#(compared to the regular in-game art)

[ajdrawshq]

oct2path has become real.........

[stygian-flora]

I think he should have been slightly more scary looking... Riot Games hear me out-

[aeriona]

hello chat, i have provided Fish Lore for this fine evening

Salmonids are a kind of fish in the Mollusc Era, and they differ radically from inkfish both physiologically and culturally. For example, they have an entirely different gender system, compared to the average cephalopod's nonexistent one!

Most Salmonid cultures have two primary genders, which for now I've dubbed as "Silver" and "Red". All salmon are born Silver, with the males turning into Reds (and only for the breeding season, after which they will become Silvers again). Females stay Silver for their whole lives.

The males' regular fluctuation in colour is reflected in how they are referred to, with distinct sets of pronouns and honourifics for the two colours they may be. This differs from inkfish in the sense that they typically don't have gendered language at all in their languages.

Using this logic on the in-game models, it becomes clear that almost all boss salmonid classes are Silvers, with exceptions being the Maws*, Flyfish and Fish Stick operators (the latter are too young to have their breeding colours).

The only other difference between the sexes is an egg pouch in females, the opening of which connects to the underside of the jaw inside the mouth. They use this to carry Golden Eggs.

Upon a Boss Salmonid’s death, the eggs are usually forcefully ejected from the mouth, an adaptation to prevent suffocation of the eggs from within the mother’s body. This is why golden eggs seem to "burst" from the bodies of Boss Salmonids when they are killed.

*Since Maws are male and do not have throat pouches, they keep their golden eggs inside bags and/or satchels. Flyfish and Fish Stick drivers store their eggs in the machinery they operate as they are far too small to carry them themselves. 

oh, and here's a little bonus for making it this far:

smallfry. the dubious creature. they're about the size of a small dog.

And finally, here's an older post where i also talk about Salmonid Lore (warning, disgusting moldy old art)

[anim-ttrpgs]

Re-Introducing the A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club & FAQ

Alright, so, we have this discord server called the A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. A discord server, run by the A.N.I.M. Team, for reading, analyzing, and playing TTRPGs. It’s free to join, and at the time of writing this it has a community of nearly 200 members.

Also at the time of writing this, for a limited time, you can get a FREE PDF of the July 11th update of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy just by joining the A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club! This is a huge upgrade over the free May 10th version!

Here’s how the book club operates:

Nominations. Members nominate RPGs they wanna play.

Voting. After we finish the current RPG, we vote on what the next one will be. You can vote for as many nominations as you want, and nominations with the most votes wins.

Reading. We encourage you to buy the winning game to support the developers, but if you can’t for any reason, we will find a way to get you a PDF. A rough deadline is set that will allow everyone to read the rulebook at a rate of about 10 pages a day, though reading faster or slower is okay.

Playing. We assign GMs on a volunteer basis, and players are assigned to groups with GMs based on schedule compatibility. Each group plays the same adventure module, so each group will have commonalities in their adventure that they can talk about and compare their experiences with, even with different GMs, players, and characters.

Repeat. Voting begins anew with the nominations that we have accumulated in the mean time.

A.N.I.M.’s current Patreon goal is also tied to the Book Club. If y’all can raise our Patreon income to $310/month, that will allow us to set aside manpower to carve out and organize a small additional space within the ANIM TTRPG Book Club server for other games which do not fit the nomination criteria for the main book club! At the time of writing this, it sits at $259/$310. Signing up to the patreon grants you access to monthly rulebook updates as we continue to finish the game, adventure modules, short fiction, and our patreon discord server.

Below is a bit of an FAQ as an attempt to quell any concerns or hesitations

“The Book Club games probably don’t fit with my schedule.”

They might! Because we assign multiple different groups based on schedule compatibility, the book club games are actually very very schedule-flexible! You might be surprised!

And if they still don’t, even just reading the rulebook and joining in on discussions is a valuable form of participation!

“I’m afraid to play with strangers.”

They won’t exactly be strangers if you hang out around them in the book club long enough! Yes we do get what you mean, but there’s nothing to worry about. The A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club is a safe community, and we have rules and, more importantly, procedures designed to make playing with relative strangers as smooth an experience as it can be!

“What if I don’t like the RPG that wins the vote?”

While we encourage you to step a little out of your comfort zone, participation in any given round of the book club is not mandatory, there’s no punishment for sitting out! It’s cool to just hang around in the discord server and discuss virtually anything if you want to.

Elegantly designed and thoroughly playtested, Eureka represents the culmination of three years of near-daily work from our team, as well as a lot of our own money. If you’re just now reading this and learning about Eureka for the first time, you missed the crowdfunding window unfortunately, but our Kickstarter page is still the best place to learn more about what Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy actually is, as that is where we have all the fancy art assets, the animated trailer, links to video reviews by podcasts and youtubers, and where we post regular updates on the status of our progress finishing the game and getting it ready for final release.

Beta Copies through the Patreon

If you want more than just status updates, going forward you can download regularly updated playable beta versions of Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy and it’s adventure modules by subscribing to our Patreon at the $5 tier or higher. Subscribing to our patreon also grants you access to our patreon discord server where you can talk to us directly and offer valuable feedback on our progress and projects.

The A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club

If you would like to meet the A.N.I.M. team and even have a chance to play Eureka with us, you can join the A.N.I.M. TTRPG Book Club discord server. It’s also just a great place to talk and discuss TTRPGs, so there is no schedule obligation, but the main purpose of it is to nominate, vote on, then read, discuss, and play different indie TTRPGs. We put playgroups together based on scheduling compatibility, so it’s all extremely flexible. This is a free discord server, separate from our patreon exclusive one. https://discord.gg/7jdP8FBPes

Other Stuff

We also have a ko-fi and merchandise if you just wanna give us more money for any reason.

We hope to see you there, and that you will help our dreams come true and launch our careers as indie TTRPG developers with a bang by getting us to our base goal and blowing those stretch goals out of the water, and fight back against WotC's monopoly on the entire hobby. Wish us luck.

[cripplecharacters]

Hello! Rather new to your blog so I don't know if this has been touched on before but I have a blind character, a few things I was wondering was a) what are fundamentals you shouldn't forget when writing a blind character so I can make her writing a bit more accurate and b) what else can blind people do for entertainment besides reading in braille? Thank you in advance!

Hello!

Your first question is very broad and I'd suggest taking a look at the pinned post for some links to helpful posts. Under the "specific disabilities" section is a list for blind characters. I believe you'll find those helpful.

For your second question, there's so many options out there!

Something to remember is that most blind people have some remaining vision and many can still read print books, especially if they have access to large print versions or E-books with adjustable text sizes. My eyes aren't great but I'm still able to read regular sized print books if the font size is standard and clear. I can also read books with smaller print with the help of magnifying glasses. Depending on your character's level of vision, this could be something to consider.

For indoor/chill activities similar to reading, many are already accessible to blind folks or can easily be made accessible.

Watching TV/films, for example -- with or without audio description. Nowadays with streaming services and the internet, there is more availability of audio description. That said, it's still not always available. There are also some genres of shows/movies that are easy to follow along with even without audio description. I find that sitcoms such as New Girl or Modern Family are easier to follow compared to crime or medical dramas such as NCIS or House.

Listening to content without a visual aspect such as audiobooks, podcasts, and video essays (to a degree) can also be an option.

Playing cards/boardgames is another one. There are braille playing cards that you can buy and many classic board games (such as Scrabble or Monopoly) have braille versions available -- though usually unofficially. You can also get braille or otherwise tactile pieces custom made.

Braille labels are also a thing so games like poker, checkers, etc. can easily be made accessible too. Or, if you're cheap like me, the dollar store has those little raised stickers. My vision is especially bad in bright light so I've spent summers playing checkers and backgammon with little raised flower stickers on top of all the white pieces.

Art and sports also exist. Though blind people can paint and draw, there are also other forms of art that are more tactile such as sculpting, origami, jewelry making, etc. Many solo sports also wouldn't need any major accommodations either -- such as kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, skating, sledding, jogging, etc.

I can go on and on and on listing hobbies/activities -- herping, bird-watching, traveling, theatre, writing, music, dance, video games, cooking/baking, animal training, Dungeons and Dragons -- but my point is: most hobbies/activities can be made accessible for your character.

One piece of advice I'd offer for this: don't choose your character's hobbies based on what would be the most accessible/easiest for them to do. Pick your character's hobbies based on what they'd be most likely to be interested in/enjoy and then go from there to figure out how they can do it.

This would go a long way in preventing your character from falling into certain problematic tropes/stereotypes and can also help you develop your character further.

When figuring out how your character can partake in their hobbies, consider the following questions:

What do they want to get out of the hobby? Is it something they do to relax? To stay in shape? To learn/develop a skill?

What kind of means do they have at their disposal? Are they able to afford/access actual assistive tools/technology/devices such as a braille labeler, audible ball (for sports such as football, soccer, etc.), or braille cards or do they have to DIY something?

How much time/money do they dedicate to this hobby? Is it just a passing interest or is it a passion of their's?

Do they have friends/family members with the same hobbies? Do they share materials with them? Do they do the hobby together?

Is there a disability community for the hobby?* Are they involved in the community?

*Some hobbies such as parasports have a more close-knit community and, depending on where your character's located, there may be recreational leagues for parasports they could join. There are also many artists collectives specifically for disabled artists/writers.

Cheers,

~ Mod Icarus

[forcedagere]

I personally really like the idea of Bill x Reader x Ford. This one kinda ties into my previous post, but it’s not required reading. I suppose this would be an AU where Ford accepted Bill’s offer during Weirdmaggedon, or something else went wrong resulting in Bill staying in power :)

Contents: forced age regression, yandere, implied mental manipulation

Whereas Bill is far from the best caretaker (though he tries, in his own way), Ford takes care to create a semblance of structure in your life. He doesn’t have tons of practical experience with children or little ones such as you, but he makes up for it with dedication. He takes to caring for you as if it were a newly discovered, fascinating field of study. In other words… He reads many, many books, and tries all kinds of things to figure out what you like best.

Ford is not entirely fond of the kind of dynamic you have with Bill. It's not because he doesn't want to be referred to with parental terms, that's simply a matter of preference, but that he insists on you being friends above anything else. Considering the dynamics at play here, Ford cannot help but view it…

"As simply pedagogically irresponsible, Bill." The triangle in question rolls his eye. "Oh, boohoo! Fancy McFancypants over here knows what’s up!” Bill glances at you from the corner of his eye. Seeing you crack a smile while you’re sketching away with your crayons, he’s encouraged. “You read one book on how to raise a kid, and now you wanna tell me what to do? Get lost. Kid, c'mon, prove him wrong-- I'm your favourite, right?" You look up from your latest piece of art. You are drawing all three of you, in fact. You're usually deaf to their arguments, it's such a constant that you've grown used to the noise and stopped viewing it as a threat. (Your daddy calls it 'bickering'; Billy, when daddy isn't listening, calls it 'flirting'. That makes you giggle.) But you don't like getting involved in it yourself! So you firmly shake your head, and drop the pacifier attached to your necklace to speak. "No favourites… I love you both," you say with the confidence only someone as little as you could have. Billy's eyelid flutters, and your daddy smiles.

To put it simply, Bill is the ‘fun, rule-breaking parent’ and Ford is… A little less that. One should not take Bill Cipher as the benchmark of taking good care of a human, though.

Ford will make sure your meals are more varied than the endless stream of candy that Bill feeds you, and get you tucked in for sleep at regular times, too. Compared to Bill, who enjoys playing games with you and ‘roughhousing’, Ford prefers calmer activities. He’s definitely up for the occasional board game, but, most of the time, he’ll read to you, make drawings upon requests (or give you lessons!), or toy around with science experiments safe for someone who gets the urge to put anything that looks interesting inside their mouth.

He might’ve taken you for an adventure or two outside, but… The world hasn’t been the same since Bill got his hands all over it. He may be technically immortal now. You decidedly are not, as far as he knows. Either way, he doubts that Bill would let you out of this room to begin with. He doesn’t have to ask to be able to know that. If there is any reason he would keep someone locked up the way he does with you, it must be because you have some form of special connection to him. Ford does not believe he would risk that.

Really, Ford isn’t stupid or blind. It’s not that he’s going along with all of this because he is ignorant of Bill’s manipulation of your mental state. Bill can call it a ‘nudge in the right direction’ all he wants. He’s keeping you regressed. But everything has changed. He has changed, and Ford doesn’t know if he made the right decision. He fears he hasn’t. (Somewhere out there, in an alternate universe, a Stanford must live who made a difference decision. Ford hopes he’s happy.)

Spending time in this little contained room, with something dependent on him and eager to be looked after by him, who doesn’t know better and never will… It’s not good, it’s the very definition of selfish, but it’s comforting to him. Grounding, in a sense. With an eternity of time left ahead of him and the foundations of his previous life all but crumbled, he has something steady to return to. It doesn’t matter how much he rationalizes it. It’s twisted and fucked up, plain and simple.

…He supposes he can understand why Bill finds him so amusing, even now.

A little whimper snaps him from the spiral of his thoughts. Your bottle is empty. He should get youa refill, then pull you back on his lap.

[leidensygdom]

Your drawings are amazing! <3

I have a half orc OC, do you have any advice to not make her look shrek ish? I know orc’s and ogre’s are different but I want my OC to stand out a lot! Your half orc drawing I saw is so beautiful!

Uuuuh, I guess it all depends in which direction you wanna interpret orc! I think a lot of orcs end up looking a bit... Shrek-ish because of the exaggerated proportions. In truth, most orcs are depicted with extremely square jaws and really pronounced underbites.

Here's a WoW orc, a BG3 orc, and Shrek- Who doesn't actually have any sort of tusks or underbite, but does still have a pretty exaggerated mouth size compared to the rest of the face. The sort of really short and wide nose (which makes a contrast with how much of the face is taken proportionally by the mouth) does also contribute to the look. Wide noses can be used, but some orcs tend to push the shape of them making the bridge length incredibly short, specially based on the other proportions in the face.

It's also kinda important to acknowledge that the way orcs have been drawn and depicted in many shows, games and such come from a uh, kinda... Racist caricature perspective, almost. They're one of those fantasy staples that kinda has a finnicky history

And like, you really don't need to base your orcs on the usual ways they've been depicted! No Shrek needed! You don't need to give orcs an underbite! That the magic of designing your character. Tusks can work perfectly fine with more human-proportioned jaw.

This is super messy, but if you have somewhat curved tusks, they can poke out of the lips without needing the underbite at all. There's a few artists who have done much better tutorials on this than I could- You may wanna check this one from @douradart !

[o-sachi]

Isagi Yoichi ₊⊹ Headcanons

ଳ Character; Isagi Yoichi (Bllk)

ଳ Tags; (random) regular/platonic hcs

— He’s the type of person who avoids stepping on the cracks on the sidewalk whenever he goes out on his usual walks. Whenever he does accidentally step on a crack, he lets out an audible ‘tsk’ and is a bit annoyed by the fact.

— On the top shelf of his cabinet, there’s a reused cookie tin where he chucks all the cool rocks he found on his walks. He has had the thing since childhood and now he doesn’t know what to do with it. So it has been collecting dust there and he’s pretending that it doesn’t exist.

— He’s a plain texter, but not a dry one. The only shortcuts he uses are otw, brb, ty, and btw. He’s guilty of overusing this emoji 🙂 and he unironically uses this one 😊. He uses both in a non-sarcastic manner. His top 5 emojis are: 🙂👍🏻😂😕⚽️

— His room is neat and tidy which his parents constantly praise him for. However, the colors are a bit dull. The only eye-catching area would be his manga shelf. He’s proud of his collection and enjoys rearranging it whenever he buys new manga. He arranges them by genre, so he can easily find something to read to fit his mood.

— He is a MAJOR sweet tooth. He’d eat sweets exclusively all day if he could. The only thing that’s stopping him was that one time he got extremely sick after eating too much kintsuba as a little kid. “Moderation is key,” he’d say while eating sweets.

— Despite being a sweet tooth, he’s not a picky eater. He eats anything his mother cooks which he is praised for as well. He doesn’t particularly hate any kind of food, but he’d prefer not to have bitter stuff. Even though he’s an active and growing dude, he isn’t much of a big eater. He actually gets full pretty fast.

— He likes to tell dad jokes which he stole learned from his dad. His personal favorite (which makes him chuckle a bit before saying it) is, “What has 4 wheels and flies? A garbage truck!” The only person who has laughed at that joke was his younger cousin that came to visit them at their house some time ago.

— His parents keep an odd doodle of a cyborg-looking creature picture framed in their kitchen. It was one of Isagi’s drawings from when he was just 6 years old. He gifted it to his mom on her birthday because he thought she loved his art.

— His biggest pet peeve is people who chew loudly. Somehow he can hear it more compared to other people. It irks him so much to the point that it makes him lose appetite altogether. He usually eats faster, so that he can relieve himself of those horrid sounds.

— Whenever he goes to the mall, there are 3 places he absolutely needs to visit. The first one is the sporting goods store so he can check out some new football equipment he might like. The second one is the 100¥ store (dollar store). He likes to look for cool trinkets and kitchen tools for his mom or tools for repair for his dad. Lastly, he has to go to the sweets shop that sells his favorite kintsuba.

— Much like on the field, it’s like Isagi transforms into a different person whenever he’s playing multiplayer games. It doesn’t matter if it’s the enemy or his teammate—they’re all catching some fire.

— Sometimes he can’t fall asleep quickly because he’s thinking up of scenarios (he does this to fall asleep quicker, but it has the opposite effect). He likes to repeat events if they didn’t turn out well or if it wasn’t as vivid as he wanted it to be.

ε( ε ˙³˙)ɜ ｡° ⚬ ｡ Likes and reblogs are appreciated

o-sachi © 2024

[tonythr]

The Watcher's telescope view is a social commentary and here's why

Ok so let's set some things right first. City of Tears is amazing.

(Yes, Pale Court is also an amazing mod)

I've played Hollow Knight many times, and City of Tears is probably the one location I never get tired of. The scenery, the lore, the room layout, the music, the atmosphere - it's all perfect. It's the culmination of Halllownest's beauty, the peak of the game's art style, and the narrative's most essential location. City of Tears is the heart of Hollow Knight.

This game is a story about a Kingdom and its death, a tragedy of a society that was built on dreams of light but ultimately was consumed by the light so much that darkness became its only hope. And City of Tears stands at the center of this story. So it's fitting that the themes of corrupted dreams, society flaws, and dark hopes are what shape the lore and atmosphere of this beautiful, gorgeous location.

Did you ever notice that the tears of this Kingdom are dark despite them originating in a glowing blue lake, and the waters that flood the streets are almost as dark as the void in the Abyss? Do you ever think about how the vibrant blue color of the City is basically a culmination of how the color blue is presented in other locations (Howling Cliffs, Forgotten Crossroads, and later Royal Waterways being more of a remix of it), and how it's tied to the very essence of Hallownest (and how Resting Grounds, the location that contains Blue Lake and also uses a bright blue color, represent the very foundation of Hallownest's history, that being Seer's story about the Moth Tribe's betrayal that started the war between Pale King and the Radiance)? Do you feel like Soul Master basically represents the thunder and the lightning in this never-ending rain? Do you get it????

Anyway yeah, there are many things that can be said about City of Tears, and this is hopefully not the last time I make a post about it. What I want to talk about here is the City's society.

Basically, Monomon said it better than anyone could:

It's a very complicated topic. The narrative basically explores the inner mechanisms of a free mind, how its primary need is finding a purpose, and how its purpose turns out to be a constant need of... something. Anything. As long as there is something to want, a free mind will want it. As long as there is something to yearn for, something to enjoy, something to dream about, our minds are going to move in its direction, never wanting to stop. Because a stasis is worse than death. Because a world without dreams is an empty world.

But then again, isn't constant yearning another instance of, well, constance? If dreams never end but also never evolve, doesn't that create another kind of stasis?

Like I said, it's very complicated. Let's go back to what I was getting at in the first place. What I actually wanted to say is this:

Theese guys fucking fucked up as a society.

It's classic dystopian shit (or maybe I'm using the wrong word, but you get the point). Rich people are living in luxury while the rest are suffering. They're making gold a fucking religion and are seeing it as the only beauty in the world. The corrupt upper class are using heavy gatekeeping on the lower class.

Literally.

What's interesting is that, at first, we barely see any lower class bugs in the City. There's suspiciously few regular husks in this location, compared to how many rich guys are on the eastern side. But then we get to Soul Sanctum and it all starts to make sense.

There are no red cloaks in those corpse piles. Only the poor were killed for those experiments. It can't be a coincidence. It's straight-up elitism-based genocide (again, I don't know if I'm using the right terms, correct me if there's a better way to say that, but the point is clear).

Also, see how many streets are flooded on the western side in comparison to the eastern side.

Point is, the bugs that ruined the kingdom by always wanting more (what Monomon wrote about) are most likely theese rich ones. It's a very fitting thing for this dystopian narrative: neverending greed that leads to the downfall of a civilization.

There's a note in the Hunter's Journal that describes it in the best way possible:

For every location in the game, there is a place that functions as the center of its essence, its narrative heart, the culmination of its themes. For Queen's Gardens it's the White Lady's cocoon, for Greenpath it's the Lake of Unn, and for City of Tears (or at least its eastern part, the one with the upper class) it's the Watcher's Spire. The tallest building of the great capital. The home of (evidently) the most rich and influential bug of the City's high society. Literally the top of this social hierarchy.

He is also arguably the most mysterious dreamer out of all three. I mean, why does he have only one eye? What type of bug is he? How did he get this much power? Does he really have some kind of connection with the Collector? Is he a motherfucking fluke? Why does he seem to have an obsession with serving the King?

That last question is kinda answered by the cut content though.

That last sentence is kinda confusing. Is it regret? Is it humility? Is it pride in his sacrifice? In any case, here we see that Lurien actually knew that the Pale King was literally a god, and desired to worship him, like any other bug yearns to worship some kind of deity. So while other bugs of Hallownest worshiped PK because he was a monarch, albeit a godlike one (for all they knew he could be just an extraordinary bug, but a bug nonetheless), Lurien worshiped him as an actual god. And the intricacies of worshiping a god are one of the central themes of the game. From the moth tribe's betrayal of Radiance leading to the birth of the Infection to the Godseeker's shenanigans leading to the birth of the Shade Lord - the game makes multiple statements about gods, religious devotion and the semantics of divine power. Just that one idea that a god takes its power from the ones that worship it deserves its own post - heck, it deserves its own book.

So yeah, Lurien's devotion to the King is an important part of the story. He sure is an important character in this narrative. He also got a cool house. Being able to observe the entirety of the Hallownest's capital is badass.

But there's one thing I find odd about all that, and it's the moment we get to actually look through his legendary telescope.

Is it just me, or does this feel kinda... Underwhelming? Almost disappointing? I mean, don't get me wrong, I love this view, it's beautiful, and I would certainly love to be able to see something like this with my own eyes irl, but, looking at this picture, I can't help but wonder...

Did he actually see anything from up there?

In cut dialogue, Lurien talks about how he loves the City's streets, and his hidden lore tablet contains words about his love for bugkind, but... I see neither any streets on this image, nor any bugs (that are not vengeflies). Only spiked rooftops and rainy fog, clouding the view of the actual City.

And sure, the Spire has many windows and even had multiple watchers who were helping Lurien with overseeing the capital...

But his own spot was always this one.

His telescope was sealed in one place, letting him see only a small portion of the City and its life. Almost like his own worldview was stuck in one perspective.

Notice the wording here. It's not "The Seals must remain". It's "Bonds must remain". He's not thinking just about the Seals containing the Infection. He's thinking about the whole Kingdom needing to stay unchanged. His dream is the stasis that the Knight (and also Monomon, Hornet and, in a sense, even Radiance) want to end. The stasis that the Pale King wanted to create in order for his Kingdom (and therefore himself) to be eternal. The stasis that would allow for both Pale King and Lurien's worship of him to remain forever.

But there is always a cost to ascending higher than others, and it's that you can no longer see what's going on below or who's suffering down there. I think Lurien, sitting atop the tallest tower, was actually detached from the struggles of regular bugs. He and his Spire are the culmination of the City's upper class' ignorance towards the ones who were below them on the social hierarchy. A dreamer who dreamt of watching over the very heart of the holy civilization lived so high up he could no longer see his beloved world in its complicated, detailed entirety – and the tears of the stasis created by those like him only blinded him more.

All those flooded streets, those broken buildings, those empty halls, those starving bugs, those sealed doors - even though he watched over them, he couldn't see them.

I'm pretty sure Lurien didn't even know about the Soul Master's experiments, despite the fact that the Soul Sanctum was located right next to his Spire.

Or maybe he knew but chose to turn a blind eye to it (pun intended).

But it's kind of poetic, isn't it? It's the beauty of the tragedy of this game's characters. A Beast who had to surrender everything to the opposing civilization. A Teacher who could no longer teach. A Watcher who couldn't see the truth.

And all that makes me wonder... How much suffering could the Pale King see, standing on that platform at the top of the Abyss, facing away from the pit where his children died?

TL;DR: Lurien's point of view was too high up to actually see what was truly going on down there, both literally and metaphorically. His desire to worship the Pale King made him ignorant of the struggles of regular bugs. Similarly, the extreme elitism of the high society of Hallownest lead to ignorance, discrimination and greed, which ultimately caused the sprawl of the Infection. This side of Lurien's story might also parallel the Pale King's with his ignorance towards the discarded vessels.

TL;DR²: Eat the rich

[moonshynecybin]

special helmets of the 2024 and 2025 motogp seasons. this is a bit of a reference list for just the ones i personallyyyy care about tbh like full disclosure. deeply non exhaustive im a pink pony girl on the stage in my heels etc BUT i do think the profiles of their artistic choices say a lot about these guys! art always reveals !!! anyways:

marc: this diva LOVES a costume change and im always curious for why he does it for some tracks and not others (he didnt do sachsenring last year?)... anyways he DID do a special lid for catalunya, thailand, usa, japan, and silverstone/misano last year as well as cota again so far this year. he reused his 2023 designs at the catalan and thai gps in 2024 AND gresini reused their special silverstone livery again at misano, so he wore the helmet then as well. i would say reduce reuse recycle but i think its more of a mulligan situation. all this to day he kind of does a lot of special helmets and he does them for his important tracks, not just his home tracks-- which no one else on the grid really does all that much. the willingness to reuse and the track selection tells me its him doing a career tribute kinda thing that he thinks is important, AND he likes looking hot/cool as well. like we all know like marc really cares about aesthetics and the places/people that have taken care of him and i think the helmets lowkey reflect that. to compare alex doesnt do this shit like at all and if he does its relatively sedate (which hes on record saying that he doesnt like attention on himself so). anyways its all very marc lmao

bez: less location/cultural visual arts based and more his feelings and lotsa song lyrics/pop culture references which is no surprise... also does a few of them outside of italy which means he's in it for the love of the game. helmets include god save the bez (silverstone), misano (loverboy lid), goodbye to vr46 (catalan gp 2024 #2), the one about being "zen" that i find kinda racist (mugello 2024), one thats just song lyrics HUGE, and im lowkey cheating here but simply the bez (misano 23) and bez barber shop (mugello 23). he likes the JOKES

pecco: does a more normal amount of special helmets and always at his home tracks! hes done a red cloud helmet to pay tribute to his fans, a bootlicking helmet to pay tribute to the italian air force, a tortellini helmet for autism awareness/support, and a kiss/rock n roll helmet bc he had a celebration planned w some friends if he won (he did!). for some reason he photographed a lot of em on like the same couch in his riders room. he also did an ayrton senna tribute glove situation one time but he only used em for the sprint (maybe bc he crashed? idk). all of this is very in line w his personality and like. pecco as performing celebrity/sportsperson The Way It Should Be Done, but that doesnt mean they arent any less heartfelt, yknow

luca: doesnt do em TOO often as far as i can tell but he did do a baby helmetttt when he was expecting his daughter that told the story of his family and it was. super cute and clearly meant a lot to him because he explained everything on the helmet very deliberately and he even drew the little stick figure illustrations personally. luca voice why do it if you dont do it completely !!!

franky: he doesnt do them incredibly often either but they DO rule and theyre usually p pointed, he also seems to like nature themes that tie into brazil generally, looking at his regular season helmets. recently theres the peacock from mugello last year, which he said he used partly bc it is a common animal in romagna ! and then for the others-- they arent in the last two seasons but i would be remiss not to include the spike lee helmet he wore in 2020 after the murder of george floyd. genuinely the bravest thing a rider has done in the motogp paddock full stop AND the helmet is gorgeous to boot. he also loves to incorporate stuff from his brazilian roots so theres another yamaha era special helmet with a lot of parrot feathers on it/a portuguese phrase on the back and after russia invaded ukraine he slapped a give peace a chance sticker on the forehead of his helmet as well. he loves nature, he loves his heritage, and hes got things to SAY

diggia and aleix: BOTH did chrome dome helmets last year that are probably my faves on this whole list. swaggy as hell look even swaggier in motion. they both did them for their home gps and i love watching them just GLEAM. no psychoanalysis for these pls just look at em

fabio: a man caught between nationalism and that sweet advertising money. he does a special helmet AND a full special livery every year for le mans, but hes also rent out his noggin space to upcoming blockbuster movies so he'll be riding around looking like venom. like toothless. idk hes funny and i think it says a lot that he goes WAY harder than anyone for his home gp and then also kind of doesnt care to do anything else. except when he (i think) earnestly enjoys the goofy ass venom helmet thats paying him a huge stack of cash

[hxroic-wxlls-fxrever]

Welcome to Hxroic-Wxlls (Again!)

Multi-Muse OC and Canon RP Blog

Contains a variety of muses from series such as Mario, Sonic, Fire Emblem, Gurren Lagann, Dragon Ball, and more

Super OC and Crossover Friendly

Memes Galore

9+ Years of RP Experience

All Art used in icons do not belong to me and all credit goes to their respective sources.

Rules and Muses Below:

No God Modding:

No Vague Posting:

No rushing for replies/guilt tripping

Have Fun!

Muse List:

Super Mario Bros:

Mario

Luigi

Yoshi

Peach

Cappy

Chompette (Chain Chomp turned princess via the Super Crown:)

Starlette (OC: The cheery creator of the Mario!Verse. Despite her goofy nature and love for randomness, she loves all her creations, equally.)

Apricot (OC: Princess Peach’s younger sister. Mischievous and constantly searching for ways to entertain herself. Tends to skip out on important Royal duties, but loves the kingdom and its people all the same).

Maria (OC: Mario and Luigi’s niece, and the older sister to Louise. She idolizes her uncles and is full of energy, constantly on the search for adventure and is eager to prove herself as someone who can live up to the legacy of the bros.)

Louise (OC: Mario and Luigi’s niece, and the younger sister to Maria. Like her sister, she idolizes her uncles, but is much more reserved and shy when compared to her older sister. She tends to stay behind her sister’s back, but will stand up to help out if the situation demands it.)

Touhou Project:

Little Reimu Hakurei (Osana Reimu)

Minako Hakurei (Reimu’s Mother: Originates from Osana Reimu)

EX Rumia (Osana Reimu)

Youmu Konpaku

Fujiwara No Mokou

Hinanawi Tenshi

Shion Yorigami

Koishi Komeiji

Yuuma Toutetsu

Flandre Scarlet

Utsuho Reiuji

Reika Hakurei (OC: The god of the Hakurei, in the Osana Reimu universe. After watching the future events of the family unfold, she granted all three of the protagonists with divine energy to prevent their sad fate from coming to be…which came at the price of her shrinking down to around Suwako’s size, and losing a majority of her energy. She can best be described as a ‘Lazy Neet who stays inside and plays video games all day.’ She does care, trust her. She’s just not good at showing it.)

Sendai Hakurei (OC: The previous Hakurei Shrine maiden, and mother to warriorsofcrimsonrealms’ Reimu. She’s a relatively quiet shrine maiden, who spends most of her time training to improve herself, both mentally and physically. Her devotion training can sometimes lead her to make questionable decisions, like sitting under a waterfall in the winter, but that same devotion is also the reason for her insane physical strength. She has a strong sense of duty, but isn’t too strict, either.)

Cirno

Anko Shinohara (OC: A regular ‘ol student who used to reign at her home town as a Street Fighter 6 Champion and Gaming Streamer, before one day finding herself lost in Gensokyo, after a field trip gone awry. Coming from the modern age of 2025, she’s well versed on modern day topics…mostly gaming. Don’t ask her too much about stuff outside of that, because she tended to ignore other topics that didn’t interest her… In Gensokyo, she managed to bring along her monitor, a PC, and her switch with a charger. So, she’s good on the gaming end…but didn’t bring anything else… So, to ensure she doesn’t starve, she works as an employee at one of the human village restaurants, with uh…not so much Grace.)

Chikara (OC: An Oni who had trained Sendai, when she was but a mere child. She encountered the soon to be Shrine Maiden when the young girl accidentally tripped and rolled down a hill in the forest, and came across the Oni in the midst of a training session. Seeing potential in the young girl, despite Sendai’s (old) scaredy cat behavior, she put her through a rigorous training routine where the young shrine maiden essentially had to fight for her life and survive in a simulation of a hostile wildlife environment, similar to that of a certain Namekian and Hybrid Saiyan’s training session in a certain manga. Chikara loves the thrill of battle, and can often be seen training in caves across Gensokyo, or visiting Sendai for sparring matches.

Yumi Konpaku (OC from Lost Word): An alternate Youmu who came from a different Gensokyo, one where she acted as the executioner in a land where contestant fought against each other in tournament settings, and she had to punish the losers. Like the regular Youmu, she enjoys gardening. However, there are a few key differences. One, she’s much more powerful due to her having much more time to spend training…but is also a terrible chef due to her time spent training taking away any time she had to learn how to cook. Hobbies aside, her blade glows red due to the blood it’s been stained with over many years, and is cursed due to all the souls it’s taken. Regardless, she’s a friendly soul, who didn’t enjoy what she had to do.)

Sakuya Izayoi

Honey Dew (OC):

A fairy maid of the SDM. She specializes in handling the laundry, but has a problem with daydreaming, frequently. As a result, she tends to get distracted mid-folding, and makes an art piece out of the clothes, instead of properly folding them. She once made a 1-1 art piece of Remilia, out of a mass pile of clothes by lining them up, together.

Yoko Shika (OC):

A used to be human villager turned into the Shrine Maiden of the newly formed Shika/Deer Shrine, in Gensokyo. She was revived from a near death illness after her family had taken her to be blessed by the Deer God. And as thanks, she offered to serve as Noko's personal Shrine Maiden.

She admits, she has very little clue on what being the Deer Shrine's Shrine Maiden entails, so she just assumes her job is to gather faith, and resolve incidents, if possible. Luckily for her, because the majority of the human villagers do seem to be fans of the deer wandering about, and her god, gathering faith and donations is far from an issue.

Power wise, she is SURPRISINGLY strong, as a result of the mass amount of faith her shrine gathers, on a daily. She has yet to fully understand the spell card rules, but she's getting there!

Scarlet (OC):

A formerly wealthy Vampire Queen, who’d long since been overthrown by her kingdom, due to being neglectful in paying her minions. She spent years wandering the earth, having to work 9-5 in her own personal business so that she can buy blood, since she’s allergic to blood that’s fresh from any living creature. It makes her super itchy, and gives her a stomach ache. So, she keeps a filtering device on her, that she puts purchased blood into, so that it’s okay for her to consume. As for where she buys the blood, she has a personal salesman who she can summon with a snap of her fingers. The salesman, much to her annoyance, is VERY greedy when it comes to the pricing.

After one fateful night, during a delivery, she found herself in Gensokyo, where she continues her business of Nightly Delivery. The building is located in the bamboo forest of the lost, which makes it a bit hard for others to find her…and for her to find out where to go…

Personality wise, she’s best described as really quiet, and noticeably lazy. She often complains about the fact that she doesn’t want to work, and misses when she was pampered like a queen. She’s still incredibly powerful, as a result of her abilities and status, but never makes use of it, as she says ‘it’s a waste of time and energy to fight.’

Gurren Lagann:

Simon

Kamina

Nia Teppelin

Simonia (OC: Simon and Nia’s child, who was born after the events of SRWX. She inherited her father’s core drill, his sense of passion and determination, and her mother’s kindness and curiosity. She idolizes her parents, and tries to follow their example as much as possible (except for her mother’s cooking. She did not inherit Simon’s tolerance for it, and got really sick after her first time trying it.)

Sonic The Hedgehog:

Sonic

Cosmo (Sonic X)

Shadow

Maria Robotnik

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure:

Jotaro Kujo

Metal Gear:

Raiden (Revengeance)

Shiro (OC: A used to be child soldier who was experimented on as a weapon in the past, before breaking out in a failed test. She was found by Raiden in a warehouse, with a knife in hand, before being adopted into his household. Her memories of her life before the experiments don’t exist for her, no matter how much she tries to dig them up. She’s quiet, but deeply appreciates Raiden for his help, and consistently refers to him as ‘sensei.’ She wields her own personal HF Blade, and trains daily to mimic his combat style. Her favorite food is cereal, which she would have for breakfast lunch and dinner if left unattended, and has a bad habit of spending money on model Gundam figures, recklessly.

Fate:

Cu Chulainn

Elizabeth Bathory

Baobhan Sith

Kirin (OC: Quite possibly the world’s greatest girlfail, with more bags under her eyes than a group of people after a long shopping trip. She’s a middle school dropout who spent the next six years working job to job in run down areas, while barely getting any sleep and playing games 24/7. Once she turned 20, she suddenly got an invitation to work as a master for Chaldea. She initially deemed it a scam, but figured she may as well check it out, since anything was better than working at a bar with ungrateful customers. Soon enough, she found herself fighting in a war to save the world…which she finds completely insane, but kinda fun. The whole ‘threat of death’ thing is annoying, in her opinion, but she figured she could get over it. Personality wise, she can come off as unfriendly and anti-social with a large streak of trouble following her everywhere, but she CAN be nice in some instances… She is not shy about showing when she doesn’t like something to someone, though.

Kiran (OC: Kirin’s older twin, with just as many bags under his eyes, and worked just as many run down jobs before travelling with his sister to Chaldea to work as a master. He’s somewhat more responsible than Kirin, acting as her impulse control to a degree, but for the most part, he tends to behave very similarly to her and the two often finish each other’s sentences. )

Mash Kyrielight

Megaman:

X

Marina (OC: A Reploid Scientist who manages X, Zero and Axl's gear and equipment, while they're off duty. She has a tendency to let her curiosity to tinker with the gear get the better of her, which leads to...sometimes mixed results. Her main goal is to one day make her own custom armors for the three.)

Mad Father:

Aya Drevis

Honkai:

Murata Himeko (HI3rd)

Caelus

Bella

Marvel:

Spider-Man (MVC and MCU verses)

Final Fantasy:

Zack Fair

Dragon Maid:

Elma

Pokémon:

Latias

Latios

Malu (OC: Alola’s champion, who spends most of time relaxing and eating Malasadas with his Pokémon. Being someone who strives to find the most comfortable way to live, Malu can often be seen lazing about, wherever. Whether it be on the beach, in a tree, or one of the chairs in a Malasada store, him, napping, is a common sight across Alola. Regardless of his seemingly lazy nature, his skills as a trainer are nothing to take lightly.

Haruka (OC: A trainer from Johto who moved to Alola to take on the Island Trials and become champion. She’s hard working and determined to prove herself. Her efforts proved valiant…up until she got up to the current champion, Malu. She currently has lost to him a total of 87 times thus far, with no victory of her own, yet. Still, she eagerly challenges him whenever he comes by… She finds his presence somewhat irritating though, due to his seemingly lazy nature clashing with his insane combat skills.

Fire Emblem:

Male Robin

Female Morgan

Henry

Soleil

Madoka Magica:

Madoka

Homura (Moemura)

Sayori Kazuma (OC: An orphan student with the ability to perceive supernatural and magical beings. She recently became acquainted with Simonia after her house burned down from a freak lightning strike, and has since taken residence at her place. She also received a mech of her own, and continues to work diligently to keep the world safe from witches, as she pursues her own goal of hunting down those who've been contracting the magical girls of her world.)

Chronoa Kazuma (OC: A used to be magical girl who exists without a soul, and only lives on as a result of the wish of her friend, after she had already become a witch. She lacks the ability to talk, so she carries around a notebook to make her messages clear. She joined Simonia and Sayori after following their mechs home from a battle with a witch.)

Nana Tomoe (OC: Mami's cousin, from America. A girl cursed with eternal clumsiness, and no real sense of direction. She has no real supernatural abilities to speak of, but she tries her best, even if she ends up falling on her face for it. Sticks around with Simonia at her house because she accidentally locked herself out of her own, which has no other entrances besides the front. And the front is protected by a high security, electronic steel door. A door that she'd be in debt forever for, if it broke.)

Chio Nishiki (OC: The Government leader of Japan’s 13 year old daughter who rose to power, courtesy of her dad, who spoils her rotten, gifting her the position as the primary boss for her birthday. She’s taken interest in the events taking place in Mitakihara, courtesy of recent disappearances of middle school girls, and the sudden arrival giant mechs. She pays no mind to the giant mechs, because she think they’re awesome and that the world should have more. The disappearances, however, have her concerned… As such, she actively has investigators with supernatural backgrounds spying on the city of Mitakihara to see if there’s any leads to who or what may be causing these disappearances.)

Mabayu Aki

Bocchi the Rock:

Hitori Gotou

Ryo Yamada

Kikuri Hiroi

Demon Slayer:

Kyojuro Rengoku

Dragon Ball:

Broly (DBS)

Goku (GT)

Vegeta (GT)

Gohan (Post-Super Hero)

Gamma 1

Gamma 2

Android 17

Android 16

Captain Ginyu

Mister Buu

Blorbro (OC: A time patroller Majin who travelled the world with an Outer Experiment of a girl named Saika, before being recruited into the Time Patrol. He brands super-hero like clothing, and idolized super heros, pro wrestlers, and the champ, himself, Hercule. He’s very laid back and prone to making jokes, but is also the most powerful amongst his group of three.)

Celera (OC: A time patroller Saiyan who worked as a scholar in Universe 6, before being recruited into the Time Patrol. She’s hard working and studious, often trying to find way to make the best of any situation in a logical manner…which makes her a bit irritable due to being surrounded by teammates who rely on anything but logic. Regardless, they’re her friends, and she does her best to keep the world a better place… Also, her natural hair and eye color is black, but gained white hair through a mishap with magic paint, and gold eyes due to a mishap with a spell in school. Both, of which, never got undone or fixed.)

Nio (OC: A time patroller elf who lived in secrecy and practiced dark magic, before being recruited into the Time Patrol. Despite her work in the dark arts, though, Nio is an energetic and extremely friendly soul, who wishes to prove to the world that even magic of this nature can be used to help others. She’s incredibly social…but tends to miss social queues due to having lived alone for so long.)

Kohlri (OC: Broly’s mother, who had abandoned Planet Vegeta in a fit after having heard news of Paragus and her son being sent away to a far away, abandoned planet. Due to her space pod malfunctioning during the trip, she made a crash landing onto earth, and had since been living there while adapting to Earth’s culture, in the meantime. Many years later, after the events of the battle between Broly and Gogeta, the former one day found himself meeting with his mother in the midst of a random shopping trip with Cheelai and Lemo. It didn’t take Kohlri too long to recognize due to both his scent, and tail. This resulted in a very tear reunion on her end, as Kohlri soon found herself walking into her son’s life, once again… Compared to her husband, she’s incredibly cheerful and outgoing, with great social skills…and an apparent lack of impulse control, given her purchase history. She’s also, however, who Broly inherited his rage boosted power ups from, given she goes into similar berserker states when powering up, without focus.

Neptunia:

Uzume Tennouboshi

Ultrakill:

V1

Vocaloid:

Kasane Teto

Akita Neru

Guilty Gear:

Sol Badguy

Yu-Gi-Oh

Yugi Muto & Atem

Kuriboh

Silent Magician

Aurora (OC: Aurora’s the daughter of a wealthy couple who’re known to be famous authors, worldwide. Because her parents are always touring around on business trips, she lives alone with her brother in a private mansion. They’re consistently sent food and money, so they never have to worry too much about fending for themselves, financially. Aurora doesn’t tend to leave the house much, and whenever she does, she’s usually looking down at a book, instead of where she’s going…which often leads to her bumping into people or poles on accident. Despite being extremely introverted, she has a notable passion when it comes to reading. So, if she’s not at home, she’s usually at the local library, reading through a mass stack of books. She once got so interested in reading a series that she spent three whole days in the library without leaving, and only left once the librarian found her reading in the darkness of an empty book shelf.

Animal Crossing:

Villager

A Hat in Time:

Hat Kid

Kirby:

Kirby

Elsword:

Elesis (Flame Lord)

Elsword (Rune Master)

FNF:

BF

My Deer Friend Nokotan:

Shikanoko

Kid Icarus:

Pit

Corpse Party:

Sachiko Shinozaki

Fandomless OCs:

Akira (OC: A super laid back 27 year old woman who works at a small gas station in THE TOWN called Akira’s. She’s a friendly soul treats her employees and friends like family, and gives out EXTREMELY large paychecks, despite her only customers being the people from Mario’s apartment. There are rumors that she used to be a fortune goddess who reincarnated as a human, but she has yet to confirm anything…to the public, at least.)

Kiki (OC: A 19 year old ex-magical girl who was fired from being ‘too old to continue working.’ A fact that she found incredibly bizarre and annoying, but she couldn’t really do anything about it as she just suddenly woke up one day, with a ‘Fired’ letter next to her bed, and no powers. Having been launched back into a normal life so suddenly, after five years of dutiful work, she felt lost, until she moved to THE TOWN with her parents, and was hired by Akira. With such a large paycheck, and friendly co-workers around her, she was able to settle back into a normal life… The craziness of THE TOWN does make her life even more bizarre than it used to be, sometimes, though.

August (OC: A member of the Lethal Company, who recently moved to THE TOWN after being given a ten year vacation by the company for surviving ten years of work. She’s skittish, nervous, and very shy, which would be expected after having survived watching most of her co-workers die at the hands of supernatural beings and harsh environmental hazards. While she is happy to be in a ‘somewhat’ less dangerous environment, she does wish that she never took up the job opportunity to be a space excavator, and stool to working at Dairy Queen.)

Nis (OC: The young princess of the underworld, who rules over all its inhabitants with…a surprisingly lazy and gentle hand. Nis is someone who can best be described as a tired and calm soul, almost always being seen in her pajamas, and resting whenever possible. She’s spoiled rotten by her father, yet never acts entitled. Her favorite hobby is playing video games with her minions and friends…and playing with the magical girls in THE TOWN, who initially viewed her as a threat, but came to view her as a friend after realizing her work was mandatory, and that’d she’d surrender the very moment they showed up to fight her every time.)

Azure (OC: A void dragon appointed by the Underworld’s king to punish souls deemed unfit for the worst of the Underworld. Due to the souls being sent there being very rare and barren, void dragons often spend their time in human form lazing about and playing games in a mansion they made in the void, or the outside world. Azure, himself, isn’t much different. Often spending more time outside the void, than inside. He’s a laid back soul who enjoys playing pranks, and hanging with Rose and Nis, and his sister, Azul. He has a pet stone that he aptly named ‘Stone’, who is completely sentient and talks back, but to only him.

Rose (OC: An underworld devil and Rose’s right hand-man. She used to be a human, before suffering an untimely death at the hands of those she once considered friends. Unable to move on, who soul rested in a forest, before being recruited as an underworld soldier by the reaper. She now works at Nis’ side as a dutiful soldier…even if the monarch’s lazy tendencies tend to stress her out, a bit. Because of her being somewhat easily ticked off, Azure and Azul tend to playfully tease her a lot. This, of course, annoys her, but it never goes far.)

Violet (OC: A laid back swordswoman who left a town run by a corrupt kingdom to explore the world at her leisure, having been inspired by her friends at her childhood orphanage to find a better life. She explored the land with a sword in hand, and a carefree nature. When she’s not busy practicing swordplay, she’s finding quick jobs to make cash, so long as it adheres to her sense of morality, or crashing at places with anyone she’s found to be a friend, along the way.)

Mika (OC: A young magical girl who came from a ruined timeline where she was tricked by her magical girl contractors, the Miracle Mirans, into destroying all life on earth with illusionary techniques, making her think she was stopping monsters and saving the world, where instead, she was destroying everything on it. Horrified, she escaped into a different timeline where no such things had occurred, and managed to somehow settle back into a normal life…or so she’d wished. She still experienced horrific nightmares of her crimes, which makes sleeping for her incredibly difficult. Regardless, thanks to her having found a new group of magical girls to keep her steady, as her new friends, she’s finding it just a tiny bit easier to live a peaceful life, once again, in THE TOWN.

Haru (OC: A young magical girl who idolizes Shonen Manga and anime, such as Dragon Ball and Gurren Lagann. She fights crime with a fiery passion and will, while sometimes vastly overestimating how much will alone can do… It worked in Gurren Lagann, though! Her confidence aside, she was the first of the Magical Girls to meet up with Mika, and eagerly wished for her to be her teammate, until the two fought their first enemy together. After that, Mika relented and agreed to be in a team with Haru, in which the two celebrated with Karaoke, courtesy of Haru almost literally dragging her there. She’s aware of Mika’s past, but doesn’t bring it up to avoid making her uncomfortable, and defends her with all her heart and might.)

Lucky (OC: A young magical girl who became one of the world’s most rich individuals, as a result of her family being blessed with divine luck, and winning multiple lotteries over the course of their lives. She’s a friendly soul who became quick friends with Mika and Haru after become acquainted in school, and conveniently meeting up in the same place to fight a monster, when one showed up. Despite her immense funds, she never uses them as a way to make herself look better than others. Instead, she always uses her funds to try and help them/make their lives easier on them.)

Naomi (OC: A young magical girl who works as a part time shrine maiden. She’s incredibly serious when it comes to her work, both in magical girl duties, and out. She encountered the group of three magical girls in the middle of a losing battle, and jumped in to help. After a narrow victory, the group of three spent the next five weeks along her to join their group, in which she eventually relented after being saved by the three in a losing battle of her own. Due to her being the most serious of the bunch, she tends to butt heads with Haru, due to the other’s much more idealistic and joking nature… Regardless, she appreciates the company of all three, equally.)

Iamaslime (OC: The mayor of THE TOWN, who is a slime. He looks similar to that of the slimes in the world of Dragon Quest, and is incredibly lax with the rules of THE TOWN… Or in reality, lack thereof. There’s no actual rules, which explains why randomness and chaos is so apparent in this town. All forms of ‘authority’ are self-governed independent projects and have nothing to do with him.’)

Iamaslimetoo (OC: The mayor’s daughter, who looks similar to that of a slime girl from a certain half genie’s series. Like her father, she’s incredibly lax with the lack of rules in THE TOWN, and spends all her time relaxing, or hanging out at parties with her dad.)

John Gmod (OC: One of the two bodyguards for the mayor and his daughter, and the one with an actual sense of common sense. He’s consistently caught up in his partner’s shenanigans, and always ends up taking half the blame for the other’s nonsense, even if he had nothing to do with it. He wants to retire and move to Fiji, but with his current inability to hold onto funds, that dream seems like nothing more than a dream.)

John Dark Souls (OC: One of the two bodyguards for the mayor and his daughter, and the one who lack any sense of common sense. He’s consistently stirring up trouble, whether it be to him actively coming up with get rich quick schemes, attempting to show off in lame ways to get a date, like riding around THE TOWN in a tank, or just starting fights whenever it’s least beneficial for everyone. His dream is to have a harem and live as king of the world, but that dream is DEFINITELY just a dream.)

Karley (OC: A worker at the Magical Girl Support Center; a business that focuses on assisting magical girls with anything they may need. She takes her job quite seriously. Very seriously, in fact. Her co-workers say they've never ever seen her leave the center, ever since she started working. They theorize she's a spirit that's bound to the building.)

Crimson Disaster (OC: An assassin who started off as an orphan in a poor position before taking up a deal with a contractor to help her get into a better situation. Her ability is known as Deadly Misfortune. This ability allows her to cause misfortune and disaster for those around her, whether it be falling ill to a fatal illness, or being caught in an accident. Over time, she learned how to properly master this ability, so she can channel and direct all the misfortune onto a single target, within a 50 ft radius of her. With this ability, she's been able to stage all her assassinations as freak accidents, without having ever been caught. She seems to have moral standards, though, as she has a strict rule of never going after innocents or kids.)

Soren (OC: A Magical Girl Contractor in the form of an immortal cat. The scarf he wears around his neck was a parting gift from his first contracted magical girl, right before she passed, due to old age. He travels, alone, in search of potential magical girls who could use a little help in their life...He has no ill intent, and simply wishes for their happiness. He understands the world is often filled with people who wish to destroy it, but he never pushes his offer onto anyone if he feels if it'd get in the way of their own personal life and health...)

Nihil (OC: A princess who'd been cursed with dark magic by a demon lord, who's long since been lost to time. As for what the curse did...it didn't really do much, outside of just amplifying her physical abilities, as well as making her desire to be lazy and lounge around even more apparent. She was already like that, initially, but managed to put up a good enough 'responsible' act to fool her parents and the people. With the curse active, she stopped putting on the act, entirely.The king and queen, feeling like their daughter had become some sort of monster, even though that wasn't the case, had a council of wizards seal her away, after many attempts at breaking this 'curse' failed...Thousands of years later, the seal was broken by courtesy of the Mario Bros' apartment exploding one thousand times. Her sealing place was conveniently, right under the building, to be precise. Once she was freed...she lazily said her thanks, and left to go wander around THE TOWN, with no real task or objective in mind...Recently, she got a job at the Magical Girl Support Center as a new contractor, believing that the job could be 'kind of fun'... That's really her motivation for it.)

Alice (OC: A shy and secluded girl who one day found herself making a contract with a certain cursed princess, after the other saved her from the relentless actions of school bullies... She doesn't tend to speak up too much, and is still VERY much so new to her job... Because of the nature of her contractor's powers and curse, she often gets mistaken as a bad guy by other magical girls, courtesy of the fact that her own magical girl makes her look more like a demon princess, than a fellow hero of justice...She also spends an excessive amount of time at THE ICE CREAM STORE, nowadays, due to her contractor's love for the dessert... She doesn't particularly mind, since she likes ice cream, too.)

Alexandra (OC: Local weird woman wants to impress her kids by being the world's greatest villain...but consistently gets told that she has too good a heart to ever fill that role. And thus, she comes up with a solution...to be the only villain, left. Even if she's a goody two shoes of a villain, if she's the only one to try for the role, then she'll be the best by default! As a result, her skillset is based around exposing the evil in people's hearts to the public, and purifying it until there's no evil left. She has no clue that her skillset isn't villainous in the slightest, or what she'll do once she's actually the only bad guy left.)

Miorine (OC: A young girl from the future who grew up, unsatisfied and riddled with sadness in a world where being a hero was frowned upon, and villainized. She wants to see 'true justice' brought back to the system, by working from the shadows to expose and bring to light the true natures of the ones running the show...and taking them out. She knows the people would sooner burn their own houses down rather than admit they were wrong, so she believes the only way to get them to believe in heroes again is to shatter all their trust and belief in the system they oh so abided by, for so long...effectively leaving them to see that they've been living a lie, the whole time. Her Rider abilities are more stealth based, allowing her to mask her presence and erase all traces and hints of her true identity, leaving her as a completely anonymous source. While not too strong in direct combat, she's still far stronger than the average person, and can easily snipe someone out, from the shadows... However, she has, unfortunately, come into contact with officers in some cases...and had to eliminate them, in self defense. She understands the heroes she looks up to wouldn't approve of such shady and violent methods...but she doesn't know what else to do, in a world that would berate a child for wanting to do good. As for a hint at her true identity, an anonymous once said that they 'wanted to be a hero, too.')

Cheri (OC: A used to be idol from a popular idol group that went viral for a few years, before the crowd ultimately lost interest in them, and was fired to be replaced with a fresh, new group of idols. Is currently desperately working side jobs to garner enough money to pay off the debt she owes to the idol company, and is NOT happy about it, in the slightest. She's generally regarded as grumpy, and hard to socialize with.)

Kana Shinozaki (OC: Previously, she was an orphan who got sent from house to house, as she never quite managed to CLICK with any family... That would one day change, as she managed to apply for the chance at joining the idol business with a group of rising idols... She did not account for the their complete incapability of actually working together, though, which led to their inevitable firing, and immense debt... Not wanting to go back to the loop of going from home to home, she stuck with the group at their shared living space. She doesn't tend to say much, usually preferring to express herself through the art she makes, in her notebook. While she has no singing or dancing skills, her art skills are exceptional, and pays off her debt by doing online commissions.)

Janice OC: Another member of the failed idol group, who got into the idol business out of simply finding it fun, after watching some videos on it. She is kind...perhaps a little too kind. She's kind to the point of being a pushover, and as a result, never ends up being able to halt the chaos of the group in any way. If there is any consolation though, she can somehow bypass the supernatural force and remember Jane's name.)

Kamai (OC: An extremely cheery girl who leans VERY heavily into the cute and stylish side of idol culture, having dyed her hair to be super colorful, wearing incredibly flashy and bright outfits (much to the dismay of the group's budget), and has the energy and positivity of a golden retriever. As for what her gimmick is...whenever she starts to sing, everything around her explodes. Literally. Up until now, she's been serving her sentence for accidentally blowing up the president, and only recently got out because a supervillain blew up the prison, and she ended up walking out in the chaos. She's effectively a wanted criminal, but the actual police force and and all of security conveniently forgot about her due to outside circumstances, so...she's now living it up at the mansion.)

Iori Yuno (OC: A young exorcist from a long family line of spiritualists who were well regarded for dealing with the supernatural for many generations. She was tasked with attempting to exorcise the spirit of an idol named Ophelia and to help her pass on… The issue? She’s not exactly good at her job, and she’s TERRIFIED of ghosts. She still persevered and joined an upcoming idol group in an attempt to pursue her…only to be dragged into the idol life for the long run, and shamefully found out that she’s way better at that, than what she wanted to pride herself on.)

[yukidragon]

Sunshine in Hell Height Headcanons

It's June 15, which as many of you know from this official profile, that it's Sunny Day Jack's birthday today!

You might also know that it's [Redacted]'s birthday thanks to this ominous picture Sauce shared last year on this day. Funny how these two totally distinct characters share a birthday isn't it? 🤔

Anyway, I was hoping to have written something for this year to celebrate, but like last year my spoons are way too few and far between. I was also hoping to do something self-indulgent for my own birthday, but same lack of spoons halted me there too.

So, until I can stock up on more metaphorical utensils to help me do the stuff I feel like doing, I'm going to celebrate by rambling a little bit about some headcanon details.

Sunshine in Hell differs from the game demos in a number of ways, and one of them is Jack's height. As you might've seen from the profile link, Jack is canonically 6'2", but in my personal headcanon continuity, I decided to make the gentle giant quite a bit taller than that. Because it amuses me, and I struggle with imagining Jack as shorter than Cove Holden.

When deciding how tall to make Jack in my stories, I also decided to do a height chart for him and a few other characters as well. It helps to better imagine characters interacting when you can see how tall they are compared to others.

Yes, I threw in a few extra love interests to the mix, as well as a couple other MCs. I was curious to see how tall Alice would be compared to her sisters, and I had to throw in their love interests as well.

As an aside, it tickles me that even after I made Jack significantly taller, he's shorter than Bo's horny "Feed Me" form.

For those of you that need the conversion from centimeters to feet and inches, or have trouble reading the image, I'll write them down for easy reference.

Alice: 162 cm / 5'4"

Jack: 198 cm / 6'6"

Shaun: 178 cm / 5'10"

Nick: 173 cm / 5'8"

Ian: 170 cm / 5'7"

Bo: 180 cm / 5'11"

Barbie: 184 cm / 6'0"

Bo "Feed Me" form: 216 cm / 7'1"

Elias: 185 cm / 6'1"

Coraline: 172 cm / 5'8"

As you can see, Shaun, Nick, and Ian stuck with the canon heights in their profiles. It's just Jack who got a height increase because it's what I imagined his height to be from the start, and Sunshine in Hell is basically my headcanons that diverge from the game's canon, so I do what I want. It's also fun to imagine scary yandere Jack towering over every single one of the love interests. It adds to the intimidation factor too despite his gentle giant persona.

Bo and Elias don't have canon heights like the SDJ love interests, so I mostly just did whatever felt right to me for them. Bo's regular height was influenced by the mafia AU picture Sauce drew. It served as a very good height comparison chart all on its own. As you can see, Bo is just tall enough to reach Jack's smile if you don't count the ears and poofy hair.

All credit to the awesome Sauce for their lovely art of course and for feeding my headcanons. As always, I want to link to the SnaccPop Patreon as gratitude for being cool with me using their art in my posts. If you're a a free or paying member, consider checking out an important survey that went up to help guide the team in their future endeavors.

Bo looks so short compared to Jack, doesn't he? In my headcanon land, it's just a matter of perspective, and next to other people Bo is pretty darn tall. Though he's just one teeny tiny inch shorter than his puppy.

You bet your sweet bippy Barbie takes smug satisfaction in that one inch height superiority. Bo talks so big as a big bad alpha dog, but the puppy he's trying to dominate is just a bit bigger and badder than he ever expected.

Of course, Bo gets to turn it right back around on Barbie with his monster sized "Feed Me" form. Like werewolves that become huge compared to their human selves, when Bo's inner beast comes out to play, he adds on quite a lot of height and muscle. He towers over even Jack! Still, even when super sized, he's no match for Barbie.

As you can see, despite being the eldest child, Alice is shorter than her two younger sisters, especially Barbie! They got more of their dad's height genes, while Alice took more after their mom in that department. Barbie and Coraline are quite a bit taller than average, a fact that Barbie revels in, and Coraline can find a little awkward sometimes, especially during moments of weakness. It can be hard to help someone stand back up and walk when they're much taller than you are after all. It leads to some embarrassing moments for poor Coraline.

On that same note of surprisingly tall people with chronic illnesses, I thought it would be interesting if Elias would have been a very tall man if not for his illness. There's no canon height for him and he's floating with Jack and Bo in the Christmas picture, so it's hard to go with a comparative height. So, I went with what felt narratively interesting to me. With his legs being twisted, and him being hunched over with a cane, he probably appeared shorter than he actually was. It's hard to see his exact height with his lower half ghostly and indistinct as well. It's only when he actually bothers to give himself legs and stand with both feet planted firmly on the ground that he can show off just how tall he really is.

While I'm on the topic of height, I wonder if one of Ian's insecurities was his height. Some men have issues if they're shorter than their peers, and Ian is the shortest of the love interests. I can imagine it certainly didn't help if he was bullied for being short along with his general "nerdy" appearance back in school.

Still, Ian has nothing to complain about at the height he's at as a fully grown adult. Even if the other love interests are taller than he is, Ian is still above average for men in the US. He's just got the misfortune of being the shortest guy in a group of very tall people. At least he doesn't have to worry about taking the bottom spot in the height chart like Alice.

Yes, Alice is a bit self-conscious about being so short compared to her peers, even if technically she's also above average height for a woman in the US. She feels especially tiny when standing next to Jack.

Though, admittedly, Alice does find it very nice to feel tiny and delicate when Jack sweeps her up into his arms. It makes her feel less self-conscious about how chubby she is when her big strong giant of a boyfriend can carry her around so easily. Once she gets over the initial fear that he might drop her, she'll soon look forward to being whisked away by her silly clown.

Oh, and if you're wondering about Mary's height... I'm still debating if I want her to be around Alice's height or a little taller. She had the same eye color in both lives due to the eyes being windows to the soul, but there were other physical differences due to different parents introducing different genetics. I need to ruminate on that fine of detail more and see what feels more interesting to me narratively.

Though even if Mary was as tall as Barbie, she'll still be short enough for Joseph to sweep into her arms since he's just as much of a giant now as he was then. Not that it would stop him from trying even if his sunshine was bigger than him. Nothing will stop Joseph/Jack from showing his love for his sunshine!

I think I'll wrap things up on that fluffy note. I hope y'all enjoyed me going off on a headcanon ramble after such a long time. With any luck, I'll be able to get to answering some asks soon. Thanks for reading!

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney @illary-kore @okamiliqueur @kurokrisps

[kafka-ish]

part 1

Patrick asks Art if he got the stuff and how much to which Art replies: yea just an 8th tho and Patrick texts back:

Dude wtf

Art: No dude. You never told me your dealer was hot!!!

Patrick: Don’t bother. Asked if she’d trade head for half. Wouldn’t budge. Strict business or whatever.

Two seconds later: Still. I’d tap that.

Art decides against telling him about the sample he got. Sticks the joint you rolled in his desk drawer. Does weed have an expiration date? he wonders. He drops by Patrick’s who asks how the deal went. If you gave him a discount for it being his first time and all.

“How much’d she charge?” Patrick wonders aloud, comparing prices in his head, secretly hoping his friend got ripped off.

It takes a minute for Art to settle on a number. He still doesn’t know the price of weed. “Like fifty?”

“For an eighth?” Patrick laughs like okay this chick is insane and Art realizes he said the wrong thing.

“She said it was the good stuff.” Art shrugs, trying to play it off.

“Whatever man, but you need to learn how to negotiate… So we gonna smoke this shit or what?”

Art begins to make appearances more frequently. But he has to be calculated with how he goes about this. Doesn’t want to seem desperate, hooked on fucking weed. How pathetic. He has to pace himself.

At first his visits are periodic. Comes by a few times a month for his regular pick up. But he can’t get enough. Sporadic turns into every other week and every other week turns into Friday after his games or if not a tournament, practice. He’s at your door with takeout in hand. Something different every time; he keeps you on your feet and you like the surprise. Tacos, Thai, Lo Mien. Indian when he wins his matches.

You don’t smoke with him the first time he asks; you have a rule about smoking up with clients.

“Oh,” he says, feeling defeated. Disappointed that’s how you think of him.

“You still want that eighth?” you ask.

“Um, no. Actually I think I’m gonna go.”

“Art,” you say and the sound of your voice calling his name has him frozen in place. His hand is still on the knob before he lets it drop, falling by his side. He wipes it on his pants, a habit he has. "Don't do this."

"What? Change my mind?"

"No—"

"You're not trying to peer pressure me, are you?" You wonder if Art's being serious right now. If he's using your method for paying tuition and groceries against you. It's your turn to freeze.

"Fine then. Leave. But just so you know I wasn't the one hitting up strangers for weed." You're calm when you say this, only making it harder for Art to reach for the door once more.

Of course, he comes crawling back. Ends up blowing up your phone.

Art: Hey

Art: I'm sorry for what i said the other day. I wasn't thinking. Obviously. It just hurt when u called me a customer. Which i guess i technically am. I dont kno.

Art: I think ur really cool

Art: I guess i just wanted to smoke with someone other than patrick

Art: Did i mention i think ur really cool

You roll your eyes at the thread of messages, how they’re still coming in and your phone won’t stop vibrating; you're not finished reading but it keeps pinging. Still, you're smiling. Can't help but read his texts over and over again before responding and you feel a heat on your cheeks when you haven't even lit up to smoke.

You reply just the same as when he texts you after one of his games: My place 9?

"You think I'm cool, huh?" You nudge Art who’s sitting next to you on your couch. His legs are crossed and he’s facing you.

Art blushes at the question, the pressure you put him under. Finally musters up the courage to say, “Yeah. Really cool.” Then leans in, does that thing guys do where they grab your jaw, almost caressing it, and brings you in to kiss your lips. It’s soft. Gentle. Thinks he might hurt you if he’s not careful. And he doesn’t linger long but you can taste his chapstick. Mint. You miss him already when his lips leave yours and your tongue sweeps over where his flesh was, itching for another taste.

He sees this. Locks his lips on yours again. Instinct. It's just as quick and sweet as the first. You feel him grin when his mouth meshes with yours and the sensation of his smile pressing into your cheeks gets you all giddy.

“So does this mean you’ll smoke with me?” His smile doesn’t leave when you pull away. You see his eyebrows are raised and his eyes are blue and bright. A dash of hope shimmers in them and you can see your reflection.

“Yeah,” you say, hushed. Almost a whisper, as if you can’t bring yourself to say it out loud. You’re breaking your rules for him, is what Art’s thinking. And you tell yourself it’s just a one time exception but when he comes over next Friday you find yourself rolling a joint and passing it to him in between kisses.

Now it’s your routine.

He doesn’t need to text you asking for an eighth and you don’t need to tell him what time and place. He just shows up after practice. Of course, you expect him.

“I hope I didn’t get you addicted.”

“Nah.” Art’s lean frame is already hanging on the doorway and he doesn’t come inside immediately when you welcome him in. Instead, he takes you in his arms. They feel stronger each time. Plants a big wet kiss on your lips. And he is addicted. Just not to what you think.

[zeviantart-go-blog]

Soo yee I have a Sans AU thing his name is B1n4Ry! you may ask some stuff about him if you want

Name: B1N4RY (Sans) Age: 26yr Model: Sans AU: MMORPG Au( Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game, Medieval-Themed Undertale)

A laid-back but quite energetic sans, He's currently living in a Void that used to be where his Au should be. He's an anomaly by his system but he's the ADMIN so the system can't do shit about it, because of this he often glitches (It hurts like hell) as his Codes are unstable and a jumbled mess. Every time he glitches happened it drained his energy A LOT, which caused him to fall asleep at every 10 minutes at inconvenient places. He has a..dislike towards humans due to his experiences with em, but still acts nice towards them. 

He's rather laid back but he always kept himself busy by visiting other AUs to copy some codes to fix his AU, of course he gets to meet a lot of Sanses and Papyruses along his Code Hunting. He's aware of the 'Bad Guys' and the 'Good guys' sides that exists in the Aus, he never understands why that even happening but he decline all their offers to join any side and just reply with "Nah, I'll stay Neut".

Some extra art if you challenged him:

The reason why his HP bar is so damn big is that, he's from an MMORPG Undertale thing, so it's not surprising to have that big of an HP since he's a boss monster. But he is still the weakest monster in his AU, like any regular sanses. Just very strong when compared to classic sans

[justherbert10]

Chance Meetings

This is my first story! enjoy!

word count: ~3400

The air in the bustling press room of the SoFi Stadium is charged with electricity as the LA Chargers celebrate their latest victory. Justin, the star quarterback, stands tall, his blue eyes scanning the sea of faces, looking for a moment of reprieve from the storm of flashing cameras and eager reporters. His gaze locks onto a figure that seems to glow amidst the chaos—a young woman with y/e/c and y/h/c hair, her smile as radiant as the setting sun. Y/n, a rising star in the world of entertainment and a surprise guest due to her friendship with Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton, feels the same magnetic pull. As they are introduced, their hands meet in a firm but gentle handshake, a silent promise of friendship, and perhaps more, in a world that often feels scripted.

"Justin, you make dodging defensive lines look like a cakewalk compared to dodging these paparazzi!" She playfully nudges his arm, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Ah, you've got to learn the art of the juke, Y/n," he says with a wink. "But I'd say you're pretty adept at navigating through crowds with that charm of yours." He nods towards the group of star-struck fans that had gathered around her earlier.  The corner of Y/n's mouth twitches upwards in a knowing smile as she leans closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You think I'm good? You should see me when I'm dodging the plot twists in my next movie script."

Justin chuckles, the sound resonating deep in his chest. "Now that's a game I wouldn't mind watching you play," he says, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He glances around the room, noticing the way people's eyes keep darting in their direction. The whispers and glances from the other attendees don't go unnoticed. "You know, it's crazy how quickly the spotlight finds us," he muses, a hint of wistfulness in his voice. "I miss the days when I could just grab a burger without someone asking for a selfie." He sighs, looking down at his hand wrapped around a bottle of water. "But I guess that's the price we pay for chasing our dreams, right?"

"It definitely has its perks," Y/n agrees, her smile wistful. "But sometimes I just want to be Y/n from Y/h/t again, you know?" She takes a sip of her drink, her eyes scanning the room before returning to Justin's. "So, tell me, how does a small-town boy from Oregon become the heartthrob of LA?"

"Well," Justin says, leaning back slightly, "It's a long story, but it all started with a love for the game and a father who believed in me more than anyone else." He pauses, his gaze drifting momentarily before refocusing on Y/n. "But let's not talk about me. What brings you to the world of football, Y/n?"

"Ah, the world of football," she echoes, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. "It's all thanks to Lewis. He's like a father figure to me, and he's been introducing me to his own brand of speed and competition." She smiles warmly at the mention of her mentor. "But honestly, I've always had a soft spot for sports. It's like watching a live-action movie with the most unpredictable plot twists."

Justin nods, understanding the allure of the unpredictable. "Sounds like you've got a taste for the thrill," he says, leaning in slightly, his voice a mix of curiosity and admiration. "You ever get the chance to throw a ball around, or are you strictly an audience kind of girl?" His words are teasing, but there's a genuine interest in his eyes. He's used to people seeing him as the poster boy for the sport, not a regular guy who enjoys a good toss.

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Y/n says, her smile widening as she recounts tales of her impromptu football sessions with Lewis. "He's been trying to teach me the basics, and I've got to say, I'm not half bad." She mimics throwing a perfect spiral, her hand twisting gracefully through the air. "But let's not tell anyone, I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation."

Justin laughs, the sound rich and genuine. "Your secret's safe with me, Y/n. Besides, I've seen enough Hollywood magic to know that anything's possible with the right coach." He leans in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And if you ever need some tips from the real deal, you know where to find me."

The connection between them is palpable, a silent understanding that they share a common ground of chasing dreams and navigating fame. Y/n's eyes dance with excitement at the prospect of learning from a pro.

 "You know, I might just take you up on that," she says, her voice filled with the excitement of a child offered a secret treat. "But for now, let's enjoy the rest of the night. Maybe we can find a quiet spot where we don't have to whisper over the din of the party?" She glances around the room, her gaze lingering on the crowded space.

"I know just the place," Justin says, his eyes lighting up with a mischievous glint. He motions for her to follow him with a subtle nod of his head. They weave through the throng of people, his hand occasionally brushing against the small of her back, guiding her gently through the sea of bodies.

They arrive at a secluded patio area, the cool evening breeze carrying the faint scent of jasmine from the nearby garden. The noise of the party fades into the background, leaving only the distant murmur of the ocean and the occasional cheer from the die-hard fans watching the post-game analysis on the outdoor screens. Justin pulls out a chair for her, his movements as smooth as the passing plays he's known for. As they sit, their legs brush against each other, sending a shiver of anticipation up Y/n's spine. "This is more my speed," he says with a genuine smile, looking around the quiet space.

Y/n's eyes widen in delight as she takes in the serene surroundings. The twinkling lights strung above cast a soft glow over the patio, creating a cozy haven amidst the cacophony of the event. "It's like stepping into a different world," she whispers, her voice filled with wonder. She runs her fingers along the cool metal of the chair, feeling the gentle vibrations of the distant cheers. As she sits, she crosses her legs, the fabric of her dress whispering against her skin. The sensation of his hand briefly on her back lingers, sending a warmth that spreads through her body. She returns his smile, her heart fluttering at the kindness behind the gesture. "Thank you for this," she says, her eyes meeting his, the blue depths of his irises reminding her of the Pacific she'd seen in photos from his hometown.

Justin pulls out a chair for Y/n with a chivalrous grace that seems almost out of place amidst the flashy glamour of the event. He can't help but feel a swell of pride at her approval, the corners of his mouth curling up into a genuine smile. As they sit, the energy between them shifts, becoming more intimate, more real. He leans back in his chair, the leather creaking softly under his weight, and takes a deep breath, savoring the scent of jasmine that fills the air. "It's the least I could do," he says, his voice low and earnest. "I know how overwhelming these things can get. Sometimes you just need a break from the madness." His gaze holds hers for a moment longer than necessary, the silence stretching out like a tightrope between them. Then, with a shrug of his broad shoulders, he cracks open a beer, the cap flying off with a satisfying hiss. "So, what's your favorite thing about LA?"

"The people," Y/n says without hesitation, her eyes lingering on the horizon where the stadium lights bleed into the night sky. "Everyone's got a story, a dream they're chasing. It's like the whole city's alive with possibility." She takes a sip of her drink, the cool liquid a welcome contrast to the warmth of the evening. "But I miss the quiet nights back home, where you can hear the crickets and the rustle of leaves." She looks at him, curiosity piqued. "What about you, Justin? What do you miss most about Oregon?"

"The rain," Justin says with a nostalgic smile, his eyes reflecting the distant twinkle of the stars. "There's something about the way it sounds on the roof, the smell of wet earth, and the quiet that follows. It's like the world's hushing itself so you can hear your own thoughts." He takes a swig of his beer, the foam clinging to his upper lip for a moment before he wipes it away with the back of his hand. "But LA has its moments. The ocean, the palm trees...it's got its own kind of magic."

The conversation flows easily between them, their shared experiences of leaving small towns for the big city creating a bond that feels both familiar and exciting. The sound of their laughter intertwines with the distant murmur of the party, creating a symphony of shared secrets and new beginnings.

The moment is shattered by the sudden appearance of Joey, his towering frame silhouetted by the light spilling from the party inside. His boisterous laughter fills the night air as he claps Justin on the shoulder, a knowing smirk playing across his face. "Well, well, well," he says, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Looks like someone's finally decided to take my advice and snag themselves a date." Justin rolls his eyes, but the warmth in his cheeks betrays his embarrassment. Y/n laughs, the sound like the tinkling of glass bells, and shakes her head. "You two really are like brothers," she says, playfully swatting at Joey's hand. "Could you at least pretend to be subtle?" Joey just chuckles, his eyes flicking between the two of them before he settles into the chair next to Justin, his grin unabashed. "So, what's the story here?" he asks, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. "Or is it too early for me to start planning the wedding?"

Justin's cheeks redden slightly as he tries to brush off Joey's teasing. "It's not a date," he mumbles, his voice gruff. But the smile that tugs at his lips gives him away. Y/n giggles, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she says, playfully nudging Joey's arm. "We're just two friends enjoying a quiet night amidst the madness." Joey winks at her, his blond hair catching the light. "Friends, huh?" He leans back in his chair, a smug look on his face. "Well, if you say so. But if you ever need a best man, I'm your guy." The air between Justin and Y/n crackles with unspoken tension as they share a look that speaks volumes about the depth of their connection.

The playful banter between Justin and Joey brings a blush to Y/n's cheeks, but she quickly recovers, her laughter as bright as the stars above. She playfully swats at Joey's arm. "You're terrible," she says, though the smile on her face tells a different story. "But I'm surprised you noticed. Usually, you're too busy breaking defensive lines to care about my social life."

Joey's grin stretches from ear to ear as he takes a seat next to Justin, his eyes gleaming with mischief. He nudges Justin with his elbow, his voice a playful rumble. "Finally," he says, waggling his eyebrows. "I've been waiting for you to find someone who can keep up with your fast pace, both on and off the field." He winks at Y/n, his blue eyes twinkling with a hint of teasing. "And let me tell you, Justin here is the king of slow plays. But I see the way you two look at each other, and it's like watching a highlight reel of a perfect game." He laughs, slapping his knee. "I'd say it's about time you scored a touchdown in the love department, buddy."

Justin's eyes dart to Y/n, his cheeks reddening further. He playfully shoves Joey's shoulder, trying to deflect the attention. "You're one to talk, Joey," he counters, his voice tight with a mix of embarrassment and amusement. "Remember that time you tried to woo the mayor's daughter with your 'world-famous' pancake recipe?" The memory brings a round of laughter to the trio, breaking the tension.

"Oh no," Y/n gasps dramatically, her eyes widening. "What happened?" She leans in, eager for the juicy details, her curiosity piqued by the sudden shift in the conversation.

Justin's eyes widen in mock horror as Joey crashes into the conversation, his cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red. He playfully swats at his friend's massive arm, trying to shoo him away like a pesky fly. "It's not a date," he protests, his voice a little too loud. His heart races in his chest as he feels the weight of Joey's words, the truth behind the teasing. But he can't deny the thrill that runs through him at the thought of it being true. He glances at Y/n, her laughter lighting up her face, and feels a warmth spread through him that has nothing to do with the beer. "You're just jealous because you can't handle a night without making headlines," he says, his voice tinged with affectionate sarcasm. Joey just laughs, not bothered in the slightest by the jab.

Y/n's laughter is like a summer breeze, light and airy, filling the quiet corner of the patio with a gentle warmth. She watches the playful banter between the two friends with an amused smile, her Y/e/c eyes sparkling. She's used to being the center of attention, but there's something refreshing about being part of this unscripted moment. When Joey finally takes a seat, his presence is like a warm embrace, reminding her of the camaraderie that comes with shared experiences. "So, you're the one who's been trying to play matchmaker," she says, tilting her head to the side as she assesses him with a playful glint in her eye. "What's your secret? Spill it, I want in on the action." She leans in conspiratorially, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass, her eyes darting between Joey and Justin, enjoying the blend of embarrassment and camaraderie between them.

Joey's laugh booms across the patio, the sound resonating with the easy comfort of an old friend who knows all the best stories. He leans back in his chair, his arms folded behind his head, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Secret?" He says, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "It's simple, really. I just know what a catch my boy here is." He nudges Justin with his elbow, the motion causing the chair to rock slightly. "And when I saw you two," he says, gesturing between them, "I knew it was game over."

The air thickens with the weight of Joey's words, and Justin's heart skips a beat. He clears his throat, trying to regain his composure, his eyes flickering to Y/n. Her smile is gentle, a knowing look in her eyes that suggests she sees right through their playful banter.

"Well, it's been quite the evening," Y/n says, glancing at her phone with a sigh. "But I've got an early call time tomorrow, and I can't let Hollywood's toughest director catch me yawning on set." She stands up, smoothing out her dress with a grace that belies the sudden sadness in her eyes. "Thank you for the escape, guys. It's been... refreshing." She looks at Justin, the unspoken understanding between them as palpable as the night air. "I'll see you around, Justin," she says, her voice a soft caress. "And Joey," she adds, her smile widening, "you keep him out of trouble, okay?"

"Oh, you bet I will," Joey says, his grin never faltering. He stands up as well, towering over both of them. "But you know me, I'm the king of stirring the pot." He winks at Y/n before slapping Justin on the back. "Take care, sweetheart," he says, his tone teasing but affectionate. "And don't let this guy sweet talk you into any crazy bets. He's got a silver tongue when he wants to."

Justin stands up with her, his hand instinctively reaching out to help her chair. "It's been a pleasure, Y/n," he says, his voice sincere, his eyes holding hers for a beat longer than necessary. "I hope our paths cross again soon." The gravity of his words hangs in the air, hinting at the connection that's grown between them in such a short time.

As Y/n says her goodbyes, Justin can't help but feel a pang of regret at their impromptu meeting coming to an end. He watches her slip away into the night, her laughter fading into the buzz of the party. His heart feels lighter than it has in a long time, and he knows that this isn't the last he'll see of her. With a nod to Joey, he gathers his things and heads home, his mind racing with thoughts of her smile, her wit, and the way her eyes lit up when she talked about her love for racing. The quiet of the night seems to amplify his longing as he navigates the city streets, the neon lights reflecting off his windshield like a kaleidoscope of their shared moments.

The party goes on without them, a cacophony of voices and music that now seems a bit hollow. As Y/n's silhouette retreats into the night, Justin can't shake the feeling that he's lost something precious. He says his goodnights to Joey with a forced smile and heads home, his thoughts swirling like a tornado around the charming girl. Her laughter echoes in his mind, her words of kindness and understanding resonating in his soul. The drive back to his beachfront apartment is a blur, the city lights a mere backdrop to the replay of their conversation. He parks his car in the garage, the engine's purr the only sound to break the silence. The cool ocean breeze whispers through the open windows, carrying the faint scent of jasmine from the patio. He can't stop thinking about her, his heart racing with excitement and a hint of fear that he might never find someone who truly gets him like she seems to.

The memory of Y/n's dress clinging to her curves plays on a loop in Justin's mind as he walks into his apartment, the quiet hum of the fridge the only company to his racing thoughts. He tries to shake off the image, but it lingers like the scent of her perfume on his shirt. He heads to the bathroom, the thought of her contagious energy making his pulse quicken. 

As the steam fills the bathroom, Justin's thoughts drift back to the press of Y/n's body against his, the way her dress clung to her curves like a second skin. The memory sends a jolt of desire through him, and he can't help but let his hand wander, his fingertips grazing his abs as he imagines the softness of her touch. His hand moves lower, his thoughts spinning a web of passionate encounters, each more vivid than the last. The water pummels his back, a rhythmic beat that matches the tempo of his thoughts. He pictures her laugh, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and feels a sudden surge of arousal. He lets out a low groan, his hand moving faster as he gives in to the fantasy, the warm water a silent witness to his longing. The climax hits him like a wave, crashing over him and leaving him breathless, his heart pounding against his ribs. He leans heavily against the wall, the water now cold against his skin, as he comes back to reality with a gasp. It's not just physical desire; it's the connection they share that fuels his need for her. He turns off the shower, the silence ringing in his ears, feeling both satisfied and empty, knowing that the real thing would be nothing short of earth-shattering.

[doubleddenden]

Onto gen 7- an underrated cast of characters and gen imo. I feel like people just hate on this because of lack of gyms and more text- even though the island challenge is the best breath of fresh air we've had in years. The story is really good and the characters have so much depth- they walked so the SV cast could run and the SwSh cast could trip, cry, and pee a little

Let's start with Elio, our boy for Sun and Moon. Vanilla wise he is about as generic as you can get, looking pretty much any little boy on vacation, minus the pants- I have literally never seen pants like that in my life. They look like they'd fall down a lot. He's so generic, but thankfully there's a pretty decent character customization option- a little less than xy in some regards, but you CAN remove the hat, so that's a plus.

The sun and moon/ultra protags are confirmed to look about 11- I've seen some funny people get creative with Wicke and say "actually miss I'm in college," which is pretty fitting for the time period of release for the majority of players. This a simple callback to RBY, but I will say it's kinda sad that they took that little ambiguity away and makes it a bit harder to project yourself onto the character. Not impossible, mind you, but you gotta try a little harder vs XY or BW, especially with regular Elio here. 6/10, barely tries.

Meanwhile, his Ultra variant gets a massive improvement all around. You're still said to be around 11, but the right art can make him seem older

Like this INCREDIBLE piece done to show off Ultra Megalopolis. Elio looks anywhere between early to late teens here.

But enough about that- the in game customization doesn't see too many additions, but enough to be different. Vanilla wise, Elio looks so much more unique and fun to play as on his own. The pants and tights definitely look a bit like Nate's (and also are one of a kind last i remember, unfortunately), but Nate is a terrible design, so it's fine. The bucket hat i didn't initially get, but now that I'm older and losing hair, I've been wearing one myself, and I think it is pretty neat now. This actually looks a bit how I'd dress in the summer, and I think that's pretty great all around. 9/10 design, massive improvement on vanilla

Chicken-Chan, or Selene as people call her these days- which I think is bad right after Serena- is a hit or miss depending on your audience. I'll say, minus the hat, this design is similar to Hilda in that this is an outfit I've seen women wear often in the summer around where I grew up. The baggy shirt is really comfy looking, covers a lot while allowing a nice breeze to keep you cool. The bag- as it turns out- is supposed to be a watermelon slice, changed to avoid racial stereotyping when selected as someone with darker skin. That's kind of sad, I mean I get why, but it would have been a fun thing to have in an ideal world. As it is, it's fine. The colors definitely feel more inspired compared to Elio, very tropical and summery, looking even more like a tourist on vacation.

The design definitely reads as younger than the last few FemCs, and this is sort of the point where Game Freak really starts making the girls especially look younger and younger each gen (except Akari of course). That's not necessarily bad on its own and for those not online or aware of the skeevier side of the internet, just leads to some unfortunate "art" that gets shown everywhere that maybe wouldn't have been nearly as creepy if they left them as ambiguously aged blank slates like usual.

Weird rant aside, I think Selene is a fine enough design, and in my Moon playthrough, I had plenty of outfits to choose from- definitely more of a defined binary compared to XY, imo, but still plenty to work with. 8/10, cute, but I hate the hat

Selene's ultra variant imo is just another improvement, ditching that awful chicken hat and taking a nice sun hat instead. This is definitely something I can see worn on vacation, and the colors of a mostly orange and white just look so good- makes me think of a refreshing glass of fruit juice. The braids are also really cute, and the sandals are more or less what I think Shauna should've had instead. It's such peak tourist, I love it. 9/10, cutie, love the hat

Of course, we got Hau now, the first standalone friendly "chooses the weaker starter" rival that kind of... becomes another pattern. Actually, a lot of Gen 7 becomes a pattern for future games, including hoodlum teams with a white collar real bad guy using science for their own selfish goals, bigger pokemon than average, angrier pokemon than average, the rivals having a chip on their shoulder or being in someone's shadow, etc etc etc. That's another rant on its own.

Hau is fine, not really my favorite rival, but I do think he tries harder than people give him credit for. In SM, I especially like that he kind of has an unrequited crush on Lillie, and that drove him to be a little braver and do a couple of bigger things beyond his pay grade- it's weirdly relatable, especially the heartbreak when she leaves. Otherwise he's a chill dude, kind of unrealistic in how happy he always is, but honestly he's a peak buddy I could see myself being friends with as a kid. He's strong- maybe not scary like Blue or Silver, but you do need to actually lock in for a few fights if you aren't overleveled. Not my favorite rival, like 7 on that front, but as a friend? That's an 8.

As a design, I think it's a good one. Definitely not threatening, super safe and chill looking, even when serious. I guess that's why some people dislike him as a rival, along with his pretty laid-back and cheery personality, but as a buddy, he looks pretty zen. I'd definitely wear his fit, it's so comfy looking and perfect for the summer, minus the not-crocs. I think I'd just make those black or brown sandals instead. Colors are a nice and warm tropical feel, definitely someone who enjoys the sunlight and radiates joy like it, too. The hair, I think, should just be black, but that's not really a crime to have green hair that dark- in fact it's so minor, I forget often that it's that color. Idk man, I don't get the hate. 9/10 buddy design- as a rival, sure, maybe that's a 6 on design, but a 9 on design alone. I'd definitely want a rival that looks like they would stab me, though.

HEY, a rival that looks like he could stab me! Gladion is a very complex and edgy looking character at first glance... and second when he starts doing chuuni shit mid battle... and third when he tells you to get out of his hotel room and fourth when- you get it. But, underneath all of that, he's a guy that clearly wants to do good- he looks like he'd stab you, but a lot of the Pokemon he has on his team- both in game and anime- rely on friendship to evolve. Lucario, Crobat, especially his Silvally. You could even argue his Porygon Z is a mark of his character- not super integral to his team until the title bout, but it is the only pokemon that needs to be traded TWICE to evolve, which alone says that he's a trusting and trustworthy individual. To top it off, in the Ultra games, he even gets a (ugh) Kanto starter, which would imply that Prof Oak maybe met him and gave him one, and we know Oak is a decent judge of character.

The complexity doesn't stop there- he's mean and intimidating as a defense mechanism, out of necessity after stealing Type: Null from horrific experiments and running away from the Aether Foundation. In fact, the anime, Masters, and Ultra games really do their damn best to try and make you forget that Gladion and his sister are survivors of child abuse. Gladion especially struggles a bit with the thought that he abandoned his little sister. He knows his mother is crazy and dangerous, and yet he goes in guns blazing to rescue Nebby abd Lillie, and also is more than willing to lead the Aether Foundation in Lusamine's absence. He doesn't smile often, but it feels like a reward, knowing all the pain he's gone through for the sake of something bigger than himself.

His design even exemplifies that- the tears in his clothes are supposedly from Type: Null going out of controll and attacking him once, which he's clearly developed some sewinh skills to make look part of the vibe, as if on purpose to push others away and make people worry less about him. As a character and design, I'd give it a 9/10.

As a rival, I feel like we battle just enough to get there right at the end, but I will say that I think he should have appeared and battled more often. 7/10 on that front, because he's less of a rival and more like someone testing us constantly- which being fair, I see why.

I know what you're thinking. "Lillie isn't a rival! What's she doing here?" Well, I think any fan of gen 7 will tell you that she is just as integral to the story as you are, and thus I'd say that makes her a secondary Main Character alongside you. Plus, it'd feel weird not to include her, she's the fries to the bacon cheeseburger of the rest of the cast, and arguably the soul of the story.

Her character arc is definitely more impressive in SM than Ultra- a fellow survivor of abuse that actually wears a symbol of it: her first outfit is heavily based on Nihilego, who we know Lusamine has a very unhealthy obsession with. She's less like a little girl and more like a doll made to dress a part she didn't want. Still, her bravery is off the charts- stealing Nebby without a single other Pokemon to help her is very, very brave, especially considering she was in the heart of enemy territory.

It isn't really until she's brave enough to stand up to her own mother that she finally decides to try something new. "Z POWER" Lilly looks so much more confident and sure of herself. She's still in white with hues of baby blue, but that's her choice, and sort of paints her as a protagonist that's a blank canvas- her future finally being her own to decide. She has no Pokemon (other than Nebby and later a Clefairy), but she's still brave enough to jump into ultra space to try and rescue her mother AND tell her off. She didn't have to forgive her for anything, but she does acknowledge that her mother was under the poisonous influences of Nihilego and opts to travel and find a way to save her. Her decision to go to (ugh) Kanto on her own is such a massive step for her, and her maturity to leave Nebby in our care is something that actually made me cry the first go around.

...then ultra sm kinda... undid a lot of that, lol. Lusamine isn't regretful for a single thing she did, but gets to continue like nothing happened. It makes some sense as to why Lillie decides to just keep living with Kukui lol.

Anyways, her design is part of her story, and her story is very deep and engaging. 9/10.

Next up... oh God it's Galar again