#auran nutcracker

It's March 11th, which means it's Auran's Birthday! So what better way to celebrate than Kirbifying him for a bit? XD

Manny, Auran, and Loraine (January 2025)

I love the snow for doll photos. The hardest part of doll photography is finding good places for your dolls to stand on their own. With snow, I can cheat by sculpting it to hide their stands, and that came in handy for these group shots! Auran and Loraine love a good snowy day, and it only felt right for them to tag along with Manny. I love the way they interact in these shots, they feel really natural together. Always excited to share more of the Equinox brain children. XD

Happy Nutcracker Season! Here's my piece for this year's art challenge, run by the ravishing @artsynoova. Designing ball attire for Auran and Loraine was so much fun. I really ought to put them in these colors more. XD Auran looks surprisingly good in red. These two haven't been to a ball in a while, I think they've forgotten some of their etiquette. ^^''' But that's fine, this is an event surrounded by friends, it's okay to let loose. They're gonna have such a good time dancing with everyone.

You ever just find a video that perfectly captures the vibe of you OCs, and then you go feral over it? Hi that's me right now. So in the context of Wish, At All Costs is not a romantic love song, it's more of like, a familial love song. But in the context of this animatic, it works very well in a romantic context while still feeling a little familial, and I really love that.

You and me both Noova. Here you are:

"It's quite simple really." Auran leaned against the balcony railing. His gaze upon the ballroom floor was solemn, almost like it was a look of...longing. "A nutcracker is not merely a soldier, no. We are guardians, protectors, the ones who keep Equinox safe." He narrowed his eyes. "If I cannot protect those in need, what kind of a nutcracker am I?" 

Loraine paused to think for a moment. It was true, a doll's purpose was to serve, they existed to make the world a better place, but "sometimes the best way to make the world better is just to exist in it," she reasoned. "I mean, look at what I do. I'm made up to look pretty on the stage, what good does that do anyone?"

"Tons of good!" He whipped around and held up his arms, latching onto her shoulders. "Your job is extremely important! You keep the stories of our past alive! Without you, our history would be lost, forgotten, never celebrated!" 

Loraine felt her cheeks tinge ever so rosy. A coy smile made itself present on her lips. "Oh? Am I really that important?"

And 🍁 for Hans and Clara!

Thanks for the ask Noova, I love this one.

🍭  -What are their nicknames for each other?

Y'know, I don't know if they have nicknames so much as pet names. Like, I know they refer to each other as "amor" often, same with "my love", "beloved", and "my guiding light". I think they probably have a habit of being very long winded and cheesy about it. Like in a very silly way, Auran will go "Loraine, love of my life, wind beneath my wings-" before scooping her up and spinning her into his grasp, and she'll be laughing the entire time. They're very cute.

🍁 - How was their first kiss?

Very tender, and a bit sad I think! I haven't solidified exactly how Hand and Clara's story goes, though I know I want to stay mostly faithful to the original. But I know I want to have a moment where Clara and Hans, as a nutcracker, are alone and feeling hopeless. And maybe there's a conversation about how he broke Pirlipat's curse, but she would never love him, and he feels unlovable. And Clara would very promptly lead his face to face her, and tell him no, he's not unlovable, and she's an absolute fool for not seeing just how wonderful he was. And then they would quietly kiss. Hans would feel awkward, he wouldn't expect to feel it, but in that moment, he does feel it through his cursed wooden exterior. And it is one of the most tender gestures he's ever gotten. She loved him regardless of how ugly and useless he was, and in some ways, I think it helped him realize that it was worth putting some love into himself.

🔥 - Who realized they were interested in who first? 

🕸 - What does one do that scares the other? 

Hans and Clara

🌈 - What were their first impressions of each other? 

🕸 - What does one do that scares the other? 

Beth you spoil me, thank you so much! Auran and Loraine: 😒 - Do they get jealous easily?

Y'know, I don't think they've ever been easily jealous, but I do think they've been jealous now and again, namely before they got together. Like, Auran was absolutely jealous when other people were charming and eloquent with Loraine. And Loraine absolutely felt a twinge of jealously when he would write about going to formal events with other women as partners, but she understood that she made her choices and he shouldn't be alone out there. 🔥 - Who realized they were interested in who first?

That's tough! I think, it was probably Loraine who realized it first, but it's Auran who fell for her first and didn't recognize his feelings as a crush. He is, a wee bit clueless about romance sometimes, and I love him. He absolutely needed someone to spell it out for him, most likely it was Manny. XD 🕸 - What does one do that scares the other?

Loraine regularly is jumping off of cliffs and using her dust to keep herself afloat, and Auran takes a LONG time to not panic over that. He's no better though, he scares the crap out of Loraine by running into danger and taking a number of blows to shield others from danger. She is ready to kick his ass every time he does this.

Hans and Clara

🌈 - What were their first impressions of each other? 

She thinks he's a little weird but an endearing dork. He thinks she's an angel and he's died. X'''D Clara doesn't know what to make of this strange little doll man, but when Drosselmyer tells her the story of his nephew, she is holding him and guarding him with her life. He's just a poor little ugly guy that tried to do the right thing and got screwed for it, how can she not love him? Hans is more confused when he meets her, since as far as he's concerned, he's been dead and asleep since he got cursed. He is so grateful to be held and protected, but he's also quick to defend her, even though she's massive compared to his doll scale self.

🕸 - What does one do that scares the other? 

Clara probably scares Hans by sneaking up on him when they're younger. She spooks him a lot with surprise hugs, but eventually they find some balance about it. Hans scares Clara when he doesn't take care of himself, which is more than he cares to admit. She doesn't like it when he overworks himself and doesn't accept help.