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@Members @VIP - Just an FYI we've removed the necro bumping rule from the site (please let me know if there are still remnants anywhere!) We no longer feel the rule is necessary across the site, spam rules will still apply though.

NCM (nearly) a Year On I think I speak for everyone in saying that it’s certainly been an interesting year, from what feels like unending down time to what now feels like a new lease of life, communities are born and bred by people alone and you can’t force something to stick together when the cracks have already shown, and I think we’ve showcased that now more than ever, you’ll just continue to stick things back together as best you can in hopes that it will remain but, sometimes in life you need to move on and build something new up and that’s OK, nothing lasts forever but everything worthwhile only lasts for a period of time, and whenever this comes to an end I can only hope it inspires someone to pick up the mantle where it left off. That got a little… philosophical didn’t it? My fault, apologies, I just wanted to open a document and write down my thoughts and feelings with you all – bare bones you know how that stuff goes anyhow I think it’s important to reflect on how we’re doing and where we can go from here. So, how are we doing? That’s a great question and thanks for asking Torm! Fundamentally the site is stable, and activity is at an appropriate level, people are posting, RPs are… RPing? I guess you do roleplay in a roleplay so… ANYWAY things are good! There are some sections that have very little to no activity and I guess that’s something for me and the staff team to figure out together. I imagine it’ll be along the lines of consolidating “deader” sections together and making posts simpler to post but we’ll work on that. In fact, at the time of writing this we are roughly averaging 20 registrations per month, which are healthy numbers! It’s also probably a little more but I’m terrible at Math so… 20 sounds like a good enough number. There has been some considerable content committed to the site by many of our great users. I won’t go through all of them because honestly, I’ll be here all day and I think a couple of the staff team have ideas on events of their own accord for celebrating good content but stuff like .:Alive:. by Dad in the creative writing section, the NeoCardMaker Holy Grail War by Yui (whilst young, is a very creative take on the forum game genre) and RPs like Fire Emblem Curse of the Goddess which is so intrinsically Fire Emblem it’s great. So where can we go from here? Well personally I think I need to take on the leadership role a bit more, I just need to understand where the line is drawn with that and the like as we have a nice status quo going on and rocking the boat too much might cause us to get water on board when it isn’t necessary but I have ideas and thoughts for the site that I think will be healthy for the place. I would like to see a member of staff or two added to team at some point to help develop certain areas of the site, and perhaps cultivate new life and ideas into parts of the site but again it’s all about balance and that’s down to me to find that middle of the line, so please bear with me and provide criticism as and where it’s needed. I’ve yet to explore these ideas with Yemachu but getting the card maker more built into the site rather than relying on GitHub might allow for us to provide a better user experience for those of us who use the card maker on the regular, of course again I’m just vocalizing my internal thoughts so don’t take this as a “IT’S HAPPENING” (Yui please insert the appropriate gif in a reply thank you). It also seems the site is still struggling to send activation emails to gmail accounts… It’s something for me to look at as we are potentially missing out on active users, I’d rather publicly state this is an issue than it not be forgotten about (although I have mentioned it in the past). As for you guys? Keep doing what you’re doing. Maybe revive showcase for me I don’t have anything negative to say about the lot of you really, you’re all cute – except Cow, he’s a cow I mean they ain’t that cute maybe calves but like they don’t last very long in that state. So, thank you, for making this place what it is, and I wish you a fantastic Christmas, here’s to 2020 (we all legally have perfect vision now) ? @Members @VIP

Music So, it's been a while since we've really had a big statement put out or anything. We're almost at 2 years of NCM, and that's incredible! For a splinter community, that really stands out. All because people chose to take a chance and break away from simple numbers and the past itself. A sense of community that is more one of togetherness than obligation. I'm proud of us. Our little community. Sure, it's a quiet little corner of the internet, but it's far from dead. I'd almost go so far as to say that it's just right. Not too big, not too small, not too soft, not too hard. I just... really wanted to take the time, as a member of the staff and the community at large, to thank all of you. I know not everything is perfect. People have fights. Petty feelings can get in the way and blind us. Life gets in the way. People say things they don't mean. People don't say things that they mean to. Even so, there is a sense of community. Grudges don't seem to hold for long. Workarounds are found. Careless words are fixed, and overthought words eventually find their way to where they need to go. Our little home away from home isn't perfect, but it's a damn sight better than what it could have become if we hadn't had stood together. It's so different from what I remember, in general. I feel like I'm an old person looking at the forums and servers, even among people I actually talk to. So much history. So much time. But here you all are. People have come. People have gone. But the community is still here. And while I feel like a fossil, I still look forward to seeing you "younguns" a lot. So, thank you, NCM. For nothing other than being yourselves. Your kindness, your creativity, your intelligence, your humor, all of it. This quiet community means the absolute world to me. I can't speak for the team, in and of itself, but I can at least let you know how much all of you matter to me. And, as an absolutely personal note, I just want to say... if anyone is suffering. If anyone needs a shoulder to cry on. If anyone just needs to express something they don't feel safe to other places... I'm here. I'll listen. I'll give you my Discord if you want it. After all, life isn't easy. 2020 showed us that, if absolutely nothing else. But that doesn't mean you have to be alone. I see you. I'm with you. I'm sure a couple of you know who you are, and I hope you take this to heart... Yet I also hope anyone else who needs this right now sees it as well, and takes it as an opportunity. I love this place. And I love you guys. Thanks for two years, and I hope the third is great, too.

U.A. High. It had been a long time coming but Yasha was ready. He'd worked hard to get here, and now he had the privilege of attending Japan's most prestigious hero school. He adjusted his tie and collar, slapped his faceplate where cheeks would be on a regular head, and cleared his throat-- a sound like a stalling lawnmower-- as he approached. "Let's see here, are you--" "Yasha Yokuna, present SIR!" He said, standing rather stiffly at-attention. "I'm honored to be here-- and prepared to do my best!" "I... see. So, why is it that you want to be a hero?" Yasha grinned in response, showing off his teeth. Despite being abnormally sharp, they were also the only part of his head that looked even marginally human. The whole engine-block for a head thing wasn't going to earn him any points for beauty, that was for sure. "Because being a hero is hard work, and I LOVE HARD WORK!" His throat made a revving sound as his voice went up, and he covered his mouth with his hand. "Ah, sorry. I got excited there." "I never really got your type, kid. But go ahead and head on in. You'll probably make more sense to Ruby Heart." "THANK YOU, MISTER GLORY SIR!" The door to the classroom slid open and the sound of engines revving filled the air as Yasha entered, waving a pair of screaming chainsaw blades over his head. "HELP! MY HANDS ARE CHAINSA-HA-HAAAAWS!" He broke into laughter on the word 'chainsaws' and doubled over, the tools shrinking away. He straightened up and smiled, showing off his fanged grin, and waved his, now regular hands. "Nah, I'm fine-- 's just my Quirk. Hi!"

I think I might actually have a shot at getting my work published. This is crazy!

Inu wasn't happy. The field trip sucked, and while he was thankful it ended early, it seemed it didn't end for good reasons. The exact reason why, he actually didn't know though, he was hoping he'd find out in school today. Grumbling to himself, he popped a sunflower seed into his mouth as he walked into the classroom, hoping that it would distract him from a need to smoke. He walked in, scanning the room, looking to see if anything looked off or if people had some sort of gossip going on. Nothing really stuck at to him at the moment, and it was pissing him off. Did no one know what was going on? He sat down in his seat, sighing as slumped down. As if to signal that today wasn't going to get much better, it seemed a substitute teacher was here today. "So uh… I'm not Epicenter. You guys know that. I'm aaah… I'm the Destructive Hero - Dreadbolt. I'm a friend of Glory's, he asked me to sub for a bit while some of the staff is investigating some shi- errr, while the staff is investigating some bad stuff that happened yesterday…" Inu's eyes narrowed at that. So something did happen. He waited for some sort of explanation of what exactly the bad thing was, but instead, Dreadbolt moved on. "Fuck, why did I agree to this… Tomoaki you son of a bitch…"Quickly bringing himself to attention, he straightened his back and turned to address the class once again, "A-anyway, I'm sorry to inform you all that uhhh… Kikuchi Emi has dropped out of UA, for personal reasons. But there is good news, too! She will be replaced by the next runner-up in the entrance exam! Hoshinoooooo Rika!" With an unhealthy dose of melodrama, Dreadbolt pointed toward the classroom door with both hands… standing perfectly still in perfect silence for several seconds, before slouching in disappointment, "Is it too much to ask students to be punctual??? Can't I get one damn break???" "Don't worry about cussing, we're not kindergartners, we can taking some goddamn cussing without sullying our ears," Inu stated. "We'll probably hear worse out on the field," The new girl then went and made a fool of herself in front of everyone, but Inu wasn't going to hold that against her. At least she wasn't some joker that didn't take this whole thing seriously. Sun looked at the new girl with a sense of curiosity. She had a familiar look to her... well, kinda. It was more like she reminded him of lizards from back home. Now he was feeling nostalgic. But the poor girl seemed really scared, and that made Sun upset. He'd have to find some way to cheer her up... but, it seemed he wasn't alone in that endeavor. "Hi. I'm Hideyo," the happy sun man said happily. "And I think your quirk is the coolest thing I've seen. Ever!" "Aw, geez, I dunno about that really. Uh... I think if it was the coolest thing ever, I would've gotten in without having to get a little lucky." The chameleon laughed gently, her other hand rubbing at the back of her neck as she glanced up at the ceiling. "It's not, like... Terrible, at least! My dad had it bad, he didn't get any of the stuff mine can do. He was pretty nervous when I was born." She then began to look around the room. her eyes soon falling on the monkey king, who smiled at her. "Hello, I am Sun!" He greeted as he waved. "I like your quirk! It reminds me of home!" He hoped that despite his large size, she wouldn't be scared of him. "If you ever feel scared, just come find me! I'll protect you! You and Takehiko!" Before he could say anything else, the wolfman in the back raised his voice. "So... you gonna tell us what the fuck happened back at the beach?" Inu demanded at the sub. "Or are you really going to try to sweep some situation that was apparently so dangerous we had to leave right away, despite having three Pro Heroes there, under the rug?" Sun leaned over to Rika, whispering loudly. "Don't make the dog man angry. He looks very pettable, but he lights on fire, and fire is bad," "Shut the fuck up, monkey man," Inu snapped, causing Sun's eyes to narrow. That seemed like a direct challenge, and as king, he wasn't one to turn down challenges. However, it could have just been made in the heat of the moment, something that happened a lot back home. He'd wait for a second challenge from Inu before he showed him exactly why he was king of his home.

NEO is the best, most-well designed, efficient, responsive, and aesthetically pleasing yugioh card maker on the planet. In all seriousness, though... this has become a nice alternative hub for most active members of the community, and I commend your willingness and dedication to maintaining it as our beloved and reliable admin.

neocardmaker.com is still the best, most-well designed, efficient, responsive, and aesthetically pleasing yugioh card maker on the planet.

No longer unemployed, bois! Just got a job offer for designing custom pools. I'm so happy!

Yeah I cheated and gave u two Yeah yours is pretty sick so hard to beat tbh but here There abouts although I've seen @BGMキャノンs moustache and that thing is pretty stylish. I'm going to cheat and give you Fate stuff because hey, cheating is fine in moderation Finding art with just Kazooie is actually harder than I anticipated but this feels appropriate.

I hope you all like this (especially Dae) as I have poured countless painful hours into making this as perfect as the real Dae is.

I am non-binary. I am not he. I am not she. I am they. I am not Josh. I am not Black. I am Blake. It took me a long time to get to this point, but I want people to know how scary being different is, and how hard it is to just... say something like this. Cause someone out there could have poor designs. Or just be a dick. So fuck the haters. Thanks for a community where I can be me, NCM.

Well friends, I'm officially a homeowner.

Figured I'd post the cardless images I've drawn so far just in case anyone wants to use them for cards of their own. Canyon Battleguard Sword Slasher Mass-Production Model Malice Doll of Despair Gemini Metal Elf Identity Theft! Hopping Vampires Toon Swordmistress this one of Hungry Burger and the Bistro Butcher I don't actually have a card in mind for, but feel free to use it for something. The Snake Hairstyles Dark Scorpion Motivator Time Lizard I'll try to remember to add any more images here as I go along

A fic or series of mini-fics set in the Neo community based on superhero comics/cinema. The characters are the members, each having their own superpower (or not, depending on what they want.) This used to be in Misc, but I decided to make an official interest check thread in the writing section for more credibility. Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions? Let me know.

Hey, Tormey. Why haven't you given a public statement on the coronavirus? What're you doing to ensure the health and safety of the community? Where're the hand sanitzers in the threads?!

Good morning/afternoon/evening all, Im happy to announce Yemachu accepted a position of administrator for the site! He'll be focusing on development of the card maker within the site itself please keep all site requests and support queries in mine and the other members of staffs direction (unless of course it relates to the card maker) I think I speak for everyone in saying that the work Yemachu has done for this community and the last up until this point has been nothing more then incredible. We look forward to working with him moving forward. Please use this thread for any questions you might have for Yemachu. @Members @VIP @Yemachu

tfw single but killin

OOC TUESDAY NOVEMBER 01 180 DAYS REMAIN “This is an imaginary story… Aren’t they all?” -Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (written by Alan Moore) Do All Words Can Do “Fuck!” The events of the last few hours had taken their toll on Director Sekelsky. The reports of rioting were finally dying down, people were returning to their homes, and heroes were permitted to stand down, but that just meant it was time for the casualty numbers. Multiple people had been trampled in the initial panic, and several more were injured in what ensued afterward, including one of their own, a cape who went by the name of Spotlight. It was worth another few expletives. “Fucking goddamn piece of horseshit! Cass goes off the grid for who knows how long and then decides to pull this fucking stunt. Did they know? They must have known. Surely they realized what would happen next, right? So they just left everyone else to clean up their mess, huh?” There were four other people in the room, and each of them was in costume, so Director Sekelsky mentally adopted the standard name protocols. Cape names when dressed as capes. Easy. At the opposite end of the sweatbox of a meeting room (how could it be this fucking hot in here in fucking November?) were Override, Ember, and Aeon. They were the main recipients of this briefing, chosen for a number of reasons but there was really one big one: availability. None of them had been at Hallowmas or taken the holiday standby shift (and who could blame them? It was Halloween. Even Director Sekelsky had hoped to spend the night with his husband and daughter until whatever this shit was), which meant they were actually around this morning. The fact they all had some sort of criminal record was concerning but not work scrapping and waiting for someone else. Bard was there too, seated alone on the near end of the sweatbox next to the projection screen. His costume was positively ancient, and his mask one of those tacky theater masks that only covered half of his face, but he refused to change it, always citing more pressing issues of the time. The Director couldn’t fault him for that this time. He was taking this even harder than Director Sekelksy was; he had a pair of white-knuckled fists pushed as far into the table as he could manage, and he was shaking and muttering something under his breath. It was probably something to do with his Thinker powers, Director Sekelsky thought. It wasn't something he understood, but Bard had also been instrumental in G3’s response the last few hours and he’d been a wreck then too. As long as he was functional and managed to check in with one of G3’s counselors later, he’d be alright, right? He sighed. Thinking things through like this helped get the anger out of his system. The only emotion that remained now was a quiet determination. From an egotistical point of view, it was his best feature. He didn’t have any superpowers, but he wasn’t powerless. “First thing’s first, where’s DEUS?” “Helping with the riots,” Bard said. He eased up a little too now that the meeting had started. “He was spotted in Graceland a little before midnight so he actually wasn’t too far away when it started.” “For once,” Director Sekelsky said. “For once.” “But that means don’t count on it happening again. Not that we should ever count on him.” “Especially now that it’s daytime,” Bard said. “He’ll probably be too busy rescuing cats from trees or helping old women cross the street.” “Or rescuing old women from trees,” the Director snarked. “So Plan A, then. Alright.” Bard handed him a trio of folders and he turned his attention to the three capes in the back. One for each of them. “As you are no doubt aware, the Renegade Cape Cassandra predicted the end of the world at Hallowmas last night,” he said. “This is so obviously S-Class, it’s practically the definition of the term. Unfortunately, the actual words on the truces don’t agree here. They were written more for singular, concrete threats. A tornado, some supervillain who’s gotten too big for their britches, a bio-Tinker’s experiment run amok. Not something as nebulous and off in the distance as this. If we try to litigate this through the normal channels, that’s precious time lost we could have spent dealing with whatever the fuck this actually is, so we’re hoping to avoid that.” He tossed the folders down the table, one at a time. Landing them neatly at the edge right in front of his target without anything spilling out was something that had taken countless briefings just like these to perfect, but it was worth it every time. “We do have some language in our favor, however. We just need the leaders of each of the three main gangs to agree with us, and sign a document saying as much. You three will be facilitating that.” “In those folders are our profiles on the three gangs and the leaders,” Bard said, standing up as well. “Gibbons’ Caesar” -- he pronounced it “ˈsi zər” -- “The Zodiac’s Ophiuchus, and, of course, the Moray Clan’s three Fates. Most of it’s common knowledge, but make sure you’re up to date on it. It also has my best guesses as to how the negotiations are going to play out. Unfortunately, it is probably going to be a negotiation. Six months is a lot of time for Scarlet City’s underworld to play nice.” “We’re going to have to play nice in return,” Director Sekelsky said. “We were the ones with the most cape activity last night. Again, the extenuating circumstances favor us, and obviously so, but they’ll be looking for any concession they can get. Also included in those folders is a copy of a temporary S-Class agreement. It won’t last until April, but it’s something we can use when the Peacekeepers get their act together, so as long as you don’t do anything stupid like make a legally binding agreement without our negotiators present -” “Or start a fight,” Bard said. “- or start a fight, we’re giving you a lot of leeway on this. We need those signatures, you understand? The meetings are already set up. Catty Key buzzed everyone earlier, so be sure to thank her when you get the chance. Your first meeting is with the Fates in Echo Park, the other places and times are in there as well.” His eyes met Ember’s “Ember, you’re not going to that last one as per our existing agreement regarding Gibbons, report back here after The Zodiac meeting instead for a different assignment.” The last moment lingered a bit longer than Director Sekelsky intended, which mattered in the face of all the time pressure, but was still recoverable. “You have a few minutes to finish your reading, ask any questions, you might have, and then get going. Leave through the back while the sixes don’t have the building completely surrounded yet.” Hidden World Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos Lanthimos, the Moray Clan’s three Fates, arranged themselves in various positions about their lair’s (for lack of a better word) throne room searching for something that might fit the correct vibe. It was the new costumes that were the problem here. They’d just gotten three matching dresses from Rajawongse made out of Clotho’s fibers -- and they were the kind of dresses that came with pockets! -- but the room had been put together with their old aesthetic in mind. They’d started out so stereotypical, even getting one of those prop replica thrones from that one show, but the dresses were some kind of postmodern art. They had a flow to them that looked especially nice when they all stood together and the blotches of color started to blur. It was a total clash. The only pieces of fabric left from their old costumes were their blindfolds. “Blindfolds” was another one of those words that was technically true but not really. They were a solid black, but The Fates could all see through them just fine. Part of the magic of Clotho’s string was that its properties could be whatever she wanted it to be. That was one of the reasons Rajawongse had been so inspired in the first place -- a practically infinite amount of new materials, right there at his fingertips, who wouldn’t? But phrasing it that way would also sell the Renegade clothier short. He was a master of his craft even without his power. Rajawongse had created dresses that were identical down to the tiniest stitch. With them, the only way to identify which Fate was which was their distinctive manner of speech. “Maybe it’s the room that needs to change, not us,” Clotho said. “Sure,” Lachesis said. “But that doesn’t change the fact we need to figure out what we’re doing right now,” Atropos said. She was also identifiable by the butterfly knife she carried with her, a helpful outlet for not just her power, but idle hands in general. The swish-clack sound of its handles seemed to punctuate everything that particular Fate said, and frequently some of her sisters’. They settled on one of their standard formations -- Lachesis lounging on the throne flanked on either by her two sisters -- just as three of their underlings entered the room. Vi, Sibyl, and Demiurge were their names. The Fates gave them some time to get situated and even offered them some fruit in case they hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. It was still early in the morning, after all. It also gave them an excuse to get everyone up to speed on the previous night's events, the prophecy, the riots, everything. “The Stadium isn’t our territory, though it’s close enough that it might as well be,” Lachesis said. “And we’re going to have to deal with the smashed windows that are in our territory. Some of our people are already on it.” “It won’t be finished until later, though. Right now, G3 --” “-- The Generic Good Guys --” “-- The Group of Giant Goobers --” “-- is going to be pushing us for some kind of temporary truce until they can get their act together, and we don’t have any reason not to accept.” “But we also have reason to believe the Gibbons aren’t going to take the deal,” Lachesis said. “There are a couple of reasons for that. The first is that, like, it’s Gibbons. There’s no way Caesar” -- she pronounced it “ˈsi zər” -- “is going to let a land grab opportunity slip through his fingers, no matter how bad of an opportunity it is.” “That’s what happens when most of your territory is crap,” Atropos said. Swish. Clack. “Even when you have the most of any gang in all of Skitty.” “So it’s in character for him,” Clotho said. “But perhaps more damningly, he laid out his plans this morning while Worm still had one of his walls bugged, and later we hear some Gibbons capes are on the way to our territory. So we just- we know it’s going to happen. ” “Sorry to bury the lede like that.” “Our people cleaning up Nola Street already know this,” Clotho said. “There are some pretty hefty capes helping out there, both ours and otherwise, and DEUS is still in the area for at least a little bit longer.” “We’ll fight too if we goddamn have to.” The swish-clack of Atropos’ knife was especially forceful that time. “The point is, there’s a little time before anything goes down. There are still a few preparations to make, though. More thorough battle plans, making sure complementary powers are together, that sort of thing. Your job this morning is to keep Caesar distracted, and the way we’d like you to do it is to wreck some of his shit first.” “The target is a warehouse eleven point five nine kilometers that way.” Lachesis pointed in a direction she knew to be Northeast. This was her showing off her Thinker power and she relished the opportunity. “Pretty close to The Shimmer without getting up and personal with it, about as far as possible away from what’s going to be happening here.” “We think it’s a lab for a Tinker on Caesar’s payroll, which means it’ll have a skeleton crew of just that one Tinker and an assistant or two.” “The point is to get them calling for help. We’re not killing them or anything. Just roughing them up a bit to get Caesar’s attention, you know?” Clotho winked. “Of course, if they do go running to the hills leaving a trove of Tinker tech behind, you might as well take any of the interesting shit, right?” “At the same time,” Lachesis was quick to add, “if help does show up, that’s your cue to get out of there. Remember The Stanley Principle. You’re not invincible no matter how far ahead you might seem.” The Fates finally went silent as the invocation of that nearly-sacred rule brought a little extra weight to the proceedings. Both Clotho and Atropos shifted uncomfortably where they stood, and Lachesis had to stop lounging and actually sit in her chair. “Oh, that was a lot, wasn’t it?” Clotho eventually said. “Sorry about that.” “Anyway, the actual meat and potatoes planning of this mission, that’s up to you,” Atropos said. “We’ve given you the place and the goal, kinda want to just see what you come up with,” Lachesis said. “Call it a test, you know? Show us what you can do.” OOC

Time Lizard | LIGHT | Reptile/Effect ATK 500 | DEF 400 You can tribute 1 Reptile monster you control: Toss a coin and call it. If you call it right, Special Summon 1 Reptile or Dinosaur monster from your hand or GY. If you call it wrong, take damage equal to the ATK of the tributed monster. A quickie I drew up because of a pun. Juggled a few different effect ideas so I hope the one I went with wouldn't be overpowered, but I'm always open to suggestions.

So, I wanted to build off of the depression entry. To a degree, at least. I want to talk about abuse. And I'll start with personal experience. You can skip to the second divider, if you don't wish to read this section. --- My dad was abusive. He never got to hit me, beyond a belt on my rear, thanks to my mom... but he was extremely emotionally abusive. He looked for any and all opportunities to belittle me or scold me, and then took them out on my mother instead if she objected, only to redouble on me. To make sure I wasn't an embarrassment to him. That I never even considered crossing him. He was the MAN of the house. What he said went. His wife was to be a stay-at-home mother who cooked and cleaned. His son was to be a clone of him who would exist only to make him look better. The Bible "said" he was to be the head of the household and in charge. So, of course, having a woman who didn't simply bow to him bothered him. Having a child be a child was unacceptable. Even my cousins were given similar treatment, especially before I was born. Like attempting to beat my older cousin with a brush for touching his bag when he had just returned from a trip. Where he cheated on my mother. But that's another story. Or how about instilling his young child with fear so great that a 6 year old was scared of burning in hell for not being perfect? Scared that the rapture would take place and leave them behind? My mother's parents as well. There's a laundry list that's come from my mother and her siblings about their childhoods, but the present is more pressing. Treating everyone around them like slaves. Gma pitting every single family member against each other, if given a chance. Resenting anyone that doesn't follow the plan she's set up. My gpa hit my mother recently for disagreeing with him. He threatened to call the cops on me if I ever disagreed with him. Told me we never made a deal for me to drive, and that I was a lying thief. Threatened to shoot us for not serving a meal he wanted, and gma only replied "you'd shoot me!?". Trying to kick us out, with nowhere to go, because mom was too sick to prepare a meal for their very able-bodied selves. All the while, these people play the victim. They're just suffering because of everyone else. My dad is a martyr, a God-fearing man who goes to church every week and beyond. He's a father figure to some people. An upstanding deacon. Any grievances that could be expressed could only be done so by a member of the church, as opposed to an outsider who KNOWS him. And he has sooo many illnesses, needs so many surgeries, and so on. Gparents are even worse for the latter. Trying to call social services because we weren't being proper caretakers, when they were more than able-bodied and we never agreed. Gma has been faking a cough almost my entire life, as she's admitted. Uses any appointment as a guilt to get people to spend money on her. And so many more fake things, always something to guilt someone into spending money and rendering service, all while playing up how cruel everyone is to them... when they both left their own parents to rot as they got into old age. Even before then. But they're owed it, because they were 'good' parents. Kids are for taking care of them, after all! --- ... and that's just people I, unfortunately, share blood with. But why do I bring up all this anecdotal evidence, when I'm doing what is normally philosophical or purely stream of consciousness? Well... that's because of the relationship that abusers tend to have to abuse's after effects, as I see it. As I experience it. I am so, so scared of calling myself an abuse victim. I never thought of myself as one for most of my life, just assuming that... everyone went through those things. And, even after that, I still just assumed I had to push on. It was just a hurdle. Just a scar that would one day shine. I wasn't a victim. Victims were people that the world hated, shunned, ignored. People that used it as a crutch. Sure, there were exceptions that I had met, but... by and large, people like my abusers portrayed themselves entirely as victims, never taking any accountability for their actions. Turning around anything they did to me back on to me as a source. Yet here I am. The moment I hear hushed voices, I go still and try to hear if they're going to be about me, if I fucked up, if they hate me. Loud noises cause me to shut down. I am oftentimes scared to even leave my room, to the point that I earned the nickname "Bernie-Bear" from Mel's friends for just how shy and bad I was with people. Which, coincidentally... was the moment that me being a victim of abuse began to set in. And I tried so hard to look away from it! I was strong! I had to be strong! I just had some hang ups, that's all! There was no way I was a victim! It is so, so, so hard to call myself a victim. I think it is for most people, really. I don't want to be like those in my life who I was abused by. I don't want to be perceived like them. I don't want to be pitied or looked at like I'm weak. If I'm weak, then I've failed. I'm letting them control me. I'm letting my abusers control my present, as they did my past. That's letting them win... BUT THAT'S WRONG! That isn't true at all! It is not wrong to hurt! It is not wrong to have been hurt by people who DON'T have power over you, much less those that do! You are not weak for being abused! You do NOT deserve that abuse! And those people that fake? Those people that use it to chase clout? Fuck them! They're more likely than not abusers themselves, and you shouldn't worry about them! You shouldn't have to be inhibited about your pain, you shouldn't have to shove it down so that you don't "let them win"! Shoving it down IS how they win, because you leave the trauma inside to fester and bubble, allowing it to consume you whole! You have a right to be angry! You have a right to be sad! You have a right to FEEL! ... It's okay to be a victim. You didn't make the choice to be one. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging what happened to you, be it sexual, physical, emotional, or any combination thereof. People can be monstrous. I do struggle with admitting to myself that I'm an abuse victim. I almost cried talking to my mother tonight, because we both are so close to being able to say and accept how we've been abused, but the people we know are so fake and wicked that we fear association with their behaviors. It's admitting that you aren't fully in control to admit to being abused, and it takes a LOT of courage to do so. So, to abuse victims... You are stronger than you think. That abuse isn't who you are. You did not deserve it. Cruel people inflicted it on you for a multitude of reasons, but none of them were your fault. It was not a result of your choices, but the result of others taking your choice away from you. This world has so much potential for love. So many people truly wishing to help heal a broken heart, soul, spirit. Sure, there are more abusers out there... But I sincerely hope that anyone this applies to finds someone they can truly depend on. Someone who will not treat them as you may have become accustomed to being treated. I see you. I hurt for you. I'm here for you. And, if given the chance, I will open my heart and love you. Stay determined, everyone.

Made about a week ago for the sake of having something of the season in time xD I had no idea how to go about the background once I had the character made, so I kept adding violets, purples, blues, vaguely resembling a cave-like pattern and after enough time I grabbed a pen and have what you see here.... I think the green is a bit too light and lime-y but that's what you get when you YOLO it and hope it ends up well hahaha....

"Ah what's the matter Dog Breath. Someone need a scratch behind the ear?" At this point, Inu growled, baring his teeth at the cat. "Go get high off some catnip, Cat Bitch," he snapped. Before it could go any further though, the teacher went off, ignoring Inu completely as he began to talk about everything else. "Fuckin' bastard's ignoring me...," Inu growled under his breath, but deciding to let it drop for now. He'd just grill Epicenter when she came back. She didn't look like she could keep a secret. However, before he could even fully calm down... "And finally, Kagarashi Hideyo, Konpaku Rei, Sogin Hakaro, and Sasaki Inu, you will all be against the number 5 hero, your history teacher Ruby Heart!" "Wait, Sasaki? Is there any chance you know the pro hero Howl?" "Fuck," Inu muttered as he gritted his teeth. "Yeah, I know the indecisive bitch. What a-fuckin'-bout it?" He took a handful of sunflower seeds and chomped on them with an angry crunching sound, just as Spidey O'Bitch came up to him. After their pleasant little exchange, the hellhound found himself standing in a corner of the room, chew on sunflower seeds as he watched two of his teammates at each other throats. Maybe they'd injure each other and Inu could transfer to a new group. That wasn't how it worked, and he knew it. With a sigh, he walked over, plopping his butt on the desk's top next to Hideyo. "So... you think we should stop them from fighting, or just wait it out?" He asked, chewing on yet another sunflower seed. Sun was ecstatic. He made a new friend in RIka, and Takehiko was trying to be friends with Rika to! Now he had two friends! There was only one problem though. "Sun Sun, Kaenbyou Tsubasa, Ohara Ben, and the new student Hoshino Rika, you will all be up against your JET teacher, Xionglauhu!" So Takehiko was on a different team, meaning Sun couldn't defend them. He had just had to believe in the guy. It wasn't like this was life or death anyways, so he should be fine, right? Sun wasn't convinced, but he couldn't let the others know that. For now, his team had gathered to make a plan. Sun could make plans, very good plans in fact! He bet his friends would be blown away with his great plans! "Ah... Does the sheet say anything about whether we're expected to actually win? With a numbers advantage, I get the idea of us holding up at least a bit, but... Winning seems like a long shot any way I look at it." Rika asked. Sun blinked as he looked at her. Why wouldn't they be expected to win? That was the law of the jungle, win or lose, kill or be killed. It was the same here... except without the killing. Most people weren't animals, they'd stop before that. "Hey Tsubasa, Sun...and you said your name is Rika, right?" The man with the many spiders approached them, causing Sun to subconsciously scratch himself. "Ahem...sorry I didn't probably make a good impression when you walked in. I'm Benjamin O'Hara, but I usually go by Ben. Nice to meet you. So...I guess it's going to be us four as a team." "A team huh?" the mini jaguar girl suddenly spoke up, "well, then alternate winning or otherwise, you have nothing to work about Iroko. After all, you've got three people with you, and most importantly I'm here with you. So, as long as those things are true, we're definitely a sure win." Smiling more excitedly she said, "and besides, haven't you always wanted to fight a bear?" "I dunno what a bear is, but it sounds fun," Sun admitted. "Nothing... To worry about? I dunno, I think we've got plenty to worry about. We don't know what our actual task is gonna be, aside from trying to overpower someone with more practice and experience than us. ...Fight a bear? I can't say it really ever crossed my mind. Generally you're supposed to, like... Play dead against them, right? Maybe we can do that against the bear then. I'd say we should come up with a plan, but... What can we plan for when we don't know the specifics? Hopefully we can get some actual time before the exam to plot a bit." "Oh, oh, do not worry!" Sun said excitedly. "I, Sun, have a great plan!" He cleared his throat before he started to explain. "So, we're gonna have you all stand behind me so I can protect you all, and then, I'm going to throw a rock at the bear!" He paused, waiting for a response, before adding as an afterthought. "It's going to be a very big rock,"

As he stepped onto the bus, Yasha was confident he had everything he needed. He was a bit over-packed, even for the beach-- a beach umbrella, a tarp/blanket, a couple gallons of water in a cooler bag, enough sunscreen to give the sun cancer, spare batteries for his phone-- but he was comfortable with carrying all of it, as long as it meant he could do what he came here to do. "Oi, oi, oi. You coming, O'Hara?" He stopped in the doorway to look back at the lagging American on his phone. "Hm? ...o-oh...uh...were we just supposed to enter the bus? I thought...jeez...gotta remember I'm not in America anymore. Uh, yeah I'm coming..." The two ended up sitting together on the bus, and Yasha was practically vibrating the seat-- which was notable since, at this proximity, it nearly drowned out the engine of the bus. Benjamin noticed Yasha's general noises and shrugged some. "I take it you're excited for the beach, huh Yasha?" Yasha looked up. "Oh, uh." He cleared his throat. "No, not really. Saltwater gums up my tool hands, I'm at a greater risk of heatstroke than most, and of course there's... sand..." He shuddered, then shifted back to his usual cheerful tone. "Pretty much everything about the beach is a horrible experience for me!" He smiled toothily. "Yikes..." Benjamin shook his head slightly. "Annnnd you're still okay with going? Despite the threats and risks that it brings you?" Yasha nodded emphatically. "Oh, totally. It's all worth it." "Uh-huh...alright, I'll bite...why is it worth it to you?" Yasha's expression, to the extend he had one, became suddenly serious. He glanced around, as though there were someone listening, though of course, nobody was. "Alright, don't tell anybody, but..." He leaned in and whispered. "I really just came to see the girls in their swimsuits. Think about it: Seigi, Konpaku, Ukemei-- all of them. In swimsuits." Yasha's faceplate was already red, and he had no skin above the neck so of course he couldn't blush, but there was an actual puff of steam from roughly where his nostrils would be as he straightened back up. Benjamin was surprised by this sudden turn of events as Yasha confided this information to him. The general thought of it, actually caused him to blush some. He looked around, before putting a hand on the chair, having a spider crawl out from his hand to sit on the chair, just as a lookout. "...that's why you were gung-ho about this? ...also do we need to even add Rei into this category?" Benjamin whispered back to Yasha. No going back with this conversation. Yasha nodded and huffed again, producing more little puffs of steam and folding his arms. "Even a cold girl like Konpaku can look good in a swimsuit, O'Hara. Heck, even a plain-looking girl like Sanada looks good in a swimsuit. It's science." Benjamin was still silent for a bit, before raising an eyebrow. "...uh, isn't Ren a guy...?" Yasha's eye twitched. "Not again..." he wheezed.

Yay I got my first reputation point!

This is the NCM drawing resources, here you can learn to draw, see videos, programs, and etc that could help you. request drawings, learn to draw, get told how to draw, get critique, and etc. Only hand drawn things(from any program) are allowed, so no copy + pasting anything, but you can edit them however you like(warp them, put them in layers, overlay them, blur them, whatever you feel like doing), just not transplanting stuff from the internet. Some graphics programs you could use: Also, link your mobile phone to your PC to draw with it, if you feel like it. Use Chrome Remote Desktop or Teamviewer. A few throwaway tips of mine: Videos: A few of my drawings: Have fun!

pre-test jitters It was barely sunrise when Shoshiki arrived at the testing grounds. He would have left sooner, but decided that walking alone in the dark would be a bit too much for him. It wasn't a big deal, his hotel was only a few blocks away, but Shoshiki decided to play it on the safe side. He was simply being reasonable, nothing more. As far as he could tell, only one girl had arrived before him. She looked distracted, yet determined. Shoshiki figured she was probably friendly enough, but decided not to risk it. Who knows what kind of person could be here, she could have a quirk even grislier than his own. And so Shoshiki Kojin stood almost completely still at the edge of the waiting area, as the rest of the hopefuls arrived. It wasn't long before the gates opened, allowing Shoshiki and the rest of the applicants to make their way in. It seemed the testing ground had both a forest and a cityscape, two environments Shoshiki could only hope he would be able to use to his advantage. As a man in some kind of antique-styled armor explained the test, Shoshiki couldn't help but be distracted by the rest of the entrants, "To get this far…” was that a giant beetle? Did beetles eat meat? One of this size was probably very hungry... “forest type area, and a city type area…” a guy with blue hair and headphones was watching the samurai explain, but looked like he would rather be literally anywhere else... “your objectives will all be the same.” With this, Shoshiki perked up. He should probably pay attention to this part. “In each area are a limited amount of badges that resemble the U.A. logo. To complete the practical, one must obtain five badges and return to the gate before sundown. It doesn't matter how you get your badges. Just so long as you're here, you'll be permitted to attend U.A." Using wording like that is going to make people think we are supposed to fight over these. "So if I beat the snot out of some dude with three badges, and take 'em, I get in?" The question came from an angry-looking, muscular girl, who seemed to be about as tall as Shoshiki himself. Despite her apparent confusion over how many badges she needed, her strategy concerned Shoshiki. He had never really fought before, let alone with someone who had been training their quirk for that purpose for what could be ten years. He felt a terrible sinking feeling inside him as the people surrounding him changed from unknown entities to threats. “...our very BEST!" A loud screech interrupted his thoughts, as Shoshiki quickly pivoted to find its source. As best as he could tell, she had some kind of bat quirk. Wait. Wouldn't that make her a vampire? Was she going to murder Shoshiki and drink his blood as sustenance? The samurai/teacher hybrid had said that they weren't supposed to kill each other, but this was a vampire, do the rules even matter at this point? Even as the vampire was scolded by another scary girl with red hair, Shoshiki still found himself feeling like prey. Even if not literally, everyone around him was determined to get into this school, and Shoshiki standing in their way wasn't going to make them change their minds. He could feel the threads of nerve tissue moving just beneath his skin, his flight or flight response coming on in full force. Should he team up with someone so as to have strength in numbers should they be attacked? Or would that just put him at risk of being betrayed once they had found a total of five badges? As the rest of the would-be students were beginning to socialize, Shoshiki was overcome with fear. Even as he could feel himself shaking from head to toe, he forced himself to take a few deep breaths, before making his way to the least terrifying person he could see, a small girl with silver hair. He reached up to tap her shoulder, but hesitated before he could. She might have acid skin or something, I should be more careful. Averting his vision, he awkwardly scratched at the back of his neck, speaking in such a subdued tone that he was hardly audible, "So, if people are planning to take the badges by force, it might be a better bet to stick together... I don't know you, but, you seemed a bit more pleasant and a bit less violent than the others I see here..."

Getting up in the morning had hardly been a problem for Yuuka. She had merely figured what time would be the best to wake up to get through her morning routine and set an alarm for then. Having gotten up just when she should, the girl had made her way to school, and arrived with some time to spare before their exam had actually begun. As such, it did her good to see that there were those even more ready and on time then her, and so she simply smiled brightly and contentedly, awaiting their exam time to start. Standing around, the girl simply looked and studied the two instructors before her, head to toe while listening to the directions they provided. "Oh, this might be some trouble," the girl merely muttered to herself. While she had her own concerns as to how to approach this test, to her great pleasure it had seemed that there were a large majority of other heroes to be that did not. Though there was some to be desired she glanced from student to student as they talked to each other, stretching herself out as she was instructed to do so all the while. Two girls who definitely had the confidence and physicality to be a hero, though definitely lack in the tact of one. One girl who - Yuuka winced - definitely had the energy levels of one. A boy, Shiba Yuudai, who seemed to have proper manners. And then there were two other girls in particular that managed to catch her attention. Both being full of spirit and a certain righteous quality that set them apart from the others so far. The girl merely smiled in glee, wondering just what the test had in store for them, while also looking forward to seeing more of her classmates. Turning her attention to the blonde haired girl, she merely raised her own fist into the air with a smile on her face echoing, "<justice>" in a much more subdued tone than the girl's, but still in English all the same.

A while back I made a custom archetype named "Abystella" (stars of the abyss) consisting on marine life with patterns of glowing yellow stars. Here's the art I drew for it: Whale Narwal Jellyfish Squid Mantaray Sea Dragon/Sea Horse Isopod Marlin Fisher Nautilus Sea Serpent Mermaid Art for Spells or Traps

Once Z. and Hector got back, it was time to distribute. This was trickier than Z. expected, though. Not everyone wanted or in fact deserved some fruit. The former category was taken up by everyone surrounding Clobber the Clobbopus and his newfound coconut-cracking abilities and the latter category, well… Jirachi was busy producing fruit of his own, so he didn’t need any fruit either. Whatever. There were still a few people/Pokémon milling about, so Z. stopped pretending to be Hector and picked one of them. Chester seemed especially aimless, having just walked up to the stream and then just back again, so Z. zeroed in on him. “Catch,” Z. tossed an apple at Chester’s head, though with a bit of underthrow, the apple landed just short of the Chespin. “Eat up,” they said. “Need all the calories you can get if we’re gonna be saving the world.” They looked past Chester to the rushing stream. “Were you trying to catch a look at your reflection in there? Water’s kind of fast for that. I tried to be a Froakie earlier and just ended up looking like a Treeko.” They frowned. “Other way around.” Why was it so hard to get that right? Hadn’t Marv always been a Froakie? “Whatever.” Chester picked up the apple from the ground and looked at it. “I was, and well, it is. Sadly, I am not too accustomed to this body yet, familiar as it may be in a general sense.” The Chespin waved his stubby arms at his side as if to convey this feeling. Then he let out a small, if not begrudging, “Thanks,” gesturing to the apple. “Sure,” Z. said. “Hey, though, hold still.” Z. did the same thing they did with Hector, pacing around their target, trying to get a good idea of exactly how they looked from every angle, and, when they were ready, did another sick backflip and came down as a copied Chespin. “There’s a better look, I hope,” they said. They imitated Chester’s stubby arm wave and pensive face. “I guess it’s more like this right now, though.” Like, Hector, Chester was suitably impressed. “That is quite the amazing skill, Z. I suppose it would make sense being a Zorua you’d be able to pull off illusions like that, just as my own head is harder than steel. And it’s a better mirror than the river, I suppose. Though, uh,” his mood shifted back to concerned as he studied the finer details of Z.’s illusion “do I really look like that?” Z. tried a few more different poses. “Close, anyway. I don’t think it's perfect perfect yet. I can feel certain things just not working right. I can’t do stuff I think that I should, but I already promised myself those were- Oh, you mean the face? Yeah, my guy. You look so fucking lost right now, I’d be surprised if you knew which way was up.” “Ugh, how mortifying.” The (real) Chespin brought a stub to his face. “I suppose I have had a lot on my mind with all the recent developments. Though!” Chester pointed skyward. “I am very much aware which way is up right now, thank you.” Z. resisted the urge to roll their eyes, if only because they couldn’t imagine Chester doing anything of the sort, and they were still mimicking him as best they could. They focused on the second of those sentences instead. “Yeah?” they said. “Which one’s more shocking to you, waking up one morning from a night of uneasy dreams and finding yourself transformed into a Pokémon, or being conscripted by a demigod to save a world you know nothing about?” Continuing their mimic, they also brought a stub to their head, jamming it right under their chin. “Or is it a secret third thing?” They needn’t have bothered with the mimicking. Chester wasn’t paying attention to the physical mockery at all. He earnestly answered the question. “I feel like I have taken to being in a new body surprisingly well actually. Jirachi’s proposition is also exciting, if not a bit daunting, especially with how little we have to go on.” His voice got low, but the next question was still clearly directed at Z. “How exactly does someone help another in a situation they’re both wildly unfamiliar with?” “Oh god, teamwork questions.” Now it was Z.’s turn to bury their head in their stumps for real this time. “You moderated me enough on the forum, so you know I'm not the person to ask for that stuff, especially when someone else is already a one-person team.” They did another sick backflip, but their memory of what Hector looked like all joined together was already fuzzy, so their impression came out the same. Z. dismissed it quickly. “Fucking… Okay. But you did ask me. I think, then, the best thing someone who's lost can do for another lost person is just be there with them. Nobody wants to be lost alone.” “Right, I should have kept in mind who I was asking,” Chester joked. “But if that’s all it takes…” He looked past Z. over to Hector. “But you would expect someone to be spearheading the rest, correct? Showing them which way to go?” Z. couldn’t help but stare. “You’re really hung up on this, huh?” they said. “I mean, you could fight him on it. Six on one doesn't seem like a fair fight but I've got a feeling in my gut that says I’ve taken worse bets. Maybe you haven’t. I dunno. But okay, just between you and me, but when I jumped into the water all the way back at the bottom of that dungeon, I absolutely wanted people to follow me, even if I didn’t say it. That sort of teamwork, if it does need a set leader at all, is a two-way street all the same. Of course, who did end up following me…” Z. left an empty space. They didn’t even want to think the name. “well, that’s what I mean about two-way streets, I guess. “Oh, but if you tell anyone I said any of that, I’ll peel your little green shell off of your little brown head and drag it through the mud.” Chester nodded along. “I see…” Then he started to laugh. “You’re more of a team player than I gave you credit for, Z. And if that’s the case, don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. I may not be perfect, but I always respect another’s wishes. Now,” and this is where the laughter really got going, “let us be lost together!” And they wandered back off to the rest of the group for real this time. Z. shook their head. Part of them felt like a suck-up, going right after both moderators and getting back in their good graces. It was just part of the dance, of course. Act out, lie low, accrue social capital, and spend it all. But then again, Chester and Hector weren’t moderators anymore. They were people, and like Z. had just said, they were all lost. Before they could get too lost, they noticed something still on the ground. “Hey!” they called out. “Actually take your fucking apple!” They threw it at Chester’s head again -- harder this time.Z. balanced their new badge on both of their front paws, observing it as it glinted in the sunlight. It was just the right size to fit at the base of their new Zorua neck, but there were other ramifications to consider. Would it work while they had an illusion up, or did they have to illusion up a fake badge too to use the real one? It seemed like such an easy thing to test out, but they didn’t want to get sidetracked. They were playing good right now. That would probably change once they got where they were going, of course, and they’d otherwise have to force themself to listen to everyone’s yammering, but sure they could play nice for now. They put the badge down for a moment and took a drink of water. Were they supposed to set a home point now? Was this home? They hadn’t been lying about that Hierarchy of Needs snark. As frivolous as that chart was, shelter was still the next step. Was the night sky going to be their blanket? Z. scratched behind their ear and consciously felt the Zorua fur in the way. That would help in that case. Maybe they were supposed to make a bunch of lean-tos. Whatever. It didn’t matter. Not right now, anyway. “Alright,” Z. said, finally putting the badge on. “Let’s go get lost.”

Alois was still particularly annoyed at the cacophony of birds that was around. He was never really a bird kind of person. He was never really any kind of animal person for that matter, and his hometown was hardly helping that. Add to that, the deluge of birds had taken him by surprise so he had briefly stopped paying attention to what could be wrong here. After all, he followed pretty quickly after the maid so she would have to be here, and he didn't realize that the door to this room was still closed fast enough to come to the conclusion that she still had to be here, even if he couldn't see her. As a result he was taken by surprise, again, by the sudden amount of force that was being thrown at him and knocking him to the ground. Hearing the maid above him, Alois couldn't help but let out a, "what?" He had heard of counting sheep but never chasing after them, so he wasn't sure if she was going to but him to sleep, kill him or turn him into some kind of ranch hand. Letting out a sigh, the boy had realized that the position he was in currently and definitely sucked. So he would have to remedy that. After a moment's pause the boy asked, "hey. Are you a bird kind of person?" Before the woman could answer Alois threw his head back, smashing his into hers and allowing him to push himself back up onto his hands and legs. Turning a bit the boy kicked at where he presumed her legs were only to find that she was nowhere to be found. Worried that she might've gone for another diving strike on him, the boy quickly scrambled to a standing upright position and tried to look out for the maid. As his eyes scanned the room, still filled with birds, his searching was cut short as the arm of the woman wrapped around his neck in a chokehold. Taken off guard yet again, Alois's body flailed a bit in panic at the sudden loss of air. As he was able to recognize what was happening, though, his frantic movements turned into more deliberate ones. Having the air choked out of him the boy couldn't make a witty retort, though his mind seemed to think it was a priority to think of one even in this situation, and so instead he just grabbed at her arm. Yanking with all of his strength, he wrenched the woman's arm off of his neck and tossed it down, trying to turn to face the woman while doing so. "Huh... You're stronger than you look." "Yeah and you're a whole lot less hospitable then you look." Tsetseg held onto Cora as the two of them galloped down town. As Cora explained what was likely going on, Tsetseg kept her own eyes and ears more aware, being still on the lookout for any sort of crime that might be being committed. As they continued to race down the streets, something came into view of Tsetseg's eyes. She wasn't able to make out who it was, since they were currently a bit too far away, but they could see someone on horseback. Pointing further down the road the girl exclaimed, "there! Bad guy that way! Way way down that way!" While Cora herself wasn't able to see the figure yet, it would be clear that based on the direction and distance they were traveling that they, and the figure, were heading towards the back gate of the town. After saying that, Tsetseg's ears perked up as she heard something else. A set of hoofbeats. Of course, they were on a horse already so hearing that was natural, and they were chasing after another horse so hearing a second set wasn't out of the ordinary either. But she was positive there was third, and that they were coming from a different direction entirely. "Oh! Oh! Oh! Other horse that way!" The girl pointed towards the intersection that she was sure they were about to meet up with this third horse, so as to warn Cora to not crash into it.

The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die Alright, Nil said. Now, let me tell you what happens next. These things you have told me, your hopes for the future, both immediate and far-reaching, are not going to come to pass because you merely said them aloud. I would not grant you that even if I could. What you are asking for, above all else, is a better world than this one, and those do not come cheap. I will grant you the time to do so. I will grant you this as well: The words spoken here, are yours and yours alone until your death. It would not be fair for me to simply let someone else end the world in your stead, and you are correct in that I would like to be entertained. But also remember that we are still opposed. I grant you these things and nothing more. Nil’s form started to fade away; each passing word turned her more and more transparent. She spoke with the same even tone she had through her entire conversation with the watchdogs, though now, perhaps, there was a hint of wry amusement. It’s easy to defy me when I’m right in front of you, when there’s someone here explaining the stakes. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts out there facing the rest of the world. I am not alleviating the work required of you at all. If anything, knowledge of me surely only piles on more difficulty. After all, I only need you to slip up once. I only need one single moment of weakness. If anyone can avoid it, I suppose it would be you two, but even so, you had best stick together. Her last words before she disappeared entirely were, I’m leaving you the fire. Take good care of it. And indeed, while the form she had taken had disappeared, the flickering lighthouse flame remained, as did the lighthouse, the island, and the rest of the world. The sounds of life returned to the island. There were crickets chirping in the grasses below. Even with their small size and distance, they were still present against the towering lighthouse mirrors and the crackle of the bonfire, carried by the breeze to those who needed to hear it. Carried, too, was Captain Helmsley’s voice. “Oi! You alright up there? Had a bit of a scare with all the shaking and I think the ship’s a little banged up, but we can make do if you have something that needs doing!” After a moment’s pause, he added, “Take your time, though! Whatever you need!” The sun peeked over the eastern horizon, and the rest of the morning started to blot out the night, ushering forth a new day. As Kitt and Olive looked out to the west, though, to the edge of the world where Naviim met the sky, they could still, for the moment, see an innumerable number of stars. THE END OOC

Citron’s heart sunk as she watched the scene unfold. Even as Peaches arrived to help, something had seemed off; most cowered at a wyvern of any size before a bone-chilling roar, and yet… The ‘lord’ below had stayed strong. She felt her frozen blood begin to flow with the need for action however, as her suspicions were proven right, and he dropped the sack to heft a hunting bow. “Peaches!” she shouted, eyes going wide as she found herself moving without thinking-- And climbing out the window. It started with one leg, and then both as she began to slide out from the window, using her good arm to catch the window-sill and hang for a moment, getting her bearings before releasing. The roof below was close enough that her legs only rattled a bit, wincing as she took a deep breath and used the momentum from the fall to slide downward from the sloped roof. At the last moment, she found herself jumping and bracing herself as she hurtled towards the ground, using her good shoulder to tuck into a roll rather than force the full brunt of this fall onto her leg, even if it triggered another array of pain from her sling-bound shoulder. Still, she had to move. While her first reaction would have been to run the man down as soon as she came to her feet, she was caught off guard as the sickening piercing noise of an arrow, lodging itself in its prey echoed out - followed by a pained screech that she knew all too well. “Peaches!” She found herself repeating, heart sinking as she rose to glance towards Wyvern, staggering from the arrow in its chest-- And fear took hold, as she glanced at the man who hefted the bag with little care began to move again. He was much stronger than she had thought. Glancing around, she looked for something-- Any way to be of use, as a thrashing noise brought her attention towards the cellar door. “C’mon, c’mon, please--” she murmured to herself, voice stricken with panic as she rushed towards the Cellar-door. It was jammed shut with a wooden board as a familiar voice, Lincoln’s, she thought, struggled to escape. With a quick grab, and heavy pull, she yanked the door open as she pulled herself quickly to the side, panting as she looked up towards the Soldier who had come practically flying out. “Y-You! You gotta help-- You have to stop him! He-He shot Peaches! She’s hurt and he’s--! I can’t--” she’d point, tears forming at the corner of her eyes as the futility of her own actions came crashing down around her. “Please,” she paused, voice stammering as she glanced up towards the soldier again, even as he seemed nothing like she had known him to be prior. Up until now, she had regarded Lincoln as a a clean, proper soldier, someone who was… Controlled, neutral. It reminded her of her grandfather, in a way, that he never seemed angry or annoyed. Worried maybe, like in the house, but not angry, seething; something he… Most certainly was here. A ‘mess’ only really began to describe what she saw, eyes flickering from the blood on his forehead, to the splinters in his shoulder. All signs of neutrality had flaked away too, as a sword had flicked away from its sheathe in an instant, and was pointed at… Her. But still, this was her only hope, and so she stared down the blade with tears beginning to fall from her eyes. “Please-- Stop him,” she pleaded, panicked eyes for an instant meeting his own violent eyes, before he took off-- A single set of words being the only hope she had to cling to, at this point. "I'll handle it." --- Of all the stupid things humans did, Peaches had seen… Well, more than her fair-share, since she had fought alongside Citron’s Grandfather. And yet, every time, the wyvern found herself surprised as humans continually pushed their luck against creatures magnitudes larger than themselves. Still, the knowledge of how stupid an idea it was to test her did nothing to absolve the pain her chest as an arrow parted scales, wrenching a pained screech from her as she staggered back, and the portly man made for some comment she couldn’t understand. His bull-rush however, she understood perfectly. Angered by the blow, she once again opened her jaws even as blood leaked from around the arrow in her chest, lumbering forward as she lunged towards the rushing man with her jaws splayed wide in an attempt to bite him… Only to fail, as the top of his skull met the bottom of her jaw, snapping her jaws shut with a crack of teeth on teeth as she was sent stumbling backwards. The wyvern’s head buzzed with pain, and yet as her vision focused she watched as he attempted to move on unbothered, attempting to run past even now. Sic ‘Em! The command echoed again in her mind as she turned her neck to glance towards the fiend, entire body shaking with a mixture of pain and rage… As she swung her entire body to the side in a heavy motion, a single wing flapping with a heavy-beat as she threw her entire body towards him like a battering ram in a single, sobering moment, as she ever tried to fulfill the command she was given.

My Legion cosplay for Fanboy and Soda City

Dark Scorpion Motivator Continuous Spell During damage calculation: DARK Warrior monsters you control gain 500 ATK. When "Don Zaloog" and "Dark Scorpion" monsters you control deal Battle Damage: You can activate all of their listed effects (if applicable). Cards sent to the GY by the effect of "Don Zaloog" and "Dark Scorpion" monsters you control are banished face-down instead. I'm certain I messed up some grammar there, but the gist of the card is giving your Dark Scorpions more damage output, giving you access to both of their effects and making cards sent to the GY less advantageous to your opponent. Would this be enough to make the Dark Scorpions viable after almost 17 years? Absolutely not, but they're an archetype I have fond memories of and felt like drawing up a card for them. Open to suggestions and ideas in any case.

ycmaker deleted my status reply about horu being a beta. i wont be censored for speaking the truth

It appeared the commotion had indeed attracted attention, though thankfully most of it was in the form of people she’d already seen, with both Fen and the fish person bounding up from behind, the latter significantly more energetic than the former to the point that he very nearly knocked Melissa off her feet as he skittered up, his “heads up!” coming just moments too late for her to react in any way other than just accepting the inevitable. Fen, for her part, immediately ran up afterwards. “Are you guys okay?” she said. Physically she was as fine as she could be after having been run into by a fish person. The Spike Brothers, for all their bluster, hadn’t made things worse on that front. Actually, even mentally she was mostly okay, which surprised her. Her fearful adrenaline had been put towards something useful -- moving forwards towards wherever they had been called -- and some of what was left felt like it had dissipated along with the ophan, like one had caused the other. Or maybe it was that there was no longer a tangible threat; there was that too. But at the same time, that lingering “not knowing where she was” feeling was still a stressor, especially when there were three other people apparently following her. That the Spike Brothers could come back, that was a stressor also. And the existence of a demon somewhere in the city. And… So the answer was no, not really, not that she could say that out loud. Melissa opted for “I’m alright,” instead, and tried to push the focus of the conversation somewhere else. She turned to the fish person and knelt down to help him back to his feet. “Sorry, I should have been paying more attention.” “No, that was all me,” he said. “Fins weren’t really made for sidewalks. Just glad we were able to catch up after you two disappeared.” “Well, we got into a bit of a spikey situation,” Melissa said, “Um, but there’s safety in numbers, right? Do you know if anyone else is coming too?” It was Fen who answered that one, looking back in the direction they came from and saying, “Ah well, um, I don't think so? They seemed pretty wrapped up in… well, they didn't seem wrapped up anymore because of the other new guy who told us to move but. Ah, well, I think we're all that’s going. For now. Hopefully.” Melissa bit her lip. “Well, I’m sure they’ll catch up. I don’t really want to wait around here any longer.” The addition of a “new guy” was weird to Melissa. Obviously, if someone had put the pull feeling in everyone it stood to reason that they had the capacity to watch them too, but that didn’t mean knowing she was probably still being watched wasn’t an uncomfortable feeling. Hopefully, there was an answer for that too.How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, -Psalm 13:2-3 (NIV)Oh. Oh. When Melissa had gone looking for answers, she had kind of been hoping that the answers would still match up with some version of the worldview she already had. Like, yeah, the fish and the shifter were anomalous to any of that, but that was what revisions were for, and the fact that they existed -- that they were physical things that she had touched -- meant that they weren’t about to be ignored. But on other matters, on things like, say, location, she had been hoping that she’d just been launched outside Ambrosia somehow. Sure, that would have meant a whole dome-wide coverup as to the state of the exterior world, but that was easier to swallow than this. Others were taking it a bit easier. One of the wizards, seemingly not bothered at all, introduced himself as Trevor and immediately started pressing on the exact nature of the monsters they were supposed to be fighting. Admittedly, Melissa didn’t quite follow everything that was said in that exchange, but the mention again of fighting back the darkness did lead her to focus back on one specific word that was mentioned. “Warriors,” Mauvache said she wanted. That only prompted the immediate follow-up question. “Okay, but if you were searching for warriors, why me? Why am I here?” But Mauvache just smiled and said, “I found exactly what I was searching for, do not worry about that, young Melissa.” Which didn’t even answer anything, but the tone had just enough authority to cause Melissa to reflexively shrink back. What did that even mean, anyway? There wasn’t some intrinsic quality to her that nobody else possessed. And if it was a collection of qualities, like Mauvache was looking (for some reason) for the intersection of shy, God-fearing, and high-school-aged, that was not just her, especially not in all possible universes. The only part of her that stood out had happened in the last week (or last week for her, maybe time worked differently here), which, one: that was still just Duel Monsters and solved by doing Duel Monsters things, two: despite everyone claiming otherwise, it was not just her, and three: even ignoring those, from what she understood after the fact, the problem could have been solved by anyone with a computer science degree. Perhaps she knew all that she was getting when she did the summoning, the voice(s) chimed in. And, okay, but the angels thing was an accident, right? It felt like it had so many factors that all had to work out just right. She had to have one of six special Duel Monsters cards on her person, she had to linger in that formless void for long enough for the voices to realize what was going on and formulate a plan, the plan had to actually work, something the voices hadn’t seemed so sure of at the time… Or maybe that was the point and it wasn’t an accident. After all, if she found a pocket watch lying on the ground, intricate and unique in design, with so many moving parts that she dared not describe what any individual gear did, wouldn’t she assume there was a watchmaker responsible? That the gears didn’t just fall into place by chance? But that would mean… “What the fuck did you do to me?”

 "Alright Kazo, FINISH IT!!" "Your new world isn't needed! Instead of being a coward and running away from the problems of this world, you should have used your power to help save those around you. If you can't do something so simple, you can't do something as great as creating a new world! That's why people like us, people that chase the light of a better tomorrow, will never lose to the likes of you! DRACO METEOR!" There was a huge spot in his heart that almost roared out in joy seeing the combination and practically the finale in terms of moves. From Randy’s perspective, those two had a hell of a future ahead of them...and this would be something he’d definitely see if he could assist with. Nevertheless, the Houndoom...like those who came before him...was stubborn as a Tauros. "I won't accept this. With all the power I feel burning inside me you should be nothing. No. No...it can't be. This wasn't all of it. There must be more! I know there's more of the Creator God's power to be used! You forced my hand...I have to bring it all out. Every. Last. Drop. And then you all will be burned to ash!" “Tch...man, you lot just don’t give up whatsoever!” Randy shook his head, about to make a move...but the dark flames arced around the Houndoom...before something else happened...he...was gone. The fire died down and he was nothing but...ashes. “...E kuʻu akua...” he simply said, never before seeing a gijinka succumb to their own flames like that. It was almost...too much...and since he’d been here on Adarid, he’d seen a lot. “...I guess...mission accomplished? We won?” As the silence grew around them, she finally awoke… "I am...so sorry. ..... And to start I must reward you. The noble Gijinka who came all this way to protect your world. Come to me and speak your wish and I shall grant it be in my power. Even my powers have limits. I cannot bring the dead to life. But I shall do my best to see you justly rewarded for your brave actions." Randy thought a moment, trying to figure out what he’d do. A wish was...just not something he was expecting. He took the challenge to get stronger...but then again, one didn’t just save a Legend every day...well...counting on his fingers this would’ve been the fourth Legendary he helped along the way. But specifically the Creator? THAT was something else! Alright, I know what wish I want… Randy thought, prepared to say his wish, but Keanu spoke ahead of him. "I want help. Help to bring us back to our home, and help to fight off the Beasts that took it from us. Maybe it's too big a wish for one gijinka to make, but that's what I want." Well, better echo to that wish… he shrugged. "Arceus? ...that is pretty much a general wish we share..." Randy stepped forward. "Is it at all possible for this to happen?" "I promised to help you all and that includes those regions in danger. I do not know what this threat is but I will not let it be." "...something tells me that won't be right now though...right?" "No war ends in a day...and do not get it wrong this will be a war...But I believe you have another dream do you not? One that will bring much needed joy to the people here. Both native and refugee alike." The Incineroar was met with stunned silence, but then again...this was literally the Creator...so of course, had the clear view in his head. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head albeit sheepishly, before looking away slightly. “...guess you’ve got a point. I suppose, if this will take a while...” he said, before looking a bit more determined. “I want to have the survivors of Alola be directed here to the region of Adarid. If anything...the least I can do to give plenty of joy to this place...and an outlet for some...is to have them bring the Professional Pokémon Gijinka Wrestling Federation here...and have their new arena in the capital!” he flashed a smirk, nodding. “It’ll be perfect!” "As I believe it there's a man who calls himself emperor who claims to rule over the land. From what I've seen he has not done much ruling...Yes, I believe his mansion is in a suitable location for something like that." "I'll be honest, if you think that spot is the prime location for this..." Randy smiled, taking a small bow. "Then I shall definitely accept the suggestion and take it, Arceus." She nodded her head. "It shall be done." “Heh...thank you Arceus.” Randy said, grinning from ear to ear. It had been a hell of a time since Randy took that step onto that boat to escape those monsters that plagued Alola and his journey through Adarid. His life ended up changing for the better, least be thought so. Keanu, Nani, and Marie...these three were put in his life, he figured, for a reason...more so than just surviving the onslaught on Alola. He figured...this was something more or less dealing with the wills of the Sun and the Moon, maybe even the Guardians of Alola themselves. Regardless of this being true or not, Randy would always accept this as being the truth. But it wasn't just the journey and the time with his newfound friends that changed him. It was Adarid itself. The challenge of the Chasers with fighting Legends and even going toe to toe with the Godslayers, the encounters made him stronger and wiser than when he left. And when all was said and done he was able to return home…he found he couldn’t return to his home of Alola. According to Solgaleo, Randy was told that their home was still in shambles...but at the same time, a good portion of those from the islands made their trek here to Adarid, which made the Incineroar tremendously happy, which was his wish from Arceus. And from the sounds of it, a good portion of the PPGWF had made their stay in this region, even being allowed to use the capital’s arena for their matches, also thanks to his wish from Arceus. At the end of it, however, Randy found himself staying at the very beach that he and his friends entered Adarid in: Northshore. Something about it just felt like home to him...even being an Incineroar...he was still an islander at heart. What was more, was how he had Charlie back with him and how he even had his step-father and trainer give quite the run around for Denku, after telling him how he'd be great to addition to a wrestling team with the display he and Kazo had as Team Paragon. This also meant that since Randy wasn’t leaving for Alola at the moment, this would give the brothers time to see their own friends and family. All seemed to be going good now...a new start for the Incineroar...however, this would be far from the only start he’d have. On a trip to better find himself and even train alone, Randy stumbled upon someone, almost like a divine intervention by Arceus herself. A disheveled older Shiny Incineroar, who looked at the young man with such a fire within his eyes. Before Randy stood exactly who he had idolized all those years ago and to the present day: Sol Mask, rather, as he had been known by now, Solomon. From his wrestling idol, Randy learned that after the match where he was forced to retire, he left Alola in order to live his own life and to not be continually reminded about the failure he became during that match. Solomon would speak with Randy for quite some time, wanting to know what he was fighting for and for whom. He could tell Randy was conflicted, through his journey and life, he had tried to become someone who not only adhered to his father's legacy of a fighter, but also to make sure Sol Mask was avenged. But now, he was unsure of everything, except a few things: he had to make sure his father's legacy continued through him…and to be the Face of the PPGWF, so others can be inspired by him, just like he was inspired by Sol Mask. Of course, this answer made Solomon smile. "...wish to inspire others as I did? Spoken like a true Face. And you called yourself a Heel." Solomon scoffed, shaking his head. "Randy Roarton...I have been waiting to meet someone that would want to do exactly as I did, namely inspire a new generation. I believe that you, young Incineroar, may be that someone. Would you be willing to let me pass my own legacy to you? It'll be a tough road ahead, but I believe you might be able to become my successor." Randy was speechless, now in shock that his idol was talking about having him of all gijinka become his successor. It was an honor and a dream come true! To be trained and learn from Sol Mask himself. Humbly, the young Incineroar accepted this offer and responsibility. He would train for quite a few years before fully returning from his training. Then...there was only one thing left to do... Randy Roarton: The Successor A roar of the crowd came from within the Adarid arena, as another match concluded with the PPGWF, having Torrent beat another challenger who dared attempt for his crown. Apparently moving to Adarid was a huge boost to the PPGWF, after all...a good portion of this region was battle fueled, so why wouldn’t they be amazed at this? Among the audience was Charlie, as well as Keanu, Nani, Marie and even Denku and Kazo who were brought there by one thing: a letter to each simply saying, "I'm finally back. -R.R." and to meet at the arena to watch the show. "Is there no one here worthy enough for me?" Torrent scoffed with a laugh, flicking his hair back. He enjoyed being bathed in the sounds of cheers, until he heard a roar come from the other side. Turning, he saw the familiar face of a Shiny Incineroar. "Oh my, my, my. Look what the Purrlion dragged in! Is it really you, Sol Mask? Arceus be damned, you look worse for wear old man." Solomon only growled. "Torrent…" he simply said, as the crowds became hushed in an instant, with chatter slowly coming as the two started one another down. "Try to come back to take your throne? I'm sorry, but I'm not fighting a hasbeen." Torrent waved him off dismissively. “And personally, not even I want to thrash your tail for a second time. I have standards...and even I don't want my own seconds.” "I'm not here to fight you...but I am here to watch someone else kick your shell." "Ehhh?" BGM Solomon moved, pointing upward before roaring in a loud, booming voice. "Ladies and gentlemen!! Here to fight your King comes a former Heel who made an unexpected Face turn! My successor…" he began to smirk. "SOL DARK!!!" At this, a second roar was heard from behind where Solomon stood. Soon a blur came running behind him and with a leap, it landed into the ring behind Torrent. To his surprise, it was none other than Randy Roarton, a bit older than when he left, but donned in a darker palette of Sol Mask's wrestling outfit. He pointed up in the air and let loose a loud roar, which definitely amped the crowd up quite a bit. Torrent, on the other hand, could only be found laughing at the spectacle. “Roarton?! So the little Litten who had big aspirations of beating me finally comes back after all this time? What a joke! What good will this Heel do against the Face of the PPGWF?” Randy turned to face Torrent, only smirking. "It's true. I took the route of the Heel to face you because of what you did to my hero. However...I've had a hell of a journey that only myself and a few friends of mine know all too well about here on Adarid." he pointed at the Blastoise, continuing on. "I've fought tougher opponents than you, ones I'm sure you'd never believe...but even with that, I'm standing here now...with a different outlook and a different reason to take you down.” “Oh please, do indulge me.” “Isn’t it obvious?” Randy asked, crossing his arms. “You’ve been lying to the crowds, claiming your their Face...when you’ve been acting more like a Heel than I have! And truth be told, someone like that shouldn’t stand in the spotlight meant for a Face and shouldn’t be the type of individual the younger generations can aspire to be like! So that’s why I’m taking you down. Not for revenge...but for the sole fact that the next generation needs someone that they can strive to be like...someone who isn’t you!” Torrent now had a death glare looking at Randy, rolling his shoulders slightly. “Fine then. I’ll play your game, kitten. But don’t come crying to me when you lose.” he smirked. Randy nodded, cracking his knuckles and neck some, exhaling sharply in the process. “By the way, if you're going to use a Z-Move...it better be a damage causing one...cause if it isn’t...then you’ll regret it.” he said plainly, seeing the Blastoise’s face twist in disgust at this being brought up. “That Z-Haze probably won’t be helping much...sorry.” Both competitors stared each other down, waiting...until the bell finally rang. Torrent made the first move, launching a Water Pulse straight at the Incineroar, who ended up using Acrobatics to dodge the strike with ease. “Learned a new trick, have we?” Torrent scoffed, firing another Water Pulse. “Not like it’ll help you!” Randy stood now in the path of a Water Pulse, much to everyone’s shock. The Incineroar didn’t look the least bit scared of this and it was apparent why. He was already in the process of firing off a quick Fire Blast which then collided with the Water Pulse, which caused quite a bit of steam to accumulate in the process, much to the crowd’s excitement. The steam provided quite the cover for Torrent who rushed headfirst into the steam to shoulder check Randy, who seemed to anticipate this but nevertheless just stood there, blocking the check. With Torrent this close, it was the perfect time then. The Incineroar smirked and grabbed the Blastoise and began to perform a suplex. “Heat Dome Drop!” Randy shouted, performing the move and quickly getting up, smirking as he thought of Heatran. “Heh, like that? Named that one after a friend of mine in Trailsau.” Torrent got up as quick as he could, now launching an Aura Sphere at Randy. “Aura Sphere? Huh, surprised you kept that one hidden!” Randy laughed heartily, dodging out of the way with ease. “Trust me, you aren’t a Lucario with that move...and I’ve fought against a tough one too who was WAY faster.” Torrent and Randy could only stare at each other again, the crowds really worked up greatly at this. The Incineroar smirked, using his hand to beckon the Blastoise towards him. “C’mon.” With a yell, Torrent quickly fired in succession a Water Pulse and Dark Pulse, just like he did with Sol Mask all those years ago. It was obvious to Randy, that him getting in the Blastoise’s head actually was working. Randy exhaled and fired off another Fire Blast, doing his best to hold back the combination move, but an explosion was imminent, which knocked Randy back against the ropes. Quite a few gasps were heard in the process, as Torrent now began to strut his way towards the Incineroar. “Tch...worthless. Call yourself a Face? Learn your place!” Torrent shouted, spitting on the ground slightly. He then prepared another attack...one that the whole crowd watched, as it wasn’t very subtle this time. “Z-Move...Haze.” he sighed, his wounds now healing as the Z-Energy flowed around him. “To think, you of all people would remember or even notice such an insignificant detail. And I did my damnedest to pay off the staff there that day. I guess you were present in the match to know that...” Torrent shook his head, beginning to walk away. Then came quite a few sounds from the audience he never expected to hear: the sound of them booing him and even hating him. After all this time, now they decide to turn against him? Ridiculous! “H-Hehe...they’ve finally seen your true colors.” a voice behind Torrent emerged, as Randy now began to stand back up, much to the crowd’s delight. “And your right...I was there. I watched it, I watched you beat down my idol, a young Torracat...sitting in the old PPGWF’s stadium. That’s what started me down my path...and Sol Mask there took me and was able to assist where I faltered and stumbled...hell! My friends I have here definitely were able to help me when I faltered. One was even more of an adult than I was...” he paused, thinking of the countless ear-pulls he got from Marie, causing him to smile and without knowing it he was even rubbing his left ear some. “...but tonight...tonight I’m ending this! This was started on Alola...and it’s ending here in Adarid!” Torrent began to grit his teeth, staring at the Incineroar before spitting to the side. “...you’re acting just like him...” he said, now glaring at Solomon. “If he would’ve taken the deal I proposed to him...if he would’ve...” “Taken the fall?” Randy piped in, crossing his arms. “He told me what happened. He told me specifically what you and how you Buzieled your way to this point. How you even were able to bribe the referees and some of the staff...a manipulator to the very end. And I have a sneaking suspicion, you’d even offer this to me.” The Blastoise turned his attention back to Randy, now glaring fully at him. “...you take the fall, right here...right now...and I’ll give you a position up there in the major leagues. Hell, I’ll give you all the fame you’d ever need and more. Otherwise, you might just be sent to the streets! You’ll be a no-named nobody! And for what?! The same thing as him?! YOUR PRIDE?!” These were the words he needed to hear right now. Randy began to grin from ear to ear, before speaking in a pride filled voice. “DAMN RIGHT!! It’s right on the ten, shellhead. With a title like mine...I can’t remain silent.” he pointed upward, smirking. “When the spotlight is on me...heh...I do not Incine-purr...I do not Incine-meow...I, the Rising Star, Randy Roarton...no...I, Sol Dark...INCINEROAR!!!” At this, the crowds seemed to react greatly to it, immediately becoming an uproar of cheers and excitement. However, in Torrent’s eyes, he watched the last thing he said to Sol Mask before the match replay. Yet again, he found these words coming back to haunt him...and by this miserable little whelp of a Litten. “And you’ve used up your Z-Move...at the wrong time.” Torrent watched as Randy now began to glow greatly with Z-Energy, preparing his signature move. “Lemme just say this...heh, this type of revenge is sweet.” “D-Damn you!” Torrent yelled, firing off another Water and Dark Pulse. Randy used Acrobatics again to dodge, all the while, smirking. “These fists are pulsing dark! Their loud roar tells me to grasp victory!! And...at this moment, they tell me to forge forth my new path!!” he roared, spinning a bit. “TAKE THIS! DARKEST LARIAT!!” he struck the Blastoise twice with his dark energy strikes, making sure to launch him as high as he could. “But I’m not done!!” Randy roared again, moving towards the ropes as he jumped high into the air, just below Torrent and kicked his back. But that wasn’t the end. The moment he started going down, he rocketed himself back up with fire as his propulsion and delivered a punch to his back with a strong Close Combat strike in succession. “This is my signature move...evolved!!” he shouted, falling down only to propel himself upward again. “MAX...MALICIOUS...MOONSAULT!!!” With the declaration heard, he began to rise over Torrent and slammed head first into his gut, causing the Blastoise to get the wind knocked out, as both now made a fiery descent towards the ring...which all culminated in an explosion. When the explosion cleared, the crowds were hushed. On the mat saw Torrent, knocked out cold and standing over top of him...Randy. He was breathing heavily, still not used to this version of his Z-Move, apparently...but at the same time, he could feel the gaze of the audience staring at him hard. Right now, it was the moment of truth: would Randy act more Face like and not land another blow on the already knocked out Torrent? Or would he kick him while he was down like any Heel would’ve done? The very thought of the latter option had been one Randy had always wanted, considering the hell this Blastoise put him through. Nevertheless, under the eye of the audience, the Incineroar moved back some, pointed upwards and roared loudly. A roar from the crowd erupted in response. This match was over and Randy was the victor! The Incineroar looked over, seeing Solomon only nod and give him a thumbs up. With this, his guard was down and he was tackled from behind, being brought in a headlock by Charlie, who was grinning from ear to ear. “HAHA! THAT’S MY BOY!” he laughed, digging his fist playfully into Randy’s head, making the latter laugh in response. Though when he looked up again to find Solomon...the Shiny Incineroar was nowhere to be seen. Randy only took this as a sign that there was nothing more for him to learn, that this was the moment where Sol Mask’s journey ended and where Sol Dark’s journey was just beginning. ...thank you...Sol Mask...your legacy will definitely live on through your successor.

Interview 1 - Thomasin Farros by Radio414

(full resolution) Not my best, but just thought I'd share. A discord chat was doing a fantasy-based contest and this was my entry. Figured I'd pay homage to my favorite scene from Lord of the Rings. Feedback is appreciated!

Tsubasa, still jogging in place saw another girl run towards them. When she had asked if there was any real villains that needed taking care of, Tsubasa simply pointed over to the giant roaring robot tyrannosaurus-rex. As the girl seemed ready to charge in and fight, Tsubasa turned. As it seemed that there were more people now who were also wanting to brawl with the creature, it was certainly not the time to keep running away. The girl's smirk vanished though as someone else had come up and started speaking. Well, more like shouting at them to get into the fray and fight like heroes against the robot. Tsubasa generally didn't care about provocation one way or the other, but there was something about this person. There was something on an instinctual level that made her temper flare, her facial expression turn to one of annoyance and her to let out a low growl towards the man. "How about you stay out of my way then, Fire Mutt! I'm going to - gah!" The cat girl was stopped mid sentence by being handed a hefty sign, one which she could barely lift. Already annoyed, the girl simply tossed it to the side before readying herself to go on the offensive.Getting into a crouching position, Tsubasa then took off towards the mech. It had seemed that even more people had joined the fray and had also been bearing down on the robot. Though they seemed to manage to make some headway, Tsubasa looked up at it, noticing something relatively important looking on top of its back. She didn't really have the power to rip through any of its plating and everyone else seemed to be focusing on its torso, so the girl opted to go the path less traveled. Running forward towards it, it seemed to immediately pick up on its first assailant moving towards her. Targeting its cheek mounted machine guns at her, the girl hopped from side to side in the midst of her running to avoid the different bullets coming at her. As the robot bent forward to bite at her, the girl kicked her legs forward and slid on the ground, going underneath the jaw and past the legs. Turning her body, the girl pushed off her hands to get herself back on her feet, before noticing the tail near her. Thinking that a good spring board, the girl jumped on the tail only for the robot to realize what was on its back. Swinging its tail immediately, Tsubasa didn't have time to kick off and instead was launched off of it. Tumbling on the ground before pushing herself back to her feet, the girl looked at the robot pretty annoyed, only compounded by her annoyance from earlier. She couldn't just scale the robot directly, she needed something that would let her get onto it in a place it couldn't shake her off. Looking around, Tsubasa's eyes darted from place to place until they landed on a black and red haired student. Tsubasa's eyes locked with the girl for a moment, as if examining her for a moment. Then, after a few seconds more, her annoyance and contemplation broke way to realization. "You. Music girl. You make walls and stuff, right?" Glancing down at her smoking amp and broken string, Ayane hesitated for only a moment before answering, "I can, but my amp can't take much more. What's the plan?" She sure was glad UA was covering her equipment costs now. She didn't feel like doing another "save up money for an amp" grind anytime soon. The girl pointed to the top of the robot dinosaur. "There's something up there. I'm going to kick it, but I can't jump high enough on my own to get up it and it'll just shake me off. So," snapping her fingers and giving a grin, she pointed to Ayane. "Can you give me a little something to leap off of?" "You got it," Ayane answered, grinning right back. "Ready, set..." Although she initially strummed where the broken string was, Ayane - without acknowledging the mistake - hurried to the next string up, playing a not quite so deep note that still solidified as a platform between the girls and the robot dinosaur. "GO!" A wild grin appearing on the cat girl's face formed as she said, "right!" Stepping back a bit, the girl broke out into a full sprint towards the wall. Getting close enough, she sprung forward and upward, landing on the sound made wall. The wall was solid enough to hold Tsubasa's weight and lasted long enough. She could see her mark on the creature's back. A large, spinning device on that seemed almost akin to some kind of radar dish. Smiling, Tsubasa put all the force she could behind her legs and leaped forward in a diving motion. Her hands stretched forward, as she landed on the creature's back she tumbled forward before springing off her hands and diving with both of her feet towards the robot's radar. As both of her legs slammed into the radar there seemed to be some degree of resistance keeping it in place. But with the full weight of her body behind her kick the metal started to bend and break, and the radar came dislodged. Continuing forward with her momentum, both Tsubasa and the radar flew off the robot's back, the girl's legs planted firmly in the radar and practically surfing on it as it skidded across the ground. As the piece of metal came to a halt, the girl let out a hearty, "nyahahaha! What do you think of that?!" She pointed towards the Thunderjaw, as if somehow expecting a response from it. Instead, the creature roared, seeming to be a bit in disarray.

As Kio walked to school, he traced the route he had been taking and ingrained it into his mind. This would probably be the same route he would take everyday from now on, and it was quite the easy trip. U.A. wasn't too far from home, but it was just far enough for him to get a brief amount of exercise before getting to class. He looked to the clear blue sky as a symbol that this was going to be a great start to his future career as a hero! Just the thought of being called that word excited him to no end! Who were his classmates going to be, what were they going to be like?! And most importantly, what were their quirks?! He smiled to himself, as he continued his brisk jog thinking of the possibilities the classroom would contain. Today was his first step to becoming the best! As he rounded the corner, he could see gate of U.A., clear as day. As he approached, he saw a familiar face. Standing on the steps before the school was none other than the Pro Hero, Glory! He was a relatively low-profile hero, but Kio wasn't the type to forget any sort of name, let alone that of an extremely capable hero. Instead of climbing the ranks to top hero, he was now the president of the school! Lucky him, he'd always wanted to meet the guy. But now, it was a bit intimidating standing in his mere presence. Kio was all for the challenge! That's what life was all about, baby! As he walked up to his new principal, he managed to get out a few words. "Principal Glory?" He managed to get out, without stuttering. The man, with a stack of sheets in his hand, proceeded to ransack through them in a quick attempt to find his supposed file. It didn't take much time at all, either! He really was a pro! "Somehow. And you're... Akagi?" "Akagi Kio. It's great to be here. But you, uh...Aren't you a bit too young to be a Principal?" He said, with a little hint of sass at the end. "Aren't you a little young to be asking questions like that? The people on the school board figured I would be best for the job a few years back. After all, I went here along with a few other names you are more likely to recognize." It made total sense to him, but he still wasn't sure why Glory would take up the job anyway. He tried to decide if he wanted to prod a little more, but it probably wasn't the time or place to do so. He wanted to give Glory a whole interview, but sadly schooling was in the way. "Probably. I never forget a name once I hear it!" He said, beaming a smile the principal's way. "Although, those can't be the only qualifications to run this place, right?" He knew the answer of course, but you didn't really get the chance to jeer pro's in the flesh. "Well, after the place got attacked so many times, they figured they would put the strongest person they could find right at the center. But now it's my turn to ask a question. It's one I'm asking everyone. Why do you want to be a hero, Akagi Kio?" "Strongest, huh? So number 77 gets title of strongest now?" Kio laughed, before clearing his throat. His reason was simple, after all. And it was his dream ever since he had become bored of sports. "I just want to challenge myself! I want to see what the real heroes deal with, and overcome all obstacles that come my way!" He stretched his palm, opening and closing his hand. "I just want to prove to myself and everyone else that my Quirk is strong." "You don't seem particularly interested in helping anyone." The question almost smacked him across the face. He never really thought about saving others...just testing himself. But that was all wrapped up in the title of being a hero, right? He'd hopefully learn that lesson here anyways! But for now, it was time to bs an answer. "Well that's all apart of the challenge, right? It would be too easy if I didn't have to help anyone." "This generation never seems to want to relax, does it? Go on and head inside. I'm sure you remember your way to class from the tour a few weeks ago." "Never forget!" Kio saluted Glory, before walking straight past him. After he was out of earshot, he let out a sigh of relief, picking up his head with a huge grin. "Man, I should have gotten his autograph! I'll remember for next time!" His class was close by, as he made his way in a hurry. He hoped he would be the first one, so he might be able to see all the others enter after him in an attempt to gauge how interesting they were. However, when he slid the door open, he realized that he was behind the curve by a small margin. He snapped his fingers in a small fit of annoyance, but smiled shortly afterward. There were snacks out on the front desk, as he glided over to them and promptly picked one up. He took an obnoxiously large bite out of it, before giving off a sound of delight. "Mmmm-mm! Scrumptious! Whoever made these is definitely gonna have to show me after class today!" He walked over to a vacant desk in the middle row on the left by the windows, and placed his backpack on the top. "I'm Akagi Kio, but you can just call me Kio! Pleasure to meet you early birds!"

here is a post for your convenience

These are mostly still in development. They are based in Mexican fauna so far. Ocelot, Manatee, Pangolin, Xoloitzcuintle, Quetzal, Vulture.

De-Tailer Lizard DARK ✪✪✪ (Level 3) [Reptile/Effect] ATK/ 600 DEF/ 1750 If a Reptile monster you control is targeted by a card effect or for an attack: You can banish this card from your hand or GY; negate that attack or effect, and if you do, Special Summon 1 "Tail Token" (Zombie/DARK/Level 1/ATK 0/ DEF 0). While this Token is on your side of the field, your opponent cannot target Reptile monsters you control for attacks. Concept and Wordplay: Design Notes:

Hey, you still kept that one around. Shore

BGM Diana arrived at the campus before the sun even began to rise, waiting for the rest of the applicants to arrive. Living on the farm for the past year and some had really gotten her used to waking up early, so this was nothing to her. After all, early to bed, early to rise, and all that Ben Franklin jazz. She spent the time watching the passers by and squeezing a stress ball in her right hand. As people began to arrive, other than those who showed up early like her, she pulled out a bag and ate a simple egg sandwich, making sure to be done by the time the doors opened. Watching the duo emerge, Diana stood at attention, excitement brimming. "To get this far, you must have already passed the written test." Diana groaned as the memories came rushing back. It wasn't that she didn't know the information the written tests required, but she scarcely had time to pen it down. Hell, she probably wouldn't have had enough time with the exam in English, much less Japanese. Today will be the day of the practical. Beyond this gate lies a forest type area, and a city type area. You are free to roam wherever you please, and do as much damage as possible, but your objectives will all be the same. In each area are a limited amount of badges that resemble the U.A. logo. To complete the practical, one must obtain 5 badges and return to the gate before sundown. It doesn't matter how you get your badges. Just so long as you're here, you'll be permitted to attend U.A." "So if I beat the snot out of some dude with 3 badges, and take 'em, I get in?" "Alright everyone, let's make sure to all do our very BEST!" Everyone around Diana seemed to be excited. Loud yells, boastful statements, and more! Even if one of those was a bit more lingo based than she expected, she loved seeing and feeling the crowd's excitement. "That's right! Let's all get pumped up for <JUSTICE!>" The blonde girl yelled excitedly, switching to English at the end as shoved her right hand in the air with her index finger pointing upward. Pulling her arm down, she adjusted her hair into a ponytail at the nape of her neck, her purple eye gleaming in the bright sunlight. "<Let's go!>"