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lovebirdgames · 2 years ago

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To the ready...

This is my last devlog and final reflection before Band Camp Boyfriend releases. We started working on the game in 2015. We released the demo on Itch.io in 2018. We got our Steam page up in 2022. Now here we are in 2023, almost eight years later. We’ve been working towards this moment for eight years.

To be honest, it’s a little bit scary. My anxiety can’t help but whisper, “What if they hate it?” but thankfully logic growls back, “They won’t.” The most important thing is…I love it. I love it and I’m proud of it, and I’m here to reflect on everything and thank everyone for their hard work. Band Camp Boyfriend was once an idea in an instrument truck and today it is a reality thanks to you.

I may use “I” and speak from my perspective here, but I am only one half of the soul of this game. My sister’s heart, creativity, memories, and talents also make up Band Camp Boyfriend. She is just the shyer of the two of us and not as present on social media. So while I speak from my heart, know that it also comes from Alex’s.

Alex and I came up with the characters and stories together. We bounced ideas on band fields, long walks, and over coffee. There are so many warm moments of us barely able to detail our scene ideas in between peals of laughter. Together, we crafted it into better versions, constantly improving on it. As we worked, we covered for each other’s flaws. Alex is the perfectionist between the two of us and she is the more knowledgeable one when it comes to music, as she majored in it. She also was able to do the math and figure out the tough programming. Then she taught me—I am not the perfectionist, but I am the workhorse, the motivator. I am obsessed with checking things off my list and constantly working to whittle it down. And while her writing style is to carefully hone each paragraph, mine is to just devour. I sit down and I just write—though I like to say the characters write themselves. I’m just an invisible presence within the story, writing the scene as it plays out. If you know the characters deeply enough, you always know what they’re going to say next and your fingers fly across the keyboard just to keep up. But enough about me.

Band Camp Boyfriend is the kind of game that absolutely needs an original soundtrack and by God did Alex create an incredible one. The themes, the motifs, the fine details. She has put so much thought and hard work into the music of this game. I have no idea how she does it. It’s magical to me. It adds so much to the game and heightens the emotion by tenfold, and I can’t wait for you to hear each song—from “Let It Slide” to “Swan Song” to the full band performance of the alma mater and that final song in the credits. Every single song brims with Alex’s talent, passion, and hard work.

And honestly, I am blessed to have her as my sister and my best friend. Thank you, Alex, for sharing this journey with me.

One talent my sister and I do not share between us is digital art. We write, we program, she composes…but sprites, CGs, backgrounds, GUI? That’s not something we can do. So we commissioned artists we found on Lemmasoft Forum and I’m so grateful to have found them when we did.

Bunny, our background artist, created the entire world of Band Camp Boyfriend! She worked with us closely to make sure the details were right and was so sweet. It was so cool to be able to move around the world she created and help capture the shots that we wanted. Potouto (now Khoaisama) was also wonderful to work with. She is so full of talent and creates amazing, unique GUI for many different visual novels! Also, I love her enthusiasm. And our chibi artist, Mayunnaise, has created some of the most adorable chibis I’ve ever seen! Thank you all!

I want to say a special thanks to Flora, our sprite/CG artist who was so incredible to work with. She was patient, devoted, talented, and granted us art even better than we imagined…seriously, I would lose my mind over everything she sent us…but one of the best things we attained on this journey was certainly her friendship. Flora, you are a fantastic human being with a wonderful sense of humor! I’m glad you will finally, finally get to see your stunning art in action. Thank you for sticking with us as we kept spinning in circles. “Okay last round of CGs…actually, can you do one more round? Actually, just one more CG. I swear this time it’s the last one, I swear!” She also needs to be commended for her dedication to nailing all the detail on the instruments. That’s not easy to do. Flora, you rock. I hope you love the game.

Next, our stunning voice cast. They brought these characters to life in a way no one else could, better than we ever could have envisioned. Seriously. Their talent made me love these characters even more, which I didn’t realize was possible. I’m sorry for making you all wait for the game so long and I’m thankful you continued to reprise your roles throughout the years when we asked for more lines. Joe, Jonathan, Wish, Jared, Richard, Joseph, Mark, Emily, Melody, Daisy, Daniel, Lasli, Angelo, Riley, Sara, and Steve…thank you from the bottom of my heart for lending us your incredible talents. You are all spectacular voice actors and lovely people.

And I could never forget my fantastic friends who helped beta test the game! Becca, Karen, Kristin, Ross, Chris! Thank you all for lending your time and for being my friends through thick and thin. You each brought your own talents to testing and really helped me to clean up the game. Ross the genius also helped with programming and I am extremely grateful to him and his brilliant mind! Programming the Extras menu was no small feat and I don’t think we could have done it on our own and still met our deadline. Thank you so much for offering your time and working so hard.

We are sorry to cast, crew, and fans that creating the game took so long. This is a hobby and a passion rather than our full-time jobs, and you only have so much time for hobbies as an adult. Life can easily get in the way and we certainly faced our fair share of life changes and hurdles these past 8 years. We often beat ourselves up for not finishing the game in 2020 as we had initially hoped, but I believe this is what was meant to be. The game only got better. Some of the early story decisions make me cringe. Some of the writing I revisited was written by someone with less life experience and a bit tone-deaf on real issues so I was able to fix it. Most importantly, a final route (which was previously going to be DLC for later on) was added and wraps up the game wonderfully. Band Camp Boyfriend was meant to be released in 2023.

I want to thank both of my parents for their unending support through it all. Our dad helped us with the business side of things, getting the game copyrighted, and the joy of taxes. He wholeheartedly supports us in whatever we do, though he is a tad skeptical that a game called Band Camp Boyfriend will sell many copies…so we’re gonna surprise him, right guys? :)

As for my mom…I owe the fact that the game is finally on the cusp of being released to her. She has been our biggest supporter and fan. She has spent hours helping us program and running tests on the game. Until the very last minute, she scraped through the game to make sure there was no crashing. Before that, around two years ago, she sat me down and asked what she could do to help see this special game finally become a reality. It was a major turning point and we owe her so much. Her love of the game kept us going.

Love you both more than words can say. <3

Finally, I want to thank all of the people who have contributed to the wonderful memories and hilarious quotes that have found their way into Band Camp Boyfriend. The three different marching bands I was lucky to be apart of. And to my favorite, hilarious band director and my wise, gentle French horn teacher, who are no longer of this world…thank you for fostering in me a strong love for music, for seeing a talent in me that I couldn’t always see, and for building me into a stronger person. You both left this life too soon, but your impact in so many lives remains. I wish I could show you the game Alex and I created, the game that you helped inspire, and make you smile one more time.

I know some people will look at the hokey title and think it’s just another dating sim, just another gimmicky game, but to some of you, I hope it will be much more than that. As it is to me. It brims with a life of experiences. But not just mine—I’m sure so many of us who have worn a marching band uniform have had the same experiences. And through these experiences, we are connected.

I’ll say it once again, even though it won’t be the last time you hear this: Thank you for playing Band Camp Boyfriend. I dearly, truly hope you love it. I hope the game makes you smile, makes you laugh, makes you cry, and I hope you carry the characters, their lessons, and their story in your heart long after you get that final CG. I’ve carried Band Camp Boyfriend with me for almost eight years; I am so ready to share it with you.

See you at band camp.

-Taylor

#final reflection #game development #devlog #band camp boyfriend

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goat-and-coat · 1 year ago

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UT Yellow Spoilers Ahead.

So. Here’s some buffer text so this shouldn’t show up in your notifications. The spoilery parts. The spoiliest. Consider this your spoiler warning.

Yeah, this is probably long enough. I’m just gonna shotgun this lol.

We’re going to start with the good.

So the good!

Yeah. There’s a LOT. Way too much to mention, so here’s some highlights.

Toriel showing up is obviously a necessity. But it was such a cool little moment to have the rescue ending (:

Nice callback to UT’s little “wait for something to happen” moments that happen in the Core and Ruins.

The music, of course, is amazing. Whether it’s the original music or the remix (I dig that Hopes and Memes remix), they did a phenomenal job.

On the front of artistic expression, the art. Sprites are amazing. The flashback art is amazing. The videos are super cool. The animations are really good.

Gameplay is pretty in line with Undertale. You’ll find yourself holding X a lot more to slow yourself down than you did in UT.

I like how the game makes callouts to beloved characters we don’t see directly, like Alphys and Undyne. It was nice to see more of the same side characters, too. The expansion on monsters is good- like Dalv. And we finally see farms.

I love Clover, Martlet, and the Feisty Five. Cerboro… well, we’ll talk about her later. Their dialogue is always great. I don’t think there was even a single bad line.

The hugs at the end! And the hand holding! And how much everyone just loves Clover aaaaah

Also Flowey (:

Good cowboy representation!!!

Snowdin expansion (:

More of the Ruins we never got to see (:

We got to see the city up close wooo!!

The map is just good. My favorite part was the Dunes. I liked seeing the UG Apartment Complex. The Royal statue specifically. Nice smaller detail that I’m glad didn’t go forgotten.

Also! UT Yellow successfully retains the writing and goofiness of UT. While the drama doesn’t hit AS hard, it’s still definitely a tearjerker! It really makes you see the six kids as more than just a number. Helps to put gravity and weight on that.

But most importantly, the creators very clearly have such love and respect for UT. It shows in their creation. A lot of hard work and effort went into it. UT Yellow is what all fan games should look to do in my opinion. I want you to keep this in mind for what I’m going to say about the dislikes.

Here’s what I didn’t like:

Do you wish every fight was as bad as Sans? Do you hate everyone and yourself? Do you wish to inflict pain on your mental well-being? Do you straight up suck at dodging, but love seeing game over screens?

Congratulations. This game is for you. It’s a mix bag for me. Extra challenge is good, but this was extreme.

The boss fights don’t hold back. So this could easily be in the “good” category if you’re a masch… maschochist? Masc… enjoy pain. I can’t spell it, okay??? And I ain’t gonna Google it.

Axis took me close to two and a half hours to beat (in comparison, the dance boss took only about an hour and a half).

That’s my only real complaint about the pacifist run as far as combat goes. No way monsters would’ve been locked away without a single soul during the war if they were this strong.

I will say the world makes the Underground seem TOO big, which contradicts the whole “the underground is too small” narrative Undertale pushed. I think Yellow mentions it once or twice, too? HOWEVER!! I am totally and completely willing to ignore this because cowboy hehe (:

Plus, it explains some food source. Little curious how they’re growing crops underground, but I’ll just go with “it’s magic so it doesn’t need sunlight” as my excuse.

Flowey. I know I said I liked him, too. So here’s what’s going on.

This is gonna be weird to people because Asriel and Frisk are my favorite UT characters. And I don’t even dislike Flowey in Yellow! He’s super funny.

But he should not be there.

His presence opens up a whole can of worms.

1- He can save and load while Clover can’t (he is Clover’s save point). This isn’t an issue in itself, but it is an issue at the same time because Flowey’s goal to take human souls would be ten billion times easier if he just bodied Clover at the very first opportunity like he tried to do with Frisk. This is a kid who throws a temper tantrum after about five seconds of you not dying to his bullets. I don’t think he would have the patience to play the long con.

2- Flowey doesn’t seem to have met a human other than Chara and Frisk… and the ones who killed him, I guess. The True Lab implies that before him, LemonBread had the SAVE/LOAD ability for a short time.

3- Flowey’s presence also stuffs the timeline in a box. We’re to assume Flowey in UT woke up relatively recently, because he’s been screwing with timelines. But Toriel tells us a human hasn’t been underground in “a long time” in both games. I can picture this being 7-10 years minimum.

Are we really going to believe Alphys had people locked in her basement for ten years? Because I couldn’t see that lasting more than 3 months tbh. 6 months would be a MASSIVE stretch before people stormed the gates. I feel like Alphys’s mention should’ve been left at “the new Royal scientist made a robot.”

Leave out the subplot of Cerbora’s blatant disregard for child safety. You wouldn’t even need to do away with the (frankly busted) fight she had (I did most of it with the silver scarf btw).

My final thing that is a total complaint is the genocide ending. Clover gains the LOAD/SAVE, one shots Asgore, murks Flowey, and frees the souls. But they’d still be trapped down there lol.

I feel like Asgore should’ve just skewered Clover and that should’ve been the genocide ending. Flowey being left out would’ve nullified my dislike of him dying (for realsies).

Though I will say, the art made exclusively for it is disturbing as heck and belongs in a horror game. So they definitely did a great job on that part of it.

Speaking of Asgore… he seems really out of character to just fire someone like he does. I can disregard this as him wanting kids to NOT die. Axis is very clearly a way bigger threat than MTT could ever dream to be.

So really, my complaints boil down to:

1- Game too hard ):

2- Biiiig place but cool so it’s worth it (but how the heck is there a desert down here? Who cares!? Worth it!)

3- Genocide ending sad and dumb and I hate it because sad and weird):

4- Flowey’s presence

5- Timeline confuzzlement.

The first is a skill issue (even if I know I haven’t had nearly as many issues as some other people).

The second is really just a mix bag. It makes sense in most places (Snowdin, Hotland, New Home, Home/the Ruins) but less so in other places (the Dunes, aka my favorite spot in Yellow. Damn, I’m willing to compromise just to keep this tho.)

The third is just personal preference I guess… I don’t like how it’s contradictory to UT. As a stand-alone thing, it’s perfectly fine. Just too depressing for me.

The fourth… well… okay, this is the only complaint I don’t see myself budging on.

The fifth just needs some minor corrections.

How is Yellow overall?

If Undertale is a 9, which frankly it is, I’d give UT Yellow a solid 8.75. It should be impossible to make a fan game that’s almost as good as the content it was based on, but the absolute madlads did it. They really did it.

Jury’s still out on DeltaRune, but I rate it around an 8.25 so far.

For context, out of all of my favorite games, I’ve never once thought of a game as a ten. Not even the fantastic Fallout: New Vegas or the reliable (Halo) Reach.

#undertale yellow spoilers #ut yellow spoilers

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morellanimmermehr · 2 years ago

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What’s your honest opinion about posting content on Dorian? And Dorian as a platform? I am hearing contrasting opinions and the bad ones are bad but the good ones make it sound really interesting.

tl;dr - The app and engine are kind of clunky and there are some improvements I'd really like to see, but overall I've been really enjoying posting on Dorian so far.

I'll go into more detail under the cut, but if there's a specific aspect you have concerns about that I'm not addressing or you have follow up questions please do come back and let me know!

Note: I'm only using Dorian for Arcana fantales, so my opinion is purely from that perspective.

First of all, after being used to the Arcana app, Dorian is definitely a bit of an adjustment. The app has a very different feel, it can be kind of slow, and I know some people experience bugs (though I personally haven't really had issues with that).

Similarly, the engine that creators use to make the stories can be a bit slow and buggy, though it's improved even in the few months I've been using it, and I've always found the Dorian staff really responsive when issues are reported to them.

Despite the above, posting on Dorian is actually super easy. There wasn't much of a learning curve at all for me in terms of using the engine.

One of my biggest gripes right now is probably the alignment of the Arcana sprites in the app. The taller sprites (like Muriel's) have cut-offs at the top and it really doesn't look good. I understand that's being worked on currently, so hopefully it will improve.

I would also like to see them implement choice memory and permanent unlocks for premium scenes. I've seen these things requested a lot, so I hope they'll come eventually.

Streams feature pretty prominently on the app. I found that off-putting at first and was sure I would never join one. Then one day I caved and gave it a try and… now I'm kind of hooked? Seeing people react to my stories in real time has honestly been amazing. I still don't stream myself because I'm shy, but I watch pretty regularly now.

In general the reader engagement I've been getting on Dorian has been awesome and a real motivation boost. Between comments and the livestreams I hear from so many more readers than I ever did on AO3, and I'm loving it.

In terms of the interactions I've had with the Dorian team, I honestly have only good things to say. As a creator, it's really up to you how you want to use the platform. If you are interested in things like growing your audience or increasing monetization the Dorian team are very happy to help and will offer suggestions. But if you don't care about any of that and just want to post your story and move on, that's fine too; there's no obligation, and you have full control over the story you want to write (as long as it doesn't break any guidelines of course).

#anon asks

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stardestroyer81 · 4 years ago

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Happy second anniversary to Lovers of Aether, the single greatest April Fool’s Joke to have ever been conceived! If the last two or three months have been any indication, I am just in love with the game, even if it was meant as an extremely elaborate inside joke— the art is amazing, the dialogue is funny, and the LoA designs of the Rivals are just awesome— though I’m sure you know which is my favorite 🖤❤️🖤 I debated what I should do for its anniversary, and while I did have an original plan on what to post in mind, I’ve decided to keep it under wraps for a later date because I wasn’t sure how I felt showing it off on... well, April Fool’s Day. I didn’t want anyone to think it was fake, so... more on that later! But I couldn’t let the anniversary of such a beloved game of mine go by without having something for it, and after thinking a bit on what I could make for it (On a small timetable, mind you), I was struck with not only an idea, but a realization.

Anyone who’s seen Rivals of Aether knows that the game is built around a 16-Bit/32-Bit art direction, this image being a good example of what I’m talking about. Because of this, Rivals of Aether has two variations of the main logo: one used for promotional artwork, and a sprited version to fit in with the in-game spritework. I’ve always liked both versions of the logo, the 16/32-Bit one especially, so when I was thinking about what I could make for Lovers of Aether’s second anniversary, I made but a simple revelation: Lovers of Aether lacks a logo in this style.

(Click the image above to see the details clearer— it might take some zooming in, but trust me, both RoA logos are different!) I mean, a lack of a stylized pixel version of Lovers’ logo is kind of a given. Lovers of Aether is way more focused on the artistic genius of @elranno, and the only instance of sprite art that I can think of is during the Computer Lab segment. And so, a question came to mind: Could I make a stylized pixel version of Lovers’ logo? It was a daunting task. I’ve hardly ever sprited anything that isn’t 8-Bit— I’ve done some 16-Bit spritework, though definitely not to the level of detail of the sprited Rivals of Aether logo. But it seemed like the easiest thing for me to create; after all, I’m no stranger to pixels, and I also wanted to be the first to make one! And surprisingly...

I did it! Where a standard 8-Bit sprite would take me a total of one or two hours of on-and-off work, this took me about three to four consecutive hours of fine-tuning to get it completely perfect. It might not look like it, but about 30% of this involved me getting up close and spriting shading pixel by pixel, and my goal was to have it be near-indistinguishable from the original at a distance— which I can confirm it is! I put a lot of love into this, and hopefully it shows!

Pairing it with Rivals of Aether’s logo in the same style is just so satisfying, too! I am very proud of this, as it isn’t very often I attempt spriting something at this level of detail, and I hope you all find it to be quite a lovely piece of sprite art!

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tetrakys · 5 years ago

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Forbidden - Act 1 and 2

So you guys might have seen one of my previous posts where I said I was going to play this game this weekend, and I did. I have been waiting for it for a while because I love @saku-chann‘s art and I’d seen a few posts on the official tumblr page @forbiddenvn so I was super excited and, I have to say, it didn’t disappoint. The game is not perfect, there are a few problems here and there, but I think this is essentially a demo so the authors can easily make improvements, and there are also lots of very good things. But let’s talk about everything in order, starting with the main plot.

The plot

Forbidden is a romance mystery visual novel, the premise is simple: MC’s parents are rich, very rich, but too caught up in their own problems to deal with their rebelling daughter, so they send her to what is essentially a reformatory disguised as a fancy all-girls college. There we meet three charming teachers, the geek nephew of the director and a few classmates secondary characters. MC is also in contact with her childhood friend who didn’t show up yet but he should be another LI, I am curious about how the story is going to evolve to include him as he is a guy and he is back home (MC is Irish but I think the setting is England). The first two acts serve as an introduction to setting and characters, it’s very much dialogue heavy with little plot except for the last scene in act 2 which was a real shock and sets the tone of the whole game.

Cons

Now, you know I’m always very balanced with my reviews, giving pros and cons. This time I’m going to talk first about what I think doesn’t work because I have lots of trust in this project and I don’t want to focus too much on the negatives. I think the main problems are essentially three:

1. First of all, the game needs a beta, more than one actually, and they have to be english mother tongue. There are typos and grammar mistakes in almost every line and it’s a real shame because it takes away from fully diving into the story. I know that the two authors are french (I think) so it’s really amazing that they made a game in english and I congratulate them for that, they just need help, a few pairs of fresh eyes. I know very well that when you read and look at something a thousand times at some point you stop seeing any mistakes. And not only in the writing, there are some issues and small bugs here and there, like some scenes being cut abruptly at the beginning, some characters called with the wrong name, the wrong answers to some dialogues etc (if the authors want to contact me in private I can point to whatever I remember, it’s not the goal of this review to make a list.)

2. The second point, and this is probably very personal, is that I don’t like much the secondary characters because I find them very stereotyped. Basically the chubby girl only talks about food, drinks and lazying around

and also there is the usual clique of mean girls. I hate games that put women against each other, especially when there is no particular reason. In this case more than ever, these girls had basically said nothing yet and MC reacted in a pretty spiteful way.

(I don’t trust women? Seriously??)

Granted, I do like that we have a strong-minded MC that doesn’t let anyone mistreat her, but she acted as the mean girl first. The one character I liked was Claire

hehe funny... but well...

I hope the game will give these characters more depth as the story moves forward and we won’t have too many cat-fights.

3. The final point, and probably the main one, is that I don’t buy the premise. MC is sent to this jail/school to complete her thesis, she is 23 and has to go along with whatever her parents want because she financially depends on them. I have to say, this doesn’t work with a 23 years old MC. I understand that she grew up rich and is not used to provide for herself, but the MC has to also represent the player a bit, this is too far fetched to believe. Also, everything in the setting looks like a high school, from the fact that MC has to study different subjects that have nothing to do with her thesis, the students having to wear a uniform, the all-girls boarding school environment... also the duration of the studies doesn’t make sense, in UK university lasts 3 years, then students can do a one year master. By the time they are 23 they are done unless they have lost one or more years, which I don’t think it’s MC’s case. My impression is that the game was aiming for a rich boarding high school atmosphere but that, since the romance part of the game involves teachers, the authors decided to make it the less controversial they could and upped MC’s age as much as possible. I understand that having a minor MC romancing a teacher could have been problematic for them, but to make the story work it would be enough to say that this is MC’s last year of college, she is 20-21, it would also explain her having to get some credits in other subjects and it’s enough to believe her acting out like a rebellious teenager.

So, these are my cons, as you can see they are all very easy to solve if they wish so, I think it would be great if they did because they would make the game perfect as the pros really really good.

Pros

1. Let’s start with the easiest: the art. This is in fact the reason I was interested in the game in the first place. I love the art style and how expressive all the characters are, how everything is very detailed and the backgrounds are soooo beautiful too.

And the CGs! I’m only going to post a couple without context just to illustrate how beautiful they are

2. The setting. I said that I don’t believe in the premise in relation to MC’s age and if this has to pass as a university, but other than that the setting is really intriguing, I’m a sucker for boarding-school based stories, especially when there is more than meets the eyes

Also the school has a sort of house-system, I didn’t fully understand how it works but I think that it is based on the year of study, MC is a stag which is the last one.

3. I really liked that we could chose the subject of our thesis among history, literature and math. Usually in these games the MC always studies art because this is what the creators know and it’s smart to stick to your guns, but I really appreciated so much that math was a choice and I didn’t have to suffer through the usual stereotype of “math is hard, I hate math, it’s just numbers blah blah blah”, this is personal but it made me very happy.

(Honestly a good chunk of my excitement is now working on our thesis 🤭)

4. The romance. So... I came into this game completely blind, I knew nothing about the plot except for one thing: we are going to romance sexy teachers 👀 I had seen the guys’ sprites and, while all three are good-looking

there was only one guy who had immediately got my attention, the one in the middle. How lucky it is that it turns out he is Mr Alexander Holmes the math teacher?? And how lucky it is that it turns out he is the cold asshole of the group? (i.e. my type?)

Do I hear wedding bells already?

(talking to the class)

Be still my beating heart! 😻

(and you know babe I would take you more seriously if it weren’t for the fact that the math you wrote on the blackboard is complete nonsense, thankfully you’re pretty and brooding)

The other guys are nice and apparently sweet but they haven’t seduced me yet. Only the geek a bit because I have a weakness for geeks

(look at that background! saku you have so much talent!)

5. I find the writing style quite intriguing. MC describes everything first person present tense, but then at some point there are some philosophical monologues from MC from the future narrating in the past tense. While this could be unnerving, I think it adds to the mysterious and intriguing atmosphere of the game. (My only suggestion is to use a different font when these come up to make the reading easier.)

6. The mystery. This is probably the most important factor, this isn’t just a romantic visual novel, it’s a murder mystery! And they hint at something supernatural going on because a girl was killed a while ago and they say her spirit is still around. But this isn’t the only crime, apparently there is someone going around killing people and I’m all in for this, love me a good murder mystery.

So, this is it from me, let me know if you end up playing, you’ll find the link to download the game on the official tumblr @forbiddenvn (it’s itch.io so it’s free and you can pay only if you want, whatever you want). I really hope there’s going to be more soon, but I can see it may take some time, it’s clear that a humongous amount of work went into this demo for just two people, but I’m looking forward to see what comes next!

#forbiddenvn #forbidden #forbidden game

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flowerpowell · 5 years ago

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Unexpected (Drake x MC)

PART FOURTEEN

A/N: *whispers* I’m sorry!

Characters belong to PB (except for Dani, she’s my baby)

Rating: PG-16 (mentions of drug abuse and being drugged)

Word count: 2365

Tagging: @gardeningourmet @delightfullypinkglitter @desireepow-1986 @hopefulmoonobject @dcbbw @kingliam2019 @the-soot-sprite @mskaneko @thequeenofcronuts @badchoicesposts @burnsoslow @annekebbphotography @alesana45 @addictedtodrakefanfic @walkerduchess @ao719 @texaskitten30 @lodberg @cordonianroyalty @emichelle @siriusxxvideos @i-bloody-love-drake-walker @samihatuli @choices-lurker @i-miss-trr @drxkewalker @nikkis1983 @innerpostmentality @msjr0119 @bascmve01 @mind-reader1 @edgiestwinter @drakesensworld @queenjilian @princessleac1 @saivilo @yukinagato2012 ♥

Riley stood still, her eyes wide open not being able to stop looking. The glass water bottle she was holding, slipped from her hands and hit the floor, breaking into thousands of pieces, just like her heart.

The noise caused Kiara and Drake to look up and finally acknowledge that someone was in the room with them. Drake’s eyes widened slightly as he noticed Riley and he blinked a couple of times as if trying to sober up.

“Riley,” he rasped as he tried to get up, pushing Kiara off of him.

“Yes, Riley. Your wife.” Riley hissed, her eyes welling up with tears. “I’m sorry I ruined your little rendezvous.”

“Riley... It’s not... I don’t...” he tried to think of words, something that would make sense but nothing came to his mind. He turned his attention to Kiara and noticed she was only in her bra. And he wasn’t wearing any shirt.

Oh no.

“I swear I don’t--” Drake started as he tried to get up but Riley started already walking away.

“Riley!” he cried out after her but heard only the sound of the front door closing as a response. He felt someone’s hand stroking his hair and saw Kiara, smiling down at him.

“Get. Out,” he hissed, pushing her hand away. The shock after seeing Riley made him a little bit more sober but he still wasn’t able to get up from the couch.

“Mais, Drake, we aren’t finished yet!”

“Get out!” He raised his voice and flinched at how loud it was. “I don’t know what you did to me, but you’re gonna pay.”

“Drake, you must be sick, I didn’t do anything,” she tried to grab his hand but he pushed it away, again.

“Get out or I’ll call the cops,” he theatened and Kiara swallowed hard.

“Well, if you insist,” she fixed her dress and grabbed her purse, “if you need anything just call me.”

Drake sighed as Kiara left. What was wrong with that whiskey? He only drank one glass! One glass! Was it because he hadn’t drank whiskey in a few days? That wasn’t possible, was it?

Drake looked for his phone but couldn’t find it anywhere. Not being able to stand up on his own yet, he lay down and closed his eyes, hoping Riley would understand when he finally would be able to explain what happened.

~~~~

“Riley?” Dani looked at her sister with concern written all over face. Riley almost never cried. The last time she did, was at Nana’s funeral. And now, Riley was standing in front of her hotel room, her eyes red from crying, her whole face swollen.

“May I come in?” She asked and Dani nodded, letting her in.

“Can I stay here for a bit?”

“Ri... what happened?”

“Nothing,” Riley shrugged and walked up to Dani’s bed and sat on it.

“I’m not stupid, Ri. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, besides, the fact that I just found Drake in bed with another woman? Not much really.”

“What?!” Dani’s eyes widened. “Are you sure it was Drake? Not his evil twin or something?”

Riley raised an eyebrow at her sister.

“I mean, it doesn’t sound like Drake to me.”

“Well, I guess you don’t know him that well. And neither do I,” Riley added, almost whispering.

“I don’t understand. Drake would NEVER. He is so in love with you!”

“Can you please stop? He was not, clearly. I was right not to trust him, I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Riley, can you start from the beginning? It doesn’t make any sense to me!” Dani shook her head. Drake would never do it. She was sure of it.

Within next couple of minutes, Riley filled her in with all the details, starting with the message and ending on her leaving their apartment.

His apartment.

She wasn’t going to live there with him anymore.

“That... still doesn’t sound like Drake. Something must have happened.”

“You know what happened? You always seeing people as good. And some people are just not. And you know what? It’s fine. I don’t care. I don’t care about Drake and I never did. I just wanted the restaurant and now I have it. I reached my goal, I don’t need Drake anymore.”

“That sounds more like you are trying to convince yourself rather than me,” Dani noticed and Riley narrowed her eyes.

“I need to use the bathroom,” she said and quickly left the room. She wished it was as easy as she told Dani it was but her heart felt like breaking. She hated herself for falling for Drake so easily.

Riley sat down on a bathtub and wiped the tears that kept on coming. That wasn’t Drake. She thought she knew him. And what hurt the most was that in fact, she didn’t.

~~~~

“Answer the phone!” Drake had been trying to reach Riley for the tenth time and she was still not answering. He still felt a bit dizzy but he could walk a little at least.

“Riley!” He yelled at the phone but it was pointless, she wasn’t answering.

He threw his phone on the couch and sat down, burying his head in his hands. Everything smelled like whiskey and for the first time in his life, he hated that smell.

He looked up at his glass and noticed how dirty it was. What was weirder, Kiara’s wasn’t.

“I’m gonna burn the glass she drank from,” he murmured to himself as he took the glasses to the kitchen. He threw Kiara’s glass to the trash can and was about to put his in the dishwasher when he noticed a little bit of white powder at the bottom of the glass.

“What the...” he inspected the powder but it didn’t smell like anything. He closed his eyes, gritting his teeth.

“That little--” he kicked the dishwasher before grabbing his phone.

“Liam? Can I ask you to have something tested for me? I think someone tried to drug me.”

~~~~

Riley was lying on the bed with Dani spooning her. When she was younger, she always came to Dani’s room and slept in her sister’s bed. It made her feel safe. It was already late and Dani was fast asleep but Riley couldn’t sleep. The image of Drake and Kiara was haunting her and she couldn’t escape it. Every time she closed her eyes she first saw her and Drake, happy and in love and then the image was followed by Drake and Kiara in bed. She sighed deeply as she turned her attention to the table where she left her phone. Every once in a while, it went bright for a few seconds, lighting up the whole room before going dark again. It was two in the morning and Drake still was calling her. He hadn’t stopped calling her even for a moment, the longest break he had was less than ten minutes and Riley was worried he didn’t even have time to eat.

Not that she cared.

Her phone lit up again and she squeezed her eyes shut. Go to sleep Drake, she thought.

The phone was lighting up many more times before Riley finally fell asleep and stopped counting.

~~~~

When Riley woke up, she felt even less refreshed than she did before going to sleep. She quickly checked her phone.

Two hundred sixty four missed calls. Twenty messages. The last one was from five minutes ago.

She turned off her phone.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Dani greeted her, walking out of the bathroom.

“Morning.”

“Feeling any better?”

Riley shook her head, “Worse. I think I had nightmares this whole time.”

“You poor thing. Would coffee make you a bit happier? The cafeteria here is pretty good if you ask me,” Dani offered.

“Please,” Riley said and Dani nodded before heading out.

Riley went back to bed and started drifting off but a phone notification woke her up.

“Ugh, I thought I turned it off,” she groaned. She took the phone and noticed it was Dani’s phone, not hers and the notification was from... Liam?

“He’s probably asking where I am,” she rolled her eyes as she read the message.

Good morning, what improper things is the proper daughter up to today?

Riley raised her eyebrows reading the text once... then again... and again.

“Well, I guess Dani has some explaining to do as well,” she murmured. She knew her sister and Liam planned the dinner for her and Drake but she had no idea Dani was so close with him.

When Dani came back with coffee, Riley was sitting on the bed smiling.

“Thank you, my lifesaver!”

“Are you okay?” Dani asked worriedly.

“I’m better. But there’s something that can make me feel even better.”

“What is it? Do you need a cupcake?”

“I’d feel much better if my dear sister told me allll the interesting things about her relationship with the King,” Riley wiggled her eyebrows.

“My what?” Dani asked, almost tripping.

“He messaged you, I thought it was my phone so I read it. Come on, you know what’s between Drake and I, I want to know what is between you and Liam!”

“But there’s nothing,” Dani shrugged. “He’s a King. And I’m going back to New York at the end of September. We... I think I can say we’ve become good friends. But... we live in two different realities and there’s no more than that.”

“But you like him?” Riley studied Dani’s face closely. She didn’t need an answer. Dani’s red face said it all. “You want to have something more with him, don’t you?”

“I do not! He’s a good man and I’m sure he’ll soon find a good woman to marry. I treat him as my friend but nothing beyond that,” Dani bit her lip. She really wished it was true. He deserved someone as amazing as he was. And she was leaving in a few weeks. It could never work out.

“Well, your good man is calling you,” Riley motioned Dani’s phone and Dani grabbed it.

“Yes? Hi,” she said as she closed the bathroom door behind her, catching a glimpse of Riley shaking her head.

“I’m good, thank you. How are you?”

“Busy,” Liam chuckled. “How... How is Riley?”

Last night, when Riley was taking a shower, Dani messaged Liam and told him Riley was staying with her. She didn’t have Drake’s number but knew Liam would tell him. And she didn’t want either of them to be worried.

“Miserable. She’s trying to act as if nothing happened but I know her, she’s suffering.”

“She should talk to him. They should talk,” Liam sighed.

“I know, but she doesn’t want to answer her phone. I can’t make her.”

“I... Drake... He was drugged. Most likely. Kiara must have added something to his drink.”

“What?!”

“We’re still waiting for the analysis from the lab but... Drake found something white in his glass. And the symptoms he had, it’s clear that Kiara drugged him.”

“I knew Drake wouldn’t do it! I knew it! He loves her. And ugh, why would anyone do this?” Dani asked confused. She didn’t know Kiara but she didn’t like her already.

“Who knows,” Dani heard Liam sighing. “Kiara always had a crush on Drake. But... she’s also Madeleine’s friend so...”

“Oh. I understand.”

There was a silence for a moment before Liam cleared his throat.

“I... miss you. My days are much better when we eat baklava all day and jump from the waterfalls.”

Dani chuckled. “My stomach still hurts from the baklava. And I didn’t even eat a half of what you did! How do you even do it?”

“It’s a talent,” Liam laughed. “You’re not the only one with many talents.”

“Yes, well,” She felt warm inside. How nice would it be if things were different. If maybe, there were in another life, where things were easier. “I gotta go and be with my sister. But keep me updated.”

“Of course. Have a good day, Danielle.”

~~~~

Riley was pacing in Dani’s hotel room when her sister left. She wanted to go to her restaurant but was scared she would bump into Drake and she didn’t want to see him.

Dani tried to tell her that the situation was just one big misunderstanding and explained how Drake was supposedly drugged.

“A drowning man will clutch at a straw,” Riley commented and didn’t want to talk to anyone anymore.

She wasn’t sure if Drake wasn’t making this up, a poor excuse for what he did. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore and that hurt her the most. She thought she knew him. It turned out she didn’t. And she didn’t know what to do or what to think. She decided not to trust anyone.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She opened it and as soon as she saw who was standing behind it, she tried to close it again.

“Riley, please, stop, we need to talk,” Drake pleaded.

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Riley! I didn’t do anything! She drugged me. I lost control over my own body.”

“And why should I believe you?” she asked and he stared at her, his mouth wide open.

“Because... it’s true?”

“Goodbye, Drake,” she tried to close the door but Drake effortlessly opened them.

“I was drugged, Riley! What am I supposed to do so you finally talk to me?”

“Nothing, Drake,” she sighed. “I’m tired. This whole situation... Bartie, our fake marriage, now this... I am tired”

“Our marriage is not fake. What do you want me to do? Tell me!”

“Let’s just... focus on getting this custody. And then getting our marriage annuled.”

#the royal romance #drake walker #choices #playchoices #the royal heir #drake x mc #drake walker x mc #riley brooks #king liam #liam x oc #king liam x oc #dani brooks #unexpected #my fic

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rixxy8173571m3w1p3 · 5 years ago

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The Truths Found On Petram Viridios IV (4/?)

A/N: Not only is this a long chapter, but I found a way to incorporate a prompt given to me by @hoodoo12 almost two years ago I think. Also, @twenties-sweetheart I incorporated what led the reader and Zeta-7 dating. This fic is almost done. I think there's only one or two chapters left. Hope you guys enjoy!

Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

_________

Chapter 4 : Your Answer

You remembered when you didn't love him; a time when you had hoped he'd be a father figure and a friend who you could play card games with on Tuesdays. You used to not know him; though once you did there was no turning back. You used to not need him, but you didn't know how you couldn't. It used to be a simple crush, but he already loved you from the start.

Perhaps, you had always known, but you didn't want to see it; you had wanted to know, but your brain at times didn't want to believe it. You thought words like his were meant for fairy princesses who lived in high towers above the heavens, for royals and the knights who attended to them; for anyone else….except you. It just didn't seem possible that this man could want you, but he did and explained for the last half hour as to why.

“That’s...that’s amazing!” you exclaimed despite yourself. “You really feel that way about me?”

He nodded, his face still flushed. “I do...I-I-I love you. Do you,” he gulped. “do y-you love me?”

Of course you did, you had said so a few times already, but he was going to need a better explanation; to be reminded continually. You screwed your mouth to the side, wondering how you could put it delicately. “Well…there's too much to say, and I know it would never be enough, but I can try. Oh, and if I start to wax poetic, then let's just say it's the writer in me trying to get out. Ricardo,” you paused, encouraging him to sit down because the poor man looked ready to shake out of his skin. “what I feel is beyond love; it's our souls dancing and singing in the night, moonlit kisses, and disappearing during daybreak. Why it's not even serendipitous, but a luxurious splendor you shower me in, day in and day out, with breaks which threaten to tear me into bits and madden me. It's an adventure," he perked up at this; it was familiar territory. "with discoveries and revelations that nip at my inward parts, and pains me with equal parts desperation, fear, and gladness." Caressing his lips with your fingertips, he sighed happily." You fill my mouth with bliss, working peace along the curve of my cheek, and color my world with mystical, intelligent sayings. Ineffable creature, your veracity; how you express yourself so honestly, I'm surprised the whole world hasn't fallen in love with you. Though, I'm glad you reserved yourself just for me.”

Placing a kiss behind his ear, he made a funny noise, but you continued. “To say I love you my dear Zeta-7 isn't enough, for you are as much of myself as I am of you. Like I've said before, I'll remind you as much as you need me to.”

“H-h-h-h-how do you know? When - when was it that y-y-you started to see me differently?”

The question really struck you as odd considering it wasn't in any of his usual tones; he had seemed so sure of himself earlier, and now self-doubt peaked it's little head out. It was solemn, in a faraway voice, followed by a frown, and the deepening of the lines in his forehead. You stood up, seeing as he seemed upset, and he took this opportunity to go and make some tea; it was one of his coping mechanisms. Soon the scent of lavender filled the house; he returned and set down the cups carefully so as not to spill it.

“Oh,” he frowned; a bit tired from the emotional rollercoaster he had been in for most of the day. “I'm s-s-so sorry. If only I-I kept things simple, then it wouldn't have gotten so complicated.”

“It's okay,” you whispered. “we're both a little flustered. It….it really took a lot of courage to say what you had said earlier. So you shouldn't apologize for being human.”

“But I'm - I'm still so sorry.”

You moved your chair as close as you could, stretching out to work your fingers through his soft hair, and managed to find the beginnings of silver strands, but you said nothing of it. “You should have seen how you looked when you told me you loved me. You were so earnest and charming."

He reached out to take your hand and place it upon his heart. It was beating wildly, almost dangerously you thought. You waited until he calmed a little, and when the heavy blush and the redness of his ears softened, you knew that it was time. He really was too much, too good for you, too lovely, and you sincerely hoped you wouldn't offend him. “I hope you're ready, cause this really is going to be a long story. I think by telling it, it'll make my answer to your proposal more believable.”

________________

For years, you two had lived in the same town, in the same neighborhood, only houses away from each other. It was funny how you two hadn't met before, though Rick would later tell you it was because of his job. At the time, you would say you were old enough to know what heartbreak felt like, as well as what warmth and kindness should be; though you hadn't been in any sort of serious relationship. Like any woman your age, you had dreams of meeting someone, but for the most part, your love life wasn't first and foremost on your mind; you were busy trying to get through everyday.

So when you met Zeta-7, it never occurred to you how much he would someday come to mean to you; let alone how much your life would change. Now, it had taken a while, a little longer then you'd care to admit. It certainly wasn't love at first sight, for under the set of circumstances in which you two had met, Rick had come off as a friendly old man. But of course, after helping you carry groceries, a cup of tea, and a ukulele song, you warmed to him and became fast friends.

At first, you were hesitant in allowing him into your home; you'd seen enough Dateline to make you cautious. So, you two would meet on your porch on a regular basis, though it was not long before you felt safe enough to let him come over and repair small appliances; it was fascinating watching him tinker. And when he wasn't too busy, you'd go and see what he was doing in the garage. Perhaps you should have known then that he was different, but you had no point of comparison, and just went with it.

Sometimes, you two would just watch TV or have an occasional dinner at Shoney’s, or a late-night ice cream on your front porch. And you'd listen to his laughter; how his happy noises seemed to fill up the house. You were delighted by the nuances of his gentle voice, and at night, he'd tell about the stars, going into detailed explanations of constellations and about other heavenly bodies. It made you wonder what was out there, and it only fed your curiosity. You were comforted by his warm presence, thinking it was nice to have a father like figure around again, to fill up the time, and carry on long, meaningful conversations with. His eye for detail and selective word choice made most of your conversations laid back but stimulating.

Whether it was in your house, in his kitchen, or a quick cup of tea in the garage, he enjoyed sharing his homemade brews and you enjoyed drinking them. While at first glance he seemed simple, you took quick notice of his genteel manners, in the way he talked, in his general presence which you found was pleasing. It did not take long to notice that he was a learned man, with various degrees which hung in the left corner of his living room; he was actually a doctor in several meanings of the word. Perhaps in all meanings of the word.

Watching him mutter to himself, blissful, carefully piecing together a device that did who-knows-what filled him with joy. And you had always assumed that anyone above thirty-five - at least from what sense and sensibility told you - could not have any passion left, but you saw it every time he showed you a new invention; you saw him as he should be. As though he were this character who stepped off a page, you found yourself growing ever so curious about his thoughts, feelings, and machinations of his wonderful mind. You wanted to get close, to know him better, and he took this positively as you wanting to be best friends. And when he held you in his arms for the first time, you knew that he had ruined men for you. He wasn't supposed to feel so strong, and his arms weren't supposed to be sure, and hold you warmly, and most of all, there wasn't supposed to be a flutter.

Now having it formed in your mind that he was indeed a man, you could not smother your curiosity, though still, you tried to conceal it. It felt good to feel cared for again, and you didn't want to threaten it. Still, the affection you held for him was not the kind one felt for a parent. And your hopes and dreams were shattered, with this sudden, intense awareness of him, conscious of every breath he took, of his mobile features, recognized every nuance in his reflections.

All those times when you'd watch him dance in the kitchen, swaying about, more spritely than others your own age, you'd laugh, and he’d ask you to join him. And when your hands touched, it was like a current passed through you, and that giddiness would last all day. Those hands, which could create worlds, whisk a cream, or trace pictures in the sand, you could hold them in yours for eternity. Even longer, if what he spoke of at times was true.

If he had weeks where work kept him busy, he would call you, and you'd drop what you were doing to listen; he was always so excited to hear your voice; it lightened up your day. Or when he finally saw you after a few days, he'd greet you with a warm hug, and you'd return with equal enthusiasm. At times, you felt as though neither wanted to let go and held on to each other longer than what was platonically acceptable, but you'd pretend as though nothing happened, even if your heart was screaming. Why you'd almost lose yourself in his grasp.

As a man who wore his heart on his sleeve, you never felt as though there were any hidden agendas, or that he had a pervy attraction to you. On the contrary, you felt like the pervert for feeling all giddy and excited whenever he spoke with enthusiastic intelligence or showed you his experiments. There were times when you'd reach out and pat him on the back, telling him he had done such a good job, and he'd gift you with his winning smile, which caused unusual thoughts to cross your mind, and it messed you up. What was he to you?

Whether you were at home, or you sat in his home for a tea party, you knew something was the matter with you. You were a mess of feelings, of messy, happy, effervescent feelings, which you expressed in your work, in your writing. Harmless thoughts, which lingered and filled the contents of a novel. It was the story of a young woman who had fallen in love with her older, mute neighbor. In your head, you reasoned that your character was nothing like him, that the older man, as brilliant as he was in mathematics, science, and botany, who expressed himself through his actions, and kindness was made up. Perhaps your readers thought the same, but the modest ebook sales only reinforced that maybe there was something to it.

Missed glances, brief moments where you touched, awkward laughs, and a heart heavy feeling sitting on your chest; he was always on your mind. In between your issues, when you were doubtful, he'd reassure you of your capabilities, and when he felt lacking, you'd remind him of his genius. And while there were many moments which had been lovable, which were dear to you, you replayed the times that were nearest to your ideals; of what fits into your daydreams. You're not sure when, but it had been you who started to flirt regularly, and watch him blush, stammer, and get flustered; it gave you an odd thrill knowing it had been you who had caused him to feel as such, but then it would trouble you all the more. It wasn't fair to him, and you weren't helping your cause.

What were you doing, trying to toy with the feelings of an old, lonely man, who had little in the world, but your friendship and a few possessions; it filled your heart with grief. You didn't want to hurt him, you just wanted him to think you were beautiful, smart, funny, and well everything you'd want your crush to feel. If you were unhappy, he'd cheer you up with gifts, desserts, and his generous affection. For the most part, you knew his intentions were honorable, but in your head, you'd hope differently.

It could not work, he was so much older than yourself; not that you cared. For all you knew you were like the daughter he never had. In your heart, you tried to resolve that all you felt was friendship, but then he'd smile, laugh, or be kind to you and you were falling apart. You weren't a kitten, you had always liked men your own age, but you didn't just like him, you were intoxicated by him.

He wasn't even handsome. Well…at first, you didn't think so. You did however find him strangely adorable, and lovely. He was tall and slender, so he wore clothes well. Very gentle and nice, clean-shaven, with abundant blue hair, with the exception of the few strands which choose to be rebellious, prominent buck teeth which gave him a childish innocence, but straightforward, electric blue eyes which reminded you otherwise.

Your eyes would follow him as he moved about the room. Rick had long lashes for a man and was just as impressive overall, and intelligence was even more so. Could anything possibly stop him? Death perhaps, though Zeta-7 didn't care to admit how age played a big role in his energy levels at times, but you knew it was to be expected. You knew what you were getting yourself into when it came to dating someone so much older than yourself; if he'd consider it that is. For hours, he somehow kept up with your foolishness, and you barely managed to follow his genius.

You'd follow if he asked you to come, and in time you knew you were his. You felt loyalty to him, the kind which you knew you'd never revoke. You thought at first that it was his personable nature which had endeared you to him, but it was everything. He was everything.

Zeta-7 had always been affectionate, but not in the way which made you worry. You craved it, his attention, his affection, and wished to be closer than woven gossamer, and took everything he was willing to give you. You were not in love, you would tell yourself, it was merely infatuation. He was simply a cheerful grandpa kind of man, whose arms you would melt in, whose gentle, and generous affection you were greedy for. You were selfish, that was simply it.

Then came the defining moment, which happened one night while you two were cooking together. You needed a few cloves of garlic to chop for the eggplant lasagna, and he just kept handing you cloves. You told him you had enough, and he smiled warmly, telling you there could never be enough garlic and you stopped. You two stared at each other for what seemed like hours even though only seconds passed. It was as though you had come to an understanding.

His winning smile had been the most beautiful thing you had ever seen, his eyes captured you, and you knew for a fact that what you felt was something greater than friendship. The rest of the evening you found yourself in a daze, and hesitant to be near him. In your heart, your feelings felt as though it were almost forbidden, as though you shouldn't feel this way for someone who was a great friend. You blamed these feelings on your own impatience, inexperienced like the man before you. Yeah, you wanted his attention, and he had been attentive. Everyday he made sure your emotional needs were met, he'd probably do just about anything if you asked him to, but you were scared, perhaps just as afraid as he was. Still, the words themselves were an enigma, they burned, they toiled, begging to be said, but you were afraid. Yet, you searched his face, and found the answer; you were falling in love with him.

His sing-song voice twisting and curling about you. You wouldn't risk it you told yourself, but before you went to bed that night he called you and apologized if he had offended you. “No”, you had said, “I'm just not feeling well, but I'll be fine. I promise, I'm going to be okay, so you don't have to worry about me.”

“I-I-I can't help it, I care about you.” was his sincere reply.

Those dizzying warm feelings of affection bubbled and boiled, and you did your best to try to repress them. As usual, he wanted to help you feel better, but you were afraid it would ruin things; you'd rather hurt yourself, then hurt him, and never see him again. For the next week, you thought long and hard, and the next time you two met, you were sitting in his home for afternoon tea, and you told him of how you felt right out of the blue. “Rick, I like you.”

Being the dear man he was, he thought you were talking in platonic terms. “Gosh, really? Well, that's why I'm - why I'm glad we're best friends.”

“No,” you sighed. “that's not what I meant.” You watched as his smile turned to fear, but you continued. “I know you're much older then I am, and you probably see me as some kid, but I'm a grown woman, with adult feelings. And for a while, I thought it was nothing, but I can't ignore it anymore. I care about you as my friend and I understand if you don't want that to change, but I see you as a man, and I hope you realize that I like you so much. There's nothing you can say which will change it because I don't want to change these feelings of mine. I'm not saying this to make fun of you, or because I'm lonely, but to let you know that I like you and that I'm not ashamed.”

So what if you were a kitten, you cared about him, and you knew that if he were to let you down, he would be gentle about it. The sweet, kind man that he was, gently, and carefully placed a shaky hand upon yours and gave it a squeeze. And he cried, “Gosh, you - you don't know how relieved I am. I-I-I thought I was a pervert for-for feeling the way I had.”

“Wait, you….you like me too?”

He groaned, as though he were in pain, and studied you before he continued. “I-I-I don't understand, I'm - I'm so old and gross, and y-you are like a freshly bloomed rose. H-h-h-h-how…..w-w-why?”

You reassured him, taking his hand in yours, rubbing your face into his shaky palm. “Because I just do.”

When he calmed, he looked at you with such affection, and the soft look he gave you made your breath caught. He was in love with you. Even back then, his feelings had been greater, but you dared not believe it. How could you believe it?

Your kind, gentle friend had won you over with such kindness and attracted you with a tender heart. When did you know? In moments when you saw him, not the old man, but of the softness, the beauty of an intriguing mind, and of winsome determination to be happy and to help you be happy too. You held each other so tight, you felt as though you were bound together.

He held you with a strength you did not realize one his age even still had. This was a time before kisses, before great declarations. It was a time to feel, to learn, to hold one another in a soul-crushing embrace. His heartbeat was alarmingly fast, and there had been something almost boyish in the way he placed a tress of hair behind your ear. You were the first to admit your feelings, but he had been the first to ask. A nervous chuckle escaped him, and a little lip-bite followed. “I-I am quite fond of you, and seeing that we - that our feelings are mutual, would - will you…will y-y-you go steady with me?”

As archaic as the terms might have been, it was still charming, and being the kind of man he was, you knew he meant it, and that there was only one way to answer. “Yes, I'd love to.”

Of course, you would go out with him. And forever, that memory would be etched upon your soul.

________

With wide eyes, he remembered how ashamed he had felt. He sat up, ready to shield his face, but you held your arms open. Like back then, you held each other in a soul-crushing embrace. “Do you understand now, my dear, dear friend? There was no way it could have been anyone else. Like a tree planted by streams of water, I've flourished under your attentions. You see me…. you see what I am, as I am. We make each other happy, every day, all the time.”

You two were not wary strangers; passersbys in one another's narratives; not in this instance at least. Neither were you two butterflies emerging from cocoons; descendants of lovers found in a field of barley; discovering and reveling in springtime gusts and gales. No, you were not beautiful like alabaster apples on a ledge; nor figments of one's imagination. You were, however, on the cusp of change; this was the rest of it; the continuation of what had been attempted two years ago; it was nothing like how you thought it would be, but the expectancy of the moment was palpable nonetheless. For your part, you admired the lovely scarlet coloring which crept up his neck and tinged the top of his ears; how becoming it was as well as boyish. And if it weren't already obvious, you didn't need time to think of a reply, and with clear purpose, you answered. "And dear, well, we are still friends. We're best friends. The sweetest, dearest friends that anyone could ever have, except that we love one another. Oh, I do want to. I will marry you."

Oh, whatever future there might've been destined for him, you altered its course by your acceptance of his proposal. Unlike the nihilistic view where no one had a choice, and what had been written was set in stone and that nothing mattered, you decided would not be so. In partaking in this agreement, you had taken on the consequences of what might occur in connection with Rick's work life. You had also taken on the responsibility of what you'd have to do once Rick surpassed the ability to mechanize himself any further than he already had. Still, you could live with this new burden because you were no stranger to heartache and had to make the best of what you two had; love made you do it; unbidden joy was your reward.

Tbc

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dedicatedfollower467 · 5 years ago

Text

DIRK’S PESTERQUEST ROUTE REACTIONS AS THEY HAPPEN

spoilers etc. yada yada yada i’ve been waiting for this for fucking EVER.

this is fucking massive, for the record.

“The one and only” lmao suuuuuuure whatever you say dirk.

i fucking adore his metal scuba suit though holy SHIT

“[talking in meatspace] isn’t exactly my forte” akdfsljkadsfhksadf you bet your ASS it isn’t mr. strider. (at this point i’m assuming this is actually hal, wouldn’t be the first time that we met “dirk” and it turned out to be hal)

the power of his own “voice” is almost too much for him MY CHILD.

OH HELLO HAL. GOOD TO SEE YOU USING YOUR USUAL RED. LOVE THE THEME MUSIC CHANGE TOO. IT’S GOOD MUSIC.

i fucking KNEW it i fucking knew that was hal lmao

so in that case HI DIRK HELLO MY ASSHOLE BABY CHILD.

“The use of the speaker system is new, but it makes sense he’d up his game for interfering with relationships I’m busy forging in 3D. I guess I should go ahead and be proud of him for it.” god i really wish dirk and hal could get along but they both hate themselves and therefore each other way too much for that...

“Every line of muscle in his body is held in excruciating placidity. You’ve never seen a jaw so purposefully unclenched” dIRK!!!!

“you’ll prove it to him with your deeds. it seems like that might be his love language” BOY FUCKING HOWDY IS IT. also how did i never put that together before ofc dirk’s love language is acts of service practically everything he does is an attempt to serve his friends in some capacity and he’s SO BAD at telling them with words.

(his secondary love language is gifts, evidence: brobot and detective pony)

god i’m so excited and so nervous lmao

i love this sprite with the verrrrrry slight smile he looks so sweet.

hell yes the fucking ROCKET BOARD.

“this is a much more comfortable thing for him than the conversation was” I’LL FUCKING BET IT IS.

“with Dirk it’s almost like he’d be less penetrable without [his shades]” oh well now THAT’S an interesting thought/observation.

holy shit that’s a cute fucking smile holy shit holy shit look at that grin AHHHH I’M DYING MY BOY IS SMILING.

“Not sure how well my deep, personal beef with the imagery of the sea will land for you, but there it is.” WELL THAT CERTAINLY MAKES THAT ONE LINE FROM HOMESTUCK 2 A LOT MORE EMOTIONAL, WHICH IT ALREADY DEFINITELY FUCKING WAS.

“Ace Attorney monologue” OMFG HAS DIRK PLAYED AA??? WHO’S HIS FAVORITE CHARACTER? WHAT’S HIS FAVORITE GAME?? i mean he’s definitely got the hair to be a fucking ace attorney character especially in pesterquest lmao

OH MY FUCKING GOD IS HE HOLDING BACK A LAUGH. IS THAT WHAT THAT MOUTH IS. HOLY SHIT. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. I LOVE HIM. I LOVE THIS ALKJADSFLADHADS

“He’s leaning forward, laughing, dimples carved into his freckled cheeks. There’s a small twist in your heart about it, and you can’t place why.” A *SMALL* TWIST? A SMALL TWIST? TRY A TWIST THAT’S WRENCHING MY HEART WIDE FUCKING OPEN AND SPILLING ITS CONTENTS ALL OVER THE FUCKING PLACE.

“At least make me try and earn it first.” THAT’S THE MOST DIRK THING I’VE EVER HEARD AND ALSO FUCKING HEARTBREAKING WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK.

“I can just fold [my hand] and hope your shit works out instead.” Ah yes, dirk’s incessant and almost pathological need to be in control at work again.

“I want to be the only one in charge of endangering my own life. You got me.” oh dirk. oh honey.

“How much has this boy wanted to be known?” oh okay yeah that’s fine i didn’t need my heart anyway pesterquest, you can have it.

oh. hi ultimate dirk. i fucking knew this was gonna fucking happen.

“i can’t believe i was ever this pathetic” LEAVE HIM ALONE. (but also i know you can’t because you fucking hate yourself and it’s fucking tragic)

OH. OH OKAY WE’RE NOT JUST GONNA BE FUCKING NARRATIVE WE’RE GONNA BRING THE ACTUAL FUCKING DUDE HERE.

AND WE’RE GONNA PLAY AN OMINOUS-ASS VERSION OF "BEATDOWN” HOLY SHIT. CHRIST CAN WE GET ANY MORE HEAVY HANDED HERE????

also holy shitting christ ultimate dirk is swole. ‘twink ass bitch’ my ass, he’s at least a twunk.

“You fuck off and let people live their arcs.” NO FUCKING WAY, NOT IF HIS IS GOING TO END UP AS YOU, DICKHEAD.

“Oh fuck.

You remember it.

You remember Homestuck.”

well, probably not all of it, it’s pretty goddamn long, and very hard to remember all the details. i should know, i’m currently re-reading it.

oh no.

oh no, this looks like regular dirk but ominous “beatdown” is playing which makes me very fucking nervous.

“You cared about him before you knew every tiny fucked up detail about his life, and now, with a reminder of where his story leads leaning smugly against the railing, you find you still do.” YOU BET YOUR FUCKING ASS I DO!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!!!

“He’s intense and pushy and profoundly complicated, and right now he is helping you to your feet, his hand steady and firm on your back as you find your balance.” I’M CRYING.

“This isn’t as simple as an evil Dirk and a good one. If you’ve learned anything from your travels it’s that everyone has the capacity for hurt inside them, and everyone the capacity for love.” I’M STILL CRYING.

“The combo of all splinters of Dirk, fermenting in his flesh container and not holding onto his shit nearly as well as he likes to pretend” an apt and succinct description of ultimate dirk.

“No, I can see it. If anyone was going to pull off an “I’m you, but stronger,” it would be all of me, combined.” DIRK I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

“Your allegiance is not to the story, but to the people within it.” A-FUCKING-MEN MSPAR!!!

“The ends always justifies the means, Dirk.” I feel like that’s the breaking point there. IDK what’s going to happen next but that line sure was a line about philosophy, aka one of Dirk’s biggest special interests.

“[Ultimate Dirk] doesn’t have to work overtime to create more pain just so he can feel like he’s in control of how much punishment he gets and how badly he deserves it!”

oh.

oh wow.

oh WOW that’s hitting it on the fucking nose, MSPAR.

“He’s going to drown in [longing and loathing and Ultimate Dirk] if you don’t do something” STOP COMING BACK TO THAT GODDAMN LINE PESTERQUEST YOU’RE FUCKING KILLING ME HERE.

“You know how he loves -- though it’s fierce (to a definite fault), he does not do it easily.” STOP MURDERING MY HEART WITH PERFECT SNAPSHOTS OF DIRK AS A PERSON EVERY TWO SECONDS MSPAR I CAN’T HANDLE IT.

AHHHHHHHH IT’S DAVE!!! IT’S FUCKING. CANDY DAVE. I JUST. I CANNOT. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. HOLY SHIT!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!!

“you look like someone ironed the mayor so that’s a million more points in your favor” DAAAAAAVE!!!!

“Dave pulls him into a short, back-thumping bro hug which Dirk weathers like a wet cat not trusting a towel to dry him off.” AAAAAHHHHHHHH I’M FUCKING DYING I’M DYING I’M DYING HELP I’M DYING GOD HELP HOLY SHIT, FIRST OF ALL, THE SPRITE/ILLUSTRATION, SECOND OF ALL, THAT DESCRIPTION OF DIRK, THIRD OF ALL I’M FUCKING DYING

CANDY DAVE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

you deserve so much better than the raw hand the candy epilogue dealt you jfc.

“Bringing fucking guns to a knife fight here.” I mean, did you really expect MSPAR to play fair when the health and happiness of all their best friends is at stake, UD?

SAD ENDING IS SAD.

“Be good to that me, will you? Treat him right?”

dirk, this is yourself. you’ve never treated yourself right. ever. tbqh you probably never will. ultimate dirk is absolutely no different.

(but also this makes me wonder if we’re gonna see “Trust yourself” timeline Pesterquest Dirk showing up in Homestuck 2? That would be fucking wild I’d love to see that.)

“are we anti-ocean here”

“Oh yeah, extremely.”

YES, WE FUCKING ARE, AND AGAIN WITH THE REFERENCES TO HOMESTUCK 2 JESUS FUCKING CHRIST.

oh, of fucking course ultimate dirk’s a sore loser, he’s ultimate dirk, fucking duh.

“You did it. You got him a good end.” i fucking love that this game is literally just. explicitly saying exactly what i was freaking over and desperately wanted.

like i’m just gonna take a moment here to admit that i was really nervous that dirk would end up like candy timeline dirk and just off himself. i was really afraid that a good end just straight up wasn’t possible.

i love that it’s not. and i equally love that the game acknowledges that a FUCKTON of us really wanted to give him that.

“Maybe [Doc Scratch] and Ultimate Dirk were working together the whole time.” maybe doc scratch has been ultimate dirk this whole time. or vice versa.

“There are just so many details to remember” lmao i made that point like a dozen paragraphs up.

i.... do not recognize the text style of whoever just say “hey. we can talk about this.”

IT’S HUSSIE. HOLY SHIT. IT’S DEFINITELY 100% HUSSIE.

i....... don’t know who that is? the woman?

is this like. the person who’s been running pesterquest?

it totally is.

i don’t know who that is i don’t know enough about the homestuck machine to know who that actually is.

lmao ultimate dirk and the irl director are fighting over how incredibly self-indulgent this metanarrative is, which is fucking amazing. i kind of love this? i really kind of adore this.

i can’t help but notice that the director has blank white eyes.

i.e. the Author is already dead, yo.

“They’re just an artifact of the medium” HOLY FUCKING SHIT THIS IS FANTASTIC. I AM HAVING SO MUCH FUN HERE.

“I’d say thanks but I feel like you all got more out of it than me” I’M DYING I LOVE THIS HOLY FUCKING SHIT THIS IS SO FUCKING FUNNY.

“Stop flirting with my audience you anime ass motherfucker” LMAOOOOOOOO

“I wouldn’t look like this if you didn’t want me to” I KNOW I’M JUST QUOTING BASICALLY THIS WHOLE THING BUT LISTEN I LOVE IT, I FUCKING LOVE IT, IT’S FUCKING PERFECT, GOD. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST THIS IS SO GOOD.

“I actually let the artists have a lot of creative license” somebody’s horny for ultimate dirk.

eridan DESERVES that gender arc and i’m excited for him.

“Happy people don’t get stories told about them.” I’m sorry, I’ve read enough Domestic Fluff fanfic to tell you that’s just blatantly not true, Ultimate Dirk.

wait.

wait wait wait wait.

pesterquest is a RETCON???????????

THAT was not something i was expecting

you click “don’t” betray your friends and pesterquest just fucking closes like this is fucking undertale jesus fucking christ.

but....

i don’t wanna betray my friends.

but i wanna see what happens....

god dammit this is exactly like the murder run of undertale, i don’t wanna do it but i have to know.

“Andrew Hussie would never do this to me” yeah well, Andrew Hussie barely ever interacted with you soooooo...

and if i throw the beta in the sewer again pesterquest quits. again.

i mean, i knew it would but... *sigh*

that’s a fucking depressing ass ending.

... except that “Savior of the Waking World” still hasn’t been unlocked...

Huh.

I’m... gonna see what happens if I start John’s route over again.

oh duh, of course it’s a retcon, MSPAR touched the Homestuck juju. i forgot about that.

(a big part of me wants to look up the process of getting the true ending. but a bigger part of me wants to figure it out for myself.)

hmmm. okay so replaying john’s ending once didn’t do it.

i guess i coooooould try replaying the whole thing? that sounds. like a lot of effort.

or i could try not betraying my friends approximately five million times let’s see what happens if i do that.

i’m going to do that experimenting in another post cuz this is already huge. see ya in part two.

#pesterquest #pesterquest spoilers #def plays pesterquest #homestuck

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luckcycler · 5 years ago

Note

Spill the tea which of their outfits do you HATE 👀👀👀👀👀

Oh boy, I don’t know if I’m going to be ready for the hate Iget from this but my absolute loathing for some of the outfits is fueling me sohere goes. I’ll regret it later.

Disclaimer: I don’t hate the characters themselves when I say I hate the outfits. Also, this is completely my opinion. (Also don’t mind the typos, I am not great at writing)

These are in order btw

1 Shuichi

Oh god, okay. People who know me on discord know I whineabout his outfit allllll the time. I like Shuichi but his outfit makes me madfor several reasons. First of all, who in their right mind puts 3, THREEdifferent stripe designs on one outfit? What the fuck. That makes it verychaotic and those details makes it feel like the additional stripe patternswere just an afterthought because his outfit was so plain that they had to addsomething to it to make it more appealing.

That’s another problem, it’s just so plain… There is nothingelse than the hat on his silhouette to really make it interesting (and then heloses the hat, wow). One thing that you could argue with his outfit is that it’sbased on a boy’s school uniform and okay, that’s fair. But why? Why does it haveto be a school uniform? Some other characters don’t have school uniforms on. Ryoma,Angie, and Rantaro certainly don’t have school uniforms on. Rantaro looks likehe dropped out of school to pursue his dream of being in a boy band.

I mean the reason could be that he doesn’t want to get introuble for wearing something else than the school uniform but let’s be honest,all the uniforms of the cast members who actually wear them have all modifiedthem. I mean I’m pretty sure Miu’s uniform doesn’t require bdsm gear. Also, whowould tell an ultimate that you can’t wear whatever especially in a societythat bows down to talent.

Play with his silhouette!! Give him a bigass coatdetectives have with a raised collar he can hide under because of his emotionalturmoil etc.

2 Kiibo

Yikes, you know what his outfit reminds me of? You knowthose Transformers designs from the Michael Bay movies that are so detailed andall over the place that you don’t really remember them otherwise than that theylooked cool I guess? That basically.

The thing about making a memorable outfitis that you have to give it recognizable shapes and patterns our eyes canrecognize and therefore remember. It’s all just simple geometry.

I like his raised collarwith the green led lights though. Otherwise, it just gives me nothing sadly. Also, I feel so bad for the person who had to draw all his sprites with all those unnecessary details.

3 Tenko

Oh boy, I probably don’t have to go too into this. It’s pretty obvious. From herpersonality and practicality side of things. Why would you give her a skirt?Why? You gave Hina shorts. You are capable of drawing women in pants. I want tobelieve in you, please. Nothing in her outfit really says martial artist whichis supposed to be the defining part of her design. I think I thought she wasthe ultimate sailor before she got introduced in the game.

I do like that her outfit feels more nautical and that’s mypersonal weakness because I love that aesthetic. I also like that the artist actuallyplayed with her silhouette with the bow! It’s a nice touch and I love the bow.Otherwise, her outfit is not practical, and I feel that it also sort of has toomany details that don’t really work together. Either lose the white hair ties orthe hairband.

4 Kokichi

Despite how much I draw this gremlin I don’t really like hisoutfit. I mean I don’t hate it, but I don’t like it either. But before I say anythingelse his promo picture hat can burn in hell and I’m going to pretend he neverhad it.

I do appreciate the symbolism his clothing has with the blackand white and the resemblance to a straight jacket giving a small nudge towardsa mastermind possibility. The checker pattern has become very iconic for himand also with his uniform looking ripped to indicate he is not very rich, nordoes he have a good upbringing. So I do get his outfit.

However, I do feel like it could’ve been better. I feel likein the cast as a whole there are too many characters with a black and whitecolor palette (Kirumi, Kokichi, Kiibo and Shuichi) making the whole cast look abit more washed out than the previous cast when it comes to color.

Also, his promo cape would have been a cool addition to hisoutfit in the game. It would’ve been fun!

In summary, I don’t mind the outfit but if I had the power, Iwould have dressed him like a fashionable clown.

5 Gonta

It’s just boring. I do get the whole Tarzan/gentleman aspectbut…it’s just so boring. Next.

6 Ryoma

This is the one I hate the least and I think this is more ofa problem with his build and that the cut of his clothes just don’t fit him. I love the leather jacket, I find it fitting of his character and cool. Ialso like the ankle cuff as a detail.

I do appreciate that the artist wanted to do something coolwith the hat but the shape is a bit odd, I feel like since he is a very roundcharacter, you have to either have more hard edges than just those two pointyparts to balance it out or just make the pointy parts round to go with the restof his design.

I do like the striped pants, but the shape is odd. It sortof looks like one of those toddler stocking thingies. He sure has some thunderthighs though.

These are the outfits I don’t like, the rest of the cast outfits I’m neutral on or I love a lot.

To end this with a higher note and because I feel bad for bashing the dr designer so much (sorry). Personally, I think Kirumi’s outfit is amazing and fits her perfectly it’s one of my fav character outfits of all time! Especially the gloves I feel are so clever and it’s such a cool detail that I always think of them when I think of Kirumi. Her design to me is the best of the group next to Korekiyo, Himiko, and Angie.

#lc ask #oof don't be mad at me please #this is a personal opinion #also I'm not saying the character is bad when I'm saying I hate their outfit #not at all #Anonymous #long post

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mfackenthal · 5 years ago

Text

MFR #10 Minipost: TRR

TRR Fanfic is abundant and I love it!

Here’s a list of the work I read for TRR in the last two months.

Epiphany (series) by @ao719

In this series – we get to see what may have happened in Liam let fear keep him from proposing to MC (Daniella) when he had the chance. Instead, he didn’t choose her out of fear that doing so would put her more in harm’s way. When Daniella returns and Liam has to watch her fall for another man … let’s just say sparks fly. Come see if Liam can prove he still has what is needed to get the girl.

The Consequence of Secrets – Part 18 – The ICU by @blackcatkita

The pregnant Queen is finally awake. She’s on anesthesia and a bit high – so that’s entertaining. Liam’s anger is thawing towards Drake (finally!) This series is so good – so if you haven’t started it – it’s time to catch up. And if you’ve been waiting for the next chapter – here it is!

Vengeance (series) by @ao719

Colette comes to Cordonia on a mission. Drake seems to know her and be able to vouch for her. Liam, of course, falls for her quickly. As people in high places end up in jail for their illegal activities, Colette’s life is threatened. Is Colette a danger to the crown? Will Liam be able to keep her safe?

Guarded Hearts by @lolablackwrites

In the most recent chapter (37), Bas and Alice are back together. Bas asks Alice to move in with him! We get more of BFF Frankie. A delightful conversation occurs between Alice and Bertrand. This chapter made me snort coffee. It hurt but it was so worth it. As the president of the Bastien Fanclub – I’m telling you that you must read this if you love Bas!

Worth the Wait by @speedyoperarascalparty

Happy Father’s Day Drake Walker!

The Sins of the Father by @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat

Liam learns that Drake is his brother. Come find out how that happened.

Running on Fumes by @cocomaxley

When exhausted men babysit their children, they learn the importance of tagging their strollers.

Liam’s Journal (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

TRR book 1 through Liam’s 5 senses. You know the story – but not this intimately.

A Question of Paternity (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Riley marries Drake and quickly learns she is pregnant. Is it possible that Drake is not the father?

Marry Me by @theroyalweisme

Drake watches the love of his life marry someone else. It’s beautiful anguish.

Family Secrets (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Bertrand knows there’s a sister Beaumont out there. Maxwell doesn’t. Maxwell invites Nev to come compete for Liam. The stage is set for secrets to reveal something good or make life more complicated.

Whatever Comes Next by @drakewalkerwhipped

Drake and Jaela are on their honeymoon. This is a chapter of love, smut, tenderness AND plot.

A Twist in the Tale by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Things are a little different in this story about when Liam learns what happened with Tariq.

Living with Consequences by @argylemnwrites

Drake and Riley agreed their child could be the next heir to the throne and regretted it almost immediately … come find out a few of the reasons why. I particularly love how Drake and Riley are on the same page at the end.

Sweethearts (series) by @elles-choices

Liam is King. Lola is a fashion icon. They’ve found a way to get back together but that’s still not public knowledge. In this NSFW chapter, Liam lets Lola know that she can be seen with someone else, but he owns her body and heart.

July 1: Home by @darley1101

Liam and Karin (MC) take a moment to breath and remember how lucky they are.

Finding Riley (series) by @emceesynonymroll

An amazing AU where we learn that Riley isn’t who she originally claimed to be but she may just be what Cordonia needs. This was so creative, I was hanging on every new chapter.

Unexpected (series) by @ao719

Driam x Riley – it’s NSFW, it’s sexy, no one has been able to clearly think through their feelings on their own, let alone share those feelings … but there’s a lot of love to go around. I cannot wait to see where this one goes! And in the meantime – every chapter is HOT HOT HOT!!!

We Owe Him by @drakewalkerwhipped

The conversation we all deserved between Drake and MC about naming a child the next heir. It’s real, it’s honest, it’s intense.

The Secrets Out (series) by @ao719 (CGW)

Liam has a cousin that Anitah had a one-night stand with and never mentioned anything … Liam is very drunk when he learns this and says shit he never should have even thought. Check out this series to learn how Liam learns this truth and then whine with me for more so we can learn how Liam gets out of the dog house.

One Handsome Devil (series) by @onehandsomedevil-trr

Follow the TRR story that you love with greater details. Drake with with MC (Kate) and right now Liam is with Hana. Liam and Hana is not a pairing I usually like – but it works. Come see why.

The Royal Honor by @katedrakeohd

This is going to kind of follow the plot of The Royal Heir … but with @katedrakeohd flair.

Pas de trois (series) by @ritachacha

Maxwell has married MC (Riley). She has had a few flings with Liam … which Maxwell has just recently learned and is not thrilled by. Liam has asked for permission to be with Riley so that an heir might be born. No one seems to be speaking their full truths – least of all Riley and Maxwell. But the sex they’re having is hot. I can’t wait to see where things go from here.

Fall Apart (series) by @debramcg1106

Riley and married Liam and let’s just say that Drake is not handling that very well. Drake has friends who want to help – and some who will force him to get help. Will he accept it?

Totally, One-Hundred Percent Brand New Information by @argylemnwrites

A delightful story about how and when Maxwell figures out that Riley has fallen for Drake. Maxwell is such a good friend!

Treason Never Wins (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Liam and Riley are trying to get down the aisle, but Anton may find a way to stop the wedding. Will everyone survive?

Don’t Confuse Having a Career with Having a Life by @choicecrossover

Ana De Luca interviews Bastien and Rinda. While I believe that MFackenthal would give a better interview, I am in love with Bastien and Rinda. This interview is just one more reason why.

Worlds Collide: Prologue by @cordoniansgonewild

An AU to the original AU – The start of a social season where Liam isn’t the only guy looking for a partner in life.

All He Wanted by @emceesynonymroll

Drake wakes up one morning to the life he always thought he wanted … but everything is not as it seems. Come figure out what is going on.

Be Careful What You Wish For (series) by @bobasheebaby

Liam does not accept that Rebecca could really choose Drake and he continues to pursue her after their marriage. If you get in Liam’s way – you may end up dead. Can Liam be stopped?

I’m Flossy by @cordoniansgonewild

Liam’s dance is caught for others to see.

The Pain is In the Knowing (series) by @ritachacha

In this beautifully written and bittersweet story – Maxwell is in love with Savannah. Will he tell her or let her marry his brother?

Obsessed (series) by @speedyoperarascalparty (CGW)

Drake and Pam have a stalker. This person is closer than we want. Danger! Danger! Can Drake keep Pam safe?

More than This by @hopefulmoonobject

To be honest, I had a small hand in the creation of this one – so yeah yeah bias blah blah blah. But seriously – it’s sooooo good and popular demand has asked for it to become a series. I cannot wait to see where things go! Leo is trying to turn a new leaf. He’s getting clean from alcohol, but other addictions are harder to let go … then he meets a woman that might just be worth staying healthy for.

The Masterlist for @stopforamoment

Bas and Rinda. Rinda is my spirit animal. This series is AMAZING! It’s the slow burn of slow burn. I had to edit a few chapters just to get a damn kiss! BUT Rinda is full of life. She’s soulful. She brings out a lighter side for Bas. The humor in this series will surprise you at times. I read series 1 – 6 in two days and will be catching up on the next 20 series as soon as I can.

All the Stars (mini-series) by @ao719

Liam and MC (Lauren) have a child, but Lauren stays in New York to raise their child. Can Liam convince her to come to Cordonia? Bring some tissues for the later chapters.

The Commoner’s Wife (series) by @dcbbw

Riley has married Drake – but is it out of obligation or love? Liam and Riley are having an affair. Liam wants Riley but he also wants the sneaking around to end. What does Riley want? Drake isn’t as in the dark as everyone is trying to convince him to be. It’s complicated and sexy and I cannot wait to see where things go from here. (Many thanks to @darley1101 who told me to read this!)

All Is Not What It Seems (series) by @whenyourheartskipsabeat

Is Liam cheating on Riley with Hana?

Addicted (Preview 2) by @indiacater

Liam and Naima were addicted to each other in the past. They’ve been forced apart but now Naima is back – and the addiction is too. Things are going to get delightfully messy.

Crazy Week by @butindeed

It’s all in the title ;) It’s a crazy week for Riley, Liam, Drake, Hana and more. A TRR AU.

A Peek Behind Liam’s Instagram (series) by @the-soot-sprite and @zaffrenotes

Pictures may say more than words – but that won’t keep the Cordonian crew from sharing their opinions.

Shameless Promotions:

The MFackenthal Show with @cordoniansgonewild: Think Ellen meets choices. In this episode, the ladies of Cordonian’s Gone Wild take over The MFackenthal Show – let the shenanigans and drinking commence while you learn how these four ladies make the magic happen.

From the World’s Collide AU with @cordoniansgonewild come 5 interviews with MFackenthal and the guys:

**MFackenthal Interviews Liam from @cordoniansgonewild

**MFackenthal Interviews Drake from @cordoniansgonewild

**MFackenthal Interviews Rashad from @cordoniansgonewild

**MFackenthal Interviews Leo from @cordoniansgonewild

**MFackenthal Interviews Maxwell from @cordoniansgonewild

#MFackenthal Reviews TRR #TRR #MFR #10 #minipost

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mimiyori · 6 years ago

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FAQ

Can I use your art as an icon?

yes, but please give me credit in the description :0

Do u have any comic advice for ppl who have trouble visualizing/mapping out panels? Layout is always the hardest part of making them for me :')

I’m still pretty new to making comics, so I’m not really sure I’m qualified to give super good advice or anything- but I struggle with this too. You really have to think about what purpose you want each scene to serve/show. If you can cut out a shot that you feel is unnecessary, it gives you more time to add detail to the important shots. You also have to think about what mood or atmosphere you want each panel to show. Honestly though, don’t worry too much about having a super fancy layout- usually, I draw first and then put the box around it later- because sometimes you can push yourself into a corner by drawing the panel first and it becomes restricting.

Tips on making a visual novel?

Just have fun with it, really. Don’t be afraid to look up youtube tutorials. Don't be afraid to make shitty-sounding music, don’t be afraid to make your own backgrounds and sprites, even if you think they’ll look bad. Making a visual novel was super fun and gratifying to me- even if just a few of your friends end up playing it. I’ve only made (1) visual novel as of now, but I definitely want to continue making them in the future. I don’t really have any other tips besides that, sorry if it wasn’t very helpful ;v;

how long did it take to make your visual novel?

about one week.

whats your inspiration (artists, shows, etc)

I recently realized my art is inspired a lot by the original fruits basket anime. I love the art style of the old show and I used to watch it nonstop when I was 8, 9, 10 years old. It had a huge impact on me and my art I think. Other shows that inspire me are sangatsu no lion, sailor moon, cardcaptor sakura, & kodocha. I’m also inspired HUGELY by @insertdisc5 , Heinz Edelmann, @mmcoconut , @kallenart , the kagepro music vids for imagination forest, otsukimi recital, and kisaragi attention, and @kaijugunk + @lasanha-do-lidl ( pls check them out!!)

How do you choose your colors because I am literally shook, your art looks amazing. (first of all aaa tysm ;;)

My basic rule of thumb when using a color wheel is when you want to shade something, don’t be scared to SATURATE the FUCK out of it, and always (with some exceptions) choose your shade color by going left on the color wheel.

#FAQ

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doctor-ciel · 5 years ago

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"What is OneShot and why should I play it?"

Ah, what a wonderful question. OneShot is an indie RPG with a 97% rating on Steam and a 98% from Google users. Its developer is Little Cat Feet and its composer is Casey Gu. It's a really cute metafictional game with interesting gameplay and endearing characters! Its description on Steam says, "OneShot is a surreal top down Puzzle/Adventure game with unique gameplay capabilities. You are to guide a child through a mysterious world on a mission to restore its long-dead sun. The world knows you exist."

"Metafictional, you say? Does that mean it's like Undertale or Doki Doki Literature Club?"

Oneshot was actually made before either of them! It was first released in 2014, while Undertale came out in 2015 and DDLC in 2017. It also had a Solstice update in 2016, but I'll talk about that later.

In terms how similar it is to them, I'd say Oneshot is by far more like Undertale than DDLC. The only way it's similar to DDLC at all is that it directly breaks the fourth wall, rather than "leaning" on it like Undertale does. But aside from that, the two games aren't alike at all. First of all, it's not a horror game. In fact, as far as I recall, there is little to no horror elements in the whole game. That's not to say it's saccharine, of course, in fact it's far from it. Speaking of which.......

"I'm really not in the mood to cry. Should I play this game?"

Absolutely not. Chalk that up to another way this game is similar to Undertale(note that I'm only comparing it to Undertale and DDLC because they're the most popular indie meta games -- I could talk about Oneshot's similarities to OFF, for example, but that's a post for another day). Anyways, Oneshot is a VERY emotional game. Without going into too spoiler-y territory, it gets you to care about the characters and the world a LOT, and then puts you in very stressful situations regarding them.

"What was the "Solstice update" you were talking about earlier?"

For the longest time, Oneshot had about half or less the content it has now, had lower quality sprites, and also if you closed the game you couldn't play it again(which, I mean there were reasons behind that, but it's nice that they removed that bit). The whole game was made in one month, but it was free to download.

Then, one day in 2016, an update came out, called the "Solstice Update." I am CERTAINLY not going to tell you what the update was about or the details of how it impacted the game, but for now all you need to know is that it doubled the content, added more to the story, and showed us characters that were only hinted at in the original iteration of the game.

"I'm starting to like the idea of this game, but I'm still on the fence. What are some things about the game that you like that will seal the deal for me?"

Oh boy, I'm glad you asked! As I said before, the characters are endearing, and they also have good character design. The world building is amazing, and focuses on a few specific things that really make the game unique(for example, clovers, libraries, robots, luminescent rocks called "phosphor", rams, the sun, etc.). It also takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, but not neccesarily our world, and (and this is important) it also isn't one of those gritty hellscape worlds where life sucks. The art and soundtrack are also amazing, in fact I'm listening to the soundtrack as I type this. The plot is fantastic, well-paced, and has moments of tension while also having lots of cute and fun-filled moments. The gameplay is unique, but I won't spoil how. And if none of this is working for you, then the main character is a cat child named Niko who loves pancakes, and if that alone isn't the cutest fucking thing, then I don't know what to tell you, you heartless person.

"Should I really get into it?"

I mean, I just wrote a paragraph talking about all the things I love about it, so this may be just a bit biased, but....... yes. Yes you should. The fandom may be small and relatively inactive, but we could always use more members, and I also don't think anyone should miss out on an opportunity to play a game as amazing as this.

“Alright, you’ve convinced me. How do I get into this?”

If you want to play the game yourself, you can buy it on Steam for $9.99, or buy the soundtrack bundle for $18.87. If you can't or don't want to buy it, this is a good playthrough of it that includes the Solstice content(if you watch these, I'd look up how to get to the Solstice content after you watch the all endings video, otherwise you might be very confused). Here is the official OneShot trailer.

"I have watched the trailer and played the game and holy shit you were right, this game is amazing! But the fandom is so small and inactive! What should I do?"

As Ghandi says, be the change you wish to see in the world! We can't do much to make other people join the fandom, but we can produce content ourselves! Make fanart, fanfic, and edits, no matter how "skilled" you might consider yourself to be! In fact, if you are a new or unskilled artist, fandoms like these are the perfect place to master your art! I can assure you that every work is appreciated by the underfed fans, and there's not a whole lot of pressure to make masterpieces here! We're all just appreciating this game together. If you're looking for some good OneShot blogs, I'd recommend @daylightsavings, @daily-niko, @here-at-the-eleventh-hour, @oneshotfanbase, @asktheoneshotcast, and @incorrect-oneshot-quotes-blog

#oneshot #oneshot game #niko #the world machine #the entity #calamus #alula #magpie #rue #rowbot #rpg #indie rpg #indie rpgs #game rec #long post

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elven-ariaera · 5 years ago

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Welcome all!

If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’re familiar with my work as either an artist, cosplayer, writer or any of the other creative things I do. Recently, I had been asked about some of the work that I do, and I thought a fun way to just that was to fill out a few questionnaires. Here I talk about some of the high and low points of doing what I do, what inspires me, and my process of creativity.

For those who are only interested in certain segments, I’ve broken the article into the following sections for you to easily maneuver your way throughout the piece: Art, cosplay, writing, and questions asked by you.

I know I’m no professional and compared to a lot of others I don’t have as outstanding an amount of followers, but if this article can help inspire at least one artist to try something new or learn something they didn’t know, well, that’s good enough for me! I hope you enjoy!

Art

When did you get into art?

I’ve been drawing as long as I can remember, but I do recall middle school in particular being the time that I really started pursuing art. I had to choose between volleyball and art club after school, and guess which one I picked. It wasn’t just academics either. My notebooks were full of fan art of mostly Link and Zelda, but you could find some Kirby, Pokémon, and Naruto scattered in there as well.

Show us your oldest piece of art you have on hand.

Yeah. It’s… Something.

What defines your artistic style?

I think the faces of the characters I draw distinguish my art. I always have a certain way of drawing the eyes, ears, and other features. I always give my females more prominent eyelashes than males as well. Certain clothing as well — The way I draw capes and hoods are distinct. Not to mention when designing my own clothes, I tend to use similar patterns.

Do you practice other styles/have you tried other styles in the past?

I occasionally dabble outside my comfort zone. I’m not necessarily a huge fan of the “Cal-Arts” style, but I’ve tried it every now and then, especially when creating fan art for shows like Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Amphibia. I don’t really do it too often, but I’ve made a piece for my portfolio mimicking several art styles from a variety of different shows just to demonstrate that I can do it if I’d like to.

What levels of artistic education have you had?

Honestly, just high school. I thought I was going to college for digital illustrations but it turned out communication/graphic design was totally different. I actually got into that because I could draw when not many other people in that field could. Of course, I’m always interested in learning outside of school. I learn through watching other artists on social media, seeing how they create their work. Just watching a speed draw can help so much! The way I learn the most, however, is just by doing. Practice, practice, practice!

Show us at least one picture you drew or sketched recently that you did not put on a public site.

I’ve been doing a lot of Fire Emblem doodles for my new sticker line, so here’s Setsuna. Honestly, I just like drawing bust portraits like this.

What is your favorite piece that you have done?

I can’t just pick one! I’ve drawn over 900 things since I first joined DeviantArt (and I’ve been drawing even before then), you want me to pick just one? Haha, I’ll narrow it down to three of my favorites (in no particular order):

I love this one because it was like the first cute drawing of Ivysaur I’ve ever done. Ivysaur was always a tricky pokémon for me to draw, but this was the first time I feel like I nailed it. Ivysaur also happens to be one of my absolute favorites, so that’s a plus.

This is Minerva, a Guardian from my fantasy stories. Every time I drew her prior, I could never quite get the look I wanted. This was the one that I really liked and so I colored it and am very happy with how it turned out.

I don’t know why I just love this drawing I did of Dimitri from Three Houses. I think its the eyes and hair. And the color contrast — especially in the original ink sketch (that I hung up over my craft table.) I just love it.

What is your least favorite piece that you have done?

Again, you want just one? Haha, too many failures. I’ll be fair, though, and post three of those as well.

Here’s one from my early days. I was trying so hard to get the hair all detailed like and instead it came out looking like gross looking veins. Not to mention how atrocious the proportions were. Oh man, I’m sorry past me, I know you tried.

Here’s one I was so proud of: I copied the official art for Twilight Princess and thought it came out amazing. So amazing I titled the piece “Awesomeful Link.” Yeah. Um. Nope.

Here’s a more recent one that I’m not too pleased with. I was so excited about the latest batch of Steven Universe episodes (which I would later learn were a big bunch of filler episodes and that didn’t make anything better) I drew Pearl reciting her ‘big line’ of the trailer. I tried to mix styles and I tried something different with the eyes and all in all it just came out… Meh.

What do you like most about your art?

I like the faces that I draw. They’re always the most fun and I think they come out the best. I especially love the eyes, I go into so much detail on them (even though they’re usually so small when I print them.) I’ve had issues in the past where I made all of my characters look like they had the same face, but I feel I’ve been doing a lot better at individualizing the face of each character and that makes it all the more fun as well.

What do you like least about your art?

The hands. Sometimes I draw them well, but I still struggle hard and sometimes it really shows. For chibi drawings, I don’t really care as much, but on my more “serious” art, I get a little bummed when I’ve got a wonky hand hanging off their wrists. Feet also sometimes give me a bit of trouble, but usually only when I do poses that involve more movement, which is why I sometimes make my art stiffer and I don’t like doing that either.

Have you ever considered taking commissions?

I do take commissions. In fact, I’d love to take more if it were possible.

Are you looking to pursue a career in art?

I do it part-time right now. I’m satisfied doing commissions and artist tables at local conventions. I think I’d like to pursue writing more than art, but I do love art just as well, so part-time is perfect for me.

What do you like drawing the most?

As I mentioned before, faces. I love drawing facial expressions, I feel like it’s the very core of a character. It’s the first thing I notice when I look at anyone’s art, so I always go all out on my own. I also like drawing hair and wrinkles in clothing. I used to be really obsessed with wrinkles and it would always look like my characters didn’t iron their laundry, but I’ve definitely toned it down since then, haha.

All in all, I like drawing human characters the best — or humanoid. Elves, fairies, merfolk; I love them the most. I like drawing animals too, but not as much as people.

What do you like drawing the least?

Once again my answer is hands. They are still as difficult to draw as the day I started.

Backgrounds are also not enjoyable for me to draw. It’s an important part of a piece, but I get so bored drawing anything that’s not a character — which is why you’ll probably notice in a lot of my art that I do a lot of very minimal backgrounds. I’ve been trying very hard not to just take stock photos anymore (with the exception of my Mythical Month art as they’re meant to be stickers,) and I’ve been using games like Skyrim and Breath of the Wild as inspiration with their gorgeous scenery.

Do you draw more fanart or original art? If fanart, what fandom do you draw the most of?

I post a lot more fan art than original — at least I used to, but I also think I have expanded in sharing my original art more and more with my Mythical Months/Mondays. I guess maybe I’d say about half and half.

What medium/program do you use the most in your art?

Digitally I always use Photoshop. Always. As for traditional art, I’ve been using Copic knock-offs (I’m still learning, so I’d rather not waste the money) and the Sakura Micron pens for my ink sketches. I’ve really been enjoying them, actually, it’s very therapeutic. However, no matter digitally or traditionally, I always, ALWAYS start with a pencil. I like mechanical pencils, I don’t like traditional #2 pencils anymore. The thin lead helps me keep control better.

How would you rank your art? (poor, mediocre, good, etc.)

I always say I think my art is “above average.” I know it’s not bad, but I think it could always use improvement. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to a place where I think my art is phenomenal, but I’m content with it, it makes me happy, and that’s all that matters.

List at least one of your “artspirations.”

My art style was greatly inspired by Naruto, Fire Emblem, and Zelda. I always liked more proper body proportions with that hint of anime inspiration. I like bigger eyes on my characters because they help convey emotion so much better, but I also don’t like the oversized baby eyes outside of the occasional chibi style. Avatar: The Last Airbender was also a great influence since the creators did exactly what I like to do and execute it wonderfully.

What do you think you could stand to improve on?

I feel like I can always improve on everything that I do in my art. There are things I’m good at, but I don’t feel like I’ve mastered anything in particular. Then there’s hands and feet again which I definitely need to work on. Lastly, motion. I want to be able to draw more fluid character motions. I’ve been working on it with my original art that I don’t post online, but hopefully I’ll start incorporating it into all my work.

Do you have a shameful art past? (recolor sprite comics, tracing art, etc.?)

Ugh, yes, YES! I admit I was so bad at first, but I also think that’s just how we learn. I used to do a lot of tracing. I started first just full-on tracing images off my computer — That’s right, I’d put the paper up to the computer and trace it like that. Then I started using bases, which was better because at least I had to draw all the details like hair and clothing by myself. Then I finally worked up the courage to stop using them completely. I’d use references, but I would force myself to figure it out by eye rather than copy it straight from the source. I’m happy to say I haven’t been tracing since my late middle school- early high school years.

Cosplay

How many years have you cosplayed?

My first cosplay was when I was fourteen, and I’m twenty-five at the time of writing this article, so eleven years now. Wow.

How did you get into cosplaying?

I honestly don’t know. I was invited to a convention where I heard people dressed up and was like “hey, I want to try that!” I guess it was because I didn’t really do Halloween as a kid and I was so deathly terrified of costumed characters as a toddler that I never took an interest until high school.

How many cosplays have you done?

That’s funny, you want me to remember how many cosplays I’ve ever done. A lot. According to my photo collection, I’ve done about 60 different cosplays (59 exactly if I’m counting correctly.)

What was your first cosplay and why did you choose it?

My first cosplay was Osaka from Azumanga Daioh in her blue summer uniform. Azumanga Daioh was my second ever manga series and my cousin and I were so obsessed with it. She even went as Yukari with me to the convention (though only, like, two people knew who we were.) Tomo is probably my favorite character, but I related personally more to Osaka, being the air-head that I am. I also didn’t have to really style my hair (because that was an era before I used wigs.)

What is your favorite cosplay you’ve done so far?

It’s a tie between my Trainee Link (Hyrule Warriors) costume and my Royal Guard Link (Zelda: Breath of the Wild) costume. Both are alternative costumes for one of my all-time favorite characters that I hand made all the really detailed pieces all from scratch. Link has always been a special character for me to cosplay, but these two are my favorites.

What is your least favorite you’ve cosplayed?

Rapunzel (Tangled). I was obsessed with her at the time which is why I wanted to cosplay her originally, but my dress was not the best and I didn’t look good as her. At least I think so. It was the only costume that made me feel insecure.

What cosplay is the most uncomfortable or troublesome?

Okay, I love this costume and character to pieces, but my gosh the struggles I go through for Pearl (Steven Universe). Blue Diamond (Steven Universe) is the worst in terms of how long it takes me to put my makeup on, but Pearl is right behind her at about 2 hours being my best time. However, the thing that makes Pearl more troublesome to wear is one thing and one thing alone: armsocks.

They look great and prevent you from having to dab makeup all over your body, but I literally couldn’t even hit the home button on my cellphone and it’s not like I could just take them off like gloves. They’re attached at your middle and putting them on is a hassle on its own. Getting your fingers into each tiny socket is so time-consuming. Now imagine this while also being coated in body paint. Plus, having white be the color of the stockings, you have to be conscious of everything you touch because it will stain and show. Because of all this, I refuse to use the restroom dressed as Pearl, and while that is “in character,” it is not healthy and totally NOT recommended you do that.

What is your most comfortable cosplay?

During the winter, Ravio (Zelda: A Link Between Worlds) for sure. It’s like wearing a giant snuggie. However, in summer, it does get hot very quickly (which is why I literally only wear biker shorts and a tank underneath if I ever do take it out on a hot day), so I only wear it in summer if I know there will be AC. Heatstroke is a real thing. Miss Frizzle (Magic School Bus) is probably the best all-year cosplay in terms of comfort. It’s just a dress, stockings, and a wig really.

But in all honesty, most of my cosplays are relatively comfortable. There’s really nothing that I’ve been so uncomfortable that it’s made my physically ill or scarred me physically. My health is important to me, and should safety should always come first.

How do you research the cosplay before you make it?

I look up lots of reference images. I need an image of the front and back, though if it’s not available, I just improvise based on the images I do have on hand. After that, I kind of just wing it.

Do you sew your cosplays yourself?

A good majority of them, yes. There are a few exceptions to this, though: My Disney princesses are all bought since I use them in performances and want them to be durable if children come and tug on the outfit. Pearl, also being a performance cosplay, I did buy as well. For her second reformation outfit (the sleeveless with the ribbon) I got specially commissioned to look and fit me just right whereas her movie/future appearance (jacket and mom-jeans) I literally found at a thrift store. I also love to find costume pieces at thrift stores. Whether I use them as is or make alterations, they make life so much easier when you make a good find for a cheap price. Leni Loud (Loud House) is probably my favorite thrift/sew hybrid. I found a base dress, altered the top and added strap sleeves, put lace around the edges, found a blingy pair of sunglasses, bought earrings and painted them, and made bows for sandals I already had. The most expensive part of that cosplay was the wig I bought from Arda (and it’s always worth it to buy from them in my opinion.)

When I make a costume completely from scratch (like Ravio, Thranduil, any of my Link cosplays) are when I really love the costume and character and want to take on a challenge and bring it to life myself. They also tend to have pieces that can’t be altered from your everyday clothing, but that just makes me work harder and learn more!

How did you learn to sew?

My grandmother taught me how. Osaka was my first cosplay, but my mom altered it from a tee shirt we found at a thrift store and a lucky skirt find. Kabuto Yakushi (Naruto) was the first cosplay I made from scratch (and I won best novice at the convention I wore it to — even with my terrible wig, haha.) She showed me how to use patterns when we made that and my Ayame Sohma cosplay, but after that, I scrapped using patterns and I basically just eyeball everything now. It’s totally not recommended, but I’m a little weirdo and just prefer to do things the way I do. Still, I wouldn’t be able to use a sewing machine if it weren’t for her. Thanks, Nanny!

Do you make your own props?

Most of them. I don’t really use props too often as I find them cumbersome to lug around a convention (which is how I thought of the Fire Emblem, Gravity Falls, and Skyrim book boxes to store your stuff and add some extra flair to a costume.) The few props I have made include Link’s sword, his trainee shield, his original shield from Zelda 1, and Soren’s Wind Tome (which I used for Laurent (Fire Emblem: Awakening) because I didn’t finish Soren (Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance) yet…) Then there’s my prized cosplay prop; Victreebel for James (Pokémon). That was all thanks to my fleece hat business in high school that taught me the skills to build that thing.

I actually think the only prop I store-bought was my Hylian Shield because it was so lightweight and easy to carry, plus I was dreading doing all those details at the time. Maybe one day I’ll make it from scratch, but for now, I’m content with my store-bought.

Do you style your own wigs?

Yes. I have been improving my styling skills a lot more since I first started. It was always a more difficult task for me, but I’ve been practicing more and more. The first one that I attempted on my own was my short-haired Rapunzel. That was basically just giving it a haircut, though. My first real styling challenge was Breath of the Wild Link. It took a long time, but I actually had fun figuring out his hair.

For most of my costumes, it’s really just the bangs that need that extra pop, to which I use Got2B gel and spray. Does the trick every time and keeps everything in place. For those who are wondering, though: No, I did not style Pearl’s wig. I am not ready for that kind of gravity-defying styling. That was all E-Bay.

What skill has been most useful for making your cosplay?

Well, sewing mostly, but other skills that have come in handy for me personally have been painting, crafting, makeup, styling, and overall decorating. Probably other stuff too, just nothing more I can think of off the top of my head.

What is the hardest thing when making a cosplay?

Probably figuring out how things connect. This is the main reason I’m timid when it comes to armor. I’ve been getting better, but I’m still having trouble figuring out how everything attaches and how to put on these kinds of costumes, which is why my Skyrim Elven Armor has been put on hold.

What was the biggest screw up you’ve had making a cosplay?

I’m not sure if I had any major crisis’ when it comes to making cosplays, but I’ve certainly had my fair share of irritating mishaps and mistakes. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve accidentally sewn the sleeves on a costume inside out about 4 times before I finally got it right.

I’ve cut holes in my clothing, I’ve sewn sleeves on too tight, and I’ve even completed a hat that took hours just for it to wind up being too small when I put a wig on. I guess most of the major issues I’ve had with sewing are measurement issues, so my advice to you is to always measure and try on your costume as you go. Don’t wait until the day of the con to try out your new cosplay.

How often do you injure yourself while making a cosplay?

Not too often, I occasionally prick my finger with my sewing needles, but I haven’t had too many serious injuries. I think the worst was when I slashed my thumb with the exacto-knife when making my first shield for Link. Needless to say, there was a lot of blood.

Do you try to stay cheap or do you splurge on materials?

I am a frugal soul; if I can save, I will. That’s why I thrift so much. However, on a costume I’m really passionate about, I will spend more to ensure the quality. For example, I spent a little more going to a more shimmery material for Royal Guard Link. It cost about $50 for the blue and red material, which to me, is a lot (and that was with coupons). However, the results were 100% worth it. PS, Michaels and Joann’s ALWAYS have coupons. I totally recommend downloading both apps.

I also stand by that with wigs and contacts. I love Arda, their quality is great, but they are more expensive than Amazon. Contacts I don’t mind spending more for as well since the quality is VERY important in this case; they are going on your eyes, after all.

However, as I said, I am absolutely not opposed to going cheap. If you can make it work, make it work. My Nyo!Austria (Hetalia) cosplay came out very cute and it was literally made from bedsheets. From using mostly thrifted and recycled materials, a lot of my cosplays came to around an overall price of around $30. Some of these costumes include Mega Gardevoir (Pokemon), Tomoyo Sakagami (Clannad), Spyro (Spyro the Dragon), and Luan Loud (Loud House.)

Cosplay can be totally affordable, you just have to be creative and think a little outside the box sometimes to make it work.

Have you ever cosplayed with a partner or group?

Yes, a few times. I’d love to do more group cosplays, but we all have to think of something we all like. Luckily, two of my very good friends decided they would dress up as Steven Universe and Amethyst to go with my Pearl this year for Comic-Con and it was such a great experience! I’m trying to convince them to do others as well, such as The Loud House and The Magic School Bus with me as well, haha.

Do you try to act in character?

Always: but I don’t always succeed. It really depends on the character. Pearl I could roleplay for days. It’s probably because I connect so much with her and performing as her doesn’t hurt either. Dee Dee Magno Hall says her favorite lines to say are peoples names, and after giving it a shot myself, I totally see why. I even practiced Garnets “Stronger than you” monologue in Pearl’s voice and tone (in case no one volunteered to sing during our karaoke event) and it always makes my friends laugh.

The characters that stump me a little more are the more serious characters I choose to portray; Link, Laurent, Thranduil (the Hobbit), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), just to name a few. I’m kind of a goofball/airhead so those characters clash with my personality a little bit, but I am getting better. Blue Diamond is surprisingly the easiest of these types to stay in character for.

That being said, I love being the outgoing, oddball characters. Like I said, Pearl is second nature to me, as well as Anna from Frozen. Back in my Hetalia days, Austria and America were my go-to guys. I could act as them forever, and my friends and I literally lived as them for a while with how much we role-played. Most of the Disney Princesses it’s pretty easy for me to stay in character, especially (like I said before) Anna, Sofia the First, and Merida.

How do you react to cosplayers dressed as a character from the same anime/game/etc?

If there are some good character opportunities, I will role-play on the spot, but more often than not I will ask if we could all get a picture together. There were so many fun interactions with other Steven Universe cosplayers when my friends and I did our little group, but one of my favorite interactions was probably when I was dressed as Laurent and I stumbled across a Miriel cosplayer and I just shouted out “MOM! I FINALLY FOUND YOU!”

Do you try to duplicate your character’s expressions, walk, movements, etc?

I can talk the talk (mostly), but I have more trouble walking the walk. I’ve been trying to replicate movements better, but facial expressions I have trouble with (ironic as it’s my favorite part of drawing.) I’m not as photogenic as I’d like to be, as you could probably tell by most of my pictures being the same face, but I definitely am striving to improve on that.

What was your funniest experience of acting in character?

Okay, there’s a lot that I could share, and eventually, I want to do an article solely on cosplay “in-character” experiences, but the one I HAVE to share right now is a recent experience when I was dressed as Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

I was performing at the family day event my church helps out at my pastor’s air force base as Ariel, and after my sing-a-long, my makeup was a little smudged. I asked a volunteer where the restroom was so I could touch up before I headed back out to the crowds. I thought he’d take me to a private restroom, but he brought me to the public one where there were families waiting outside. They noticed and the dad joked “See? Even princesses have to go.” to which I laughed and gave my best Ariel shrug to play along. I went inside, fixed my makeup, and went back outside.

It wasn’t long, so the family was still outside the men’s room. As I walked by, the man’s son shouted out “Ariel, congratulations on going pee-pee!” to which I bursted out laughing. Everyone was. I mean, if you gotta congratulate a princess on using the bathroom, you picked the right one! After that, I did explain that I was just putting on makeup but I appreciated his enthusiasm and thanked him for it.

Do you compete in cosplay contests?

All the time. I love them. Whether I win or lose, I always get something out of it. I learn tips from other cosplayers, get to meet so many interesting people, and those times I do win I get prizes which is always nice as well. Most importantly, though, the memories that are made there are the very best part.

Have you won anything?

I have won quite a few. I have three trophies, a medal, a few certificates, and have won a cash prize as well. My first win was my second convention as Kabuto where I won the best novice trophy. My most recent win was for Ravio in August of 2019 with best in show. It’s amazing, I never thought I would get this far, but I’m so grateful for everything I’ve been a part of.

Again, it’s totally not about winning, but I’ll admit that it does feel really nice to have my hard work appreciated. Just as drawing, I still feel like I have a lot of room for improvement in my cosplay, so winning a few contests here and there definitely helps my low self-esteem.

Do you prefer skits or walk-ons?

I’ve only ever done walk-ons. I’ve never had anyone to do a skit with and I don’t think I could pull one off on my own. I’d love to do one eventually, but for now, our panels are good enough.

How many friends have you made because of cosplay?

Quite a lot. My Instagram is full of cosplayers I’ve met at conventions and I love seeing their cosplays and drawings, it’s all so inspiring!

Do you attend photoshoots and meet-ups outside of conventions?

Occasionally. I’ve never done a professional photoshoot (though one day I’d like to,) but I have attended a few meetups. I’ve done one for Steven Universe, Once Upon a Time, Disney, and I actually accidentally walked into a Fire Emblem: Awakening one dressed as Laurent, so that worked out.

What is the funniest reaction you’ve gotten cosplaying from people outside of the community?

The best one was when I was dressed as Link and my friend and I were on the subway. There was a mom and her kid sitting across from us and she pointed to me and said to her child, “Look, an elf! You see? Santa’s got his helpers out all year round, so you have to be good!”

I also had another wonderful experience outside of a con dressed as Link, though it’s not as funny but more just a sweet memory. It’s quite a bit, but luckily I’ve already written about it for Zelda Universe so I’ll just link it here for anyone who’s interested.

Name a few cosplays you’re planning to do next:

I’ve got to get Soren (Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance) done soon. I’ve been wanting to do this cosplay forever and I did start it, but I need to finally finish it. Dimitri (Fire Emblem: Three Houses) is also on my list to do next. Not sure about who else I want to do for sure, but some ideas that have floated around in my head have been Tilly Green (Big City Greens), Anna with her Frozen 2 look, Princess Peach (Super Mario), and a Thalmor Mage (Skyrim.)

What is your dream cosplay?

Princess Zelda from Twilight Princess. I’m still too scared to try to cosplay her. I bought a cheap starter costume that I was going to build off of and it wasn’t turning out the way I wanted, so I put it off again. One day I’ll feel confident enough to make her costume, but until then I’m totally satisfied with my Link cosplays.

What do you take into consideration when picking a character to cosplay?

Honestly, I just have to love them as a character and the costume itself has to seem do-able. I mean, I’m totally not opposed to buying cosplays if I really want to be a particular character, but like I said, making it means all the more to me. It’s my display of affection towards that character, the creators behind them, and the series as a whole.

Is cosplay serious business for you?

Yes and no. No because I don’t do it for money, likes, or internet fame. I do it because it’s fun and what I like to do. Yes because I go all out when I cosplay. I do everything I can to get the look the way I want it and I put my blood, sweat, and tears into it when I make them by hand.

What is your favorite thing about cosplay?

Everything: Dressing up as a character I love, roleplaying them, taking photos, just everything! I would do it more often if I could!

How do you want to grow as a cosplayer?

I want to learn how to make more. I want to build armor, I want to learn new makeup and hairstyling techniques, and so much more. I’m happy where I am, but I know I can be better. I will watch others and learn from them and push myself to try new things!

Are you willing to answer questions and help other cosplayers?

Absolutely! I may not be a top dog of cosplaying, but if I can help someone with something I’ve learned along the way, I’m more than happy to help!

Writing

When did you start writing?

I started in middle school as well, I used to write a Nintendo fan fiction called “The Kirby Show,” where Kirby and his friends would get into wacky sitcom scenarios. They were really just knock-offs of the television shows I used to watch back in the day, but hey, everyone’s gotta start somewhere.

As for my original writing, I started that more in high school. I still wrote a lot of fan fiction at that point, but I was starting to develop my own characters as well. I thought it about time to think of my own creations, and I did. I remember I was in my Godmother’s car when I thought of the main three characters and since then the cast has expanded so much, their stories are much better developed, and the lore is much more solid.

When you were a beginning writer, what did you write primarily? What do you write now, primarily? (i.e. romance, fan-fiction, poetry)

As mentioned before, I started out writing stories about characters that were not my own. Now I do all original writing — well, aside from my work at Zelda Universe. There I get to write about all the unique aspects of one of my favorite game series of all time, so there’s that as well. Writing there has helped me start writing little fandom topical posts for my own blog, such as top 10’s, reviews, and other things along those lines.

How often do you write?

I make it a habit to try and write at least a half-hour a day. If I’m really on a roll, I could write up to a few hours a day before I get burnt out. Even though I’m not always writing, I’m always developing the stories in my head.

When is your favorite time of the day to write?

I always write a half hour before I go to bed. The later it is, the more ideas keep rolling in. With my early hours for work now it’s harder to stay up late, but that doesn’t stop the ideas. I just gotta push myself a little harder to start earlier to have more time before I need to go to bed.

Do you have a writing muse? If so, who/what?

Not in particular. I always just write about what I like and incorporate different aspects of my life into it. I guess I’m my own muse in that sense? I don’t know. I just write what I do know.

What is your most popular lit piece?

Out of all my public pieces, I’d say either my “Animal Crossing Diaries” series or my “Endless Ocean” screenplay. “Vagabond” gets some decent attention as well, which is nice, but honestly, I’d be happy if there was just one person enjoying my work, so I really can’t complain.

What is the piece you are currently writing?

Out of my public blog works, “Vagabond,” from my Zelda Universe collection I’m working on a character piece on Colin from Twilight Princess.

What is the piece you most recently finished?

On my blog that would be my “Top 10 Favorite Fire Emblem Characters” list. For Zelda Universe, it’s actually a piece about Fire Emblem as well — It was DS week, I could write about whatever DS game I wanted to, of course I have to sneak in some Fire Emblem.

What piece are you most proud of?

While “Vagabond” definitely needs some more work, out of all the pieces I’ve posted publicly, that one is the one I am the proudest of. If anything just for Kurt and Maerwynn. They are two of my favorite characters to play around with and I’m so happy that somehow I was allowed to think these two up.

In my more private works, my fantasy story is my pride and joy. I feel so blessed to have been able to come up with these characters, and I do hope that someday I will be able to share them, whether on a television screen as I’ve always dreamed of in a novel of some sort. One day, maybe.

What piece are you most disappointed in?

It’s not so much disappointment, but rather I’ve grown so much in my work, it’s very hard for me to look back at my first romance story. It’s a little cheesy and the dialogue is a bit clunky, some of the actions that my characters had performed totally go against what their characters have become now after spending a lot more time with them. It’s something I would love to revisit and maybe even go public with, but it’s going to take a lot of work.

From all of your stories, who is/are your favorite character(s) and why? (try to limit it to 3)

Since I only published “Vagabond” online, I’ll stick to characters from this story in particular.

Maerwynn is definitely a favorite because she’s got a lot of qualities that I wish I was bold enough to enact myself. She speaks her mind without a care of what anyone else will think, even if it’s blatantly rude. She goes for her goals, even if they may seem ridiculous, and she pursues them with great passion and ferocity. Even with this rough and tough exterior, she’s still got a softer side that she’s just discovering in her new life at the palace. Now, I wouldn’t ever recommend being like Maerwynn ALL the time, but there’s definitely is a time and place where we could all be a little bit more like her, I think. Her confidence is the thing I admire most about her.

Kurt I connect with as well. Again, he says all the things that we all wish we could get away with at one point or another, but he knows he can because he’s royalty. However, he’s got so much going on underneath the surface as well with the complications of his past. He’s learning to open up, connect with others, and understand his feelings. Despite feeling restricted by the laws of his kingdom and the traditions of the royal family, he finds his own way to feel free and be himself.

What is the best compliment you ever got on your writing?

My best friend who I’ve been sharing these stories with for as long as we’ve known each other told me the nicest thing not to long ago. I always laugh at myself for going so crazy in-depth with the lore and characters of my fantasy world, but she told me how she’s admired that and the love and care I put into each little thing was what made it so great. It really meant the world to me to hear that and I can’t thank her enough for all the love and support throughout the years!

What is your main goal in writing?

I don’t know if there’s one main goal in particular, but I suppose if I had to pick just one, it would be to show good through the works of my characters and hope and pray that it inspires others to be like them. Kindness is growing scarce in the world, and if I can just inspire a little bit of it in someone, I suppose that’s all I can ask for.

Have you ever been published?

No, but I am aiming for it. Once I complete Vagabond, give it another revise myself, and hopefully find an editor to give it another look over, I’d love to find someone to publish my book or even self publish on a platform like Amazon. Just something to get my work out there.

Questions asked by you

Who is an artist that you look up to? There are a few artists online that I follow who I just adore their work. Three that come to mind in particular are Bianca Roman-Stumpff, Bellhenge, and TheStarfishFace. Their art is so different from mine, but I think that’s probably why I love it so much (if that makes sense?) They each have such a unique style and great subject material, I highly recommend giving them a look!

What did you think of “Frozen 2”?

I loved it. No secret that I’m a huge Frozen fan, so I was bound to like it. I was actually really nervous about how it was going to end, but I can say (without spoilers) that I am 100% satisfied with how it concluded. Also, Kristoff finally gets the spotlight that he deserves, thank you, Disney.

However, as much as I did love it, I do totally admit I do see flaws in it that could have been improved on. That being said, there was that in the first movie too and I stilled loved it. The characters have enough charm to keep the film entertaining throughout and I just adore them!

What does your family think of your art?

My parents have always encouraged me about my art and I know my grandmother loves it; I gave her a sweater with the art she liked of mine last Christmas and my mom says she wears it all the time. The rest of my family knows and supports my art as well, I never really had any issue with my small art business and the family.

Any memorable cosplay experiences at a con?

So many. I’ve shared a few before, but I think I’d like to make a whole article on the great cosplay experiences I’ve had! There are so many to talk about and stories to share.

Is there a type of art that you would like to get into? I’ve seen a lot of people doing wood carving and burning, but that looks insanely difficult.

I’ve actually been considering wood burning, haha! It does look difficult, that’s why I’ve been hesitant, but maybe in the future I’d give it a shot. I think they’d make my Skyrim wood pieces look legit.

I’m really up for trying anything. If money wasn’t a thing, I’d have tried a lot more by now. In the future, I’d love to try needlepoint as well!

Recently, I had been asked about some of the work that I do, and I thought a fun way to just that was to fill out a few questionnaires. Here I talk about some of the high and low points of doing what I do, what inspires me, and my process of creativity. Welcome all! If you're reading this, I'm assuming you're familiar with my work as either an artist, cosplayer, writer or any of the other creative things I do.

#art #artist #ask #author #cosplay #cosplayer #Q&A #writing

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