The unusual but no less hard-hitting 10½! (1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9)
So as it turns out, I did so many Blank Slate/Have you lost your mind? doodles that I ComPletely broke the last sketchdump lol, so it gets it’s own! Who could’ve figured that making basically a full comic of Chapters 2 and 3 would’ve made just a few too many sketches lol
Because of that, I’d strongly recommend reading what I've posted of Have you lost your mind? so far before this! Spoilers and author’s notes/behind the scenes warnings and all that haha
Concept sketch for Scriabin - I always love having visual signifiers to denote timeline/AU/etc. differences so you can tell at a glance where you are :) His silhouette gets to be correct! The details, well, sorry we forgot those ♪
And concepts for Edgar! I've drawn him in different glasses before so it was a bit of an excuse, using these new/old glasses to do so again haha
But in the end I went for a reference! Remember when I drew Edgar's glasses tiny?
And I mean, if he hadn't worn them in a while, maybe they're just a bit small on him! Lol
Poor memory-less Edgar's musings, it's not just sad to be forgotten, it's sad to forget :(
Early concept of Scriabin freaking out by himself in the bedroom. I'm glad I got to keep it :D
Always gotta draw 'em reacting to something just out of frame
Poor Scriabin, he wants to be close despite knowing Edgar doesn't remember him. He has to face this whole Being Human thing completely alone! Edgar just doesn't understand!
He doesn't know how good he's got it haha, if I was really mean I'd have let him keep his glasses instead. There's a bunch of fun themes either way, but stealing from Edgar while hiding in his own hair is as good as any hehe <3
Blank-faced Edgar, I ended up with a lot of these, unsurprisingly. Doesn't help that he's cute haha
As usual, starting from the middle - it's just easier to get ideas flowing around a core! Also that note pointing at Edgar of "Put Todd to bed" was all the everything of the prep work I did for writing that little section, but the rest Absolutely Needed storyboarding lol
He might come to resent you if you manhandle so much right after meeting for the "first" time
Scriabin actually touches him in the original draft, but after I thought about it, it'd probably take a bit to cross the touch barrier comfortably again! Scriabin's still weird about Edgar but Edgar is wary, it's an interesting dynamic
I won't show off every panel, but panels like these where I think they turned out especially cute Have to be included haha <3 I dunno what it is but Scriabin pouting always turns out adorable ♥
Floof harder! Edgar's innocent expressions ahh <3
Starting to lay the groundwork, but still a bit nervously! It is quite fun how they skirt each other, not quite sure what the other knows - how many lies can Scriabin get away with before he gets caught!
Scriabin using some informed guesswork in conjunction with what he definitely knows, he is rather intelligent :) You can also see Edgar's unfocused eyes well in this one, I tried to draw them fuzzy behind those glasses hehe
These are all lined up like this on the page :D Really happy with his hand expressions here, and his face haha
This was one of my favourite lines - he keeps making excuses for Nny! Edgar no! - I fully admit that it's also partially influenced by how cute Edgar turned out haha, the poor thing - but he's so wonderfully fluffy!
I love this line as well, Scriabin utterly convinced that all his hard work must have gotten through to Edgar somewhere in there, he said it often enough, he must have listened to him at least once-!
And then Edgar completely cuts him off and redirects him haha, they’re both hopeless <3
So mad at himself and Edgar, comedy = pain + time, but this is still fresh! Give yourself some time!
That last line in particular is so insidious because he did that, Scriabin was the one who put him in that situation, and now he’s trying to turn it back around on him! He's the worst ♪
Guilty Edgar <3 Still pressing on (changing the subject so he doesn't have to linger on the feeling hehe), he does have his own questions
These kinds of exchanges were especially fun to look back on from their individual perspectives since I only drew it once, starting with Edgar. How honest can Scriabin really be? He can't explain everything and not be kicked out for being a potential danger to Todd or Edgar! He's gotta play his cards Just So
Edgar is also quite intelligent! Catching Scriabin out in a lie, even when he's trying so hard to skirt the truth!
Scriabin so mad about being called out, gotta rub it in just a little bit that he's Totally Right lol, what a brat <3
Scriabin is legally and morally and emotionally and spiritually obligated to mess with Edgar sexually in literally every iteration of his existence, it is a core tenant of his being and also he really really wants to (lol) ♪ Drawing Edgar all blushed up is just a bonus, who does this stranger think he is! What has he forgotten! He's not some easy man! Haha, if you only (still) knew, Edgar
Whatever he was going to say would just hurt Scriabin's feelings, better to just cut him off before another reminder gets laid out
Probably my least favourite dialogue that I had to change was making "?" into something that flowed better in just-text, it's not the same! Lots of little notes about word choice actually haha. Love them reaching for each other even like this <3
Edgar has all these feelings to contend with! My favourite shot is easily the last one, Scriabin's relaxed mouth while Edgar's heart is beating out of his veins right into his ear ♥
Pls o////ò;
Existence is exhausting
Even without knowing him, he's just a cautious guy :) And he wants to be gentle with him! He doesn't realize what he's doing, what his actions would mean to Scriabin if he could see them, and he does them all the same 💕
Pretty lad <3
Technically backtracking, to Ch. 3! POV shifts are fun lol
Zarla mentioned Scriabin curling up into a ball in the blankets and I thought it was a cute visual haha ♪ Haven't had a use for it yet but never say never hehe
I wanted to go for some high perspective shots to drive home the uncanny feeling of being really truly alone for the first time ever. That, and he's dramatic anyhow haha
His posing was very important to me! Since Edgar knocks on the door while he's still leaned against it, the contact points would Feel a specific way
Scriabin got a lot of「bracket notes」for his section, usually as digs lol, where does Scriabin get off saying that Edgar has no tact haha
More blank-faced Edgar! These were actually drawn separately - could be chalked up to how each of them remember the event! Edgar sees himself as more put-together and Scriabin as more foolish haha ♪
That horrible sinking feeling
I pick on him a lot but this really would be incredibly scary and sad! He's alone, expelled, and the only person who Knows him now doesn't even recognize him! This was probably the one scene I wanted to be just a bit longer, really feel the weight, hmm
But he's also quite resilient haha, he has to be <3 He has enough tenacity, thank goodness haha
One of those examples of panels basically repeating lol, I can only fit so much text per pose! Plus it's fun to see the little body language differences :)
Another bracket note lol, Scriabin has to be the best at everything!
And another, have I mentioned that Kaggie is my favourite of the two? ✨ I'd still like to give both K and D a more sizeable reference sometime! Scriabin continues to be the cutest when he pouts, agh <3
Touchy touchy touch ♥
I do love the phrase "feeling himself" right after the last panel lol - it can be both literal and metaphorical! And that's what you get for not cleaning up after yourself! I swear that lightswitch panel confused me so many times on reviewing notes lol
He's not even careful pfft. Then again if he was, he wouldn't have a mess to grumble about in the first place!
A familiar face while Scriabin's already feeling small on his lonesome, ~it's symbolic~
Ough, it hurts to think that Edgar might actually be able to watch Zeitgeist, not knowing the deeper implications. The thought of him inviting Scriabin to see it! 💔
The most important question, and he hasn't come to a conclusion yet :) I wonder what his answer will be once he stops hiding from it!
Hhhh this has been a really fun AU to write for, I'm glad that I finally put it to words since it had been rolling around in my head since early 2021 - there are so many fun and insidious things to explore! Especially on Scriabin's side, though I still think it's the most fun to be stuck behind Edgar's eyes, an aware audience knowing what Scriabin is up to while Edgar doesn't hehe ♪ Hopefully I'll have some time to return to it after a bit! :D
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Phantom Airship - Beyond the Imaginary: Chapter 4
Location: Queen’s Island
Characters: Arashi, Sora, Hiiro, Aira, Mayoi & Tatsumi
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ< The first island on the “Phantom Airship”. >
Sora: “HaHa~♪ Thanks for waiting, everyone. This is the first island!”
Hiiro: Island…?
I don’t see it. Is this really the right place?
Aira: Yeah. This is obviously some sort of boutique. It doesn’t give off fantasy vibes at all…
Sora: “HiHi~ This is just how we do things!”
“The seven islands on the ‘Phantom Airship’ have all sorts of different cultures on them – they’re not all based on a fantasy theme!”
“It makes it easier to tell the difference between them so it’s like hitting two birds with one stone –The inventors sure did a good job~♪”
Mayoi: Umm… that felt more like an excuse as opposed to a point of detail. Does that mean this island is a boutique?
Sora: “HuHu~♪ This island is called the ‘Queen’s Island’!”
“The ‘Queen’ who rules over this island loves cute things and has a castle full of them. That’s the backstory for this island~♪”
Aira: Ohh, the backstory sounds like something straight from a fantasy novel, at least.
Tatsumi: Yes. But a certain person has come to mind when you mentioned the “Queen’s Island”.
Arashi: “Ehehe. Welcome, travellers. Her Majesty the ‘Queen’ has come to welcome you all in person ♪”
Aira: Narukami-senpai!
Tatsumi: Hehe. I’ve heard that it's an NPC, but it feels as though the real Arashi-san is here.
Arashi: “The real Arashi? What? Are you saying there are fake Arashis around?”
“Well, nevermind that. The one thing I seek is beauty… In any case, you four will have to undergo an an inspection for entering this island ♪”
Hiiro: Hmm. An inspection…?
We’ve already entered the castle but we have to do an inspection right now?
Arashi: “Oh. Oh my oh my oh my…!”
Hiiro: ?
Arashi: “Have you four entered through illegal means!? No one is allowed to enter my castle without my permission if they’re not beautiful!”
“I’ve decided. If you cannot prove your beauty to me, then it’s off with your head!”
Aira: Whaaaaat!? How did things come to that!? This is crazy!
Why would you say that!? That logic is way too cruel!
Sora: “HeHe~ That’s how things work here!”
Aira: A–Are you sure this is okay? You’re lucky you get to cover everything up with that one phrase…!
Sora: “Yes! Sora is acting exactly as programmed so this isn’t a bug~”
“Anyway, if you want to enter the ‘Queen’s Island’, there is a trial you must pass.”
“The ‘Queen’ seeks all things that are beautiful so all you have to do is show your skills of expression you’ve cultivated over the years as an idol~♪”
Arashi: “Ehehe. You sure know me well…♪”
“Everyone, stand in front of the mirror and strike a pose. If I deem your pose beautiful, then you shall enter free of punishment ♪”
“And… I’ll let you use the accessories in this castle. Your current look is somewhat unsightly.”
Tatsumi: Hmm… In other words, this is a “visual” trial.
We mustn’t let things be game over from the very beginning, so let’s take on this challenge.
Aira: T-Tattsun-senpai, you’re so calm… I’m guessing you’ve gotten used to the game?
Tatsumi: Well, there aren’t any cruel trials such as this one in the bible. I understand this is a world before human rights were established.
Mayoi: Uuu, if I was born in such a world, I think I would be persecuted. VR feels oddly real so it feels even worse for my heart…
Tatsumi: Well, it’s a video game, after all. Let’s think of it as if it’s allowing us to feel the warmth of the real world, despite the fact that we’re in an imaginary one.
In any case, this is the time to show how far we’ve grown as idols, everyone.
Let us show the people who admire us how amazing we are.
Hiiro: Indeed. I agree.
We didn’t come onboard the “Phantom Airship” because we wanted to enjoy the video game – we’re here to do a job.
To be frank, I still don’t believe it when I hear that there are people who look up to us… but if those people do indeed exist, then there’s no way I wouldn’t do my best for them.
Mayoi: Y-You’re right… I cannot cause you all to lag behind because of me, so I shall also work hard.
Aira: Oh, geez. Mayo-san, have some more confidence.
We did take part in the “SS” main battle, remember? If you’re saying that, Mayo-san, then I’m even worse than you… I feel so ashamed!
Ah, Tattsun-senpai, you’re pretty humble, but if everyone’s being humble, then that just makes me feel anxious. No more being humble!
Tatsumi: If you’re saying that, then I’d say the same to you, Aira-san. You’ve grown a lot after taking part in “Feather Touch”, haven’t you?
Aira: Ehehe. Hearing you say that makes me feel kinda embarrassed…♪
…Wait, we’re gonna get nowhere if we keep talking about this kinda stuff. This is a bad habit of ours!
Alright, let’s start the challenge!
We just have to put on some items and pose in front of the mirror, right?
Arashi: “That’s right. I’m looking forward to your poses, travellers ♪”
“I’ll judge your beauty in front of this big mirror. There won’t be a consolation award, so do your best to impress me ♪”
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