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Post by RielCZ on Feb 10, 2023 18:18:34 GMT -5
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Post by downrightdude on Feb 11, 2023 0:18:08 GMT -5
*is a mermaid* What a beautiful collab!! Congrats to everyone that made it in!!
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Post by Nut on Feb 12, 2023 8:23:37 GMT -5
Taking Flight by Carolyn Right away I get a picture of what Mitchell meant to his community and to his wife. He was clearly loved and respected for all he had done for the town, and Wisdom was devoted to him. But of course the townsfolk moved on with their lives, as people must do, leaving Wisdom alone to take over the job her husband left.
(I will say, it's probably due to skirting around NT rules and/or I'm dense, but I had to read the first few paragraphs a few times to understand just what the situation was xD; The first sentence initially made me think Mitchell had left Wisdom in town while he became a lighthouse keeper, although I did get it after his age and monuments were mentioned, but then I had to kind of work out whether Wisdom was in town or had been at the lighthouse all this time xD; Another note: I've just learned what a Fresnel lens is.)
I feel Wisdom's dedication to the task left to her and her loyalty to Mitchell in taking it up from him, as well as the toll it's taking on her to watch the sea day after day even in her aging years. Maybe it makes her feel close to him to keep up the duty they shared, and/or it's all her life's ever been about and she can't leave it, even as it must be achingly lonely.
The words come fast and flurried as the storm beats against the cliff; I can feel the frenetic energy as she spots the flash of red through the window, how cold and hectic it must be outside. I feel Wisdom's urgency as she leaves without a second thought, having watched the seas all these years just for something like this.
I feel the rush of adrenaline and frantic pace as Wisdom rushes out to do her duty, determined above all that the drowning pet Would be saved. Old as she is and not naturally a sea pet, she manages to drag him out of the water against all the protests of her body. (Oh no, she hurt his wing saving him--but it's true, his life comes first. I feel like I've heard some kind of guideline about this regarding CPR..)
There's something reassuring about the picture of the half-drowned Pteri being safely wrapped in blankets, warm and dry while the Lenny falls asleep nearby, no longer alone.
What a relief he made it! Of course she checks on him and looks after him despite how much her body hurts--this is what she lives to do, after all; it must make all her efforts feel worth it. It makes sense she'd have learned some medicine to take care of herself and anyone found in her line of work, though still be an amateur.
I feel sad for Baywing's injury. The part of me that wants everything to work out in stories wants him to fly again, although I know it doesn't always work that way. His rehabilitation process is realistic, and I'm a little consoled that he finds other ways to use his body. Wisdom feels guilt for not having been able to do more for him, but Baywing is fortunate she was there and able to help at all, and I'm sure he knows that.
I'm happy for Wisdom that she's no longer alone, and is able to keep company in silence; the Pteri might not be talkative, but she's okay with that and won't pressure him, so in turn he feels comfortable with her.
I sense the similarity in the storm to the one Baywing was nearly lost in, and know why it would make him uneasy. It tells me he knows exactly how much Wisdom has done for him that he rushes out on his own to do the job she would have, the job she once did for him--it's so poignant how he says "Thank you for everything" before leaving, and you know how much he's risking to repay her.
Baywing fights his own body just as Wisdom once did, and in the relief of their embrace when he makes it back with success, I feel how they've become home to each other and made the lighthouse a home together these last few years. I feel grateful they both found what they needed in the storm, and that Baywing found another way to fly.
And the ending feels like it comes full circle, new generations of lighthouse keepers rising to repay those who came before, the cycle of people saving and looking out for each other starting anew.
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Post by Nut on Feb 12, 2023 8:42:55 GMT -5
If anyone wants a comment on their work, please like this post! I can't guarantee getting to everyone, but I'd like to prioritize commenting for people who are active and/or likely to see it. I'm also open to feedback trades and will prioritize commenting for anyone who comments on mine. Thanks in advance and congratulations to everyone in the issue!
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Post by Nut on Feb 14, 2023 9:46:54 GMT -5
Darkest Corner: You, tiny thing, you~ by darkelfa I absolutely love the art in this comic (and is it traditional?! Wow!)! I love the use of thick outlines with thinner lines for detail inside, the white outlines around the dark outlines setting the characters out from the background color, all layered to create a sense of depth and framing. The way the Slugawoo's eyes poke craftily out of the panel, how its shiny claws bulge out of the circular outline, and the gorgeous splash of its tail crossing the borders gives the impression that the Slugawoo is a giant thing, too big to be contained within the panels (and needing three panels to show it)! I love how you drew the tail rippling and folding over itself like a frilly leaf, I feel how it kicks up the water splashing past the panel and blending with the bubbles outside of it. I love how the solid outlines are framed by the delicate lineless colors forming wispy leaves and sea plants and bubbles floating in the background!
The way the Slugawoo's body bulges, the shell sagging over its back and bulbous stomach, give me the feeling of massive, monstrous weight and volume--with that spittle spraying and the tendrils on its face flying back, I feel the force of its guttural scream filling the whole panel XD I love how the spiral lines lie flat on the surface of its shell and arm, adding to the impression of their thickness--everything here screams "monster"!
The pet in the last panel has a gorgeous outfit, all the little intricate details and strings of jewels dangling off their clothes! It feels like a regal pirate captain's garb, with the skull motif and crystals like knives hanging off the shoulder pauldron (which has a swirl to match the Slugawoo!). I love how their hair swirls and how fluffy their face looks as they hold the Slugawoo, suddenly looking so tiny and innocent in their thick paws! XD The Slugawoo's expression is suddenly so harmless and adorable with its little teeth sticking out! It's an entertaining contrast with how monstrous the previous panels built it up to be; I'm glad the Slugawoo is being taken care of by someone who finds its noises so adorable! XD
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Post by Twillie on Feb 15, 2023 23:30:25 GMT -5
I've got a comic series currently running, although I've been struggling with getting it consistently published, so consequently it wasn't included in this issue. It would've been Part Five of my Coming to Light arc, and I've got all the parts here, so if anyone would still like to read them and/or give feedback, I'm always open!
I'm trying to work on comic reviews, but they've been slow going this week xD I'll get them eventually at least, as well as reviews for NTWF stories :3
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Post by Carolyn on Feb 16, 2023 8:56:53 GMT -5
*Waves*
The Collab looks spectacular. So proud of everyone for all of your hard work!
I've been bogged down with real life stuff the last week, but hopefully I'll have some time tonight and tomorrow to finally read over some stories with a nice cup of tea.
Thanks, as always, for everything, y'all. <3 This is a strong and mighty community, indeed.
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Post by Carolyn on Feb 16, 2023 20:57:50 GMT -5
I'm going to start with a few articles and try to move towards short stories if my brain can keep from short circuiting, haha. elipsis4k, Regional Guide to Marine Petpets: I thrill to seeing more technical pieces in the Neopian Times. Very engaging and informative, and I absolutely loved the map inset. It added a lot to the lore building and helped readers to visualize exactly where you were talking about.
Azusa and junie_wei, Fishing for Answers: I really enjoyed this article a lot! ALL the time LOL. Oh wow, I did not expect political intrigue, haha. I enjoyed seeing the world building here, especially ideas that ties in multiple worlds and even plots. It makes it all the more believable! All the descriptions of where the items came from were very detailed and creative. Some of MQ's fish are the result of mad science?? Honestly, considering some of Neopia's bizarreness, I could buy it. Duke Pikachu, Voyage Into the Maraquan Circle
Hah, indeed!
I liked your take on the Bermuda Triangle of Neopia (and the "gee, I wonder why no ships wanted to go to certain doom" line had me chuckling.)
I really enjoyed the ride of the nerkids, random event landelbrot and even time travel. It kept me on my toes!
Nut, Into the Blue: This story strikes me as a coming of age narrative, with the MC deciding to leave the comfort of home, the comfort of her small pond with familiar rocks and faces, for the unknown of the ocean. And doing this, taking that leap, while being her authentic self, helped her to feel more comfortable in the open. Glad that she made a friend and that she found a traveling partner to be safe and happy in the unknown. One thing I think would have been beneficial is seeing a little more of the owner and her Koi's interactions. Something to show more of her care towards the Koi. Unless the angle was to show that her owner provided her a home but not the care she sought beyond the happy smiles and hellos, and that in order to have true happiness and belonging she needed to break free... then I'm down with that. Anyway, really enjoyed the story. I'm on mobile but I'll try to reply to your review later! Geo 🇺🇦 🌻, Ember by the Sea It makes me happy to see good ol' Dash back again and enjoying his retirement life. It takes a special someone who honestly cares and spends quality time with the elderly. And I assure you, people who do that kind of service mean the world and back to those in a retirement community or nursing home. A really nice way to bring back the beloved KI team captain while introducing a host of other characters.
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Post by Lex on Feb 18, 2023 17:51:35 GMT -5
Taken me a while but I'm finally getting to these. Hopefully I'll be able to do more. The R.S. Caroosel : Part 1/5 by Kengplant The layout flow is fantastic. Your use of space is very precise and moves the reader along quickly without wasting an ounce of that precious 470px real estate (especially love the governor's reflection in the spyglass). The character designs are very on-model and a great match for that classic Neopets style. GrrrRocks especially captures that quintessential Grarrl-ness well in their overall look and expressions. All the little Roo puns are quite cute and clever.
I'm excited to see the next installment and to learn more about these characters! I hope the new rules don't make it too hard for you to get all of them published in a timely fashion =/ Incomprehensible Oceanography of Neopia Syllabus by homsareggplant It's been a (long) while since my time at university, but the snark in this syllabus is a blast from the past and a fun reminder of life's many quirky professors.
Bits that I particularly enjoyed:
The farther we get from the "before times" where having internet (or an email address!) wasn't a given, the funnier this gets.
Geology major spotted!
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Post by Nut on Feb 22, 2023 8:47:56 GMT -5
Fishing for Answers: Theories for Bedtime Pondering by Azusa and junie_wei The first sentence is so relatable, haha. It did make me think the article would be about ways to fall asleep, but I enjoyed the topic since I was actually fascinated with the underwater fishing hole when it first came out! I lost the patience to keep checking it every day, though, so this article was enlightening since I actually didn't know about a lot of the items you can fish up!
I can tell the writers of this article are probably book lovers themselves haha--I love the idea that the fishing hole books came from an ancient underwater civilization! The examples you cited of the Ancient Shopping List Scrolls and Mouldy Tomes certainly fit that hypothesis! I actually didn't remember you could catch books, is it really 200 per year?! I mainly remember the old rotting shoes, maybe my level never got high enough...
I can believe the books printed for Maraquans are waterproof, I love the worldbuilding there! I have to be disgusted on Brightvale's behalf here; that was terrible behavior on Skarl's part, but I don't want to trust the Darigan rumormonger; I'd like to think the knights of Meridell have a little more class.
Oh man nostalgia, Curse of Maraqua was my first plot. Of course the BD equipment would belong to those warriors! (Hey, I just went fishing and got a Cheap Water Ring today...)
Doubtless available in waterproof.
Haha, the seafood section reminds me I once hypothesized that the mechanical fish are made by Sloth as part of an evil plan to take over Neopia, which I wrote an extremely silly conspiracy theory article about. I love your idea that using a Maraquan Paint Brush on everyday items turns them into fish! (But I don't blame you for not trying that experiment! What if it failed and your bread just ended up soggy?! What a waste!)
(I love the logic-defying Waterfish, haha. It's got the best camouflage, as long as it doesn't literally lose itself in its surroundings!)
"Neopet-Eating Carp" Okay honestly I didn't know this was an item and I was just recently trying to remember (for my own entry in this issue lol) how much we were allowed to talk about Neopets eating each other in the NT, I guess at least a carp can eat Neopets!
The Secret Lab Scorchio is another good idea, I like how the article ties him in with the Madfish! Wait, his lab has waste runoff?! That must have horrifying effects; is this where Morphing Potions come from...?!
Oh people would be so much happier if there were a complete set of old rotten clothing rofl. Especially if it were wearable! Definitely Halloween costume material (but I'd hate to think of a pet wearing it..?!)
I actually didn't know you could catch the potion/flask from the hole, so this is interesting to me. I like how it situates the potions within the universe by discussing their effects on the economy/social classes; it makes sense that poorer pets would take a chance of getting a dream appearance by using such an item. (And indeed, who puts things in bottles but Balthazar?)
I was fishing for sea plants for my neogarden, until it got filled up. No honestly I forgot you could catch stuff besides the mesmerizing shimmering seagrass because... oh, shiny.
I really enjoyed reading up on all the stuff I've been missing by not fishing every day for years rofl, I feel now like I should get back into it...! I can't say I think about this before going to sleep (although when I was 12 and lived and breathed neopets, I might have haha), but I enjoyed learning more about the fishing hole items and the creative ideas of the items' origins. I really enjoy how many of the backstories are tied in with logical connections to the site events and characters!
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Post by Nut on Feb 22, 2023 9:28:41 GMT -5
Carolyn Thank you so much for the review!! I really appreciate your taking the time to read it, and I'm so happy you enjoyed the story! Yes, pretty much that! I'm really happy it came across to you that she was being her authentic self when she left, and was able to feel more comfortable in the open. The way you describe the comfort of her small pond and familiar faces versus the unknown of the ocean is spot on, I'm so glad that feeling came across to you! Thank you for being happy for her, I'm so glad it came across that she would be safe and happy with her new friend during her journey! That was the idea, yes--I'm happy you picked up on that as a possibility! Noted, however, that I could have emphasized it more. Actually, the conversation between them originally had this line: but I cut it because I felt like it was asking for more expansion on their relationship and I hadn't wanted to focus on that. (Oops, cutting it for literally the reason it should be in, rofl.) Your comment makes me wish I had left it in though, even as a hint to what their relationship was. But yes it was basically meant to imply that they don't have much of a real relationship beyond the greetings and providing a home, thank you for being down with that! Thank you so much again for taking the time to read and comment, I really appreciate your interest and support! You picked right up on the core theme of the story, and I'm so happy you could sense the MC being and finding a way to be comfortable as her authentic self. I'm so grateful you really enjoyed it, thank you so much for reading!
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Post by Carolyn on Feb 22, 2023 17:45:07 GMT -5
Okay, here are reviews on the rest of the NTWFers \o/ If I missed someone and you would like feedback, poke me. Story review: Taking Flight by Carolyn Right away I get a picture of what Mitchell meant to his community and to his wife. He was clearly loved and respected for all he had done for the town, and Wisdom was devoted to him. But of course the townsfolk moved on with their lives, as people must do, leaving Wisdom alone to take over the job her husband left.
(I will say, it's probably due to skirting around NT rules and/or I'm dense, but I had to read the first few paragraphs a few times to understand just what the situation was xD; The first sentence initially made me think Mitchell had left Wisdom in town while he became a lighthouse keeper, although I did get it after his age and monuments were mentioned, but then I had to kind of work out whether Wisdom was in town or had been at the lighthouse all this time xD; Another note: I've just learned what a Fresnel lens is.)
I feel Wisdom's dedication to the task left to her and her loyalty to Mitchell in taking it up from him, as well as the toll it's taking on her to watch the sea day after day even in her aging years. Maybe it makes her feel close to him to keep up the duty they shared, and/or it's all her life's ever been about and she can't leave it, even as it must be achingly lonely.
The words come fast and flurried as the storm beats against the cliff; I can feel the frenetic energy as she spots the flash of red through the window, how cold and hectic it must be outside. I feel Wisdom's urgency as she leaves without a second thought, having watched the seas all these years just for something like this.
I feel the rush of adrenaline and frantic pace as Wisdom rushes out to do her duty, determined above all that the drowning pet Would be saved. Old as she is and not naturally a sea pet, she manages to drag him out of the water against all the protests of her body. (Oh no, she hurt his wing saving him--but it's true, his life comes first. I feel like I've heard some kind of guideline about this regarding CPR..)
There's something reassuring about the picture of the half-drowned Pteri being safely wrapped in blankets, warm and dry while the Lenny falls asleep nearby, no longer alone.
What a relief he made it! Of course she checks on him and looks after him despite how much her body hurts--this is what she lives to do, after all; it must make all her efforts feel worth it. It makes sense she'd have learned some medicine to take care of herself and anyone found in her line of work, though still be an amateur.
I feel sad for Baywing's injury. The part of me that wants everything to work out in stories wants him to fly again, although I know it doesn't always work that way. His rehabilitation process is realistic, and I'm a little consoled that he finds other ways to use his body. Wisdom feels guilt for not having been able to do more for him, but Baywing is fortunate she was there and able to help at all, and I'm sure he knows that.
I'm happy for Wisdom that she's no longer alone, and is able to keep company in silence; the Pteri might not be talkative, but she's okay with that and won't pressure him, so in turn he feels comfortable with her.
I sense the similarity in the storm to the one Baywing was nearly lost in, and know why it would make him uneasy. It tells me he knows exactly how much Wisdom has done for him that he rushes out on his own to do the job she would have, the job she once did for him--it's so poignant how he says "Thank you for everything" before leaving, and you know how much he's risking to repay her.
Baywing fights his own body just as Wisdom once did, and in the relief of their embrace when he makes it back with success, I feel how they've become home to each other and made the lighthouse a home together these last few years. I feel grateful they both found what they needed in the storm, and that Baywing found another way to fly.
And the ending feels like it comes full circle, new generations of lighthouse keepers rising to repay those who came before, the cycle of people saving and looking out for each other starting anew. "Taking Flight" Response: First off, thank you so, so much for the detailed review. It really does mean the world to me. Mitchell passed away from old age (as did the elderly Major Mitchell's Cockatoo named Cookie who he's named after (and the design of the elderly Lenny is based upon)). I wasn't sure how matter-of-fact I could get with his death, so I alluded to it more than said it outright, but the big thing is that even though her husband passed away, she stayed steady and firm, and kept to her duty to protect in need those from harm. There's always some risk when you're helping others in an emergency, and she knew this well (in CPR, you might break someone's rib, but it's better that and keeping them alive than the alternative). Oh my goodness, your detailed play-by-play makes me so happy. The fact that you read it so closely and took the time to tell me just makes my heart sing. Part of the reason I thought to make a character with a permanent injury is because I suffer from chronic pain and it's been a struggle finding other ways to fly, so to speak. So having a character growing and learning and not being held back by their injury--not letting themselves be defined by that--I felt some comfort writing that as well. That and... I wanted both of them to have each other, to have their found family and a bond that brought them together over a love of serving others and being kind. I'm hoping to bring Baywing back at a later point--maybe in combination with my sailor, Dylan? June Scarlet , Salt Water: I really love the reveal at the end--I always found it odd how Earth Faeries ask for "tears of the water faerie." Your explanation sounds a lot nicer--I choose to name it canon. x)
Very fun way to intertwine the theme with an in-game lore explanation!
Rabbit ♠ and RielCZ - The Sea Okay, I love how fantastically nerdy this is. I had to ask a few people to explain the math joke, but once I saw it on paper, I cackled. And the guy next to me at the tutoring center was explaining this very thing to a student and I had to keep from laughing out loud.
Anywho, very enjoyable, love the final panel and the expressions of the characters. Very creative way to tie into the theme~
Alyssa - How tough am I? Oh my gosh, this is a Spongebob reference, right? I read it again and loved it. Like, here are these tough blokes trying to out tough each other and the veggie-eating child surpasses them all. It's really hilarious and everyone is so expressive. It's a true delight. Kengplant - Caroosel This is looking so sharp inked--the level of detail is incredible. I could see this being an official plot comic! The angle of the shipwrecked Ogrin, the wetness of their fur, the fierce gaze. It's all extremely impressive! GrrRocks' personality in particular really shines through.
I know comic series are in a bit of a hard place right now, but I sure hope you can get your series up in good time so that it can be enjoyed by all. sunbathr- Neordle I enjoyed the creativity! Although I myself am unsure how to do these kinds of puzzles, I admire the amount of thought that would go into making the lines jive with one another while also working it in with the theme.
Stephanie - Second Glance I like how the comic panned in closer to the unhurried Kau and led to a really funny, current punchline about Stackpath. Always fun to see animated panels in the Times, and this one made the joke land all the better.
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Post by Nut on Mar 1, 2023 10:54:55 GMT -5
Twillie, I wanted to get to yours earlier but admittedly struggled with how to approach reviewing a continued series, as I don't like to comment out of context, but a long comment on each part would be time-consuming. That's what I ended up doing anyway, but this was the reason for the delay (and if I hadn't gotten to it, that would have been the reason). I'm trying to think of a more doable way to review continued series, but I don't like compromising on any of these things, so currently they are somewhat more difficult to review. Thanks for your patience! Coming to Light - Part 1 by Twillie I love how the opening shot shows the Negg house from above, establishing the location with all the icy caves around it--love how the rock outcroppings form the panel borders flowing into the next scene! The Pteri's expression as they glance backward in memory is so cute, I feel how thick and fluffy their feathers are from the squishy shape of their body.
Love how they spread their wings as a panel transition, with the little pictures in the background mirroring the pose, it really gives me the "boom" feeling of the negg exploding out of nowhere. I get the feeling of the Aisha's more skeptical attitude contrasting with the Pteri's excitement. I like how we take a view of the faerie behind the counter from behind the pets' backs, making it feel like we're really in the store. Hey, I agree it's about the experience, not the money--sometimes we pay to have an experience, after all.
(And hey, if it sells, don't question it. They must need some kind of fertilizer to grow all those neggs, right?) Coming to Light - Part 2 by Twillie Love the expressiveness of the faeries' faces and hand gestures, doing their best to come off as doting on their customers and Zaira jauntily running off through the door in the background. The Happy Negg is a classic all right (having Meerca Chase flashbacks right now).
"You think the Cool Negg's sunglasses are natu--" Look at the Aisha being all cool and making snarky comments as they lean against the counter, the Pteri looking so perky beside them--but then they both deflate as wait for the faeries to come back, I can feel how much time has passed (who hasn't been stuck waiting at a store, wondering what's going on?).
The Pteri looks completely drained from boredom lying on the counter with wings spread out in front of them, but their eyes light up with excitement when the Aisha suggests a magic trick, suddenly re-energized by the suggestion of something new and exciting! ...And then they sit in front of the Aisha waiting so patiently... and then they cock their head questioningly, still intrigued but beginning to doubt... and then finally collapse groaning as the Aisha hasn't moved all this time, the trick proving no better than the faeries!
The Aisha has magic vision! Love the panel transitions again as we follow her through the darkness, the colors on the faeries and the markings on the Neggs look really cool and magical glowing in the dark. Coming to Light - Part 3 by Twillie The Negg looks so magical and mysterious ringed with glowing specks of light as the Aisha stares questioningly at it--love how she blurs out in the background as we focus on the faerie's hands cupping the negg, tinged with its magical light.
Did everything disappear? Love following the Aisha in the magic darkness of this place, the flowy dress seems very different from the trendy way she dresses in the "normal" world. We're still with her as she comes back into the present, the Pteri and Negg Faerie's conversation a murmur in the background while she concentrates, then suddenly pops back to life and surprises them both.
"always seeing weird things" Hmm, she's got a special power, all right. (I see that Pteri perching on the panel border.) Oh, this gives Zaira a chance to go off and running--she gets totally intense as she goes on about the local rumors, waving her hands and finally pressing two fingers to her mouth, going full close-up with the dramatic lighting on her steepled hands. "Paranoid rumors like this don't do any good."--"But they're fun!" Her little happy face haha, of course, totally understandable.
Ohhh! Taelia looking all super cool with the glowing colors and markings standing out on her arms and wings, what a dramatic entrance! The color against the grayscale is reminiscent of the glowing lights on the Aisha's trip through the dark, giving the feel of the magic being brought into the "normal" world. Coming to Light - Part 4 by Twillie Taelia speaks in frozen ice bubbles! Oh dear, are the pets disappointed because now there's another customer ahead of them haha? Ohh, the bright color of the potion draws attention to it too. ...Hmm, the Aisha and Pteri are edging out of the room like they don't want Taelia to notice them, I get the feeling they may have run afoul of her sometime before.
Whoops, she saw them. She doesn't seem upset, but there's definitely some reason they don't want her to know them. The Aisha starts to make an excuse, but the ever-earnest Pteri just immediately drops the answer to her question--love the amusing contrast in their personalities. XD
Huh, Taelia has been away a while if she hasn't noticed they've been living there for five years. "Time slips faster away from me every day," she says with a wistful resignment as she rests her hand on her arm, the markings glowing on them both--is she under some kind of spell? Are the markings keeping her alive, or are they draining her energy?
Ohhh h, very ominous! There's some kind of magic that was recently put on the plains where the Aisha and Pteri live? She delivers her warning, then turns and leaves with a courteous "You take care, now", the icy blue shining under the layers of fluff on her wings. The pets look troubled, but of course the Pteri pipes up with a friendly return to Taelia's farewell. Coming to Light - Part 5 by Twillie The Aisha sidles up to the counter, all slyly asking if Taelia and the Negg Faerie have always been friends as Zaira bustles around carrying a box in the background. I can tell she's fishing for information--hmm, is there some kind of bad blood between Taelia and Fyora? Oh, that's interesting that the Terror Mountain faeries work independently from Faerieland. It makes sense there would be different factions of faeries acting throughout Neopia, and not all would serve the same queen.
Taelia's been here for so long, she's practically part of the mountain--sounds about right, so what could be running her time short now? The Negg Faerie goes back into do-everything-for-the-customer mode, clasping her hands placatingly as she apologizes for not having the Negg. "Maybe you'll get that experience another time"--I like how this calls back to Cherry calling it an experience.
Oh dear, the look on Cherry's face about picking a different one is just too pleased with herself----And she pops out with an explosive burst, her face lit up with delight as she holds out the Negg with a stem like a bomb fuse. I can feel her excitement bursting out of the panel with the dramatic explosion lines, then it transitions into a panel of flat calm as she balances the little negg on her nose, looking at it with such an adorable happy smile.
She looks so thrilled and totally absorbed in it as it wobbles on her nose that I can't help being happy for her. XD I wouldn't take it away from her either, not after she's been waiting so long--hopefully no mishap comes of this...! (Who knows, if things are as serious as Taelia makes it sound, maybe they'll need something like this...?!) Second Glance by Stephanie (swordlilly) Haha, the idea of the stackpath looking like the sky flickering to Neopets in Neopia is very amusing! That would certainly be worrying to see while out on the open water! I love how the last panel is actually animated, so we know exactly what the pets are seeing. XD It's really funny to imagine this actually being incorporated into the Neopets world, haha!
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Post by Azusa on Mar 6, 2023 11:02:31 GMT -5
Here are some reviews that are long overdue because I didn't have access to a laptop and didn't know how to work out the coding on mobile. Taking Flight by Carolyn I really enjoyed your story! Every sentence was packed with vivid descriptions and made the story sail forward quickly yet smoothly. I loved Wisdom and Baywing's passion and how there's always someone who's willing to take up the job voluntarily despite there being no wages and the fact that it purely depends on how altruistic they are/want to be. The optimism is stark in the somewhat perpetual gloomy setting. It's also the perfect example of 'pay it forward'. Incomprehensible Oceanography of Neopia Syllabus by homsareggplant I would love to enrol in this course! Although it's crazy and the professor expects too much from his students, I'd still attend his lessons because when will I be able to partake in such adventurous and illegal activities if I don't seize the opportunity now? Frankly, I wouldn't care if the Super Computer RNG gave me a bad score; I'm only in it for the fun. Overall, a very creative and entertaining article! Enjoyed it immensely! Second Glance by Stephanie (swordlilly) What a clever comic idea to merge Neopet's reality with that of ours! Initially, I thought it was the NT page displaying the comic incorrectly when I saw the occasional flash and refreshed the page. Only after that did I understand the stackpath joke and it certainly made me laugh! Trouble in Paradise: The Sea by Rabbit ♠ and RielCZ This was an amusing way to give meaning to the number 975. I didn't think there were so many ways to do that! The pi sign on the protagonist's head adds a nice touch to the Math joke. (I would have preferred a tattoo of the summation sign, although it makes absolutely no difference, haha!) Also, the whole comic caught me off guard and I actually thought it was issue 975 until the last panel. I don't know if that was your intention but if it was, it certainly worked on me! I sent NMs of my reviews to a few non-NTWF writers/artists on Neo as well. Also sent one to Nut ; did you receive it? If not, I can dig up the review from my phone notepad and post it here if you'd like.
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Post by Twillie on Mar 13, 2023 23:09:37 GMT -5
Nut So sorry for the delayed reply to this! I wish I had a good reason, but I've just had a weird block when it comes to NT reviews lately rip. But I greatly appreciate you reading through my current running series and leaving feedback! :3 I really don't see a "wrong" way in reviewing my stuff as it means a lot whether someone reads all my comics or just a few, and knowing the impact they leave is always valuable to me! Especially considering the time and context there is to read before later entries in the story, I don't expect anyone to always stay 100% caught up on my stuff in order to leave comments haha. I think the format you chose here really helps to tell me how well character and plot details are being portrayed, if there are any elements that could use further emphasis, and where readers may think the story is headed next so I can better plan next steps :3 You were pretty on the money with a lot of your commentary on what was happening, so I'd say you picked up the story pretty well from just this one arc, which is exciting! Ooh, I'm glad you noticed this detail! I was a bit worried if it may have passed by people's notice, but yes, those markings may just be doing something to or for Taelia... You would be correct in the assumption that there's bad blood between Taelia and Fyora! Due to recent circumstances, Zathandria and Cherry have been let in on the Faeries' feud by inadvertently aiding Fyora's side of it, so they're none too eager to run into Taelia for fear that she'll discover what they're doing. Who knows!!! I also read your short story and want to give you a review in return, so I'll work to get that to you tomorrow after work my time! I'd do it now, but it's already late enough that I should try not to lose anymore sleep xD
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