#emmerson keyes

[rubeau-art]

I have been doing a lot of little sketchbook character noodling since october started!

These are most of the ones relating to Darkbloom (I may have missed some...)

Nothing spectacular, just thoughts and keeping my hands busy on trains.

[rubeau-art]

When you think you've become an unlovable monster, and then you see yourself reflected in another and realised that actually, its going to be okay.

I've been worried about their designs after becoming altered looking too similar, then I realised I can do what I want. So I'm leaning into their friendship and having them be reflections of each other!

Weird monster dudes supporting each other!

[rubeau-art]

Something something flirting on field missions

Chris and Ren get up to a lot off the books after book two. There’s a lot of rips and tears in the world that need attention, and sometimes those tears let in things that can only be dealt with via fire axe.

Ren has got more of a handle on his personal changes and how they work. Chris has refused to be left out of his weird shit anymore.

Leon and Emmerson a least get a more chill time posted up north. They’ve just got to keep an eye on a sensitive area, and get used to Emmerson’s new ‘Altered’ status.

Giant bird-thing in the woods? That’s just Leon’s husband. Don’t worry about it.

[rubeau-art]

Managed to crunch out some Emmerson studies today. Not much, but I think it did my brain a lot of good to finish something while I’m feeling so drained.

I need to work on Emmerson’s other design more. I was worried about it being too similar to Reynard’s true shape (because I like monster birds). But when I started thinking about it, I kind of like the idea of them being a sort of reflection of each other.

They become good friends and help each other understand and accept a lot of the changes their both going through once they become altered, so it has a nice feeling of understanding between them.

[rubeau-art]

I did a poll a short time go asking which characters I don’t draw enough of people would like to see, and you all picked Emmerson and Leon!

These two are detectives working in London (because I am weak for detective stories), and are the main character of Darkbloom: Book two.

Emmerson gets assulted by someone they were after while on a case, and becomes an Altered (I don’t know if i have ever gone into the Altered here?? I should do that), and is disappeared by a good old shady agency.

Leon doesn’t go down without a fight, and continues looking for his partner even after everyone they work with appears to forget Emmerson even existed. His search eventually leads his to meeting Reynard, who he manages to convince to help him find Emmerson.

Emmerson is going through his own wringer in superjail while this is happening (A lot of that side of the story is setting some things up for book three).

[rubeau-art]

Rushed shower thoughts:

Reynard and Leon sometime after they teamed up to find Emmerson. They're chasing someone(something?) case relevant and they are NOT catching up.

In fact, Ren is progressively looking worse as they try to keep up, and Leon is torn between frustration at the person/thing getting away, and concern that his new friend looks like he's going to pass out.

Leon catches Ren when he finally collapses, but instead of passing out, he lurches and throws up some 4-5x his bodyweight in black water. All Leon can do is hold onto him and watch in mixed horror and awe as limbs and figures form from the dark liquid and give chase to the thing they were after...

Fun way to find out your new guy is full of weird ghosts who also want to help you find your partner.

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(Edit) Additional thoughts:

Reynard's ghosts aren't really self aware.

They're a mix of memories and instinctual impulses that eventually bind so tightly to Reynard that they become an extension of him.

Reynard has very little control over it all at first. They'll extend on one side of the plane, allowing him to see around corners or into other places in the mortal/material side of the plane. Which is cool, but it's like being smashed in the face with a brick made of deja vu out of nowhere.

[rubeau-art]

Back on this train again!

Detectives. Partners. Husbands.

I really need to start drawing Emmerson and Leon more often. I love them very much.

[rubeau-art]

And they’re all done! Thank you all for your suggestions, these were really fun to do!

[Y’all still so horny for Jax I see]