#that prints ANY model you want (as long as you can find it/make it and import it)

[jellyloveru]

VOICES OF THE VOID IS SURE SOMETHING ELSE

[imloyaltoscoups]

guinea pig | kim mingyu

You've recently turned one of the empty rooms in your apartment into a makeshift photography studio. It's become your haven, a place where creativity flows freely, but there's just one thing missing—a model.

With a sigh, you glance around the room, pondering your options. Suddenly, it hits you, your friends! They'd be perfect for the job. You grab your phone and open your group chat, typing out a message: "Helloo~ I need a guinea pig for a photo shoot. Any takers?"

You wait eagerly for their responses, but one by one, they all decline. Some are out of town, others too busy with work or other commitments. Feeling a tad disheartened, you're about to give up when a private message pops up from Mingyu.

"What do you mean by guinea pig???" he asks, his curiosity piqued.

You grin, relieved to have found at least one potential prey model. Quickly, you reply, "I mean someone to pose for some experimental shots I want to try out. Are you up for it?"

There was a pause before Mingyu's response came through, teasingly saying, "Ah, I see. You might want to change the term you're using though. Sounds a bit... scary."

"Sooo it's that a yes?" you type back.

"Yup, just give me a minute to prepare," Mingyu replies promptly.

Amused by Mingyu's willingness to participate, you shoot him another message, "Oki~ Btw bring a few different outfits if you can."

After a moment, his reply pops up, "Hmm, shouldn't you be the one worrying about outfits? I'm just the canvas, remember?"

Chuckling at his cheeky response, you type back, "True true. Haha. I'll make sure to have some clothes ready. Just get your ass here. ASAP!"

As you continue to organize your makeshift studio, another thought crosses your mind. Typing out a message to Mingyu, you suggest, "Gyu, since you're the model, can you bring some food? We might get hungry during the shoot!"

Mingyu's reply comes in swiftly, his cheekiness evident in his words, "Wow, now you want me to be the model and the caterer? What's next, am I also doing your hair and makeup?"

You chuckle at his response, appreciating his sense of humor. "Consider it a payment for your modeling services," you reply, adding a smiley face.

There's a brief pause before Mingyu responds, "The audacity. 🙄"

You can't help but laugh at his cheeky response, typing back, "Hey, a multi-talented model like you can surely handle it all, right?"

"Fine" he concedes, "I'll drive thru mcdo, anything you want?"

With a grin, you reassure him, "Anything will do, as long as it keeps us fueled for the shoot. Thanks, Handsome!"

As you place your phone down, you can't shake off the excitement bubbling inside you. Rushing over to your printer, you start browsing Pinterest for inspiration, printing out a mix of cute and seductive poses. You gather them into a folder, ready to guide your impromptu photoshoot.

Heading to your closet, you rummage through the clothes, searching for outfits that can accommodate Mingyu's towering height. After a bit of digging, you manage to find a few options that might work.

With a satisfied nod, you arrange the shirts, jackets, and skirts neatly on the rack, mentally crossing your fingers that Mingyu will show up in jeans to complete the look. It's a bit of a challenge styling someone taller than you, but you're determined to make it work.

Glancing around your makeshift studio, you double-check the lighting and adjust the backdrop slightly, ensuring everything is set for the photoshoot. you settle into a chair nearby as you wait for your muse to arrived.

Hearing the doorbell, you spring up from your chair, practically sprinting to the monitor to check who's there. Sure enough, it's him, standing at your front door with a grin on his face. "Open the door!" he calls out, his voice muffled through the speaker.

Swinging it open, you're greeted by Mingyu's amused expression. Before you can even exchange greetings, your hand instinctively reaches for the bag of food he's carrying.

But he is quick to react, pulling the bag out of your reach with a playful tsk. "Ah ah ah," he teases, holding the bag just out of your grasp. "Not so fast, photographer. You'll get your food after we're done shooting."

You can't help but pout, disappointment clear on your face. "Come on, just one fry!"

With a mock sigh, he relents, literally plucking a single fry from the bag and holding it out to you. "Fine, just one. Don't say I never did anything for you." you eagerly accept it, savoring the salty goodness.

But when you ask for more, he shakes his head, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Sorry, buddy. You're on your own for the rest. Gotta save some for the hungry model."

You let out a playful curse, feigning disappointment as he steps past you into the house, the tantalizing scent of fries lingering in the air. Well, at least you got a taste.

"Nice setup," Mingyu comments as he steps into the studio, his eyes scanning the room before landing on the clothing rack. He quirks an eyebrow as he examines the skirts hanging there. "A skirt? Really?"

You shrug with a sheepish grin, replying, "Hey, it's the best option considering my pants won't even fit you. But don't worry, it's part of the art."

Thanking him for wearing denim jeans, you dive into picking out some clothes for him. "Okay, let's see… How about this turtleneck?.. with this skirt." you suggest, holding it up for his approval.

As you hand him the clothes, you expect him to excuse himself to change, but to your surprise, he starts undressing right there in front of you. You pause for a moment, taken aback, but then you remember that you're both comfortable with each other, and it's all in the name of art.

Once he's dressed, you step back to admire the look, studying him intently. Despite the unconventional pairing, Mingyu somehow manages to pull it off effortlessly. You can't help but feel a pang of admiration, marveling at how effortlessly he can make any outfit look good. "Nice," you finally comment, unable to hide your admiration. "You could wear a garbage bag and still look hot."

He laughs at your comment, flashing you a grin. "Thanks, I think," he replies, striking a wink. "But let's stick with the turtleneck and skirt for now."

"Alright, Gyu, I need you right over here," you gesture towards a spot in front of the backdrop, indicating where you want him to stand.

"Stand tall, shoulders back, and give me a confident stance."

Mingyu follows your directions with ease, adopting a relaxed yet commanding posture that fills the frame with his presence. You adjust the lighting, capturing the play of shadows on his features as he effortlessly owns the space.

"Great, now let's try something a bit more dynamic," you continue, gesturing for him to shift his weight and strike a more playful pose. "How about a slight lean forward, like you're about to take a step? And maybe tilt your head to the side, just a bit."

With a subtle nod, he adjusts his position, adding a hint of movement to the shot while maintaining his composed demeanor. The camera clicks away, freezing the moment in time with striking precision.

As you review the shots on your camera screen, you can't help but be impressed by Mingyu's natural talent in front of the lens. "You're a natural, Gyu," you remark with a grin, feeling the excitement building with each successful shot.

"Let's switch things up a bit," you suggest, motioning for him to crouch down slightly. "Can you lower yourself down and rest one arm on your thigh?"

Mingyu nods, gracefully sinking into a crouch while maintaining his poise. He extends one arm, resting it casually on his thigh, the lines of his body creating a captivating silhouette against the backdrop. His expression takes on a thoughtful intensity as he gazes off into the distance, his features highlighted by the soft glow of the studio lights.

As you review the images on the camera screen, a playful idea strikes you. "Gyu, do you think you could put your finger on your lips and stretch them out a bit? Like you're shushing someone?"

Mingyu quirks an eyebrow at the request but doesn't hesitate to comply. Placing a finger to his lips, he stretches them out into a playful pout, his eyes sparkling with mischief. It's a simple gesture, but it adds a touch of whimsy to the shot, making it all the more captivating.

"Nice," you grin, snapping away as Mingyu holds the pose, his playful expression captured for eternity. "Stand up Gyu, let's switch up the look." you say, turning towards the clothing rack to pick out a new outfit.

As you start browsing through the options, you hear Mingyu's footsteps approaching. Before you can react, he's beside you, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he plucks the folder from the table.

You turn to him, eyebrows raised in mild surprise. "Oh, found the inspiration folder, did you?"

Mingyu nods, flipping through the pages with a knowing smirk. "I see you've been doing some interesting research," he remarks teasingly, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

You feel a flush creep into your cheeks, but you try to play it cool. "Just trying to get some ideas for poses, you know," you say nonchalantly, though your heart rate might have picked up a bit.

He smirk, as his gaze lingering on the images in the folder. "Hmm, some of these poses are... quite provocative," he comments, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

You clear your throat, feeling a bit flustered under his scrutiny. "Uh, yeah, I was just exploring different styles." you reply awkwardly, hoping to steer the conversation back on track.

But Mingyu doesn't seem deterred, his grin widening as he leans closer to you. "So, which one of these 'interesting' poses are we trying next?" he asks, his tone teasing yet daring.

You clear your throat, trying to regain your focus as you hand Mingyu the leather jacket. "Yep, just the jacket and pants for this one," you reply, trying to keep your voice steady despite the heat rising in your cheeks.

Mingyu raises an eyebrow playfully, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Just the jacket and pants? Sounds like my kind of outfit," he teases, his eyes dancing with amusement.

You chuckle nervously, trying to keep your composure as he strips off his previous clothes and slips into his pants. Your breath catches in your throat as he casually drapes the jacket over his shoulder, the fabric falling in elegant folds.

Gulping down the sudden surge of nerves, you muster up the courage to give him instructions for the next pose. "Next, let's try something a bit more... dramatic," you say, your voice coming out a little shaky.

Mingyu quirks an eyebrow, his gaze flicking towards you with a hint of curiosity. "Dramatic, huh? I like the sound of that," he remarks, his smirk widening as he waits for your next move.

You take a deep breath, trying to steady your trembling hands as you instruct him to pose. "I want you to stand with your back against the backdrop, one hand resting on your hip and the other holding the jacket open slightly," you explain, your voice barely above a whisper.

Mingyu nods in understanding, a playful glint in his eyes as he strikes the pose with practiced ease. As you prepare your camera, he can't resist teasing you one last time. "Why not give me some more specific instructions? After all, you've already seen the folder," he teases, his voice laced with playful mischief.

You swallow nervously, acutely aware of the charged atmosphere between you. "I think you already know what I want," you reply, trying to sound nonchalant despite the butterflies fluttering in your stomach. As you continue to snap away with the camera.

He chuckles softly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Sureee" he concedes.

Rolling your eyes at Mingyu's teasing, you instructed him to wear the jacket. "Just put on the jacket now, please," you say firmly, trying to ignore the playful smirk on his face.

He laugh quietly, but he complies, slipping into the jacket with a casual grace. As he starts to zip it up, he pauses and shoots you a mischievous grin. "You sure you don't want to show off my abs?" he teases, his tone laced with amusement.

You shoot him a glare in response, your patience wearing thin. "Just follow the instructions, Kim Mingyu," you say, your voice tinged with exasperation.

Mingyu's smirk fades slightly at your tone, and he nods, zipping up the jacket until it reaches his chest. He then looks at you expectantly, waiting for further instructions.

Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you gesture towards his pants. "Now, unbutton your pants," you instruct, trying to keep your voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in your stomach.

Mingyu raises an eyebrow, but he doesn't protest. Instead, he reaches down and unbuttons his pants, revealing the waistband of his boxers underneath. He looks back at you, a playful glint in his eyes as he waits for your next command.

"Now, let's try something a bit more candid," you suggest, adjusting your camera settings. "Take out your phone and look at it, as if you're checking a message or something. And keep one hand resting on your jean."

Mingyu nods, slipping his hand into his pocket to retrieve his phone. As he does so, he shoots you a playful grin. "Sure thing, boss," he replies, his tone laced with humor. With his phone in hand, Mingyu adopts the pose you described, his gaze fixed on the screen as his other hand rests casually on his jean.

"Perfect," you reply, framing the shot and adjusting the focus. "Just hold that pose for a moment."

As you snap the photo, Mingyu's eyes meet yours briefly, a playful twinkle dancing in them. "Got it," you say, lowering the camera and giving him a nod of approval. "That was great."

Mingyu grins, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "Thanks. Anything else you want to try?" he asks, his tone casual but curious.

"Can you lower the zipper of your jacket just a bit?" you ask, trying to maintain your professional demeanor.

Mingyu's grin widens as he teasingly responds, "Oh, now you want to see my abs, huh?"

You shoot him a glare, but he only laughs in response. "I was just kidding," he adds quickly, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "But seriously, I can't adjust it."

Letting out a resigned sigh, you reluctantly make your way towards him. As you reach for the zipper, Mingyu takes the opportunity to grab your camera, holding it up to give you a better view.

But as you struggle with the stubborn zipper, you can't help but feel Mingyu's gaze burning into you. His eyes are fixed on your face, his expression unreadable yet strangely intense.

Feeling a flush creeping up your cheeks, you try to ignore the distraction and concentrate on the zipper. With a final tug, the zipper finally gives way, sliding down smoothly to reveal the hint of Mingyu's toned chest beneath.

With the zipper finally adjusted, you reclaim your camera from Mingyu's grasp, grateful to resume the shoot. You quickly refocus your attention, determined to capture the perfect shot.

"Alright, Gyu, let's try something a little more intense," you say, your voice slightly husky as you gesture for him to follow your lead.

He nods, his expression serious as he waits for your instructions. "Place your thumb on your lower lip," you continue, your voice barely above a whisper as you watch him carefully.

Mingyu follows your directions without hesitation, his thumb brushing lightly against his lower lip as he fixes his gaze on the camera. There's a raw intensity in his eyes, a simmering passion that sends a shiver down your spine.

As you snap away with your camera, you can't help but feel the sexual tension crackling between you. Each pose becomes more daring, more provocative.

"That's a wrap," you declare with a satisfied smile, reviewing the pictures you've taken with Mingyu. The images are stunning, each one capturing a different facet of his charm and charisma.

Mingyu nods in agreement, a satisfied grin on his face as he removes the jacket, leaving him with just the unbuttoned pants. "Great job, Y/N," he says, giving you a playful wink. "Now, how about we switch roles? You be the model, and I'll be the photographer."

You consider his suggestion for a moment before nodding. "Why not?" you reply with a grin, handing him the camera. "Let's see what you can do behind the lens."

Mingyu accepts the camera with a grin, already brimming with ideas for poses and compositions. "Alright, but first, I think you need to change," he says, gesturing towards your denim shorts. "How about switching into some jeans?"

You nod in agreement, feeling a rush of excitement at the prospect of being on the other side of the camera. "Sounds good," you reply, making your way to your bedroom to change. As you slip into a pair of jeans, you can't help but feel a sense of anticipation building inside you.

You return to the room, a sense of suspense coursing through you as Mingyu holds out a denim jacket. His next request catches you off guard. "Um, remove my shirt and bra and just wear the jacket?" you repeat, your voice slightly shaky with surprise.

Mingyu nods, a determined look in his eyes as he hands you a picture from the folder. "Yeah, I saw this pose and thought it would look great on you," he explains, his tone confident.

You take a deep breath, feeling a surge of nerves and excitement as you strip off your shirt and bra, leaving you with just the jacket. Clutching the picture in your hand, you mimic the pose, trying to channel the same confidence and allure as the model in the photo.

As you hold the pose, he snaps away with the camera, capturing the moment from every angle. "Perfect," he murmurs, a hint of admiration in his voice as he reviews the shots.

Suddenly, Mingyu's voice breaks the silence, pulling you out of your reverie. "Now, how about we try something a little more daring?" he suggests, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

You raise an eyebrow, intrigued by his suggestion. "Oh? That would be?" you ask, your curiosity piqued.

Mingyu hands you another picture from the folder, his gaze intense as he meets your eyes. "I want you to remove the jacket and just cover your chest," he says, his voice low and husky with desire.

You swallow nervously, feeling a rush of heat flood through you at his words. With trembling hands, you remove the jacket, leaving your chest exposed as you cover yourself with your arms.

Mingyu watches you intently, his breath coming in shallow gasps as he captures the moment with his camera. "Beautiful," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper as he continues to snap away.

But he's not done yet. "Turn around," he instructs, his voice firm but gentle. "Place your hands behind your back, in your pockets."

You obey his command, feeling a thrill run through you as you follow his instructions. The cool breeze brushes against your exposed breasts, sending a shiver down your spine as your nipples harden in response.

Mingyu continues to photograph you, you can't help but feel a sense of exhilaration coursing through you. This photoshoot has taken an unexpected turn, but you find yourself embracing the moment, eager to see where it leads.

As you stand there, feeling a mix of exhilaration and uncertainty, you hear Mingyu's voice behind you. "You look really stunning," he murmurs, his words sending a thrill down your spine.

You turn to face him, a faint blush tinting your cheeks as he moves closer, reaching out to adjust your hair with gentle fingers. His touch sends a shiver of anticipation racing through you.

Mingyu then leans in closer, his breath warm against your ear. "Why don't we go all out?" he whispers, his voice low and husky. "Why don't you take off all your remaining clothes? We can recreate the birth of Venus. You already look perfect, so let's give it a go."

You meet his gaze, your heart pounding in your chest as you consider his proposal. His eyes are dark with desire, burning with a hunger that mirrors your own.

In that moment, you feel a surge of courage coursing through you. With a nod, you take a deep breath and begin to remove your remaining clothes, baring yourself to him completely.

You stand there, vulnerable and exposed, you can't help but feel a sense of liberation washing over you. Mingyu's eyes drink in every inch of your naked form, his admiration evident in the way he looks at you.

As the last click of the camera signals the end of the shoot, Mingyu's words bring you back to reality. "It's done," he declares, his voice filled with satisfaction as he sets the camera down on the table.

With a sense of relief, you start to gather your clothes, eager to cover yourself and return to some semblance of normalcy.

But before you can fully clothe yourself, Mingyu's voice stops you in your tracks. "Wait," he says, his tone commanding yet gentle.

Confused, you turn to look at him, your hands still clutching your clothes to your chest. His eyes are filled with lust as he walks towards you, a hunger burning within him that sends a thrill through your veins.

You swallow nervously as he cups your face in his hands, his touch sending electric sparks dancing across your skin. Closing your eyes, you lean into his touch, anticipation building in the air as you wait for his next move.

And then it happens. Mingyu leans in, his lips brushing against yours in a gentle caress. It's a slow, languid kiss, filled with passion and thirst as you melt into each other's embrace.

Feeling emboldened by the intensity of the moment, you drop your clothes, wrapping your arms around Mingyu to deepen the kiss. His response is immediate, his hands roaming eagerly over your body as he pulls you closer, his desire evident in every touch.

With a soft gasp, you feel Mingyu's hand on his pants, lowering them along with his boxers to let his cock free. Your breath catches in your throat as you feel him aligning it along your entrance, the anticipation sending a shiver of excitement coursing through you.

As Mingyu slides his length inside you, you let out a soft moan, the sensation of him filling you completely overwhelming your senses. His hands wrap around your butt, lifting you effortlessly off the ground, and you instinctively wrap your legs around him, clinging to him tightly as he begins to move.

With each thrust, he sets a rhythm that sends waves of pleasure coursing through your body. You find yourself moving in sync with him, using your arms to pull yourself up and down on him, your legs squeezing his waist to grip him tighter.

His lips find yours in a passionate kiss, adding an extra layer of intensity to the already electric atmosphere. You lose yourself in the moment, the world fading away as you focus solely on the feeling of Mingyu inside you, the rhythm of your bodies moving in perfect harmony.

As you reach your climax together, the pleasure crashes over you in a tidal wave, your bodies trembling with the force of your release. Pressing your foreheads together, you lock eyes with Mingyu, sharing a moment of pure connection as you cum together inside you.

Still clinging to him, he squeeze your ass, the sensation sending a shiver of pleasure down your spine. Mingyu's words break the silence, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and satisfaction. "If this is what you meant for being a guinea pig," he says, his tone teasing yet sincere, "then count me in for every experiment."

Laughing at his playful remark, you reluctantly unwrap your legs from around him as he gently sets you back down on the ground. Despite the lingering warmth of your connection, you know there are practical matters to attend to.

"Shower sounds amazing right now," you say with a grin, feeling a sudden pang of hunger as you remember the food Mingyu brought. "And food too, definitely food."

Mingyu nods in agreement, a smile playing on his lips as he reaches for your hand. "Lead the way," he says, his voice soft and reassuring as he follows you towards the bathroom.

As you step into the shower together, the warm water cascading over your bodies, you can't help but feel a sense of intimacy and closeness with Mingyu. The simple act of washing each other's skin becomes a tender gesture of care and affection, deepening the bond between you.

After the shower, you wrap yourselves in towels and make your way to the kitchen, where you find the food Mingyu brought earlier waiting for you. Sitting down at the table together, you share a meal.

You then started to set up your laptop to export the pictures from the photoshoot, eager to see the results of your collaboration. As you browse through the images, you can't help but feel a sense of pride at the work you've created together.

With a satisfied smile, you lean back in your chair, feeling grateful for the day you've shared with Mingyu. As you look at him, a sense of warmth fills your heart, knowing that you've found someone who's willing to go on this journey with you, one photoshoot at a time.

....... ≿━━━━༺MINGYU༻━━━━≾ .......

[starcurtain]

I wish everyone collectively understood aventurine’s character like you…things would be so much easier! I genuinely don’t understand how people keep getting his motivations wrong??? Could it be because some of the most popular Aven fanfics were written prior to his release? That could have contributed to some of the takes we tend to see about him…thoughts?

I struggled all day to come up with a concise way to answer this and couldn't think of one, so here, have a long-winded ramble:

I don't think early fic writers have much impact in the situation with Aventurine's character now, since most people can look at when a story was posted and go "Oh, this was before we had ____ information."

I think that Aventurine's problem is being a male character in a gacha game. Gacha game characters are designed to sell. Hoyo can sell female characters very, very easily. Give her huge tits and a visible underwear strap and you're good to go. I love all my guy friends, but I'm not gonna sugarcoat it: straight men are not the hardest audience to please. Hit a particular fetish (feet, spandex, dommy mommy), and you're gucci.

Nah, we all know why Jade's trailer is Like That.™

Male characters in gacha are harder to sell because women as consumers are a little harder to predict. Does every woman want a tall, ripped hunk? Shit, no, small cute boyish models like Aventurine are selling better now? Why?! Would a bad boy be more popular than a nice guy??? It's harder to account for women's tastes, especially because they are often (a little) less visually-oriented.

Hoyo is good at what they do though, and they've figured out that male characters sell very well when they possess at least one of two specific traits:

Endearing vulnerability/helplessness

Gay ship tease

Give a character both, like Aventurine? They might as well be printing money.

That sound you hear is Hoyo's stock prices rising.

So, from the very beginning, Hoyo is incentivized to create a character that appeals to people, a character people will want to crack their wallets open for. And they achieved this, first and foremost, by giving Aventurine traits that female players (in particular, but men too), find especially appealing: emotional and physical vulnerability.

We see Aventurine's pain. We sympathize with his grief. We identify with his struggle to make meaning of his difficult life. He's our woobie, blorbo, babygirl, whatever the hell they're calling it now.

He can't hide his suffering anymore. He's on the very edge. He's a dude in distress. He's surrounded by enemies! He misses his mama! He's been betrayed! No one understands him like you do, dear player!

The ultimate feeling evoked is: He needs to be saved.

When people talk about male power fantasies, I think they forget that women can experience them too, and "Emotionally vulnerable man that only I (or my favorite character) can fix" is actually a female power fantasy.

And from there it's really easy, right: the people who shell out cash to buy warps for their harmed-husbando feel like they've saved him; the people who are into mlm ships look for the nearest hot dude to be the savior Ratio was waiting for his time lol.

Morally and intellectually, this type of deep-down-golden-hearted, emotionally-wounded male character is very easy to digest. There is nothing to dislike about this type of character or role in the story: this character is a good guy who has just gone through so many terrible situations, whose victim status makes him endearing, and whose lack of agency means that any of the questionable or downright bad things he does are always the result of someone else forcing his hand, and never something he would have chosen himself.

His motivations are always clear and consistent: get free, heal, and live happily ever after.

Insert the Wreck-It Ralph meme: "Do people assume all your problems got solved when a big strong man showed up?" But to be fair, a big strong man did kind of solve Aventurine's problem, so--

Anyway, it's simple. It's straightforward. Morally, it's pretty cut and dry, black and white: Aventurine is our hero, which means everyone dictating the course of his miserable life is evil.

Hoyo is not remotely discouraging people from literally buying into this emotional appeal.

And trust me, I get it. I'll be the first to admit that hurt-comfort is its own entire genre in fandom because it is so appealing. People eat up Aventurine's tragic backstory like candy! The idea of watching a character go through hell at the hands of bad guys just to finally find a happy end is like the definition of everyone's favorite story.

In fact... people love Aventurine's suffering so much, they have invented whole new ways for him to suffer that aren't even in the game.

This is where we get all the headcanons that Aventurine was a sex slave, every single person he meets hates him because of his race, the Stonehearts are executioners holding knives to his throat, Jade enslaved him to the IPC with a lifelong contract, his material possessions belong to the company, the IPC is forcing him to take only the most dangerous missions where he is being required by his evil jailers to continually put his life on the line... You name it and I promise you, I can find a fanfic where Aventurine suffers from it. 😂

Bro can't even sleep in on his day off; life is so hard for this man.

Being serious: if the game is telling us that Aventurine is a victim... Why not make him the perfect victim?

Why not envision an Aventurine with no freedom, who bears no responsibility for any of the horrible situations he is in or any of the dubious things he does?

It's so natural to like that version of Aventurine, so appealing to see a totally powerless underdog use his own wits and charms to claw his way up to freedom. Or, if you're the kind who really relishes angst: It's even appealing to see Aventurine lose more. To delight in fics where he loses his wealth, where the IPC punishes him for past crimes while he's powerless to stop them... (I assure you, this is many people's cup of tea and the fanfics prove it!)

Ultimately, there's nothing wrong with liking characters who are exactly this straightforward! It's completely fine to embrace characters that are intentionally written to be morally above-board, whose primary role in the story is to generate angst by being a good person who suffers, or those characters who never show unlikable traits, bad decisions, or contradictory actions.

The problem is that that's just not who the game is telling us Aventurine is.

Hoyo may be capitalizing off people who love to envision poor Aventurine still living his life as a slave... But the game also needs to tell a complicated enough story overall to appeal to people who don't care about this specific husbando--Aventurine's role in the actual game's plot has to be interesting enough for almost everyone to appreciate it, not just Aventurine's simp squad. (Don't get mad, I'm in the simp squad with you.)

So his character doesn't stop at just being a pure-hearted victim who is still waiting to be saved.

Aventurine is not that easy to label, and I think the biggest struggle in this character's fandom right now is between people who prefer the even-more-angsty, still-a-slave Aventurine versus people who want a morally grey, self-destructive character instead.

To me personally, while I greatly understand the appeal of fanon!Aventurine and the joy of a really juicy angst fic where characters lose it all, I think that missing out on the depth that canon is suggesting would be a real loss on the fandom's part.

The character motivations that Aventurine shows in the game are complicated. They cancel each other out. They're basically self-harm! He makes almost every situation he's in worse for himself--on purpose.

He is a good person, but also a person who has done unspeakable things. He does have morals, but he's not above allowing those who don't have them to use him to their advantage.

He's both the victim and the victor. He's his own worst enemy. He's a lost little boy who's been making terrible decisions for himself since he was like eight years old, and a grown ass man who is barely managing to fake his way through an existence that destiny is not letting him quit.

This kind of character is a lot harder to embrace. He's done things that most people would find appalling--like willingly joining up with the organization that let his entire race be massacred. He's invented a whole new peacock persona to frivolously flaunt riches he doesn't even care about (Poison Dart Frog Self-Defense 101). He actively plays into racist stereotypes about his people to manipulate others through their preconceived expectations. He's made a mockery of his mother's and sister's hopes and dreams by endlessly trying to throw his own life away.

He has flaws! He bet everything he had on a ploy without doing his homework to find out if the people he was risking his life for were even still around. (Maybe he already knew, and couldn't bear to admit it, even to himself.) He's intentionally off-putting and obnoxious to everyone he meets (Poison Dart Frog Self-Defense 102). He terrifies everyone who gets close to him by (seemingly) carelessly throwing himself into the jaws of death without the slightest provocation.

He knowingly allows the IPC to exploit his power and talents for profit. Did everyone forget that his role in the Strategic Investment Department is asset liquidation?! Like, his actual day-to-day job is ruining people's lives. Canonically, Aventurine kills people when his deals go bad.

His motivations change off-screen in two lines of story text. We're told in one line that his biggest reason for joining the IPC was to make money to save the Avgin, then in the next line we find out that's impossible. And... then what? What motivations does he even have now? The whole point of his character arc from 2.0-2.1 is that he was on the edge of giving in to utter despair and nihilism because he couldn't even perceive a single reason to stay alive. He has no purpose in life before Penacony, and that didn't start with the Stonehearts at all??

People keep saying Aventurine was held in the IPC by golden handcuffs, but how do you tie down someone for whom profit is meaningless? What can you offer to a man whose only desire is to bring back something already lost forever? How do you imprison someone whose only definition of freedom is, canonically, death?

Working for the Stonehearts is obviously not healthy. But that's why Aventurine was doing it--because taking dangerous missions allowed him to put himself at risk. The job that he originally pursued hoping to save his people became a direct means to self-harm, and the IPC's only real role in that was just happily profiting off the results.

The journal entries for Aventurine's quests are there deliberately to tell the player what is on his mind, and none of it has to do with escaping from his job:

Like... Work is the least of this man's problems.

At really the risk of rambling on too long now, he's also just a massive walking contradiction:

Aventurine is among the most explicitly religious characters in the game, yet he's one of the only people in the entire game that we have ever seen actively question his people's aeon.

You might be tempted to think Aventurine's risky gambles with his life as an adult are a result of giving up after finding out about the Avgin massacre... Butttt no, Hoyo makes sure to tell us that even at knee-high in the Sigonian desert, Kakavasha was already willing to risk himself in a fight to the death against monsters because even back then he found his own life to have less value than a single memento.

He's the "chosen one" who will lead his people to prosperity... except they're all dead.

He's explicitly suicidal... andddd also a pathstrider of Preservation.

He wants to die... He doesn't want to die. He wants to make it end, yet goes to staggering lengths to continually survive. (Every plan risks his life on purpose--but every plan's win condition is also to live.) He life is the chip tossed down, but his hand is trembling beneath the table. When faced with an otherwise unsurvivable situation, Aventurine literally became a winner of the Hunger Games. He beat other innocent people to death with his own chain-bound hands just to come out alive.

He knows the IPC failed the Avgin and left them to die... and he still willingly sought out a position of power in their organization. Maybe he really is after revenge... but maybe not.

He starts his journey in the IPC with a truly noble goal in mind: to help his people using his newfound wealth and power. He's a good guy who did genuinely want to save the Avgin and repay all those who helped him. But once it became clear he was too late, once it was obvious he would have no use at all for that monetary wealth and power he risked his life to get... What did he do with it? Unlike Jade, we don't see him over here donating to orphanages. (I'm not that heartless; I'm sure he does actually do a lot of good things with his money on the side, but the point is that the game does not show us that--it shows us, over and over again, Aventurine putting on a wasteful, over-indulgent persona toward wealth. We've supposed to feel how meaningless money is to him, how meaningless everything is becoming to him.)

He outright refuses to use underhanded tactics or to cheat at gambles, which is meant to show us that's he's more morally upright than his coworkers. There's an entire exchange where he says that he'll never stoop to using manipulation the way Opal does. But... he doesn't have any issue fulfilling Opal's exact agenda. He was never remotely morally conflicted about denying the Penaconians their freedom by dragging Penacony back under IPC control.

He's willing to risk his own life, which is one thing--but he's also willing to risk other people's well-being. Topaz accuses him of constantly egging their clients on into dangerous situations; we've actively seen him shove a gun into Ratio's hands and pull the trigger with no care for how Ratio would feel about that on their very first meeting... Dragging the Astral Express crew into the entire Penacony plan in the first place was exceedingly dangerous...

To me, I just think it's vital to understand his character through the lens of these contradictions because they demonstrate the extreme polarity of Aventurine's life: from rags to riches, from powerless to empowered by multiple aeons, from willing to kill to survive to killing himself... He has quite literally lived a life of "all or nothing," and while he is the victim of many terrible situations out of his control, his arc as a character involves facing the truth of himself and the future his own actions are hurtling him toward.

Frankly, the Aventurine that canon is suggesting is a little annoying. You want to grab him by the shoulders, shake him, and say "Why are you like this?!" And he won't even have an answer for you, because he doesn't even know why he's still alive.

In the end, to me, this is so, so much more interesting. I can read an endless supply of hurt-comfort fics where Aventurine escapes the evil IPC and Ratio is there to fill the void in his life with the power of love and catcakes and be a perfectly happy clam online, but I want canon to continue to serve us this incredible mess of a man who constantly takes one step forward and two steps back.

Who is fully aware of his role as a cog in the grotesque profit-wheel of cosmic capitalism and still manages to say he never changed from the rags-wearing desert rat of the Sigonian wastes.

Who over and over again flirts with nihility but, ultimately, even if he has to wrest it from the grip of the gods themselves with bloody, chain-bound hands, chooses life.

[thedelicatearcher]

finnick odair and reader going dress shopping hcs 🤗🤗

i think these are not exactly headcanons but i've already written half of it when i realized it 😭 tried to stylize them a little bit like headcanons, i hope you like them :)

finnick odair and reader going dress shopping

every time you have a mall date, finnick arrives at your place punctually at the time you agreed on. he always dresses nicely for your dates, today he’s stunning in some jeans, a pretty shirt, and a big, excited smile on his face, waiting for you on your porch with a bouquet of flowers on his hands. 

finnick always sends a message with the flowers he chooses for you. a bouquet of purple, white, and pink irises is in his hands this time. today’s bouquet symbolizes respect, purity, love, and deep bonding - representing a love as pure and passionate as yours.  

the plan is to eat your favorite food in the food court and then walk around the mall, looking at the shops and sharing an ice cream cone. as you sit and enjoy your meal, you talk about everything, from your coworkers at your new job to his latest findings in the market and your family drama. it isn't until you’ve talked for hours and started craving dessert that you finally stand up and stroll through the mall, enjoying a strawberry ice cream. 

walking around, you grab finnick’s arm, and distracted by your thoughts, remember the reason you insisted so much on coming to the mall. “finn, honey, i've been wanting some new dresses for a while. can we go look at them and see if i like any?” you ask him softly, and he’s nodding enthusiastically even before you finish your question.

finnick loves the way you look every day, never missing a chance to shower you with compliments and tell you how mesmerized he is by you. but his heart beats especially hard whenever he sees you wearing your pretty dresses, unable to contain himself from grabbing your hand and twirling you around. they accentuate your figure and you look so happy and graceful in them, as if you were born to wear sundresses. he can't help but love them on you.

finnick is a patient man, never rushing you as you try on all the dresses that catch your eye. his feet may ache from visiting many stores, waiting for you and standing for long periods of time, but he never complains or makes passive-aggressive remarks. he truly enjoys just being part of your world and being your hype man, always ready to give you words of praise for every article of clothing you model for him.

finnick doesn’t get bored either. while you change outfits, he sits on a nearby chair as he finishes his melting strawberry ice cream. his eyes light up each time you step outside the dressing room and model the dresses for him, posing and twirling around for him as he tells you how pretty and stunning you look, and the look on his eyes is full of love and adoration, wondering what actions he did in his past lives to deserve having you now in his arms.

his favorite type of dresses on you are the spaghetti-strap sundresses with floral prints, he thinks that they make you look like a pretty fairy. they showcase your shoulders, the soft material clinging to your skin only in certain areas and giving you an elegant silhouette, and the vibrant colors of the sundress complement the big joyous smile you usually wear. he feels captivated by the way you look effortlessly graceful in them. 

when you're done, finnick insists on carrying all your bags for you. one hand carrying your shopping bags, and you hanging onto his other arm. he feels happy. these afternoons spent with you, sharing simple and happy moments, are his favorites.

[pixelword]

♯┆“あげぽよ!!!” .ᐟ ★

MASTERLIST !! PINNED POST 🎧💿

Charlie, Vaggie, Cherri, and Velvette with a Gyaru reader <3

Poly Chaggie, reader is described as somewhat feminine but isn’t strictly a woman (they aren’t a man in the Chaggie section tho). Chaggie has Agejo Gyaru reader, Cherri has Rokku Gyaru reader, Velvette has Tsuyome Gyaru reader

♯┆ Charlie thinks its super cute! She loves how you implement the animal print and bows .ᐟ ★

♯┆ Vaggie finds it pleasing to look at. She loves how you coordinate the outfits and colors .ᐟ ★

♯┆ They love when you do their make up for them, while it might be more toned down from what you usually do, it still similar to you style .ᐟ ★

♯┆ They also love havin you do their hair since you take such care of your hair and learned how to make complicated hairstyles in the least damaging way .ᐟ ★

♯┆ Charlie loves when you curl her hair, Vaggie prefers much looser curls .ᐟ ★

♯┆ Charlie buys anything that reminds her of you or something you’v talked about wanting to gift later. A pretty bow? Bought.You complained about your leg warmers having stretched too much? You’ll have three new leg warmers in different colors .ᐟ ★

♯┆ Vaggie is more of the type to help you fix whatever outfit or accessory has been damaged before decicing if you need a replacement .ᐟ ★

♯┆ If you like beddazling your stuff, Charlie is down to help you. Vaggie prefers helping you keep everything organized and cleaned .ᐟ ★

♯┆ Oh she thinks it rocks! .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She helps dye your hair as long as you help dye hers .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She has a tendency to steal your boots and jackets .ᐟ ★

♯┆ You can steal back her shoes and loves lol .ᐟ ★

♯┆ Y’all have a playlist where you btoh add music as you have similar tastes .ᐟ ★

♯┆ While she’s not a fan of the large eyes you have with your makeup, she can’t deny you have a killer eyeliner .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She loves going thrifting with you! Y’all laugh at the silly things you find and enjoy finding the good stuff .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She beats any creeps who think they can sexualize you simply for being a Gyaru .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She loves diy-ing stuff with you and customizing items so they’re cuter .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She sucks at sewing tho, that’s your job lmao .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She has you model her outfits and makes outfits based around your style .ᐟ ★

♯┆ Has made full gyaru collections after hearing you complain on how hard it is shopping for outfits nowadays .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She doesn’t have a makeup artist for you since you’ve perfected the way you do it and she doesn’t think anyone else could replicate it as well as you do .ᐟ ★

♯┆ You mention something you’d like? She has it made and given to you so you can model it an hour later .ᐟ ★

♯┆ Absolutely loves having you dress her up and loves dressing you up .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She enjoys having you do her makeup, but it’s only done for some events and on chill days .ᐟ ★

♯┆ She’ll buy any specific makeup brand you like. No way is she having you suffer cuz your favorite white pencil got discontinued .ᐟ ★

MASTERLIST !! PINNED POST 🎧💿

[netherworldpost]

Hey Atty, I've seen a few creators starting to use Substack for their stories. I was wondering if you'd heard anything/have any opinions on it since i usually find your take on this sort of stuff interesting

I actually wrote a huge, long, rambling review --

-- VERY POSITIVE REVIEW UNTIL--

via SUBSTACK SUPPORT

...what. I'm sorry. What?

"Note: Substack charges a one-time $50 USD fee to use a custom domain for your publication."

Without exception: If you are creating content, you need to own your domain.

The gears behind-the-scenes will almost certainly belong to someone else, but you need to own the address.

To market it, be it on one social app or many, in print or in t-shirts or in skywriting, you need to say "Find my stuff at My Website Dot Whatever. Sign up!"

This domain needs to belong to you and cannot be tied to a service you cannot get away from.

What if you decide Substack sucks?

What if they say "hey we are doubling our rates"?

What if they go out of business?

What if you want to branch out into other things beyond newsletters?

To be fair. You are not being locked into Substack's system.

You can pay them $50 USD, then walk away in 3 years and point your domain somewhere else, the cost being this one-time fee.

But I want to talk about something.

When you get a domain, from Google Domains or any other the other billion companies that sell them, the registrar says "okay where does this thing point to?" -- as in -- Substack is not doing the work. The registrar is. That's part of the roughly $12/year fee you pay them for.

I have never seen a company charge you to point a domain to their service before. I am suspicious.

Notice how Tumblr is not charging to use a custom domain?

At this point, I am admittedly guessing, but the only reason I can think of a charge is to make authors second-guess if they leave the platform.

Evil Supply Co. closed in the summer of 2019, I am writing this in February 2023, I still get traffic on the old domain. It diminishes month-by-month and yet it is still a valuable "I am rebranding!" tool.

I plan on keeping the domain forever. It costs me very little per year because no one has charged me to point it at the address of the new project. I can change gears once a week and point it somewhere else without fee.

I have never seen a site charge to have a domain pointed at them.

Prior to writing this answer, I had never looked into Substack's business model.

Having found this point, I would never recommend them to anyone for any reason, even if their newsletter is going to be free forever.

In contempt and anger at this bullshit, I offer a non-affiliate link to MailChimp's blog on launching a paid newsletter.

I'm not so much saying "you should use MailChimp" as "there are other solutions that won't charge you."

I have used MC in the past to great enjoyment and success.

I've used other services too. They won't charge you for pointing a domain to them.

Because this is Tumblr which is owned by Automattic which owns WordPress and because I am super fucking mad at this Substack bullshit I will close with saying WordPress.com also has the ability to launch a newsletter and they won't charge you for a domain to be pointed at it.

I hope this is helpful.

It has been an illuminating experience to research for you.

[nadiv22]

My favorite quotes from civ VI

TECHNOLOGY

“No man ever wetted clay and then left it, as if there would be bricks by chance and fortune.” – Plutarch

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” – Will Rogers

“I AM FOND OF PIGS. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” – Winston S. Churchill

“Who deserves more credit than the wife of a coal miner?” – Merle Travis

“When you find yourself in a hole, quit digging.” – Will Rogers

“I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical.” – Arthur C. Clarke

“Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” -W. H. Auden

“I shot an arrow into the air. It fell to earth, I knew not where.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.” -Mark Twain

“I’m also interested in creating a lasting legacy … because bronze will last for thousands of years.” – Richard MacDonald

“MONEA, if it does not bring you happiness, will at least help you be miserable in comfort.” – Helen Gurley Brown

“A man on a horse is spiritually as well as physically bigger than a man on foot.” – John Steinbeck

“The Lord made us all out of iron. Then he turns up the heat to forge some of us into steel.” – Marie Osmond

“I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder … Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.” – Capt. E.J. Smith, RMS Titanic

“Create with the heart; build with the mind.” – Criss Jami

“One man’s ‘magic’ is another man’s engineering.” – Robert Heinlein

“There is no easy way to train an apprentice. My two tools are example and nagging.” – Lemony Snicket

The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” – Malcolm Forbes

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle

“Rocks in my path? I keep them all. With them I shall build my castle.” – Nemo Nox

“Not all who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien

“People can have the Model T in any color – so long as it’s black.” – Henry Ford

“The pen might not be mightier than the sword, but maybe the printing press is heavier than the siege weapon. Just a few words can change everything.” – Terry Pratchett

“Astronomy’s much more fun when you’re not an astronomer.” – Brian May

“If facts don’t fit the theory, change the facts.” – Albert Einstein

“No one starts a war – or rather, no one in his senses ought to do so – without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by that war and how he intends to conduct it.” – Karl von Clausewitz

“Science owes more to the steam engine than the steam engine owes to science.” – Lawrence Henderson

“Bolt actions speak louder than words.” – Craig Roberts

“Never criticize a rifleman until you have walked a mile in his shoes. That way, he’ll be barefoot and you’ll be out of range.” – The 2nd Target Company

“For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” – Leonardo da Vinci

“If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it’s an outstanding landing.” – Chuck Yeager

“Benjamin Franklin may have discovered electricity, but it was the man who invented the meter who made the money.” – Earl Wilson

“Chemists do not usually stutter. It would be very awkward if they did, seeing that they have at times to get out such words as methylethylamylophenylium.” – Sir William Crookes

“If God had really intended men to fly, He’d make it easier to get to the airport.” – George Winters

“Untutored courage is useless in the face of educated bullets.” – George Patton

“There may be no forgiveness for polyester. On this one matter, Satan and the Lord are in agreement.” – Joe Hill

“I’m a big laser believer – I really think they are the wave of the future.” – Courteney Cox

"Even though the future seems far away, it is actually beginning right now.” – Mattie Stepanek

CIVICS

“Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.” — Colonel David Hackworth

“A strong economy begins with a strong, well-educated workforce.”– Bill Owens “Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future, too.” – Marcus Aurelius

“It was luxuries like air conditioning that brought down the Roman Empire. With air conditioning their windows were shut; they couldn’t hear the barbarians coming.” – Garrison Keillor

Divide and rule, a sound motto. Unite and lead, a better one.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare

“Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack.” – Sun Tzu

“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

“A good navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guaranty of peace.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“In democracy it’s your vote that counts; in feudalism it’s your count that votes.” – Mogens Jallberg

“There are very honest people who do not think that they have had a bargain unless they have cheated a merchant.” – Anatole France

“You can’t go around arresting the Thieves’ Guild. I mean, we’d be at it all day!” – Terry Pratchett

“Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government … You can’t expect to wield supreme power just ‘cause some watery tart threw a sword at you!” – Monty Python

“In diplomacy there are two kinds of problems: small ones and large ones. The small ones will go away by themselves, and the large ones you will not be able to do anything about.” – Patrick McGuinness

“A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman’s birthday but never remembers her age.” – Robert Frost

“New opinions are always suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because they are not already common.” – John Locke

“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.” – Douglas Adams

“Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal.” – Edward Wilson

“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re mis-informed.” -Mark Twain

“Sports do not build character. They reveal it.” – Heywood Broun

“A good plan violently executed right now is far better than a perfect plan executed next week.” – George S. Patton

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” – John F. Kennedy

“Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” -Jane Austen

“I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.” –Albert Einstein

[halfnekoslair]

Whining post)

Have another photo from earlier today. >w< Seriously, why is it so dark? During the daytime? On the balcony?

Short: Yes, I plan to make them for sale. But I can't say when. I don't know myself.

Long:

I've been thinking about this question for some time. And I think yes. I should sell these guys in the future. But this will not be a quick process. I have to find out and try a lot of things.

I thought about selling 3D files, but I abandoned this idea. I just don't want to do this. I understand that this may be more convenient for people around the world. But I'm not ready to let this project run free without my supervision.

I just spent too much time and materials on this. Mainly due to my inexperience. But still...

So the plan is to make the dolls myself. I think.

I've been in the BJD hobby for a long time. But I left it a few years ago because it no longer felt right.

So I've lost track of what doll prices are nowdays. Especially 3D printed ones. And the varnish I used before doesn’t seem to be around anymore. All my paints are already dry. I don't have many tools that I used to have anymore.

I also need to find a resin that is good for printing articulated dolls. The one I'm testing now is pretty good for my taste. A few scratches are visible only because I dyed resin a very dark green. It looks similar for dark skintone dolls as I remember.

But if you know and can advise something, I will be very glad.

Overall I need more test prints. More materials. More tools. More time to work on my rusty skills. Before I am confident enough in my product. In short: more money >w< Ahaha stupid adult life.

I'm currently working on vtuber model commissions. Drawing and Rigging.

And I think I'm in the burnout stage. I'm so done with it! I just don't want to wake up in the morning to do this... I hope no one from my other pages reads this hahaha...

So I sincerely dream of jumping into something else from drawing.

But not today) I still need the funds to put it into my other projects before I can even begin to imagine if any of it can make a difference.

Thank you for attention)

[messydiabolical]

@dandenbo asked me for the art asks: 🎠What is a typical 'workflow' for a piece from idea to finished? It turns out to be a long answer so here's its own post, under the cut to save your dash! How I go from screenshot to painting: (This is not intended to be a 'this is how you do it!' kind of guide. I absolutely don't do an optimal route, this is just how I go about painting and what works for me! I've done a workflow for a screenshot to painting as I do a few different things but this is one I could explain somewhat coherently. My comics tend to be created pretty chaotically lol)

1) I take an ungodly amount of screenshots while playing. Also pester friends for their screenshots or stalk the group discord for interesting shots.

2) Go through all those screenshots cursing why I took so many, looking for those great moments that I want to paint. I’m particularly looking for nice poses/captivating moments, dynamic lighting or interesting expressions, and they don’t need to have all 3 as we can fix some of that in the next step. Here’s the screenshot I chose for my Keahi x Thane piece:

It was a cute, soft moment between them and I liked the highlight at the edge of their profiles. 3) Refine the screenshot. I don’t use anything fancy for this. I game on windows PC, so I open up the screenshot with windows photo editor. I crop the image, play around with saturation, exposure, contrast, just basic editing until it looks tastier. For this piece I wanted it to be hyper colourful and vibrant, leaning towards warmer tones.

4) Decide what I will change, then gather references for those changes. In this case I was fortunate that not a lot needed changing. I knew I wanted to move Thane’s eye position to looking at Keahi rather than the way he is slightly off focus, do a more realistic ear with earrings for Keahi, make Thane a little more smiley and lower his eyelid and give Keahi nicer eyelashes. I keep a whole bunch of art guides and tutorials on my PC so I grabbed the necessary ones and sent them to my ipad ready to have on hand for the sketch stage. I have Thane’s character model in XNApose, so I can check things like his eyelid specifically in that (this is actually for a different project but shows you what I mean)

If I was going to change up the lighting/shading I would also gather references for that. For example sometimes i’ll take screenshots of lighting schemes I love from films/tv shows (think the strong teal and orange scheme in Mad Max or the neons of Blade Runner). Or for precise shadows, I can again use XNApose. I also have a little 3d printed Thane head I can shine a torch at and take photos of to get shadow ideas. For humans there’s lots of reference to be found with online searches, I find pinterest more useful than google for this. For specific expressions or body parts, i’ll just take photos of myself (hand poses, smiling from the right angle etc.) My camera roll is an interesting place. I have drawn drell frills on my neck and on my chest before to see how the lines would fold at certain angles. 5) Setting up a canvas I work in procreate. For a piece like this I try to go pretty big, say 5000 x 4000 pixels, then i’ll crop down later as needed. 300 DPI. As I work, I’ll make duplicates and continue on the copy each fresh session. When i’m finished I make a backup save of the PNG and .procreate files on an SSD. I immediately turn the background colour down to a more muted colour to not burn my retinas. If i’m using a textured background like an oil board i’ll insert it, and any overlays like canvas effects. Set up my layers from the start basically for easy toggling throughout. I try to be good and label things to make life easier, it doesn’t always happen though. I don't wear a digital glove or use paper effect screens but I do have a bottle of screen cleaner and a microfibre cloth handy at all times. 6) Sketch. I’m still very much learning to draw. I tried for a long time to do the classic ‘ball for a head, draw the planes/lines etc. It was a constant struggle and never clicked for me, the ball especially always made things much worse, turning a circle into a 3d image in my head just does not happen. I find it better to just start drawing and work things out as I go (I use procreates reference window to see my screenshot). So I’ll have my sketch in one canvas, and i’ll also have a second canvas with the photo ref on it at the same size, and if I feel like something is really wonky and off i’ll test my lines over the photo to see what’s gone wrong, then go back to the sketch and correct the areas that revealed. Sometimes I’ll use the grid feature if i’m getting stuck.  Here's a few of the sketch stages:

Here I tried out the lines on the photo and noticed that Thane’s frills were a little too far to the left, and Keahi’s eyebrow needed to arch down towards the nose.In the next pass I correct these:

Also, and I know i’m gonna get side eye from some people for this but I really could not care less to be honest. On some pieces i’ll just trace the screenshot. Sometime I just want to get to painting, am not in the mood or mindspace for a learning experience, and this is a hobby. It’s my screenshot, no one is getting ripped off. My latest Javik piece was done this way 🤷‍♂️ 6) Painting. I’ll start by blocking in the background and the portrait flats, usually on separate layers. I try to have an idea of the background colour from the start as this can effect the whole piece overall, but sometimes you just gotta change it as you go so having it on a different layer makes this much easier.

The painting itself I’ll lay down wider areas of colours, then start going in and refining bit by bit, I tend to work on one area at a time, and sometimes I’ll get pretty well rendered on a small area before moving on, other times work on a wider area. It really depends on my mood and what i’m vibing with that day. Like you can see here I’ve done some general messy colouring all over Keahi, but done a lot of refinement on the eyeball:

7) Finshing the piece, uploading and testing: When I’m sick of rendering the painting and don’t think I can add anything more to it without gnawing my own wrist off, it is time to finish up! I make sure I toggle all the layers I want on, add a top signature layer (lol I lie I forget this all the damn time). Then i’ll upload the piece to my google drive and open it up on my big 4k monitor on my PC, and on my phone, and see how it looks (my ipad is a 9.7inch air). I find that once off my ipad, it often looks a little less saturated and contrasting as it does in procreate. So I might go back and change the levels if it’s too big a difference until it looks decent across devices (it’ll never look perfect on them all though, just gotta find that happy medium).

8) Posting online I really don’t have any strict steps for this. I know some people go for optimal posting times, and will make multiple copies of their pieces in different sizes to fit better on different sites (damn you instagram and your need for everything to be square). I… do not do any of this lol. I post when I’m done whatever time or day that is. I do tend to reblog/retweet etc before I go to bed, as I live in the UK and that will at least be getting into evening time in US. I reblog my own stuff a fair bit.

[amaiguri]

Character Voice Tag

Thanks to @spideronthesun for the tag this time! This is my second time through on this tag but, as I said last time, I need the practice.

Premise: We have a line of dialogue and we have to write it like our characters would say it! And while we can use voice tags or actions to help, the goal is to emphasize character voice through syntax and diction.

My sentence is:

I miss you.

Now, as I said last time, I like to make the context really specific -- because that determines how the character will actually say it. For my context, I want the character to be writing this to a long distance lover or significant other whom they miss desperately. Let's see what they say!

Arlasaire: "I miss you."

Riavh: "Every day, my heart aches more from our parting. But I pray the Gods will bring us safely together once more."

Lucienne: "I do hope you aren't pining after me too miserably -- but you can kiss my lip prints on this letter and pretend."

Kalliopeia: "If I discover a gap in my knowledge, I go to you with a frequency that my language model indicates is USUALLY. But while you are absent, what I do is UNDEFINED. My emotional core indicates this meets the threshhold for LONGING. I LONG for you to return."

Kivihk: "It feels like a part of me is missing when you aren't here. Hurry home ;)"

Diacaius: "To be frank, I do find myself unexpectedly lost in your absence -- but not to any extent that it should worry you."

Kalliopeia is so hard to write because, when she's with people she trusts or if you're in her POV, she's basically reading out the C# code she's executing. 😭😭😭 But from other peoples' perspectives, she has an excellent language model that would probably pass a Turing Test or a Chinese Room.

Since I just reworked Kivihk, I especially need to dig into his linguistic landscape... hmmm 🤔

Gently passing on to @emelkae @friendlyshaped @simonnebethel @moonscribbler @the-down-upside-finch but as usual, hop on this as a open tag! And if I tagged you last time, I'm sorry -- I tried to bring in new blood 🥰

[twitter-sakuranokaze]

FF14 Battle Portrait Magnet tutorial

Hihi~ I'm back with another tutorial! This time it's on how I made the battle portraits into magnets.

If you don't have a 3D printer, I did do a quick experiment on how a similar effect can be done with paper alternative. You can scroll directly to that section.

If you have a 3D printer:

Things you will need:

3D files of the casing you want to print

3D printer

a print out of the character portrait

Paint or Spray paint of the color you want the casing to be

UV resin

Tape

Magnetic Tape (I brought mine from Daiso)

Step 1: Obtain the 3D model of the casing of the character you want to make. Unfortunately there's no easy way around it. You will most likely need to make the 3D model. As for me, I already modeled all the characters I wanted to print. If you want to print any of the ones I already made, the files can be found here (Just a note, I made these really quickly so they're not optimized models at all but will work for printing)

Step 2: Print the Model

Step 3: Spray printed model to whatever casing color you want. In my case, I wanted gold so I spray painted it with Rust-Oleum Specialty Metallic Effects Spray Paint in Gold. Then let the paint dry

Step 4: Print the character portrait at 5.7cm (that's the default size for the 3Dmodels I made) and cut it out.

Step 5: Place the portrait into the casing

Step 6: Find a place you want to work with resin and put down a few pieces of tape with the sticky side up. I used regular painter's tape here

Step 7: Place the casing(with portrait inside) on top of the tape. The reason for this is that the resin might shrink a little when being cured and that may bend the 3D printed casing. The tape is to hold it down.(Also I forgot to take a photo from when I was making Hades so this is from when I was making Hythlodaeus.

Step 8: Pour resin into the casing. If there's bubbles, I just used a toothpick to poke at the bubbles till they are gone.

Step 9: Cure the resin. How to cure it and how long will depend on what it says on the package of the resin you brought. I have a UV lamp and let it sit for 150 seconds.

Step 10: After it's fully cured, remove the portrait from the tape and stick a small piece of magnetic tape at the back and that's it!

Congrats! now you have a character portrait magnet :)

If you don't have a 3D printer:

I have tried making a paper version just to test it out. It worked but it doesn't look as neat as the 3D printed version and has a bigger edge. Tbh that might also simply be the result of me rushing it as I just wanted to test a proof of concept. At the end of the day, it did work so if you want to try it, here are the steps:

Things you will need:

a print out of the character portrait

UV resin

Some kind of paper sealer (I used Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover Gloss Clear in this example)

Tape

Magnetic Tape (I brought mine from Daiso)

Step 1: Drag and drop your portrait into photoshop/Clip studio or any other art programs.

Step 2: Create a layer above the character portrait and draw an outline around the character portrait as well as an outline slightly away from the portrait. This will be your Magnet casing edge.

Step 3:Create a new document and duplicate the "casing edge" that you created 4 times. Then duplicate the outer edge 3 times. Paste your Character portrait into one of the 3 outer edge images. You should end up with something similar to the image below. (P.S My File here can be printed as it is and be used if you just wanted a Emet one :)

Step 4: Print all the pieces out. Place a piece of tape behind one of the "Outer Edge" pieces. Make sure it covers the whole piece.

Step 5: Cut all the pieces out. Make sure to remove the center of the "Casing Edge" ones

Step 6: Stack and Glue the 4 edges on top of each other

Step 7: Glue the stack from the above step to the "Outer Edge" piece with the portrait image.

Step 8: Glue the 2 outer edge pieces behind the one with the portrait image. Make sure the piece with the tape backing is at the very back. After all that is done, it should look like below

Step 9: Take the entire piece outside and spray it with a sealer. ( I used Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch 2X Ultra Cover Gloss Clear in this example but it doesn't have to be this). Then let the piece dry.

Steps from this point on is the same as the 3D printed version.

Step 10: Find a place you want to work with resin and put down a few pieces of tape with the sticky side up. I used regular painter's tape here.

Step 11: Place the casing(with portrait inside) on top of the tape. The reason for this is that the resin might shrink a little when being cured and that may bend the casing. The tape is to hold it down.

Step 12: Pour resin into the casing. If there's bubbles, I just used a toothpick to poke at the bubbles till they are gone.

Step 13: Cure the resin. How to cure it and how long will depend on what it says on the package of the resin you brought. I have a UV lamp and let it sit for 150 seconds.

Step 14: After it's fully cured, remove the portrait from the tape and stick a small piece of magnetic tape at the back and that's it!

[ckao03]

Okay, I could talk about each of these topics in greater depth, but I'll keep it boiled down or else I'll be typing for a loooong time. If anyone wants elaboration on the following steps or on any particular pieces I've done, let me know and I'll give more tips and tricks later :) Apologies for the formatting, I'm still getting used to posting on Tumblr

-------------------------

Step 1: Clean up and prep I start by sanding down leftover pieces and flaws in the model caused by the production process. In traditional model kits, these are pour tabs, flash and seam lines. For 3D printed, these would be pits or bumps left behind from supports and layers lines.

The arm and boots on the left are from a traditional model kit, and have visible tab chunks that will need snipping then sanding. S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N on the right needs his supports removed, then sanding. Every piece (minus those with fine texture) gets buffed with 240, 320, 600 and 1000 grit sandpaper/sanding sponges (clear parts and any pieces intended to be painted with clear paints, such as character skin, are additionally polished with a melamine sponge, also known as a magic eraser).

This is to make sure the surface is level and uniform. Any bumps or scratches that aren't removed will show up in the final paint job.

(Note for beginners: It's fine to just remove production remnants and do a little clean up before going to the next step. All that prep is tedious! Just have fun with it for now!)

Step 2: Make sure the model parts fit well together. It's very common for a model to not fit together perfectly right away. Dipping the model in hot water to soften it, then pressing the pieces together usually fixes this. Be careful not to burn yourself! Sometimes drilling and sanding is required. At this point, larger model kits will require drilling and pinning, though most are fine being assembled later just with glue.

Step 3: Primer

I secure the pieces on clips to keep them elevated, and spray them in thin, even layers of primer. Primer is essential, as it is what makes the paint stick to the model. - White primer: Best for anime and cartoon figures, makes colors pop - Grey: For realistic characters, dulls colors down a little. - Black: For metal or specialty products, like Armored Komodo pigments

Primer will make any unresolved blemishes become more visible, so I usually go back to step 1 until I get them all.

Step 4: Clear coat

For an even, level paint job, I spray a layer of Gloss clear coat on every piece, to smooth the surface even more. I skip this for finely textured pieces, so the details don't get filled in. Spray in a well ventilated area with protection!

There are many brands of clear coats. These are my favorites!

Step 5: Paint

I use three kinds of paint:

Lacquer: Expensive, take a little while to cure, must be thinned with a solvent. Sometimes hard to find. Offers lovely effects, is durable and sticks very well. Can be difficult to correct if something goes wrong. *HAZARDOUS, use in a well ventilated or outside area and use breathing protection!*

Enamel: A little easier to find, takes a long time to cure, which sometimes is a benefit, as it can level itself and provide a smoother surface. Must be thinned with a solvent, sticks very well. Most importantly, enamel can be used on top of lacquers and erased without damaging the lacquer layer. *HAZARDOUS, use in a well ventilated or outside area and use breathing protection!*

Acrylic: Great, vibrant colors, easy to find, very affordable! Dries very fast, even faster if you lightly use a hair dryer. Very delicate, prone to scratches and chips. Can be easily stained by other acrylic color. You only need water to thin it!

Left to right: Creos Mr Hobby Lacquers, Tamiya Enamel, Vallejo Acrylics

I usually start with the character's skin first. This is because I paint skin using built up layers of clear colors, to get a sort of 'glow' that shines through to the primer and differentiates the skin from clothing and hair pieces.

Afterwards and throughout the project, I 'save' my work by spraying a layer of clear Gloss or Matte spray. I use an airbrush, so to further protect other parts of my work, I cover the finished pieces in masking liquid and/or masking tape, before spraying the next color. Because Enamel can be easily wiped off of lacquers without affecting the lower color layers, I use this type of paint second. If you use Enamel first, you may run into issues with the underlying lacquer causing paint cracking in the future.

(Note for beginners: Using just acrylics is fine. :) I have painted entire models with acrylic paints obtained from craft stores and Walmart, and had very good results.)

Despite my masking, some enamel paint leaked through on Casey's neck. Masking is rarely perfect, so expect to do touch ups after removal.

Step 6: Face eyes and details

...this is an entire essay on it's own, which will require another post. But I use layers of enamel for eyes, water color pencils for eyebrows, chalk pastels for makeup/shading and acrylics for eye lashes.

I have shaky hands sometimes, so the ability to erase my work and start again is very helpful here, hence why I don't use lacquers for this part.

There are... So many products and colors in this one piece... Step 7: Touch ups then gluing

I typically do touch ups as I go, but now is the last chance to correct anything. Once it's ready, 2-part epoxy or crazy glue (sometimes both) will be enough to get most models together entirely.

----------------------------

That's a basic breakdown for my process, though for things like effects, clear pieces and fancier/realistic models, it can get quite elaborate. I don't want to scare anyone away from the hobby, so I'll just say this...

You don't have to do allllll this stuff!! Find a model you love (repainting dollar store figures is a great place to start!), prime it, and slap some paint on it! Just have fun, and then go from there!! My first model was lumpy, and looked like she was painted with nail polish, but I kept going and just enjoyed myself, trying new tips and tricks along the way. The point is to have fun! Make sure to take proper precautions and read product instructions as well, if you choose to use the more toxic products.

If anyone decides to give figure painting a shot, send pics of your projects my way, I'd love to see them!! :D It's always great to have more people in the hobby! And I'm always up for more questions, they might just take me a little while to get to replying.

[analiavs]

The PhotoShoot

Something I wrote a few months ago but I’m not gonna finish it so I might as well post it :P

Summary: Niki will do any photoshoot as long as he gets paid, but he can’t lie seeing Remy like this was cathartic

Niki POV, Wren x Remy, humiliation, incomplete

Niki just wanted to do his job. It kept the heat off him. And yes, it was almost unbearable to look Remy’s victims in the eyes as they put on whatever deranged show the man desired, but that’s what he had to do to get by. At the end of the day, a contract was a contract. He repressed any emotion as much as possible during those shoots.

But he couldn’t lie, seeing Remy like this did give him a sadistic sort of vindication. He almost teased him, but held his tongue. Watching Remy try to pull down the cow-print skirt while desperately looking anywhere but him was enough.

A cow-print tube top, skirt, and thigh highs. Even a bell collar. They had really committed to the look. The man accompanying him, Wren, in a crimson tailored suit laughed when he noticed.

“I was tempted to keep him all to myself, but you know a bet’s a bet.” He winked at him.

“I really want to get my money's worth for these pictures, so if he needs any directions give them to him. But once he gets into it he probably won’t need any encouragement.” Wren laughed. Obviously the humiliation was the point, but he just nodded demurely. If he antagonized Remy now, he’d have to pay for it later.

Though, Wren could trust his five thousand dollars were well spent. He did wonder what kind of bet it would take for Remy to debase himself on camera.

“Shut-up!” Remy snapped back at Wren, who just laughed.

“Now Remy, you know cows can’t talk.” He laughed, before grabbing Remy by his hair. “What do cows say?” He asked, an edge to his voice. Visibly shaken Remy squeaked out a moo. And Wren released him.

So even someone like Remy could find themselves at the bottom of some fucked up hierarchy. It was a tantalizing fantasy, to be the one holding the leash for once, but just as quickly as it consumed him he repressed it. It was time for business after all.

“Ok, Mr. Wren-“

“Wren is fine Niki.” The way he said his name had the promise of a bet in it. He refocused and cleared his throat before continuing.

“Wren, you requested solo and couples shots right? Will there be several outfits or just this one? And will you be his partner for today?”

“Just one outfit and me today. My little cow can take the biggest bulls, but I want to keep him all to myself today.”

“Wren!” Remy spoke up again, sounding scandalized. Wren grabbed him by the waist and methodologically spanked him ten times before muttering.

“What do cows say? I wouldn’t want these photos to end up circulating. But my fingers might slip if I have to keep repeating myself.” Remy immediately pressed himself against Wren like he was begging, moos shooting out of his mouth in desperation. Wren’s smile once Remy broke unsettled him. But it seemed he was placated for now.

“Like I was saying, this little cow can’t produce very much milk but he always does his best to make the real bulls feel good. Can’t keep himself off of them. So we made him an official position and we wanna show what kind of services he has to offer.” So it was a roleplay thing too. He could work with that.

“Well sir, I have some wonderful poses that will really help your adverts pop. All the studs will know exactly who to go to once I’m done.” When he realized that he was playing along with him, Wren smiled at him and he tried to ignore how it made him feel.

He grabbed Remy and brought him over to the posing station. Model shots were always a good way to start. He made him kneel and look up like he was ready to give some oral service. It would have been quite appealing if he wasn’t staring at him with all the hatred he could muster. Well maybe Wren would like the bratty look, who knew with these freaks. He snapped some shots with him posed like that, making small adjustments and movements.

“If you’re gonna glare, pout. That lip gloss you're wearing really makes your lips pop darling.” He’d defaulted to model mode, but it seemed Remy didn’t take offense. He looked behind him questioningly before pouting for him. So Remy was going to be agreeable, this changed everything. Once those shots were completed he told him to stand.

“Alright, bend a little bit and stick your butt out. You service bulls with both ends right? We gotta show off all your assets.” Remy bent a little, but not enough to really give him the look he was going for. Wren jeered from the sidelines.

“‘C’mon show Niki your panties! You have them on right?” Wren said. Despite his casual demeanor, he could hear threatening undertones. He heard a whiny moo before Remy turned around to show him his butt and lifted his skirt. And to his surprise cow-print panties greeted him. He snapped a few pictures. Remy wriggled his butt, but for whose benefit he wasn’t sure.

The tinkle of the cow bell seemed almost hypnotic. Once those shots were taken, he took them to Wren for inspection. His gaze grew hungrier the more he looked and when he made it to the panty shots he licked his lips.

“Next time I’ll get some nude solo shots, you're amazing.” He sounded almost reverent. It wasn’t the first time a customer had had this reaction, but it was certainly the first time he’d reacted to it. He tried to move forward casually.

“Alright now that we’ve got those photos, we can move onto the couples photos. I’ve got some poses in mind, but feel free to give me any guidance.”

“I just want him on my lap, you can pose us however you want.” Wren said eagerly. He pointed them towards the prop couch

[skitariiposting]

Attention fellow 3D printing wargamers

Heres a tip: if you can't find .stls for your specific units, find proxies for your proxies!

I'm going to be using 40k here, but it works for any tabletop game.

For example: can't find space marine models? Try searching for starcraft space marines models instead! They're practically the same thing.

There are a billion space marine head proxies out there. Take a knife or clippers to those starcraft model's heads and add in the space marine helmet proxies with a dab of super glue. Bam, instant space marine.

Hell, slap a couple purity seal prints on 'em and you've got ultramarines baby.

On top of that, remember that the model is only half the mini. The paint can make it whatever you want it to be, so long as you make it consistent!

Paint a Jawa red with blue eyes, slap a little backpack on it, stand it up next to your other skitarii and boom, you've got a short skitarii.

Trolls from D&D look vaguely ork like. Scale down the models a bit before adding supports, print that sucker and paint 'em green. Bam, you've got some boyz on the field!

Necrons are silver skeletons or Terminator models with green eyes instead of red!

Tau are stormtroopers without their helmets and blue heads! Or grab a model for a neat helmet and paint it like a tau's!

You don't need to know kitbashing to make your own models. You don't need to know 3D modeling to make your own models. You don't have to buy the $12 .stls from patreon for models.

You don't have to have an exact model to make warhammer proxies. Find something that looks roughly similar and paint it like you'd paint one of those minis.

My motto is: "When in doubt, just make it look warhammery." When you put it all into a big army, the effect really comes to life, because at that point it's no longer just models standing in for other models...

It becomes stylised. It becomes unique. It becomes a creative decision instead of a financial one.

It becomes yours.

[a-writer-that-never-writes]

The Starline Heist

“Hand me the halfdiamond,” said Ebby.

Nik pulled the pick from the small pouch and handed it to him, “One of these day’s you’re gonna have to show me how you do it.”

“Fat chance,” grunted Ebby, “Damn, didn’t anyone teach these idiots how to oil a lock, I’m surprised this thing hasn’t seized up on them yet.”

“They probably think it’s safer for it to stick a little.”

“Give me a hammer and I’d have this thing off in too whacks, it’s rusted right through I tell ya.”

“Too loud,” sighed Nik, “It’s a nice idea though, I wouldn’t mind taking a hammer or maybe even a torch to this building.”

“We’ll torch them in court once we get those papers. Ahha, got it,” Ebby crackled with glee as the lock popped loose, “Your turn Niki old pal!”

Nik gently pried the front plate off the badge reader and looked at the tangle of wires inside, “Hmmm, I see why they used a physical lock, the print scanner on this thing is fried, anyone with a badge and code could just waltz right in.”

Ebby grinned, “Don’t suppose you have the badge and code do you?”

“Not yet actually, my contact wanted an exorbitant amount for them.” Nik fiddled with the wires, “that ought to work,” they held up a pair of white cards to the reader, “here,” they handed one to Ebby, “should get you through most doors.”

Nik quickly punched in a fake code, “one, two, three, four. Think you can remember that old man?”

Ebby shoved the card in his shirt pocket, “I got your number all right Niki boy, got a cloak for me?”

Nik pulled two lengths of fabric from their backpack, “here ya go, make sure not to stand still for too long or the AI will pick up on it.”

They each ducked under their own cloaks, adjusting them to ensure everything was well hidden.

“Here we go,” Nik opened the door and the two quickly slipped inside.  

The hall lights blinked on, “crap,” muttered Ebby.

“Hush, they’re old laser-style motion sensors, if the AI had seen us the alarms would already be blaring, so lets move quick.”

They headed down the hallway past several doors before Nik stopped, “here it is, Security Operations Center. Should be able to get everything we need from here.”

“That looks like a retina scanner,” Ebby said doubtfully.

Nik slowly pried the scanner away from the wall, “I can bypass it, it’s an older model…” they fell silent as they carefully rewired the machines' innards.  “Try badging in now.”

The door obediently unlocked as Ebby tapped his badge on the small reader and typed in the simple code.

The security center was lined with several rows of desks and even more rows of clear glass monitors.

“Place is like a ghost town,” Ebby muttered as the automatic light’s switched on, “How’d you get em all out of here at the same time?”

“Corporate Christmas party, just worked a little magic on who was scheduled to go and who wasn’t, simple really.”

“It’s all easy for you ain’t it kid,” Ebby was rifling through paper and checking in unlocked drawers, “you think you got it made. Just don’t go getting too cocky, that’s how you end up with a prison sentence longer than the ride to Pluto.”

“I’m sure you’ll keep me in line ol’ man.” Nick smiled. They had slid into a chair and plugged in a small device to the computer there, “Any luck finding the keys?”

“Starting to wonder if I’ll even need them, don’t think anyone taught these boys basic security,” Ebby strode over and dropped a small sticky note in front of Nik, “I believe you owe me a drink though.”

Nik rolled his eyes at the small piece of paper but diligently typed in the username and password written on it, “I’m in,” they grumbled and unplugged the small machine.  “People always take all the fun out of hacking.”

Ebby laughed, “somethings never change.  They’ll come up with a way to pull the password straight from your mind and people will still be writing them down and hiding them under keyboards.”

“They could atleast invent an invisibility cloak small enough to hide em with.”

“Sounds like a great idea, just hope it doesn’t fritz out the first time you look at it wrong.”

“They’ve come a long way, heard they’ve deployed some back on Earth that are almost entirely silent.”

Ebby gave a disbelieving grunt and went back to digging through drawers, pulling out his lockpicks as needed.

“Got us registered with the AI, it shouldn’t sound any alarms now,“ Nik shrugged off the static cloak and looked around for any flashing lights.

“Don’t suppose you set the camera’s on a loop to did ya?” Ebby asked.

Nik gave him a withering look and Ebby reluctantly slid down the hood of his cloak.

“You can never be too careful, alright.”

“How about you let me do my job and you do your’s, unless you’ve already found those keys?”

“Bah, they’ll  be in the last drawer I open, that’s how that always works.”

The two worked in silence for several minutes, interrupted only by Nik’s occasional curses as the computer failed to let them into one program or another.

“Got em,” Ebby said, dusting off his knees as he stood up, “I’m getting too old for this sort of thing.”

“Find us another job as good as this and you’ll have enough money to retire.”

Ebby chuckled, “it’ll be here sooner than you think, Nik. Ready to go get those papers?”

“I’m elevating the access for that badge, tap it here,” Nik motioned to a small card reader, “alright you should be good to go.”

“You’re not coming along?”

“Shouldn’t need me and I’d like to take a poke around their datacenter.”

“Be careful.”

“You too ol’ man, remember these papers aren’t worth getting killed over.”

Ebby nodded and slipped back under his static cloak before heading out into the hall.  Once Nik had confirmed that no alarms were going to go off they headed over to the one other door in the room.  

“Hello, Beautiful,” they said as they badged in and opened the heavy steel door. Heat and noise blasted forth from the cluttered room, “Oh…, Well that explains the slow connections.” The room was filled with two rows of ceiling height metal server racks connected by a jungle of cables and cords.

Nik pulled out their laptop and stepped gingerly through the mess of wires, pausing occasionally to plug a tiny device into an open port.

“Ahah, now you might have something useful,” Nik followed the cables from one server until they found an empty line and plugged it into their laptop, “username and password? Let’s just pretend I’m the admin why don’t we? And we’re in, really, it’s too easy.”

Nik tapped away at the keyboard for several minutes, mumbling to themselves about poor security practices. “It really isn’t my fault they just left the back door wide open is it? Ooo, what’s this file? Oh.” 

Nik sat down hard on the ground.

The door to the security room clicked shut, “You almost done in there?” called Ebby, he poked his head into the server room, “you alright Nik? Look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Fine,” Nik stuttered, “just found some real interesting data.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I’ll, um, show you later, Eb.”

Ebby eyed him curiously, “How much longer you need?”

Nik nodded, “ I just gotta get this stuff downloaded, should only take a few minutes. You go ahead though, I’ll meet you at the usual spot.”

“We’ve done a lot of good work together, yeah Nik?”

Nik hummed their agreement.

“Well I’ll see ya in a bit yeah?” Ebby hesistated, “Don’t wait to long, Nik, I’ve got a bad feeling.”

“Me too.”

Nik slammed the laptop shut and shoved it into their bag as soon as they heard the security center door close.

“What’s your game ol’man?” they muttered to themselves as they weaved back out through the jungle of cables.  They gave a cursory glance at the security monitors to make sure that the coast was clear and then strode out into the hall.

Nik, stopped.  The exit at the end of the hall was open, and just on the other side, lit by the wavering light of a streetlamp was the slumped over body of Ebby. “Shit”

The light outside shifted. 

A shiver ran up Nik’s spine as the gentle click of the door closing was drowned out by the loud thud of heavy machinery. Their eyes darted around the hall, trying to make out the slight shimmer in the air made by the invisibility suit.

“Stay calm,” they muttered to themselves, trying to fight down the urge to turn and run, “you need a plan.”

There was a loud click, as of a gun loading.

Nik dove back into the security room just in time to avoid the gunfire.  They shoved one of the light weight desks against the door.

“Shit, think, Ebby told you all about these damn machines.”

Nik looked hopelessly around the room for anything of use. The machine thudded slowly down the hall.

“What was it he always said about the older machines? You could hear them coming a mile away? Great yeah, well I figured that out on my own.”

Nik backed away from the door till they reached the datacenter.  They grabbed the handle and cursed as it sparked. “These guys are gonna fry their machines.” Nik stared at the handle, tentatively reaching out to touch it again, this time without the spark.

A loud thud outside the door was all the urging Nik needed to put their half formed plan into action.  As their pursuer tried to bash open the locked door Nik yanked a pair of cables haphazardly out of servers and drug them out into the security center.  They did their best to toss them onto either side of the entrance.  As the door crashed open in a burst of splinters Nik shoved the ends of the cables into a power bank and dove behind a set of desks.

Nik held their breath, the suit whirred and clicked as it looked around the room.

“Think you can hide?” said a distorted voice, “think you can outrun me?”

There was a thud as the suit stepped inside the room.  Nik glanced over at the gray wall panel by the door.

“If you come out now I’ll make your death quick, just like I did for your partner.”

There was a crash as a desk was lifted up and tossed across the room.

“I gotta say you got balls, trying to steal from Starline, I respect that, I really do.”

Nik scrambled out of the way as one of the desks came crashing down on their hiding spot.  They could see the wavering light of the invisibility suit only a few yards away.

“Ah there you are”

They carefully stood, their legs shaking, “Why'd you kill the ol’man? It was a good setup. A fake heist. Starline gets the reward for catching another hacker. Somehow I don’t think getting murdered is part of the deal that ol’ Ebenezer struck.”

The disembodied voice laughed, “He said you were smart. But thats the problem with you smart types, always get too cocky for your own good. You’re so easy to fool.”

Nick tried to put desks between them and the machine, slowly inching back towards the door.

“You see I figure that catching both of you will be worth twice the reward. If he'd of had half the brains you do he’d of seen that and backed out on the whole heist.”

Nick bumped into the wall, their hand flung out to a small panel and popped it open. There was a click as the machine's gun reloaded.

“You see the problem with you smart types is sometimes you're too smart for your own good”

Nick flung open the breaker box and flipped the switches, power crackled through the cables and arced up along the invisibility suit lighting it up in a flash of blinding light.

There was a loud pop as the fuses blew and then silence fell on the now dark room. Nik blinked away the after image.

“You forget that older models of invisibility suits were terribly unreliable.  Turns out they’re incredibly difficult to insulate against electricity.”

The back out power kicked on, lighting the room in a somber red. They looked over the large multifaceted machine, it looked more like a misshaped disco ball than the cutting edge of technology.

Nik carefully edged out of the room, looking keenly down the hall for any other potential ambushes. Outside Ebby was slumped in a puddle of his own blood.

“It’s really a shame ol’ man, I liked working with you. I really did.” Nik rolled the corpse over and fished in the pockets till he found the set of lock picks and a tattered wallet, “I guess you’ll be the one buying this round of drinks after all.”

[mllenugget]

Hey!

I'm looking for tips on improving my art. I'm currently a broke-beginner but really want to improve. Any advice or drawing tips?

Oof beginner art tip ? Uhm 🤔 My Too Long Didn't Read take is : Fill your head with lots of references from real life photographies, movies, comics or any other artists that inspire you and analyse how they work and why you like them As well as practice practice practice ! Explore and experiment ! There's a LOT of free art ressources on the internet and specific tutorials for what you may be interested in Some of my personal favorites are ARVEN92's My rambling answer is :

Personally, I know that my art level stayed stuck for a very long time because I kept drawing the same things over and over again. I used to never get out of my confort zone.

Exploring new horizons is hard and frustrating and sometimes it takes a dozen of failed attempts before you finally make something look just like how you want it to (I sure did) But I can't recommend practicing and experimenting enough !

Look up artists' who inspire you and study their pieces in order to understand what you like in them (watch their speedpaints if they have any to check out their process)

Google photography of people and analyse how the lighting works. Find painting of landscapes and try to understand why such cluster of pixels looks like a bush from afar, how can you replicate that with your own hand ?

Take/Print multiple pictures of the same animal and TRACE IT, that's right don't be scared to do so ! It's a taboo topic in art communities but it shouldn't be ! As long it's not from a fellow artist and as long as you don't claim it as yours then it's perfectly fine ! So trace over it and try to get a grip of how the anatomy work and where the bones are and how the muscles wrap around all that mess. Then try to replicate that same drawing but without the model. Compare the result to the image again… See what might be off Then do it again, this time try to stylize it and shape it however you like !

Photography source

Also, don't hesitate to take a step back. You won't notice your improvement right away because, just like your own face : you see it everyday and thus may not notice the slow changes as you grow, yet they are still there ! If you feel exhausted from practicing, take a break for a couple of days and come back with a fresh eye and mindset I used to think I never changed my way of drawing horses, but once you look back how far you've come you only realize that is simply not true