#also i think the elements were like all over the place and the gradient being only on the cape which shouldn't grab so much attention

[dehydration-synthesis-kiss]

attempt to redesign dragon miku. please be nice

[centrally-unplanned]

Artstyle-As-Arc Starring FLCL’s Mamimi

You know those anime where characters just, ya know, *talk* at each other about their internal feelings, in static shot/reverse shot? They just spell out their ~arc~ for like twelve episodes right to the audience, as if character development is defined by words per minute? It's a hallmark of lazy & cheap shows (either on money or effort), where the ideas could be communicated visually - its animation after all - but that takes work so eh, two talking heads is pretty much the same thing right? Pro tip: it's not.

Every time this storytelling approach comes up in animation I think back to FLCL as the ur-example of visuals-first character development, and specifically to Mamimi, the show’s orphaned third wheel. I wasn’t sure how solid this point was going to be before I rewatched it recently with this in mind, but sure enough this is 98% true: Mamimi has a full arc and never says a single word of dialogue directly about her own internal struggles. Every up and down (let's be honest, mainly downs) is communicated visually or through the inference from organic conversations with others, and this tertiary protagonist in 6 episodes gets a far richer story than most for the trouble. 

What makes FLCL so good at this? There is a lot to it, such as the use of symbols and tone shifts, but one of the FLCL standout traits is how it changes its art style all over the place even in the middle of episodes as part of its free-wheeling directorial approach. I have definitely heard these shifts described as random, but it doesn’t take much to realize that isn’t the case. How the art style is used to communicate emotion is sometimes extremely blatant, like when government agent Amarao goes from Officer in Charge barking orders:

To a vain approval-mongering simp desperate to look hot for his ex in the space of a single smash cut:

How going from Shonen to South Park captures those two moods, once you know the point of the scene character-wise, really doesn’t need elucidation - though maybe it did if you were a Japanese audience member in the year 2000, who almost certainly had no damn clue what South Park was...but that is its own tangent.

Those kinds of style transitions, however, are the low-hanging fruit of the show - Mamimi does not get almost any such scenes. In fact that is the point of her character, being buffeted around by the zany insanity of FLCL’s world, but never quite being a part of it. For her, the shifts are much more subtle, occurring in how she is drawn and lit. Meet “base” Mamimi:

A (very well drawn) anime girl, note the general lack of nose, large-but-not-too-large eyes, and linework in the hair to indicate depth. This shot is how you first meet Mamimi, and it's of course neutral in tone - it's how the main character Naota sees her.

Here is another base Mamimi, angry this time, ‘cause she is adorable:

But Mamimi doesn’t stay neutral for long - she is a bit of a trainwreck, a 17 year old girl unloved and abandoned by everyone, except perhaps our 12 year old Naota who she unconsciously manipulates out of desperation. Unable to save herself she places her hope in other people/robots/occasionally pyromania to do it for her, and as the show progresses her arc is to lose all those false hopes and have nothing left. In *those* moments of realization, Mamimi looks like this:

Of course her mood is different, full thousand-yard-stare, but they hit that mood by expanding her eye size horizontally, so you instinctively notice the expansion and focus in on their lifelessness that now dominates her face. Her hair is also stringier, giving the scene more realism but also her hair less life (it is wet in this scene, but ‘base’ Mamimi with wet hair doesn’t have the same style at all). The biggest shift is of course in the lighting - going from “solid tone” shading to more gradients on the background and on the cigarette light. These elements add to the realism of the tone, without making Mamimi’s face any more realistic or less blank - which is intentional, as ‘blank’ is a pretty good descriptor of her current state of mind. She is barely a person at this point. Of course a stringy-haired girl smoking a cigarette off-center-frame (depressed!Mamimi is very often off-center-frame) is *also* telling us she is dead inside, but it isn’t just that - it is that in partnership with the way she is drawn. Throwing a cigarette on base Mamimi doesn’t hit the same way.

So that is Mamimi at her mid-point, and things get worse for her before they get better. She isn’t the main character, however, so her own resolution happens on the sidelines of Naota’s - and she only gets one quick scene to do it. Naota is someone Mamimi liked but never respected, for many reasons but relevant here is that Naota, like Mamimi, could never be honest about who he really was and what he really wanted and instead put on false airs. As Naota finally is honest about his own feelings, and accepts the often-negative consequences of that honesty as a price worth paying, Mamimi - rejected by or disappointed in every outside force she put her trust into to hide from her own feelings - sees his internal courage and realizes that she has that too. And that is communicated the audience entirely via this scene:

Part of how it is communicated is her action, as she is taking a photo of Naota at his own moment of self-actualization as part of a motif where Mamimi would photograph objects and others as a way of creating distance from them to reinforce her outsider-looking-in status and how she could never really *see* Naota as an independent person due to how she manipulated him and also ~reasons but now she *does* see him as a person and through that sees her own weaknesses and strengths that their arcs mutually reflected and so is essentially photographing her aspirational self and...whew, okay, deep breaths. If you've seen FLCL you know all that of course, but how that motif is made to hit emotionally is again achieved through character design shifts that don’t require such context. 

Mamimi has a nose! Look at that thing, anime characters don’t get noses, what is this? Also note the eyes - even in the second expression, when she relaxes her face, her irises take up way less of the total eye frame, and the eyes have more roundness overall. Her hair on the other hand has a good deal less detail, no full strands but instead just suggestive lines that hint at volume, and a general reduction in the boldness of the outlines. (And of course she is center-frame, for a directorial touch). All this adds together to dramatically enhance the realism of the point-of-focus, the face, while pulling details away from other areas to guide the eye. That realism makes Mamimi way more human; it strips away that anime-esque “distance” one can have from characters that lets you more easily accept slapstick hijinks or awesome-but-anatomically-questionable movement. This is now a person, because Mamimi is now a person. She realizes she does have inside her what it takes to be better, that she isn’t broken. She has a nose god dammit, she can do anything!

That scene is the last time she appears in the show - we learn from Naota over narration that she left town to be a photographer, so you get some concrete detail around the arc resolution, but all the emotion is contained in the frames. For me it's special when shows communicate emotion on every level available to them simultaneously; multi-medium messaging is what makes animation (and film writ-large) unique. 

 And there are a lot of shows out there that in my opinion could maybe rewatch media like FLCL and take some damn notes before they start storyboarding...

[random-thought-depository]

Continuing from my last post about science fictional “hyperspaces” (wow, I think that might be the most viral original post I ever wrote; it’s amazing what being reblogged by @argumate can do for a post!):

As a science fiction writer, these are the features I find attractive about “hyperspace” that incline me to favor it over other explanations for “fast” interstellar communication and travel:

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Hyperspace lets space still feel big. Wormholes/portals and instantaneous “jump drives” tend to make space feel small (though wormholes lend themselves nicely to space outside the wormhole network feeling big and to a feeling of sharp discontinuity between “known” or “civilized” space within the network and “unknown” or “wild” space where the network doesn’t reach). Start-anywhere go-anywhere jump drives without serious limitations have the additional issue that they’re more-or-less equivalent to teleporters, so they create the ultimate MAD setting where defending multiple fixed locations from a peer adversary is very difficult, and they minimize the strategic advantages of sustainable stationary banditry over unsustainable hyper-exploitive mobile banditry, and since the likely implications of that are very depressing I prefer to avoid it (except maybe if I was deliberately setting out to write a dystopia or explore the idea).

I want space to feel big in my writing, to give the reader some feeling of the vastness, grandeur, and inhuman scale of the universe. For my main science fiction setting, I think I’ll give hyperspace travel an effective “speed” of something like 5-10 c in Sol’s local neighborhood. That way interstellar journeys are more manageable than they’d be with journeys through our space, but journeys to other inhabited solar systems usually take at least a year or two (Sol to Alpha Centauri may be less than a year in hyperspace, but add in travel time to and from the Sol and Alpha Centauri hyper-limits, which is probably going to be at least a couple of months for each leg, and it’s probably about a year).

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Hyperspace feels more like the sort of thing that might plausibly be useable to almost hairless apes with near-future-ish technology. With warp drives and wormholes and jump drives and so on I get the niggling feeling that’s the sort of thing you should probably have to be on approximately the level of an Orion’s Arm Archialect to do. Real theoretical warp drive and wormhole proposals tend to involve stuff like exotic forms of matter and energy and very large amounts of energy. Hyperspace would be a natural phenomenon, so it’s easier to explain it in terms of people exploiting natural phenomena we just don’t know about now, no weirder than being able to travel faster than rowing would allow by building a sail to catch the wind.

You can say that there are some rare atoms that naturally have a structure that extends into hyperspace. With human senses and 2020s technology they just look like ordinary atoms of silicon, iron, etc., but with the right kind of machinery you can detect them, sift them out of the surrounding 3D atoms, and concentrate them. Once you’ve got enough of them, you can make them the core of a pair of transmitters that you can use to send and receive radio messages through hyperspace. With more energy, you can “push” on these structures and “push” those atoms into hyperspace, and then if those atoms are part of a larger solid object the rest of the object and anything touching it gets dragged along with them (with a certain size limit, perhaps related to mass being “pushed” and energy used, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally sending the whole Earth into hyperspace the first time you try this - that’d be one heck of an oops; maybe a later disproven small theoretical possibility of that happening would go down into the history books along with “before they exploded Trinity they were worried it might ignite the atmosphere”); thus you can send a whole ship into hyperspace instead of just information. When you want to leave hyperspace you can reverse the operation and “push” the ship back into our space.

That gives you a nice highly valuable “handwavium” that can be a hook for various plot and worldbuilding points, e.g. there’s not much obvious economic reason to colonize Mars IRL except maybe tourism (anything you could mine there you get more easily from near-Earth asteroids, and it’s too inhospitable to make much sense as a settler colony), but maybe there’s a huge mother lode of these hyperspace-touching atoms somewhere on Mars. These hyperspace-touching atoms would be especially valuable if the process of using them for communication or in hyperdrives “strained” these structures and at some predictable rate caused some of them to “snap,” causing the atoms to become ordinary 3D atoms of silicon or iron or uranium or whatever. Then there’d be a continuous need for (relatively) large amounts of new ones even in a steady-state economy; you couldn’t just keep recycling them and recycling them and just do a little mining to make up for recycling inefficiencies. This would also be an interesting limit on use of hyperspace; using hyperspace radio or doing a hyperjump involves destroying a small amount of a precious resource, so people wouldn’t want to do it frivolously. This might augment that sphere analogy limitation on hyperspace communication I talked about in my other post; even if a hyperspace radio message from Saturn to Earth got there a little ahead of a radio message through our space, you’d probably send a radio message through our space for anything that isn’t time-critical, because the message arriving ten minutes sooner usually just isn’t worth the predictable cost in “snapped” hyperspace-touching atoms.

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Hyperspace would be an environment, so you can do interesting things with it.

Since hyperspace offers a short-cut because it’s more compact than our space, I like to pull on the idea that it’s like our space but in a more compact state, so it’s similar to what our space looked like when the universe was younger and smaller. Going to hyperspace might be a little like time travelling back to a few tens or hundreds of millions of years after the Big Bang, before the first stars formed. The environment of hyperspace might be a little like the inside of a giant molecular cloud, but “warmer” and extremely impoverished in heavy elements. The gas density might be a few thousand to a few billion atoms per cubic centimeter (by comparison, sea level air is about 10^19 molecules per cubic centimeter while the interstellar medium averages around 1 atom per cubic centimeter). The gasses and plasmas in hyperspace would be almost pure hydrogen and helium. The cosmic microwave background temperature in hyperspace might be around 50 K; that’s warm in comparison to what it is in our space (around 3 K), and warm enough to probably be a big part of the reason hyperspace has no stars (present day star-forming giant molecular cloud regions have gas temperatures around 10-20 K), but by human standards it’s deeply cold; it’s upper atmosphere of Uranus temperature. With no stars, I’d guess hyperspace would be a place of more-or-less total darkness outside the range of any lights humans passing through might bring with them.

Alternately, if I want hyperspace to have a murky and mysterious quality and be a place where visibility isn’t good and sensors don’t work well (so a vibe a bit like B5 hyperspace), I could say the Big Bang nucleosynthesis era lasted longer in hyperspace and there produced a substantial amount of heavy elements, some of which then condensed into dust (probably more like smoke if it’s similar to interstellar dust in our space - nanometer to micrometer particles). This dust would probably be pretty insubstantial on human scale distances (again, if it’s like the interstellar medium matter in hyperspace would be about 99% mostly hydrogen and helium gas and plasma and 1% dust, and even a relatively “dense” hyperspace with billions of atoms per cm^3 would have less than a billionth the gas density of sea level air), but over AUs it would scatter light and that effect might add up. This would make hyperspace similar to a dark nebula.

If I want to take the “hyperspace is a scary place” further, I could add sources of energy that might further confuse sensors and add dangerous radiation and other dangers to the mix. Maybe hyperspace has a few large black holes or something, with energetic accretion disks and polar jets fed by all that relatively dense gas and adding turbulence to it. Or maybe spacetime in hyperspace is “lumpier” than spacetime in our space and hyperspace has weird “rivers” formed by something related to whatever force drives cosmic expansion and some of the gas/plasma gets caught in that and accelerated to large fractions of the speed of light and then slams into the low-velocity material in the “still” parts in places, creating lots of turbulence and various other interesting and scary things (powerful magnetic fields, radiation, locally intense heat, maybe some of these collision zones are even giant naturally occurring inertial confinement fusion reactors; maybe that’s where the heavy elements in the dust come from). Maybe hyperspace has a lot of cosmic strings; it makes a certain intuitive sense that, hyperspace being more compact than our space, its cosmic eggshell might be densely veined with cracks.

This gets into another interesting aspect; hyperspace might have something equivalent to terrain; hyperspace travel may be easier in some directions than others. And there’s lots of worldbuilding and plot hooks you could hang from that idea.

For example, let’s look at that idea of hyperspace having “rivers” formed of exotic spacetime structures and filled with gas/plasma streams moving at high fractions of the speed of light. If the edge of these “rivers” has a gradual enough velocity gradient and the plasma in the “rivers” is ionized, with enough skill a spacecraft pilot might be able to catch that “current” with a magsail and ride it, then when they’d gotten about as far as they needed to go they could leave the “river” and do magsail braking against low-velocity plasma in the “still” areas. Just gotta be careful to stay well away from the dangerous collision zones! This might be a huge part of the short-cut offered by hyperspace travel! It could be that distances across hyperspace are only modestly shorter than distances across our space (say, Alpha Centauri is 1 light year away in hyperspace), but the really big savings is you can catch one of these hyperspace “currents” and use it to get up to large fractions of c without expending any fuel. A set-up like that does raise some awkward questions about conservation of energy, but I could say something like “the hyperspace ‘rivers’ are areas where dark energy is being converted into kinetic energy, slightly slowing down the expansion of the universe in the process.” It’s not like we know much about how dark energy works, or even what it is, so for all we know that’s a thing that might happen under certain conditions.

Those collision zones would generate substantial radiation, including light, so unlike a calm hyperspace a turbulent hyperspace with energetic “currents” would probably have light. Don’t know how bright it would be; all that dust (made of heavy elements built up over the eons by inertial confinement fusion in collision zones, I like that idea!) would absorb a lot of light over cosmic distances, and stars are pretty bright but most of our space is pretty dark.

That set-up would make hyperspace travel kind of like sailing; there would be “currents” or “winds” you want to catch, and travel might be a lot faster along directions where the currents are favorable. Travel times in hyperspace might only loosely correlate with distance; Alpha Centauri might take longer to reach than Zeta Reticuli. There would also be hazards you’d need to avoid, e.g. the collision zones.

Maybe part of the explanation for the Fermi Paradox might be that Earth is in the middle of a big “still” part of hyperspace; few ships went here because we’re in the middle of a cosmic doldrums that takes years to crawl across.

With a set-up like this, hyperspace may have “weather” that influences interstellar commerce, and “climate change” on historical timescales that influences the trajectories of interstellar societies. Ages when hyperspace is particularly turbulent might cause Dark Ages as hyperspace travel becomes very dangerous. Ages when hyperspace becomes unusually calm might also cause Dark Ages as there are no fast hyperspace “currents” to ride and hyperspace travel becomes relatively slow. In one age hyperspace “currents” may be arranged such that a world is isolated; a few thousand years later the hyperspace “currents” might have shifted and that previously isolated world might be much more accessible and back in the mainstream of interstellar civilization.

One wrinkle: a turbulent, energetic, opaque hyperspace such as this probably wouldn’t be good for sending radio signals across. Maybe the universe actually has multiple “basement” levels, hyperspace is just the one that’s “closest” to our “living room” level and the only one that’s “close” enough that ships can travel to and from it, but there’s a clearer layer that’s “farther away” but still “close” enough that you can send radio signals through it, and that “deeper” clear layer is the one used for interstellar communication. Bonus idea I like: the deep clear layer is even more compact than hyperspace (by orders of magnitude) so it’s overall a much better short-cut in every way except being “too far away” to send ships through it, so finding a way to send ships through it is a huge potential breakthrough that tantalizes generations of scientists and engineers who so far have not managed to figure out a way to do it.

Really, on that note, I like the idea that the universe is analogous to an onion with many “layers,” and hyperspace and the deep clear layer are just the layers that are most easily accessible from our space. There are a lot of “basements” below the deep clear layer, and generally as you get farther “down” the “basements” get smaller, denser, and hotter; going “down” is a little like time travelling to eras closer and closer to the Big Bang (though this isn’t a completely reliable rule - the deep clear layer is smaller than hyperspace and perhaps warmer, but seems to be a lot emptier; maybe most of its matter has been sucked into black holes?). Maybe the whole thing is a bit timey wimey wibbly wobbly and if you go “down” far enough you eventually hit what 2020s science knows as the moment of the Big Bang. As well as “basements” there are also “attics,” but they’re less accessible because going “up” is harder than going “down.” If going “down” into the basements is a little like time travelling to the early universe, going “up” into the attics is a little like time travelling to the deep future, to places that look kind of like what our space may look like in the deep future black hole era (assuming the Big Rip doesn’t destroy our universe before that deep future proton decay story has time to play out). The “attics” are vast, empty, and deeply cold; cosmic microwave background temperatures a tiny fraction of a degree above absolute zero and precious little else to generate energy, maybe one atom in every cubic kilometer of space. They probably expanded too quickly for stars to ever form there. The total number of layers might be large; maybe hundreds or thousands, maybe billions, maybe a number so big it would need to be expressed in scientific notation. I like this idea because it makes hyperspace feel less implausibly convenient for humans; we’re just taking advantage of a particularly convenient part of a big macrostructure that’s mostly inaccessible to us.

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Hyperspace is a natural phenomenon, so it probably isn’t going to be neatly quarantined to just being a thing humans can use for communication and travel. Hyperspace-related phenomena are going to show up in nature, and this offers a neat explanation for any exotic soft SF-ish natural phenomena you may be interested in incorporating into your setting.

Hyperspace (and other “basements” of our universe) also gives you a built-in parsimonious explanation for any other bits of soft SF technology your setting might feature. Want your setting to have e.g. Star Trek style forcefields? You can say they work through interaction with one of the “basement” layers of the universe.

On that note, I have an idea for a more hard SF version of the Babylon 5 “going beyond the Rim” thing or Stargate ascension, based on the “onion universe” concept I described above, which might serve as a partial explanation for the Fermi Paradox. Maybe some “layers” of the “onion” are “superhabitable” to advanced machine intelligences (though not to primitive flesh and blood beings like us). You know the aestivation hypothesis? If advanced machine intelligences could move to an “attic” they wouldn’t have to wait billions of years for our space to cool down; the cosmic microwave background temperatures in many of the “attics” would already be some tiny fraction of a degree above absolute zero. Maybe they could move to a nice big cold “attic” and live there and “mine” a nice compact “basement” that is rich in matter and energy, getting the best of both worlds. Most of these “attics” and “basements” would be completely inaccessible to humans, but beings with better technology and more resources might be able to access many more of them (or maybe even get beyond the “onion” and search the entire multiverse for universes with conditions more to their liking). So the universe’s most powerful and most enduring civilizations might usually leave our space and move to another “layer” or universe that has conditions more ideal for them, and thus be mostly undetectable to us.

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See: the concept of hyperspace is loaded with potential plot and worldbuilding hooks if you use a little imagination, and I like that!

[the-art-of-animated-gifs]

Interview with my friend A.L. Crego

I have not met A.L. Crego.  I have not spoken with him on the phone, in fact I do not even know what he looks like.  But I can confidently call him my friend.  Three years ago when I started this blog he immediately disagreed with me in the comments about things I was writing and I loved it.  As a person putting ideas out there, you treasure things like that....because you know someone cares.  We have had many back and forth discussions over the years....if we had lived in Paris in 1911 we would be having arguments at La Rotonde (not to compare either of us to Picasso).

A.L. Crego is a motion artist who does a wide variety of things.  He has now become a very visible and active figure in the NFT Movement.  He recently completed a large and very successful project in which he animated the work of a number of well know street artists on the building themselves, something he has done for years.  His Tumblr page is a good place to start to see his work, which is largely surrealist in nature -- another Spanish artist following in the footsteps of other great Spanish surrealist artists.

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How long have you been creating gif art?

In a conscious and intentional way since 2014. Previously I haven't pay too much attention on one hand for its common use that was mostly ads and funny little videos, and on the other hand because it was a 'standard' format we accepted as something part of the web so I never stopped to analyze its potential. The key point for me was about 2010-2011 when the concept of 'Cinemagraph' was brought to life just giving it a name. It's format is .gif but its characteristics are different so I saw there the midpoint between photography and video, which gave born another format of art.

Art mutates when a new format appears. I was using and studying this format since then but it wasn't until 2014 that I decided to publish some of them.

What is your background?

In general terms, bachelor, 2 years of stone sculpting and two attempts of photography and audiovisual mediums. I say attempts because I gave up both of them as I was feeling that I was looking for something else more than studying all the previous history, style and isms, which is nice to understand where everything comes from and to be aware what are the key points on the history to use as reference, as a map. But in some way I felt limited as I was using digital tools since I had my first computer with 14 years, and I was being taught things I learnt by then. Even more in this times we are living where we are 21 century people, been taught by teachers from the 20 with 19 century methods.

A constant line that feeds my background is literature and music overall and later Street Art, next to more temporal interests as everything related with mythology, alchemy, history, psychology, neurology, biology, human condition in general... I don't have studies buy I'm a studying guy!

I always like to highlight that all these years that internet got strong and social networks appeared, I decided voluntary to be out of them. First reason was to keep my privacy safe in a growing world where it seemed that some "curtain" felt and everybody accepted that intimacy was now 'ex-timacy' and correct to show their private life, (this shocked me). Another reason was about the psychological effect that social networks were having on people I had around and everywhere in general. I started to notice patterns and "waves" about series, aesthetics, styles, and I was seeing clearly that if I go there, I will become permeable to all this "Amniotic Culture" I was trying to avoid.

This fact of being far (but study them closely) helped me a lot about researching and developing my own ideas and style, for the mere fact that I was using all this time and attention Social Networks require, on drinking from another sources. The B-side of this is that I was 'out of the radar' of mass people as this social networks are designed to live inside them. My idea of internet and spreading ideas is not in this way.

Where do you live and work?

In the north west of Spain, Galicia. Now due to Covid I travel less but before it, I was working and traveling many places as I only need a camera and a computer. This allows me move to work anywhere.

Do you think that animated gifs are a new art form?

I think so, despite the fact that the format existed since 1987. But as every new format of art it takes its time to be considered as art. The first photographs were not considered art until many years later. Same happened with film, same with CGI. Is nice to have in mind that gif format is the last strictly digital format of the three main ones on the web: picture, video and gif. Photography has about 200 years of history, video about 130, CGI about 60. Finally gif has 33, and used as art itself no more than 10-15. In the same way anybody takes a picture of anything does not convert it into art, is the same with gifs. One thing is the format, another is the 'art'. Everybody can take a picture, record a video or do a gif. The difference is on the how, the why, and from my point of view overall, the what.

Do you think that there is a difference between pure .gif files and the .mp4 files that people post on Instagram?

The first, big and obvious difference is the format. Is not the same a painting as a picture of a painting. Here happens the same. For example, if you treat a gif with Cinemagraph technique, you are converting in picture some parts of the image, so they still remain and with the texture and totally stillness of a picture. If you convert this gif into a mp4 this still parts, despite not having motion, will convert into a video texture (noise, subtle motion in pixels, etc) so the main characteristic, among the perfect loop, is lost. Another point is that you must play a video, a gif is always running. Waterfalls are always running and this characteristic is something that is inside our human nature, we react nice to "bucle" motions as waterfalls, fire, etc. We find pleasure on this. Of course if it's a video the perfect loop is lost and the visual mantra disappear. And another key point here is the soundtrack. In a video you can use sound to enhance or give another meaning to the piece that you can't with gifs. For me this is another characteristic that give meaning to gif. For me gif is silence, the sound is generated by the motion, the melody are the details and the beat the perfect loop. You can "hear" almost every gif.

The difference between a gif and a video is the same that between a waterfall and a hose (if this works).

What do you think are the characteristics of good gif art?

For me first and overall the perfect loop. Not using it is not using the only format that has this characteristics. Of course there can be gif art that is not perfect loop, but from my point of view and in my work is a must. It's a new way not only of creating but also of thinking. Imagine an still scene is easy, imagine an A-B point action is easy. For me the challenge is about thinking an idea that is perfect looped where all the elements interact and eventually come back to its initial point. Succeed doing this is where the perfect loop appears and you are not able to find where is the start point of the action. Like a visual mantra, that it's repetition leads you inside the piece. Gif art is nice to use the power of the hypnotic movements. Another point to have in mind for me is the flow of it, the frame rate I mean. Depending on the idea and the kind of animation this should vary; is not the same fps to achieve something with flow than if you want to achieve a more 'retro' old style. Another thing is about dithering and color palette. This second one is essential to understand as it affects the final file. When we work with photo and video we are using millions of colors but when rendered as gifs all the gradients, lights and even colors will change if there is a previous understood of this point.

As summary: If motion doesn't add, change of enhance the meaning of the piece, is expendable.

I'd would like to add that I'm not really supporter of this kind of gifs generated automatically that just move a still image itself. I understand that this 'technique' is used as a tool for certain motion (I use it) but not to move a whole image. I feel the same as if somebody hold a painting in front of me and moves it randomly. If the work was born still, it must remain still. A good example of 'inner motion', this means that the motion is implicit on the image despite not being in motion, are the photographs of Cartier Bresson for example. Giving motion to this pictures for example, will kill it because it will break the concept of 'perfect instant' .

'Instant' differs etymologically from 'moment' in the motion. So, still image (painting, photo, sculpture, etc) is an instant, videos are stories with a-b point, and gifs are moments, the mid point.

How would you describe your gif art?

I usually condense it as "Visual Mantras", as the technique and the aesthetic vary depending on the idea , but in all of them the perfect loop and the intention of hypnotizing is always present.

In another terms about aesthetics and themes I think ‘Industrial Nature’ can fit nice. I use a lot of industrial elements but I like to mix their mechanics with the biological natural ones.

How long have you been creating and selling NFTs?

I am selling NFTs since mid 2019, but it wasn't until October 2020 that I focused more on it and dug into the ecosystem to find new paths to focus my work.

Do you think that NFTs are a positive for gif artists?

For me, and the main reason I jumped into cryptoart and NFT, is that now I can certify my digital work as original. Even more to gif works as they were always understood as something banal and minor for the context of its born. Gif art was born prostituted, used mostly for ads and to claim our attention on the internet, next to the highest glamour of painting and traditional art, and 3d, photography and video these last decades. Even worst if we realize that gif format was the only visual format born by and for the internet.

NFTs are totally positive for gif artists because despite being a digital/online native format it never had its own ecosystem to live in. I feel that I was creating creatures for an ecosystem I was waiting to drop them there. Now with the blockchain, NFTs and cryptoart, I found the place where they can live, being watched by everybody and have the certify that is my work. Until some months ago my work was "free" on the web and I had no control over it at all. This was a huge problem I was suffering since my first month into gif art as people use it indiscriminately with no credit at all. It's ok, and I always defend that my work is to be seen, to be shared, but I was looking for the way to be able to have this link with my work without losing the option of being available for everybody. NFT totally changes this.

What do you think will happen in the future as NFTs get even more popular?

In general terms I think it will happen the same as when print got more popular. People will use it more, a lot of crazy and useless things will appear, tons more of different uses and useful purposes, (not only on art). This opens a new door a lot of people was waiting so the future is unpredictable but we can feel where things are going. NFT arrived to stay and the concept of decentralization is something that was always present on the internet since first days but born inside a centralized system. NFTs are being a way for people to understand the 'peer to peer' philosophy and this makes people think in different codes, so we can expect a lot of new horizons, in art, music, design...

What do you think of the environmental impact of NFTs?

This question can goes really deep but in general terms I think that is something that is being oversized due to the hype and the boiling point we are, and it's understandable because is not false that it has an environmental impact, as everything does. But on the other hand I have two main areas in mind. The first and the obvious from my point of view is that when something is new and developing is less efficient, in the way that it requires more effort to achieve the result. But at the same time, the more this technology is used the more is developed and all this issues are part of it. The first car was not electric.

The second point that usually reverberates in my mind and that it seems that 'hard critics' omit is that they are not having in mind that this NFTs we mint, give us a profit that can be used offline to do another things that can be useful to solve this problem, for example, investing part of this money on living on our own in a minimal and clean way (not working for huge multinational that their environmental impact is tons times more than NFTs and then being part of an ONG to feel clean) and on using part of this money on looking and researching new ways to mint and to keep this digital ecosystem more efficient and clean. Every development needs time.

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If you have found this content valuable considering getting me a cup of coffee

[emsartwork]

i forgot to add: how do design ????!?!??????

So I’m not expert but this is how I think of character design! (also sry if you were asking about clothing/outfit design thats a little different)

under the cut because this is long im so sorry

So in my opinion there are three really important aspects for character design!

AESTHETIC: obviously everybody’s aesthetic is different, but this is more about what vibe the character has, what makes them THEM design wise. 

INTENTION: who is the character supposed to be? this can range from their personality, their back story, their occupation, or their role in the story, but the design need to fit that intention.

COHESION: does the design go well together? or do certain aspects clash too much? obviously you can have disjointed parts of a character design, and if those serve a purpose then thats fine, but if its so disjointed its distracting from the character as a whole you might need to tweak things. 

AESTHETIC: the contrasting part of the design (white flowers in dark hair, dark trim on dress, and dark shoes) provide interest to the eye. The mixing of round and sharp shapes also keeps the design from feeling “boring” even though its relatively simple. 

INTENTION: so what role would this little doodle character have? according to her design elements, shes cute and friendly with her round shapes (bouncy balls, babies, etc), but could have a sharp/fast/active or even dangerous edge to her with the triangles (arrows, knives etc). of course the design doesn’t limit her possible roles. She could be a bubbly younger sister who teases the older protagonist, or maybe she’s the villain hiding in plain sight. the shape this character design doesn’t really have is squares(think bricks and rocks), which communicates that she might not be really strong, steady, or reliable. 

COHESION: repeating the curves across her whole design builds cohesion, it communicates that “yes, these are all part of the same character”, it also allows the eye to “rest” on a familiar shape or line. 

NOW LETS LOOK AT SOME DESIGNS

(Boku no Hero Academia) so both of these characters are super heroes, but have vastly different design elements. so lets analyze them.

OCHAKO(the pink one) is all rounds, with a few pointed shapes in hair mostly, but a little on her costume as well. Her personality is cute, bubbly, and friendly which perfectly suits her soft and bouncy design. Howevre she also has a very slight edge to her, which is seen her determination and drive to improve herself over the course of the anime. 

KIRISHIMA(the red one) at first glance, seems to be super pointy!! shapes that are usually seen on villains or really dangerous characters, but while he IS sharp(literally sometimes) and sometimes aggressive, he is also made of squares, which perfectly suits his loyal “i gotchu bro” attitude towards most of the other characters in the anime.  

ISSUE AREAS: so the only problems i have with Ochako and Kirishima’s designs is that their costumes each have one area that clashes a little too much for my taste. With Ochako, the belt over the color blocking stripes down her crotch are......questionable taste wise. I think the design would be better if the pink chest ended above the belt in a shallow v. not only would this mirror the triangle aspects of her hair, it would fit the belt outline, and continue the trend her costume has of being “grounded” or “heavy”. Kirishima has those.... gears??? around his shoulders??? and while the gear teeth are technically squares, the gear shape itself is a circle, which is a shape that isn’t present anywhere else in his design. I think changing the gears to something similar to his boots or his mask/headgear would create a more cohesive design(also the gears just look hard to move in)

These two characters are presented as individuals so their costumes don’t have to match at all even though they are still seen as “connected” because of the art style for the face, hair, and body. 

In a group giving the outfits cohesive motifs is an easy way to present a strong team image! In Yuki Yuna is a Hero, the girls all have colored lines(usually princess seam placement), armor or fabric hip accents, covered arms, and similar flower shapes in their hair. The Aesthetic of each girl is strong in a monochrome signature color, but not over whelming as the black+white connects them even in color so they aren’t out of place. 

Speaking of color! if your characters are all similar looking (like same body for all of them) you can communicate their personality and aesthetic just with color! (only gonna talk about a few of the ponies) Pinkie Pie (the really pink one) is energetic and playful, so her color scheme is a variation of the primary colors(happy, child like), and have one of the more saturated colors(high energy, intense) of these characters in a large quantity. Apple Jack (the orange one) is a down to earth farm girl, and her color palette is accordingly, mostly earth tones, its also warm analogous colors, which makes her appear un-complicated and warm personality wise. the pop of red is a nice touch to add interest, but notice that its uses sparingly in her cutie mark and tail accessory. Rarity on the other hand is elegant and fussy, her high contrast scheme of white and dark blue/purples gives her more visual interest and is something that makes her appear more “complex” in addition to the gradient thats included in her hair. the colors are also all cool colors, bringing to mind cool glass or water which both have connotations of grace and beauty.

however all the characters here are unified by their colors being on the pastel side, which is also important for a cohesive cast.

another, short, note on color; making the color/line/shading of your figure different from the background can help them stand out, this is used ESPECIALLY in children’s media, but can be applied to any illustration or animation as needed.

Color can also help your characters “read” quickly on screen, the powerpuff girls are a prime example, of having a distinct color blocking and silhouette. even the color blobs at the top and my crappy hand silhouettes STILL read as the characters despite being broken down into abstract elements. I also really enjoy the thick outline in the powerpuff girls, it really makes the characters pop to the foreground even though they have pretty simple designs and are often in a colorful setting.

Also, for a lot of animation, silhouette is INCREDIBLY important for your characters, some designers sketch silhouettes and then design the particulars its so important to nail the shape. These examples from Coraline are some of my favorites (though Laika wins in my heart every time no matter what lmao) because the simple shapes are SO CLEAR and indicative of the character, you literally don’t need to have watched the movie to know these are each different characters with different personalities and roles. 

silhouette can also help tell the story. In Kubo and the two strings (another Laika film) the above three characters are sisters. One has chosen to leave her home in the heavens to live on earth, and the other two stay in their roles as “heavenly” warriors. This is even shown through their designs, the two sisters are weighted on top and their cloaks don’t even touch the ground, while the first woman has trailing, heavy sleeves, hair, and robes all grounding her and emphasizing her connection with the earth.

another example of shape/silhouette reflecting the story, In The Croods, the family of cavemen are for the most part very top heavy, with large torsos and arms, usually in a more hunched over position, while the newcomer, Guy, is bottom heavy with thin arms and stands more upright. In the plot, the family represents the old ways, the strength and rules that have helped them survive, they look like very stereotypical “cavemen”, while Guy resembles the modern man, and appropriately is associated with new ideas and forward thinking.

MORE SHAPES, in DC super hero girls each girl has a distinct personality emulated by her shape language. Zatana is dramatic curves and edges, Super girl is hard, straight edges against curves, giving her a solid muscular shape. Wonder Woman, though also strong, is taller and leaner, lending to a confident leader type. Green Lantern is slim, her lines all flow into each other giving her a go with the flow look. Bumble Bee is, of course, tiny, but her boots and gauntlets add weight and strength to her otherwise small frame. Batgirl is lanky and has a lot of pointed style lines, reminding the viewer of a skinny cat (ironic what with cat woman i know) or weasel which mirrors her preferred “sneaky” crime fighting style.  (also yes this was just an excuse for me to gush abt how much i love the dcshg designs shut up)

so in my opinion, Cartoon Saloon’s The Secret of Kells is PERFECT in aesthetic, intention, and cohesion. Kells focuses very strongly on creating silhouette WITHIN the larger figure shape via color and line, most of the characters pictured here have no neck, the one who does, Brendan, is the main character and the use of negative space that cuts into his shape is used to draw attention to him. Kells is also very strongly inspired by Medieval Illuminated manuscripts (namely, the book of kells lmao). The characters still manage to stand out against outrageously detailed backgrounds via their simple shapes and strong color blocking. 

Aisling, a secondary but very important character, is not human, and has a totally different shape language from the rest of the characters. She is thin and pointy, while most of the others are round or square. Aisling also has the most negative space making up her silhouette, compare the triangles made by her arms and legs in the above picture to the figures in the first image where everybody’s body is self contained with no negative space. She is also very different color wise, very pale and cool colored, as opposed to the warm saturated colors of the human characters. (yes this was another excuse to gush abt one of my fave pieces of media deal with it)

hopefully that wasn’t too rambley and actually helps? if yall have more specific design questions lemma know lol

[kryptsune]

Souly Damned Saturdays!~

🌼Hello everyone! I am excited to share the next SD Saturday! Today is going to be how the Infernal Realm is set up and a profile on one of my favorite boys, Val. This is going to be a huge one! Let’s get into it! If you have any questions please ask away! There is so much to this world and it’s characters that I don’t want to overwhelm people. *again stunning chibi of my boy Val by @little-noko​ >////< I love it so much*

~Prince Profile:~

True Name: Valruth Alias Names: Valentine (Val) Nicknames/Titles: The Bloodstained Beast Soul Flower Type: Rose in half bloom          Color Type: Ruby with burnt petals Infernal Hierarchy: 2nd Prince of Lust Age Order: 5th Oldest Familiar Form: White Maine Coon/ (Hellcat) True Form Appearance Description:          ~Skeletal in appearance           ~Prominent fangs (spiked teeth in true form)           ~Ruby pointed tongue          ~Black horns that are reminiscent of the stereotypical devil           ~Skeletal claws          ~Clawed feet          ~Spaded bone tail with charcoal gradient          ~Golden Fang          ~Bone damage (cuts) on forearm, ribs, spine, shoulder blade          ~Bone and black feather wings (mix)

  Human Form Physical description:          ~Hair color: White/ cool platinum         ~Hair style: slicked back (before modern and reminiscent of the 1920′s)         ~Eye color: Ruby/ reddish brown         ~Skin tone: Pale         ~Contract symbol mark placement: his left shoulder blade         ~Height: 5′9 

Special Abilities or Powers: 

        ~Mind reading         ~Can pull out deepest desire         ~Dream walking         ~Mental suggestion         ~Levitation         ~Teleportation         ~Fire element         ~Veritas (forces those under his influence to tell the truth)         ~Lust touch         ~Blood vitality/ power         ~Servitude         ~Calming/ paralysis touch

(more below the cut!)

~SD Q AND A (These are all questions from you! Specifically those in my server):~

1. What is vals usual duties as a prince of hell? Does he have hobbies he enjoys doing? Does he even like humans if so what does he like about them? 🔥Val has less duties as Costello because even though he is a prince he is not the head of that Kingdom. Though to be fair Costello doesn't really mind doing the work it keeps his mind occupied. Mainly it's Val's job to deal with Coven direction/communication. I mean he has hobbies but uh... those are not appropriate to mention. Remember Val's cardinal sin is lust X'D He does enjoy music so he will spend time learning different musical styles or instruments. All in all he is pretty laid back and enjoys a good time. He’s a party boy, but he will be serious if needed.   Costello's position allows Val to be kind of a hedonist. His other job is based in contracts. Most Princes don't directly deal with humans unless circumstances allow due to their past history. It's his job to essentially make sure that quotas are being met. Let's just say he prefers the Mortal Realm because he loves messing with mortals.

2. Does Val prefer like manipulating people or playing pranks more? 🔥 He enjoys manipulating people.

3. How does it feel for Val to take another's life? What did it feel like the first time?

🔥 When he first Fell he struggled with the duality of his Clelestial/Infernal blood. It's the concept of the first life he took was hard on him but the moment he looks at the blood he essentially breaks. After that he gains the nickname of Beast because he revels in the kills. Eventually, he earns the "title" of the Bloodstained Beast which is where Beast comes from. 

4. Is Val overall sure of himself or does he struggle with loads of insecurities?

🔥He is sure of himself outwardly but alone not so much. Like I said before the majority of the brothers struggle with what they used to be and what they have become. His father's influence pushed his mind to justify the horrible things he has done. When Darrius is locked away the brothers have to come to terms with the monsters they have become. 

5. Does Val ever suffer from depression?

🔥I wouldn't call it depression. It is not that severe. It is more like self doubt or regret. 

6. What does it mean to be "alive" for Val?

🔥Unlike Infernals born in that realm, the brothers still have their Celestial souls but they are badly corrupted. Being alive for him is feeling the emotions that he used to when he was a Celestial. Think of their corruption as losing a sense of self. Most think that his "highs" come from drinking, pleasure, and the usual sinful fair but that’s not entirely true.

7. Does Val struggle with who he is?

🔥It depends on what part of the timeline. In the beginning he struggles a lot until he snaps but then doesn't care at all as if his original soul has gone numb. Over the centuries he does begin to mellow out and eventually when he meets Eve he changes his tune. Even before their meeting he is far more self conscious. 

8. Do Val’s emotions of himself ever reflect on others or does he keep them tightly wound?

🔥He keeps his emotions tightly wound unless he is with someone he trusts and by god is it hard to gain any of these boys trust. They were betrayed by their father and their other family... so they have major abandonment and trust issues. 

9.  Has there ever been a time where Val considered "love" over "lust"?

🔥Yes! In fact that is what he used to be. He was a Celestial of love and affection. It is one of the reasons that I made his alias name Valentine. Eve is the love of his life and he treats her as such.

10. If the brothers get their hands on souls what do they do with them? Will each prince treat souls differently from one another?

🔥Soul wise they can consume souls for their power, which they are already ungodly powerful already. The only caveat to that is that it corrupts their souls further. Sometimes those souls end up tormenting them for a while before they fade away. Each one has a different effect depending on the soul itself not so much the one who consumes it. 

11. What happens to changelings that die? Do they become infernal beasts/imps? or does something else happen?

🔥They essentially meet a permanent end, however, I should mention that they kind of get recycled in a way? Think of it as giving the energy back to the realm. It strengthens it. There are various artifacts and runes of great power strewn throughout the realm that are powered by dead Infernal life forces.

~The Infernal Realm Info~

General Structure:

The Infernal Realm is divided into an odd configuration that would imply something along the lines of Dante’s Inferno but the rings do not consecutively branch out. In the center the Infernal Palace in the capital city of Eden rests surrounded by the homes and residences of the Infernal elite. The ring outside those gates consists of five kingdoms; Lust (being the largest of the five), Pride, Greed, Envy, and Wrath. 

The outer most ring consists of the other 2 kingdoms; Sloth and Gluttony. Lastly the outer “walls” or ring is a wasteland for lost souls that neither belong in Heaven or Hell. This is what most would consider to be Purgatory but that would be factually incorrect. The gateway to purgatory is hidden within this land's monochrome and misty forests. There are also rumors that a gateway to the other realms also lies in these woods safely guarded by Infernal Beasts with loyalty to their King. There is in fact a portal to the mortal realm in each kingdom and heavily guarded by whoever each Prince sees fit. In the beginning of their banishment the Princes began to build on the outskirts of the realm working their way inward this causes an influence on the architectural influences. The further out the kingdom the the more ancient. SO each Kingdom is influenced by a specific period in time. This also coincides with the technology seen in the kingdom. The exception are the Prince’s castles. An example of this is Gin’s Kingdom of Sloth. His kingdom is heavily ancient Egyptian based but he is obsessed with the mortal realm so he still has technology but you can only find it in his “castle”. You wouldn’t see that kind of tech outside those walls. In addition each kingdom is divided by a dangerous wasteland in order to deter souls from trying to escape kingdoms. 

The only means of travel is a railway that travels from kingdom to kingdom. The tracks move and shift (kind of like the stairs in Harry Potter) to the destination that is required. One needs a ticket otherwise you can’t get on the railway and this is generally used by Imps or the occasional changeling if they are given permission to do so. 

Darrius’ Prison (The Wasted Hollow): Darrius is locked in a very specific prison stuck in between the Infernal and the Mortal Realm. It's a cushy small cage that can only be opened by the power of the 12 Princes. There is not a living soul in it except for him. This place dampens his abilities but they all cannot be contained. He has imparted his influence in multiple ways by reaching out to mortals and demons alike. Under his instruction they have created different cults. They are currently clandestine under the New Order and the New Mortal Realm.  

Note: If it was possible to get an aerial view of the entire Infernal Realm it would look very similar to a contract symbol or in essence a seal. This is due to the railway system that connects the kingdoms together. It’s a relatively new future as the millennia have progressed but the formation of these lines is in fact in the shape of a pentagram. 

~The Kingdoms (7)~

Lust (Inner Ring)- The kingdom that used to be ruled by the current King of the Realm. The hierarchy works that each kingdom rules over a certain sin committed by those punished. The closer that they are to The Capital the richer and more prosperous. It’s era of influence is the Roaring 20′s and that can be seen in it’s more art deco styled architecture and fashion sense. The lust kingdom is ruled by Costello who is the crown prince and following that is Val. He is a prince as well but uncrowned to one of the major kingdoms (he could honestly care less).The kingdom of lust revels in opulence and is known for its material wealth and the demons here tend to be debaucherous and are known for their slave/pet dealings. In this kingdom they tend to be overly needy causing them to sate their desires with damned souls or each-other.  It is well known that nothing can really saite these demons appetites for pleasure. They do as they will but continue to follow under the rules set forth by the King. The demons of this kingdom however tend to get away with more considering their kingdoms standing. Lust also does not just account for physical pleasure but lust for things such as wealth or power are prime examples. It is rumored that the two brothers appear to be opposites in their handling of the sin. Costello being more about possession and passion while Beast is more the stereotypical lust. Out of all the kingdoms this one seems to be the “best” one to be sentenced to especially if you find yourself at the feet of its rulers. The humans here are usually taken care of quite nicely though it is also rumored that some of those souls in question do not belong in Hell at all.   Appearance wise the Lust kingdoms Castle is paved with marble and gold. It is near spotless excluding wealth and grandeur. The massive walls that hide the Castle from view are covered in thick lush green vines and flowers. They have lace like porticos that spill a strange liquid from snake-like mouths. It is said that a human that even consumes a drop of it will be subject to their demon masters will for eternity. A strong manipulative love potion in essence. The Palace gardens are almost as if they were taken from the Garden of Eden itself which is entirely possible. The further away from the epicenter of the city becomes less ostentatious though not dilapidated by any means. Many of the Infernal elite live in this kingdom commonly. 

Pride (Inner Ring)- The kingdom of Pride is ruled by Carthus and Dusk which resides in the inner ring. As such it too exudes opulence at its center. The Kingdom supplies and trains those for the Capitals personal guard as well as the demons that are considered soldiers. This is also the Kingdom of the tainted. Those that are not quite demon but also not quite human. A long time ago when demons walked among the humans in the first mortal realm they wrecked havoc. The Princes of Pride manipulated humanity so much so that they began to turn them away from their old religions so that they would worship them instead. 

In turn the two brothers (along with the Princes of the Kingdom of Greed) toyed with human souls creating Infernal half breeds. What humanity calls vampires, werewolves, and so forth. The humans began to decline at rapid numbers since those of half Infernal blood easily hunted the weak. Now they span the wasteland of Purgatory sometimes finding themselves in the Infernal or Mortal Realms.   

Humans of high status on earth are also subjected to the same kind of torment they put on others in the worst way possible. Dictators, murderers and the like in this kingdom. It is a series of mind altering and psychologically torturing pathways and darkness. The only ones that are able to navigate this kingdom are those born from it’s depths or the Princes themselves as Dusk is the one that devised this horrifying MC Esher maze. It is influenced by the Late Victorian and Edwardian period. This kingdom’s seasons and magically produced light source can vary but the majority of the time the skies resemble twilight fading into darkness as you get further away from the castle. 

Wrath (Inner Ring)- The Kingdom of Wrath is the kingdom of War and bloodlust ruled by Sokan and Azrin. This is the kingdom known as The Cell unlike the kingdom of Lust, Wrath only shows off it’s splendor near it’s castle and some of the surrounding areas. It is mostly utilized as a giant torture pit. This is where souls are sent as punishment of the most severe crimes and tortured mercilessly sometimes torn to shreds only to be revived. 

Their leader is a ruthless warden of sorts making sure that everyone obeys the laws both set forth for demon or soul. Demons sentenced to exile are also detained here in this confusing catacomb prison. It is filled with deadly traps and pitfalls to prevent escape as well. The human souls usually sentenced here were the warriors that committed atrocities without a second glance at the innocent. Those that killed children in the name of the king is an example of this. 

The Cell is also where souls are twisted beyond recognition and where most new demons are made. In this world demons are made not born and those corrupted souls become the new generation. It could take years. It could take centuries but being thrown into The Cell is a sure fire sentence into Infernal rebirth.

There are two rulers of this kingdom and as such two types of punishments. While Boss rules over the Pit, Azrin is his little torture aficionado. Those sentenced are usually the type of killers that were mentally undone. Ones that took a sick twisted pleasure in their artistry. Those are usually brought from the outside. Their ruler, Azrin, is what one might call… unhinged at best. They are known for their experimentation attempting to twist mortal souls into whatever is desired... following in the footsteps of his older brothers. 

Greed (Inner Ring)- The kingdom of Greed is unlike any other kingdom as it houses an insurmountable number of souls within it (even if they don’t last long). It’s influence is the High Gothic Period, just think Dracula’s castle and forest. The ruler of Greed, Crimson, is a ruthless warlord with an unusual thirst for blood and not in the war hungry way. It’s second Prince, Grimm, enjoys torturing souls himself and will generally set up elaborate hunts to that end. 

It’s alternate title is that of the Kingdom of Blood. Those unfortunate souls forced to end up in such a horrible kingdom will find themselves subject to experimentation or unwinable hunts. Crimson was the one that started all of this half breed creation along with Carthus and Dusk. Though there were many creatures that came about through this experimentation Crimson and Grimm are specifically tied to two infernal blooded hybrids. The two brothers are most likely where the vampire and werewolf mythology stem from.   

Both brothers continue to play with their human “toys” as they did so long ago. They enjoy the thrill of hunting down those sentenced and revel in their success. Crimson prefers the opulence and riches that his sin provides while Grimm is more down to earth. It may account for his more bestial nature as he has a similar animalistic inclination like that of his youngest brother Ouro.  

Envy (Inner Ring)- This is the kingdom that trains and outsources spies as well as assassins. Demonic hitmen used to gain political power among their respective kingdoms. They are known for their thieves mostly stealing from their neighboring kingdom of greed, specifically souls.  Envy is known as the shadow kingdom usually housing those souls of the occult and black magic. Those that tried to obtain the unobtainable through magical or demonic means like that of Hedge Witches. 

Sanneth does not take kindly to this as these souls are tortured for all eternity forced to relive and conjure their own worst fears or transgressions. A never ending nightmare would be an apt description. Like his younger brother Dusk, Sanneth does not embrace his sin as much as the others. His abilities reflect his more Celestial blood but alas he is a Prince and therefore a kingdom he must rule. 

Sanneth also happens to be the twin brother of Carthus and the two are constantly at odds. He believes that they can conduct their “duty” without fulling turning into monsters while Carthus revels in his corruption. The 4th eldest prince’s envy could stem from his desire to return to how he once was. The castle rests in a season of eternal Spring influenced by the Japanese Edo period.

Gluttony (Outer Ring)- Those that are placed into this kingdom as punishment are subjected to torture of starvation and thirst. The princes castle is surrounded by a never ending desert with no hope for food or drink. Souls are forced to starve wandering this desert for the rest of eternity. The demons banished into this place feast on mortal corpses that fall, tearing them to pieces like scavengers. 

When the sun sets these mortals end up back where they started in one piece having to endure the same torture over and over. Ouro the ruler of his kingdom does not do much in the way of duty. He tends to delegate his jobs to other lower level demons. If a mortal manages to cross the desert the torture is with standing. Any food will turn to ash in their mouths and any water will burn the throat. It is an endless never quenchable thirst and hunger. It’s influence is that of Mesoamerica such as the ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations.  Sloth (Outer Ring)- Sloth is the final kingdom before the Outer Ring. It is “ruled” by Prince Gin though no one could actually tell you what it takes to maintain the kingdom as he tends to delegate everything to his Dukes. 

The souls here are never allowed to rest, forced to work the land for food production. Which is hilarious because food does literally nothing for demons. Ok hilarious in a cruel sick way. The Infernal Princes do like to have their feasts and lavish parties but that food is very different. In essence mortals are forced into a constant state of fatigue. Never able to drink, eat, or most of all sleep.

Gin tends to be selectively lazy but he has a fascination with the modern mortal world and tends to spend a lot of his time acquiring items from there. The poor boy has insomnia so he rarely sleeps since he is so enthralled with his game systems. He is very much a pop culture nerd at times and if you can get on his good side you will find that is probably one of the softer of the Princes. He likes a good time, oh and junk food... lots of junk food. The influence for this kingdom is ancient Egyptian as alluded to earlier since both of the Outer Ring Kingdoms are surrounded by a seemingly never ending stretch of desert. 

(That’s it for this week! I hope that gives you all kind of an idea how the Infernal realm works. This is jus the basics and if people are more interested in this I will go into more detail. That is what the ask box is for!)  << PREV  | FIRST |  NEXT >>

[zaph1337]

Monster Hunter Rating 29: Kirin, the Phantom Beast

Next up on the docket is a prime example of the fact that Elder Dragons don’t need to look like dragons. Here’s a Phantom Beast monster that, unlike the ones in Yu-Gi-Oh!, is actually threatening in battle (if you like that archetype please don’t kill me)! Also, I apologize for the first render I’m using; I tried to give it a black background, but its mane is pure white, so using the fill tool on the background would fill that in, too, and I didn’t want to mess around in Paint to prevent that from happening. Now that that’s out of the way, make way for Kirin!

(How it appears in Monster Hunter 1 [possibly; the image on the wiki didn’t say what game or gen this render is from])

(How it appears in Monster Hunter 4)

(How it appears in Monster Hunter World)

Appearance: Kirin is an interesting approach to unicorns in several ways. First off, it doesn’t have a lot of fur; the majority of its body is covered in scales. I believe that this was to help justify calling it an Elder Dragon, because even with the lore reason behind that classification, kids might question that status anyways. The second interesting thing about Kirin is the head; while the body is unmistakably equine, the head is more like that of a lion. Honestly, though, that’s only apparent to me on the MHW render, ‘cause apart from the forward-facing eyes, the head on the other renders still looks horse-like to me. The final aspect of Kirin’s design I want to call attention to is the fact that it’s freaking huge. According to the wiki, the biggest Kirin are 32.5 ft tall (at least I’m assuming they’re talking about height, not length), while the smallest are 12.2 ft, which are still taller than any living horse on record. Now, that being said, I’ve looked at images of Kirin on the wiki, and none of them look that big, even this one labelled “Giant Kirin”:

That’s still a really big horse, though, and I can’t expect the games to make every monster exactly the size they say it is. The final thing of note here is that Kirin are frequently crackling with electricity, giving them an aura of power that accentuates their other design elements. Overall, this is probably my second favorite monster design that I’ve seen and talked about, so it gets a 9/10.

Behavior: Kirin are capable of surviving in a variety of environments, from snowy mountains to swamps to an area in Monster Hunter World called the Coral Highlands (https://monsterhunter.fandom.com/wiki/Coral_Highlands), which is literally like a coral reef on the ocean floor but above-water, which is something I didn’t know I needed until now that isn’t in Rise and now I’m sad. The Coral Highlands are also the only place where they were observed feeding, which revealed that despite their lion-like heads, they eat plants.

Kirin are known to be very unpredictable by monster standards, which is fitting, considering that they seem to embody thunderstorms. Sometimes they’re calm like a cloudy or clear sky, other times they’ll use their powers to wipe out an entire village. That last part’s just a legend, as far as we know, but it says something that people could find it believable. Unfortunately, Kirin are so rare that barely anything is known about them, which gives them an air of mystery while also making it very hard to rate this section. The fact that their behavior can’t reliably be anticipated, much like the way lightning strikes can’t be (unless you’re really tall, made of metal, or both), helps sell the idea that they are lightning incarnate, and the fact that they maintain an equine diet despite having a feline head is almost as weird as Diablos being herbivorous dragons, so combined with their mystique, I think I can give them a 6/10.

Abilities: As you’d expect, Kirin are really fast, bounding around the battlefield at a speed which makes it impossible to catch up with; the only way you’ll be able to hit one is if it comes to you, which it’ll likely only do to try to gore you on its horn. However, Kirin prefer to use their electrical abilities over physical attacks, so they’ll still try to keep some distance from you. The electricity they generate or build up on their fur strengthens their hide and makes them more resilient. But they don’t just generate lightning, they call it from the sky, and can even make it strike the spot you’re standing in, in which case your only option is to move the moment you see a white light around your feet. They can also make lightning strike several times in a small area around them to repel attackers, or call in down in a progressive line in front of them.

There are plenty of monsters in Monster Hunter that use electricity, but Kirin stand apart thanks to their ability to summon natural lightning bolts from above, even if there are no storm clouds in the sky for them to come from. This supernatural and effortless defiance of nature is why Kirin are Elder Dragons, and combined with their breakneck speed, it looks like it makes one heck of a fight. 8/10.

Equipment: Whoever made the Kirin weapons seemed to know exactly what I like, ‘cause I love so many of these design-wise, and it hurts that I can’t talk about all of them. Let’s start off with the Sword and Shield called the Kirin Bolt:

Okay, so this isn’t one of the weapons that I really like, but it’s still cool, so I’m showing it anyway. The “sword” might look like it’s more for stabbing than it is for slashing, but it’s meant to be more of a large dagger anyways. Seriously, its final upgrade is called “Thor’s Dagger.” Didn’t think Thor was a thing in the MH world, but there you go. I like how the dagger looks like it’s made out of Kirin horns (even though the colors don’t match), and the shield’s also cool ‘cause it uses Kirin scales. Don’t know where the spikes are from but whatever. Now, on to the weapons which are, in my opinion, the best-looking weapons from this series that I’ve seen yet, here’s a Switch Axe called Peal:

Unfortunately, this is the largest render on the wiki, and enlarging it makes it too blurry, but hopefully you can still see why I love this thing. The way the blue blade has a purple gradient, the blue spikes which seem to get progressively darker, the fact that they all work really nicely with the white body of the axe--everything here just works in the best possible way. I’m not planning on learning how to use the Switch Axe if I get Rise, but if Kirin was in that game, and I could make Peal? I’d probably try to learn SwAxe just so I could use it. But the weapon I am maining? Yeah, the Kirin version of it is awesome, too. Say hello to the Insect Glaive called Indigo Flash:

Don’t know why that render’s big when Peal’s isn’t, ‘cause I didn’t do this, but who cares!? Sure, there’s less blue on this than Peal had, but it still looks really cool! I really hope that the updates for Rise that they’re working on add Kirin to the game, ‘cause I need this in my life. As for the armor, it’s, well, weird. Even in MH games where there’s separate armor sets for Blademaster and Gunner, the Kirin armor is the same for both of those classes. Well, that’s less work for me, so let’s see the Kirin armor:

Zelda II: Adventure of Link called. It wants Horsehead back. Seriously, what is with this series and making helmets that are/look like they are made from the monster’s head, skull and all? Okay, the only real examples of that I can remember are this set and the Kelbi helmet, but it’s still gross. Also, aside from the pendants and the female set’s horn, there’s no blue here, which is disappointing. This armor doesn’t look bad, it’s just not great. But that just means that the Kirin’s equipment doesn’t get a perfect 10; it’s still getting a 9/10.

Final Thoughts and Tally: Kirin may not be as big and powerful as Lao-Shan Lung, but dang, if it isn’t the cooler Elder Dragon. The mystery, the speed, the lightning, and especially the looks and weapons all sell the idea that this is something more than a monster. I’m sad that it isn’t in Rise yet, but who knows? They just might bring it back one day. 8/10.

[paperwick]

Dragon Age Tarot Style Guide: Part Two

The second of my at least three part set of tarot tutorials. This sentence will link to the first one on composition if you haven’t seen it. It’s been a four year gap between these, and I apologize for that. To all you who messaged me and reminded me of this project, thank you. You kept me from forgetting and I’m glad. <3

It won’t be another four years until I post the next segment, which will be pattern and texture focused. It’ll hopefully be in the next month or two. 

This is going to be a long post, so I’m putting it under the cut. Apologies to the mobile users! 

As a general disclaimer, this is an unofficial guide, I’ve never worked with Bioware. All of this is based on how I approach tarot design, my inspiration being heavily rooted in Dragon Age Inquisition’s companion card designs. 

Secondly, I know nothing about tarot. I tend to use http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/ heavily as a resource for my understanding of the cards and their meanings.You don’t need to know anything about tarot to do illustrations, just have as much fun as you can. <3 

So I typically work with a color composition in mind, but for those who are struggling to imagine a color scheme, my best advice for coming up with a palette is to just throw down some colors in this sort of an arrangement.

Your Main is going to be whats forming the base of the card, or it’ll be the most widely used color. Backgrounds usually make up the main, but sometimes it’s a foreground element or the character’s clothing. 

Your Cores are going to be colors that accent the base. You can make these pretty wild to be honest, but complementary colors and triads tend to work best for a balanced color composition. That’s what you’re trying to achieve with these--balance. Think about what’s drawing the most attention. The red in this example I did with the Iron Bull is very strong, and the teal I chose is fighting with it so my last color is something a bit more desaturated that accents the teal instead of picking another aggressive color, like a saturated yellow. 

The Accent or HL color is whatever you’re going to use to add the final focus notes. It will typically be your brightest or your most saturated color, though not always. Sometimes your HL color might be the darkest of the composition because your main and core colors are naturally bright. It should be used sparingly, or if you’re using a lot of it, focused in one area.

You can use more colors than this! For my example card with Bull, you can see I made his pants a sort of subdued yellow and added accents to the background and lit parts of his body in in different colors, But you’ll want to keep your major colors limited to keep it cohesive. If you start losing cohesion, I recommend using a gradient map over your picture set to multiply or soft light (not at 100%) to tone down your most divergent colors, and you can mask out areas where appropriate. 

This Bull card is one I made by picking my colors first then deciding on the content and composition. Color picking can be done first, or second as I’ve done with the rest of my examples. 

Card #1: Rayne Amell   [ @dracoangel​ ]

The Queen of Cups

This card went though several iterations with color, and the end product is less about story and more about atmosphere. The drawn composition reflects more of the story: she conceals her thoughts and feelings, but the world bends around her like water. I wanted to add more purple to this card, considering the character’s preference for it, so I skewed the color scheme in the final to be more purple. The first version probably makes for a more cohesive palette, but it lacks the same depth and drama as the one with purple. I added another core color to the second palette, which is totally okay to do. Sometimes the core palette might be 7 colors, sometimes it’s 2. The idea is to strike a balance. Colors that are super eye catching like the red in the scarf might better serve the composition as a lesser accent, whereas the purple core is a great fill because it’s fairly desaturated and doesn’t demand as much attention.

The HL color takes up a fair amount of this composition, but note that it’s strongest in the top two thirds, and is centered in the top third. The foreground water also cradles it against one of the darkest purples of the card, which helps center focus up top.

Card #2: Valora Lavellan [  @kylorensprettymuchanasshole​ ]

The Devil

This was the most difficult of the palettes, I’m working with two separate light sources in two wildly different locations. On the one side you’re at an ancient elvhen temple, on the other, in a burning chantry. It only made sense to have two different palettes for this composition. Where I really failed here was in not having a color that bridged the two sides. If you can engineer a color to be in between two differing palettes, you’re in a good place. 

With that in mind, I revisited the thumbnail. 

The execution is a little weak, but the idea works. The bridge color could work in either of the palettes and is a midway point between the two most similar values of the core colors. It’s used primarily where the separate palettes meet each other smoothing that transition. In this instance, it also helps to define the figure and double down on where the focus is, since before it was fighting between the top left and bottom right corners. Now the focus works as a diagonal from one corner to the other.

Double palettes are hard, but can make for some truly dynamic color compositions.

Card #3: Iothari Mahariel [ @theuselesspotoo ]

Six of Swords

This card was a struggle for completely different reasons. The palette is pretty homogeneous, primarily purple, with a hint of green. This one could use far more variation, and the challenge is in driving interest with such a limited palette. This is where your values are going to be super important. Your darks vs lights are always hugely apart of composition, but in limited palettes they do the most work in driving interest. Make sure to break up some of your larger and more prominent shapes with value differences, the snow vs the dark stone beneath it.

If that isn’t enough though, there’s a few tricks that can help push focus where you want it without heavily changing the color scheme. 

We have three very distinct planes in this; the sky, the distant mountains and skyhold, and the cliff the figure is standing on. We can push the far mountain plane back by reducing the brightness of it, and we can pull the nearby plane closer by adding stronger highlights to the lit areas. I also brightened up the figure since they were getting lost in the sky a bit. 

In addition, I popped the foreground colors with just a bit more red, to separate that plane from the more bluish purple mountain plane. 

Just those small changes really sharpened up the focus of the composition, and we were able to keep the palette fairly limited. 

Card #4: Tighe Lavellan   [ @queen-scribbles​ ]

Nine of Wands

This palette was a breeze compared to the others. We’re working with complementary colors, reds versus greens, and very little divergence in either direction. The bottom half is primarily reds, the top greens, and they meet in the middle with a soft orange and harsh yellow. Palettes with complementary colors are the easiest to work with, the important part is making sure their balance works with your drawn composition because they like to fight. All of my reds are limited and desaturated because the greens and yellows, by the nature of the composition, are the most demanding elements. 

Card #5:  Lathari Lavellan [ @jisabeau​ ]

The Chariot

I knew what I wanted for this one immediately when I started it. I really wanted the character to be falling into a void, to mirror their emotional crisis when dealing with the deadly white bear of their past. But though this works fairly well as a base palette, it’s really missing the intense horror I wanted when I started. 

So in my edits I pulled them further apart, and pushed the darks even further. The challenge here is having a dual focus, since I don’t really know if either stand out enough from one another at this phase. I have to pick a focus, either the bright whites of the bear or the strong orange/green tones of the character. 

This is probably the strongest focus-wise.

But I enjoy the color notes of this one far more. 

The point here is, sometimes things aren’t perfect, and that’s also okay. Pick your favorite, or at least pick one, and take that to completion. It’ll occur to you while finishing it what I needs. Which brings us to the final point, similar to that of tutorial part one: 

Final Note: Don’t spend overlong on one thumbnail. I’ve spent days in the thumbnailing stage, that’s fine, but don’t spend more than 1 hour on any one color thumbnail drawing; it’s not worth it. If an idea is good but not great, just start a new thumbnail of something similar, and you’ll stumble onto the right composition.

Remember to explore your own color intuition. My way of doing this might be helpful, but if it’s not, don’t feel compelled to follow it. Everyone has a unique vision, and we’ve got to feel out our own paths. 

If you have any questions, send them to paperwick [at] gmail [dot] com under the heading “Color Tutorial: Questions”, OR comment on this post (I might not see them on a reblog) and I’ll pool them into one area and answer as many as I can in a separate post.

Finally, I’d like to give another shout out to everyone who sent their character breakdowns to me for this. I wish I had time to get to all of them, and I really appreciate you taking the time to put them together! Thank you all so much!

Not making promises on when Part Three will come out, but it WILL be coming out. Thanks for reading through all this, I hope it’s been helpful. 

[emmybluefire]

Leylines - The Threads of Reality

“I want all of you to stop for a minute and tell me honestly: do you take mages seriously?”

“Do you listen when they warn you of the havock your spells can reap if you aren’t careful? Or do you simply discount them as being self-righteous assholes who fetter your ability to learn?”

looked on at the crowd, her expression intense, and her gaze unwavering. Stoically she scanned the crowd for a good long while, a stare piercing each and every single one of them, pulling from their body language things they wouldn’t otherwise communicate.

“Magic is powerful. The forces you pull energy from all have the capability to destroy our world in an instant. As such, it needs to be respected. A balance needs to be kept. And it’s infrastructure *needs* to be maintained.”

“But what is this magical infrastructure? Well the answer is clear. It is the Leylines. However, let's pause there for a moment.” she smiles, folding her hands behind her back.

“Tell me, when you hear the word ‘Leyline’ what do you all think of?” She asks, peering at the crowd gathered before her in search of raised hands.

The next little stretch of this lecture is dynamic to the responses.

“For many, I reckon the leylines simply refer to large twisting, winding, nexus of subterranean rivers that move arcane energy through the world.” 

“The residual energies that break off form it then surface in the form of mana, which mages utilize to cast spells.”

“But this statement is widely generalized, and wholly inaccurate, as there are multiple examples in the world of the Leylines being channeled to do more than just weave together a flame, push energy away from an area to create frost, or blast them with raw magical energy in the form of arcane.”

“The Kaldorei are famous for the creation of the Moonwells, fonts of supposedly holy energy. We all know this. What many don’t know is that each and every single one you see, is built on top of an intersection of Leylines.”

“On the edges of Mulgore, there are hot springs within the mountains that have mysterious healing powers who--just so happen--to rest on top of yet another intersection of leylines.”

“And as many of you know, healing is not the kind of spell most mages have in their repertoire.”

“The Throne of the Elements, a sacred place to the shamanistic orcs of Draenor, was also discovered by Khadgar to rest on top of a large intersection of leylines there. And yet, we can all agree, mages aren’t shamans.”

“And finally, in the Stonetalon mountain range, there is one that is appropriately named ‘Mount Fairview’ in which all of your senses seem to get amplified. You can see farther, sounds are amplified, and the winds carry even the slightest and most subtle scents to your nose.”

“An ability rarely seen in anyone but hunters and druids.”

“And, surprise surprise, the Leywalkers have also discovered a large intersection of leylines there as well.”

“There are many more examples of these places one can find when out adventuring, in history books, or even in your own backyard. But no matter where you look, one thing is patently certain: these leylines aren’t just fonts of arcane magic. They are magic incarnate.”

“But… for now, let's stop there. I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you with information right off the bat.” she chuckled.

“Instead, let me ask: Where do you guys think runes come from? What are they? How do you think they were discovered?” she pauses finally, looking over at the crowd for a show of hands.

Glances back behind her and draws a few sigils in the air with her fingers then bends her hand back, index and middle finger and thumb pointing towards… something. She lowers her hand gradually and reality shimmers behind her.

The effect drops as if a veil or cloth was pulled from a large flat object, revealing to everyone a large chalkboard. Upon it was drawn a map of Azeroth, with a few runes inscribed over key locations. Some she mentioned, others she hadn’t.

Steps to the side and grabs a large wooden pointer from the storage plate of the board, and lifts it, pointing to Mt. Fairview in the Stonetalon mountain range. Particularly the rune used to represent it.

“Hunters, Druids. I know you all recognize this one. This rune is used in the sigils for spells like “Farsight”--Also known once as Aspect of the Eagle--Aspect of the Hawk, and other spells of that nature.”

“Some mages might have also seen it in the use of divination spells such as truesight, and scrying.”

Swiftly moves the pointer to The Valley of Ancient Winters, in Northrend, hitting it with a sharp smack, jostling the rune there.

“Frost Evokers, and Water Elementalists. You guys see this one all the time. It is used in the weaving of nearly all frost and water attuned spells meant to damage someone with biting cold.”

And finally, Emmy whipped her stick to the northern segment of Kalimdor, between Darkshore, Ashenvale, and Winterspring. It was Moonglade.

“Healers, Priests, and even alchemists might recognize this one. Found in the Valley of Dulvarinn, a place known for its diverse ecosystem and variety of rare plants. The rune found here is used in many of our known healing spells.”

“But where did they come from? What do these runes have to do with the leylines? Well…”

She sets the pointer down on the storage plate and lowers her hand to the bottom of the board, gradually lifting up. As she did, lines of chalk of variant, and gradient thicknesses drew themselves across the board, infuseing the map of Azeroth like a web.

Most particularly, a lot of them melded into the runes that previously adorned the chalkboard. Several letters that seemed unrelated to one-another now seemed completely, and utterly, interconnected, pulling it altogether into an expansive nexus of elegant lines and shapes.

One might even be able to see new intersections forming as the lines netted their way across the board.

“The Leylines. Are. Everywhere. They infuse everything, and impact everyone whether you realize it or not.”

“Many of the spells we’ve developed today owe their thanks to the Highborn Scholars of old, who developed what we know today as magic by exploring the world, discovering these intersections, and documenting the patterns they saw.”

“It was through the leylines that we’ve developed the expansive runic alphabet we know today, opening up possibilities for a wide variety of spells and enchantments.”

“Magic is possible only because each of these letters, these runes, are interconnected and forever linked… enabling us to cast a spell from any-” she blinks to the back of the crowd, launching a bolt of arcane energy towards the front.

Lifts her hands and blinks back to the front, lifting a hand. It spiraled with a grand calligraphy of runes in an intricate sigil. The bolt hit it, being held in a sort of stasis for a very brief period. She rotated her wrist clockwise and twisted it to face her chest, the bolt fading back into energy, and spiraling back into her arm.

Lowering her hand to her side, she looked upon the crowd, gauging their reactions, before speaking once more.

“-where. From anywhere.” she smirked.

“Interestingly enough, many of us have taken transcripts of these runes, brought them to Titan facilities and compared them to the documents found there.”

“While the nuances of our spellcraft, and Titan spellcraft are very different, the general shape of these runes is the same.”

“This has led some to believe that it was the Titans who created the leylines.”

“The theorized reasons vary from scholar to scholar, some saying that they were created to sustain order on the fledgeling surface of Azeroth. More on that later. While others say it was merely to power their facilities. Still though, some have a different theory entirely.”

“Do I have any medical professionals in the crowd?” she glanced around.

“As was just demonstrated, the leylines remind people of blood vessels. Avenues by which nutrients are carried to different parts of the body. What nutrients go to where is determined by the constant ebb and flow of your blood, and where your arteries expand and constrict.”

“In the case of Azeroth, those nutrients are cosmic energies. The leylines pull energy from the cosmos, transform them, and move them to different parts of the planet to breathe life into her.”

“The runes that formed on this map are junctions by which these newly transformed energies get infused into her being.”

“The life that formed on her surface in the wake of some of these energies leaking was merely a happy side-effect. One that many of us are grateful for to this day I’m sure.” she chuckled.

“Today, this is the theory that is regarded as the most plausible by many of us mages. Particularly after reports of an audible heartbeat being heard in the chamber beneath Silithus.”

“I myself have also done research that more or less confirmed this by looking into the properties of Azerite--a substance often considered to be the congealed lifeblood of the planet.”

“Interestingly enough, I’ve found that it contains essences from nearly *all* documented forms of magical energy. Yet… in trace amounts along the outskirts of the main substance, as though it were mid-transformation.”

“So that, my friends, is what the leylines are. That is what they do, and that is where we draw much of our magic from. They are, as I said, the infrastructure of all magic. But, just like any infrastructure, they can also be damaged.”

“And when Infrastructure gets damaged, a multitude of horrible things can happen. Especially when you’re dealing with the fabric of reality itself.”

She sighs softly, folds her hands behind her back and looks down to the ground with a frown. Pausing for a moment to let that all sink in.

“If you all would like to stand, and follow me into the cavern behind, there is something I would like to show you.”

As the group stepped into the cavern, an immediate sense of disorientation would overtake them. For a brief moment, all concepts of direction and senses of what’s up and down would lose its meaning and confuse their minds. Though, this was not a mental attack.

As their bodies adapted to the new gravitational circumstances, they would suddenly feel lighter on their feet. A tickle rippling up their spinal chords as their bodies became completely engulfed in raw, latent magic.

Stops for a moment to let everyone collect themselves… seemingly used to, or unaffected by the strange magics that now surrounded them. “Do not be alarmed, you are completely safe. The situation here is much less dangerous than it used to be.”

‘S lips moved… but her voice didn’t seem sourced from them as normal. Instead, it sounded disembodied. Coming from everywhere, yet nowhere at once, adding yet more weirdness to the situation.

“Whatever you do though, don’t jump straight upward. You will be jettisoned in that direction and potentially break your neck on the ceiling.”

As Emmy continues to move down, the group would find it hard to keep their footing level… instead, they would have to push themselves forward using more effort than typical walking took. The lower gravity makes each step mimic a wide arch forward.

They continued on until they reached a ledge of obsidian. Though, looking into it was like looking into a window to the entire universe. Large Leycrystals coalesced in patches around them, and strange alien creatures flew above them, keeping a long distance away.

“This… is a minor form of what happens when a Leyline gets damaged. The effects here have been lessened since the damage was first discovered, but… well.” she clears her throat. “Does anybody want to wager a guess as to what caused all of this?”

Dynamic responses.

“If you remember from my last lecture, I explained that portals damaged the leylines by putting too much strain upon the veil. In a sense, this is what happened here.”

“The Warpwind Cliffs were once home to Chief Telemancer Occuleth, who has so graciously given his permission for me to teach within his home.”

“When he was banished from Suramar though, he began to wither. An ordeal which kept him from tending to his telemancy pads properly.”

“After many years of neglect, they fell into disarray. So all the ingenious anchors that prevented his portals from damaging the leylines broke down… leaving the energy to bleed out.”

“This formed a rift in the fabric of space/time, causing it to unravel. The combined efforts of the Kirin’Tor and Suramar have slowly begun to reverse this damage--hence why it’s safe enough to remain within here--but the scar it left will stay here forever.”

“You see, in the same way our planet’s rotation creates an electromagnetic field that shields us from cosmic radiation, the pulsation of the leylines creates a metaphysical shield known as ‘The Veil’ that prevents an excess of magic, and other realities, from bleeding into ours.”

“When a leyline get’s damaged, it creates a weakness in that veil that allows foreign forces to seep through into ours. And that, my friends, creates what you see behind me.”

“Of course, as I said, this is a very minor case… as this happened gradually over time, and was caught before the damage became too great. But there are a few more extreme examples I can throw at you.”

“Firstly, Azuna. A telemancy network malfunctioned there, choking a leyline and creating a ley fissure. Now you have anomalies like Manawraiths roaming about, dangerous animated objects, and just walking into the area causes severe disorientation, force damage, and fatigue.”

“Dalaran Crater is another example… in which an abrupt decision to teleport the entire city to Northrend created a massive wound in the planet where similar anomalies happen.”

“Even more severe is the mage tower known as Kharazahn. Its unfathomably powerful enchantments weakened the veil enough that it became a beacon for the Burning Legion to invade from.”

“The resulting energies of chaos unraveled what was left of the veil and created a place within its walls where all senses of ‘how it should be’ become null and void.”

“Halls and time warp, people shrink, gravity changes with the moon, and the spirits of those who were killed there are cursed to never rest.”

“And perhaps the most extreme example of all… Draenor. Our Draenor. The one that eventually became outland.”

“Ner’zul, a man trying to redeem his people, used the staff of Sargeras to open up a portal to another world. Only, it wouldn’t stop. Reality around them began to deteriorate, and the entire continent was thrust into the Twisting Nether.”

She stopped for a good long moment, allowing it all to sink in once more. It became apparent now, that her voice was gradually growing louder, and more severe, this entire time.

“But why? Why does this happen? Well… the answer to that is actually quite simple.”

“If the leylines are blood vessels, then like blood vessels, they can only handle so much energy--so much blood--at any given point in time. Call upon too much--pump too much--and they burst.”

“This is why the spells we cast can only reach a certain potency. Go beyond that, and you must take more time with it, resorting to rituals to cast, rather than a much quicker incantation.”

“This is why people like myself push so hard for others to be mindful of their castings. To be mindful of the impact they have on our planet through these castings.”

“Damage a leyline, and you never know what could happen to you. What could happen to the world around you.”

“The preservation of our world is a must. Keeping the infrastructure in proper working order allows life to flourish. Destroy that infrastructure, and you’ll wind up with a dying world in the long run.”

“Thank you, for listening. I hope this was informative.”

Author’s Note: Hey guys! I’m sorry this took so long to get out. I was busy! But I got it, and can now work on another piece of headcannon and theorycraft for ya’ll to enjoy :P

[thelogicalghost]

About Roleplaying

The internet is really useful at bringing people together, but it’s also, in my experience, sometimes useful for someone to point out places to start.

Roleplaying is a vast umbrella term that covers a diverse spectrum of activities, and if you enjoy any part of it, you might want to consider trying other styles.

I say this because, as someone who has been involved in both the least and most regulated forms of roleplay, it took me far longer than it should have to find out that there are dozens of gradients and variants in between, and I want to get more people involved in that growing diversity. 

I’m prompted to do this now because everyone being stuck in isolation has caused a boom in virtual gaming through apps like roll20, and I’ve discovered Discord-based text roleplay games that feel like the evolution of the LJ forums I used to love. So this is a great time to research, experiment, and find games to help keep us connected and sane. But finding the right game is extremely important.

Here’s the thing: there is a whole world of tabletop RPG outside of Dungeons and Dragons. D&D absolutely has its place in the TTRPG world, but oftentimes I see people frustrated with its limitations because they’re trying to use it in unintended ways. I’ve learned that different rules systems exist to help promote or restrain different kinds of stories. 

I like to think of RPG rulesets as falling generally into these (highly overlapping and by no means all-inclusive) categories:

* Numbers-intensive, or “crunchy” systems are very granular and the most intimidating to new players. Crunchy systems are often built to try to quantify things that other systems handwave. There are players who really love these kinds of games. They can be really rewarding to master, for one. Because so much is quantified, they can allow complex interactions that other systems can’t handle, such as simulating the mechanics of a play-by-play fight between a werewolf and a psychic alien. 

* In contrast, a Rules light system will try to lower the barrier for entry as much as possible for new players. It’s much more like collaborative story-writing, with the rules mostly existing to help tell the story, add an element of chance, and give the players numerical reminders of their strengths, weaknesses, and progression.

* Live Action Roleplay, or LARP intended systems are meant to be run live by a group of people actually acting out the characters, kind of like cosplaying an OC with a bunch of other people and doing improv of their interactions. These systems are designed for two purposes: to define the world and relationships between people in it, so that players build characters suited to the setting and know how to interact with it and each other, and to make the process of breaking out sheets (having to stop and calculate the results of something done by numbers) as fast as possible so people can get back to playing.

* Other systems are more necessarily true Tabletop. Some require maps and grids, different sets of dice for different rolls, or even armies of small figurines. In the old days, this could be intimidating because of the money and effort needed to amass materials, but these days, digital systems can let people play many games for free, and players who are more invested can spend money for fancier programs. Even if you just want to run your game over voice on Discord, you can upload a dice-roller bot to keep play transparent and fair.

* Another important set of terms are one-shot, scenario, and campaign, which are probably the most common ways of discussing intended game lengths. Some game systems are specifically written to be played in a single session and tell a single story. These usually have the most work done for you, such as handouts and schedules of when events should happen during the game. Other game systems have potentially hundreds of pre-written scenarios, which contain all the information a game runner needs to run one or more sessions through a pre-written story. Not every game is intended to be a campaign that extends out over weeks and months of increasingly hard encounters, and often shorter games are much better ways to meet new people, try new systems, or just have fun for an evening.

What I’m trying to say with all of this is, if you like roleplaying, there is a game out there for you and this is the perfect time to find people to play with.

Is D&D too rules-heavy for you? Why not try a rules-light system like FATE or Powered by the Apocalypse? The former is incredibly flexible and can easily be edited to fit any setting, while the latter has a dozen fun varieties like Monster of the Week (a Buffy/Supernatural show setting) or MonsterHearts (more of a CW supernatural teen drama vibe). 

Do you like the rules, but not the setting, of D&D? How about Shadowrun, a near-future heist game in a Bladerunner-meets-magic world? How about World of Darkness, which has specific settings for modern-day clans of vampires, werewolves, fairies, and mages?

If you’re particularly fond of a certain licensed property, check around: there might be a TTRPG made for it. Star Wars has multiple systems geared towards telling different stories. There are games for everything from Serenity to Leverage, and many of these are available in less-expensive PDFs you can download to both save shelf space and maximize how much of your money supports the creators. 

I utterly love some of these less-common systems. I love what they can do and the kind of stories you can tell with them. I really, strongly feel that if more people knew these options were out there, more people would try them and play them.

[rikacain]

the stronger claim

Warnings for dark themes and noncon/dubcon elements.

Many thanks to drel for holding my hand and doing lit analysis on my words when I sure as hell couldn’t, and to magnus for their suggestions.

when someone put down aphrodisiac jutsu as a prompt, i really wonder if they expected this.

(check ao3 notes for the kinkmeme prompt this is based on.)

summary: 

Kidnapping a shinobi is nothing new. It’s what you do to keep them there, that is the question.

read it on: ao3

The kidnapping of a hidden village’s shinobi is not an entirely surprising affair. 

Shinobi or not, wars have been fought with prisoners of war as a bargaining chip - it will be fought the same way for many wars more. There are far too many reasons to capture an enemy: for intelligence, or the prevention of it; for a bargaining chip to leverage against your enemies - especially if the target is significant to someone high on the authority chain. 

(To act as a suicide bomber upon their return to the village, something whispers. Obito’s eye aches like a bitter reminder.)

Nevertheless, the requisite reaction to such actions in peacetime is to pursue the victim. Losses in personnel are bad for morale, and a healthy discouragement of kidnapping Konoha shinobi, in general, is a good deterrent to future kidnapping attempts (up until it isn’t). And even if retrieval ends unsuccessfully, better for those under the banner to believe that an effort would be made rather than none at all.

Of course, a successful rescue attempt is infinitely preferable - and although Kakashi won't admit it to anyone, this attempt will be personal. 

As a shinobi, Umino Iruka is nothing more than a chuunin, a minor gear in the workings of Konoha. As a shinobi of Konoha, he is a teacher in the Academy, a tenant of the Mission Desk, and a regular visitor of the Hokage. Each position affords him information on various affairs, ranging from clan heirs and their abilities to the missions he reviews and accepts. 

Coupled with the weekly visits he makes to the Hokage’s office for no discernibly official purposes and the way Naruto proclaims his love for his adoptive father figure without the slightest bit of reservation, Iruka makes quite an attractive target if there aren't other more compelling and valuable targets to infiltrate Konoha for. 

But as a person... Iruka is more than all of his worth as a shinobi, more than his sharp words and gentle smiles and unrelenting belief in the Will of Fire; Kakashi can only be pulled into his orbit whenever Iruka passes him by.

But now Iruka’s taken (like Rin before he drove a handful of lightning through her chest) - gone. And Kakashi had always thought that there would be a day he would walk up to the teacher and ask him, maybe, for his time and whatever else Iruka would be willing to give - to let the pieces fall as they may. 

It tears more at him than more he ever thinks it would, that there would never be that possibility, soft and warm and entirely his. 

It fuels him to run faster, to track harder, to go to where Iruka had been taken to; it leads him to the hidden village of Nagisa, surrounded by white sands and rolling waves. A potentially idyllic vacation spot, only tainted by the actions that they have taken against Konoha. 

He directs his team to infiltrate the village, to acquire information on their motives and the whereabouts of their captive. After all their efforts - after the seeping fear of finding Iruka bloody and bruised, broken against a cell wall - he finds himself venturing into a cavern with a foreign seal sketched large and wide onto the pristine sand, the sprawling script of symbols glowing a soft gradient between sea-green and ocean-blue.

He finds Iruka, at the center of it all. 

Iruka, bound. Iruka, writhing. Iruka, gasping as a hooded figure bends low over his prone form and seals their mouth over Iruka's own. 

Perhaps if Kakashi were more level-minded,  he would claim that immediate action was a necessity. That he couldn't wait for a diversion Tenzou was creating on the far side of the village, for a better opportunity. That the seal, an unknown factor, seemed far too dangerous to allow it to come to fruition. 

At that very moment, he knows only that Iruka is garbed in a yukata, thin and light and so very easy to remove. Eye-catching, sprawled helpless against the sand. 

Whatever is planned next, Kakashi doesn’t want to know. He drops down onto the central array sketched within the seal. The symbols around them flare as his feet touch the ground, washing the cavern in a brilliant white. 

The hooded figure jerks their head up, eyes flashing in alarm - but Kakashi only has eyes for Iruka, who arches up in their arms. He doesn't give them a chance to raise their voice; he moves in, the grip on his kunai firm and deadly. 

The fight - if it could be called one - doesn't last long.

When the hood is stained red from arterial spray, Kakashi finally lowers his weapon and turns around to check on Iruka. A quip is ready on his tongue, only to dissipate with a sharp breath when he sees Iruka’s reaction - or lack thereof. 

It worries Kakashi, how unaware Iruka is despite being shinobi - how utterly vulnerable he currently is. He approaches Iruka’s prone form and crouches over him. 

“Iruka-sensei,” he says, urgency rushing his words. "Sensei, we’re here to rescue you.”

It does not bode well that Iruka does not even react. He stares up towards the ceiling, eyes glassy and unseeing. A sheen of sweat glistens upon his skin. The drag of his breaths, slow and audible. 

Perhaps a genjutsu. Kakashi attempts to dispel it. 

Nothing happens.

“Sensei,” he says again. He ruthlessly quashes down thoughts of too late once again. Tsunade can be the judge of that and no one else. “We have to go."

He reaches out to slide a hand under Iruka’s neck -

Iruka shudders in his arms, pressing into Kakashi. Reflex makes Kakashi tense; experience makes him shift towards a defensive position. He expects Iruka to swing at him, perhaps compelled by this foreign ritual, and half-expects at the end of all this to relearn that heavy numbness within his hand, the cold weight of a precious person dead at his feet.

He does not expect Iruka to moan.

Long and low and guttural; Iruka’s head falls back, eyelids a-fluttering; mouth open, inviting. He shifts, restless, his thighs twitching against each other, unmistakably rubbing against each other. A flush rises high across his face, accentuating that scar that Kakashi has always longed to trail a finger across. 

The moan tapers off to something breathy. Needy.

It is a sound Kakashi dared to imagine only in his fantasies, a sound that will feature in many of them to come. His mouth dries, his heart pounds loud in his ears. A blush burns across his face, arousal mixed with mortification - he has never been more thankful for his mask.

It is also a scene he’s familiar with, one that he would not have wished on Iruka. 

An aphrodisiac jutsu.

In that haze of arousal, Iruka weakly turns his head to look at Kakashi. In his eyes, there is a faint spark of recognition. 

“Kakashi-san,” he rasps.  

Kakashi cannot help but track the swipe of Iruka's tongue as it darts out to wet his lips. The muted shine it leaves behind. And - shamefully - all Kakashi can think is: <em>this is what Iruka would sound like in his bed.</em>

There’s a distant sound of an explosion - the distraction he was supposed to wait for, finally come unto existence. It jolts him into action: he hoists Iruka over his head and across his shoulders in one smooth and practiced movement, curling one arm around Iruka's arm and the other around his bare leg but leaving his hands otherwise free to perform a jutsu if need be. Despite the breathiness of the fabric, Iruka is emanating warmth as though he is running a fever - no doubt a symptom of the jutsu placed upon him.

Kakashi resolutely ignores Iruka's trembling, his breathy sighs. He forms a futon to blow away the symbols in the sand. 

Whether it would break the jutsu, he doesn't know. Their first priority is to escape.

“Hold on, sensei,” Kakashi swallows, ignoring the curl of desire within his gut. "We're getting out of here."

-----

He meets up with Tenzou and Yugao at the edge of the village, as planned. Their three-man cell takes quick leave of the area, making the run back to Fire's borders - a grueling three days' journey away.

It takes four hours before night falls, and for darkness to set in proper without the silvery light of the moon. The absence of light is a boon more than a bane: it would be difficult for pursuers to come across their camp.

That is, if there were any. 

Kakashi had expected hot pursuit of their prisoner, or retaliation for the intrusion. But there has been nothing: no jutsu aimed at them, no shuriken grazing their skin, no kunai planted in their back. They leave Nagisa practically unmolested, with their objective in tow; their objective being draped across Kakashi’s shoulder. 

It is discomfiting to refer to Iruka in such an impersonal way. An objective has always been a mark: to steal, to persuade, to assassinate. To use it against Iruka feels incongruous, if not for Kakashi's own affections then to address a comrade. 

But the uncomfortable truth is that Kakashi cannot consider Iruka as anything else, not at this very moment.

For Iruka has been restless, the entire time he was on Kakashi's back. The jutsu has not worn off even with the destruction of the array and the distance they gained. There is a damp patch on Kakashi's shirt where Iruka has been gasping helplessly against the fabric. Kakashi's neck is drenched with sweat, from physical exertion and his proximity to Iruka’s body heat. 

Most incriminatingly, Iruka's groin is positioned just where Kakashi's tactical vest ends.

It is impossible for Kakashi to maintain an unyielding grip on Iruka; it is equally impossible for Iruka to remain still. It is therefore very natural for friction to occur - for Kakashi to feel the way Iruka's cock fills out against his shoulder as they ran, especially through the thin material of the yukata.

A healthy dose of desperation and his iron discipline stave off Kakashi’s own burgeoning arousal. Or so he hopes.

They stop in a suitable clearing. Tenzou creates a thick copse of trees with its trucks curving to form a hollow dome able to fit four at its base, while Kakashi and Yugao set up the perimeter traps and seals. Such is their routine, established by once a plan and now muscle memory; they reconvene in mere minutes.

"Senpai," Tenzou says. There's an undercurrent of concern in his voice.

The cause is clear: Kakashi has refused to set Iruka down even when they were a safe distance away from the village. Iruka is essentially little more than a deadweight at this very moment.

As if in reaction to Tenzou’s words, Iruka shudders again against his shoulder. Kakashi hastily sets him down, positioning him to face away from the others. 

Iruka deserves to have his modesty preserved, as much as Kakashi can provide, even if Iruka's yukata is presently drenched with sweat to the point of translucence. It sticks to him, almost as though it is a second skin. Leaving nothing to the imagination. The way he’ll shiver if Kakashi pushes it off him, shoulder by shoulder...

He tears his gaze away from Iruka and breathes out, harsh. It is only physical relief he can afford. 

"An aphrodisiac," he explains briskly, calling upon his lifetime’s worth of discipline, his experience in imparting information concisely. "I found him in a seals array, and tried to dispel the jutsu, erase the seals." 

Iruka's heavy breathing in a corner of the dome speaks volumes about the success of either attempt. 

Tenzou's eyes flick towards the other man, his face set in neutrality. "What did they do to him?”

"Nothing good if it involves an aphrodisiac," Yugao says darkly. 

"We'll get him back to Hokage-sama," he says, decisive. None of them are medics; he can only hope that the aphrodisiac would run its course. Or that they get to Tsunade before the symptoms can worsen. "Tenzou, you're on first. Yugao, third. We leave at dawn."

Tenzou nods, and darts upwards to perch within the trees he built. Yugao settles in a far corner of the dome. He doesn't miss the way she turns her back to him, giving him the privacy he wants to talk to Iruka; gratitude settles firmly in his gut.

He crouches again, this time a distance away. Iruka probably doesn’t want anyone to see him with his inhibitions lowered, Kakashi included.

“Iruka-sensei,” he murmurs. There’s the minutest of shifting - he takes it as acknowledgment. “I’ll get you back to Konoha. To your students - to Naruto. I promise.”

There’s the sound of an exhale, shaky and forced. 

“Kakashi-san,” the quiet rasp comes again. Kakashi holds himself still. “I have to go back.”

“We will,” he says hastily. “I promise you, sensei - “

“I have to go back.” Iruka’s breathing shudders again, and Kakashi yearns to reach out, to hold him. To comfort. But physical affection is the last thing Iruka needs right now. “But you can’t let me.”

Something cold drains into Kakashi’s body. 

“Sensei,” he says, almost choking on the possibility of his past, repeated. It would be cruel of fate to act so callously. The hoarseness of his voice makes it sound like he’s begging: “Iruka.”

Iruka only repeats, “You can’t."

-----

The wards scream to life as their pursuers finally make their attack.

-----

Something is wrong.

Maybe it’s the way the darkness of the night is supposed to cover their tracks, and the camouflage of Tenzou’s Mokuton-built fortress their presence. Maybe it’s how the pursuers stop far too easily, never giving chase even as they retreat. Maybe it’s how their team is getting run ragged into the dawn of the next morning, as they move camp again and again and again.

Three times. They’ve been attacked three times, within an hour of setting up camp. Had it been once, Kakashi would put it down to unluckiness; twice, coincidence. Three times make a pattern. 

Nagisa is tracking them. 

Kakashi considers chakra sensors - then discards the theory. All attacks so far have involved different shinobi. Sensory abilities are a highly valued skill; Nagisa would have gone the way of Uzushio if other countries realize the number of chakra-sensitive shinobi they’re putting out. 

Perhaps a physical tracker. But none of them has taken anything from the village, and the yukata draped on Iruka (on which Kakashi forced himself to perform the most perfunctory of inspections) is far too thin to hide any tracker sewn into its seams or sleeves. Iruka has been coherent enough to confirm that he had not been fed during his brief captivity.

That leaves only jutsu.

(There remains only one unknown factor in this entire scenario.)

He turns to Iruka - huddled again in a corner of the dome. The aphrodisiac has shown no sign of reducing in intensity throughout the night, raising a whole different set of medical concerns: dehydration and heatstroke, to name a few. More worryingly, Iruka has been incredibly reluctant to press forward, with all attempts at running being best described as faltering. When pressed, he would only shake his head.

(You can’t let me, and Kakashi can’t tell whether he’s remembering Iruka, or remembering Rin. You can’t.)

They had to resort to carrying him but therein arose another problem: Iruka would thrash wildly the very moment Tenzou or Yugao touched him. The only person he would remain still for, would allow to touch him, is Kakashi.

It sets something possessive and dark purring within him, even though he knows that it’s likely due to the jutsu. It also means that Kakashi is the only one who can carry him as they run, limiting his movement and defenses.

Still, the most pressing concern remains Nagisa’s recurring ability to find their camp. And if it’s truly jutsu, then there is one way for Kakashi to confirm: the Sharingan.

He raises his hand to pull off the headband, to direct his gaze towards Iruka… and then hesitates. The Sharingan burns memories into his mind, this he knows. He also knows how utterly mortifying it is to be vulnerable, to curl away from pitying eyes. 

If he looks at Iruka, he'll remember him like this, forever. Even though Iruka should be standing with his head held high, his ponytail tied back proper, confident and assured. All the things Kakashi respected him for. 

And he will be those things still, Kakashi tells himself, but only if Kakashi can get him back within the safe boundaries of Konoha. 

(As though you won't remember him like this when your hand is wrapped around your cock, something small and nasty whispers to him.)

Better traumatized than dead, Kakashi repeats and pulls the headband off. 

The strain sets in almost immediately. The sluggish swirl of the tomoes within the eye begins to quicken as it greedily absorbs any and all information it could perceive, the blurry haze of chakra settling into proper place as his vision comes into focus. 

Iruka's chakra levels are running low, with the occasion flicker and flare Kakashi expects from a loss in control. What alarms him is a thin cord of chakra running from Iruka's heart, through the gaps of Tenzou's Mokuton dome and out into the distance. 

There is little doubt that at the other end is Nagisa. 

The cord is cool when Kakashi reaches out to touch it, to run a finger down the line. He flicks at it, noting how the chakra is foreign from Iruka’s fiery own - and the ephemeral flash of inscriptions running across Iruka’s form.

"Senpai," Tenzou says hesitantly.

Ah, right. He must look quite peculiar, touching nothing midair. Actually, now that he notices - the cord seems to go right through Yugao's knee, with her none the wiser. 

Curious. 

"I think," Kakashi says in lieu of an answer, "we need to ask them some questions."

-----

It takes a counter-ambush to capture a Nagisa-nin. It takes the Sharingan to get her to tell them what Nagisa did to Iruka. 

It takes a sick mind to come up with what they did. 

The tethering jutsu, Nagisa calls it. A fuuinjutsu, a forbidden technique: the sealing of foreign chakra into another person's body. As long as the source of chakra existed, Nagisa would be able to track Iruka wherever he went. 

Placing trackers on prisoners and marks is nothing new, least of all to Kakashi. While physical trackers like the Aburame's insects are far more common, infusing raw chakra into the body is not unheard of. Still, as most jutsu do, such methods have their limitations - in this case, weakening or dissipating entirely after a certain distance is gained. 

Nagisa's jutsu entrenches the chakra more firmly, the transfer of chakra augmented by emotional intensity and physical intimacy. 

In blunt terms: by sexual intercourse. 

(The aphrodisiac jutsu certainly makes that easier, Kakashi notes clinically.)

The tether also acts as a reel, one that constantly compels Iruka to return to the source of the chakra. Even though Kakashi killed the caster, apparently they were but a mere conduit for the source: the sands of the cavern, chakra-infused over the years. 

Loyalty to one is a danger to all, the Nagisa-nin murmurs under the swirling Sharingan. Better to bind to a place rather than a person.

There is little need to ask why such a jutsu is so necessary, not when it is clear how small Nagisa is compared to other hidden villages of similar status. The low birth and high mortality rates of shinobi lifestyles are problems Konoha chose to answer through a relatively open (for hidden villages) immigration policy. Nagisa merely circumvented the lengthy background and security checks through the forced conversion of foreign shinobi to bolster its own forces. 

After all, why invest in training when you could appropriate a trained shinobi? Why keep your best assets at home performing menial jobs and administrative tasks when you could send them out into the field?

A policy that makes sense on paper. A policy where someone looked at another villages’ shinobi and considered them resources instead of people. The results instead of the means.

(Even so, there’s a twisted part of Kakashi that is relieved - that it is but a tracker instead of a ticking bomb. That when he said ‘back’ he meant to Nagisa, and not to Konoha. That Iruka will not go the same way as Rin.)

Behind him, Tenzou’s chakra sharpens, glass-shard sharp and glinting. Kakashi wagers the idea of loyalty to one's village being ripped away so easily disturbs him. In direct contrast, Yugao’s chakra simmers, roiling bursts contained within a chilly veneer.

He turns back to the captive. “How do we break the jutsu,” he demands. “I interrupted the ritual - it shouldn’t have taken hold.”

A blank gaze. “There were other conduits attending to him,” she finally says, the hungry pull of the Sharingan drawing the information out of her. “A claim has already been made. An interruption is merely another."

Other conduits. How many of them had laid their hands on Iruka before he had gotten there? The very thought turns Kakashi's voice vicious; he snarls, again - “How do we break it?” 

“We must let go of him,” comes the placid reply. “Or there must be a stronger claim.”

-----

“Senpai.”

Tenzou finds him outside of the dome. Kakashi is staring out into the distance, for the possibility of more ambushers, more pursuers, more lives to take - something he knows how to do better than solve this problem before them.

“Tenzou.” Kakashi doesn’t turn to look at him. “What are our chances of making it to Fire?”

He doubts they can even make it to Konoha. What an ingenious plan - instead of facing their opponents head-on, Nagisa merely tires them out until they are forced to give up from sheer exhaustion. He’d appreciate it when it isn’t done against him.

To his credit, Tenzou doesn’t soften his words. 

“Very low." Kakashi thought so. "Even with chakra pills, we’d be drained of chakra long before we reach the borders. And with that fever Iruka-sensei is running...”

He breathes out as Tenzou trails off, sifting through the various plans he has come up with. A single guard while the others slept would mean they'd have to carry that guard alongside Iruka. A decoy would be useless. And if any of them were caught and brought back to Nagisa…

“I won't abandon him.” The words tear themselves out of Kakashi’s throat, unbidden. Cutting losses, sacrifice - concepts they’re both familiar with. The choice to save three over a compromised one. 

But it means letting Iruka go back. Back where they can finish the ritual.

That isn't an option.

Tenzou nods slowly, his faith in Kakashi absolute. “I know."

Kakashi shakes his head sharply. Those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash - but this is more. More than camaraderie, more than loyalty. More than the guilt of allowing someone to be ripped away from their home, never to return, only to be part of a system that will never value their choice.

But to keep Iruka, to return him to Konoha...

It has to be Kakashi. The jutsu would not accept Tenzou, nor Yugao - it recognizes only Kakashi as a competing claim. If they were all to get away from Nagisa alive, then Kakashi would have to - 

He’d have to -

“I can’t,” he says, hoarse. 

"I know.” The answer jolts him out of the maelstrom of his doubts; he finally turns to look at Tenzou. His friend looks back at him, steady as the trees he built. "But you have to."

Duty calls. Kakashi closes his eyes. Tenzou is right, he has to -

"You have to ask him.” Kakashi’s eyes fly open. They meet Tenzou’s own, dark and piercing. "Ask him, senpai."

To ask Iruka - 

"He's out of his mind.” Kakashi's fist clenches, tight, almost as though lightning would build in his hands. As though he could punch his way through the chest of this problem. "He won't know what he's saying."

"Better he decides than you decide for him," Tenzou tells him bluntly.

Kakashi stares at Tenzou, searching his face for another solution, another possibility. As though there'll be another way to bring all of them out unscathed. But Tenzou remains unwavering in his conviction. Firm. 

"Go and ask him, senpai," he says again, not unkindly. 

Kakashi stands.

------

When he steps back into the dome, he finds only Iruka. Curled small and tucked away into a corner, the previously pristine yukata now creased and sweat-stained. His gaze remains vaguely vacant, staring into the distance, but his eyes flick weakly to Kakashi as he sits down in front of Iruka. 

How to even begin this conversation? Iruka-sensei, if you don't want to go back to Nagisa, you'll have to let me fuck you. 

Iruka-sensei, I don't want to rape you, but if I don't do it Nagisa probably will. Would you rather be raped by me or them?

Iruka-sensei, I'm sorry. 

(There is one more path, one where a kunai is put to Iruka's throat and pushed in deep. The one where Iruka becomes unreachable, untouchable - but remains wholly his own. 

Kakashi refuses to even think of suggesting it.)

Kakashi takes a deep breath, to say something - but Iruka's voice is the first to cut through the silence. 

"I'm sorry to put you in this position, Kakashi-san," he whispers. 

Kakashi should be apologizing, not Iruka. He should have done more reconnaissance before plucking Iruka right out of the ritual. He should have watched and waited - but fear had driven him more than caution had then. 

"Maa, sensei." He forces his voice lighter and smiles wanly through his mask. It was comforting then, their easy-going banter - he can't help but wonder if Iruka finds it comforting too. If he still does. "We've all had a tracker planted on us before. Yours is just a bit harder to get rid of."

He thinks he sees Iruka's twitch upwards, just the slightest bit - but that might just be wishful thinking. 

"You heard about how to break the jutsu." Iruka dips his head downwards, and Kakashi doesn't know whether it could be called mercy that he doesn't need to say it again. That he doesn’t need to say it aloud. 

It doesn't stop his throat from clogging up, to cement what comes next into words. Into reality. 

Ask, the echo of Tenzou's voice reminds him. 

"Iruka-sensei," he forces out. "I... What do you want?"

Iruka stares at him. Kakashi can see the heated glaze of his eyes, the damp sheen of his skin. What was he thinking, asking - but he can't make this decision for Iruka. Tenzou is right - and even if the choice is not much of a choice at all, Kakashi has to give Iruka anything that he can. 

God, he'd give Iruka everything that he can. 

"We can break the jutsu now," he continues. "Or - or, we can - "  - let you go back to Nagisa, except that choice isn't a choice at all, not one he could let Iruka take any more than he could let Iruka commit suicide. 

"We can wait until the borders," he says instead in a moment of great weakness. It comes out like a plea. "We'll just run all the way there. They wouldn't risk invading Fire -"

"The borders," Iruka murmurs. "The borders, they," - he cuts off with a shudder, before forcing out a strained, "three days away."

"We'll make it," Kakashi says, desperation dripping through the cracks in this terrible plan. 

Iruka lifts his head. Before he even says a word, Kakashi knows. 

"Kakashi-san is a very kind person," Iruka breathes out. "But I... one man isn't worth all this."

You are, Kakashi wants to say - you are, you are worth all the miles I ran after you, worth all the rain drenching my clothes and the sun beating down my back. Worth the burn in my muscles and the strain in my shoulders. 

But it’s not about Kakashi, not here, not now. 

“I’ll be fine,” Iruka is saying. He’s even smiling - a weak, reassuring smile, as though Kakashi is one of his students needing reassurance for a skinned knee, or from a violent storm. “I can take a few weeks more of captivity. I promise.”

Like how Kakashi promised him a few hours ago. “I promised that you’d return to Konoha, sensei. Would you have me break that promise too?"

“If it means keeping everyone safe,” Iruka answers. “Yes.”

All of them, duty-bound. Martyrs and fools. If this is Iruka’s choice, Kakashi has to respect it - but…

“You know what will happen,” he says. A nod. “You know you might not see Konoha ever again.” If Nagisa decides Iruka is valuable enough, they would increase the security and begin negotiations with Konoha - rescue would be immensely difficult. Yet, still, another nod. “Then why?”

“Like I said,” Iruka says, softly. “I don't want to put you in this position. You shouldn't have to do this."

"I shouldn't have to," Kakashi repeats, uncomprehending.

“I couldn’t…” Another tremor sweeps over Iruka. The sight of Iruka’s throat working around the words, the shift of his Adam’s apple under the skin - it catches Kakashi’s eye and keeps him there. Keeps him wondering how it would taste, if he puts his tongue to it. “I couldn’t be so selfish.”

Selfish, he says. No, Kakashi knows what selfishness is: the urge to tear off the arms off any ninja that would attempt to bind Iruka to their cause. The depths of Kakashi’s want, to be the only person Iruka should ever tether himself to. The hollow grief at the thought of an Iruka-shaped absence in the part of Konoha Kakashi considers his, even though he would be alive in Nagisa.

This is also selfishness: the absolute dread at the idea of Iruka never wanting to see Kakashi again for as long as he is alive.  

"It would be selfish of us to leave Naruto worried,” Kakashi says instead. He avoids saying ‘you’, an effort to soften the blow - an effort in vain from the twitch that would have otherwise been a flinch. “Your students. Your colleagues. Friends.” 

“They’ll understand.” They won’t. No one possibly could, least of all Kakashi. “They’ll carry on.” 

Iruka looks at him - soft and resigned. Final. “You’d look after Naruto for me, won’t you?”

In any other situation, that is a promise he can make easily. In this situation, it is a promise he is not yet willing to give. 

“You’d go back to Nagisa just to spare me.” Kakashi says quietly, confirming.

Iruka nods again, exhaustion getting the better of him.  "And that's the only reason." Another nod, slow and languid. "I see."

"Thank you," Iruka says. His weak but sincere smile rends Kakashi apart - and the wretched part of it all is the gratitude. That he would be left to the wolves just to spare Kakashi. 

And in that very moment, Kakashi knows what he is willing to lose.

"You're wrong about one thing, sensei," he says. There is a flicker of confusion in Iruka's eyes as Kakashi holds them with his own. They widen when he pulls off his headband yet again so that they might better see the strands of chakra tethering Iruka; further still as he pulls down his mask. "I'm not kind at all."

He reaches out to curl a hand around Iruka's nape, pulling him close - close enough for Kakashi to press his lips to Iruka's own.

"I'm very, very selfish," he confesses into the space between their mouths, and begins to stake his claim.

[the-gunslock]

HIVER 8 - BALLET TONNERRE

Hiver and Amanda cuddle in the bed in a cloudy morning, the former staring blankly at the ceiling thinking about her next course of action, and the latter inspecting her lover’s face and ethereal eyes for any trace of emotion. They have been talking for around an hour now, no rush to put their clothes on since their first time together.

“...Think ya should look for the Techeuns on that.” Amanda says, rubbing her fingertip up and down on Hiver’s sternum. “Heard that Awoken dreams usually have a deeper meaning, might help you find somethin’ ‘bout yourself, darlin’.”

“Sure, that’s a good idea. Huh…” Hiver props herself on her elbows, thinking and turning to Amanda. “Honey, can you do a drawing for me?”

“What of?”

“An outfit. I’m going to the Dreaming City.”

“Ally-oop!” The shipwright says, bouncing on the bed and straddling the Warlock, holding her wrists in place and moving her face close to hers, causing her to struggle playfully. “Who said you could?”

“NOOOOOO!” Hiver half-shouts, barely containing her laughter.

She plants a deep kiss on her girlfriend’s mouth, moving her hands from her wrists and intertwining her fingers with hers. As Hiver relaxes her body and closes her eyes, Amanda moves close to her ear.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret.” She whispers.

“What is it?”

Amanda sits back up on Hiver’s lap, pulling her into a forehead kiss.

“You’ll always be the one I love, no matter who you were before. What matters is who you are now. ‘Kay?”

Hiver moves in to touch her forehead with her own. “Okay.” The blonde woman smiles.

“Can we never leave this bed?”

In response, Hiver holds her and lifts her by her bottom, causing her to entangle her arms and human leg around her body, like a sloth holding on to its favorite branch. “Guess that’s a no. How’re you so strong for someone so tiny?” She asks as Hiver kisses her neck and opens her bathroom door.

“It’s just a ten centimeter difference,” the Warlock answers, putting her girlfriend on top of a vacant section of the sink. “I’m not that shorter than you. I’ll run the bath for us.”

“You’re the perfect height.” They chit chat as the bath goes full, with Hiver asking Trinity to send her details of how the outfit needs to look, down to color and texture. Soon they are fully geared, riding Hiver’s Bronco to the Tower, Amanda saving a page on her industrial-model-and-doodle-filled sketchbook.

Hiver went to orbit to trace a course for the Dreaming City. While on her workstation, Amanda quickly makes a croquis of a person (With Hiver’s hair for guidance) and starts trying to delve into the mental image of her lover’s visions.

As she went, it was evident that is was some sort of modified, dark purple ball gown that an asymmetrical cascading skirt, sprinkled with a sparkly, golden star-like gradient fading from the hip. The top part has a wide neckline that is semi-disconnected from the dress’s ¾ sleeves, both of their hems lined with black fur. The back of the dress - as she had also sketched - was deeply cut out, exposing the user’s entire back.

As a final touch, it has a silk, glittering sash over the waistband, secured with a little brimstone brooch shaped like an eight pointed star. After signing her name and scribbling some notes about the fabric and the texture, Amanda cracks her fingers, hoping it would be enough for Hiver to begin a search.

“Wait a minute…” Amanda narrows her eyes at her drawing while stretching her wrist. She is missing something that feels very obvious, and she bites her lip as she tries to figure out what it is.

Nevertheless, she sends the image of her sketch to Trinity, going back to seeing about ships and waiting for Hiver to respond. Soon, her tablet notifies her about an incoming audio message.

“Yes, yes! It’s perfect. I hope Petra or the Techeuns have something to say about this. Thanks, babe, I love you infinity ♥”

“Anytime, darling. Love you infinity times infinity ♥” Amanda replies with a cheeky grin on her face.

“Whatcha smiling at?” A voice calls from above. She doesn’t even need to turn around to know who it is, just rolling her eyes at the sound.

“Hey, Luna.” She greets, putting her tablet away and turning back to the ship engine that needs repairing. “Did a drawing from Hiver’s dream, now she’s seeing if she can find anything ‘bout it. Dunno if it’s any lead, but one can dream.”

“Can we see it?” Luna’s Ghost, Frost, asks, ever curious.

“Notebook’s on my desk.”

Luna picks up the notebook, looking over the messy, albeit practical strokes of Amanda’s drawing of the gown. She had a talent for this, and Luna made a mental note to remind her not to waste it.

“Interesting. You draw very well!” The Hunter says, closing the notebook. “Where did she go?”

“Thanks. Dreaming City. Talk to Petra.”

The Hunter makes a flustered expression remembering her Queen’s Wrath crush, and for a second she considers going there just to see her for some time.

“Not saying that goin’ there is a bad idea, but I’m totally sayin’ goin’ there’s a bad idea. Hiver’s dead set on this and she might kill you if you try to interrupt.” Amanda says, not turning her head from the engine.

Luna and her Ghost trade shocked looks. “What can be so important that she might kill me of all people over?”

“Herself. Leave her do her thing, Petra ain’t dying anytime soon.” Amanda reassures, leaving the “I think” part of the sentence in her thoughts.

“...Sure. Good luck, you two.” The Nightstalker says before walking away.

“Likewise.”

Hiver’s ship flies through the skies and crisp marble-like towers of Rheasilvia, spotting the Queenswrath on radar and transmatting near her position, as she aims her scout rifle at the Taken below.

“Petra!” She calls out with a plastic case and tumbler in hand, making the woman turn around. “I need your help, and come bearing a peace offering.”

“What for, cousin? We aren’t enemies.”

“All the more reason why you should enjoy it.” She hands Petra the case, containing many still hot triangle sandwiches filled with ham and various vegetables. Her eye glistens and her stomach growls when she smells the Warlock’s gift of a fresh meal.

“Surely, you have my attention.”

“So…” Petra says, sipping from the tea that Hiver brought to her. “you see yourself dance in this garment, and you believe that it may be connected to your past life?”

“Exactly.”

“I think it would be useful to see this dance you refer to, Guardian. With your measurements, in a couple days, we can get this dress done.”

Trinity starts scanning Hiver’s body to conveniently get her measurements and send them to Petra. “What do we owe you all?”

“How about a favor? You help me clean this section’s buildings, ridding it of the Taken, and in exchange you use it to show us your… mysterious dance. I don’t know why, they just -- keep coming back. Argh. Filthy demons.”

Hiver pulls out her Ace of Spades and twirls it in her hand. “Then we just gotta keep killing them.”

With her cannon and her cheery attitude, Petra remembers Cayde for a moment before coming back to reality.

“We got incoming.” Trinity states to the women, who go alert as a Blight materializes in front of them.

“Petra, have this.” Hiver passes her Le Monarque bow and its arrows to Petra, certain that she would be on her best element if she used it, her grin being a good enough confirmation. Together, they jump off the perch and run on towards the Rheasilvia temples, firing at the many Taken units and Blights that block their path.

After a while of dynamic and surprisingly fluid combat (Given they had barely worked together before) they manage to secure the temples and rooms needed for the Dreaming City’s Corsairs and Techeuns to resume work. One of them has a very large, circular space in the middle, almost like some sort of theater. Seems like it would be the spot.

“I’ll stay in this area for a while, so the Corsairs can set up a base of operations. Once your dress is done, I’ll call you ASAP.”

Hiver extends a hand to the Queenswrath, who shakes it vigorously while looking at each other’s eyes.

“Cousin, I’m sorry. What was your name again?” Petra asks for reminder, making sure she knew who to call once the dress was ready.

“It’s Hiver.”

“Of course. What does it mean?”

“An Earth language word. Means “Winter.” Until next time, Petra. I’m just a message away.”

Petra eyes the intricate black and red weapon in her hand, almost forgetting she held it. “Hiver, your bow!”

“Oh. It’s called Le Monarque, after a type of butterfly.” Hiver says, pulling out Trinity in order to be transmatted into her ship, ready to join her Fireteam. “You can have it for now, Petra. Take good care of it.”

With that, the Guardian vanishes, leaving Petra puzzled. She narrows her eye in thought.

“...What is a butterfly?”

Regardless, the Queenswrath is interested in the capabilities of this new heirloom. She decides to do some field-testing with it, grabbing another glowing arrow off its quiver and stepping outdoors once more, pulling back the string.

“What’d ya get?”

“Not much yet. Petra is working to get the dress done. In the meanwhile, I’ll just… go about my days.” The Warlock says, lying in boredom atop her girlfriend’s workstation. “Hey, you need any help?”

“Sorry babe, I’m good.”

Hiver groans. Nothing piqued her interest yet since she was so invested in finding out what she was seeing. Amanda would love to help, but as always, she was shackled to her work schedule and couldn’t do much else except talk and give her the occasional kiss or nuzzle.

“Darlin’?” Amanda says, sitting straight in her desk, looking at a circuit board she was tinkering with.

“Yes?”

“Can ya run some Arc through this? Wanna see if it works.”

Hiver jumps down to the workshop, quickly locating the electrical parts of the circuit, and powering it just enough for it to display an image on a screen Amanda had it connected to.

“Whew, fixed. Thank you, Hiver.”

Hiver gives a happy smile for being useful, ready to go back to the roof.

“So… How ‘bout we put a smile on that face?” Amanda says, putting her work gloves back on and turning to her. “Did I tell ya I managed to sell my place?”

The Awoken’s blue eyes widen.

“You’re moving in with me?” Hiver yelps excitedly, drawing more attention than she would like from the Hangar workers. She didn’t care. Her eyes were shining, (More than usual) with anticipation and glee.

“Ahaha, YEAH!” The shipwright adorably bounces in place. She has been waiting for this, and it felt very comforting to finally break it to her girlfriend. They hug intensely while giggling.

“I’ll need to negotiate a day off to move my stuff to your apartment. That’s gonna be fun.”

“I can contact my clan, see if they can help us do it. Everyone needs to put their backs into something.”

Soon after they returned to their spots, Hiver starting to message her friends to get assistance on remaking her girlfriend’s new home.

Two days after, Hiver returns to the Dreaming City due to receiving a call from Petra, containing a picture of the dress she had asked for, perfectly replicated down to the last detail. The Awoken were nothing if not meticulous in their craft, no matter what it was. Hence, the Guardian was eager to try it out and dance, even having warmed up and practiced it that morning. It felt weaved into her soul, even more than the Light.

She doesn’t know why.

As her ship soars over the spot she helped secure days before, Petra waved at her, with the dress being levitated by her side. Touching down, Hiver runs up excitedly to give her fellow Awoken a warm hug, and observe the dress.

It dazzled in the sunlight, the colors being brought out by the flawlessly crisp fabric, the perfectly combed black fur and the jeweled brooch holding up a sash that appeared to be made out of pure nebula. It looked just like she dreamed, and as such she wasted no time putting it on herself. Fit like a glove, and matched her gold pointe shoes perfectly.

Once everyone was watching, she was ready to begin. Trinity put on an ancient serene, orchestral music so Hiver could get started. The Warlock closed her eyes, and, when she opened them, the building, Petra, the three Techeuns, the City, all was gone.

What she saw was a black, starry sky, blending in with a vast, calm ocean on the horizon, a moonlight-like glow coating her skin. She danced fluidly, with passion and grace, treading a path on the water, as if the ocean’s surface tension would break if she made a single misstep. Every touch of her toes was mere ripple, a reflection of delicacy and image. Sometimes she spun, sometimes she fell, in the end everything was part of a choreography she knew like the back of her hand, but didn’t comprehend.

As the song comes to an end, she sat on the ground on her knees, a hand raised, and closed her eyes once more. When they opened, she was back at her previous scenery, and the Awoken women stared, interested but intrigued. From their faces, Hiver could tell something struck a chord, but she could not tell if it was a good or bad one. No one said a word save for whispering among themselves, and after a while she had her answer.

“Cousin,” Petra called her attention, “we are going to run an archive query. Your performance is not unfamiliar, but neither of us was able to recall it immediately.”

Hiver could only nod and hope that she wasn’t wasting everyone’s time. She had already put in so much effort into finding the results, it had to be here somewhere.

Right?

Commander Zavala’s Ghost notifies him of an incoming video message, sent with utmost urgency to the Vanguard channel. Calmly, he turns around on his viewpoint on the Tower and nods at Ghost to put it through.

“Commander Zavala.” The woman with the eyepatch addressed in the recording.

“This is Acting Regent-Commander Petra Venj of the Reef. Recently one of your Awoken Guardians, a Warlock by the name of ‘Hiver’, has had a inadverted run-in with Awoken history, and the Techeuns request that she and her wife, Chief Shipwright Amanda Holliday, get permission to leave their post and come to the Dreaming City as soon as they can. Thank you for your attention, Commander Zavala. Petra out.”

Zavala furrows his brows. It was curious, for rarely did the Awoken need to contact Earth’s citizens for anything since their Queen was gone — much less a non-Guardian.

He relays the message to Holliday, asking that she reach out to her ‘wife’, and warning that she has permission to leave for the day as long as necessary. He trusts this has nothing to do with City affairs, but he is still on alert. After about fifteen minutes, he spots Amanda’s Cerulean Flash jumpship leaving the Hangar, towards the Reef’s ghost city.

KA-CLINK. Thud.

KA-CLINK. Thud.

Every bullet of the flamboyant Hunter’s black and gold Tatara Gaze sniper rifle was one more Scorn aberration down on the ground. The patrol she has been doing for the Corsairs had been rewarding, and in time she would be ready for whatever bigger threat the Dreaming City brought upon her.

“Luna, heads up.” Her little drone says.

“What is it, Frost?” She asks, standing up in the moundtop of Divallian Mists.

“I detected two of your most contacted frequencies approaching the Dreaming City.” Frost states, spinning.

“The Gunslock and?” Luna says sarcastically.

“Heh. Her girlfriend.”

“Amanda? What is she doing out here?! If something gets her, it’s over!”

“Pretty sure Hiver will look out for her. Still, want to go see what they’re doing? I reckon they’ll speak to Petra.”

Summoning her Harbinger’s Echo Sparrow, she launches it on the ground and speeds towards Rheasilvia.

“Hey girl.” Amanda greets the Regent-Commander after getting out of transmat.

“Hello, Petra. Got any news for me?” Hiver says with a smile, hiding her concern for being called so urgently.

Petra silently motions for them to sit on the ground, where laid a picnic towel-like object with circular patterns, holding a book and a Reefmade data pad in her hand. She had some food with her, a retribution for Hiver’s “peace offering” days before.

“I do have news.”

Sitting with the Earth women, Petra pulls up a page on her book. Hiver and Amanda look at each other nervously, wondering what the big deal was.

“Cousin.”

“Yes?” She answers, startled.

“Do you remember when you first arrived here?”

“We activated the Oracle Engine. Found out Mara is alive. Now the Guardians freed Sedia, Shuro Chi and Kalli, and we’re trying to contain the curse.”

“Your Ghost.” Petra motions to Trinity. “She spoke to me, and asked about the Dreaming City. I told her about how the Awoken have built hidden cities, scattered throughout the Reef, not unlike this one.”

“I remember that.” Trinity mentions.

Petra hands the ragged book to the women as they eat. It apparently speaks of these Cities — some lost to time, some unseen, most unheard of to Guardians. It’s written partly in English, and part in other languages they don’t seem to understand.

“In some, we live and raise kids, in others you make weapons. Here, you meditate and learn…” Trinity continues. Luna, having just arrived, perches herself in a nearby rock, where she can hear the women talking.

“And in some specific ones, we develop our art. Artistry is a must for any civilization that develops critical thought and self-expression. You, Hiver…” She motions to the Warlock. “And you, Amanda…” She motions to the human. “Have seen it in our tapestry. Our tailoring. Our blacksmithing...”

“Your sculpture, architecture…” Hiver continues. Amanda widens her eyes in disbelief.

“Your dance.” Amanda spouts. Hiver is left mute, and Petra nods.

“Our dances… art made to celebrate our bodies. Our Queen. Our energy, and the fact that we breathe. And, may I add…” Petra says, ominously leaning closer.

“Like everything else you haven’t been allowed to see, they are very well-guarded secrets. Family and teacher heirlooms, in a way.”

Hiver and Amanda nervously trade looks.

“Hiver, listen to me, and listen well to what I am about to tell you.”

Hiver is breathing heavily through her teeth, trying to contain her ever-growing anxiety. Petra puts both hands on her shoulders, staring at her face seriously.

“You are Reefborn.”

[centrally-unplanned]

Allocating Your Aesthetic Budget: Sailor Moon Edition

Sailor Moon is a show that undoubtedly built a powerhouse of a visual brand. Should I even bother posting a screenshot of the sailor scouts, given that I am 100% confident anyone reading this can recall them instantly? I guess it won’t hurt: 

Anime is often really good at creating iconic designs like this, through repetition of the visuals. It is awkward in live action shows if characters just wear the same outfit every scene (what, they only own one outfit? Are they homeless/work in the tech industry?), but animation gives us enough aesthetic “distance”, an awareness that this isn’t accurate to real life, that you can buy into the conceit. By wearing the same outfit every time, it just becomes the character. Not to mention a studio can really save quite a few bucks by streamlining production with neat tricks like having only one character design to animate - when you are on a shoe-string budget, like pretty much every anime in the 90’s was, every cut corner counts.

What is interesting about Sailor Moon is that most of the time it doesn’t really use this conceit at all.

-----------

Episode 15 of Sailor Moon’s first season has, in its opening act, this shot of all of the Senshi (at the time) talking to the plot-of-the-day character, who clearly trains rock Pokemon in 16-bit caves in his off hours:

If you knew nothing about these three characters, you could probably infer about 80% of their personality just from their outfits. Usagi (the blond one in the middle, if that's necessary) is wearing:

Light pastel colours, with pink on top of that: girly, feminine, bubbly and breezy

Short-but-not-too-short of a skirt, and red heels: cares about fashion, wants to project an image of being a woman with a romantic hint to it

Long-twin tails w/ buns: Contrasting the shoes, she is still immature and childish. It also means she is the protagonist of an anime 

Rei (far right) rocks a very different look:

T-shirt and jean shorts, shoes over heels: sensible, practical, a bit sporty

Very short shorts, long black hair: Confident, a bit aggressive, and suggestive of a more overt sexuality

Ami (far left) settles into a more restrained vibe with:

Full, long, but sleeveless dress, bob-cut hair: Chaste, more conservative, but not to the point of prudishness; particularly with the length (and the hand posture, shielding her body) probably a bit shy

Monochrome blue colour in outfit & hair: reserved, serene, possessing a calm demeanor

I know I have seen the show already, but really none of these details are a stretch - this is just the language of fashion. And all of these outfits are outfits that the characters have never (or rarely) worn before up until this point. The cast of Sailor Moon, far from that animation conceit of “standard outfits”, change clothes all…

the….

time.

     I just randomly clicked on episodes to find these, it requires no hunting

And while it isn’t always as spot on as the top picture, they all in some way embody the language of visual design to speak to the personality of the characters. If you want to see more, check out one of the multiple tumblrs dedicated to the everyday clothing the Sailor Senshi wear, because of course those exist.

If this was a 2010’s Kyoto Animation show, pointing this out would be the end of it - every one of their shows has this level of impeccable detail. Sailor Moon is notable in that it is not at all that kind of show; the animation and designs in Sailor Moon take perpetual shortcuts to get the job done. I don’t think the transformation sequences need to be belabored - the way they permitted the team to recycle identical animation sequences, multiple times per episode, was surely a godsend to the production schedule. Yet not all of the budget limitations are so prettily masked:

     I’m sure they finished the background art in the...VHS release?

The show is filled with dirty animation, unfinished backgrounds, backgrounds that are a simple color gradient for no clear reason, and so on. It is clear that the Sailor Moon team did not have the resources for every detail - which is why the decision of what details they did choose to prioritize is so interesting.

----------

What is the point of Sailor Moon? I do believe that shows have “points”; and by that I don’t mean a message or theme but a core appeal to an audience, something specific that they will get out of the show. Almost every show appeals along multiple axes, and Sailor Moon is no exception, but I want to focus on one: aesthetic identification.

If you learn someone is a Sailor Moon fan, there is the obvious follow-up question you have to ask, namely “which Sailor Senshi are you?” It’s the which-Harry-Potter-house-are-you question of anime, a horoscope where you can choose your sign (in this case literally). The premise of this concept is not hard for media to execute on - it is just personality traits and aesthetics grouped together under a label, a basic building block of media and clickbait internet quizzes. Harry Potter, ironically, raised up its memetic question almost by accident, as its focus is so squarely on House Gryffindor that the others are almost forgotten; it was just so mind-bogglingly popular that it didn’t matter. 

Sailor Moon, however, takes this concept and allocates so much of its aesthetic budget into making it a centerpiece of the show. Sailor Moon herself is a klutzy, lazy romantic, Sailor Mercury is a shy, earnest bookworm, and so on, with none of them ever really becoming very complex characters. However, the show devotes itself to making you *feel* these archetypes as strongly and intricately as possible. All of those outfit changes are chosen because not only do real girls care about their outfits and can therefore identify more strongly with characters who do the same, but so they can constantly emulate their archetype in diverse, different ways. The show doesn't have the budget for intense action scenes, so after Sailor Moon engages in her hyper-serious transformation sequences, she proceeds to, nearly every time, bumble through the combat scenes like this:

Oh sure, the scenes are done this way because it is funny (and good comedy can be done on any budget - these shots are frequently still frames with motion lines!), but it is also done this way because Sailor Moon is a total screw-up, and if you identify with that it is validating to see someone “just like you” able to pull off wins despite it all. The transformation sequences are not only beautiful animation that showcases aspirational power, but are also crafted to highlight the personalities of the Senshi in question - unless you think aggressive, combative Rei got fire powers by coincidence. Half of the run-time of every episode is spent, not on the plot du-jour, but on light-hearted personal squabbles between the cast because those scenes are not just funny, but also allow for far more moments of character expression. 

All of that work pays off in building with the audience, not a connection with a character who reflects their identity in total, but a connection that reflects one aspect of their identity in an extremely deep (dare I say multifaceted?) way. I think if you were to describe Sailor Moon as a “shallow” show, you would actually be right to say so, in a sense. These characters will never have the true depth of personality, themes and so on of a more ‘adult’ show. But those adult shows have to spend their effort somewhere - for all that the themes of say Evangelion or Paranoia Agent are pristinely detailed and impactful, you aren’t ever going to be memorizing the moves of their transformation sequences. The way Sailor Moon committed so strongly to fleshing out the archetypes the Senshi stood for is, I think, one of the keys to how this cast of five became so iconic.

     Not even their school uniforms match! They had to spend time in-universe *justifying* this!

----------

A Final Note:

At least, everything I’ve said here applies to Sailor Moon at its peaks. The show, however, is not one without its stumbles, even in Season 1. This section doesn’t flow into the core essay too well, but I wanted to note it because if you were to watch Sailor Moon today, you might struggle to feel the dynamic outlined above. The biggest culprit here is the length - Season 1 is 46 episodes long, and sections of it most certainly drag. They also take a startlingly long time to introduce the cast - this choice builds tension around their arrival, but it also means the later Senshi get a lot less time to establish themselves. Sailor Venus in particular gets hamstrung by this - she is introduced and then immediately arc plot elements sweep the narrative, and so she is left as a hollow shell for some time. The pacing of the show is undoubtedly flawed.

I think Sailor Moon is a show that you do have to keep its time and place in mind for - namely, middle schoolers and anime nerds watching it on broadcast TV in the 90’s. As an adult you “get” the point of the show pretty quickly, and get satiated on it almost as fast. Watching it all in a few sittings only heightens this problem. For a younger audience, and one that is waiting for a week between episodes with no internet for plot reminders, all that extra time is needed to jog memories and build connections. And younger audiences just have that limitless commitment to the things they love! If you think no one could actually enjoy seeing the same transformation sequence for the 30th time, watch it with someone who would have died for this show when they were 10 and you will be disabused of that notion *very* quickly. 

Still, we can’t travel back in time - Sailor Moon is a show of its era. There are “filler-reduced” guides out there, though I caution that the plot of Sailor Moon is absolutely not the point of the show in comparison to the character dynamics, and so sometimes the filler is the best part (Cat-Rhett Butler is the best character in the show YOU KNOW I’M RIGHT). Certainly, however, some method must be used to cut down on its length. If you are going to be a first time viewer in adulthood, that reality should be kept in mind, and if you do accept it for what it is you can really appreciate its core appeal - and don’t forget to finish it off with a 1990′s era internet personality quiz to really wrap it up!

[seaquestions]

fulcrum makes candy

i havent be able to work on any of my fics bcos i’ve been busy (and terribly unmotivated lately) but! i thought i’d post a wip since it reads as mostly finished so far.

(artistic licence for science stuff btw. i’m basically writing what should be chemistry as confectionery lmao.)

It all started when Crankcase told him about meeting up with CONS4EVA again.

Or Symbols, rather. The dimension-hopping Dire Wraith figured that a Cybertronian translation of his name would be a smidge less awkward than using his TBC handle or a mispronounced, synthesized version of his actual name. It sounded about the same to him with the universal translator, so no big deal. Crankcase still tried to say his real name right anyway.

Regardless. The point was--Fulcrum needed to make more energon goodies. The last batch had unfortunately been thrown in Symbols' face when the Dire Wraith was disguised as Thunderwing, so it was imperative to try again. He also ate all the good ones last time, which, note to self: don't do that, Fulcrum.

He almost forgot to ask, actually, if Symbols was even capable of eating the sweets. The answer had been yes, maybe. The Dire Wraith could \consume/ energon, but whether or not it'd taste any good or if it would all end up regurgitated on the floor was a mystery. Still! Fulcrum needed any excuse he could get to make goodies.

The pressure of being around so many Autobots was starting to get to him, a little. His proximity alerts kept popping up, all the time, because none of these people had any sense of personal space. Plus, do you have any idea how many times he had to frantically re-label someone from [enemy] to [ally]? It was a lot! His drop on Clemency might not have killed him, but it certainly didn't do him any good. He had to do all that manually, now. It was stressful, okay?

And Fulcrum liked to stress-bake. When he \could/, anyway. It was certainly better than some of his \other/ coping methods. But there usually wasn't enough energon on the WAP to go around making candy, so it had been saved for the particularly bad nervous breakdowns or for special occasions, like successfully escaping mortal danger or Crankcase going on a date.

Thankfully, the Lost Light seemed to have plenty of fuel for both itself and its passengers, which was beyond nice. Fulcrum had reluctantly gotten used to the whole siphoning and cannibalising thing while living as a Scavenger, but boy was it good to be back to consuming real energon. He might actually be able to make more than just plain gelled energon cubes! But since he didn't \actually/ know if Symbols could enjoy the treats, he'd keep it simple... This time.

The hard part was getting the equipment to make candy in the first place. He didn't know if there was a kitchen area on the Lost Light, but even if there was, he didn't really want to make candy around other people. He knew, from experience, that it was a bad idea. But the anxiety of asking someone for materials left him paralysed, and he almost gave up on the goodies entirely if it wasn't for Krok.

The mech, Primus bless his spark, had gone to ask the command staff in his stead, and surely enough, Krok arrived in Fulcrum's room arms full of everything the K-Con needed and more, in both equipment and ingredients.

"The captain got real excited when he heard that someone was thinking of making sweets," he said, with smiling optics, "A lot of these weren't even on your list."

And so, Fulcrum got started.

Cooking might seem a little daunting for the average Cybertronian. Energon had a reputation of being volatile, to an almost comical level. Heat it up a bit too much, and it just might explode. Every element had their own distinct flavour that changed wildly based on their interactions with other substances, and it was impossible to memorise them all! Or so it seemed. But in reality, it wasn't so difficult. At least to him it wasn't.

For a mech with absolutely no background in chemistry or metallurgy, Fulcrum took to the culinary arts very well. While he might not fully understand the hows and the whys of chemical reactions, he definitely knew what was delicious and what wasn't.

The first step was making the flavouring. Energon itself, in its processed liquid form, was virtually tasteless, so this was important. Adding simple ingredients like copper shavings, which had a tangy, sour taste to it and chromium flakes, which was just plain sweet, was the most basic form of food preparation.

Just dumping metal into energon felt a bit amateurish to Fulcrum, though. He wanted the goodies to have a consistent look and taste to them, like they were professionally made.

So, the little metal flakes--he went with copper, cobalt (tart, with a subtle sweetness), iron (bittersweet and kinda savoury) and cadmium (mildly sweet and rich, his personal favourite)--were finely ground into a powder alongside pigments to add variety to the colour palette. He didn't want everything to be bright neon pink. One had to differentiate between the flavours somehow. Plus, the pigments themselves could also add to the taste, depending on what you chose. Unless you bought those tasteless food dyes, but those are for cowards, and in the kitchen, Fulcrum was not one.

Cadmium sulfide, for example, worked as a yellow dye, but gave the energon a certain acidic sharpness that wasn't there before, thanks to the sulfur. Cadmium \selenide/, on the other hand, was a deep red pigment that went beyond sharp and turned it into full-blown spicy. But Fulcrum was supposed to be making sweet treats here. So instead, he paired the cadmium shavings with chrome yellow, or lead chromate, to enhance the sweetness of the pure cadmium.

The cobalt and iron powders were simple, matched with cobalt aluminate (blue) and iron oxide (red). Classic choices, though he had to be careful with the latter, because it could very easily start tasting like actual rust, which was simply disgusting. He \could/ use the mercury-based vermillion instead, which was also savoury, but again, Fulcrum was not a coward. In candy-making, anyway.

The last one, however, he always had to have a whole internal debate over. Copper-based pigments tended towards greens and blues, but that wasn't really what people thought of, now was it? He could use gold ochre, but the iron-based pigment didn't really mesh well with copper, in \his/ opinion. He could mix a cadmium orange, but, again, he didn't want his candy to be spicy.

In the end, he just went with the basic green copper carbonate.

Alright! With that done, it was time to work on the energon itself.

In a large pot, Fulcrum gently heated the liquid fuel up, slowly pouring in a gelling agent that he had warmed up earlier. Under normal circumstances, regular processed energon did not solidify. To do so, you'd have to freeze it or leave it out for \way/ too long, letting it congeal, which was gross. (Looking at you, Misfire.) The gelling agent would let the fuel cool into a nice firm slab of jelly.

He then added one and a half cups of crushed lead acetate, stirring constantly to dissolve the sweetener in the energon until no particles were left in the semi-opaque pink liquid. It had also gotten lighter, light enough that the dyes wouldn't end up mixing into really ugly colours.

When the mixture started to bubble the tiniest little bit, Fulcrum took the pot off the heat, pouring the fuel into four bowls, one for each flavour, that he then mixed with the corresponding pigment. Red iron, blue cobalt, green copper and yellow cadmium.

The jelly would need a flat plane to cool on, of course. When Fulcrum went to grab a tray though, he noticed that he'd also been provided with plastic molds. Someone else must've been into cooking, then. He wondered who it could be, maybe they could share tips or something.

The molds were pretty basic shapes, like stars and circles, but it was nice of them to have given him this, whoever it was. He should use them then. If he poured the blue cobalt into the circle ones, it could look like little sparks... which was a really cute idea.

...He did it. Of course he did.

Blue sparks, yellow stars, red cyberkittens and green raindrops. It was almost unbearably adorable.

The leftover fuel was poured onto the same tray, creating some neat rainbow gradients. They were pretty to look at but to be honest, he had no idea how those parts would taste. Welp! Who cares!

Fulcrum stretched.

That was the hard part done. He put all of the filled up casts inside his room's mini-fridge. A few hours and they'll be solid. At that point, he'd have to take them out of the molds and cut the leftover ones into little cubes. Then after \that/, he'd have to leave them out to dry overnight so the goodies could form their crisp exterior, while also exercising enough self-restraint to not surreptitiously pop one into his mouth.

Oof. Forget what he said, the hard part hasn't been done yet, actually.

Still. This meant that he had time to take a break.

[mysticsparklewings]

Something of a Story String

romping through rose rows the rouge holds roamers ransom re-writing their wrongs out yonder, they yawn yearning for youth yanked from them you yearn for them, too grave group, so it goes much greatness gone to the grass, a goodbye garden but the "byes" come back they blow in on brisk breezes blooming in balance ____ What's this? It's not Inktober yet, what are the mini-magnets doing out and about?   Over on deviantArt, I was encouraged by AlinaLeeArts to enter the String Me a Haiku Contest! hosted by HaikuWriMo, and while I have only basic knowledge and understanding of Haikus, I've been really wanting to play with the mini-magnets lately after reorganizing them into some new tins, and it sounded like fun. (And like a good way to fill out my upload schedule since the bigger projects I'm working on still aren't quite finished yet. ) So I decided I'd take a stab at, or at least see if I could come up with a concept I was happy with and take it from there. The contest rules state that an entry has to be made up of a string of at least four haikus, a Haiku for the uninformed being, according to Google, "a Japanese poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world." And that the haikus should use heavy alliteration, which also for the uninformed is, "the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words." This would pose a unique challenge for me because, as I said, I'm not very familiar with writing Haikus. I've read plenty of them, sure, and I think I had to write one at least once or twice back in K-12 school for English class or something, but other than that, if I've ever constructed one, it's been completely by accident. That said, I used two different syllable counters to check each of these before I ever arranged the magnets, so hopefully, they do indeed follow the 5-7-5 pattern properly, if nothing else! Alliteration is also not something I intentionally use super often, and that combined with the limited syllables and structure I think makes for a unique challenge even for someone more familiar with the haiku form. Something I learned very quickly while trying to do this: Every syllable counts, you don't want to waste a single one! Before I could get to actually writing the haikus, though, me being me, I needed a concept/theme to work off of. How would I pick letters to alliterate? What would the haikus be about? Since I want to use the mini-magnets (as is more or less my standard for short-form poetry) what should the background(s) look like? Will all four tell a continuous story or four short stories that go together? I have to have at least four haikus, but am I just going to do four, or will I maybe do a few more than that? I decided the easy way to break it down would be to have each haiku dedicated to a specific letter for alliteration, then make a poem based off of whatever I could come up with within that letter alliteration, as I worked I could go back and forth between the separate haikus to develop more of a story, and then once they were done or mostly done, I could decide on what I would do for the background(s) based on the poems themselves. This process did change a little bit, as I started off using a haiku generator to help me get more in a haiku-writing mindset. I did through that pick up one line, "seeing a balance," that obviously got translated a bit differently into the final version ("blooming in balance"), but other than that I really was still largely on my own. I'd toyed with a few other concepts, but none of them felt right or were really sticking with me. Then I got the idea to pick each letter for the haikus based on an acronym; a well-known combination of letters. That would also potentially give me a theme to work off of.   Initially, I thought of ROYGBIV, the acronym for the basic seven colors of the rainbow. And I actually started working on trying to make my haikus based on that, but the letter "O" stopped me pretty short because once I had the letters, my idea was to do word-association like I normally do for the Inktober prompts; I'd list out some potential words to use that I felt somehow connected with the color and started with the same letter as the color. Frankly, there just aren't a lot of letter-O words that I could also connect back to the color, and the few I did come up with just didn't seem like they had a super compelling story hidden within them. But I did really like the idea of the colors because that gave me a good launching point for the backgrounds; I could just use the same color the haiku was based on within the background for it. It sounded like fun, even. So I didn't want to just totally ditch it. After giving it some thought, I figured the best thing to do would be to try using the four main colors everybody knows: Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue. If I still couldn't come up with my haikus based on those four letters, then it was time to pick a new acronym. Fortunately, even though I had my concerns about the Y in particular, I had a much easier time after that. (I mean, I already had most of the one for "Red," from the ROYGBIV stage, but still.) It's funny though, I thought "Blue" was going to be the easiest, based on my knowledge of "B" words, but that one was actually the one I ended up tweaking and re-writing the most. Probably because it was also the last one I did, and I had started to develop a vague story about yearning for life and visiting a grave in a cemetery, so I had to work within that theme. Though, that said, I think "Green" is actually the weakest of the four, as far as impact goes, despite it being the one that kinda hammers home the life/death theme the most. It was the most difficult one to balance my syllables appropriately because of the words I really wanted to use.   Obviously, this "story" developed as I worked, so it's a bit more on the abstract side, but this is how I see what these four haikus say together; They're talking about someone, probably a young someone (I picked a girl for the background, but the poems could go either way), walking through a field of flowers and stumbling upon a nursing home, maybe with a couple of residents on the porch, and a cemetery nearby. Maybe connected to the home, maybe not. And the young someone stops and reflects on life, and how even once someone passes away, oftentimes we can be reminded of them, or almost feel as if they're still here, in the small things and little fleeting moments here there, like the petals of a flower or the whispers of a seasonal breeze in the air. They come back in those small ways, completing the circle of life, that essential balance of the universe. Of course, that's just one way to interpret it, and even then there are still small details that could be changed while still keeping the sentiment the same. Personally, that's one of the things I enjoy the most about poetry and the mini magnets--you don't always know what you're going to end up saying until someone else reads it and tells you what it says to them. As for those backgrounds, they're all fairly simple watercolor paintings. Once I had the poems and this vague idea of a story, it was fairly easy to come up with a background concept for each one to make them a little more interesting. Normally, I'd use sponged-ink backgrounds during Inktober, but I've been toying with the watercolor idea in the back of mind and this seemed like a good time to experiment since I was already pushing the envelope in various other ways. You can see pretty much exactly what I had in mind for each one, though I will clarify the green one is supposed to be a tombstone in the grass since it's the only one that I think might not be super clear right away. It could just as easily be a rock.   For each of them, my process was very simple; I just picked 1-3 shades to make a gradient from the appropriate color, alternating each one slightly depending on what I wanted for the sky, and then I added the grass and silhouettes on top using a combination of watercolor and black pen. And then the very last one, "blue," got the added moon, stars, and some fireflies using gel pens (and a little bit of pastel for glow). It was the most complex, but "yellow," was actually the trickiest because I have not yet mastered the ability to free-hand a human silhouette. I had to sketch it out separately and then use my lightbox to transfer the outline and fill it in. And, funnily enough, the backgrounds you see here were actually meant to be smaller test-runs before making bigger ones and actually physically setting the mini-magnets on them to photograph. But I was so happy with how these small test ones turned out, I honestly didn't feel like I needed to make the bigger ones. So I pivoted a bit; I formed each mini-magnet poem on a plain blue piece of paper (a "blue screen" if you will to make it easier to separate the words) and photographed them, then used Photoshop to get each haiku onto its respective background. This ended up working to my advantage, as I could just focus on arranging the words to make the words properly and not working around the paintings underneath, and then once I had everything in photoshop I could move things around as necessary much more easily. I'm not super sure about the haiku part, but I'm really pleased with how the overall result looks, and especially happy with 3 out of the four backgrounds.  So much so, I will be posted a wordless version of just the backgrounds to go along with this one for your viewing pleasure! fav.me/ddrqj28 I don't think I'll be placing in the contest (I could be wrong, but I'm aware I'm a little out-of-my-element here ), but I enjoyed the process and the end result, so it was still worth it in my eyes. It was really nice to have the mini-magnets out and put them to use again, especially since I've been having a craving to do so lately. And having them all freshly re-organized made using them all the more enjoyable. Though I'm still not quite sure in what form it'll be, I am very much thinking of doing more non-Inktober stuff like this with the mini-magnets going forward. I have so many of them and I enjoy using them, even when it's a daily challenge and running me a bit ragged.  You might say I'm a bit of an addict. ____ Artwork © me, MysticSparkleWings ____ Where to find me & my artwork: My Website | Commission Info + Prices | Ko-Fi | dA Print Shop | RedBubble |   Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram

[werewolferr]

game changer (pt 2) | stefan butler

* gif from @billvrusso *

pairing: stefan butler x reader

plot: after months of strain and hard work, Stefan finally takes the completed Bandersnatch to Tuckersoft. when he gets there he finds that he still has a lot of work to do. luckily he has the best partner

word count: 1.9k

warnings: nothing really, i think there’s a few swear words in there

a/n: first off im so sorry for how long it took me to write this second part, like it’s actually ridiculous. i’m so bad at being punctual. also thank you for all the positive feedback on the first part, it’s means sm. hope this is good and you enjoy, thank u x

“Are you sure you don’t need any help with that?” Stefan said as he trailed behind you as the two of you made your way to your messy desk.

“No, I’m fine” You say struggling to keep everything in your arms.

As you place your work down onto your desk, you turn around to Stefan standing very close to you, you bump into his tall body slightly.

“Oh, I’m sorry” You both mumble in sync, Stefan stepping back slighty. You notice his cheeks turning pink slightly, you giggle at him lightly.

“Grab that seat by there” You say pointing to the chair in the corner of your work space “And bring it be here” You say sitting down in your office chair, boncing your feet on the floor.

You watch as Stefan grabs the chair lifting off the floor and dropping next to you. As he sat down he took his bag off placing it on the floor in between you two.

You noted how nervous and awkward he looked, he kept fumbling with his fingers or the hem of his blue sweatshirt.

“So..” You said looking Stefan “I’ve come up with some initial idea from what Thakur told me about the game. Have a look through them see if there’s anything you like” You say scrambling some of your best ideas, none of them finished, and passed them to Stefan.

You watched as he looked through the designs you’d given him. Grazing his fingers lightly over the art.

The silence made you slightly nervous, “If you don’t like any of them just say. I mean they aren’t my best” You smile.

“No, no. These are really cool” Stefan said smiling, while he continued to look through them.

“Thanks” You say with a little blush. “Is there anything in particular you’d like to see in the designs, because it is you game and I want to incorporate your vision into the design as much as I can” You continue, slowly swinging in your chair.

“I don’t know really” He replied, shrugging his shoulders

“I never really thought about how the design would look. I was too concentrated on making sure the game worked” He laughed slightly

“Yeah I understand” You smile “Maybe we can figure it out now?”

Stefan nodded his head.

“Would you like it to look like the book design, or... something new and modern?” You asked, while grabbing a fresh piece of paper and a blue pen. Scribbling ‘Bandersnatch Ideas - Stefan” at the top.

“Umm...” Stefan thought, scratching his neck slightly. “I think I’d like to incorporate some of the book. But with some modern elements so it doesn’t look completely the same”

“Ok, ok” You reply, scribbling it down quickly on the paper.

“And if it’s ok. Could it have some of the design I had in the load screen of the game”

“Of course...” You say, your mind already trailing off. Little ideas popping in your mind, here and there, you pull them together slightly.

You ran your hands through your hair, taping your pen on the table lightly. Tap - tap, tap - tap. From your right peripheral vision you can feel Stefan looking at you. His eyes moving up and down you.

He leant on your desk, fidgeting with his fingers. Stefan opened his mouth as if to say something, closing again almost instantly. Clearly not sure of whether to snap you at your thoughts or not. Causing you to smile at his general awkwardness

“Was there anything on these designs you liked?” You say, snapping your head in Stefan’s direction.

Stefan shifted in his seat again, before picking up one of the designs. “I like this one” Stefan said, passing paper to you and moving in his seat. Closer to you.

You picked up the design he gave you, it was a picture of a blue maze in the middle of the paper and with white text saying Bandersnatch near the top with each letter alternating up and then down. With a blue and pink gradient shadow behind it. You had also scribbled notes about having a black background and possibly a border around the edge. And at the bottom it read - “Can you escape the maze?”

Honestly you didn’t like it that much. I mean, you preferred it to some of the other drafts you’d made but it was nowhere near good

“I really liked the text. The way it moves up and down, and the colourful shadow behind it. I thought it looked really cool” He smiled, while pointing at the text.

“Thanks” You laugh “Is there anything you don’t like or would like to change” You said as you pulled a post-it note and pen towards you, ready to take notes.

“Urm, well. I liked the idea of having a maze in the design, but I'm not sure if i want it in the centre of the work.” He said.

“Ok, ok” You answer as you write it down. “Anything else?” You smile giving Stefan a small smile. Which he returned.

The two of you continued to work on the cover of the game for the rest of the day. Making notes, coming up with more drafts, trying new things. Mixed in with coffee and Stefan’s nervousness while talking to you, stumbling and blushing.

The two of you ended up being the last people to leave the office other than Mr Thakur. He practically threw the two of you out.

“Come on guys, I need you to leave so I can lock up and get home” Mr Thakur complained.

“Ok, ok. We’ll head off now” You say looking at Stefan for a spilt second, flashing him a smile while you start to pack up your things into your backpack.

“Yeah well you’ve been saying that for the past 2 hours, so you better actually leave this time” Mr Thakur fires back at you.

“My bags packed and my coats on. So is Stefan” You continue walking towards Mr Thakur “We. Are. Leaving” You say patting him on the shoulder, with Stefan trailing behind you.

“See you soon” You throw back to him as you and Stefan head towards the door.

“See you Y/N, and Stefan”

You push the down button on the lift door and wait as the creaking sound of old, unsteady lift made it’s way up through the many floors.

“Sorry we didn’t get to properly decide on any game covers, or particularly anything. But I’m glad we did get a few ideas down, I mean I didn’t really know much about the game from the brief Thakur gave me” You say still looking dead ahead at the lift.

You turn to see Stefan looking at you, quickly he averts to floor

“Don’t worry about it Y/N. I think I prefer it this way, so he can work on it together and thanks for agreeing to work on the design with me” He says finally looking up at you again.

“I mean there was no way I was going to say no. This is the first multi-choice game, where you don’t have to type in instructions” You say, almost shouting. And honestly you were excited about this game, not only for designing the art and marketing, which working on could massively boost your career. But as a game fan you were beyond excited to play it, it was just revolutionary. And you were about to be apart of it, even if it was a small portion.

The lift doors opened with a bing, followed but the sound rusting metal sliding against each other, Stefan moved aside to let you move in first and he followed behind as you pressed the button the ground floor.

“It’s going to be amazing Stefan. People are going to love it” You whisper shout.

You watch as a smile creeps up on his face, closely followed but a blush appearing on his cheeks.

“Thank you” He says in a whisper.

Another bonus of working on Bandersnatch was Stefan. He seemed so nice and well, he was cute. His long slightly curly black hair and his small smile, his slight awkwardness and fidgeting was endearing. But you were determined for Stefan to feel more comfortable and relaxed with you by the end of this project, to say you were puzzled by his nervousness was an understatement.

“What time are you here tomorrow?” Stefan asked you as he began to pull out his headphones and Walkman “I can come in and... m-maybe we can work on it together”

He says, his soft brown eyes looking down at you

“I’m not here tomorrow sorry. I don’t actually work at Tuckersoft full time cause I’m still in 6th form and I have classes tomorrow” You reply, slightly disappointed you won’t be able to work with Stefan tomorrow.

“Oh- that’s ok don’t worry about it” Stefan said, the same disappointment mirrored in his voice and eyes

You bit on your lip feeling slightly guilty, “Maybe, after I’ve finished my classes we can work on it at my house” You found yourself saying, as you weren’t usually this forward “Or... yours” You add.

“Where by is your 6th form?”

“In the middle of town near the leisure centre and Dartmouth lane”

“St Andrews College?” Stefan asked

“Yeah that’s the one” You smile, the lift bouncing slightly as it reached the ground floor, followed by a bing.

“That’s not to far away from my house. You could come to mine since it’s not to far away” Stefan began as the two of you walked out the lift.

“You sure you don’t mind?” You say back to Stefan as you began to fish you keys out your backpack.

“It’s no problem honestly. And that way we don’t have to wait for the days you’re working” Stefan continued

“Ok” You smile at Stefan as the two of you walk out the stained glass doors of Tuckersoft “I should be done by three thirty and I’ll make my way to yours”

“Yeah that sounds good”

You fish out a pen from your jacket pocket, “Here..” You say as you take Stefan’s hand and begin to write on it “Is my phone number. If there’s a change of plan and you can’t do it, ring me before nine twenty” You feel Stefan looking down at the top if your head as you write down the number of his sweaty hands.

“Any later than that, I won’t be able to answer ‘cause I’ll be in college” You finish writing your number down but still Stefan left his hand on top of yours, his finger tips grazing your palms. As the two of you hand on the damp curb.

You pass your pen “Can I have yours?” You say to Stefan looking up at him.

“M-My... what?” He says confused.

“Your address” You laugh “Y’know so I can go there tomorrow” You smile.

“Yeah, yeah of course. Sorry” He smiles as he takes the pen from your hand and writes it down on your other hand.

You watch him as he writes on your hand, his eyes concentrating and each movement of the pen. You smiled at him as you notice his tongue poking slightly out of the right corner if his mouth.

“Here” He says as he passed you back your pen.

“Thank you” You say placing back in your pocket “I’ll see you tomorrow at quarter to four” You say, beginning to walk in the direction of your car.

“Bye” Stefan says, waving at you and walking in the opposite direction.

As you walked away you smiled to yourself. You were looking forward to working with Stefan on this project, he was really sweet and caring. And not a axe wielding murderer like the author of Bandersnatch.