MDLineArt

@@MiniKirby123, @, Was gonna suggest if you two are the more active we can always make a closed one seperate, means keeping the numbers down. Kirby: Was actually waiting to see if someone was gonna take advantage of the location that was starting to get dropped and see if anyone shown up, but apparently not HM: Think you could handle two players? If so, we can step it aside. If not, I don't mind opening a private thread.

Sorry to hear that D. Must be pretty bad if ya gotta get out of the RP. Just want ya to know that you are gonna be missed, and I hope when things settle for a bit you will consider returning. Best of luck to you in the future, and keep fighting

@@Blitz Boom, Hey Blitz, sorry for the lateness of the post, but posted first thing when I got back into town (Celebrating Easter with family, should have made a status, my bad). Anyway, I hope that the lengthy post is mildly horrifying, showcasing how easily a hive-mind can over-ride personal self-interest and self-identity. Got the job done, but Bashful's weakness goes into full force here, that fear and want to over come it will set him into a sudo-drone state, in which case that 'Shy Tailor' is gone, and what is left... well, it isnt pretty. Oh, and the song he was humming: I use it as a touchstone for Bashful Thread/Scissor Biter. Enjoy

@@Blitz Boom, It was all Bashful Thread could do to keep his nerves under control. It was a large task, to do all alone, no one in his corner to back him up. Isolation was never his strong suit, but he would be banished to the moon before he let that get the better of him. Taking a moment, he began to hum, closing his eyes as though remembering a lullaby from a time long past. After a moment, he seemed to collect himself. "You get the guards... I got the others. Mother loves me, nothing can go wrong now!" This out of place comment may not make sense to Giddon, but to Bashful it was what he needed to remind himself. He began to change his direction, beginning the hunt for those who were being processed. Watching along the corridors, he followed many of the paths to no avail, trying not to make eye contact, letting them pass him by among as one of them. "Mother loves me, Mother is here, because I am here. We are here, I am here, so She is too. She won't let harm come to what is hers. She won't let me get hurt." He whispered to himself, as he listened, not with his ears, but his heart, that place where Mother always whispers. Bashful could hear it, the buzzing of wings, the chittering of his brothers and sisters, and that song, the one that left his lips filling him with that tiny bit of courage. The sight changed, he was different, because he wasn't alone, even if the hall was long and empty. The chorus in his heart, the backbeat of membrane wings, "We the swarm will take whatever lands upon our plates We don't care what price we must pay! And in any kind of weather we all have to stick together, And we don't want it any other way! Let's FEED!" Predatory instinct. Those in the hall were sustenance, a means to drink in that love and admiration, opportunity lands itself before him. There was strength to take, to make his own, to make the swarm's. It was then he turned the corner, and saw the cells. Many of them were earth ponies and pegasi, shackled as they listened to one of the cultists drone on and on. They look starved, huddled together to keep warm in the dark damp brickwork of their prison. From under the hood, Bashful's eyes... no... Scissor Biter's eyes locked upon his first feast. It was all he could do to keep his fangs from showing as all he wanted to do was drink in all this brainwashed cultist's little passion left, as he passed on belief like a disease. Scissor Biter couldn't hear him though. His mind was miles away, among the chatter of his brothers and sisters, nestled under the heart of his Queen, Mother watches, Mother loves, Mother protects. It was so easy now, he could not understand the fear he felt, it was like a foreign concept now, alien. Now there was a different relationship with the world... A predator lurking among it's prey. Scissor Biter walked up to the cultist, a small earth pony who's mane was a cold ice blue. That's as much detail as he could gather before his hoofs moved on their own, coming down upon their mouth. Pulling them by the head into the dark away from the torch, the figure tried to yell out, but only a peep could be heard as that green slime substance left the mouth of Scissor Biter and bound the cultist's voice with a quickly hardening cocoon. The thrashing was over as quick as it began, there was a reason this one was teaching and not guarding the gates, and with Scissor Biter's current form, there was enough muscle to overtake the small one. Looking over the body at the edge of the torch light, there was a small flash of green flame, and from the darkness, the figure of purple, massive and winged appeared, carrying keys from the unconscious pony, he walked to the cells, his eyes deep and focused as the cell unlocked. The unlocking of the cell was met with reactions of several of the prisoners pulling away. "I'm getting you out of here." The words were a bit robotic, words not of his own but what was agreed to be said. Extending a hoof to help those remove their chains, he felt their sense of hope rise, he was a hero in their eyes, if only for that moment. Admiration, a superficial love, was more than enough with the numbers in this cell, and he could feel it pulse through his veins. FEED! FEED!! FEED!!! As quickly as they got excited for escape, they went to an almost hypnotic melancholy again. They came out one by one, hanging onto one another to keep balance, it was clear the conditions that they were put through. Scissor Biter could empathize if he was capable at the time, hunger was the killer of all. But not for him, not now. Here, he feasted, and that strength was pouring through him. Leading them through corridors, it was too big of a group to get them all out without detection. There was consensus, keep feeding, keep getting stronger, power through. Flashbacks of bashing his body against a city-wide shield came to him, and Scissor Biter understood. Throw himself into the fray, because he is not alone, the swarm is with him, and with them he will prevail. Changelings are considered and treated as monsters. He was about to provide a reason for this belief. So what was that tiny voice among the swarm? Ignore it, move forward....

@, Sorry to hear that Veil, hope to see you well if you return. Will keep a spot at the table for ya

@@Blitz Boom "How am I doing?" He would have thought that was obvious. He was now in the middle of a cult, going after an artifact he had no clue about, indoctrination, or worse, waited for them down these halls, and he was dressed like some lunatic. "I'm... I'm scared, Terrified! Joints won't stop shaking, and everything here looks... Wrong." Bashful continued to push the pace though, maybe for hopes that he would be out of here soon. The halls were dark save for that unnatural light that flickered and cast long shadows down upon the floor, making mice appear to have the silhouettes of monsters, and there was a breeze that whistled and howled among the cracks making it sound like they were surrounded by ravenous nightmares. It was all Bashful Thread could do to not hoof it out of there as quickly as his legs would carry him. It seemed Giddon was doing well though. Maybe his years of this life hardened him, and here it was useful. There was something about him that made Bashful feel safer around him, that some how things will be ok. Maybe there was something in the air that was making him delusional. Bashful wouldn't put it past these cultists.

Sorry all for not posting regularly. Still kinda struggling with this format of RP.

@@Blitz Boom Bashful tried to keep his composure as he lead Giddon to the front gate where two cultists had stood guard, armed with swords at their hilt. Earth ponies, from the look of them, but you could not be sure what hid underneath those robes. Still, they stepped forward, observing Giddon but paying no mind to the one leading him on. "Another to join our cause. Bring him inside with the others, the ceremony will begin shortly." The voice was monotone, stating everything as a 'matter of fact'. It was cold, lifeless, and brought about memories of some of Bashful's brothers and sisters among the hive, little more than drones and extensions of Queen Chrysalis' will, just given a voice. What was this ritual they talked about, and what cause brought them to it? So many things he didn't understand. He tried to mimic the tone all the same but it's more difficult than people may think to stay monotone without sounding ridiculous. "Yes. The ceremony." Bashful gave Giddon a hard push with his hoof to start walking forward, trying to convince the others that he was in complete control of the situation. In reality, he could only be thankful that the hood covered his nerves. He was gonna get it from Giddon after this for pushing him.

Yeah, didn't see the notification. Posted, and Bashful is on his way to Sugar-Cube Corner. Anyone who cares to run into him is welcome to do so.

Bashful Thread continued to labour away at cleaning up after Orange Lace. Bashful had the look of an earth pony who spent far too much time mulling about with pins and needles, thread and cloth. His beret held them in place for use on a moment's notice, covering a mane of dark green, while the rest of him had a light blue hue, with a cutie mark of a pair of sheers clipping a spool of thread. Most distinct were the eyes, small and frantic as always. Clamoring to get the shop Tidy the shop, he didn't want to upset Lace again after the fiasco he had undergone. Still, it was a good life. Two ponies you could rely on, a quiet life save for the occasional sneaking out at night for errands. Fold, hang, stack, label, everything was in it's place, clean and proper. It took a few hours, but finally it was done. Then his stomach started to grumble. It was a good time to get fed, the shop prepped for Orange Lace, and his morning chores were done! Soft stepping hooves to the doorway, and closing the door behind them. Ponyville was beautiful, the day was something to behold. Sugar-Cube Corner was the place to be at this hour, and he began to make his way over.

@@Blitz Boom Bashful waited in the small clearing, waiting for Giddon. Sitting down on the damp grass, he closed his eyes, listening carefully to the ambient sounds of wildlife and wilderness. He tried to become very aware of his surroundings, and more about himself in the form he presented. Bashful Thread didn't often 'shift' thee days, and outside of presenting himself as the tailor, he really didn't feel the want to. Shifting means acknowledgment, it means being something he didn't want to be, and the eyes of those few that are close to him looking at him as something other than what he aspired to be was crushing. And now Giddon wanted him to go the other route. The one who just changed who they were on a whim, the one who did so with abandon. Giddon never expressed much understanding of Bashful, nor did he try to. Maybe that was his way, keep everyone at distance, and they couldn't hurt you. "That's a lie..." The strange voice that Bashful Thread spoke from his own mouth was far deeper than he really taken the time to notice. It took some time before Giddon returned, dragging somepony behind him. Upon closer inspection, this pony seemed in rough shape, unconscious even. Giddon seemed to be indifferent. There was that detachment again, and maybe just the nature of what he did, this 'adventurer' needed to keep removed from what he did. This was all for... well, Bashful didn't really know. That would be a problem. Still, he walked towards the pony on the ground, and leaned in close. He sniffed the air about him, and looked closely, rummaging through pockets and taking all kinds of paraphernalia. Each piece was observed, studied with discerning eyes. "You can learn alot about people from what they carry. Would make it easier if I got to know him first..." Green fire... It was always that flame that enveloped him for a flash, obscuring one figure to reveal another. The figure mirrored the cultist, minus the bruising, and he began to pocket those small trinkets. "Ok... So.. what do you need me to do?" He swallowed hard. This is when things started to get a little too real.

"That... Explains alot. Gryphons hun? Never spent much time out from Ponyville once I got there. Was nice, quiet. That's the best way to live." Bashful couldn't help but smile, reminded of the times he spent with Orange Lace and Fire Cracker. After the rocky start. Might be the only reason he held out at all with Giddon, but then again it may be just to save his own mane. "Usually when someone finds out you're a... well... you know, they typically ask a lot of questions. After the whole 'Run For Your Lives!' thing. You on the other hand, you wanna keep quiet. It's kinda unnerving really." Bashful few a little ahead, and turned about, still going in the direction Giddon described. "Or is that how it is in the mountains? Maybe you're just as out of place as I am? I think so." He began his decent, going down to the trees and letting his wings feel the leaves. Ducking between them he folded up his wings and tumbled through the branches in a forward summersalt, landing upon his hooves. Looking up to the sky, he watched Giddon, waiting for his own arrival. "Let's just hope this goes smoothly...."

@@Blitz Boom, Not sure if ya noticed, but I'll put over just about everything! Give me your worst. If he dies next post, I'll run with it. Just hoping to push the plot along, but since your in the GM seat, it's all on you

@@Blitz Boom Hope that the character profile Bashful is coming to is accurate. Part of his character is his ability to observe, assess and emulate. It requires him being able to build psychological profiles in order to begin manipulations.

@@Blitz Boom Flying along side Giddon, it had been some time since he felt the wind under wings. The form felt appropriate, though he was starting to get cross with his 'partner in crime'. "Fought with Castle Guard... Infiltration of said Castle... Dropped a pony off a cliff... Stole his mare... Served several years in 'the core'... Butted heads with the meanest this side of Equestria...." He continued to murmur these little statements for quite some time. He felt adrenaline course in his veins, and after a moment, he looked over Giddon. "So what exactly ARE you?" "I mean, wings, check, beak, weird, talons, ok.... Not exactly a local." "I'd like to know who I am dealing with before this gets out of hand." There was a professionalism in Bashful Thread's voice, now in the guise of Haze Guard. Really, it was him working the angles, he needed to know if Giddon was going to sell him out at the end of this, or worse, try to get rid of him as some kind of witness to this. Giddon clearly had some curiosity to him, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to the basement if he knew Bashful would be right back, and in doing so seeing Bashful's 'true' form, whatever that term means now, as Scissor Biter. He was callus, that may be the way to keep people emotionally at bay, a defense mechanism against people getting too close. What was he trying to keep ponies away from? He clearly had delusions on his own appearance, bullying then saying he wasn't. Either that, or he was remarkably unaware of his own presence. There was no empathy though, maybe he felt being closed off was a good way to stay safe. "Must be pretty rough."

So this is the current illustration I am about to undertake. Figured I would do an action scene of Scissor Biter / Bashful Thread taking on another person in order to meld into the work Giddon (Played by @@Blitz Boom. Ran into an issue of using Twilight Sparkle's colour scheme for this bit and am struggling to use those colours in a unique way that doesn't scream rip-off. Hopefull will be done before next post. (Actually, I am hoping I can see this one through til the end and I'll call it a win). The intent is to make that notorious green flame around Scissor Biter (Right), so this is gonna be another heavy-lighting illustration. I don't know why, I just always feel if I just use soft lighting it never really comes to task or pops. Maybe it's just me, but this will be a second attempt and learning to hide the line art (The first Scissor Biter illustration was also my first in trying this method). As always I am looking for critique. This is where I am currently at with my painting.

@@Blitz Boom, The sketch is in my art thread, working on colouring right now

I've always been a fan of comicbook style line art and you have it in spades. Loving how you use a paper texture and a gradiant to change a sketch into something that is a finished piece! I think you have amazing understanding of line weight and you use it remarkably well. You have a great showing of expression and mood, the lighting for the scenes are amazing. I am REALLY struggling to come up with a critique here. That's my thing!!!! My world has collapsed in on itself.