Last post, I got requests for design notes so first off, all Organization members are branded with the Recusant's sigil. For ponies, this replaces their cutie mark.
Axel being a griffon layers with his insecurities, he doesn’t have a mark like ponies do so he worries he will be forgettable, especially after leaving the organization. His name reflects this; an old memory that’s fading at the edges. Vignette also means to recount evocatively with nostalgia.
Roxas’ design is a fusion of Sora (Easy Breezy) and Ven’s (Windfall) most notably he gets Sora’s crown shaped fur tuffs. His cutie mark is supposed to emulate his X shaped symbol and he’s the only character with mismatched hoof tones. His name is very literal but as an idiom, it reflects Roxas’ role in the organization!
Pareidolia is the act of seeing faces in things that do not. She’s also a changeling! Changelings feed off of energy and affection so just like in Days, she’s accidentally absorbing Roxas throughout. Reformed changelings are very colorful so I based the tones on Thalassa shells. She also gets a pony form-just like white lies, she resembles pinky promise. Together they both make up Kairi’s alicorn status (Xion pegasus Namine unicorn) Xions main seashell on her mark is shaped like the organization symbol. In the story, her cutie mark would change depending on who sees her, before she establishes her identity
Namine’s turn! Her name is White Lies. She’s a very powerful unicorn who specializes in memory displacement and reconstruction
Just like in CoM, she uses her powers to slowly replace memories of Kairi/Pinky Promise with herself, even going as far as camouflaging her mark and masquerading as an alicorn. She gives up on it after some time though
Alicorn Kairi is just, beautiful. While I like the idea of lush manes I always thought Celestia's was, like, a bit much? Luna's works way better design wise and I'd compare Kairi's (rather, Radiance's) design to her. Also, Radiant Garden, nice!
Would Maleficent still be a dragon?
Thank you so much!! A lot of people have took a liking to her which makes me very happy! My goal was to play down Alicorns in the au itself since princesses of heart can rank from your standard whimsically inclined girl to actual royalty? They’re important but only to those who know what having a pure heart could entail. Kairi is very unassuming in her status so I wanted that to carry over visually!
And yes, Maleficent will be included and a dragon at that. I’m not confident how many Disney characters I’ll add since mlp species aren’t easily translated to toons but it’s too good not to add her in at the least
This AU plays by Gen4 rules, meaning Sora (Easy Breezy) hasn’t quite found his talent that gives him a cutie mark yet. He’s a bit average, but it doesn’t bother him that much!
Of course, Sora is not *not* talented. Everyone around him definitely knows what about sora is so uniquely him, and so does he on some level. But I think until he realizes his worth and take pride in it, his mark won’t manifest.
Kairi is also a blank flank for most of the pony equivalent to kh1! So it’s not uncommon in this au to be Soras age and not have a mark. Riku is actually special in the sense that he gets his SUPER early!! ・゚: *