#want to join in something that doesn't fit me by media but the fun vibe I want to drag I don't care if it's 2023

[vividlostghost]

Don't touch Doctor Who, don't touch Sherlock, haven't touched Merlin (would tho)

so I guess I gotta go for SuperGhostUltra and clash things up my own way rofl

...

I am going to learn to make cool gif edits to have fun because I saw some of the fun that old stuff and that one drug show does and I want to join in

[pokerninja2]

I think it's time we do another breakdown, and this time it'll be someone who I hold near and dear to my heart. A character who realistically wouldn't get in a Mario game without it being considered a crossover but I could never resist adding anyway - Rabbid Peach! Move aside Human Peach, you'll get your time to shine soon enough. For now let's focus on this divalicious bunny!

So yeah, Rabbids are officially on the table for this roster! Admittedly I was iffy on whether or not I should add them, risking the "integrity" of this roster dedicated to the Mario franchise. But while Rabbid Peach and friends technically have their origins from another franchise, so far their appearances are limited to Mario + Rabbids, which is ostensibly a Mario game. So I think the rules can be bent a little for them. I added her right when Sparks of Hope got revealed last year, which is what pushed me over the edge to add her. And I'm glad I did because I like drawing these rabbit rascals!

Anyway, onto the art piece itself. Rabbid Peach has obviously outfitted herself in cybernetics, complete with twin blasters and a visor for aiming. Blasters were obviously her main weapon back in Kingdom Battle, although if I knew she'd have a rocket launcher in Sparks of Hope I might have incorporated that instead. Either way, the blaster design is mostly original. It does kind of look like a recolored Red Wasp though, albeit it was unintentional.

Also unintentional, but her having two blasters also resembles Mario's Dual Slinger from Sparks of Hope! Like I said she was made before we knew anything about the game beyond the cinematic trailer, but it's still a fun coincidence.

Plus I think high-tech cybernetic stuff really fit with the vibe Kingdom Battle's weapons had. I'm happy with it, even if it doesn't match what her Rabbid friends have.

Something else I wanted to touch on is her icon. I already showed her icon among others on a previous post, but I thought it'd be cute if the Rabbid characters all incorporated the "R" from the Rabbids logo in some way. In her case, I took the bump on the R and made it in the shape of a heart. It's cute!

And of course, I couldn't have Rabbid Peach without her taking selfies for her social media following! I like headcanoning that she joined the league just to impress her fans, and she livestreams all her matches as they rave for her like rabid sports fans. Anyway, her snapping a selfie to stun enemies just seems like a fun idea.

If you went back in time and told me from 10 years ago that you would be utterly obsessed with Rabbids that dress as Mario characters and fight using guns, I think he would have sued you for defamation. I never imagined that I'd end up making Rabbids fanart, but here we are! I'm satisfied with how Rabbid Peach turned out, and while I'm definitely more of a Mario + Rabbids fan than a straight-up Rabbids fan, the Rabbids fanbase on Twitter has really taken a liking to what I did with them! Hoping the fanbase on Tumblr likes it just as much.

[godsandtorrance]

Loneliness

One of the main things in my life that I struggle with, and that I don't think gets talked about enough, is loneliness.

I'm at the ripe age of 23. I'm at the prime-time where friendships, particularly female friendships, should be the highlight of my life right now. I should be going out drinking (or a different meet-up activity, as I don't actually drink or like risking going out at night in this currant climate), sending memes and inside jokes to the group chat, checking in on a group of women my own age who do the same for me.

But I don't. I have a best friend, but due being busy and other life issues, we don't talk like we used to. Aside from her, there really is no other friend. My colleagues are all older than me, at a completely different life stage, and the only colleague my own age has her own friends who appear to not match my own lifestyle.

I used to have a friend group - five or so girls in my teen years who I went to school with. We would hang out all the time, message each other constantly - not necessarily relatable to adults but still a nice little social and fun group I could rely on.

Naturally, we grew apart as we got older. They changed and went out partying, while I, at the time, was isolated due to my mental health troubles, and I don't like alcohol (as established). Unfortunately, in hindsight I realised it wasn't really a good group of friends. I was very weird (annoyingly so, but I refuse to even entertain the thoughts of my irritating, not-self-aware younger self), and it was obvious, looking back, that they mostly tolerated me, and often left me out of things.

It was also, considering we were a group of hormonal teens, pretty toxic at times too, but I'm happy to say I, at least, have grown up a lot since then and can put that kind of behaviour behind me.

University was a struggle too. As a highly socially anxious young adult, following my stressful few years of intense mental health issues, I really found it difficult to open up to people. In lessons, I'd remain as quiet as possible; I didn't start conversations or join in; I tried a few societies but they just weren't the right fit for me - or maybe I didn't give them enough of a chance.

It took lockdown, a time for reflection for myself and my personal struggles, to see that I was lonely and I wasn't helping myself. I didn't try enough to join in and make the effort - and I couldn't expect other people to always do so first, especially if I gave off the blank-faced, unapproachable (but secretly fearful of looking stupid) vibe.

When I went to university again for my masters degree, I made far more of an effort - I chatted and instigated conversation, said yes to certain meet-ups and really pushed myself to being open and friendly. It didn't get too far, as many in the year-long course had their own friends, and I wasn't entirely perfect at being the right social person, but I knew I could do it. Practice, after all, makes perfect.

Now that I've started work, and I'm steadily trying to figure out what the hell I want to do with my life (more on that another time), I'm gradually trying to let myself be open to any opportunities, conversation, anything.

But it's hard. Seeing people on social media in their tight-knit groups makes me feel like I'm the problem. It feels like I'm the only person in the world incapable of - and undeserving - of friendships. As much as I know social media is a facade at times, there's no denying that there are truly beautiful friendships out there.

However, I use this as something to hold on to, and something to hope for. Knowing that great friendships exist is wonderful, and it's special to know that when the right time comes along, I will meet the right people I click with. I wouldn't want to force any kind of connection, as in my experience trying too hard doesn't work and it's just emotionally exhausting.

Without trying to sound ridiculously over-positive (I can't stand the high-key promotions of being 'happy happy happy!' that saturate social media, it's just not possible to be as joyful as a Cbeebies programme all the time), there is a blessing to having minimal friends. I get to work on the most important friendships I have - the one with myself.

Disgustingly saccharine, I know, but I've spent the past few years working on my mental health issues and actually working through CBT, getting two degrees and simply enjoying the small things. I love being creative, I adore films, I'm a huge reader. The introvert in me gets to enjoy the comfort of staying in and working on my private hobbies.

Of course I want to branch out still - there's such a thing as getting too comfortable in solitude, especially as someone who clearly still misses frequent socialising - but in the meantime I can focus on myself and the activities that bring me joy.

Early twenties are complicated, and I'm still trying to figure out what the hell I'm going to do. I don't see myself sticking to this job forever, or putting down roots in my home for too long, so I need this quiet time to work it out, find the right career for me and just let things progress naturally.

It's time I start being kinder to myself, and I'm not going to get that self-respect, self-esteem or self-love from other people. Tying my worth into other people - whether they're in my life as my friends or not - only ends badly, as I've learnt before.

Loneliness doesn't mean failure, or that I suck as a person, or that this is going to be my future. It just means my life is a little bit more quiet right now, and I have all this time to look after myself.

If you're like me, feeling completely isolated in your loneliness like you're the only young adult struggling, you're definitely not alone. It's rarely talked about, but that doesn't mean other lacking-in-friends people aren't out there. We're just don't shout about it, and we're probably socially awkward introverts too.