mellea-art-home

Latest Posts by mellea-art-home

Writing practice of character interactions.

"Hey, got a question for you." Having been scanning the surroundings and have been walking in silence up till this point I was slightly startled by the sudden noise of the man leading me, so the noise I made sounded more like a squeak than an answer. "Hm? Everything alright, something come up on your scanner?" His voice was warm, as he tilted his head, shaggy brown hair drooping into his soft green eyes. Looking back at the scanner, I dismissively waved it around, pointing in different directions to ensure there were no signals around, afterwards deciding to simply respond, "Seems like it was nothing, you had a question though?" "Mhm!" his thin lips formed into a smile as he shook his head up and down once. "...Sure" the look took me aback, I was lost in his eyes and smile for what was maybe a moment too long. He gained a wry smile, as he tilted his head, pressing one knuckle of his index finger into his cheek and then pointed at me, offering his question, "Aren't you cold like that?" His pointing hand gesturing to my cropped shirt and mostly aesthetic skirt underneath, at least that's what I thought. Taking a second to think about it, and taking in the bright sun of early spring, the feel of the breeze passing by. Once I came to but a moment later about to respond, I noticed he disappeared, and had somehow appeared behind me. He grabbed at my waist, which once he lightly squeezed it, caused me to nearly elbow him in response. My whole body tensed up, I knew I could feel things in a way around my body, but never before had I felt ticklish in any area, but that seems to be the best description of the feeling I had. "A-! What? W-what are you doing?" Was all that I could get out, pulling back quickly a few feet away. I was puffing out my cheek, what was I, some kind of child? Anyway I straightened my posture and crossed my arms looking at him still frozen in place. "Ah- sorry! I was just checking your temperature, to see if you felt cold, I was going to offer you this jacket." His voice dropped the longer he spoke, then holding up a thin off-white jacket. I was kind of confused to say the least, is he that earnest? What would make him think that was a good idea? Also where had he pulled that jacket from, I don't remember seeing that on his person when we left. "I think you should wear it, your body feels cold-" "I don't feel cold, I'm an android, remember?" "Yeah-, you're right." dejected he held the jacket, mumbling something I could barely pickup, "still look good in it." My face surely was flushed with emotion, so were my circuts filled with a confusing mix of emotions. To put an end to them, I decided to be decisive and walked over to him, grabbing the jacket and putting it on in one swift movement. Turning to him I simply stated, "Try not to go poking a girls side without permission if you can. Please." Adding the last part with a softer expression on my face, as I poked his side.

He got a fiendish look about him, closing up the jacket by pulling both sides together with my hands I down at him, worried what he was thinking. "I see." His smile was quite devilish indeed, and I didn't see this ending well. "Is that so? If I were to ask..." He leaned in close pressing on the jacket without touching me, "You might allow me to-" he poked again, getting closer as I was nearly jumping back, "Poke that side again?" His head tilted to the side, a wide and warm smile playing across his face. "You are a cruel, cruel man Ren. But if you keep this up I might just throw you into that water over there." Pointing my thumb to my left through the hole in the decrepit building we were sharing this in, just a floor below was the ocean which had risen to meet these buildings and make them small islands. "Now that'd be cruel of you, you know how cold that water is." What I can only call a playful puppy-dog face formed, leaving me to relax for but an instant, which he took wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in close. "A-! Mmmhn." The mix of noises coming from me sounding like creaking metal, but I embraced him with a flushed face once more, leaning slightly forward to whisper, "You really are a pain of a human. Just don't try and grab my waist again." "Understoo-, you mean like this?" "! Ah-!" I was trying to contain a laugh as he squeezed my side once again. "Ok, then I'll make sure not to do that." Once again he squeezed my side, and once again I was preforming heavy breathing to not start laughing, just make odd noises, "Ha-ngmym." Stopping to let me catch my breath, he looked up at me, just a little shorter, half a head at most than I he grabbed the base of my head pulling it to him, where he whispered back into my ear, "I hope to make you the happiest, 82. You will always hold a place in me, your smile, laugh, the weird noises you make to not laugh." He was now speaking to me face to face, and added in a snarky look to the last point. "But regardless. I want you to stay with me, and be my No.1. And it may be imprudent of me to say this, but I had found some logs a while back-" he pulled a step away, hand on his hip and scratching the back of his fluffy brown hair, then continuing, "I found some... information about you in them. Calling you part of some Project Eden, so I was wondering if, maybe, you'd be up for me giving you an alternative name, one that just becomes your name?" His demeanor was quite awkward, and clearly he was nervous with which he was pausing and still speaking kind of fast. "Hm, sure, what kind of name were you going to suggest?" And with that simple sentence, his eyes lit up, grabbing both my hands and staring into my eyes, proceeding to tell me a few names he thought I may like.

Life's Price (Bat-Jokes fanfic)

The dark sky overhead was slowly being consumed by the rolling clouds, the full moon slowly being suffocated, dimming the only light on the scene of a densely wooded path. Barely able to see with the light slowly fading, just like his confidence, he ran as fast as he could, the brisk wind biting his face, lungs, burning its way through, and around his body, The wicked trees, now barren of all leaves, cut and grabbed at the edges of his disheveled, once white, button down, and his dark purple dress pants held by a black leather belt, and silver buckle. The weight in his hand was far from his mind, slipping it instinctively towards his right pocket, the more important weight on his mind was a moral one. The feeling of the presence behind him grew, it felt like they were almost there, but not now, not yet, I can’t see them, I need to get away. But the feeling of being watched never left his slender, clearly bruised pale face, and what looked like it was quite clean styled hair, now but a bird's nest of knots, twigs and what dead leaves still lay attached to them. His breath was getting more choked, his guilt clogging his airways, blurring his eyes with tears for only a few seconds, a few seconds that caught his ill equipped dress shoes, throwing him off balance, where he crashed to the forest floor with a hard *Thump*. There was a noticeable spray of needles, dirt and dried leaves, he managed to catch himself bracing with his dominant arm, twisting it to avoid slamming into a nearby rock. As he got up his right arm was in a lot more pain than it was before, with his side starting to stitch, he hobbled onward, with his body aching knowing what he did, before all of this,’ the physical pain is what I deserve by now for what I did to him.’ he muttered to himself, almost choking up again. He had images flash by as the last of the moon's rays peered out from behind the clouds, slowly licking away all his bearings. The wide open garden, with a retaining wall half way down the nearly two acre backyard, the large glass house built for parties, strung up with fairy lights, giving a warm comforting hue of orange and yellow onto sleek brown leather furniture. And the smell, not just of fresh cut grass, but their cologne, the food as expansive as could be. That’s when he remembered the song, the one that was most special, and caused this whole mess, a light calm jazz style, meant for dancing.

The crescendo and fall, like waves from a brass sea, then the orchestral string building behind as all lay low, the memories took over the times he’d heard this song, the visions grew just like the waves from the music. He had backed up seeing it come closer, and closer, trying to run until the music all paused for just a moment before the next burst of energy, but what rang out was not the drums and brass blaring energy and life into the room, not at first but a shot rang through the air as he stood there shaking, and just coming to his senses, ‘John?!’ a silky deep voice called out in a stern, but concerned tone. Shaking more, looking in surprise at the gun in his hand, not sure what to make of it, looking around at everyone, flushing barely muttered, “B-b-b-Bruce…” he tried to hold out a hand but hesitated, pulling back, whispering “I’m sorry…” turning and running out, and trying to escape everyone, ignoring the calls for him to come back, despite the pleading he could hear, John kept running. The memory was on repeat, more specifically the pleading he heard to come back, he knew he couldn’t go back, he didn’t even process if he injured someone, but he knew that the visions were what kept him from being able to be there, and improve, have a normal life, Now only small beams were poking through the thin parts of the cloud veil, but on his knees he fell at the edge of a small clearing, hiding a gazebo in the center, made of old wood, and ancient stone carved into eight sides. John hobbled over to the several stairs to get into the relatively spacious interior, where he collapsed on the far edge up against the cool brick wall, as the trees began rustling from the wind, with the weathering mimicking him, there started a drizzle, and then it picked up as he began to weep, pulling the gun from is pocket. He sat one leg up, back pressed against the cool uneven stones of the gazebo wall, his arms bleeding, along with his chest from the tiny knife-like ends of the branches which ripped his shirt and skin. Being almost unable to breathe between the emotions overwhelming him, and catching his breath, he didn’t hear the steps approaching, or the taps of dress shoes on the stone steps growing closer till they stopped at the top. Bruce walked up the few steps out of breath and soaked, adjusting himself to look across at John, cut and bruised, barely able to move his arm, as he tries to aim the weapon on himself, where he sees the tears rushing down his face, weakly saying with cracks in his voice, “I-I’m so so s-sorry Bruce, y-you should have..” he starts to cough, doubling over, and starts to shake, and becomes incapable of moving the arm holding the pistol, clearly straining, and desperately trying to move his arm, as Bruce walks over. “You-you know, I can’t function, you know this is what’s best, so I’m not a risk again, I c-can’t be helped!” John’s voice breaking, and sounding more manic. “W-what else could there be for me, this is the only logical way to deal with someone who is such a threat like me, R-right?” John, straining a pleading face, looked up to Bruce, standing right above him. Bruce simply got onto one knee, hand on the gun, threw it away, holding John's face in his other large, strong, and reliable hand, and said, “I wouldn’t even think it a possibility, my love, it’s something we must work together on, and you can improve.” A hopeful smile played across Bruce’s face, pained, but hopeful staring into Johns eyes, They at last embraced each other, thinking of the future as the rain poured around them, making the most of their new found time together, where John soon fell asleep on Bruce’s shoulder, as they waited for rain to pass to leave and dry off, and see about working their new life.

Mellea sending out some good energy for everyone.

My girl is back. Wanted to draw her again, and practice an environment, so big stretch for hot girl weekend.

Concept for a creature, based on an older drawing.

The East Road

I will warn you traveler, don’t walk the road east of the city at sunset towards the forest. You may laugh and doubt, but that way lies a reality I cannot fathom, I do not know why, or how it exists. By all laws of sanity and what is known it shouldn’t be there, but yet, if you dare walk that path the road will stretch, the lamps will stretch over the road like choking fingers and the houses will wane, the sky now dark and the moon a faint red will be all you see. The forest will never come, the end of that street will not come, but you will hear a call, an alert to get inside. Listen close traveler, do not enter any house, do not look behind you, do not run, walk forward, do not stop. I pray dear traveler that you are not cursed to see that which I have, keep walking and once you reach the bridge, Close Your Eyes. Do not open them, you will feel something behind you, never turn back. You will hear the alarm blare in your ears, do not turn. You must never trip, you must never turn back, you must never open your eyes. If you make it this far, you must hold your breath, and pray. Never open your eyes.

I was lost, that fact was damn well known hours ago when I got  here, well whatever, or wherever here  was, a bunch of empty rooms, stale halls, and sickly air. I’ve seen places in areas that I cannot understand the placement of. That has been the least of my concerns. I have been choking on this stale brittle air, something that feels more like a plastic spoon than something you can breathe, like every breath is covering your lungs in something.

But it’s all to get away from whatever I saw, it is something I cannot begin to fathom how it exists, a tall dark figure, that seems to balance on thin toothpick like legs bent back and forth with an odd twitch with each step, and the head of an old tube tv that keeps playing static, intermittent with a blaring alert that echo down the open, dead passageways like a threat, reminding me of its power over me. I am hidden trying to regain my breath but that alert has been getting louder for the past minute, and I keep thinking I hear a ticking.

Time has passed, and I have found some kind of school, but it’s just halls, dull white halls, sickly fading yellow walls, and cold dead air. I feel the air biting at me, like a warning that I am not safe, and it is at that moment I hear the ticking, and a light tap following each tick, come from the hall behind me. I know I must move, and it takes all my strength to do so, down a side hall, or at least what I could think is one, I try to stay calm but the alert blares at an ear piercing volume down the solid walls, and I break out into a sprint, whether it was the safest option or not.

I don’t look back, as my blood runs as cold as the air, the ticking is getting louder, and much faster, no matter how many turns the sound from behind me gets closer. I run down another corner, and made the mistake of looking down the hall, I stop breathing in that moment, as the creature stands at the other end of the hall, the screen playing the noise of children laughing, and a distorted voice calls out, “Hide and seek is over now, we found you, he-he-he-he-”The voice started to get more distorted and covered by static before the creature started running.

Black Spire

I narrowly kept my life through the treacherous dangers that lead me here, a dead valley, neigh, it was a world unto itself, the dead raise of their own will, the sky a sickly orange, and clouds of dust blot out the sun. The rock and soil stained red, or a dull orange from the horrors of the blood spilled in these lands. The world has truly gone to hell, these are the only thoughts that can permeate my mind as I walk these damned plains towards my likely death. The only thing that can draw the eye in this vast open land was the cause of this nightmare, a black spire, it reached into the clouds, and a surface with uneven cleaving, like an imperfect diamond, its’ base and climbing most of the way up was a surrounding cathedral, tall towers leaning onto the hellish spire behind it, the rest of the building was sprawled out around the base of this spire, and climbing down the steep hill this structure sit upon.

The thin veins of the tower streaking down the sides looked like someone had let thin paint run down a canvas, the bricks seemingly wanting to match both the sickly sight of the land, and the spire that it was attached to, it was a dull brown from afar, the sun shining through clouds behind the structure that seemed to be a call to true hell. ‘Only the mad, or those who wish to die dare into those plains-’

‘You must want to die if you are going there!’

‘You’re insane, you know what you’ll find there, your own grave! You have nothing to gain, you’re just like the rest.’

‘What makes you think you’re so damn Special!’

The voices came to me as quick as the wind, all those who cursed at me, and shunned me for willing to sacrifice myself against this standing pillar of suffering and nightmares. There was never a belief, as all those who come here know their fate, and all think us mad forsaking our lives as if they are but a pebble, little else seems of worth for someone with nothing, so those of great valor who have lost all, and those of nothing who cannot hope for anything all walk the same path. 

I walked with a rhythm from my steps and armor, past body upon body of felled soldier, I looked down upon them all, and they were all different, but all shared one truth, they had no master, and bore no allegiance. These were but people of honor, or little else left to their name and life to give. I saw armor torn open like paper, and half buried husks of what was once someone like me. I dare not utter a prayer, this is a land forsaken by all gods, and to only be given to those of sorrow and loss. 

I set upon this path long before the decision was ever made by me, this was just the end for me, either by fate, gods, or some magnanimous other force, that I be laid to rest here, regardless of sorrow and grief upon this life I claim.

There I look up and have nearly met the base of my grave. I knew the fate of what comes by entering, but I knew I would not fall till I must collapse, as for all is lost, nothing is to lose. Even if I were to purge this land of this parasite, all who walk upon this land are cursed to it for eternity, so I merely raise my weapon and readied myself as I opened the door. 

I leave this for all who come after, all who have vowed for their loss to venture here, be brave, brace against yourself, and stand tall for no allegiance, king, country, or god follows, you are greater unto yourself through this decision than all who damned you here.

Digital Tracing and coloring of my Magical Girl character Belen

Magical Girl Character design, Belen (Bel) - She/Her

Inspired by Modoka Magica

Pt. 1

This I write as the last words to be heard by my hand, and to attest to the atrocities of which I have bore witness to. I must be clear, no answers will come to you, or comfort learning what I have seen and know now. I was damned long before taking that job researching things that man had best left alone. But to get to explaining what happened we must understand who I am, god I must be honest, I am but a shell of a man, let alone far and away from the same person I was where this story starts us.

I had grown up in a small everybody knows everybody town in New England, quaint idyllic life for most people nowadays. I had been raised in a relatively religious household, little more than Easter church, and prayer before meals as a young lad. I had a fascination with religions, and mythologies, going through from Greek, to Norse, and even some Eastern mythologies where I could find content in my small town library.

This led me to being enamored in learning about the bizarre and occult secrets like Paganism in my mid-teens, familiarizing myself with all the little details, I guess this is also how my desire for being a historian started. I worked hard through my teens, always the odd one, somewhere between the school nerd, and goth, both envied and hated, and now only one of those may be true for those who know me, knew feels more apt after that last job.

The ostracizing never really was a concern for me, as much as it was my parents, but given my performance in school being near top of the school by graduation, they never seemed to approach me about their concerns directly, but I could hear them talking through the walls at night. They did congratulate me soon after graduation when I had managed to get a scholarship into a quite prestigious college for a major in history.

And this is where my life started proper, I had to move a number of hours away, and lived in a dorm with three other students. We managed to get along quite well given all of us seemed to be out of state, and in different courses, one was in music, one business, and another in forensics. We managed to become drinking buddies at the frat parties that were hosted around, even getting into young trouble by dipping into the local bars, and on more than one occasion banned for upwards of a month.

All this to say get to where things properly start, with the professor for history, a man at the time was quite young compared to the other professors in the school, it felt like night and day between him and the teacher next door, one side with a late thirties man, well kept dark hair and quite the surprising energy about him, and the other side a man who seemed to have more hair on his thin arms than his head. The history teacher was Dr. Myard Hammond, he was an expert in the esoteric, and less savory details of history, human, and as I came to find out, inhuman knowledge. 

Given my passion and striking fondness for the subject I spent many off periods throughout the first two years discussing the very macabre and obscure histories of the world, including religions on their societies. 

It wasn’t until my second year, December had fallen and we were just about a week out from Christmas break, the students were either taking Midterms or burning out from them, so the bars were quite alive that night, I was out with my roommates and as the lot of them talk about heading back for the night. They all had their various reasons between their own tests coming up, or lack of sleep biting at them for proper repose they left.

I stayed seated at the booth, finishing my drink, figuring that if nothing else I should also get some repose, burning myself to finish a few classes worth of studying for a number of overlapping test days ahead. I had just about finished when looking up I saw Dr. Hammond enter, the only tell the door was opened was a quick biting wind from the frosty air outside, the place was too lively and loud to hear the small bell above the door ring.

I motioned him over as he looked around, and I noticed that even under his large coat, he was a disheveled man, I could see the bags under his eyes, unkempt hair, wrinkled dress shirt poking out the bottom untucked. He seemed skittish, surprised someone would recognise him almost, and I soon came to find out why once he tentatively sat down, confirming nobody else was coming back to sit there. He ended up getting some strong liquor and kept looking into his glass most of the while.

I by this point was at least mostly intoxicated, with some wits still about me, asked jovially of his day, unaware of his tense nature.

He mumbled to himself some, then looked up at me, and even through the alcohol I saw the eyes of a desperate man, he was half the man I saw just a day before, and when he spoke all the energy that had been so pervasive through all his classes was now gone, he made no sense at the time, talking of some place he called the ‘sunken city’. I pressed if he was talking of Atlantis, and what that has to do with anything.

He had slapped his hand on the table, just barely shaking the drinks and said, ‘God damn, I know Atlantis, but where, by the Dead Gods Where! They have been found from the deep Amazon, to the deep Sahara, where did you slimy Bastards hide the last key.’ his voice was unusually sharp, and edged, and seemed to be talking to himself more than me.

The sea of reality

Far and away this world is a small beach of sanity. I cannot fathom breaching that edge, and stepping into the great sea, god damn what am I saying… there is nothing ‘great’ about that damned sea. I dare not even look up at that sky at night, what god dare claim mercy and love to all, and yet create that sea. I have stepped fully into that briny freezing water, and never realized until I was dragged down and forced to see all that lay beyond our own shore. 

By god the horrors of hell shan’t scrape at me if that’s the waking world. I was merely an over zealous researcher, should have never started that job, I was damned the moment I was recruited. To hell with those people, I don’t even know what’s left after the accident, the lab must be either incomprehensible, or beyond repair of any information being retrieved… good, that place is no sanctuary of knowledge, forbidden things, forgotten gods, men of more than what can be described with the limitations of godly script. The rotting gods at the edge of all that is, and was, their decaying corpses being a mere moment from wiping out half of what we see in the sky.

The light of galaxies staring like eyes upon my back, and yet still I cannot tell if they judge me, or simply cannot see me, just looking forever with dead eyes into the ether. I used to say progress was my goal, to explore that which has never been touched, but maybe the limitations of what we are were protections from these entities, masses which move and flicker like a candle flame in wind through our reality and out into the infinite black sea of tar, a writhing, breathing mass of a sea beyond which we can never hope to see, let alone understand. We pray for safety at night, and forgiveness for our sins, but no god can wipe the horrors from my mind, which wrap me up in a suffocating blanket as I fall deeper into madness.

One may ask, surely your career experience should have awarded some inclination as to the dangers of that job. And by all lines and lies I was aware, but never to this extreme, I never was truly aware of how much we danced upon that knife edge of our world, and once we tripped, all was lost. All those now dead and damned for trying to reach god's domain, but now I only ask… which god.

Left: Chiyo, Vampire-Elf, Oracle (She/her)

Right: Seriphim, Aasimar-human, Paladin, (They/them)

Surprise post today, decided to make a shitty meme comic for @wolfertinger666

Practice pose work of my Pathfinder 2E character.

My Goliath Paladin, standing at 8'6'', wielding a great sword and being quite intimidating.

Falling Stars (a random draft idea)

I could feel the breeze brush past my face, the sky a multicolored band, clouds in many shades of pinks, oranges, reds fading to dark grey and black. The smell of damp air fills my nose, fresh and clean, when I start to feel the rain fall, as I fall through the sky like one of the drops. Arms open facing the bottom of the clouds as I fall further.

There is no sense of fear, no dread, the only feeling rushing through my body and mind is the word, ‘Free’ as it echoes through my mind, and covers my body like warm water in a tub. The rain picks up becoming more and more dense as I fall, tears of the sky for my falling, but yet no sadness runs through me. I feel the water drip onto my skin as more and more starts to cover my body, where I start to realize the sunset sky has faded as I look up at the sky of tall pillars of clouds at the very edge still glowing in amber light with stars shining down to me in a vista of endless beauty, with long stretches of cosmic clouds colored into endlessness.

And in front of it all, the twisting world, the beauty of the large clouds, endless sky, and sweet rainy air was my body, my clothes and legs flying in the wind as the clouds deepened around me closing up the sky and light above. The rain having now become more heavy and soaking me to the bone, covering me in a bubble, but for that was not why I wept but for the loss of the universe and endlessness that lay above me. 

I choked in a breath, my body convulsing, throwing my arms around and making me almost sit upright. I coughed a number of times, taking deep breaths and holding my hand to my chest to feel my heart beating quickly. And as I slowed my breathing I looked up at the ceiling of an old cabin in the woods. The roof was like an ‘A’ with the… ‘what did father call them? Cross braces? Yeah that’s it, braces.’ I thought of the past few days, and weeks having gone by. 

I was breathing deeply, and slowly, and soon my heart came to the same slow rhythm. There was only a bit of light outside, the room being lit by a single window to show a wooden desk with some assorted shadowy bags, and blobs too close together to discern any detail. I could feel my body, I had been sweating slightly, and outside it smelled like rain had just come through, I even felt the tears of my dream where they dripped down my skin. 

And I almost jumped out of that skin when my door was abruptly opened by a tall man, I had no idea how long it had been since I woke up, but apparently my father heard the commotion, and so while wearing his usual shorts and no shirt under a robe he tried to ask keeping his voice calm but wavering slightly, “Hon, I heard a loud noise from your room, an-and your coughing. A-are you alright?”

I couldn’t see his face, but I knew it  all too well, his buzz cut hair which he said he wanted to grow out, ‘but it seems like it just won’t play nice’ as he’d say, deep eyes, bushy eyebrows, and a short but black beard with a connected mustache all complimented by his dark skin. I could see the twisted mouth through the lack of light, the creases in his head from those upturned eyebrows being so concerned, and those always shining eyes of calming amber. 

I replied looking up at the ceiling, arms spread out, “What did you think I fell off the bed or something?” I cracked a smile to myself, knowing full well he couldn’t see, continuing on to say, “it’s fine just a dream, I forgot to breathe, not like I’m dying you know.” being still groggy and realizing what I said moments too late to stop it, I shifted over to my side and faced the wall, covering my mouth with my hand.

I quietly whispered, maybe more for myself, “I-i’m sorry, not what I meant.”

I could feel him walk over and sit in the alcove by my knees, and his soft hand on my shoulder as his concerned stare could always open me up to talking, even if this time it took a little longer, with him lightly rubbing my arm. I eventually turned over with difficulty, my fathers face illuminated ever so slightly by the light from the window, accentuating the bags under his eyes, and the real look of concern for me.

I pushed myself against the headboard, however small it was to make a good backing, and held his hand, not sure what to say but wanting to say everything at the same time the tension feeling like it’s building and my mind starting to race and nothing yet everything feeling like it’s weighing on me, “Hey, look at me, I’m right here, just checking up on you, don’t look so panicked.”

My father grabbed my face to look at him, startling me for a moment, taking in where I was again, and slowing my brain when he continues after seeing that I have calmed down thoroughly, “You said something about a dream, would you like to tell me, or is it about someone you like.” His smile gets lit by the light, which in conjunction with him poking at my side helped kill that tension in my mind. 

“N-no not about anyone, it was just a dream of me falling through the clouds during a sunset, with a beautiful sky above me, full of stars and nebulas. And as I fell the clouds started to close in around me with the rain getting heavier and eventually I was covered in a bubble of rain, and I guess that’s why I woke up.”

My father shifted his position up the bed next to me, very intentionally listening to me, despite what I guessed was him being exhausted himself, maybe not even sleeping because of his concern for me. When I was done talking he just simply rubbed my head and said with a smile, “Someone has an active mind. Do you want to go watch the sunrise, maybe I’ll even let you have hot coco.”

I could see the devious smile play across his face, backlit by the now rising sun, and so my face mimicked that energy saying, “I think I’d like that, but you better pay up with that hot coco.” a snicker and evil smile playing from me.

Here’s a short(ish) story Draft I’ve been working on

In a long away mountain, surrounded by a dark forest engulfed in magical energies, where the ancient, mystical beings of Gnomes, Fairies, Fae, and Spirits live. 

They roam the woods, spreading good fortune, growing plants, and maintaining balance between the vitality of the world. In the centre, stands a great mountain, on which lives the ancient Fox clan, which raise their young, with magic crystals, and spells passed from generation to generation, using them to focus their magical talents.

They used them to protect their home and everything surrounding it from danger. The chief of the clan is a male fox, and the firstborn of the skulk. The current chief, Eiju, is trying to pass off the crystal to the next heir, Ryota. But transferring title from fathers to son has been difficult to get invested.

Ryota is quite passive for the typical male fox, always exploring the mountain or forest, and avoiding practising magic with his father, Eiju is worried about the fate of the clan if Ryota doesn`t become the next defender of the mountain. As he is the only male fox of his lineage, his father has tried everything he can to reach Ryota, but things have only gotten more tense between the two, with Ryota avoiding him more and more.

He lay on the dank cool floor of the cave, in one of the deep. He was looking longingly at the crystal in the rocky floor. It was a shimmering blue, illuminating the abnormal white diamond on his face, which curved inward on its sides, a symbol only seen in the females in the skulk. He lay, looking at the crystal, with lines and streaks of pink, and purple shifting in and out, with a calming and methodical pattern.

He felt his stomach rumble shortly after, he went further into the cave, to his small stash of berries, and leaves from the forest. Ryota was the eldest male in the skulk, he did not believe that title belonged to him, he felt off, and as his ceremony to name him the next leader of the clan was drawing near, he felt more dissonant with himself. He tried to distract himself by delving deeper into the cave.

He started walking the same path done a hundred times be. He. Slipping into this crevice, and that walkway, covered in larger and larger crystals. It started getting cooler as he went. A rock that had been getting more loose with every pass he made, but this time it had fallen, and he realised it knocked open a small crack in the wall. The crack was small, about as larger as a small rock. Since he was hanging his head it just barely caught his attention. Curiosity grew as to what it could be hiding, and what could be hidden back there. He wanted to get something to eat first. Ryota pulled a loose crystal from the floor, pointing it towards the hole, a soft ting echoing through the cave as it was placed on the ground.

 He quickly went to fill himself in his little stash, since he wanted to always have an easy snack, and a quiet place to rest, he explored the caves, and found a small and secluded little cove. Then he quickly made his way to the crystal, and tried to look through, it was slightly too small to see anything clearly. He grabbed a small long rock on the floor, and started to try and widen it. The tapping echoed through the cave, but the wall seemed weak, and gravely, so it crumbled away quite easily, still he had to grab a crystal and use a spell. Which only male foxes could generally do, and which made him feel disconnected with himself.

He managed to create an opening just slightly larger than he, then slipped through the narrow cavity with some scratching on his back, which wasn’t all that unpleasant. He made his way down, using that crystal for light, and he found there were no other crystals here, but the faint glow illuminated most of this cave in a teal blue glow, he noticed long stretches of moss with glowing bulbs on them as he walked. 

Until on one wall, stopping dead in his tracks, on one of the walls, was a large faded painting made of natural dye, and simple colours and shapes. With writing underneath, in an old language that he barely understood. It talked of a born male fox, contaminated with a self destructive plague, it continued to talk of this plague being a risk of the safety to the forest and mountain, but could cure it by. It had been smudged out at the end, but all Ryota could make out was, ‘east… Mountain of Song… The Crystal of Gods.’ 

There was a soft tink, as the crystal dropped and bounced on the hard rock floor, and Ryota sat down in front of it, mouth agape, stunned, the fox was a near perfect drawing of him, his mind spun, and was wrapped up in what this meant, and he realised he wasn’t… his thoughts trailed off, exploring the implications.

Ryota lay in front of this old painting, and the idea of chasing this prophecy to which he matched, something about it felt right, something about it felt like straightening a line that had been crooked for ages past. Their mind began to run wild with this thought. They took a breath to try and make sense of this all, then looked at the prophecy that lay on the wall, and used the crystal to light up a bit more of it, and found there was a map, and in a way a start to a quest, but not one of fighting dragons, or saving a princess, but of themself.

They tried to read the last bit of text, and as they took their time, was able to read “This journey is one not of mortal peril, not of glory or fame, or of riches, but of yourself, and is decided, and starts with your first step to finding who you are.”

They were confused, and didn’t know what that meant, but were also quite sure that staying anywhere around the skulk of foxes they grew up with, would be a bad idea. And so they left the hidden tunnel, grabbed some more berries, and assorted food, and snuck out to the main cavity leading out, and snuck through a side tunnel they found, then moved a rock in front of it. And they started down a path that would lead to another exit, and walked quietly to the opening after being in darkness for quite a bit of it. 

They had been able to think, and now were questioning who they were, if not what they were born, then who. The sense of dread, and fear started to consume them, but set out down the mountain and into the forest, to try and get more information on what that painting was saying. They were still very anxious, and tried to think of something to help calm them down. They were at the base of the mountain when, like a lightning strike it hit them, a new name, Hanako, this was enough to distract from her growing fears, for now.

She clambered down the mountain, anxiety and uncertainty making her less graceful than usual. Then passed through the forest, seeing small fae sparks, of vibrant colours, small gnomes walking about, picking tall grass which came up over their face, some fae which came and said hi to Ryota, and they could see even if she tried to hide the discomfort that name caused, one fae, a small teal spark asked, “You are hurt by your name? If a name is a life, then it should not cut you like it does so. Why is it that you and your name are cutting such edges to each other?”

Hanako was confused, and could only weakly get out, ‘I-i use Hanako’. The Fae seemed content with the answer, wishing her luck, saying that she need be confident of who she knows who she is. Which did help improve her mood. As Hanako was leaving, a Spirit floated by, a black and grey spectral being that protected the forest, and it had a smoky opaque covering to their face which was also hidden under its hood, and it stopped in front of her, saying in a haunting spiritual echoey voice, “be safe and well, you are what you are doubting you are, you are the one I knew when you were born.”

Hanako had memories flash through her mind of the Spirit that talked to her a lot differently than others when she was young. To that she thanked the Spirit and walked away slowly, confused and realising these things she hadn’t before. She set off into the world, seeing what life holds for her, and what is out there careful to avoid being seen as she left the forest. 

She walked east for days, unsure where to go, she was wandering the landscape of open fields and light forest. When one night found a nice small alcove under a tree just before sunset, she slipped under, curled herself up and fell asleep. When she awoke later in the night, she noticed a small source of light under the back of the hole. Curious she decided to dig, where she found a crystal, like  from her home, around it was an inscription which glowed with blue-white magical light. It was written in the same language as before, saying, ‘Take this crystal to guide you, we follow the same path, and I bow my head to you for the best of luck.’

 Hanako decided to take the crystal, thinking that this could be useful either way. But as she picked it up she noticed another crystal lying beneath it, glowing a scarlet red, and with deep black consuming streaks throughout it. Startled by what that meant, Hanako ran, and kept running until she got to a calm river. She started to just lay down, next to the water on a flat rock, her chest burned from running so much, and so fast she coughed to catch her breath. 

But scared, tears started burning her eyes like needles. She curled up on the flat rock water running next to her, as the moon had just risen above the horizon, a guardian beaming down with a brilliant silver light. She shockingly wept, unsure of what she was doing, where she was, or why she even was doing this, forsaking her past. 

When she heard a raspy little voice of a duck say,¨Hey, what’s wrong? Your quite far from home are you not?¨

  Hanako looked up, and saw this small call duck, and said with a wine in her voice, ¨I have left from home to find who I am, but it seems I may just be all wrong by pursuing this path. Just a stupid way to escape¨

  “That does sound awful, I’m sorry I never introduced myself, I am Niagra Feathers, what is your name?”

  “H-Hanako, I’m not sure where to go, I’m lost, no idea how to get home, and I don’t even have anyone to help.” as more tears dripped down her face.

“Well, that sounds like a big problem, I`m not the best with directions, heh, so I think we best get you something to eat… maybe some berries, I especially love seeds.” Niagra quacked happily.

Hanako chuckled slightly, and nodded as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. She started following Niagra around as they looked for seeds, and some berries, they found a few and had a talk, and Hanako was able to calm down. Using her crystal, which was now more pink than blue, Hanako made a small fire and they slept with Hanako curled up, and Niagra in the middle. And as they slept, the fire crackled, and the night was silent, and the stars shone above like gems in Hanakos’ cave, and only a soft breeze rustled the leaves of nearby bushes, and trees. The silent night was uncommon, but it was welcome by both.

 Hanako awoke early, her head was pointed to one side, but she moved it to look ahead of her, still layed on the ground, and as she looked about, realised the stars were starting to fade, as there was a faint blue sky coming from the east. Hanako’s crystal was now mostly pink, with purple and magenta lines coursing through it. Mesmerised, she kept on staring at it, thinking about the blue crystal that she had before. Hanako looked at Niagra still sleeping, moving with each breath, their beak tucked under their wing. Carefully, she moved away to the side, got up to stretch. Then picked up the crystal in her mouth on instinct, when it started to pulse wildly.  Energy started flowing through Hanako, and created a vortex of colours around her swirling upwards, like a tornado of endless rainbows.

Hanako looked around her, seeing the tornado of colours, and magical energy, swirling and spinning upwards to the heavens. Her mind went blank at the sheer beauty and majesty, then as she stepped back a few paces, she accidentally tapped Niagra. They woke with a start, flying back a ways, out of instinct. Hanako was entranced by the energies before her. As it all reflected in her eyes, and she sat down, looking all around at the majesty of whatever this vortex was as a soft tune started to play with the swirling wind. That’s when the vortex started to twist, and contort into a corridor that pointed towards a distant Eastern mountain that faded into the fog, with clouds pouring off the summit. 

Then with a final gust of wind, it all dispersed like leaves of a bush in a strong wind, the colours dispersed out in a circle around Hanako, they looked like torn ribbons that got smaller and smaller as they moved, until all was peaceful and quiet like nothing had happened and the song faded into the distance, carried away by the sound of the river, and leaves.

Niagra was still trying to understand what had happened, as Hanako started almost mindlessly towards the mountain, Niagra quacked behind saying, “Hey, one, what just happened? Two, what did you do? And three, can you let me catch up on what I just saw, since I’m still tired?”

Hanako looked back tilting her head, and said, “Well, one I think someone or… something just gave us directions. I don’t honestly know what I did for that to all happen.”Her voice trailed off, and she paused for a moment, to herself wrap her head around what just happened, then continued on saying, “If you want I can give you a ride on my back, but we’ve got a long way to go, so I want to find out what’s going on, and why that mountain is so important.”

Niagra opened their beak looking like they had more to say, but instead flapped their wings, and laid on Hanako’s back. Hanako then walked carefully, so as to not disturb Niagra, and continued on. They talked and pondered every possibility about the implications for the next few days, with lines of energy seen pointing them towards their goal whenever they ventured off the path, Hanako always had her ears perked, saying she could hear that tune faintly whenever the energy formed itself, but Niagra didn’t know what she was on about.

They camped at night, and Hanako said she’d keep watch, but spent the time mostly just pacing around, constantly debating if she was doing the right thing, or if she was even right in what she, ‘herself’ was asserting, and didn’t sleep well most nights because of that anxiety growing worse with each passing day. Most of their campground was located close to, or on the river bank for the soft soil, and open space.

Then one day mid conversation as they neared the mountain, Hanako stopped dead, looked up, ears perked, sniffing the air, then looked off to one side, seeing some berries that were medium pebble sized green bulbs, which smelled like pure sugar. They were found on a rather odd bush, it had light tan branches, but maroon red, thick and waxy looking leaves that reflected the little light found under the forest canopy quite brilliantly.

Hanako looked longingly, and in an almost mesmerised state, just stared at the berries for a few moments. She promptly walked over and just bit them off their stems. As her favourite kind of berries she tried to get as many as she could, while Niagra hopped down, waddled over and tried one, with a look between confusion and unimpressed, as much as can be managed by a duck, said to Hanako, “You like these? They are so barren of flavour. What’s special about them?”

Hanako through a  mouthful said, “What do you mean, they’re the best kind of berry, so sweet, and juicy. Maybe you don’t have such a refined palette.”

With a sarcastic look, and tone said, “Oh, my dear fox how dare, I never heard such an outrageous claim.” they chuckled to themselves softly.

They both soon after, with quite a bit of effort made it to the base of the mountain, Where the crystal seemed to hum with each night more and more. Once they got to the base of the mountain, the crystal in Hanako’s mouth started to sing, a soft tune, a familiar one, like a lullaby, like heard during that encircling whirlwind of energy and magic. Neither knew what it meant. But the crystal shot a light out to a close tree, and under the large root system beneath it, Hanako started to dig, where she saw another small den, just like the first one, the crystal showed a glowing inscription on the walls of the small hovel, in the same old tongue as the other times, saying “We both have met again it seems, my crystal is singing, I guess this is the call of the Mountain of Song, time for us to find whoever lead us both here.”

Hanako and Niagra looked at each other, confused, but Hanako stepped to the base of the mountain, the sun was starting to recede below the horizon, with the horizon behind the mountain was illuminated in a brilliant golden hue, fading to a purple sky with faint stars shining like gems in the dark sky. 

Hanako stood, staring at the looming shadow of the foreboding mountain, the tune started up in her ears, so she hummed along. Like a beaver’s dam in front of a stream, the wind stopped, she continued, slowly raising her voice, singing louder, and building her confidence. Then, the world was silent, the tune stopped, and then ahead of her there was a burst of colour and energy from the darkening rock of the mountain, which swirled outwards making a tunnel into the mountain. Hanako was completely silent by this point, and was floored, unable to comprehend the majesty. Niagra was entranced by the song. The gateway started to fade after a few moments of her staring. she picked up singing again, with more passion, closing her eyes, and repeating the eloquent melody, as it rang amongst the trees, wind, and sky.

The mountain seemed to reach up to the flowing night sky, submerging the world in the beauty of the night.  And just barely have its peak touch and poke the night sky flowing over the world. The swirling colours started to rush past, creating a gust of wind rushing past Hanako, and it caused her to only sing with more fiery passion, and louder to contest with the strong wind that rose against her, she started to make her way through the tunnel created by this swirling mass of rainbow colours, with her eyes still closed, and sure of her step she continued to sing the melody guiding her through the passage into somewhere she had no idea what was in store.

As she crossed the boundary, there was the feeling of walking into a flat wall of water, but none was there, and when she opened her eyes, to her surprise there was now a large room, massive as could be, with a large walkway made of some cold, hard and deep orangey, brown, and red material that made a clink with each of her steps due to her claws. In the middle there was a crossroads that had four large grey, weathered and overgrown pillars that were at least four times her length in diameter. She continued straight into a light grey fog, that unravelled before her as she continued, like a curtain before a play, she made her way based on instinct, with large brownish yellow statues made of a similar material, which like the rest of this place had hairdos of vines, and togas of moss. 

Hanako realised that Niagra wasn’t with her, and that she didn’t have her crystal either, making her feel unprotected, but as she continued realising she was almost completely lost, and the overwhelming scent of these new substances, made it near impossible to find where she had been, and not yet explored. She unwillingly continued to strike onwards trying to put as much confidence into each step, and as she continued, passing more and more fiendish statues that depicted Old Ones, and the Forsaken Kin, old beings of malicious devilish evil, who struck out against the Eldest Father, the true creator and ultimate deity of this world. Hanako became scared and worried about her choice, not sure if she should turn around and try and make her way back, but she figured that she has made it this far, life must have a plan for her, and she continued with caution.

She had been walking for quite some time, having need to sit down a few times, and with a few of the statues having cupped hands, drank of their water, which dripped from the ceiling stalactites into their palms, when she then came upon a room so large, it felt like it could contain a small forest. it was made with a circular catwalk in the centre, and four paths in what seemed like cardinal directions, and in between the catwalks, there were large bars and water rushing through them into a large pool in the centre underneath the jagged and imperfect looking form of a crystal which spanned from floor to ceiling, illuminating the room in a dull blue light.

The catwalk in the centre was connected a bit above the base of the crystal, as the water  flowed beneath it. The crystal seemed to be emanating small glowing dust of all colours, and size from a speck of dust to small pebbles, as she stepped in, the room seemed to start to hum, and vibrate gently a calming sound that was so familiar. Hanako made her way down the steps towards the crystal, remembering how she got in, hummed along, a soft tune. The crystal shifted in tune, picking up volume slightly, and clarity. Hanako followed the new melody, and kept with the same volume as the crystal. This developed, building a new and beautiful soft melody. Where Hanako and this crystal were found singing a duet to this beautiful and soft melody which resonated through the empty caverns, surpassing all other sounds, the world seemed to obey and went silent .

Hanako, hearing an unknown voice with a calming, and very soft warm sound, say,“There is always a connection, sound is the connection through time, I see the destiny you have to follow has built your soul's song.” 

She looked around, seeing nobody backed up from the crystal, saying in a tense voice, aimlessly in response, “W-who are you, where are you, and what do you mean, I’m just a fox from the Western forest of-”

“The Essence Valley, I know, I know everything about you, dear Hanako.”

Hanako couldn’t see this person, but could tell by the inflection in their voice, and just their presence, that they were smiling and quite happy to be talking to her. So she responded with, “But… I am sorry for any impolite nature, I did not know.”

Instantly the voice responded, “It was not a manner of hostility in which you responded, not a manner of hate, but that of a fear of the situation in which you were presented with to which you responded accordingly to instincts.”

“...Why am I here then? Was it you that called me here?”

“It was your journey, and your sense of self that has brought you here.”

Hanako replied in a low, and dejected tone, “But I feel lost in my way… I am not sure what it is that I desire any more… I don’t even think I know who I am, and feel led astray.” 

“Your soul and spirit know what it is that you desire, why you are here, and the thread of your fate is intertwined with that soul. So I ask you, look into the crystal, and only search for yourself, then the thread from your soul, self, and fate shall intersect and become one whole journey. So when you’re ready, place your paw on the crystal before you.”

Hanako repeated the conversation in her head, sat staring at the crystal for what felt like an eternity, then tentatively walked up to the crystal, feeling frozen in place, just inches from the cool air coming off the crystal. She then closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, put her paw on it. She felt a jolt of energy, as she lifted into the air, she squirmed at the feeling, then she started to glow with magical energy and having the particles that were surrounding and orbiting the large crystal which she now face, started to orbit her, and she felt parts of her change, and could tell she was different, as she squirmed with the feeling, a ringing of that melody in her head, something compelled her to sing along to the tune, her voice different, brighter, and a lot more soft and supple, like the soft reed heads on the edge of the river. After that she was slowly set down on the catwalk, her claws making a tink as she was set down, it echoing around the massive room.

This was in essence an aligning of her spirit and her physical self, but not yet her mental state. She was so happy, she had no idea what to think, and just sat there, for quite some time, before calling out to the voice asking, “How can I thank you? And who are you?”

The voice fading now, but clearly there, said “No need to thank me, you have completed that by going on this journey. As I am the sea, the mountains, the ground of which you all see, the sky, and stars above. And you can never repay them, they are grand and expansive beyond your comprehension, this is another gift for your service and protection.”

Hanako spent some time trying to understand what was said, but all for not, by the time she got over that, she realised their presence  was no longer there. She looked around and realised that she was back in the entry hall, finding all the paths that she’d travelled not but a few hours ago, were collapsed and looked like all the rocks had been laying for centuries

That’s when she started to hear the same song that had been following her since the first night with that whirlwind of energy. She hesitated but started to sing faintly,, barely above a hum, this time a softer melody came out. Her new voice like eloquent silk, soft humming growing slowly in volume and confidence, the melodies too matched her, yet nothing happened.

She stopped, took a deep breath and started again, eloquently flowing between notes, like a slow stream of music building larger into raging wave of music, then the wall started to open from a bright white spot, sparkling light grew into a large tunnel which had a  glowing white floor, that showed her a way forward, her anxieties seized her, and she froze, unable to sing, unable to move. Unsure of if she could continue, she stared into the outside world, looking longingly at the tunnel, swirling, pulsing, like a heartbeat in front of her. Visions of her life up to now played through her mind, finding that cavern, then being found by Niagra, and their trip thereafter.

Happy Pride ... Or Else

Hope everyone following is able to enjoy their pride, and have enjoyed my art up until now, with me having more to do I likely won’t be able to post as much art as I had hoped by now, and needing to replace my sketchbook have made keeping up with everything kind of hard, but should be back soon if things go well. Enjoy your pride, or else the gay police come and arrest you ;)

It is possible that in the meantime I will do short stories just to give you all something to enjoy.

‘Im safe now :) She took me from the bad people’

Got back into an old hyperfixation of mine, and wanted to get back into drawing humans now that I’m back from Hiatus and have been able to fix a lot of my issues. So hope yalla re ready for more art, and just posts in general.

Less posts, but not zero so enjoy the queer wholesome furry art.