#How To Learn The Alexander Technique

[betteratbeing]

A life practice for promoting ease | Alexander Technique New York

Alexander Technique (AT) is a holistic self-care method, acquired through learning and practicing new, specialized skills of self-awareness, organization and intention. It is known for improving people's posture and physical grace.

AT is most useful in improving the quality and comfort of everything we do while we are upright, as we are during most waking activities. The benefits of AT include better general functioning, balance and mobility, helping many people to perform everyday tasks with less effort and discomfort, and achieve better performance at work, in sports or in the arts.

AT teaches us to reduce excessive and unnecessary tension. Since tension often triggers or exacerbates pain, AT can be very helpful for managing or even eliminating chronic pain conditions.

Read more information about it : Click Here 

Contact Us : Alexander Technique Instructor in New York City

[fr0stf4ll]

Forge of Starlight - Part 1

paring; Azriel x reader

summary; In the heart of Velaris, a skilled blacksmith's quiet life is turned upside down when unexpected bonds begin to form with the enigmatic Spymaster of the Night Court. As she navigates the challenges of her craft and the complexities of newfound relationships, she discovers that love and loyalty may be the strongest forces of all in a world where darkness often lingers just beyond the light.

word count ; 4k

notes; This is my first time writing fan fiction. I hope that you guys will like it, and since English isn't my first language, please don’t hesitate to mention any mistakes <3. The story takes place when Rhys was in the early stages of being the High Lord of the Night Court, around 300-350 years old, so 200 years before ACOTAR actually began. I'm not sure yet how many parts this story will have, but I hope that you all will keep reading it ;)))

here is the link for part 2

---

The sound of hammer striking hot iron echoed through the narrow streets of Velaris, mingling with the melodies of the city—the distant hum of conversation and the ever-present whisper of the Sidra River. Within the heart of the Rainbow, a district renowned for its vibrant arts and crafts, a new shop had begun to draw attention. It was an unassuming place at first glance, yet the sheer force of energy within its walls set it apart. This was no ordinary smithy.

You wiped a bead of sweat from your brow, your hands expertly maneuvering the red-hot blade beneath your hammer. Sparks flew with each strike, the heat from the forge wrapping around you like a lover’s embrace, both comforting and overwhelming. The rhythmic clang, clang, clang of metal against metal was music to your ears, a symphony you had been conducting since childhood.

Velaris was in your blood. Though you had been born here, your early memories were of the forge and the sound of your master's hammer. Your mother, a powerful and kind high fae, had died giving birth to you, and your father, unable to bear the weight of his mate’s passing, had followed soon after. You had been raised by a close friend of your father’s, a Master in the art of blacksmithing, who had taken you in as his own. It was under his watchful eye that you learned the craft, your small hands gradually growing strong and sure as you worked beside him, day after day.

With your master, you had traveled across the courts and to the far reaches of the continent, learning from smiths of every kind, studying techniques and secrets long forgotten by most. But no matter where you went, Velaris always called to you. And now, after hundred years of honing your skills, you had returned to the City of Starlight to forge your own path.

The shop itself was a reflection of your work—functional, yet beautiful in its simplicity. The front room was a gallery of sorts, with weapons and tools displayed like pieces of art. Gleaming swords, daggers with intricately carved hilts, and axes that looked as though they could fell the mightiest of trees hung from the walls, each one a testament to your skill. The floor was of polished wood, dark and smooth, with rugs from the weavers of Velaris adding warmth to the space. The light streamed in through tall windows, catching on the steel and iron and casting a soft glow across the room.

The shop had been open for only a few months, yet it had already begun to stir curiosity among the citizens of Velaris. Word spread quickly in the Rainbow—whispers of the new blacksmith who had come to claim a place among the best. But you rarely dealt with the customers yourself. That task fell to Alexander, your young apprentice. At only ten years old, he was sharp as a blade and twice as charming, with a quick smile and a mischievous glint in his eye. The boy had a knack for reading people, knowing just what to say to put them at ease—or to convince them that they needed a new sword or dagger.

As you plunged the heated blade into a trough of water, the hiss of steam rising into the air, you heard the familiar chime of the shop’s bell and the light patter of Alexander’s footsteps as he went to greet the newcomer. You allowed yourself a small smile as you heard his cheerful voice, already launching into his well-practiced routine.

“Welcome to the finest smithy in Velaris!” Alexander’s voice rang out, full of enthusiasm. “You won’t find better craftsmanship anywhere in the city—or the continent, for that matter. What are you looking for today? A sword? A dagger? Or maybe something a bit more… unique?”

There was a pause, and then a voice, low and measured, responded, “I’m looking for the blacksmith.”

Your hands stilled, your grip tightening around the hilt of the blade you had been shaping. It was rare that someone asked for you directly. Most customers were content to browse, to admire the work and perhaps make a purchase. But something in the tone of that voice, the way it cut through the air, sent a shiver down your spine.

“Ah,” Alexander said, his voice tinged with a hint of surprise. “You’re in luck. She’s right here. Let me fetch her for you.”

You took a deep breath, wiping your hands on a cloth as you made your way toward the front of the shop. The bell above the door chimed softly as it closed, and you stepped into the light, your eyes adjusting to the brightness. Alexander was standing by the counter, his wide eyes flicking between you and the figure standing in the center of the room.

As you rounded the corner, you finally laid eyes on the stranger. The words of welcome you had been preparing died on your lips as your gazes locked, and you felt a strange sense of familiarity wash over you, as if this meeting had been fated long before you had returned to Velaris.

Alexander, sensing the shift in the air, stepped back slightly, his usual exuberance giving way to a quiet curiosity. “This is Y/N,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “The best blacksmith in Velaris.”

The stranger’s eyes never left yours, and you found yourself holding your breath, waiting for whatever would come next. He took a step closer, towering over you despite your own considerable height, his presence imposing. His dark hair contrasted sharply with his piercing violet eyes that seemed to take in everything with a single glance.

“Y/N,” he began, his voice smooth and rich, hinting at depths of authority and power. “I’ve heard much about your work, and I find myself in need of your particular expertise.”

The chill from the incoming winter seemed to linger around him, a reminder of the cold that had swept through Velaris with the approach of the Winter Solstice. Despite the warmth of the forge, you felt a shiver run through you—not from the cold, but from the intensity of his gaze.

“I’m honored, my lord,” you replied, maintaining eye contact, feeling the weight of his presence. “What can I do for you?”

Rhysand’s expression was serious, and his next words carried an air of significance. “The Solstice celebrations are approaching, and with the colder days upon us, I’d like to commission two sets of weapons—a sword and a dagger—for my brothers. I want them to be special, crafted with the utmost care and consideration for their owners.”

Your mind whirred with ideas, but you needed more information to tailor each piece to its future owner. “To create something truly fitting, I’ll need to know more about your brothers. What are their personalities like, and what are their preferences in combat?”

Rhysand’s face softened slightly as he spoke of Cassian and Azriel. “Cassian is a warrior through and through—strong, fiercely loyal, and a born leader. His weapon should reflect that strength and his role within the Illyrian legions.”

You nodded thoughtfully, picturing a sturdy, bold design for Cassian’s sword. “And Azriel?”

“Azriel operates in the shadows, precise and strategic. His weapon should be subtle yet deadly, embodying his role as spymaster.”

A smile flickered across your face. “I have the perfect idea for him—a sleek design with a hidden element, perhaps.”

Rhysand’s approving nod encouraged you to continue. “Since those two are illyrian maybe we can include syphons in the design. It might be best to work with their olds ones. If you could send those to me, I can restore them and integrate them into the new weapons, preserving their familiar feel while enhancing their function.”

“That sounds ideal,” Rhysand agreed. “I’ll arrange for some of their old syphons to be brought to you tomorrow. They are quite worn but hold significant meaning for my brothers.”

You glanced up at him, reassured by his confidence in your abilities. “I’ll ensure the weapons reflect both their personalities and their needs.”

Rhysand’s smile was genuinely warm now. “Thank you, Y/N. I look forward to seeing your craftsmanship.”

With that, he turned to leave, his cloak swirling around him as he stepped out into the cold Velaris air, leaving a trail of frost in his wake. The bell above the door chimed softly, signaling his departure.

Standing in your forge, you felt the weight of the responsibility settle onto your shoulders. This commission was more than just a job; it was a chance to craft pieces that would be carried by some of the most formidable warriors in the Night Court. You had done works for other lords, kings or fighters, but every time a new challenge would come up your excitement increased so much. The idea of those people working with your creations was just incredible. 

As the cold seeped into the shop, you turned back to your workbench, pulling out parchment and charcoal. Your sketches began to take shape, influenced by the discussion and your insights into the characters of the two brothers. Powerful, elegant, and deadly—just like the men they were meant for.

The forge called to you, and as you answered, diving into your work, you felt a sense of purpose. These weapons would be more than just tools; they would be extensions of the warriors themselves, forged with skill and imbued with the spirit of the Winter Solstice.

After a few more hours of work and locking up the smithy, you and Alex headed up to your cozy apartment. It was adorned with all the comforts of a true craftsman's home—polished wooden floors, local Velaris art, and big windows that showcased the night sky. Your personal collection of swords decorated the walls, each blade a story from your past travels with your old master.

At the foot of your bed lay Stellan, your faithful direwolf companion. His thick, snow-white fur contrasted sharply with his deep, dark eyes that held a world of wisdom and loyalty. You had found him as a pup during one of your early travels—a small, shivering ball of fur huddled against the cold. From that moment on, Stellan had been by your side, growing into a majestic creature whose presence was as comforting as it was formidable.

Your apartment, while only boasting two bedrooms, mostly saw both you and Alex sharing the larger one. Alex had claimed a corner of it with his makeshift bedding, but as the night deepened, he inevitably migrated to your bed, preferring its warmth and the company.

Tonight, you were sitting in bed with your sketchbook, the moonlight and candlelight mingling to create the perfect ambiance for drawing. Stellan's gentle snores provided a soothing background hum, his large form curled protectively at the bed's end. Alex, lying next to you, propped himself up on an elbow to get a better look at your work.

"So, Nana, this one’s going to be for the High Lord, huh?" Alex's voice was soft, filled with awe and curiosity.

"Yeah, it is," you nodded, continuing your sketch. "Every piece needs to be perfect, though, no matter who it’s for. Whether it's a High Lord or a local warrior, they all deserve the best." Despite the illustrious clientele, you held every piece to the same standard of perfection, knowing well that each creation bore your signature, no matter the buyer.

Alex grinned at that. "I know. That’s why your stuff is the best. But hey, why’d you let me call you Nana again? It’s nicer than just ‘master’ or something too formal."

You chuckled softly, a slight blush on your cheeks. "Because you said it fits well, and I guess it does. It’s kind of endearing, Alex."

He blushed, pleased with the affirmation, then leaned closer to peek at your sketchbook. "Show me what you’ve got so far. I bet it’s epic."

You tilted the sketchbook towards him, revealing detailed designs of the sword intended for the spymaster. "This blade needs to embody stealth and strength, reflecting who it's for. It’s not just a weapon; it’s a piece of art."

As you spoke, Stellan lifted his head, ears twitching as if acknowledging the conversation. His dark eyes flickered open, observing you both with a gentle, protective gaze. With a soft huff, he repositioned himself, laying his head back down on his massive paws, content to simply be in your presence.

Alex nodded seriously, taking in every line and curve you had drawn. "It’s amazing, Y/N. They’re gonna love it."

As the evening wore on, Alex's questions and observations gradually slowed as sleep began to claim him. His head eventually found a resting place on your shoulder, his breathing evening out as he drifted off. You smiled down at him, setting the sketchbook aside. His trust and the simple title of 'Nana' he'd given you felt more precious than any formal recognition.

Stellan, sensing the room's quieting energy, stood up and stretched, his movements graceful despite his size. He padded softly around the bed, finally settling down closer to you and Alex, his body a warm barrier against the night’s chill. His presence was a comforting constant, a silent guardian watching over your small family.

With the room now quiet, save for the soft sounds of Alex's sleep and Stellan's rhythmic breathing, the distant hum of the night city served as a lullaby. You felt a peaceful end to the productive day. The weight of creating something worthy of the Night Court was significant, but it was a challenge you were ready to meet with your usual dedication to excellence. Slipping under the covers, you settled in next to Alex, the moonlight casting a gentle glow over you all. With Stellan's protective aura enveloping you, you allowed yourself to drift off, thoughts of tomorrow’s forging dancing in your dreams.

On the other side of the city at the townhouse, the evening was filled with laughter and good spirits. Cassian was in fine form, regaling the table with a joke about an Illyrian warrior who mistook a glamour-spell for his opponent in a sparring match. The table erupted in laughter, appreciating the absurdity of the tough warrior swatting at thin air.

As chuckles subsided and glasses were refilled, Azriel steered the conversation toward local news with his typically quiet but clear tone. "Have you heard, Rhys?" he began, capturing the table's attention. "There’s a new blacksmith in Velaris."

"Actually?" Cassian's interest was piqued, his expression curious.

"Yes, I’ve checked on her—she's already established quite the reputation," Azriel continued.

"Her, like she is a female?" Cassian asked, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

"Yes, 'her' like that, Cassian…" Azriel replied with a slight smirk, enjoying the moment of revelation.

Rhysand joined in with a knowing smile. "She's not just any blacksmith. She’s made quite a name for herself, especially with blades. She’s worked with several high lords across Prythian."

Cassian choked slightly on his drink, surprised. "A female blacksmith, swinging hammers with the high lords? She must be quite skilled."

"She is," Rhysand confirmed, his voice reflecting a mix of respect and intrigue. "Her blades are reputed to be some of the finest—well-crafted and balanced. The detail and precision are said to be exceptional."

The brothers shared intrigued glances, the atmosphere buzzing with new interest. The conversation seamlessly wove around various artisans they knew, but the topic of the new blacksmith lingered, sparking a particular fascination.

"So, what's her specialty? Just weapons, or does she do armor too?" Cassian probed, clearly intrigued.

"Primarily weapons. She has a particular talent for swords and daggers," Rhysand explained. 

As the evening wore on, Rhysand found a moment to lean towards Azriel. “By the way Az, could you drop a box off at the blacksmith's tomorrow? "

Azriel nodded, sensing the significance of the task, though his eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity. "Anything else I should know?"

"Just the box," Rhysand responded, his tone firm yet enigmatic, giving nothing further away.

Both Azriel and Cassian looked at each other, their curiosity clearly piqued, but recognizing that Rhysand was keeping his cards close to his chest. They returned to lighter topics, but the mention of the new blacksmith had woven itself into their conversation, adding a thread of intrigue to the vibrant tapestry of Velaris’s ongoing stories.

—

Back in your smithy, the clanging of metal and the heat of the forge filled the air, mingling with the lively chatter of customers at the front of the shop. Alexander, navigated skillfully among the patrons, his arms laden with weapons. His voice, bright and enthusiastic, carried over the din as he extolled the virtues of your craftsmanship.

"Feel the balance of this blade!" Alexander exclaimed to a curious couple, holding up a finely crafted sword for inspection. "Forged right here, each swing is as smooth as the Sidra's flow!"

With the Winter Solstice drawing near, the shop was bustling with activity as each order demanded meticulous attention and finesse. You had just put the finishing touches on a stylized hammer, commissioned by one of the lords of the Illyrian camps, when the bell above the door chimed.

From the corner of your eye, you saw a figure cloaked in shadows enter. It was Azriel, Rhysand’s spymaster, moving with a quiet grace that seemed almost unnatural. His presence caused a subtle shift in the atmosphere as he approached Alexander first, speaking in hushed tones before your apprentice pointed him towards the back.

Wiping sweat from your forehead with the back of your hand, you pushed through the curtain that separated your work area from the shop. Dressed in a revealing black top and overalls that were unclipped at the top, leaving much of your torso exposed due to the heat of the forge, you approached the visitor. Big gloves covered your hands, protecting them from the forge’s heat. As you came into view, you caught Azriel's gaze flick momentarily—almost imperceptibly—downwards before meeting your eyes again. Though brief, it didn’t escape your notice.

“Who is it?” you asked, your voice echoing slightly in the busy shop.

“I need to deliver something to you,” Azriel stated, his voice even and calm, holding out a small, intricately carved box.

Before taking the box, you carefully removed your heavy gloves, revealing hands marked by the rigors of your trade. You took it, feeling the weight and the latent power it seemed to hold. Curiosity piqued, you looked up at him. “From the High Lord ?”

“Yes. He said you’d know what to do with it,” Azriel replied, his gaze now fixed firmly on your face, any earlier distraction gone.

You nodded, understanding that the contents of the box were likely tied to the commission Rhysand had mentioned previously. “Thank you, Sir. I’ll handle it from here.”

As Azriel turned to leave, Alexander’s voice once again filled the shop, drawing new customers' attention: "Every piece has its own story, crafted with the finest skills learned from the great forges of Prythian! See for yourselves!"

You couldn’t help but smile at Alexander’s enthusiasm as he continued to engage the customers with his lively banter. Azriel, the enigmatic shadow singer, had left as quietly as he had arrived. There was something undeniably captivating about him—his mysterious aura only added to his allure.

Standing for a moment, you held the box, feeling its potential. But the demands of the day pulled you back, and you returned to the forge, your mind already racing with ideas for the contents of the box and the work that lay ahead. 

Just as you were about to reignite the forge, Alex poked his head through the curtain, a mischievous grin plastered on his face.

“He was hot, right?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with teasing curiosity.

You paused, a smirk forming as you glanced back at the retreating figure of Azriel. “Aren’t you supposed to be ten?” you retorted playfully, raising an eyebrow at Alex.

Alex chuckled, undeterred. “Maybe, but I can tell when someone’s cool. He’s like a shadow knight from those legends you told me!”

Laughing, you shook your head and turned back to your workbench, the plans for Rhysand’s commission spread out before you. “Get back to the front, Alex. And keep your comments about the customers to yourself, even if they are high lords or shadow singers.”

Alex laughed and ducked back through the curtain, his voice soon mingling with the customers once again. As you focused on the intricate designs of the new commission, you couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement for the challenge ahead, your heart still light from the brief yet intriguing encounter.

[meanbossart]

Ask Compilation: Advice, influences and Misc.

Apologies for taking so long on some of these, admittedly I'm much more likely to entirely forget about asks that are about me and my interests 💃 Thank you for all the questions regardless! And thank you specially to everyone who just drops nice messages into my inbox out of kindness.

I'm brazillian and a native portuguese speaker!

I'll probably return to twitter eventually, but a) I hate that place and b) It didn't make much sense to me to turn it into a BG3 account out of the blue. I am considering making an Instagram or a new twitter just to have more places where people can follow in case they don't care for tumblr, but it's just been a very busy year so far and so that's kind of low on the list of priorities. If I ever do that I'll be sure to announce it here. Have a nice day yourself!

Sorry to hear that! I've gotten a few messages before about this issue, and the problem is that since I am myself not from the US, my options are also limited :( a lot of patreon alternatives don't work for me because they either don't go through paypal, take insane currency conversion fees, or just straight up block me from signing up.

Speak for yourself, I just assume everyone I speak to online has committed some sort of atrocious crime until proven otherwise. Except for me - of course. I have never done anything bad in my life.

I still have a lot to learn! But I will basically use whatever works for me at the moment, as well as make a sincere effort to learn about musculature and anatomy so I can understand those components and how they move, instead of only knowing what they look like when still - that's how you get better at drawing from memory. Volume mostly comes from coloring and understanding light, which is it's own beast but can very much be learned from similar reference materials and observing it IRL!

My favorite places to get reference are medical diagrams, weird pictures I take of myself, 3D software (often Virt-a-mate) and questionably phrased image google searches.

My favorite artists are Jason Shawn Alexander and Sean Murphy, but I'm not sure how much of it reflects in my art nowadays! I generally seek to pick up techniques from artists rather than to emulate style.

Honestly I love that you guys generally do the thing he would hate the most: take him very non-seriously LOL

I've been in a real Chelsea Wolfe and Amyl And The Sniffers kick lately! But usually you'll also find me listening to stuff like Boy Harsher, Swans, FWF, JK Flesh Lingua Ignota, Nick Cave, David Bowie, and so on. Music for the weird gays, basically.

I went insane and wrote a 23-chapter-long-and-still-ongoing fic in like four months. But also - I'm not that good, I'm just shamelessly pretentious LOL

Hm. That's a good question, but I'm not really sure. Sincerely not trying to be a edgier-than-thou here (in fact, this has made me a little self conscious at one time or another) but a lot of art that I don't mean to be horror-y in nature at all has been associated with the genre. So perhaps I don't know what I'm doing either, LOL.

I think just leaning on making things look slightly "wrong" or "ugly" on purpose is the way, but I also find that if you just seek to depict people as they are instead of idealized versions of themselves, you will arrive at that either way.

Thank you for reading! Honestly, I'm guilty of having not read much at all since I was in my late teens, and the style I'm employing for ANE is very different from the things I would call "influential" for me, or even that I used to enjoy reading at all before. I read a lot of Chuck Palahniuk as a youth (and, no slight to people who do like him still, but nowadays I'm not sure why I ever did. His stories don't speak to me at all anymore) as well a lot of weird experimental lit that I didn't even care to remember the name of. My last book stint from one or two years ago was composed solely of historical and medical literature, and last year I got really into Cormac Mcarthy thanks to the internet.

So, all in all, I'm absolutely all over the place LOL if you put a gun to my head and told me to list my favorite books, I'd say The Indifferent Stars Above and Blood Meridian.

(Consider the reading portion of the question to have been answered above) I really really liked Beau is Afraid and think it's a really great "horror" movie. Sue me.

[lloydfrontera]

You know, regarding Lloyd's achievement in history and whether ordinary citizens know him or not made me crave post canon modern au.

Imagine seeing an in universe fanfic authors notes in ao3 or twitter crying about how they simply wanted to write a story set in Lloys time but they just keep diving into rabbit holes.

Kinda like

"So i was writing an historical au set in Alician era where the MC had a detour in Cremo and he was admiring a statue by the sea with a local explaining its history. Of course, I needed to do some research only to found out that Lloyd Frontera, YES, THAT Lloyd Frontera who made the Pantara railroad defeated some sea monster, nearly died and got statue for it"

Maybe someone from Beneto Kingdom being so confused because all he learned from history in school (Beneto history) is that Lloyd is just some brilliant engineer so he got specially confused on why in the movie he was watching set in Alician era is Lloyd fighting a goddamn bone dragon.

I'm interested on how scholars and political figures bemoan and analyse Lloyd's action and achievement but ordinary people's Internet discourse could be so much fun as well.

Javier and Lloyd getting the Alexander and Haphaestion treatment on whether they were lovers or not. The discourse would be so toxic lol.

oh my god forget changing the history of civil engineering forever, sparking the nastiest discourse ever on history/fandom internet forums is lloyd's true greatest achievement akshfksdg

he's the go to historical domain character used to set the time period for a historical movie/book/series. he's the guy writers insert to give their work a more period accurate vibe. everyone knows just enough about him to make really passionate history nerds very angry about all the inaccuracies and made up facts that are taken as common knowledge.

i'm thinking people of completely different online circles all knowing about lloyd in some capacity but regarding completely separate facets of his life and work and being so surprised when they accidentally find yet another whole field lloyd revolutionized. like.

a sword nerd who's really into the concept of the asrahan core technique and knows perfectly well that lloyd helped invent it getting gobsmacked about the fact that's the same guy that laid the ground for modern sewer systems.

a fan of historical romance stories who is used to seeing lloyd as a fun cameo in the background of stories set in the alician period being really confused when they open their book on thermodynamics and see there's a whole chapter dedicated to a method lloyd figured out to create ice without the need of magic.

a train enthusiast who is really fascinated by the rudimentary switchback system lloyd frontera implemented when the concept of a train wasn't even known in the empire being completely dumbfounded when their friends invite them to see a movie about that one time lloyd frontera and his knight defeated a knight of hell in namaran.

i think it's definitely a meme to post "so i was doing research for my asfahan au and went on a rabbit hole and guess who fucking built the qanat that's widely regarded as the only reason the kingdom didn't fall into civil war. take a wild fucking guess" "was it lloyd frontera" "IT WAS FUCKING LLOYD FRONTERA OF COURSE IT WAS"

i'm also certain there would be some guys who think he's overrated and people should really stop talking so much about him when there's so many other historical figures who are just as interesting and not as recognized 🙄. to which people immediately go "mad cause your history blorbo didn't defeat a bone dragon aren't you" at them

Javier and Lloyd getting the Alexander and Haphaestion treatment on whether they were lovers or not. The discourse would be so toxic lol.

they definitely get the alexander and hephaestion treatment you are so correct. they're also the achilles and patroclus of the modern magentano girlies. there's a bunch of 'queer retellings' of their lives. they're the go to example for homoerotic friendships. there's a bunch of edits that mix historical paintings of them with ship fanart with that 'history hates lovers' song playing over them. dudebros get really angry about it. llojavi truthers pull out their 20 pages long annotations that start with "they fucking slept in the same bedroom for years" and it only gets worse.

there's one poor person online who just really fucking wants to know how and why lloyd frontera changed faces one day out of the blue with no one ever explaining it. there's no official records. no member of the royal family ever made a statement about it. why is everyone acting like the frontera family didn't have one eldest son for 25-29 years and one day suddenly had a completely different one. what the fuck is going on.

so. yeah. i'm a little obsessed with this concept actually ajkshdksa

[stressed-depressed-andobsessed]

It was @local-pr1nter who planted the Theatre Kid Mondo Owada idea into my head

Anyway

Here's the character list for who's who in my Danganronpa x Hamilton musical AU thing

Hamiliton Musical of 78' AU

Alexander Hamilton - Kiyotaka Ishimaru

He wasn't going to audition at first since he's never watched Hamilton before, but after a mandatory movie night watch with the entire class so they could 'study' the musical, he decided to try out for Hamilton himself

Taka absolutely loves Hamilton's passion and drive throughout the musical. He doesn't like the occasional cursing (and actively despises the affairs, both emotional with Angelica and physical with Maria), but he tries to look past it because it's all just an act afterall. He wouldn't actually curse if he were picked for the part (and definitely would not cheat on any future love interests)

He studies Hamilton HARD. Just as hard as the homework and topics that are discussed in class. He watched the entire musical 6 times over just to make sure he knew everyone's lines, moves, and personality. It doesn't matter that he was only going to be playing Alexander Hamilton, he still needs to know everyone else's lines too

Sayaka is his biggest hype man when he was practicing his lyrics before the rehearsal. Did he stumble over a line? That's ok, practice it a couple of times with me then try again! Can't hit a particular high note? Try this method she learned during a routine practice she was doing with her bandmates! Nervous before the audition? Look to the side of the stage, she'll be right there smiling and silently singing with you!

Hina is also like that, but with the dancing parts. Need advice for singing and dancing at once without getting tired quickly? She's got him, here's a technique she learned from swimming competitions!

Don't get me started on how loud they (and Mondo) screamed when Taka got the lead role. You would've thought there was a fire, or someone was attacking the school

He's still not over the cursing thing, but he'll manage! Somehow...

Aaron Burr - Mondo Owada

You thought he screamed loud for Taka? Wait until you hear what he did when he found out about his own role

He cried. Very hard.

It was almost scary how expessive he was after finding out he was gonna play THE Aaron Burr

"KYOUDAI! TAKA! KIYO! OH MY FUCKING GOD! TAKA! TAKA! TAKA TAKA TAKA TAKA! WHERE'S CHI? OH MY GOD! I GOT TELL CHI TOO! OH MY GOD!"

This man's happiness could not be contained

He practiced his ass off though so he definitely deserved his role. He was right there with Taka for the 6 viewings (plus the movie night viewing) of Hamilton

After just watching the musical, he started practicing singing. Considering he already knew the musical like the back of his bike before this, it didn't take much practicing to get every single line down for... Hercules Muligan.

That's right! He auditioned for Mulligan! Not Burr.

He definitely didn't think he was good enough to play the Narrator of the musical so the supporting friend of the MC will have to do.

He chose Mulligan mostly because of the man's lines. He sings in, like, 3 songs and most of the lines were about fighting, having sex, getting drunk, or being a spy. Cool ass guy with a cool ass voice. Right up Mondo's alley

The dancing was pretty simply to figure out too since it was mostly background choreography that he already memorized when he was 13. When he was back at home with Daiya, belting out the lyrics and dancing stupidly in the middle of the living room

After the wave of initial excitement, he realizes the responsibility that comes with being the narrator and the MAIN FREAKING ANTAGONIST AND HAVING TO 'KILL' HIS KYOUDAI OH GOD HOW IS HE GONNA DO THING?? BURR HAS LIKE 3 SOLOS AND A 2 WHOLE DUETS WITH HAMILTON AND SO MUCH STUPID DANCING AND-

Eliza Schuyler - Sayaka Maizono

No-one was surprised by this to be honest. Considering Eliza is the other lead besides Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, it would make sense to choose someone who knows exactly how to carry the show when needed

Sayaka practiced pretty hard so she could be Eliza. No offense to the other girls, but she was practically born to be the main Schuyler sister! She's the best at singing and acting since she already has the experience so all she really had to focus on is practicing the lines (and Jesus does Eliza have a lot)

Of course, she celebrated with her bandmates after breaking the news to them. Not everyone in the group knows Hamilton that well, but they still had some fun having a karaoke party and singing the songs

She did have to plead with her manager to get the month and a half off of concerts to go to the practices. It took a lot of compromising (along with some promises that her fans would surely pay to come and see her), but eventually, the crabby old man agreed on the condition that she does some in-between photoshoots to make up for her otherwise radio silence towards her fans

Sayaka immediately began practicing her lines with Taka after finding out about her role. It's a little awkward to pretend to be in love with him, but they end up laughing about it throughout the rehearsal whenever they have to be affectionate towards each other, so that helps a bit

Angelica Schuyler - Aoi Asahina

Hina decided her role through the process of elimination. She doesn't want to be Eliza since she knows Sayaka is going for that role (and she would KILL as the Female Lead!). She doesn't want to be Maria or Peggy since there's only 1 song that they sing in, and she wants to dance and sing as much as possible! (These strong lungs and athletic limbs are made just for that, and they will NOT be going to waste!) Angelica is perfect! She's in a couple songs and is one of the main-side characters, she also has a whole solo where she gets to sing as loudly as possible about two of her friends! The context of the song might not be positive, but when has negativity ever stopped Hina?

She joins in on the practice sessions that Taka and Sayaka hold and joins in on one of the re-watches with Taka and Mondo

She, of course, has one on one sessions with Sayaka to improve her vocal cords. Going from loudly screaming the lines to passionately singing the lyrics

She practiced her choreography with Taka and Sakura, she asked Chihiro to join as well, but they ended up denying while poorly hiding a giggle

They're hiding something...

Oh well! Hina loves secrets so she'll just wait and find out with everyone else!

It doesn't really have to be clarified that she celebrated when she got the part! She was so so so so so excited to be Angelica!! Yayayay! Not only does this mean that she gets to sing and dance with her friends, but she'll also get to brag to her family about a fun new skill she learned! Or maybe she should keep it a secret until the big day? Oh, she doesn't know, she might just explode from the excitement!

She put all her excitement into the swim competition that she had a couple days later, and it won her first place! Yay!

Peggy Schuyler - Kyoko Kirigiri

Kyoko definitely wasn't planning on auditioning for any part. She'd much rather be on the sidelines with Toko

That plan changed quickly when Makoto wouldn't shut up about her being someone- ANYONE- so he wouldn't have to be alone in his small part (If he even got the part, his luck is kind of wonky sometimes)

She finally lamented and auditioned for Peggy. No practice at all, just went for it.

She was present for one of the watch throughs and watched the musical again on her own. The first watch was used to analyze how the characters act and interact with each other, the second was to analyze the plot and movements of the characters. She deduced that Peggy has the second least number of lines of any female main-ish character, (The first being Maria Reynolds and there is no way she is 'seducing' Taka on stage in front of people she most likely knows.) her movements aren't terribly complicated either and whenever Peggy is on stage, she's overshadowed by others, so no-one really pays attention to her. That role is perfect.

Kyoko simply smiled when she read the casting list and saw that she received the role of Peggy. Not only would this make Makoto less nervous, but also practicing for the musical wouldn't take up any time because Peggy is only present in 4 songs and speak briefly in 2.

She has cases to work on and she'd rather not let practicing get in the way of that

George Washington - Sakura Oogami

This may seem like a weird decision, but Hina and Taka thought it was a great idea that someone as stoic and wise as Sakura to play someone as respectable (and tall) as George Washington

It didn't take much convincing as she holds respects for him (and might've been a little intrigued in being in the musical)

It did take a bit of practicing since Sakura's way of talking is more slow-paced while Washington's lines are fast-paced

She is just as resilient in training her mental muscles as her physical muscles though, so the practice is welcomed with honor

All the practice definitely pays off as she finds her name 8th down on the cast list

A smile and a nod are the reaction that the stoic Oogami gave at this revelation... Then a gasp followed as Hina also read the list and basically tackled her from behind in excitement

Hina then went on and on about how amazing Sakura was going to look in Washington's waistcoat and trousers and how amazing she was going to sound because Washington's voice is amazing, and Sakura's voice is amazing and Hina loves all of the parts where Washington sings and now it's going to be even better because she'll get to listen to her girlfriend sing and-

Sakura was not let go of for another 4 hours, but she did not mind one bit

If she wasn't already excited for practice, then she definitely would be now with Hina's bouncing, bubbly excitement radiating all over the place

Thomas Jefferson/Marquis De Lafayette - Yasuhiro Hagakure

Gonna be so honest, I originally only picked this because of Hiro looks

And I'm going to go on a whim here and say that the judges (Who I'm going to say now were teachers like Chisa and maybe some eager volunteers from V2 and V3) at the audition also took Hiro's appearances compared to Lafayette and Jefferson in to account when casting people

Hiro did have some really good accent skills, probably from having to hide his voices whenever someone he scammed bumps into him

He's pretty good at fast talking too, probably also from him having to think of quick excuses on the fly for when he also bumps into someone he's scammed

Both of those qualities are needed to be Lafayette along with being silly and everyone knows Hiro is like the goofiest goober around when he needs to be

He's also witty, engaging, and very sarcastic when needed which are all the qualities needed to be Jefferson

Hiro had both characters down, he loved both of them, but he couldn't decide which one to do. He tried asking he crystal ball, but that just 'told' him that he would vibe as either. So, he consulted the cards, who also told him that he'd be fine as either

He auditioned as both Lafayette and Jefferson since that would amplify his chances of getting at least one of them. He sung a bit of Battle of Yorktown for Lafayette and Cabinet Battle #1 for Jefferson

The audition judges couldn't decide which they liked best so they decided he would follow in Daveed Diggs' footsteps and give him both roles to play

He looked at the cast list, he got there after everyone else with Leon because he had detention, and cheered, attempting to fist bump Leon, but Leon seemed upset. He let it go and went to tell Taka instead

He knew he would get at least one of the roles! Afterall, it was in the cards!

John Laurens/James Reynolds - Leon Kuwata

This man went straight for Alexander Hamilton with absolutely no practice

Well, that's not completely true. He practiced a little bit in the shower and sung Hamilton's parts in Helpless with Sayaka one time

He actually did pretty good despite the very minimum amount of practice

He stumbled on a couple words, he auditioned with My Shot, but ultimately made up for it with his dancing and charisma towards the judges

That's most likely the reason why they gave Leon the part of John Laurens. Laurens is Hamilton's bestie up until his death, he doesn't have too many wordy lines, and he's mainly there to hype up the crowd/his friends. He's perfect for Laurens!

Which is so not perfect for Leon since he's gonna have to watch as whoever gets Hamilton sweeps Sayaka off her feet while he sits back and literally cheers him on!

He goes back to the judges and tells the main judge, and the only one he can really find in this big, old school, Chisa (as nicely as he can) that he doesn't want to be Laurens. He uses the excuse that he feels as though he should be in more of the musical. Chisa agrees and tells him she'll see what she can do!

Cool! Now all he has to do is go serve his detention (Which he may or may not have gotten for racing toy cars in the hall with Hiro and making someone trip) and come back later to see his name right next to Alexander Hamilton

...James Reynolds? Wasn't that the abusive husband? That's not what he meant by 'being more in the musical'! This guy only had like 2 lines and one's about calling his wife a whore!

Leon was left so much more upset than before; he didn't even notice Hiro trying to fist bump him or him leaving. He was seething when he realized that Mr. Hardass was taking his spot at woo-ing Sayaka, the exact same Hardass that gave him detention.

Now he had to pretend like he was really happy for Ishi-Ton and Say-Liza while also remember all these new stupid lines for not just Laurens, but also Reynolds

Hercules Mulligan/James Madison - Byakuya Togami

Literally only got these parts because of his deep voice

He did not audition for Mulligan or Madison, he auditioned for Aaron Burr. Why not Hamilton himself? He did not want to be seen as a protagonist; he sees himself as more suited to be the antagonist, and he did not want to have to fake not 1, not 2, but 3 romances with women he did not have a lick of feelings for.

Aaron Burr is level-headed until he started acting like that fool Hamilton, he thinks his plans through to a detrimental level, and he only mentions a love interest for a couple minutes before focusing on his life plans again. He was the perfect candidate for Togami to stand in as.

He did not practice any dancing but did multiple different private practices for his vocals. He auditioned with Wait for it as it did not require dancing so he could focus on his lines for the pitiful judges that watched him. He did perfectly and was left to wait for the confirmation.

He wanted to wait for all the idiots to clear away from the cast papers, but an unexpected squeal from the overgrown, meathead who was raving about getting his part made him push everyone else out of the way to see if what the big baby of a biker was saying was true. It couldn't be true; Aaron Burr was his part.

...There had to be some kind of mistake! He scanned over that sheet 3 times to find that the dreaded papers were not lying. He was not Aaron Burr; he was Hercules Mulligan and James Madison. Madison he could respect, the man is sophisticated and responsible both in history and in the musical, but Mulligan is a short, angry brute! That is the person suited for that currently over-emotional biker, not Aaron Burr!

He turned to tell that stupid biker that just as the meathead was rushing off to find the little tech student.

Damn it all.

He went to instead lay out his fury with Chisa, the main judge, in a not so polite way. It didn't seem to affect her though. She simply said that she could give those parts to someone else, and he could work in the back with Fukawa...

He dialed the number of his private vocalist to inform them of the change in lines he would have to practice.

King George - Celestia Ludenburg

She too practiced in private.

Of course she was going to go straight for the King, who else would befit her?

It didn't take much singing to convince the judges. Her voice is powerful, condescending, and sarcastic. Perfect for King George!

She will not be spitting like he famously does, but besides that, she already has his part in the bag.

She didn't have to go check the list to know she got her part, but it was worth getting all dressed up to see Togami's hissy fit at his cast reveal

Maria Reynolds - Junko Enoshima

The cheating, the manipulation, the groveling, the despair of a broken marriage caused by her, how could she pass that all up?

The part wasn't hard at all to get down, she was already basically a natural actor.

She practiced only for a stupid older sister's benefit. Poor Mukuro was so nervous about her small little part that she had to practice her chosen part over 30 times (It was definitely because Mukuro was nervous and not because Junko kept laughing and pointing out every little mistake she made)

Her part also came with the added bonus of getting to feel up Mr. Stick-in-his-ass without getting detention. In fact, she might be praised for the added realism

She didn't check the casting roster until really late at night, unfortunately missing the RichMan™'s breakdown, to avoid everyone else for her poor sister's sake (MukMuk is such a big baby, she swears)

She got the part (Yay) and so did her sister (Boo)

George Eacker - Mukuro Ikusaba

She didn't have that many lines, but she just kept messing up during practice for some reason

Luckily, she got them right for the audition (or she hopes she did, Junko didn't say anything so she must have done good)

She wasn't going to audition for any part, just work with Fukawa in the back, but then Junko said she'd be perfect for the part of the murderer of Philip Hamilton and asked her to try out for it

She couldn't deny her little sister, could she?

It was nerve-wracking, but the list had finally been posted so regardless of her nervous-ness, she would have her answer once she went to check the papers.

Junko had to end up dragging her to the papers late at night because she couldn't bring herself to go

She got the part, yay.

Charles Lee - Makoto Naegi

He wanted to be in the musical to support his fellow classmates while also not having to memorize many lines as he might end up forgetting them out of nervousness

Charles Lee, George Eacker, and Samuel Seabury were all good choices. Samuel would be hard though, because he and Taka would have to be singing over each other and he might not be able to say his lines at the same time as him. Especially because of how loud and intimidating Taka can be

He decided to eliminate him and focus on the other 2 options. They both had relatively short parts so auditioning with both of their songs wasn't met with any restraint from the judges

He figured, with his luck, he had to get one of the parts and if he didn't, because that was still definitely a possibility, then he could help Toko with backstage work full time

Luckily, he got Charles Lee. Unluckily, Byakuya decided to take his anger out on him by ranting about 'The Giant Oaf' as he referred to Mondo for almost an entire hour

That's ok though, Makoto is always up to support a 'friend' in times of distress!

Samuel Seabury - Hifumi Yamada

He originally was just going to work backstage with Fukawa Toko-dono but at the prospect that his Mistress is going to be centered as royalty and there is a commoner whose sole role is encouraging the Town People to worship her, he immediately started practicing for the part of Seabury

He was pretty good, even putting on his Manly™️ Voice while auditioning

Because of his impeccable performance, (and the fact that no-one else auditioned for that part) he was almost immediately given the role

Mistress Ludenburg even praised him for his role! (Then ordered him to make her some tea to celebrate)

That's all the main characters sorted I think so next post will be all about how each song and the practices for that particular song went. As expected for the class of 78, there will be lots of shenanigans (and maybe even some fanart to go with it if I can figure out how to draw some of these characters)

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Hold on, there's someone I have forgotten!

Philip Hamilton - Chihiro Fujisaki

Chihiro practiced with Sayaka privately, which was super awkward at first, but they eventually got over it

They wanted to surprise everyone by being in the musical! They know it will be really hard because they'll have to preform in front of everyone in a pretty major role, but that's what the practice is for. They've been getting physically stronger with Mondo, so it's time to up their emotion and mental strength (along with their vocal strength because they have a pretty small voice)

They were really nervous about preforming just in front of the judges, but that's ok because they did it and that's all that matters

They didn't even get a chance to look at the casting roster before Mondo came barreling into them announcing his role. Getting to see the unabridged happiness and excitement from Mondo almost made up for being crushed in a back breaking hug.

After the initial excitement, they then had to listen to his anxieties about all the lines and dance movements he's gonna have to remember before joking that they wouldn't have to do that themselves since they didn't audition for anything. Mondo will not admit that he stumbled to keep up as Chihiro pulled him down the hall (not running, just speed walking as they did pass Taka on the way) back to the casting papers

It took a minute as they specifically requested that their name went on the second paper and not the first so the likelihood of anyone finding their name on accident was low, but they sure did find it... and they were almost immediately put into another crushing hug. They may have gotten stronger and used to Mondo's physical affections, but the bear hugs are something they don't think they'll ever get used to

They leave off telling everyone else, they'll figure it out during practices

Alright, that's everyone! Any other minor roles that weren't assigned to anyone is picked up by other Ultimates that aren't in the 78 class (maybe some of the class of 77 helped) like the background dancers or the prop and set movers. Toko doesn't get a role, not because I don't like her because I absolutely do, but because:

1. I could not find a role that fit her comfortable

2. Realistically, she would not and could not perform in front of potentially 100s of people (Most of whom are made up of the classmates' family and friends, along with Sayaka's fans who came just for Sayaka)

3. She would not want to risk Syo coming out in front of hundreds of people. She would rather have her come out while backstage because then someone could notice and get her away from the stage area more subtly and without worry

She's content with having to pull the curtains or just motioning for props to be sent out to the stage.

This entire performance is going to be put on in a sort of hall, think of a graduation ceremony kind of hall. Despite the huge school and its amenities, they could not fit all the props, characters, and costumes along with 100+ people anywhere in the school comfortably. The school funds the renting of this hall though since this is for a festival. The festival will be happening at and around the school where some students will also be selling tickets for the musical and then there will be an announcement, signaling that the musical will start in an hour. All guests will then move to the hall, get their tickets taken, and take their seats.

[omnitheist27]

The 40: Catch the Bullet

"To answer your question, you get to be a superhero by believing in the hero within you and summoning him or her forth by an act of will." - Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias

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@the-ravenclaw-werewolf, @purplemochi20055, @hulkchloron99, and @r3dp4nd4ch1ld

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I decided to bust out my drawing tablet and use Photoshop again to create a comic for The 40, and I will say...it's a start for me to brush up on my digital illustration skills.

Izuku has come a long way after his year-long intense training regiment compared to his Pre-Character Development self. But the most gracious physical feat he had performed that would make Bakugou jealous and All Might proud, was being able to catch a bullet fired from a revolver.

I was looking over Alan Moore's well-known comic, Watchmen, and was greatly interested in Ozymandias' character and the astonishing physical and mental feats he's able to perform after dedicating himself to training his mind and body by retracing the steps of Alexander the Great by traveling the world. The one thing that interests me about how he managed to become what he is, is through his interview in the second to last issue. Where Adrian firmly believes that anyone can do what he can achieve, as you need to have the belief and willpower to see it through.

And what do you know...Izuku manages to do the impossible after the many trials that await him in the year-long intense training regiment. Reacting immediately upon seeing an unknown assailant pull a revolver on him, and summoning all of his willpower and technique to time his catching of the bullet correctly. However, like with Ozymandias, Izuku's skin was damaged from the bullet due to the obvious friction from the speed it had. But it's still a great accomplishment compared to his pre-training self, as the bullet would've burst through his hand and killed him, never mind the idea that he could actually catch it.

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Afterward reaction from the other members of The 40.

Spike Spiegel: Shhiieeeeeeeeettt kid...you actually caught it...

Levi Ackerman: Well I'll be damned...

Zuko: Izuku...you did it.

Korra: That...was the most craziest thing you have ever done.

Saitama: ...Good for him...

Mob: That was close!

Edward Elric: How is that possible?

Ishigami Senku: That can't be scientifically possible!

Gojo: Bwa ha ha ha! Amazing!

Hanako: That was close.

Souma: Holy crap!

Mako: Whoo hoo Izuku-kun!

Kobayashi: That was too close for comfort!

Tohru: (worryingly) Izuku-kun!

Chika: Hmm...I must keep a close eye on this one.

Haruka: ...Huh...

Naegi Makoto: He actually caught it!

Ciel Phantomhive: That was...impressive...

Katsuki Yuuri: That took some insane reaction speed.

Shouyou Hinata: Go for it Izuku!

Saiki Kusuo: I knew he would catch it. Looking at you Omnitheist27.

Suzui Ryōta: I wouldn't take a gamble like that.

Heine Wittgenstein: He has come a long way.

White Blood Cell / Neutrophil (U-1146): The medulla oblongata must be very active for him to do that.

Satō Mafuyu: ...

Hasegawa Langa: ... 

Killua Zoldyck: While impressive for someone like Izuku, I've seen greater reaction time.

Kamado Tanjirou: Yeah! Izuku-san!

Kuroko Tetsuya: ...

Okumura Rin: I've got to train harder if I want to do that.

Fujioka Haruhi: That really was close.

Emma: Go Izuku!

Serinuma Kae: I've got to read Observepeople again!

L: To possess the will needed to pull that off...

Shiota Nagisa: I'm not sure if I want to do that...

Legoshi: So humans are capable of such feats.

Suzuki Iruma: I wonder if learning to catch a bullet would come in handy for school?

Fujinuma Satoru: That...is something you don't see every day.

Feliciano Vargas (North Italy): I'm starting to get flashbacks of Japan wanting to cut bullets.

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Canon MHA cast reaction:

Midoriya Inko: (bawling) IZZUUUUUKKUUU!!!

All Might: (in English) Oh my...oh my...GOODNESS!!!

Bakugou Katsuki: Tch! I would've caught it as well!

Uraraka Ochako: You did it Deku-kun!

Iida Tenya: WHILE I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND SUCH ACTION, I WILL ADMIT MIDORIYA-SAN'S EFFORT!

Todoroki Shouto: Midoriya...

Asui Tsuyu: That was reckless Midoriya-san, but good job.

Mineta Minoru: HE'S INSANE!!! Although he was pretty cool.

Kirishima Eijiro: MANLY!!!

Shinso Hitoshi: Could I do that...

Togata Mirio: POWER!!!

Izumi Kota: Kick his ass Izuku!

Eri: D-D-Do your best Deku!

Shouta Aizawa: (to the rest of Class 1-A) If I catch any of you performing a stunt like that...

[ehcahache]

for the wip thing Marvel or/and HTTYD👀 (sorry I'm greedy and too curious for my own good, but I am holding back with just two😂)

You can ask any time you want! Right now I'm on my summer break so I really have lots of free time.

I'm still wondering if I should do the Marvel AU a whole multi chapter fic or just related one shots but it would basically be about Lando and Carlos as a duo, working from the two years previous to the blip, those years where only one of them survives, and the come back of everyone (no snippet for this one)

For the HTTYD... Here you have the basics to that universe👀

The golden trio, as everyone calls them, is known for being formed by the three best dragon hunter knights in the kingdom. They are legends.

George Russell is known for his strong strokes, knocking down dragons in one hit. He's only come out of a fight with wounds once, when a fellow knight betrayed him and distracted him. The scar on his back is the only thing left of that journey. He majorly is assigned hunting fire dragons.

Alexander Albon is known for his expertise in traditional hunting. Instead of directly fighting the beasts he chooses psychological warfare. Even if it takes him hours, he chases his victim, tiring them until they're too exhausted to keep fighting. That's when Alex hits the final blow. He carries a few more scars than George, all due to a reptile dragon he was assigned in his early days. That's what made him take all the reptile dragon missions he can.

The technique Lando Norris uses is a mystery. He's the only of the three who didn't have any apprentices under his wing who can share how he does it. He's also more solitary than his mates, making him the hot topic every time he comes back from a mission. Reports say he might eat the meat of the dragons every time he kills one, being that the reason why no one has ever found the corpse of a dragon in the area he'd worked. Others say that his presence is so big and terrifying that the dragons run away from him before he can even grab a weapon.

The truth is, Lando's never killed a dragon and he wasn't planning on doing so. Not since he got Uno at least.

He adopted his own dragon by accident thinking it was just a simple baby lizard until it never stopped growing and developed wings. By the time he'd realized that Uno wasn't just a simple lizard, their bond was so strong that, even if Lando still resented the ones who'd killed his family, he couldn't just kill him. Uno had helped Lando learn that dragons weren't just beasts but just scared animals.

After realizing that Uno was a dragon, Lando had immediately started studying the ones he was supposed to kill, as he quickly realized everything he'd been told was a lie. He'd started writing everything he'ld learned in notebooks and classified every dragon in types to help him finish jobs easier and faster.

He'd realized some dragons terrorized the nearer villages because they weren't supposed to be in calm climates, others were just defending themselves from their attackers, as they were herbivores and there was even a species that could use the light reflection on their scales to communicate!

No one knew Lando never killed the dragons, that he'd been studying for years or that he even had one as a pet. If someone did, Lando feared his title would be revoked, he would be exiled and Uno... He didn't even want to think about it. He loved their rides flying through the sky too much to even think of risking his life by sharing his knowledge.

Being one of the three living legends who still were actives, as much as it helped for his studies, it added an additional pressure constantly, sometimes but having king Lewis Hamilton always behind him and wanting to know his techniques, sometimes by having other knights or squires there themselves at him to beg for him to take them as apprentices...

Lando feared this last second call they'd received was, once again, something that might complicate his life a bit more, even if he was praying to every saint he knew of for it to not be like that.

[rockethorse]

Do you have any tips or resources for improving at texturing? The stuff you’ve been sharing is brilliant— you capture the maxis feel so well!

Oh, thank you for asking, I'm quite flattered you think so! I have mostly been figuring stuff out through trial and error, so I'm hardly a texturing expert, but I can try and share what I've found works for me.

Firstly, wherever possible/practical I just steal from existing Maxis textures, LOL. Makes sense since we want to recreate that Maxis feel, right? If I can remember an existing texture that could be tweaked to work, then I go grab it at least as a reference. For example with the retextures of Alexander's little shorts-suit that I shared for the GoS challenge, I knew I wanted an oversized, hand-me-down denim jacket vibe... so why not go straight to the source and just grab a denim jacket texture from an adult mesh? Then it's just a matter of figuring out the "gaps" in the mapping and filling them in with airbrushing, clone tools, etc. Sometimes the final texture is completely different, but having the reference helped a lot. I'll also take or reference textures from TS3 and TS4 conversions.

On that note, I think it's immensely helpful for anyone working from a Maxis mesh to grab a UV map if possible. This thread of Maxis UV maps is great, but unfortunately not comprehensive - I can't find elder UV maps anywhere :( But still a great resource! It's especially helpful when you're changing something like necklines and shoes, which are often mapped awkwardly and make it really obvious when seams aren't aligned.

Full disclosure, I was already a digital artist, so I had a leg-up on certain aspects of learning to texture. But I still struggled a lot with hand-painting textures and would often get frustrated because what worked for my art didn't work with The Sims. Eventually I found brushes that worked best for me - this might differ from artist to artist, but I found that scaling airbrush tools down gave me the best balance of softness even for "hard" lines like seams, trim, etc. Using a harder brush stood out as looking too "digital" in-game.

Whenever I'm hand painting something from scratch, I first make sure my idea is possible by editing the alpha. I'll make the texture a bright floodfill like yellow, flatten any bump map, and then tweak the alpha how I'm imagining to see what parts are "meshed on" and where. This helps me figure out the boundaries of collars, necklines, hems, etc. in ways that aren't always obvious on a UV map. If the alpha can be edited the way I'm imagining, then I move on to adding small details like hems, buttons, etc.

Once I have these rough details, I start by adding "shape" to a flat colour with the airbrush tool. This means gradually building up shadows to give a sense of 3D. I often start from the sides to make sure the seams will be the same colour, though I do think it's best to go in afterwards with your UV maps to lighten up certain patches. Then I'll add highlights with the same technique, and start carving areas away to make folds and creases, etc. I do this before I add any texture. Often I'll start with a grey colour, to make recolouring easier later, but if I have a very specific colour in mind I'll do that one first and then make a desaturated version for recolouring later. Since I work with Maxis Match textures, it doesn't matter as much if you lose some detail with this process.

This process of building up a sense of 3D gradually and softly with the airbrush tool and shrinking the airbrush tool down to make finer lines instead of choosing an actual fine-line brush are the two biggest tips that I think improved my handpainted textures!

Also, and I mean this sincerely, but I make it look a bit crummy on purpose. EAxis textures are a wonderful blend of genuinely beautiful hand-painting and abhorrent photoskinning, all of which are flattened and smeared to squeeze onto 2000s hardware. Sometimes stretching or upscaling a texture is exactly what a recolour needs to achieve the "Maxis feel", you know? So don't stress too much about it. I always kind of laugh when I find myself obsessing over a tiny stray pixel or a mis-matched seam in my own content and then find the tackiest suit on MTS from 2004 like "looks great, unzip it". It's probably never gonna look as good in-game as it does in your graphics program anyway. Hair textures are where I truly embrace the fug because I know anyone who wants them is coming for exactly that. If people don't want smeary, slightly-dirty, mismatched-colour-groups hair textures, then they've probably found a different hair system that works for them, lol.

Oh, speaking of graphics programs, I use Krita for all my digital art and retexturing. If anyone is looking to get into making textures and doesn't have access to an art program, I highly recommend it for being free, open-source and powerful. If you're a beginner, then remember also that BodyShop crunches textures, especially for darker colours, so if your textures look pixellated in-game try using SimPE to build the DXTs instead for slightly different compression.

If it's an object I'm retexturing, I'll often clone the object in SimPE and then recolour the clone so that I can preview how it will look in SimPE without having to load the game. This isn't perfect, since there's no lighting in SimPE, so sometimes you won't notice little details that are meshed-on, but it's certainly faster than having to load the game every time, especially if you're making lots of little tweaks or stretching the object's mapping to its limits. I had to do this with the blackboards, the City Living toilets, and the bear chairs.

I think that's about it! If anyone has any more specific questions I can try and answer, and I'll try and add pictures that explain what I'm talking about a bit better the next time I go texture something. But in the end, I think "trial and error to find what works for you" is the best advice, along with "steal from other textures A LOT".

[steambot-shenanigans]

Steam Powered Giraffe Mechanisms crossover bulletfic

I had an idea for a Steam Powered Giraffe au where Commander Cosmo and the Steam Powered Giraffe heroes formed a crew of space adventurers to track down traces of the necrostar and thwart the tragedies it leaves behind. (Those tragedies of course would be the events of the Mechanisms albums)

But this idea got too big and I don’t know if I ever would have been able to write it. I enjoy thinking about this au, but I would not be able to do it justice with my current writing skill. So as a compromise with myself, here is the plot it would have had in bullet points.

WOW This got WAY LONGER than I thought it would so prepare yourself for that going in.

Beginning/setup

Commander Cosmo’s celebration of defeating the Astronaut is short lived when he realizes that the body of the Astronaut has been possessed by the Necrostar, creating the Necronaut

He decides to assemble a team of heroes (“all of them”) to follow the readings he picked up and try to defeat the necronaut. He feels it is his responsibility as he thinks it was his fault the necronaut exists

While he does this, though, he needs to keep Cosmica close by so he can teach her how to not kill everyone and also supervise her, which she resents a bit, but ultimately understands the purpose of

Cosmo, along with the crew of the SS Alexander go to earth. Cosmo meets with SPG and they tell him about all the heroes they know of, starting with Delilah Morreo who is still alive due to being a wraith

They know that in order to not mess with the timeline, they must take the older heroes out of their timelines after or right before they die. That presents the problem of keeping them alive

Delilah and Cosmo come up with devices to technologically augment the heroes with blue matter and a touch of green.

Delilah learned about some of this engineering technique from a fellow scientist she met a while back who she had to end her research fellowship with once she learned the scientist was a vampire

They rescue Captain Albert Alexander shortly after he sank to the bottom of the sea, using a stealth submarine and brought him back to life with mechanical lungs to replace the ones damaged by water intake

They rescue Rex Marksley in his own home as a disease that left him blind was about to kill him, and give him a new pair of mechanical eyes that can aim even better than his natural eyes. He opts to wear dark goggles over his eyes as he adjusts, and he can see just fine out of them. He didn’t want to be saved, but he was not going to turn down his world in a time of need

They rescue Lilly “Airheart” on the mountainside, leaving only Jimmy’s goggles behind. Lilly already had an engine for a heart, being half plane, and so all Cosmo and Delilah had to do was add a blue matter core to it. Lilly wished she could take Jimmy’s goggles with her as she learns to pilot a spaceship.

Without information on how Roller Skate King, Salgexicon, and Leopold Expiditus died, they cannot take them out of the timeline, and the Suspender man wasn’t much of a hero, so those four got left back on earth

Cosmo entrusts the safety of present day earth with Olly and the Equinox Band (they were already doing it anyway, because technically this timeline’s Cosmo is still in the star)

The rescued heroes freak out about being in space and in the future but eventually get used to it enough to do what they were brought to do

Once Upon a Time in Space

They track traces of the Necronaut to an old, dangerous sector of space in the far future, as well as traces of a matter type similar to red matter, but it’s frequency is slightly higher

They discover that King Cole is using a new thing called Orange Matter to keep himself alive and create Rose Red clones fueled by the war he eternally wages. It is unsure whether the war fuels the orange matter, or if the orange matter just makes everyone want to go to war

The Necronaut’s meddling would set this up to be a tragedy, so Cosmo’s team intervened

Because most of them cannot die, when the defense grid is brought down around New Constantinople, it is the crew of the SS Alexander that go into the caverns below the palace and confront King Cole.

Captain Albert Alexander fought off the Three Little Pigs with the help of Rav, and at the same time

Rex Marksley brought down King Cole with a single shot right through the heart.

Commander Cosmo breaks through the life pod containing Rose

Together they personally escort Rose back to Cinders, and meet Snow on the way

They collect the red matter and store it in a lead lined container for later study, but investigation reveals there used to be more.

Tales speak of a mysterious figure that talked to King Cole and showed him how to use a natural resource of New Constantinople to extend his life. Some people say the figure is the devil

Ulysses Dies at Dawn

Acheron run on purple matter, which symbolizes desire

There used to be some in the vault, and the radiation still remains, pulling in certain suits and olympians, making them sure they want what’s inside

The radiation itself manifested a seed’s simple desire to grow into a tree

Our heroes seek an audience with Hades who is very interested in their story and does not seem to be who they say they are

Though Hades won’t help, they did learn a bit about their plan and go to the vault before the suits

Gidget takes the trial of wits

Captain Albert Alexander took the trial of strenght

Cosmica passed the trial of song

Lily took the trial of love and came right back to life after the contraption killed her

They see it’s just a tree, and close the vault again

They tell the suits that it’s just a tree

Life in the City goes on

“Is that all? Is the tragedy averted?”

“This whole place is a living tragedy”

They confiscate the purple matter and help negotiate positive social change (it helps when you have two glowy people that could destroy the planet in an instant)

High Noon Over Camelot

Needless to say, both Rex and Rav are excited about the next destination

Though the latter is disappointed that the solution to this particular tragedy is not blowing up the sun before the station can fall into it

Scans of the station reveal broken communication systems as well as where the command center was and a life sign indicating someone in stasis, as well as a bunch of other life signs

Scans also reveal a Matter type that by process of elimination can be assumed to be yellow

To not startle the inhabitants, the human looking people (Lilly, Delilah, Captain, and Rex) go into the main station to talk to the people about finding a solution (Lilly and Delilah have to wear cloaks but at least they’re not green)

Rav, and cosmo go below to look for the person in stasis, leaving Cosmica alone with Booplax and Gidget as a test of her ability to not destroy things when left to her own devices

Cosmo destroys the gun turrets guarding the captain’s cabin and they find and talk to Captain David Robert Matthea, who tells them about the GRAIL and the problems with the station

Rex, Captain, Delilah, and Lilly meet Merlin, hear his prophecies (he is very confused that they are here. He did not Foresee that), and Lilly talks to the ghouls while Rex and Captain talk to the townsfolk

They reconvene and Delilah and Lilly talk about how Ghouls have their own culture and how they raised a human as their own

Rex and Captain talk about the townsfolk’s prejudice and the problems of living on the station

They try to educate each side about the other, and get noticed by Mordred and they work together to try for peace with the ghouls, but Gawain and the pendragons aren’t convinced

Delilah investigates the Siege seat and determines it’s purpose

About this time, Rav and Cosmo come back up through the saloon entrance, shocking a lot of people.

The commotion draws the rest of the team and Cosmo imputs the key and explains to the pendragon gang about what’s going on

They are inclined to believe a glowy person that just popped out of the floor, but that doesn’t mean they think he should declare himself captain

The pendragons eventually agree that Arthur should be captain and they get the station out of the decaying orbit around the sun

In celebration, Mordred reveals that he is Arthur’s son, and explains the whole being trans thing

Using the grail, they fix some of the problems with the station, and as people have less problems, they become more open to diplomacy

Having a son that’s living proof that Ghouls are not all bad also does not hurt

On the way out, Merlin asks for a ride in their spaceship, the crew is surprised he knows what a spaceship is until he reveals that he’s not from the station, nor is he actually named Merlin

Leaving the station they look for where the yellow matter radiation readings were coming from and find it was inside the sun.

As the sun radiated the station with heat, the yellow matter inside radiated the station with fear, turning beings who were exposed to long into things that elicited fear, and causing the townsfolk with less but still significant radiation to fear each other and fear those who were different

Cosmica and Cosmo enter the star together to take the yellow matter out and carefully contain it

The crew help Merlin Brian find his ship using readings from his own self regenerating technology which seems to run on green and blue matter as well

The crew get to know Brian a bit and they swap stories

Meeting with the Mechanisms

The SS Alexander is given permission to dock on the Aurora once Brian’s transmission goes through

Brian introduces them to each other

“So you’re the ones who have been ruining our perfectly good tragedies!”

Conflict, arguing

There’s plenty of tragedy in space, find something else is the general consensus, as well as, a story doesn’t have to be completely true for it to matter and be a good story

They did have one more story they were looking into though and when Cosmo hears about it, he knows it will be their final stand

The Bifrost Incident

The heroes go to Yggdrasil

The mechanisms don’t get involved because it could still go tragically

Cosmo and the Necronaut meet in a dream where the Necronaut brags about his final plan and ends up revealing that his plan involves Odin

The crew head to Asguard and try to convince Odin to not launch the train but she cannot be convinced, the Necrostar has been whispering to her, though she knows it by a different name.

The Necronaut was made of green matter.

It took blue matter energy from the conflict it orchestrated between SPG and the Space Gaint, as well as the Sky Sharks.

It got Red Matter from Commander Cosmo’s core when it tried to kill him

It got orange matter from New Constantinople, far in the future when it obtained some of the substance in return for teaching the king how to use the rest to live forever, though it did not tell him the affect it would have on his mind

It got purple matter from the City, buried amongst the roots of a tree, and once again showed an ambitious young man how to use it to get what he most desired

It got yellow matter from a burning orb of fear, and on the way out, pulled a space station just close enough that it would start to fall into the sun, gradually.

Now it had a whole rainbow, creation and destruction, fear and desire, passion and death, and it looked a bit different

And Odin intended to launch a train right into it

Nothing about the train or the ritual was what it wanted. What it really cared about was the people on the train, and the tragedy they could cause

One final tragedy, if done right, combined with the power of a rainbow of matter, would make the Necronaut unstoppable

Odin launches the train

The crew manage to get on the train but they don’t know how to stop it.

Relying on old faithful, they begin looking for signs of the beginnings of a tragedy.

It is difficult because they all look strange now, but they split up to do their best

Cosmica and Cosmo exit the train and are inside the swirling rainbow of the necronaut’s new form. They want to try talking to him

The rest of the crew talk to as many people as possible and poke around with Gidget hacking into things and they find Loki

A person with an orange streak in their hair and no memories sounds like it could lead to tragedies

Delilah tries to use an alchemical compound with blue matter to restore her memories but it is temporary, and what she says doesn’t make sense

See Thor outside of Loki’s cabin, Thor goes in, gets mad and asks them about it, they tell him what they learned

Thor goes to confront Odin, the others follow

The crew take out the guards to protect Thor but try to convince him to not kill Loki

They listen to him about Balder and explain about how the train is Very Bad and Loki was right for trying to stop it

Thor asks for proof and Rav just points out the window where cosmo and Cosmica are fighting a physical manifestation of the necronaut

Cosmica pulls a “he’s still in there” and tries to bring back the Astronaut by singing a bit of Soliton

For a moment, it seems like it worked, and the monstrous necrostar form turns into the Astronaut

Cosmica holds his face in her hands and tells him she missed him

The Astronaut smiles for a moment before his face falls

“You let me die.”

Cosmica pulls back, letting go of his hands but he grabs her and pulls her in with a look of rage on his face

“You let me DIE!” His sonic voice sends shockwaves that knock cosmo back a few feet and shake the train

Back on the train, Thor believes the crew but doesn’t know how to stop this from going badly, neither does anyone else

Out of ideas, they go back to Loki and find Sygn

They talk about the train stuff and Sygn comes with them to investigate the engine room and brings Loki

They see Kvasir and the altar but before they can panic, Gidget or Delilah warns that pulling him out would cause him to bleed out

They investigate the controls and try to gather first aid supplies

No one can make heads or tails of what the controls do so they decide to take Kvasir out

Surely messing with the system is the opposite of what the necronaut wants!

Things go wrong. They try to patch up kvasir but he’s loosing too much blood, thrashing, and he dies

The gears warp and the train goes weird

Squamous things appear on the train, caused by the rainbow Matter of the Necronaut seeping in either on purpose or on accident and everything is a blue of color and fear and destruction and desire and death and creation and passion

Back outside of the train, the astronaut shakes with rage as Cosmica tries to explain herself

He won’t listen, and ends up monologuing about how Cosmica betrayed him and the necrostar showed him how powerful he could be if he joined it, how he could get revenge on her and Cosmo for ruining his cosmic love, but how this final tragedy will once and for all achieve his goal, he and the necrostar will become one for good and he will always be the speed of light

The Crew on the train rush to save as many people as possible, leaving only Lilly behind with Loki and Sygn in the engine room. Now that the chaos of the train is unleashed, the energy of all the matter types in the train restores Loki’s memory

Thor continues through the train to confront Odin and Rav goes with him to help even the odds

In the engine, Loki and Sigyn realize that if the train doesn’t have blood, it will arrive in Midguard and could take the evil it’s passed through with it, and they go to unhitch the engine but just then, Cosmica is thrown into the engine car from above by the Necronaut, ripping the ceiling open a bit

Cosmica sees what Loki and Sigyn were about to do and warns them against it

“You shouldn’t have to sacrifice the person you love, not if there’s another way. And there’s always another way”

The Astronaut is surprised to hear this, it seems to get through to him, if even a little, though the Necrostar in him tries to fight it

Seeing an opening, Cosmica gives a good apology for letting him die and appeals to his humanity

He has another “what have I done” moment and lets Cosmica and Cosmo separate him from the Necrostar fragment which they contain

Without the Necrostar fragment keeping him alive, he finally perishes for good and Cosmica kisses him as he takes his final breaths. “I won’t leave you this time”

Epilogue

The bifrost/necrostar collapses without the core fragment to keep it together

Thor and Rav defeat Odin with the power of the explosives that Rav always seems to have on him, but it shatters the windows of the observation deck and they are holding on for dear life

Cosmo and Cosmica bring the train back to ground

They go back to earth to share the good news and figure out what to do with a handful of immortal people

[steve0discusses]

S5 Ep 42 Pt 2: We are All Warhammer Minis

Last we left off, Bakura just reminded Yami that he did, in fact, invite him to play a Shadow game, and then Yami just kinda never realized the game had started. Yami was warned, Bakura explains, It’s not like he wasn’t told exactly what would happen.

Which is a weird ass thing to say, when it like involved Bakura crashing Yami’s funeral.

Like Yami was supposed to DIE in that tomb, right? Like he was gonna find peace and happiness and then peace the hell out of Yugi’s haunted bean. But instead of perma-dying, he’s freakin stuck here. With Bakura. For the end of his days. His very worst frenemy. The ultimate trap. What a weird way to hang out with Bakura, getting trapped like this.

It is interesting how the Alexander the Great arc actually does play into this arc. Shada did make a model of the past for them to fight in, and now Bakura’s doing the same except way more dramatic because unfortunately it alters history.

(read more under the cut)

Don’t think too much about what would even happen to Yugi and friends if you damage or move anything from 5000 years ago. Like I’m pretty sure you can knock over a few cans of ancient Egyptian paint and just Greece would have ceased to exist. That’s how tenuous changing the past seems to me, if I have learned anything from Twilight Zone.

The fact that without Yugi existing in the future, would mean Yami would not have been able to alter the past: don’t think about that. Shadow Realm means we don’t think about that. Shadow Realm does what it pleases.

That or this show is going to split off into hundreds of multiverses just like Marvel and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did.

Also, we are informed that the rainbow filter is not so much of a Aknadin technique as it is a Bakura’s busted hourglasses technique.

Also it took me 2 watches of this episode, making the caps, editing this out, to realize that he has the hourglass sideways. The three hourglasses are just hourglasses in three directions, sand going down, sand going up, or sand staying still. Holy crap, y’all, long covid: my brain took way too long to realize that.

But we got there!

Did I go “wtf” when Joey was like “ah, I could get used to this!” Yes, yes I did.

At that point, Zorc shows up to give Aknadin a wish, I guess. Like a genie.

And then he was immediately doused in purple gatorade.

You may be wondering “hey, but I thought you can’t make Zorc because Yami locked Zorc away when he lost his own damn name” and don’t worry, Bakura already thought about that.

I guess the function of the last hourglass is “I put a gun to the plot and told it to step forward or I swear to Gods, I will shoot.” He can bend future time one single time at his will, and waited this long to use it. Probably because youknow, it’s Bakura, he’s not going to choose any time to do this but the very rudest time to do so.

Back at Casa Pharaoh, Tristan has made it to the chamber of legs. Notice how Yami’s Dad is the only guy who was like “Hell no, I’m not shaving for my portrait, just draw me in a robe.” Just like me every time I decide to wear tights with a skirt.

Turns out that yes, Yami deleted his own name just everywhere. The curse he got cursed with was very effective.

And back at Aknadin and his awkward family reunion, Seto is kind of over having a family and it’s only been like less than a minute of having one.

No, they did not have a moment of “Wait! Yami is my cousin???” which like, asking your Son to kill his cousin sure is moment. Also the moment of realizing your cousin is 2 feet shorter than you and trying to figure out how that works.

And now, Seto’s Dad looks like this guy:

It’s a look. It’s a card somewhere.

So, in a moment that was hard to cap, Aknadin decided to blast everyone in the face with a plasma beam, and out of the clouds comes Hassad, here to block to blows and take a fireball the chest, like a trooper.

Now if you don’t remember Hassad, he was a hallucination that Pharaoh had in the cave before he saw himself as a literal baby and was like “yikes” and left the cave. Turns out, Hassad is the protector of the Pharaohs, and is finally here to do his damn job.

After Yami, uh, already died once, but youknow what? Better late than never, Hassad!

But unfortunately, this means we’re back at square one, that’s right, it’s time to duel again!

But like, next episode. don’t worry. It’s next episode.

phew.

Like seriously Yugi has done more damage to planet earth than most anime children. Power to him.

And then as I was capping I realized something about Dartz, and I said “I’ll find a way to organically fit this into the commentary” and maybe if I had a better brain I would have done that. Instead, an aside about Dartz’s season that I keep thinking about this season with Bakura.

Because never forget Dartz walked into Cairo, saw Yami, and was like “neat, I’m gonna steal his power” and then saw Bakura and then immediately turned around. When like, this is all that Bakura does.

This leaves so many questions about Bakura and who he was before he was possessed by the spirit of the ring, and when he got possessed by the ring, since he was supposed to be in prison right? So...that was one pissed off prisoner to just have VIBES that were enough to throw off Dartz.

Anyway, that’s all for now, as per usual, here is the link to read these from the beginning, if you so desire. I know my update schedule is so slow atm, but my backlog is pretty freakin strong at this point so there’s more, if you’re new here:

https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono

[adventures-on-foster-island]

@alexanders-pokemon-adventure

Hey! I've seen you asking around about Helping Hand and people's experiences with it, and I may have some insight.

There are a few things to factor in when talking about Pokémon using moves on Humans because of the way the energy effects us differently than it does them. The first major one is the intent behind the move. For example, moves like Cut, Metal Claw, and Slash can deal devastating damage to a Human when used with malicious intent. On the other hand, those same moves can be used to preform minor surgeries, trim nails, cut hair, and other delicate applications if the Pokémon trains and hones their technique. This brings us to the second variable, which is training. The move a Pokémon uses is only as good as the Pokémon using it. Not only does training affect the potency of the move, but also the precision and accuracy. Learning a move is like learning to do anything; when you first learn to rollerskate, you don't have a lot of control over your speed, you don't have very good balance, and starting and stopping are challenging. As you practice, you learn to go faster, turn sharper corners, stop on a dime. It's very similar to a Pokémon training a specific move, and this is how service 'mon train for their jobs.

The next thing to consider when discussing how a Pokémon move will affect a Human is the specific person in question. Physical and mental disabilities and illnesses, genetic dispositions, and skills can change the way a move works. For some people, myself included, certain moves make the day to day life a little more bearable. Others have adverse reactions, even if the intent is pure and the move is passive.

Finally, of course the move being used makes a difference. Helping Hand specifically can do a few different things for a Human, depending on the above variables. For some people, it helps them move faster, others it boosts strength. My Umbreon, Nyx, uses it on me to help me stay focused by regulating my executive function. Some other service Pokémon use it to cheer up their depressed partner, prevent fainting in people with low blood pressure, or assist with physical disabilities by improving motor function. It is used in doctors offices and rehab facilities to calm angry patients or help them through pain. Paramedics discovered the move can work as well as a shot of adrenaline for restarting a heart when trained correctly.

[dillinger]

AZZEDINE ALAÏA / ARTHUR ELGORT / FREEDOM

Together, Azzedine Alaïa and Arthur Elgort shaped the freedom of the 80s. At the same time as the fashion designer saw his feminine ideal embodied in the street and by the ever-increasing number of clients, the photographer left the studios, took over the movement and the cities as a natural and new setting. Both actively contributed to renewing the representation of the now assertive, determined, independent woman. The exhibition presented at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation compares timeless photographs essential to the designer’s iconography, as well as more confidential shots, with Alaïa’s most iconic clothes.

Elgort swapped his Polaroid for a Nikon. He developed a true passion for all types of new and vintage cameras whose techniques and unique features he appreciated. He became a master of the camera. The chief editor of Vogue, Alexander Liberman, saw a few photographs by the newcomer and encouraged him then introduced him to the editors of his illustrious magazine. He did his early shoots in collaboration with Polly Allen Mellen and Grace Coddington. Within a year he became famous. The paths of Azzedine and Arthur obviously ended up crossing in Paris. As they worked together on magazine shoots, Elgort and Alaïa shared a dislike for superfluous sets and props, which got in the way of Elgort’s photographic vision and Alaïa’s sculptural creations.

His black and white photos were intended to look like snapshots. He preferred explosive movement to the clichéd poses of fashion models. He opened the windows of studios to let in the light and turned the street into his theatre. Alaïa instinctly identified not only with his innovative but rigorous approach. When the images were published, it was hard to tell who was acting as a foil for whom: was it the joyful photography that invited to garment to move, or was it the figure-hugging, suggestive dress that provided the movement captured in the image? The models captured by Elgort’s lens and dressed by Alaïa became the ambassadors for new forms of expression where two artistic approaches came together but never clashed. Linda Spierings, Jeny Howarth, Janice Dickinson, Bonnie Berman, Veronica Webb, Frederique Van der Wal, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Stephanie Seymour were like divinities dancing on the frieze created by Alaïa and Elgort.

This osmosis consists of a unique exhibition in Paris dedicated to photography and fashion, whose revival was orchestrated by Alaïa and Elgort. Playfulness, intuition, and spontaneity were at work here. The future showed that this unbridled game would mark a new chapter in fashion photography, demystifying couture creations to bring them within everyone’s reach. Arthur Elgort was born in New York. Azzedine Alaïa in Tunis. Both hoped that the practise of official art would guide their destiny. Elgort aspired to become a painter and enrolled at Hunter College. Alaïa learned the techniques of sculpture at the School of Fine Arts in Tunis. Elgort did not feel fulfilled in the discipline he had adopted. Similarly, Azzedine refused to become a secondrate sculptor. While dressmaking work for a select clientele allowed him to finance his studies, the clothes he made built him a reputation as a budding designer whose virtuosity was acknowledged. Alaïa took the risky decision of going to Paris and, in the mid-1950s. His story began.

A similar story characterised the early career of Arthur Elgort. His artistic ambitions deviated when, in the 1960s, he went to a camera shop. He bought a Polaroid camera and learned how to use it, exploring his environment, showing his pictures to his teachers, and abandoning the past. It became clear that his future layed in lenses, dark rooms, and photographic papers. He would be a photographer. The way they evolved in their discipline in exile was different, however. While he was preparing to sit behind the gleaming sewing machines at the great Paris maisons, Alaïa’s destiny led him to become a mysterious and sought-after private couturier. Simone Zehrfuss, Louise de Vimorin, the Comtesse de Blégiers, Arletty commissioned bespoke garments from him. The women who tracked him down and recommended him gave him a greater understanding of the body and allowed him to perfect his technique. They would be his “school”, until Thierry Mugler, his leading admirer, persuaded him to become a fully-fledged fashion designer.

[truearchangel]

🔪+ Reverse (Human!Alastor 👀)

@shiningxfates CASUAL MURDER.

   BEING A GUARDIAN ANGEL for him is a choice. It’s something that Michael had elected to do this human cycle because the actual Guardian Angels were complaining about the workload. So he thought, to be a good team player and because it had been a while since he had done this, that he would pick up the side job of guarding and guiding a human. It was just supposed to be something he could do casually for a little bit of fun. Something to prove a little bit that Michael was good at what he did. 

   There comes a time when people realize that they’ve made a grave mistake. 

   Alexander was not an easy soul to guide. For the first few years of his life, when he was a baby and a toddler, he was good! Michael loved Alexander when he was stuck in that baby cage. When he just laid in there and watched the mobile above him or made little grabby hands at Michael’s halo and wings. He was adorable. Michael constantly wanted to pick him up and twirl him around. He gave into that instinct sometimes and Alexander loved to be held by him. 

   Then that cute little baby grew up. Toddler Alexander wasn’t so bad, he liked to follow Michael around and crawl all over him. His mother was concerned that Alexander already had an imaginary friend and bless her heart she tried to give him little distraction techniques or play with him herself to distract him from Michael–that didn’t work. Even little the child was possessive of him and would sob when she pulled him away from him. To Michael, that was still incredibly charming to him. He’s never had a human so obsessed with him. 

   Granted, he wasn’t supposed to be that involved, but human children often have small memories and don’t remember much. There would be an age that Michael is supposed to pull away from him entirely and just be a silent entity. He knew this and it never happened. 

   Alexander didn’t have a horrible home life, and Michael was confident that things would turn out alright. There was some trouble with his father that was worrying Michael though. The man reeked of the sin of wrath and Michael was keeping an eye on him for that specific reason. Every time he flipped out on Alexander, the small child seemed to regress into himself and try to hide away. That wasn’t going to help him develop into a confident person, it made him quite nervous in all honesty. 

   The first time it seemed particularly bad, that Alexander had hid away in the closet, Michael tried to make things a bit better for him. He dragged in the radio from Alexander’s room and sat down beside him, turning it on quietly and setting it to the local Radio Host in town. He let it start to play, the aimless chatter of whatever the man was talking about making up for the silence in the space between them. While that played he slipped behind the tiny human and pulled him up against him, trying to surround him with his angelic presence to ease his worries. This, he learned for the future, helped a lot.

   And it kept happening. 

   Because Michael got attached. 

   The first time that Alexander killed, Michael definitely felt a piece of him crack. Like he had done something wrong. He knows the man that Alexander took out. The locals had come to the Church to pray about wanting them caught. They were scared and worried, but the police had no leads, nothing to lean on. They didn’t know what to do, so they turned to God hoping he would listen and take care of the problem. That wasn’t how it worked though, and no matter how much they prayed, God and the angels wouldn’t get involved. It was a bit distressing to hear all their prayers and be unable to help. His hands tied by the thread of fate. 

   And then Alexander figured it out and–solved the problem. 

   From there it just continued. 

   One body after another. It was like he wanted to work in criminology without actually becoming a police officer. He wanted to do it himself based on what he deemed worked for him. Those he felt he needed to take care of, who didn’t deserve to exist in the world, but the police couldn’t find quick enough. And how clever he was to solve a case they were working on without even trying, almost accidentally. The most deplorable dregs of society fell to his hands, chopped up and taken care of as he wanted it and–was Michael a failure or not? 

   Alexander would never get into Heaven, that much had been set in stone the moment that he picked up a weapon and decided to kill that man haunting his town. But he felt he was doing the right thing, didn’t he? Technically, the human was saving people, in the way that he deemed for it to happen. In what he believed was right. 

   Was Alexander sane or not? 

   He didn’t know. 

   And then today happened. 

   Being a Guardian Angel came with a certain connection to his human. He could feel when the end of their life was approaching, when they were in danger, when they were scared and upset. It’s just a feeling in his body, a sense that he knew he was needed, that something was going horribly wrong. A call that needed to be answered. Knowing that something was wrong with Alexander, he threw on a sweater and went in search of the human. Something not hard to do when they had a metaphysical connection to each other. 

   He passed through several streets, toward where he knew Alexander lived, then past that and toward the local forest. He notes, when stepping onto the trail, the officers and the police dogs that were lingering on the edge of it. Someone had gone missing, he heard, and they were trying to pick up the person’s scent to locate them with the dogs. That wasn’t good if his connection to Alexander was pulling him in this direction. Thinning his lips he hurried down the path and followed that pulling connection to his mortal. 

   Deep in the forest, near the bayou, he finally found him. 

   Alexander was a mess. He had the common sense to remove his coat, he’ll give him that, but his hands, face and glasses were splattered with blood. He even had it in his hair. Great, what a mess this was going to be to fix on his own. Shaking his head he stepped forward and watched the human’s face snap up to look at him. He sees the moment his thoughts change from the corpse in front of him to his witness turned victim. The clear thought of; fuck now I need to kill this one too. 

   “There’s police here to search the forest.” Imbecile, at this rate he was going to get caught. “You need to do this quicker.” 

   He rationalizes his next actions like this: if Alexander gets caught, this half-proper moral foundation he has going on, will never be corrected. If he dies now, his soul is sealed to Hell without hesitation. If Michael keeps him alive, there’s still a chance for him to correct the soul’s course. Right? 

   He tugs his sweater off, drops it with Alexander’s coat on the ground, and moves over toward the body. Grabbing the discarded hatchet he motioned toward the bayou beside them. “The alligators won’t eat them quickly enough if you give them large chunks. The police will find you before that. Cut it properly and feed them the smaller pieces first.” 

   Heavenly Father forgive him, he’s about to commit a grave sin. 

[radiantpoise]

𝓣𝒉𝒆 𝓗𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒚 𝓸𝒇 𝓑𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒎𝒔.

Irisha Svetlana Huang was born on May 20, 1998, in Moscow, Russia, where the spring sun cast a gentle glow over the city. Her parents, Alexander Huang, of mixed Russian and Chinese descent, and Elena Kusuma, an Indonesian native, eagerly welcomed their daughter into a world of cultural richness and diversity. Though her early years began in the frost of Moscow, fate soon led the family to Jakarta, Indonesia, where they settled in the vibrant heart of the city.

Jakarta's lively streets and lush, colorful markets quickly became Irisha’s playground. The transition from the cold Russian winters to the tropical warmth of Indonesia was a vivid change, marking the beginning of Irisha’s deep connection to her new surroundings. As a child, she was drawn to the fragrant blooms and bustling markets that surrounded her, finding joy in the simple beauty of nature.

By the age of ten, Irisha's fascination with flowers had grown into a passionate hobby. She spent countless hours in her family’s garden, experimenting with different arrangements and learning to care for the plants with a natural tenderness. Her early experiments were not just a pastime but a prelude to her future career as a florist.

Her teenage years were characterized by a burgeoning dedication to floristry. At high school, she excelled in both academics and art, where her creative flair began to shine. After school, she interned at local florists, eagerly absorbing every lesson and technique from seasoned professionals. Her talent and enthusiasm did not go unnoticed, paving the way for her future aspirations.

Determined to formalize her passion, Irisha pursued a degree in Floristry at the University of Jakarta. Her education provided a solid foundation in both artistic creativity and technical skill. She delved into the principles of sustainable floristry and explored the rich cultural traditions associated with flowers. This academic journey allowed her to merge her diverse heritage into a unique floral perspective.

Upon graduation, Irisha realized her dream by opening her own boutique, “Petal Harmony,” in Jakarta. Her boutique quickly became renowned for its distinctive floral arrangements, which beautifully blended Russian, Chinese, and Indonesian floral traditions. Each bouquet was a reflection of her multicultural background, characterized by elegance and innovation. Irisha’s designs were celebrated for their creativity and ability to evoke emotions, making her boutique a sought-after destination for floral enthusiasts.

As her reputation grew, Irisha’s work began to attract international attention. She was featured in notable floral design publications and invited to showcase her creations at global exhibitions. Her commitment to eco-friendly practices and cultural integration set her apart in the industry, earning her accolades and admiration from peers and clients alike.

In her late twenties, Irisha continued to expand her influence in the floristry world. She offered workshops and training sessions, sharing her knowledge and inspiring the next generation of florists. Her boutique expanded, and she remained at the forefront of floral design, embracing new trends while honoring her rich cultural roots.

Irisha Svetlana Huang’s journey from her birth in Moscow to her flourishing career in Jakarta is a testament to the power of blending diverse cultural influences and pursuing one's passion. Her life, marked by a love for flowers and an unwavering commitment to her craft, exemplifies how a harmonious fusion of backgrounds can create something truly extraordinary. Through her artistry, Irisha continues to inspire and enrich the world with the beauty of blooms.

[meetthemastersonline]

Learn From the Masters: Historical Artworks Helping Inspire Young Artists!

The best thing about art is that it is a timeless entity. It is a form of expression that bridges generations and cultures of different times with one another. The art of master artists from generations ago grows in value and importance with each passing day. Their creations become more than mere artifacts and inspire not just a few individuals but also generations to come. Whether it is the Rosa Bonheur artwork or Pablo Picasso’s artworks, all of their works imbibe a sense of a shared past among individuals and allow them to seek personal meanings. It would be fair to say that rather than learning new strokes every day, one must direct one's artistic abilities to learn from the artwork of historical artists and let self-imagination flow. Let us understand how learning from historical master artists can work wonders. Intricate techniques It is no secret that all renowned artists use specialized techniques to create their artworks, which later become the hallmarks of their artistic identity. What would be better than learning those intricate special techniques from their authentic artworks? By directly experiencing the master artworks, young artists are bound to gain a deeper understanding of the vision behind crafting artworks. Qualified inspiration One could learn various styles and brushwork and practice them day after day and still not be inspired to create something extraordinary. It is only after one learns from the masters of the field and gets inspired that one can put the creativity and skills to work. By understanding the “why” and the “how” behind every artwork, young artists can learn to find deeper meanings and correlate those to create their own artwork. Especially when it comes to young artists at the elementary school level, stimulating interest in them becomes a daunting task. However, texture art projects for elementary that are inspired by famous artist's artworks help make a staggering difference. Diverse art styles Art has never merely been a way to depict structured and unstructured strokes of color but rather a way to communicate stories and narratives of different times. Several artists used their artwork to communicate not just personal experiences but also the historical events of their times. Whereas, Alexander Calder art style is purely hailed for its modern creativity and futuristic ideas. Learning from such diverse art styles and creative minds is practically irreplaceable. Therefore, learning from master artists’ artworks creates all the difference. Visit https://meetthemasters.com/ for more information. Original source: https://bit.ly/46AtPOL

[jcmarchi]

2024 MAD Design Fellows announced

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/2024-mad-design-fellows-announced/

2024 MAD Design Fellows announced

Since its launch in 2022, the MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD) has supported MIT graduate students with a fellowship, allowing recipients to pursue design research and projects while creating community. Pulling from different corners of design, they explore solutions in fields such as sustainability, health, architecture, urban planning, engineering, and social justice. 

On May 1, MAD announced the 2024 cohort of Design Fellows at the MIT Museum.

Play video

Meet the MIT MAD 2024 Design Fellows Video: MIT Morningside Academy for Design

Sofia Chiappero, MCP student in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning and MITdesignX affiliate: Chiappero is working around the intersection of community development and technology, aiming to address the challenges faced by underserved communities at risk of displacement in Latin America. Through a blend of social science and digital inclusion, she seeks to design a new approach to researching human interactions and replicating them in virtual settings, with the ultimate goal of preserving the identity of these communities and giving them visibility for resilient growth.

Clemence Couteau, MBA candidate in the MIT Sloan School of Management: Couteau is tackling the rise of postpartum depression among U.S. mothers by aiming to develop a digital solution empowering at-risk pregnant women to improve mental health outcomes. This involves a self-directed therapy chatbot in a mobile app, based on the “ROSE” protocol.

Mateo Fernandez, MArch student in the Department of Architecture: Fernandez explores how to depart from the current construction industry, designing alternatives such as growing buildings with biomaterials, and deploying advanced 3D printing technologies for building.

Charlotte Folinus, PhD candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering: Folinus creates new methods for designing soft robots, using these tools to design soft robots for gentle interactions, uncertain environments, and long mechanical lifetimes. “I am really excited to be surrounded by people who can do things I cannot. That’s when I’m the best version of myself. I think that’s the community I’ll find here,” she says.

Alexander Htet Kyaw, master’s student in the Department of Architecture and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and MITdesignX affiliate: Htet Kyaw’s current research utilizes robotic assembly, multimodal interaction, and generative AI to challenge conventional manufacturing and fabrication practices. He is working on an AI-driven workflow that translates design intent into tangible objects through robotic assembly.

Dení López PhD candidate in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning: As a Design Fellow, López uses design research to evaluate and extend the scope of Bicheeche Diidxa’, a long-standing Participatory Action Research initiative for disaster resilience focused on five Zapotec communities along the Los Perros River in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Caitlin Morris, PhD candidate in media arts and sciences: Morris’s research explores the role of multisensory influences on cognition and learning, and seeks to find and build the bridges between digital and computational interfaces and hands-on, community-centered learning and teaching practices.

Maxine Perroni-Scharf, PhD candidate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: Perroni-Scharf is currently working on developing techniques that enable the discovery and design of extremal metamaterials — 3D printed materials that exhibit extreme properties arising not from their chemical composition, but rather from their structure. These can be applied to a variety of tasks, from battery design to accessibility.

Lyle Regenwetter, PhD candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering: Regenwetter develops methods to incorporate design requirements, such as safety constraints and performance objectives, into the training process of generative AI models.

Zane Schemmer, PhD candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Schemmer’s research aims to minimize the carbon footprint of the built environment by designing efficient structures that consider the availability of local materials.