LIVE BEYOND / tattoo time

[bubblegum]

DEAR FRIEND as you know,  your flowers are withering
your mother's gone insane, your leaves have drifted away.
but the clouds are clearing up
and i've come reveling, burning incandescently,
like a bastard on the burning sea.

YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER,
BURIED DEEP UNDER THE WATER.

Aside from her new cousins being born, things had been mostly quiet for the tigress since she'd moved from her hut back to the captain's quarters. The air, despite being a bit more humid, a bit more dusty, felt fresher in a sense. The scents were calming and welcoming, warm to the female. It cleared her head, the noise dying down, and allowing her to begin to get some real work done, along with focus on things she may have pushed to the side after the loss of her wife. She was thinking - thinking of when she was a child. Goldie would run around gladly, speaking to all she saw, making conversation to all that would allow it, and learning as much as she could, and that made her happy. In its own right, learning new things was just as productive as doing something like planning, hunting, or training. And it was just as important, too, to build relationships with the folks around her. And she's decided, that maybe she should use this revelation and turn back the tide in a sense. Things had become complicated in adulthood, skewed with wars and hurt, but things had been peaceful among the groups since the great battle against the Pitt, and she didn't see it changing just yet. The captain figures, maybe for a little while, it would be fine to focus her mind back into a more carefree attitude.

And thus lead the path down learning the art of tattoos. How exactly did it work on an animal? Her roleplayer didn't know, and didn't really care. It just works. Just trust him on this one. The female had already had experience with traditional art, taking on painting and sketching when she was younger as a hobby. She hasn't done it properly in some time, but that was alright. She wasn't looking to do something very detailed or skilled looking, just something that she liked, and all she had to do to accomplish that was sketch out some ideas. And so that's exactly what she'd do, trying out several different designs, using washable ink to practice on her paws to get a feel for how it'd actually work when she moved onto the final stage. Eventually, she lands upon a design she likes enough to finalize. She decides upon a stipple style of shading, and thick linework to make the simple shapes pop out. It overall wasn't very meaningful - it had thought behind it, but it wasn't connected to any personal idea or story. That's how she wanted it, though, so that was perfectly fine, and it's not like anyone was gonna tell her no. She wasn't asking for anyone's opinion.

The captain would practice a few more times, wash off her paw, and then take a mirror to work on the real thing. The good thing about working with a stipple was that it gave her room for error so long as she was careful. And finally, she would be left with the new marking on her chest. A cat skull, wearing a crown, sitting upon a small pile of leaves and flowers, four bolts of lightning framing its corners. She'd let it sit for a little while, working on other things inside her room to let it settle, before walking out onto the docks, then the beach, to show off her new tattoo, and of course, do things like walk around the archipelago.

[FINNEGAN F.M.R.]

WATERFALLS COMING

OUT YOUR MOUTH,

WHAT THE HELL

ARE WE DOING NOW?

draconic feline . minnow . he/they

There was still quite a few things in this world that Finnegan had yet to understand. Tattoos were one of those things, as he had yet to see anyone with such elaborate markings, more so than any natural fur pattern, on their body. He was always interested in learning new things and this was definitely no different.

Sitting on the beach as he often found himself doing, the son of Diya and Roxanne was watching a pair of seagulls squabble over a crab corpse, fighting over who would get the right to claim the poor thing as its meal. There was a whole flock of them standing around the two main contenders, as if they were waiting for one of them to slip up so that they might have a chance to swoop in and take the winnings for themselves. While seagulls were certainly a nuisance, Finn found them quite entertaining, especially during spectacles like this. Only when the captain of the Typhoon, Goldie herself passed by did his violet orbs tear themselves away from the noisy birds, focusing instead on the tigress. “Hi, Goldie.” He would call to the captain, tail waving in greeting. “What’s that on your chest? That’s not apart of your fur, is it?” The draconic feline didn’t remember seeing that there the other day. What was it?

[Grimm]

[align=center][div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11.5px; width: 310px; text-align: justify; line-height:120%"]Decoration without meaning. Gentle strokes imbued with silent words. A singular coin bearing opposing faces, within same breath a true proven and falsehood made. In a basic sense, knowledge retained from passing conversations staged where they were no expected part, they knew of such. The temptation had not been present, however, enough that which adorned in pale speckling, broken a field once even only be time.

Accustomed had they grown to wandering that was baseless, lacked direction and thus to whim were they allowed to succumb, nought but that left in wake to determine their progression. Mere process of growing accustomed, in mind crafted map with each step, filled a scape ravaged until there was nothing left. Wrong felt such lacklustre explanation, poor excuse tied to tongue rarely used. Walking is all they wished and so it was done.

Interruption imminent during such peaceful solitude, a linger notion, quiet and baseless until reality drew it forth, momentum drawing to a halt for brief moment. Head tilted in show of curiosity — or may it have been confusion, light against a dark field as they pondered origin and reasoning — along landscape vision traversing. Gentle the curl that adorned dark lips when familiar child grew evident, mottled little thing a sight pleasant, though other they may not speak of in similar fashion. Once may she have been known, reverence when name was uttered by any lacking more informal introduction, too longer their separation from society as a whole, however.

"It is excellent work. Did you do it yourself?" Light the comment Harland voiced with their approach, tense grown their smile though unwavering as to the golden hued tigress did they fix their vision once observed the supposedly new addition.

[Alexandre]

How gorgeous. The feline trotted up with his ears perked and eyes zeroing in on the tattoo upon his aunt's chest. His gaze traced the cat skull and it's jagged lightning bolts, questioning the meaning behind it or if it was more of an 'aesthetic.' Nonetheless, he was interested. Whatever the addition was, it spoke volumes. Not only that, but the tattoo was a stylistic choice that allowed Goldenluxury to show off her style. Alexandre, despite being young, wanted one. He didn't quite know it involved stabbing yourself multiple times with permanent dyes yet, but that didn't change the fact that he was fascinated.

He wanders closer, cowering behind Harland's larger figure and observing from afar. The child contemplates his involvement momentarily. Ultimately, Alexandre decides to pipe up after his brother's comment. "It's nice," he comments. Seeing that his brother already asked what it was, the androgynous male decided to skip on repeating the question. "Can I get one?" His paw hesitantly gestured towards his own chest. He figured that was the only viable spot, seeing that's where Goldenluxury had applied hers.

BLOOD AND GORE IS ALL I GET FOR BEING YOURS

YOU WANNA BE MINE ?

© LEXASPERATED

[Seakit Roux.]

IF MY LIFE IS GOING

TO MEAN ANYTHING,

I HAVE TO LIVE IT

MYSELF.

tiguar . young . he/him
demigod of the deep

Oftentimes it seemed that if you spotted the great leader of the typhoon, her eldest son wouldn't be far behind. Large paws left impressions on the sand as the tiguar approached, a smile on his face. Things in recent months had been hellish butm it seemed things were getting better. His heart still ached and he still missed those he lost but, joy was returning to the beta's mind.

As he approached his mother, interest brightened in his eyes as he looked over her tattoo. He would approach closer than the others, getting a good look at the tattoo. He gently headbutted his mother's shoulder before taking a big step back, nodding at her. "It looks really nice, Momma!" he comments, a swift nodd causing the green leaves that went down his neck to rustle. His mind echoed Alexandre's question, though he would wait too voice such a thing. Maybe he could ask her for one later. 

[bubblegum]

DEAR FRIEND as you know,  your flowers are withering
your mother's gone insane, your leaves have drifted away.
but the clouds are clearing up
and i've come reveling, burning incandescently,
like a bastard on the burning sea.

YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER,
BURIED DEEP UNDER THE WATER.

The first to approach would be Finnegan, one of the newest additions to her ever growing family. Her gaze turns to him as he waves in hello, happy to see him getting out and about, even if watching noisy seagulls was not the most efficient or even fun usage of time. She had been bracing for questions from about everybody she'd wind up passing, aside from Keona of course, who wouldn't be able to spot such a difference. She shakes her head gently at his question of whether it was part of her fur or not. "Oi, Finn. Is' called a tattoo! You take some permanent ink n' poke yourself for a while n' you've got yourself a new marking." She explains briefly, trying to keep it simple so it was easy enough to understand. "You prolly shouldn' do it yourself, though, I just did 'cause I wanted to." She was the boss, nobody could tell her no. She figures it was probably best to give a warning to the boy so not to plant any ideas about stabbing himself with permanent dye.

Afterwards a feline she'd met maybe once, or twice, at most, before approaches. She offers a nod to him. "Thank you, n' yea, I did!" she confirms his assumption of her doing it. Goldie wasn't known to not do something herself if she could. She liked to take things in her own paws and make sure they're done right, and so not to inconvenience anybody else.

The female's ears twitch as another young cousin approaches, looking to the male as he spoke up with his own comments and questions. She blinks at him asking for one for himself, thinking on it for a moment. He was certainly too small right now to get anything permanent, and Roxie likely wouldn't be too happy if she just handed out tattoos to her children willy-nilly. "Maybe, but you better ask your mama first," the tigress would answer Alex with a soft tone, offering the boy a playful wink. He definitely was too young to receive a yes, but it didn't hurt to have him thinking about getting one. After all, if it was something he really wanted, he'd have to plan out how he wanted it to look. Even if the ideas might change over time naturally as he grew.

The female always carried a warm smile whenever one of her sons made way, and that was often, considering Seapaw's intent in keeping close with her and his siblings. Goldie would offer a bump in return to the boy's headbutt, chuckling. "Thanks, hon." She responded with another nod, flashing a grin to him. The attention is kind of nice - not in the sense she feels a need for it, but the fact others presented an interest in the tattoo at all. She thinks it would be a nice artform for her crewmates to get interested in, and she knows Ry and Michael had already had their own done. She thinks she'd like doing it again, seeing her crewmates all decorated.

[Seakit Roux.]

IF MY LIFE IS GOING

TO MEAN ANYTHING,

I HAVE TO LIVE IT

MYSELF.

tiguar . young . he/him
demigod of the deep

Seeing the smile on his mother's face made the beta's heart warm, glad the see her with her head held high. He'd seen her at her lowest, he was sure of it, and he was so glad too see her at a high. Tapping down the emotions, just for a bit, he gave a cheeky grin. Head leaning too the side, he looked from his mother to his cousin, and then back too her. "You told Alex he outta ask his mama for one, but do I gotta ask my Momma?" he asked in a teasing tone, squinting his eyes and sticking his tongue out.

THe idea of a tattoo enticed him, though he wasn't sure what he would get or where he would put it. Perhaps somewhere similar too his mother's? But what of? The idea of waves entered his mind, followed by an antlered canine that had left an impression on him.

[Alexandre]

A sad sigh left Alexandre. He had to ask momma about it? How stupid. The child didn't know it was for his own good, but he still felt a tinge of disappointment nonetheless. "Okay..." he mused silently. Roxanne and Diya probably wouldn't agree, but he'd try his best to get one eventually. For now though, it was apparent that he'd have to wait. Perhaps it was better for him to experiment with accessories during the time being, so he merely shrugged in response to Goldenluxury's wink. His cousin would have to teach him about their jewelry sometime soon too.

Orange orbs moved towards his colorful tiguar cousin. They were much older than him, but he felt entitled to the same treatment, especially from a leader! Why did he have to ask his mother when Goldenluxury was their captain? "Yeaaaah," Alexandre suddenly drawled. "Why do I gotta ask my momma when you're our Captain, Golden?" His paw reached out in an attempt to poke at her chest playfully. Unlike Seapaw though, he was serious. Alexandre would get a tattoo one way or another eventually.

BLOOD AND GORE IS ALL I GET FOR BEING YOURS

YOU WANNA BE MINE ?

© LEXASPERATED

[ROSEMARY]

[align=center]

THERE’S VACANCY IN EVERY NIGHTMARE

“The tattoo is lovely,” Rosemary said. She stood on the edges of the crowd, one ear twitching. All the children were terribly loud and the colors from their voices overwhelmed her visual field. Rosemary rubbed a paw on the side of her face, but dropped the paw when the motion failed to soothe the budding migraine.

“You should avoid direct sunlight and swimming for a month, while it heals,” Rosemary added. Her forked tail flicks, and one pair of eyes stays on the tattoo while another looks to Goldie. “Swimming with a fresh tattoo is asking for an infection. And excessive sunlight during the healing process is likely to cause loss of pigmentation.”

Then the healer looked at the kids. Oh, so many Roux children… she identified them individually based on their soul’s colors, and who their parents were by their species. Sometimes, she nearly convinced herself one child belonged to a different relative’s litter! It was all quite a lot to keep track of, mentally, and she hoped someone had a book to recordkeep the lineage.

“It’s not a decision to be made lightly. It’s a painful procedure and quite permanent,” she said. Unfortunately, she knew kids didn’t often respond well to being told no, but they deserved some actual information about the process. “You lot should wait until you’re fully grown, anyway. Tattoos are on the skin, so, naturally, they morph with the skin. Finn and Alexandre, you two in particular have a lot of growing left. You don’t want to get a cool tattoo, only for it to look icky later, right?”

[sub][W]isker[/sub]

[trojan g.]

[align=center][div style="bgcolor= black; width: 45%; font-family: times new roman;font-size:13px;text-align:justify;text-indent: 30px;"]If torsten had to choose one thing to get a tattoo of, he'd pick a turtle. It was no secret, and would likely come as no surprise to those around him, but one day, he had decided, he would get turtles of everything. Jewelry, a pet, books, rocks, you name it, he wanted it, so when he found out about tattoos by proxy of his cousin and the small gathering that was happening, he wanted one of those too. "I don't want it to look icky," The small boy would chime in as he heard the conversation Rosemary was having with two of his other siblings. "It's gotta look nice, so turtles can see it and know I like them." He hadn't shared the information with others on what his tattoo would be, but they'd figure it out.

Looking over towards the one Goldie now adorned on her chest, the male would squint his eyes slightly before nodding his head, acting as though he knew what he was doing and approving of the tattoo. His sloppy drawings of turtles with crayons and sometimes other things made him a professional in the art of, well, art, and he knew it. "I like it." He would state matter-of-factly at last, sitting down and looking around for a moment before drifting off with his own thoughts.