originally posted on tumblr, Mar 31st 2024 

one thing that haunts me about the Bleeding Effect is, the mundanity of it.

yknow how old people are always talking about their memories and their past, the older they are the more they tend to do it? that's cus they've lived for so long, that every little thing reminds them of something else. they can't help it, human brains are hardwired for pattern recognition, and they got a lot of patterns to draw from.

but what happens when you got more than one lifetime of memories under your belt? what if just cooking reminds you of several thousands of ways people used to cook, all the similarities and differences? what about music, conversations, gestures, dances, hell even laughter or crying?

do you think animus subjects keep seeing ghosts even when they aren't hallucinating? fractures of people long long dead and gone, coming back in the people who are alive and living in the present? when do people you know and cherish become a patchwork of people from the past that now only you can remember?

 

 originally posted on tumblr, Mar 16th 2024 

“𝔑𝔬 𝔩𝔬𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯 𝔞 𝖘𝖊𝖗𝖛𝖆𝖓𝖙, 𝔫𝔬 𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫 𝔞 𝕲𝖔𝖉.”

Malevolent/ fanart compilation

 originally posted on tumblr, Mar 10th 2024

ten times divorced idiots <3

i'm gonna fix my sleep schedule i say, hyperfocusing all night through the cramps. breaking the depression artblock at all costs!

anyway John's face is made of countless hands that he puppets when he speaks, also torn up renainssance and medieval style clothing my beloved. might chip away at my KiY design over time tho

John piggybacking on Arthur's shoulders makes my brain go teehee 

 

originally posted on tumblr, Mar 11th 2024 

“John is not Yellow. He’s gold, Arthur.”

fullbody ref for John cus he's so fucking special to meeeeee 

my favorite character design style is “laundry chair”, baby boy can fit so many fancy renaissance and medieval hats. it's a chaperon an escoffion coil a cowl a mantle a scarf...

also he can haz all the arms. as a treat.  

aaaaand for the sake of the Aesthetics (sparkle emoji), a pseudo photo of how John must look like to the untrained eye (read: low insight, do not pass go, collect 200 insanity points) from my John design  

 

originally posted on tumblr, Mar 12th 2024 

[Butcher voice] aaa nao wee cookin’, lads! (wip)

 

 originally posted on tumblr, Mar 13th 2024 

if you lack a spare coat, then the large eldritch deity bestie hitching a ride on your body will do

is John corporeal? i dunno, don't think too hard about it lol 

mostly a pose that was stuck on my head ever since i settled on face hands for John 

 

  originally posted on tumblr, Mar 13th 2024 

“My heart is beating,
It keeps repeating for you constantly.
You’re all I’m needing
And so I’m pleading,
Please come back to me.”

dunno man i'm not happy with this one but fuck it we do it live (shoves so many effect layers on it) 

my favorite gimmick for my John design is touch as his ultimate love language (nonrom)

[face in hands] the pain of having a qpr ship but fandom ships imply romanic feelings GOD

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 19th 2024

you ever feel so crappy with a cold that you just make your sona into a music box doll? 

LoP/ Long-haired P

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 12th 2024

 

my long-haired P propaganda spreads……..

P is definitely an avid reader and rather organized. bet he spends quite a bit of time going through stuff he finds, organizing them and connecting dots. he's quiet but full of thoughts......... 

 

originally posted on tumblr, Feb 16th 2024

 

 

more long-haired P for your consideration <3

wonder who was the first one to tell him about putting all that hair on a ponytail? maybe Eugenie cus i have a feeling Belle would just tell him to cut it, and Antonia is happy to pass on her old hairclips to him 

 

originally posted on tumblr, Jun 20th 2025

back with more long-haired P propaganda, this time with the hairdressing skills of our dear ladies <3

nobody will stop me from drawing really long-haired P 

 

 

 

 

 

LoP/ Camille, analysis

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 12th 2024

thinking about the tragedy of Camille tonight........

we first hear of her in the Rosa Estella Opera House garden, a somber statue dedicated to her by Geppetto. next, we hear of her through the Saintess of Mercy statue key.

 

she was likely a close colleague to Geppetto in the Workshop Union, maybe even an equal. and the way Geppetto dedicates a statue to her in the beating heart of Krat makes me think Camille had a love for artistry, and maybe they were more than just colleagues.

then the next time we hear of Camille, it's on a whole different context. this time, she's a puppet. a maid puppet, back when they were in early designs

"Her appearance and identity" is an odd phrasing, for an engineer to a maid, so I'm assuming they mean her given name. now, this is early in the creation of puppets, and some lore leads me to believe using Ergo to power them came later in their design. Camille was probably one of the first Ergo-powered puppets.

i got very little to go off on, but from what we've seen in game with Polendina, Pulcinella and P, is that puppets usually gain an ego in response to an emotional external event. their heart literally reaches out and awakens from dormancy. for Camille, i think the baby she saved was Carlo himself, her own son, who's the one she calls for once the alchemists steal her away.

it would make sense for Geppetto to have a history of turning people into puppets prior to Carlo, and for him to have some weird ass priorities. or maybe he thought work on a maid puppet meant she could spend time around Carlo without rising suspicion?

regardless, i also think Geppetto's idea of bringing a puppet to life came from Camille herself. when we investigate the Hotel Krat library, Gemini talks about the story of the mischievous puppet, and that Krat knows of it thanks to one person who loved it more than anyone else.

the fandom pictures that person is Carlo but I doubt it. he's just some guy who spent a lot of time in the Malum District and was as good as any other orphan turned stalker in Krat, he had no influence to stir an entire city about a single story he liked.

but Camille could.

she was an influential figure, enough to be commissioned by alchemists and other workshop workers, close to a master inventor that helped to revolutionize the entire city. and if you go to the Saintess of Mercy statue, it reads:

i don't know about you but "who dreams of a new life" screams of the Pinocchio tale, a wooden puppet seeking to become real. i dare even say that Geppetto started working on puppets solely to bring Camille back, or at least honor her in some way.

LoP/ Cerasani Memento

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 9th 2024

Cerasani Memento (Collectable)
—
An small yet elegant chained brooch of metal and emerald, faintly out of fashion but visibly beloved. It brings bittersweet memories.

When the beating heart of the Hotel passed into eternity, this was the sole reminder of happier and warmer days. The tied ring is an odd addition, but if you ask the new owner about it, he’ll gladly tell you of the most improbable of loves.

i felt like doing angst <3 couldn’t pick the version tho so have both!

 

LoP/ assorted doodles

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 6th 2024 

 average Krat experience (my controller has stick drift and my WASD keys are funky, platforming is a russian roulette)

 

  originally posted on tumblr, Feb 6th 2024 

 my favorite miniboss…. he’s just a little guy….

 

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 24th 2024

 saw a funky bird picture today, and i was compelled 

 

 originally posted on tumblr, Jun 16th 2025 

sooooo i finished the LoP DLC. many feelings, many thoughts, many anguishes, so i did some doodles about it <3

if the clown puppets have no fans, then im dead!!!!! i love them!!!! they are fun enemies yall are just mean!!!!!!

LATE GAME BOSS SPOILER BELOW

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 4th 2024

was nobody going to tell me the pinocchio game was going to completely consume my brain, or was i supposed to find out when i NG+ a soulslike for the first time in my life?

anyway, have an OCfied P, i have no explanation. detail shots and alt version below <3

1473 vs 20XX

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 4th 2024

what five centuries and some decades difference do to a man's soul aka reincarnation sucks so far but yay for more trans rights? 

gift art of Niccoló

Commissions, 2024

 All my commission posts from 2024, with the relevant links and texts

 originally posted on tumblr, Feb 6th 2024 

commission for @windflowerofskellige of their Morgause and her baby Lyonors. thank you so much for the comm! <33 

 originally posted on tumblr, Mar 31st 2024

 

A icon commission for @anonymergremlin of P and his oc Alice!! thank you so much, I had a blast!! 

 originally posted on tumblr, Jun 8th 2024 

A bust commission of Anna and Elizabeth from the show “Korona Królów” for @bookcalanthedaily! thank you so so much for the comm <33 

  originally posted on tumblr, Aug 16th 2024 

 Chibi design commission for @fangirldsq!! She wanted a Six-Earred Macaque design to go with the 1964 classic Havoc in Heaven, and it was my pleasure to oblige! thank you so much, bud <3

 

 

 

 

JttW/ Spring starts from fragrant peach and plum blossom

 originally posted on tumblr, Oct 28th 2023

my entry for the JTTW discord Wukongverse event!

featuring my fav Wukongs in media so far: 1996 Xiyouji, Nezha Reborn, Hero is Back, Demons Strike Back, and of course my own boy!

nothing gives me fuzzy happy feelings like a group of friends watching the evening roll in, talking about everything and nothing at all over some food and maybe drinks. reminds me of childhood family gatherings and lazy afternoons at the college’s designated bar. i wanted to capture that somehow with the old Suns enjoying some homely hotpot.

as a treat to the community, have a [link] for the fullsized file as well as a 1920x1080 :DD

 

LMK/ By The Book au, timeline

originally posted on tumblr, Oct 26 2023

By The Book AU Timeline

[this will be edited as things progress and the au gets more fleshed out]

less of a timeline and more the a brainstorm chart for the plotbeats i have so far

Prince> Little Sage> Pilgrim> Immortal> Cintamani

ACT 1, PRINCE: 2 years, S1 plus some of S2

• ep0 special, MK becomes Monkie Kid
• Fated Feast (tm) and dealing with it
• MK learning how to use his powers
• pretty much all the episodes of S1
• Beijing Opera sideplot
• first New Years is a Lion Dancing competition special
• Macaque introduces himself
• Spider Queens get exorcised, LBD reveal
• Nezha and Muzha introduction
• some more filler episodes of Monkie gang dealing with small easy stuff
• MK gets invited to meet Guanyin
• MK learning the Dao and Dharma, starts cultivation
• Macaque causes trouble (basically Shadow Play ep but not), Wukong finds out
• spicynoodles start becoming a thing late in the arc
• S1 finale special, except it's LBD and some henchmen
• Celestial Realm sightseeing moment, introduction to several immortals and gods

ACT 2, LITTLE SAGE: about half a year, part of S2 and a lot of changes

• Red Son's investigation gets serious, Nezha is helping
• Wukong gets more present to teach MK
• most of what's left of S2, with some changes
• Yingge and Longnü intro
• Tang starts helping MK and Mei with magic
• Mei starts training her dragon powers in FFM
• Guanyin meets the Monkien gang, reveal of Tang's past reincarnations
• MK gets deeper on training with his monkey form and powers
• "recollections of red and blue" is set in this arc
• DBK and PIF start making amends with Red Son
• qpr chimera fully established, Red Son and MK get serious enough to tell their parents about it
• more LBD shenanigans
• S2 season finale, except not
• LBD tries to trap him in a pagoda, everyone joins the fray, MK escapes because Macaque underestimates him, Wukong gets kebabed, Megapolis is lost and the gang flees for their lives

ACT 3, PILGRIM: about half a year, S3 in spirit but almost every plot gets scrapped cus its just filler anyway

• they aren't on a ""journey to the west"", they are gathering allies and tools to use against LBD and Macaque
• plan is, burn the motherfuckers with the Samadhi fire with the help of the four dragon king's armies to spread the fire with rain, and use some artifacts to then control the fire and put it out
• drastic measure but it do be drastic times
• LBD used the skeleton key to open the gates of the Diyu, so the world is slowly getting overrun by runaway spirits, as well as channeling the waters from it to freeze the land
• apparently Macaque wants to consume every living thing he's trapped to fuel something, and nobody is sure what
• anyway it's crisis politics time, nobody is having fun, everything sucks
• time to check in with the past pilgrims for advice and some tricks they know, Monkie gang power up time
• the dragon king of the north and his family are missing, time to find them
• Shen Gongbao intro, he's involved but they figure it out
• it's also time to draft some immortals, we love owing favors to people in this house amiright??
• Mayor starts to think the henchman career isn't for him, time to dip
• he fucks a plan cus he uses a pill of immortality to heal himself but oops the gang needed that
• Mayor spills the beans on Macaque's plan, MK gets impulsive and runs off to face LBD
• S3 special time except not
• MK exchanges himself for the girl LBD got possessed, which builds the group time to wrap up lose ends
• final battle time, hoards of the underworld versus whatever immortals got convinced to help despite going against the Jade Emperor's decree
• MK sends a clone with his staff before he loses control back to the gang
• Mei in dragon form fighting possessed MK, so that Red Son and Nezha can take a shot at MK to exorcise LBD out of him, Erlang and Muzha helping to hold Macaque back
• MK gets shot with the Samadhi Fire, to explosive results
• MK vs Macaque kaiju monkey battle time
• Macaque gets nuked, LBD gets carbonized, Mayor dies saving people from the city before the fires get to them
• everything is put back where it belongs, but there's a lot of loose ends to wrap up, ends in a bittersweet note

ACT 4, IMMORTAL: two years, S4 solely in name, basically a full overhaul lmao

• oh man oh man shits gonna hit the fan lmao
• the city is saved and the bad guys are gone; time for Consequences
• Jade Emperor isnt very happy with the amount of unauthorized actions taken just now
• MK goes to fucking trial for the crime of saving the world, it goes as well as one would think
• luckily Guanyin comes in clutch and gets his sentence lightened to "community service"
• there is an absurd amount of undead still walking around, which means MK has to get on that
• also yknow. the devastating amount of damage in the mortal AND celestial realm
• MK is given an assignment in the heavenly bureocracy, to help keep him in check and accountable to stuff. is great innit.
• another part of his job is, dealing with Wukong's past sworn brotherhood cus they've been uppity since Macaque's attack and threatening to break the human-demon truce
• Qi "two dads nuclear family" Xiaotian learns to deal with distant extended family relations with very specific social cues. again, goes as well as expected
• under all that, Red Son still hasn't been able to get the missing memories situation fixed
• also turns out even Wukong doesn't remember who MK was but he used to know. he doesn't anymore. and he doesn't know what happened. Red Son did not like learning that.
• the celebration of Ulhambana in the Celestial Realm is approaching, and Red Son thinks he can get himself and MK invited to it so they can yknow, ask Buddha wtf is going on
• so yknow, time to earn the trust of the Celestial Realm again, in a year. that's doable right? ahahah
• and because he doesn't have enough on his plate, MK traded off a lot of his merits in exchange for LBD and Mayor speedrunning their time in hell so they can be reborn under his care
• MK becomes An Uncle, what could possibly go wrong!
• oh, jumpscare, Macaque is still around but Different

ACT 5, CINTAMANI: half a year, all-fresh original arc!! this would be the S5 equivalent in my au now

• season premiere!! set immediately after my S4 immortal arc ending cliffhanger
• Ullambana is fast approaching and everyone is very tense about it, most of all MK
• a day before it, Macaque manages to sneak into the hallowed grounds for his ultimate last-ditch attempt at a final victory
• it's all very cloaks and daggers throughout the cerimony, all Heavenly guests dedicated to bringing peace to the remaining escapee souls and the ones trapped in hell
• for those who don't know, Ullambana is the All Soul's Day. it used to be a day to support monasteries and their monks and nuns, but it eventually morphed into a day of showing filial piety to your ancestors, by giving them offerings to help burn through their negative karma, and to feed hungry souls so that they may reincarnate into a higher sphere of being
• however underneath it all, still runs the concern of where MK is with his work to pacify the Heavenly Bureocracy, and to approach Buddha for answers on his past and Wukong's own lost memories
• at the height of the festival, Macaque wrestles out MK's Cintamani soul, and uses it to wish himself as the first celestial monkey, rather than the fourth, effectively switching places with Wukong
• this ends up causing Zhenfu to take MK's place in reality, as she's Macaque's heir, thus pushing MK out of existence entirely
• cue a whole universe unraveling and reforming to fit that wish, and MK is sent out of the universe to Buddha's pureland, where the man himself and the Three Pure Ones are waiting for physical reality to rearrange itself (it's all an illusion after all)
• MK finds out that he was Wukong's cintamani all along, but somehow he wished for himself to be forgotten by everyone, thus why nobody seemed to know who or what he was
• As the Three Pure Ones tell it, Wukong approached Nuwa about some concerns about the universe and the nature of cycles. In it, he comes up with the idea of an heir and Nuwa makes a joke about growing a second monkey out of his hairs, or a cut off head. With that, Wukong decides to drop his cintamani in the ocean, thus forsaking a part of his powers for the chance that the pearl will find it's own will to Become a fifth monkey
• thus, MK
• of course you can't just create a new class of living being without drawing attention from Heavens (cough cough laser eyes situation all over again), and in the confusion came the wish from MK to be forgotten and unseen, even by Wukong or even Guanyin. being a boddhisattva ratna has its perks (??)
• MK as a being has been separated from MK as a ratna, so he's trapped outside of the illusion of reality, and thus he can't interact with anyone or anything anymore. as expected, he's freaking out! Buddha and the Three Pure Ones reassure him though, because this world is unbalanced, the rules aren't as applicable as they should be.
• they agree that if MK can find a way to make the being swithin realize that this world is not as it should be, then the wish can be annulled and the world return to "normal". beyond that, it's not up to them to help or influence things much. good luck and godspeed and so on
• the season begins in earnest now!
• everyone is cast under the purview of Macaque's wish and will. Wukong takes his place in the Diyu, emprisoned and sealed up, though he could not take away his enlightenment, and so Wukong can tell when MK is close and even can communicate somewhat. not that it's very helpful, since Wukong is uh. not around people anymore. swell!
• still, they decide the best course of action is to reunite Wukong with his cintamani. neither of them is sure what will happen to MK when this happens, but that's a cross they'll bridge when they get there
• in this new reality, Macaque is the one who was Monkey King, and the pilgrim of the journey, and then the new Boddhisattva, by the title of Wind Monkey of Numinous Knowledge (Wukong is the Three-eyed Stone Monkey). of course it's all stolen valor and false merits, but with the cintamani in hand, the universe is Macaque's oyster, he can be and do whatever he wants. double swell!
• MK needs to find a differnent "window" into the world that isn't Wukong, which is a problem cus he can only comunciate with Wukong cus enlightenment and well, he technically is a part of him
• in the end, MK thinks he can reach out to his friends cus power of love and friendship, right??
• wrong!
• many attempts later he's beginning to lose hope in fixing things until, Puppet!
• for some reason it turns out he can not only communicate with them, he can also possess them sort of kinda?? that's a question they'll worry about Later lmao
• (mickey voice) this is a surprise tool that can help us later <3
• regardless, it doesn't take much to convince Puppet to help out. a mixture of their own underlying hatred and bitterness towards Macaque for Everything, his care and concern for Zhenfu, and the power of love and friendship from MK
• it also helps that with MK being outside the illusion of reality, he can see it in it's entirety like a book, so he can see who Haoxin used to be, their own person with hopes and dreams and fears, not just Macaque's tool, and he treats them as such
• With Zhenfu taking in the spot MK left behind, she now finds herself surrounded by friends and family away from her father. It's not going great, as she's unsure how to even navigate the entire thing, and both Hai'er and Xiaojiao are also thrown off by it all. their little trio isn't as it should be, they can tell, but can't quite place why
• Even as Zhenfu's doubt on her father grows, she refuses to mess up her father's their victory, so she struggles through MK's constant interference through Puppet, and his attempts to communicate with his friends
• Monkie gang start looking into things, including that there's a new concern that the Stone Monkey is trying to escape, and they can't allow that of course!
• cue lots of poking around and finding holes in the plot of the universe, and figuring out the why and how, while MK is tearing all his fur out from stress
• takes some brawl and grit and a couple clever tricks, but eventually they make their way to the Diyu to face off the dastardly fourth monkey
• season finale time!
• the gang clashes with Wukong at first cus we gotta have our mild miscommunication tension moment
• power of love and friendship time, as Wukong describes the world as it should be, and everyone realizes what they lost and almost never knew
• Wukong, being enlightened, can finally see Puppet for who they are, which is another part of his cintamani. a little clone of MK that happened thanks to an innocent toddler wish
• Haoxin is MK's reflection, and Macaque is Wukong's shadow
• no time to fully digest that MK had a twin-sibling all along, Macaque is here and pretty damn pissed about all this. tsk tsk they don't make minions like they used to, huh?
• Zhenfu and Puppet come in clutch in the fight by betraying Macaque, not that he'll just give up the cintamani without a fight. cue horrible gore and violence to tear that thing right out of him if that's what it takes
• time for the big showdown fight at the egde of the universe, rly cool moves rly bombastic action scenes, oh yeah
• Puppet gets absolutelyt demolished, Zhenfu goes ballistic, cintamani is forcibly taken back, and the universe unravels as Macaque loses his false power, meaning MK can join in on the showdown at last.
• ultimate warform monkey final boss time
• as the universe starts to reform as it should be, MK has the chance to pull a uno reverse and yeet Macaque entirely out of the realm of reality, but instead he makes sure he's still in the bounds of the universe. Macaque is an utter cunt, but he has a role in the universe, as everything and everyone else
• he was meant to exist as he is, no more no less, and it's not MK's call to unmake him
• world returns to normalcy, except, nobody knows where MK is?? where is her, wtf?? he can't just be gone, right? surely???
• time for heavenly trial two, electric boogaloo
• Zhenfu and Haoxin are charged for their role in this entire fiasco, but MK himself intercedes on their behalf, much to the Jade Emperor's bemoaning about it
• it's because he's smth that shouldn't be (a ratna with its own will and soul) that this entire mess happened, after all, and MK is sentenced to exile as he's judged too powerful to be amon the gods, much less around mortals. he doesn't fight it, all he asks is for the chance to say goodbye to his family and friends?
• needless to say everyone freaks out seeing MK again, many tears much screaming such hugging
• nobody is happy with the sentence, everyone is down to run away to the pillars of the heavens if that's what it takes to not lose MK again, but he talks them down from it
• MK and Wukong have a heart to heart. turns out this was a huge mess, huh? Wukong maaaay have underestimated just how powerful a being with a cintamani soul would be, eh? and hey, he even got two heirs instead of one, what a steal!
• for what it's worth, and for all the fuck ups and tribulations for everyone, Wukong doesn't regret any of it. he could never regret MK, no matter what
• many tears and fond hugs ;v;
• which still leaves us with what to do about the exile
• MK has somehow made his peace with it, he's willing to renounce all worldly things if it will mean a safe, balanced world for his family and friends. he can still watch them from afar, and after this whole affair, he's gotten used to it (liar)
• anyway Buddha jumpscare
• He sees MK is of pure (if hyperactive and too self-sacrificing) heart, and offers a deal.
• Buddha makes a bet: if MK and Haoxin both can both jump from the palm of his hand (the five heavenly pillars) and land safely back on Earth, then they may stay. but the both of them must make it, or the bet is off
• Wukong is not very amused by the offer, but he can appreciate the irony of it
• see that wouldn't be a problem, except MK is still weakened from Everything and his connection to his soul is still frail, and Haoxin is well, just back from being torn to actual pieces and drained of his life essence? odds aren't great
• still, it's probably the only deal they'll get for this, so they take it. they've been through thick and thin, rivals and friends, and each of them want the other to make it
• two wishes feeding off each other in earnest
• they make it cus power of love and friendship babeyyyyy but also, as Haoxin is of the same class of living being and heavenly nature as MK, the fall split their wishing powers evenly between each other. they are still be very powerful, but not as powerful as a cintamani whole and unblemished by a mortal life
• the split is done and the bet is won, and the Jade Emperor is.... not entirely satisfied or happy about this, but his concerns are alleviated. the exile is lifted
• MK gets to go home, and offers Haoxin and Zhenfu a second chance, but they agree they need space to get their heads back in order after all that Macaque has done to them. they leave to figure things out, but stay in touch
• MK is still going to have his own existencial crisis after Everything, but at least he won't do it alone <3
• oh, where is Macaque now, you ask?
• after MK's forgiveness, he's utterly humbled and bereft of direction or goals
• he retires himself to solitude and contemplation, and after a taste of enlightenment (false and unearned as it was), he gains a spark of understanding of his place in the grand scheme of things
• time to ponder what he is exactly, and why, instead of languishing in the darkness and shadows of his assumed "betters"
• now im not saying redemption arc, but maybe in a few centuries of millennia, something may come out of this

JttW/ WIPs, compilation!

 originally posted on tumblr, Sep 23rd 2023

FSYY/ Progidal son (terror)

 originally posted on tumblr, Sep 12th 2023

Li Jing in a fury grabbed his halberd, leapt on his horse and galloped out of the headquarters. He was astonished to see Nezha with his Wind-Fire Wheels and Fire-Tipped Spear. He swore loudly, "You damned beast! You caused us endless suffering before your death, and now that you've been reborn, you're troubling us again!"

"Li Jing! I've returned my flesh and bones to you, and there's no longer any relation between us. Why did you smash my golden idol with your whip and burn down my temple? Today I must take my revenge!"

since I’m on a Nezha streak, might as well do my design for him on the Expedition AU! given that i’ve chosen to give characters a closer likeness to their region, it’s only fitting i do the same with import deities like Guanyin, Subodhi and Nezha.

he’s a complicated figure to place in the timeline because he gained popularity as a deity much after, only really arriving in China by the time the Journey would have been set. FSYY was written closer to when JTTW was written down, and he was retroactively inserted on the Zhou Dynasty period.

so deciding what to even do with him is dicey. but then i said fuck it, mythological rules apply here, he was around for the events of FSYY, and it and JTTW are set in the same universe. and for the sake of having some fun, i decided to get funky with his concept.

Nezha had the likeness of his family when he was alive, as described in FSYY, but once he was reborn with a lotus body he gained Indian traits instead. this is to be a nod to his status as an import deity and his origin as Nalakubara, and as the centuries roll by he may present himself to mortals closer to the locals’ appearance wise.

as for his looks, i drew inspiration from multiple sources. read more for my rambles <3

• his armor is closer to reconstructions of Zhou dynasty-period armor, skipping over extra parts simply because his lotus body is so indestructible, there’s no need for a full set;
• there are two red Chinese knots with jade beads dangling from the armor ties. they are said to ward off evil spirits, which felt like a good fit for a guy known to banish demons. i picked a six-petal flower pattern, which represents reunion, unity and a bright future;
• i included lotus petals and leaves on his outfit as they are common in Beijing Opera outfits for him, and his makeup is a call to it as well;
• The pink from the cheeks and eyeshadow seeps into his ear shell, as to convey the way sometimes, you get so angry even your ears blush;
• Another thing i referenced from Opera is the two red ribbons on his sidelocks, though I changed them to two bulbs of lotus roots;
• Four petals drawn close to his urna as both to make it look like a lotus but also form five petals, which is an auspicious number;
• His hair crown is a fancy princely [knot] with a lotus motif and a pearl in the center, as he was the Pearl Spirit before becoming Nezha;
• I was going to go with elf-like ears but I thought I could do better, so I went for stretched earlobes instead. you can’t see it that well but hopefully the very large golden earrings imply it well enough xvx;
• His cheek dimples are common sight on religious images of him and it was a cute touch imo;
• Younger Nezha wears a golden robe because of his title as General of the Central Altar in Daoist belief, and the center direction is connected to yellow or gold, and yellow robes are usually meant for emperors and their sons, which is a minor nod to his self-assureness and boldness;
• The Cosmic Ring has spiralling grooves on it both to catch blades on it for defense but also as a callback to Opera props;
• On his waist is the embroidered ball weapon he was attributed with in earlier myths, he was also meant to have the leopard skin bag Taiyi Zhenren gave him, bjt it was going to be obscured by the text so i omitted it;
• A few depictions of him gave him a halo of fire, which was real cool so i added it as well.