Images will be added later. I have no clue what I'm doing for number 2, but number 1 was going to be Jesus. So, yeah. They'll be kinda late...
Anyways, it's Christmas day today. I'm so tired. It was exhausting and wonderful... even though it was a little bumpy at places. There is something wonderful lingering all around me... maybe it's just my imagination, but this is a rare feeling for me--like something amazing just MIGHT actually happen. Wouldn't that be awesome? I think I almost maybe believe in this "magic" of Christmas--this unspoken wonder and joy that fills a place right up. Heh.
Whatever happens, I only know one thing for certain. Jesus was born. I don't think it gets much clearer than Veggie Tales says-- "I can love because he loved me, I can give because he gave."
Jesus came down to a terrible world just to be closer to us--to save us. He left paradise to be born as a baby in a dark, foul-smelling stable. His parents had to literally use a trough--a feeding trough, likely full of prickly, itchy hay--for a cradle. His mother had just given birth--she was probably in intense pain, and the place was likely kind of bloody. His father, beside his mother. Animals all around.
Darkness. The stench of animals. A baby's crying.
And, this incredible light--a star, shining right over the stable, as if to say, "something amazing is here! come see it! Come see!".
This was the baby who would save the world.
That baby would grow up and sacrifice himself for his beloved. For you and me.
There is no greater love than that.
And so that's what Christmas is all about, folks. Christmas is about love--between friends and family, mother, father, child, husband, wife. It's about miracles--God becomes man, reaching out to a race that was condemned to eternal separation from Him. About hope that we can one day be together with him again. Faith that these hopes will come to pass. The peace and goodwill towards one another. Kindness. It's about everything truly good. Those things that we hold in our heart. Yes, that wholehearted joy--that bright warmth...
Why: Fourth-grader Sakura Kinomoto from CLAMP's Japanese comic-book title, "Cardcaptor Sakura", is the main protagonist of the aforementioned novel. With her trusty staff and sidekick, Kero-chan, she must recapture a bunch of magical cards and face dangerous tests and challenges. Despite this, she continues to believe in herself, her friends, her cards, and above all, that everything will be alright in the end. There's something wonderful about that faith--something that seems a little more alive in us all at Christmastime. Sure, there's drama, stress, commercialism, greed, all the old problems, but--underneath all that, there's still this daring hope that just maybe we can believe in something bigger than ourselves. And when we choose to believe in that something... well, I think that's called "Faith". And Sakura has that.
Why: This fuzzy, lovable fur ball from Hayoa Miyazaki's animated masterpiece, "My Neighbor, Totoro" is a highly iconic figure in both Japan and America. The film revolves around two sisters who move into a "haunted" house with their father, only to find that there actually IS something magical happening in their new neighborhood--and that it's name is Totoro, a spirit of the forest. The pair go one an incredible adventure and experience some wonderful, impossible things. It's a really sweet story, but it's also about what you see and what you don't see, especially miracles--both the amazing kind and the everyday kind. The eternal Christmas dilemma--whether to believe or not believe that something wonderful is happening SOMEWHERE on December 25th--really hits home for me. I mean, come on. Why NOT believe? There are a million reasons, I guess, but personally... I'd rather be the person who says, "Yes. I believe, because I have to. The world is a brighter place when people choose to look toward something good, to wait on something good, even if they don't know exactly what it is yet". That's a lot of what Christmas is about already, isn't it?
Why: The sweet, silly, green-haired girl, Yotsuba, from Kiyohiko Azuma's "Yotsuba!&" is one of my all-time favorite characters. Whether she's fishing, camping, riding her bike, taking pictures, attacking her neighbors with a squirt gun, or squaring off against her all-time nemesis, Yanda, Yotsuba is all the great things about kids in a nutshell--especially her unmatched enthusiasm for practically everything. Wouldn't it be great if we took the motto of "Yotsuba!&"--"Enjoy Everything"--and applied it to our lives this Christmas? Yotsuba's father once said that "She can find happiness anywhere". I mean, you don't have to look to far--it could be under a rock or in a tree or in your local neighborhood. Wherever she finds it, Yotsuba always makes the most of it, even if there are a few bumps along the way.
(For some reason I always thought Pikachu looked twice as cute eating a cookie...)
Number 6: Pikachu
Christmas-Worthy Quality: Wholeheartedness
Why: Okay, so that's a big word--wholeheartedness--and one you don't hear everyday. You probably know what it means, but just in case, to be wholehearted is to do your very best with all you have--to go in 100% with enthusiasm and an upbeat spirit, and to not give up. And as Pokemon fan ought to know, tiny Pikachu has a very big heart, and it does just that. No matter how small this Mouse Pokemon is, it's determined, cheerful nature gives it the courage and strength to push through the most grim situations. And doesn't that just fit right in? Here, with Christmas coming up, isn't it twice as important to meet our circumstances with a whole heart, and a can-do spirit. Yeah, things might be a little tight, and maybe holidays are rough for you, but a little bit of cheerfulness goes a long way. We could learn something from our little friend here.
Why: Agnes (right) and Tiz (left) are two of the main protagonists from Nintendo's recent 3DS title Bravely Default. Tiz, after witnessing the devastating destruction of his tiny home village of Norende, meets up with Agnes, who knows the source of the destruction and (hopefully) how to stop it. Looking forward, the pair makes new allies and choose to trust one another and their own judgement to build a better future for them all. This unshakable hope to save the world even in their darkest times, is what put them on my list. I mean, Christmas is all about hope! Jesus was born--right there, the greatest hope of all time past, present, or yet to come. And then there's the hope that we'll get good presents or that others will like what we give them...that we can spend time with our friends and/or families... there's so much hope around Christmas, and it's something worth holding on to.
Why: The Pegasus Fluttershy, from Hasbro's television show My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic is one of the six main protagonists of the series. She is (as her name suggests) incredibly shy, but she bears the Element of Kindness because of her unshakably sympathetic, kind-hearted nature. I think this is important because around Christmas time, is it just me, or do people seem a little more open to the idea of being kind? Of helping your fellow man (or pony) and meeting others with open arms (or hooves). As far as I've seen, kindness is one of the most underrated virtues, and yet all of us need it desperately. So why not take the opportunity to be a little kinder to others this Christmas? Who knows? You might really help someone.
heloooooo, peoples! Or no peoples, depending on if anyone actually reads this. Firefly here, to spread a little bit of Christmas spirit! I was thinking, how cool would it be if I did a countdown to Christmas, and posted some cool seasonal fanart everyday until the big Holiday itself? That seemed cool to me, and so, once more with some FE: Awakening Fanart, I give you--
"Merry Christmas, from Exalt Emmeryn"! Yay!
Yay! Oh, the in-game references...
LONG MONOLOGUE: Anyways, around this time I think it's really important to realize that Christmas isn't just about gifts or food or sparkly trees (although those are all very good things, indeed). It's really a time to just sort of sit back and recognize that we have a good life. Sure, there's crud we have to go through--people do horrible things, maybe you've had stuff in your past or even crazy things going on right now. But during Christmas, while all this chaotic frenzy is going on around us, people running about like maniacs in search of presents and trees, etc, we have this chance to sort of be still. Just to slow down within ourselves, and just fill ourselves up with all the good things in life. To be full. To rest our spirits, and know we have been loved. I don't know if I'm explaining this right.
You're probably going crazy with things to do and places to be. You're probably thinking--"slow down?! But that's the OPPOSITE of what I need to do". I don't know. But I think that the moments when I am the happiest are times like this where I sort of just sit back and watch the proceedings with a full heart. Christmas MEANS something--it means warmth and light, being somewhere good and safe. As humans, we need more of this--we need to seek this out and store it up within ourselves to help us face the future, as dark or uncertain as it may be. It is my firm belief that nothing truly good is ever lost.
CUT TO THE CHASE: So, now that you've been put through my long, meaningful monologue, for my countdown I'll be naming one truly good thing about Christmas that my chosen character represents. So...
9 (days until Christmas): Peace!
For number nine of my countdown, I chose to draw Exalt Emmeryn from Fire Emblem: Awakening. Emmeryn is the kindly, peace-loving ruler of the Kingdom of Ylisse. Having suffered greatly during her father's war-mongering years on the throne, she decided that no matter what, she would seek peace for all people, even those from their not-so-neighborly neighbors in the Kingdom of Plegia. Throughout her reign, she acts with the best interests of all people involved, even those who would see her dead. It's actually said in-game that Emmeryn represents Ylisse's most prized value--peace. This attitude of benevolence and inner strength made her one of my heroes, which is why she is on this blog. See ya!
Heya, folks, I'm back with more arts to show off!!! I know I'm far from the best out there, but because I love to draw almost (if not more) than I love telling stories, I thought I ought to share a little of this with ya. Plus, well, art isn't that much use when it's kept to one person alone, right? So here's some interesting Fire Emblem characters that really caught my eye in my second play-through of the game: Gaius and Maribelle. Maribelle is the snooty upper-class noblewoman who has a sharp tongue, although she seems to have high standards. I didn't like her very much at first, but she actually tends to get into some pretty amusing situations, and, well, she's a surprisingly good person once you get past that cold exterior, so I came around. Gaius is a thief who cracks locks for a living, and although he's usually calm and composed (sort of chill...) he has a major sweet tooth. Despite being a criminal, he actually has morals (as shown in his introduction chapter when--if the main character talks with him--he has the ability to turn against his assassin comrades and join the good guys in defending Emmeryn, who is pretty much the most patient, kind, angelic character in the game.) Despite being incredibly different, the pair have a heartwarming history which I will not reveal because it is unlocked later in the game if you want to watch their Support conversations.
I WON NANOWRIMO! THIS CALLS FOR MORE FIRE EMBLEM REFERENCES!
Yayayayayayayayayayayayayay! I'm super excited to present my next story, North of Never! Unfortunately, it's a total disaster in need of scrapping, editing, and, well, an extreme story make-over. But that's OKAY! I will be happy, and I will celebrate this 11:00 PM victory by going to be and eating a cookie! COOKIES! Oh, my next reference should be Bravely Default. This is actually really fun. I should draw video game characters more often.
Well, my friends, the race has been hard. The fast-paced, low-quality quest to pound out 50000 words in 30 days that is National Novel Writing Month is at last coming to an eventful end, and amid the crackling of thanksgiving turkeys in the oven and the loud whining of people who think Christmas music shouldn't be played before November 27th, another sound is heard.
That's right.
It's the clickety-clacking of hundreds of computer keyboards and typewriters, the scritch-scratching of pens and pencils, and the ka-booming of some poor novice writer's mind being blown by the work he or she had just created. It's the screams of victory, frustration, triumph, and defeat, and perhaps the shattering sound of a computer smashing against the apartment wall next to yours or the hysterical ravings of one driven mad by their own monstrous word goal. These are the sounds of November. These are the sounds of National Novel Writing Month.
Two days left, and I need 2000 words to hit my 50000 word goal. It has taken countless cups of Chamomile tea, innumerable Fire Emblem and Harvest Moon breaks, a plethora of understanding teachers, a will stronger than a Machamp, and a mind keen as a Honedge's blade to get me where I am today. I can only pray that a final sound will be heard on the 30th or before.
The cry of victory as I at last finish writing my fifth Nanowrimo novel, North of Never.
Until then, I will make like Miriel here and ignore the rest of the world.
I love doing digital art. It's so much fun!!!
Once more, I'd like to say a thank you to all the brae souls who participated this year. You're writing makes this world a better place. Find a voice. And your inner lunatic.
Why, yes, this song is absolutely beautifully mind-blowingly amazingly gorgeous. Yes, I d post too much lizz, but since you can never have too much lizz, well, that's that.
Okay, so if you know me, you know that write about this time is when I go crazy for NaNoWriMo. Get it? Write? Okay, sorry, for those of you who don't know, allow me to explain. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. I've been participating for years, and I'm very excited this year because I might get to do it with some friends. Nevertheless, here's the summary: You have on month--Novemeber. That's thirty days. You need to write fifty thousand--50000--words. In thirty days. If you do this, you are a winner. The goal is pretty much, write whatever you can, get it out, enjoy it. Even if your novel sucks or is incomplete, the point is that you did it, that you had fun, and that you went completely insane for one month. I LOVE NANOWRIMO! It's always a blast to get on the Young Writer's Program and meet friends, share stories, and strive to hit your word count. I absolutely encourage anyone--and everyone--who can to do this.
If you're interesting, just sign up at the NaNoWriMo website. We'll see if I'm up to the task this year with all my classes, and if I can bribe my friends into doing this with me...
Alright, after all the fun we had explaining Seto and Marry's stories, I wanted to share the next chapter of the tale. Beware, the explanations may include spoilers. So, we're starting with Yuukei Yesterday (English: Sunset Yesterday) and moving to Ayano's Theory of Happiness and then closing with Tounmei Answer, AKA, Transparent Answer. Prepare to cry.
Okay, so this one seems completely unrelated to the rest of the story, but hold out. This song focuses on Takene Enemoto and her friend Haruka Kokonose. Takene (the girl and narrator), is in a special class for children with illnesses. She suffers from "sleep attacks" and is usually very grumpy from staying up late playing video games. Haruka, however has heart problems. This song is actually kinda sad because of what happens to them. You remember Seto? I might have mentioned he was adopted along with 2 others named Kido and Kano by two scientists who were studying those "eye powers" I talked about. Well, the scientist had a daughter. Her name was Ayano, and she saw herself as Seto, Kano, and Kido's "big sister". Seto, Kano, and Kido all had eye powers (which is why they were adopted. Ayano was the girl in the scarf in this video--she was Takene and Haruka's friend. The fourth boy who appeared in this video (you might have to look to notice him, he's near the end) was Ayano's friend, Shintaro, who is VERY important to the plot.
This is Ayano's song!!! It talks about her and how much she loves her siblings. To help them not be ashamed of their eye powers, she decided to form a "secret brigade", as she says in the video. The kids name their brigade "The Blindfold Gang" or the Mekakucy Dan. About halfway through the video, however, Ayano's mother and father die while researching eye powers at a research cite. However, because it's August 15th, her dad comes back and has eye powers but her mom is trapped in an alternate world called the "heat haze" (pretty much, if two people die on Aug 15th, one get eye powers, one get Heat Hazed). Her father, believing her mother is dead, it taken over by the bad guy (A snake-monster that lives in the Haze), and does pretty horrible things to get his wife back. Ayano realizes he is planning an experiment on her friends Takene and Haruka (from previous video), and reads his notes on getting eye powers--meaning, she knows you have to die on Aug 15th to get powers. So, she sacrifices herself by jumping off a school building, but because she dies alone, she is transported to the Heat Haze WITH eye powers. Ayano's dad, Kenjirou, kills both Haruka and Takene that same day (which was his plan), and they both get eye powers, too. Takene is sent to the Heat Haze, but returns as a cyber-girl named Ene (meaning, she can only survive inside computers), with the "Opening Eyes" ability, who wears mostly blue. Haruka becomes Konoha, another cyber-human but with an actual body--as well as a spacey amnesiac with the "Awakening Eyes" ability.
Because Ayano is in the Heat Haze, well, everyone thinks she'd dead. Which, technically, she is. This video is about her friend Shintaro, who is a super-smart genius. He's cold and rude and mean to Ayano sometimes, because he doesn't want to feel close to her, but she hangs on and stays around, always smiling, even though her test scores are bad and she feels secretly ashamed and clumsy and awkward (as she says in the previous song). They become friends, and the day before Ayano's sacrifice, he sees her crying but doesn't understand. After she dies, he's pretty much full of guilt and wonders if anyone will even remember her. He finds an origami crane on the ground on the roof from which Ayano jumps...and its a perfect test score. HIS test score.
From here, there are two timelines (because of Marry's time-control powers)--Route X (happy ending!) in which Shintaro actually meets the Blindfold Gang and (SPLOILER) is eventually reunited with Ayano. Then there's Route XX (sad ending.) in which everyone dies and Shintaro never actually meets the Blindfold Gang. I'm playing it as if Route XX doesn't exist, BTW, because I can't stand sad endings!
Remember when I gave that big, long explanation about that one Japanese song-series/anime/ manga? The one called Kagerou Daze? Well, I fell in love earlier this Summer with their song Imagination Forest (Also known as Souzou or Fantasy Forest). It's about a 1/4th Gorgon 3/4th human girl named Marry, who lives all alone and is full of loneliness. She can see the future, and (SPOILER) has the power to turn time back. But the future she sees is dark and terrible, and so she lives alone, until one day a boy finds her cottage and opens the door. He gives her his iPod, and his coat, and she sits there, imagining a brighter future. They become friends afterward.
But what of that boy? How did he find her? Who is he? Well, his name is Seto, and the bulk of his story--and how he finds Marry--is covered in this song I just discovered, "Shounen Brave", or (in English) "Brave Boy".
All rights, etc, go to Jin and those who helped create this video, etc.
Now, BEFORE YOU WATCH, READ THIS: This explanation will help you understand the music, if you want to get it without piecing the story together. Pretty much, Seto has the power to "see" people's thoughts. When he talks about "voices", he means the things people think, and in the song, he is horrified by how mean people are and thinks of himself as a monster. Later, when he encounters Marry, he "sees" her loneliness and, unable to control his powers, can't help but also see her nightmare about the future--the future in which everyone she loves dies. He knows this, but still wants to be her friend. Now you can watch.
Extra stuff about the dog, powers, story, etc: (1) Seto's power is not natural. Neither is Marry's. Hang in there, even if this seems wholly unconnected, it's all connected. Pretty much, these kids have the same thing--there are twelve different "eye powers". Because Marry is part gorgon, she has "Freezing Eyes", which means she can cause people to freeze in place if she looks into their eyes. Seto, however has the power to "See" thoughts. (2) BUT! These powers can only be gained when two people die on the same day in August 15th. One person is warped to an alternate dimension called the Heat Haze and the other is sent back with "Eye Powers". (3) SO, in the song, when Seto talks about the dog and a "tragedy", he's talking about a time not mentioned in the song but in the manga and anime. Pretty much, some bullies threw his dog in a river, and Seto dove in after it. They both died, but it was August 15th, so Seto was brought back with powers he didn't understand--he was suddenly hearing people's thoughts. Marry got her powers when her mother and her were attacked by humans who called them "monsters". For you who want a refresher, here's Marry's video (in english!!!), Souzou Forest!
There's a lot more complicated stuff that goes on in the world of Kagerou Days. If you want to watch more, check our Jubyphonic's website for English covers of the videos! (WARNING!) Because Marry can turn back time, there are two timelines. One is bloody and depressing, and everyone dies, so if you dislike gore, sorrow, and general depressing-ness, do NOT look up "Outer Science" or "Lost Time Memory". Other vids to avoid for the faint of heart are "Kagerou Daze" and "Konoha no Sekai Jijou" because those two are really sad and gory. But, the latter two carry merit to the "happy" timeline, too, so you might just want to read the summary on the Kagerou page of the song's relevence.
Firefly, out!
Here it is folks. I'm bored to tears and procrastinating on homework big-time, so here is my dedication to my all-time favorite video game female ruler. Bigger than Peach. Bigger than Rosalina. Bigger than Ovula. Bigger even than Zelda (though by a tiny margin). It's the woman who sacrifices herself for her brother, sister, and country, who pulls a slightly predictable though heart-wrenching Not-Dead, who is notably shipped with her worst enemy by the fandom--that's right, everyone's favorite amnesiac, Emmeryn!!!
Now in pony form.
All credit for the artwork goes to the folks at derpiboo.ru. Check out online for the ponified versions of several other characters, including Lissa, Chrom, Robin, and others. So, suffice to say, I was impressed and inspired. This is AWESOME!!!
This is Lidsey Stirling. She is awesome. My little sister forced me to watch this, and I am awed by her imagination and skill. So you. watch. now. If you're up for it, she also has a Zelda, Halo, Skyrim, Star Wars, Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and Child of Light remix, as well as her own original songs.
INCLUDES MINOR SPOILERS!!! If you don't want spoilers for your Fire Emblem Awakening play through, run away! If you don't care or have already finished the game, keep reading.
Now, this video is the one I've been waiting for. Since the moment Emmeryn was first introduced as the kind, gentle, peace-loving ruler she is, I knew that something like this was going to happen. When I read the title of Chapter 9, I knew she was going to die, and was mildly surprised that they brought her back. But, come on, how can Emm and Gangrel be on the same side now and not talk. It's absurd. I only wish Emm could support more people, or marry someone beside the Avatar and live a happy life. I mean, come on, if anyone deserves a happy ending, she does. If you are unfamiliar with Fire Emblem, Awakening, permit me to clarify.
Emmeryn is kind, gentle, and peace-loving. In chapter nine of the Game, she sacrifices herself for her brother, sister, and people. This is a truly heart-wrenching scene--King Gangrel of Plegia had scores of archers trained on Emmeryn, and offers Emm's brother, Chrom, a choice: hand over the Fire Emblem (a legendary treasure that could save the world in it's darkest hour) or watch his sister be skewered with arrows. Emmeryn, knowing her country needs the Fire Emblem and unwilling to let her brother live with the guilt of sacrificing his own sister, literally throws herself off a cliff.
You think she's dead...until you find her two years later, with severe brain trauma. She can only speak in small sentences, and remembers nothing of her past, but her compassionate spirit is still intact. After saving her from some brigands, she will join Chrom and his friends once more as they continue on a new quest: using the Fire Emblem to save the world from the evil dragon, Grima. On a bonus mission, Chrom will discover that Gangrel is still around (even after being dethroned and forgotten shortly after Emm's sacrifice). Gangrel is full of remorse and pretty much insane. He wants to die, only to find that he is incapable of doing so. If you play the bonus scene through the right way, Chrom will convince Gangrel to join them. Be aware, at this point, the world is teetering on the brink of disaster. Chrom may not want to work with Gangrel, but every sword helps when you're in the middle of an apocalypse that can only be averted by two people in the entire world (Chrom and Robin).
Still, this conversation made me understand Gangrel's character much better. I actually feel sort of bad for him...in a I-still-want-to-beat-you-to-a-pulp-but-maybe-a-little-less sort of way.
Hi, guys!
For those of you who don't know, one of my A3 pals and I have made the Great Exchange. (sorry, inside joke. At our church, that means you've traded your sinful life for a life with Jesus. Which we have, only I'm talking about a different Exchange.) That's right. He has let me borrow a slightly dysfunctional DS and Kingdom Hearts Days. I have, in return, lent him my 2DS and Fire Emblem Awakening. It's been a wild ride so far, but we're both having a lot of fun. Still, I like to think of this temporary trade as a testimony to our friendship. It takes a truly special friend to let someone else borrow your DS, let me tell you!
So, in tribute to this, I will now post Xion's Theme from (can you guess it?) Lizz! This musical master was one of my main soundtracks and inspiration while I was sketching our characters from A3, so it seems only that she should sing for us, now. Plus, let's face it, Xion's theme is totally beautiful. Look through Lizz's uploads for her remixes. They're a lot more techno-sounding, for hose f you who enjoy video game themes.
Go A3!!! Thanks to these people, my skill with digital media has vastly improved, and I've also had the immense privilege of being able to draw our five heroes, Djinn, Soran, Wysk, Alma, and Malik! All five of these characters are important, each a unique Wizard with their own brand of magic and their own awesome skills. I can't wait to dive into comic construction. But first, I'll say thank you, thank you, thank you A3. You guys have been inspirational, not only true friends but also great partners in collaboration. Let's give it our best and try to make this the greatest comic ever written by a team of teens--something that would make Joe Shushter and Jerry Siegel proud! As usual, sorry for the wait, and here it is: A3 finalized hero poster.
Summer is ending. It's hard to believe that at this time last year, I was sitting around and wondering what my life would be like. I was that girl who liked books better than people. I didn't have that many friends, and to quote Bilbo, I liked less than half of them half as well as they deserved. But last year was, quite possibly, the best year of my life. I met a bunch of amazing people, who dragged me into their worlds with a wholeheartedness and exuberance that helped me remember what it really means to be happy. Some people I had "known" for years, but just ignored, like TD and the World Destroyer (you guys know who you are). Some folks jut sort of turned up, and somehow or other stuck around so that I can no longer imagine life without them. Others came blasting in full-force and decided that we were being friends whether I like it or not! So that's that.
In a few weeks, I will be a Sophomore. And my friends will be there too. Maybe a few faces will be missing from that table, but there will be new people, and we'll remember everyone who's out there, facing the world before us. So, here's to a year as good as the last--hopefully even better.
Summer is ending.
With a basket of watermelon rinds
On the cracked blue tiles
Of the counter in the kitchen--
Where we watched
The bright, yellow sunflowers
Peek through the darkness
And warmth
Of the earth
And take root, and grow.
Where my sisters laughed
Over a thousand episodes
Of whatever they could find.
Where I hid away
With a pencil and a paper.
How strange to think,
That Summer,
Which embodies life and light
Is fading into a Fall
That feels like Summer.
Perhaps because I know
What warmth awaits me in colder weather
And now, from one of my favorite bands--June Hymn. Great song :)
all complaints will be listened to carefully, and then ignored. JK! If something really bugs you, let me know. This is not the final project, just my black-and-white line drawings of what I plan on coloring in for our character's finalized appearances. Thanks go to A3 (all two of you), and all other contributers, as we are finally prepared to begin our scripting and comic-construction phases. LET'S DO THIS THING!
AH! I'm short on time, but here you have it, concept art for our four villains, Urreil, Fauna, Terra, and Styke. Each of them is being secretly controlled by our mysterious Greater Evil (which we haven't really figured out yet....), but none of our protagonists know! Fauna is an animal wizard, Terra earth, and Styk Card. I forgot what the last guys does, but drawing dreadlocks is a lot of fun, so I forgive him...
okay, I owe you guys an apology and an explanation.
The video I posted with Marry (The 1/4th gorgon girl), well, the whole story surrounding it is seriously confusing, so here we go: The story centers on a group of kids calling themselves the "Mekakushi Dan", or "Blindfold Gang". Here's how it goes: EVERYONE DIES. But, Marry is pretty much the most important character, because, GUESS WHAT? She can turn back time. Because of this, there are multiple timelines that happen, in most of which everyone dies and Marry turns back time again. Her quote? "...a world without these people...is not a world I am interested in."
Let's start at he beginning, with Marry's Grandmother, Azami. Her grandmother was full-blooded Gorgon and she had crazy powers--enough to create an alternate world known as the "Heat Haze". From that day on, whenever two people died on August 15th, one of them was sent to the "Heat Haze" and the other received an "Eye Power" and was brought back to life in he real world. There's also a buncha mumbo-jumbo that goes something like: "If the twelve different snakes (which grant eye powers--we are dealing with a gorgon here, people.) are gathered, then they can grant wishes."
Knowing this, a scientist/teacher (forgot his name, so I'll just call him Jerkface), in desperation to get his deceased wife back, killed two people (two extremely ill students in a "Special class" named Takene Enomoto and Haruka Kokonose) on August 15th, to try and get all the "Eye powers" collected so that he could wish his late wife back to life. Haruka became "Konoha", and pretty much lived under the grasp of Dr. Jerkface, and Takene became a cyber-girl named "Ene". Because Ene's real body died, she lived digitally in the computer of a boy named Shintaro Kisagari, having been sent back from the Heat Haze.
However, a Jerkface's daughter, Ayane, was a friend of both Haruka and Takene, as well as Shintaro (whose computer Ene would later inhabit). She found her father's notes on their deaths, and how to gain Eye Powers. Her three adopted siblings also had Eye Powers. In desperation to save them, she killed herself on August fifteenth, but because she died alone, she was transported instantly to the Heat Haze, permanently separating the Twelve Snakes and foiling Jerkface's plan...
OR DID SHE?!
Remember....Marry...can turn back time?!
Now, onward!
Before her "death", Ayane and her three adopted siblings, Seto, Kido, and Kano formed a group called the Mekakushi Dan, as a game. After Ayane "died", Kido became the Dan's leader. Now, there are a bunch of timelines where things don't go according to plan for Dr Jerkface, so whenever that happens, he takes over Konoha's body and kills all of Marry's friends in the Dan, forcing her to turn back time. By doing this, he hopes to go back to the day Ayane kills herself and get her power. However, Konoha becomes friends with Shintaro (who is a lethargic computer geek and has lived the past two years in guilt over Ayane's death--he saw her crying the day before it happened and just ignored it, being confused someone so cheerful could possibly be sad). Perhaps because of this friendship, Konoha gains enough control to try and kill himself in an attempt to protect the Dan, who have become his family. Shintaro tries to stop him, and "dies" when a awry shot was fired--BUT DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS?
That's right. August 15th.
Shintaro finds himself in the Heat Haze, where he is reunited with Ayane, who gives him her powers. Then he and he other Mekakushi members are reunited and the wishes are made. Jerkface gets his wife back, and a plethora of other characters are brought back to life.
There's a lot of other complicated stuff, but the main point is: Ayane and everyone else who matters is brought back to life!
I probably left out a buncha important stuff and messed up a ton of facts, so let's just ignore this and listen to Ene sing about her feelings for Konoha before they were killed...but...not killed? Gah, this storyline is so confusing!
Just so you know, some of the alternate timelines are super depressing...But, the happy one that Marry creates is lots better...
I don't read this manga. Or watch this anime. But I heard this song.
When I heard Marry, the girl in this video, dies to save her friends, I sat quietly in my bathroom and cried.
Here's the story:
Marry is a 1/4th Gorgon girl who lives alone in a cottage in the woods. After the events in this video she joins the Mekekatsu (did I spell that right?) Dan, a group of kids who all have special "Eye powers", and becomes good friends with another character I really like, Momo (who has her own music vid, too! Look up Kisagari Attention and look for Marry's cameo in the middle!) While Marry cannot turn other people into stone like her mother and grandmother, she can cause temporary paralysis. Her friends mean the world to her, which is why she sacrifices herself to save them later on. I hear the Japanese version of this song, just look it up on youtube...however, I advise you check out former WCHSstudents Lizz's channel. She's my favorite youtube musician!
Okay, back again with another Protagonist, Wysk! She's a young Ice Wizard who's recently lost the rest of her guild to mysterious attacks by a band of ruthless Rogue Wizards. Wysk is determined and quiet most the time, but she can come off as a little chilly towards strangers. She's great at being organized, making plans, and above all keeping her cool--however, Djinn (See ancient post from June and please don't laugh at my awful drawings!) seems to know just how to get on her bad side. They're always at odds, and poor Alma (see even worse artwork) is always trying to keep them from all-out war. Please enjoy my picture!!! (and just so you know, Elsa has nothing to do with Wysk. If she is mentioned again, I politely request you to shut off your electronic device, go sit in a corner, and thin about what you've done.)
Okay, so recently I've been playing a lot of Fire Emblem: Awakening. It's a pretty good game, my only complaint being some mild language that makes it inaccessable to younger players. Nevertheless, I was completely charmed by a beautiful story line, top-quality character designs, and fun, engaging tactical game-play that made it one of my favorite games in a long time. Anyways, there's a function (known as "Support") on it in which characters (if they fight together and "pair up" enough on the battlefield) will develop stronger relationships with each other. This has three advantages: One is that these characters will fight even better if working as a team and get awesome bonuses and tag-team attacks as time goes on. The second is unlocking cut-scenes in which the characters have a (usually entertaining) conversation. The third is that if characters of opposite genders get a high enough Support levels, they get married, which in turn unlocks hidden characters later in the game--their children. I love the family function (siblings, parents, and children automatically get Support Bonuses), and, come on, who doesn't want to see the next generation of awesome? So, without further ado, one of my favorite couples, Lon'qu, Miriel, and their son, Laurent.
That's right, people, our first villain sketch! The air was constructed a little differently than the others (this sketch was a bit rushed), but I think she still looks okay. She's a kick-butt, no nonsense priestess who has pretty much no emotions and one mission: destroy the rogue Wizards. Oh, and she's set to kill. She holds fast to the belief that whatever her government or higher-ups say is right...is right. I don't think this lady has ever smiled in her life.
hey, I know it's awful, but I was distracted! I just got Fire Emblem: Awakening (awesome game!) and so, yeah, Alma's sketch is a little overdue. But, here she is--I plan on lightening up her hair for the final draft and incorporating more blues and whites into her costume, with less of the whole green-red clashing thing. Mers. park would kill me if she could see this...
Alma Class: Elemental Water Wizard Skills: Water-Mind Manipulation Rank 2 Water Healing Rank 5 Occupation: A Healer Guild member assigned to oversee and protect the younger Wizards who were left Guildless after a band of Rogue Wizards slaughtered the members of their guild.
Hey, folks--the guys down at A3 have a bunch of great characters planned. So, for your enjoyment (and the benefit of the A3 team) here's my original sketch of our original character, Malik!
Class: Ability Wizard Skills: Shapeshifting Rank ? Mimicking Rank ? Weaponry Generating Rank 4 Power Levels: Unknown All other information unknown. Conclusion: A dangerous wildcard. His motives are uncertain, his true nature hidden. Malik is a silent watcher--he could be of great use as an ally. Or great danger as a foe.
Hi, again, I'm back with another character sketch from the team down at A3. This character, Soran, is an awesome warrior who can detect enemy weaknesses. This is the original sketch--version 0.1, you could say. I'll have to tweak it some for the final edition, though, because Soran's main concept designer wants his hair a certain way. I can't wait to show you the final version!
Soran
Class: AWESOME!!!
(More will be revealed with final artwork)
For the benefit of A3, a comic-making group me and some of my friends have started, I'm adding an image of my self-invented character, Djinn. Hope you like it!
Magic Training: Little to None
Class: MultiWizard--Elemental/Ability
Skills:
Fire creation and manipulation Rank 3
Mindspeaking Rank 1
Mind-Objected Manipulation Rank 0
Power Levels: 7/10
Guild: None
Occupation: Rogue Magician
Conclusion: Highly Dangerous with explosive powers and little real control. A danger to himself and others. The High Priestess has ordered him, and any who harbor him... exterminated. For the good of the people.
All this gal's songs make me want to cry because they're so emotional and deep and I so wish I could sing like her!!! I know we each have our own talents, etc, but goodness, she's AMAZING!!! While you listen, it's okay to cry. I don't judge.
check out Soleil if this wasn't enough for you. in fact, check out her whole channel. Her voice is so gorgeous!
Hey, guys. Excepts there are no guys or girls, so yeah. No one reads this. Well, maybe a few people, but as far as I know, no one does.
Here is my second installment in my total drama series!!!!!!!! :)
This total rip off of original contender DJ (from season one) is one cool, friendly dude. He has a colossal appetite to accompany colossal strength, and basketball skills. Arthur is easily fun and friendly, but he has his share of quirks, including being weirdly superstitious. He likes breakfast, lunch, dinner, basketball, soccer, baseball, track, and small animals. He dislikes jerks, water polo, anything meaning bad luck, and is terrified of bananas for some obscure reason.
ADVANTAGES: Is strong, healthy, good at cooperating with others, and reasonably intelligent
DISADVANTAGES: Is weirdly superstitious, distracted by small animals, has an unhealthy fear of bananas, and is a good target fr voting off.
N. Is. Awesome.
Why do so many people hate N? I'll never understand. He's totally awesome, he can communicate with Pokemon, and he's super-kind. Like really kind, is a little misguided. In fact, I think the Black and White storyline is more his story than anyone else's. So, here is my artistic tribute to N.
Hello again, fellow nobodies. I've got nothing better to do than watch good old goofy animated reality television series like Total Drama and experiment on my Wacom Tablet. So, in light of this, I come before you with the first f my own specially created Total drama cast.
Here's the breakdown: Total Drama is a really weird, bizarre animated cartoon series. It's based on a reality TV show, with multiple contestants all competing for 10,000 to one million dollars (depending on the season). I would not advise it to anyone because of their blatant overuse of crude humor, social satire, and complete stereotyping, not to mention that parts of the show get a bit...iffy. I mean, sure, it's animated and meant to be goofy, but it just goes a bit too far sometimes. Nonetheless, I hope to construct and share my own personalized series of characters.
So, here goes:
Meet Lorena. She's a friendly homebody who doesn't get out much, and as a result is ignorant of multiple things, including facebook, cell phones, and ...television shows. She loves a good book, a good meal, and good cup of tea, as well as time to relax and reflect. She hates loud noises, pushy people, and has a bizarre aversion to the color pink. Pretty much a Hobbit, only taller, with smaller feet, and home-schooled...
LIKES: Sleeping, Eating, Drinking Tea, Reading, and Alone Time.
DISLIKES: Loud Noises, Disruptive Behavior, Fighting, and Pink.
ISN'T SURE ABOUT: People. They're rather loud...
VOICE/ATTITUDE: Mostly quiet and timid-sounding, but reasonable, like she isn't quite sure she has something important to say, but still thinks you should hear it. Like a cross between Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle...No! Bilbo. She's a Bilbo, everyone.
Hope you like it, everyone! Or no one, since this blog has no followers... But whatever :)
This guy was being followed around. The crowd was huge, but he knew every single person in it--he knew their hearts and their minds, he knew the very essence of their souls like it was stamped to the back of his hand. Better, even. He knew what they wanted, too.
They wanted bread.
They were talking with each other while they waited, eager to see what he would do. He had fed them before. Would he do it again? Would he give them food?
"What miraculous sign will you perform for us?" They asked.
"I know what you want." He told them. "You want bread. But the bread you ask for will fade away. You will be hungry again after you eat it."
The crowd spoke to one another, conversing, wondering, words weaving in and out between them in an intricate thread of voices, people.
"The bread I will give you," He continued, "Will never fade."
"Then give us this bread." They answered.
"I tell you the truth," Said he, "I am the bread. Eat of me and you will never be hungry."
The people were surprised, confounded, puzzled--they didn't understand.
"How can we eat you?" They grumbled. Would this man feed them or not?
"I tell you the truth, unless you eat of my flesh and drink of my blood, you will never see the kingdom of Heaven." He told them.
what?
Jesus. That was Jesus, right there. His beauty, his perfection, his death. So let's go back. You may have read abut Jesus, you may know about him. You may know that he once said, "this is my flesh" about bread and "this is my blood" about wine. Maybe you don't know anything at all. But get this--Jesus told a crowd of maybe 5000 or so people that if they ate him they would go to heaven. Radical, huh?
See, there's a double-meaning to everything he says. It's commonly held belief that when he spoke of "eating of his flesh" and "drinking of his blood", Jesus was talking about how he sacrificed his body (the "bread"), so that he could "feed" people's spirits. When Jesus died, his sacrifice was meant to cover people's sins, or wrong-ness and generally messed-up-ness. By accepting his sacrifice, we accept the spiritual bread that sustains us and fills us the rest of our lives.
And just an afterword--Jesus promised that if we accepted him, the world would pretty much hate our guts. So think about it. To learn more, you only have to look as far as a bible.
Yes, indeed.
So, I'm caught with a dilemma, my non-existent comrades. I like someone who might like me but probably doesn't and very likely likes someone else, and I'm not sure if even liking this person is the right thing to do in the first place, since someone else might like me, and the one I might like isn't really my type--even though I'm not sure I even have a "type" to begin with...
Yeah. Life's a bit weird at times.
But, in the middle of chaos, a moment of music is really all we need.
So here's a breath of peace for those in the midst of the storm.
May the Fourth be with you, young Padawans.
Even though the Revenge of the Fifth is already upon us.
Happy about nothing
Sad about everything,
Take up your masks
And put on a show
Dance across stages
Black ink and white pages
Make one wrong move
And everyone will know.
Some of us wear our troubles like cloaks,
And cover our faces with shadow and smoke
Some of us cower in darkness and fear
Some whisper in hope that another will hear
Our hearts are corrupt, diluted and strange--
We know somewhere in them that living means pain
We build walls of ice, iron, and steel
To help us pretend that our troubles aren't real
We stain them so black that the bleeding won't show
We forget that hurt's something everyone knows.
So draw back the curtains and open the blinds,
It's okay for today to let the sun shine
Feel the warmth on your skin,
Let the light in
And remember all wounds heal in time.
To love at all is to suffer fears great and strong
The chance to make right of what was done wrong
So though it hurts you,
It's what you must do
To rise when you fall and sing a new song.
This week for English, out teacher (who has this special, magical taste in literature), made us read "Marigolds". Now, first, you should know that my teacher (we'll call her Mrs. Steve) really likes tragic stories--"The Scarlett Ibis" (crippled boy is run to death) "The Sniper" (sniper kills his own brother), and "The Cask of Amontillado" (idiot is murdered). Okay, maybe that last one wasn't that sad, but seriously.
So you might understand why I wasn't expecting "Marigolds" to be that great.
I was wrong.
The story was a little sad, but good, too. It's about a girl named Lizabeth, and how she destroys a bunch of marigolds that Miss Lottie planted. On the outside, it's simple. But it's got a lot that goes on, and the very last sentence it "And I have planted marigolds, too". Quite frankly, that was the bet last sentence ever. It other stories, like "The Sniper" and "The Scarlet Ibis", it just ends depressingly. Like, oh my, the guy I shot was my brother! and Noo! I just ran my brother, who was crippled for years and just learned how to walk a few summers ago, to death! So, yeah. But this one is different.
Because Lizabeth plants marigolds.
In our culture, people think writers are only great if they kill off characters. It's like, what made the "Hunger Games" was the fact that everyone likeable dies. AND THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE BEAUTY IN THAT?! It drives me crazy! Or, like, so long as something depressing happens, it's a good book. SERIOUSY???
So what makes Marigolds different? It's obviously that last sentence. I never realized before that how a single sentence can bring out the beautiful in all the bad. Because Lizabeth plants marigolds, she rebuilds what she destroyed. She makes up for it. She repairs it.
That was why it was different--why it was better. Because it didn't end completely sadly. I'd like to think that maybe Miss Lottie saw the marigolds when Lizabeth planted them, because that would be the perfect ending. But, still, it was good enough. Just the right mixture of a little tragic and a little good.
I can't help but think that maybe if Katniss had panted marigolds, things would have gone better for her, too. Or maybe she should have panted roses. Primroses.
Howdy! Boredom sure is boring, ain't it? I'm sure bored. So, to pass the time, here's a little something I like to call...well, I don't really call it anything, but, this is my love of pokemon in a nutshell:
Yes. It's true. Firefly loves Pokemon. So, anyways, enjoy the walkthrough. Other good Pokemon youtubers include jwittz, a Pokemon maniac who specializes in the card game. He and Abdallah are pretty clean as far as I know, so I watch the stuff with my little sisters. I've heard Mariland is good though, too. I like Fenniken and Chespin, but I'm probably a Froakie person myself. But my all-time favorite Pokemon include Mew, Chikorita, Sentret, Castaform, and Ditto! There's a bunch more, but I can't name them all here. Needless to say, I'm psyched about X and Y. Can't wait for my own copy! If you have any suggestions about which Pokemon I should choose/capture, post them here as a comment.
Still, remember to have fun playing. The best thing about Pokemon, to me, is that God used it to bring together me and my friends at school. It's amazing to me, but He works in weird, wonderful ways. Because we all played avidly, I was able to get to know a variety of amazing people, who do things like carry plastic R2D2's around in their backpacks as good luck charms, dress up as the 11th Doctor for School Spirit Week, and aren't afraid to share their faith. Or fruit snacks. So while Pikachu is cute, I think foremost about the amazing things God did with him for me.
So hold on to the things that make you happy.
You're never too old to believe in something good, and true.
You're never so mature that Ash Ketchum and Proffessor Oak aren't worth your time.
You're never, ever, ever in a place so dark that you can't choose to shine.
Hey, guys! Well...nonexistent guys since nobody really follows this blog anyways.
Today, we have a book review! Yay!
"Eleven" by Wendy Mass is a book about a young girl who gets into a fight with her best friend on their tenth birthdays. They were born miraculously on the same day. When her eleventh birthday rolls around, she finds it's horrible and is really glad it's over. But the next day...it's her birthday again. Long story short, she needs to reconcile with her friend or else every day will be her eleventh birthday forever.
The story is classic Wendy Mass. It's sweet, fun, lighthearted, but it also carries it's own heavy note of truth. Abbey (the main character) learns a lot about taking responsibilities for her actions, second chances, looking out for other people, third chances, forgiving people, fourth chances, and the importance of family. Alongside sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth chances. So, yeah. It's a really sweet piece of chick lit that's family friendly for anyone who cares to read it. I give it seven out of ten, and I definitely recommend it.
People keep promising me that life only gets worse. And after a long, hard day's work, it's easy to believe! So in the middle of all that depressing-ness, here's a little bit of sunshine for you're lives:
Done? Yeah, I know. They're awesome. I mean, there's sunshine and rainbows coming from the guy's mandolin. I don't think it gets much better than that.
Okay, so back to the main point: sometimes life becomes a little too much. Juggling work, family, friends, the future, religion, writing, saving the world, writing, reading, and writing can become a little much. But, see, here's something that needs to be said: God doesn't just send us into these things unprepared. If we come to him, sometimes he'll pull off a miracle.
In the Bible, there's a story in the book of David where the Pharaoh sets an impossible task for his enchanters. He wants them to interpret a dream for him, but he won't tell them what the dream is. No one can answer, so instead he just tries to have all the wise men of the land (David included) killed. (nice guy, I know). When David hears about it, what does he do? He and his buddies (you may know them as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo) all pray and fast, and God gives them the answer.
Before reading that, I just assumed he just stood up, spouted off some junk, and God made that the answer. Now I know that's not how it works. God prepares us, if we do everything we can to succeed. We just have to trust in him to make us ready and work hard as we can. David and his friends had to pray and fast and come before God. It wasn't a random, spontaneous thing. It's like when you take a test: you have to study for any results--you can't just sit down with a pencil and expect to know the answers. After all the hard work, believe me, a "B" in a Biology test sure can feel like a miracle.
