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snowdice · 5 years ago

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Finding the Time to Study Fic 2 [Day 34]

Here is my starting post for today’s study break stories session. See this post for more details and feel free to send me asks to keep me going! It’s been a lot of fun so far! I will reblog this post with the story as I write them today. I’ll be constantly looking for ideas of times and places for Janus to have missions, so feel free to send in any you can think of at any point!

If you are a new follower or just don’t want all of these posts clogging your dash, please feel free to block the tag “study break stories” as all posts and voting about it will go there. You can still see the finished product of the story even if you are blocking that tag as I will not tag the edited chapters with “study break stories” but with the tag “folds in paper.” See edited chapters below. None edited chapters are under the cut.

My Masterpost Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12

I also have a playlist on youtube (because Spotify didn’t have one of the songs I wanted). It’s short, and not really for serious listening, but I had fun with it.

Just going to be casually researching today since I finally have my head above water when it comes to school! Yay!

Chapter 13

The room stopped shaking after a moment. “Ow,” Pat said. He seemed a bit stunned but was still moving at least. He carefully maneuvered himself into a seating position. “Ouch. Owie.” He reached up to poke his own nose. “Ow!” Janus slapped his hand away when he got there. A bit of blood was already trickling from his nose and there was a small cut over his eye, but it wasn’t bleeding too much.

Janus pushed him so he was leaning slightly forward and produced a pack of time appropriate tissues from his pocket. He pulled one out of the package and offered it to him.

He took it and pressed it up against his nose to try to stop the bleeding. He seemed mostly alright though Janus imagined he’d have plenty of bruises down the line. The power in the museum flickered and Janus looked up. Now that he was listening, he could hear people panicking in and out of the museum.

“We should probably get off of the stairs,” he suggested.

“Yeah,” Pat agreed. Janus helped him to his feet, and they climbed back up the steps. Janus looked around and found an employees only sign a few feet away. Usually he’d not risk that as it could get him into trouble he didn’t want to be in, but considering the earthquake that had just happened, he could probably play it off as panic.

He ushered Pat into a small room and found a chair and table. He had Pat sit in the chair and pulled out another one of the tissues to dab at the blood coming from the cut over his eyes. “Here,” he said. “Hold that there. I’m going to go see if there are any bandages about.”

Pat took the tissue with the hand not already holding one to his nose. “Thanks,” he said.

Janus nodded and got to his feet. The lights flickered once again but didn’t stay off for now. He didn’t know how long that would last.

He couldn’t see anything that might hold bandages in this room, but there was a second door. “I’ll be right back,” he told Pat, exiting through it.

The lights flickered once more as the door closed behind him and he cursed. When they came back up Janus’s eyes immediately fell on a man. They both froze.

“Remus!” Janus hissed the second their eyes met. “What are you doing here?”

Remus blinked at him for a moment. “Hi. Janus,” he said. “I… come to France for… tea sometimes?”

“There isn’t any tea back here.”

“So, there isn’t…” he said. There was a moment of silence. “Uh, so I actually cannot talk to you right now.”

“What do you mean?” Janus asked. Remus grimaced in a way Janus had never seen from him before. It immediately set off alarm bells in Janus’s head. “Oh my god,” Janus said. “Oh my god. You’re not from the same time as me.”

“Oh, you have no idea,” Remus mumbled.

“Holy shit, you’re looping?!”

“It’s… not looping if I wasn’t here the first time.”

“Remus, we spend more than 12 hours a day together most of the time. The only thing worse than this is if I looped back to this time myself.”

“…Yeah. Anyway, I need to leave now.”

“Please do.”

He turned to go, but then stopped. “Oh, and,” he reached into his pocket and tossed something at Janus. Janus caught it.

It was Band-Aids.

“Oh, shit,” Janus spat at the clear use of foreknowledge. “I hate this. I hate you. I’m going to kill you the next time you see me.”

“Sure, Jan.”

“Go.”

He did, slipping into the next room while Janus took a deep breath and then turned back to the door behind him. He schooled his face before Pat looked up. “I found some Band-Aids.”

Pat nodded and Janus came over to squat next to him.

Janus opened the box and Pat looked down. His eyes lit up with sudden joy so intense that Janus felt like he’d just gotten a punch to the gut. “Kitty Band-Aids!” he exclaimed. Janus bothered to actually look at the design on the container, only to note the cartoon cats on the front. Pat was almost vibrating off his seat. “Look they’re all so cute!” He grabbed the container from him to inspect the different designs printed on the back with glee even as a bit of blood was still trickling from his nose.

Janus took the box back gently and guided the wad of bloody Kleenexes back to his nose.

“Which would you like?” Janus asked.

“Oh, they are all so cute,” Pat cooed. “Um, how about that one!” he pointed. “Or that one! Or that one!”

“Pat you only have one cut.”

“But they’re all so cute!” Pat said, tongue tucking into his cheek. He contemplated the box again. “Let’s do the black one,” he finally settled on.

Janus selected one of the Band-Aids with a black cat wrapped around a pink ball of yarn and staring back at them with wide green eyes. The think looked like it had partaken in one two many doses of catnip, but Janus didn’t mention that.

Instead, he just carefully unstuck the backing from the Band-Aid and motioned for Pat to remove the tissue from his forehead. He smiled at Janus as he drew back.

Janus cleared his throat. “How’s the nose.”

“It’s slowing down,” Pat replied. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Janus replied. They met eyes for a second before Pat looked away back at the box of Band-Aids.

“Oh,” Pat said. “There’s a grey one. I didn’t notice.” He pointed to it. “I should have used that one.”

“Do you like grey cats?” Janus asked.

“I like all kitties,” he said, “but one of my roommates loves grey cats. He had one when he was a kid and thinks of them as good omens. Seeing one always brightens up his day.”

“A friend of mine has a grey cat,” Janus said. “She’s much more tolerable than him.”

Pat laughed a bit. “Don’t be mean,” he said.

“Oh, he deserves it, don’t worry.” Janus considered him for a moment. “Here,” he said, pulling out one of the Band-Aids with the grey cat on it. It did, actually, look a lot like Diesel Fuel.

“But I don’t…”

Janus just shrugged and stuck it on his cheek where there was no wound. Pat giggled and touched it with a finger. Janus stood back up.

“Can I have another tissue?” Pat asked.

“Sure.” Janus handed a tissue over to him and he crumpled up the bloody ones in his hand.

“I think I’m good to keep going,” Pat said, putting the new tissue under his nose. “The nose will stop soon.”

Pat got out his iPhone and directed him back out of the room. They checked the second floor and didn’t find anything and so went to the third floor. The second they arrived in the room that Pat’s phone was directing them too, Janus knew that it must be right. There was a strange, distorted whirling sound and the entire room was shaking slightly like they were standing next to a railroad track.

“I’m guessing this is it,” Pat said.

Janus nodded and looked over his shoulder at the screen. They both cautiously walked towards where the little dot was on the phone.

“Is that it?” Pat asked, pointing at a small device on the center column in the room. Janus reached forward to flip the switch on it. The whirling stopped and the room settled. Janus’s time piece vibrated as it came back online. They waited for a few moments. “I assumed… time distortions would be more…”

“They are,” Janus said. “This one is artificial.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s a simulation,” Janus said. “It causes similar symptoms to a time distortion, but it’s not actually fracturing time at all.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Pat asked.

“I don’t know,” Janus said. He took the piece of tech of the wall and carefully stored it in his pocket, “but someone’s trying to get our attention.”

Chapter 14

Janus didn’t feel comfortable leaving France 2027 just yet, still weirded out by the strange turn of events. So, he and Pat ended up sticking around for a couple of hours. They looked through the art museum for a bit, but Janus was having trouble focusing on the pieces, and Pat eventually suggested they get some air. Janus agreed considering the museum would close for the night soon anyway.

They wandered around the downtown for a bit. The people seemed to jump back from the strange weather and earthquake that afternoon rather quickly, and there were plenty still about to blend into.

Pat was snapping photos every so often like a tourist which Janus shook his head at but allowed because even with the outdated phone it almost made them blend in even more. It also might stop any questions about Pat’s weird way of speaking French. They could just say he was an overeager tourist who watched too many old movies.

“Ooo!” Pat said. “We should get crepes.”

“Why?”

“You can’t go to France and not eat crepes.”

“I assure you, you can,” Janus said dryly.

Pat shot a pout at him and the next thing he knew he was in a small crepe shop.

For Janus, choosing something was easy. He just ordered the first thing he found on the menu which seemed to be a standard one with ham and eggs. Pat on the other hand seemed to be struggling greatly, and Janus had to gently push him to the side to let some other customers order first.

“What should I get!?” Pat asked. “They all look so good! I could do strawberry preserves or maple syrup or just sugar!”

“Or you could get one that is actually food,” Janus suggested mildly. “I don’t think you need any more sugar judging by how you are acting.”

Pat rolled his eyes. “You sound like Lo.”

Janus made a note of the name ‘Lo’ even though it surely was a nickname.

“But, since you’re insisting, I’ll get something healthy. I’ll have the strawberry one. That’s a fruit!”

“It comes with a cream cheese filling,” Janus pointed out.

“And it’s fruit!”

Janus shook his head and stepped up to the counter. “One ham and cheese and one strawberry preserve, please,” he said to the cashier as he was not allowing Pat to order in French and accidently say something stupid. He forked over some euros.

“You don’t have to pay for me,” Pat protested when he saw that.

Janus glanced back at him. “I was afraid you’d try to pay in francs,” he said dryly.

It looked like Pat was about to stick his tongue out at him, remembered that Janus had criticized him for that earlier, and then just scrunched up his face in displeasure as though that was any less childish.

They waited for their crepes to be finished and then went to eat them outside near a water fountain.

“I can pay you back for the crepe,” Pat said after they sat down. “I do actually have euros.”

Janus waved him off. “It wasn’t that expensive.”

Pat hummed. “Well, in that case. I insist on paying for a wish for you.” Janus raised an eyebrow. “In the fountain!” Pat clarified.

Pat set aside his crepe to dig in his pocket for a couple of coins. “Here!” he said handing one over.

Janus glanced over at the fountain. “No.”

“Oh, come on,” Pat beseeched. “You have to want something. I’ll even throw it in for you, but you have to make a wish first!”

“No.”

“Please!”

Janus sighed. “Fine.” He popped the rest of his crepe in his mouth. “I wish for a crepe,” he said after swallowing.

“You just had a crepe, silly.”

“But I liked it, so I want another one.”

“We can go back and get you another crepe.”

“Ah, but I’m not hungry anymore.”

Pat crossed his arms. “You’re just being difficult on purpose.”

“Not me,” Janus said putting hand over his heart. “I would never do something like that.”

Pat glared at him, but then snatched the coin out of his hand. “Fine!” he said. “One crepe wish coming right up.” He hopped up with the two coins and darted over to the water fountain. Janus turned to watch him go but then happened to catch sight of something out of the corner of his eyes.

Pat’s phone.

He didn’t pause in his movement, completing the turn, but as he watched Pat close his eyes, presumably to focus on his own wish, Janus snuck a hand out and grabbed the phone without looking. He slipped it into his own pocket.

Pat came back over after throwing both coins in the fountain and didn’t even seem to notice that his phone was missing, picking up his crepe to take another bite. Just to make sure, though Janus decided to distract him. “What do you think of your crepe?” Janus asked.

“I like it! It’s sweet, but not too sweet. There was a crepe place across the street from my apartment in college, but they always put a bit too much sugar in the dough, I think. I’d still eat them, but these are much better.”

Janus nodded and kept up the light conversation until Pat was finished.

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“Well,” he said then, getting to his feet. “It seems that nothing else is going to happen regarding the time distortion. I should be getting back.”

Pat hummed. “I should too. It’s movie night!”

“I probably should arrest you,” Janus noted.

“In the middle of all of these people?” Pat asked mildly.

“Touché,” Janus said.

Pat gasped and pointed at him. “Pun!” he said. Janus blinked at him. “Because we’re in France! That’s French!”

“…Goodbye Pat,” Janus said, turning to walk away from him.

“Goodbye… wait I still don’t know your name!”

Janus stopped to look back at him for a moment. “Like I said,” he replied. “Elvis.”

“Fine,” Pat said. “Au revoir, mon chéri.”

“You never stop, do you?” Janus asked.

Pat giggled. “Considering I don’t know what you mean, I imagine I’m just getting started.”

Janus actually left then, walking off towards the alley he’d first arrived in. In some ways, the mission had been a bust, but in others it had gone very well.

He felt for the weight of the phone in his pocket before pulling up the display screen on his timepiece to go back to the TPI.

It had gone very well indeed.

Chapter 15

The first thing Janus had done when he’d returned to the TPI was hand over the timebomb to Khalid who sent it to forensics. Within the hour, forensics got back to them that it was the same timebomb as 2999 and that it had never exploded, but simply been diffused. Which meant, blessings on blessings, everyone got to go home that night.

Not that Janus went home, no, he ended up falling asleep on his desk somewhere between 3 and 4am, but at least he wasn’t sharing his space with anyone. He’d been trying to hack the cell phone all night to see if it had anything he could use, but he honestly had no idea what he was doing. All it seemed he could do was play some annoying song over and over again about never giving someone up. At around 2am, he’d finally broken and sent off an email, though, he’d continued to try to mess with it after that.

He got woken up by Lena coming into the office at 7am, and noticed he already had an email response asking when Janus wanted to come in.

“Now?” he sent back.

“…Do you sleep?” was the immediate response. “And yes.”

His wrist buzzed as an appointment in 5 seconds downloaded to his timepiece. He selected the coordinates and landed at Cultural Outreach. The receptionist blinked up at him and then back down at the screen on his desk. “Oh!” he said. “I didn’t see this appointment. I think Professor Eran is in his office.”

He didn’t stand to escort Janus this time, so Janus went ahead and went down the hall to Virgil’s office himself.

He knocked on the door and while he was waiting for Virgil to open it, the infernal contraption once again started to play the same stupid song.

“I didn’t even touch you!” he spat, getting it out and tapping on the screen.

“Jonas Brothers dude again?” Virgil asked causally upon opening the door.

Janus shoved it at him. “Make it stop.”

Virgil took it and fiddled with it for a few moments before it stopped with the song. “Oh my gosh,” he said scrolling through something on the screen.

“What.”

“What maniac sets a custom alarm for every 30-60 minutes for a week that just plays ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’? Oh, and one ‘It’s Not Unusual’ on Saturday. He’s mixing memes at an alarming rate.”

“Can you. Just. Make it not happen. Anymore?”

Virgil smirked at him. “Maybe.” He turned around to go back into his office.

“Virgil,” Janus growled following him in.

Virgil just laughed. “What do you want to know about it?” he asked. “Just a fair warning… the song means he… likely was aware someone would steal it.”

“Of course, he was,” Janus groaned.

“But I’m sure we can still get something out of it.” Virgil started tapping at the screen again. “Okay, let’s see. It’s an iPhone 5, and someone jailbroke it.”

“What does that mean?”

“Tampered with it so they could install non-company approved software,” Virgil explained.

“Well I figured that since he was using Google Maps to track time distortions,” Janus grumbled.

“I think I have something,” Virgil said to himself while digging through his desk. “Ah ha!” He held up some sort of cord. “This will let me hook it up to my integrator.” He slotted the cord into the bottom of the iPhone and then crawled under his desk to fiddle around with some other things. “There we go,” Virgil said popping back up. “It might take a few minutes. Running the program any faster might overheat the phone.”

Janus nodded and sat back to wait. Virgil grabbed the phone and started to play around with it a bit even as it uploaded all of its information to his computer.

“Weird,” Virgil said after a moment.

“What?” Janus asked, sitting up straighter.

“There are exactly two contacts. Fewer than I’d anticipate for a regular phone from the 2010s. More than I would expect from one clearly not being used as a phone.

Virgil glanced to the side, and it must have finished the download because he unhooked it from the computer. “I have a 21st century phone network adapter,” Virgil said. “It transfers call back to whatever date the phone says. Do you want to try calling one?”

“It’s worth a shot,” Janus replied.

Virgil dug back into his desk for a small device that he plugged into the same port he’d plugged the earlier cord. “Okay, which contact do you want to try first?” he asked. “One has ‘Ro’ with a crown, red heart, and a gold star emoji. The other has “Lo” with a book, blue heart, and Milky Way emoji.”

“He mentioned a Lo,” Janus said. “So, try him first.”

Virgil nodded. “I’ll put it on speaker.” He pressed some buttons before setting the phone on the desk between them.

The phone rang three times before with a bit of a crackle, it was answered. “Salutations,” a voice said, voice sounding a bit scratchy as though he had only just gotten up.

Virgil motioned with his head for Janus to speak. “Are you ‘Lo’?” he asked.

The man hummed. “To some people.”

Janus… didn’t quite know what to say to that, or even what questions he should ask.

“I’m assuming you’re the man that stole my associate’s phone.”

“Your associate?” Janus fished.

The man made an amused hum. “I believe you were calling him ‘Pat’ on your last adventure.” Janus could hear something being placed down on the other end of the phone. Before Janus could respond, he heard what sounded like an old keyboard being typed on. “Now,” Lo said. “I have to admit, I am surprised you were willing to oblige me so thoroughly by plugging the phone into your system. Let’s see…”

The screen on Virgil’s lit up bright blue all of a sudden. “…shit,” said Virgil.

“Well,” Lo said, “it seems you were clever enough not to plug it into the TPI system, which is disappointing, but…”

There was more clicking on the other end. “Hmm, interesting music tastes for the 4000s,” he said.

“I’m an anthropologist,” Virgil spoke up.

“Ah, yes, I can see that,” Lo replied. “Virgil Eran, senior professor at Silver Mountain University, a vetted member of the Cultural Outreach program, and searched the phrase ‘How to eat sushi without making a cultural blunder and making everyone hate you and losing your job because what kind of shit anthropologist doesn’t know how to eat raw fish right’ which you then shortened to ‘How to eat sushi’ and proceeded to search 52 times in the last 48 hours.”

Virgil went a bit scarlet around the ears. “Dude, did you really have to out me like that?” he hissed at the phone.

“My apologies,” Lo responded. “From my personal experience, don’t dip the rice parts in soy sauce, and don’t add too much wasabi. Overall, most people will be understanding of mistakes, and you will certainly not be fired or ostracized for handling food incorrectly. As long as you are not acting intentionally disrespectful, and I image you will not be considering your clear anxiety over whatever outing you are planning to attend, you will be fine.”

“Okay,” Virgil said. “Good point, but counterpoint, what if you’re wrong and everyone hates me forever?”

“Is it the lunch meeting today at 11:30am?” Lo asked, “because I can see that a Professor Boris Laden has attended the event multiple years in a row. Considering he is a philosophy instructor, has no Japanese heritage that I can see, and I have found a photo of last year’s event wherein he has placed his chopsticks vertically in his rice, and he has yet to be fired or ostracized, I would postulate that your fears are unfounded.”

“Yeah but… okay, I really don’t have an argument for that one, except maybe I’m a piece of shit and everyone is looking for a reason to hate me.”

“Considering your many impressive accolades in your field, I would argue that ‘a piece of shit’ is not a good descriptor of you. Not to mention the fact that you are often a highly requested member for different committees in your department and outside of it.”

“Oh, but is that because people like me or because I’m an anxious mess and make sure events go off without a hitch?”

“From experience, disorder with people you enjoy the company of is far more tolerable than order with people you do not. Which explains my current living situation and the lack of finished dishes in my sink. Therefore, I would assume the former.”

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“A lot of assumptions,” Virgil commented, but he was smiling slightly.

“Assumptions based on data,” Lo argued back lightly.

“You really came in here, hacked into my computer and smacked my anxiety in the face, huh?”

“Glad to have helped.”

“Y-”

“Are the two of you finished?” Janus interrupted, finally getting sick of the two of them.

“Not nearly,” Lo said. “I have gained access to an entire network of a very large university and will be sorting through the data for a long time.”

“Ugh, right,” Virgil groaned, “and you got access through my integrator.”

“I doubt they’ll be able to trace it back to you if you don’t tell them.”

“Nice try,” Virgil said dryly, “but not likely. I’m telling them about you immediately so they can work to kick you out.”

Lo laughed. “Fair enough, but I’ve already gotten plenty of information at this point. Including the fact that you work with the TPI and scheduled an appointment with an Agent Janus Picani this morning set to start a few minutes before this phone call. So, hello Janus.”

“Bastard,” Janus shot back.

“And goodbye Professor Eran. It was a pleasure.” He hung up.

Virgil sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “This is going to be fun to explain to both of our bosses.”

Arc II What We Do to Each Other

Chapter 16:

As it would turn out, Janus and Virgil did not get in trouble for hooking up the old phone to Virgil’s integrator, mostly because it wasn’t really a mistake on their part. The phone cleared all virus checks that the tech people both from the university and the TPI ran on it. The phone should have been clean and should not have caused an issue.

In fact, they were still trying to pin down the code on the general university server. They could tell that something was mucking about on the system but what or how was a mystery. This also meant that there was no telling what information had been compromised and considering how many things Silver Mountain had its hands in, that was… a bit worrying.

Another worrying thing was there was suddenly more activity of late at the TPI. There were more time distortions popping up every day. Usually they would be few and far in between. There had been 3 total recorded the year before, but over 12 in the last week. Some of them were fake like the one Janus had investigated, but some of them were real. It painted a distressing picture and also was a drain on their resources. Khalid was actually looking to advertise positions to hire new recruits which was something she rarely did as she liked to keep appointments to the TPI in house.

They’d even loosed the number of field agents needed for each mission and Janus and Remus had been splitting up just to get everything done. Today, he and Remus had thankfully only two missions scheduled for the day.

“Are we going together or separate today?” Janus asked Remus.

“Think they’ll burn me at the stake for being a witch if I go alone to either of them?” Remus asked.

“I don’t know. Probably. I think we’re getting a bit late into the 1700s for that in Cuba, but I have no idea about Mesopotamia.”

“Let’s just go together. I did not like almost drowning yesterday because I was the only stranger in town when the weather was going wonky.”

“Surely it isn’t because you opened your mouth. Ever.” Janus said dryly.

“How was I supposed to know he was the local clergyman’s son?”

Janus rolled his eyes. “On second thought,” he said, pushing a button on his desk to choose Cuba as he next mission, and standing up. “I don’t want you coming with me.” Yet, he did not protest when Remus also signed up for the Cuba mission and he waited for him by the office door before going to talk to Rhi.

Rhi was a bit frazzled when which meant quite a bit as she was usually incredibly put together. Remus didn’t even seem inclined to tease her today.

“Okay,” she said once they’d closed the door behind them. She flipped through some documents on her desk. “Picani and Clockson. Camaguey Cuba 1755. Do you know Cuba?”

“Uh,” Janus said. “Yeah?”

“Like you’re reading the things, right? I don’t have to babysit you, right? You got it? The Seven Year War was happening, but it won’t affect you much as it hasn’t really hit Cuba. It’s the middle of the Camaguey Carnival. Everyone will be everywhere and there will be chaos so as long as you don’t really fuck up you should be fine. Um…apparent races.” She looked up at them and studied them each for a moment as thought looking at them for the first time despite having known them for years. “It’ll work. Go to costuming.”

“Shouldn’t we…” Janus said, “sign things?”

“…Yep,” she said, fiddling with her desktop and then sending documents over to their side to sign.

Janus and Remus both did before sending them back.

“Great. Good.” She stood and grabbed some things from behind her. “You can go.” She sat back down as they took their things and Janus noticed a message pop up on her desk. She looked up at Remus looking exhausted. “What?” she asked.

“Just open it,” Remus said.

Rhi tapped it and a photo opened.

“I got her a new mouse toy!” Remus said happily as Rhi looked at the picture of Diesel Fuel attacking a cloth mouse.

“That is… appreciated Agent Clockson,” Rhi said. “Now get out.”

They did, leaving to get their costumes on and checked. Costuming was just as busy and frazzled as Rhi had been and they actually had to wait for decon because there’d been a mix up with the agents leaving before them. They landed in Cuba without issue. Janus could already hear the festival in full swing outside the small building they’d were in. Remy was standing there with a very not time appropriate mug of coffee.

“Sue me,” Remy said when Janus raised an eyebrow at it. “Please just… get in and out without causing trouble. Seriously. I don’t want to have to deal with that on top of everything else.”

“We’ll do our best,” Janus assured.

Remy pulled his sunglasses down to look at him. He looked exhausted. “God please do more than your best.”

Janus nodded tightly. “We’ll be in and out,” he said, already glancing at his timepiece. It had been disguised as a golden bracelet which made it a bit harder to actually use, but wrist watches wouldn’t be invented for more than a century, so they’d have to make do. “The time distortion, if that’s what it is, should be in the middle of town. Let’s go.”

He and Remus exited the building onto the packed city street.

Janus was immediately bombarded with all types of sights, sounds, and smells. There were many colorful articles of clothing and costumes as people went every which way along the street talking to other members of their community, playing instruments, and dancing. There was the sound of people speaking Spanish, still mostly almost pure Castilian Spanish with perhaps a bit of influence from Taino as the Haitian revolution had yet to push the Creole language over to Cuba. People must have been hard at work cooking different dishes for the carnival as many different spices wafted through the air. It was sticky hot considering it was the middle of June in the tropics and Janus was immediately sweating despite the temperature appropriate clothing he’d been outfitted with.

He glanced around their immediate area, just scoping out the crowds. His eyes were immediately drawn to one person near them.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” he said out loud when he saw Pat. Remus looked in the direction Janus was.

Even if Janus didn’t recognize him the moment he laid eyes on him, he probably still would have ended up staring as he was the only person in the area who clearly did not know how to do the dance he was attempting.

Remus snorted and Janus shook his head in secondhand embarrassment. “Well, would you look whose boyfriend’s here,” he said to Janus. Make that firsthand embarrassment. “Has anyone told him the Mambo wasn’t invented until the 1900s and also that’s not how you do it?”

Chapter 17

Pat stopped dancing the moment he saw Janus approaching him, but he still bobbed cheerfully ( and unrhythmically) to the music. “Hi Janus,” he said pleasantly.

“You just have to rub it in, huh?”

There was a flash of confusion across his face, but then he smiled. “Well, I know where in our relationship you are. How was France?”

“You’re a bastard.”

“You stole the phone,” he laughed.

“You stole the bomb,” Janus countered, “and you wanted me to steal the phone. You booby trapped it.”

“No,” Pat correct, putting a finger up. “We have security on my phone because in high school I once forgot it in the school locker room and long story short, the three of us ended up in a lake. So, then Lo made sure I always had some sort of tracker on it. When I started time traveling, he updated it and when I met you we updated it again in case there was ever an opportunity like that. Lo calls it using our weaknesses to our advantage.”

“He’s a bastard too,” Janus growled.

Pat just laughed.

“Is someone talking about me?” Remus asked, stepping over to them. Janus rolled his eyes.

“Oh,” Pat said, blinking at Janus’s partner for a moment. “Remus.” He hesitated slightly. “How are you doing?”

“Me?” Remus asked. “Uh, I’m doing good. A little stressed out with work, but fine.”

“Good,” Pat said with just a little too much heartfulness to it.

“What?” Janus asked, eyes narrowed at Pat. “What is that?”

“What is what?” Pat asked. He met Janus’s eyes briefly and it made panic surge up Janus’s spine because the look Pat was sending him wasn’t one that said he was playing dumb. It was a warning.

Oh, Janus did not like this. That look told Janus Pat had some foreknowledge that he absolutely could not tell Janus about without messing up the timeline spectacularly. This was why this mess the two of them were mixed up in was so bad, but it seemed Janus did not have much of a choice when it came to Pat.

Despite how bad of an idea he knew it was, he still wanted to push, because whatever Pat was hiding could be very, very bad and it had to do with Remus. There were so many reasons Pat could be acting like that around Remus, but the worst ones were definitely the ones on his mind. Death, injury, illness. They were all possible especially in their line of work and especially with how time was being screwed with right now. And Pat knew. He knew exactly what the answer was, and oh did Janus want to push.

Experience knowing what worse things could come out of having foreknowledge made Janus bite his tongue.

“So, what are you two doing here,” Pat asked, and Janus unhappily let him change the subject.

“Oh, like you don’t know,” Janus replied.

“I don’t know,” Pat said innocently.

“There’s another time distortion,” Janus said, “and while you didn’t know what it was the last time I saw you, I’m pretty sure you do now.”

“Oh, I didn’t know there was a time distortion here. I can help you if you like,” he offered sweetly.

“Oh, yeah, sure. Then why are you here?”

“I wanted to see if I could find the Flying Dutchman,” Pat told him.

“And so you went to Camaguey?”

“Uh huh.”

“One of the farthest places from the ocean in Cuba?”

“Is it?”

“I don’t trust you.”

Pat just shrugged. “Well, if you don’t want my help finding the time distortion, I’ll just be on my way then.”

“Wait,” he said when Pat went to turn away. Pat paused. Janus turned to Remus. “Remus, do you think he’s bullshitting me so I let him wander off and do whatever the hell he’s doing, or do you think he’s bullshitting me into letting him come with us.”

“Hmm,” Remus said, looking Pat up and down. Janus could immediately tell he wasn’t going to get any helpful answer. “Well, if we’re going with the how much do I get to see his, admittedly very sexy, ass criteria.” Janus pinched the bridge of his nose. “Letting him leave now means instant gratification and a nice full image when he turns away. However, letting him go with us means many more opportunities to get a glimpse, but they’d probably just be glimpses. So, yeah that’s a tough call.”

“You didn’t even bother to give me an actual hidden suggestion with that bullshit,” Janus groaned. He glanced at Pat only to see him hiding his very red face in his hands. Janus blinked. “Oh,” he said. “You got him, Remus.” Janus was surprised. He’d expected a bit more tenacity for someone with Pat’s personality. Of course, Janus was used to Remus, so that perhaps had some effect. Pat made a muffled distressed sound behind his hands and Janus raised an eyebrow. “You really got him.”

Pat flapped one hand around while still using the other to completely hide his face. “It’s just. His face. Saying that. Is weird.”

Janus could not say that he didn’t feel a slight spark of joy at seeing Pat flustered. After all, Pat’s weapon of choice had often been flirting with Janus in the past. However, he still smacked Remus on the shoulder when it looked like he was about to continue with something likely far more inappropriate. “We are here for a reason,” he reminded. He turned to consider Pat and squinted at him. “You’re coming with us, I’ve decided. I don’t want to let you out of my sights. Don’t,” he said empathically turning to Remus as the man opened his mouth once more.

Pat had mostly recovered, though his cheeks were just a bit pink still. “Yeah,” he said. “I’ll go with you. Where do we start?”

Janus glanced at his timepiece. “It’s not showing up on our trackers yet.”

“It messed with your tracker last time,” Pat pointed out.

“I know,” Janus said. “Which means it could be another fake one or whatever is causing it hasn’t started yet. If things start going wrong, but it still doesn’t show on our radar, it’s almost certainly a fake one, but some of the fake ones haven’t blocked our technology.”

“Here, I can check,” Pat said.

“Please don’t pull out an iPhone,” Janus begged.

Pat stuck out his tongue at him, and then smiled. He reached for the bracelet on his wrist and twisted it back and forth a few times before pressing his palms together. He glanced around them quickly to make sure no one around them was watching and then peeled apart his palms like he was miming reading a book.

“What the fuck is that, and how do I get one?” Remus asked immediately. It was innocuous, whatever it was. If someone from this time caught a glimpse of the display, they’d likely assume it was a trick of the light, but staring right at it, Janus could tell it was a map of the surrounding areas with a softly glowing blue light marking their current location. Janus could see no screen or origin of a hologram. It looked like the image was drawn onto the man’s palms, but as he watched, the image shifted to zoom out.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything major yet,” Pat said wiggling his fingers a bit. The display changed slightly to some sort of colorful overlay Janus did not understand. Pat hummed. “Did you two come from that building recently?” he asked nodding at it.

“Yes,” Janus replied. “How do you know?”

“There’s sometimes a slight temperature change when people time travel,” Pat explained. “I can read it on here.” He tilted his head. “There also seems to be a big enough temperature change in a church a few blocks away that could indicate time travel. Want to check it out?”

“We might as well,” Janus agreed.

“And if it’s nothing, we can get drunk on the communion wine!”

“He’s going to get immediately struck by lightning,” Janus said.

Chapter 18

“If we see anyone,” Janus said as they entered the church. “You keep your mouth shut. Do you understand me? Remus, do you understand me?”

Remus immediately turned to Pat. “You know, I didn’t grow up Catholic,” he said to Pat who looked at him in confusion. “So the first time I ever entered a Catholic church, you can’t blame me for being a little confused about the whole cabinet thing with a wall between them. After all, everyone was singing about glory to god and what not. So I…”

Janus slapped him. “This is why you were almost burned at the stake yesterday.”

“Excuse you,” Remus said, putting his hand over his heart. “I was almost drowned.”

“You were almost drowned?” Pat asked, his voice seeming legitimately distressed.

Remus shrugged a smile on his face that caused a Pavlovian migraine to start up behind Janus’s eyes. “It’s one of the hazards of the jobs, and really it would have all been worth it if I’d actually gotten to drown in that man’s…”

“We’re in a church!” Janus cut him off switching from Spanish to Swahili in the hopes that no random passersby would be able to understand him in this time and place. “Don’t talk about lewd sex things. Don’t talk about sex at all. It’s a Catholic church!”

Remus continued to speak in Spanish with no regard for anything. “But not talking about lewd sex things takes away 3/4ths of my personality,” he pouted.

“More like 9/10th,” Janus grumbled, “and the other 1/10th is just normal stupid.”

“Hey, you shouldn’t be mean,” Pat scolded, in fucking English for some reason, “but Remus, honey, you probably shouldn’t be saying things like that right now.”

“No, no, he has a point,” Remus said switching to English.

“He’s my partner, I have the right to call him stupid,” Janus insisted.

“And I love you too!” Remus said in Greek because he was really, truly, stupid.

Pat looked between the two, but then seemed to accept it, dropping the concerned expression for a slightly amused one. “If you say so.”

“Can I… help you?” A voice asked. All three of them whipped around to see a young boy looking at them and seeming very confused. Which was fair considering that to his ears, they’d just been speaking nonsense.

“We’re here to pray!” Remus claimed, then he turned to wink at Pat and said under his breath in Swahili, “to that ass.” Pat went immediately bright red again, which was doubtlessly Remus’s aim. Janus subtlety stepped on his foot while smiling at the boy.

“Oh,” the boy said. “Okay.” Thankfully, he didn’t seem interested in questioning the random strangers in front of him further. “I’m going to go back to the celebration now.”

Janus smiled at him. “Have fun,” he said. He waited for the boy to leave through the front door before slapping Remus on the back of the head.

“Ow!” he whined sounding far too pained for how hard Janus had actually hit him.

Janus rolled his eyes. “Let’s just start investigating,” he said.

“Sure, sure, you never let me have any fun,” Remus said, pulling up his wrist and spinning the golden bracelets on his arm. “Hmm…” he said.

“What?” asked Pat.

“Either I put on the wrong jewelry this morning… or my timepiece isn’t working.”

“Well, then I’m guessing we’re in the right place,” Janus said. He turned to Pat. “Your stuff still working?”

Pat brought up whatever device was on his hands. “Yeah,” he said, “and it looks like something is just starting.” Just as he said it, there was a violent crash of thunder.

“Well,” Janus said. “We should probably find the source and soon. Which way?”

Patton glanced around himself and then motioned with his wrist. Suddenly there was a 3D display of the church in front of them.

Janus could see immediately where the problem had to originate. There was a swirling mass of some sort of energy centered at the top of the bell tower of the church. As he watched, he saw the picture of the church glitch out a bit. He had a bad feeling about that.

“Is there something wrong with your display?” he asked, or more hoped.

Pat shook his head slowly. “I don’t think so…” The room seemed to shift suddenly underneath their feet. It felt a bit like time travel, but also wrong. The picture on the display flickered harder, part of the building fracturing and dissolving before appearing back in place. The room settled after a moment, but Janus’s stomach did not.

“Whatever is going on,” Janus said, “We need to stop it right now.”

Pat nodded. “The quickest way up would be that way,” Pat said pointing. The display closed as he did.

“Then, let’s go,” Janus said.

The world was eerily calm as they all started off in the direction Patton had pointed out. In fact, it was almost too quiet.

“Where’s the nearest window?” Janus asked when they came out on the second floor.

Pat glanced at his hand. “There should be a couple a few feet that way.” Janus nodded and left them standing there. When he glanced out of the first window he came to, it appeared to be night. Yet, when he walked to the next window, he saw daylight.

26606

“Time is fracturing,” Janus informed them. “We need to be careful.” This time distortion was much more intense than any of the other ones the agency had been tracking down over the last few months. It had also come on much faster. Usually there was some time between when the time distortion began and it started having extreme effects on the environment. He was suddenly very glad that he and Remus had not split up today. He was even glad for Pat’s company, no matter how aggravating he may be sometimes. Not to mention, he was glad for the man’s technology that seemed to circumvent whatever was blocking Janus and Remus’s timepieces.

He backed away from the windows and returned to the others.

“Whatever you do,” Janus said. “Don’t let anyone be in a room alone.”

“I know what time fractures are this time,” Pat promised.

“It was as much for the idiot as it was for you,” Janus said.

“You accidently bring a bubonic plague infested rat to 900BC one time and you never live it down.”

“I’d say I should put a leash on you, but you’d twist it into something disgusting.”

“Probably,” Remus agreed.

“Where next?” Janus asked, ignoring him.

“That way,” Pat said.

They walked together to the door he’d indicated. “Please don’t be bullshit,” Janus prayed. He opened the door and immediately got bowled over by a stream of salt water.

#not writing #study break stories

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i-am-ironic · 5 years ago

Text

Daminette betrothed au part 4

It still doesn't want to post property so if you see this if you could reblog it that would be great but if you don't want to you don't have to. Anyway so this will be the second update to this story today,( i hope I can get this out before midnight, its almost 11 now 😅) well let's get started.

*********************

Bruce watched the door the girl had just gone through before turning to his son,"who is she damian? Why did she say her name was marinette dupan-chang al Ghul Wayne?"

"Father i will explain everything when she gets back i don't know how much of her past she will want to share with you. She might not trust you at first. The only family of mine she has met has been Talia so be careful of what you say."

"Dose she have anything to do with you going missing for 6 months three years ago?"

"I trust her, father... she,"he paused trying to decide how to phrase his next words, "she knows I'm robin."

Bruce whipped his head around to face damian, "she knows what?" His words were as cold as ice as her stared down his son.

"Im back!" Called the girl in question closing the door behind her before noticing the tence atmosphere. She walked behind damian and looked questioningly at him.

"I only told him that you had something to do with me disappearing three years ago... and that you know I'm robin." He said not taking his eyes off his father.

"I see," she said thoughtfully. "We can dessus that while we wait, I have someone I want you to meet dames. he should be here in about ten minutes."

Now damian looked at her questingly right as his father asked her the first question. "How did you meet damian?"

"I was kidnapped by the league and taken to a base were damian was taken not long after. We met kneeling at an alter moments before we were married."

Bruse raised his eyebrows, "alright then why would they choose you of all people?"

"I was the hero of Paris, the ladybug. I suppose they thought I was strong enough to be worthy of their prince."

"I am truly sorry we couldn't help with the Paris situation, but its out of our jurisdiction and we didn't want to make things any worse then they already were."

"Its much better that you weren't involved," she shuddered at the thought. "If one of you.... well I wasn't ladybug for awhile after I got home anyway."

Now it was damian's turn to ask a question, "why weren't you ladybug?"

"Its kind of a long story actually, um well it will be easier to explain when my guest arrives." Just then the intercom beeped and the lady on the other side said "sir there is a man here says his name is Luka and he is here to see the young lady who came in a minute ago, should I let him in?"

Marinette nodded, which prompted Bruse to say "yes marg let him in."

When the door opened damian saw a tall man with blue-green dyed hair, he was holding a tablet in one hand. Marinette went over to great him and daimen felt a pang in his heart. Had Marinette moved on from him? But before he could think about it for too long Marinette was heading back toward him, in her arms was what appeared to be a child.

"Damien I would like you to meet our son Xander dupan-chang al Ghul Wayne."

Damian just stared at her dumb founded. He had a son? This was his son? The little boy looked at him with a board expression before marinette started talking to him in French.

"This is your father Xander he has wanted to meet you for so long!" She looked up at damian hopefully.

"I have a son?" Damien said as the boy struggled to get out of his mothers arms to see his father for the first time.

Damien took him as marinette explained "he doesn't understand English that well yet but he is very good at speaking French."

As damian spoke to his son in French marinette explained the everything to Bruse but didn't say anything that would give away his identity with Lika in the room. she wasn't sure if he would be comfortable with Luka knowing. Once everything was explained Bruse ordered a test to prove that Xander was damian's son, not because he didn't believe marinette but so that it would be official and if anything was to happen to marinette then Damien would have custody of their son.

Damian was so excited! He had a son! Now how to keep Xander and marinette away from his brothers? He would have to think about that but he would have time. Marinette told him she had an apartment in the nicer part of town. That was good. They couldn't just jump right back into a relationship. they hadn't seen each other in three years and it would take time. if they tried to force anything then they might just grow even further apart and they wanted to be together for their son, and because even after all this time they still loved each other.

They decided to take things slow for now and go on some dates with Luka babysitting. The first date would be to the gatham art museum on Saturday.

****************

This isn't the best chapter I've ever written but I think it will work. The next chapter will be damian' brothers finding out about marinette and Xander i already have an idea of how Jason and Tim find out but if you have in idea for Dick or the girls tell me! I'm also thinking that some fluff with damian and marinette going on some dates would be fun. And i wrote this chapter in uner an hour yay!

@thestressmademedoit

@abrx2002

If anyone else wants to be tagged tell me and I'll tag you.

#batfam #damien #damian wayne #marinette x damian #daminette #dating #miraculous marinette #maridami #maribat #marinette cheng #arranged marriage au

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yaboylevi · 5 years ago

Note

I love Zevi but the sauna cover not having Zeke and Levi not talking makes me think Isayama's editor could have rquested Isayama for levi to be saved just for the fanservice moment of the promise. Though I was surprised in the good way how the fans dont want levi to be fanservice anymore, to me the whole levi vs Zeke is ruining Levi (not Zevi) and Ereri is still the biggest ship so why, Isayama. I hate the promise plot

Hey there!

First of all, let me just say that, yay, Zevi is such a nice, fun ship!! I still remember fondly all of their funny moments after the timeskip… I wish we could have more, because I feel Isayama’s humor really shone through!

I’m glad it wasn’t ruined for you, though it was for me a bit. Maybe it’s simply because the focus was shifted away, or because of how… disgusting the torture scene was for me. Either way, since I feel less positive for Levi, even my love for ereri has dwindled a lot. So, good for you!

I am not sure I would call the promise “fanservice”. Well, to be fair, I am not even sure why Levi’s character was reduced to that. He has always had important links to various characters. The link with Eren, the family bond with Mikasa, the mentorship with the 104th, his friendship with Hange… some of these require a solution - in the form of a talk most probably. When in the past the 104th were hesitant, he was of great help. The ackerbond and his family legacy with Mikasa very clearly need resolution. Both Hange and Armin have been irresolute, constantly comparing themselves to Erwin, when Levi finally being honest about him would’ve solved it. Levi has been one to understand and accept Eren’s true nature since the beginning, his insecurities as well because they hit home, so he could’ve talked to him and alleviated part of Eren’s burden by lending a non-judgmental ear.

I get why all of this didn’t happen. Drama and conflict were needed to keep things…lively, so their resolution will be more satisfying in the end (I would like to believe this, but I also believe the journey should be entertaining, and it isn’t for me personally).

So, anyway. I would hope these things about Levi’s character will be touched upon by the end of the story, in a believable, interesting way (not like Connie’s arc, or Armin’s, Magath’s - they were lackluster or underserved or totally disappointing). I think his obsession with the promise was a way to stall him/keep him away from the “main problem” for the reason I explained above. It’s his setback, the thing that he needs to come to terms with, because he’s been stuck on it to the point that he’s become even physically stuck, by getting heavily injured and unable to move.

I don’t think it’s the editor’s fault. Isayama chose to do that to Levi. After all, what would he have struggled about after the timeskip (aside from Eren angst, which is the common denominator for everyone)? If you think about it, all of the characters have had their little side-struggle, beside the Eren-related one. Isayama decided to render Levi useless by making him obsess about dead comrades and revenge, which is in line with his character’s nature.

I don’t know what the fandom thinks anymore. I am glad if they are finally seeing the faults in their reasoning until now. Especially if it’s about him killing Zeke, which is something I’ve been against for so long… especially since he got caught in the explosion, that gave me actual, factual proof that it wasn’t gonna happen. I’ve been saying since that chapter (114-15? so 13 months ago…) that he won’t fight because of the injuries and so he needs to find another way of thinking that is not all about violence and revenge, but I remember people stubbornly wishing for the opposite (someone even tagged my recent art with wishes for zeke to be killed by levi...makes me wish i never posted that lol). However, if they are starting to change their minds about this, well, hooray!

(this might sound controversial, but I really don’t feel ereri is the most popular ship…hasn’t been for a while, actually. that’s what you get for neglecting their relationship in canon for 3-4 years, after all - no matter how much people insist on ereri existing only bc “fujos are horny”, our passion for the ship is mostly based on canon…)

#zevi #ereri #shingeki asks #snk spoilers #Anonymous #levi ackerman

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courage-a-word-of-justice · 5 years ago

Text

Aniplex Fugou Keiji Livestream | Fugou Keiji 2 | Kitsutsuki 2 - 4 | Arte 3 - 12 (FINAL) | Fruits Basket 27 - 32

During the Millionaire Detective: Unmissable livestream (part of FunimationCon and Aniplex Online Fest), I watched and took notes, so you might find these handy upon retrospect. To be honest, this is how I do the posts for magicalgirlsandcerulean’s livestreams as well, but there hasn’t been one of those in a while...

Otherwise, these are all normal notes.

Aniplex Fugou Keiji Livestream

Look out for the dancer from the OP

Onuki was the model for the dancing for the anime – he was told to do it out of the blue

Episode 11 might have one of these^ be relevant

Daisuke’s cup ramen has shark fin in it and he made the packaging from scratch – that’s why it’s so expensive!

The director Tomohiko Ito omits important information, allowing people to decide for themselves what happened. (Miyano) – This might be why the series is stylish. (MC)

Attractiveness of character design is important! (for adapting Fugou Keiji to modern day)

I’ve never watched a livestream where the stars were so conscious of their English and Chinese audiences! This was interesting, especially because Onuki is not normally known as a VA!

“We still have a little bit of recording to do.”

Fugou Keiji 2

I keep misunderstanding my own instructions…this starts again in July after ep 2.

Todai = Tokyo Daigaku (Uni).

I believe this is the 2nd time I’ve seen a rich person like commoner’s instant noodles, although I forget where I saw the 1stinstance.

Kambe switched to the back seat now, huh?

Ah! Now I remember! The first time was seeing spoilers for this episode on Twitter! (LOL)

I see Suzue has a sensible naming scheme for her data.

Hmm…judging by the Google hits, the name visible in the background (Betbeto bin Abura) is the Arabic prince from last time.

SYN-ACK. I see these guys did their work – that’s the final stage of the 3 stage handshake required for things like internet sockets (used to send “packets” of data).

Way to crash a party, Kambe siblings…(LOL)

I really wanna see someone draw Kato slapping (Daisuke) Kambe in the face with a wad of cash…or a “shut up and take my money” meme with Kambe in it.

I like how “special cup ramen” is on the purchases list and it costs 100000 yen. I also like how the reporter Mita was bought out for 5000000 yen (bigger than all the other individual costs except for buying out the Tower)…that’s how he showed up.

Kitsutsuki 2

I gotta finish this show and then pause it…3 shows in my normal lineup are safe.

Did Kindaichi take the bones of the fish out for Ishikawa…? Like a child would have had done for them?

Why is Ishikawa being referred to as “Hajime”…?

Draw this prostitute like one of your French girls…(LOL?)

Ishikawa clearly dropped those coins into that book earlier.

Way to diss the potential asexuality/celibacy in the house. I mean, it’s the 1800s – early 1900s, so there was less LGBTIQ+ stuff then and certainly the further back you go, the more sexual prowess becomes a sign of masculinity, but still, if the guy doesn’t want to go through with it, don’t force him.

Notice how the borders were pink for Ishikawa’s version and blue for Kindaichi’s.

Notably, Otaki didn’t seem to have that hairpin…but maybe that’s because we saw things from Ishikawa’s perspective.

Ooh…who are these bois? Also, crab.

Kitsutsuki 3

…cat? Now there’s a new perspective. That’s like saying the butler did it.

Yay! Hagiwara is Ume!

Notice Hagiwara’s version has a purple frame, while Yoshii (?) has yellow and another person has dark blue.

I think “consumption” was tuberculosis, once upon a time.

I love how the crowd is fed up with Ishikawa’s bulls***.

Ooh, chuuni Akutagawa…

In a Grove is the Rashomon story.

Tarou Hirai = Rampo Edogawa.

You stalker, future Rampo!

I kinda suspected Otaki when I thought through the possibilities…Ishikawa, Kindaichi, an outsider, Otaki (and as of this ep, Rampo too).

Gaiheikan? Is that Ishikawa and co.’s lodging?

Did they have pencils back in that day?

Kitsutsuki 4

Humouresques.

Kabayaki.

I think it was in Detective Conan that I learnt (one of) the only way(s) a man can get his nails done is by his wife doing it for him, possibly as a prank or to indicate he’s “taken”. Note this was early Detective Conan, so it’s very much a 90s attitude…considering the widespread acceptance of drag queens and the LGBTIQ+ movement these days.

Kozukata.

Lace flower.

Maichou seems to be a hybrid of Asahi Shinbun and Mainichi Shinbun.

[Monkfish/dictionary/going home] - Is this how Ishikawa shows consideration…?

The purple letterrboxing is back but this time with Ishikawa…meaning that’s just an aesthetic thing for all flashbacks after all.

Just from vaguely hearing it (I’ve got the volume on low), the words are nodo tsuki/nodo zuki. “Throat moon/throat wound” works just as well, if not better.

Balsam flower.

Update: Since enough anime fulfilled the special COVID-19 criteria, Kitsutsuki was put on hold after this.

Fruits Basket 2 2 (27)

I’ve read Another, remember?…so I kind of know what happens.

Uo’s got purple nails…that’s surprisingly cute of her.

Aw, Kureno! Another Ume role!

Why is “shisho” (master) not translated…? A weird Tokyopop-era translation quirk?

Aw, Shisho cut his hair…? Bummer.

Who was that? Shigure…?(!) Update: We find out his name later in this ep.

“If you continue to change, I’ll continue to protect you.” – Another quote for the archive.

Great…I feel personally called out by this ep.

Fruits Basket 2 3 (28)

It seems all male designers wear their designs if they have no one else to wear them…at least, that’s what I’ve gathered from Hajime (Runway de Waratte) and Ayame.

I remember Ayame stood in for Yuki’s parents in the manga at one point. This must be it.

(Spoilers for later!) I also remember Mine and Ayame get married at the end…This is the prelude to that.

Dang, Ayame, you moment-ruiner!

Fruits Basket 2 4 (29)

Did anyone in the doorway hear about Hatsuharu turning into an ox?

To quote Sailor Mercury, “Douse yourself in water and repent!”

Ooh, window splitting Yuki and Haru. Nice cinematography going on here.

I bet all people think they only think about themselves, in one way or another.

Arashiyama tofu.

Yatsuhashi are great. They’re these sweet triangle things like samosas that come in various flavours. Mitarashi dango are sticky brown skewered balls of glutinous rice…which I’ve never had, but I’ve seen them in enough anime to know what they are.

I only just realised this, but Yuki’s hairstyle isn’t even on both sides, like Atsushi from BSD’s.

Huh…you can see a copy of Mogeta and Ari (as it turns out, “Ari” is the name of a character and not “ant” at all in this case) on Haru’s bed. There’s also an article in one of the magazines discussing how denim is the popular thing now and which types are in right now.

Fruits Basket 2 5 (30)

I realised Yuki isn’t calling Tohru by her first name – he’s going against Haru’s advice.

Hmm? Why should anyone ask a rabbit to hold their horses…? (LOL)

CGI cars…*sigh*

Tororo is grated yam, IIRC.

I learnt recently that nanban means “savage” or “uncivilised”…for a potato and chicken dish, the name and the contents don’t really match…Update: Nanban means “savage” (noun) or “barbarian”. Close enough.

17-26…age gap 9 years…yikes…

The words “(a happy, yet) caged bird” come to mind when Kureno describes himself. Also, Kureno is an Ume role! Yippee!

Ahh…young love…even if it has a bit of an awkward edge to it. Mind the (age) gap!

Me being the Ume stan, of course I want to hear those sweet nothings in his voice, even if it has to be via a proxy like Uotani…I wouldn’t be an Ume stan if I didn’t.

…Ah, I see. Uotani reminds me of Minare from Wave and vice versa.

Oh, I just remembered Akito is 20 or thereabouts. Kureno/Akito is only a bit more legal than Uotani and Kureno.

Arte 3

Notice Leo never once uses Arte’s name in the lady’s presence. Her name does have some infamy to it, after all.

“She’s got some guts.” – You say that at a live dissection…LOL.

Is this love~? What’s the age gap between Leo and Arte, anyway? Update: We know for sure Arte is older than 13…that’s it.

Make the things you want prominent with perspective and such. I thought that much was obvious, but for someone straightforward like Arte, I guess it ain’t so. (Maybe it’s because I’m self-taught to some degree when it comes to art.)

*sketching by candlelight* - You’re gonna ruin your eyes, Arte!

Arte, ma girl! You’re getting’ a raise! Good job!

Arte 4

Anime makes this courtesan stuff sound like a host club…(?)

I thought Leo was saying “Aria” for a second instead of Arte, LOL. I’m getting too used to that being my alias…

Arte 5

The speech bubble said “so annoying I could die”.

Arte 6

The video’s gone all pixelated…at least, the subs have…

I bet she’s going to fall over…Update: Nup, she didn’t.

Arte 7

I thought Yuri was a Russian name…or a Japanese one.

This is basically Oushitsu Kyoushi Heine all over again! (LOL)

I thought Yuri would be pushy…like, “Here’s an offer you can’t refuse.” That kind of thing. Likewise, I didn’t think Arte would refuse.

Leo? *dun-dun-DUN!*

Siena is apparently in Tuscany. Also, I did see the Silent Manga Audition page had a chapter on a pregnant woman, so this is ch. 17 or thereabouts.

Is Ruthanna not getting the money because she’s pregnant…?

Epidemic? The Black Death?...Speaking of which, Arte is very much of that ganbaru spirit. By being progressive for her time, she becomes ordinary in our time.

Ohhhhhhh! It’s a reverse harem in progress here!...This would be a good otome game, come to think of it. It’s framed the same way.

Leo can be surprisingly childish at times, don’t you think?

Arte 8

…Really? She fell overboard? *raises eyebrow*

Ooh, china (with and without capitalisation).

Is this another sarcastic child…? Oh, bother. Still, I can see why Hamefura crossed over with Arte now…Katarina vs. Catarina!

Arte 9

Bigoli is a type of pasta, as can be guessed from context.

The kanji for the episode title literally translate to “bad child”! Like the Tones and I song, LOL!

Mikata (ally).

Arte 10

This episode is giving off a Katarina x Gimo ship vibe…but with how young they are, I’m not sure I should ship it. They’re 6, aren’t they…?

Oh, you can see Katarina and Sofia’s hug in one of the ED frames.

Arte 11

Arte’s let her hair grow out…

An Italian man…bowed. In Renaissance Italy. Now I understand what all the ANN complaints are for.

What’s up with that kid’s face…? *grumbles*

Leo’s just being Leo, I see.

That’s right, Angelo and Leo never met.

Instead of a father or a brother overly cherishing his daughter, it’s the uncle…I never thought I’d see the day I saw something like that.

Arte 12 (FINAL)

Is this like Orientalism, but with gender…? (What would you call that?)

Lemme guess…Leo is working on the church mural and so he’s away?

Was that Leo, in the middle of the mural somewhere…?

Another Japanese bow in this anime, which is set in Italy.

But where is Arte herself in that mural?

Fine = end.

Fruits Basket 31

The word Momiji is using is “hisso” or something like that. Hissho is secretary, so the translator made it “secret getaway” to make it work.

That hat! *laser stare*

*one of the textbooks has “high school chemistry” on it* Tohru can do chemistry?! I suck at chemistry!

The episode title is translated as “Are you really this stupid?” It seems the real line for that was “Are you an idiot?”

Something about high school girls appeared in my head when Haru mentioned Shigure wanting to see Tohru in her tight swimsuit…*mumbles grumpily about pervs*

Kyo’s not wet, even though he got in the water! Amazing!

I think it’s sad that Tohru responds to “stupid girl” like it’s her own name.

“…that makes you suspect me?” seems better.

The Akito and Shigure age gap is somewhere between 6 and 8 years, IIRC.

Fruits Basket 32

Tohru switched from okaasan (mother) to okattekita (a formal past tense verb meaning either “bought”, “lent” or “won” based on the characters…which I don’t have a reference for). I assume because it was so off the mark, the subbers chose a similarly off the mark word.

“When I was a kid, I thought watermelons would sprout in my stomach if I ate the seeds.”

We only know about Kyo’s dad so far…hmm…what about the mother? Update: (TW: suicide) I think it was at this point we already knew that Kyo’s mother didn’t love him and committed suicide, but it’s not certain until later.

Why do doctors always use scalpels and syringes as weapons…? I mean, even Jakurai’s symbol in ARB is a syringe!

I’ve been wondering…how big is the Sohma family? Is it diluted enough that Haru and Rin can love each other without genetic problems for their child/ren? (From Another, I would say the answer is “yes”, but shoujo normally doesn’t care about this sort of thing, which is why I ask in the first place.)

Shigure seems like the type to say, “U mad, bro?”

The mansion looks like the one in Haruhi Suzumiya, if I remember the appearance of that one correctly.

#simulcast commentary #fugou keiji: balance:unlimited #Millionaire Detective: Balance: Unlimited #Fruits Basket #arte #Kitsutsuki Tantei Dokoro #Woodpecker Detective's Office #Chesarka watches Arte #Chesarka watches Fugou Keiji #Chesarka watches Furuba

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artgurusauce · 6 years ago

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Haven’t posted here in a while since the guidelines changed but I thought “Fuck it why not” since this is so huge.

Yup just go ahead and throw some shitty google translate kanji up there you dumb American hahaha Seriously tho I was just too lazy to do dialogue in english ;w; Anyways, been scrolling through the Haudion tags on here for the past couple of days and while I already have a Haudion fic on my plate and I'd rather not do 3 fics at once, I got inspired after watching "A Silent Voice" by Kyoto Animation on Netflix after being recommended to me by several people (Yes, I am aware of the arson attack btw, that was mostly why I was getting recommended). So I decided to make a special secluded AU thing here and share it with y'all. Not gonna elaborate on this further so please don't ask me. You guys are all free to write something of your own out of this if you want, though. But this little binch is just too tired and too overworked -▽- Now I did a doodle page of Gladion and Hau as Shoko and Iida but after clicking around on here and AO3 some I decided to make a new and more original doodle sheet. Gonna go over each doodle one by one, starting from left and going to right and also starting at the top and going to the bottom. Hopefully it's not too confusing lol. Context: This AU essentially is just "If Glad was a greaser" but also "Hau is blind/deaf". Gladion is a gang member, straight up. Not much to comment on, other than he is in constant conflict with an opposing gang that sometimes trespasses on his turf (The Skull Gang). He is in fact an ex-member of this particular gang, but quit after a huge falling out in which he actually left the leader with a scar on his face. Unfortunately, I didn't get to build much on his background for this since I wanted to keep the focus on the relationship. But you can fill in the blanks. Hau is basically a Helen Keller type deal, and while he can speak it is slow and stunted and sounds very awkward. Usually when talking to someone he doesn't know, he will attempt to sound out words while using his hands to communicate. He has a special sign language he performs by tracing and moving his fingers a certain way along someone's palm. 1.) Greaser Glad Reread an AO3 fic that was Haudion drabbles. I came across a chapter titled "Seven Kisses" and a particular scene was rather interesting. After reading the comments, I found someone who I was actually familiar with and has sent me fan art before talking in-depth about a possible Haudion Greaser AU and I thought it was a pretty cool idea (Obligatory shout out to @the-kawaiifan you should totally check out her page). So this first doodle is just concept art basically. I looked up Greaser fashion and I do in fact have my own Southside Serpent leather jacket so it was pretty easy for me to draw up lol. 2-3.) First Meeting I would imagine they first meet when Hau is being mugged on Gladion's turf by Skull Gang grunts. Of course, Gladion is mostly just beating their asses for trespassing on his turf, and he drives them away pretty quickly. At first he mistakes Hau for a girl as he is rather small and feminine looking with long hair. At first he warns "her" to leave but he quickly notices it seems that "she" can't hear him. Hau eventually manages to communicate with Gladion and figure out what happened to him and he speaks aloud while tracing on his hand to thank him for his help. Gladion is off-put by this and quickly realizes Hau is actually a boy and while he feels embarrassed and shameful he shakes it off. (Dialogue in number 3 translates to "Thank You") 4.) Chibi Smoking Sucks Just a cute doodle of the boys. Hau don't like the smell of smoke. 5.) You're Beautiful Now I've been taught a lot about how blind and deaf people work and the thing I hear most often is that their other senses are extremely heightened as a result of their other senses being cut off. Basically, since less attention is put on those senses, way more attention is put on others. And in Hau's case, I'm sure that's probably double the case. Just a generic scene of one of the first times Gladion realizes he's totally in love with this cute clueless boy. He's beaten up (Fill in your own context by whom and why, personally I'd insert a Skull Gang beat down here lol) pretty badly and Hau touches his face and basically examines him and he just says out loud that he thinks Gladion is beautiful. This pretty much has greaser boy totally head over heels for him buuut he hides these feelings cause he feels like he'd just be taking advantage of Hau. (Dialogue in this one translates to "You are beautiful") 6.) Obligatory Rain Snuggle Poor poor Hau is not very popular with other kids in his neighborhood. On a particular day going on his way to visit his best friend Gladion he's cornered and beaten up by a bunch of jerkwads in his class. They steal his jacket when they see it's about to rain and leave him there. He keeps on his way to visit his friend even in the pouring rain and starts to catch a cold. By the time Glad finds him he's pretty much blubbering incomprehensibly aside from Gladion's name and sobbing profusely. Gladion offers him his jacket and lets Hau trace on his hand to tell him what happened. He just hugs Hau and takes him inside somewhere to get him warm. Gee, what a nice gangster. Is his heart warming up lately? 7.) Confession Time Obligatory confession scene. This is pretty basic. After learning from Hau how to speak in his special signing language and eventually getting over that god darn insecurity of his he confessed to Hau by tracing on his hand. Hau is shocked initially and Gladion immediately regrets it. He decides it'd be best if he just went away. He tries to leave and Hau trips trying to follow him and begging him to come back and Hau confesses he's super in love with this dumb greaser boy. They kiss and hug and all that good stuff. Happily ever after, yay~ Or is it...? (⚆_⚆) 8.) Blind/Deaf Hau I tried looking around at 1950s-1960s wear that might look cute on him, but I ended up half assing on the clothing for this one. Hope it doesn't look too out of place lol. I imagine since he's blind wearing his long ass hair up is probably unnecessary. Not much to comment on here, tbh. Ain't he cute? .w.

I haven’t slept since yesterday when I started editing this bout to pass out now bye

#haudion #cuteboneshipping #fanart #alternate universe #doodledump

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comicteaparty · 5 years ago

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January 4th-January 10th, 2020 Creator Babble Archive

The archive for the Creator Babble chat that occurred from January 4th, 2020 to January 10th, 2020. The chat focused on the following question:

What goals do you have going forward with this new year for your story?

carcarchu

well i basically have the same goal every year which is to cover more ground, i made the mistake of making my first comic be a super long 3 part epic so it feels like it's going to take me years to make it even part way through when i try to make my chapters longer however it generally leads me to feeling burned out so i still have a way to go when it comes to finding the right length per chapter that i can put out consistently

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

In Phantomarine (http://www.phantomarine.com/), this year I finally reach the chapter where all my main characters meet and start interacting - it's where the story truly kicks off. I've spent almost 2 years in setup/exposition mode, and I finally get to exit it properly. I'm so. SO. Excited. And I really want to take my time and do it properly. It's about to get very fun for me, and I hope it will show in the work!

Cronaj

My goals mainly consist of reaching page 100. I'm over 1/4th of the way there, and I believe I can get there before 2021. I also want to reach the introduction of one of the main characters, but I don't think that'll happen this year. This character doesn't appear until the end of Ch. 5, which is somewhere around page 170-180. Am I waiting too long to introduce this character? Absolutely.

eli [a winged tale]

I am almost halfway through Arc 1 and almost at 10% of the story Looking forward to chugging away at it and hope to reach the First Plot Point by the end of the year

kayotics

I guess one of my goals is to reformat chapter 1 for printing (I drew it at the wrong size), and then update chapters 1 & 2 for colors. I’d like to compile the first four chapters into a book, but I’d like all the chapters to be visually similar in color at least.

Tuyetnhi

Gonna try to finish two chapters this year and clean up ch.1 and 2 for printing its gonna be a lot of work but I know it can be managed~

snuffysam

In terms of where the main story will go - Book 3 just started, and Chapter 1 should be finished mid-March. Chapter 2 will be finished early-mid July, maybe even late June? Chapter 3 will be finished sometime in September. And then it's Chapter 4... which won't be finished until like June 2021 lol. But anyway, by the end of the year we'll be introduced to all the important characters of this arc (though we won't have had much time with some of them). Including a character who's so important, I'd almost call them the deuteragonist of the entire comic if not for the fact that they're only showing up 700 pages in, lol.(edited)

Past the actual story aspects - the comic will be celebrating its fourth birthday at the end of February! And, given that the first page of the comic was started on a leap day, it's technically the first birthday the comic has actually had. The upcoming short stories for the year are some of my favorites so far, so that's exciting. I'm also interested to see how the shipping contest & fan-art contest turn out. We'll also be reaching page 750 at some point this year, which is a pretty big milestone.

Deo101

I have a goal for my second comic to get it off of hiatus, and for my main one I would really like to make improvements in the areas I've received critiques! Mostly, I just want to keep making them for another year <3 I don't really have any goals other than to keep on going with it

(also, a preemptive congrats on four years!)(edited)

AntiBunny

Well, having fully reuploaded my archives, I'm letting them update gradually to hopefully attract a new audience over on comic fury. When it catches back up I intend to finish up Chapter 10, and with it book 2. Then I'll finally launch book 3, Coast to Coast, which will allow me to tell more different stories by changing locations.

Kelsey (Kurio)

Hey Vinnie! How goes it?

AntiBunny

Still chugging along.

Holmeaa - working on WAYFINDERS

The big goal for Wayfinders off course is first of all to launch! In start February (we will find a date today iiih!!) Then at the end of 2020, if everything goes accordingly we should have produced 7 chapters enough for a book Ah! This is all so exciting

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

Pretty much my goal is to just keep swimming. I hope to complete more chapters this year. I should be able to finish chapter one of my comic, Eryl, unless I have to take a long hiatus (which, honestly, is looking very likely). Ashes is less time intensive than Eryl and the chapters half as long (only 16 pages each; Eryl chapters are usually 30-35 pages), so I’m going to try and finish at least two, if not three chapters before 2021. But honesty, just getting what I can done and continuing to push forward is my biggest goal.

Mei

I only started My Husband is a Cultist last year in April (https://tapas.io/series/MyHusbandisaCultist) and my goal is to reach that first year anniversary and to keep the train rolling for this comic! I initially wanted to have the rest of this arc completed in 2020, but I've decided to be realistic as I will be making a grad film at the same time (yay), so I just plan to do as much as I can, and to at least have Chapter 4 completed before March, and maybe Chapter 5 after that! I have a lot of story I want to tell and it's hard to stay focussed on it, but I'm doing my best, doing a little at a time!

Phin (Heirs of the Veil)

My goals are mainly to become a little quicker and finish the second book in time for the Heirs of the Veils (http://heirsoftheveil.fervorcraft.de/) fourth anniversary next October. Story-wise we want to have all the bits and pieces in place to slowly approach the actual meaty parts of the comic and prepare well enough to finish it in the coming 3 years.

FeatherNotes

Our goal is to have our book fully edited, with help from editors and friends, so we can be more confident in it's true rendition. Im not one to stick to making pages perfect, but there are definitely parts that could use some attention! Other than that, book 4 is on it's way and it's always a main goal to get to print for upcoming cons!

varethane

My goal this year is to get to the end of the first arc of Wychwood! After a year of working on it, I'm roughly halfway there. I'd also like to lern 2 colour better.

Capitania do Azar

This year I hope to get a new book out!! That would be great and also you know, just keep going. If all goes well I can get a chapter out until the end of the year and that'd be cool (but also perhaps a bit too hopeful, since my chapters have started to...get bigger with time..)

SAWHAND

This year my goal is to start posting the comic! And, if it works out, I'd love to get the whole thing thumbnailed out by the end of the year. Fingers crossed!!

DanitheCarutor

My goal is to finish chapter 5 in less than a year. Up until now it's taken a year to finish a chapter thanks to work, chores and the occasional procrastination spell. But in December I quit my depressing job that was a two hour drive away, so I'm hoping to be more productive, even if I get part time work somewhere in town.

twothirty

along with finishing chapter 6 and 7, im also hoping to have all of book 2's script written and edited~

renieplayerone

My goal is id love to get the first chapter or two of kate blast printed

#ctparchive #comics #webcomics #indie comics #comic chat #comic discussion #comic tea party #ctp #creator interview #comic creator interview #creator babble

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ittibittium · 7 years ago

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Shimanami Tasogare - how to support the series, and a guide to Yuhki Kamatani’s other works

Lately, there’s been a surge in posts and threads recommending the manga Shimanami Tasogare, a slice of life LGBTQ+ manga that centers around the life of Tasuku and other members of the LGBTQ+ lounge that have entered into his life, which has recently reached its final chapter. The series is written and illustrated by Yuhki Kamatani, an x-gender and asexual mangaka best known for their debut series Nabari no Ou.

If you’ve read Shimanami, or are considering it, there are a number of ways you can support the series and the mangaka by buying copies of the original Japanese volumes and/or its localizations, and by supporting Kamatani’s other series as well.

There are currently 3 volumes published in Japan, with the fourth (and last) volume set to publish in August. Right now, in addition to the Japanese and Chinese versions of Shimanami Tasogare, the series is currently being localized in an additional 3 languages, and will be localized in English for next year:

Spanish: Sombras sobre Shimanami (”Shadows over Shimanami”) published by Ediciones Tomodomo

2 volumes. Comes with a special bookmark if you order it online through the publisher.

(I’ve also heard that it has additional colour pages that are in b&w in the other versions, and possibly also the online omakes?)

French: Éclat(s) d’âme (”Soul Shards”/”Radiance of the Soul”/”Sound of the Heart”/etc etc) published by Editions Akata

2 volumes (volume 3 releasing in August, volume 4 likely near end of this year, if the pace they’re going keeps up. Delay of ~1 month for publications in Canada (difficult to order online, but physical in-store copies should be easier to track down if you live in Quebec...? you can order it online from renaud-bray, but they don’t tend to have the volumes in stock on the release date so far (vol 3 set to release in CAN oct 1, so we’ll see) chapters only has the ebooks online and seems to have given up on the physical copies, but has phys copies of vol 1 available in QC))

You can read the first chapter in French here.

Italian: Oltre le Onde (”Beyond the Waves”) published by J-POP

1 volume (volume 2 releasing in October)

English: Finally got licensed! Yay! And is scheduled to released on May 7, 2019!

In addition to the physical copies, you can also buy ebook versions for about half the price, which would also save you on import costs if you don’t live in a country it’s readily offered in. You can find these via the amazon sites for each country, and physical copies are also offered by other local bookstores.

Kamatani has also been colouring special versions of the covers for the French release:

While there is no word of any English localization right now, Seven Seas Entertainment (the same publisher that localizes My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness, My solo Exchange Diary, and The Bride was a Boy) does monthly consumer surveys asking for titles people want localized. However, they’ve also tweeted that “As a Shogakukan title, it's very unlikely [Shimanami Tasogare is] available to anyone other than Viz for publishing.“ But that doesn’t mean it’s not impossible, so requesting it is still worth a try, and hey, you’ll be entered into a raffle to win a free book from them anyway. You can also suggest Kamatani’s other titles which haven’t been localized into English yet either, which are published by a different publisher than Shimanami in Japan. They haven’t put up their June survey yet though, so keep an eye out. edit: the survey is now live!

Shimanami is now licensed in English by Seven Seas!! Please consider suggesting their other series (Shounen Note, Busshi no Busshin) for licensing in the future as well!!

The Storytelling Style of Yuhki Kamatani

If you’ve read Shimanami, you’re no doubt familiar with their stunning use of imagery and visual metaphors in their work. Their visual storytelling brings a whole other level of intricateness and emotion to their pieces. These visual metaphors often carry over multiple pages, and return in later story arcs. Their visual storytelling also makes up some beautiful spreads.

(Shimanami Tasogare, Busshi no Busshin / Shounen Note, Nabari no Ou)

When it comes to plot, Kamatani tends to focus on the grey, rather than black and white stories of morality. There is never any distinct good or evil --- everyone has their own motives that move them, and these motives lead them all to take actions that affect everyone else. Everyone has their own shortcomings, their flaws, and everyone has their strengths, and the ability to either help or hurt the people around them. And the potential to grow. Their stories focus on topics like self discovery, personal growth, and the many definitions of family and friendship, and span many genres, from slice of life, action, and historical fiction, and include LGBTQ characters and arcs!

Other Works

Brief introductions to Nabari no Ou, Shounen Note, and Busshi no Busshin under the read more.

Nabari no Ou

Kamatani’s first and most well known series. It was made into a 2 season anime, and both the manga and anime have been adapted into many languages, including English, and has numerous other adaptions such as drama cds as well. However I really don’t recommend watching the anime before or instead of the manga. Many of the character backstories are changed, as well as the arcs and overall story, as the anime changes the ending and ends before the manga. The majority of the important arcs and character development occurs in the parts not included in the anime.

An action manga set in a modern ninja world. The series centers around Miharu Rokujou, a 14-year-old boy who is the possessor of a secret ninja art called the Shinrabanshou, which gives the user the power of creation and knowledge of the universe. However, he wants nothing to do with it or the ninja world, despite how much his situation and the people around him drag him into it. He later meets an enemy ninja named Yoite who wants Miharu to use the Shinrabanshou to erase his existence before he dies, and the two make a promise to find a way to make it so Yoite never existed, while also collecting the other forbidden arts of other villages which would help them find a way to remove the Shinrabanshou from Miharu for good.

Shounen Note

Shounen Note: Days of Evanescence is Kamatani’s second main series. All eight volumes have been localized in Spanish by Ediciones Tomodomo under the name of Shonen Note. If you order it from the Spanish publisher’s website, it also comes with special bookmarks/postcards for each volume.

The story is a slice of life, somewhat sports-y type manga with its competitive choir competitions. It centers around Yutaka Aoi, a middle schooler with a love for singing who joins his school choir, and later an opera group. It follows the stories of him and his choirmates, as well as Vladimir, a Russian boy soprano, as they compete in choir competitions, perform in operas, and attempt to support their town. It’s also jam-packed with really neat visual metaphors.

Busshi no Busshin

Busshi no Busshin - The Sculptor's Buddhakaya is the series Kamatani was working on prior to Shimanami Tasogare, and for some time, simultaneously, before putting the series on hiatus to focus on Shimanami. Other than Chinese, it has not yet been localized in any other languages, but currently has five volumes.

The story is historical fiction with lots of action. It follows Sou, a Buddhist image sculptor (busshi) who can use a technique called raigou to call Buddhas and other gods into the sculptures he carves. While fighting the goddess Mizuchi who was attacking his homeland, he summons the Bodhisattva Myoujou to save them, but the two are easily defeated and eaten in half, leaving each with only half their body. In a last ditch attempt to survive, Sou manages to fuse his remaining body with the remaining half of the statue he had used to summon Myoujou. Five years later, he finally reawakens, but must now face the return of Mizuchi and the Heike clan who seek revenge for their defeat alongside the family of busshi that took him in .

#shimanami tasogare #yuhki kamatani #kamatani yuhki #nabari no ou #shounen note #busshi no busshin #i.......... was going to go in more depth but maybe another day idk #im not greeeeeeeaaat at explaining things :"D #i could go on more abt kamatani's style #but that would def turn into an essay #and is a lot more......... on personal interpretation side #also LGBTQ+ rep in most of their stories other than shimanami!!!#whoops didnt see most recent tweet from tomodomo #it's june or july now

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shazzeaslightnovels · 6 years ago

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Reading Log - April 2019

Volume Count: 8

My first month without Saekano and I finished off Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu and read all my volumes of Ankoku Kishi wo Nugasanaide. I also read Cafe de Blood, a one-shot by the author of Psycome and started Slime Taoshite 300-nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level Max ni Nattemashita and Saijaku Muahi no Bahamut.

This post does contain spoilers for Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu vol. 4, but other than that are no spoilers. I put the mini-review for Iriya at the very bottom of the post so you can easily avoid spoilers.

(Finally figured out how to shrink image sizes so I can put the volume covers to make this post look more interesting. Yay! Let me know if they aren’t visible to you.)

Ankoku Kishi wo Nugasanaide 2 & 3 by Shinichi Kimura

Putting these under the same entry because my feelings on them didn’t differ much between them. After my lukewarm feelings on the first volume, I didn’t have much hope that the following volumes would be better and I was right. I was rewatching Kore wa Zombie desu ka? and I didn’t like it nearly as much as I used to so it’s possible that I’ve just grown out of this type of humour but I do think that KoreZom is better than this series as Ayumu really stands out as a protagonist while Kurama lacks anything that makes him interesting. He’s a bit of an idiot sometimes but that’s it. The reader has no reason to care about him. The other major issue is that I found the scenes to be too long so I would start a scene being somewhat interested but would quickly get bored before it was over. Volume 2 was a little bit better than volume 1 but volume 3 introduced a perverted lesbian character who doesn’t understand the meaning of consent and my views of this series dropped to rock-bottom. I do think that it’s possible to enjoy this series if you’re into this kind of humour and found KoreZom to be hilarious but I won’t be buying any future volumes.

Slime Taoshite 300-nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level Max ni Natteshimatta 1 by Kisetsu Morita

It took me 10 days to read this which is a lot longer than I usually take for a volume of this size. Amazon lists the volume as 281 pages while BookWalker says it’s around 320 pages. Either way, it felt like the page count was pushing it for a story where not a whole lot happens. It was relaxing at first but I quickly got bored of it. For most of the volume, each chapter introduces a character and you get to spend a little bit of time with them before moving on to the next character. And I don’t think it spent enough time getting me to care about the character it just introduced before moving on to the next one so I didn’t really care when the “climax” happened. Also, I don’t think the 300 years thing was really thought out - it’s just there to get Azusa at an OP level but we barely know what she did for those 300 years. We know that she read a lot, killed slimes, learned how to use herbs to make medicine and helped some villagers but I want to know what kind of books she read because you would think that after 300 years of reading books, she would be quite knowledgeable in just about every field but other characters still have to explain things to her for the sake of the reader. Another issue I had with this volume is that even though Azusa is a female protagonist, she’s not really written like one. The series still uses a male gaze. A really good example of this is when Halkara is introduced and the first thing Azusa notices about her is her large boobs and butt and not in a yuri way but more of in a breast envy way. You could change her into a male character and not much would change. I don’t think this will bother too many people but it sure did bother me. In general, I think this series will be a good relaxing series but it lacks any overall direction to be an entertaining series. I’d recommend if you want to take it easy and I’d especially recommend it if you’re learning Japanese and want to read a story set in a fantasy a world as it’s pretty easy to read though there are a couple of tricky parts. If you want a slice of life set in a fantasy world, this would probably do the trick.

I’m not sure if I will continue with this series. I can see that it has some nice elements to it and I do feel like the series will feature more yuri in future volumes if the covers are anything to go by but I’m not sure it’s the series for me so we’ll have to wait and see.

The manga version of this is pretty good. It has a cute art style (though I prefer Benio’s art in the original) and is a 1:1 adaptation but doesn’t improve the source material much so it’s probably not worth reading unless it’s the only version of the story you have access to or you really like the novels.

Yen-press is currently publishing this series in English under the title of I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level so please pick it up if the series interests you.

Cafe de Blood by Mizuki Mizushiro

This is a one-shot from the author of Psycome and it’s kind of what you’d expect from the title: it’s about a café that serves vampires blood and the human male who works there. It’s not terrible but it’s pretty plain and the heroine doesn’t stand out much. While I do think that people who like vampires would find this worth the read, it features one of the more plain versions of vampires that I’ve seen. There’s also some pretty annoying stuff in it like a paedophile/lolicon vampire who talks in a mangle of English and Japanese and is super annoying as well as a character who’s only function seems to be to have big boobs. It might have been a good first volume for a longer series but it’s not a memorable one-shot. If you liked PsyCome, I do think you would like this a lot but I just found it too plain to care much for it. I do love Namanie’s art style though so that was definitely the highlight of the book for me.

Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut 1 by Senri Akatsuki

Little known fact about me: I actually really like this kind of school battle fantasy. I know most of them follow the same template but I’ve always enjoyed reading them anyway and I enjoyed this volume a lot. I loved the characters and their interactions, I loved the battles and I loved the atmosphere that comes with these kinds of stories. Don’t get me wrong, Bahamut is far from being original but reading this volume was so much fun and I got really interested in the plot. I love that Lisha’s a geeky mechanic and I love that the story has the old empire being corrupt while most modern light novels would make this a story about Lux manipulating everyone into getting him back on the throne. I do think that the exposition was sometimes awkward and I don’t think this would be a fun read for people who place importance in originality but I certainly had fun with it. I was surprised by how much I liked this given that I remember reading this volume in English a few years back and not caring for it but I did and I can’t wait to read the second volume for my girl Krulcifer.

The anime adapts this volume into 2 episodes and cuts out a lot of good character moments but I think they probably made the right call as so many light novel adaptations have failed due to the staff’s unwillingness to do anything but a 1:1 adaptation (Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dane comes to mind; I don’t know anyone who really enjoyed this series prior to volume 4 but the anime only adapts the first 3 volumes). The anime has really clumsy exposition even more so than the light novel. I liked the novel more but I think the anime serves as a good advertisement for the series so, if the anime got you interested in the plot, I highly recommend checking out the light novels.

The manga is a closer adaptation and it’s fine but the novels are better. The manga does make some interesting character design choices though like making the teacher indistinguishable from the students. Probably wouldn’t recommend the manga unless you don’t have access to the light novels.

Juuou Mujin no Fafnir by Tsukasa

And here I thought Bahamut had clumsy exposition but at least it only provided the reader with information on a need-to-know basis and spread it out over the volume. Fafnir just gives it to you in the first couple of chapters and the battle mechanics are way to complicated to do that. In my opinion, the author should have made the battle mechanics more simple or spread it out more instead of dumping it at the start and hoping the reader paid attention when it becomes relevant later. Otherwise, I didn’t really like this volume but I didn’t hate it either. I think the story has potential and Iris is a charming main heroine and I enjoyed seeing her character and relationship with Yuu grow throughout the volume. But, aside from Iris and maybe Mitsuki, none of the characters really stand out. Yuu’s your typical protagonist with a bit of a snarky attitude and a dark past. I’ve seen worse protagonists but he doesn’t strike me as particularly interesting and characters like Lisa and Firill don’t really do much and are just kind of there. That has the potential to change in future volume but it’s an issue in this one. I will probably continue with this as I remember being fond of the later volumes when I read them in English but it might be take a while to get around to.

I won’t be covering the manga or anime on this blog as I don’t have easy access to them.

Dokuhaki Hime to Hoshi no Ishi by Izuki Kougyoku

Last month, I talked about Torikago Miko to Seiken no Kishi which is actually a spin-off to this novel which in turn is a sequel to Mimizuku to Yoru no Ou. I didn’t mention this then because I didn’t realize that characters from Torikago Miko would actually show up in this. I just thought they were in the same setting. And it’s been so many years since I read Mimizuku that, while I know that some of these characters are from Mimizuku, I wouldn’t be able to tell you exactly which ones. Regardless, this didn’t impede my enjoyment of this novel at all so I don’t think that reading Mimizuku is required to understand and enjoy this story.

Regarding the work itself, I really liked it. I think it was a perfect one-shot that was incredibly compelling. I loved Elsa. She’s very different from the usual female protagonist in that the best ways that I could describe her at the start of the story are “feral”, “angry” and “broken”. She’s experienced so much abuse in her life and I think this story is really about healing after so much trauma and finding a place that will accept you where you can be free to be whoever you want. I really enjoyed that theme of the story. I didn’t find Claudius to be that interesting of a character but he’s a nice guy and I’m glad that Elsa found someone to support her. I recommend this work if you want to read a fantasy story that’s really about healing, especially if you’re a fan of fairy-tale inspired stories.

I’d be interested in doing a closer re-read of this in the future and doing a proper essay-type post on the themes because I think there’s a lot going on underneath the surface of the story here and I think there’s a lot to say about how Elsa is the only character to express her anger and sadness in a straight-forward manner while everyone else tends to be more passive-agressive about it.

THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR IRIYA NO SORA, UFO NO NATSU 4! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu 4 by Mizuhito Akiyama

Before I read this volume, I was panning on doing a full review of the series but, before the first 100 pages of the volume were over, someone tries to sexually assault Iriya. I do not know whether this attempt was successful or not because, as soon as I realized what was happening, I had to skip through the scene. This scene is incredibly poorly done. We never get to see Iriya’s POV of this event either during or after it happens. Instead, the story decides to continue to focus on Asaba and how stressed he is. Perhaps I’m thinking too hard about it but the fact that this scene is juxtaposed with a scene of Asaba acquiring a porn mag and masturbating and that adolescence is a primary theme of the series makes me think that this scene is meant to imply that “boys desire girls while girls get to be desired” as neccesary part of adolescence. Furthermore, at the end of the volume, Iriya dies and it feels like she got fridged for the sake of Asaba’s character. And, to be honest, Iriya has never really felt like a proper character to me. She’s always felt too perfect to be one. The only time she felt like one was during the eating battle with Akiho. We’ve never gotten the story from her POV and that prevents her from becoming a proper character like the others. She feels like an idealised Mysterious Girl who motivates the other characters but has no real motivation for herself. Part of this is undoubtably because of when it was written but I can’t overlook these flaws because of that, espcially since I was around the ages of 3 and 5 when this was written so I don’t feel that same nostalgia that this series is trying to make me feel. I never went to middle school either and Australia high schools are very different from Japanese ones so I feel none of the nostalgia that this series is praised for.

I think this series has it’s charming moments and it’s not as though this volume was boring but I just can’t overlook the things I’ve mentioned. I could only really recommend this series if you are interested in the history of light novels or you are interested in reading a coming-of-age story with a bit of sci-fi.

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scrubstudies · 8 years ago

Photo

O K Y A L L this is gonna be a R A N T post because i’ve just got a lot to say SO under the cut will be a synopsis of my week this far and its only TUESDAY so yeah enjoy 😇

19092017, 12:59p

question: would anyone even be interested if i started making vlogs on youtube? i’ve been creeping on vloggers for months now and i’ve always wanted to make them!! it would be anonymous of course so they might be kind of boring but i think it would be fun to do so if you’d be someone who would watch them, let me know!! we’ll see!!

sunday. i was really worried about my week. overall, i had 2 essays, a unit exam, three readings, two quizzes, a position post, and two interactive reading reports (i.r.r.) due. the readings, quizzes, post, and i.r.r. are all things i have to do every week anyway, and they all take quite a while. the stressful part was balancing these regular assignments with the exam and the two essays i had to do. one essay was due on tuesday, the other on thursday, and the exam was on friday. i was low-key freaking out, and it was showing itself in the fact that it took me 4 times to make this week’s spread! i was so stressed trying to write out everything i had to do and i kept messing up, and eventually i gave up on trying to make it artsy and just made it simple like i have been. i just finished that spread 10 minutes ago, so yeah.

yesterday, monday. the first thing i did monday morning was check my e-mail, and OMG the first break of the day! the tuesday essay got pushed back to saturday at 11:30 pm! i was so excited, even though i knew that meant i would procrastinate even more...i just accepted that though because i knew i had more important assignments to work on and i could focus on that essay on friday and all day saturday. then i was off to school, and in my first class of the day i had my second break--my art history exam was pushed back a week! so now i don’t have to worry about it at all this week and can start on it this upcoming sunday instead of shoving it into this busy week. however, my last class of the day threw a tiny bit of a curveball--i have an exam due sunday. BUT this exam is open book!!! so it won’t be too hard to get ready for it, i need to read the chapters and make good notes but it’s not the end of the world if i don’t get everything down. what i’ll end up doing is answering all the questions before even opening my book or notes and then going back and checking honestly! that way i’m not cheating lol. i really do want to learn!

today, tuesday. today has been alright! i had an early class and went to that and learned that my regularly scheduled quiz was cancelled so we could focus on our essays! so that’s one less thing i could knock off my to-do list! yay. now i’m camped out in the library because i have a 3-hour break between that class and my last class of the day. i finished my assignment that’s due today and it was HORRENDOUS because the first chapter was on Chicago citation style and ??? i’ve only ever done MLA and it was just so much info! and then the second chapter was all about spelling and ??? that was just exhausting because we have to interact with each chapter and it was so hard when i’m familiar with everything since i’ve always been strong in spelling ? ugh it was just boring. then i FINALLY finished my spread for this week, and now i’m patiently waiting for the campus deli to clear out so i can go heat up my instant noodles in peace.....i really need to do my ethics readings today as well as make the outline for my paper due thursday! ALSO i have a field test today and it’s running or walking 2 miles and I HAVENT RAN SINCE LAST SEMESTER so i’m definitely gonna walk it but still i’m not excited for that.....but YEAH

that’s pretty much it so far, if you read all of this thank u for being a dedicated friend, NOW ITS TIME TO GO MAKE MY NOODLES.

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comicteaparty · 7 years ago

Text

August 23rd, 2018 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party chat that occurred on August 23rd, 2018, from 5PM - 7PM PDT. The chat focused on Pathways: Chronicles of Tuvana by Elaine Tipping.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

COMIC TEA PARTY START!

Good day everyone~! This week’s Comic Tea Party is now officially beginning~! Today we are discussing Pathways: Chronicles of Tuvana by Elaine Tipping~! (http://pathways.smackjeeves.com/) For those new or in need of a reminder, discussions about the comic are freeform, so please feel free to bring up whatever you wish. However, every 30 minutes I will be dropping in a discussion question for participants to help those who would like a prompt. These questions are totally OPTIONAL to answer! If you miss out on any though, they’ll be pinned for the duration of the chat once they’re posted~! Remember, constructive criticism is allowed, but the primary focus here is to have fun and appreciate the amazing comic~! All that being said, let’s get started and have a great discussion!

QUESTION 1. What is your favorite scene in the comic so far and why?

snuffysam

the most recent couple pages are my favorite

"help me!" hides under cape

Kabocha

Ufufufu. Actually I'm really enjoying the current scene and chapter with Atawn trying to escape. Both he and this guard are in for an adventure... Also, the guard is such a good egg. I hope we find out their name soon.

Respheal

The guard is a good friend

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yeah i loved the cape thing. mostly cause i appreciate any cape that is big enough to hide a whole person

Respheal

I liked finding the people in the cave because that was the first bit where I was really like "Go on....-scoots forward in seat-"

Kabocha

The stakes are super high, too. Like, I'm already super into the adorable scholar character type, so I want to protect him. I'm a little bit surprised how quickly things escalated. (Well, not really)

YES

I wonder what the deal is

http://pathways.smackjeeves.com/comics/2595217/pathways-58/ We know they're considered Gods now, but it's like. ........ All right, so....... how doomed is everyone, and how many survivors are there going to be out of the researchers, not counting Atawn

snuffysam

doomed from the gods or doomed from getting their camps burned?

Kabocha

It's DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM Does it really matter? I mean, Zealots are gonna zealot....

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

unless the zealots arent zealoting and just know more and are trying to save everyone from the scourge that is their spooky gods

TriaElf9

Eee I'm glad people like the cape bit, I'm so happy we hit it before this chat happened ^_^

🎵Tenor🎶

IDK if ill be back in time but wanted to say I love the story and art and I have so many speculations. Love its presentation and eager 4 more

Kabocha

@✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨ ...Good point. That would be a twist XD

"OUR GODS ARE AWFUL, WE WANTED THEM TO REMAIN BURIED AND DEAD"

snuffysam

"nobody leaves" sounds like a fun way to save people

as does setting their tents on fire

Respheal

My first impression is that the Akarna aren't awful? I didn't get that sorta vibe from them.....in what little we've seen

But yeah, zealots gonna zealot

Kabocha

What types of gods command you to light things on fire?!

The best ones

.......or the worst ones, if they're living things

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

well tbf they couldve lit the tents on fire while the scholars were inside

legit that is what i expected when atawn turned the corner

to just have on fire ppl everywhere

>_>

Respheal

Hahaha kinda x'D

That woulda been baaaaaaaaaaad

As if the situation isn't bad enough as it is

Kabocha

you mean they're not planning to do that now?

I mean, they realized Atawn escaped, if he gets caught, he's SUPER dead

and so is the guard, I'm sure

Respheal

.....probably

They certainly don't want this info leaving

Kabocha

Yeahhhhhhh

Respheal

Makes me wonder if they have some more "humane" way of not letting the information leave

Since clearly the books aren't leaving this camp

(Mind wiping? I dunno lol)

Kabocha

What is the magic like in this world, I wonder :3

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i think they mentioned they were gonna lock them up

so just eternal prison

forever

Respheal

Kabocha

They're going to get tired of feeding them at some point

TriaElf9

Yeah I will note, that big tent was the main research tent, so essentially they burnt all the information that'd been collected

And yeah, they have indeed started the clock on that, where it leads, we'll have to see ^_-

Kabocha

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

TriaElf9

TELL ME ABOUT IT it's very hard to not just blurt it all out AHHHH

Respheal

x'D

It was smart to tell Atawn to just memorize everything though

Kabocha

I'm not at the point in the comic where I can start spouting conspiracy theories. I MUST KNOW MORE

Respheal

Good bit of foresight there

Kabocha

or am I

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

plot twist: everyone just goes home and lives happily ever after, no deaths. and the bad guys pay for the damages.

TriaElf9

I want to know the theories!!

AHAHAH perfect, it's just festivals and parties until the end

Respheal

All I know is I'm in the "An Akarna person joins the party" party

Kabocha

Ahahahaha

The Guard's actually a spy

Respheal

Wakey, wakey, Akarna person, you've overslept by like a thousand years

Kabocha

He's infiltrated the Mikarna, and is looking to get information out about their gods, and the TRUTH about the Akarna's sudden disappearance

The truth being they have a secret magitek that was sealed away -- because they threatened the world. The other countries engaged in a war with them resulting in a pyrrhic victory... and forcing the Akarna underground for millenia...

.................................And they all had cake

TriaElf9

mmmm cake

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

well at least cake denotes a happy ending O_O

Kabocha

That's the terrible Magitek secret the Akarna had. A killer cake recipe.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

the one cake to rule them all

snuffysam

there's a reason they call it death by chocolate

Kabocha

GASP

TriaElf9

AHAH ^_^

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

aside from the guards since were still on favorite scene i want to mention i really enjoyed the festival montage. it was nice seeing all the activities, and i think the fireworks at the end really tied it all together with some beautiful imagery

Kabocha

A shame they're going to soon be embroiled in an international incident

TriaElf9

Aww, yay! ^_^

eheh

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

well we have to have calm before the storm O_O so ill take what calm i can get

Kabocha

I'm sure there'll be plenty of nice, calm moments

TriaElf9

I actually drew all that after having gone through festival season here, as well as a fireworks festival, so I had a lot of places to draw from for inspiration ^_^

Kabocha

enough for us to get attached to all of the adorable characters

Awww

TriaElf9

OH yes, I want to show the world through down-time as well as the AHHH time ^_^ it can't all be AHHHH or we'd get tired

Kabocha

YES

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i also wanna say i really love that one doublepage where you see the crowd and the wall. i really love that huge sense of scale that makes you go "dang those walls are some marvel of architecture."

Kabocha

The color illustrations for pathways are a treat, too

http://pathways.smackjeeves.com/comics/2534068/chapter-2-the-dig/ Like, even though this is based in what could be a very brown landscape, the reds and greens add such a nice warmth to it, and the cool blues for shading are just pleasant

TriaElf9

Fun fact, that city is actually the smallest of the main cities in Tuvana ^_-

And I'm glad that page came out well, it took foreeeveerrrrrrr

Kabocha

http://pathways.smackjeeves.com/comics/2622607/chpt-3-attack-on-the-camp/ ...To be honest, it took everything in me not to start throwing fire puns when this page came out

Respheal

Do it

Unleash the puns

Kabocha

It's so serious in context, I can't help but make fire jokes

TriaElf9

I love how it was all "yeah, I'm gonna start this comic, it'll be great! I'll just start with....a massive festival... with thousands of people WHY DID I DO THIS TO MYSELF

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i demand fire puns

Respheal

They are both very nice cover pages

Ha! xD

TriaElf9

omh puns are the best

Kabocha

This cover page is HOT -- have you seen it yet?!

TriaElf9

HEHEH

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

beautiful

serious context is even more reason for puns

gotta defuse that tense situation

TriaElf9

so true

Kabocha

The Mikarna really brought the heat!

My passion for this comic cannot be extinguished!

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

but puns aside i do think the chapter covers are really nice. its some immensely beautiful coloring.

TriaElf9

Ah, Miakarna ^_^

but yes, they did bring the heat eheh

aww, thank you! ^////^

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

masterpieces. kabo just gonna have to make a book of puns to story situations

Kabocha

Things are really heating up for the researchers... ....You could say it's... in tents...

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

the holy head guy was like "you need to put the heat on." miakarna set the tents on fire. holy head guy like "I DIDNT MEAN LITERALLY"

Kabocha

PFFFF

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

QUESTION 2. After discovering the supposed Akarna, things go downhill for the scholars at the ruins rather quickly. Do you think that Atawn will manage to escape? If he does, will he actually manage to make it somewhere safe, or will he be pursued and captured eventually anyway? Where will Atawn even go? Why do you think that Miakarna guard is helping Atawn, and will the guard suffer consequences for helping later on? Will Atawn’s records be of use, and if so how? What do you think will happen to the other scholars that Atawn left behind? Lastly, what do you think will be the consequences for the Miakarna regarding their actions? Will they spark a potential war, or will their declaration of the scholars being profane be allowed to stand?

Kabocha

Someone told the Mikarna to light a fire under someone's ass to get all the research disposed of -- they probably weren't meaning literally

TriaElf9

Oh man, all great questions!!!

snuffysam

maybe this whole thing is a misunderstanding. maybe the miakarna are fine with discovering religious secrets, they just don't like holes in the ground.

Kabocha

@snuffysam -- like Trypophobia, just on a large scale?

where there's one hole with people in it, there might be another

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

holes are like graffiti of the earth

cant have hoodlums adding their graffiti

snuffysam

my hope is that atawn and the guard become best buddies and escape to visit taria and friends. and then the gang has a bunch of misadventures in an attempt to quell a brewing holy war.

Kabocha

http://pathways.smackjeeves.com/comics/2610497/pathways-62/ Well, Rykhana'i will probably not take this well. "Oh, yeah, we uh, lost one of your guys, and burnt all their research. No you can't visit them. NO. THEY'RE TOTALLY FINE"(edited)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

this is assuming they can get word out. which tbh i do think they can

i think atawn will make it

with the guards help

Kabocha

we can hope

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i believe O_O

although i dont think the guard is going to be safe in the long run

Kabocha

Is the guard already raising death flags for you?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yes

ankoart

Atawn's gonna escape, but probably be pursued as he tries to tell others about what he's seen. A man on the run! The guard is gonna join him cause he probably knows shady stuff is afoot and feels guilty just standing by and doing nothing. He seems like the thoughtful type, and he probably became a guard to protect and serve others, not deceive them.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

super death flags

the guard is a profaner O_O

Kabocha

To be honest, I think Atawn's more likely to be injured badly and have to adapt, the guard will be fine long-term.

ankoart

-hugs the guard- don't you touch him

TriaElf9

eats popcorn, grinning

Kabocha

oh no

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yeah i do get the impression the guard has a kind soul at least and is becoming disillusioned

which good for the guard

Kabocha

I still think the guard's a spy

TriaElf9

WHY CAN'T I DRAW THE COMIC FASTERRRR so many parts to get toooo

Kabocha

AHAHAHAHAHAH

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

someone on the inside should be thinking "maybe its us who are the bad guys"

TriaElf9

"are we the baddies?"

ankoart

Maybe the real baddies are the friends we made along the way

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

LOL the plot twist of the century

Kabocha

http://pathways.smackjeeves.com/comics/2550453/pathways-43/ I dunno, Guard totally knows who the baddies are. They're very observant

OH NO ANKO

@TriaElf9 -- ....how long until we find out the Guard's name

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

in regards to the other scholars i also see death flags over them. like i think for now theyll be locked up. but then ya know, public executions of the profane and all that to set an example

im gonna burst out laughing if the guard's name is "Guard"

Kabocha

As soon as Atawn finds a place to stop and write a letter, there's going to be a newspaper or something: "SCHOLARS FIRED"

TriaElf9

AHAH

Respheal

> FIRED

Why

Why do you do this

TriaElf9

We'll learn more about the guard soon, I've drawn those pages already, it's just a matter of getting to them in the posting schedule ^_-

extra extra, read all about it! ^_^

Kabocha

@TriaElf9 appreciates my awful, awful jokes

ankoart

It's good to have things to look forward to reading soon!

Respheal

The guard seems smart, so I imagine they'll make it out of this alright I don't foresee them following the narrative much though? But that's just my guess

TriaElf9

I'm trying to build a buffer, so I'm like a bunch of pages ahead, so I keep getting surprised when I check the site and we're not there yet lol

Kabocha

Aaaaaaa I know this feeling. XD But that's okay

So, so far, I can group everyone in this comic into two distinct groups: "Adorable Characters I must protect" and "Flamethrowers"

Respheal

Yes xD

TriaElf9

EHEH

ankoart

I get the feeling they're gonna be joining the narrative to stay~

Kabocha

Actually, you know.... Could we call this event the start of a... flame war?

TriaElf9

I think the other question is, how is this all going to affect Atawn really ^_-

AHAHAHAH

Respheal

istg

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i feel the guard will be around for a while at least. the guard will rise to help again O_O

atawn will be fine. no years of therapy needed or anything

Kabocha

Yep

Respheal

Oh yeah I imagine the guard'll be back at some point if we do part ways with them now

TriaElf9

no survivor's guilt or anything NAH

Kabocha

definitely no therapy necessary never

Respheal

Ahahahaha poor Atawn x'D

Kabocha

Y'all should look at the vote incentive

snuffysam

atawn and the guard get captured. the rest of the comic is taria and gang doing something completely different.

Respheal

Wait

Waaaaaaaaaaaait

the person behind Atawn

TriaElf9

Oh yeah, my full cast art reveals a lot lol

Respheal

I rescind my remarks; Guardfriend joins the gang

Kabocha

GuardFriend is even more adorable without the helmet

TriaElf9

tho it takes the context of connecting faces and people eheheh

excelleennnttt ^_^

Kabocha

+10 want to protect score

Respheal

Also I do really love the umbrella idea with that art. So cute!

ankoart

I wanna know more about the dragons. Everyone deserves dragon cuddles.

Kabocha

YES OH GOODNESS

the dragons are freakin' CUTE

Respheal

Shvir is a good noodle friend

TriaElf9

I also wanted to do a pride yukata picture, but I just didn't have time that month, sadly

Kabocha

How large do the dragons grow?

TriaElf9

a full cast of 8 characters turned out to be murder on the hands lol

they vary in size

they can be tiny to massive

Kabocha

Oooh

ankoart

I need one

Alakotila

Just in time for the cute dragon talk!!

TriaElf9

I haven't much gotten into the dragon stuff yet, but a few people picked up on some of it during the first chapter

eyy, dragon talk! welcome! ^_^

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

the dragons were cute but i was curious why all the royalty seemed to have them

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

pant pant pant

Sorry I'm late!

snuffysam

maybe just a popular pet

a popular, expensive pet

Respheal

I suspect there's more to it than that

TriaElf9

more popcorn and grinning

Kabocha

I imagine there's some sort of bonding

ankoart

Yeah they seem like more than just "pets." Companion seems a better word

TriaElf9

Companion is a very good word for it ^_^

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Heehee~

So i see you're the creative mind that made this comic, aren't ya Tria?

ankoart

I'd like to know how they find each other, dragons and their people.

TriaElf9

I am indeed ^_^

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Heehee, pleased to meet ya~

TriaElf9

and I'm having such a hard time not just like spilling all the beaannnssss

Kabocha

Are you cackling like mad?

ankoart

Oh no, all these beans!

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

maybe its both. maybe the dragons are companions...but also expensive pets O_O

TriaElf9

cackling ^_^

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

A 500 dollar pet?

Kabocha

Don't spill the beans, they're needed for setsubun

TriaElf9

very true, gotta keep those oni out

I will drop that size of dragons is actually a plot point, there is a reason to size ^_-(edited)

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

oooh?

Kabocha

Ooooh

Interesting...

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Are you hiding something from us?

Kabocha

............................................................................ HMMMMMMM

Well, yes, that's the point of telling a story :'3

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Ye~

Kabocha

things are hidden from the reader and gradually revealed

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

And I like that there's dragons that are friendly to each other

TriaElf9

it's not a huge thing, really, but there are layers to it ^_^

Respheal

It's definitely just the royal people that have dragon companions, since a merchant recognized them as royalty for having dragon companions

A pact, mayhaps?

ankoart

The bigger the dragon the gayer you become

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Hmm, Ice Candy

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i feel like it must be related to magic somehow. but thats all i got on that one. need to see the dragons more.

Kabocha

It's interesting that royalty is easily able to walk amongst their people. Must be a pretty peaceful country.

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

As a food enthusiast I need to know exactly what kind fo treat it is

Is it like water ice but with bigger chunks of ice?

Kabocha

It'd be a shame if the Mikarna did something....

TriaElf9

Oh Ice Candy is similar to shaved Ice ^_^

snuffysam

might just be a funny way to say sno cone

yup got it in one

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Heehee

I was thinking of having a snow cone earlier lol

TriaElf9

they call it kakigori at festivals here

and it's one of my go to favs, so I had to include it of course eheheh

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

You live in Japan?

TriaElf9

I do! ^_^

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

That's epic! I always wanted to see what living there was like but I'm too afraid to leave my own home XD It's got everything I could want, but I digress

Kabocha

http://i.imgur.com/sZQnzuA.jpg This, I feel, is an accurate representation of the Mikarna. But, y'know, with fire

Respheal

snrk

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

And I love that the dragons share the treats with their masters~

ankoart

Haha, cat reaction posts are always best

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

So many food vendors too at this fair in the first chapter

Respheal

A cat dragon

snuffysam

i feel like fairs generally have a lot of food vendors?

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Yea

though some just serve lots and lots of fast food

and it's usually the same stuff every time

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

tbf in the comic its the harvest festival

TriaElf9

the dragons are very cat for sure ^_^

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

and well

harvest

food is implied in the name O_O

snuffysam

you know what my favorite thing to harvest is?

ice

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

You have a good point there

TriaElf9

It's basically a matsuri

ankoart

lol

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

>harvesting ice

Kabocha

http://pathways.smackjeeves.com/comics/2521877/pathways-8/ EVERYONE MUST ATTEND AND HAVE FUN

TriaElf9

it's a festival to celebrate a time or a thing, but they also have staple foods at these things

Kabocha

actually, Shvir's expression is just Way too cute there

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

like the aforementioned candy ice?

wondering what flavors they have there too

TriaElf9

various Tuvana fruits flavors probably

also, I am that servant, and Taria is deffo people trying to get me to stop working and GO TO THE DARN MATSURI lol

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i feel like being told its a royal order is a gurantee to not have fun. too much pressure. starts running around forcefully laughing saying, "AM I HAVING FUN NOW!?"

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

In the end it's all about the matsuris

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

QUESTION 3. At the beginning of the comic we are introduced to Taria, Dhiren, and Quinel, royalty far detached from the current situation at the ruins. What do you think their overall roles in the story will be? Will they deal with the situation at the ruins personally, have heavy involvement in the political arena regarding the Miakarna, or will they be involved in some other way? Will Dhiren successfully have his ceremony to celebrate the promise of Cova’t with Jorah, or will the situation with Miakarna throw those plans into disarray? Will Quinel’s role at the House of Healing be significant, and do you consider it foreshadowing of something to come? What about Taria? Will her fighting skills come into play, her apparent charity, or something else?

snuffysam

i think they'll be among the first to find out about the tent-burning

TriaElf9

AHH EVEN MORE GOOD QUESTIONS

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

That's our Rebel!

snuffysam

atawn manages to escape and gets word to them somehow

TriaElf9

Given that Taria and Atawn are from the same country, that's a good bet ^_-(edited)

snuffysam

and honestly quinel being a healer could factor in right then and there

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Maybe~

snuffysam

i doubt he'll escape without a scratch

Kabocha

Taria strikes me as an action princess, so she's going to want to be out there to check on things. I wonder if she knows Atawn though?

Yeah, Quinel's going to be very useful... ............."Yeah, we'll dispatch our best healers to help" ...."Everyone's dead."

TriaElf9

I wonder what the state of necromancy-like magic is in Tuvana? ^_-

Kabocha

.................

OH NO

TriaElf9

This could mean everything OR NOTHING

cackles more

Kabocha

They're going to end up pod people! and then there to wage war against their own peoples!

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

quinel for resident necromancer

Kabocha

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Finally, I binged all the way to the end so far!

Respheal

Just need a lot of diamonds.........#dnd(edited)

TriaElf9

We also have 3 more characters to meet ^_-

Kabocha

I object to this! Atawn strikes me as much more likely to approach Necromancy from a scholarly point of view.

TriaElf9

I can't wait for chapter 4 ahhhhhhhh

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

3 more to meet, you say? :3

TriaElf9

so many diamonds

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

quinel's healing will be useful tho. healers are always useful.

Alakotila

hohohoho

TriaElf9

need that revial spell lol

Alakotila

I guess I can't say anything there

Kabocha

OH DEAR

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Made it for the second hour. ^.^

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

hey math~!

Kabocha

ALAKOTILA KNOWS SPOILERS

TriaElf9

woo, welcome! ^_^

OH RIGHT

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

I also like Atawn's water-generating ability

Alakotila

EDITOR IN THE HOUSE

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

also HEY MATH!

TriaElf9

MY EDITOR KNOWS THINGSS

Kabocha

:'3

Respheal

That was handy xD "Oh, no access to water....welp. -generates water-"

Alakotila

that was a whole ton of good questions up there Rebel!

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

speaking of the water-generating ability i was super stoked to see magic used for something practical like that

thank you

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Oh, you're the editor of this here story?

Alakotila

yeah! that was awesome!

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Hmm, so the royalty will probably have to try and calm down the populus when they see all the smoke from the fire.

snuffysam

how far away is the site?

Alakotila

just the copy editor! all fabulousness is created by @TriaElf9 !

Respheal

I imagine the camp is pretty far away

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

There is hydrogen and oxygen in the air, just need the magical bonds.

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Sometimes mundane is all you need

And nice X3

Kabocha

If you really want it to explode, just break those bonds

TriaElf9

yes, they check me on my very over use of commas and my rambling ahah

Kabocha

and uh ....add a spark

ahahahah

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

lol

TriaElf9

Yeah the camp is pretty far and surrounded mostly by mountains

we'll see more of the land in the next upcoming bit

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Oh Tria, I have a small idea for the sit if you're the one that made/coded it(edited)

Kabocha

Rumors of the scholars' fate may spread like wildfire once Atawn escapes....

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

so i feel like war is for sure brewing and theyll have to try and stop it. cause at the very least i think this current discovery is gonna make the miakarna invade all the ruins which iirc are spread out on all four lands

TriaElf9

and I'm glad you're liking the magic! I'm really proud of the system and can't wait to share more ^_^

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Yea, it's really good magic~!

Kabocha

The Akarna ruled the world with their cake recipes!

Alakotila

CAKE

Kabocha

I mean, they were considered Gods... OF BAKING

TriaElf9

Oh and no, I have loads of help on the site, I'm useless at those things lol

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Lol, alright then

ankoart

Now I wanna make cake

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Cause I thought of suggesting using the arrow keys to navigate through pages

instead of just clicking the page

also

DID SOMEONE SAY CAKE?

TriaElf9

I always want cake, I went out and got cake during last night's typhoon

Kabocha

Ooooh, what kind of cake though

ankoart

-stares at bag full of ingredients to make ace dessert- maybe I'll finally do that this weekend

Respheal

....-wants cake now-

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

I got italian ices during a bad thunderstorm

Alakotila

that's pretty extreme cake getting lol

TriaElf9

I think the arrows do navigate?

snuffysam

this... this is the true power of the Akarna!

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

They take the cake.

TriaElf9

I got strawberry shortcake b/c of course ^_^

Kabocha

I think Justin means using the arrow keys on the keyboard

TriaElf9

ooooh

ankoart

YOU BOUGHT CAKE DURING THE TYPHOON? (Haha I thought about stopping by a conbini actually but I was actually soaked)

Kabocha

That... might be doable...

TriaElf9

I have no idea if SJ has the ability to do that ^_^;;

Respheal

It does, I can link ya

Kabocha

throw it at me

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Back on fave scene, I just wanted to mention I liked the bit near the start where it looked like as the people were meeting back up, so were the dragons. That was just a nice little detail. Hadn't expected different breeds of dragon.

Alakotila

the dragons are wonderful

TriaElf9

oooh I love that bit!

Kabocha

Shvir is like... a noodle cat dragon

TriaElf9

and yes, I wanted to vary dragon types ^_^

Kabocha

also the meeps are great

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

I wonder how many dragon species total exist

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

And in terms of theories, when they first found the door, I wondered if they'd open it and that high priest guy would just be sitting there with a TV. And he'd go, "Well damn, you found my tech man-cave. Now I have to kill you."

Did not expect the frozen gods.

TriaElf9

EHEH

Kabocha

Are they frozen or just... On ice?

TriaElf9

pay no attention to the man behind the curtain

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Ice see what you did there.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i expected religion breaking secrets but not frozen gods

Kabocha

It looks vaguely computerized. They need an IT person to come in and take a look before the whole system freezes up

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

for a sec I thought they were mummified

ankoart

They're taking a long nap. I relate to them.

TriaElf9

Also, dragon-wise, so far we've met Tova, Shvir and Var ^_^

snuffysam

the secret is that's where candy ice comes from!

the frozen gods!

ankoart

Ice candy, god flavor

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Interesting that the most important God was at the top, as opposed to at the bottom. Is it really safe up there? Is that also where the power is being generated? (And are they "on ice" in a magical way or a tech one?)

snuffysam

"And are they "on ice" in a magical way or a tech one?" is there really a significant difference?

Kabocha

The ice treats are like soylent green

Respheal

por que no los dos?(edited)

Magitek cryostasis

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Well, this is mostly a magical world, but that area was only recently getting magic, hence the desert. Maybe there's an incompaitiblity... or maybe all the magic was being absorbed by the stasis tubes. So could make a difference for plot.

TriaElf9

oh mannnn I'm loving this AND equally tortured that I can't say anything aHAHAH

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Hmmmm

You're onto something Math

TriaElf9

I'll be dropping more in chapter 4, so look forward to that ^_-

snuffysam

yeah i'm just saying that in this world, it seems like magic has a big impact on technology, and vice versa

TriaElf9

I wish there was a plotting emoticon

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Gotcha.

Maybe the dragons are actually mechanical beings.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yeah i feel like its significant that it looks like theyre being preserved by technology in a world where there isnt a lot of technology around or so it seems

TriaElf9

I will say some of the things people have said today are indeed on the right track

now the question is WHICH of the things muhahahah

Alakotila

hmmm yes

where did the tech come from?

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

I wonder that as well

Respheal

Aliens

Alakotila

ALIENS

Kabocha

They're gods because of the tech!

TriaElf9

that's another emoticon we need

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

"What solved the world crisis?" "Aliens."

Kabocha

any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

The shipping of Atawn and that Guard is the right track, yes? Surely someone already proposed that?

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Always blame it on them

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

The Gods are actually aliens. They crash landed here and decided to seal themselves away from the cavemen until there was a decent enough civilization to rule over.

Alakotila

setting ships sailing is fun

snuffysam

actually i don't think anyone mentioned the atawn x guard ship

Kabocha

They gave people enough to get started, then went into stasis until they could take over

snuffysam

even though it's a pretty good one

TriaElf9

I've gotten some comments on the comic about it, but not here yet

Kabocha

"Yeaaaaaaaaaaah, your world isn't comfortable enough... we'll be back when you make it better..."

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

snuffy: Glad I corrected that oversight then.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i feel the atawn x guard ship is just obvious is all. they got all them googly eyes going.

Kabocha

Ahahaha, right?

Alakotila

LOL rebel

Kabocha

but more than anything, I want to protect them both

Alakotila

do they

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Rebel: Maybe the Guard has a nice sister he wants to marry off, who knows.

Alakotila

I gotta look closer for the googly eyes

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

"I want a smart guy, but not a guy who's TOO smart. The scholar who dehydrates himself will do nicely."

TriaElf9

AHAHAH

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

no the lol part is to the fact i now cant unpicture them with googly craft eyes glued to their eye lids.

http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/supplyimages/564756_1000_1_800.jpg

ya know those kind

TriaElf9

dehydration is definitely something to look for in an SO

Alakotila

oh so those kinds

yeah

I can see how that would give the ship away

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

"Stay hydrated!!"

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

"You know where there's some moisture? In mah mouth..."

TriaElf9

PFFT

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

"I have a spell though." "Oh, well fine."

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

thats gonna be the guard's best selling pick up line book

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

In terms of the fact that there's new characters we haven't met - there's four kingdoms who can lay claim to that one area, right? And we've seen two of them...? Maybe there will be counterpoints to Taria. (Or is Dhiren already one?)

Like, they'll have a Summit.

TriaElf9

Dhiren and Quinel are from another kingdom yeah

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

dhiren and quinel are both from kuvar

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

I really want to see the other kingdoms now that you mention it

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

I am SO bad with names.

TriaElf9

The only one we've yet to see is Durhan

lol me too, and I wrote them ahah

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

this is why notes exist

especially when you got a billion fantasy names

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

"There's these four kingdoms, uh... A B C and D."

TriaElf9

I changed the spelling on a few, and I keep getting confused eheh

yuup, I have so many lore notes ehehe

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Do they speak different languages in the different kingdoms, I wonder?

Or is magic the universal langauge?

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

thats a good question

about languages

Kabocha

We can probably safely assume the characters all are fairly well educated

Alakotila

Is there a common tongue?

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

When magic's involved, spelling counts.

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Yes

snuffysam

to be fair, we don't know if the guard is well educated

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Who knows what can happen if you mis-pronounce a certain spell

snuffysam

he may have just been hired to stand there

Kabocha

I dunno, I'm still going with spy theory

TriaElf9

there is at least a common tongue, yes

so far we've seen that and magic

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

snuffy: True, but they probably don't want people who are too dense walking over the scholars.

"This is actually a recipe for biscuits, yes."

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

QUESTION 4. The comic quickly makes it apparent that there are many mysteries afoot regarding the past. In regards to the ruins, what do you think the Miakarna are hiding and why? Did they know about the supposed Akarna there? Are they protecting the land simply because they believe it’s holy? Alternatively, is something else going on? What lengths do you think the Miakarna are willing to go to protect the ruins? Atawn also briefly mentions that magic had not returned to the area the ruins are in. What do you think that means for the past and present day of the story’s world? Of a last note, do you believe the people under the ruins are the Akarna, and if so, what are they doing there?

TriaElf9

SO MANY GOOD QUESTIONS

Kabocha

Qualifications for being a Mikarna guard: -The ability to yell "PROFANER" in at least 3 different languages -Looks good in helmets -OK with bringing the heat(edited)

TriaElf9

EHEHEH

snuffysam

the way the miakarna were acting was like there was a specific thing they didn't want the scholars to find. so i think this was that thing.

TriaElf9

and an almost fanatical devotion to the Akarna

snuffysam

like each day they seemed more worried that the archaeologists were going to find something

Kabocha

The Miakarna probably knew, or had an inkling of what they'd find, just not WHERE and when. And they're hoping to harvest that sweet, sweet cake technology

TriaElf9

hey, cool cake in a desert? priceless

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

snuffy: I got the impression that they didn't know what it was they were even protecting though. Like, they didn't want them to find... something... this is probably it, burn it all.

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Of course

use fire at first resort

Great idea

TriaElf9

people knowing things and straying from their control is BAD

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Yes(edited)

snuffysam

i'd hate to see what the miakarna will use after fire fails to get atawn

Kabocha

OH GOSH

THE AKARNA KNEW... how to make ice cream cake

like the perfect ice cream cake

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Unless the Miakarna are actually under the mental control of the Akarna. Subconsciously or not.

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

im gonna be honest i think its a mix. like the miakarna were told something vague like "this is the final resting place of the akarna" cause there has to be a reason they already considered the land sacred. so they knew theyd find something they either proved that right or wrong. and then ya know, they found pods.

Kabocha

GO HOME EVERYONE WE'VE SOLVED THE CONSPIRACY

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

BY BURNING IT ALL \o/

Kabocha

.............

darnit

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

the miakarna being under the control of the akarna sounds interesting though

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Rebel: Or maybe they were just told that where the magic was weakest was the final resting place or something. Way vague, which is why they don't want anyone until they figure it out themselves.

Alakotila

it does make sense they'd have been told something vague AT LEAST in order to consider it sacred

I wonder if they expected to find what they did

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Arkarna are all telepaths.

Kabocha

The Akarna were the ones who made the desert

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

swings pendulum "You are getting... creeeepy."

snuffysam

*dessert, kabo

TriaElf9

PFFT

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

as a general semi crack, semi serious theory, i think theres gonna be war as the miakarna block the others from the ruins. but then theyll wake up an akarna. and then the akarna will yawn and wage an even bigger war and everyone will have to come together to scream oh shit oh shit the gods want to murder us.

Respheal

Ahahaha I can get behind this theory x'D

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

never trust the pod ppl

Respheal

The pod gods

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

better, even more specific

Kabocha

An ancient empire awakens, bent on reclaiming the world they once dominated. A small group of people, drawn together by a common cause, are determined to stop them. However, they face more than threats from the outside.... I mean, the synopsis of the comic is this....

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

dont trust pod gods

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Rebel, I can totally see that. Suddenly the Miakarna wave the white flags, "Stop shooting at us, we're under attack from within too."

Respheal

Yuuuuuuuuuuuppppp r.i.p. everyone when the pod gods wake up

TriaElf9

author cackling continuessss

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Unless the Gods decide to use the Miakarna as the instruments to wipe out the other kingdoms.

Kabocha

Does "Mi" have a meaning

because Mi-Akarna

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Mama Mia.

Kabocha

are we following hi-fu-mi here

bc if so, this means they're the third iteration of the Akarna's people... potentially

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

mi actually used to be my because the miakarna are the descendants of their slaves O_O

Kabocha

GASP

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

They're also probably great at dodging magic, if they're spending a lot of time defending a region that doesn't use it.

Kabocha

Bwahahahahahaha

So, basically, we can sum this up as: "They're all doomed"

The Akarna join with their faithful servants,and..............................

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

R.I.P. everyone

Kabocha

TAKE OVER THE WORLD

snuffysam

unless a rag-tag group of friends can stop them!

Respheal

Well if the Miakarna consider the Akarna to be gods, I can't imagine it'll take much to convince them to join in on the conquest

ankoart

Everybody wants to rule the world

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

maybe this will be a technology vs magic war. cause the akarna could be technology wizards instead of regular magic wizards. and the akarna are the reason magic went away.

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

oooh

That'd be epic

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Leaves it up to the cat dragons to save the day.

ankoart

Cat dragons save the day! That would be the best

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

The smallest and cutest fighters

Kabocha

The akarna are all sudo rm -rf /

snuffysam

the entire story is just the akarna trying to remember the admin password

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

"As soon as we thaw out our army, you'll be in trouble."

(Wasn't there an episode of Star Trek Voyager like that?)

(Dragons Teeth or something.)

snuffysam

use a blow drier to thaw out the army

have to go to the store for extension cords because of the size of the room

it's a whole thing

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Unless blow drier runs on magic. Also, they'll have fabulous hair.

Kabocha

Sam -- you know, they probably just have to boot into single user mode

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

"Aim for the heads." "Why aren't they wearing helmets?" "Would you cover up that hair?"

Kabocha

http://pathways.smackjeeves.com/comics/2595215/pathways-56/ "What, you must be mistaken" Clearly they know what's up

Gaslighting before they torch the place

Respheal

I dunno, might be legitimate surprise

TriaElf9

which one which oneeeee ~dances~

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i read it as legit surprise too

Kabocha

....you missed the joke T_T

TriaElf9

OHHHHH YOU

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i saw it O_O i just dont have a witty response to it XD

Kabocha

ahahahaha

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

TriaElf9

sorry I'm getting prepped for critical role lol

Kabocha

It's ok XD

I'm being awful

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Seeing that panel reminds me, did all characters have slightly pointy ears, or no...?

TriaElf9

I HAVE FAILED YOU

it's mixed

Kabocha

IT'S OK, THIS COMIC IS WONDEFUL

TriaElf9

Dhiren and Quinel both have rounded ears

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Gotcha, thanks. I wondered about races at some point there, then forgot.

TriaElf9

so does Vala

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

I guess it's connected to Kingdoms.

TriaElf9

yup, it's just a little detail ^_^

it's actually not a spoiler or anything, it's just a genetic variation in this world

like connected earlobes or detached earlobes

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Nice detail. Actually, really good artwork, given the large setting too.

Kabocha

I'm 100% here for the pointy ears

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

interesting.

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

There's also, like, foreground-background in places.

Kabocha

@TriaElf9 -- now, I have to ask one question before it gets to the end... Is ther ea character we'll get to shout "YOU HAD ONE JOB" at

and will they have a ribbon

TriaElf9

it's more of a "this isn't Earth" tidbits ^_^

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

is there any sort of discrimination caused by the difference in ears or is everyone shrugging about it?

TriaElf9

also I like pointed ears ahaha(edited)

Alakotila

me too

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

The person who made the large cloak, when it fails and Atawn is seen. Had one job.

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Mind of I say one last thing before this chat ends?

TriaElf9

for sure!

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Because this is an incredible read so far with lots of cool (and sometimes cute!) ideas and I love everything about it thus far

TriaElf9

eeee ^////^

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Hope it continues on and we experience a lot more about this world you created

(and long live candy ices!)

TriaElf9

I've been working on this comic for a few years now, building the world, I'm so glad people are liking ittt ^_^

oh it'll keep going for sure ^_^

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Glad to hear!

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Is Tuvana the land or the planet?

TriaElf9

and if we hit the next goal on my patreon, it'll reliably update twice a week

ankoart

Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us!

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Sweet!

TriaElf9

instead of my 1-2-1-2 pattern I have now

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

yeah the effort put into the world really shows through. its got a lot of those necessary details that really bring the foreignness to fruition.

TriaElf9

it's both

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Gotcha.

TriaElf9

the world is the land is the planet

TriaElf9

Tuvana is what they call the whole thing, and then there are 4 distinct countries

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Helps the aliens out that way.

TriaElf9

heheheheh

hey it does have a dash of sci fi ^_-

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

That's cool~

TriaElf9

I've only had one panel with it I think, but keep an eye on the sky, there are a few cool things there ^_-

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Yeah, definitely didn't expect the pods... I wonder if they're all actually functioning? Oooh, what if they're all just holograms?

"Thank you for opening my pod, this is a recorded message..."

TriaElf9

EHEHE

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

"...to build the thermonuclear device, insert tab A..."

Respheal

Now I'm going back through, looking at all the sky shots lmao

Divulge your secreeeeets(edited)

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

i feel like some of the pods must of failed maybe. at the very least i can hear them waking up and being like "General Lod is okay but General Joe Bob kicked the bucket I'm afraid."

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Always nice to have reasons to go back. Like, even hair has tufts and strands.

Kabocha

AHAHAHAHAHAHHA

TriaElf9

it'll show up more in coming pages

Kabocha

I can't wait to read more

Superjustingo of ✨Time🕑&Space☄✨

Same here~

TriaElf9

but the night sky has a little fun thing ^_-

MathTans the super Pun 👑Prince👑

Rebel: Hope they took out life insurance.

snuffysam

looking forward to more world building!

Kabocha

I want to see more cuties

TriaElf9

oh there will be more cuties for SURE

also more world building

Kabocha

EVERYONE IS ADORABLE NEED ALL OF THEM ALL THE TIME

TriaElf9

chapter 4 we get some world lore AND some cuties

✨🐱 RebelVampire 🐱✨

COMIC TEA PARTY END!

Unfortunately, the scheduled Comic Tea Party time is now up~! Thank you everyone so much for reading and joining this week’s chat~! We want to give a special thank you to Elaine Tipping, as well, for making Pathways: Chronicles of Tuvana and volunteering it for our reading queue. If you liked the comic, please be sure to support Elaine Tipping’s efforts however you’re able to. All that being said, if you would like to continue discussing this week’s comic, we highly encourage you to do so~!

For next week, Comic Tea Party will focus on The J-Man by Jonny Aleksey. As always, please use the next several days to read as much of the comic as you would like. We hope to see you next Thursday on August 30th from 5PM to 7PM PDT for the chat~! Until then, happy reading~! @The Undefeatable Jonny Aleksey Comic: http://jonnyalekseydrawscomics.com/thelatestpage/

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