#Kaalaa Baunaa I love you so much

[anonymocha]

sharing leftover energy bars with the doctor’s dogs

this ost on loop btw

[stari-hun]

The sheer difference in the way I draw myself Vs the effort I put into drawing Kaalaa Baunaa

[hammerbonk]

secaF railimaF | Familiar Faces

For @definesanity ! Love this sopping wet mangy old cat you’ve created.

CW for: Attempted descriptions of bodily decay and gore?

Regulus… try as Vertin might, had never really gotten used to Oneself being in the suitcase.

She supposed it was a bit silly when you have a personified celestial body, a bunch of ghosts, mathematicians and half a dozen killing machines walking around the place, but something about seeing Vertin, her best mate’s doppelgänger lingering in the doorways stopped that Pirate’s heart every time.

Speaking of doppelgängers, she was still trying to wrap her head around all that. But Kaalaa Baunaa and Matilda’s explanations of Realms weren’t much help, and neither were X’s addendums to his own theories of the Storm.

However, Regulus knew that Oneself had her own suitcase. And as much as she freaked her out, she was also horribly, terribly fascinated by her.

So on complete compulsion, the Pirate set out on what might be her most dangerous voyage yet - venturing into the depths of Oneself’s suitcase, alone! She waited for the one day her unsuspecting target would be out — with Vertin in the Wilderness, apparently — and quickly sprung into action.

Creaking open the door to Oneself’s room, Regulus was greeted by rather plain surroundings. Even though it had been months since she arrived, Oneself’s bed looked barely slept in, and her desk and was completely bare as well, save for the odd pile of papers and stash of toffees.

That, in a way, reassured Regulus that she was a Timekeeper through and through.

But this was no time for snooping, and the Pirate hastened to locate her treasure with natural ease: Oneself’s suitcase.

Stepping into a suitcase while inside a suitcase? She couldn’t wait to see what would happen—

“Regulus? What are you doing?”

Necrologist’s voice cut right through her, causing her to turn invisible on instinct.

However, it also did cause her to jump, which meant losing her footing and have one leg plummet into the depths of the suitcase prematurely.

The last thing she heard was hurried footsteps and a muffled shout before everything turned black.

———

The first thing Regulus noticed was the putrid smell. It crawled into her lungs, nearly suffocating her as it dug into both her brain and stomach.

The second thing she noticed, after she gritted her teeth and looked around with watery eyes, was just how off everything was.

It was definitely the suitcase lobby alright, but the cosy, warm ambience it usually possessed had been replaced by cold darkness.

The strange floating picture frames lay scattered and broken across the floor, as did the many memorabilia and other oddities that once sat proudly upon the lobby’s rows and rows of shelves. The vast windows that should’ve given light to the room every morning were now stained, and also covered by… were those Shamir worms? And there were no more plants to speak of, just dry husks that give a sickening crunch under Regulus’s foot.

Somewhere that should have brought safety and respite instead brought a growing dread settling in her bones.

All in all, it made HM Prison Holloway look like Buckingham Palace.

“Thank goodness you’re alright, Regulus.”

Necrologist’s voice caught her off guard again.

“Blimey! I know you hang around with ghosts, but are you one yourself?�� Regulus retorted.

But Necrologist gave no response, gazing off into the endless corridors, her demure expression replaced with that of abject terror.

“Necrologist…?” Regulus’s toned softened as she came to her side.

Silence dragged on. As much as she was trying not to be a wet blanket, she couldn’t help but dart her gaze back and forth from her anguished companion to whatever was beyond that sprawling darkness.

“It’s so loud,” Necrologist gasped, as if every breath pained her. “They see us; they want us to see them.”

Suddenly, Regulus was being dragged into the unknown, out of the lobby and down the endless corridors of the suitcase. Wait, she was vaguely familiar with this route. Shouldn’t this be the conservatory?

The smell here was even worse than the lobby, with all sorts of critters littering the floor. If the stench from before crawled into her lungs, over here it dug its claws in deep.

What should’ve been clean, polished floors were cracked and stained with a red so dark it was almost brown or black — blood, to her horror.

“We’re all here now. They’re here. You’re here.” Necrologist choked out, her grip on Regulus becoming nearly painful.

“Wh— ‘course I’m here. What are you on about—“

Whatever Regulus was about to say in that moment died on her tongue, for what she saw was herself.

It could’ve been. It should’ve been, judging by the body’s tattered dress, with its vivid colours faded and muddied to time. A tiny, shrivelled up bow and collar lay beside it, no core in sight. Regulus was thankful that the worst for her Chief Mate was long over, because whatever happened to his Captain was far worse.

She had been carefully sat up against the wall — that was the only explanation, since there’s no way she could’ve propped herself up with the state of her limbs. Her arms were so mangled that the faint bumps of her dislocated bones stuck out against the puffy sleeves of her jacket, which had been eaten at by the critters.

So had her face, which still had some sort of content look on its face despite whatever the hell had been done to it. Funny how even in death, she looked peaceful. A rock-and-roller to the end. That’s how Regulus knew that was her.

Everyone else had suffered similar gruesome fates, and had also been granted some sort of dignity in final moments.

Druvis, Lilya, Sotheby, oh poor Sotheby…

Wait. Where was Sonetto—

“You found them.” Oneself cried hoarsely.

Regulus and Necrologist spun around at the same time, face to face with the looming figure whose property they had trespassed.

But instead of rage or betrayal, they were met with… misery. Years of repressed grief that writhed beneath a wrinkled face, watering hollow eyes.

“They were always here,” Necrologist gently replied. “They never left you.”

It didn’t matter how different Oneself was to Vertin. It didn’t matter how forsaken that saint was, for there would still be followers for their ark.

And Regulus, her first follower, or would’ve been, knew exactly what she needed to do for the Timekeeper.

Unapologetically, Regulus seized the gaunt figure before her in a tight bear hug, while Necrologist offered soft words of comfort.

“And we’re here now.”

[craftlands]

Idk I feel like the people who Shamane, Kaalaa, and Kanjira are supposed to represent should get a say in if they think they are offensive in some way

This also will sound kinda off but I think there are way worse depictions in other media.

That isn't to say there shouldn't be a discussion this is just my opinion

Also just cause I am bad at paying attention but is Kanjira Indian or something else

I was looking at the description that gives her age and it just says unknown but I may have missed it in dialogue

(Oh and if you are one of the people that the characters "represent" then sorry if this came off as rude)

Kanjira's Indian, but the "fortune teller/thief" design is very much rooted in Rromani stereotypes and she plays a lot into those -- i'm honestly just thankful that the g-slur never got dropped as i was legitimately waiting for that to happen every single time she was onscreen, it's That Obvious. there's a long history of discussion of these tropes and how they're harmful -- while i am not able to find specific sources at the current moment, they are absolutely out there.

i'd also like to point out that she speaks in broken English nearly constantly. you could argue that this is "because she's a kid and English isn't her first language" but i would like to then point out that Matilda, who is two years younger than her, almost never does the same thing despite English also not being her first language (and her showing active disdain for learning it). that's... really not great!

Kaalaa Baunaa i think is... the least bad, having played the story? her design is still, to be blunt, rather sexualized, but there's at least been some amount of effort as far as i can tell (i do like her connections to astronomy, which is a very long tradition in India that dates back very far). i'd love to see her in actual traditional garb still, but she's definitely the one i'm least equipped to speak on.

Shamane though. oh boy, Shamane is a mess. i love him as a character, he's a delight, but there are a lot of reasons his design is a problem. when i talked about the "ear feather" thing i was more or less explicitly referencing this post, and his name is... questionable? more pertinently, though, he's using a hell of a lot of Native American aesthetics and stereotypes (he's a "shaman" with deep connections to nature, he has "native patterns" baked into pretty much all of his animations, i could go on it gets so much worse) for someone who is ostensibly the child of a regular Indian family.

so... yes, SWANA, Rromani, and First Nations people should get a say in if they think these designs are offensive. and they have been saying designs like these are offensive for years.

[withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus]

If you're a reverse: 1999 player please hit me up. I know we can't co-op but I need more of you in my life (to follow I mean). xD Also if you like visual novels and/or gacha and don't mind fighting with cards, please try the game, you'll remember me xD. (for good or bad reasons I don't know) (also play in English. For the variety of accents based on the country of each character) You might also be a fan of tragic stories, timetravelling or historical fiction. Still. TRY IT! (it's also a very laid back game so you can be doing battles when bored or do story stuff)

We're currently learning the story of Kaalaa Baunaa (and unfortunately story events don't stay (same issue with Genshin I'm afraid) but you can still learn part of her story by getting her. And if you miss her on her banner, you can get her randomly from the general banner just like any other 5 and 6 star char)

If you are too much into fighting in real time, you might get bored of the repetition and the fact it's turn-based, but the powers are so cool and creative...if you're a writer especially, you're going to absolutely love this.

[anonymocha]

hi i. i may have been the. the culprit. for the ship. possibly singlehandedly.

short answer: i made them the fuck up and spawned it upon tumblr

long answer: okay so it started as literally IRONIC like “haha what if i draw the character i simp (kb) and the character i kin (mp) together :))) this will not alter the rest of my fandom activity forever whatsoever” so i drew them for the very first time HERE and it also happens to be one of my first r99 fanarts and KB ISNT EVEN OUT YEETTTTTT (is already heads over heels for her even then). i have already admitted that medpoc is a character i project to and a schrodinger self-insert so theres also that. also i easily go insane over any nblw since its so rare and a hungry nb lesbian like me gotta cook somehow! also kb is MY TYPE of fictional women so yay

after that initial silly doodle i wasn’t super into them then 1.3 happened. and this literal goddess (who is troubled) x sweaty lesbian (who is troubled) dynamic hits WAY TOO HARD and i practically locked the fuck in on them okay enough about me im gonna. be a TINY insane abt them. as a treat.

IGNORING THE FACT THAT THEY NEVER INTERACTED IN THE GAME AT ALL BECAUSE LIVE LAUGH LOVE RAREPAIRS 😍

I started piecing together more things that make them more appealing to me outside the “i kin this character, i like this character” thing. AKA making it the fuck up! To me, how I find their relationship interesting is the many possibilities of it going HORRIBLY WRONG AS GOD INTENDED (toxic yuri) or surprisingly but satisfyingly sweet if they manage to resolve the things that make the two of them not be able to work out in the first place (healing yuri)!

There is like a million alternate plots for them in my head but the horrible problematic nasty mutually destructive yuri vs rough but evident and warm healing growth tender calm-after-storm yuri are the two main ones i rotate in my head. The second of which may have happened after the first one.

The things they have in common is a devotion to research in their own respective strategies. One has a methodical but fragile approach the other a reckless but intricate approach to research. Both of them has a parental/mentor figure who tries to change them/projects into them one way or another. Medicine Pocket is a dog. Kaalaa Baunaa ate food already bitten off by a dog. Yuri. <<<delusional

Their relationship also has the appeal of being “forbidden” due to the age gap and just how much power they hold over each other. You might think that I see one of them with greater power but in reality both of them really holds the other at a chokehold. Her grief and projections of Kumar (which deeply tragically resembles how Kumar sees her in the first place as Kumar mentors her) onto them causing her to have a soft spot for them at the hopes they don’t end up like Kumar, she cares for them, helps them, keeps their secrets, spoils them, at one point parents them (neg), all of which makes her want to tear her hair out VS them wanting to exploit her prestige and kindness to further their own excellence but feeling that good ol’ guilt and weird weird weird fuzzy feeling in their throat that makes them want to tear their hair out ALSO nobody wants to piss of a senior researcher. They love the expression of her submitting to their whims as much as it eats at them. Whether this entire setup goes for a good ending in which both of them manage to navigate through their own vulnerabilities and see through their own wrongs/awful perceptions about each other then they may start to build/rebuild each other into better people, taking care of each other, being good adults that still break down from time to time. Alternatively they get stuck in the toxic yuri limbo. Your choice.

I am projecting a lot of my “fuck i have to do anything i can to succeed as an adult since im 18 now and the world wont tolerate if i lose my ‘prodigy’ status im getting into uni and they will tolerate much less academic faults” into Medpoc and having a kind and understanding mentor figure who’d hold them while they’re bloody and losing their mind over the needless intricacies/rules in tje research/academic/pragmatism world would help a lot I think! Especially since she spent a longer time in said field and SAW how this system fucks ppl up.

i made like. some tumblr yappings abt them. where i elaborate a mix of both plots in it. you can look at it to see my thought process

1 - https://www.tumblr.com/anonymocha/745307513988268032/suddenly-seeing-parallels-between-kumar-and

2 - https://www.tumblr.com/anonymocha/747092685637206016/my-insanity-ahead-textwall-i-mean-kaalaapocket

3 - https://www.tumblr.com/anonymocha/748712797312090112/ngl-my-first-thought-for-your-pfp-is-how-strangely

this doesnt include the shit i dumped to my partner theyre a real one for listening to my dissertation abt characters who never interacted in game. i could talk more but im tired after uni orientation week so im closing it off here but if u want me to like yap abt them more erm feel free to shoot me with anything

anyways thank you for showing an interest in the ship bc everytime someone asks abt it or mentions it or writes it or draws it i die a little /pos

EDIT:

would like to add something

in the toxic yuri beginnings neither of them sees each other as who they really are. where their relationship goes is determined by if both chose to see through the illusions they put up on each other by themselves. or not.

I haven't played since 1.4 but I NEED to know why kaalaa and medicine pocket are a ship now, I'm obsessed

Also have we had anymore The Fool content

[anonymocha]

hope your lesbian visibility week ends with a bang. have thisj

BITES HER BITES HER BITES HER

[anonymocha]

Can we talk about Kaalaa Baunaa’s wilderness chat for a sec:

— • —

Kaalaa Baunaa: Have you noticed? This part of the sky is very different from the outside world.

Timekeeper: The solitude they endure is mirrored in the other's.

Kaalaa Baunaa: Ha... You're right.

Kaalaa Baunaa: The land is filled with too much noise, they're all in too much hurry... Full of joy and sorrow.

Kaalaa Baunaa: Only in the moment when we gaze upon the universe in its entirety, are we able to momentarily become one with eternity. Just as before we are born, and after we pass from this world.

— • —

Like, girl, wow, okay. Amazing. We need to meditate together. It’s gonna look like this.

[anonymocha]

[ LONG AHH POST ]

Proud to announce that the first revision of the half-serious full-insane Kaalaa Baunaa Wall is done… I haven’t seen an intensive Kaalaa Baunaa character analysis so I decided that I will do it myself. But feel free to correct me on stuff since, again, it’s half-serious and full-insane.

PDF:

Text version of the important stuff I wrote in case you don’t wanna zoom in or open the PDF under the cut. I won’t be pasting the event story takeaways because they are very long and full of unhinged Mocha jumpscares.

Personality

The following points are derived from here:

Methodical and steady in her approach to tasks.

Known for her soothing presence and being reliable in accomplishing tasks. Very punctual.

Has a contemplative nature, often preferring solitude and observation.

Friendly but rarely intimate.

Maintains a practical outlook, prioritizing efficiency over aesthetics.

Demonstrates a sense of conservationism, as seen in her choice to mend her glasses rather than replacing them.

Character Story Takeaways

Grew up with an astrological background but chose not to believe in its prophetic accuracy. “To hell with it!”

Kaalaa Baunaa was an abandoned child. She was found by Vaquini. her foster parent.

She often engages in misbehavior and fights as a kid. Vaquini would defend her.

She refused her destiny prescribed by her astrolabe, and doodled over it.

She emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying causes behind events rather than accepting them at face value (or just seeing it as fate).

Voiceline Takeaways

She thinks that people focus too much on linear time and notes its subjective(?) nature. But she has a good perception of time herself.

Prefers Indian food.

Enjoys observing the night sky. She feels connected to it. Human society is complex, ever-changing, and influences her identity in ways she isn’t content about. But the constant nature of the night sky comforts her.

Is humble about her martial arts capabilities. This girl can hit……..

Delulu Corner

Interpretations + Summary of Takeaways

Keeps a steady and level-headed front despite often being anxious and full of doubt towards herself. It pours out when things get truly rough, with dismay and desperation.

Tends to overwork herself and struggles with self-care. She has the incentive to wind down but the guilt would take over her and lock her back into her lab. It is even implied to manifest as an illusory monster that stalks her down.

She held considerably little value towards aesthetics or cleanliness, prioritizing practicality above all. She easily brushed off rat feces in her lab this woman won the idgaf war. She cares more about research routines than things like that, or even more, rules imposed to her.

She may be enabling Kumar... She knows when Kumar is wrong or when Kumar is trying to mess with her but she doesn't necessarily call her out on it. Yes she is very observant towards stuff related to research and the arcane, but can be fooled/lead on otherwise. She may know it but she won't voice it.

She talks and contemplates to herself a lot. Probably a pace-around-the-room-lost-in-thought enjoyer.

Based on her past, she has a tendency to be rebellious and turn her back on certain systems despite being dependent on one herself

For some time, she is quite dependent on Kumar's presence and guidance. She puts a lot of trust in Kumar despite the many questionable things she did to her and the people around her.

(My Insanity) Her tendency to conserve, paired by her predisposition to methodical routines makes it difficult for her to move on from Kumar. And she struggles to properly open up about it or confront it. Kumar left her mark in her way of doing things. The constant nature of her approaches in work/life makes the echoes of Kumar also constant. She would love to break free from the cycle of remembering Kumar by doing things differently, or taking a long deserved break from work... But at the same time, she feels like throwing herself off this 'orbit' is unreasonable, unproductive, and unbecoming of her. So it Rots.

She probably keeps Kumar's glasses, Kumar's bullet, what else? :))

[stari-hun]

Limbus Maxxing

My live rambles on limbus company as I play (I like Mili so imma play for them).

Prologue rambles under the cut

TRUCK KUN?!

Ok Kaalaa Baunaa ass

Oh great so our name is Dante and we just made a pact with some unknown entities who are vaguely ominous and homosexual

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Faust: Wassup dawg ur now leader of the squad

MC: what squad??? WHO ARE YOU???

Faust: Not the people killing you

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OH GOD WHY DOES THE BATTLE MECHANIC LOOK SO SCARY-

Oh god I’m not understanding shit. Can’t wait to overlevel and just be op

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Panther: 0 stars on Yelp, shit theatre kid performance, will not be going back

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Ah yes a clock with a time gimmick very unexpected much wow very woah

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The CG art is so cool, fully how it’s different than the sprites

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MC is fr deciding trust purely off vibe checking people

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MC: why is everyone calling me Dante?

Faust: It’s your name

MC: Nuh uh

Faust, ignoring MC: You’ll get used to it

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Gregor: ay Buddy just to start off with, I’m not judging with anyone’s representation and what they decide to do with their head yk? Your body ur choice

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Mmm delicious immoral actions and expectations from a higher organization in control the group is forced to rely on. I eat it up every time. Constantine would thrive in this world

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Ishmael: All of your introductions are disappointing as hell. You do know this is us introducing ourselves to a superior right? We’re working right now.

Also Ishmael: I’m Ishmael

LIKE LMAOO????? All that and she also gives an informal introduction. Also the similarities in the way the intro cards treat Sinners and how Arcanists are treated in hit game Reverse 1999

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Heathcliff: Yeah I don’t care about trying to please you or fitting in (proceeds to give one of the only proper self introductions)

HELLOOOO???? If he gets angry we contact HR lmaoooo

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Ok Tsukasa move it on

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Ah yes, the token autistic member, I see you Hong Lu

Ignoring that lady-

Ah another autistic, this time one with an unfortunate but definitely gendered name. Love me a character who just wants to do their job then clock out

Oh ew Dante is French /silly

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MC: wow Meursault you’re really one of the polite people here :)

Meursault: This is the normal reaction for this situation

MC: :)

MC’s thoughts: Something’s deeply wrong with him.

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Outis going on this long chuunibiyou like rant to MC while they have no clue what’s going on still

Outis: I vow to serve you with unrivaled devotion, Executive Manager. My blade is yours to wield.

MC: here I thought you’d be one of the normal ones….

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MC: I mean I want my head back but eh….. eH

Vergilius: smh, I tell you to go to hell and you hesitate? Smh.

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Imagine losing ur head and memories and non-binary company takes you, dies, gets revived, and tells you to literally go to hell

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Faust: Ur strategy game is clearly shit so let me tell you how to improve

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Vergilius: enough useless chatter

No???? Knowing how to revive people is actually incredibly useful?? I need to know how to be doing that

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WE HAVE A FUCKING SANITY BAR??? NOOOOOOOOOOO

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Oh god the designated driver is a speed demon-

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Yeah Kagamine Rin, speak ur truth

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Vergilius is such an antiyapper. Get bro some noise cancelling headphones with the way he hates background dialogue

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Charon: Damn. A missed chance to run someone over.

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AYYYYYYY MILI SONGGG WRAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

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Oh damn it really is a bus and not a train- though to be fair it is like the outer look of a train just compressed into one car