I made an art/anatomy tutorial about birds! I hope people will find it helpful!
Yuu's Misadventure in Twisted Wonderland
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A lonely coffin lay in the middle of nowhere. It was glazed in a black hue, and elegant golden patterns decorated the lid. Along the designs, a keyhole rested in the middle, while a mirror was positioned where the face would be.
Despite being called a mirror, it strangely emitted a dull white light, flickering like a dying firefly amidst the darkness. Then, without warning, the lid rattled loudly.
Thud, thud, thud!
Someone was trying to open the lid of the coffin to no avail. The lid was too tightly shut, barely a crack could be seen, even though the person inside had been kicking and slamming it with all their strength.
That person screamed for help, crying and begging to be saved and let out of this endless darkness. There was even panting inside as anxiety set in, knowing that the oxygen was limited.
And then—
Bam!
The lid finally slammed open, and a figure sat up with a gasp, taking in big breaths like someone who had nearly drowned.
Their hair was in disarray, their face messy from crying and sweating. Blood smeared their swollen hands, used to try to slam the door open.
Yuu was finally free.
However, they did not know where they were. There were only trees as far as the eye could see, and what seemed to be a track made by a carriage near the coffin.
Why were they in a coffin? Why was there even a carriage in this place and time? Did they fall off? But then why didn’t anyone come to retrieve them? Wait, isn't this human trafficking?
Though baffled and confused by the state they were in, Yuu ultimately decided to seek help and began following the path.
If only they had picked the right way, they would have ended up at NRC, and their new life—though chaotic—would have been better than the other path. But they were slowly heading somewhere else.
Everything went wrong from there.
Yuu learned that this was not the place they were familiar with. The buildings were colorful, each following a certain theme. The people were handsome and pretty, and their hair had various shades as though dyed, but it wasn’t. Somehow, Yuu could sense that it looked natural.
Ironically, Yuu, who looked the plainest, stood out the most among them. The people were alarmed to see a foreign child with dried blood on their hands and a shabby appearance, like a fugitive.
Yuu ran the moment they felt a sense of dread bubbling in their belly. Any attempts at communication failed, not because the people didn’t want to listen or understand, but because they couldn’t understand each other’s language.
This was where Yuu learned about magic. In the midst of running away, they were taken off guard by magic that obstructed their movement and, therefore, were taken to the court of the Queen of Hearts.
(Insert drama here. Will it go like Alice in Wonderland or take a different plot? How will Yuu be treated? No thoughts about Yuu being from a different world since they don’t understand each other’s language.)
Yuu somehow escaped. Finally nourished by the food provided by the jailers, they wandered without direction, only stopping to sleep in the wild with no shelter. The fear of waking up in the Queendom of Roses terrified Yuu.
And then, they entered a new place…
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Yuu’s situation involved going to new areas like the Shaftlands, the Scalding Sands, and other regions, encountering all sorts of dangers and predicaments. Some people were kind to Yuu, while others were not.
(Extra points if higher-ranking people, like Leona’s family or Malleus’s grandmother, take a liking to Yuu. Bonus points if Yuu becomes a therapist or friend to the family members of NRC students.)
Yuu took on different roles each time, often the most difficult ones, like a prisoner, a lab rat, a servant, and more.
Yuu’s luck was atrocious, leading them to some of the hardest places to get into on Twst, like the Briar Valley, the Coral Sea, and the Isle of Woe.
There was even a time when Yuu nearly got taken by the Playful Land and almost converted into one of their puppets. But their luck was also unusually good, as they managed to escape each situation—though not without suffering.
Due to their time in the wild and the language barrier, Yuu became a bit feral.
Their final destination would be NRC, where Yuu showed pure animosity toward Dire Crowley. They also met Grim in the wilderness before attending NRC. Because of Yuu's personality, Grim reluctantly became their pet therapy companion and was allowed to attend alongside them.
Warning: Spoiler and Mild Gore
If overblots are dangerous to those who overuse magic, then how dangerous is it for a magicless student who has never touched magic to be exposed to one?
No one knew. After all, this had never happened before until Yuu appeared, but even then, it was too late to understand not process how severe it was.
Yuu's first exposure to an overblot was in the dwarf mine where they came face to face with an unknown being.
The black liquid sloshed in the damaged jar for a head, its contents leaking out of its cracks, and its whole lower body was replaced by a sludge of black, forming a trail behind it as it moved.
Yuu made the mistake of touching the liquid, unaware of its danger and distracted by adrenaline rushing through their veins.
It was when everything was over that Yuu felt a bit off but quickly dismissed it as weariness and being subjected to a new and stressful environment.
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The second was Riddle Rosehearts's overblot, where the experience was much different from the first. Yuu could see the surroundings being affected. The rose bushes were dug out of their place and floated ominously amongst the equally ominous red mist and sky.
Riddle's appearance changed, and with that, a being that Yuu came to learn as a Phantom popped up behind him, and it was much larger than the first one and so, so angry.
Yuu felt scared as the phantom wielding the rose bush towered over them, the ink, akin to blood, spilt over their face and shoulders.
The rose bush turned to cards before it managed to smash them to nothing but a puddle of blood, torn flesh and broken bones.
The cards scratched Yuu, and blood and ink mixed together.
Yuu fell terribly sick that day at the unbirthday party but felt a bit better after a couple of days.
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The third was Leona Kingscholar.
The sand particles floated all over the area, and it was so dense it made Yuu choke and become thirsty. It clung to them and stuck on their eyes like a second skin, uncomfortably so with its rough texture.
The roaring of a Phantom with a lion with stitched skin for a body and a cracked jar for a head echoed all over the place. A distinct deep laugh could be heard in the background.
Yuu was scared of dying, they were scared of not knowing anything and facing the enemy blind, scared of not being able to do anything when their life was in danger.
Yuu was scared of not being able to go home in one piece or not being able to return at all.
When it was over, Yuu found themselves distracted and out of touch with the surrounding.
A good hit from the disc unto the head made Yuu unconscious, and when they woke up, they got distracted once more.
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The fourth was Azul Ashengrotto.
Yuu did not feel scared this time, but they were angry. Upset at how this had happened to them for the fourth time in a row.
Come to think of it, this wouldn't have happened if those friends of theirs hadn't done stupid things like striking a deal, would it? Yuu wouldn't have gotten dragged into it if they hadn't begged for their help, would they?
Yuu shouldn't be involved in this and deal with the aftermath if those friends knew the consequence of their own actions.
Yuu's gaze bore deep into their soul.
And the ink goes drip, drip, drip into the puddle of ink.
The fifth was Jamil Viper, the Vice Housewarden.
Quite frankly, Yuu had looked forward to the holiday. No friends, no headmaster, no students roaming around the school for Yuu to talk to with the exception of Grim, which is an avoidable case.
Yuu is fully aware of the feelings that grew inside of them and attempted to quell it using this opportunity.
Yuu wanted to rest, enjoy some time to themself until Kalim insisted on inviting them to have a party back in his dorm.
Yuu rejected once and twice and more, only to be dragged there the moment Grim voiced out his disagreement and promptly accepted the invitation.
Yuu felt anger and dissatisfaction growing inside.
They felt sick looking at the feast spreading from one edge to another, weary of dealing with Grim and Kalim's antics and developed a fever under the burning sun.
The only time they got better was when they snapped at Kalim for his foolishness and naivety that started to get on their nerves, but even then, the feelings didn't go away all that much. It still lingered and steadily grew.
Yuu sat down and hid, waiting for the others to deal with the overblot. It was their fault, not Yuu's, so they should deal with that.
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The sixth overblot was Vil Schoenheit.
Yuu was not pleased that their dorm was being used to house the participants of VDC when Yuu themself wasn't part of it. Why was Yuu in charge of them? Why was Vil bossing them around? Why was their privacy being invaded?
Why did nobody ask Yuu at all?
Yuu barely batted an eye when Vil overblotted, even as the stage shook and crumbled. Even if his youth seeped out blink of an eye and restored the next.
Yuu was angry. Yuu was tired. Yuu was…
Hungry.
Yuu doesn't remember what happened next, but Yuu recalled that they stole something from Grim and attempted to eat it before waking up with ugly scratches all over their arms, face, and throat and Grim crying next to their bedside.
Yuu turned away.
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And then seventh and eighth overblot was Idia Shroud and Malleus Draconia respectively.
These two were the most stressful moments and life-threatening situations to ever happen to Yuu.
Stepping into the island of woe where a bunch of phantoms imprisoned and a dream casted by Malleus where Yuu got dropped into a war and the Sage Island covered by a wall of thorns, isolated from the rest.
Yuu got tired of being drenched in the ink and the blood that looked so real. Yuu got tired of being dragged into every problem just to save someone.
Yuu ate the black Magestones that they managed to lay their hands on. Collecting them like treasures and eating them while savoring the taste.
The Magestones easily crushed in between their molars. The bitterness began to coat the tongue that overpowered their senses that they wanted to spit them back out.
Still, Yuu chewed. The liquid flowed to the back of the throat, and then, the sweetness began to pop up, dancing on the taste bud and then gone in an instant.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
There is no more taste left. Yuu yearned for more, but there's none left. Irrational anger and sorrow overwhelmed them.
Tears began to form and dropped down their cheeks, staining them black that is ink.
Drip, drip, drip.
The palms are coated with ink, and the floor began to form a small puddle, seeping into their dark clothes.
Yuu is starting to hate the color black and the chemical scent that came with it.
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The ninth was Grim.
There is no phantom, there is only him, except he is not him anymore.
He is no longer tiny nor did he have a cat-like appearance and lacked his arrogant and narcisstic personality.
He is huge and now possessed bunch of tentacles and a snake for extra limbs. The blue flame surrounded his neck area like a lion's mane, enhancing the terrifying face of the beast that loomed over them.
The whole place got destroyed, and the students either ran away or were injured, but Yuu cared nothing like that.
Their vision fixed on a certain item while their palms bled ink upon grasping the broken glasses tightly
The mirror that was suppose to be Yuu's way home was smashed to smithereens, reflecting Yuu's despairing expression a thousand times as if to mock them.
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The tenth and the final overblot was themself.
Writing a short story to introduce my version of Yuu to NRC.
The ceremony should have ended. All the students had come up and been sorted. Or so Crowley thought.
Yet, when hundreds of students lined up according to their dorms, there was a single person left, sitting in the middle among rows of chairs, his face hidden underneath the shadows of the hood.
Crowley hadn't seen him before. He didn't even know there was someone left out because he was certain that's everyone. He counted the coffins and the number of students lining up, and they matched! There shouldn't be anyone left out.
And yet, there he was, waiting patiently.
However, it seemed Crowley wasn't alone in this. The house wardens thought the same when they spoke their minds.
But he was still a student, the ceremonial robes were proof of that. Crowley had no choice but to let him stand before the Mirror of Darkness even as doubts and unease nagged at the back of his mind.
"Yuu," that is the name of the student. Strange and uncommon.
And then the mirror spoke,
"I sensed not a spark of magic in it. The colors, the shape, all are nothing. Therefore, it is not suited for any dormitory."
'It'. The mirror had said 'it', but it was easy to dismiss because everyone's attention zeroed in on the fact that 'he' had no magic.
The room immediately burst out with murmurs. It was understandable, of course. This single student had no magic, and yet, the Black Carriage had carried 'him', and they never made mistakes.
Crowley attempted to send 'him' home, but the result was not what everyone expected. The mirror couldn't find 'his' home.
No magic, no home to return to. Crowley was at a loss in this situation.
Yuu merely smiled, soft and knowing, and 'his' pair of black eyes were strangely too dark, like an abyss itself had made its home there, devoid of light.
A few arguments here and there, and the next thing Crowley knew, he begrudgingly accepted this new student as his new responsibility. Since Yuu was unsuitable for every dorm, Crowley brought 'him' to the ramshackle dorm where 'he' can settle in.
When he left Yuu there, Crowley pretended he didn't feel watched all the way to his office.
“How arw you paying for photoshop” im not LMAO
(deciduous) tree leaves change color in the fall because they are tiny little factories being shutdown and scraped for parts. the tree has made an evolutionary bet that the amount of energy required to maintain its food factories (leaves) through the (freezing, increasingly dark) winter is just not worth the investment--better to shut it down and hibernate instead.
but before a tree can shed its leaves, it needs to break down and reabsorb that valuable valuable chlorophyll, to reuse in the spring. this removes the green pigmentation, allowing the yellow/orange pigments (carotenoids) that are usually hidden to shine through!
so next time you see a majestic sight like this:
please know these trees are cannibalizing their own extremities ♥
Inspired by a certain beast tamer Yuu post from a long time ago. Can't remember the name, sorry.
Yuu got called a beast tamer, but the only beast they have is Grim. Comparing to Kalim, who has a whole zoo, and Rook the Hunter, who has tendencies to attract animals, as well as Riddle with his hedgehogs and flamingos, the title beast tamer should have been handed to either three of them instead of Yuu.
It was a joke. Yuu knew it the moment Crowley called them a beast tamer, perhaps to flatter them into accepting a job or something, but no matter, Yuu is a joke in everyone's eyes.
Yuu is getting sick of getting asked if they have any animals or why they are called a beast tamer and so on. They don't know how to answer those, even if they do, it's not like it's going to improve their situation anyway.
Pissed off and feeling very petty, Yuu decided to tackle this the only way they know how. All those games are not for nothing, and Yuu ks going to put it to good use. Yuu is prepared for this. The time has come, and Yuu will not stand still when they are questioned again.
Yuu is gonna catch 'em all!
Yuu immediately goes on an adventure to snatch some monsters in the wilderness, and what do you know? Yuu is really a beast tamer. The monsters they brought home speak volumes.
"What's that? Oh, I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the purring of my gigantic chimera right next to me. Simply put, f*ck off!"
"How did I find Cerberus? I rowed myself to the underworld, you f*cker! Don't you dare call him fake! Go eat him, Cerby!"
"Oh damn. My phoenix set someone on fire. Hey, hey! It's going to be alright, I heard the phoenix is a bird of rebirth. You're going to be fine."
"Yes, I have a griffin, yes, I have a unicorn, a pegasus, a basilisk, and also yes, I have a bunch of normal animals too. You know what I don't have? Thaumarks. Pay up, b*tch. I need to feed my babies."
It goes without fail that a different beast will accompany Yuu and Grim to class, and due to this, it's not that easy to approach Yuu anymore. The beasts are effective bodyguards. There are no more jokes about a beast tamer; Yuu is the real deal now.
The boys could go deal with school and overblots; Yuu is gonna do the equivalent of farm life in the ramshackle dorm.
A different outlook would be instead of taming beasts, Yuu tamed people instead. Yuu is getting sick of these rude people so they decided to make the bullies their 'pet'.
Savanaclaw is the first victim since most unruly and undisciplined students came from here. Since this is a dorm filled with beastmen, naturally, power rules the weak is a norm.
Yuu did something that straight-up made the Savanaclaw students docile and obedient through incredible violence, harsh discipline, and volcano-like anger. The students that followed Yuu were either full of simps or simply out of fear or respect.
Second would be Diasomnia and Yuu obtain them without lifting a finger, believe it or not. Malleus is already wrapped around Yuu's finger since the beginning, if the respected housewarden and heir to the Briar Valley is like this, it only prompted the others to follow Yuu as well. They will treat Yuu like royalty. Simply put, Yuu got the whole package without asking.
…
Couldn't decide who's next. My brain ain't braining anymore. For those who wish to use the prompt, do tag me please. I want to read.
The most traumatised Pommi Ive ever seen
Look at her
Every single odd number has an “e” in it.
Drew Marika and Messmer based on that one statue.
I just wanna see fanarts of Marika interacting with Kid! and Adult!Messmer but the amount is TOO LITTLE.
My drawing skill to make this come true isnt enough😭
An eagle, a nightingle and a crow walks into a bar:
The crossover that will never happen. Omniscient Reader Viewpoint, Danny Phantom and Honkai Star Rail.
Couldnt decide their colour pallete/designs
I headcanon that Akivili's star rail is formed on the path they walk/flown where the stardust they left became the tracks for the Astral Express and that Akivili can be called as the Guiding Star.
Human ver:
What about Kim Dokja's train? Idk, might be the first Astral Express and Akivili said why not?