa Nostra.
The only time she even got to have Italian food back home was when her Lala would take her and her siblings to the Olive Garden by the mall. This food was so much better, like comparing Taco John’s to authentic food from a real Hispanic household. 
‘But Taco Johns has potato ole’s,’ she joked mentally as she took a sip of the dry red that Ricky provided them to drink, trying not to scrunch her face at the taste. She was never a fan of dry wines, not even when they use them in church. ‘And Olive Garden has breadsticks and really fucking good salad.’
“Tell me, young intern,” Tricky Ricky spoke, looking up from his plate. “You know some about me, I don’t know some about you. Tell me about yourself.”
Jean glanced at his Intern with a fair amount of concern, hoping this wasn’t some attempt to dig up dirt to hold over them. 
Skyla offered him a calm, polite smile. This was a businesswoman’s smile, like a dagger wrapped in velvet, and Jean was able to decrease his heartrate at that. “Not much to me, sir. I’m from the midwest, came to New Jersey with hopes of experiencing a new life and seeing the ocean instead of the Missouri River. I will be receiving my degree shortly.”
“What kind of blood do you have in you?” 
Skyla’s business-smile tightened and her jaw tensed. Badabing and Badaboom looked at each other nervously, while Jean was almost worried that she may jump the table as Skyla had been very private about her ancestry, but she just picked up their wine glass. “I’m Plains Native American on my mother’s side, yes. We… aren’t particularly close
“What about your father?” Giovanni asked, eyeing the young individual.
She returned the look, her blue eyes unwavering, something uncommon amongst most who look the consigliere in the eye. “I never knew him. I know that he was an Irish exchange student, and that I have his eyes. That’s really all I know about him.”
Tricky Ricky nodded, finishing a bite of his food. “A shame, truly. He doesn’t know he has quite the intelligent child.”
Skyla laughed polietly, nodding in agreement with the old man’s words. “I thank you for your words, sir. I truly appreciate it.”
As dinner was wrapping itself up, Skyla excused herself to the restroom. After she washed and dried her hands, she reached into the inner pocket of her blazer to apply a fresh coat of her favorite red lipstick. It wasn’t some designer brand, but simple Maybelline New York #333, Hot Chase that she found in Wal-Mart at the age of seventeen. She popped the top off and twisted the tube up and paused, looking at the color, then her reflection with the faded color still on her lips and thought to her poor, scruffy superior. Skyla didn’t know why, but their mind went to him, his hair wild, his business-shirt un-tucked, and his pretty face covered in kissmarks in this shade of red. 
With a girlish giggle, Skyla applied the lipstick leaving a fresh and shiny coat. She twisted the spiral back down and re-capped her lipstick, sticking it back in their pocket. She undid her hair and retwisted it, pinning it again with her barrett, then walking out the door. 
To her surprise, she found Arrigo waiting outside the door, waiting for her. She drew up short, letting the door to the restroom close behind her. “Oh, Mister Belardi! You caught me a little by surprise there. Is there something I can do for you”
The so-called ‘Mafia Prince’ gave a smirk that Skyla supposed was meant to be seductive, but in truth it just made her skin crawl. “Yeah, uh… what are you doing after dinner?” 
His question sent up so many red flags it could have been used to decorate a rescue boat. Skyla returned to her business smile and tried to move past him. “I have some matters to attend to when I return to my apartment. Now, please excuse me, I do believe dessert was about to be served and I’ve been looking forward to that semifreddo all evening.”
“Or,” he said quickly, caging them with his arms on either side of her body. “You could, uh, come with me? I’m having a yacht party at the marina tonight.” Arrigo reached up with one perfectly manicured hand and stroked her cheek.
“I’ve, uh… never been with a girl like you. I mean, I’ve been with Indian girls before but not your kind of Indian, you know what I mean? Come on, why don’t you… try me on for size? I bet I could do better than that loser Jean. Come on, don’t you want a chance to really have some protection from the family?”
Skyla blinked and tilted her head down to look Arrigo in the eye. The young Belardi heir only stood at five feet, four inches, five foot, six with the help of the lifts in his shoes, while Skyla, being half Lakota, stood at five foot, nine inchest. Pair that with the fact she always wears four inch heels, she was towering over him, and he knew it. 
In response, the Intern decided to use the greatest power in their arsenal, the only gift her father gave her. She glared at Arrigo’s hazel eyes, and to him, looking into Skyla’s eyes was like looking into a stormy sea. 
A chuckle bubbled up from her lips, and she shook her head, almost incredulously. She looked up, and noticed Jean looking around the corner, his brown eyes burning. So, in response to the Princeling’s offer, Skyla place a hand on the arm that was caging her, and gently moved it out of the way, before moving aside and walking away from him, still chuckling, while adding a little sashay to her hips. “Hey, Unch, is everything alright?”
Jean blinked, trying to clear his head. This was something different, she usually called him something different in her mother-tongue, but it sounded similar to what they just called him. 
“Wh-Wha? Oh! Oh, right I, um, was coming to find you. I know how excited you were to have that semifreddo.”
Skyla just giggled and took his arm. “Come one then, let's go.” And they walked off back to the table. Jean glanced over his shoulder to look at Arrigo, who looked offended and rather confused, and just gave the little brat a shit-eating grin. 
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mrepstein · 22 days
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The Flat That Epstein Bought - Liverpool Echo - July 11, 1964
HOME - with the man behind the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black, Billy J. Kramer, etc, etc.
Reported by Barbara Anne Taylor
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I don’t want to brag or cause any jealousy, but I used to queue for the Saturday matinee at a cinema that was next to a furniture shop that was called Epstein and Son and that Epstein’s other son manages the Beatles.
And that is as exciting as dancing with a man who danced with a girl who danced with the Prince of Wales.
The other son is Brian, who has in his time pursued many careers until he found his present crock of gold. He did originally embark, with no lack of enthusiasm, on a career in his family’s furniture business.
CRAFTY CHERUB
“I was 21 at the time,” said Mr. Epstein, who looks like a sharp-clothed, crafty cherub, “and extremely interested in design and interior decorating - still am. I served,” he added stoically, “my apprenticeship with the Times Furnishing Company in Liverpool.
“I was fanatically keen on what I regarded as contemporary at the time. I felt quite a missionary zeal about it, so I wasn’t fired with enthusiasm about the furniture in my father’s shop. It all looked to me like greasy great walnut bedroom suites.
“I was full of notions about the customers really wanting the sort of furniture I wanted them to have. I overlooked the fact that my father is a successful business man because he knows what his customers want. However, I persuaded him to stock some of the furniture of my choice.”
When I asked Mr. Epstein if his chosen furniture sold, he received the question a trifle incredulously: “I saw to it,” he said stonily, “that it did” - and having subsequently witnessed something of his adroitness as a salesman, who can fail to believe him?
Mr. Epstein is clever at picking people; he picked his parents very wisely, for his indulgent father then set him up in his own furniture shop in Hoylake.
He was able to revel in the furniture of his choice and provide an interior decorating service to boot. “It was the interior decorating side I enjoyed most, I had lots of ideas and I love experimenting with colour.”
When I asked Mr. Epstein if he was able to submit his clients to his ideas he replied: “The customer is always right.”
Mr. Epstein inhabits the top floor and the roof, where he has potted plants and wrought iron furniture, and swinging chintz hammocks and a splendid view.
He has two bedrooms and a study and one large, long combined living and dining room, which is decorated in white, grapish green and amber and is inspiringly tidy.
“I can’t bear clutter, I’m obsessive about plainness and simplicity, in fact, this room looks cluttered to me,” he said, eyeing with some distaste this positive precedent for orderliness.
The Buyer of Antiques
“I like buying antiques, although I have no knowledge of them. I don’t care about their period or their history. I just care about their shape. I couldn’t live with only modern furniture now, you grow out of such utter devotion. It’s rather sad really.”
“I find it completely absorbing searching for exactly what I want but there’s really not much choice, is there? I mean, there appears to be a lot but when you get down to it there is really very little.
“And isn’t it sad when finally you’ve found exactly what you want, then you discover that it’s exactly what hundreds of other people want too. It sort of spoils the specialness of it.
“I found it an exciting experience furnishing my first home, it takes a lot of time and thought, because you are imprinting something of yourself there. I think there is something of me in this flat, though it’s not exactly right. I long to have a separate dining room... well, what I really long for is a house.
Knows What He Wants
“I know exactly what I want. I can’t describe it to you, I could perhaps draw it. It is certainly nothing like the castles and follies I keep being offered. It’s a house I’ve had in my head for ages, I’ll know it the moment I see it.
“Till then I’m happy here. I look forward to coming home, that’s the big test, and my friends seem to like it and that’s also important because I love entertaining.
“Yes the Beatles approve - at least they approve of most of the furniture: they were a bit scornful about the antiques. Paul is very fond of the rocking chair, but what they all approved of most was the way I had their photographs framed. Cilla thinks it is all fab.”
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popatochisssp · 6 months
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GAH!!! I’ve had this question on my mind for so long, but do the boys have any particular tastes when it comes to interior design? Minimal, eclectic, etc… whatever boys you want to choose! Thank you!!!
This was interesting, I had to go on a bit of adventure through interior décor styles because I’m not too familiar with all the terms, but I definitely had fun~
Forgive any misuse of interior design words below, I am not an expert! XD
(Featuring many images stolen from Google)
Sans (Undertale): Sort of a revival post-modernist, not quite as loud as the original post-modern look in terms of colors, but still a mix-and-match of shapes and materials, spacious areas, not afraid of décor or accenting a space with unique pieces that don’t perfectly coordinate with the others. Comfort and space over rigid adherence to an aesthetic.
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Papyrus (Undertale): Memphis style designs really capture his imagination, lots of shapes and bold, bright colors, circles and checkerboards and zig-zags. It’s fun, he likes fun things! Abstractly-shaped furniture and weird objets d’art—could use some more stuff with cool flame-patterns, or maybe some spikes here and there, but he can experiment to get the right balance in there!
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Sky (Underswap Sans): Into modern styles, mostly, he does like the minimalist look but absolutely goes in for strategic splashes of color to brighten things up. Sleek shapes and clean lines are great, but absolutely must be offset by some rich lively colors for an open, welcome feel, can’t let it feel too sterile.
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Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Favors sort of a regence look, tends toward curving lines and intricate elegance in the little details. Chair arms that swirl, fleurs in the carving of a cabinet, decorative patterns and motifs to tie everything together as a cohesive whole. He finds the charming elegance comfortable and easy to settle into.
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Jasper (Underfell Sans): Definitely more of an artisan/arts and crafts style kind of guy, cares less about the Look of things than he does the craftsmanship of it—he wants things to be well-made and able to stand up to consistent use, so most of what he favors are sturdy pieces and designs without ostentation or elaborate details. It may not be the prettiest, but it is homey and comfortable and ready to be actually lived in.
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Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): Empire style, he is all about the ostentation and elaborate details, silk and velvet, ebony and gold, it has to be bold and artful and dramatic (just like he is). If something’s a little too plain and simple, he’ll pass on it or find a way to dress it up prettier.
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Mal (Swapfell Sans): Contemporary design is more his thing, sleek lines and sharp angles, with a strong aesthetic preference for more industrial materials (glass, metal, marble, etc). Tends to avoid most color, sticking with black and white, and just a few decorative objects here and there to draw the eye. He likes the clean look over a more comfortable, lived-in one.
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Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): Big fan of art nouveau, swirling lines and curving forms. Stained glass lamps, art, and windows are big hit with him, as well as wrought iron railings or table frames and the like. He likes colors and things that feel like they flow, mostly, and any intricate detail-work that catches the eye.
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Slate (Horrortale Sans): Cottage style is more his speed, a little rustic and a lot cozy, with a special emphasis on plush furniture. He’s all about the comfort and the homey feel, nothing pristine that an accident or a bit of wear-and-tear will ruin quickly.
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Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): More of an English country sort of guy, big on patterns and florals, but also into a bit of delicacy and charm—some more ornate accent chairs here, decorative curtains there, unique antiques and plants everywhere. Definitely cozy and comfortable but done in a very thoughtful and deliberate way.
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Ash (Undergloom Sans): Clutterbitch—wait no, I mean maximalist. He likes having a lot of stuff and putting it on display, and bright colors (especially turquoise!) make him happy to look at, so he’s drawn to that kind of thing when customizing a space. Lots of knickknacks and prints related to his hobbies, maybe a novelty end table or two, shaped like a record or a cloud or something. A bit chaotic but he probably knows where everything in it is, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): He goes for a bit of a modern farmhouse look, soft neutrals with warmer rustic touches. Likely to spruce it up a little further with some bright yellows and greens, but mostly in the accents—flowers, artwork, et cetera. Also likely to decorate with lots of candles and mason jars and anything he comes back with from the home goods store, because he is very passionate about the home goods store.
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Brick (Horrorfell Sans): Tends toward Tuscan style, warm tones, wood and tile and wrought iron, sturdy and well-crafted furniture. Not opposed to some intricate designs here and there, but not that intricate, just enough to look a little nice. Maybe a bit nicer than the absolute basics, but he’s not trying to impress anybody, he just wants cozy and comfortable, and maybe he’s earned the right to a tiny bit of fance here and there, y’know?
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King (Horrorfell Papyrus): Something of a traditionalist, with a strong appreciation for clean, elegant, and cohesive styles. The classics never go out of fashion—dark wood, damask patterns, ornate detailing, maybe some fine red drapery and a chandelier or two, but nothing too ostentatious. Less is more, but no need to go full minimalist to show your class, after all.
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Merc (Horrorswap Sans): Definitely about the shabby chic, clean and simplistic styles but with a touch of wear or softness to keep it inviting. Not a sterile space that can’t be lived in, but still a bit neat and thoughtfully arranged!
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Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): More a fan of the urban look, exposed brick and beams but some softening elements incorporated too, like abstractly shaped furniture and décor, and lots of lighting. More minimalist than cluttered and probably not a huge fan of rugs, but he definitely wants a good balance between hard and rough, and soft and wavy aesthetics.
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Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): He can’t actually see it, but tends to favor Mediterranean styles. He likes a lot of sunlight, open floor plans, and wide doorways, and he’s a little less picky about his furniture but anything with ornate designs and detailing that he can physically feel to appreciate is a bonus. Function over form, though, comfort and utility is always foremost in his consideration.
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Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): Fond of mission style, slatted wooden furniture, simple and clean designs and only a couple accent colors that work well with them—autumnals are a favorite. Some nature-inspired touches like plants, artwork, and other accents to bring a little of the outdoors in, but not so much as to be cluttered.
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Sunny (Gastertale Sans): Mid-century modern, for the most part, uniquely shaped items to stand as conversation pieces, but still primarily designed for utility. A little off-beat and retro, but still a homey and comfortable place to chill in.
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Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): Big into art deco, metal and glass, geometric patterns and angular designs with bold, rich colors. He finds it to have a very fun and classy feel and likes things that make a statement—so he’s likely to incorporate a lot of centerpieces and décor wherever he can to draw the eye.
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Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): Full-on industrial, brick and metal and hardwood, ideally with open and lofted spaces. It’s kind of what he’s gotten used to and gained an appreciation for along the way, so it may not be the most innately homey-feeling place, but he’s comfortable in it. Likely to accent the space with art—wall or sculpture—rather than rugs or blankets.
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PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): He’s a minimalist. He doesn’t actually have a physical body most of the time, so his taste in decorating a space tends to prioritize aesthetic over what it would be like to actually live in it. Still, he is fond of aesthetics so he’s sure to pick out at least a few interesting and attractive centerpieces—light fixtures, table décor, an accent pillow, something—to make it a little prettier.
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Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): Sort of an eclectic/boho thing going on, lots of color and design and pretty much anything fun that catches his eye-socket. He’s very into crystals and wall hangings and art (or plants!) that can be strung up to dangle from the ceiling, so any space he’s involved in decorating is bound to look a little messy, but it’s comfortable and fun so it works out in the end!
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Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): Give him that Hollywood glam, glossy high-shine surfaces—glass, gold, mirrors—mixed with soft velvets and satins. Mostly black and white but with a prominent accent color or two to really make the eleganza pop, he’s decorating to impress and show off his taste in design.
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Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): Ends up falling into a bit of a steampunk style in terms of décor, lots of metal and lighting, plenty of stuffed shelves, and clockwork junk and tools lying around. He certainly has nothing against brass and leather either so y’know, if that’s what you wanna call it, there it is.
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Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): Country house design is more his speed, very fond of gingham and natural light and an overall homey feel. It’s not what he’s used to, per se, but that’s kind of…better. He likes light and open spaces, big tables for activities and soft furniture for sitting, but nothing so clean and new that it doesn’t feel like it’s meant to be used.
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Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): International/modernist is mostly what he goes for, emphasis on steel and glass and concrete, and sharp minimalist lines. If he’s going to splurge on any patterns or color, it’ll only be in a few select pieces, nothing too outrageous.
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Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papyrus): He prefers a bit of a rustic look to things, with a high preference for natural materials, like stone and wood. Lofts are cool, as are sturdy shelving and exposed beams, but he’s especially into a good view, so if there’s high windows or just a lot of them, he’ll be happy.
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Kohl (Descendtale Sans): Tends toward a dark romance style, deep rich (but of course, dark) colors, soft lighting, and graceful, sometimes ornate lines. Not one to overclutter with décor and accents, mostly simplistic, but a few items here and there—quilts and dried flowers and overstuffed pillows.
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Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): Whimsigoth, a fondness for the ornate and intricate and elegant, but a tendency towards eclectic amounts of décor—wall hangings, candles, bones, and books all artfully arranged. Very into patterned furniture with texture, from the pattern being either pressed or stitched into the fabric. A little messy at first glance but he’s actually very deliberate with his arrangements for the most balanced look.
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adobe-outdesign · 2 months
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hi! have you done a review for yurbles and their colors? they're my favorite neo species. would love to hear your thoughts!
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Yurbles are a classic Neopet design in the sense that they sure look like A Creature(TM), but not anything that could be easily identified. Their names would suggest gerbils, but their faces are almost raccoon-like, complete with markings around their eyes. On top of that, they're also bipedal with furry manes and lovely cinnamon roll-like ears, which are their most memorable feature.
Visually, their design is also nicely balanced—cream on the underbelly and muzzle, a mane to divide the head from the body, and a few black accents here and there. Like all good Neopet designs, they're simple but not to the point of looking boring or too plain.
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And thankfully Yurbles were pretty much left untouched by customization, with the only major change being the addition of a fist to hold items with. I actually like the converted version a smidge more than the original, as they now have more of a body/better proportions and their weird-looking feet got slightly less weird.
Favorite Colours:
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Grey: I went over this in my grey color review so I'll keep things brief here, but grey's one of my favorite Yurble colors primarily because of the UC/styled version. The converted design is fine and could be a nice base for customization even if it's a bit plain, but the UC design is incredible. The! Ears!!! I also love its extra long mane and sopping wet meow-meow expression. The whole design has a lovely downward flow to it as well.
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Halloween: I'm not usually big into Halloween pets that are clearly wearing costumes (as opposed to just being creatures and monsters inherently), but the Halloween Yurble just being a Yurble in a Tax Beast costume is pretty delightful. The design looks enough like the Tax Beast to be instantly recognizable, but adapts things like the Yurble's ears in nicely. Fun stuff.
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Origami: Origami pets can be hit or miss depending on their execution, but this one's particularly nice. The neutral brown palette is lovely, and I really like little details like the eye being sketched in, complete with crosshatch lines. What's really nice is the mane, which uses flower-patterned paper and folds that give it a great sense of movement, along with a surprisingly realistic folded paper feeling. I'd argue that this is by far the best Origami pet we've gotten so far, with the Korbat as a respectful second place.
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wilted3sunflowers · 6 months
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This is my Miku pokemon trainer tier list
For this tier list its both my favorites and what i consider a very good miku design
Of course all of them are good miku designs but some shine above the rest
S tier- my absolute favorites Bug miku is so classy, so well thought out, and i think the brown looks amazing with her teal. Shes everything A close tie with bug miku is Ice miku her hair is everything to me im in complete love with this sharp miku. Water Miku is basic but that's all she needs in lovely simplicity, truly feeling like Miku in this world as a water trainer especially with her tan lines from her original outfit it feels like this is her off time from being an idol! Steel Miku had my heart as soon as I saw her with Jirachi. Which was my favorite pokemon when I was a child [it was prior before i even had any pokemon games of my own and only watched the movies] The colors, the motif of star, the hat and the hair its all wonderful to me!
A tier- Amazingly done concepts and totally miku! Rock Miku's dress and veil is lovely, i love they incorporated the veil as mock pigtails. If this was the verison of her without the dress then she would have been in S tier. I love the jester look but thats my own personal preference. She also reminds me of diance with the dress.
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Flying Miku is gorgeous, the wispy hair, the translucent areas to mimic clouds and mist. It's an amazing concept and wonderfully executed design! Fairy miku i know is everyones favorite and it's obvious to see why, shes adorable and cute and I too would love to draw her. She has that appeal to her down to a T. Fighting Miku is something i've been waiting for this whole time. Of course no way they could do a pokemon collab with miku and not include farfetch'd! It's a sleek and simple design that takes traits of the original miku's outfit and tweaks them. Though she does kind of remind me of maka from soul eater just a small bit.
B tier- Great concepts! Electric Miku's lightening pigtails are so cute she looks like a little adventure/farmer of currents. She stands on her own as a design and as a tie to miku. Poison type Miku i would have done the same doing mucky/slime twintails though i probably wouldn't have thought to use the new alolan muk which is a very good look and helps add in the colors. It's a great design and while i wouldve put her in A tier some of her design elements hold me off. This is a top tier character design though trust me Dark Miku, i love she came with obstagoon. Though at first i couldnt even tell if miku had pigtails in the artwork. This reminds me just of a nice miku for a cover of an existing song which is not bad it's just how it feels. Normal type miku has good colors, shes paired with an active singing pokemon and while it's simple I think it conveys miku well enough. Though she keeps reminding me of the oversaturated stereotype of early 90s fashion. now on Ghost miku, shes higher than i'd actually put her but for her concept and simplicity of staying to miku but as a glitched out ghost version of her i do have to give props to that even if i find it more on the plain side. I think they succeeded in what was necessary even though this portrays miku AS the ghost instead of just a ghost trainer. ....honestly now that i type my words i feel like i was right and shouldve stuck with her in C tier.
C tier- too basic for my tastes yet still well done Grass miku is cute and all but if you told me she was unrelated to miku, i could believe you. Just that it'd be a fandom joke to call her 'green miku'
Fire miku, reminds me all too much of the anniversary miku song and im sure thats where they got part of the insipration from it but it doesnt really do much for me combined with the fire aspect and how her hair is shaped. I know its to mimic the pokemon shes with its just personal taste on that one. The silhoutte is good.
Ground type miku i had to keep looking up because i forget what shes supposed to be numerous times. Same case with grass miku, i could see someone telling me shes from x thing and unrelated to miku. I'm just not a fan of the design and colors but it's well done. I know when something is just my subjective taste rather than poorly done.
Dragon miku while i'm not the biggest fan of all the cowlicks going down the twintails i know it's purpose is there to mimic the spiked tail of a traditional dragon and i wouldn't want them removed. I think i especially just don't like the tacked on half shawl cape it feels disjointed. Yet i find its a nice concept they did both an almost knight look for her as dragon as always with the concept of knights and dragons battling. Now the knight trainer is battling with the dragon as comrades.
Psychic type miku- i think they started with the least interesting and noteworthy one honestly. It just looks, kind of uninspired but thats rude to say. I know shes here to fufill the concept of miku as a trainer in pokemon and well it just looks like she's her own trainer class that'd have multiple running around looking the same instead of a stand out like a rival or a gym leader in game.
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gattnk · 8 months
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It's hard to forget Ang-Lì and Mefisto, for the oddest reasons.
These two were unlucky enough to become cut content in the cartoon, and I can see why: the cast was huge, the new plot had a stronger focus on the protagonists, and sadly Ang-Lì and Mefisto were sort of... tertiary in the comics. While it seems like the comic was just about to pick up the pace with them, it got discontinued right before they got their moment to shine. I did my best to take all of this into account, and here's my resulting notes on the redesign process:
I dug up all I could about these two to make sure I understood their characters as much as possible, since the comics themselves shared very little. Finding the extra content that came with the comics was crucial (the original printed issues included all sorts of cool stuff you'd expect from kid magazines at the time).
I noticed how Ang-Lì is usually very enthusiastic in the comic, often cracking a joke or two mid conversation, and he also has a passion for earthly comic books. I gave him pretty plain clothes to contrast with his joking nature, represented by the yellow-orange. This way the color and his personality really pop up!
According to the extra content, Mefisto's super laidback about most things, with the exception of music: he's a metalhead who may or may not pirate his favorite Earth bands, who's also the vocalist of the devils, and can't make it through the day without his headphones. So I just went with the classic metalhead look: dark shirt, washed jeans, wallet chain and thick wristbands. The duller colors go really well with all the green hair, it doesn't feel like too much.
I tried to emphasize their interests with their accessories since their clothes are quite plain compared to the other redesigns. Since Mefisto's headphones are so important to him, they also had to pop out, hence the orange, white and toxic green. In the meantime, Ang-Lì's kicks are a pun of sorts: he keeps the jokes running. lol.
Turns out Ang-Lì's mascot is a stick bug, who knew? He keeps it in his shirt pocket like a pencil, as a bit of a joke. Meanwhile Mefisto places his gecko mascot on his wallet chain, like those lizard keychain bottle openers that used to be popular in the 2000s. I thought it represented their respective natures well.
I actively chose to swap Mefisto's skin color. The devils could use a bit more variety, honestly, and it still holds homage to his old color palette. Besides, you don't see many black metalheads in media and that's a shame! Rock on my metal siblings!
Ang-Lì had a pretty solid design from the start that still holds up well, so the biggest personal change was the haircut. everything else (clothes aside) I kept pretty much the same.
That would be it for these two! Honestly, keeping their character essence was particularly easy, compared to my other redesigns (yes, even easier than Raf/Sulfus). Even with the little content we have, all in all they're pretty solid characters! So yeah, they deserved to be brought back in my rewrite, I'll Fly With You. I did my best to give them the spotlight more often in my planned script, let's see if I do them justice!
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yaoiconnoisseur · 7 months
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♠ Knight of Spades - Mari ♠
〈 Protector of Innocence 〉
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Ahhh I finally get to post this :D It was an honor to be able to contribute to the amazing project that is Yuri!!! On Cards from the Yuri!!! On The Web Discord server!
You can see the entire project via this masterpost! If you'd like more context for this gigantic YOI AU, head over to this blog post for an explanation of everything.
I'd like to give a massive shoutout to @arom-antix and @lines-on-ice for basically putting this all together and making this amazing idea a reality. I know Arrow credits me as one of the admins of this project, but I really only made a Google Drive and did a little research for the artists on how to format their cards haha
I had a ton of fun coming up with Mari's design as the Knight of Spades. I knew right away that I wanted Mari's design to reflect her Japanese heritage since the suit of Spades is a fully Japanese cast.
I've cut me talking about the art itself and my thought process while working on it so I don't nuke your dash, but if you'd like to read my ramblings feel free to
Making Mari a samurai was an easy choice since, one, that's basically what a knight was in Japan (albeit there was no legal binding between a daimyo and his samurai), and, two, I've always HC'd Mari as a protective older sister in the sense she'd be fairly hands off until someone made the mistake of bullying her little Yuuri.
I wanted her armor to be blue since that was the overarching color scheme for Spades, but choosing what blues to use was.. Difficult. There needed to be enough contrast between the different pieces of her armor to show that the armor is made of multiple parts while keeping the hues and brightness values close enough to still look cohesive. I also wanted to keep the blues relatively low saturated to bring our Mari's blonde highlights.
(As I was coloring her armor I realized half way through that I basically drew a Samurott ginjinka oops ( ̄▽ ̄*)ゞ)
I had originally intended for the sarashi (the belt) to be pure white, however when I put all the base colors down I realized the white was too much and pulled your eyes away from Mari's overall form. I knew having the belt be pure blue would make the belt blend in too much with the rest of the armor, so I ended up making the belt mostly blue with white accents as a compromise. I still wish the belt could have been white, but oh well.
As for the katana.. That was originally going to be pure blue, but like the belt problem, I had issues keeping the katana from looking muddied. I ended up trying five different variations of black/dark gray until I settled on what you see above lol. It was really difficult making the hilt of the katana look nice because if I went too dark with the blacks I would lose detail on the hilt, but if I went too light I would lose the contrast with the hilt's blues. As for the saya (scabbard/sheathe) I wanted it to be black, but I ended up matching it to Mari's armor instead because a black saya with a mostly black hilt somehow made the entire katana look flat.
The color palates I used for everything else was just me eyeballing her fleshtone and hair color through various screenshots I ripped directly from the show.
The background gave the the most trouble out of everything though because I'm not particularly great at making interesting, minimalistic backgrounds for my art. The card looked to plain without some sort of variation of color behind Mari, but since her armor was already so complex I needed a background that didn't take away from those complexities and didn't muddy the entire piece. I had originally planned to do a sumi-e type background, however I found that no matter what I did the sumi-e designs took away focus from Mari. Eventually I settled on a default abstract Procreate brush and drew lines until something stuck.
Overall I had a blast making this and also the borders for the rest of the cards! I learned a lot about how to format and prep digital canvases for making a card deck, too lol
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