#kae replies

[hauntinghyrule]

If you're on the fence about giving Green that belt sash in your redesigns, I say go for it, I think it would look cool. Also, I love those designs in general!

Thank you! :D

I've been playing around a bit with what color I would make the sash, if I do decide to use it. I actually kind of like it being sky-blue — I feel like it works well with his Air element. Although it does kind of look like the Champion's clothes from BotW, and between that and the necklace, Blue might not be too happy at Green stealing his color ^^;;

I also tried a version in light brown with green accents which I think is nice, and a version inspired by Minish tails that I probably wouldn't use for Green but might use for MC Link!

[kiolite]

hi! how are you doing in this pandemic?

hello ‘nonny !! i haven’t stepped out of my house since april and i’m missing my friends, but i’m doing good !! hopefully you are doing fine as well !!! :000

[kaenith]

@lunardeercat

My go-to advice for any “how to draw [x]” type question is usually to study photo references …of course, when it comes to dragons and other mythical creatures, this presents a bit of a problem.

Since you can’t look up real photographs of dragons’ talons, the next best thing is to find photos of similar structures on similar animals.  This could vary depending on your dragon’s design, but as a starting point I would recommend looking at human hands, lion/cat paws, bird talons (especially birds of prey), and lizard/alligator feet.

(Photo sources: human, lion, eagle, alligator)

When you’re looking at a photo, try to break it down into component shapes – starting with the largest, overall shapes, and then moving towards smaller, finer details.

For hands, I usually start with the palm, then the shape of the fingers all together as one piece (often broken in two by a line denoting the knuckles), then the last joint of each fingertip, then each of the individual fingers, and finally the small details like finger nails, wrinkles, etc.

Here’s an animated version, in case that helps you visualize the process better:

After studying the creatures you’ve chosen to base your dragon on, you can blend their traits together to create something new.

Hope this helps!

[ijourikae]

あなたはパンがだいすきでしか。

..oh wow, even running this through google translate makes no sense to me. 

[hauntinghyrule]

A kinda out of nowhere question, but what do you imagine the actual daily jobs/duties  are for the Links in your post manga scenario?

Immediately after their adventure (assuming an AU where they stay separate), everyone is pretty thoroughly occupied with rebuilding. They spend a lot of time clearing rubble, sorting out what can be salvaged from destroyed buildings, etc.

In the slightly-longer term, they continue training as knights. They're in this sort of awkward middle space where they are still too young to be considered full knights (and their dad has always been pretty adamant about not letting Link skip ahead), but they've also spent so much time around the knights since Link was an infant, and they are also now heroes of Hyrule. So they're not quite full knights, but they're still higher ranking and more experienced than the other trainees (and, frankly, most full knights).

So they do still have some classes with the trainees, but at other times they're the ones doing the mentoring. It's also not unusual for the them to go on missions together, if there's been monster trouble somewhere in Hyrule.

Over time they each start focusing more on their own strengths and interests, too:

Green helps his father with the logistical side of being captain of the knights, and is being tutored on diplomacy (something Link never paid much attention to before xD )

Blue spends a lot of time in the training fields, both honing his own skills and teaching others

Red focuses on practicing with his magic, at first out of anxiety of losing control of it, but he soon discovers a passion for the ways fire can be used constructively, such as metalworking, glassblowing, etc.

Vio, of course, spends a lot of time in the library, both doing his own research and helping the librarian there. Occasionally Zelda will ask him for help gathering information she needs for some decision. Usually through legitimate channels. Usually.

As for Shadow, well... most of the rest of Hyrule considers themself content as long as his daily activities don't result in any explosions, or at least not of anything important ^^;; Sometimes he trains with the other Links. Sometimes he helps Red with his magic practice. Sometimes he follows Vio around. Sometimes he disappears for stretches of time (these stretches of time frequently line up with Vio having new information for Zelda from unknown sources)

[hauntinghyrule]

Just curious: in that latest Vio art you posted, is the glowing plant in the little terrarium meant to be the carnivorous Dark World plant that Shadow gave Vio from one of your past art posts?

It is!!! I was hoping someone would notice that detail! :D

[hauntinghyrule]

Prompt 1, from the hurt/comfort list, with Green and Blue?

This was originally almost pure comedy, but I added more to the beginning and it became hurt/comfort / angst-with-a-happy-ending instead ^^;;

-----

Blue sat on a bench outside the infirmary, scowling down at his hands. Blood crusted under his fingernails, and he picked at it. He couldn't tell if it was his, a monster's, or—

(He had been the closest one, when that wizzrobe's spell hit Green square in the forehead and he toppled like a felled tree. Blue had been the one to catch him.)

Red sat next to him on the bench, tear tracks drying on his face. Blue... Blue should probably be comforting him, but he wasn't—  Goddesses, Green was the one who was good at this, but Green was—

(He'd been so limp in Blue's arms. Eyes open and moving but not... present. Staring at Blue like he didn't recognize him.)

Across the room, Shadow wouldn't stop fidgeting. Switching between sitting, pacing, hovering upside-down. He was the reason the healers had kicked the three of them out of the room, Blue thought bitterly. It wasn't like the infirmary didn't have the space, but the constant movement probably annoyed the healers, and Blue couldn't blame them. He wanted to snap for Vio to go calm Shadow down, but Vio was the only one who'd been allowed to stay in there with—

The door opened, and Blue was on his feet before he even registered Vio's voice saying "He's going to make a full recovery."

Vio stood in the doorway, Green at his side. Green was leaning heavily on Vio's shoulder for support, but he was upright. He stared blearily around the room with a crease between his brows, as if the waiting area were a puzzle he was trying to solve.

"It seems he was hit with some variety of confusion spell," Vio continued, "but Blue caught him before he could hit his head, and the spell should wear off on its own within—"

"Blue! Red! Shadow!" Green shouted suddenly, face brightening as if he'd only just noticed they were there. Vio winced at the loud noise right by his ear.

"—within about twenty four hours," Vio finished.

"Blue!" Green repeated. "Could you hold me? Please."

He pushed himself away from Vio without waiting for an answer, swayed for a moment, and once again began to fall. For the second time in as many hours, Blue caught him.

"You give good hugs," Green mumbled into Blue's shoulder as Blue, grumbling, got them both mostly upright again. "You don't like to admit it, but we know—" He poked Blue's chest as if for emphasis. "—we know you're really a big softie."

"Yeah, well." Blue could feel his face burning. "Don't go telling everyone."

"Your secret's safe with me," Green replied, or at least that's probably what the slurred "yr s'rs sfwm" was supposed to be.

A click sound went off.

Blue jerked his head around to glare at Shadow, who was holding a pictobox and grinning. A few sparks of dark magic still drifted in the air around him, indicating he'd just teleported.

"Yeah Blue," he said, as he handed the device to Red. "It's just between the five of us. And anyone who ever looks at Red's scrapbook."

Blue glared at him. But he also wrapped his arms a little more firmly around Green.

[hauntinghyrule]

you're taking writing requests, omg! what about 23 from both lists combined, if that sounds interesting. thanks! 🖤💜

23 - "Is it okay to hold you this tightly?" & "brushing strands of hair away"

Affection prompts || Hurt/Comfort prompts

-----

Is it wrong of me to hold on this tightly?

The thought lurked in the back of his brain as he pored over his research.

It was the most persistent of his fears, the one he couldn't seem to shake. 'What if I fail? What if I can't do this?' — those thoughts he simply refused to entertain. He would bring Shadow back because he had to, because he would allow no other option. 'Could' was not in question. But 'should'...

A strand of hair fell into Vio's face, tickling as it brushed past his cheek. He swiped it away with a scowl, as if doing so could dislodge the nagging thought.

It didn't help.

Selfishness. That's what this was, at least in part.

There were plenty of good reasons to try to bring Shadow back: because it was right, because Shadow deserved a chance at a life of his own, because Shadow had been lonely, because Shadow had saved them, because Shadow hadn't deserved to be trapped permanently in the Dark World for the attempt.

But he also wanted to bring Shadow back because he missed him, and he wanted to see him again.

And it would be perfectly understandable if Shadow did not want to see him, after everything he had done.

He shoved the thought aside — even knowing that it would return again — and forcefully brought his attention back to the book in front of him. The important thing was that Shadow be given the choice.

---

The symbols etched around the edge of the mirror glowed to life.

It wasn't The Mirror — that had been one of the first leads Vio had tried, but the original Dark Mirror had been shattered beyond any possible repair. This was a new mirror, forged from a few of the surviving shards, from Moon Pearl dust, from over a years' worth of careful calculations. Less of a 'fountain of darkness,' as Shadow had called the original, and more of a gateway.

It's his choice if he wants to step through or not, Vio reminded himself, as he watched his reflection disappear, replaced by swirling dark fog.

For agonizingly long moments, nothing more seemed to be happening.

Just when Vio's heart was starting to sink, the fog began to swirl faster. It seemed to become denser, more concentrated. Taking on a vaguely humanoid shape.

The smoky figure moved closer, approaching the glass. It raised an arm, the vague shape of a hand pressing against the mirror's surface.

And then pressing through.

The fog coalesced as it emerged, indistinct darkness giving way to skin and sleeve — arm, shoulder, torso.

A flash of red eyes, sudden movement, and Vio only just had time to wonder if he was about to be punched, before he was wrapped in a hug.

The force of the collision had him rocking back on his heels. Shadow's arms wound around his chest, squeezing firmly, warm and solid and alive. Vio let out a choked little noise, somewhere between a gasp and a sob.

Shadow drew back — not far, but far enough to look Vio in the eyes. "Did I hold on too tightly?" he asked, brows drawn together in concern, one hand reaching up to brush strands of hair out of Vio's face.

Vio shook his head, pressing his cheek into Shadow's palm as he did so. "No," he whispered, past the lump of emotion in his throat. "Not too tightly at all."

He wrapped his own arms around Shadow in return, dropping his head to Shadow's shoulder, and let himself hold on as hard as he wanted to.