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durotoswrites · 2 years

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I'd love to hear your thoughts on Popuri :)

Thank you so much for your patience on this! Ah, yes, Popuri - probably the most popular bachelorette for the Harvest Moon Series, right beside Celia and Muffy if fan art is any indication. There’s no denying she’s a popular character. My feelings for her have fluctuated greatly throughout the years.

How I feel about this character:

My first interactions with Popuri were when I played Harvest Moon DS, but she showed up for the rare festival here and there, and she was the one who answered the phone for the poultry shop. I found her design cute, but I didn’t have much of an opinion on her in general.

The first game I played with Popuri was More Friends of Mineral Town, and my first impression was “why is this immature, spoiled brat so popular”? Her immaturity really grated on me, to be honest, and I felt bad for Rick for having to take care of the whole family on his own. I also felt like her and Kai had some hints of trouble in the future of their relationship during their heart events, with Kai seeming a little uncomfortable that Popuri was so insistent to go out with him to see the world. I got the impression she saw him as a ticket out of town, and she was eager to leave, not giving much thought to how much that replicated her father’s actions.

Looking at it a little more and watching more character events, I realize my first judgments on her might have been a little harsh. She does express frustration that she was never taught anything to run the farm, and she does try to learn on her own by visiting the MC. In trying to protect her, Rick is pushing his own sister away, and it’s kind of sad to see, because we know he is going through a lot of pain as well. There’s a lot of unspoken pain in the PoPoultry family with Lillia’s disease, Rod’s absence, and the effect it’s had on their children. Rick sees her as not wanting to do any work, but he doesn’t trust her with any of it. What other choices does she really have? I can understand her frustration a little better now.

In the intro event to the siblings in Back to Nature, HM for Girl, we come across the two of them arguing. Judging from the teary smile Popuri gives us, it’s easy to guess that she’s very eager to have someone in her life that she doesn’t associate with constantly putting her down (even if Rick isn’t like that all the time).

I will probably say this about most characters, but I really prefer the HM64 version of Popuri. It was this version that also encouraged me to go back and watch her events in Friends of Mineral Town. HM64 Popuri is more self-assured and mature, helping her mother around the store. Rick is not her brother in this game, and her father, Basil, is gone for part of the year. Her romantic events with Gray are really cute, and the two of them treat each other with equal respect. I really liked that someone as closed off as Gray took up an interest in flowers after meeting Popuri.

So, I guess to sum it up, my opinions on Popuri have improved. She’s not my favorite character, but I can understand better why people like her and can relate to her.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Popuri x Gray - This is the canon pairing in HM64, and I think it was done really well. Their personalities played well off of each other.

Popuri x Karen - I feel like this is just a given. I headcanon that Popuri looks up to Karen and thinks she’s really cool. They both love romantic things, and I can easily see them walking on the beach together and having a picnic date there.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Mineral Town: Popuri/Carter - I see Popuri as shut off from a lot of the town, or at least a lot of people in her age group. She spends some time at the church, and I don’t think it’s any stretch of the imagination that she enjoys Carter’s company.

Popuri/Cliff - See above regarding Popuri’s time at the church. It’s possible these two have communicated quite a bit. I can see them having a deep friendship as Cliff opens up about his past and Popuri compares it to her father leaving the family. They’d definitely have a lot to talk about.

Popuri/Zack - While Zack probably stops by regularly to pick up shipments and check on Lillia, I can see him having an uncle-esque role to Popuri and Rick. I imagine him sharing a lot of family meals and spending time together on their time off.

Popuri/Ann - I can see the two of them being friends in both games, but especially HM64 as she works on another farm (greenhouse) that likely helps support the ranch in some way. They both have a playful streak, and we see them hanging out at the hot springs most mornings in Friends of Mineral Town.

HM64:

Elli/Popuri - As written in my Elli ask, I feel like Elli admires a lot of things that Popuri does. I can see them sharing flowers and cake together.

Popuri/Greg - By extension, I can see Elli introducing Greg and maybe even Cliff to Popuri as they all go fishing together. I feel like Popuri would be up for trying something new, especially among friends.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I both love and hate the idea of Popuri x Kai being a canon couple in FoMT. Like I mentioned earlier, there are some events that hint at possible unhappiness in the future, and I sometimes got the impression that Kai was a little uncomfortable about causing tension between the two siblings, but Popuri persisted. And, I mean, she should definitely be allowed to spend time with the people she wants to. My concern is that Kai seemed a little uncomfortable about being the cause of tension between the two.

Their last heart event gave me a lot of complicated feelings. Kai's proven himself to be a very kind person despite not wanting to keep in contact with his family. Part of me feels like Popuri latched onto that idea a bit - seeing Kai as an escape from Rick. The moment they start arguing about it, the more she lashes out. This could just be a lot of pent up anger coming out, though, and I totally get that. They’re definitely an interesting couple - I’ll give them that!

(A moment of silence for Lillia's sad reaction at the news of her daughter leaving town and quickly slapping a smile back on her face. 😔 I can't imagine her not comparing this to Rod's departure.)

Out of the bachelorettes, FoMT Popuri is probably my least favorite, mostly for her immaturity and complaining without really acting on it. She wants to help at the farm, and I’d love an event with her mother while she expresses that! She wants to be whisked away because she’s unhappy, and I feel that she latches onto Kai… because she feels the distance between them is romantic, likely by seeing her parents. (Wow, I just realized that as I typed it and it just makes me sad.) Still, among all the games in the series, I love this cast, and Popuri is still part of that. I still feel like she got a lot more development than a lot of the “newer” games gave characters (i.e. Grand Bazaar, Tale of Two Towns).

Back to Nature and Friends of Mineral Town are similar, but they have different events. I really wish that they had kept the event where Popuri forgot to take the hens inside and one got killed. It helps set the mood for the tension between the siblings a lot better. It’s really easy for people to dislike Rick and see him as nothing but a bully when we don’t see the irresponsible things that Popuri has done while being put in charge of a task on the farm.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Oops, I guess the thing I wrote above was more of something I wish they had done. Well, I have other things I wish for Popuri.

I wish that she was given a chance to work on the farm and feel more confident in herself. I could see this working similarly to Cliff getting his job at the winery. Seeing Popuri have a sense of helping her family would eliminate a lot of tension between her and Rick. And that doesn’t mean that she’s not allowed to want to travel the world, either! I just think that it would be great if she’s able to experience working on the farm like she wanted. It also be a great tie-in for Rick and Kai to make up and I could see them coordinating with him to help with supplies and keep his beach shack open year round. Still, Kai likes warm weather, so the jury’s still out on that…

One more thing I wish had been kept from BTN/HM for Girl - Popuri (and a lot of the characters, honestly) had some great expressions that ended up getting cut in future games. I miss the waterfall tears and over-the-top expressions from others.

Thank you so much for the ask! I had a lot of fun with this one, and even after writing it, I realize that even though she’s my least favorite bachelorette, she’s still a decent character and adds a lot to the cast of the games she’s in. ^-^

#character breakdowns #character breakdown ask game #harvest moon popuri #harvest moon #story of seasons #popuri #pikablooo #thank you for playing! <3

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durotoswrites · 2 years

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For the character breakdown, I'd love to see what you have to say about Mary! :)

Ah, time for the long-awaited response for Mary! I know a few of you were looking forward to this one! I'd love to hear your thoughts on her as well! @julikoloveszestiria @redtutel I'll also include any thoughts on HM64 Maria as well!

How I feel about this character

As a fellow writer, I love that there's a character who writes for fun. Her moments of writer's block and hyper focusing while writing are totally relatable.

When I first started playing More Friends of Mineral Town, I didn't have much of an opinion on Mary because I wasn't able to woo her. I had triggered her first rival event with Gray and thought it was really cute, but I never thought to go to the library to befriend her – I rarely went in that corner of town. But after I got my character married, I spent more time befriending the villagers. I really liked Mary's dialogue. Her support of the main character's marriage is so sweet and genuine.

As I spent more time befriending Mary, I started talking more to Anna and Basil as well. Their family has some very interesting dynamics, and they're really fun to explore as characters!

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I really miss the rival system in the newer systems, but it does make the ideas for writing/shipping a lot more open. I've seen some really cute characters paired together I never thought of.

Maria/Mary x Harris – I think these two are so sweet together. Harris is such a kindhearted and shy person in HM64, and I really loved the event with Maria where he tells Maria that she doesn't need to buy that shady salesman's products to be beautiful – she already is. Him standing up for her when he is shy himself is so precious to me, and knowing that Maria has a history of having trouble saying no to the salesman's offers (she ends up being talked into buying some watermelons in another event) just makes this all the more sweeter. Yeah, it's a little cliché, but it's adorable and I like it. I think their personalities would mesh well together in Mineral Town as well!

Mary x Gray – I really feel like Mary would've been so great with Harris, but I also enjoy her with Gray. She is the gentle nudge Gray needs to be kinder to himself. Her gentle encouragement is something that Gray has needed so desperately. Their post marriage event is really sweet, too – Gray's worries about Mary overworking herself and being the voice of reason when she is burning herself out is a nice way to round out their relationship. I also really love him being so encouraging of her writing – it's a sweet detail, and she knows that he goes through a lot of books (plus a bit of a blunt personality) so she knows that her story is in good hands that will give her honest feedback. Their chemistry is just so sweet, and they're probably my favorite canon couple in FoMT.

Mary x Farmer – I like Mary's pensiveness and the events with her are pretty dang cute. Choosing to share a favorite book with the player is so dang sweet, and so intimate in a way. Everyone has their own unique experience while reading a story, and her recommending one that brought her to tears was really precious.

Mary x Elli – A fun rare pair. I can already see the two of them reading books together by the fireplace. I think Mary would be great with Stu, too, teaching him about the bugs he catches, and Stu would have someone he could show off his bugs to. Mary sharing her knowledge on insects might actually help Elli overcome her dislike for them, too. I could also see both of them having an interest in herbal remedies and teas. They both have such sweet personalities, too. <3

Mary x Cliff – As I mentioned in my Cliff ask, I think these two could have really good chemistry. Mary's gentleness could help Cliff out of his shell, and I think once he got comfortable, he would have some interesting stories to share with Mary. Maybe they could even write a book together about his travels! I could see them being really encouraging with one another, and I think it's a sweet pair.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Mary/Elli – They're great as lovers, they're great as friends. They're just great.

Mary/Doctor – I was just thinking on this one and I could imagine Mary helping the Doc with finding the right resource materials he needs for his studies. I could imagine them bumping into each other sometimes when Mary's family takes their trips up to Mother's Hill. And since I headcanon Mary and Elli being close with one another, I could see him being added to her friend group.

Mary/Gotz – Again, I could see these two bumping into the mountains, and perhaps Mary's treks with her family remind Gotz of his own family. I feel like he'd look after her protectively.

Mary/Thomas – I still see Harris and Mary as close as well, and, again, Thomas would be included in there. I can imagine their families having dinner together regularly.

Mary/Stu, May, and Carter – I mentioned the common interest of insects above, and I think she'd be great with helping encourage his curiosity and eagerness to learn. May could very easily be lumped into this as they pick wildflowers together and look at ladybugs, butterflies, and frogs. I imagine Mary coming to pick up Stu from the church on occasion and since Mary plays the organ in the music festival, it's only logical she has to go over there to practice at times. I feel like Mary and Carter would have a polite, but not very close friendship with one another.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I can totally imagine Mary choosing to live a happily single life even if other romancable people were available. She's a very well-rounded person who has goals in life and a job at a place she enjoys. Her relationship with her parents isn't perfect, but I could easily imagine her friends recommending her to take her book to a publisher and gaining more confident in herself and ultimately deciding to convert the top floor of the library into a cozy apartment and running the library while writing books – living the dream! <3

I do feel like both of Mary's parents are toxic/neglectful to her in one way or another. During the Goddess Festival in HM for Girl, Anna states that she wants Maria to have a boyfriend if you have Gray as your date. Mary states she can't see well without her glasses. That whole situation makes me uncomfortable – Anna's too focused on what she thinks a young woman should want and do, and Mary is too timid to speak up for herself. Basil seems to be so absorbed in his work that he doesn't make much time for his family. In HM for Girl, he even says some really cutting things about Mary that are just heartbreaking - they don't seem to really know that she's putting so much energy into her novel. I really get the impression that both parents just want Mary to follow their own footsteps and neither of them try to relate to her.

In the same vein, I absolutely HATE that Mary/Marie/Maria removes her glasses for her wedding. I am so tired of characters removing their glasses for formal wear. You could argue that she put in contacts, but they live in a pretty rural area, and that's not really the main point. Glasses are very common, and they don't make someone unattractive.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I wish that the player character was able to read her novel. Well, I guess you can in BTN/HM for Girl, but I was thinking of the one in FoMT that she lets Gray read.

I guess it's also pretty obvious I wish that Mary wore her glasses during formal events as well. It would be cute if they wore pajamas at home, and I could see her without glasses when she's in bed. That would be a cute touch to the games.

But for a more serious thing that I wish had happened for Mary is that her events slowly let her gain some independence from her parents, Anna in particular. It would be interesting if the characters changed their dialogue for the festivals if they had higher friendship/heart levels, and the more you befriended Mary, the more confident she became. <3

Thank you so much for the ask! I was happy to see that Mary was a popular character to ask about. I'd love to hear your thoughts on her, too! ;)

#character breakdown asks #character breakdown #harvest moon #story of seasons #hm mary #hm maria #hm marie #sos marie #sosfomt #fomt #hm for girl #hm btn #hm64 #pikablooo #julikoloveszestiria #redtutel #thanks for playing! <3

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durotoswrites · 2 years

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Character-breakdown-Game :D

Can you do Karen and (maybe) the Harvest Goddess? I would love to hear your thoughts on them ! Also if you ship the Harvest Goddess at all, lol! 😅 (she is marriage-able after all) <3

Thank you so much for the ask! These are both really interesting characters, and I'm excited to break them down.

For Karen, I'll do both Mineral Town and HM64 versions of her, as they're vastly different from one another and there's a lot to explore!

I'll include the Harvest Goddess in a separate post, as this one is quite lengthy, so this is part one of two. Thank you all for your patience as I work on these!

Character Breakdown Ask Game - Still Accepting! ;)

How I feel about this character

HM 64 Karen

So, in a way, I feel grateful that I played HM64 when I was a bit older, because I feel like I can understand where the characters are coming from better. I know that younger me would have absolutely hated Karen, finding her disobedience to her parents and her bluntness as her just being a bad daughter/person. She makes it no secret that she hates it in Flower Bud Village and that she has dreams of leaving. I see her as feeling really trapped. Yes, Karen can be a little immature, but dang, that environment she is living in is a nightmare. I just want to save her from her toxic family. I find it so sad that her sharper parts of her personality were a result of her upbringing, but it was probably the way she coped with living in the same house as them.

HM FoMT Karen

This version of Karen is vastly different, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. They're almost like two different people. While HM64 Karen has more focus on herself (which is completely understandable), this Karen is more of a “big sister” archetype. She's friendly and outgoing, even if she can be a little sharp with Rick during some of their heart scenes. Her blunt language during those scenes comes more out of a place of love than a self-defense mechanism – like when Rick protected her from a wild dog and got bit and she was frustrated he got hurt. There is an earlier event where Rick talks about how they used to wrestle as kids and she was pretty rough. Karen gets embarrassed and denies it, leaving him behind. I get the impression she's been trying to improve from being gruffer when she was a kid, and being reminded of that was humiliating in a way to her.

Either way, I really enjoy both of these Karens a lot, and in true Durotos fashion, I love mixing characteristics of the two of them together while writing.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

HM64 Karen

This lady is not in a good place right now and I doubt romance is at the front of her mind. I don't ship her with many characters.

Karen x Farmer – I can see her gaining her own bit of freedom in moving out of her parents' place. There are things she likes about the vineyard – I'm imaging the wonder and gratitude she has when the vineyard is restored. Living on a farm and seeing things growing and flourishing would be such a positive thing in her life.

Karen x Ann – I briefly mentioned the idea of these two ladies dating in my Ann ask. They're both a bit unstable, and some growing up would need to be done by both parties to make it work. Their friendship events are pretty cute, and I feel like they have good chemistry.

Karen x Elli – I really liked the scene where Elli and Karen talk about Karen wanting to leave town. I feel that Elli would lend a sympathetic ear to Karen, and Karen would take her to good fishing spots on the beach. I can imagine them having picnics on the beach together.

Not so much a ship, but I often thought that the woman that rejected Rick was Karen. I could imagine Rick being a bit meek and shy and Karen not really noticing he exists. </3

Mineral Town Karen

Karen x Ann – Again, I still love these two together, regardless of their incarnations. They're both more stable here, and I feel like their relationship would be full of laughter and fun times. <3

Karen x Gray – This is a bit of a guilty pleasure ship. I feel that neither of them would put up with each other's crap and be very blunt and honest with one another. There might be a bit of butting of heads at first, but once they start to understand the minds of one another, I think that they'd get along really well.

Karen x Kai – I really didn't care for this pairing in HM64, but their Mineral Town versions are so great for one another! Kai is laid back, and Karen has this cool, put-together vibe. They'd be the coolest couple in town and know how to have a good time, throwing the best parties!

Karen x Farmer – I think Karen's heart events are pretty cute, and I love the idea of Karen and the Farmer encouraging each other as they both try their hardest in the shop/on the farm. Karen is a romantic at heart, and a romantic personality in the farmer would create a really cute dynamic.

Karen x Rick – They're a pretty solid couple in this game, and while their heart events aren't the most “romantic”, it's clear to see that they care deeply for one another. I particularly love their post-marriage event where Karen reassures Rick that she will be there to help him with the farm.

I feel that Mineral Town Karen has such a warm presence about her and is outgoing and fun. I could pretty much ship her with anyone (except Cliff – in my mind they're ALWAYS cousins). I feel that her confidence would help bring out the best in people.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

HM 64 Karen:

Karen/Ann: These two have a great friendship and they both have a bluntness to them that they're comfortable with sharing around one another.

Karen/Elli: I could see these two bumping into one another in the mountains, maybe shooting the breeze while Elli is fishing.

Mineral Town Karen:

Karen/Claire: I have such a soft spot for these two as besties. I love the idea of a confident Karen helping Claire feel more comfortable in her skin and helping her straighten her crown. These two would have a lot to offer one another in terms of emotional conversation and fun times. 10/10 Super cute.

Again, as I mentioned earlier, Mineral Town Karen is so versatile, I can see her being at least casual friends with anyone in Mineral Town. I feel like she'd even be friends with Kai despite Rick's hatred of him.

My unpopular opinion about this character

HM 64 Karen:

I don't think Karen's a self-entitled brat despite coming off that way in her initial introduction. I feel that she's trying so hard to get her parents to care about life that she's exasperated. Gotz has practically given up on the vineyard, and Sasha's default expression is a worried one and she speaks of her family like she's afraid she's going to get into trouble. There's clearly a lot of unhealthy stuff going on in this family and I don't feel that Karen wanting to leave and start a life for herself is necessarily selfish. If she's grown up in this environment where her parents just don't care, but she feels tied to the land, it creates a lot of complicated feelings.

I do not like Kai and Karen as a pairing in this game. There's a definite imbalance in power and it just makes me feel like the next generation taking over the vineyard is going to be just as unhealthy as the current one. Kai's passiveness is worrisome here – he blindly admires Karen despite her faults, but his most blind affection is towards Gotz, which could cause a lot of problems in his relationship with Karen.

Not sure if this one is popular – but I know it's a polarizing opinion. I love Karen's blonde streaks! I love that it's a shoutout to SNES Eve and ties her with Cliff as a cousin. Plus, it just looks so iconic and I associate it so strongly with Karen.

Mineral Town Karen:

Karen's “I suck at cooking” schtick gets a little stale for me once I see she's never going to improve. There's a heart event where Jeff is too afraid to eat her cooking and ropes you into it. I wish the player character could start a chain of events where you give her some encouraging cooking tips.

I'm not crazy about Karen's new hair. I do miss the streaks, but my biggest gripe about her new hairstyle is that she looks too much like Freya from Grand Bazaar. Still, it's a minor complaint, as she still looks pretty cute.

I don't get a mean vibe from Karen. I've read a lot of older fic where she is an antagonist to Claire, picking on her from time to time. I purposely made Karen be best friends with Claire to play around with the dynamics and it made me fall in love with her character and personality.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I really wish that there was an opportunity for Karen's cooking to improve. She clearly has an interest in it, and everyone's so discouraging about it. An event with the player character teaching her a few simple recipes would've been really cute, and it would keep her from being a continual joke at the cooking festival. She wouldn't have to become an amazing cook, but it would be really neat if her Cooking Festival entries slowly improved over the years.

Thank you so much for the ask! I'll be working on the second part of it and have it out soon! ;)

Character Breakdown Ask Game - Still Accepting! ;)

#character breakdown #character breakdown ask game #ask box games #pikablooo #hm karen #sos karen #harvest moon claire #story of seasons #mineral town #fomt #sosfomt #hm64 #harvest moon karen #story of seasons karen #thank you for playing! <3

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durotoswrites · 3 years

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5, 10, 11, 16 for the stay home ask :>

5. 5 tv shows that cheer you up

There are some shows I like watching, but they honestly stress me out a little because they're scary or the characters are awful people, but a lot of episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia will make me laugh.

Bob's Burgers always gets a giggle from me. I love the family's interactions with one another.

I've enjoyed watching Nailed It - a cake decorating competition show, and the results are always funny (and relatable, honestly)!

I really love watching some of the old cartoons I grew up watching, too! Classic Spongebob (seasons 1-3) are always a hit. So many iconic moments.

Another old cartoon, Hey Arnold! is a great goofy, feel-good show. I adore Arnold's relationship with his grandparents in particular. My husband got me the boxed set a couple years back as a gift, and I was tickled to relive my childhood. ^-^

10. Something you’ve created in the last year that you’re proud of (a playlist, a piece of art, some writing, a craft hobby, a social media account, etc)

I previously answered:

I’ve started drawing a lot more this year and doing more than just doodles. I got a beginner’s tablet for digital drawing and it’s been such a wild ride! I’ve learned so much about shapes, colors, and shading and lighting. Every piece is a new series of lessons. I’ve gathered the courage to share my art with others, and I’ve even joined some collabs and I feel honored to work with such talented artists! 😳

But, hey! I'm allowed to be proud of more than one thing! ;) I've been working hard at my writing and I have ventured into new genres and games. Since it's time to be spooky, here's a Breath of the Wild short fic I'm pretty proud of - The Eyes. I haven't written much horror, but I had a lot of time venturing into something new, and I think that alone is something to celebrate and be proud of! ^-^

11. A tip or hack you’ve learned that makes cleaning or tidying easier

Oh, gosh, if anyone has some to send me, I'm all ears! I will be the first to confess that I'm not as tidy as I would like to be. That being said, I do like using vinegar versus harsh chemicals when cleaning, especially the bathtub. I make a mix of vinegar, dish soap, and water and put it in a spray bottle. I spray down the bathtub, scrub it out with a "magic eraser" (get these at the dollar store to save some cash!) and give it a good rinse. Good to go!

I also keep a spray bottle of unscented dish soap mixed with water at the sink. I spray my dishes and scrub them. I find that I use a lot less soap that way and it makes cleaning a lot quicker. Just be careful not to breathe in the soap mist, ugh. >.<

16. The last tv episode that made you laugh out loud

I haven't been watching a lot of television, but I do watch a lot of youtube videos for cooking tips or video game analysis. I always get a laugh out of Joshua Weissman's cooking videos. It was tickled to see he did a video featuring one of my ultimate favorites recently!

youtube

Still accepting asks! ;)

A soft, stay at home ask game

#ask box games #ask box replies #pikablooo #thanks for playing!

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durotoswrites · 3 years

Note

🎁 and 🎤 if that's ,okay :)

Ask me about my writing processes and stories!

🎁 Have a quote from a WIP?

How about a rough draft excerpt from the "In This Corner of the World" AU fic? I shamelessly have the tentative title of "In This Corner of the Farm", lol. At this part in the story, Claire's family is hosting her suitor, who has asked for her hand in marriage. She's set to make a decision the next day. It's a little lengthy, so I put it under a cut.

Edit: Remembered to actually put the excerpt in, heheh.

Evening turned to night and Claire helped unroll the futons on the floor and she unfolded a comforter to place on top. With a heavy shake, she spread it on the bed and her eyes widened in surprise as Cliff took the other end of the blanket.

“Th-thank you…” She watched his ponytail drape over his shoulder as he leaned forward to smooth out the covers. It had become slightly disheveled throughout the day and she smiled at the chocolate brown wisps that had escaped being tied back.

They sat across from each other, silently realizing that being alone without their chaperones could get them in trouble. Their eyes locked and Claire observed his gaze, confused by the warm familiar comfort it gave her.

The floor creaking in the other room caused them both to jump.

“I-I hope you sleep well, Claire.” There was a nervous smile on his face and she could see the slight furrow in his brow despite his sincere sentiment.

She shook her head, reflecting his expression. “I’m way too nervous to sleep,” she confessed, realizing offhandedly how rude she was being. Something about his honest face made her speak more than she had anticipated on.

He gave a slight chuckle at her candidness. “You’re nervous?” There was a slight teasing tone to his folksy lilt. “I’ll be lucky if I sleep at all.” His face turned crimson at his admission and he quickly cleared his throat. “I-I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have said that…”

As they stood up, she found herself reaching for his hand. His palms were sweaty and he looked up at her with a gulp, moving in a little closer.

“Regardless, I hope you get the chance to relax a bit,” she murmured, closing her fingers around his.

He looked like he wanted to reply, but he stopped himself.

“I… had a good time getting to know you better today, Cliff. You seem like a very kind person.”

He said nothing but gave her hand a gentle kiss. She turned to leave with a friendly smile.

“Cl-Claire…”

She froze in the doorway and turned back to face him. He nervously rubbed his arm as he allowed his eyes to meet hers once more. The longing in them caught her off guard and his cheeks turned pink as the corners of his lips slightly turned upward.

“I… I think that the two of us could be really happy together.”

She lingered in the doorway for a moment, her fingers gently curling around the doorframe. His soft voice was so sincere that she couldn’t help but feel that perhaps he was onto something.

🎤 Fave line in a fic you wrote?

Saibara's one of my favorite characters to write, and I enjoy having him share his "words of wisdom", often using blacksmithing metaphors or proverbs in The Shy Newcomer:

Saibara finished off his glass. Gray had been dragging out this whole thing with Mary for far too long. “So, boy… You’ve got yourself quite a situation… You can keep metal in the fire for as long as you like, but if you ever hope to make something of it… you need to take it out and pound it,” he winked at his grandson as he poured himself a fresh glass from his flask.

Gray’s eyes widened and he turned a deep shade of red, choking on his drink. “G-Grandpa!”

I also had a hoot writing him bolster Cliff's confidence at the Fireworks Festival:

The old man popped some edamame into his mouth thoughtfully. “Well, looks like they’re getting started.”

Cliff nodded. The two friends stared out at the square. Thomas had started the record player and was feebly attempting to do a traditional bon dance, his hands balled into fists and wobbling almost drunkenly. A few of the townspeople had timidly joined in, and it looked like the mayor was trying to learn the moves from them instead of giving a demonstration. The music, although familiar, was difficult to hear in the busy square and was easily drowned out by the voices of the crowd walking past and visiting the stalls.

Saibara watched them with amusement and let out a hearty laugh. Cliff jumped.

“It won’t be the same without live taiko, but we can make do. Come on, young man; let’s show these city slickers how to properly dance at a festival.” There was a playful gleam in Saibara’s eye – he had finished reflecting and was ready to have some fun. “You know what they say - we are fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance!”

#ask box games #writing #pikablooo

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durotoswrites · 2 years

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it's time to spread some love ✨ if you recieved this ask you are someone's favourite content creator, now it's your turn to tell us about your favourite ones, and what you love more about their content. you can send this ask, anon or not, to someone else so they can share their favourite people too! 💛

Thank you so much! <3 I'm so honored to receive this! 😳 I am so happy that my works have brought you happiness - it really means a lot to me.

I'd like to focus on visual artists that I really enjoy seeing content from (in no particular order)!

@acediee - I love the way you draw expressions, and I adore the soft, dreamy rendering and colors you pick! Seeing your art always brings a smile to my face.

@norree - I love your soft hues and fairy tale style that make me think of picture books <3 I also adore your retro pinup and anime, styles, too!

@pikablooo - I adore your expressions and softness! Your works are so tender and sweet. You're so great with body language, and I love seeing your progress!

@emeraldhaze15 - I love your creativity in adding characters to the HM universe that look like they just belong there, like Takakura's Donkey, or characters that are never shown on screen! I love your bright colors and clean line art!

@saintblondie - Your colors! omg, your colors, girl! I always love seeing what you've got going on, and thank you so much for the tips and tricks you've taught me as I have been slowly delving into the world of digital art!

@krosaceae - I love seeing your artwork for Barriers - your Claire in particular is soooo cute, and I love the body language you use in your pieces! <3

@lm-tomatito - So soft, so sweet! I love your bright cheery colors and soft themes. Seeing your art on my dash is always a sweet treat <3

@pansy-picnics - I have enjoyed watching your art grow with time. I love your warm colors and the variety of expressions you use. I’m such a sucker for your Hinata x Yuzuki works! <3

@wishvalley - Your works are so clean and put-together. I’m pretty sure every time I see a new piece from you, I fall in love with the HM/SoS characters a little harder <3

@silver-x-smith - The way you draw Gray is so soft and sweet. Your style is so, so cute, and experiencing Yuto’s Journal was such a treat!

These are just the ones I can think of off of the top of my head, but there are so many artists out there that create so many beautiful, wonderful things. Thank you so much for sharing your work with us! <3

#thank you artists!#y'all are so talented <3 #ask box replies #thank you nonny <3 #I'm truly honored

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