The Flight of the Dragonfly

“Lady Anisoptera, you are one of the more upstanding citizens of the current Spiral, how would you describe-“

“Oh, you can call me Anise, titles are terribly tedious business. Or Lady Dragonfly if you absolutely must, it has a nicer ring to it.”

“I did notice that people referred to you as such when I was inquiring how to gain an audience with you. An intriguing nickname.”

“I think they just like to add a little mystique to me, makes amazingly amusing rumors even more scandalous, I guess. Not that there’s any truth to them. I have absolutely nothing to do with the Prototypes and I have met the Spark only once at a dinner party.”

“But it is however true that you hold a substantial amount of the Spiral’s wealth and influence in your very young hands and that none of it was inherited, correct?”

“Oh, you journalists, always exaggerating. I might know some people and own some property here and there, but it’s hardly substantial.”

“Nevertheless-“

“Nevertheless you should come and join the next party we’re holding, meet some people, see the situation from a larger perspective. You do know that there’s a club underground right beneath the Station, correct? They have delightful shindigs there several times a week. You should go. Much more interesting than having tea with me. Thank you so much for visiting! Remember: club underground, the Station. Good bye.”

There really is a club underneath the train station in A Clockwork Spiral: Club Gothika’s Mobile Unit functions according their regular schedule, make sure to tune in to the stream when visiting the event area and if you’re in luck timewise: go enjoy the diesel underground! The corset and skirt by :{MV}:, boots and collar by lassitude & ennui and the dragonfly and ladybug jewelry by Bliensen + MaiTai are all available in the Spiral. Same goes for Anise’s surroundings, which is a mix of Spiral furniture from 22769 ~ [bauwerk], Roawenwood and Spyralle.

Scene: House: Scarlet Creative – Neva Captain’s House | Wall Sconce: Spyralle – “Inspiration” Manhattan* | Table, Stool & Plant (first picture): Roawenwood – The Brigadier’s Table Set* | The Rest of the Furniture: 22769 ~ [bauwerk] – Grammophon, Around the World in One Day Rug, The Vintage Chesterfield, A Clockwork Side Table, Spine Light, Steam Powered Pouf*

Body: Skin: Pink Fuel – Doll v2 <Crystal> Pure blkbrow w eyeshadow soft black & thin gloss pink | Hair: Exile – Dream of Paradise | Eyes: IKON – Hope Eyes Leonine | Hands: Slink

Outfit: Corset & Skirt: :{MV}: – Libertine Corset & Skirt Copper | Boots: lassitude & ennui – Selene Boots black/brown* | Stockings: League – Ella Stockings Light Brown | Collar: lassitude & ennui – Wayfinder Choker Gold* | Jewelry: Bliensen + MaiTai – Aeropleustic Ladybug Earrings, Luminiferous Dragonfly Necklace, Ring, Hairpin*

Poses:  !bang – Carefree 1 | Part of the couch. | N/A

Not an Aloe Vera

“Yes, I know they’re beautiful. Yes, I know they invite you for a closer look. Yes, I know the movement is hypnotizing. Regardless: approach at your own risk.”

“I don’t know how much help we’ve already lost trying to tend to them. Look, they are perfectly fine on their own, they don’t need tending!”

“Just leave them be in the darkness with a few candles, possibly some thematic music on the background, a skull or two, some Lovecraft for literature and they’ll be fine.”

“Not all things beautiful can be tamed, and you should look twice where you aim the hedge cutters.”

“For the last time: the thing growing on the pedestal is not an aloe vera.”

The ad text “Not an Aloe Vera” in the Cthulhu Urns from *~by Nacht amused me so much that the whole story developed around it. What can I say, I’m easily amused. The majority of the shinies are of course from World Goth Fair. You can find the furniture from *~by Nacht and liner and lipstick by Beautiful Freak in Sium, the outfit by :{MV}:, jewelry by House of Rain, tattoo by Fallen Gods Inc. and eyes from ~*By Snow*~ from Cursed. The hair by Damselfly and the boots by Sax Shepherd Designs can be acquired from Port Seraphine.

Furniture: *~by Nacht – Cozy Chtulhu Chair Black, Cthulhu Urn, WGF Salon Tentacular Lamp, WGF Salon Chesterfield, WGF Salon Table, WGF Salon Wingback Chair* | Rugs: ~Libertine~ Green brocade rugs*

Body: Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: ~*By Snow*~ Midnight Eyes II Indigo* | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Liner: Beautiful Freak – Demonia Eyeliner Black* | Lipstick: Beautiful Freak – Heavy Metal Violet* | Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Widow Full 20%* | Hair: Damselfly – Octotavia* 

Outfit: Dress, Gloves, Collar: :{MV}: – Prussian* | Boots: Sax Shepherd Designs – Lolita Boots Calavera WDP* | Jewelry: House of Rain – All Depths of Despair – WGF violet*

Poses: N/A | Part of furniture x2 | Kirin – Florence Pose 5

Code for Club

There’s this club, you see. A really shiny one. Shiny, but dark. Just the way I like it. I want to get in, but it’s early. Way too early. So what I did was called my friend who has certain… experience in adjusting robot protocols and gave him the bouncer’s code.

The bad news is that the bouncers are damn well coded. It took at least quarter of a unit before the ‘apologies citizen you are not authorized in this area please revolve and advance in another direction‘ litanies ceased.

But after that it was all smooth flying! My friend even snuck in a few codes for dancing! Not particularly bendy dancer, but very firm grip.

Psst, while I keep him distracted, all of you can come in and party any time you like!

The best part of this all is of course that the club is real and it’s really a club! Club Gothika’s Mobile Unit in Futurewave is fully functional, operational and such things and you can find their schedule when you scroll to the bottom of this post. Today (Monday) there’s both the builder and the organizer of the whole glowing glory playing for you one after the other!

Monday 2/17 :  8-10pm SLT – Lokii Violet (Monday Night Spiral)
Monday 2/17: 10-midnight SLT – Bronxelf (The Monday Night Dark and Sticky)

The bouncer might not be present, but who knows, he could! He is actually one of Chip Midnight’s droids for sale in the event. Nicole Twigvald of Smileyorc graciously agreed to transform into one for the purposes of pictures, post and entertainment. The sneaky club visitor is wearing mostly :{MV}: (dress and boots), GALLACTIC (body suit pants pretending to be tights), Pin Me Down (eyes and makeup), Beautiful Freak (lipstick & nails), Chaos, Panic and Disorder (ear pieces and bracelets), .:ellabella:. (chest piercing) and Pink Fuel (skin), all available in Futurewave. The hair by Analog Dog is available in Collabor88.

Scene: Club Gothika’s Mobile Unit – Futurewave

Bouncer: CMFF – ManDroid Security Enforcer*

Body: Skin: Pink Fuel – Sora Alabaster Light Smoke* | Eyes: Pin Me Down – Era Eyes 16* | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Makeup: Pin Me Down – One 18* | Lipstick: Beautiful Freak – Banded Metal Lipstick Royal* | Hands: Slink | Nails: Beautiful Freak – Binary Nails* | Hair: Analog Dog – Gliese Splash & Ocean Hair Base Root

Outfit: Dress: :{MV}: Chemicals and Circuitry Dress Nos* | Boots: :{MV}: IlliadCorp Boots Nos | Tights: GALLACTIC – Sheer Circuit White (body suit)* | Bracelets: :*:CPD:*: – Ceti Bracelets* | Chest Piercings: .:ellabella:. Nebula Blue | Earpieces: :*:CPD:*: Rigellia Blacklight Earpieces*

Poses: Exposeur – Back to Black 3M | c( Two Cats ) – Miqo’te 2 & DARE – Martial Artsy | N/A, dancing

Krampus the Yule Yak

It’s almost time. All the signs are there: the shifting colours to very specific spectrum of reds and greens, the emergence of lights in the middle of the darkness, the mistletoe and holly and all other words ending in -olly.

We’ll leave the reindeers to more commercial types and instead set out with yaks. Nobody expects the yak acquisition! Acquisition and re-delivery, that’s the name of the game. The Great Yak Company: bringing smiles and laughter around the world since the… era that you’ve never heard of but is surely there. Yes.

Little Krampus here is a perfect candidate, ready for hours of work to find things that were lost and to bring them to people who miss them. Sometimes it’s the same people, sometimes different. We don’t mind, we’re creative about the whole distribution. It’s not about who throws money around the most, it’s about how to make the most people smile in the end.

So when you have a moment to sit down in all the commercial stress and rush, listen to the clip-clop of tiny yak hooves and prepare to enjoy the spirit of Gothmas: accept yourself with all your misgivings, accept the people around you with all of theirs, take a deep breath and simply smile.

Most of the look can be found in Gothmas by Gaslight: the dress by :{MV}:, the earrings by House of Rain, the eyeshadow by Beautiful Freak and the liner by Pin Me Down are available in Cursed. The ribbony Batty necklace by lassitude & ennui is available in Sium. The delightful stripes in the hair are from the new Winter HUD by Alice Project, colouring your favourite hairdos to new tones. The yule antlers by Cerridwen’s Cauldron are available in the current round of We Love Role-play. The skin by Al Vulo is from The Dressing Room: Fusion, the house by Scarlet Creative from Collabor88, the eyes by Adoness from her Christmas Market and the rocking chair by Atelier Visconti and the yak by +Half-Deer+ from The Garden. The dresser by DIGS, the crown by Schadenfreude and the tree and wreath by Trompe Loeil can be won at The Arcade.

Scene: House: Scarlet Creative – Trilby | Chair: Atelier Visconti – Mont Blanc Rocking Chair | Krampus: +Half-Deer+ Winter Yak Black | Dresser: DIGS – Geary Dresser Moon RARE | Crown: Schadenfreude – Storybook Royalty: Crown of Skulls | Tree: Trompe Loeil – Star Tree | Wreath: Trompe Loeil – Branch Wreath 

Body: Skin: Al Vulo – Mimi Dk dark brow cleavage milk | Eyes: Adoness – Lignum Eyes Weed* | Eyeshadow: Beautiful Freak – Lua Eyeshadow Blood Red* | Liner: Pin Me Down – Julie Eyeliner 8 | Lashes: Redgrave – Luscious | Hair: Alice Project – Bella II* | Horns: Cerridwen’s Cauldron – Yule Antlers*

Outfit: Dress: :{MV}: Translate Dress Crimson* | Shoes: Has Been – Betsy Bow Pumps | Stockings: ~Cannibelle~ Gothic Lace Suspender Tights | Necklace: lassitude & ennui – Batty Necklace Black* | Earrings: House of Rain – Melt Earrings Garnet/Silver* 

Poses: N/A | Kirin – Nina Pose 4 | Part of the chair.

 

 

Little Helper

I know it’s not yet December, that’s the whole point. Did you really think we bother checking on people then? Everyone expects us around that time. The point is to keep an eye on people around the year, not just for one month.

So, I hope you have tried your best to get to the right list this year. I assure you that the difference between rum bottles and pink oversized sweaters is very clear. The Little Helper Division always follows the rules. We know that if we don’t, there’ll be brown quilting in our future.

For your sake we better have very clear documents and proof on your general level of naughtiness. If we don’t you better hurry, dress in black and indulge in some gothic debaucheries right this moment. We have house appliances in storage if you don’t.

We don’t even have to check our list twice, because we happen to be sufficiently efficient the first time. You just watch out, because Sandy Claws is coming to town and Gothmas is just around the corner!

Gothmas by Gaslight is indeed just around the corner, opening December 15th. Blogger applications are still open if you are so inclined. (Black -is- a festive colour.) The boots and the corset are both by :{MV}: – boots available in Shoetopia and the corset in Genre. The hair and nails by Adoness can be purchased in The Thrift Shop. The feather pauldrons by Zibska are from The Men’s Department. The lipstick by Beautiful Freak is an extremely early teaser for Gothmas by Gaslight and not available yet.

Scene: Studio Skye – Enchanted Tree Tunnel

Body: Skin: Jalwa – Jezebel Vamp Black Brow* | Eyes: Adoness – Bestia Eyes Werewolf* | Liner&Shadow: Beautiful Freak – Obake Makeup Black* | Lipstick: Beautiful Freak – Bad Candy Blood Red Lower* | Hair & Shaved Hairbase: Adoness – Andromeda Scarlet* | Hands: Slink – Avatar Enhancement Hands Elegant | Blender (makes hands black): Orc Inc – Blender Coal* | Nails: Adoness – Slink Enhancement Fingernails Queen Cathrine*

Outfit: Top: GALLACTIC – Element Solid Black* | Pants: GALLACTIC – Earthfall Grey* | Corset: :{MV}: – Dominion Corset Vitae | Boots: :{MV}: – Derezzed Boots Vitae | Shoulder Feathers: Zibska – Keallach Pauldrons* | Collar: SAKIDE – Attitude Collar Red* | Earring: Zibska – Tess*

Poses: !bang – Mini Series – Overcome 2 | HopScotch – Short Tempered 4 | aDORKable Poses – Love Gun II GroundSit2

Nuts in the Boom Room

“It’s your fault!” A high-pitched squirrel shriek wavered in the wind.

“How could I know humans disguise explosives as delicious nuts!” Exclaimed another voice.

“It said they were explosives! It even had a picture of a boom!” Third voice joined in.

“It was dark! …and …and I can’t read! I’m a squirrel!”

“SO ARE WE ALL!” The chorus sounded furious, if screechy small voices could be such.

“She’ll ground you for life once we… you know… hit the ground!”

“No more flying ships and adventures for you-uu!” The chittering sound managed to convey a very strong nyah-nyah tone.

“No more nuts either! Explosive or otherwise!”

“Serves you right, too!”

“Oh for Tesla’s sake: boys, just shut up for a moment.” The human voice sounded more amused than angry, although it attempted to stay stern. “We’re all alive. We’ll land somewhere, get a new ship, I’ll lock up the boom room and no one gets grounded. Although someone might have to be in the coffee delivery duty a few months extra.”

“But for now we’ll fly until we find a good landing spot. In the meanwhile: here, have a nut. A real one.”

The steampunk squirrels and human-sized goggles by Ohmai, boots by Beetlebones and the propeller by *MishMish* are available in Collabor88. The hair by Wasabi Pills is from FaMESHed and the dress by :{MV}: can be purchased in the current round of Genre that is open only few more days, so hurry!

Body: Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: Poetic Colors – Classic Frozen Silver Bright | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Lipgloss: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics – Clear Lipgloss | Hair: Wasabi Pills – Rene Mesh Hair Night Shadow | Hands: Slink – Avatar Enhancement Hands Casual

Outfit: Dress: :{MV}: – Gearhouse Corsetry Steampunk | Boots: Beetlebones – Fowler Laced-Up Boots Mud | Stockings: League – Ella Stockings Light Brown-Black Garter | Necklace: KOSH – Rapture Necklace | Armlet: KOSH – Rapture Upperarm Bracelet | Ring: KOSH – Auna Ring | Goggles: !Ohmai – Steampunk Squirrel Goggles Human Ver | Propeller: *MishMish* Propeller Copper

Squirrels: !Ohmai – Steampunk Squirrels

Miss Crinoline’s Concern

“Miss Crinoline, do you feel it is safe within A Clockwork Spiral?”

“Of course it is safe! We might have an occasional unsavory increase in population for being the county’s only port in the skies — you know, airship crews and such — but that does not mean we could not upkeep the standards of a perfectly respectable little community.”

“So you would feel perfectly safe to walk the streets at night?”

“Are you implying I would walk the streets at night? I have half a mind to forget I am a lady and give you a few choice words right about now. Besides, why would I want to walk the streets at night anyway? The shops are not even open! …they are? Hm.”

“Back to the airship crews, Miss Crinoline: they do not break the peace of A Clockwork Spiral at all?”

“Naturally there is some more… noise involved, but they are not stupid, only rowdy. We are in the sky, their ship is docked and there is nowhere to run unless they fancy growing wings. Although I must say that the late afternoon walks can get terribly troublesome with all the… unwashed ruggedness everywhere. Most distracting. Disturbing! Most disturbing.”

“What is your opinion on the planned party on September 20th?”

“I had my reservations at first since it will surely be brimming with all kind of scoundrely sorts that come out when the sun sets, but then the Daguerreotype Daily declared it as the social event of the season and I always trust their word. It is apparently the Place To Be, especially if one wishes to be Seen.”

A Clockwork Spiral is open: you can read more about it here and catch the airship to the event here. The outfit by :{MV}:, parasol by Squeek!, choker by Chaos, Panic & Disorder and the purse by Bliensen + MaiTai are all from there. The hairdo by D!va can be won in the Arcade.

Scene: A Clockwork Spiral

Body: Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: Poetic Colors – Classic Frozen Silver Bright | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Makeup: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics – Hearts Desire Makeover Daytime | Hair: D!va – Hair Giz Type B Onyx | Hands: Slink – Mesh Hands (av) Elegant1

Outfit: Dress: :{MV}: – Victoria Top & Skirt Vitae* | Purse: Bliensen + MaiTai – Diesel Purse Bordeaux* | Parasol: Squeek! – Red Lacey Parasol* | Choker: Chaos, Panic, & Disorder – A Clockwork Spiral Choker* 

Starlet and the Space Trade

It is more than slightly alarming to be approached by tiny green men in a flying saucer in the middle of the shooting of your latest pre-historical film. What do they want? Where’s the security? Surely they’re not a part of the plot, the ancient records state there was no hover-technology yet at the time!

Ohh, they are fans wanting a picture and an autograph! Very well, guess it’s alright this once, although the security is still getting fired afterwards, these perfectly historically accurate looks are expensive, cannot let just any-being fly in on the set.

They are definitely forgiven since they brought a present: a special breed of space hedgehogs, mutated into ice cream. Now the question is whether to keep it around as a pet or to eat it… Thank you, tiny green fan, perhaps we could come to an agreement about more ice cream animals for more pictures?

The aliens by *MishMish* flew in from The Garden, the buildings by L2 Studio can be found from The Gallery Gift Shop, the seat by Digs/Di’s Opera and the ice cream hedgehog can be purchased in the Atelier Kreslo’s Festival and the dress by :{MV}: is from the current round of Genre. The character-defining hairdo is a new release by Zibska.

Scene: Buildings: L2 Studio – Kowloon Memory | Seat with Poses: Digs/Di’s Opera – Read & Rest Seat Pearl | UFO & Alien Fan: *MishMish* – UFO & It’s Aliens Holding Photo | Hedgehog Ice Cream: Atelier Kreslo Festival: anc’s Bubble gum

Body: Skin: Pink Fuel – Harley Opaline Lid 03 dkbrow B | Eyes: Pin Me Down – Aniara* | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Eye Stripe: +Nuuna+ – Azen makeup Aqua | Lipstick: Zibska – Anya Nine* | Lip Stripe: Pin Me Down – Lip Markings 6* | Hairdo: Zibska – Bibi Black* | Hands: Slink – Mesh Hands (av) Elegant | Nails: Pin Me Down – Neons*

Outfit: Dress: :{MV}: Dragon Lady Teal | Tights: GALLACTIC – Sheer Circuit Cyan* | Boots: GALLACTIC – Circuit Knee Boots Cyan* | Jewelry: MetaTheodora – Rainbow Format Bracelets & Earrings* 

Poses: Part of the seat by Digs/Di’s Opera.

Goth Bunnies

They come in many sizes and shapes. Sometimes even without any visible ears or tail. They have white skin (or fur), gothic coloured hair and clothes and a penchant to clap their hands at vampires, instead of running away like more sensible rabbits would.

Who’s to say that bunnies cannot have tiny fangs as well? Or at least a preference for colours that are not pastels? Maybe there’s a secret bunny underground, opposing the damnable association to pink? Begone already, abomination unto the gods of colour!

One must remember though that no matter what colours a bunny wears or style she prefers, they cannot escape their true nature. You can cover them in black and blood-red, give them bad-ass weapons and observe them trying to fang-hiss while wiggling their noses, it’s no use: the cute is always there.

You cannot blame them, though. There are two defences a bunny can have: run fast or be too cute to kill. Have you ever tried to run in high heels or a gala dress? Did not think so.

Most of the things in the post are from World Goth Fair: The swing from *~by Nacht, the bunnies by Crushed Violets and the tiny gothic outfit by Tiny Bit Radikal can be found in Port Seraphine. The Isabella dress by :{MV}:, Khalida skin by +Nuuna+, Pluto eyes by .{Rue}. and the Burn jewelry by House of Rain are available in Cursed. The bunny ears by Adore & Abhor can be purchased in the We Love Role-play Event.

Scene: Forest: Studio Skye – Enchanted Woods | Tree: Garden of Dreams – Relic Tree* | Swing: *~by Nacht – Arch for swing (vine)* | Bunnies on the ground: Crushed Violets –  Rabbits from the Attic

Body: Skin: +Nuuna+  Khalida Skin 6 (Goth) cl. | Lipstick: +Nuuna+ Red lips | Eyes: .{Rue}. Eyes/Pluto: Empress* | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Exile – Fire To The Rain Naturals | Bunny Ears: Adore & Abhor – Bunny Ears White*

Outfit: Dress: :{MV}: Isabella Dress Vitae* | Jewelry: House of Rain – Burn Choker & Rings Ruby*

Tiny: Bunny: WynxWorks – Tiny White Bunny | Outfit & Hair: Tiny Bit Radikal – Gothic Gala Dress

Poses: Studio Sidhe – The Siddean FootFetish 2 & 9 | No pose for the tiny.

Medusa’s Waltz

This is one of those combinations that just happened. I’ve had HANDverk’s Medusa hair for a while now, but hadn’t found just the right things to go with it. When I tried on Zibska’s Ouida collar, something simply clicked.

This particular Medusa became a modern one, slithering about in a Take This Waltz gown of slinkiness by :{MV}:, available in Gothmas by Gaslight. Her hunting grounds are obviously a jungle bar by Garden of Dreams:  plentiful prey, excellent drinks and convenient comfort.  The skin is one of Glam Affair’s gacha ones from The Arcade.

Now to figure out how to engage in conversation without making the dinner freeze… perhaps investing in a mask would be a good idea?

Scene: Garden of Dreams – Jungle Bar*

Body: Skin: Glam Affair – Renee Dreary Soul 03 RAV | Eyes: Poetic Colors – Cat Eyes Black Preview | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: HANDverk – Medusa Hair blue/black eyes 

Outfit: Dress: :{MV}: Take This Waltz Gown Teal* | Collar: Zibska – Ouida Collar*

Poses: aDORKable Poses – 6 of 25 2012 | Olive Juice – Sassy 3 (Curvy)