#like that's the most shocking part about it. that the gradient and hair flowers have changed.

[moe-broey]

Huh. I. Actually don't know how I feel about Peony's new outfit/look. Especially as the number #1 defender of stupid or questionable outfits for whatever reason that may be. Impractical, over the top, outrageous, sexualized, I can excuse it all for the sake of whimsey and silliness and serving cunt.

But like..... man I really don't know how I feel about it. I can see what they're going for??? Like, I can sort of see what direction they're taking for Peony to look like that???

Like I don't even think I hate it it's just. If you asked me to design an Ascended Peony I would have taken a completely different direction that's more in line with her established color pallet. I DO think it's really compelling that her pallet Has Changed, I think that's significant and I want to know more.

I do like that they gave her a giant axe. That's fucking awesome LMFAOOO

[nuttytani]

Just like a movie

fandom: ikevamp

pairing: vlad x gn!reader 

words: 2000+

warnings: mentions of food and that's pretty much it

a/n- this was my secret santa gift for my dear friend: @jiyuu-chan ! + if you enjoyed it; feedback is highly appreciated!

People say that you are meant to meet a special someone in your life. Someone who would change everything, who would complete you like a piece of a puzzle- someone you are destined to be with from the moment you are born, a string of fate tying you closer.

Soulmates have a special bond with each other; a red string that is attached to their pinky- which can only be seen by them. Such is drilled into every child’s brain from a young age.

When you were younger, your father would always tell you stories of how he had met his soulmate, his wife...your mother. It was otherworldly he said, like nothing else- an indescribable moment, and he wanted you to just know when you had met yours.  

“One day, you’ll also meet your one and only, sweetheart!”

“Really? But…. how will I know?”

“Really! It’s simple. You’ll see a red-,” your dad said- looking a little too excited.

“DARLING- STOP! DIDN’T WE DISCUSS THIS!?? Don’t annoy the poor child…,” your mother screeched from the kitchen as she stormed to your place- giving her husband a sharp look before turning to look at you,  “sweety- you’ll know when that day comes, alright? Why don’t you go play, hmm?”

You only nodded meekly, and rushed upstairs- glad to have your dad stop talking. Your parents’ banter was now muffled, but your mind was clouded with thoughts of what your father was about to say. Perhaps your mother was right...it’s better not to know to keep the moment special.

As you grew up, from kindergarten, primary school to highschool and finally college; you stood by and watched most of your friends find their other half- until you were the only one left. You’d always feel a dull pang in your heart...what if you were destined to be alone for life? When were you going to meet your soulmate? Will people keep on taunting you? These thoughts would lurk in your head, until you couldn’t think anymore. But now you were older and more carefree than before, such thoughts didn’t bother you any longer- at least not completely.

Every once in a while, your family and friends would dreamily tell you about their experience, while you’d just listen and nod. An exhausting cycle, where all your concerns would come rushing back to you. Then, of course, they’d never forget to ask about your nonexistent love life... It wasn’t fun to watch them shoot you a sympathetic smile and say “don’t worry, your time will come soon!”

Truly, having a soulmate or not didn’t matter to you, at least that’s what you think. It wasn’t uncommon for few people to be ‘alone’ although that was quite rare and an unfortunate occurrence. Why was it so hard for people to leave you alone? Real life isn't a romantic movie, like everyone would depict it as.

“There we go! I think that’s it now,” the strawberry brunette sighed as he placed the vase of wildflowers on the coffee table. 

“Finally! I’m so tired,” you groaned, slipping to the floor as your back pushed against the couch.

Fumbling with the book in your hands, you motioned the man to sit beside you- not too long after, he too sat lamely next to you on the cold hardwood. Exactly five hours passed since you and your friend Charles began organizing your new house. The two of you were working nonstop- tirelessly to get the place looking more liveable and comfortable. It was a struggle, but the effort was worth it.

“You know...you owe me for this big time,” Charles announced cheekily.

“Spill it. What do you want Charlot?” Brows shot up your forehead, you knew that smile all too well.

“First of all...stop calling me ‘Charlot’ it’s weird! Only Faust calls me that. And to answer your question- I would like to eat your pancakes.” He flashed you a toothy grin.

“Sure whatever you say Charlot,” you snickered, “with coffee?”

“Uh-huh!”

With a roll of your eyes, you stood up and threw the book on the couch before heading to the kitchen. Straight away- you pulled out the mixing bowl and sieved the dry ingredients, while humming to a tune that was stuck in your head.

About a week had passed since you moved into your new house, it was a decent place and safe neighbourhood. But the best part about it was the fact that your house was a five minute walk from town. That meant no more lazy drives to the market, quite the bonus actually.

Remembering a task- you shouted to Charles, “Can you be a sweetheart and do me a favour?”

“Ask away child, your wish is my command,” he said with a flourish of his hands.

“Haha very funny- go get the mail”

“No no no- you’re forgetting something. What’s the magic word~” he sang in a high pitch.

“...Monsieur Charlie, can you please get the mail,” you huffed in annoyance.

Sounds of pancake sizzling and boiling of the kettle filled the kitchen, you were too busy flipping the pancake to notice Charles' presence back in the living room. His eyes were squinting hard at the brown box and some mail sitting snugly between his arms. He looked back and forth between the parcel and your back before he cleared his throat, capturing your attention.

“Hey uhh...is your home address 216b?”

“No. It’s 215b- why do you ask?”

“Are you sure? Because your mail says-”

Before the man could complete his sentence; you snatched the package from him- your eyes widening momentarily.

“I suppose the addresses got mixed up…” Charles muttered

“Yea looks like it…”

The two of you just stared at the package, not knowing what to do. Your first thought was to drop it off at the right address. The house was just in front of yours, it shouldn’t be a problem and maybe you could introduce yourself to your neighbour at the same time.

A smoky scent filled the living, interrupting your train of thoughts; your nose scrunching up in disgust- “What’s that smell?”

The two of you stared at each other quizzically before exclaiming at the same time “THE PANCAKES!!”

[Unfortunately, it took a great deal of time trying to scrape the burnt pancake off your pan and clean it. The unknown package was the last thing on your mind.]

“Thanks for the help Charles, I appreciate it.” You smiled at him.

“No problem, after all, I got to eat a good meal in turn,” he gave you a wink before bidding his byes.

The sky lost its pale blue colour and was now transformed into soft red and violet, all blending in to create a beautiful gradient with specks of white clouds adorning like freckles. A mop of unfamiliar silvery hair passed by your peripheral as you stared up the sky, taking a shy glance towards the man.

You stared at his back discreetly as he fumbled with the keys before opening the entrance to his house. 

‘216b’ the golden letters glistened. 

Huh. So that’s your neighbour! Maybe now’s the time you give him back the parcel, and that’s what you did.

You knocked thrice on the emerald green door, while balancing the huge brown box on your other arm- waiting patiently while you internally panicked. Your hands started to sweat and the box started to slip. Rushed footsteps echoed from the other side before halting suddenly, the green door opened with a start; giving you a little shock.

Once again, you were met with the silvery haired man; his garnet red eyes flickered to yours and at that moment- you felt as if everything froze around you. Your heart started to beat way too fast, and your breathing became shallow- it felt as if you were underwater. A tingling sensation ran up your left hand, your eyes flashed down to see whatever the problem was- only to be met with a scarlet thread wrapped around your pinky. You looked at the man in clear surprise and he too- looked very taken aback as he followed your eyes.

The silence stretched far too long for your liking, with a clear of your throat- you introduced yourself to the perplexed man and spoke

“...I’m the new neighbour”

“Bonjour, how can I help you?” He stared at you with wide eyes.

“So err- the package— I mean...I-I believe this is your mail?” You motioned to the box in your arms, “Looks like the mailman mixed up our home addresses.” You swallowed the lump in your throat.

“Ahh! Why yes- actually I have yours as well- the mail I mean,” his eyes softened in understanding, “Please! Come inside.” He invited you in as he took the parcel from your hands.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude.” You shook your head meekly, still recovering from your speeding heartbeat.

“Not at all! Come in, please,” he insisted with shining eyes.

The house was similar to yours, the same white walls with wooden floors and fixtures- it had a relaxing ambience. You spotted several plants and flowers decorating the house, giving the place a much more peaceful vibe, you were too busy admiring the place to notice your neighbour returning.

He placed two plates of strawberries and tea on the coffee table which caught your attention.

“You have a lovely home uhh…”

“Vlad. I’m Vlad- my apologies, I completely forgot to introduce myself. How rude of me,” Vlad said with a slight smile.

When you turned up his doorsteps, you had no idea of what was to come- you definitely didn’t expect to finally meet your soulmate after all these years and in such a way. Now you understood what people meant by ‘feeling butterflies’

“No, it’s quite alright,” you chuckled while calming your jittery hands.

Vlad took a seat on the couch and pat the place next to him for you to sit. He elegantly picked the teacup and blew softly on it.

“So, how long have you been here?” he asked.

“Not too long actually, been just a week. I’ve finally finished organizing today,” you said while taking a bite into the deep red strawberry- the sweet juiciness making you sigh in delight.

“These strawberries are particularly my favourite- in fact, these were in the parcel you brought,” Vlad said with a deep laugh.

You gave an awkward ‘oh’ as you took a sip from your cup.

Not too long after, the awkwardness disappeared as you two got lost in conversation after conversation and more endless conversation, and a few giggles in between. It was quite easy to trust Vlad- he had a calming and serene aura and had you feeling comfortable in no time, perhaps too comfortable that you didn’t realize how late it was until you glanced at your wristwatch.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry- I lost track of time…”

Vlad gave a hum of acknowledgement as he eyed the wall clock, “It’s not that late.” He looked at you with twinkling eyes, ”Why don’t you stay for dinner? I’d like some company.”

“Hmm I don't know… I’ve overstayed my welcome,” You said with furrowed brows.

“Well I for sure know you haven’t —as I’ve said—I enjoyed your company.”

“Ahh fine! You’re good at tempting people you know?” With a grin, you folded your arms which earned a hearty chuckle from Vlad.

Dinner went smoothly as you two chattered on and on. The two of you stalled your return home but stayed in each other’s presence by washing dishes, eating dessert, extra dessert, and washing dishes yet again until there was nothing left to do.

Once again, you stood at Vlad’s doorstep with a meek smile.

“I had fun, thanks for having me”

“Me too- and it’s not often to find that your neighbour is your soulmate,” Vlad gave you an impish smile.

“Yea— it was, just like—”

“Just like a movie?”

“You stole my words, monsieur.”

“Perhaps this is our movie,” he said while tucking a stray piece of hair behind your ear.

*

*

a/n: if you enjoyed reading this, please don't forget to leave a like and/or reblog. feed back is always appreciated. + join my taglist here

[brave-heroes-of-light]

Bravely Third theories I had immediately after first finishing Bravely Second

Sylvie is extremely suspicious. She's either protagonist or villain.

Egil keeps coming back and is in training to be a knight. He's around the same age as Sylvie so perhaps they'll be protagonists together.

The Bravely Second team were half old, half new. If this continues again, Yew and Magnolia would continue to be protagonists alongside two new ones (Egil and Sylvie?).

Sage Yulyana is in space. Whatever's going on with Ringabel and the Planeswardens is in space. Magnolia's home is up to something in space... We're going to space.

Can't believe Magnolia sent her spaceship back to the moon without her. Now she's stranded on earth and she's going to regret it when they need to find a way into space.

Space seems to be the way between different worlds/realms. Altair came to Luxendarc from the Celestial Realm via space. It isn't just regular starry sky either. Space turned up in the path through the great chasm and inside the mountain of Musa (sealing chamber) ((which I strongly believe to be the same place in different times)) - stars turn up wherever the boundaries are weakest, not just where we're used to them.

Denys isn't dead yet. He speaks during the final boss fight. The screen cracks again before showing him which implies a different realm. He went to space with the space-time compass to fight Diamanté, but do you really think the moon people/planeswardens are just going to leave the compass? Or maybe they'll recruit Denys and confiscate the compass for whatever they're doing with the demon sword...

Sage Yulyana was specifically mentioned repeatedly in Bravely Second, but never seen. Edea and Tiz never explained who he is to Yew and Magnolia (even when they specifically asked what this mysterious sage might be like - Edea and Tiz going along with "yeah,,, I wonder....." and making the others confused). Which means it's likely Yew and Magnolia will encounter him in the next game and not know who he is.

This was based on absolutely nothing, but I figured it was about time there was a good fairy in this series... and for no particular reason, I decided she would have bright blue wings with black edges as well as pastel blue gloves with a gradient to black at the hands as well as star-like specks........ Please understand how Shocked I was when Bravely Default II did exactly that.

The two little girls who found shiny crystals (when time broke) are the new vestals of earth and fire (one was in Eternia/Gathelatio, the other was in Eisenberg/the old fishing house). Sylvie chose them (the crystals were discovered floating to shore in the ocean and she has scary prophecy powers). Potentially the crystals were like Agnès' pendant? (wasn't it the core of the earth crystal or something? from which the earth crystal could grow back?)

Edea is in trouble according to Sylvie... I bet it has something to do with what Ringabel's up to. But Edea has to... become a villain...? Something about tell her friends what she's up too, then make herself a villain, then she'll be okay again when Grandship takes to the skies once more??? Someone's in danger so Edea and Ringabel do not so good things until the danger is gone and they can help make things right again???

Ringabel wrote in the journal a line about Alternis Dim having concealed his identity in order to serve Braev.... which would be why he never took his helmet off. Now that Ringabel's face has been revealed, the people he was hiding from have found him. The people of the moon. Possibly a reason he's in trouble and Edea is forced to become a villain??

Magnolia knows whatever it is Ringabel is up to with the demon sword / Sword of the Brave. Which the moon is behind. I don't like that... (I still can't get over the fact she was the one forcing Ringabel not to tell anyone what he's been doing).

Something about the fallen angel Yulyana spoke of or the Agnès who encouraged everyone to keep going after being defeated. Agnès going through time. (I know they could easily be Agnès from other worlds, but see my next point).

In the Bravely Second demo, Magnolia was there and she already had the flower in her hair (which she gave Yew) and she sure seemed to know who Yew was (and was confident enough to flirt with him- which she wasn't when they first met in the game)... And then the moon was connected with the SP hourglass and time itself PLUS they know about the spacetime compass.... I think Magnolia (or the whole team) is going to travel through time? As I said earlier, the moon people are going to recover the space-time compass and Magnolia is in on whatever their secret mission is......... Incidentally, the demo mission she hijacked involved anomalies. I don't quite remember... but there was something Yew, Janne, and Nikolai were sent (by Agnès) to investigate.... The most important part, however, was that Yew and the others all had her erased from their memories when she left. Yew lent her his handkerchief and she left him her flower. Yet when the main game started, Yew still had his handkerchief (which was specifically brought up right at the start -and I'm certain it was to bring attention to the demo).

[winglessarcher]

"Send '👏' and I’ll describe what a fusion between our muses would look and act like." Lucas and Dark Pit 👀👀 (@tazmily-family)

@tazmily-family

"Send '👏' and I’ll describe what a fusion between our muses would look and act like."

So I don’t have a drawing prepared. Sadly. But I have a decent description of what they could look like or what they could be.

The fusion’s name could be a lot of stuff. It could be a mix of Lucas and Dark Pit’s name or it could something unless. I thought about the name for a bit. Like DarkFlower (mixed with Dark Pit and Sunflower), SniperFlower or FlowerSniper, SunRose (sometimes Dark Pit symbols a rose), and (one of my personal favorites) Neverlasting. For now, I will call this Fusion, Neverlasting.

Appearance-wise, it was a little difficult to create. First off, their hair color would have a gradient look with yellow on top and goes to black on the bottom. Neverlasting’s hair goes down to his shoulders Their eye color can be a little random. Since Lucas’ eyes are.. yeah, I just went with the basics of blue because obviously, your Lucas has it. (I hope.) Anyways, they will have three eyes. The left eye could be blue and the right eye could be red. The third eye, which will be located on the forehead, will be purple with a tint of pink. It will have a slit pupil and will only open if using psychic powers, is attempting to snipe something, or sees distant movement.

Heading down to attire, this is the one I most struggled with. Let’s just knock something easy down. Obviously, they will wear shorts. Black denim shorts. Duh. Anyways, back to the shirts and accessories. The reason why I had a hard time with this section is these uhh.. fashion choices. Seeing that Lucas wearing a striped shirt and Pittoo wearing a tunic/tank top, I needed to take this to extreme creative measures. I have decided to choose something a little.. simple. I have decided to mix Lucas’ striped shirt and Dark Pit’s colors to make a black and gold striped shirt. But get ready Lucas, because if your fusing with Dark Pit your going to have to throw away your dignity! Because not only will Lucas’ striped shirt makes a grand return with Dark Pit’s black and gold palette, it will be off the shoulders. That is right, we are showing off shoulders now! Wooo!

Ahem. Anyways. Don’t worry, because Dark Pit’s tank top will be underneath so you can still have some privacy Lucas. That’s what happens when you fuse with Dark Pit. You lose all your dignity. Going down from shirts to shoes, I have decided that Neverlasting should wear Tennis Shoe Boots. The boots with the strings and laces that look like tennis sh- yeah, you get the point. The colors were a little hard to think about because I want to give Lucas some credit here in this fusion. The boots will have a gradient look, black on top and goes red down on the bottom. The laces will be yellow and the tip and under the boots will be yellow.

Before we move on to accessories, let’s talk about Neverlasting’s wings. Their wings are very.. different. Their black, of course, but the tips of his feathers have a bit of a ‘yellow’ look. Similar to Lucas’ hair. Hidden between their wings are an extra pair! And their purely yellow! However, their too small to be useful in battle and very well hidden. That’s one of the most strangest things about the fusion. Another pair of wings, yet, their incredibly small.

Now that we have finished up their battle clothes and the wings, let's talk accessories! Lucas, from what I am seeing, doesn’t have a lot of accessories. So I will have to be a tiny bit creative. Dark Pit’s laurel crown is still on top of Neverlasting’s head, but it’s now decorated with golden flowers. Such as Daisies, Lilies, Sunflowers, and even yellow roses. However, these flowers can immediately change when committed bloodshed. Every kill they commit, their crown starts bleeding. It doesn’t hurt them, but it’s also strange. This has it’s cons but it does have pros. More will be discussed later. Anyways, Dark Pit’s scarf will placed to a different location. Instead of Neverlasting’s neck, it’s wrapped around his right arm. It will have the black and gold colors like Dark Pit’s regular scarf. In the middle of the scarf if a brooch, Dark Pit’s purple brooch. The brooch will have sunflower petals growing off the gold rim.

Wrapped around Neverlasting’s waist is a black hoodie. This hoodie is suppose to represent Dark Pit’s cloak from around his waist while keeping Lucas’ modern aesthetic. On his arms were his gauntlets but they have been removed and were actually replaced with elbow pads. This goes to same with Neverlasting knees to keep the modern aesthetic. Dark Pit’s gloves won’t change much. So their fine as black. Behind their right ear is black feather with a golden tip, similar to their wings.

Now! Moving on to the fun part! Personality!

To put it straight off the bat, personally, I think Neverlasting would be mute (or at least selectively). My reason behind this is because Lucas’ shy nature and Dark Pit’s lack of social communication. Due to that, sometimes Neverlasting looks uninterested. Their usually a ‘actions speak louder than words’ type of fusion and they usually are quite curious on what you have to say. In battle, their lethal behavior could lead to genocide. But this is where Lucas takes control. Due to Lucas merciful attitude, he could stop Dark Pit’s part of blood thirst and stop a killstreak altogether. With Lucas’ merciful part of the fusion, it will make Neverlasting question if they should choose fight or flight. Neverlasting, sadly, is very sensitive when it comes to emotions. So they usually end up staying by themselves. Lucas usually has most control in Neverlasting’s personality.

Let’s talk weapons! Luckily, Dark Pit and Lucas has a good array of weapons that could bring new life to their strategies. We will have to be changing Lucas’ stick for Neverlasting’s sake. We will be taking a bit of Ness’ moveset just for a second. We will be making Neverlasting’s stick into a silver metal bat with a blade on one side. Don’t think I’m done with the bat yet, thanks to Dark Pit’s electro shock, Neverlasting’s bat will be electrified so they can get a good zap in. Since (my) Dark Pit doesn’t use his bow, like, at all, we will be fixing up his staff for Neverlasting. The staff will look like the Rose Staff from Uprising but instead of Roses it’s sunflowers and the thorns are replaced with vines and ivy.

Neverlasting Psychic abilities will be a darker shade of colors but still act the same as Lucas’. A new special ability that only Neverlasting can do is create turrets from almost anything. Dark Pit’s resourcefulness and Lucas’ psychic abilities help Neverlasting to create turrets from almost anything. From stone, dirt, flowers, and other plant life. Sometimes Neverlasting create dummies to distract enemies. Thanks to Neverlasting crown, they will know that if an enemy is around when a turret kills a foe. Another thing is that, thanks to Dark Pit’s flexibility, Neverlasting can defend themselves if they are forced into melee combat. Neverlasting is also capable of doing all of Lucas’s abilities while they struggle with using Dark Pit’s weapons.

That covers up the battling possibilities! Now for the extra stuff.

Neverlasting is at a strong height of..! ...5’6. Thanks, Lucas.

Neverlasting has a strange ability where if one of their sides are sad, they will grow a respective flower on their wings. If Lucas is sad, Neverlasting’s wings will grow sunflowers. If Dark Pit is sad, Neverlasting’s wings will grow roses. If both are sad, their wings will be covered with sunflowers and roses.

When Neverlasting is on a strong killstreak, their crown will drip so much blood that it will go down their face from their forehead.

For some ODD REASON, Neverlasting has another row of teeth that is not visible. Yeah, Lucas and Dark Pit don’t know why either.

When Neverlasting is really happy, he will grow roses and sunflowers in his hair. Even on his chest where his heart is.

I hope this is okay!

[lgbtincomics]

any tips on what to think about/how to do comic edits that look good?

 Hello! I have several for graphics, but obviously, other admins might differ:

Characters with bold lines/vibrant color schemes and/or characters with playful depiction usually go well with a cheerful theme. Jubilee and the like is one of the examples. Balloons/blocky type of fonts, semi-round cursive fonts, cartoony props like petard or flower can do too.

This can be applied to those who have colorful uniforms, Booster Gold, Superman, etc. Using the colors from the characters itself helps a lot, choose from the hair or clothing or their favorite color if there’s any. Balance it with simpler textures, like gradient or light leaks.

Character artworks with sketchy/rough/vague lines tend to go well with rough textures too, like paper or walls or basically non-lightning/bokeh textures.

When rendering, attempt not to left out white thin lines outside of the commonly black outline. Neater the better.

For icons, I like the art to be in the middle or cropped out if it’s on the side, or if the character looks shocked/looking up I’m just doing half upper face icon. Cuter and all I think. Also: set it 300-400x pixels, no bigger than 500. It’s good quality and all but in the end, icons displayed are gonna be small. 100-200x pixels won’t be good for dashboard icons methinks.

The smaller the art on your icon, the freer you are at adding textures. It’s just a way to show the effect behind the art.

Save your edits as .png instead or .jpg, I found this out by accident that the quality is better in .png apparently, I don’t know why?

Make the font fits to the situation, devastating panel (crying/yelling character, gloomy color) go well how you imagine a cataclysmic font is (for me it’s messy handwriting, the thinner the better. Or make it blurry, I personally like motion blur effect and underwater with the darkest color you have on your graphics theme).

The bigger the font usually it looks like the words (in that font) screams louder. Use it for epic quotes. Stuttering fonts for worrying quotes, or something like that.

When it’s raining text don’t use overly complicated (cursive and all) font just use the basic ones like, say, open sans or times new roman or montserrat. Though if you wanna be more aesthetic it’s okay to use it, and sometimes I did it too if I don’t think the quotes are That good or fitting to the panel’s energy (wtf is this wording).

Oh right, black and white are great with any color, but usually, I go with a less gray/white background for vibrant color and grayer with pastel/paler/less saturation artwork. If you want consistent color try to save the color code in your notes then look it up again if you want to color another panel (ex: yellow #F9D71C)

If you’re a beginner and don’t know how to.. change/edit the artworks’ colors yet, just choose the outline color of said png, usually, it’s black. It’s not always but frequently prettier if the background color’s part of the art.

I know it’s not exactly a tip of “edit that looks good” but you might wanna plan ahead on your graphic if it’s gonna be kinda complicated. I did this kinda thing a long time ago: 

Look up and try to see thru other edit maker’s works, not like plagiarism/copying thing but more like an inspiration, and then make your own thing. Say your character is a prisoner, make the theme a prison, then to be different try make it a mugshot or something.

Download/save inspo pics from Pinterest then make a folder/board for it, or make your own inspo graphic tags. Scroll thru it when you’re bored, then mess with a panel an Out of Context blog posted on your dash/timeline. Practice is key.

Bend/recolor the colors as much as you want, as long as you love it. Say, Betsy’s scheme screams purple. Bend it to pink, or blue. For me, editing is if you enjoy the process too, the result will get better if you’re happy alongside the way. I edit Transformers most of the time, and I made Megatron pink because I like it, and I think it turns out good.

I’d say crowded panel (crowded like you’ve made texture + art + text in one panel) is unnecessary if you already have more than 5 panels, but brain is a complex thing and sometimes it won’t let you.. chill. So I think it’s fine being crowded, or have no text at all, or go with one color (b/w only) or two (blue & b/w) or three (yellow, blue, b/w) or more. Just make it tidy. People can see it as graphic, others will see it as a set of mobile headers, or computer/phone backgrounds, or just pretty photoset in general. I get phone backgrounds tagged on mine a lot when for me, I think it’s not, but hey everyone’s happy and satisfied so I suppose that’s a win-win.

Those are the base, I don’t follow every single thing I listed here and you don’t have to too. These aren’t the rules, go wild.

[wcnderfulrush]

💃 valentine's practice session?? yes. and she's gonna give her chocolate after the session too because Kotori deserves all the good stuff.

VALENTINE’S DAY PROMPTS!  | 

💃    :   dance with my muse.

“K-Karin?” Color Kotori shocked when she saw the mixed marital artist in the school courtyard with Honoka and Hanayo, and dressed in a workout outfit she didn’t recognize from her usual attire. A skort with a nice purple gradient, a breathable t-shirt with frilled sleeves to match, even a little flower as an accessory in her hair tie --- Kotori’s heart skipped a beat, hand placed immediately over her chest to calm it down. But it also made her grin from ear to ear, approaching the beautiful girl with a grin she just couldn’t wipe away, nuzzling her face into her cheek as she brought her in for a hug.

Then everything was explained simply: Honoka had to help her mother while Hanayo had to work on a pile of homework, Karin wanted to practice with u’s more, and both she and Kotori had wanted to see each other more. What better way to help with everything than have Karin be Kotori’s practice partner for Nightingale Love Song? “And what better day to start on than the day I wanted to visit you most?” Kotori immediately replied, her grin having turned into the softest, warmest smile, as she stared at Karin. She was honestly touched that either of them thought this up, and was equally amused when both she and Hanayo’s cheeks became aflame at her statement, giggling before waving her other Printemps members off.

And then she and Karin were left to work. Karin trying her best to sing the parts of both Honoka and Hanayo, with such concentration on her face, was honestly so endearing. And the dancing they did, while it was nothing too extreme, was certainly challenging for the both of them. For Kotori it was because of the lack of people, but for Karin...The blush staying on her cheeks was adorable. And so she proposed that they just dance how they feel; her group had that down anyways, so there was nothing to worry about. And so they sang and danced. Around each other, creating distance, getting close...

“Within this cage with only the two of us, I'll sing a poem of love~” Kotori sang sweetly close to Karin’s face, before giggling turned to joyous laughter. Shaded by the courtyard’s trees, cold wind blowing past them, dancing and swaying --- It was like a small personal heaven for the two of them. A cage Kotori would never want to leave.

[fcsterchildrcn]

Rebirth

Part 1 here

ARC: REBIRTH

WARNINGS: afterlife shenanigans, implied past abuse, funeral

She was floating. At least, it felt like she was floating. Red eyes opened, seeing an unfamiliar surrounding. She didn’t feel scared, or worried. A little confused, maybe. She pushed herself into an upright position, noticing where she was. A great, green field, filled with multitudes of different colored flowers. The sounds of wind was only vaguely overtaken by the sounds of voices.

Her movements felt fluid as Charlotte moved to her feet, her entire body telling her to go towards the voices. She had no reason to go against this train of thought; nothing bad could happen here. Though it felt like the land could stretch forever, it took no more than a minute for her to reach the source of the speaking.

What appeared to be the working of a tea party were laid out. A small table, white cups and teapots. Everything was shrouded in light. As her eyes scanned over the new sense of scenery, they stopped at the sight of a woman. She was much larger than any human in height, even as she sat on a plush throne-type seat. Her skin was a magenta color, her hair a gradient of brown and blonde. She was dressed in fine robes of purple and gold; the colors that made Charlotte think of royalty. Though there was one thing that was the most mesmerizing-- This woman had purely white eyes.

Before the pinkette could even speak, the woman’s gaze was on her, a huge grin painted itself on her features.

“We’ve been waiting for you, dear. I’m glad you could make it. Please, take a seat.”

It was like her body was moving without her, legs carrying her to a chair that was softer than anything she’d ever touched.

A cup of tea was set before her. Charlotte had never been one to drink tea, yet she still moved to put the cup to her lips. It tasted like absolutely nothing. How odd, she thought, though her mind seemed to be elsewhere.

The clear blue sky, the flowers surrounding them, even the layout of their little party and the extra chair that seemed too meticulously placed. It was all so beautiful, it made the young woman feel at peace.

“It is a wonder, isn’t it?” The woman’s words caused Charlotte’s head to snap forward, as though she were meant to be paying attention to this inhumane being who radiated a gentle warmth from her entire being. “Most people have questions once they reach this point. Though, it is pointless. They’ll never remember it once they pass along.”

“Pass along?” Charlotte felt like an echo as she repeated it.

“Oh, dear. You don’t know where you are, do you?”

She shook her head as a negative.

The woman stood, absolutely towering over the other. A hand was held out, and Charlotte couldn’t help but notice the hourglass tattoo on her wrist, covered by a plethora of golden bracelets. With little hesitation, she took the being’s hand; the next thing she knew, they were walking side by side along a marble trail. A vast garden surrounded them, creating a mix of aromas that made her feel at home. “You may not remember what happened before you awoke. That may be for the best come the given time. But, humans were never meant to last forever; their time is so short compared to those like myself. I should not trouble you with that. What I will tell you is that you are no longer a part of that world. Your body may be there, but your spirit is here with me.”

Charlotte looked up at the other, a muted look of shock written on her face.

“I’m dead?”

“In that world, yes.”

That was when the reality sank in. Though in a place so beautiful and welcoming, it was hard to feel truly saddened. This didn’t stop a tear from rolling down her face. A large hand moved to wipe that tear away, a motherly look of thoughtfulness given from the Being.

“Now, now. There is no need to mourn. We have much to talk about. Ah, I do wish you could stay here. You’re so precious, and life has not treated you well in your young years. Humans can be such… Awful creatures at times. But they can also be the most endearing. Your sentimentality, your heart. Even through all the sadness, the most kind hearts emerge.” She had begun to walk again leaving Charlotte behind to catch up.

The silence after that was not an awkward one, yet now the human had so many questions. If she was dead, where would she pass onto now? This woman had said she couldn’t stay here; where would she go? What had happened to her? Did she even want to remember? What had happened in her life to get her here?

… Why were her memories so foggy?

There were faces floating around her mind, but they were so indiscernible. She could feel the emotions from these faces, but couldn’t put names to them. Couldn’t put anything but the feelings of love and hate and sadness. Then, they quickly washed away before she could truly grab them.

Once she caught up with the being, her mind felt blank. The questions didn’t need answering. If they were truly important, the answers would come to her. Why was she so unconcerned about it all?

“Forcing those thoughts will have nothing good to come… The Acacia tree. It is said by those in your world that it symbolizes Immortality, usually dealing with natures of the human soul. You are a human that has dealt with many things concerning your soul. Your spirit has been broken and rebuilt so many times. Charlotte is the name you have chosen for yourself, though. Which means it has more power than any mere word. I know there will be more in your path, and I must apologize for that now, even if you won’t remember it when you awake once more.” Her voice had grown sad towards the end; it was quickly washed away with a bright smile as Charlotte’s hand was gently grabbed, pulling her along.

“I have a gift for you.”

As the two walked, the scenery began to change once more around them. Soon they were in a great dining hall, punctuated by a table with cloths of purple and gold. Down at the end sat a figure; a man who seemed to have been waiting for quite some time. Charlotte couldn’t make him out right away, and he barely seemed to move until the two had made their way to the end of the table. Despite the large size, there were only three seats. Once of which was occupied by the man.

The two took their seats, and the pink haired girl finally was able to get a look at the man. He was older than her, but by only slightly more than a decade. His hair was a dull shade of brown, and his eyes seemed tired and sad, most unlike the other things that had been seen in this heavenly garden.

His eyes, ones that seemed a duller, more browned red than her own, seemed to be locked on her. This man seemed to remember her, yet she could only vaguely make out why he seemed familiar. Only one thing came to mind every time she glanced at him; Worry. Whether it was for herself or for this man, she still had not pinpointed.

The Being waved a hand, catching both the humans’ attention. “Give her a moment, Ronan. She doesn’t remember, much as you didn’t when you first arrived.”

The man had said nothing, and still continued to sit silently, only glancing back and forth between the girl and the woman.

“I know him?”

“You did once, yes.” The being started, her eyes nearly glowing with a stilled excitement. “But he is a different man than you know him to be. It is funny to me how time goes by for you all. It was only the blink of an eye for me, but for the both of you, it could feel like eternity. Much like a dream, I suppose. Dreams tend to feel shorter than they are. He is only a part of your gift! You cannot go back without a guide. Usually, We wouldn’t send back someone so unqualified, yet it was decided he should. You see, most of you creatures don’t get second chances. Many feel remorse once they arrive if only for the reason they don’t like how they are remembered. Others… Well, humans are as they are.”  She clapped her hands together, and the outside roared with a mighty thunder. The man opened his mouth to speak, then seemingly thought against it.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It was the first full sentence Charlotte ad said since she’d arrived. The first hint of true emotion she had showed. It shocked the being only for a moment before she gave a big, hearty laugh.

“Ah, there you are. I was wondering when that attitude of yours would join us.” Attitude? She’d only said one thing.

“You said you had a gift for me. This man… How is he a part of it? Why does he look so familiar? Who are you?”

“I suppose I should introduce myself..” The being laughed. “I am Beileag. I am a divine being over your world. One of them, anyways. You humans tend to call us ‘gods,’ though I guess correcting you all would be fruitless, anyway.”

Charlotte was confused now. More so than earlier. Pictures were beginning to come back to her. Faces, names, family--

There was no way this man was her family.

“You want him to be my guide? What kind of guide would he even be?” Charlotte now remembered. Charlotte was now angry. Who was this woman who claimed to be a god, saying that one of her tormentors would guide her? A man she hadn’t seen in years. A man who she felt deserved no redemption. “Where do you think you’re sending me?”

The sight of a storm started to roll in as Beileag frowned. It was the first time she’d looked upset this entire time. Had the human not liked her gift?

“Why… You are going back to your earthly body.” “But I’m dead!” She slammed her hands on the table, and another rumble of thunder occured. Unlike the previous time, this one was very much an unhappy noise.

“Acacia--” “That’s not my name! You don’t get to be here! You don’t get to be my guide! I’d rather stay dead!” Now there were tears as the girl stood up, fury showing in her scarlet eyes. She stared daggers into the man-- into Ronan Kincaid. Beileag moved to stand up, her voice loud enough to scare both of the humans to their senses.

“THAT IS ENOUGH. I will not have this kind of temper in my garden!” She boomed, and Charlotte paused. The human slowly found her seat, not taking her glare off of her father. “You humans. Like I said, you are as you are. Do you not believe people can change, Charlotte? When Ronan joined us here, he was bitter and angry, just as you are now. But he has learned a few things. He has seen what his actions have done. He has watched your brother grow up without knowing of your whereabouts. He’s watched you lie to avoid those who have searched for you. He has watched you abandon every inch of a family that has ever taken you in.” Charlotte had opened her mouth to argue, but the Being held up her hand to silence her. “He has seen that it is his fault. And I understand that you do not want to relive your past. But there are other humans who need you, and who are going to need the gifts only you can possess. So, I ask you this one request; Please accept my gift and at the very least, give this man a chance.”

The sky returned to it’s clear shade of blue once Beileag had taken her seat once again. Charlotte had her options laid out for her; accept her second chance at life, or pass on to whatever lay beyond this garden.

“What happens if he blows it?” “I--” He tried to speak, but his voice fell lost to the greater being.

“He will return. And he will not get a third chance.”

“And to me?”

“You get to live as long as you don’t die.”

“That’s fair.”

Beileag’s smile returned, though Ronan seemed more worried than he did when they’d entered. She motioned for Charlotte to come forward, and she did, albeit hesitantly. A hand was placed right above her heart, as her own started to glow. A new tattoo, a heart in the same style of the hourglass on her wrist, seemed to burn itself onto her chest. A golden light began to surround them all, and the world itself seemed to be taken over by nothing but endless light. One last thing seemed to be said, but it could not be heard. That was the moment her vision faded.

Her head hurt when she woke up, her hands immediately going to her head as she sat up. And god, when did her bed get so stiff? Charlotte really needed to invest in a new mattress. Something felt off as she ran her hands through her hair. She tried to remember her dream, or even going to bed the previous night. A chorus of gasps caused her to freeze in place, her eyes snapping open. She wasn’t in her bed, and this wasn’t her room. This wasn’t even a house. She heard a noise as though someone had fallen over, and slowly turned her head to look out amongst the funeral-goers.

She was sitting in a casket. She was wearing fancy clothes. Everyone looked like they had been crying. That’s when it hit her. She had died. This was her funeral.

All Charlotte knew to do was scream.

[neraawritesxx]

Gillyflower

naruto couples event - day 1

prompt: favorite canon pairing // how they met

pairing: ino x sai

genre: romance // humor

word count: 1,821

summary: “First of all, a rat? Really, Sai?”

author’s note: I don’t really have a favorite canon pairing, so this is my first time writing anything for Sai x Ino. That being said this could potentially be OOC and borderline crack, but I hope you enjoy it either way!

“Mom?”

Ino looked up from the flower arrangement in front of her, blond hair bouncing with the sudden movement.

She glanced towards at the opposite end of the countertop where Inojin sat on a stool, sketchbook open in front of him, fingers dancing across the page in smooth, smudging strokes.

Sai bought him a new medium for his art, colored pastels, and her son had been inseparable from them since the beginning of the week.

“Yeah, hun? What is it?”

It was silent immediately following her question.

In that short pause, Inojin finished a part of his sketch. When the task was complete, he regarded his work with an inquisitive tilt of his head and a critical light in those pale blue eyes. Finding his art to his liking, Inojin gave a short, curt bob of his head and closed the sketchbook.

Ino fought down the smile that threatened to curl on her lips. It had become a pastime of hers to watch her son work. There was something about the concentration that marred his brow and the scrunch of his nose while he drew that Ino found adorable.

Though if she told her son that, he would turn beet red and say that she was embarrassing him.

Must be an artist thing.

When Inojin finally spoke again, he turned to regard her but seemed to hesitate once their gazes locked.

He blinked once, opened his mouth to speak, then closed it with an audible click of his teeth. Ino arched a brow in his direction, watching him struggle to piece together his thoughts before he felt brave enough to try again.

“How did you and dad meet?” He blurted out the question quickly, catching Ino off guard.

The inquiry was so out of left field, the blond couldn’t help but giggle; a quick bubble of laughter that crawled its way up her throat, filling the silence of the room.

“Where did that come from?” Ino asked, turning back to the bouquet in front of her.

Nibley, she plucked a white lily from the pile of loose buds which resided on the counter. Placing the flower in the center of the vase, she organized some of the smaller blooms around it, framing it as a centerpiece.

When she was finished, Ino stepped away, moseying down to the opposite end of the counter where Inojin sat. She crossed her arms in front of her, leaning down so that her elbows were resting on the table.

Inojin eyed her sheepishly for a moment. “Well…with the new Ina-Shika-Cho training coming up, I thought it might be best for Chocho, Shikadai, and I to learn about previous members…that includes you and their parents.”

Ino smiled at his response, all pearly whites, while pride nestled warmly in her chest.

“You shouldn’t be uncomfortable to ask,” Ino stated softly. “I’m glad you’re that invested in your training, though I’m not sure what your father has to do with it.”

“I want to learn new skills, different jutsus. If I know enough about you and dad, I can gauge what abilities I can bring to Ina-Shika-Cho.”

At that moment, Sai chose to make his appearance.

He came out of the back room, carrying a large terracotta flower pot. He smiled at them briefly before crossing the threshold of the store to deposit the potted fern by one of the front windows.

“I met your father when he was assigned to you Aunt Sakura’s team,” Ino chirped, eyeing the subject of their conversation blithely. “I have to admit I was a little jealous at first. Forehead had a knack for getting ‘lookers’ on her team. First your Uncle Sasuke, then your father.”

Inojin scrunched up his nose at the mention of his ‘indirect’ uncle.

He turned on his stool to regard his father then, watching as Sai shifted the potted plant on an angle that would give it the most access to the incoming sunlight.

“Dad, what did you think of think of mom when you first met her?”

Sai, who was regarding the fern like it was going to be the next subject in one of his paintings, turned his head to give them both his attention.

Before the dark-haired male could respond to his son’s question, Ino sighed dreamily from her perch behind the counter.

“You can bet your mom knocked him off his feet,” She stated confidently, drawing the attention of both men. “Your father called me beautiful the first time I met him. I might have even taken his breath away,” she hummed with a wink.

“You can thank the Hag for that,” Sai said, walking over to join the two of them. He stood next to where his son sat, eyeing his wife appreciatively.

“Her and Dic-…Naruto,” He quickly amended seeing the older blonde’s sudden glare. “Due to my previous lack of understanding emotions, I would say the first thing that came to my head. When they told me that I was insulting people, I began to say the opposite of what came to my head, hence me calling your mother beautiful.”

It was eerily silent in the flower shop following the Sai’s clarification. Inojin flicked his gaze between his parents shyly.

Sai, all smiles, seemed indifferent to the implications his explanation held.

Ino, stared at her husband incredulously, brows high on her forehead, and her lips parted in shock.

“…WHAT?!” She screeched.

-o-

A little while later, Inojin eyed his father’s frazzled appearance before looking towards the front door that his mother just left out of.

“Are you going to go after her, dad?”

Sai huffed slightly, shoulders slumping marginally with the movement.

“Your mother is a…complicated individual, Inojin. She’ll be back…I think.”

-o-

Ino stomped down the street, keeping her head held high and nose in the air.

After expertly throwing her son’s sketchbook at her husband’s head, the blond had fled the scene to stew over the knowledge she had just been graced with.

Was she carrying on a little excessively? Yes.

Did she particularly care? No.

She didn’t make it very far, about two blocks, before the first flower arrived.

A small snake cut off the path she was trudging along. Its lithe body slithering between her ankles, wrapping around her left calf.

Halting her movements so that she wouldn’t stumble, Ino regarded the piece of art with pursed lips.

The blonde bent down, holding out her hand, allowing the snake to wrap its body around her wrist. Straightening, azure eyes observed the small ink creature in her hand, taking in the unique design drawn into its skin.

Though created in Sai’s typical style, the snake had a flower etched into its body.

The black and white snake had a rose blooming on the back of its head, the leaves and stem running down the length of its onyx scales.

“A rose, huh?” Ino inquired, looking at the reptile with a tilt of her head.

The little creature mirrored her movement, patiently waiting to see if it achieved the goal it was created to do.

“Tell him to try again,” Ino deadpanned, removing the small animal from her wrist and depositing it back on the ground.

-o-

The second flower came when she was having tea with Sakura.

While marching around Konoha with no a real destination in mind, Ino ended up at her best friend’s apartment. It took a little convincing, and some psychical dragging, but the blonde got Sakura to join her for a much-needed vent session.

“Can you believe him Forehead?!” Ino groused, flailing her arms to emphasize her statement. “I thought that he was seriously into me!”

Sakura gave Ino a pointed look over the rim of her cup of tea, saying nothing as she took a sip of the caffeinated beverage. After replacing her glass on the table, Sakura leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms.

“You know you’re acting like a child, right?” The pinkette inquired with a quirk of her brow.

The blonde grumbled under her breath, taking a sip of her own steaming tea. Ino knew that her best friend was correct, but her pride stopped her from voicing that thought out loud. 

“After all this time together, you really want to get into an argument with him over something that happened, what, fourteen years ago?”

“It’s our first impressions, Forehead!” Ino exclaimed. “When I look back on meeting Sai, I think about how taken back I was with his looks. He looks back and thinks about almost calling me ugly like he does when he looks at you! What am I going to tell my grandchildren!?”

“Hey!” Sakura started her reprimand but was promptly cut off by the sudden appearance of a pudgy, black rat that scurried onto their table.  

It sat on its haunches in front of Ino, two black and white jasmine flowers tightly clasped between its teeth.

“Your husband is as subtle as a freight train,” Sakura said, eyeing the ink creature warily.

Ino chose to ignore the rosette’s comment, blue eyes scrutinizing the flowers that the rat held in his mouth.

“First of all, a rat? Really, Sai?” Ino questioned, flicking one of the petals with a manicured finger. “Nobility and elegance, huh? Still not good enough. Scurry on home and let him know.”

“You’re hopeless, you know that right? You’re just picking a fight with him because you want to see what extent he’ll go to apologize.”

Ino took a small sip of her beverage before she responded, “Shut it Forehead and drink your tea.”

-o-

Ino found the third flower waiting for her on the countertop of the flower shop.

The bud was drawn once again in Sai’s traditional style, though what really caught her attention was the myriad of color it was painted with.

The white petals were speckled with varying shades of pinks and purples, meshing together for a gradient that reminded her of a sunset in the middle of a Konoha summer.

“A Gillyflower?” Ino asked softly, picking up the blossom and twirling it between her fingers. “Lasting beauty and happy life…I think I like the sound of that.”

Suddenly, a warm body pressed against her back, slender arms wrapping around her waist, holding her close to a broad chest.

“I had Inojin color it. He seemed to be getting better at blending.”

Sai’s comment was in a nonchalant tone, but Ino knew better. There was a hint of pride in his voice that was easily distinguished.

It was quiet for a minute, Ino continuing to spin the flower between her fingers and Sai was content with merely having his wife in his arms.

“Are you done being mad now?” He asked after a few more silent moments.

Ino turned her head, leaning up to kiss the underside of his jaw.

“For now,” she smartly replied. “But we really need to work on your approach to apologizing. Really, Sai? A rat?”