i got tagged for this by both @aalinaaaaaa and @askyaphelion so thank you both so much. the template for the game is this:
Are you named after anyone?
When was the last time you cried?
Do you have kids?
Do you use sarcasm a lot?
What’s the first thing you notice about people?
What’s your eye colour?
Scary movies or happy endings?
Any special talents?
Where were you born?
Do you have any pets?
What sort of sports do you play?
How tall are you?
What was your favourite subject in school?
What is your dream job?
i'm gonna give you some more information about Aleji. in the meantime, i'm tagging @elkieselkiewrites @lizardperson and @firesidefantasy plus open tag. find Aleji's interview under the cut!
✵: Are you named after anyone?
Aleji: Technically, I think. If being named after myself counts. It was originally a mispronounced nickname, but it sort of just... stuck back when I needed a fresh start. So, Aleji it is.
✵: When was the last time you cried?
Aleji: Oh man, I'm not sure. I don't really keep track of it. Not with– [They gesture vaguely] Y'know? Chronic pain and all that, man. It's easy on the tears.
✵: Do you have kids?
Aleji: No. Gods no. I mean, not yet. There were a couple of scares with Luz, I'll admit to that, but no. [They look away, gaze lost, and smile slightly] Maybe someday though. That'd be nice.
✵: Do you use sarcasm a lot?
Aleji: Occasionally, but I try not to make a habit of it. Sarcasm with the wrong person can actually get me in trouble.
✵: What’s the first thing you notice about people?
Aleji: To be honest? The way they present themselves. Like, clothes, attitude, posture, speech, mannerism. I've got a whole mental checklist I kinda go through the longer an interaction is. It's pretty much instinct at this point.
✵: What’s your eye colour?
Aleji: That's, uhm, an actually interesting story. So, my left eye is actually blue like you're seeing, but, uhm, I... kinda keep the right one under a glamour? [They cover the right eye with a hand. After a second, a red eye with white diamond pupil and black sclera peeks through the fingers] That's what it actually looks like. It mutated a while ago to better see magic. And I've been told they go sort of purple-silver when I do magic.
✵: Scary movies or happy endings?
Aleji: Happy ending all the way. I see enough horrible stuff in real life, I don't want it in my free time too.
✵: Any special talents?
Aleji: [They glance at the interviewer] I'd say I'm a rather talented mage. Got a knack for illusions. I'd call myself more of an artist though. Magic is nothing without the art of it.
✵: Where were you born?
Aleji: Oh, nearby actually. Not in Milan's metropolitan area, but just outside it, still in the province. Small countryside town. You wouldn't know it.
✵: Do you have any pets?
Aleji: [Chuckling to themself] Does Dani count?
✵: What sort of sports do you play?
Aleji: Oh none. I mean, I own a tattoo studio where I actually work as a tattoo artist too, plus I take the occasional painting commision. All while working with my old university's magical research department and maintaining a sorta-long distance relationship? I don't have time for a sport to be quite honest.
✵: How tall are you?
Aleji: Uhm, I'm not sure actually. I don't really check. I think it might be something like one-seventy? I'm not particularly tall.
✵: What was your favourite subject in school?
Aleji: Hm, that's though. In highschool and all I'd say it was art. As in, painting, sculpting, modeling, sewing, all that. Though I'll admit I was easily more into the painting and design part of it. In university though I'd say I was rather partial to the Elementalism and Resonance Theory course. I'm still in touch with professor Bolu actually. She's great.
✵: What is your dream job?
Aleji: This. I quite literally got my dream job being a tattoo artist. I love seeing the way people light up at the decorations on their skin, and some of the ideas they come up with are honestly amazing and ambitious and I love a good challenge. I'm not quite as much of a fan of the business and management side of it, but that's what I get for wanting to start my own studio. [They chuckle]
so, i was gonna jump on @starwright 's open tag [here], but @firesidefantasy tagged me on it [here] before i could do it. it's a really good picrew, and it was very fun
i'm tagging @lizardperson @elkieselkiewrites @vauhna and @ace-malarky plus open tag for anyone who wants in
You can use this picrew as your profile picture or in any other way that isn't commercial. You can edit it slightly, like putting a color la
i did the main cast of Elegy to the Desperate Stars, so you can find them under the cut
🐉Dragon: What is one thing your character would protect at all costs?
ooo, this is such an interesting questionx tysm!
i have some very interesting answers for you from Elegy To The Desperate Stars
Aira and Ele want to protect each other. they are extremely dedicated to this, and it actually puts them at odds with each other on occasion, as they don't always agree on what's dangerous. they also sometimes step over each other's agency, as they go behind each other's back to block the way to danger
Aleji needs to protect Luz. their fiancée is the most important person in their lives, and they would do anything to keep her safe and happy, even if they know full well that Luz is perfectly capable of killing someone in 20 different ways
Beriel wants to protect his heritage and identity. it's already tough as-is being the kid of a Livi's host, but being a rich merchant and a noblewoman's firstborn on top of it? hellish. of course people need to legally know he exists, but Beriel hasn't gone by her actual first name since she was twelve. and also, she shapeshifts very often and very publicly, because that's not a thing shirevis can do so she couldn't possibly be her parents' son
Dani wants to protect his own peace of mind. he has had enough of loving people and getting burnt for it, so he's just stopped. he has his five people and he's fine, thank you very much. trying to care for someone new would simply be setting himself up for pain. (and then Aira and Ele enter the picture)
and then, two more really interesting answers from the two antagonists
Sonia. Sonia wants to protect her sense of self. unfortunately that sense of self has been weaponized by the bbeg, so it requires her to be the smartest, it requires her to be useful, it requires her to the prettiest, it requires her to fit in and be invisible but also to be exceptional. and Sonia really can't do all of that
and then Laura, Aira's mother. she wants to protect her pride. she has this facade of everything working out just fine and of being fully in control of herself and her surroundings. but it's just that. it's a facade, and it's very hollow underneath, and that's all she tries to protect. what's beneath the facade is fully on its own
Happy Blorbo Blursday, Azzy! I have a two part question if you’ll indulge me!
Part A: rate your main OC(s) on a scale of 1 - 10 (1 being low and 10 being high) in the following attributes: Capabaility (the power and ability to take action); Relateability (doesn't have to mean likable! Rather do they have reactions, perspectives, or experiences that the reader could relate with); Proactivtity (do they take action to solve problems?) You can explain their scores in each one or not!
Part B: Does your OC(s) move up or down on one of the scales during the course of the story? If so, how? Is this important? If not, why not?
Based on this article
oh oh oh, this is interesting Star. lemme have a go at it for the main cast of Revolve
Aira
Capability: 5/10
Aira has been sort of sheltered for most of her life? so she has a bunch of skills she's good at, but it's mostly physical skills (martial arts, farmwork, some wilderness survival because she was a scout). socially? nope. she's paranoid, she has a horrible time interacting with people and she much prefers having someone to guide her through plans and social interactions
Relateability: 9/10
Aira is, under the spikes, fiercely loyal to her friends, as well as protective to a fault. she craves connection, despite feeling wholly incapable of it. plus i think anyone with a parent they really want nothing to do with can appreciate the mix of spite and self-hatred
Proactivity: 7/10
she may not be much of a leader, but if you want someone who will jump in on an impulse? who will refuse to back down and be quiet? who is willing to fight tooth and nail for the things that matter? she's there. she's first in line. you cannot stop her
Aleji
Capability: 9/10
holy monster. they start fixing shit (for themselves) from the second they appear. can you tell it's for themselves? no, absolutely not, they're fixing everyone else's problems. quite quickly actually. how? don't worry about it :)
Relateability: 6/10
they love their wife. so much. she is the light of their lives and their reason to live. to the point of destruction and madness and torture. everyone else can get fucked
Proactivity: 7/10
they're already doing it. they've been doing it. what is 'it', you ask? anything and everything that can even tangentially benefit them and their wife. anything that's not for them (or that their wife didn't asked of them) doesn't matter
Syphe
Capability: 8/10
Syphe is pretty good at what he does (espionage & information gathering) for how big of an idiot he is. serial eavesdropper and pretend gossiper, he's actually really good at keeping his mouth shut. maybe too good. gods know he doesn't tell anybody shit unless they need to know
Relateability: 6/10
lives in a permanent state of asshole pretending to be nice. he laughs with his coworkers and smiles at them and offers help but on the inside he's cursing them out. would rather stay home and fix his knife collection or tail someone for the nth time. cranky and tired because insomnia, will save someone but only because it gives him a better reputation (or so he says)
Proactivity: 5/10
for the longest time, not really. he's self serving to a fault, and that means he's usually only doing things if he can benefit from them, and only occasionally doing things for others. lately tho he's been feeling pressured to do some good in the world by his growing illness, so he can be bought
Meiviza
Capability: 7/10
a beast at hand-to-hand combat, and self taught to boot. she will hit all of your pressure points if she gets close enough, and then she'll fold you like a pretzel. unfortunately she has more trouble with the subtleties of intelligence work, so her mother's informant network gets a little lost in the sauce
Relateability: 6/10
Have You, afab person (or not), also been Catcalled? Been Harrased? Heard Nasty Comments? Been Told it is simply Not Your Place to complain or Your Duty? have a character that goes rightfully feral about it
Proactivity: 8/10
Meiviza is somewhat stopped by her mother, which she detests. as soon as her mother can't have her? gone. if she thinks you're not worth dealing with, she cuts you off. if she thinks you're worth saving then gods damn she's gonna save you no matter what it takes. she likes helping people, she'll do it the second she decides you're not a scumbag
Lukiat
Capability: 9/10
oh he's good. he's really good. sure, divine prophecies help a bunch, but he's been pulling strings for a loooong time. also, the fact that people both praise and are terrified of both his two different identities says a lot i'd say
Relateability: 6/10
ahhhh, the weight of the world. the need to save everyone. the guilt for every life you couldn't save, even when it's not your fault. the search for the moral line. the urge to run from it all. the best kind of attitude for someone in a position of authority
Proactivity: 6/10
let's let that time he ran away for five years slide. he cam back. quietly got his enemies exposed and eliminated. been pushing reforms. also, with that guilt and drive to make everything better? oh yeah he's in now
Ideli
Capability: 7/10
an incredibly competent fighter and mage out in the streets, and incredibly sharp-eyed when it comes to social interactions, especially high society ones. unfortunately tho, she's an idealist and sees the world through rose-tinted glasses, so her plans do kind of hinge on best-case scenarios. at least she's good at coming up with solutions on the spot
Relateability: 5/10
half her problems are rich people problems. the remaining half is distributed between wanting to create some lasting good in the world and dealing with family dynamics that put feudal europe to shame and incredibly justified ptsd
Proactivity: 9/10
if she weren't proactive, she wouldn't be out on the streets of Ziphia working her ass of as a vigilante and suffering people she hates and their political agendas to find a gimmer of good in it, would she?
Luz
Capability: 6/10
pretty damn badass, i would say. one could argue she has the advantage of having lived multiple lifetimes, but it's not like she remembers them. mostly, she's hella charismatic, brilliant when put on the spot, and a damn good fighter
Relateability: 8/10
every teenage girl ever, and then everyone else. she just wants to live, to go explore, for people to stop telling her what to do and who she must be and what she's not allowed dreams. well, fuck that. she's gonna go out, and she's gonna find a life that she's happy with and proud of
Proactivity: 10/10
six thousand years fighting, always fighting, never giving up, never stopping, when she fails she just gets up and tries again and again. she's proactive as fuck
i was tagged by @cat-esper for this [find theirs here], and i'm tagging in return @lizardperson @firesidefantasy @elkieselkiewrites and @ace-malarky, plus open tag for whoever wants in
your lines are:
A line you're proud of
A line inspired by a friend
A line showing off your world
A line with double implications
my lines are:
A line that's a lie
A line that's a confession
A line that's funny
A line that's painful
have some passages from the old draft of Elegy to the Desperate Stars (the new one is still in prep phase TwT)
a line that's a lie
Eleonora huffs and flicks her arm harshly enough that Aira feels it through the jacket. «Good enough. But you need to tell me these things. Or one of these days you’re going to land yourself in big trouble with no help.»
Aira chuckles, even though her mind is going right to the Lanthorn. «Right, yeah. Can’t have that.»
Gods, Ele’s gaze nearly burns as she narrows it on her. «Yeah,» she says, and Aira can hear the suspiciusness in her voice. «Which is why we’re telling the others as soon as we can.»
«What, no,» Aira exclaims, startling a couple of nearby pigeons. She whirls around, only to find Ele with an impressive glare. She shivers. «I’m not saying we don’t tell them at all, I’m just saying… Look, Zhan and Krin and the others I’ve talked to have all been nice and really helpful and it’s not like we tell each other private stuff, y’know? And it’s not like I think they’re idefexi. I just wanted a way to check, yeah?» she says, sending a hopeful look at Ele.
Ele doesn’t budge. If anything, she looks even more skeptical. «Oh really? Would you let me stay in the room while you talk to them then?»
Aira opens her mouth, but interrupts herself without a sound. She grimaces.
a line that's a confession
The silence hangs. Leo raises a hand and tucks a stray hairlock behind her ear. His eyes land on the marks on her cheek. «What woke you up?»
«That’s complicated.»
«Then…» Leo trails off, looking towards the window that faces the forest. He sighs. «What did vie show you?»
Aira looks at him. His gaze is both far away and right on her. She gulps. «Vie was trapped. There was a sigil, and I copied it to free viem. I…» she shakes her head, clutches at the highlighter. «I did magic, Leo. I actually did it.»
Leo smiles and gently ruffles her hair. «And it freed viem?»
Aira’s voice is breathy in her throat. «Yeah. Vie showed me… some things. I didn’t understand them. But she made me feel the sigil again, and she showed me this, and then everything collapsed. And I know this is important. There’s… a clue here. I just don’t know what it is.»
«It will probably come to you easier if you get some rest,» Leo says.
Aira looks at him. She shakes her head. «No. No, I don’t think I can go back to sleep. I… It’s all– Fuck,» she interrupts herself, looking away. The mana from the forest reaches out, brushing over her. She shivers. Her eyes land back on Leo. «Can you feel it?» she whispers.
Leo looks confused for a second, but then his shoulders slump. «I can.»
Aira sucks in a breath. She forces her shoulders to lower, but the tension doesn’t leave her spine. «How long?»
«A while.»
«Leo…»
Leo looks at her. His eyes are so sad. Framed by slowly whitening hair, he looks older than he is. «Twelve years.»
a line that's funny
Despite the gray and humid atmosphere, the place is really pretty. And busy too, with plenty of people moving along the main street both in groups and on their own. It’s not as busy as back in July, on that one occasion that Aira destroyed her sense of taste on some skewers, but it’s still enough to liven the mood by a lot.
It's made way different by Sonia at her side, brushing close the way she does in university, with quiet suggestions and giggled commentary. It's unusual but... nice? Though, Aira has seen Ele glance back with furrowed brows multiple times.
It’s Daniele, who for all that he acts posh and classy has the manners of a brute, that snaps his fingers right in Aira’s face while Sonia is whispering something about a cat cafe. «Bet you you can’t handle a bowl of tteokbokki.»
Aira immediately whirls around to face him, Sonia completely forgotten. «You know what, fuck you. Bet you you can’t.»
«Oh yeah?» he says, completely impassible. No. No, almost lazily, with his hands carelessly in the coat pockets as they’ve been since he threw the empty bubble tea cup in the trash. He’s so infuriating.
«Yeah. Put your money where your mouth is, bitch.»
a line that's painful
A little ways away, under the noise of the crowd, a voice whispers. «Oh Tahila.»
Aleji turns to glance a little ways behind where Aira came from and freezes.
It shouldn’t surprise them, but Leonardo feels older. He doesn’t look much older, though there’s specks of gray in his hair and crow’s feet at the edge of his eyes.
But though he may look in his mid thirties, Aleji just gets caught into the man’s eyes. They’re nearly ancient, heavy with something like fear and sadness and something Aleji can’t tell, and that’s terrifying. Never has Aleji not been able to read people’s emotions. Not since thirteen years ago.
But then Leonardo is walking closer, and Aira and Ele are still talking to each other and Aleji can’t ask for help. They can just freeze, because there’s magic surrounding Leonardo that they’re sure wasn’t there last time, and he has a large black umbrella that shouldn’t make him seem as intimidating as he does.
Leonardo stops in front of them, just a step away. He’s shorter than them, though that doesn’t take away from his presence. Aleji can barely meet his eyes, a warm brown so dark that it’s nearly black.
That doesn’t stop Leonardo. «It’s really you,» he whispers. He reaches out with a hand, and stops an inch from Aleji’s face. Aleji doesn’t move. They meet Leonardo’s eyes. They’re watery, and filled with grief and hope, and he lays his hand on their cheek.
His thumb is exactly over the scar that crosses his eye under the glamour. «What did they do to you?»
thank you so much @aalinaaaaaa. this looks incredibly fun :D
Rules: use this site to generate some incorrect quotes for your characters and share them
i'm tagging in return @lizardperson @elkieselkiewrites and @askyaphelion plus open tag
i picked the Elegy to the Desperate Stars crew to put myself back into the headspace to write them. find them under the cut
✵
Aleji: Underestimate me. That'll be fun.
✵
Dani: I'm not doing to well.
Beriel: What's wrong?
Dani: I have this headache that comes and goes.
*Aira enters the room*
Dani: There it is again.
✵
Beriel: Now, Aira, all of us are doing this because we care about you, okay?
Dani: Except for me. I just wanted to see the look on your face.
✵
Ele: I'm going to ask you to be respectful.
Aira: I will politely decline.
✵
Beriel: I'm hot, I’m tall, I'm gay, and I'm on my theatre kid arc.
✵
Dani: What do I get?
Aleji: A night of fashion, mischief, mayhem, and possible death.
Dani: Ooh, check, check, and check; not sure about that last one.
Aleji: It won't be you.
Dani: I'll get my coat.
✵
Ele: I refuse to apologize for being weird or off-putting. That’s actually your problem. I’m having a fantastic time!
✵
*the Squad cleaning up*
Aleji: Pick up the nearest piece of trash and throw it away.
Dani, to Aira: Aight, which bin do you wanna go in—
✵
Beriel: Okay, but if you're not gay then why are you always holding my hand and kissing me and telling me I’m your girlfriend?
Ele: Dude- Its satire!
Beriel: THAT'S NOT WHAT SATIRE MEANS!
✵
Aleji, putting their hands over Dani's eyes: Guess who!
Dani: It's either Aleji or the cold, clammy hands of death.
Aleji, putting their hands away: It's Aleji!
Dani: Dammit.
✵
Aira: Did you have to stab them?
Dani: You weren’t there. You didn’t hear what they said to me.
Aira: What did they say?
Dani: "What are you going to do, stab me?"
Aira: That’s fair.
✵
Beriel: How long do you reckon it’ll be until Aleji finally snaps and commits murder?
Dani: I’ve been going through life assuming it’s already happened at some point and it’s just that no one was ever able to trace it back to them.
written for Flash Fiction Friday 294, event hosted by @flashfictionfridayofficial
WIP ✵ Revolve
Trigger Warnings ✵ some slight Body Horror Imagery? + Minor Injury and a little Blood
Rating ✵ Teen & Up
Wordcount ✵ 970
Dani is awfully small, curled up and tucked into Aleji's side. He's always looked tiny, maybe too tiny at times, but like this he seems so much younger than only two years their junior.
Their arms ache, the torn and glitching skin uncomfortable under the long sleeves. They ignore it, and the lightning twinge that shoots up to their shoulder, caught by the tremble of Dani's small frame. If Vez were here, he'd crack a joke. If Leo were, he would hover. Aleji is neither, and they pull Dani further into their side.
In low whispers, they start to weave their story; the magic, and how it hides. That it's okay if fire dances at Dani's fingertips. That of course he doesn't know how to control it, because nobody ever taught him.
Dani doesn't stop staring at his hands like they've betrayed him. "I'm cursed," he whispers, like the words might shatter the very air.
They don't. But Aleji's heart stills in their chest, an ache familiar like the burn of mana under their skin. "Magic isn't a curse. I promise."
"Not that." Dani turns to them, his eyes grayed out and faraway. "I mean cursed. Magic is… weird. But I get it. I don't like fire, but I get it. I mean, my hair is purple and my eyes are red. It's not like I never noticed."
Aleji tilts their head. Their brows furrow. "Then what makes you think you're cursed?"
Dani lifts his hand higher. A rough cut crosses the palm of his hand, slowly oozing dark blood. Aleji yelps and takes his hand. "Why didn't you day anything?"
"Didn't feel it," Dani says, letting them maneuver his whole arm. Aleji whispers a spell over the wound. Dani doesn't even flinch, even though his eyes are still on his hand, looking without seeing. "It's been happening more often. I– had this weird dream a while ago. I don't really remember it but… It was someone. They had horns like a halo, and too many eyes, and mean smile. And now things happen and I don't notice. I never hurt anymore." Dani looks up then, only the tiniest spark to his eyes. "Do you think it was an angel?"
Aleji clutches Dani's hand, memories of cruel cold eyes and scorching pain fluttering over their skin. "Angels don't look like that."
Dani lists to the side, looking away. "It was a curse then."
"Probably."
"I'm cursed."
Aleji closes their eyes. Breathes deeply. "Yeah."
Dani lurches away from them and takes their wrists in his hands. Aleji flinches. "No, Aleji, I'm cursed," he yells. His voice cracks.
Aleji gulps. "Okay."
Dani stares at him. His eyes wide. "Why aren't you running away?"
Aleji lets the whisper dissolve in the silence and meets Dani's eyes. "Are your grandparents gonna be checking on you?"
Dani's brows furrow, but he shakes his head. "They won't notice anyway."
"Come with me then. i want you to meet someone," Aleji says. They climb to their feet, and offer a hand for Dani to help himself up.
Sneaking is second nature, and it is no harder with Dani so small and quiet. It's not hard to lead him into the Ada's jewelry shop, through the Gate to Izerko. It's even easier to evade guards there. The capital is made of twists and tunnels and passages, and there is not a single one that Aleji hasn't mapped before. Even the ones that lead deeper and deeper into the heart of the city, into the palace's winding dark hallways.
The door Aleji stops in front of is like many others, if it weren't for the scent of dandelions and fresh air. Aleji knocks. From behind them, Dani peeks his head.
A single eye, green and golden and bright and tired and unfocused, appears in the sliver of open door. "Ale?"
Aleji smiles. "Yeah. I've got a friend too. Can we come in?"
Behind the door, Luz tilts her head. The door opens without more words, just enough to let them in. Her eyes are firmly on Dani. "I've never seen you before."
"I've never been here before?" Dani says, still halfway behind Aleji. When they step to the side, he glares at them and fiddles on his feet, not looking at anyone. "I'm… not sure why Aleji brought me here. We were talking about something completely else."
Luz tilts her head. A strand of iridescent hair falls out of the complicated hairdo the rest is in. "Oh?"
Dani glances at Aleji, their eyes wide, their brows furrowed. Aleji nods. Dani fidgets with his hands. "Yes. We were… talking and I, uh, I… told them that I… I'm– cursed? I mean–"
"You're like us," Luz interrupts him. She steps forward, her dark dress a blurry of motion that makes her look sickly pale as she takes Dani's hands in her shaking ones, unsteady on her fee at the rapid movement. Aleji lays a hand on her side to steady her.
Dani frowns, his eyes shifting between them and Luz "You… too?"
Luz's eyes crinkle and mist, even as a smile splits her face. "Mhm. Been for a while."
"And…?" Dani starts, looking over at Aleji but not talking.
Luz answers for them, always the better liar of the two. "Ale scares people if they take off their glamour." Ah. So that's how she's playing it.
Dani's eyes furrow, his eyes narrrow. "Being ugly isn't a curse. Even that ugly."
Aleji sends him a betrayed look, but at their side Luz giggles. Like windchimes in the breeze. "Ale, can we keep him?"
"You can't keep peop–"
"I'd like that," Dani interrupts them. He's fiddling with his hands. "You seem– nice."
Luz sends them a smug look over her shoulder. Brighter. "I regret letting you two meet," they say. They regret nothing.
