#this colouring is very inconsistent i know

[diet-comet-soda]

I don't think anyone will be surprised when I say this, but there's a fundamental problem with western "adult" animation and that really sucks. To summarize the obvious: nearly every animated show not "made for kids" is limited to one very specific ~type~ of show (you know the one). And sure, some people like this style of show, but the potential left untapped is infuriating.

What I want from adult animation is shows like The Owl House, but taken further, without the limitations that networks put these shows through to make them "suitable for younger audiences". I don't even think they need to necessarily be completely inappropriate for younger viewers, they just need to prioritize their adult audience more and not get bogged down by "think of the children!!" rhetoric.

Animation targetted at older audiences doesn't all have to be like Family Guy. Even the more well-liked adult shows such as Harley Quinn don't stray nearly far enough off the established model to really meet the potential of the medium. Sometimes I want a sincere story without bathroom humour or gratuitous gore or hypersexualization. Sometimes I want to watch something that doesn't even really have "adult" content, but that's still designed for older audiences first and foremost, instead of held in a creative chokehold by brands like Disney to make sure it's colourful and light-hearted enough for little Timmy.

Maybe what I want would more accurately be called "Young Adult" or "Teen" animation, but I feel like those labels would undervalue these shows to the average viewer, similalry to how "YA" vs. "Adult" novels are treated. Just look at what Infinity Train was able to do when it was allowed to go places "kids'" shows usually aren't allowed to! Look at the beta concepts and imagine what The Owl House could have been if it wasn't on Disney Channel!

Of course, I love what we got with toh and how far they've taken this story, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But there are admittedly a lot of weird moments and character/lore inconsistencies in the show, especially in season 1, where you can really feel Disney's enforced quota of "haha silly cartoon hijinks" messing with things. And I try to ignore them, but I often look at that one Bat Queen concept art and I get this sense of longing for a world where these shows can exist without having to toe the line of conforming to being "kids" shows.

Really my main point is that no one is hitting this specific niche like serialized non-"adult" cartoons are. But these types of shows have no stable space carved out for them in western media. The only place where they can even exist is on kids television networks, where their content is heavily policed and limited. And being trapped on these networks causes the general public to often lump them in with every other cartoon, dismissing them all as "for kids", no matter how different the story-telling style and intended audiences are. And if any of these networks one day decide that serialized cartoons no longer fit their brand, then we lose like half of the shows we have, out of an already measly selection.

Western animation has so much diverse potential, and yet all we get is the same genre of shows with that horribly bland and low-budget artstyle that makes everything just looks like Family Guy. Why does it have to be this way?

#Toh #The owl house #Infinity train #Animation #amphibia #gravity falls #king's tide

[abiiors]

haunt // bed - pt. 1

a/n: a while ago, i wrote do me a favour after which i said, i would write a matty hate sex fic. well this is it (and perhaps a bit more than anyone asked for), read dmaf again if you want to refresh your memory, or don't. there are 3 parts to this + an epilogue. i also know very little about western weddings, so ignore the inconsistencies lol.

a note about the banner: the photo in it is only meant to describe the dress, not the race, body type, hair colour, etc of the reader <3

minors dni! part 2, part 3

wc: 2.7k

see u in an hour xx

charli’s text flashes on your screen, illuminating a small corner of the dimly lit room. it’s not that late in the day, in fact, it’s quite early—only about 10 am. you’re supposed to be hurrying around the room, checking for any last minutes things you might have forgotten. you won’t be back home until tomorrow after all. yet here you are, surrounded by the things that should have been packed in your bag last night. 

the dress, laid out on your bed, feels like a weapon; red silk slippery enough to slide between your fingers effortlessly. “a wily vixen”, that’s what charli had called you when she'd seen you in it for the first. the thought of that day—bridesmaids dress shopping with four other excited girls—brings a small smile to your face. 

everything laid out here is a weapon really; your four-inch, sharp heels, the delicate and dainty diamond jewellery, the makeup you plan on wearing—blood red lipstick, a perfect shade match for the dress. an expensive crystal bottle of the same perfume you have used for the past six years. 

familiarity breeds contempt. familiarity is also an excellent knife to twist in someone’s gut. because everything here, today, is meant to maul and wound him.

see you in an hour babe, love you. you write back and chuck your phone onto the pillow where it bounces a little before nestling between its creases. you stare at it, maybe your body still yearns for a call that will never come? no more can’t wait to see you up there. no more cheeky selfies in a state of half-undress. just a smooth, black screen.

right then…time to get going. 

charli has been flittering around the room for the last twenty minutes. her white dress fits her like a dream, her makeup is a work of art and her excitement about marrying george is so palpable in the room that at least one person squeals or sighs every five minutes. 

most importantly, the smile on her face is a permanent fixture. and every time you look at it, a warmth spreads through your body. she deserves this—the happiness, the celebration. the happily ever after. no matter how your marriage ended, you won’t stop believing in it for her. 

“so!” charli walks over to you and takes your hand, “how do i look?” she twirls and the dress swirls around her, the tiny crystals catching light and making her shimmer like starlight.

you laugh in response, “like george is about to go into cardiac arrest the minute he sees you!”

the pair of you giggles like teenagers. you can so clearly picture it before it has even happened. the joy and love that will shine on george’s face; his excitement, quiet yet infectious and for a brief moment you’re transported back to your own walk down the aisle. 

small, unsure steps, worried about falling flat on your face in those tall heels, but all of that had evaporated the second you had seen his tear-stained face. and the bright smile that had bloomed a split second later. 

but that’s how long the ache lasts; a brief moment. it’s bad enough that you’re going to have to be civil to him, there’s no need to make it worse with unnecessary nostalgia. 

besides, there’s her to think about. 

she in question is a beautiful, leggy blonde who is at least seven years younger than him. not that you’ve seen either of them today…yet. it’s only because you and charli got drunk one night, four weeks before the wedding, and she felt bad about keeping it from you that matty had a plus one. and that’s how you fell into the rabbit hole of scrolling through this girl’s Instagram profile at two in the morning. 

if you thought you knew his type, you would be dead wrong. physically speaking, she is the exact opposite of you—someone who looks like they belong on a giant billboard in times square, perfect and stunning. then there’s the more questionable aspects of her feed. the flat tummy tea adverts and the paid partnerships with various brands that are always under fire for being unethical.

but that’s the ugly green monster rearing its head. it’s not like you aren’t known for indulging in vanity every once in a while. 

she will be here today, no doubt, clinging onto his arm like a decorative little thing—woah, where did that snide thought come from?! you shake your head to yourself, at least a little embarrassed. he’s not even here yet and he’s already screwing with your head; pushing you back into old jealous and insecure habits. someone clears their throat. 

nora, one of charli’s longtime friends, has her champagne glass raised. a toast. she takes a deep, shaky breath and smiles tearily at the room, about to give her sentimental speech when a resounding knock echoes and cuts her off before she has even begun. 

five heads turn to the locked door and you happen to be standing closest to it. 

‘i’ll get it,’ you tell no one in particular, hand already on the doorknob. the possibility of it hits you way too late. 

it hits you right as his clean-shaven face comes into view. 

it has been ten months. ten months since you gave up the last name healy and changed it back to your maiden name on all your official documents. it had felt like a form of catharsis, getting it done with such urgency back then. but you also remember the days when you would be asked to state your full name and stagger a little at how odd it sounded to no longer have healy in it. to not have a ring around your finger to fidget with. no one to hold you at night. 

but back to now. back to here. 

it’s not hard to see that he has changed a lot in the last ten months. he looks serious; not necessarily sombre—it’s his best friend’s wedding, after all—but mature, more grown up. the grey in his hair, in his beautiful curls, is now much more prominent. the crow's feet around his eyes are more or less the same (and it sends a small pang through you; has he not laughed recently?). his mouth holds—held—a faint smile that’s already slipping, already morphing into a thin line. the exact same face that you woke up to for years now turning into a mask of carefully arranged neutrality.

“charli,” he whispers roughly and then clears his throat, “here to check on charli.” and just like that, he steps past you and into the room where he’s engulfed into a hug by the bride (and slapped on the bum by another bridesmaid but you ignore that for now).

pointedly, you also ignore the sting that comes with being sidestepped so easily. 

you stand by the door, back still to the room, for a second longer than necessary. it doesn’t even register that you’re letting the warm spring air in. is this really how little seeing you impacts him? it must have. because if he’s here then she is also here. 

“tell him i’m fine!” charli’s voice brings you out of your thoughts, making you shut the door softly. “and tell him not to meddle, i’ve got my girls.” she looks at you over his shoulder and throws a wink. your gut tells you it’s nothing but a charity gesture, just trying to gauge the tension between you two. guilt gnaws at you—she shouldn’t have to play peacemaker, she shouldn’t have to worry about two adults behaving themselves. 

“only doing my duty here,” matty raises his hands defensively, “keeping the groom happy.” 

the rest of them tease and taunt him playfully while you take the time to admire—no, simply look at—his suit. it’s nowhere near as nice as the one he wore at your wedding, of course not. but it’s beautifully made, tailored to fit and accentuate his muscles. and there are a lot of those now, that much is evident from the way his sleeves stretch over his biceps. he fills it out nicely, not that he didn’t before, but something about the fabric straining across his arms does funny things to your stomach. funny, you thought that feeling was a thing of the past. then there’s the navy trousers that compliment his backside rather nicely. 

there’s a part of you that is appalled at all these observations you have been making but there’s another part—bored and much more matter-of-fact—that reminds you that there’s nothing under those clothes that you haven’t seen, touched, licked or sucked before. there’s nothing new. he is still the same as he was before, just now with a few extra muscles. 

“go away,” charli’s nudges him gently toward the door. “we’ll be out in fifteen.”

he hugs her just before he leaves, dropping a friendly kiss on her head. after everything you’re glad no one had to pick sides in the divorce. you’ve at least managed to hold the friend group together, even though the same can’t be said about your marriage. 

matty leaves just like he came in, sidestepping you and making sure he’s looking straight ahead. there’s a brief second however—a fraction of one really—when he slows down and breathes in. his adam’s apple bobs roughly and his face struggles to hold the blank expression. 

but it must have just been you projecting right? no one can go through that much in half a second. 

“there you are, darling,” denise walks in on you mid-smoke. “i was looking for you.”

she’s in a beautiful pink dress that brushes her knees and makes her look ten years younger than she is. you blush slightly at having been caught smoking; it’s a recent habit, not one she would be aware of, and you don’t want her to judge you for it. 

“denise,” you try to hide the half-smoked cigarette, “you look beautiful.”

she pointedly looks at your hand and laughs. “my son does enough of that.” then she straightens up, as if bringing matty so casually into this conversation was a mistake. you suppose it was—it does make your heart skip a beat. 

“i just wanted to say hi, darling,” she adds hastily, “and look at you…” her eyes scan you from head to toe, linger on your face for just a second before she smiles again. “simply stunning.”

“thank you.” your voice comes out in a whisper, fighting to get past the lump in your throat. you didn’t think there would ever come a day when she would have to so formally stop by to ‘say hi’. yet here you are, almost a pair of estranged mother and daughter. 

“i don’t…” she starts but shakes her head minutely, “i don’t want to condescend you. but are you okay? with matty bringing that girl, i mean.”

that piques your interest. “that girl?” you stifle a little giggle. “sounds like you don’t like her…”

denise shrugs, leaning against the wall and looking at the bushes in front of her. “she’s okay, i guess.” then she takes a bit to smooth out her dress. “but she’s not you.”

“dearly beloved…” the officiant, charli’s godfather, begins, which you tune out instantly. weddings are lovely and romantic, wedding speeches are dull and boring. besides, like it or not, something else has captured your attention. 

you stand behind the bride, holding the ring she’s supposed to put on george later. and right in front of you stands matty, holding the matching platinum band in his hands. adam and ross stand behind him, smiling and occasionally laughing along with the rest of the guests. you tried it at first too, to only keep your attention on george—who looks very handsome and beams wide the whole time—but it’s impossible when you feel your ex’s piercing stare right on you. 

you would have thought he would stick to the little ignoring act from before. instead, his eyes have lingered on you from the second you walked down the aisle as a part of the processional. tracking your every move, every small step. frankly, it’s insulting. does he think you would ruin the wedding as some sort of diabolical revenge against him? you scoff internally; of course, he would think such self-centred thoughts, it’s just all about him, after all.

you raise an eyebrow at him. what’s your fucking problem?

he smiles back; an arrogant curl of his mouth that turns his face from sweet to insufferable within a matter of seconds. you, his eyes seem to say, you’re my problem. 

well too fucking bad then…

you huff and look away to the side at the guests. it’s only about fifty people from both sides. just family and friends—a lovely kind of intimacy the couple had asked for. you smile at george’s parents who sit in the first row. his mum dabs at her eyes, clearly overwhelmed with emotion. and behind them sit denise and tim. right next to her. 

she’s exactly what she looks like on her instagram page. dainty and beautiful, picture-perfect elegant. her whole face looks like it could be hand-crafted by the gods (or very expensive surgeons according to the snide little voice in your brain) but her eyes are bone dry. 

that’s because she doesn’t belong here, your brain chimes in. not among your friends and your family. 

well, ex-family…

her name doesn’t immediately come to the forefront of your mind. all you know from that drunken night is how charli made you block all her socials at the end of it. as if you were going to go back to them again and again. as if you have no purpose in life other than obsessing over your ex’s new girl. 

she sighs, then looks out the window with a bored expression on her face and you have to focus your attention back to the bride and groom before you do something drastic. not before you catch matty looking at you from the corner of your eye, however. 

not just at you…he’s staring at the plunging neckline of your dress that shows off your cleavage wonderfully. with the big window to your side, it’s so clear to see every little detail of his face—his teeth gnawing on his bottom lip (he’s unaware that he’s doing it. you know that for a fact). his pupils that are blown out wide, making almost the entirety of his eyes look black; dark and hungry. 

your mouth curls into a smirk, arrogant enough to mirror his own. well, this is interesting. 

matty’s mouth presses into a thin line. even now, after you caught him so red-handed, he’s trying to deny it. but you don’t miss his ears turning the telltale shade of pink. 

“...and i promise to love you for the rest of my life.” george’s voice breaks on the last word, the tears flowing freely but he smiles through all of it. in front of you, charli’s shoulders shake. they haven’t even put the rings on each other yet and they’re already emotional. it makes you laugh, and surprising, you feel the tears escaping your eyes.

i promise to love you for the rest of my life. that’s what matty had said too. i promise to dance in the kitchen with you and do all my silly little romantic gestures. i promise to never let you fall. i promise, i promise, i promise…

so many of them unkept, so many of them just pretty words spoken on a perfect day in front of a tearful audience. 

“i do!” charli squeals before the question is even finished, making everyone laugh. a wet chuckle escapes you at her infectious joy. 

“do you, george, take charli to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the officiant asks. 

“i do,” he says patiently and charli sticks her tongue out at him. 

you sincerely hope they stay like this for the rest of their lives—polar opposites who complete each other. not people who are so similar, they don’t know how to exist in the same space anymore. 

matty smiles, first at the couple and then, shockingly, at you. husband and wife he mouths. 

jarringly still, you smile back. 

i would love to hear what you think 🤭

#matthew healy #matty healy #matthew healy x reader #matty healy x reader #matty healy angst #just angst #angst fic #matty healy fanfiction #the 1975 #the 1975 fanfic #george daniel #ross macdonald #adam hann #matty the 1975 #matty healy imagine #matty x reader #angst writing #the 1975 fic #matty x you #the 1975 angst

[pluckyredhead]

so what did you not like about worlds finest teen titans? There were a lot of dropped plot threads and bits I expected Waid to develop more (Roy and Ollie conflict, Roy, Garth and Wally never resolved their sleepover argument, Karen's reaction at the con to nearly being unmasked, Wally's parents, ect) and also the queerbaiting with garth (and his eyes changing colour halfway through???) was annoying. I thought it was cute overall but maybe I'm not familiar enough with some of the characters?

I held on to this ask because I was going to reread the miniseries to answer you more accurately, and then I decided to not put myself through that, so...hopefully my memory is accurate lol.

(I should note before I get into it that none of my quibbles are with Emanuela Lupacchino's art. She's a treasure and we're thrilled that she's here.)

But yeah, you've put the nail on the head with a lot of it. It was just terribly paced, like Waid didn't know how many issues he had or something. Aside from all the dropped threads you mentioned, it felt like the main bad guys were...pretty much hastily introduced, or at least assembled, in #5? There didn't seem to be any kind of...well, point to this miniseries. There was no theme. There was nothing Waid was trying to say, as far as I could tell, except "Fuck Roy Harper." (Oh, we'll get to that.) It wasn't an origin story for the team. It wasn't about adolescence or coming of age or learning who you are, except maybe a little bit for Garth. It was just...there.

And I want to be clear here: Mark Waid is one of my favorite comic book writers of all time. When he hits, he hits. The regular World's Finest book and his Shazam are wonderful. I just think this wasn't the right match of writer/characters, because he didn't handle these very well. Taking them one by one:

Dick: DC is fully in their "Dick the unbearable Mary Sue" era and this book is no exception. If I never see another comic where a whole team of experienced superheroes with major league powers and training stands around like incompetent jackasses until a Bat comes along and tells them what to do, it'll be too soon. I'm here to read about an ensemble book where everyone is a three-dimensional character, not The World's Most Perfect Boy and his loser sidekicks. Not only is it unfair to everyone else in the cast, it's doing a disservice to Dick, who is a much more interesting character than this book (or Tom Taylor, ahem) gives him credit for.

(There's also something very weird and inconsistent Waid is doing across his books with Dick - WF, WFTT, and BvR - where sometimes he's throwing a tantrum because he doesn't get to be a circus star with everyone looking at him all the time, and sometimes he's screaming at Roy for filming them, and both feel utterly arbitrary to me as well as contradictory.)

Donna: Donna's characterization in this was just...bizarre. I was a little worried about how Waid would handle her, since he has a tendency to turn more quote unquote "wholesome" female characters into the Mom Friend (see: his Champions run, where he tries to get away with it by having Kamala announce that she's not going to be the Mom Friend because she's the only girl on the team...and then immediately becoming the Mom Friend), and Donna's already very much a Mom Friend, and I didn't know what Mom Friend Squared would look like. But instead he went for this...Manic Pixie Nightmare Girl approach? Where she's really into bungee jumping and monster trucks? I'm not offended by it, it's just so utterly random. This isn't who Donna is? It's never been who she is? Baffling.

I am offended (I mean, mildly, but still) by the fact that she and Garth are shoehorned together in this. He's the only boy on the team she's never been romantically linked to, even in dreams/hallucinations/whatever, so completing the set feels very much like Donna's only narrative worth is in being a love interest, which...gross.

Garth: Garth probably got the best treatment of the bunch, to be honest. He was in character as the shy little weirdo he was in the Silver Age and in pretty much every flashback we've ever seen. He's smart and perceptive and bad at saying what he wants and generous towards those who have hurt him, all of which is very Garth. I have no complaints about him except the weird queerbaiting, and I'm not blaming Waid for that because from what I understand, solicits are written by editorial working off of a pitch, potentially before the comic is even written, so who knows what happened there? It might have been a stupid joke that didn't land, it might have been a story that was pitched and then a higher up vetoed it, it might have been a story Waid was going to write and then changed his mind. I'm not going to say it's his fault when I have no idea if that's true. Otherwise, I think he handled Garth well.

Wally: Wally was another one where I was just like ??? the whole time. He didn't feel like Wally, he felt like Bart. But, like, fanon's innocent child version of Bart and not the actual canon character, who has a lot more backbone. Why is he hero worshipping Dick like that? Why is he so docile? What was up with that weird line where Dick's like "you're the youngest?" Yes, historically Dick had already dropped out of college while Wally was still in high school, but otherwise they've always been portrayed as the same age. And if it's a reference to debut year, Donna's the youngest. It's such a random throwaway line dumped in at the very end for...why? Confusing me personally?

The worst, though, was whatever the hell was going on with Wally's parents. Wally's parents are not an idyllic suburban couple! They are not the Kents! Rudy West is only not classified as a supervillain because he doesn't have a costume! Even if he hadn't tried to kill Mary, sold the Earth out to alien robots, faked his own death, or run a deadly labor camp for children at this point in the timeline, he definitely hit Wally and, uh, poisoned Wally's Little League coach. I don't think Mary is as bad as some of fandom does, but she's certainly a difficult person. Wally was desperately unhappy at home as a child, which is why he latched on so hard to Barry and Iris. And Waid knows this, because he wrote a lot of that canon. If it's a retcon, it's such a strange, pointless one that makes all of them a lot less interesting. Just baffling.

Karen: I think it was a very smart choice to add Karen to the founding roster and make the team slightly more gender-balanced and not all-white. It's kind of a wasted choice, though, when she's so aggressively sidelined. All she does in this book is hang around with Mal and the support staff. She isn't looped into any of the major emotional conflicts - Garth and Donna, Dick and Roy, Roy and Wally and Garth. She's not treated as a headliner in the same way the others are, and that really sucks.

Roy: Hoo boy.

When Waid was announced as the writer of Batman vs. Robin, I was worried, because I had a feeling he didn't like Damian. I couldn't put my finger on why, it was just a feeling I had. And boy howdy, was I proved right! Damian is treated like shit in that book.

I had the same feeling with this book and Roy, and...let's just say I'm two for two, okay?

Here's the thing. I'm okay with Roy being written as kind of shitty, especially during his period of his life. Teen Titans: Year One writes him as an utter fuckboy, and I love that comic. The Mal and Karen issue of The Other History of the DC Universe retells the Bronze Age Titans era from their perspective, and it pulls absolutely no punches regarding Roy being, well, kind of an asshole...and it's right to do so, because it's drawing very directly from those 1970s comics, and he was often awful in those.

But Waid writes him as a generic 80s movie villain. He's a human popped collar. He's a stereotype of a bully. My problem isn't that I need him to never do anything wrong, it's that nothing in this book is specific to Roy, his history, or his established personality.

For instance, all of his bragging about how much money he has? He comes off like a kid who was born into wealth and has never known anything else, but that isn't true. He was at best middle class before Ollie, probably more likely working class given the economic situation on most reservations - but there's no indication that he's responding specifically to that shift in circumstances. He's just, like, Draco Malfoy with arrows. Also, Dick has a nearly identical history but none of the same issues. He even says "Roy and I have the same background but he sucks." Why is one of them a perfect angel untouched by filthy lucre, and the other is Bradley Uppercrust III?

And then there's the subplot with Ollie neglecting Roy, which fizzled out to a real wet fart of a resolution. But honestly, at no point did I know where Waid was going with that, because...well, if you know Roy's history, you know Ollie neglecting him is what leads directly to Roy getting into drugs. And like...first of all, the timeline here is off, because historically Ollie didn't ditch Roy until after he lost his money, and he still has it here. (How interesting would it have been to have Roy pretending he was still rich in addition to pretending Ollie was around?) But also, this comic ends on an "and now everything is fine!" note, but it isn't! It really, really isn't. So Ollie showing up at the end and being like "I'm here for you, buddy" doesn't ring true, because he is demonstrably not in this very comic, and we also know he won't be in the future. And Roy getting what he wants doesn't feel like a satisfying resolution either because we don't actually get to see changed behavior from him, and again, we know this won't last. (Again, TT:YO handles this dynamic very well, where we see that Ollie is an affectionate but negligent guardian who Roy is learning some very bad habits from.)

And to top it off, constantly contrasting Terrible Roy to Virtuous Dick and simultaneously pretending that Ollie was at this point a responsible guardian has the (I hope unintentional) effect of implying that Roy will eventually become an addict because he's just a bad and weak person, instead of a struggling teen who needed support and didn't get it. I would have actually preferred a story that hinted at the beginning of Roy's addiction and how he hides it from the Titans, because we've never had that story told in comics, but I don't think Waid's the one to write it. Instead we get a conflict that's out of character for Roy, a resolution that doesn't feel at all earned, and the looming threat of Roy's immediate future which Waid refuses to address.

In conclusion, this book was a mess, and you should all read Teen Titans: Year One instead.

#meta #teen titans #dick grayson #robin #donna troy #wonder girl #garth #aqualad #wally west #kid flash #karen beecher #bumblebee #roy harper #speedy

[nausikaaa]

WIP Wednesday

thank you to everyone who has tagged me these past few weeks, though I haven't had much to share! I'm still fiddling around with part two of my Trojan War novel, so here's some more Briseis.

Lyrnesses was not a rich city by any stretch, but every slave had their own room, handmade clothes, and went to bed at night with a full belly. To some that may have meant nothing. They were still slaves, and that was its own indignity that no amount of kindness could lessen, I had learned. But my own father, born to a wealthy family in Ethiopia, was taken by pirates as a child and sold as a slave. He arrived at Lyrnesses as a young man, where he was freed, eventually attracting the attention of my mother, who fought for her right to marry him, dismissing every wealthy suitor her father offered her to until he relented. They were a rare love match, and I grew up hoping to model their affection in my own marriage.

My father never forgot his mistreatment, and understood how quickly and startlingly a person’s fate could change, and so he was always kind to those less fortunate. I wondered if he ever could have anticipated how my life would turn out to echo his own, to be free, enslaved, and then freed again. But as a woman, I was never as free as he became, and knew I never would be. I would be forever tethered to that part of my life by the children I carried within me.

I thought of my mother. Her deft hands braiding my hair, her clear voice singing along to a bard’s lyre as she did so. My father crooning back to her, making her very name a song. “Hippodamia…”

“Briseus…” She would reply, and tug at one of my curls. I was named after him, and the reminder always made me grin.

a long discussion of Briseis's appearance, plus tags, under the cut:

Briseis is an interesting case when it comes to visualising her. Most greek myth characters are depicted as roughly the same as they're described, but Briseis is so inconsistent! she's described by Homer as fair, and by Ovid as incredibly pale. most renaissance depicts her as blonde, and Natalie Haynes describes her as such in A Thousand Ships. but plenty of more modern art makes her brunette, as she is in the film Troy and the series Troy: Fall Of A City.

and then there's Madeline Miller's The Song Of Achilles, one of the most popular books to feature Briseis, where she is black. I have issues with the writing of all the women in Miller's book, and dislike Briseis being presented as a commoner, who can't speak greek and worships foreign gods, when she was a Queen, and the Trojans had the same gods. not to mention that Miller also kills her off (spoilers? the book is over a decade old) when we simply don't know what happens to her after the Iliad. the entire point of my writing is to fill in that gap in her story.

anyway, i don't mind her being black, and like the art the book has inspired. though i've seen some people say they dislike this choice, as Briseis was a slave, but ancient Greek slavery was a very different concept from the slavery of America and the colonies, and less about skin colour than simply being on the losing side of an invasion or war. that isn't to diminish what those people must have gone through, but there are more slaves in the world right now that there were in any period of ancient history. my Briseis is also given her freedom before the story kicks off.

so in the end, i decided to combine elements of all these depictions. i like Briseis having African heritage like so much art depicts. i like her being pale and looking good in dark colours like Ovid says. so, my Briseis is half Anatolian, half Ethiopian, and has albinism. a mix of this sculpture and this model is pretty much exactly how i envision her.

as for the people who get up in arms any time any person with more than a slight tan is depicted in Greek myth tellings, quite frankly, i don't care to hear it. it's fiction. there are gods meddling in people's lives and you're critiquing the accuracy of someone's ethnicity? anyway, there was an African man in the Trojan War, Memnon, the son of Eos, the goddess of the dawn, and presumably he brought other African soldiers with him. freaking Aphrodite is an evolution of Inanna, a Mesopotamian goddess. Andromeda, the wife of Perseus, was from Ethiopia, and Poseidon is also said to be visiting Africa at the beginning of the Odyssey. the ancient Mediterranean was a melting pot of cultures that was well aware of northern Africa long before the Romans conquered Carthage- which is also visited by Aeneas and his fellow Trojans!

tags: @forabeatofadrum @j-nipper-95 @artsyunderstudy @that-disabled-princess @prettygoododds @confused-bi-queer @imagineacoolusername @ic3-que3n @aristocratic-otter @larkral @hushed-chorus @ivelovedhimthroughworse @shemakesmeforget @fatalfangirl @ebbpettier @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @cutestkilla @youarenevertooold @alexalexinii @shrekgogurt @bookish-bogwitch @thewholelemon @supercutedinosaurs @shutup-andletme-go @theearlgreymage @ileadacharmedlife @alleycat0306 @carryonsimoncarryonbaz @comesitintheclover @blackberrysummerblog and @orange-peony

#wip wednesday #my writing #andromache's child

[anxiousnerdwritings]

Can I ask what it would be like if Joanna!lookalike!reader were to saaaayyy…. Marry Oberyn Martell? No doubt the Lannisters would be absolutely FURIOUS and at first, Oberyn sees this as a chance to get back at them for the death of his sister Elia and her children but reader is just absolutely happy in Dorne because she loves the silk dresses that allow easier movement and much easier to “breathe” so to speak. She probably even wears the colours of House Martell but she doesn’t want to interfere with her husband and Ellaria’s relationship. Plus she gets to be close to her nice Myrcella in Dorne ☺️

Joanna!lookalike!Reader isn’t stupid or gullible, they see Oberyn and the Martell’s ulterior motives but this also gets them some space away from there own suffocating family. They hate that they have to leave Tommen, Tyrion and Jaime behind but they get to be closer to Myrcella and keep her company. That’s also one of the excuses Joanna!lookalike gives Cersei when she’s trying desperately to get the Reader to stay and not be married off. And for a moment it does make Cersei step back and think about her Myrcella but then it sinks in that the Martells will now have two of Cersei’s most treasured possessions. Her anxiety and paranoia over the situation will only worsen, especially as she’s forced to watch her darling Joanna!lookalike sail away with Oberyn.

Given that Joanna!lookalike is very accepting and tolerating of Oberyn and Ellaria’s relationship, I could see them both very easily falling into their own obsession to the Reader. Especially seeing the Reader take on the House Martell colors as their own and adjusting to Dorne being their new home, as well as trying to be on good terms with Oberyn’s daughters when he introduces the Reader to them. Although, I feel like he would be more likely to do that once he has a good idea of how thei marriage with them is going to work out and when his own obsession kicks in he’ll have a meeting with his daughters beforehand to ensure that they are civil with the Reader when meeting them.

I definitely think that Jonna!lookalike wearing the Martell colors and going around making Dorne their home would certainly help the Martells and Sand Snakes to distance the Reader from the rest of House Lannister. They’re able to not only see the Reader as their own person but also now as a part of House Martell. The Martells still very much have their grievances towards House Lannister but in this case Joanna!lookalike is their only exception. And of course also Myrcella.

Cersei would be completely in hysterics with her daughter and the Reader gone from her overprotective and watchful eye. She is overwhelmed with anxiety and paranoia at not being able to know everything going on with either of them. She will constantly write to both Joanna!lookalike and Myrcella. She definitely sought out information from Myrcella about what is really going on and how well the Reader is truly being treated in Dorne. Cersei will justify her over abundance of letters and questions to the Reader as just being worried about Myrcella and how she is in Dorne. Cersei isn’t stupid either, she can feel the Reader pulling away from her by the inconsistency in letters back from them and their vague answers/chitchat. And she doesn’t take too well to it at all. She completely believes that the Martells are overseeing the Reader’s letters and forcing them to only answer what the Martells want them to. Cersei wholeheartedly is under the impression that Joanna!lookalike and Oberyn’s marriage was nothing but the Martells taking yet another Lannister hostage and that only adds to her already festering paranoia.

Tyrion, Tommen and Jaime are the ones who get more information from the Reader regarding their new life in Dorne. They still don’t divulge all that much more than what Cersei gets but it’s still something. Especially for Tyrion to hold over Cersei’s head when he feels he needs to. Cersei will totally have Tommen and Jaime give their letters over to her to read herself so that she can have more information about what’s going on with the Reader in Dorne.

Tywin would be the one to plan a visit to Dorne or rather have the Martells come visit King’s Landing with the Reader. Imagine House Lannister’s joy at the Reader finally coming to visit only for all that joy to turn into shock and horror upon seeing how pregnant the Reader is. Not only that but Oberyn and Ellaria being all over their darling’s swollen belly and keeping everyone else at an arm’s length away from them for both the Reader and the child’s safety.

Also, given that the Mountain is Joannalookalike’s sworn guard I have no doubt that Oberyn and Doran planned to have Oberyn marry the Reader to lure Gregor to Dorne so that they could finally get revenge for Elia. I mean of course Tywin and Cersei would send the Mountain to Dorne with the Reader to ensure their safety and to report back to them about everything going on there and how their Joanna!lookalike is being treated. The Martells may have also thought that Tywin would be inclined to come down to Dorne too, to make a visit and check things there for his beloved Joanna!lookalike.

#anxious answers #yandere tywin lannister #yandere cersei lannister #yandere oberyn martell #yandere ellaria sand #yandere house lannister #yandere house martell #yandere game of thrones #yandere game of thrones concept #yandere concept

[wisebeth]

Honestly I'd been seeing a lot of backlash, complaints and disappointment since Leah got casted as Annabeth and I really want to address y'all that a lot of you're being downright racist in the name of “book accuracy” and frankly it's disgusting. And I'm very disappointed in this fandom's immaturity.

“But it's not accurate to the books–” Book accuracy doesn't mean they've to look 100% similar, it's more about plot, personality and their chemistry with other actors. And as much as harsh it sounds, the need of proper representation and diversity is more important than having accuracy by being white with blonde hair. And if Rick Riordan, the literal author and creater of Annabeth Chase thinks it's not important, then maybe it's not.

“But beating dumb blonde stereotype–” A stereotype which never existed, it was a form of misogyny as only blonde women were assumed to be dumb not men. And it was never an oppression against blondes. It also stopped existing after 2010, there's no reason to show blondes facing struggles for being blonde in freaking 2022. Also women of colour are not taken seriously or assumed to be lesser than white people everyday, Annabeth, one of the smartest character of the series being woc will still be technically doing the same thing, but it's more impactful as this is a bigger and more serious issue than ‘dumb blonde stereotype’.

“But if it was the other way around–” Yes it will not be the same thing because you know what? White people don't have a history of facing oppression, racism, hate and bigotry. White people also are not underrepresented in media. Majority of characters in mainstream media are white, poc don't get the same amount of representation. And a lot of times the representation is filled with stereotypes and racist undertones. And even the original PJO series don't have diversity. And Annabeth's race is completely irrelevant to her character (take the example of Hazel, a lot of her trauma and experience were formed by the racism she faced, it's important to her arc, Annabeth's is not) so it shouldn't change a damn thing about her.

“But Annabeth's insecurities–” She was never insecure about her hair colour, ffs she has a personality outside of her race and hair colour. There was ONE line about it in HOO but it was completely irrelevant as it was never addressed or mentioned again. Nowhere in the series did she express hate for being blonde, she was always considered to be the smart and mature one of the trio, she was never not taken seriously or assumed to be stupid over her hair. It's a false narrative you guys come up with to justify your behaviour. Annabeth's biggest insecurities were abandonment issues and not being able to prove herself, not blonde hair. And that one paragraph means nothing as Rick himself admitted he's inconsistent in writing some things (Nico turning pale from olive skinned, Thalia's eyes, Reyna's backstory etc) so safe to say it was never a big deal.

“But it's our personal opinions–” You're allowed to form an opinion, you're allowed to be not happy w the casting. No but many of you're using it as a sheild to excuse your obvious racist undertones. Leah is a child and she deserves to be protected and celebrated, and all of you literal adults repeatedly crying and complaining about a CHILD in the internet is doing nothing but spreading negativity. If you can't be happy for a girl getting her dream role then do all of us a favour and shut the fuck up instead of spoiling it for her with all your negativity.

“But expressing disappointment isn't racism–” No being unhappy with the casting is valid but being THIS much concerned over her race when it was never relevant to her character is worrying. And denying the micro aggresion and racist undertones with it is even more concerning. She's getting harrassed and bullied by literal adults to the point Rick and Becky have to write tweets and articles to address the issue. It's racism. Walker is blond w blue eyes, Rick has no intention of dying his hair, people complained but there was never this much outrage and controversy as Leah's casting did, something tells me it's not about book accuracy but more about race.

For a fandom of one of the most popular diverse series, I'd expect y'all to be more mature about it. Grow tf up. You guys are honestly embarassing. Especially all the adult fans who are being mean to a child because they won't see one white blonde girl.

Leah IS Annabeth, deal with it. And she will do an amazing job in bringing Annabeth to life.

You guys can keep crying lol or maybe grow up but that's expecting too much I guess.

#percy jackson #percy Jackson and the Olympians #pjo live adaptation #pjo #annabeth #annabeth chase #annabeth pjo #pjo disney+ #leah jeffries #leah is our annabeth #hazel levesque #walker scobell #percy jackson and the lightning thief #percy and annabeth #percy jackson and annabeth chase #percabeth #rick riordan

[sytokun]

RWBY's characters are friggin hard to write properly

"People who make RWBY rewrites will never know the effort CRWBY goes through to make RWBY, they just say their work is better"

Rewriters, with 0 funding, 0 studio backing and niche fan support:

How do I write Ruby as a nuanced long-term protagonist who struggles with trying to carry on someone else's legacy (Summer) while becoming her own person as one of the youngest people in the cast? Between Ozpin cementing her Hunter career and Summer's death, how does she know how much of her dreams and goals are truly her own, and how much will her morals be tested as she finds out the actual sacrifices and difficult choices she will have to make as a Hunter, which goes far beyond her initial idealistic idea of Hunters as infallible heroes who are always on the right side?

How do I write Weiss' struggle and deal with the fact that Jacques is underwhelming as her personal antagonist, with his motivations as a businessman seemingly entirely divorced from Weiss' own goals of becoming a Hunter, and thus her own goals of becoming a Hunter runs contrary to the kind of journey she needs to become the SDC's heiress? How do I best convey her loneliness and her presentation between the trailer and the show, where her inner life is sullen and contemplative, but her outer personality manifests in being overly abrasive and competitive? How do I portray her struggling with her racist views while not making her an outright unlikeable lead, giving her moral journey the nuance it deserves and not just sweeping it under the rug and have her simply undergo a change of heart on a dime?

How do I write Blake, which means by extension I need to properly write the entirety of the White Fang? How should I contextualise her relationship with Adam, her undercover identity with Beacon and her conflict between wanting peace and coexistence vs. standing up for the right thing, as someone who is part of a disenfranchised people yet is now working for a majority human organisation and Kingdom? How do I write her as a Faunus and show her unique struggle as one in this fantasy world that seems familiar and relatable, but also believable for a people whose animal features grant them wildly more disparate biological differences from humans beyond just skin colour, even many of them being outright advantages over humans, thus not making them a straightforward 1-to-1 allegory for race in our world?

How do I write Yang, someone whose entire character rides a very delicate balance between a family-oriented, sentimental and protective sister and surrogate mother figure; and a thrill-seeking, reckless person willingly throwing herself into danger out of a distinct lack of purpose and concern for her own life, due to never having a proper childhood and growing up too early, so every day is spent like she's a brilliant star that's looking for every opportunity to burn herself out for the sake of others or giving her life some sense of purpose?

How do I write Jaune, who is infamously known for how much screentime he steals from the main cast, so I have to trim everything surrounding him to facilitate the main girls' development, while still giving him the same amount of substance fans come to expect from him due to his disproportionately large amount of prominence and screentime for the past 10 years? How do I rework his role as an audience surrogate and have him be inexperienced but also not inconsistently ignorant (like not knowing what Aura is despite being from a family of Hunters), knowing that after he's done learning, he still needs an actual characterisation to fall back on?

How do I write Ren and Nora, knowing that they've been treated as a 2-in-1 package from the start? How do I make them more distinct characters, knowing I may need to expand on them further down the line, but also making sure they fulfill their roles as supporting characters without taking too much time away from the main cast? What sort of traits do I give them that makes them more distinct from each other, while selling to the audience that they've known each other forever, making them believable as childhood partners while also being their own people with tangible personal lives beyond each other's company?

How do I write Pyrrha, someone who only got proper characterisation in the second half of the same Volume she dies, and properly pace it throughout the story, while also making sure she properly stands as her own person and not just a vehicle devoted for Jaune's development to the detriment of her relationships with everyone else, including her other teammates? How do I portray her complex inner turmoil, where she's torn between her destiny of becoming someone great after showing great promise and talent since a young age, but also seeks a normal, fulfilling life forming connections with people she can view as equals and not from atop a pedestal? How do I deal with her immensely polarising death, knowing that if I do so, I would be trading a great amount of potential for growth and unexplored avenues for her character in exchange for a story-defining loss that singlehandedly changed the story moving forward?

How do I write Penny, someone whose newfound humanity poses far-reaching questions for the nature of Aura and the soul in Remnant, whose friendship with Ruby needs to be given proper devotion and time to really sell their friendship, given she occupies a pretty notable role as Ruby's best friend who isn't from her team or JNPR, or even really associated with Beacon? How do I handle her death and possible return, knowing that her soul's malleable nature could lead to any number of possible ways she can come back to life, but not as herself - showing that while she may be, in a sense, immortal, there is still always a price to pay for reviving her; because simply bringing her back with no repercussions feels dramatically unsatisfying and cheapens the power and impact of her first death?

How do I write Ozpin, one of the most divisive and enigmatic figures in the show, whose fan perception of him ranges from "well-intentioned tragic hero" to "morally grey immortal pragmatist" to "manipulative head of shadow government"? How do I satisfyingly convey the extent of his powers and wisdom, as well as the moral mire of his actions, knowing I have to push and pull the view of the audience towards him - and by extension the views of Ruby and the other heroes - starting as a fairly trustworthy if shady mentor, slowly unraveling his past and calling him into question, and how that would divide the allegiances of the cast?

How do I write Raven, another mysterious figure who left her daughter and family behind for equally mysterious reasons? What could reasonably cause someone like her, a battle-hardened warrior and formerly a hero, to abandon her daughter? Why does her Semblance seem to contradict this, allowing her to instantly reach people she cares for, showing she may actually have cared all along, but was forced to distance herself for some reason?

How do I write Cinder, a widely-disliked villain who many consider to overstay her welcome and has a uninteresting personality, and considered one of the least compelling antagonists in the show, despite being one of the most prominent ones? What could I do to improve her place in the series to make her a more compelling villain, while still maintaining her more substantial traits, like how she seeks power and control, and uses a mix of intimidation and cunning to strip power away from Ozpin, while coordinating large-scale plans involving multiple accomplices and complex Semblances?

How do I write Adam, a character who elicits some of the most impassioned reactions from any side of the fandom, knowing that he is an oppressed Faunus in a group fighting to keep their own place in a world that violently wants to keep them down? How do I fairly represent him and the White Fang as a faction that causes large-scale conflict in Remnant and the plot, knowing I have to grapple with the uncomfortable situation that our heroes are fighting possibly the only group on Remnant willing to fight for the rights of the Faunus? Is it worth maintaining their canon portrayal as a once noble group with corrupted ideals (knowing the canon show's horrible history of villainising disenfranchised people in favour of an unjust but comfortable status quo) or should the portrayal of this group evolve to meet a better standard that better represents people opposing such blatant inequality and discrimination?

How do I weigh the options between keeping or removing Oscar, a character who is popular but also criticised for being an extraneous protagonist-type character, and do this knowing he is polarising enough that I would make one half of the fandom unhappy no matter what I choose - those who love Oscar and his inclusion in the show and the moral conflict he presents, as well as being a sort of moral contrast to Ozpin, vs. those who feel he is narratively unnecessary and under normal circumstances, he has very little reason to exist in the story?

What do I do with Salem, a character whose presence determines the entire direction and stakes of the show, whose early introduction led to large periods of inaction and passivity that diminishes her impact and legitimacy as a villain?

How do I write Ironwood, a greatly divisive character who some view as a misunderstood hero and potential ally who was turned into an unapologetic villain only through a mishandled narrative, while others view as an inevitable antagonist who was always destined to come to blows with the heroes? How do I balance his role as a strong but unstable ally of Ozpin, who is an open book who is quick to action while Ozpin is secretive and slow to act, and portray this uneasy tension well up until the Fall of Beacon, past Ozpin's death and all the way till Ironwood's tipping point in the fight against Salem and the Grimm?

And so on and so forth for every other character - not even including the setting and overarching plot.

We may have 20/20 hindsight by working with an existing work, but we also have to use every ounce of that hindsight to work with whatever shit that RWBY makes up - which is a far more herculean task than many give it credit for.

Our benefit of hindsight is countered by canon RWBY's benefit of foresight and the responsibility to create a cohesive narrative with the characters and setting they have. Our job is hardly easier; creation of any sort is a hard endeavour - it's just hard in a different way than making something from scratch. One is the freedom of a writer to create something new and then seeing it through; the other is the editor who must correct for mistakes and properly respect and best enhance the work that is on their table.

People who dismiss RWBY rewrites and fanfiction like to think RWBY is this perfectly tended garden, and we're just harmful pests coming to strip and infest it for no discernible reason, when the reality is closer to RWBY being a buggy, rushed game with exploitative monetization and near game-breaking glitches, and we are players and modders simultaneously trying clean up the mess it left behind and hash it together into something less prone to failure.

No one is denying that a lot of effort and work went into the game. Doesn't mean that the game isn't a buggy product on release and its creators could have done so, so much better. The recent Pokemon S&V game is a perfect example of how a piece of media can have a lot of fun things to enjoy and is widely-liked with a lot of great content - and also be intensely broken and criminally underdelivered, given the resources and underlying value of the property the company has access to.

#rwby #rwde #rwby rewrite

[ktchewy]

A comparison of some pens I'm currently using and some new pens I acquired

Pens used:

- Uni-ball One P 0.38mm - LAMY Safari <EF> - TWSBI Eco <F> - Pilot Capless/Vanishing Point <F> - Pilot Kakuno <EF> - Ancora Ginza custom pen <MF> - Sailor Hocoro <M, F, fude> - Kakimori brass nib dip pen - Matsubokkuri glass pen

Lengthy review under the read more 🙈

The Uni-ball One P is sort of like the control for the comparisons? Idk LOL we know for sure it's 0.38mm so we can estimate how much thinner/thicker the other pens are. This pen is my go-to for quickly jotting things down, I highly recommend the Uni-ball One series of pens to anyone looking for a gel ink pen! It writes super smooth and has never smudged for me, the way the pens from the P series (P for pocket!) look is also super cute. After using the Uni-ball One pens, other non-fountain pens just don't hit the same. When I was filling out forms during check-in at one of the hotels in Japan, the staff gave me a regular ol' ballpoint pen and after one stroke, I went "nah I'm not writing with this" and grabbed my own pen from my backpack.

The LAMY Safari and TWSBI Eco are both a constant for me, they're always filled and hanging out in my pen case. I know some people don't like LAMY Safaris or TWSBI Eco's because of inconsistent nib qualities from the former and cracking issues from the latter but both of these pens have been pretty solid for me, never had any issues with them (knock on wood! 😳) I included them in this just to compare them with the new pens I got.

I am super in love with the Pilot Capless/Vanishing Point, probably my most favourite purchase of the trip! I used to think my TWSBI Eco wrote smoothly but the Capless straight up gliiiides across the paper. I picked this up in Itoya Ginza and had the chance to try out the EF as well and I think because that one was so thin, there was a bit of feedback so I didn't like it as much. I love writing with this pen so much, it sparks joy!! The retractable mechanism is very convenient for quickly putting the pen down and picking it back up again. Super recommend it to people who are looking to try a higher budget pen. For comparison, this matte black version sells for $275 CAD locally and I got this at Itoya for ¥18,540 (tax free hehe), which equals to about $175-180 CAD.

I actually already have a Pilot Kakuno with an M and F nib in my collection and I wanted to try a thinner nib but for some reason, just the EF Kakuno was super hard to find locally. I forgot to write on my sheet that it's currently filled with Sailor Shikiori Yamadori, because of the thinness though it's hard to see the turquoise colour of the ink haha. I think this size would be perfect for writing in the condensed space of my Hobonichi Weeks, I'll have to test it out in the weekly pages once the proper dates roll around.

The Ancora Ginza pen is also another pen I was looking forward to get, only because it was almost like going to Build-a-Bear but for pens LOL If you want to search more about it, you can try the official Japanese name of it: アンコーラMy万年筆. The model of the pen is a Sailor Profit Jr. and cost ¥4,400, I did research prior going on my trip it used to be ¥3,800 at some point 🥲 You can pick between a regular steel MF nib or a fude nib but I already have a fude Profit Jr so I picked the MF instead. My friend also commented that she thought I would be making multiple pens but I'll be saving my second custom pen for another time just so I have an excuse to go back to Ancora again >:) This nib also feels really nice to write with; no feedback, very smooth. I'm trying to limit my number of inked pens so this comparison was only done by dipping the nib in ink, I do want to fill this pen properly and try journaling with it soon! The only complain I have for this pen is that the cap or body feels a bit squeaky scratchy when I screw them back together, it's most likely just the part I grabbed but the quality might be hit or miss with them. The pen that my friend made is completely fine though! I think it's worth it to get your own pen made because it's such a unique experience.

If you're looking for a dip pen to play around or swatch multiple inks at once, then you'd have to try the Sailor Hocoro dip pen. I previously ordered the fude nib one online and I loved how convenient a dip pen is in general. But because of the nature of a fude nib, it took some time to get used and having to write at a specific angle to get the line width I wanted would sometimes give me wrist pain lmao :') Then not too long ago, Sailor announced that they were releasing a M nib so I added that to my mental list of things to buy, and then seeing how cheap stationery were in Japan, I picked up an F nib (no pen body) and the extra "feed" parts too. The feed isn't necessary but I like that I can write for way longer as opposed to not having it (check out this demo from Yoseka) In hindsight, I wish I had gotten the grey body in Japan. I do like the white body but I just want to keep the bodies with their respective nibs that I got them with and I feel like I might have mixed them up while swatching inks the other day LMAO

The Kakimori dip pen has been in my wishlist for a super long time and I'm very glad I held off from buying it locally in Vancouver or ordering it online. The sakura wood nib holder and the brass nib are listed on a local shop's site for $49.95 and $64.95 CAD respectively, on Kakimori's online shop they're ¥4,520 for the nib holder and ¥7,430 for the nib. In Kakimori's physical store, I got the nib holder for ¥2,970 and the nib for ¥4,950, with the conversion rate, that's like $27-28 for the nib holder and $46-48 CAD for the brass nib!!! 🥴 Price aside, this dip pen is another tool you can use for swatch inks or just drawing/doodling with it, I love the super thick line you can get when you hold it at a low angle, it's how I swatched all those lines in my Hobonichi Weeks. I've always read about how the stainless steel nib is harder and feels scratchier than the brass nib and after having tried both in stores, I do prefer the brass nib a lot more. The stainless steel nib felt like it didn't want to be written with, it just didn't feel pleasant imo. Some people might like feedback in their pens so I do recommend testing the pens out if you're able to before buying them.

This glass pen by Glass Studio Matsubokkuri ガラス工房まつぼっくり is my very first glass pen and I only chose this one because 1) the body is simple and short, I don't like the crazy swirly glass pens I commonly see 2) the triangular body means it's less likely to roll off the table 3) it was easily found at Ancora Ginza LOL I first discovered it when I was watching this youtube channel doodle/swatch inks with it. On Matsubokkuri's own website, they have F, M, and broad listed but there was only one size available at Ancora. I think mine is a F nib but I don't have any other glass pen to compare with so it's totally a guess, I'm just comparing it with my F fountain pens 🤔 The staff at Ancora gave me two pens to test out before purchasing since glass pens will have slight differences between them. They both wrote fine, I only picked the second pen I tried because the swirls in the nib of the first pen looked wonky to me.

If you made it this far down the post, thank you! I just wanted to share my thoughts on the pens that I have and hopefully this can give a little insight and help someone on their own pen journey!! 🫶

#fountain pen #dip pen #stationery #journal #journaling #fountain pens #dip pens #kakimori dip pen #sailor hocoro #glass pen #kt pen talks

[vnyverse]

may i request a scenario with haerin where, they’re about to sleep facing each other and despite the darkness around them, reader still manages to see and capture haerin’s beauty. slightly touching her features to feel it and smiling at just how lucky she is to have haerin.

this is too specific but i dreamt of it and can’t get it out of my head. also just because i love haerin so much 🥲

side note: i really really really love and enjoy your work AND I AM NOT EXAGGERATING. i love the way you narrate and everything. you’re my favourite author out of everyone. keep writing wonderful works, vyny!

a/n: I’m glad you like my writing, and I hope you like my playful take on this! I'm still exploring what lenses I’d like to write through, and am currently experimenting between multiple writing styles so I apologise if my works seem to be inconsistent or have gaps! Always open for requests and criticism. I’ve personally never been attached to anyone, been in love with or crushed on anyone before, so sometimes I sort of write in my own way of how I am able to appreciate what I sense and see, sorry if its a little oddball-ish. A little embarrassing when I think of it sometimes heheh

Bts I guess but I listened to a whole christmas playlist writing this because I think christmas songs are what give me most warmth even if I don’t celebrate xmas? (Think jazz, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, an occasional sprinkle of Chet Baker.)

 Cold, seemingly bland spaces can be warmed up with the presence of belongings. Belongings that tell a story, or for the matter of fact reveal anything about its owner, that a homeowner may be an adult who values utility, a child that is obsessed with aeroplanes, or a teenager that likes punk music. Today, the rain’s gentle pitter patters and the ensuing cold made it as if you were a cold space in need of light and warmth. The television host of whatever gameshow was playing was so perky you wanted to give her a slap, but it did its job of holding your attention hostage till the centrepiece returned- your dearest Haerin. Just as you think of her, a knock on the walnut door is heard. 

 Her presence was made known with the little shuffles- what you knew as attempts to remove those shoes she complained were too tight. You made a mental note to get her another pair one size bigger. What you didn’t expect, however, was that she came home bare-faced, like she had conquered the day of nosy reporters and blinding camera flashes without any make-up. It was a pleasant change, and you wish it could be that way, she was in her full beauty without makeup, you always thought so, and you genuinely wished that she could do whatever she found comfortable, of course that was not to say that olive-coloured contact lenses, some lip tint amongst other beauty products had no effect of enhancing her beauty. It was just because it was simply a pity the world would never get to appreciate her in her most natural form. No, she was not a black cat, a dancer, singer or a girl group member. In the moments you spend together she is her inquisitive self, a soul deserves happiness, a young maiden that finds beauty in making sense of her surroundings. God even knows what it was that made her chuckle at her own antics sometimes, just like now, with little sounds summoned by her almost tripping over your shoes, the very corner of her pillowy cherry lips threaten to remain high up, and then she does the little thing where she bites one side of her bottom lip, leaving the side out playfully-as if it took the place of a tongue that was supposed to stick out. That’s a part of what makes her so lovely and refreshing.

 You take your time with her, as you always do. How could you not when she looks at you like that? When she looks at you like you’re her whole world. God sure took his time crafting this girl’s features. She melts into your touch as you ready her for her skincare routine by gently brushing her long, dusty ash coloured hair, before tying it together in a neat bun. You think to yourself how everyone else can always be classified as a colour, but Haerin in essence would never be so one dimensional that she simply falls under any one specific colour. She could be a sky blue if she wanted, or maybe a lilac purple, hell, the girl could even be a dark maroon if she desired so. Now she was all ready for bed, and you could not resist tracing your fingers through her features, what she responded with was a curt nod coupled with unmistakably happy orbs, what you’ve deciphered to be simultaneously  a green light and a yes please. 

 You’ve thought for long how exactly to piece together her beauty to Haerin herself in words, the best you can and without thinking you muster up something between nothing and everything, a coughed out ball of adjectives you somehow managed to deliver. You could, as cliche as it sounded, and did in fact exaggerate that you would have a video camera pan in and out of her features, edit it, and have an audience gasp at the entirety of the video, and this is how you envision it goes. You cringe at your idea now, thinking of yourself as a genius no more as you reveal your elementary idea to God’s now dozing off magnum opus. 

 You were sure every glance at her kittenish countenance would be a perpetual wonder for you. Her hair, when tied up, revealed little ears that seemed to perk up excitedly, whether out of shyness when she faced you, or if they maybe wanted to take a peek at you when your eyes weren’t on hers. How her kind, gentle brows seemed so gently slant it allowed your eyes to follow them and slowly move south like a traveller, onto large and curious almond eyes that put other honey coloured eyes to shame, not before taking a gentle descent down the slope of her nose, her shapely soft cheekbones, and perfectly deep dimples that were lethal for any pair of eyes to travel toward. The journey does not end there, of course, your eyes would then take a trip to how the area near the ends of her lip would subtly crease at whatever little observation she had that successfully demanded her attention, and how her puffy cheeks were annoyingly soft. 

 But until you are sure you can express the entirety of your absolute and spontaneous  appreciation for her, you express it through the little things. 

“Night night beautiful.”

“You too.. loveyouy/n”

 Now you pull the sheets over the girl, for your exploration could take place after abundant rest and maybe then you would find something new and equally intriguing on your next. 

___________________________

This girl is just so adorable 🥰

#gg fluff #gg imagines #newjeans fluff #newjeans imagines #haerin #newjeans haerin #haerin x reader #kang haerin #newjeans #newjeans x reader #gxg imagine #kpop girls

[camelliagwerm]

OC MANNERISMS: VALERIUS DRAGAVEI

tagged by @silversiren1101 to fill out this template for an oc of choice. I really needed to refamiliarise myself with Valerius, so the son is getting the honour.

as per usual, consider this an open tag if you haven't done it already.

art by @/mformultiverse

BASICS

- NO. OF SPOKEN LANGUAGES >> Varisian (Ustalavic, first language), Taldane, Necril, some Skald (poetic only) - TONE OF VOICE >> high / average / deep - has the male Pious voice in game. - ACCENT >> yes / no - a rich, warm baritone with a strong Ustalavic accent. RL equivalent would be Romanian. - DEMEANOR >> confident / shy / approachable / hostile / other - he prefers to come across both confident and approachable as both a hunting tactic and as a result of his upbringing. - POSTURE >> slumped / straight / stiff / relaxed - Dragaveis do not slouch.

HABITS

head tilting / swaying / fidgeting / stuttering / gesturing / arm crossing / strokes chin / er, um, or other interjections / plays with hair or clothing / hands at hips / inconsistent eye contact / maintains eye contact / frequent pausing / stands close / stands at a distance

COMPLEXITY (Fill in the circle’s as you wish)

- VOCABULARY >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️ - as expected of a nobleborn, a silvertongued lawyer and later a cult leader. He knows what words to use and how to use them well, and his education and upbringing has afforded him wide vocabularly access. - EMOTION >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️ - a critique of Zacharius' was that Valerius, like his progenitor, is too full of passion to be a perfect undead, and that spills through in his speech. He can use it to his advantage, such as passionately defending a client (correctly) accused of murder or when addressing his congregation; but it's also a disadvantage; it means he can struggle to hide his emotions when he need to and those who either know him well enough or have a high perception can tell when something is wrong. - SENTENCE STRUCTURE >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️ - long, elaborate sentences are his bread and butter, at least in his native Varisian.

PROFANITY

- FREQUENCY >> ⚫️⚫️⚪️⚪️⚪️ - it's not that he doesn't swear, I just can't imagine him doing it outside of any specific circumstances. His mother taught him better than that. - CREATIVITY (in regards to profanity) >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️⚪️ - he can get very colourful at least in Varisian profanity, but in Taldane, not so much . Only the classics.

BOLD THAT APPLY

arse / ass / asshole / bastard / bitch / bloody / bugger / bollocks / chicken shit / crap / cunt / dick / frick / fuck / horseshit / motherfucker / piss / prick / pussy / screw / shit / shitass / son of a bitch / twat / wanker

THIS OR THAT

straightforward or cryptic? / finding the right word or using the first word that comes to mind? / masculinity, neutrality, or femininity? / formalities or with abrasiveness? / praise or equivocation? / frankness or flattery / excessive or minimal hand gestures / name-calling or magnanimity? / friendly or blunt

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

- DO PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME HEARING OR UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHARACTER?

almost always / frequently / rarely / never -his Taldane is practically native-speaker level that understanding him isn't so much of an issue.

- DOES YOUR CHARACTER’S POINT COME ACROSS EASILY WHEN THEY SPEAK?

 almost always / frequently / sometimes / rarely / never - he's a(n ex-)lawyer after all.

- WOULD YOUR CHARACTER INITIATE CONVERSATIONS?

almost always / frequently / sometimes / rarely / never

- WOULD YOUR CHARACTER BE THE ONE TO END CONVERSATIONS?

almost always / frequently / sometimes / rarely / never

- WOULD YOUR CHARACTER USE ‘WHOM’ IN A SENTENCE?

yes / no / only ironically

- YOUR CHARACTER WANTS TO MAKE A COUNTERPOINT. WHAT WORD DO THEY USE?

but / though / although / however / perhaps / maybe

- HOW DOES YOUR CHARACTER END CONVERSATIONS? 

walk away / ask if that’s everything / say that’s everything / give a proper goodbye / tell their company they're done here / remain quiet / they don’t — giving a proper goodbye is reserved for those he considers equals, allies or those higher up in the hierarchies (e.g. Camellia, Galfrey, Regill, Greybor) Everyone else gets a dismissal.

- WHAT SOCIAL CLASS WOULD OTHERS ASSUME YOUR CHARACTER BELONGS TO, HEARING THEM SPEAK?

upper / middle / lower - it's obvious and he wouldn't want it any other way. Valerius is not a social chameleon.

- IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE WAY YOUR CHARACTER SPEAK STAND OUT TO OTHERS?

accent  / vocabulary / tone / level / politeness / brusqueness / it doesn’t — in Mendev at least, his accent does stand out quite a bit.

Anything that wasn’t touched on?

Rather than writing "best/kind regards", "with love" etc, Valerius will always sign off a letter "with esteem."

Valerius being raised by his Moroi father meant that he grew up with noble Moroi customs, so rather than have him kiss a lady's hand or cheek in greeting if it is not someone he is already intimate with - he will instead touch said hand or cheek with his own cheek. Kisses, as per custom, are too much akin to feeding and feeding is a private, intimate affair often done behind closed doors. He does have exceptions to that rule (for example, if he is doing it with the intention of feeding from that person; or if it is his partner) but for the most part he's quite strict about it.

#oc: valerius

[autoboros]

would you be open to showing us your drawing process? doesnt have to be on a completely finished piece but id love to know how you colour your art and how you use lines/lineart

This one has been sitting in my inbox for days - sorry bout that, I haven't had much of a drive to draw. But it is something I was interested in trying to show so I gave a stab at it today since I had the chance

I start off by drawing a circle and cross that serve very vague purposes. They kinda help generally. And pretty much right after I draw the side of the face and then the shoulders (for a bust). I don't really have any base sketches to guide, really just drawing what I think looks good

I draw the face, desperately trying to ignore how stupid it looks because it will end up better when it's finished. Hopefully. This is where you pray

Onto the second layer I begin to draw the hair (Depending on my confidence in the hairstyle, it might not even be on a second layer). Kinda winging it so I decide arbitrarily to tuck his hair behind his ear because he's such a pretty boy and I wanna see his face. Totally not because I could not. get the hair right no no

Add the back of the hair, erase stuff that needs erasing and that's the lineart. I use a big, thick brush with pen pressure because its just a lot of fun to fuck around with. Easy to manipulate lines ig. I use the eraser just as much as the brush in a way that's hard to word but the best I can do is "carving the lines"

Then he gets colour. Skin + clothes on one layer, eyes on a layer below, then the hair on the bottom layer. The undersides + suctions are coloured on a slipping mask. He also finally gets a nose here which is the starting point for the shading

I completely eyeball the colouring and shading. Just, again, what I think looks nice. Try to detail the hair but then decide immediately that the rings look bad, get rid of em, add lighting because he's a shiny boy and Bob's your uncle

This is the process for bust shots, sometimes even half bodies. Depends on how much time or effort I want to put into it. My art is seriously inconsistent and my process is even more so, and I'm mostly trying to draw in different ways with different brushes. I just find this way to be one of the easier ways. Hope this answers the question well enough :')) it was a neat question and I'd love to give details on how I do stuff

#not very happy with the final thing since he looks. kinda silly #i wish i could do it more organised or detailed but ive no idea how #if you want any more specifics you can absolutely ask since I'm down to explain my weird ass processes #for some drawings (namely Vio + Rays fullbodies #or Kims ref sheet) its a lot more complicated and I'll have 2 entire full body base sketches #and then you have my bust shots that take like. 3 layers max #splatoon #art

[hybbart]

Can we know the thought process/inspiration behind jimmy and tango design?? I found it really interesting, with their shape and everything. So I wanna know if you don't mind ofc! :D

Sure!

to start with I specifically went in with the intent to animate them. Because of that I wanted to create a style that was simple and quick to draw, a lot of straight lines and such. So I created my mcyt style specifically for that (it's started to bleed back into my regular style between not animating for the last several months and raau which is more detail oriented, but...)

For that I took inspiration from kim possible, heartcatch precure, gatchaman crowds, pokemon, and other art styles with simplified, long lines, and kept the designs super simple and easy to memorize and copy over and over. I'm a very inconsistent artist so it only goes so far but... you know. I also simplified the facial features with the eyes and nose and such, and decided to use solid filled areas where their design utilized black. (Jimmy's talons and Tango's claws)

For Jimmy I knew I wanted to make him very birb. Not as much as some of the more harpy level monster boy designs grian sometimes gets, but a bit more than just wings and a few feathers around the ears. I took inspiration from gatchaman crowds and oofuri's bird mouth design for his smile to give him a beak. I tried out giving him a beak lip like I've done in some other designs but it just didn't look right and was too small a detail.

I gave him long bird legs with bird feet cause I love me some inhuman leggies and I knew I wanted him to hop and hold up his leg like a bird. A lot of his bird features had how I would animate him in mind (often still and a bit jerky and very expressive with his wings and eyes) I am NOT good with wings so I decided to go super simplified with them, I knew I wanted them to sit like a heart on the avians' backs. I started out also with a super simplified version of the elfish feathered ears I often give avian monster boys, and at first in my first animation I treated them like ear wings but it looked too awkward and unappealing so I decided to just make them elven, but animated.

For his eyes... I know there was a lot of people who said it was this or that colour. I wanted them to be a bit more spooky though, so I made them brown but gave him a blue glow for his avian self, which changed colours in his other iterations. I also made them big and round to be more expressive, cute, and like his very cutesy skin.

Buff Jimmy was popular by then but I 1) hate buff characters and 2) had a hard time picturing Jimmy that way cause he's so cutesy and squeaky around tango and his skin is adorable. Plus, buff didn't seem very birdlike to me. I did give him a bit of that dorito shape and wider shoulders than hips though. Actually I very specifically tought myself how to draw small butts to draw jimmy to give him that twig-legged bird appearance and cartoony and so not to have his design as sexualized as my other art tends to be (this was a deliberate choice across all my MCYT art) I didn't give him facial hair again cause I'm not a fan and struggle to draw it, I wanted the ranchers to be well within my comfort zone for easy animation.

I wanted to give him and scott- who have very similar and simple outfits - more distinction from each other, so I decided to make his denim and gave him a collar that was like feathers. I also made the choice to give him a very low waist line in his clothing to make him look longer, and because I just like that look. I made his jeans skinny jeans that faded into his talons because it just worked better, emphasized leggies and looked better. I made the choice to give him visible stitching to make it look a bit more like denim too.

Overall the goal was to get that top-heavy but clearly light enough for it to not matter look that a lot of birds have. Also I gave him a stray hair to make his hair look a bit unkempt and feathery. It's stylish but no kept well. I also wanted to give him freckles but I knew I wouldn't be able to keep them consistent enough without limiting myself in a way I didn't like.

I made him slightly taller than Tango, cause I love tall Jimmy and short Jimmy equally and decided on opposite ends of average, but that gaps been growing since tbh.

For Tango... He had a few major inspirations. Cats (lions specifically), fire, and Dr Drakken. I wanted him to look very mad scientist but like, also Creature. The main goal was that he should look ready to crawl up a wall on all fours at any given moment, and have an extra cartoony silhouette. He should look like he's probably made of playdough, and his actual build should be ambiguous.

The pants and sleeves I made puffy inspired by the likes of Magi and Dr. Drakken but sleeker cause the material is thicker and i wanted it to flow into the boots (my first drawing i have clear separation between boots/gloves and coveralls, but i ditched that in the very first frame of animations lol)

I tried really hard to balance out the fire cat features without making him look like a demon. I'm not sure how well I succeeded. If I'm honest the sharp teeth were very much self-indulgence. His tail I made a literal line because anything else looked too thick and I'm terrible at drawing thin tails, and this would be easier for animation. The hair I wanted to look styled but also maybe possible fire but you cant tell quite? I wanted to take advantage of them being cartoons for effect with this art style.

His vest I'm honestly still not sure if it's leather or denim. I just knew I wanted something thick and insulated-looking. I wanted his clothign to be somewhere between engineer and punkish. You know he listens to his music too loud while working on some machine only he understands. And the kerchief was a decision made via a comity of my friends after trying out a few collar styles. His eyes I wanted almost shaped and smaller than jimmy's just like his skin, but still very expressive.

I also gave him a rougher appearance with the wild hair and eyebrows to give him... mmm... ugly isn't the right word, cause he's not. Jimmy is intentionally pretty, while Tango's kinda... feral, unkempt, a tad scary but in a silly way, a bit more goblinoid. Not conventionally attractive, I guess, but that's incredibly vague. I imagine his appearance being described in its movement first and foremost. If any of that makes sense...

But yeah most of his design is defined by sharpness and fluidity. He is liquid but like... a liquid made of knives. I try to make sure his face is a little shorter and sharper-chinned than Jimmy's. I wanted him to have very bombastic movements like he is living motion blur but very pointed. His movements probably come off a bit more masculine than Jimmy's in general, but that's not really something I intended so much as turned out to be an unforseen side-effect of my other design choices.

And, um, well that's it without getting into things I decided later on and other versions of them. the general concept is they're both very animated and cartoony but if very different ways, and take after birds and cats quite a bit. Sorry, this turned out to be A Lot. I really did spend a lot of time thinking about their designs while making them, since I knew I'd be drawing them over and over for animations.

#ask #notes

[solarishashernoseinabook]

Tell me about the process of writing trr 👀

Thank u so much for indulging me 😭

Um. This got very long. So most of it's going under a readmore.

One of the first things I did when I started TRR was come up with three principles for writing autistic!Halt, which I stick to every time I write him:

Halt is an autistic character, not a character who happens to have autism. Essentially meaning: Halt's autism must affect the narrative. TRR (as well as many recent one-shots) would not be the same stories if Halt was neurotypical, and I figure if I did write something where Halt's autism didn't affect the story, then I've written it poorly

Halt's autism can't be discarded for the sake of the story. Pretty self explanatory. In a lot of media with autistic-coded characters, they're portrayed as weird and having some social difficulties or weird interests in a way that can be summed up as being "lolz so QUIRKY 🤪", but those traits can be highly inconsistent depending on what the plot needs. I was determined to not do that in TRR.

Halt's autism is value-neutral. There's two broad camps that a lot of autistic rep or autistic-coded characters fall into, mainly depending on the genre they appear in. If they're in a more serious story, the focus tends to be on how much of a problem they are for their caretaker, and if they're in something comedic, the focus will be on how much of a jackass and/or how clueless they are and the basis of the humour will be other people responding to this. In either case, we're supposed to sympathise with the non-autistic characters and relate to how difficult dealing with an autistic person is. The other alternative is that we get an inspiration-porny depiction of autism where the autistic character is so saintly and good and wonderful and inspiring, which is also pretty damn dehumanising. So for TRR, I tried to avoid both those extremes. If characters had problems with Halt's autistic traits, that was their fault - any problems they have with him are part of a failure to accommodate him, or because they pushed Halt out of his comfort zone. Of course, Halt would have to meet them half-way here: if he's rude, he does have to realise that and apologise for that rudeness. At the same time, Halt isn't better than anyone else by virtue of being autistic. He's not an inspiration to them, nor is he there to teach them how to be better people: he's just another character, just like any of them. Maybe I haven't always pulled this last principle off correctly, but I try.

The rest is going under a cut sorry :"D

Another thing I did really early on was settle on what Halt's autistic traits would be. In canon, Halt dislikes loud noises, doesn't seem to look at people very much, he can talk for a long time on things he knows but doesn't otherwise speak very much, and he loves archery - he's one of the Corps' best rangers. Using this as a basis, I decided Halt has noise sensitivities, generally avoids eye contact unless he knows people well, and that archery is one of his special interests. I wanted to make Halt slightly touch adverse, so I gave him my trouble with being touched around the shoulders. Finally, based on how many times Halt gets quiet and avoids people in loud situations, I decided to have him shut down instead of melt down when he starts to get overwhelmed.

And then I had to decide how to actually write that autism - as in, like, the mechanics of writing. There's a subtle difference between how Halt's POV scenes are written versus everyone else's. When I write from Halt's POV, I don't typically include any emotion from other characters unless it's very obvious, or I describe body language without much detail. If Halt meets someone for the first time, the other character will be described with a hair colour and maybe their general build and that's it - Halt doesn't like looking at faces much, so you won't get details like their eye colour or distinct facial features. This means a lot of perspective-hopping, because if the other characters' emotions are important to the scene, then I either can't tell it from Halt's POV or I need a scene afterwards that backtracks slightly to explain what we missed. I also try to focus more on the information coming through Halt's senses - what he's hearing or feeling, for instance. It was the only way I could think of to actually get across social difficulties and what having sensory processing disorder feels like, lol

More recently, I reread RA's two prequels (which cover the same timespan as TRR) and made extensive notes on the plot/characters...fully knowing I would need to discard 85% of it for TRR. I can at least make shout-outs to it, or use it as a basis for what I write. I turned those notes into a 41 page document that describes characters, locations, and events, complete with sub-headings!

WHEW okay thank you for enabling me :D I mainly focussed on character creation i know but i had the most to say about it 😭

#asks #i've got some more to say on other characters but you haven't read to that point in the series 😭😭 #ra #rangers apprentice #halt o'carrick #autistic!halt

[supremenerd42]

Some solo Doise, as well. He's very easy to draw, haha.

The silly guy has had heterochromia in nearly all of his different appearances, but it's been super inconsistent what his actual eye colour is, so I went with magenta and blue to match his outfit colour. I think I'll stick with this until something else becomes canon

Plus a bonus drawing of Theodore and Doise without their costumes below. I don't know if Doise has a canon real name so uh he's just Doise.

#pizza tower #digital art #catboy #theodore noise #catboy noise #the doise #the doise pizza tower #dog doise

[katkeyboardmastah]

The Young Xehanort inconsistencies

Originally posted: September 3rd 2022.

I want to slowly migrate some of my Kingdom Hearts lore musings instead of just sharing links:

Speaking of links, the original Google doc version of this post can be read HERE.

First up! The YMX doc that I had made after playing through the remainder of Dark Road's story.

Disclaimer: I will only reference material such as in-game cutscenes, interviews and Ultimanias, so other supplementary pieces such as the novels and the like will not be considered. Everything written here is my own personal interpretation. Interview translations were done by KHInsider.

Putting everything else under the cut cuz boy this is gonna be a long one-

First of all, let us review the updated timeline provided by KHDR itself:

----------------------------------------------------

So, Kingdom Hearts Dark Road did not shed light on a couple of things, Xehanort’s eyes becoming golden being just one example. While I cannot say anything concrete about the hows and whys behind the fact that his eye colour changes at some point in time, I CAN, however, make an educated guess as to why the time-travelling Young Xehanort seems to flip flop between gold and silver eyes.

(Xehanort throughout time: 9 years ago, KHDR’s story, 7 years later and 54 years later)

Xehanort’s eyes are naturally silver throughout his youth. Chronologically, the first instance we see him with golden eyes, if we rule out time-travel, is when he is already in his late years, as an old man, 54 years AFTER KHDR. The latest point in time shown to us before that era is when Xehanort leaves Scala Ad Caelum, 7 years AFTER KHDR’s main story. Meaning, the point in which Xehanort’s eyes change colour can be ANYWHERE between age 22/23 and 69/70, assuming the Xehanort in the main campaign is 15/16 years old (if we take Nomura’s statement from TGS 2018, that old man Xehanort is around 80 into account).

Here’s the big kicker though: What about the time-travelling Young Xehanort? In both KHDDD and KHIII his eyes are gold. But then you might say: Well, maybe he was pulled from that blank period of time you just mentioned, his early 20s onwards? The problem with that is the fact that the encounter between Xehanort and the Master of Masters takes place only ONE YEAR after the main events of KHDR. Additionally, in the second part of that very same encounter Xehanort implies that he has already time-travelled at least once:

The MoM: Sounds like you already know where you’re headed. YX: It’s funny. Somehow, I can sense where I’m supposed to go, and what I’m supposed to do. Yes, even this coat, there’s something familiar about it, as if I’m meant to wear this.

This corresponds with what he told Sora in KHDDD:

Since in both KHIIIRM’s and KHDR’s version of the scene his eyes are silver, this means that upon time-travelling they become gold but upon returning they go back to silver. My answer for this ‘switch’ can only be the following:

YX: I will return to my time, and grow into the man who becomes all these others. While I know this future now that I have lived it, returning to my own time will erase the memories and experiences I have gained here. Still my appointed path is now etched in my heart, which will first lead me to seek the outside world. (will return to this part later in the post)

The old man Xehanort gave Young Xehanort a piece of his heart.

Which sounds kinda ridiculous (even for KH standards), but I can prove that might be the case. Let’s remember who makes up KHIII’s true Organization XIII:

The recompleted Master Xehanort, the version furthest on the timeline;

The recompleted people turned once more into Nobodies: Xigbar, Saix, Marluxia, Larxene, Luxord, Demyx and Vexen. The last two being reserve members;

The versions of Xehanort pulled from the past but came to be after KHBBS-era Master Xehanort: Terra-Xehanort, Xemnas and Ansem Seeker of Darkness;

The non-Xehanort characters pulled from the past: Vanitas, Xion and Dark Riku (Replitwo);

The first of the Xehanorts, the Xehanort of the most distant past: Young Xehanort.

You can see that none of the other members aside from YX originate from a time before KHBBS. And as it is now established, this iteration did not originally have golden eyes. To add onto that, as stated in group 4, these 3 were the only characters that travelled to the future by having their hearts be placed inside replicas and are not a version of Xehanort. Vanitas is debatable because we don’t  know if he had that eye colour inherently even when his face changed to reflect Sora’s or was it because of old man Xehanort. The statement about Vanitas originally having red eyes while he was still faceless does not apply because its source is solely the KHBBS novel, which is not canon material. Replitwo’s change is more noticeable since you can directly compare him with the original Riku Replica who even appears in the same scene as him at the very end. As for Xion’s change, it’s only visible if you bump up the brightness while her face is not fully covered or mod out the shadow cast by her hood. If there is a need for official confirmation that these 3 characters do come from the past look no further than this chart from the KHIII Ultimania:

Do note that ‘eliminated’ can also refer to simply returning to their own time period but ceasing to exist in KHIII’s time as it’s said in Young Xehanort’s section of the very same chart.

Ok but, why would there be any need for this. Simple, that version of Xehanort was not ready to handle the darkness the same way old man Xehanort does yet. He needed the Black Coat or the armour or any other form of protection. And as seen in KHDR itself, were it not for the MoM saving him in the Dark Corridor, he would have perished. The following lines from the second encounter cement this further:

The MoM: No… you’ll ditch it soon. YX: What do you mean? The MoM: I mean that one day you’re going to outgrow it. YX: How so? The MoM: If you truly possess great power, the darkness can’t control you. You won’t need a silly old coat to stay safe. In fact, you’ll be the one controlling the darkness instead.

It wouldn’t seem far-fetched either knowing that the explanation behind the Young Xehanort boss fight at the end of KHDDD that the Ultimania provides is this:

Question: Did King Mickey’s time magic not work properly on Young Xehanort because Young Xehanort has the power to control time? Nomura’s answer: Not Young Xehanort’s but rather Master Xehanort’s power. King Mickey was surprised at the time, seeing his Keyblade and noticing he harboured the power of Master Xehanort…

Additionally, aside from King Mickey, Master Xehanort and Young Xehanort are the only other characters who directly take note of Sora’s reckless usage of the Power of Waking in KHIII and KHIIIRM, meaning that at the very least, YX was imparted with such knowledge as well the power to transcend time, which he receives from potato sack Ansem SoD.

The secret endings to KHRe:Coded in the KH HD II.5 Remix collection are another piece of evidence, because we see YX already in place before KHDDD begins, ready to gather the remaining vessels. Meanwhile, since both Ansem SoD and Xemnas have been vanquished, Master Xehanort should by now exist at this point in time as himself given how the same thing has happened with the other ex-Nobodies of the Organization.

To add onto that video we finally have a confirmation from Nomura himself that yes, the design used in KHDR that depicts Young Xehanort’s time on the Destiny Islands is the correct version while the one used in KHBBS and KHDDD is outdated according the most recent Q&A:

Now here’s the funny part. When did Young Xehanort time-travel? Or a better question, if KHDR has revealed that his initial encounter with potato sack Ansem SoD was not the point from which he began his journey to the future but rather his what led him to Scala Ad Caelum… did he encounter him again at some point which finally did spur him to time-travel?

Sonny Novus made a video about how fleshing out Xehanort’s backstory by deaging him even further caused more problems in hindsight and I believe it still holds up so I recommend watching it if you haven’t done so by now.

Question: In previous titles, we saw the Xehanort who leaves Destiny Islands as a young man. He seems a lot younger in KHDR. Nomura’s answer: KHDR presents the correct version. For previous games, we used the young man model we already had as a catch-all symbolic representation of "his youth," in order to save cost modelling a young boy version. In KHIII, they were specifically split. I'd like you to interpret it as the symbolic representation becoming a rich one.

So the only time Young Xehanort could time-travel to the future while still having a consistent design with the one we see in KHDDD and KHIII can be anywhere between the point he changes his hairstyle and his second encounter with the MoM that takes place 1 year after KHDR’s main campaign. Thus, confirming that he could not have possibly transcended time after his first encounter with potato sack Ansem SoD. While it does go in line with the implication that at the time, Xehanort did not realise he was talking to a version of himself, it still contradicts another line in KHDDD by suggest that his now forgotten time-travelling escapades were not the reason he sought out the outside world by rather his dreams of the Player’s life (or lives).

YX: Still my appointed path is now etched in my heart, which will first lead me to seek the outside world.

Putting this contradiction aside, there should have been a second encounter between these two during that 1 year year interval. Either YX found his way back to Destiny Islands or has met potato sack Ansem SoD somewhere else, realising that he is a future version of himself, which would finally spur him to travel forward in time.

Now let’s address the other elephant in the room, Young Xehanort’s Keyblade. We still do not have an official name for it but what we do know is that it’s supposed to be No Name (the goat themed Keyblade) with the hourglass keychain you can see on No Name (the Keyblade you receive after defeating Mysterious Figure aka. Young Xehanort in the Land of Departure).

Nomura: That Keyblade was designed as the one Master Xehanort used in KHBBS combined with an hourglass, you see. (KHDDD Ultimania)

It’s weird, because you can easily interpret that scene in KHDDD as him technically borrowing MX’s. Not to mention that he does not use a Keyblade at all in his fight as the Mysterious Figure in KHBBS. But come KHIII and KHDR, where in the former, YX still uses his unique Keyblade, while in the latter he uses the nameless default Keyblade of that era (KHML has its own default Keyblade too judging from the footage) even during his encounters with the MoM. Let’s try to wrap our heads around this without just saying it’s a retcon that we should move on from:

Nomura changing his mind about plot beats and having genuine oversights is nothing new, there are more examples in this series one could ever hope for, like the eye colour switch that started this whole document. If you recall, the first time we have ever seen an even younger version of Xehanort was in KHIII’s E3 2015 trailer (man I feel old), where his eyes were gold. And in the finalised version of the same scene, his eyes have been changed to silver.

Ok, so let’s say that from YX’s own youth, without his time-travelling escapades, he wields the default Keyblade all the way until him and Eraqus become Keyblade Masters 6 years after KHDR’s main campaign, then they inherit No Name and Master’s Defender respectively to use them from that point onwards. Now winding back to the interval of about 1 year between the ending of KHDR and YX’s meeting with the MoM, you can say that he somehow gains another unique Keyblade upon travelling to the KHDDD era and decides to stick with it in KHIII as well. The time of KHBBS in which he travels to become the Mysterious Figure in order to grab Vanitas for the true Organization XIII, you can maybe stretch it and say that he possibly has foregone that unique Keyblade (or any at all) during that particular fight, much like how Xemnas does throughout the whole series despite also having the ability.

From that you can guess that Nomura reconsidered the meaning of the golden eyes. Because from DDD (not counting BBS since that game only implied it) up until KHIII, when someone would have that colour it would mean they were a vessel of Xehanort or, if we are to use the fan-coined term, ‘norted’. I think we all collectively assumed that Anti-Aqua was actually one of the 13 vessels when she was revealed in KHIII’s Frozen trailer in E3 2018, only for that to not have been the case at all. If anyone needs a refresher for her Gummiphone entry:

Anti-Aqua: Aqua, after she fell to darkness. Years and years of wandering through the realm of darkness ended with her being cast into the watery depths beyond its margin.

Sure, for the members of the true Organization you can say that this still applies (again, Vanitas being debatable) but it’s not exclusively golden eyes = Xehanort’s influence anymore. It’s as if they are meant to represent darkness like they have been prior to KHDDD. And this change sort of makes sense, since the story’s focus is shifting heavily to be about the primordial darknesses and shifting back to how one can fall to darkness due to strong negative emotions. One can conclude that maybe Xehanort’s eyes have changed from silver to gold over time due to him actively trying to become a “dark vessel” as seen in KHDR, and that subsequently, since he has gained them, they have become a trait of his other selves. A parallel to this scenario is how the characters on the protagonist's side associate the Black Coat with the Organization even though, in truth, it dates back much further back into the past.

Like I’ve said before, KHDR did not manage to cover and explain every single facet of Xehanort’s life, for better or for worse. However, it did give a lot of context to preexisting scenes and other character moments in the series, and I think it did a good job at that. As for the remaining mysteries such as the now discussed golden eyes, the fate of Scala Ad Caelum and more, depends entirely on whether or not Nomura wants to or has the chance to flesh out, much like how KHDR’s existence itself was once in a lifetime opportunity to dive deeper into the mind of one of the most important antagonists in the series.

I know what you're probably thinking: the Dark Seeker Saga, which depicted the battle against Xehanort, finished with KINGDOM HEARTS III, didn't it? Well, it's a grey area, but I wouldn't call this title part of the Dark Seeker Saga. Why? Because this isn't about battling against Xehanort—it's about the battles of Xehanort.And maybe you're thinking that's a bit of a reach, but… okay, maybe it's a bit of a reach. However, I had the concept in my head for many years. It got shelved because it never really fitted what our team wanted. But around then, I heard from the Union X team that they'd like to do a parallel title with a new protagonist. And, since it seemed there was an unexpected number of Xehanort fans out there, it all came together like it was destined to be. I do tend to believe in destiny. (Tetsuya Nomura on the launch of KHDR in June 2020)

Author’s note: Sorry if this turned out to be more of a ramble than an actual theory post but… I wanted to say that… I feel content with this story, even without the answers I may have wanted. I still thoroughly enjoyed following Xehanort’s journey from start to finish, which made me like him more as a character even. Anyhow… thank you for bearing with me and I hope you have a wonderful day!

#theory doc repost! #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts dark road #khdr #kingdom hearts dream drop distance #khddd #kingdom hearts 3 #kh3 #kingdom hearts iii #xehanort #young xehanort #katvtalkskh

[nayialovecat]

The Ink Demonth 2023 - Day 17. Eye

Day 17. Eye Crossover: Inscryption The answer is in this day theme :D Sammy would also have a problem with teeth :D

If anyone follows my tumblr account closely, they'll know that I'm a huge fan of Inscryption (especially Act 1 and Kaycee Mod), and I've been playing it a lot, really a lot lately. That's why I tried to make the image match the real gameplay as closely as possible. So, if someone knows the game and how the cards work, they can predict how the game will go next (well, if Sammy doesn't make a sacrifice, very quickly X"D) The only thing that is inconsistent with the game is that Sammy's opponent's cards are turned towards him - but I thought it would be easier to understand the situation on the battlefield. I must admit that although I had a big problem finishing the lineart of this picture, colouring it was great fun. And I highly recommend the game itself. It's great! Currently I'm also playing this studio's older game, Pony Island, but it's not as good as this one :3

PS. First Ink Demonth without Bendy!

PS2. I drew cross-fanart for Inscryption once!

Bendy and the Ink Machine (c) Joey Drew Studios Inc. Inscryption (c) Daniel Mullins Games Sammy and the Ink Machine (c) Nayia Lovecat

#The Ink Demonth #Bendy and the Ink Machine #Sammy and the Ink Machine #BATIM #SATIM #Inscryption #Sammy #great game! #Nayia recommends #The Ink Demonth 2023 #crossover