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Inspired idea for a thread! (And incidentally, one that I've already done! I got to I. The Fool and then gave up drawing. XP)

But anyway.

0. The Fool - Mange Ara

The Fool is descibed as being on a journey, but still being naiev and not knowing exactly what lies ahead. Distraction tugs at his mind as he travels, etc, etc.

Mange is the main character of Red Dog, which starts out as a fish-out-of-water story as he's abducted by aliens. He's an average guy in extraordinary circumstances, and often distracted by things that probably shouldn't matter to him (like shiny fast spaceships and alien chicks).

I. The Magician - Fubuki

He embodies the lesson of “as above, so below.” The lesson that mastery in one realm may bring mastery in another. He also warns of the danger of applying lessons from one realm to another.

Which is what Fubuki does for Shigure, teaching him the way of the world in a round-about way.

II. The High Priestess - Moose

Yes, I know he's a boy.

On a more mundane level, the High Priestess is a figure who has passed through most of life. She started as a novice when a child. Now She has grown and governs the convent which is Spiritual Reality. She knows God. She knows what we go through because She has been through it Herself.

Moose struggles through life and love in his story, and commits suicide. The story is narrated by him, post-humous (I almost wrote 'post-humus' there XD). He started knowing nothing, and now he knows everything.

vIII. The Empress - Baku

* Mothering ----- Fertility ----- Sexuality ----- Abundance

* Material prosperity ----- Pleasure ----- Comfort ----- Power

* Nature ----- Delight ----- Desire ----- Physical attraction

* Health ----- Sensuality ----- Beauty ----- Satisfaction

All of which Baku represents - he's a male courteasan who, in an all-male isolated society, plays off his homosexuality and feminine looks for fun and profit. He acts as something as a guiding figure for Onering, as well as, of course, being the absolute epitome of everything sexual. The power he has comes from this.

IV. The Emperor - (naturally) Onering

* Fathering ----- Stability ----- Authority ----- Power

* Control ----- Discipline ----- Command ----- Common sense

* Status quo ----- Order ----- Structure ----- Egocentrism

* Tradition ----- Rigidity ----- Leadership ----- Experience

* Inflexibility ----- Conservative ways ----- Organization

Onering is Baku's partner, and makes up for what Baku lacks in masculinity, leadership, common-sense and warrior spirit. He's a very experienced warrior and very wise, although he does like to be in control. In fact, the only person he lets push him around is Baku. Because Baku's just so... overwhelmingly sexual. o___o

V. The Heirophant - Gerard

* Education, knowledge, status quo, institution
* Conservatism, discipline, maturity, formality
* Social convention, belief system, group identification
* Conformity, experience, moral values, tradition
* Collectivity, orthodoxy, obedience to the rules

The writer of The Red Matineé really is like this. He believes what should be, should be (and he should be a god!). You might think going around killing people isn't status quo, but in his case, he believed he had been wronged and was punishing them for it.

VI. The Lovers - Yvon & Minnie

The ultimate love. Minnie/Mineko/Minette/Ming/whatever dies in one life, and is reincarnated again only if Yvon ('Fei Lian'), her immortal dragon lover, manages to make her fall in love with him in that life. Their love spans over several centuries, and every time she dies he starts a new life, finding her soul wherever it's been tossed on the globe.

VII. The Chariot - Meeces

* Conquest ----- Honor ----- Victory ----- Energy

* Egocentrism ----- Self confidence ----- Conviction ----- Anxiety

* Willpower ----- Self assertion ----- Hard control ----- Discipline

* Inflexibility ----- Success ----- Wealth ----- Recognition

* Impulsivity ----- Command ----- Bravery ----- Pride

This intelligent feliss friend of Jimmy and object of obsession for Azrael has all of these qualities. As her top song on my playlist for the story goes, "she's a rebel, she's a saint; she's the salt of the earth and she's dangerous". She's got big dreams for the city, and Azrael (who is devoted to her, despite her not returning his affections) falls over himself to please her.

Also she drives a hot pink flame decorated Ute (I've forgotten what you Americans call them... uh... trailbacks? Pick-ups? Um...), the biggest vehicle in the story (Azrael rides a motorbike with a sidecar).

VIII. Justice - Shigure

* Impartiality ----- Distance ----- Coldness ----- Justice

* Objective mind----- Criticism ----- Being clever ----- Insensitivity

* Decision ----- Intellect ----- Analysis ----- Realism ----- Severity

* Responsibility ----- Rationality ----- Clear vision ----- Logic and reason

No kidding.

He certainly thinks he's the embodiment of justice, basically conquering the spiritual world to bring about his warped vision of equality (where all foxes are equal... but some are more equal than others. Namely him). All the same, most of the time, he's all of these things, to the point where it can become almost painful. Especially when you're the one stuck to the wall with a blade through your back for your stupidity.

Or gutted, in Shin's case...

IX. The Hermit - Ike

* Introspection ----- Silence ----- Guidance ----- Reflection

* Solitude ----- Looking inward ----- Reclusion ----- Being quiet

* Inner search ----- Deep understanding ----- Isolation

* Distance ----- Retreat ----- Philosophical attitude

Distant cousin of Shigure and one of his henchmen, the angsty Ike is incredibly quiet but incredibly skilled. He's very much an introvert, and while this is a strength to him in some respects (like keeping his head in a fight with the psychotically idiotic Shin) it also means he gets incredibly hurt by the words of others. Shigure disfigures his face for life with a well-aimed sword-blow, leaving him without a left eye, and when their coup falls apart, Ike finds himself banished with no friends, no family, and a death threat if he ever tries to return home. The angst almost kills him (literally; depression can kill kitsune) but it's only Yogan who pulls him out of this...

X. Wheel of Fortune - the element of The Family in any of my stories

* Turning point; Opportunities; Possibilities

* Destiny; Fate; Superior Forces; Movement

* Development; Activity; Surprises; Expansion

* Sudden Events; Speed; New Developments; Life Cycles

Specifically the second line. If you're in one of my stories, PRAY that you aren't part of a big family. They will spell your doom. No exceptions.

From massive corporate families to families who organise incestuous breeding programs amongst their children, these are a really screwed up lot. You'll probably be thrown out, sent out for your own good, or end up being massively screwed in the head. You will not be a normal person if you stay. Prime examples: Shigure, Shinneri, Jeno, Baku.

XI. Strength - Yogan

Ahahah, it's the seme.
(Ike disagrees with me on this fact, but I'm sticking with it. >=D)

* Self control ----- Being solid ------- Patience --------- Compassion

* Composure -------- Stability --------- Perseverance ----- Moderation

* Kindness --------- Gentleness -------- Slowness --------- Softness

* Serenity --------- Comprehension ----- Discipline ------- Inner strength

Yogan is Shigure's other henchman, a well-muscled fire kitsune who's just as quiet as Ike but with half the arrogance and twice the strength. As Ike's lover later in the story, he's kind and gentle, and takes very good care of the injured kitsune even before that, forcing his family (as Yogan is the 'prince' of the Biko) to make an exception to their rules and give aid to Ike.

XII. The Hanged Man/The Traitor - Ainu

Though not an actual traitor at all...

* Sacrifice ----- Letting go ----- Surrendering ----- Passivity

* Suspension ----- Acceptance ----- Renunciation ----- Patience

* New point of view ----- Contemplation ----- Inner harmony

* Conformism ----- Nonaction ----- Waiting ----- Giving up

Ainu is a 'small blue alien' and best friend of Mange Ara. He's thirty years old, though he looks like an eleven-year-old human (but, y'know, with blue hair and gills). He's a corort - this race of aliens (the males, at least; the females are mindless gelatinous mating machines) are explained as totally submissive to everything, accepting anything that comes their way. In fact, they were perfectly passive when the adris, a technologically advanced race with a religion based around making as much money as possible through any means, drilled into their home planet for its rich mineral seams. And made it implode. A few males escaped after having gotten jobs of ships, but all the females were wiped out.

XIII. Death - Azrael

* Ending of a cycle ----- Loss ----- Conclusion ----- Sadness

* Transition into a new state ----- Psychological transformation

* Finishing up ----- Regeneration ----- Elimination of old patterns

* Being caught in the inescapable ----- Good-byes ----- Deep change

This truly insane young man drove himself into madness with a very harmful drug. However, where this really comes in is that Azrael is arrested eventually for the shooting of a large number of government officials (on the same occasion, no less) and the ruled 'cure' for his insanity is... a lobotomy.

XIV. Temperance - Jimmy

* Temperance ----- Harmony ----- Balance ----- Health

* Moderation ----- Joining forces ----- Well-being ----- Recovery

* Equilibrium ----- Transcendence ----- Unification ------ Healing

* Synthesis ----- Bringing together opposites ---- Feeling secure

Jimmy is a run-away teenager eventually taken in by Meeces and Azrael. They both care for him, and his arrival turns the former strained partnership into something of a family as he acts as a child, taking lessons from both.

XV. The Devil - Sphinx

* Materialism ----- Ignorance ----- Stagnation ----- Self bondage

* Lust ----- Egoism ----- Obsession ----- Anxiety ----- Anger

* Ganance ----- Hedonism ----- Passion ----- Animal instincts

* Sexuality ------ Temptation ----- Lack of faith ----- Vice

* Futility ----- Physical attraction ----- Pessimism ----- mistakes

Oh man. Let me go through this one by one.
First line - all things that are contributing for his gloomy, self-isolating behaviour in the future!Sphinx time.
Second line - all things that contribute to the many, many murders he commits
Third line - see above. Also, what the hell is ganance? I can't find it in any of the dictionaries I have.
Fourth line - again, contribute to the murders. One could even venture the possiblity that murder is a substitue to sex (which he has convinced himself, he'll never get any)
Fifth line - it's this self-persuasion that really makes him a nasty person to be around. He's DOOOOMED, I tell you! Four suicide attempts a fortnight is not optimistic, at the very least.

XVI. The Tower - the trapdoor

Okay, not a character, but still a major prop.

* Chaos ----- Sudden change ----- Impact ----- Hard times

* Crisis ----- Revelation ----- Disruption ----- Realizing the truth

* Disillusion ----- Crash ----- Burst ----- Uncomfortable experience

* Downfall ----- Ruin ----- Ego blow ----- Explosive transformation

The trapdoor is built into the floor of the belfry that Sphinx calls home. He made it himself. It's triggered by stomping on a particular floorboard, and anything sitting on it will plunge down roughly five storeys to the hard, bone-crushing flagstones below. Crunch, or in some cases, splat. Only one person has survived such a crushing blow, and that was Monty-Grey Michael, who managed to climb back up the steps from the body-pit that the bottom floor had become by then to see Sphinx topple over the parapit onto the street below.

People sent down here include Penny Rose and many, many feliss. The bodies at the bottom are eventually devoured by Sphinx or burned by Marie. Hard times, indeed...

Marie herself was thrown off the tower before Sphinx committed suicide for the second time. By him. She didn't die, but Sphinx did (though he's not one to stay dead for long).

XVII. The Star - Penny Rose

* Calmness ----- Free-flowing love ----- Trust
* Tranquility ----- Peace of mind ----- Pure essence
* Hope ----- Serenity ----- Inspiration ----- Generosity
* Thinking positive ----- Joy ----- Faith ----- Regeneration
* Good will ----- Optimism ----- Harmony ----- Renewal of forces

A feliss music student whom both Gerard and then, later, Sphinx were infatuated with. She did inspire his music, as well as thoughts he hated (being far older than her as well as a different species). Nothing ever became of this infatuation, though Penny was held hostage by Sphinx in a negotiation with Monty over his precious Red Matineé. While Monty was away fetching it, Sphinx dropped her down the trapdoor anyway. At the time, however, she had been disguised (as a chorus girl in the play, she had a veil over her face as part of her costume) and Sphinx only realised who she was as she fell, too late to save her. He was so furious and stricken with grief that he dropped Monty as well, and then threw Marie off the building.

XVIII. The Moon - Kokoro

* Lack of clarity ----- Tension ----- Doubt ----- Fantasy

* Deception ----- Psychological conflict ----- Obscured vision

* Confusion ----- Illusion ----- Fear ----- Imagination ----- Worry

* Romanticism ----- Anxiety ----- Apprehension ----- Unrealistic ideas

Shigure's lover, Kokoro is another family-victim. The head of her family, whom she used to view as a brother, decided that Shigure was definately going to become a problem for the families heirachal rule, and used his possession ability to take over Kokoro's mind and use her as a weapon to try to kill Shigure. She doesn't resist, either; you see, when she's possessed, she can feel all of her possessor's fears, thoughts, wants and loves, and is so overcome by their sheer number that she wants to help to clear his mind as well as save her lover.

Shigure also has the problem that the woman he loves wants to kill him. For one who swears the secret to battle is a silent and emotionless mental state, this doesn't help him one bit.

XIX. The Sun - Zombie

* Optimism --> Expansion --> Being radiant --> Good feelings

* Enlightenment --> Vitality --> Innocence --> Non-criticism

* Assurance --> Energy --> Personal power --> Happiness

* Splendor --> Brilliance --> Joy --> Enthusiasm

Having only come to life in this year, Zombie is enthralled by the world around him. He's too thick to see a bad side, too simple to worry and too happy to mind. Possibly, he's the perfect being. But... who really cares? He's in total contentment just as he is, watching Ghostbusters and filling his empty head with good music.

The only time he's troubled is when people put electricity through him. He does become very good at playing the guitar then, although it puts him through contorting spasms of pain...

XX. Judgement - Susan

* Judgment ----- Rebirth ----- Inner Calling ----- Absolution

* Restart ----- Accepting past mistakes/actions ----- Release

* Forgiveness ----- End of repression ----- Reconciliation ----- Renewal

* Decision ----- Salvation ----- New beginning ----- Hope ----- Redemption

Susan is the little-mentioned main character of Foxglove. She's a cynical, sensible girl who befriends Akiru, and claims that the only reason she stays sane through everything that happens is that she's just. so. cynical. All the magical creatures in the story find this oddly comforting - as long as they can prove their existance to her, she'll treat them like normal. She'll listen to their problems, and she'll believe them. More than that, she'll help them sort them out. They know they can depend on her, and she's even given a major role in sorting out Shigure's screwed-up plot to take over the world - being such a cynic, she doesn't believe his illusions when they get too far over the ******** line, and they just disappear.

XXI. The World - Akiru

* Fulfillment
* Accomplishment / Success
* Integration
* Involvement
* Prospering
* Satisfaction / Repleteness
* Contentment / Good feelings
* Wholeness

Akiru is the glue that holds Foxglove together. He's absolutely the sweetest, shyest little fox ever to live. Even Shigure cares about him, and that's a real miracle. And in return, Akiru cares back. Hannah once said to Ike that kitsune seem to have a lot more love than normal people - they're just not very good at using it, seeming to heap it onto only one person, or themselves. When asked about Akiru, she admitted that he was a special case: he loves everyone. Without him, there would be no reason for any of the characters to put up with each other. He really is 'the World' to them. [/soppy plotline]


...o_________o

Long post. Looking at the Minor Arcana later. I have enough characters, after all! X3

Actually... I need to talk to the person I've commissioned for doing this idea for me. I have a whole list typed up somewhere, but it's currently a tad outdated and I should seriously update it. Also, I only remember a couple of characters and what they corresponded to, and I'm too lazy to go look them all up again when I'm on a different computer. So. xp

I'll end my lurking later and post the list then.

Minor Arcana Part One (Told you I would!)

Wands
Ace - creativity, excitement, adventure, courage, personal power

Akai, the super-ego side of the Biko twins. He's a rock star, but embodies everything positive about fame - self fulfilled, he acts as a half-way man for charities, making people feel better about themselves, reaching out to those mentally hurt. A good guy, in other words, with no id to distract him.

Two - personal power, being bold, originality

Monty-Gray Michael is this card, Gerard Damián's main rival in the art of music composition. Despite the fierce attacks of Sphinx, Monty manages to survive every attempt on his life, and goes on to create some of the most famous and popular musicals of his time. And bold? Well, he adapted Sphinx's opera to a musical, and risked his life for it... that's pretty bold.

Three - exploring the unknown, having foresight, demonstrating leadership

Kaze, princess of the Kuko clan. She's a bit obsessive in love, but still a strong leader and adventurous personality.

Four - celebrating, seeking freedom, feeling excited

Issei Tokiko is Shinneri's much-abused father, an amazingly sweet person at heart, and was a major player in bringing down the old, tyrannical Tokiko Clan leader. He's now free and seeking a new life with his old love, Shiro.

Five - disagreeing, experiencing competition, experiencing hassles

Kuraikaiu Kako is the clan leader of the Kakos, a level-headed and capable fox with every capacity to be the perfect leader for the lowest caste of kitsune. However, he has his own problem - it's named Shigure and it loathes him, going to the point of overthrowing him and bringing the entire caste system to its knees in a matter of days. Kuraikaiu took over again after Shigure was dethroned, and fixed everything up again...

Six - triumphing, receiving acclaim, feeling pride

Eebil is the bratty bass-player for Zombie Pop Rocks. He's painfully stubborn and selfish, but all the same without him, they wouldn't be where they are 'today'. And he LOVES basking in the fame...

Seven - being aggressive, being defiant, showing conviction

Robin Robinson is a unionist in Azrael's story, who is shot accidentally by the police on his way to prison after attempting to shoot one of the leaders of their state. He sticks with his story to the very end, and is heralded as a hero from then on by the Westhaven quarter.

Eight - taking quick action, coming to a conclusion, receiving news

Rodney Bloss is Moose's best friend, who, after discovering that his old friend is bisexual, reacts agressively and gets hit by a car becase he wasn't paying attention to the road at the time. He spends the rest of the story in hospital.

Nine - defending yourself, persevering, showing stamina

Angie, feminist fembot of Red Dog. She persevers through love, short circuits and two horny idiots for at least twenty episodes.

Ten - overextending, feeling burdened, struggling

Newton Archibald Bishop is the head secretary for the JPAC and suffers through many, many complications (mainly financial) which nobody else seems to care for. He meets his end after being pushed into an oven by Sphinx and Marie von Helson.

Page - Be Creative, Be Enthusiastic, Be Confident, Be Courageous

Jouon is Issei's brother. He's a cocaine addict and generally horrid man, BUT he encourages Shinneri to do all of these things, and the young fox lives a much better life for it. Jouon sacrifices his own freedom, happiness and safety for his nephew, and so has earned his place as the Page of Wands.

Knight - Charming/Superficial, Self-confident/Cocky, Daring/Foolhardy, Adventurous/Restless, Passionate/Hot Tempered

The Jekyll/Hyde from my folio piece deserves this place for possibly obvious reasons.

Queen - Attractive, Wholehearted, Energetic, Cheerful, Self-Assured

Throughout his story, Moose is besotted with one goth girl, Sarah. She's the Queen of Wands - she embodies all of these traits, and that's why he loves her and why it hits him so hard when she moves away. ...poor Moose.

King - Creative, Inspiring, Forceful, Charismatic, Bold

Tobias is an acrobat with Monty-Gray Michael's troupe, and Elizabeth's lover. Elizabeth is Gerard's first victim, and that hits Tobias really hard (uh, durr) but he still acts as a positive force for the whole story. He's a good guy at heart, and will help anyone who needs it, but still stays with his views of the world through thick and thin.