#Width: 1/4

[matchalovertrait]

Ángel and Dulce, the cutest siblings

Start from the beginning

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[nerdierholler]

Hilarious things are happening. Tried trimming pages and I knew it probably wasn’t going to go well. Bottom of the book (top picture): not terrible. Top of the book (bottom picture): I’ve created a swoop at the spine 😂. And that was a couple of attempts on that end. Can’t try again though because I’m almost at my kettle stitches. BUT I learned things with each attempt and that was the goal. Largely I’m learning I should give myself bigger margins 😂😂😂

[mamaspark]

Several folks asked so here is a brief explanation. I fused larger strips (think 2.5”wide) to Steam-a-Seam2, then organically cut those into 1/4-1/2” width by 3” pieces. I organized by color family. I used a Goddess Pr asking appliqué sheet to see the fish shape underneath it. I peeled the paper backing off each strip as I built my fish on the sheet. Once I was happy with the placement I fused all the pieces together. I let the fish cool then carefully peeled it off the sheet. I built all 6 fish this way. I then placed each fish on the pieced background I made and once happy with the placement fused it to the background. This pile of fabric strips (1/4-1/2” x 3”) turned into these

Which turned into this

I’m having it custom quilted. It’s going to be in a silent auction at a meeting my daughter is planning. Hope it will bring in a lot of $$

What do you think of it??

[megapteraurelia]

roommates!osasuna who, before they've agreed to share you, hear you in your room at night, soft gasps, breathy moans and their names escaping your lips as you bring yourself to the brink of insanity, and fuck, now neither of them can sleep.

suna finds himself in osamu's room not long after, his mouth full with cock. one hand of his leisurely drags across his own length, pumping himself against the scratchy sheets of osamu's that he's told him to change countless of times. now, though, it's long past the point of caring when he spills all over it, paints his name across the soft grey; osamu's neck with that one thick vein on display as his hand gripped suna's hair tightly.

suna ends up swallowing all of it.

roommates!osasuna who have incredibly soft spots that you exploit, always. osamu loves when you run your fingers through his hair, and he melts, his eyes half-lidded as they gaze at you with an intensity that you've only known him have when he concentrates on his projects, coming up with different recipes. his cheek weighs heavier in your hand as he sinks into it, and his mouth presses small little kisses on the palm of your hand.

suna is a hair width away from actually purring when you tug on his earrings, gently, just playing with them when you're cuddling. but when you tug, he freezes and his lips part slightly, a pretty little blush unfurling on his skin. his eyelashes flutter and even though he denies it, he leans into your touch a little more.

roommates!osasuna who have a group chat with you, and the things being sent there range from innocent to suggestive to downright pornographic.

day 1

has osamu send a picture of food he's cooked, telling you to come home hungry. (sometimes, though, he likes to push it a little, because then he'll send another text: "if yer good, ya get fed. if yer better, you get bent over the counter first.")

day 2

has suna send a blurry video, half naked, pulling his shorts down, revealing more and more of his dick until it cuts off right before it could spring free, captioned: "your spot's cold."

day 3

has both of them argue over who was able to please you better last night:

sunarin, "trust me, she was already shaking when i kissed her. you literally just got to the finish line."

osamu, "i'd say that too if i were you. doesn't count when i'm the one doin' all the work, huh?"

sunarin, "yeah, well, she moaned my name louder than yours."

osamu, "ya wanna weigh in, sweetheart? who made you cum harder?"

sunarin, "that's a trap, baby. don't answer that."

you shut up their pissing contest with an incoming video call and when they both accepted it, they were met with fingers deep in your glistening pussy, voice already shot from how loud you were moaning. osamu exits the call right away only to enter it again a couple minutes later, and you recognise the change of location — he's moved into the storeroom of onigiri miya, his dark cap pulled deep over his eyes, but you could see the way his teeth dug into the pillow of his lower lip, slick noises echoing through your phone as he fucks his fist.

suna's long-gone, having propped up his phone against his gym bag, head rolled back as he lets spit dribble onto his angry dick, palming himself as it sat pretty over his shorts in the empty locker room. you heard faint knocking and complaints coming through from his side, but you were sure he's locked the door on purpose, and each second, that he's not letting his teammates in, is another second that he's hastily pumping himself.

day 4

has suna sending a picture of you passed out on the couch in osamu's hoodie, "look at baby." and osamu replying with "tell 'er she's cute when she drools. also, seaweed chips?"

day 5

has osamu saving all the little voice notes you send of you laughing, of you talking about your day, and the camera roll is full with suna's cute as shit pictures of you and 'samu.

day 6

has you cry about work and how stressful it is, and osamu's the one who ends up texting you throughout it, sending you messages in quick succession, as if he hasn't a whole restaurant to run, as if he has all the time in the world to focus on you and you only.

hey. breathe f'me a sec, alright? just stop everythin' and take one good deep breath. yer doin' your best and i'm proud of you for pushin' through it. but ya don't gotta carry it all on yer own, sweetheart you come home to us tonight, yeah? we'll take care of ya. you don't hafta be strong. bein' with you makes my day easier so let me do the same f'you.

suna's not the type to text a lot when it's sentimental, but he sends you a heart, and when you come home, your favourite food's already made, a hot bath run and your favourite hoodie of suna's draped on your bed, warm from the dryer, smelling like his cologne. and when you crawl in between both of them, his fingers are right there to travel over your body in a way that grounds you, that tells you this is where you belong, this is where you are loved and doted on and safe.

day 7

has them try to annoy you, rating your reactions like it's a game on a scale from one to ten as you sit amongst friends, enduring their suggestive comments and ignoring the way they had you right in their line of sight whenever you glance down before immediately turning the phone around, a blush burning on your cheeks.

you, "can we not do this tonight. please."

osamu, "do what?"

sunarin, "she's already cracking. that's a 4/10 reaction chat"

when you glance up from your phone, rolling your eyes, osamu's pretending to sip his drink, but suna doesn't even care, staring right at you with that lazy look in his eyes, one eyebrow cocked.

another notification comes through a couple of minutes later and when you open it, you choke a little on your spit, awkwardly laughing off the concern of a friend only to look at the picture again. it's a photo from under the table, osamu's hand resting on his thigh, the zipper of his pants pulled down slightly, giving the bulge slightly more room to breathe.

the caption? "thinkin' 'bout where yer mouth should be right now."

sunarin's text isn't far behind, "oh, that face. that's a solid 6.5"

osamu, "mhmm, i give it a 7. she did this cute lip biting thing."

the next ordeal you go through is when suna sends a video half an hour later, and it's just his hand under the table as his fingers imitate the movement he always fucks you with, digits scissoring and stretching out inside an invisible hole as his thumb rubs nothing but thin air. the implication has your breath hitching, your thighs tingling as you pressed them together, any reprieve, oh god.

sunarin, "8/10, she's shifting in her seat."

and osamu takes the cake, he really does, because there's an entire paragraph sitting right before you, and arousal is a familiar concept etched in your very soul as you read it, face growing hotter and hotter, heart stuttering in tandem with the rustling in your ear from how fast your blood seems to run.

gonna make that pretty little face again when we bend ya over the kitchen table later? arms pulled behind yer back, tits all over the counter. bet yer gonna cry and sob for one of us to hurry up and fuck ya already. but ya know us, sweetheart, don'tcha? we'll take our time, i wanna see ya squirm against rin's mouth be good at dinner, we can be as nasty as ya want later

you really do end up hiding your face in your hands.

a message of sunarin coming through, "9.5/10. almost there"

and almost there, you are later once the door slammed shut behind you and their hands are all over you, teeth clinking against each other in a heated kiss. you get shoved forward until your hands hit the kitchen table, tits pressed against the mahogany just like promised, breath ragged as suna tugs your pants down like a dehydrated madman searching for water.

his teeth find your wet panties, stuck to your pussy lips like a second skin and he sucks the juice out with a groan, fingers keeping your thighs spread and steady. osamu's hand is dragging across his length, his cock heavy as it rest in between your ass cheeks, tip leaking, forming a little puddle in the dip of your back.

"been dyin' to get my hands on you all night."

you taste the wood as you pant against it, hands trying to catch even a little bit of osamu, but his grip is relentless, tight on your wrists. he tuts with his tongue, the click close to your ear as he smothers you with his weight, one leg of his pushing yours further out.

"be good for rin, sweetheart, won't ya?"

how were you supposed to be good for anything when suna's mouth latches onto your clit like that? when his jaw moves hard and fast as it suckles on the swollen nub, fingers teasing the quivering hole, dipping into your heat easily, "god, you're so fucking perfect," — your legs buckling, tears pricking at your lash line, biting your lip to keep from crying out, caught between the sting of his force and the pleasure burning through your veins.

how were you supposed to be good for anything when osamu lines up behind you, hard and ready? his head nudges against suna's fingers and really, suna cannot resist, fingers pulling out to tug on osamu's dick, using your slick to coat him as he found the sensitive vein on the underside easily, thumb rubbing the reddened tip.

"ngh, sunarin, yer such, ah, a bastard."

suna spoke against your pussy, and the vibrations have you push against his mouth, "yeah, but 'samu, don't forget that i can feel you throbbing in my hand. so am i a bastard or are you moaning for me?"

osamu's rubbing against your folds, tip catching suna's mouth every so often, and how does that leave you, hm? begging on top of the table, legs trembling, only kept upright because suna likes having you sit above him, stray tears stealing themselves on the wood, as your ass pushes back against osamu's backside.

"please, p-please, fu-hah-fuck me," you mewl, over and over until at least one of them has mercy and urges osamu's dick to finally fill you. his groan when he realises how easy he slips into you is deep and loud, reverberating against you so deliciously. you're so wet, he's bottoming out before he could even register the movement of his hips, and god, the sound of his balls slapping against your drooling pussy lips is heavy, suna's wet noises of sucking on your clit even worse.

really — how were you supposed to be good for anything?

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

TAGLIST | @sodaneko @takes1 @classicalelephant @pomigranit @sugacor3 @boktuoafterdark

sorry not sorry

[felassan]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard info compilation Post 1

Post is under a cut due to length.

There is a lot of information coming out right now about DA:TV from many different sources. This post is just an effort to compile as much as I can in one place, in case that helps anyone. Sources for where the information came from have been included. Where I am linking to a social media user's post, the person is either a dev, a Dragon Age community council member or other person who has had a sneak peek at and played the game. nb, this post is more of a 'info that came out in snippets from articles and social media posts' collection rather than a 'regurgitating the information on the official website or writing out what happened in the trailer/gameplay reveal' post. The post is broken down into headings on various topics. A few points are repeated under multiple headings where relevant. Where I am speculating without a source, I have clearly demarcated this. if you notice any mistakes in this post, please tell me.

as this post hit a kind of character limit, there will probably be at least 1 more post. :)

Character Creation

CC is vast [source] and immensely detailed [source]

We will enter CC straight after Varric's opening narration [source]

You are given 5 categories to work your way through in CC: Lineage, Appearance, Class, Faction, Playstyle. Each of these has a range of subcategories within them. There are 8 subcategories within the "head" subcategory" in "Appearance" alone [source]

Lineage dictates things like race (i.e. human, elf, dwarf, qunari) and backstory [source]

Backstories include things like factions. Factions offer 3 distinct buffs each [source]

There are dozens and dozens of hairstyles [source]

There are separate options for binary and non-binary pronouns and gender [source]

"BioWare's work behind the scenes, meanwhile, goes as deep as not only skin tones but skin undertones, melanin levels, and the way skin reacts differently to light" [source]

CC has a range of lighting options within it so that you can check how the character looks in them [source]

There are a range of full-body customization options such as a triangular slider between body types and individual settings down to everything from shoulder width to glute volume [source]. There are "all the sliders [we] could possibly want". The body morpher option allows us to choose different body sizes [source]

All body options are non-gendered [source]

They/them pronouns are an option [source]

Rook can be played as non-binary [source]

Individual strands of hair were rendered separately and react remarkably to in-game physics [source]

Special, focused attention was paid to ensuring that hairstyles "come across as well-representative, that everyone can see hairstyles that feel authentic to them, even the way they render" [source]

The game uses strand hair technology borrowed in part from the EA Sports games. The hair is "fully-controlled by physics," so it "looks even better in motion than it does here in a standstill" [source]

The ability to import our choices from previous games is fully integrated into CC. This will take the form of tarot cards - "you can go into your past adventures" and this mechanic tells you what the context was and what decision you want to make [source]

In CC we will also be able to customize/remake our Inquisitor [source]

A core tenet of the game is "be who you want to be" [source]

There are presets for all 4 of the game's races (human, elf, dwarf, qunari), in case detailed CCs overwhelm you [source]

Story

The story is set 9 years since Inquisition [source]

The Inquisitor will appear [source]

Other characters refer to the PC as Rook [source]. This article says they are "the Rook" [source]

The ability to import our choices from previous games is fully integrated into CC. This will take the form of tarot cards - "you can go into your past adventures" and this mechanic tells you what the context was and what decision you want to make [source]

The prologue is quite lengthy. A narrated intro from Varric lays the groundwork with some lore and explains about Solas [source]. In this Varric-narrated opening section, the dwarf recaps the events of previous games and explains the motivations of Solas [source] (Fel note/speculation: this sounds like this cinematic that we saw on DA Day 2023)

What happens first off is that Rook, who is working with Varric, is interrogating a bartender about the whereabouts of a contact in Minrathous who can help them stop Solas. The bartender does not play nice and we are presented with our first choice: talk the bartender down or intimidate them aggressively [source]

The first hour of the game is "a luxurious nighttime romp through a crumbling city under a mix of twinkling starlight and lavish midnight blue" (Minrathous) [source]. The game begins with a tavern brawl (depending on dialogue options) and a stroll through Minrathous in search of Neve Gallus, who has a lead on Solas [source]. Minrathous then comes under attack [source] by demons [source] (Fel note/speculation: it sounds like the demo the press played is what we saw in the Gameplay Reveal). Off in the distance is a vibrant, colorful storm where Solas is performing his ritual. [source] Eventually we come upon Harding. [source] and Neve. Rook and co enter a crumbling castle, where ancient elf secrets pop up, "seemingly just for the lore nerds". [source] Then we teleport to Arlathan Forest, have a mini boss fight with a Pride Demon, and there is the climactic confrontation with Solas. After a closing sequence, at this point it is the end of the game's opening mission. [source] (Fel note/speculation: So the Gameplay Reveal showed the game's opening mission)

The action in the story's opening parts starts off quite quick from the sounds of things: the devs wanted to get the player right in to the story. because, “Especially with an RPG where they can be quite lore-heavy, a lot of exposition at the front and remembering proper nouns, it can be very overwhelming.” [source]

BioWare wanted to make the beginning of Dragon Age: The Veilguard feel like the finale of one of their other games [source]

Rook's Faction will be referenced in dialogue [source]

Minrathous is beautiful, with giant statues, floating palaces, orange lantern glow and magical runes which glow green neon. These act "like electricity" as occasional signs above pubs and stores [source]

The story has a lot of darkness tonally. These dark parts of the game contain the biggest spoilers [source]. However, the team really wanted to build in contrast between the dark and light moments in the game, as if everything is dark, nothing really feels dark [source]

Our hub (like the Normandy in ME or Skyhold in DA:I) is a place called The Lighthouse [source] (Fel note/speculation: I guess this screenshot shows the crew in The Lighthouse? ^^)

Each companion has a very complex backstory, their own problems, and deep motivations. These play out through well-fleshed out character arcs and missions that are unique to them but which are ultimately tied into the larger story [source]

We will make consequential decisions for each character, sometimes affecting who they are in heart-wrenching ways and other times joyously [source]

Decisions from previous DA games will be able to be carried over, it will just work a bit differently this time [source]. The game will not read our previous saves. For stuff pertaining to previous games/choices, players will not have to link their accounts [source]

Characters, companions, romance

Varric is a major character [source]

Every companion is romanceable [source]

BioWare tried to make each character's friendship just as meaningful, regardless of romance [source]

If you don't romance a character, they may end up romancing each other [source]

There will be some great cameos [source]. Some previous characters are woven into the game [source]

Companion sidequests/optional content relating to companions is highly curated when it involves their motivations and experiences [source]

We could permanently lose some companions depending on our choices [source]

Our choices can influence if characters get injured and what they think about us [source]

The bonds Rook forges with companions determine how party members grow and what abilities become available [source]

Each companion has a very complex backstory, their own problems, and deep motivations. These play out through well-fleshed out character arcs and missions that are unique to them but which are ultimately tied into the larger story [source]

We will make consequential decisions for each character, sometimes affecting who they are in heart-wrenching ways and other times joyously [source]

Gameplay, presentation, performance etc

Each class (warrior, rogue, mage) has 3 specializations. The ones for Rogue are duelist, saboteur and Veil ranger [source]. (Fel note/speculation: Veil ranger reminds me of Bellara. Maybe this is her 'spec' too?)

Duelist gameplay involves a sharp combination of dashes, parries, leaps, rapid slashes and combos [source]

Faction-related buffs include being able to hold an extra potion or do extra damage against certain enemies [source]

Individual strands of hair were rendered separately and react remarkably to in-game physics [source]

Playstyle settings include custom, distinct difficulty settings for options as granular as parry windows, meaning "players who might fancy that playstyle but typically struggle with the finer points of combat can give it a go" [source]

Combat mechanics is a mix of real-time action and pause and play. Pausing brings up a radial menu split into 3 sections: companions to the left and right, Rook's skills at the bottom, and a targeting system at the top which helps get in focus on certain enemies. [source]. In the pause system you can queue up your whole party's attacks [source]

Tapping or holding the shoulder button pauses the game, allowing us to stop the action and issue orders to companions [source]

There is a system of specific enemy resistances and weaknesses [source]. Weaknesses and resistances plays a big role in combat and abilities are designed to exploit these accordingly [source]. An example is that "one character might be able to plant a weakening debuff on an enemy, and another enemy might be able to detonate them" [source]

There is a vast skill tree of unlockable options [source]

You can set up specific companions with certain kits, e.g. to tackle specific enemy types, to being more of a support, or as flexible all-rounders [source]

Healing magic returns [source]

Abilities can change together with elaborate results, e.g. one companion using a gravity well attack that sucked enemies together, another using a slowing move to keep them in place, and Rook using a big AOE to catch them all at once [source]

A shortcut system lets you map a few abilities to a smaller pinned menu at the bottom of the screen [source]

There are class-specific resource systems. For example, Rogue has "momentum", which builds up as Rook lands consecutive hits [source]

Each class will always have a ranged option [source]

Rogue Rook can do a sort of 'hip fire' option with a bow, letting you pop off arrows from the waist [source]

Warriors can throw their shield at enemies, and can build an entire playstyle around that using the skill tree [source]

There is light platforming gameplay [source]

The game runs on the latest iteration of the Frostbite engine [source]

The game targets 60 fps

On consoles it will feature performance and quality modes so we can choose our preferred visual fidelity [source]

The game is mission based [source]. Some levels that we go to do open up, some with more exploration than others. "Alternate branching paths, mysteries, secrets, optional content you're going to find and solve." [source]

Everything is hand-touched, hand-crafted and highly curated [source]

Some sidequests and optional content is highly curated, especially when it involves the motivations and experiences of the companions. In others we may be investigating for example a missing family, with an entire open bog environment to search for clues and a way to solve the disappearance [source]

Gameplay, presentation, performance etc continued, after the above bullet list hit a character limit

There is sophisticated animation cancelling and branching. Gameplay is action-like, and the design centers around dodging, countering, and using risk-reward charge attacks designed to break enemy armor layers [source]

The dialogue wheel returns [source]. It gives truncated summaries of the dialogue options rather than the full line that the character is going to say [source]

The bonds Rook forges with companions determine how party members grow and what abilities become available [source]

For stuff pertaining to previous games/choices, players will not have to link their accounts [source]

We can play the game fully offline [source]

There are no microtransactions [source]

The game itself is not as cell-shaded in look as the first trailer looked [source]

[☕ found this post or blog interesting or useful? my ko-fi is here if you feel inclined. thank you 🙏]

[hymnis]

the ultimate beginner metadata tutorial !! by a dummy :3

HEY PALS AND PEOPLE doing some tips and tutorials ,,,, kinda explaining the metadata that people do in rentry

the site already have a "tutorial" on the "how" window, these on the post are the ones who need further explanation

i will put in topics and try to do my best on this, its a long read!

• the border i will be using for example its by @/suturical on this post

• now, how to understand this and make the magic happen?

GOTCHA!!!

1. Borders: container adjustements

• the least important thing is the container width, you can put as you please but i use it on 400px — 610px, its just my recommendation

• now the padding is important, its basically the distance between the border and the elements of your rentry

• example: padding on 25px

• example: padding 20px

2. Borders: slice

• the image slice is basically how much it will slice your border and repeat it, i recommend using it 20% – 40%, however adjust as you please!

• example: slice 37%

• example: slice 23%

big difference isnt it? and i only changed the slice part, nothing else!

3. Borders: width

• basically the width of the border, adjust as you please but i also recommend to put on 30px as its the maximum size you can put

• example: width 30px

• example: 15px width

4. Borders: repeat

• this is another thing that dont have much secret and explanation about, there are 4 repeating types for borders, they are:

• stretch: will stretch the original size of the border across the entire container

• round: most used, 'normal', will make your border get around the container

• repeat: will repeat a certain part of the graphic image across the sides

• space: will give space between the repetitions

• onto the next part, text!

2. Text: font applying

• ngl its pretty simple, first catch ANY font of the google fonts site and do like the screenshot above, detail, if you font name has a space between the name (example: playfair display) you MUST put the _ to substitute the space, or it won't work

• but if the font name doesn't have any spaces, write it normally

2. Text: text size

• also really simple, explore the sizes on the rentry, i use it 10px – 25px, adjust to your liking!

2. Text: coloring

• tired of coloring all sentences manually? just do the code from screenshot and input your color! it can be written like i did or the hex code/whatever!

• you can still color things manually even when using this

• final with all these changes:

SO THATS IT! the most important actually :33

hope it isnt confusing, any questions please send an ask!

tagging oomfie @chokingonchairs bc finally got the courage to make this and yu asked for hehe ^___^

THANKS FOR READING!

[forsakeofabetterusername]

I made a zine about adjusting cheaper wheelchairs, after adjusting my NHS wheelchair.

Notes: Your wheelchair ‘service manual’ is a good resource for adjustments! You can often google them. Also, with the wheel adjustments, be prepared to move the breaks. Google how to measure for a wheelchair to find your seat width, and if you want to get extra, look at seat depth. Leg length is usually done by adjusting the footplate height.

Image description and printable version under the ‘read more’ .

Image Description:

An 8 page zine. Both images have the same content but the first one is arranged to be read on a computer. I am going to describe each page.

First page reads “A cripple’s guide to.. making a cheap(er) wheelchair work for you” and in smaller writing “by Sock - who uses an Invacare Action 2NG”. There is a drawing of a wheelchair in the centre.

Page 2 reads “Choosing a wheelchair. Look for adjustability (can you change wheel height? COG?), seat width (as close to your size as possible), and arm rests that can be lowered/removed.” Each item has a small drawing illustrating the point.

Page 3 reads “Adjusting a wheelchair. You will need… Allen key set (bike ones are good!), Pliers (for holding bolts) and Phone (for access to manuals, taking photos at each step.” Each item has a small drawing of it.

Page 4 reads “1. Adjust Wheel height. This can be done where the wheel “plugs in”. Your fingers should touch the wheel hub centre. If you can, move the wheel forward too (centre of gravity adjustment).” There is a small drawing of the wheel base, an arm reaching down to touch the centre of the wheel and a wheel base with an arrow pointing to the right showing it being moved.

Page 5 reads “2. Arm rest adjustments. Get your armrests as far down and as far back as they go. I keep mine on because of muddy weather/to protect clothes from spokes but you can also just remove them!” There is 2 drawings of a rounded and straight arm rest.

Page 6 reads “3. Modding castor wheels. Adjusting the height will change the seat angle. Smaller castor = easier turning, but makes rough pavements harder.” There is a drawing of a tilted chair with big castors and a straight chair with small castors, with a double pointed arrow between, with the caption “Play around!”

Page 7 reads “4. Footplates. You can take the footplates off and toe propel. You can make a foot sling out of a belt/luggage strap/paracord.” Both have an accompanying illustration. Then there is a note saying “if you have poor circulation, weakness, etc. oh might just want to keep the footplates on”.

Page 8 reads “5. Cushion. You need a cushion for your chair. Depending on how long you sit/how bony you are, you might need to spend a little more” then “£: Foam. ££: pressure relief cushion. £££: EBay/second hand for jay, invacare, low zone etc.”

End.

Printable version:

[phantomcodes]

poppy | theme by sage

get the code: static preview v1 / preview v2 header theme with a sticky headerbar

features (more info below the cut):

toggle: tags on click, updates tab, explore menu

responsive headerbox includes an uploadable image, custom title & description, and up to 5 info stats

sticky headerbar includes home/ask/archive & up to 3 extra links, updates, explore button or search bar, and day/night button

updates tab includes up to 5 updates with an icon & text

explore menu includes about text, up to 3 skills, up to 4 blogs, and up to 8 extra links, and a search bar

customizable: title, colors, body & title fonts, and font size

npf supported, responsive design, 3 post width options, 4 corner options, scroll to top, tabler icons

nothing needs to be changed in the code, everything can be changed in the customize panel!

terms:

reblog if using

do not touch the credit

all terms / faq

credits listed in the code / credits page

please consider tipping or supporting me ♡

blog name !! important

make sure you fill out the blog name field, this is what will show on the top of all your original posts. to clarify: your blog name is your blog’s url - for example: phantomcodes

custom title

similar to the blog name, your custom title will show on the header, i recommend not making this too long

headerbox

uploadable image - this will default to your icon if nothing is uploaded

up to 5 info stats each with an icon & text - if you don't want the info stats leave the info 1 field blank

updates tab

the updates tab is toggleable, it has up to 5 updates each with an icon & text

explore menu

the explore menu is toggleable and has:

about text: this is can be as long as you want! it will scroll

(optional) skills section: up to 3 - you can use this for statuses, projects, progress, etc. leave the explore skill 1 field blank if you don’t want this section

(optional) blogs section: up to 4 blogs - leave the explore blog 1 field blank if you don’t want this section

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reminders

remember tumblr’s customize panel is buggy, make sure to toggle all the options on/off before saving

i’m still on a sort of semi-hiatus, i’ll be around for questions but please check my faq, answered asks, etc. before asking - i will not answer repeat questions!

[rilli-luci]

COTL ITA BAG INTEREST CHECK

My post of the first sample for the Lamb ita bag has been getting around so this is a more official interest check for the first 3 bags I want to make. Specs for the bags are below along with samples of 2 of the bags.

If there is enough demand, there will be a pre-order sale so if you like these designs, please like, reblog and share the post around. And tag which ones you want the most! The more attention this gets, the more likely these will be made.

SPECS BELOW

Lamb Ita Backpack:

Height: 13 Inches

Width at widest point: 13 inches

Thickness: 4 inches

Black lining

Padded shoulder straps

Gold zippers

Gold D rings for charms

Two side pockets for additional pins

Two inner phone pockets

One inner zipper pocket

Extra zipper pocket on the back

Goat Ita Backpack:

Height: 13 Inches

Width at widest point: 13 inches

Thickness: 4 inches

Padded shoulder straps

Gold zippers

Gold D rings for charms

Two side pockets for additional pins

Two inner phone pockets

One inner zipper pocket

Extra zipper pocket on the back

Crown Ita Crossbody Purse:

Height: 11 Inches

Width at widest point: 8 inches

Thickness: 3 inches

1" wide, 54" long strap

Gold zippers

Gold D rings for charms

Two inner phone pockets

One inner zipper pocket

Printed design on back

Samples of the first two bags can be found here

[gav-san]

Soul Shanked 1/4

Main Masterlist Here

One Piece Masterlist

Soul Shanked Masterlist

Chapter Title: Marked and Mildly Deranged Length: 8.5 K+

Next

 “What Is a Man?”

You were nine.

Curious. Bright-eyed. Holding a weathered story scroll in your lap and trying to puzzle out a sentence that read:

“The man took her hand gently…”

You blinked.

Then wandered down the palace hall to where Elder Gloriosa sat on a veranda cushion, drinking bitter tea and scowling at birds.

You approached carefully, the way one does when poking a large, judgmental cat.

“Elder Gloriosa,” you asked sweetly, “what’s a man?”

She froze mid-sip.

Then very slowly lowered her cup.

Her eyes narrowed. A wind stirred. Somewhere in the distance, a hawk cried.

“A man,” she said at last, voice grave, “is a selfish, sweaty beast.”

You blinked. “…Oh.”

She stood, joints cracking like angry firewood, and began pacing.

“They are crude and ugly. Faces like scarred potatoes. Hair like wet dogs. Smell like smoked failure.”

You clutched your scroll.

“Are they… dangerous?”

She wheeled on you like you’d asked if snakes could drive ships.

“They drink until they are stupid. Then they fight each other shirtless. Then they find someone smaller, usually a woman or a child, and try to hurt them with charm and shoulder width.”

Your jaw dropped.

“Shoulders?”

“They are weaponized.”

She knelt beside you, eyes wide and tragic.

“They are sentient, but not like us women who are graceful, and poetic. No. It is chaotic. Sticky. Loud. They grunt and wave their bits about like cursed barnacles.”

You turned white.

“Bits?!? What are bits?”

“Weapons.”

“I thought they were gentle. The story said—”

“LIES.”

She slapped the scroll from your hands.

“They cry when you beat them and scream when you ignore them. They name swords after their mothers and ships after their regrets.”

By now, you were backing toward the door.

She followed.

“They talk over you. They interrupt. They grow hair everywhere. Even places that should not be hairy. Backs”

You were shaking.

“They eat with their hands. Laugh like donkeys. Think they deserve power just for breathing! And worse—they believe in themselves.”

A pause.

Then, low and grim:

“And sometimes… if you’re not careful…they look at you like you’re a goddess.”

You blinked, trembling. “Why is that dangerous?”

She stood tall. Looked out to sea like she could see all her mistakes lined up on the waves.

“Because you might start to believe them.”

You didn’t sleep that night.

Carved protective runes on your bedframe.

They were crooked and backwards, but you meant them. Slapped a training dummy that vaguely resembled a chin. Painted it red. Called it “Captain Grossbeard.” No one said anything otherwise.

You marched around the temple halls muttering,

“I am the storm. I am the sword. I fear no man.”

And in the dead of night, wrapped in your blanket and resolve, you whispered with all the righteous fury your little heart could muster:

“No man creature will ever get me.”

You meant it.

With every scrap of fire your nine-year-old soul could summon.

You were ready.

Unshakable.

Unseduceable.

Untrickable.

—

Fate, however, was not so humorless.

The women of Amazon Lily came in every shape and size. Towering warriors, thunder-hipped sword dancers, graceful archers with legs like spears and tempers like fire.

The empress, Boa Hancock, was as fierce as she was beautiful.

And then there was you.

No statues in your honor. No warriors fighting over your affections. No chaotic marriage proposals from lovestruck pirate captains or suitors turned to stone in the palace courtyard.

You were level-headed, practical, and, according to Hancock, a ‘reasonable creature, which is to say, only mildly insane’.

Meaning, you had come out of the Amazon Lily once before and survived without succumbing to the filth of men.

Which was exactly how you liked it.

You didn’t crave glory or attention. You liked routine. Simplicity. Being useful. And so, when Amazon Lily needed someone to run messages, inspect trade ships, deliver threats with a smile, or retrieve a tea shipment from Sabaody, you were the one they sent.

Alone on a small ship from the Amazon Lily.

The usual route consisted of very few direct interactions with men and their ilk, and it made a nice diversion for regular work.

There was no clue that today would be any different.

You stepped off the longboat onto Sabaody soil, paid the toll, and adjusted your cloak. You're frowing, striking, and very out of place in your Amazon Lily cloak and braid adorned with shells. A curved staff rests across your back.

And then your palm ignited with a dash of heat, and as you lifted it you immediately noted the soft, glowing script that appeared.

You stared at it.

At first, you thought it was a prank. Some weird ink. Maybe pollen?

You rubbed it.

It stayed.

You squinted.

“Shanks.”

That was the word. Slanted. Gold. Elegant. Disgustingly confident cursive. Written in soft cursive, right across the center of your palm.

“What the-“

You blinked.

You rubbed harder.

You shook your hand like it was cursed.

“What the hell is a shanks? Did someone infect me with a disease?”

A nearby vendor looked up.

You glared at them. “Don’t look at me. I’m having a medical emergency.”

You ducked into a quiet alley, and stared at the name again like it was a venomous snake.

Shanks, the word unchanged by your poking.

What. The. Hell.

You ran your thumb over it. Tried spitting on it. Rubbing it with dirt. Muttered a few prayers under your breath. Nothing helped.

It glowed cheerfully back at you.

Mocking you.

A type of fish? A devil fruit?

A disease?

Written in soft gold, right across the center of your palm. You narrowed your eyes at the thought of what your sisters would say.

“She caught a case of the shanks.”

“We had to put her down.”

You sat down on a crate and buried your face in your hands. 

This couldn’t be happening.

Across the sea, ten miles away, Red-Haired Shanks sat cross-legged, watching his crew bustle on the deck with a sake jug in hand.

Suddenly, his chest warmed.

He looked down.

There it was.

A name.

Written like it had always belonged there, just under his collarbone.

He grinned like an idiot. “Well, well.”

Benn Beckman, nearby, didn’t even look up.

“That’s new.”

“Well,” Shanks replied easily, tipping back his jug. “Begin the preparations gentlemen!”

He paused. Then added:

“…I’m about to meet the love of my life.”

Benn took a deep drag of his cigarette.

You pushed open the door to Shakky’s Rip-Off Bar with one foot, the other braced against the crate of sealed scrolls you’d brought from Amazon Lily. You were sweating—not from the load, but from sheer existential dread.

The gold-etched name on your palm had not gone away.

If anything, it was glowing harder, like it enjoyed your panic.

“Shanks.” Cursive. Fancy. Aggressively smug. “More like shit.”

You hadn’t dared ask the people of the island, many unfortunately men. Or the harbor guards. Or the fish vendor who said something about a ‘Red-Hair being back in town.’

Nope.

You were going to get through this like a professional.

You were fine.

You blink at the smoky interior like you’ve just entered a dragon’s den.

Shakky waves.

“Welcome, darling. Ignore the mess.”

You drop the crate onto the floorboards with a solid thunk, flex your poor back, and approach the bar like a soldier on a battlefield.

Shakky doesn’t even blink.

“You okay, sweetheart,” she says smoothly, sliding a glass of something chilled your way. “Hancock’s still upset about the soap?”

“She’s considering burning the supplier’s house down.”

“Reasonable.”

“She sends her regards,” you say politely. “And says if the soap supplier raises prices again, she’s sending snakes. Plural.”

“Duly noted.”

You glance around, subtly inspecting the room for… her male creature. The old one with the excessive amount of body hair. Glasses, holding a drink like it’s a character trait, excellent at harassing you. 

The coast is clear.

For now.

You exhale.

And then you whisper urgently:

“I have a medical question.”

That earns a slow blink from Shakky.

She tilts her head. “Go on.”

You glance around again, then yank off your glove and slap your palm down on the bar like it’s a crime scene.

“What is this?” you hiss.

There it is.

That damned glowing word.

Shanks.

Still smug.

From the corner, a chair creaks.

You jump.

Rayleigh, lounging in the shadows with a bottle, squints toward your hand.

Motherfucker, how does he hide like that.

He ignores your glare, and for once, you want an answer enough to let him look.

He squints harder.

Then bursts into a laugh so loud it nearly knocks the rum bottle over.

You stare at him like he’s lost his mind.

“What,” you demand, “is so funny? Am I dying?!”

“Only emotionally,” he chuckles, wiping his eyes. “Oh, you poor thing. Couldn’t have happened to a worse woman”

Shakky smirks. “So it was what I suspect.”

You slam your hand down again. “What is happening?! What is a shanks? Why is it on my skin?! Is it a threat? A disease? Some kind of cursed pirate STD?!”

Rayleigh leans forward, clearly enjoying this far too much.

“It’s the name of an old cabin boy of mine.”

You stare at your hand.

Stare at him.

Back at your hand.

“Shakky,” you say flatly. “Is this Shanks a man creature? Did he put a hit out on me? Has your pet husband gone rogue?”

Shakky chuckled, to your consternation.

Rayleigh chuckles again, this time gentler.

“Don’t worry, girl. That’s just a soulmate mark.”

You freeze.

“…Is that a disease?”

Shakky wheezes.

Rayleigh falls off the couch laughing.

You try your best not to spear the man-creature, as you know he’s Shakky’s pet.

“What is so funny?”

“Not quite. It’s… uh, a romantic thing.” Shakky explained with a hand wave, “Like love.”

You clear your throat.

“Love? Like the concept of the curse?”

 “Happens when the other half of your fate gets close. Ten miles, give or take.”

Rayleigh winks and you growl.

You sit at the bar, hand still glowing, eyes wide and glassy like someone who just saw their own funeral invitation written in cursive.

Across from you, Shakky pours you another drink— alcoholic, by the look on your face you’ll need it.

“I need clarification,” You croak, not touching it. “About… everything.”

Rayleigh grunts. “She’s gonna need a chart.”

Shakky smiles gently, lights a cigarette, and leans on the bar like she’s preparing to explain gravity to a baby.

“Okay,” she begins, “So. First things first: A man is a person—usually taller, louder, and hairier than you—who you will find deeply aggravating.”

You rolls your eyes, which she ignores.

“They have a different biology. You don’t need to worry too much about it unless you plan on—”

“Absolutely not. I’ve seen yours.” 

Rayleigh cackles.

“—Right. So men exist, unfortunately. And outside of Amazon Lily, they’re… everywhere. Now, a soulmate is someone the universe pairs you with.”

“Like… like in combat?”

Shakky pauses.

“No. Not like a sparring partner. More like someone you’re cosmically drawn to.”

You blink.

“That sounds awful.”

Rayleigh wheezes.

“Now,” Shakky continues, trying not to laugh, “Soulmates usually feel a pull toward one another. A bond. Attraction.”

“Like gravity?”

“Sure. Except you might want to kiss them.”

You stare at her.

Then, slowly:

“Why would I do that?”

Rayleigh is fully keeled over now.

Shakky takes a drag of her cigarette and starts listing on her fingers:

“Sometimes people in soulmate bonds end up in relationships. Romantic ones. Emotional connections. Some get married. Some have children—”

You immediately shove the barstool back and stand, horrified.

“Children?! With a man?! That’s what the glowing means?!”

“Not automatically,” Shakky says quickly, clearly entertained. “You don’t have to do anything. Well, to have children you do-“

You cut in.

“Except battle a mythical threat no sister has bothered informing of-“

Rayleigh laughed. “This is going to be fun.”

Shakky grins. “Amazon Lily doesn’t really get male soulmates. It’s not a popular topic.”

You stare at your glowing palm like it just personally betrayed you.

Rayleigh leans back, finishing his drink.

“Best advice I can give you?”

He raises his glass.

“Run now. Or start emotionally preparing.”

You’re already pulling your glove back on like it’s a warding talisman, halfway to the door.

“I was just doing a supply run,” you hissed, pacing Shakky’s floor like a woman betrayed by gravity itself. “I was not emotionally prepared to be icked by destinies assigned man-creature’s.”

Rayleigh was wheezing.

“He’s not that bad, really,” he managed between gasps, one hand slapping the table as his shoulders shook with laughter.

You turned on him sharply. “You know the disease?!”

That was it. Rayleigh whooped like a man being punched by fate itself. He doubled over, tears streaking down his face. You suspected a heart attack was imminent and sincerely prayed for it.

Shakky, far calmer, sipped her tea.

“He comes here on occasion,” she said, as if discussing the weather. “I told you, Rayleighs former cabin boy.”

You looked at Rayleigh, her man-creative and gave him the most disguised look a woman has ever made at him, further sending him into cardiac arrest due to laughter.

You stared down at your palm—the cursed red name that had scrawled itself across your skin like a traitorous tattoo.

Shanks.

The name of doom.

An ill-conceived destiny.

A man.

“Does the shanks disease know?” you asked darkly. “Does he get infected as well?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Shakky replied brightly. “He probably saw your name appear and immediately said something dramatic like, ‘Finally.’ He’s a romantic.”

You went still.

Stone still.

Rayleigh hiccupped mid-laugh, coughing.

You slowly looked between them, horrified. Betrayed by scrolls, tea, and fate.

Then you whispered, utterly mortified.

“I have to flee this island.”

Rayleigh gave a very enthusiastic “Bye bye sweetheart” and Shakky sighed as you fled.

You returned to the docks like a woman possessed.

No delay. No farewell drink. You left the scroll receipt unsigned and muttered something about “soul rot” and “spontaneous name infections” to the stunned sailors as you boarded the ship you used to arrive..

By the time the anchor lifted, you’d already burned a loose scarf and were halfway through scrubbing your palm with seawater like it might dissolve destiny.

It didn’t.

You stared at the elegant, glowing “Shanks” etched into your skin like it was a personal attack.

Shanks barged back into Shakky’s bar, glowing.

Literally.

His shirt was half open and his smile was full chaos. Right across his chest, gleaming like sun-kissed treasure, was your name.

He skidded to a stop in front of Rayleigh and announced, proudly:

“I need a drink,” he said, voice easy. “Something celebratory.”

Rayleigh didn’t even look up from his drink, already smirking.  He seemed like he was restraining himself.

“Good news?”

Shanks tugged his shirt open just enough. Gold script shimmered faintly over his heart.

A name. Yours.

Beckman glanced up, sighed. “Don’t encourage him. He’s high on bad ideas.”

Rayleigh squinted. Blinked. Set his glass down a little too hard.

Then dropped his glass and howled with laughter.

Shanks was still proudly displaying his chest like it contained the One Piece itself. He rotated for better lighting. He even leaned into a patch of sun filtering through the bar window, just so your name would really sparkle.

Rayleigh had only just stopped laughing, wiping tears from his eyes with a bar towel and wheezing, “You’ve got no idea what’s coming, do you?”

Shanks blinked.

“…Coming? You mean the great adventure of love?”

Rayleigh snorted and almost choked on his drink again.

Shakky, merciful and amused, stepped out from behind the bar and gently placed a hand on Shanks’ shoulder like she was about to break bad news about his boat engine.

“Sweetheart,” she said patiently. “Have you met the owner of that name?”

“Shanks grinned. “Not a clue. But I got a feeling you do.”

Shakky shook her head slowly.

“No, no. This isn’t a vacation. Not without armed backup and a plan for extraction.”

Shanks stared.

Stared harder.

“…Why?”

Paused.

Rayleigh grinned. “Tell him, Shakky.”

“She’s from Amazon Lily.”

There was a pause.

Shanks tilted his head. “…The Amazon Lily?”

“The very same,” said Rayleigh, pouring another drink. “Land of no men, no mercy, and statues made from the unlucky.”

“She’s not just from there,” Shakky added. “She’s one of them. Top of her class. Favorite of the Empress. Tried to file paperwork to have her mark declared a battlefield injury.”

“…The island that turns men into stone with eye contact and keeps them as warning statues?”

“Exactly.”

His smile faltered.

Shanks’s smile twitched.

“…Wait. So you know who she is?”

“Oh, we know,” Rayleigh said, far too pleased. “We’ve known since earlier today, when she stumbled in here clutching her hand like it was cursed.”

“She asked me if soulmates were a disease,” Shakky muttered, eyes distant. “Dead serious.”

Shanks blinked.

“She meant it,” Rayleigh added, raising his drink.

Shakky nodded grimly. “And now she thinks she’s been infected. By a man-borne plague.”

Shanks slowly sat down, the light dimming behind his eyes.

“So what you’re telling me is—my one and only soulmate… is an Amazonin Lily Warrior, sworn off all men-”

“Correct,” Shakky said.

“…and thinks I’m a walking biohazard.”

“Bingo,” Rayleigh toasted. “To fate.”

Shanks groaned as Rayleigh drank an entire shot and Shakky smiles sympathetically.

Benn refrained from commenting.

Shanks exhaled. “Okay, I can work with that. At least it saves me the trouble of a chase. So I can’t visit the island without—”

Shakky: “No. Don’t cause a war.”

“…” Shanks tilted his head,: “…Can I send something?”

Rayleigh huffed, “Only if you want Boa Hancock to hunt you like a rabbit.”

Shakky smacked his shoulder.

Shanks leaned forward, face in hands. “Maybe I’ll write her a letter?”

“Start with an apology. And maybe… include clarification that you are disease free.” Shakky, dryly replied.

Shanks chuckled.

Then he drew a long breath, adjusted his coat, and rolled his neck with deliberate calm.

He looked up, steady and sure again.

“I’ll speak to whoever’s in charge first- Hancock, right. Properly. Face to face.”

There was silence.

“No.”

Beckman didn’t even look up, but reached for another cigarette.

Shakky blinked. “You’re going to what?”

“I’ll reach out to Hancock,” Shanks said. “Ask for a meeting. Just talk. Emperor to Empress-”

Rayleigh started laughing again—slow, wheezing laughter that didn’t stop.

“She’ll listen,” Shanks added. “If I’m respectful. If I make it clear I’m not a threat.”

Beckman groaned. “You are the threat.”

“She won’t turn me to stone on principle,” Shanks reasoned. “I’ve got manners.”

“You’ve got audacity,” Shakky snapped.

Rayleigh wiped his eyes. “You’re going to walk into Amazon Lily. Alone. After giving the Empress’s favorite a soulmate mark. And you think reason will win her over?”

“I’m an emperor,” Shanks said, shrugging. “Surely she won’t deny a simple conversation.”

“Not with her,” Shakky muttered. “She turned a man to stone for saying hello too confidently.”

“I’ll be diplomatic.”

Beckman sighed. “You’re going to get yourself turned into an art feature.”

Shanks leaned casually on the bar, unfazed. “If she kills me, at least I’ll go out looking good.”

Rayleigh raised his glass. “Send us a statue. I’ll put it in the garden.”

“Life-sized,” Beckman added. “We’ll use it to hang hats.”

Shakky poured herself a double shot of something unlabeled. “You’re all idiots.”

Shanks gave her a slow, confident smile. “What would you do if fate carved a name on your chest?”

“Button up my shirt,” she snapped.

He only chuckled.

“I’ll ask nicely,” he said again. “That’s all I’ll do.”

Beckman exhaled. “Give me one hour’s notice before you sail. Just so I can update your will.”

Rayleigh raised his glass one last time. “To love.”

“To statues,” Shakky muttered.

Shanks smiled and tapped the spot over his heart.

“You don’t meet fate halfway by standing still. Besides, if she kills me, at least it’ll be interesting.”

The moment you reached home, you marched into the palace, slapped the crate of trade receipts down with enough force to rattle the columns, and declared in a clear, unshakable voice.

“I’m never leaving again.”

Ran raised a curious eyebrow.

“Did someone insult the empress?”

“No,” you muttered, pulling your glove back on. “Worse.”

“…worse?”.

“I am spiritually unwell,” you added. “I have been afflicted.”

Gasps echoed across the hall.

The guards stood. “I’ll call for the snakes.”

“No, I need to speak with the Empress, right away.”

And so you were whisked away to Boa Hancock.

You stood before the Empress, palm out, the glow flickering like a curse that wouldn’t die. It shimmered just beneath the skin—his name, etched in gold, resting traitorously against your lifeline.

You had come to her for wisdom. Reassurance. A solution.

What you got instead was—

“WHAT. IS. THAT?!”

The words cracked like a whip across the throne room.

You flinched. Somewhere in the rafters, a dove actually keeled over.

“I—I don’t know,” you stammered, holding out your hand like it might explain itself. “It appeared when I stepped off the ship to go visit Shakky. She said…it might be a… soul… thing?”

Silence.

The word no one dared say hovered in the air like a ghost.

Soulmate.

You didn’t speak it. Neither did the Empress. But every woman in the room felt it sink into their bones like a divine hex.

Hancock was frozen on her throne, eyes locked on your palm. Her expression was a war between horror and something much worse: recognition.

Then she moved.

“What disgusting, treacherous man has dared mark one of my-“

She Grabbed your palm like a curse, reading the name with visible recoil.

Then, she snatched a report scroll from a nearby guard—half unrolled, seawater-stained, stamped with the last Sabaody ship logs. Her eyes scanned the names fast, each flick of her gaze more furious than the last.

She stopped cold.

Her hand clenched around the scroll.

Her face went pale. Then dark.

Then incandescent with rage.

She screeched.

“Shanks!”

You blinked. “You… know him?”

“Know him?!” she roared. “KNOW HIM! Everyone knows him! Do you have any idea who he is? What he is?! The threat he is to women everywhere?”

The word hit you like a slap. It’s not that you didn’t memorize many male pirates, but your experience was limited. To be frank you never memorized male names if you see them regularly. 

You opened your mouth. Closed it. Tried again. “Rayleigh mentioned he used to train him—”

“Rayleigh’s old apprentice?” Hancock barked. “He is not some scruffy cabin brat! He is a global force of nature with a bounty in the billions and diplomatic immunity because no one wants to risk his crew tearing through the Grand Line like a divine plague!”

Your knees shook. Blood rushed to your head.

“Oh.” You squeaked.

“Oh?” Hancock’s voice shot up an octave. “Oh?!”

“I mean, that’s… it could be worse, right?”

“Worse? He’s one of the Four Emperors! You might as well have gotten branded by a tidal wave!”

Were those stars forming at the edge of your vision?

“Shanks!” You choked, feeling dizzy. “As in Red-Haired Shanks?!”

You were a trained warrior, a scholar of naval threats, and a woman of discipline—but your knees still buckled a little.

You did know of the fucking Emperors who ruled the sea.

You stared at her. “He didn’t do anything—he wasn’t even there! I never saw him!”

“Exactly!” Hancock shot back. “You never even saw him, and still—still—your soul reached for his?!”

Her sisters in the court murmured in terror.

Gloriosa, ancient and unbothered, sipped her tea in the corner. “At least it’s not Kaido.”

“Not the point!” Hancock snapped.

She rose to her feet, the motion sharp and dangerous, her cape whipping behind her like a flag of impending doom.

She pointed at your palm. “That’s not a name. That’s a problem.”

You looked down. The mark still glowed innocently.

Warm. Gold. Unbothered.

“Is there a cure?” You squeaked, not really joking. “Or a way to hide it? Perhaps he’ll find it inconvenient and ignore it?”

Hancock paced now, one hand in her hair, the other gesturing wildly. “He probably doesn’t know every detail, but make no mistakes, he’ll figure it out. He’s a famous romantic- and that man Shakky houses for some reason- he has a soft spot for degenerates. And when he finds out? Oh, he’ll come. Of course he’ll come. Men like him always do. Smiling. Apologizing. Making it worse.”

You stared.

“You think he’s coming here?!”

She stopped. Slowly turned back toward you.

Then said, with the seriousness of a woman already preparing her war face.

“Start practicing your ‘go to hell’ and for the love of the sea gods— do not accept rum from him. Don’t even leave the belly of the Lily, lest he discover a way to…compromise you!”

The entire palace erupted in chaotic wailing.

Sandersonia fanned herself. “A pirate has claimed her!”

Marigold shouted, “Prepare the ship! Prepare the cannons!”

Hancock paced, furious and rattled.

“He’s powerful. Annoyingly flirtatious. Laughs like a goddamn wind chime. And now he’s tethered to her?! One of my own?!”

You raised your gloved hand slowly.

“We have time, don’t we? I didn’t meet him. I didn’t even see his ship. I ran.”

“You ran correctly.” Hancock whirled, pointing a dramatic finger. “We must break the bond before he discovers it!”

“Is that possible?”

“I will try anyway.”

You fainted.

The message was hand-delivered with the kind of care usually reserved for ceasefires and war declarations.

Shanks had written it himself—ink smooth, edges clean, the handwriting firm and respectful. No roses. No flirtation. Just facts. Just a name. Send with a female on an aligned crew.

And an apology.

To Empress Boa of Amazon Lily,

I write with great care and no intent to offend. It has come to my attention that a mark—bearing my name—has appeared upon one of your own. I understand the nature of such an event is complex, unwelcome, and possibly distressing.

Know that I intend no intrusion. I ask only for the chance to discuss with you the implications of such an event.

With respect,

Shanks

The return message arrived exactly three hours later.

Folded into a seared chunk of driftwood.

Branded across the front in aggressive knife marks were two words:

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Beckman, watching from the deck, just sighed.

“She’s going to try and sink the ship if you push this.”

Shanks unfolded the second, more official scroll tucked inside the burned envelope.

It read:

Should the Yonko known as Red-Haired Shanks approach the shores of Amazon Lily, he will be considered an active threat and treated accordingly.

There will be no meeting.

There will be no negotiation.

This is your only warning.

Shanks folded the message quietly.

Then he looked up toward the horizon, where the Calm Belt lay—still and wide.

“…She didn’t say I couldn’t send word again.”

Beckman rubbed his temple. “You’re going to escalate this into an international incident with that carefree attitude.”

Shanks smiled.

He simply turned, opened a second scroll, and began to write again.

To Empress Boa Hancock,

I got your message.

Dramatic. Charred edges. Good handwriting.

I understand your position. You’re furious, protective, and probably trying to have me classified as a natural disaster.

Fair.

But I’d like to remind you—I’m still asking.

Politely.

I didn’t choose this mark. Neither did she. But it’s there, and now so am I.

And like it or not, this situation now involves me.

I’m not trying to provoke anything. I’m not trying to cause a scene.

If I were, writing first would not be my opening move.

So please—don’t make me come to your island while I’m still being nice.

A quiet meeting. Just once. If you refuse that?

Well.

I’m famously bad at hearing no.

You know where to find me.

Shanks

He tied it with red twine. No wax. Just a smile on his face like he’d already made peace with whatever storm followed.

Beckman, watching, groaned. “You do realize she’s going to throw that in the ocean.”

“She might,” Shanks said. “But I wrote it anyway.”

“She might also fire a cannon.”

“I’ll duck.”

Beckman pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re flirting with death.”

Shanks grinned. “Only if she’s interested.”

The second letter was delivered by a trembling pirate courier, who clearly had no idea whether handing it over counted as a diplomatic act or an execution request.

Hancock ripped the thread binding with one fluid flick of her nail.

She read the first line.

Then the second.

Then she froze.

“Don’t make me come to your island while I’m still being nice?” she repeated aloud.

The entire throne room fell still.

Gloriosa slowly set down her teacup like she was bracing for a seismic event.

Hancock kept reading—face locked somewhere between seething and visibly calculating the surface temperature of lava.

“He thinks he’s being polite?!”

“I believe he does,” Gloriosa said cautiously. “Shanks is notorious for his diplomacy.”

Hancock’s eye twitched.

“I will polish the cliffs with him!”

“He did ask before he came,” Murmured Sandersonia helpfully. “Could be worse.”

“He’s still asking,” Marigold added, eyes wide.

Hancock hissed through her teeth. “You don’t ask an Empress. You bow. You beg. You certainly don’t smirk through the ink!”

“Technically, there was no smirking visible,” Gloriosa offered.

Hancock whipped around. “He charmed. In calligraphy!”

Gloriosa held up her hands. “I’m just the tea auntie.”

Hancock stomped to the edge of the dais, fists clenched, hair fluttering in her fury.

“He thinks this is a game. A charming letter. A little rogue diplomacy. He doesn’t understand. I will petrify him into a lawn ornament.”

There was a long silence.

Then Gloriosa spoke again. Quietly.

“…Should we inform her?”

“Absolutely not. She is in a fragile state, thanks to that pig.”

You were sitting in the palace garden, sipping tea, watching a bird hop sideways in the grass.

It was peaceful.

Which was suspicious.

You’d learned that silence in Amazon Lily usually meant someone was planning something—or someone had just made a very bad decision.

But today?

Today was—

“Hmm,” you muttered, looking down at your hand.

The mark glowed faintly. Again. For the third time this week.

You shook your head and pulled your sleeve back down. “No.”

You weren’t going to think about it. You weren’t going to ask questions. And you absolutely weren’t going to read into the fact that every time it flared, the guards on duty went tense like someone had set a cannon off three islands away.

Across the courtyard, a group of royal guards were whispering urgently with Marigold and Sandersonia. You caught snippets:

“…He wrote again.”

“…Still polite, technically…”

“…‘Don’t make me come while I’m being nice’—is that a threat or a proposal?”

“Empress broke a vase.”

“Make that two vases.”

You blinked. Then looked back down at your tea.

No one had told you anything.

And if the Empress breaking crockery over international pirate diplomacy was about you?

…Well.

You didn’t want to know.

You picked up a scone.

Ignorance was peaceful.

[zosan-secondchances]

The Pirate King of the North: Part 20

Warning: Long post ahead and some One Piece spoilers. Contains strong language and explicit content.

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 (Special) | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27

I have been practically crawling to get to this point of the story. I thought it deserved a cheeky animation. Enjoy!

Law

This is it.

Sanji nods in agreement.

Sanji

Yeah….

Law

We've found it.

Zoro remains quiet, looking ahead with the usual impassive expression on his face.

Law

I couldn't believe my own eyes.

Sanji

There's nothing else in the world quite like it.

Law

We've finally found a creature with a worse sense of direction than you, Zoro-ya.

Zoro feels his face heat in annoyance. He grits his teeth and yells back at them.

Zoro

Shut up! I'm not that bad!!!

Law

Yes, you are!!!

Zoro and Law begin tugging and pulling at each other behind Sanji, creating a commotion that makes Holy growl in frustration. The three had been riding on the back of the blonde dog for a couple of hours now and are starting to get sore and cranky. They’re currently travelling through a wide open path, seemingly getting nowhere. Sanji stands on the dog’s back calmly, carefully studying their surroundings.

Sanji

Wyper said that Nola's usual napping spot is a thirty minute dog run from the city. We should have been there by now.

Zoro and Law continue to wrestle, ignoring the blonde's words, too focused on grabbing hairs, pushing faces and whatever they can see and do that would irritate the other.

Sanji raises a brow and looks behind him to see why he didn't get a response. Upon discovering their tangled state, he rolls his eyes and returns his gaze forwards.

Sanji

Holy, sit.

The dog barks and obeys his command immediately. Zoro and Law yell as they tumble off the creature and land on the ground roughly. Their backpacks burst open from the fall, scattering their belongings around them. Sanji simply hops off and lands on his feet gracefully.

Zoro and Law

WHAT THE HELL?!?

Zoro

What is wrong with you, Dartbrows?!

Law

A little heads up would have been appreciated!

Sanji flicks his hair and smirks at them with a cheeky smile, resting one of his hands on a curved hip.

Sanji

When I talk, pay attention.

Zoro and Law

THE FUCK WE WILL!!

Sanji

Savages! You have no manners at all!

Whatever. Stay here–or get lost. I don't care. I'm going up a tree to get our bearings.

He crouches down on the ground and launches upwards, vanishing in an instant. While waiting, the two repack their fallen belongings, grumbling and tossing the odd rock and sticks at each other's heads whenever they see the opportunity.

They hear a rustling of tree leaves as Sanji jumps and swings down onto the ground. He unsheathes the blades from his claw gauntlet and fixes his disheveled hair.

Sanji

I had my suspicions and I'm afraid that they're correct. We've been going around in circles. For the last hour and a half at the very least.

Law

This is what we get for trusting a brainless beast.

Zoro

Way to get us lost, idiot.

Holy whimpers and droops his head sadly.

Sanji smacks Zoro and Law at the back of their heads with an angry snarl on his face.

Zoro and Law

ACK–!

Sanji

STOP IT! You're making him sad!!!

He clears his throat and straightens up as the other two nurse the bumps on their heads.

Sanji

Now, you two will apologise to him because he's actually taken us where we need to be.

Zoro scratches his head in confusion while Law taps his own shoulder a couple of times with his sword, deep in thought.

Sanji walks to the middle of the wide open path, turns to face them then holds his arms out, as if presenting something magnificent.

Sanji

This.

This is the width of Nola's body.

Law

What?

Zoro and Law stare at Sanji in disbelief then look left and right to process the news. After a brief pause, the swordsman eases and speaks.

Zoro

I know Nola's massive but….

Sanji

We've been going around in circles because she's coiled herself to sleep.

Law

Now that you mention it…

Law observes the treeline at a distance. He sees evidence of movement where Nola allegedly knocked down trees and glided over rock formations.

Law

You might be right. We've been walking in what may be her nest for ages and didn't even realise it.

Sanji

Right?!

Law

Zoro-ya, you said you've come face to face with her before when your crew got eaten.

Zoro

Yes.

Sanji

She did what now?

Law

Is this how big she really is? She's…enormous.

Zoro

To be honest…I remember her being a little smaller. Still massive in size but… I didn't realise she's still growing.

Sanji

They are ancient creatures. Thousands of years old. I don't remember reading anything about giant snakes dying of old age. I’m not sure if anyone knows when and if they stop growing at all.

Zoro

Huh.

There is a moment of silence as the three take in the information, still bewildered at how massive the snake really is. After a while, Law's expression turns into a sour frown as he brings his attention to Holy.

Law

Why the hell didn't you tell us that we're here?

Holy stands up and barks excitedly, his tail wagging wildly at him as if trying to explain himself.

Sanji

…Because we told him to take us to Nola's sleeping spot but didn't tell him to stop. That's why he's been walking around in it endlessly…. He would have kept going if we hadn’t told him otherwise.

Holy barks once more, as if agreeing. Sanji laughs and buries his entire body around his fluffy chest for a big cuddle.

Sanji

Because he's a good boy! Who's a good boy?! You are, yes you are!

The giant dog lowers his face to return Sanji's affection, rubbing his muzzle against him.

Zoro

No, he's not! He didn't tell us that we're here!

Law

I agree. If he was smart like they say he is, he wouldn't have taken things too literally–

Sanji

He’s a good dog who did what he was told. NOW, APOLOGISE!!!

Sanji delivers another smack across their heads, layering a secondary bump on top of their existing ones. Zoro and Law guiltily bow to the dog.

Zoro

We're sorry.

Law

Please accept our sincerest apology.

The blonde creature barks and wags his tail in appreciation.

—

Finding the giant snake took no time for Holy. They kept their commands concise and very specific. The dog had great tracking skills, so much so that Sanji considers getting one of his own. Law agreed, pointing out that there would be at least one member of the party who would actually follow his orders without question for a change.

When they hear loud slithering and hissing in the distance, they dismiss Holy to return home but not without leaving him a generous amount of snacks as reward for his work. They proceed to the source of sound beyond a hill, only to find that there is no sign of life aside from the occasional bird and small critter. Suddenly, it had gone quiet.

Law

How can something so huge be so elusive?

Zoro sees a large trench overlooking the White Sea nearby. He approaches it and cautiously peeks over the edge. It is layered with thick fog but when he squints his eye, he sees a thin line of a long cloud river at the very bottom. As he shifts his foot, he observes that the ground is loose, evident by the occasional boulders and trees that fall off the unstable ground along its lengthy span. He could barely see the debris splash far down below.

Zoro

NOLA!!

His loud voice echoes through the open earth for some time then it is quiet once more, setting an eerie sensation around them.

Sanji

Creepy. So cool.

The ground begins to rumble and they see something shine from far below. Large sharp eyes snap open, staring back at them with a ghostly glow behind the thick of the fog. Sanji and Law flinch at the intimidating sight.

Zoro

Can we talk to you?

The gigantic snake grumbles lowly in response as it scales up the rocky trench towards them. The three run away from the edge to make way as the Nola reaches the top, crashing over a vast area with trees and foliage. She coils herself comfortably around the hill then stretches her neck to look down on them.

Sanji

Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit.

She’s a lot bigger up close.

Law

What…what's the plan, Zoro-ya?

Zoro

Nola!! Do you remember me?

Nola lowers her head gently so her nose is at the same level as Zoro's. Unsure of her temperament, Sanji and Law keep their distance behind the swordsman as the snake carefully studies him, slightly poking her tongue out to sniff. Her giant pupils dilate as she makes an approving groan and shakes her scale in a friendly manner. She nods in response.

Zoro

Good. Nola, these are my fr–

The snake suddenly surges her head onto the swordsman. She makes cheerful purring noises as she rubs her cheek against him roughly.

Zoro

Argh!! Wait!!

Just as Holy did, Nola pins Zoro onto the ground to shower him with affection. The swordsman screams and yells, unable to move under the creature's mountainous weight.

Sanji tries to hide a giggle but ends up snickering and snorting. He shuffles through his pockets and retrieves his camera to take pictures of the suffocating swordsman.

Sanji

Second time’s a charm! They really love you up here, don't they?

Zoro

Help…me! Nola, you're crushing my body!

Nola pulls herself back and stretches her neck high and mighty. She roars a booming guttural sound so loud that it shakes the earth they're standing on. The three cover their ears to protect themselves. As noisy as it may be, it didn't seem threatening or territorial but is more of a greeting of sorts. When she finishes, she eases and adjusts her tail so they're under the protection of her massive coil, knocking down more trees and rocks along the way.

Sanji

If anyone asks, it wasn't me.

Zoro

Nola! We need your help.

The swordsman pushes himself up and pats the dirt off himself, ruffling his hair to remove loose dirt and leaves in it.

Zoro

We need to get to your old burrow. Do you remember where you were born?

Nola tenses, as if seemingly hesitating to respond. Sanji and Law can feel that she is eyeing them cautiously.

Zoro reads the atmosphere and speaks up.

Zoro

These are my friends. You can trust them.

Gan Fall said there might be some ancient ruins where your home was. We're not here to cause any trouble. We just want to see it and get out.

Nola coils herself a little tighter and lowers down, moving her head close to Sanji who freezes when the snake’s tongue touches his chest. The contact felt so light it was as if a feather brushed over his skin. He could practically see and smell her towering fangs from where he stood.

Sanji

Uh… hi?

Zoro

Don't panic. She's just getting to know you.

Satisfied, Nola turns her attention to Law who has a little sweat on the side of his brow. His grip tightens around the handle of his sword.

The snake recoils at the sight of his blade and hisses at him.

Zoro

No weapons. She doesn't like them. Drop it or put it away.

Not wanting to offend the snake further, Law throws his sword on the ground. Appreciative of the gesture, Nola continues to sniff him just as she did with Sanji. For some reason, she lingers close to him longer and begins purring deep happy noises from the back of her throat.

Law

Erm…what's going on?

Zoro

I don't know…. I've never seen her do this.

Sanji

I think she just really likes you. That's a first.

Law

What the hell do you mean–? Oi!

Nola begins rubbing her cheeks against him, forcing Law down on the ground.

Law

Ack–! My…bits!!

Sanji takes more photos, grinning widely behind the camera.

After an unexplained, very confusing and long cuddle session with Nola, Law frees himself by teleporting behind the blonde.

Law

For fucks sake–just tell her to take us to her old burrow!

Nola's massive head begins to make its way towards Law who teleports as soon as she gets too close for his liking. Her head chases him around as he zapped to and fro.

Not wanting to exhaust himself from his powers too soon, especially after Sanji's tutelage yesterday, Law succumbs to running around within the boundaries of her coil in panic, increasingly getting out of breath.

Law

Zoro-ya! Do something!

Zoro

Nola, wait! No! Bad girl! No–sit! Nola, SIT!!!

Law

She's not a dog, idiot!!!

The swordsman attempts to rescue Law but ends up chasing behind Nola's head instead, unable to keep up.

Sanji begins laughing uncontrollably, taking pictures clumsily as he collapses from not being able to breathe properly. When Law runs past him, he picks up his fallen sword and smacks him behind his head in frustration. The blonde didn't care and continued taking photos of the scene.

Sanji

Ah shit. It's almost out of film.

When he looks up from the back of the camera, the three are still in the middle of their everlasting chase. He smiles, warmed by how free and easy this all is.

His face suddenly falls from the realization that this won't last forever. But he wishes it could.

He sits on the ground and shuffles in his pack. He procures a pipe that he owns and the bag of greens gifted by Gan Fall. He lights up and smokes three buds just as instructed. He relaxes into it and shifts his mindset to focus on the now. He feels his mood brighten up slowly.

Zoro stops in his tracks to observe the blonde who looks as though he's just decided to have his very own smoking ceremony like they did yesterday. He likes watching him like this–relaxed and at ease, as if there's nothing in the world to worry about.

Until Law runs into his back recklessly, tumbling them down onto the ground where Nola takes the opportunity to cuddle both of them under her immense snout. They shout for help but notice that the blonde is now humming the tune of Bink's Sake as he enjoys his vice with his eyes closed, tilting his head side to side on beat.

When Nola has had her fill of cuddles, she slithers away to return deep below the trench. Zoro and Law were so tired that they didn’t question it nor chased after her. They approach the blonde who straightens up and gives them a warm smile.

Sanji

Playtime’s over already? Are you kids ready to go?

Zoro

Aren't we supposed to follow her? We need to make our way down there.

Sanji

There's no need.

Sanji glances around.

Sanji

It's…this way!

With the effects of the drug fully active, the blonde marches off while partly dancing. Confused, Zoro and Law follow him.

Law

Will please just tell me how you know its location?

Sanji

I don't. But Gan Fall’s instruction was pretty clear. He said that when we see her, we're supposed to follow the path of the “Rainbow Serpent”, so I smoked the stuff he gave me and now I can see the way ahead. It really does look like a rainbow serpent!

Law

You can…see it?

Sanji

Nola is positively glowing! So is her shredded skin. And this trail looks like it’s made of glitters and–ooh! A pretty butterfly!

No, no, focus! Rainbow. We're following the rainbow. I have to keep telling myself that or I'll–wait! That mushroom looks pretty cool. Oh, hey! The Marimo's hair is so bright!

NO! Focus! Marimo, Traffy, it's your job to make sure I keep focused!

Zoro and Law look at each other in confusion once more, but seeing as though they have no other leads, they follow the blonde who is rambling like there’s no tomorrow.

—

An hour passes as the trio continue their hike. The terrain where Sanji leads them seems to be going downhill. Through it all, the blonde never stopped gawking at absolutely everything everywhere.

Sanji

Wow. Woah. Woooow.

Law

Uh-huh…. Mr. Prince-ya, how much did you take exactly?

Sanji

Just the three.

Law

Isn't that a bit much? It's thrice as much as we took yesterday and we shared it.

Sanji 

I'm just following Gan Fall’s instructions. I trust the man.

You two should get in on this. Shame I can't take photos through my eyes! Wait…can I?

Zoro

I think we're good. We trust you. Hey, do you need water?

Sanji

My ever caring, loving Marimo! Oh yes please, I'll have some water!

Zoro hands him his canteen. Sanji kisses his cheek in gratitude as he takes it, then walks off with his water without drinking it.

Zoro

Oh, I also wanted to uh…. Nevermind.

Law sighs in exasperation and rubs the back of his neck, glaring at Sanji who's still dancing to and from as he leads the way.

Law

As a doctor, I am intrigued. Enlighten me, what exactly do you see, Mr. Prince-ya? Do you see heightened colours? Any illusions? How can you tell where to go?

Sanji blinks and glances behind him, forgetting that he was in the middle of his twirls. He slows his pace to walk alongside the doctor.

Sanji

It's a bit different to the common recreational drug. A special Skypiean variant, I guess? For some reason, mostly everything just looks grey with this dose, but I do see saturated colours in specific areas like I said before–Nola, her old skin, the Marimo’s head for some reason, and these…pebbles on the ground. They look like bioluminescent plankton. I believe that it's all pointing the way.

Law

Interesting. And those skin and pebbles form a road?

Sanji

Exactly! My theory is that Nola and her ancestors made paths for themselves to avoid wrecking too much of the island. Less food if they're clumsy that way.

There have been several roads around us but they all seem to be forking to where we're going.

Satisfied with his answer, Law eases and glances behind him. He notices Zoro falling a little behind from trying to find a bottle of sake from his backpack. The doctor shuffles a bit closer and whispers to him.

Law

Sanji-ya…don’t join the Straw Hats. Join my crew instead.

The blonde raises an intrigued brow at him but picks up on the discretion. He keeps his gaze forwards as he takes a swill from Zoro’s canteen of water. He responds just as quietly.

Sanji

What part of “my kingdom is at war” did you not understand?

Law

We will fight for you. We will fight with you.

At that, Sanji plays with his goatee, thinking deeply.

Law

The Straw Hats are a chaotic bunch and you already know how we work. Zoro-ya’s crew won’t get together until a year from now but we’re ready right here, right now.

Hell, I hate to admit this and don't let it go to your head, but you’d be a great addition. You have a natural knack for adventuring. You’ve seen every Heart Pirates’ martial arts skills. You fight similarly, except your style has a bit of Okama Kenpo in it and you use your…whatever those are on your hands. You fit in well with us already.

Sanji

And…how do you expect me to run my kingdom from your ship, Captain Traffy?

Law

I don’t know, yet you somehow managed it on our way here, didn’t you? You will have assignments on board the ship, sure, but I don’t expect your sole focus to be just with the Heart Pirates alone. I’m happy to negotiate how much you’d like to commit on both parts.

I also know for a fact that you don’t like to stay in one place too long since you told me that you prefer to work in the shadows. Since we’re on the move all the time, the Polar Tang is the perfect place for you.

Sanji

Oh… my…god….. You’re actually serious about this? You’ve thought of everything through.

Law nods quietly with an impassive look on his face.

Sanji

Traffy, I’m flattered. I really am. And you know that I love your nakama. But what can you really offer me to even consider this? Did you forget that I’m a king and have all the wealth in the world to start my own army of pirates? I can pay to have your Polar Tang rebuilt a thousand times over.

Law smirks.

Law

Freedom to find the All Blue.

Sanji’s eyes widen at the doctor's ready answer. He stays quiet, staring blankly at the sparkling colours on the path before him. He opens his mouth as if to respond with a rebuttal but Law interrupts him.

Law

You won’t admit it, maybe not even to yourself, but deep inside, you still want to find it. Trust me. I know.

On top of that…there will be a loyal, unwavering, faithful crew behind your back…fully supporting you.

The blonde smiles warmly at the notion.

Law

And you'll have a certain captain by your side. The one who will find the One Piece and become King of the Pirates.

Sanji

Hah! Now that’s something. I hate to point out the obvious but a lot of people are hungry to find the One Piece. I hear your Straw Hat friend is also on the lookout.

Law

He has his own path to follow and I have mine. And I want you to be a part of that. Unless…you're also on the hunt for it.

Sanji sighs and looks up to the skies, unsure on how to respond.

Sanji

No. Being king isn't exactly something I wanted. It was more of a... necessity.

Law

Then step down. And if you won’t join us, at the very least, just don’t join the Straw Hats. They’re a crazy bunch who already fell apart at one point. We can do so much more for you.

I know you’ll say no right now. But know that you will always have a place with the Heart Pirates. We will take you in no matter what happens, whenever you want.

Sanji

Traffy…

The blonde stops in his tracks and suddenly begins balling his eyes out. This finally catches the attention of the swordsman who catches up quickly to comfort him.

Zoro

Why are you crying? Tra-guy, what did you do?!

Law

Uh…

Sanji

He’s so–SOOO SWEET!! WAAAAHH!!!

Sanji falls on his knees and hugs Law around his legs, tears spilling freely from his eyes.

Sanji

And his pants are all sparkly!! I can’t tell if it’s the laundry detergent or he’s just so cool like that!

Law

Let go!!! You’re embarrassing me!

Sanji

NOOOOO!!!

—

As the trio walk, the path before them gradually becomes wilder. Nola clearly had not used this part of the jungle to return to her old burrow but Sanji insisted that this is the way to go. Eventually, they come across a vast gaping hole on the ground in the middle of the wilderness. Its size is similar to that of the giant snake’s body. They stare down into the deep dark chasm where a cold breeze shoots up, creating a soft eerie hum that sends shivers up their spines.

Law

It won’t be safe for me to teleport us down there. I can’t see a thing. We don’t know how far this thing goes.

Sanji drops his bag under a tree and approaches the edge. He flexes his arms and snaps his neck a couple of times before unsheathing the blades from his gauntlets.

Sanji

This calls for a good old fashion leap of faith.

Law

Are you fuckin’ serious? All the way down there? Aren’t you still high?

Sanji

Ehh…I’ll manage. I’ve had worse and it’s already wearing off. Do you have better ideas? If we still had the balloon ship we could have flown down and we’re not exactly carrying a tonne of rope with us.

Zoro drops his pack next to Sanji’s and stands on the other side of the hole.

Zoro

I’m with Curls. Let’s do this.

Sanji

Just remember what we practiced yesterday, doctor. Keep your haki up, and be ready for any last second decisions.

Law hesitates once more before sighing in defeat. He drops his belongings with theirs and holds his sword in his hand. As the three bend down to launch themselves, he suddenly has a thought.

Law

Wait.

Zoro and Sanji blink curiously at him.

Law 

You know, we never finished that game…. We’re all tied with a point each.

Sanji smiles broadly at his suggestion.

Sanji

Trafalgar D. Water Law…are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?

Zoro

Really? You want a race? Who the hell are you and what did you do to Traffy?

Law

Shut up! And why wouldn’t we? I still want you two under my disposal. It’s not like I’m at an advantage anyway. I can’t teleport where I can’t see.

Whoever gets to Cora-san first will win the tiebreaker.

Sanji smiles playfully and the two look at Zoro for approval.

Zoro

After everything that’s happened, you still want to do this?

Sanji

How about I sweeten the deal?

Law

Go on….

Sanji

As we all agreed before, the winner gains a favour from the other two contenders so that he may call on them at any time, anywhere in the world.

On top of that…I will join his crew.

Zoro and Law’s eyes widen in surprise.

Sanji

If the Marimo wins, I will join the Straw Hat crew. If Law wins, I will join the Heart Pirates.

Zoro

What the hell? What’s this about you joining the Heart Pirates?

Law

Ugh…I was hoping for your discretion, Mr. Prince-ya….

Zoro

Are you trying to steal him from us?!

Sanji

BUT IF I WIN…

…If I win, you two will stop trying to recruit me for anything. I don’t want to hear any of it. Forever this time.

Zoro and Law look at each other briefly then give a tentative nod at Sanji.

Sanji

Good.

Let’s do this.

—

Zoro, Sanji and Law leap off the edge of the giant chasm and into the dark, racing to be the first to reach the Heart of Skypiea. The rock formation eventually curves into a windy tunnel but the surface is smooth, enabling the three to surf on their feet as they travel at great speeds. As the last of the light fades and they find themselves in complete darkness, bioluminescent fungi illuminate the way ahead, reflecting off small translucent crystals with a glow that guides their descent.

Sanji

Action shot!

Zoro and Law see a flash of blinding light from the blonde as he takes photos of them. Distracted, Zoro falters and loses his balance slightly but manages to catch himself by flailing his arms around.

Zoro

Is this really a good time for that shit?!

Sanji

Now is the perfect time for this shit!

Law zooms past ahead of them as he unsheathes his sword. He slices a large protruding rock out of the way which sends sharp shards flying behind him.

Sanji hides his camera in the safety of his pockets as he bounces off to the opposite side to dodge, sliding almost completely upside down from where Law is. Zoro maintains his position and simply slices off the rocks in his way with a sword. He growls at Law.

Zoro

Don’t be an ass! That’s cheating!

Law

No, it’s not! I was just trying to get the bloody things out of my way!

Sanji

I agree! Got to be sharp…!

The blonde jumps off and lands directly in front of Law. He swipes his leg backwards, tripping him by the ankle and sending him towards the swordsman who receives the full blunt of his body. He falls onto his back roughly and continues sliding down with the doctor on top of him.

Law

THAT’S cheating!!

Sanji

That’s what you get! You started it!

Zoro

Get the hell off me!

Law quickly rolls to the side as the swordsman swipes his sword to deliver a strong force which damages the ground in front of Sanji.

Sanji

Woah, woah, woah–!

Sanji trips forward and dives out of the way. He starts freefalling.

Sanji

If that’s how you want to play it….

He unsheathes the claws from his gauntlets and bounces off the opposite wall with his feet. He spins rapidly to keep up his speed, smashing the earth where Zoro and Law are heading. The two shift their bodies so they split away from each other and from the dangerous rocks the blonde had carved.

Zoro slides ahead. He brings out a second sword and begins to swipe the ground at an immense speed, creating a thick cloud of dark sand behind him. Sanji and Law both shield their faces as their view gets obscured. When they move past it, their eyes are teary and their visions are blurred.

Zoro

Hah!

Law

Motherfucker!

With a flick of his hand, Law summons his room ability and swaps places with the swordsman.

Zoro

Son of a–

Law

HAH!!!

Sanji

Look out!

Zoro and Law

Hah?!

Zoro, Sanji and Law plummet into thick layers of vines that block the entire stretch of the hole. The trailing plants snap as they fall but eventually the dense growth slows them down. All three get bounced around and tangled up into a jumbled mess until they hit a point where they stop–the vines and their limbs entwined. They dangle awkwardly and painfully among each other. They’re unsure where their own bodies start and where they end, and whose arm or leg is on their faces. They wriggle around with difficulty, trying to force themselves free.

Law

This is your fault, Swordsman-ya. If you hadn’t played dirty and blinded us we would’ve seen this coming.

Zoro

Don’t blame me! You started this mess, cheater!

Law

Wait, where's my sword? Zoro-ya, can you slice these off?

Zoro

Oh, now you want my help?

Law

And what is that hard thing on my shoulder?!

Sanji

I tell you what–it might be me. And it’s not my camera.

Law

Gross! Get the fuck off m–

The vines that support them suddenly snap, sending them down screaming at the top of their lungs. All together, they fall hard onto a rocky surface. They groan in unison as they try to recover.

Sanji

Oh, hello there~

When Law opens his eyes, he sees Sanji on top of him at an intimately close distance. His face reddens quickly and he tries to get away but this only encourages the blonde who flutters his eyelids seductively at him while twirling his finger on his chest. He leans down until their noses touch each other and speaks softly.

Sanji

You know, I usually expect my date to buy me dinner first–

Law

OFF!

He grabs Sanji’s face and shoves him forcefully to the side. The blonde lands onto the ground with a grunt and chuckles playfully. He continues teasing.

Sanji

Brunch then? Or just tea and cake? You could eat the sweets off me….

Law

Shut up….

Zoro pulls his legs from under Law and pushes himself up weakly. He stands with a grunt and scowls at them.

Zoro

I’m still not happy that you tried to steal him away from me.

Law returns Zoro’s scowl with a glare of his own while fixing the cap on his head. He stands and pats his coat clean of dirt. The swordsman steps in front of him, sizing him up. The doctor responds by squaring up to him with challenging eyes.

Law

So what? Do you really expect him to join you reckless lot? We travel faster and more discreetly than you. He’s got more opportunities if he’s with us.

Zoro

No, he won’t! You know Luffy will just let him do anything he wants to do anyway! And he’ll actually have fun, unlike with a certain killjoy captain.

Law

What the fuck did you just say–?!

Sanji places himself between and pushes them apart by their chests.

Sanji

Boys…boys! There’s plenty to go around~

When the three calm down, they look around and take in the environment. It looks like they’ve landed in the middle of a massive underground grotto that connects to multiple tunnels as seen above and around them. The large open area can easily nest a giant snake or two. Unlike any body of water on the island which are composed of clouds, they are surrounded by clear sparkling water, illuminated by the fungi that grow on the cavernous floor and walls. Thanks to a thin but lengthy crack on the earth nearby, sunlight trinkles down, allowing climbing plants, ferns and other foliage to thrive deep in the earth.

In their immediate area they are surrounded by cubes sculpted from stones. They are protruding out of the ground and are shaped to make them look like they’re stacked on top of each other at a towering height. They look like small versions of the rare Poneglyphs they have seen, where all sides have ancient texts and some had drawings embossed into them.

In the middle of the room is a lone pedestal with what looks like a glimmering artifact resting on top of it. 

Law gasps at the familiar shape. It closely resembles what his Devil Fruit looked like but in crystal form. A subtle glow of light emanates within it.

Sanji

Not…to ruin the mood but…should we call off the race? This is not what I expected at all.

Zoro

It’s another tie, isn’t it? For fuck’s sake….

Law remains quiet, feeling speechless from the sight. As he approaches the artifact, it glows tantalisingly brighter, drawing him closer. The light in it sparkled and moved like it's alive. He feels a familiar pull from it, as if he’s found something that he didn’t realise has been missing his entire life.

Zoro and Sanji briefly look at each other and make an unspoken decision to respectfully keep their distance. They watch Law’s back carefully.

The doctor reaches out and, sure enough, the artifact responds, emanating a warm aura that urges him to come closer. It all seems surreal but Law has a strong feeling that this belongs to him.

Inches away from the crystal, his fingers halt as he sees a small note, shaped like the one he’d been collecting across the globe left behind by Corazon. With a shaky hand, he picks it up and reads the message.

“Thanks for seeing the world with me. I love you!”

The message is signed with Corazon’s familiar heart-shaped doodle. At the corner of the paper, Law notices cigarette and burn marks as if it was done by accident. He chuckles softly.

Zoro and Sanji notice that his shoulders start shaking. They’re unable to see his face but they can tell that he needs a moment to process this. The blonde fetches the camera from his pocket and places it on one of the sculpted cubes near him. As softly as he can, he speaks.

Sanji

Law…whenever you’re ready, you might want to take photos of the writings on these things. They seem important.

Zoro

We can get them translated by Robin later.

They hear Law sniff as he rubs his eyes with the back of his sleeve and nods silently, unable to reply verbally. Sanji’s expression softens at seeing his vulnerable state. As quietly as he can, he steps back.

Sanji

Take your time. We’ll leave you two alone.

Law grabs his cap and covers his face, trying to hide himself. His body begins trembling more but he acknowledges Sanji’s statement by nodding again. Zoro pats his shoulder a couple of times to reassure and comfort him before retreating away with the blonde.

Zoro and Sanji head towards the sunlit area to begin their ascension but before they get too far, Law speaks out.

Law

H–hey guys…

The two turn their heads to him.

Law

Thanks…for everything.

Zoro and Sanji both smile and continue their way out of the grotto.

—

The climb was immense and time-consuming but Zoro and Sanji had no issues scaling up the cavernous walls. Unlike the drop where they entered, this part of the earth looks natural and didn’t look like it was dug out by a giant snake. The surface isn’t as smooth and has plants growing between crevices but that made it easier for them to find their footing. Having some semblance of sunlight also meant that they could see where they were going.

Zoro emerges first. The bright light of the sun blinds him briefly so he keeps his gaze down. He wraps his hand around Sanji’s arm and pulls him up. When they both reach the top, they keep their hold onto each other.

Seeing Law find Corazon’s final letter and gift left them particularly emotional. With no words spoken, they share a soft longing kiss. Their hands run over each other’s figures, feeling and working each other up.

Out of breath, Zoro attempts to pull himself away briefly but is forced back for a deeper, more passionate kiss by the blonde who did not want to let go too soon. Sanji becomes desperate and embraces him closer without separating their mouths, aching for more.

After a while, the blonde eases his hold of the swordsman, meeting his gaze behind glassy eyes. Zoro stares at him worriedly, brushing the fringe of his hair to see two pleading orbs. He cups his face gently with both hands.

Zoro

…What’s wrong?

Slowly, Sanji takes a step back, gliding his hands from Zoro’s neck, shoulders, then down to the very tips of his fingers before finally letting go. He distances himself and flicks his wrist, revealing a familiar dark canister with the label “3” from his sleeve. It seems that the blonde had pickpocketed him amidst their exchange. Seeing that he’d been caught hiding something from him, the swordsman immediately rambles to explain himself.

Zoro

Oh. Don’t be mad. On the way here, Niji left that for me but I… don’t know… why…

The swordsman trails off as he watches Sanji’s eyes become icy and cold. The blonde holds the canister against his chest as he takes another step away from him.

Sanji

Please don’t hate me for this….

Zoro

What are you…?

Above them there is a subtle flash of light against the blue sky. When the swordsman looks up, he sees long white lines travel from a single point then down all around them. They span across the entire stretch of the island, enclosing Skypiea within.

Zoro’s eye widens and his jaw drops in shock. He has only heard of Doflamingo’s fabled Bird Cage but to see its true immensity in real life is downright frightening.

Deep inside, through all of the doubts in his heart, he had feared this day would come. He wanted to believe that everything had changed and his nightmares would not come to light, but he knows what needs to be done. His attention returns to the blonde in front of him with a sorrowful eye.

Zoro

Don't do this.

…I don’t want to kill you….

Sanji takes a deep breath.

Sanji

You will have to.

His grip tightens around the canister. Reluctantly, he spins it in the palm of his hand.

The Raid Suit glows and engulfs him in searing bright light as it changes his form.

----------

Bonus: Stills

[flowersforthemachines]

The body proportion values of companions and a selection of other NPCs

Most companions and NPCs don't have unique body models. Instead, they use a set of body proportions defined in their preset files that feature settings similar to what you can see in Rook's character creation screen.

A list of body values for all companions and several NPCs (Solas, Teia, Viago, Illario, Evka, Antoine, Strife, Irelin, Elgar'nan, Rana) and explanations behind how some of those values work is hidden under the read more.

Note: if you are interested in values for any other NPCs, feel free to send requests through my inbox.

Upd March 28th: added Rana and Elgar'nan.

The values below likely represent the proportions in regard to a character's race/body type in the Character Creation (providing that idea is correct, Bellara's height of 0.8 would mean she's an elf of the female body type with the height slider set to 80%).

The following values range between -1 (minimum value, possible equivalent would be -100% in the CC) and 1 (maximum value, possible equivalent would be 100% in the CC): height, thin/heavy, waist width, shoulder width, pelvis width, hips height. The muscular slider is an exception, because it doesn’t go below 0. 

The thin/heavy and muscular slider value are basically just the NPC analogue of the body shape triangle you can use on Rook in the CC. So thin/heavy at -1 would mean that the character has the slimmest possible body frame, and muscular slider at 0 would mean that they have as little muscle as possible.

In addition to the values mentioned above, the character presets also include fields for glute, chest, and bulge sizes, but they are set to 0 for all characters in this post, so they are not included in the listings. 

Oh, and there's the hips height value. Idk what it does ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I tried to do some testing of it with Bellara and Tasash, but didn't notice any difference after changing it in their presets. The values are included for posterity, though.

Bellara

1. Height: 0.8

2. Thin/heavy: -0.5

3. Muscular slider: 0

4. Waist width: 0.2

5. Shoulder width: -0.2

6. Pelvis width: 1

7. Hips height: -0.2

Davrin

1. Height: 0.7

2. Thin/heavy: 0.05

3. Muscular slider: 1

4. Waist width: 0.5

5. Shoulder width: 0.3

6. Pelvis width: -0.6

7. Hips height: 0.3

Emmrich

1. Height: 1

2. Thin/heavy: -1

3. Muscular slider: 0

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: -1

6. Pelvis width: -0.4

7. Hips height: 0

Harding

1. Height: 0.5

2. Thin/heavy: 0.25

3. Muscular slider: 0

4. Waist width: 1

5. Shoulder width: -0.1

6. Pelvis width: 0

7. Hips height: 0.1

Lucanis

1. Height: -0.8

2. Thin/heavy: -0.4

3. Muscular slider: 0.1

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: 0

6. Pelvis width: -1

7. Hips height: 0.1

Neve 

1. Height: -0.57

2. Thin/heavy: 0

3. Muscular slider: 0

4. Waist width: -0.4

5. Shoulder width: -0.15

6. Pelvis width: 0

7. Hips height: 0.1

8. Heels: 1*

*The heels value is listed only for Neve because she's the only character on the list who has it above 0. Heels value is used to imitate the shape of high-heeled shoes — you can read more about it here. 

Taash

1. Height: 1

2. Thin/heavy: 0

3. Muscular slider: 0.8

4. Waist width: 0.6

5. Shoulder width: 0.15

6. Pelvis width: 0.8

7. Hips height: 0

Illario

1. Height: 0.7

2. Thin/heavy: -0.6

3. Muscular slider: 0.1

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: -0.3

6. Pelvis width: -0.3

7. Hips height: 0

Teia

1. Height: 0.2

2. Thin/heavy: -0.8

3. Muscular slider: 0

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: 0.507

6. Pelvis width: 0

7. Hips height: 0.3

Viago

1. Height: 0.7

2. Thin/heavy: -0.8

3. Muscular slider: 0.2

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: -0.4

6. Pelvis width: -1

7. Hips height: -0.3

Solas

1. Height: 1

2. Thin/heavy: -0.5

3. Muscular slider: 0.3

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: 0.2

6. Pelvis width: -1

7. Hips height: 0.2

Evka

1. Height: 0.2

2. Thin/heavy: 0.1

3. Muscular slider: 0.4

4. Waist width: 0.2

5. Shoulder width: 0

6. Pelvis width: -0.5

7. Hips height: 0

Antoine

1. Height: 0.1

2. Thin/heavy: -0.3

3. Muscular slider: 0

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: -0.5

6. Pelvis width: -0.6

7. Hips height: 0

Irelin

1. Height: -0.4

2. Thin/heavy: -1

3. Muscular slider: 0

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: 0.6

6. Pelvis width: 0

7. Hips height: 0

Strife

1. Height: 0.5

2. Thin/heavy: 0

3. Muscular slider: 0.8

4. Waist width: 0.4

5. Shoulder width: 0.4

6. Pelvis width: 0.4

7. Hips height: 0

Elgar'nan

1. Height: 1

2. Thin/heavy: -0.6

3. Muscular slider: 0.4

4. Waist width: 1

5. Shoulder width: 0

6. Pelvis width: -1

7. Hips height: 0

Rana

1. Height: 1

2. Thin/heavy: 0.1

3. Muscular slider: 0

4. Waist width: 0

5. Shoulder width: 0.45

6. Pelvis width: 0.1

7. Hips height: 0

8. Chest size: 0.4*

9. Glute size: 0.25* - Reminder that other characters don't have chest/glute size values listed because they are set to 0. Rana is built different.

[the-merry-otter]

How To Make A Market Wallet (medieval bag)

First, you’re going to get a rectangle of fabric that’s as long, and twice as wide as you want the bag to be. A nice big one is about 1.5 metres by 1 metre. The fabric should be something sturdy - a thick linen is probably most period-accurate, but a sturdy cotton drill works quite nicely.

You also want 2-4 little squares, about 1 to 1.5 inches. These are a surprise tool that will help us later.

First off, fold the rectangle in half across the width. Work out how big you want the pockets of the bag to be, and pin on both sides (I usually fold lengthwise to get similar proportions). Make sure to leave a good amount of space in the middle, as this will become your opening.

It should now look like this.

Next, backstitch from the ends up to where you’ve pinned, leaving a slit in the centre.

Fell the seam by cutting one side of the seam allowance down by half, folding the other side around it, and securing with a whipstitch (this stops it from fraying AND creates a very strong seam).

(Sorry for the bad lighting I was in the car).

Next, fold the bag so the seam is in the centre. This is almost what the finished bag will look like.

Sew along the ends with more backstitches, and fell the seam. We’re nearly done!

Then you wanna hem the centre slit. I rolled the fabric over twice, and whipstitched into place.

Next, you want those little squares of fabric. At each end of the opening slit, you’re going to position them diagonally, with their edges folded inward. I like to do one on the front and reverse sides (so 4 squares total), but you might be able to get away with just 2. Whipstitch these into place. They will stop the slit ripping open (this is a real problem).

Well done, your bag should be finished!! Wear it by folding it across the centre slit, twisting it slightly, and slinging it over your shoulder. It is best to weight the sides fairly evenly, but I’ve never found this to be too difficult. The wide “strap” does make it very comfortable though.

Feel free to comment/reblog, or send an ask if you have any questions, or I haven’t made anything quite clear enough! The photo limit makes it difficult to show every step as it happens unfortunately. I am considering doing some video tutorials in future for a couple of my bigger projects (likely hosted on YouTube with the link sent here). Let me know if you’re interested!

[redsugarx]

Hanfu in Components: Structure Conventions (pt2)

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Thanks for the love on the last post, I’ve been motivated to continue writing LOL Anyway: Construction/sewing pattern/structure is very important to hanfu!

There are a few important structure conventions when it comes to hanfu—almost all traditional-cut hanfu follow these rules; you could call them the defining characteristics of hanfu. There are exceptions to every rule of course (I will go over some caveats at the end of this post), but generally if a hanfu design ignores these rules we might consider it to be ‘incorrect.'

(There will be a longer follow-up pt. 3 post to this explaining the anatomy of a hanfu top/robe, where there will be more detailed in-context illustrations and descriptions. I just figured I should list these ‘rules’ somewhere separately.)

中縫/中缝/zhong1 feng4/Center Seam

Take a look at your shirts. Is there a shoulder seam between the front of the shirt and the back of the shirt? Western clothing tends to consist of a front piece + back piece sewn together to create a space for your body to sit in：

Hanfu doesn’t work like that. Traditionally, the garment isn’t separated into a front piece and back piece: it’s separated into a right piece and left piece, which are joined together at the vertical center seam. Why? Traditional fabric has a narrower width than the standard ~145cm that we have today, so a long, narrow piece is less wasteful to cut out from a bolt of silk than a wide one.

Therefore there is always a center seam, one running vertically down the front and one down the back. 中 = center, 縫 = seam, so 中縫 means center seam. There’ll be a front center seam （前中縫） and a back center seam （後中縫）.

不破肩/不破肩/bu2 po4 jian1/No Broken Shoulder

Kind of an addendum onto the previous point? Additionally since the body pieces are separated into left/right rather front/back, there’s no seam at the top of the shoulder here. The fabric is simply draped over the arm/shoulder to hang down, covering the torso on both sides.*

*Caveat: Some modified hanfu that vendors sell today will have a shoulder seam, especially thicker winter garments or short-sleeved garments. This is a design choice made to prevent the fabric from looking too stiff, known as 破肩/破肩/po4 jian1，literally “broken shoulder.” It can look great, lots of hanfu makers do it! But just to be clear, that is a MODIFICATION.

接袖/接袖/jie1 xiu4/Sleeve Connection

Western clothing patterns tend to have something where the fabric of the sleeve gets connected to the fabric of the garment’s body at the shoulder/armpit, often with a concave arm hole shape to help with the contours of the garment when it’s worn.

Hanfu sleeves, on the other hand, are never connected at the armpit—they are connected halfway down the arm. In other words, the piece of fabric that forms the body extends to also cover the upper arm part of the sleeve. The actual sleeve piece is connected to the body at the bicep/elbow area via a flat seam. (In the case of half- or no- sleeve garments there might just not be a separate sleeve piece.)

右衽/右衽/you4 ren4/"Right Over Left" Rule

Applies to cross-collar, some varieties of round collar, and some varieties of standing collar tops. In the case that the front of the garment crosses over itself, the flap coming from the wearer’s left goes OVER the flap coming from the wearer’s right. Easiest way to make sense of this is, if you’re looking at someone wearing a cross-collar hanfu top, the cross will look like a lowercase y.

Caveats

NO RULE EXISTS WITHOUT EXCEPTION!!! These rules exist because a majority of hanfu follow them and they are a standard that people agree on right now. However, there are ALWAYS cases—historically or otherwise—where these rules may be broken. For example, there are several Ming Dynasty cross collar robes that happen to be left over right, and the location of the sleeve seam can differ based on what garment you're looking at.

Also, many modern hanfu manufacturers will deliberately choose to break these 'rules' in favor of aesthetics. This is a purposeful design choice—not one that's done out of ignorance or disrespect. It's easy for common modifications to get mistaken for 'historically accurate.' To be clear, it is 100% okay and super common for modifications to exist! Just don't go around claiming that it was historically that way.

My advice is that if you're starting out with hanfu, try to stick to these rules in the back of your head as closely as possible. Once you've built your foundational knowledge, then you can start exploring the exceptions to the rules. These rules may not be foolproof, but they are a useful tool to help you understand the commonalities and trends within hanfu without overwhelming you.

Last note: it is generally more of a taboo for seams that should exist to not exist in a piece of clothing (i.e. no center back seam) than for extra seams to exist. If you go look in museums for the artifacts that hanfu is based off of, you'll notice that a lot of them—especially the ones from earlier dynasties—are a chaotic patchwork of a bunch of random piece of fabric sewn together to create the garment. Fabric is expensive, people don't want to waste it! So it's not all that weird to have seams in random places.

Happy 除夕 everyone! 有蛇有得 :>

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[httpsserene]

Hello! Can you do erotic asphyxiation with max, franco, carlos, kimi and lando

🧽🪣 would you like a complimentary car wash? — send me any five (5) drivers and one (1) kink from this list, and i will rank the drivers in order of who i think is most to least likely to participate/avoid, or love/hate that kink !!! each driver will have a small blurb written xxx

༊࿐ ⊹ ˚. so sorry to disappoint but i am not comfortable writing sexual content for kimi antonelli; not you're fault for being unaware, i should've clarified in my rule set! happy 3k🤍 thank u for requesting < 3

⌕ 3k v-day celly nav | all 3k requests | main nav | table of contents ↻

𝐦𝐭𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐱𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐤 fem!bipoc!reader x mv. 1 | ln. 4 | fc. 43 | cs. 55 explict content under the cut.

bdsm undertones? you may find breath play sexy but it is still dangerous no matter the precautions you take to make it safer. please, do your research and do it responsibly, AND WITH CONSENT !!!

𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭

lando, for all of his lightheartedness and jokes, treats the act of choking you with the proper amount of care and seriousness that it calls for. he took the time to sit and research how to go about it, and he was glad he did. he’d hate to hurt you because he was clueless on the risks associated with bringing asphyxiation into the bedroom. he’s going to make you verbally consent before his hand is anywhere near your throat, and he’s only going to apply mild pressure ( because he’s not willing to risk your safety with anything stronger) after you confirm your chosen safeword and the non-verbal gesture the two of you have decided on. lando’s got large hands, and they’re stronger than they look; to him, they look the strongest when one is wrapped around your throat. but, hecan’t deny that–seeing his hand dwarf the width of your neck, watching your eyelashes flutter, hearing your breaths become shallow with arousal, and feeling your cunt tighten around him—it sends a thrilling rush of euphoria through his synapses. 

carlos rests his hand on your collarbone like a necklace, right below the base of your neck, and the promise of it stills your squirming. it’s a wordless reminder of who’s in charge, there’s no need for him to use words to tell you to settle when the simple act of placing his hand on you does the job. he continues the slow, deep roll of his hips, the heels of your feet no longer digging into his back to try and urge him to move faster or press harder—but he chuckles as you tilt your head backwards, extending the length of your neck seductively. carlos can calm you down with a simple suggestion, but you always crave for him to complete the threat.

max is only willing to do breath play when he’s in the right mindset for it. he can’t be mad, frustrated, pissed off, or annoyed, because he’s afraid that it could cloud his judgement when he’s performing am inherently dangerous act, regardless of what precautions you take to make it safer. it’s not like max thinks he’s capable of hurting you if he were mad—the endless amount of angry sex you guys have proves that—it’s more like he’d never allow there to be an opportunity where he could. yes, it probably has something to do with his daddy and mommy issues and childhood traumas—but he’s not going to let that taint any form of intimacy with you. when max is feeling up for it, he’ll be more than clear about breath play being on the table. he’s sure you can tell the intention behind him rubbing his thumb over your pulse point, and, if you don’t, he’ll bluntly make himself clear.

no, erotic asphyxiation does not match franco’s freak at all. he might grab your neck as he kisses you or something, but cutting off your airflow sounds too dangerous for his taste. sex is great when there’s no risk of him crushing your windpipe, and don’t try and choke him either—he will hit you as a reflex to free himself. franco prefers to be dangerous in other ways. he’s down to send nudes, film a sex tape, or pull over on the highway for car sex. there are other risky ways to have sex that aren’t a literal risk to your well-being— just to your reputation.

𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭

© httpsserene — do not reupload. photos in header from pinterest. mdni divider by @cafekitsune.

[bloomzone]

Wonyoung : Inspired Full Workout Routine

If you’ve ever admired Jang Wonyoung’s long, toned figure and effortless stage presence, you’re not alone cuz same . As one of the most well-known K-pop idols, she maintains a lean yet strong physique while performing intense choreography and balancing a busy schedule. While Wonyoung hasn’t publicly shared her full workout routine, we can get a good idea of what she likely does by looking at the types of training that help idols stay fit in some shows

This workout is inspired by a mix of dance, strength training, and flexibility exercises focusing on toning the body while keeping things light and graceful. If you want to flexibility ... this routine will help you build endurance, improve posture, and tone your body without gaining excessive muscle !

first here are two workout video u can start with:

first | second

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧ Warm-up (10 minutes) – wake up ur body!

Before getting into the main workout, a proper warm-up is essential to prevent injuries and improve performance. This warm-up gets your blood flowing and preps your muscles for movement.

1. Jumping Jacks (2 minutes)

Start with classic jumping jacks to get your heart rate up.

Move your arms fully overhead for a full-body effect.

2. Dynamic Stretching (5 minutes)

Leg Swings – Hold onto a chair or wall and swing one leg forward and backward (10 reps each leg).

Arm Circles – Extend your arms to the sides and make small circles, gradually increasing their size.

Hip Rotations – Rotate your hips in circular motions (30 seconds in each direction).

3. High Knees (1 minute)

March or jog in place while bringing your knees as high as possible.

Engage your core for better balance and coordination.

4. Torso Twists (2 minutes)

Stand with feet slightly apart and twist your torso left and right.

This helps loosen up your spine and waist.

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧ Cardio & Dance (20 minutes)

Dance is one of the best full-body workouts, and since Wonyoung is constantly performing, we can assume dance training is a big part of her fitness routine. This section will help improve stamina, coordination, and agility.

1. Dance Routine (15 minutes)

Pick a K-pop choreography ( anti fragile by lesserafim or super shy by nwjns are great choices as a start 💀 ).

Focus on full-body engagement, precise movements, and fluidity.

Repeat the chorus multiple times to increase endurance.

2. Jump Rope (5 minutes)

Grab a jump rope and go for steady jumps to burn calories and improve footwork.

If you don’t have a rope, mimic the movement in place.

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧ Strength Training (25 minutes)

Wonyoung has a slim yet toned body, which suggests she does low-impact strength exercises that emphasize definition rather than muscle bulk.

1. Squats (4 sets of 15 reps)

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and squat down as if sitting in a chair.

Engage your core and push through your heels.

2. Lunges (3 sets of 12 reps per leg)

Step forward into a deep lunge, making sure your knee doesn’t go past your toes.

This helps tone your thighs and improve balance.

3. Push-ups (3 sets of 10-15 reps)

Keep your core tight and lower your body in a controlled motion.

Modify with knee push-ups if needed.

4. Plank (3 sets, hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute)

Keep your body straight and avoid letting your hips drop.

This strengthens your core and improves posture.

5. Leg Raises (3 sets of 15 reps)

Lie on your back and raise your legs without touching the ground.

Engage your abs to keep your movements controlled.

6. Bicep Curls (3 sets of 12 reps)

Use light dumbbells or water bottles.

Slowly lift and lower your arms for a controlled workout.

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧ Flexibility & Cool-down (10 minutes)

Idols like Wonyoung need flexibility for fluid dance movements. Stretching helps prevent stiffness and promotes long, lean muscles.

1. Standing Hamstring Stretch (1 minute per leg)

Extend one leg forward with your heel on the ground and lean in.

2. Quadriceps Stretch (1 minute per leg)

Grab your ankle and pull it toward your glutes for a deep stretch.

3. Hip Flexor Stretch (1 minute per leg)

Step forward into a lunge and push your hips forward.

4. Upper Back & Shoulder Stretch (1 minute per side)

Interlace your fingers and push your hands forward to round your back.

5. Cobra Stretch (1 minute)

Lie on your stomach and push your upper body up with your hands.

6. Child’s Pose (2 minutes)

Sit back on your heels with arms extended forward for full-body relaxation.

ㅤ۪ㅤ۫ ꪆ୧Final Tips for wonyoung fitness routine

Hydration is key! Drink water throughout your workout.

Don’t overtrain. Wonyoung’s routine likely includes proper rest days.

Consistency is everything. Do this workout 3-4 times a week.

Pair it with a balanced diet. Nourish your body with protein and healthy carbs.

@bloomzone !🍀