freezingclawsofasgard

[freezingclawsofasgard]

The Kite Festival, Part 4: Unraveling

It's really only once @hanakothewaterlily opens the lid to the bento box to reveal an assortment of his favorite food does Jin realize he's still in shock. The delicate scent of spices wafts deliciously up and makes his mouth water. It's the most embodied he's felt in the last few minutes. Maybe even the last few hours...everything about his visit felt like a dream. Looking at the neat rows of carefully prepared items, it's as though their order inspires Jin's thoughts to do the same. He realizes how little sense his own mind had made since the beginning of his panic attack. Of course Hanako wouldn't be here to confront him. He'd been so far away that he'd not registered many of her words to the kite flyers, but with his thoughts falling into line, he begins to remember: I'm proud of you. You're not a monster. You protected those people.

Jin realizes he's been staring into the bento without answering for too long. With a weak smile, he looks up to meet the seas of Hanako's eyes once more. Her winds are so at ease by contrast with his own. He feels scattered and exhausted; confusion reigning supreme in the cacophony of his mind. He had a wife. Or rather, another version of him did. But she was right here in front of this version of him. And the way she looks at him, the way her winds remain serene, if not heavy with sadness and longing, tells Jin that his panic and confusion is his alone. Hanako's gentleness welcomes him to fall apart and to rest while he pulls himself back together. Like she'd had to do this before, but in another world.

Hanako takes out her own bento and begins to eat, and Jin's eyes follow the trajectory of her chopsticks to her cherry lips on autopilot. He stares as she passes the bite between them, and then he feels his mouth go dry. Jin politely clears his throat, takes another sip of the healing water and takes up his own chopsticks to distract himself. It's not difficult when he feels like he hasn't eaten in days, even when he knows it's not true. The energy he burned during his spiral really took it out of him. The first bite he takes hits his palate with a delightful burst of flavors that sing of a home Jin only vaguely remembers or understands. Cloudy memories of his childhood float behind his lids as he savors the first bite, then lowers his chopsticks to level Hanako with wide-eyed disbelief.

"How'd... yeh know t'make it like this?" he asks, though he thinks he might already know the answer. "None what makes food the way me ma' did but me..." Granted, Jin's execution was rudimentary at best. Hanako's bento is a work of visual art as much as it is culinary. Still. The flavor is unmistakably that of his own recipe he'd developed from trying to reproduce his mother's cooking over the years. There was no way... Hanako could have known. At least, there was no way she should have known... if she were anyone else. "An' this be hands down the best bite o' food I've had made by anyone else..."

[freezingclawsofasgard]

"Lessons in Madam Fashion" from Gothic & Lolita Bible Vol. 17, 2005.

Madam is something I rarely see mentioned in J-fashion communities overseas. Often people just put it under the aristocrat label but madam is actually its own independent style! So... what is madam?

Madam is a style within the gothic and lolita scene that takes heavy inspiration from the clothes of noble women in historical Europe. It's similar to romantic goth in the west. Corsets, bustled skirts, floral hats, etc. It's often presented as the "adult" counterpart to lolita. The Dictionary of Gothic and Lolita contains an entry for "Madam Lolita" which states the following:

Even if you've been wearing lolita all this time, there may come a time where you start to wonder "Hmm, can I really keep wearing this forever?" As this point hits, more and more people start shifting towards longer silhouettes and classic lolita styles. Adult-oriented lolita clothes have now become available. Both lolita wearers and lolita designers have grown from mademoiselles to madames, and the clothes have also evolved accordingly. No longer is there an age limit for lolita.

This is not to say that lolita is only limited to younger women or that lolitas must grow out of the style once they get older (although the concept of age-appropriateness in lolita for older women is still a prevalent topic in Japanese lolita communities). Rather, madam serves as an option for those who would like to have a change in style according to their shifting tastes as they age.

Style Basics:

The majority of madam coords include a corset and a long skirt. A blouse is not required and can be substituted with a bolero or a shawl. Princess sleeves are a favorite. Skirts can be of any silhouette, a-line, mermaid, bustled, or bell-shaped but they often reach at least the ankles. Though knee-length skirts are occasionally seen.

For accessories, the most common are floral hats, bonnets, fascinators, and canotiers (which are often handmade). Dramatic hair accessories are arguably one of the main staples in the style besides corsets. Although you do see madam coords without hair accessories, they're much less common. Chokers, necklaces, and lace gloves are also popular. For legwear, simple black knee-socks are the standard, especially if they have lace or lace-up sites. But for shorter length coords, fishnet stockings are recommended. High heels and platforms are the go-to choice for shoes as they make the figure look taller.

As shown in the guide above, makeup in madam is usually bold and dramatic. The most common look consists of a smokey eye with defined red lips for a mature appearance. The recommended hairstyle is curled in elegant rolls which can be donned up for an even more regal appearance.

Differences with Elegant Gothic Aristocrat:

Compared to aristocrat, madam is much more blatantly feminine. As mentioned, the skirts are often bustled with abundant frills like lolita rather than the sleek look of aristocrat. While they both have a tendency to use corsets, madam incorporates bustiers the most. High necklines are less common in madam and having an exposed chest area is not unusual. Sometimes madam coords are simply a bustier corset with a bolero, exuding a hint of sensuality that isn't as present in aristocrat or lolita (except maybe ero lolita). Overall, you could consider madam somewhat of a sister style or feminine counterpart to aristocrat.

[freezingclawsofasgard]

Still figuring out CSP so here’s a rough sketch of my favorite married couple for practice.

Side note I am so bitter that I can’t have either of them yet in the YYH mobile game even as an icon… but so help me. It’s coming.

[freezingclawsofasgard]

“Hello there!” A cheerful voice rang out as a young woman approached the master of wind. With a gentle smile on her face she tilts her head. “You wouldn’t happen to be Jin the master of wind would you?”

Though she didn’t look like much she certainly had a strange energy about her….

(Hope this is an ok starter 🫶-Forte)

@forterp

Jin stops mid training session on the beach to see an elegantly dressed young girl with cascading lilac hair and eyes. She's slight and willowy, as delicate as any flower he's ever seen, but there's something mysterious about her he's not sure he can put his finger on.

"Aye, greetins lass, I'd be Jin. Though now the question's who you might be, an' what's it that's brought yeh all this way out t'the island lookin' fer a wind master?"

[freezingclawsofasgard]

ik his hair is more red but I like pink a lot

Outfits used include : Dior winter men’s collection, Balmain’s fall 2024 collection, and Dries Van Noten

[freezingclawsofasgard]

Two lazy bums

まるで羊…🐑

Cat? More like sheep🐑

朝から厳しい暑さでだらだら

Even in the morning, it’s already boiling hot.

Mitchell is melting…

いただきもののBISCOFFで飼い主はなんとか元気復活

I was revived by the magical powers of Biscoff spread.

今年はまだ蝉がまったく来ない。退屈。

Mitchell ,on the other hand, is grumbling

“All this heat, but no cicadas? How dull…”

そんなこんなで、ただもう1日だらだら･･･

We pretty much wasted the whole day just being sluggish….

[freezingclawsofasgard]

This needed to be on tumblr, so here. 

[freezingclawsofasgard]

Reunited Part 2

Kurama was well aware of @ask-the-black-chimera's eyes on him as he moved around the kitchen. That dark gaze strayed briefly as he sliced the lemon, though, and Kurama wondered why. He nodded along as Kuronue informed him of Genkai's offer, one he was quite familiar with by now as she often opened up the temple to guests.

"Yes, that sounds like Master Genkai. She may be a little rough around the edges, but she is truly kind at her core." He smiled, his description of her reminding him of someone else he held very dear. A small laugh escaped him at Kuronue's inquiry, however. "No, I do not live here. I have a home of my own a bit of a distance from here. It's not terribly far, though. I like having quick access to Makai for growing my plants."

The kettle whistled behind him and Kurama turned to remove it from the heat. "Let's move to the table, shall we? I'll tray up the tea and bring it over." As he spoke, he was already pulling the tray and cups from the cupboards and laying it out.

[freezingclawsofasgard]

“Greetings Master Gama! How is this day finding you?” A sweet voice spoke up from nearby. A young woman stood there with a bright and warm smile on her face.

“So sorry if I startled you. My name is Tomoyo and I’m a priestess. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions? I have payment if needed!” A small giggle comes from her and sparkles come to her eyes.

She may have made him a badass outfit.

(Hello and thank you for the follow! You don’t have to respond but I appreciate you! 💛Stay amazing!)

Gama's face contorts into one of horror as he jumps from his place on the bank, branches tumbling from his arms. "Who?!? What?!?!" He turns around, fingers splayed in alarm as he looks over the strange young woman. As his mind processes what his eyes see, his expression melts from shock into incredulity. Incredulity at the fact that this creature, a human, was able to sneak up on him so easily. Was this one of those powerful humans Sota had spoken of? It seems the only reasonable explanation. He stands straighter, height increasing by at least six full inches as he does, for although he normally hunches, he wanted to be as tall and imposing as possible in the event this demure-looking creature was actually a threat. "Hnn! Human woman - err, Miss Tomoyo, you said?! You should announce yourself when approaching! Trying to sneak up on a demon is an excellent way to lose your head!!" Never mind that she had announced herself - it had simply been from a direction unfavorable to him. Gama clears his throat and continues, dusting stray flecks of bark from his worn garments, "What is it you want? I am a rather busy man-" His eyes catch the garment, and his tongue stops, allowing him time to squint at it curiously. "Wh..why are you carrying this garment with you?"

[freezingclawsofasgard]

Gama's lift in mood made Sota happy. "Well I don't let people do my thinking for me, being a leader requires knowledge and wisdom." Sota eats another rice cracker befkre continuing. "To be fair it's a small fraction of the human population, but when you consider it's a fraction of approximately 8 billion that's still quite a bit. Not all of them can fight mind you, but plenty of them still have at least some skill."

@ask-themastergama

[freezingclawsofasgard]

@ask-themastergama

Asking about her favorite foods? Sota was getting to really like this guy~

"Oh I'm not hard to please at all when it comes to food, though I do have a preference for salty snacks and savory meals. Things like potato chips, beef, chicken, anything with tomatoes, cheesy garlic breeead!" She's almost drooling at this point. "I'm guessing you've not had many desserts? I also love sweets like cake, ice cream, pudding, cookies, pies, cheesecake, tarts-"

Gama's opened the flood gates on this one, Sota LOVES food and eating and cooking.

"Oh but fruits are great too, blueberries are my favorite! But what about you Gama, what foods do you like eating when you can have them?"

[freezingclawsofasgard]

A commission I made for a friend for another friend's birthday. This one came together just wonderfully and was a joy to make. It also helped me make a breakthrough in some design elements I want to experiment in with future pieces!

[freezingclawsofasgard]

For flower asks: Garden Cosmos, Gardenia, Gladiolous

How was your day today?  Excellent, thank you.

Gardenia: Are you happy with where you’re at in your life?  That's a personal question. Who is even asking those?

If you know me personally... How could I be satisfied with everything that's happened? Gladiolus: What is something you hope to do in the next year or two?  I have my own plans, but I’m not going to spoil them. I hope to get the things I should’ve gotten a long time ago.

[freezingclawsofasgard]

“Hello Risho!” A young woman with a cheerful voice speaks up from a bit behind him.

“Sorry to sneak up on you but Jim and Touya told me where I could find you.” Bowing politely towards him she continued. “My name is Tomoyo Daidouji. I am a priestess who is entrusted with the care of the barriers between our worlds. It truely is very nice to meet you!”

Putting a hand to the side of her face, sparkles came to her eyes.

“Your fight in the dark tournament was stunning! The control you have over your abilities is amazing!” She gushed, happily swaying from side to side.

“You, Jin and Touya are so cool ✨✨✨!”

“Hm?”, Risho hummed at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. He wasn't used to others sneaking up on him, unless they were shinobi sent as spies or assassins. Judging by this girl’s enthusiastic demeanor and obvious humanity, she was neither, so he turned around to face her.

“Tomoyo, is it? Happy to make your acquaintance, though I don’t know why my teammates are giving my whereabouts away so easily. So the barriers are also maintained by the human side, that’s very interesting.” Risho thought Tomoyo had found quite possibly one of the worst people to admire, given his… activities during the most recent years. She seemed naive, but it would be helpful to find out more about how the barriers functioned. The human was even carrying a camera. What was she going to do, ask for a photo together next?

Risho almost sweatdropped as he watched Tomoyo begin to sway in glee, the greater surprise being that it was in… praise of his abilities. He had never had someone, especially a human, approach him with this kind of demeanor. For a brief moment, a light pink dusted his cheeks at the unexpected praise, despite how ridiculous the whole thing was.

“Of course, we are masters of our elements for a reason”, he bragged, tilting his head to the side. “We’ve all earned the mastery over our arts, but when it comes to control, my technique is truly the most refined. I’m glad even a human has the ability to notice that.” The praise had been collective, though Risho always enjoyed claiming the team’s achievements as his own. He looked back down at the woman with a self-satisfied smirk, fixing her with his gaze, curious to see if this was all there was to it.

“So I suppose you could say we are indeed “cool.” Did you sneak up to me just to congratulate me?”

[freezingclawsofasgard]

[freezingclawsofasgard]

A train ride in Kyoto

[freezingclawsofasgard]