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JohnSu — Hon no Mushi

Published: 2012-10-01 06:50:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 105636; Favourites: 6647; Downloads: 1565
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Description Aya Lepismatidae will literally die of boredom if she fails to engage herself in stories regularly. This is because she is a Bookworm - a creature who live on tales instead of food. Luckily for her, she's in no danger of running out of reading material. For as long as she could remember, she's lived in a great expansive Library with no windows and no doors, and only the small indigenous iflits for company. Were it not for the inexhaustible supply of books, she probably would have turned into mold long ago.

  Bookworms have 4 arms, 2 legs, and a pair of antennae. The first pair of hands are used for holding the book and turning pages, while the second pair are used for either supporting the head, picking the nose, or feeding tea to the main body (drinks are a luxury, not a necessity. Here she is drinking Mystery Tea, brewed from the pages of a bad mystery novel she didn't care to finish). One might at first think "Hey, I can do all those things with just two hands," but one does not realize that turning pages for a Bookworm is a full time job, and how much work is involved in cleaning out their nasty nasty noses (they easily congest with plot twists).
  The antennae are used for "self-insertion" into books - a strange activity that allows the Bookworm to visit the world of the story they are reading. Aya looks for weak spots in the page's Fourth Wall and then bores into it with her antennae, after which she is able to channel herself into the world beyond the page. What does she do there? I don't know. But considering that she is an abomination and her primary drive in life is to be amused, she's probably up to no good .
  The legs are normal legs. Used for locomotion, just like a human's. They are very very pale, because there is no sun where she lives, but aside from that there's nothing special about them.

  The iflits are fiery little creatures. Normally the presence of fire-people in a Library full of flammable materials would be a concern, but iflits are pretty weak as flames go and for the most part try to conserve energy by not burning everything they touch. Their diet consists primarily of lipids and fats (Candelians do not like iflits. Not at all ) and fiber. When Aya is done brewing tea, she will often feed the used pages to her iflits. As for candles, there is a gross cave somewhere in the Library where waxes come out of the walls and can be harvested for candles. It is a disgusting cave. Who put that there? Probably me.
  Aya and the iflits do not talk very much. Aya is more accustomed to absorbing knowledge than sharing it, so conversation does not come to her naturally. Also, iflits can't talk. However, they seem fairly intelligent and willing to cooperate, so Aya is able to form a sort of symbiotic relationship with them where she opens books and harvests easily consumable pages for them, as well as making candles for them from "the Booger Cave." In return, the iflits heat her tea, provide her with reading light, and keep the Library from freezing over. Well, they would have done those last two anyways, since light and heat are just part of their metabolism.

---

HOLY MOLEY those couple of paragraphs took me forever to write. I finished drawing this picture three days ago, and then spent all weekend coming up with ideas and writing them down and then being disappointed with how messy and unorganized it was, and I was just taking it way too seriously. In the end I said to myself "Okay, it's already Sunday night. Let's just try to keep this simple and not go into detail about where the books come from and how she produces bookmarks and uses them. We'll talk about her legs." And there you have it.

Did I actually spend more time on the description than the picture? The answer frightens me.

Anyhow, hopefully this is not the last we see of Aya, since she was created for the sole purpose of being reusable and I actually want her to stick around for longer than all my other one shot characters.

My work has a distinct lack of representatives.

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Comments: 693

Micawber5371 [2019-04-15 20:42:03 +0000 UTC]

Can you do another one of her?
This character is fascinating. 

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CatSlendy12 [2018-03-28 00:28:19 +0000 UTC]

more

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Odarkmageo [2017-12-23 14:04:52 +0000 UTC]

bishoujo + glasses good job 

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TiaSah [2017-12-19 15:40:15 +0000 UTC]

nicee

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Leonna-Kanine [2017-12-08 08:14:05 +0000 UTC]

Ohmygooooooosh, you have no idea how cute this is to me!!! TToTT I know this is probably an old artwork for you, but I just happened to stumble upon it & I absolutely adore it. I'm so glad you took the time to explain your character & bring her to life with words along with the art itself. I'm not gonna get over this, this is hands down one of my favorite character designs/descriptions I've come across in a long time. I'm gonna keep snooping through your art, but I hope we see this one again!

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Snafubared [2017-02-24 20:08:29 +0000 UTC]

More Aya, please...

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FR9nz08 [2016-05-13 18:20:11 +0000 UTC]

Knowledge!!!

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HeadphoneDragon [2016-02-01 23:06:07 +0000 UTC]

yo cool  

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CaliPona [2015-12-14 23:20:51 +0000 UTC]

Fantastic, I like it.

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Greed03114 [2015-05-30 03:44:47 +0000 UTC]

I like the story in the description.

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Vifdor [2015-01-14 22:17:10 +0000 UTC]

So poetic !!

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Lyerix [2014-12-15 00:54:38 +0000 UTC]

This makes me wanna make a bookworm for my own .-.

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TheSsssFactor [2014-06-16 23:15:06 +0000 UTC]

Hi, John! I've only recently come to know about your art, and I must express my great admiration for your work. Your settings and characters are simply enchanting, and your style is amazing! The concept of Aya here is very interesting to me; I love the idea of an endlessly vast magical library with only one person to explore it. It's a couple of years late now, but if you decided somehow that you'd like to do more art of her, I'd be very glad to see it! Happy arting, and have a nice day! 

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JohnSu In reply to TheSsssFactor [2014-06-26 03:11:37 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! I still have the intention of using Aya again, though...no concrete plans I'm satisfied with yet.

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Dandare-Rastaban [2014-05-10 23:37:39 +0000 UTC]

Uhm.. okay...


I'll pretend I did not see anything ^_^;

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chibi-kyo-chan17 [2014-02-13 23:19:32 +0000 UTC]

nice backstory, really like your art style

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RedWinterwolf [2013-12-23 23:10:18 +0000 UTC]

Oh god, I only just saw this....sofreakingadorablegwah.

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GearHearted [2013-12-01 01:23:39 +0000 UTC]

This was made in adobe Flash??? I can't believe you're able to get this incredibly detailed with vector and I've been working with Flash for years.

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NListening [2013-08-31 02:03:19 +0000 UTC]

That Gulliver Group in the corner...

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genericfandom [2013-07-09 18:13:31 +0000 UTC]

This is an amazing concept. I love it!

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Duwee-DavisII [2013-06-26 22:36:51 +0000 UTC]

This is a totally cool concept... more insect youkai need to exist as OCs, heh heh heh.

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Ego-Kronos [2013-06-25 13:56:35 +0000 UTC]

You've probably gotten aLOT of feedback saying "you should make a manga out of this or something". But even then I honestly wanna say I truly wish you did and it would not matter how long it took, the quality of the art. The thing is that you are one of the most magnificent artists/story tellers I have ever seen (and that's coming from a weeaboo book worm ) but the point is that you really could do so much more, even if you make yourself out to be as some lazy crappy artist.

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JohnSu In reply to Ego-Kronos [2013-07-01 06:24:05 +0000 UTC]

aww, thanks bro!

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DarkwingDork1 [2013-06-23 19:04:31 +0000 UTC]

Very cool character concept and story.

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Smeapancol [2013-06-21 03:42:54 +0000 UTC]

More!

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mathkor89 [2013-05-15 20:07:44 +0000 UTC]

thankfully life is made easier for the book worm with e ink readers, now she has a free arm to do with it what she will, probably try and read from 2 e-ink readers

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MGartist [2013-04-30 03:25:55 +0000 UTC]

I thought I recognized your display name! I remember seeing this pic months ago, before I got a da account.
I really like it!

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JohnSu In reply to MGartist [2013-05-01 04:04:20 +0000 UTC]

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commode7x [2013-04-14 11:40:52 +0000 UTC]

Great. Now, I can't stop thinking about how she makes bookmarks and uses them.

I imagine that they're used as a weapon when she goes into stories. They turn into an epic sword of sorts, but I doubt that they're very useful, being made of paper and all.

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LindaFox [2013-03-26 02:22:23 +0000 UTC]

I was looking for this for a while. It still is amazing and I totally love the concept.

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TheAnonymousPen [2013-03-24 20:36:36 +0000 UTC]

I really love your creative style and your descriptions always bring new life to the picture! I especially love the iflit here, and was delighted to discover that it wasn't just a flame as I had thought at first glance.

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QanMeansBlood [2013-03-24 13:15:55 +0000 UTC]

Haha, tell me about it. Writing a story based on an intricate universe that nicely situated itself in one single picture... can prove to be difficult. You did a great job though.

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Minkymy [2013-03-23 16:38:29 +0000 UTC]

I wish I had four hands.

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Brixmon [2013-03-16 07:48:15 +0000 UTC]

AWW, that's so cuuuuute!
...I don't care how many masculinity points I lost just now.

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Rosella-of-Daventry [2013-03-01 01:50:47 +0000 UTC]

I looooove her.

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raiha19 [2013-02-18 06:28:49 +0000 UTC]

Normally I don't like antennae, or extra limbs, or anything to do with bugs, but Aya's adorable! Great job making not only making a bug cute, but make me wanna be one too!

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Phenoca [2013-01-28 23:11:34 +0000 UTC]

The ... Lol.

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shaduf [2013-01-27 08:15:13 +0000 UTC]

I want her awesome antennae. The fun I would have messing about in books~!

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Leoyun [2013-01-24 14:24:00 +0000 UTC]

I'm suppose to be called a book worm (looks at limbs) *gasp* I should mutate them! And grow myself antennas!
Love the good work and how cut the situation is, and the info was very interesting!

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EvaRusso [2013-01-07 07:37:13 +0000 UTC]

I really love this. your style is great and I'll watch you if you don't mind.
I somehow look like her (I mean I am not so pretty and I miss a set of hands but...) especially for the fact I'd love to be buried in a library...
Anyway, I love this work very much!

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JohnSu In reply to EvaRusso [2013-01-10 07:47:00 +0000 UTC]

thanks!

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EvaRusso In reply to JohnSu [2013-01-10 08:39:09 +0000 UTC]

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tenko72 [2012-12-23 13:09:20 +0000 UTC]

Great scene and I like the designs of them both.

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BMOCAT [2012-12-18 05:26:59 +0000 UTC]

i just realized the flame was a little person :3

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DarylChin [2012-12-07 13:12:29 +0000 UTC]

Hmm, according to the description, she lives in the Library pretty much all her life. I'm really interested to know how she get her eyes checked and fix herself a pair of glasses.

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JohnSu In reply to DarylChin [2012-12-10 04:17:30 +0000 UTC]

She never checks her eyes, and uh, really hopes she doesn't break her glasses.

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DarylChin In reply to JohnSu [2012-12-12 03:43:54 +0000 UTC]

*rub rub*
Me: Hmmm... they are smoooooth...

*rub rub rub*

Aya: Let go.

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JohnSu In reply to DarylChin [2012-12-14 23:28:16 +0000 UTC]

H-her eyes, or glasses?

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DarylChin In reply to JohnSu [2012-12-15 10:11:25 +0000 UTC]

The legs

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OrdonCrane [2012-12-04 17:04:16 +0000 UTC]

[link]

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