Last Name Change We Swear EditionContinuing the 'I Woke up as a Pokemon, So What?' AUPrevious Thread: >>58617932
>FAQ>What is this?People are turning into Pokemon. Some are having the time of their lives, and some are struggling to survive. These are their stories.>How do I join?Just start posting.>What's the lore?People and animals (and at least one tree) are changing at random in their sleep, waking up still in the real world, but now as Pokemon, and nobody knows why (that includes you. Please don't try to explain it). Just enough transformations are occurring to notably change day-to-day life without collapsing civilization. This is not the apocalypse, even if it might feel like it to some characters in the moment. Some people are more in touch with their instincts than others, and some have lost more of their humanity than others. That's about it. Avoid legendaries if possibleOngoing Stories:>Transformed Into a Lucariohttps://pastebin.com/dNfCG4se>Copanon the PokeWhispererhttps://rentry.co/PolicemanPokemonStory>Super Macho Monhttps://rentry.co/MachampStory>Digigirlhttps://pastebin.com/rvUJh1Vd>Professor Decidueye by ProfDhttps://rentry.co/ProfD>VetPhoxhttps://rentry.co/DelphoxStory>Serpent and Wyrm by Snivyanonhttps://rentry.co/SerpentAndWyrm>A Loser and a Very Lost Snowpix by Drifteranonhttps://rentry.org/tcab223e>The New Police Animals by Snivyanonhttps://rentry.co/larsonkurt>Kartanimatorhttps://rentry.co/kartanimator>The Pokemon Pit by ProfDhttps://rentry.co/r7aa9bzy>Churchanonhttps://rentry.org/cb24k1ti>Drifteranon's one-shotshttps://pastebin.com/4K9M6uJ2>Other one-shotshttps://pastebin.com/UtXMsyyD>One-shots that were too spicy for pastebinhttps://rentry.co/wokeuponeshotsArchived stories:>Herding Catshttps://rentry.org/HerdingCats>0332https://pastebin.com/WMdqhP8H>Tinkanonhttps://rentry.co/TinkatonStory>Not a Pikachuhttps://rentry.co/notapikachu>Lopunanonhttps://pastebin.com/ecBem3sz
>>58662095>Herding Cats in the archiveDeserved... I actually worked on it some yesterday, we'll see if I can keep the energy up.
>>58662095Decided to keep the old URL for the copanon storyhttps://rentry.co/PolicemanPokemonStoryI just put a link to the second part at the start of the rentry.
>>58651858>"It is fine. A bit dusty, but fine," she replied.>"I didn't really expect guests, so I didn't dust or vacuum that place in a while. The vacuum should be in the garage if you need it," you replied.>"Oh no need for that," she replied, somewhat skittishly.>"Why?" you asked.>"I don't want to accidentally suck up my hair into it," she replied while fondling her flowing mane.>"I understand. Do you want me to clean it up once I get better?" you asked.>"I would appreciate that," she replied before returning to moving her things.>You, on the other hand, waddled your ass over to the living room to watch TV.>"... about 324 inmates have gone missing, according to the prison administration," said the reporter on TV.>Now this was interesting.>"Do you think the disappearance was linked to Pokemon in any way, shape, or form?" asked the reporter.>"We can't currently exclude that possibility, as it was proven that some Pokemon are capable of teleporting individuals great distances," replied the prison warden.>"What are your next steps?" asked the reporter.>"Our current objective is to reimprison all the escaped inmates as soon as possible. Their mugshots will be displayed countrywide in the hope of finding them as soon as possible. It is highly advised to exercise caution, as some of these inmates were serving life sentences before disappearing," said the warden.>"Welp sounds like more work for us to do. Ehh... The captain is going to kill me," you said to yourself, thinking about the times you have been absent from work recently.>Shit just kept getting worse and worse despite all efforts.>Then again, you did help prevent a murder, and that was an achievement.>Unfortunately, it was officially incidental that you ended up preventing it.>Because "It was revealed to me in a dream" would at best get you laughed out of the building and at worst get all the remaining government agencies breathing down your neck.
>>58662129>imageLol this nigga just lost the ability to hurt gengar L
>>58662095>>58662637Imagine that federal agent fox breathing down your neck as she leg locks you in bed.
>>58662637>Maybe you'd try to find that Trevenant.>Your new housemate confirmed its presence in the rough area of that building, so possibly you could find it with her help.>Then again, it would be a conversation for tomorrow, as it was getting late.>You proceeded to check up on what Lisa and Derek were up to.>"So how was your date?">"You know? I never thought about how small she is when compared to me," Derek replied.>"Where are you going with this? Did you do the deed?" you asked.>"No. I just never thought about how small she was in comparison to me. I later checked, and apparently I'm 4 times her weight, and I don't know how to feel about this..." he replied.>"You're a big guy" you wrote.>"UUUU" he replied.>"Returning to the original question. How was your date?" you asked.>"Not sure how to describe it. We had dinner, drank some wine, watched some movies, and then Lisa shoved her face into my neck fur and fell asleep on my back," he replied.>"How long did she stay on there?" you inquired further.>"The entire night. I didn't know what to do, so I just sat there, doing nothing," he replied.>"Well that's a weird date, all things considered," you replied.>"By the time she woke up, I was already asleep. I woke up like an hour ago, and when I did, I got a kiss on the nose from her," he continued.>"And they say long-distance relationships don't work," you replied.>"I regret nothing. Best night of my fucking life," he wrote.>"Have you gone home yet?" you asked.>"Nah. I'm still at her place. I'm going to wait till nightfall to not attract any attention to myself. Well... More attention to myself after my grocery trip ended up on TV," he replied.>"Out of curiosity, was there any pinkish mist at Lisa's place?" you asked.>"Like pheromones? No. I don't think I'm being influenced by her. Lisa explicitly warned me about them before we even met in person, and she kept the house well ventilated," he replied.>"That's good to hear," you replied.
https://rentry.co/larsonkurt#the-bond-we-shareSorry for the long wait on any updates. Take a Larson and Emma being cute episode. Long one this go around. Hopefully the link just jumps you directly to the update. I’m surprised at the lack of Luxray + Espeon art on the internet.
>>58662845>The date went well for Noivern and SalazzleExcellent. And they're in compatible egg groups!
>>58662095What a retarded and gay fetish. Nobody pities you.
>>58663538Put some effort into your shitposting
>>58662080Furfaggots aren't even subhuman
>>58663782>>58663538I'll bite, what about this is wrong?
Added the missing segments on Rentry. https://rentry.co/r7aa9bzy#the-b-teamShould I bother keeping the unique colors for each character? Or does it just get hard to read?
>>58663911I don’t mind it, though the dark purple is a little harder to see than the other colors.
Probably won't update Kartanon for a while, struggling a bit to choose between a few options I've thought up for the followup and Air Riders has currently taken over any and all spare time I may have... Have some Kartana art I don't think I've shared yet in the meantime.>>58662845>324 inmatesThat is a very specific number that I'm sure we shouldn't be concerned about at all. Also very nice to hear stuff went well between Lisa n Derek, seems the support group's paying off even more than expected.>>58663095Very cute little read, it's always nice seeing any of the members of this trio. Wonder if that Octillery had experience beforehand or if the change just awakened that talent within him.>surprised at the lack of Luxray + Espeon art on the internet.I'd probably do some based on your greens if I could draw quadrupeds better than I can just due to how endearing the scenes tend to be (and... if I had more free time than I do for now).>>58663911I appreciate it for clarity's sake, though I agree with Snivyanon that the purple's a bit hard to read against the dark gray.
No update tonight for Valentine. Life can't stop kicking me in the balls, and so it has decided that today would be the day that my extended family would be left in misery-for the second time this fucking year. If there is a God, he really has had it out for us in the last 6 months.I ran myself out of time today. Usually I write at around 1 AM, but I just couldn't muster up the wherewithal to do so. I also can't just submit what I've got for proofreading yet because I did actually skip a few sections to go back to later. I also don't really have the energy to read other stories, so sorry about not having much to comment on that.(Reposted because I wanted to do some compression here, since I had some other posts I wanted to get through. Apologies.)>>58663911So, the colors are kind of shit, with the cyan and orange kind of sucking on light mode. The issue is that you can't do much about that, because you don't get to fine-control what colors get used on the two, and finding neutral colors is hard.My compromises are as follows:purple -> mediumorchidorange -> tomatocyan -> dodgerblueI should note that I'm not an artist, I just have a half-way okay sense of contrast because of my website development process.These still are kind of iffy unfortunately, but they work better for both themes than the existing colors.>>58663765 >>58663882Anon, please don't feed the trolls.
>>58662845>>58663095Love is in the air, every time I look around~What an adorable way to ring in the new thread, honestly. Plenty of couples have had to plan their lives around opposite sleep schedules, but never because of biology. Dunno if I should feel bad for Derek that THAT'S the best night he's ever had, though......also I feel like I should probably be quite concerned that the exact number of prisoners needed for three Spiritombs have disappeared...-As for LarKurt, I guess Emma changed jobs after the Porygon incident? Dunno if that was established somewhere and I just forgot.>the Propel Object move is super effective against dweeb typesThat is classic. I've complimented Larson and Emma's chemistry before and it very much still applies. Any time we see a nerd couple in fiction we all catch ourselves thinking that we should be so lucky.>shipment of OransJust wait until they discover the power of Sitrus. Those might be super rare like they are in Mystery Dungeon though. It's good to hear Kurt's on the mend -definitely gonna be a medical revolution or two in humanity's near future in this universe, methinks.YES! Thanksgiving with the three adoramigos confirmed! You spoil us, Snivyanon.The two having to do the mama cat carry through the rain and then restraining the urge to shake themselves out is another perfect example of fantastical meeting mundane. Love it. The transition from the entrance of the complex to Emma's actual apartment seems a little unclear, but the kiss is gorgeous.Really spectacular stuff, man. You've outdone yourself again.>>58663911The cyan's a little eye-searing, but other than that they seem fine to me.
>>58664450I'm so, so sorry to hear that, man. If you need to just lurk for a while, feel free. We'll be here if you need advice or support.On a more positive note, while I'm not much of an artist either, but I AM a bit of a colour whore myself. Whenever I use colours for something, I always have to make note of the exact shade, and my favourite colour is not merely "blue", or even "sky blue", but SPECIFICALLY Air Superiority Blue (also known as PRU Blue)... incidentally a colour that Lucario's fur is quite close to, so I guess that's yet another reason it's my favourite Pokemon...
>>58662845Hell yeah Derek, lets goooo! Also 324 inmates is exactly 3 Spiritombs, and with how often we bring up prisons and that specific Pokémon, I'm assuming its that or some massive red herring.>>58664450Aw man, that really sucks to hear, especially around this time of year. I hope you and your family get some levity soon. If you ever need to chat, let us know.>>58664279>>58664646Thanks for the kind words, really glad you guys enjoyed it! >Probably won't update Kartanon for a whileHope you enjoy the break, Air Riders looks like fun.>Wonder if that Octillery had experience beforehandIn my head, a little bit of both. I imagine that like real octopi, Octillery have a ton of neurons in their tentacles, allowing them to kind of act independently, which is how he's able to multitask to an extreme degree.>Emma changed jobs after the Porygon incident?Nah, she still works at the Geek Squad for their local Best Buy, store manager is just a dick (She's definitely thinking of trying to find some other place to work).>super rare like they are in Mystery Dungeon thoughYeah that was my thought as well.>apartment transition seems a little unclearRe-reading it, I completely forgot like 1-2 sentences of them walking to her apartment door, whoops. Yeah I can see why this was a little confusing. >Thanksgiving confirmedYeah gonna try to get another holiday themed episode up, might be a little past Thanksgiving since I only have that day off this week.
>>58662080Appreciate having my art in the OP, though it makes me wish I colored it or used more contrast.Week off of classes so hopefully I can actually focus a bit better on writing. That or I'll just find another game to get addicted to. No I'm Not A Human has looked pretty interesting to me for a while
Barely 20 posts in and we're already treated to two lovely stories. >>58662845Derek is such a timid dork. What's there not to love?>Did you do the deed?Copanon projecting hard after his hot or rather cold night with Fedoark? Probably not. It's still a funny headcanon.>ywn have a lizard gf to cook with and that falls asleep on your backWhy even live, anons? :( Altough, it is nice hearing that Lisa is seemingly more adjusted to her situation now. Dare I say comfortable even?>>58663095The dynamic between those two is just *chefs kiss*. I just finished reading and crave for more already. You don't have to apologise for letting us wait, there are no obligations here. Especially when you drop peak comfy fiction like that.Also, why are bars always so damn great places to hang out? My best memories with my close friends is just talking and vibing in some bars in old cellars in the old town.>>58664279Enjoy your time off, Kartanon. You deserve it after your last few updates.>>58664450Aw man, that sucks. Life really likes throwing curveballs, doesn't it? Take your time, we'll be waiting.
Off for Thanksgiving.But no time for rest and leisure writing.Family comes first, time to cook, clean and prepare.See ya later.
>You took a look at yourself in the mirror.>It was the first time you did it without your disguise.>No more illusions, no more lies, just the new you.>Your eyes, yellow like jaundice.>Your fur, white as snow.>And your boils, a malignant shade of blood red.>You used a finger to get a better look at your teeth.>Pearly white.>You hated it.>You hated the mirror.>And you hated yourself.>Without noticing, you accidentally cut your own inner lip with your claw, but you didn't stop.>The metallic taste of your own blood was followed by a taste or, more likely, a smell.>A smell best described as a rot.>You stood there in front of the mirror, breathing irregularly, feeling your blood flowing down your arm.>Looking at your mirror image getting slowly covered in frost.>As the image became unrecognizable, you started to regain your senses.>"What has happened to me?" you asked out loud to no one but yourself.>You cleaned off the blood off the floor but couldn't get it out of your fur.>Now a red streak ran down your face and arm.>By the time you cleaned it up the mirror had defrosted, allowing you to see yourself again.>You tried taking your old human form, but it had a similar effect.>"Dead, dead, dead," echoed through your mind.>Hateful, mocking, honest were the words you'd use to describe it.>You couldn't tell if it was your own thoughts or your instincts speaking, only that they were yours but not yours at the same time.>Or maybe they were yours and you were just lying to yourself?>You started overthinking the repeating words over and over again.>What did they mean?>Was your past dead, or was it your future that was dead?>Were you dead, or were you death?>The thoughts were enough to break you out of your disguise and force you to lie on the bathroom floor.
>>58666696>You needed help.>"Liar, liar, liar" began to repeat in your mind.>You got back on your feet and walked out in search of the only person willing to help you in your state.>You were too afraid to go to your family or friends with the issues you were facing.>You didn't want to hurt them.>You didn't trust yourself.>And here you were.>Dragging yourself to someone you called a "friend" not knowing if you'd attempt to kill him again.>A hypocrite—that's what you were.>Once you walked through the door, you saw him sleeping like nothing ever happened.>It would be so easy to kill him now.>Maybe he would become like you after death.>But what if he doesn't?>Then you would have killed someone you considered a friend.>A friend that had the opportunity to kill you but didn't.>He said that you weren't the worst case he has seen.>Was this the reason he slept so calmly?>Was he telling the truth?>Or was he lying to you?>"Liar, liar, liar" began to repeat in your mind as you approached him.>You hated him.>He had something you lost, and you wanted to see him dead for it.>He shouldn't have uncovered your secret.>He should have blown your brains out when he had the chance so your suffering would have ended right then and there.>And yet if he didn't, you would have no one to turn to.>You would be even more alone than you are right now.>So you now stood above him.>One swipe with your claws to the throat would end it quickly.>Or you could try ripping his heart out.>Your hand was above his chest.>But you couldn't do it.>"Friend," was reverberating its way through your thoughts.>You grabbed his hand and put it to your face.>You felt warmth.>You sat on the floor, coddling his hand to your face.>"Was he really lying to me?" you thought to yourself.>Maybe killing him could wait for a while longer.A bit of an perspective shift for the Copanon story.
>>58666711Damn. Poor Fedoark. Also, maybe laying it on a bit thick? Even if we assume that most Pokemon are not particularly developed in their faculties, Zoroarks are an exception; they speak and understand human language through their illusions without any human mind behind them, and insert themselves into human society and live their lives that way without giving away the game. Hisuian Zoroark, even at its worst, is fiercely protective of those it truly considers its friends, because without those who are loyal to them, they have no one else, and they are a familial species, even as revenants.
>>58666728Pardon me for being crudeCOPANON YOU GOTTA DICK HER DOWN, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE YOUR LIFE! SHE’S STARTED KILLING KITTENS AND THE RIGOR MORTIS IS KICKING IN. COPANON! FUCK THAT ZOROARK ALREADY!
>>58666711>>58666728She also only met the policeman like, a few weeks ago.I enjoy it. Good change of pace. Not too dissimilar from the lucario's fake memories, shift in mental attitude and priorities, and creeping animal instinct. The break in habit and the pigman fight were like flipping a switch in an MKUltra agent.>>58663095>Octillery bartender
>>58665545Thank you, I’m happy with how their chemistry has worked out! >barsYeah same here, I wish I lived a little closer to friends so we could go bar crawling again, those nights were always fun.>>58665737No worries, hope you have a nice thanksgiving Digi!>>58666711Jeez Copanon, you basically have the living, non-AI version of AM living in your house, like just before it went haywire and glassed the planet. Got your work cut out for ya…>He said that you weren't the worst case he has seenThere it is. I wonder if that line is ever going to have any consequences.>>58667141>picrelDo not the octopus.
>>58666711Wish I could be there to help with moral support but I know for a fact it'd likely end in her gouging my heart out. I just hope she'll feel better soon. Very good writing as always, yeah having such pure hatred miring your thoughts must be terribly underwhelming, but the human in there seems to be putting up a damn good fight.
I'm back to writing again. I can mourn, but I shouldn't let my life stagnate. Unfortunately the bit I wrote today was incredibly brief, just to give me a taste of my goal again. This part is the start to him getting pulled over.>My head pounded as my car vibrated, rolling over the bumps in the road. I growled at the sensation, yanking the car back between the blurry lines, only to feel it again moments later. The sun in my provided painful stimulation as I kept rolling along. It made me want to stop, but I fucking couldn't. It was too close, I had to keep going, there was no way I was going to stop that close, never ever ever ever ever!I've been thinking about Type: Null. One of the early ideas presented was interesting. The idea of this shambling monster that wanted to kill everything.Sadly for me, Fedorark takes that role way better than I can ever write it. I do want to write it, but there's no way in fucking hell I could possibly repeat Fedorark without being worse in every regard.I have come up with a potential compromise that's quite interesting to me. Basically, what if Type: Null's "memories" aren't entirely of this world? Not just the usual "oh, there are Pokemon memories replacing the real ones," but rather operating under 1950s executive orders, laws, and even Department of Defense memos that just... never existed. This would then give Type: Null an excuse to do some real fucking devastation, such as trying to procure resources to continue operations by any means necessary(pilfering banks and military bases,) which draws the attention of Valentine(and the FBI, CIA, and DoD) because it has a sticker with Valentine's family crest or whatever.It also maintains the excuse of letting the Type: Null be a horrifying beast that may kill without reason, leaving Valentine and co on edge and feeling like they're the only ones who can prevent it from harming innocents(until they figure out what the hell's going on and stop it.)Maybe it's too much though. IDK.
>>58668057Hmmhmm. So kind of like a sleeper agent sort of deal? That could be interesting, and it fits with Type: Null's programmed nature. Could take it a step further and maybe add in different personalities that are tasked with different objectives from various government organizations. Could really lean into the whole Frankenstein horror aspect of being a thing that's cobbled together both physically and mentally, and could lead into an arc of it trying to define its own identity. Is the family crest from this sort of alternate timeline as well? Or did I miss something about his family being prolific in some way.
>>58668359>sleeper agentYeah, pretty much.If nothing else, thinking you've managed to shut down the computer, only for it to start singing Daisy Bell would be terrifying :P>trying to define its own identityYeah, I was considering that. I could make it worse by throwing in yet more garbage to the fire. The Null could have a Porygon within, attempting to guide them along their tasks. They'd have to learn to work with the Porygon-not to control, but rather to assist, adding a whole new literal internal conflict.>family crestSo... I didn't fully think through changing Valentine's past to diverge from mine, so he's kind of a mess at the moment until I sort things out.I made that remark based on the main family crest in my family. The thing is that it's not /really/ a family crest in the traditional nobility sense, it's ACTUALLY a town crest. (No, I don't know why. Maybe it's because I actually AM minor German nobility, but I can't actually find details on why we use the coat of arms of a random village in Germany.)Anyhow, my grandfather ordered a shit ton of stickers with the family name and crest on it, which we've got plastered all over a lot of our older stuff, so it made sense last night. There's other options, I was just spitballing on why he'd get immediately arrested after he manages to get the Null under control. Valentine's not really going to be doing any favors of absolving himself of ownership over this terror machine that's probably killed by that point in the name of president MacArthur America or whatever.
>>58668933TYPE NULL WILL BE THE WEAPON TO SURPASS METAL GEAR
>>58668933I certainly like the idea.I don’t think the Porygon would make much sense from a thematic angle, because then Type: Null will never really be the singular individual it wants to be? Could somehow still make it work though, maybe the Porygon pilot is the glue that holds the new gestalt together. As for a reason for Val to get arrested, maybe have him meet Null, be seen around town with it, but the entire time while it seems ‘normal’ it’s using Val as a scapegoat or unwitting accomplice, and now he’s on the hook for whatever Null does? Kinda plays into the psyop agent thing you’re going for, and could lead to an interesting moment where that switch is flipped and the mask falls off when it goes crazy.>>58669691NO TYPE NULL, DO NOT RELEASE THE VOCAL CORD PARASITES. YOU’LL DESTROY THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
>>58666728 It might seem a bit thick, but it is kind of on purpose considering how Fedoark approaches her turning. >>58666895 Why did that make me think of Chris Redfield talking about the Redfield bloodline? >>58667666>the living, non-AI version of AM living in your houseWell more like undead, non-AI version of AM in the house.>like just before it went haywire and glassed the planetBetter hope that no person holding actual power ends up as a Hisuian Zoroark. That big red button would quickly start to look very tantalizing.>>58667834Glad you enjoy my writing.
>>58670612>2nd spoilerYes, that’s what I was going for.
>>58666711I don't honestly have much to add that others haven't already said. The sudden perspective shift is a gut punch in a good way. As long as we're dropping vidya references, let's hope that on this old road to hell, Fedorark manages to find her redemption.>>58668057>>58668933I must admit to being slightly confused here. Are we still going with the idea that the Null was one of those old bookcase-sized computers? If so, does that mean these strange "Department For the Preservation of American Dignity"-type notions in its head are going to be derived from corrupted versions of programs it actually ran when it was just an ordinary computer - is that where we're going with this? Like I don't viscerally hate the concept (it's JUST grounded enough - a single Pokemon on a rampage feels much more in line with the setting than the grand supervillain conspiracy did), I just wanna understand where the Null would've gotten these ideas from.I agree with Snivyanon that the Porygon aspect is probably unnecessary, but I think Val getting arrested is fair play. If this thing is going around spouting crazy conspiratorial garbage, causing disturbances, stealing tech, and potentially killing people, even just Val turning out to be the only one who's able to calm the thing down seems like reason enough to at least bring him in for questioning all by itself, let alone this whole family crest thing. Your family seems to have a VERY interesting history by the sounds of it...
>>58663095Adorable. Those two better be thanking the real hero of the story, Porygon-Z, for helping them meet.>>58666711It's so funny that these are the only two stories in the thread so far. Love is in the air, and so is hate. Really liked this bit as well, good stuff.
I'll try to work on something tonight. Maybe my story will be the "third" to get posted in this thread. Probably not though.I'm sorry if it feels like I'm romanticizing writing again. It feels like all I can do in my current state.>>58670140>wouldn't work from a thematic angleI probably could make it work. Porygon being Valentine's logos and Null being Valentine's pathos was a consideration I had. That, or Porygon's the result of Valentine's own programming taking life after death.It's probably a bad idea though, I just had the idea of an "magic/even more magic" switch on the Null that results in something a bit more than a crash happening.>>58671112>Are we still going with this ideaSo, admittedly, this idea that Null's "ordained by the closest thing to god it knows" motives is a runaway idea coming from the unrelated idea that Null's mechanical side is MULTIPLE computers that amalgamated as slag in the hypothetical wildfire, with whatever was salvageable being pieced together into this Frankenstein machine, adding to the chaos of their disfunction.That said, while I'm not sure about this Frankenstein's monster of a supercomputer concept, I can still discuss>if these notions going to be derived from corrupted versions of programs it actually ran when it was just an ordinary computerYeah, that was half of the idea. It's a mixture of "I've gotta replace the Aether foundation and their anti-UB directives with something fitting of the role" and "younger Val had a particular fascination with all things military, which included the software he liked to write and run."The Type: Full project was specifically purpose built to combat Ultra Beasts. It feels very wrong to neglect some version of it in my own narrative, even if it's a struggle to find your own identity when "destiny" is telling you how to act. I feel like that specific version works the best because it's a good mirror for what Valentine's experiencing: A false prophecy of an abject failure.
>>58671401Right, right, so it's latching onto whatever vague notions of "destroy the enemy" that it can glean, owing to its original purpose. That makes sense. I like the computer slag idea - maybe the IBM bookcase had a bunch of slightly newer but still old DOS CPU towers and game consoles and such-like stacked around it at the junkyard, but the animals I suggested were primarily sheltering in the big machine, making it the "heart" of the resulting Null.>romanticisingEh, by this point you've well proven to the naysayers that you can deliver. There's no need to push yourself too hard under your current circumstances.
Tired. I feel like I want to write but definitely don't have the energy for it, let alone drawing. Still trying to choose which approach to take for the direct follow up. Part of me is tempted to mention the options and ask for feedback, but the other part of me wants to keep it secret until I write it proper to avoid any spoilers... I'll have to keep dwelling on it.
>>58671206Thanks! Sometimes some digital schizo chaos is all you need to meet the right person.>>58671401Hm, yeah I suppose either of those options could work for Porygon. I still think it would be better if Null/Silvally’s struggle is against its encoded orders and outside controllers as it learns to define who it wants to be as a person. Maybe one of the parts of the computer amalgam was a Porygon, so it’s not like one is actively controlling it, more like the memory of one?>>58671598Yeah I definitely feel that, looking forward to January when I’m not working every day, because when I get home I just want to sleep immediately but still feel that itch to write. In terms of ideas, I’d definitely be glad to help out if you ever want to spit ball, can just make them vague enough to not spoil too much while still at least getting some direction on where to start.
I got something done... Happy Thanksgiving day to the Americans, by the ways.>>58671598Well, jot down the ideas and give them some introspection later I guess.Wish I could give you my energy. I have tons of energy despite the fact that I'm in no state to use it. It's quite frustrating.>>58671518>like the computer slag ideaI did not expect you to like it, to be honest.I've had a wide band of hardware to consider. I think the newest I'll do is something like the Panasonic Toughbook CF-30, which came out in 2007. I have my eyes specifically on that computer because that is a laptop built to survive practically anything you throw at it, and it came with Windows Vista originally-and it just so happens that Type: Null is a malfunctioning mess that has body armor :PI haven't really done much thinking on how to piece it together, I just basiclaly ran with "wow this would be cool AND I can throw in weird obscure hardware!" I'll figure out something in the future.>There's no need to push yourselfThat Buzzwole poster was right, but fair enough. I just feel better about discussing my ideas when I've got a part of the story hot off the press attached.>>58671681So, the "original plan" of the Porygon, that is how I initially conceived of it, was that they fulfilled a WSO role of sorts. The Type: Null would have a ridiculously impressive amount of cool shit on board, but the biological brain couldn't actually handle all of it at once(hence at least part of the malfunctioning,) so it was up to the Porygon to try to filter out what was and wasn't needed.So, in short, not an antagonistic role, but rather a supporting character that only the Null really got to interact with most of the time.I've also considered things like making the Porygon the Null's inner monologue, who sometimes escapes. That would mirror how Valentine sometimes says his own thoughts aloud because they become too loud to stay solely in his mind.There's tons of options for it, but I should wait.
>>58670675
Hope everyone in burgerland has a good thanksgiving!
>>58673066I wonder if Kartananon would draw a peice like this, but with all the current writer's pokemon?
>>58673116That would be adorable, but definitely a ton of work
>>58673116>>58673755Unfortunately, I suffer from a lack of time and... not being American in order to be able to depict it proper I think. Currently have my hands full when it comes to my art queue with a collab for another thread, so while the idea could be fun, I genuinely can't promise anything.
>>58673942Nah, don't worry about it. You don't have to.If it helps you though, Thanksgiving traditionally is just a feast for most families. Not very hard to depict.My family's a bit unique in that every guest is expected to bring a bit of food. I could take a quick few photos if you want to see the type of spread a table has.
Quick bump, happy t everyone
Thread's surviving on a lot of bumps. What are people working on right now and how is it going? Personally have writers block on how to continue a scene
>>58674663>Personally have writers block on how to continue a sceneI'm lurking, but I'm happy to throw ideas to the wind if they help you get past the block.
>>58674663I was working on cooking food.My family doesn't believe Thanksgiving should ever be anything but home cooked food, so that's a lot of time and dedication.Folks think Turkey is the hard part, try cleaning cutting boiling and mashing 9 families worth of potatoes for the home made country style gravy.It's not because we think it's better, but this sense of tradition that Thanksgiving should be made with best of what we all can do with the best ingredients we can afford.Silly, but sure makes the meals delicious.And food for the dishes afterwards wards, easily a 3 hour clean up.
>>58674692It's dialogue. I just struggle figuring out where to take the conversation because of one of the characters. Thinking about it now, it might be better just to cut him out for the time being so I can focus on the other two
>>58674708If he doesn't need to be there, get rid of him. Totally valid choice.
>>58674663I really need to put out a post - just been incredibly tired lately.
>>58674663I’ve got a growing list of scenes I want to do, I just need to figure out what flows best.
>>58674663>What (am I) working on and how is it going?Valentine's story is slow progress, the actual working item is the "I'm confiscating your keys" bit early on. Right now, it's really hard to resist getting embedded in my games again to try to avoid my grief.That said, I'm always trying to think of the future for my stories, and here, I'm wondering what to do with Valentine's tour group. The cop is there, but I don't know if they're going to end up like Matsui and try to return to their normal life for a bit before realizing it's just not for them anymore(though they'll definitely be calling Valentine sooner in that case.) I don't know what I want for the future though. I've got a lot of options, and I'm not very good at picking them. Indeedee's the runner for the 3rd member, but I kind of want a weird, reclusive, obsessive, "didn't develop any social skills" type. Could just do a feral at that point, but I feel like my range of characters might be TOO limited to pull that off. Null might end up being the 3rd, but it feels way too early still... Could just leave it at 2 and wait a while longer to solve that.Game wise I was playing Factorio. Now I'm going to try to finish a Command and Conquer: Tiberian Sun Nod mission that I got stuck on a few months ago. Disc throwers seem so much more effective in the hands of the AI than with me, and the lack of any real ranged units makes the newly introduced hover MLRS really difficult to deal with. At least, that's with my shit economy anyways.
>>58674663Trying to come up with something for this Thanksgiving episode, want to get it out sooner rather than later so I can start to work on chapter 5 of Serpent and Wyrm. Kinda feel like I need to get the ball rolling on the overall plot before people lose interest. Just don't have really any free time outside of work and writing on my phone is rather frustrating.Been reading Golden Straits by Mimiga. Really interesting PMD fic (And I'm very difficult to please when it comes to PMD fics), chemistry between all the characters is great and their world building is super cool. Actually shares a lot of ideas that I've personally had for a weird PMD fic / setting that I've been thinking about for the past year, so its kind of making me want to finally pull the trigger and start writing it...Outside of that, mostly just trying to catch up on sleep or playing the new Risk of Rain 2 DLC, and waiting for the new rollslop DLC for Nightreign to release next week (I hope my boy Gael is in).
I guess I'm technically the only one to post a story update today, aren't I?Huh, how interesting. I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving, and for those that don't celebrate, had a good Thursday.
>>58675238I misread it initially and thought you were trying to get a Serpent and Wyrm thanksgiving chapter, which would be... interesting. I dunno if Simon's trying to cling to normalcy THAT hard though.And fuck, now I wanna write my PMD fics again. God damn it dude :'(Well, when either my writing cadence improves enough to work on two chapters in a day or Valentine's story concludes, I guess I will...
>>58675250Yeah I think Simon has more pressing matters at the moment lmao, but that would be funny.
Good morning, /sip/
Damn, what a solid thread.
>>58677008This had no business being a general. A discord server at best
>>58677017Yeah, well, that's like your opinion, man. A discord server is a gated community. How would someone know they're interested in something like this if they never hear about it in the first place?
>>58677336Clearly nobody is interested. Nobody is posting here
>>58677578Keep your dilator in faggot, I should have something to post tonight.
>>58662845>>58666711>You woke up feeling better.>Except for one part.>Your hand.>It felt numb to you.>You almost dropped when you saw it.>It was covered in dried blood.>Was it yours?>You stood up and looked at yourself but found no blood in any other place on your body.>There were some dried blood drops of it on the floor, however.>You rushed to the bathroom to wash it off.>The warm water felt great to your numb hand, and the blood was being washed off somewhat.>The metallic smell, however, lingered.>You grabbed some hydrogen peroxide to get rid of what wasn't cleaned off and find any cuts.>The blood went off, but you found no cuts on your hand.>"If it wasn't my blood, then whose was it?" you thought to yourself.>You took a look at the floor and found some red smears on it.>Seemingly someone tried to clean them off.>Being fair, you already knew who to suspect about what happened.>You knocked at the door to the guest room.>"Hey. Have you woken up yet? I need to ask you something," you said.>"Eugh... just give me a moment," she replied.>It took her a minute for you to even hear her getting out of bed and walking towards the door.>When you thought she would open the door, you heard an empty thud instead.>"Stupid door," she shouted after walking directly into it.>You heard rustling before she attempted the trick again.>This time she phased directly through it.>"Have you forgotten that doors exist?" you asked her with your arms crossed.>"I didn't sleep very well. Usually I just phase through them on my first try. At this point I view doors as something others need. I have personally transcended the need for them," she replied, half awake.>"Either way, I had a question for you," you said to her.>You took one look at her face and knew that something was off.>A red streak going down from her mouth and a very visible reddish discoloration over the rest of her face.>You knew that you'd found your prime suspect.
>>58678123>"What's that thing on your face?" you asked her.>"What thi..." she tried to reply but stopped once her hand touched her face.>It didn't look pleasant for her.>Her facial fur was stuck together, and the sensation of pulling it apart looked really unpleasant.>Her demeanor also changed, as if a large amount of caffeine hit her brain all at once.>She didn't bother answering the question, instead just rushing to the bathroom.>You heard the faucet turn on and the water start to splash.>She didn't bother to close the door, so you casually strolled over to her.>She did indeed notice you approaching through the mirror in moments between cleaning her face off with water.>"Ask your damn question," she said.>"I already did. Didn't I?" you replied.>"Blood..." she replied, still angrily trying to clean her face.>"Whose blood?" you continued investigating.>"Mine. I cut myself on accident," she replied, still angrily washing her face.>"Well then why did I wake up with a bloody hand?" you asked her.>"I don't know, Governor. Was it supposed to fall off or something?" she replied in the most passive-aggressive way possible with the fakest British accent possible.>It was clear to you that she was trying to avoid answering the question.>But on the other hand, her reply did make you chuckle.>"That was a good one, I'll give you that," you replied with a bit of a chuckle.>"Well that one is on the house," she said before returning to washing her face, but no matter what she did, she couldn't get rid of those last traces of red from her fur.>"If you want to get rid of that blood, I have some hydrogen peroxide on hand," you said to her.>"Thanks but I'll do without," she replied.>"Whatever you say. I just wanted to know why my hand was covered in blood when I woke up today and considering that..." you said before being cut off by her.>"I'm the only other person in this house, AND I'm also covered in blood, so I must have something to do with it?" she said.
>The cathedral had an air of regality.>Built a century ago, and built to last.>Standing while its neighbors were bulldozed and updated.>A pillar of the community, chiming the hours dutifully without end.>When you were young, a school was added.>You vaguely remembered the construction.>Even then, you noticed the harsh clash in architecture. >The modern, blocky school-building looked gaudy next to the dignified air of the church.>Beauty and grandeur, cast aside for the good of purchasing a basketball court.>A byproduct of crunched budgets and hasty timetables.>Wide and rectangular, as all school gymnasiums were.>Atop the school gymnasium’s roof, you closed your eyes and searched below.>Hundreds mingled beneath.>The belltower above signaled a quarter past.>This was hardly a detour on your path home, but it was a long shot.>The article said she attended this church.>A regular attendee since before you were born.>The more your searched, the dimmer your hope turned.>’Spaghetti social tonight’.>That’s what the sign out front said.>Maybe it was a school thing, not the whole congregation…>Explained the aura. >Aura always grew brighter after a pleasant meal.>A quirk shared by every being you’ve seen thus far.>Delicious carbs, friends, and family made people cheerful.>Garlic and Italian seasonings wafted from windows beneath.>Easily detected by your canid nose.>You’d long run out of pasta at home.>Strange how connected scents and memory seemed to be.>Garlic bread and pasta was such a simple meal.>And a simple memory of eating out with others popped up.>Oddly human and oddly real.>A far cry from the recent unmemories your brain resurfaced.>Content.>Satisfied.>Pleased.>You kept searching.>Nothing but people.>The odd, annoyed teen wanting to be anywhere but there stood out all the more.>Someone near the serving area was sketching something, oozing wisps of creativity into the air.>Desire and anticipation rose from most of the children.
>>58678447>You almost left then and there.>A storm approached fast, graying the skies.>But this was good practice for reading aura.>Further focus revealed it wasn’t because of hunger.>Or for the desserts coming after.>They wanted to see someone.>Something.>The same someone and something.>You slapped a paw on your forehead when you realized it.>So blinded by the gathering aura below, you didn’t look to the church.>A golden aura in the balcony. >A rumble in the distance reminded you how short time was. >Much as you disliked wet fur, something instinctual drove you on.>How often did one get to see an angel?>The belfry, to your disappointment, was locked.>So few people bothered locking anything high up.>You slid down the weathered stone, gliding past a worn statue of an apostle. >A side door, painted red and red again over untold years of maintenance, caught your attention.>Better than the front.>And without risk of exposing yourself to traffic.>The creaking door allowed easy passage.
>>58678449>In the haste to join the gathering, perhaps an usher hadn’t locked it. >Lingering scents of hundreds of attendees swirled with the fans above.>A service recently ended, and the air conditioning hadn’t cycled the natural human aroma out.>Old, worn carpet below your paws was ground almost to the floor beneath.>The interior seemed built with the sun in mind.>Stain-glass portraits of saints shone dimly on the West side.>Were it not for the incoming rain, the entire room would be bright and colorful.>Dust shimmered mid-flight before settling on the wooden pews.>The serene, peaceful setting entranced you.>So much so, you barely heard it.>A soft, gentle hum.>Up the stairs, to the balcony above.>Carpeted steps made for a quiet ascent.>The meek siren song pulled you closer.>Noiselessly, you rose.>Her hymn commanded respect. >The beautiful notes wanted a listener.>Seeing her enraptured you.>This was a performance. >Every movement of the green-haired beauty exuded grace. >Her dress flowed with unearthly grandeur. >Beneath the organ pipes, she hummed.>Between the pews, she danced.>Silently, you watched. >Melody, the gardevoir.Updated aurabin: https://pastebin.com/dNfCG4seThanksgiving gave me some much-wanted free time. Not much. Hopefully I can crank out a bit more before responsibility rears its ugly head.>>58678123>>58678228Gotta have some spare feminine hygiene products around, officer.Keep it up!>>58663095Bretty gud read, nice!Wouldn't trust an octopus bartender though. Yes, I'm racist and I don't loik 'em.>>58678257>When the zyklon B hits
>>58675238>MimigaI liked Ears, and I enjoyed what I read of the sequel. Good to know his new stuff is good too.>>58678228>>"Whatever you say. I just wanted to know why my hand was covered in blood when I woke up today and considering that..." you said before being cut off by her.>>"I'm the only other person in this house, AND I'm also covered in blood, so I must have something to do with it?" she said.Ace detective.>>58678465Very well written, glad you're back, even if it's just for a bit
>>58677017>>58677578I had like six different story updates to respond to all on the same day not too long ago. Several of our writers are a bit burned out right now and people are generally busy over Thanksgiving, so give 'em a break. Early threads were being carried by Lucarioanon all by himself.>>58671797>>58675240Val at his lowest. Being pulled over is just the mental splash of cold water he needs at that stage.>>58678228Pffft. Fedorark being too proud and/or embarrassed to admit that she was nuzzling Copanon's hand for comfort very much feels like we have her human self back. Seems the H. Zoro instincts are a little more under control today.>>58678447Another fantastic Lucario you've shared with us, sir.>>58678465>Aura always grew brighter after a pleasant meal.That's adorable, as is Lucarioanon fondly recalling an actually real memory for a change.>So blinded by the gathering aura below, you didn’t look to the church.>A golden aura in the balcony.Invisible gorilla moment. Happens to the best of us.I do like how Lucarioanon still insists on being as profoundly anti-social as possible, even as other Pokemon like Derek and this Melody lady are slowly integrating. Aura sense and self-righteousness aside, does this perhaps tell us something about who he was as a human, do we think? Let's hope Melody catches him snooping (shouldn't be too hard - psychic type and all) and can help bring him out of his shell a little. It would be hilarious if the local choir head got to question him before the literal FBI agent could.
Augh, god. I want to show Valentine's fractured state and how it "fixes" itself temporarily when given a goal later through an aura exerpt, but I don't even know how I would describe it.Anyways, hey look! A semi-page! The fact that dialogue is typically done as separate paragraphs does a lot to carry this, but y'know. Small victories.>>58679148>the mental splash of cold waterYeah, a shame that Valentine can get so heated that it sometimes sublimates.
Hold on, is it Fedoark or Fedorark with an 'r'? I just realised that there are two versions of it.
>>58679320It should be Fedoark. Your post made be realize I've been spelling it wrong this entire time... : \
>>58678228Copanon must have a styptic stick for shaving around somewhere right?
>>58679490Fedorark was her hardboiled private investigator father that inspired her to go into law enforcement.
>>58678228Oops, my new roommate gave me a bloodborne disease on the first day.>>58678465Hey good to see you, hope you've been well! Great stuff as always. Interesting the food is what finally brought up some human memories, usually he has to sit and think real hard to get those. Still a total dork sneaking around like he's living some sort of capeshit life. Glad to hear you liked the LarKurt update! Don't bully Mr. Octillery :(>>58678825Oh yeah I loved Ears, the third part had me so stressed for Vallion the entire time.>>58679190God I hate cops like these. Deus-ex pokemon incident to the rescue hopefully.>>58679490Oh lol, I've been adding the extra 'r' this entire time. Good to know.
>>58679566>Oops, my new roommate gave me a bloodborne disease on the first day.
>>58679633kekNow I want a Bloodborne Pokémon mod.
>>58679633We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood. Fear the old blood. By the gods, fear it, Copanon.
>>58679657>Now I want a Bloodborne Pokémon mod.I've wanted a full on Soulsborne Pokemon game for years. No human protagonist: just Pokemon, and since Pokemon games are supposed to be easier, you get a roster to go through areas, so if you "die," you can just move on to the next 'mon and only when you run out of mons do you have to try again.
>>58679667>>58679657
>>58679735
>The night was cloudless, and the full moon shone upon the meadow you found yourself in.>A simple bet made by one of your coworkersfor you to check some haunted place.>Easiest 1000 bucks in your life to take video footage of you spending a night there.>At best it would be nothing, and at worst it would have been some random Pokemon.>You weren't that much afraid, as anti-type bullets were a thing, and you were lucky enough to get issued with them.>Initially everything was as you expected, yet the emptiness of it was unsettling.>Nothing was there.>You were making your way around the area, but suddenly things started to seem out of place.>The stars had gone out, and the pale moonlight started to turn purple and then red.>You turned around, and the moon was blood red.>It wasn't the redness of a lunar eclipse; this one was far more vivid and far colder than that.>"Don't gaze upon the moon, for thou art not worthy of such an honor," said a feminine voice.>You turned your gaze towards where it came from, and you saw something you'd rather not.>It had a female torso covered in rags, a bloody stump on which a dark flame darker than night and simultaneously bluer than the day sky danced in place of a head. Her arms stretched out more like antlers covered in tree-like bony growths, while her lower body was a gory mess of writhing teeth and tentacles.>Whatever it was, it bore the signs of once having been a human but none of the signs of it being a Pokemon.>You started shooting your gun in the hope it would do something against that monstrosity, but it was all for naught as you heard it laugh and approach you.>Its advance was only stopped by the sound of bells and the moon going dark.>With each ring of it, an eldritch silhouette became illuminated with red light, and it started getting closer with each ring of it.>The bell rang 12 times before, at the 13th time, thecreature was directly in front of you.
>>58679907>A lanky, nearly skeletal monster with multiple arms and writhing tentacles coming out of its back, flowing like seaweed in the sea current, swaying from side to side.>But the worst of it was its face.>An asymmetrical, shapeless mass with one large, eye-like hole leading to an empty void.>You wanted to fight but couldn't.>You wanted to run but couldn't.>You wanted to die on the spot but couldn't.>"My master has taken a liking to you..." you heard the first creature speak.>The massive monster raised one of its massive hands and touched your neck with its finger.>An arctic cold washed through you where it did.>It was drawing something...>No, it was branding you like a piece of cattle.>The bell kept on ringing, and with each ring the red light illuminated more and more monsters as gored as the first one but nonetheless disturbing in their own wicked ways.>You fully expected to die or be turned into one of those monsters.>What finally broke you free from the trance was your phone alarm going off, signifying midnight.>The massive beast was taken aback by it, not expecting its ritual to be disturbed by such a device.>You, on the other hand, made good use of your moment of clarity and started to run back to your car.>The bell and red flashes that accompanied it were the only things illuminating the way forward for you.>Not stopping for anything, you ended up crashing into one of those creatures.>It was a tree of claws and spider eyes.>All of its eyes turned at you in an instant, but it didn't seem like it wanted to kill you or take you back to its master.>It just stared at you.>You didn't want to think about its motives and just ran further till the light returned and the sound of the bells was gone.>Finally you reached your car and drove away to save your life.>You still had your camera.>It did record everything you saw.>Instead of driving back home, you drove to the HQ.>This had to be escalated to get the DOD or anyone else involved.
>>58679911>You entered the building with the force of a battering ram.>Shaking and barely holding it together from the experience.>You rushed towards the first to your supervisor with the footage.>He looked at you with abject horror as you weren't able to spit out any words other than "monster", "moon" and "bells".>You spent the entire night at the station covered in sweat, unable to close your eyes.>The camera with the footage was taken to be investigated, and you were about to get interviewed.>You were sitting with your phone trying to text your coworker that they can shove that bet money where the sun doesn't shine, but the conversation was gone.>Not deleted, but as if it never existed in the first place.>By morning you received your diagnosis.>You have fallen victim to a psychic-type Pokemon that called that area its home.>Your footage didn't show anything you described, and your neck was clear of any and all damage.>You didn't have a history of mental illness, so you thankfully weren't about to get fired.>In a way, the idea of a psychic type fucking with your mind was relieving to hear.>In an effort to help you get back on your feet, you got some time off work.>You were leaving the HQ to get back home until you were stopped by someone.>"What is that thing on your neck?" asked one of your co-workers who you didn't exactly get along with.>"My neck?" you said while looking at your reflection in the glass door.>Your skin was red and it was aching, but that wasn't the worst part of it.>Your skin had a shape too precise to be the result of random damage.>It was the brand that creature carved into you.>And it was real.>>58679566>>58679633>>58679657>>58679667>>58679698>>58679735>>58679817When I heard this idea I had to give it a try. Another small detour from the Copanon story.
>>58679914https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM5RC5KBW4w
>>58679566>God I hate cops like theseIn defense of the cop, while Valentine won't allow himself to see or hear it, he's clearly irrational(he gestured EAST when trying to point to California, and claimed California was chasing him,) he's slurring REALLY badly, and yeah he didn't do as good as he thought trying to walk. Also, he's showing signs of severe short term memory loss, and he got pulled over because he was using the ENTIRETY of the two lanes to drive.If anything, the cop is being too lenient here.
>>58650231https://youtu.be/3tfCfrsDlOE>...>How long have I...?>Longer than comfortable.>Figures...>Held up better than expected.>Did I? I couldn't feel my body after that last barrage, I was... sure I was done for.>He seemed to intend on that being the case, yes.>...>Well, at least the fact I'm... here, tells me he didn't manage to do me in.>Felt like the fight was enjoyable for a bit, hm?>Was that you?>Indirectly, perhaps. You should know it from your craft, you perform better when you're passionate about what you're doing.>Guess so. I just... don't want to become a senseless thrill seeker after that.>Thrill seems to be seeking you, more than anything.>True...>I would say this is the first of your encounters you've had that was truly intended as one.>Would you now...?>The Snorlax was more incidental, as for Amaro... Even during the fight you could tell he didn't mean to fight you proactively, right? This Gallade... Was different.>Yeah...>It seems... so odd, for him to randomly pin you down, but he seemed interested in taking you down above all else.>It seemed like it... I heard him mumble "beast", and then what he said about me being too much of a risk...>You know... You'd think...>That he would've fit better as a Type: Null?>Read my mind, although, I guess it's redundant to say, isn't it? I doubt I would know that, but... That knowledge of yours. That Pokemon, it was a... Ultra Beast hunter, wasn't it? At least meant to be?>Yeah. I... wonder if that Gallade has any experience... If he's looking for UBs, I imagine it's slim pickings given it's a rare situation within an already odd phenomenon.>...Perhaps he's responsible for the lack of reports on the matter? Striking them down before they can be recorded?>I'd like thinking not, that'd be... terrifying...>At least now you know he's out there...>Great, something else to add to my paranoia and make me even more of a recluse.>I'd say the fight you put up'd be an argument against that.
>>58680149>Did I even put up a fight? Felt like he was just tossing me around...>You saw his eyes before that barrage, did you not? He was just as tired as you.>Maybe so...>...ugh, should've gone for another aerial ace instead...>"Should've"s don't exist in the now, do they? What happened, happened. You just need to act in accordance to that knowledge now.>I know, I know, just...>"Stings"?>Yes...>...>...Well, what happens now...?>Search your mind. What do you remember last?>Some... black blur against the moon. I think I saw some red dots within it...>"...cru...">Think. What did your other senses tell you?>Pain.>...Other than that.>...I heard... My name?>Yes. You did. Why would that be?>I... Don't know... Could the Gallade have known it?>Could he? Did it sound like the way he spoke?>No, it... sounded worried.>Indeed.>So... It couldn't have been him... Then... who?>...>...shoot that was amaro wasn't it.>So it would seem.>Do... Do you remember anything more than I do?>I... can't say I do. I am an aspect, after all. You are the self.>...>Although...>Huh?>You... don't seem to recall that you were picked up by something after you fainted.>I... was...?>I believe so, yes.>...>So what now?>I suppose we wait.>Any... grand insights you've got after all this?>Admittedly... This is not particularly ideal. In general, of course, however... I hoped I could help you understand mentally what true combat might entail before you had to engage with it... Perhaps it's due to being an aspect if you, but even as a Kartana... A part of me strives for caution. Strange, is it not?>Is it rare in Kartanas?>Rather so. There's... a drive, to wield your blade whenever possible. It leads to recklessness. But... I feel some restraint, that's alien to me. It's... odd. Is this how you feel about the desire to duel?>In a sense.>Heh. That's funny in a way, I will admit...
>>58680156>Guess it goes both ways, huh?>So it seems...>It's... odd having someone to talk with in my own dreams. Someone real.>As real as you are, I suppose. I am just you after all.>Another me.>Perhaps.>"...cru.... plea...!">I'm a bit used to seeing some characters in my dreams, but... None of them are reoccurring. It's odd for this to have some continuity to it.>Dreams are interesting as a whole, are they not? I'm just glad they allow me to express myself more directly...>And I appreciate that as well, it's... Nice, having some guidance through as big a change as this. I try keeping a level head through this, but... It's a challenge.>I'll admit... not even I know which "part" of you I am. I am... merely an aspect of, is all I know. Perhaps I am not your "Kartana mind" at all, but rather, your Kartana mind allowing you to rationalize some aspects of your own mind in a more "personable" form. Or perhaps I'm another one of those characters you've thought up. I have memories of the forest, of my masters, my elders, my trials... but... not quite of my envoy.>Can't tell what feels real and what doesn't?>So it seems...>Guess it makes sense. I've somewhat felt the same with all of this, so... You feeling this way... Well...>You are a part of me after all | I am a part of you after all.>...>I... feel something ...>"...plea... wake u...!">It's... refreshing. Like the water felt running on top of my arms...>...>"Cruz! Please, wake up!">I... can feel my body again. Slowly...>I open my eye.>>58678228What a lovely way to greet the morning huh... Hope the 2 don't have a rough day after that...>>58678465Was very curious to see if you'd do more with the Gardevoir after she was brought up for the first time, glad to see you follow through on that! Also really like how you depict the aura after a meal, something intrinsically alive in feeling satisfied after a meal as a universal constant is very sensible. >>58679914Consider my hopes dashed, damn.
>>58679914>Be a psychic type that can mess with other people’s minds>Try to scare kids away so they stay off your lawn>Over time more and more people show up and you have to keep doing it>tfw you’re a Scooby Doo villain now
>>58679914Bro got the brand of sacrifice from the moon presence and a lord of frenzied flame. Inb4 Fedoark has a weird little red egg necklace. Cool shit, this kind of stuff is my favorite. >picrelMAY CHAOS TAKE THE WORLD!>>58680174Hell yeah, good shit. Loved the comment from the swordsman that it felt a sort of restraint unusual to most Kartana, the human mind affecting the instincts in that instance. Training arc required, don’t want to fall behind this Gallade while their strength is of similar capabilities. Since this takes place further in the future than the other stories, I wonder if there are gym-esque outlets for Pokémon battling?
>>58679914You're a bloody legend, you know that?>>58680174And we're back with Kartana-sama! I have to admit, I struggled a bit with what is happening in the first few lines. Didn't immediately click with me, that we're back in Dream Wonderland. I should probably go to sleep as well...
>>58681167>Bro got the brand of sacrifice from the moon presence and a lord of frenzied flame.Less lord of frenzied flame and more this thing from Darkest Dungeon 2 with some random shit added onto it. Kinda the reason why I used stygian blue as its flame color as it isn't a color that exists or used, but it can be experienced.>Inb4 Fedoark has a weird little red egg necklace. She just likes Lovecraftian stories simple as.
>>58681372Oh damn, that design is disgustingly cool. I really need to play DD2, kinda forgot that was released a while ago…
>She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah>She reaches in, and grabs right hold of your heart>She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah>It takes control and slowly tears you apart>Well I don't really know her, I only know her name>But she crawls under your skin>You're never quite the same, and now I know>She's got something you just can't trust>And it's something mysterious
>>58679190Val's sheer level of aggression here does feel a bit odd absent full context.>>58679914Should I put this in one-shots, or is it still going in the Copanon archive despite not truly being a part of his story? Must admit this sort of horror's not really my thing, so I can't comment so much on the quality.>>58680174I feel like the conversation with the swordsman starts to meander and drag a little bit in the third post, but hey, instant therapist after a near-death experience! Gotta be good for the ol' psyche, that. It's fun to see Cruz reach the same hypothesis about the Gallade as Snivyanon and I did. Regardless of what his deal actually is, it's a logical supposition based on the information we currently have - feels vindicating.>>58681651Unfortunately, DD2 has a lot of poor design choices that hold it back compared with the first game. Red Hook having over-compensated for how centralizing stuns and battlefield control were in the first game means the second game mostly devolves into a pure damage race, it's not as tightly designed leading to many instances of poor balance, you spend a significant portion of your time with any given run watching your carriage roll from node to node with nothing happening, the story is presented in such a way where you really have no idea what's happening until the very end, and many of the heroes had their backstories swapped out for inferior versions where the grimdark has been turned up to such a ridiculous degree that you just can't help but wind up rolling your eyes. Without wishing to spoil, I'll put it to you like this - there's a reason the three heroes still missing from DD2 (Arbalest, Houndmaster, and Shieldbreaker) are among the first game's nicest, most morally upstanding ones.
>>58681754That sucks to hear. I think I read some similar complaints about DD2, which is why I was hesitant to play it in the first place. Sacrificing the dungeon crawling management for a roguelite was a weird departure. Maybe I’ll get it if it goes on super sale or something.
I'm actually considering changing the profession of the second companion to a fire fighter, but I'm not positive on that.Hey, why are you guys talking about the Dorchester School District? :PI wish I was good at roguelites, let alone roguelikes... also I need a good simple idea for a game concept. Does anyone outside of the Touhou fandom even play sidescrollers schmups these days?I have actually read the new updates in this thread recently. I just can't comment on them in any meaningful capacity. Kartanon, Copanon, good job on both. They were great reads.>>58681754>Val's sheer level of aggression here does feel a bit odd absent full contextThere's not really anything I can do about this in the story itself, unfortunately. Sleep deprivation is fairly comprable to being drunk, with the added benefits of anxiety.Valentine's been up for around 72 hours by this point. At just 24 hours, you are operating under what is basically the equivalent of around 0.1% BAC, which is kissing the legal limit of the Caymans and you're not allowed to drive anywhere else.Valentine without his inhibitions is a very broken man.Unrelatedly, but this will show up in two chapters: Valentine always comes off as an angry man to anyone who doesn't know him particularly well. His ability to convey emotions is absolutely shot to hell, with a resting bitch face, wild energetic gesturing in almost every social case possible, and a fairly monotone voice that seems stuck on sounding angry. Something you have already seen but maybe I'm doing a bad job is Valentine's struggle with feeling positive emotions in social settings in the first place. Every word that comes out of his mouth threatens to remind him of his insecurities.
>>58682054I heard Red Hook was inspired by Slay the Spire, which speaking as someone who loves roguelites but despises SoS on both a gameplay and an aesthetic level, that's an absolutely terrible thing to be inspired by if you ask me. Even when it was first revealed, the move to 3D reminded me WAY too much of Majesty 2 - just had a sinking feeling from the start.Honestly, if you want more Darkest Dungeon, I recommend either going modded with Sunward Isles (and maybe Vermintide if you're feeling exceptionally brave) and classes like Claimants, Snake Charmer, Cataphract, Lamia, Sisters, Yet Another Musketeer Rework, Practitioner, and Thrall (can give more recommendations if you want them), or firing up Black Reliquary. It's a shame the BR guys got lost in the "we need modding tools NOW!" sauce, and thus by the looks of it are never actually going to finish the game, but what IS there offers some of the most sublime DD gameplay you'll ever have.>>58682228I'll give my Val feedback later, but Tyrian 2000 is a good game to look at if you want shmup inspiration, as it does a number of things to elevate the concept beyond simply "shoot and avoid bullets". Ross Scott has a good review on the game.As for roguelites, I'd very highly recommend Cobalt Core. The game is adorable and puts a much heavier emphasis on story and characters rather than on ball-busting challenge, making it a great roguelite for beginners. Keep Driving is also fairly easy as roguelites go, owing to the chill vibes it's aiming for. Dungeon Inn isn't a roguelite, but does have a roguelite mode, and is one of the best wholesome vibes chill games I've ever played (I have the same disdain for farming games that I have for SoS, y'see, so I'm VERY picky when it comes to chill games). On the SLIGHTLY harder end, Cloverpit and Raccoin both do a lot to make losing fun (moreso even than most roguelites), and Backpack Hero can be surprisingly accessible due to how its meta progression works. Hope that helps.
Finally making headway on the next LarKurt update, and I think I’ll have more time off starting next week so yay, more time to write. Might be another long one, we’ll see. If it does end up being similar size, would you guys want me to break it up into separate greens and post them as I finish sections, or do you prefer it all together on the rentry like I did for the previous update this thread? >>58682228My favorite roguelite is Risk of Rain 2 by far (Binding of Isaac is real close). It isn’t too hard to get into, especially if you start at the easier difficulty. Run around, kill shit, get stacking item bonuses, become god, either kill a final boss or loop enough to get randomly one-tapped by a gremlin. Fun to play with friends too.Last shmup I played was Zero Ranger, I think it’s called? Not too big on the genre but it was fun.>struggle with feeling positive emotions in social settings in the first placeI do feel like this needs some more highlighting in the story. The very intense bouts of anger sometimes comes across as random, which hasn’t really endeared me to his character as much as he did in the first chapter. I think the companion will help with this, and is something I think has been sorely missed since Matsui left.>>58682300I’ll have to check those mods out. I’ve never actually checked out the keeping scene for the first game. Yeah I’m not too much of a fan of Slay the Spire, but oddly I found the boardgame version much more enjoyable. I think the unbloated numbers helped, and it works really well in multiplayer as you all try to figure out attack orders to get out of an encounter with as little life loss as possible. It’s honestly really cool how well it works.
I apologize for the deletion of the previous post. I made that post out of frustration with myself.>>58682300Thanks for the suggestions.Frankly, and rather shamefully, I am shit at all videogames. I don't think I could do any game particularly good justice. It's especially bad because I can't really come up with any unique ways to put a spin on any given genre. I'm a programmer, not a game designer. Schmups just happen to be really, really easy to program.Still, I'll give them consideration. If they're not as hard as Barony, I should be fine.
This was supposed to be a one parter but I ran out of room.>>58682375>game suggestionsI've saw those roguelikes already. Not my cup of tea, but I'm also terrible at permadeath.I've never heard of Zero Ranger, so I'll look into it. MAYBE I might be able to think of something... probably not.>I do feel like this needs more highlightingI don't know how else to make it more obvious than it already was. So far, he's>Immediately gone to criticizing himself for uncontrollable aspects, REPEATEDLY(Matsui's the most obvious, he criticizes how he SPEAKS)>Heel turned and sprinted away before he could ask for help>Actively tore into his reflection, highlighting every little quirk he hated directly following the conversation with his professor, and completely exaggerating them in the process>Kept assuming that Dr. Abet thought of him as a lesser human being every 3 dialogue linesIt's kind of hard to make it clearer than that. I guess I should've thrown shit in with the college boys.I recognize I'm a horrendous story teller who is blinded by his own perspective, but gee-zuuus, the "maybe I'm doing a bad job" was supposed to be a light hearted jab, not an actually valid critique at myself. Didn't realize I was doing this piss poor of a job. I need to reconsider how harshly I treat myself.>The intense bouts of anger sometimes comes across as randomSo far, the only time I've done this "intense bout of anger" thing is the opening to chapter 3(which I'm writing right now.) That's because he's functionally drunk without the buzz, and overstimulated. I'm half tempted to scrap it because... well, apparently people aren't getting that, and it hinders the rest of the story.If this has happened elsewhere, please point to it so that I can analyze it and try to not repeat my mistakes again.
>>58682228>There's not really anything I can do about this in the story itself, unfortunately.Maybe not quite. If you montage his driving leading up to the encounter with the cop and use that to highlight how Val gradually grows increasingly road-ragey and unstable as his sleep deprivation grows over the multiple days of non-stop driving, I think that'd work. Since you're already comparing it to alcohol anyway, if he wakes up in a hangover/coming down off something-like state, filled with regret, that'll also help the audience to understand what was happening.I dunno how normal it is for a cop to just take somebody's keys and then piss off - maybe that's an American thing - but I do like how Val is so out of it by that point that he can't even figure out how to unlock his car door from the inside. That's a nice detail.>>58682421I actually disagree with Snivyanon on the point about Val's emotions. Granted I don't think Val's come off especially angry/resting bitch face to the people he's talked to - maybe THAT aspect could be highlighted more - but his generalized inability to give any aspect of himself a positive spin comes through loud and clear if you ask me. Certainly having someone to bounce off helps with him not getting completely lost in his own misery as he does in the laundromat scene, but Abet is fulfilling that function at the moment.Since all the subsequent events in this chapter kinda hinge on Val getting stopped, I really don't think scrapping the scene is a good idea. I just think him going rage mode due to lack of sleep needs a tiny bit of lead-in.
>>58682421>I don't know how else to make it more obvious than it already wasI concede on this. I think the constant misery is just blurring in my mind.>apparently people aren't getting thatThis isn’t fair to us, don’t treat us like morons. We’re getting snippets of a draft of a chapter that’s thousands of words long, over the course of numerous days, while also keeping track of all the other stories on the thread. There’s often a bit of context missing between these snippets. If I had known better the condition of Val leading to this encounter, I wouldn’t have been as critical of it. >If this has happened elsewhereThe only other place I felt like this happened IN MY OPINION was the lead up to dropping Matsui off and his internal meltdown over the dumb lefty propaganda posters, which I felt was fairly melodramatic. Maybe it’s just because I wasn’t expecting that in a Pokémon fic, just felt a little random.But ultimately who cares. I would honestly listen to Macho more than me, he actually knows how to provide proper criticism.
>>58682508>I think the constant misery is just blurring in my mind.This highlights something else I wanted to bring up, actually: Ultimately, what works for one person may just never work for another and there's nothing wrong with that - even the greatest works of art have their detractors. That being the case, Drifteranon, beating yourself up and spiraling is unproductive (even moreso than it would be regardless), because at that point it's less a flaw in your writing and more that nobody can have literally everyone as their target audience. Val is definitely the sort of protagonist that some will find intrinsically alienating, because depression can be a very a hard thing to be around. Doesn't mean his tale isn't worth telling. Quite the opposite, in fact.Regarding leftism, it's clear the politics of California have hurt Val deeply in some way, but as of yet it remains an unsolved mystery as to what actually happened to him during Covid that left him so cynical and paranoid (he was also quite paranoid coming into the university, until he saw all the Pokemon running around without a care). I wouldn't say it's story-breaking, because Val's tale is quite plainly the darkest of all our stories (unless you count the impending loss of humanity in Herding Cats), and as such it's not out of place for it to be highlighting some more cynical aspects of the real world that the rest of our more optimistic takes don't really touch on as much, even if it runs the risk of making Val look bad sometimes.
>>58682489>extending the story furtherDamn it. You're right and I hate you for being right. I even had that consideration earlier, but I went "nah, it'd be too boring. There's not enough for me to make anything meaningful."Welp, time to add some 1-3 paragraph scenes, I guess.>I don't know how normal it isI mean, it's legal for them to seize property so if they think of you as an active danger to the public with it. You can also see this as Valentine (accidentally) intimidating the officer, preventing him from paying a visit to the station himself.>highlight it moreI've tried to allude to it with Abet during the "ah, fuck, why did I bring that up" section, as Abet is basically left without the body language he needs to actually determine Valentine's intent, but I don't know if I was too subtle. I guess we'll see soon.>>58682508>This isn't fair to us, don't treat us like moronsPlease refer to>Didn't realize I was doing this piss poor of a job.to determine where I thought the blame laid.I don't think of you as a moron, Snivy. Nor do I think of Macho or anyone else willing to chip in advice. I think of you all very highly, and view your literary abilities as far exceeding mine.It's me that I think is a moron in most of these cases.>But ultimately who caresI do, motherfucker. This is my baby, of course I want my baby to be perfect :PI don't blindly take advice, but if you do point out a problem, I do reassess it and either try to clarify if I don't see it as a problem, or try to rework it, either with my own thing and ignoring the suggestion given or by trying to utilize the suggestion directly.Despite how I treat myself, I'm not stupid. Or maybe I am, and I'm just a little wise to my own stupidity. I don't know. In either case, I recognize that an author can get too mired in his own world to realize he's not conveying all of the details he needs to convey to have a positive impact. That's why I asked you to tell me where I'm going wrong.
>>58682375You do you with the release. I like the in-thread greens, since I can read them in my short breaks.On the other hand, the full chapter at once is a nice way to unwind in the evening, especially if the chapter is as sweet as the date between our turtledoves.
>>58682375>>58682639>green or rentryYeah, both approaches have their advantages. Posting them in sections as green would certainly demonstrate to that one guy that the general's death was greatly exaggerated, though. :^)Also, if you ever wanted to meet up outside of 4chan, Snivyanon, I could talk your ear off about modded Darkest Dungeon for hours. Personally, Red Dragon Inn: Battle For Greyport is my alcoholic beverage of choice when it comes to galaxy brain co-op board games, but rare do I ever have anyone to actually play it with. I'd love to show you on TTS some time.
>>58682639>>58682661I'll probably break it up into greens then. Was kinda leaning towards that just for the sake of the thread but good to know you guys wouldn't mind it not releasing all at once. >ever wanted to meet up outside of 4chanSure, I'd be down! Just finished reading about Battle for Greyport, looks like fun. My friends and I play the regular Red Dragon Inn, I'm surprised we haven't heard of this one before.
>>58682799Nice. What would be the best way to get in touch with you off-site?>I'm surprised we haven't heard of this one before.Slugfest doesn't go too heavy on the advertising pushes in my experience.
>>58682661>>58682799>breaking it up into greens to spite the hatersUnfathomably based. Approved!
>>58682859Discord, I suppose? Don't really have any other socials. >>58682888My fate is sealed.
>>58677578
>>58681717>>She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah
>>58681754I made another sub rentry for substories that don't fit with the main story.>>58681188Never knew how to feel about compliments, but I'm glad you seem to enjoy my brainfarts.>>58681717>Behind my mask>I stare at you>I can't get my eyes off you>Behind my mask I take a look/I take cover>See how it flies>Into the sky>I put my feelings behind>I kiss the sky>Your every night>I glow fire in the night>Behind my mask>I hide away>I can't be the only way>Behind my mask>I cry for you>You look at me>Like no one else>Together we could still be friends>A kiss from you>Is enough to die
Are you guys drawing these images, or is there an incredibly specific booru you're pulling from?
Ah, shit. The remorse I wanted to write just refused to be put to paper. I'll have to be more direct about it later, with him profusely apologizing or something.I apologize if I came off as too harsh last night, Snivyanon. I value your feedback, even with my grumbling. Sure, Machoman's good at feedback, perhaps even better in eyes that are not mine, but you've thrown me a lot of good information and suggestions too. I really don't want to stop hearing your feedback.>>58682535Thanks for the advice. It's an ongoing problem I'm trying to resolve. Therapy's helped quite a bit, and while it's true that absolutely none of you would've liked me in 2018(spiraling and beating myself up was basically all I ever did,) I still have my problems to resolve. It doesn't really help that I have severe insomnia so I'm almost always sleep deprived.I recognize that Valentine's story isn't for everyone, and I don't intend to try to please everyone either. That said, I'm always on the hunt for feedback, and I'd like to make sure we all are on the same page before I try to make changes based on that feedback. If that comes off as super defensive, then I apologize because that is not my intention at all.>herding catsYou reminded me, Herding Cats got hard to follow in the last chapter, at least for me. I think it's because of the way the false memories were implemented, or maybe I just didn't read slow enough to really process all the details. I hope the anon behind it can make the next chapter before the year ends. It'd be nice to read another chapter of it, sense of impending doom and all.Do you have an Escargot? Discord works fine if I ever do want to contact you, I'm just curious.
>>58684321Any images in picrel's style are my own, OC for the thread 'n all. I can draw so I might as well channel that for my storytelling, I'm not the best at describing I feel, so why not compensate for that with visuals?>people discussing meet up outside of 4chanHuh, you lot are more forward than I am, I did want to ask about that but I worried it'd be a bit tacky. Most o' you seem like rather nice people, wouldn't mind keeping in touch in case whatever happened to the thread.
If any of you put together a d*scord this thread will burn to the ground
>>58684430Ah fuck, left my name on. Whatever. I'm talking from experience, and I don't wanna see this thread die
>>58684403>a lot more forward than I amIt's pretty easy to bail out of bad situations if you have disposable accounts that are specifically meant for communication with 4channers :P>tackyTo be fair, 4chan is a social media platform just like any other forum. I don't see why it'd be tacky to make friends on it and reach out outside of the platform. I don't think many would disagree either. >>>/soc/ exists and the 4chan conventions existed for a reason.>in case anything happens to the threadI'm probably going to totally fuck off to world2ch if that happens. I'm literally only here for all of 6 threads, this one included. You guys are welcome to follow me in that event.>>58684430Yeah, I'm against an organized Discord too. I got to witness from the sidelines, though by the time /pmdg/ more or less functionally died, I wasn't really involved anymore.It's why I asked about an Escargot. From my limited personal experience, MSN doesn't allow for cliquey behavior that will draw away from the thread as easily. It's not going to totally prevent it, but it's a lot better about it than Discord is.(I was wondering who was from /pmdg/ that recognized me. Figures.)
>>58684452>I'm talking from experiencePoint taken I suppose, I guess I was open to the idea since a couple of the nicest people I've met were due to 4chan funnily enough, but I'll take your word for it. Was probably a dumb gamble and I lucked out on it with both of 'em but there's no guarantee that'll always be the case, is there...>a discordOh as in a server or something? I mainly keep stuff 1 to 1 with people, no groups really, so that's how I was thinking about this, but I can see how that'd be a concern for the thread's activity, fair enough.>>58684501>I don't see why it'd be tacky to make friends on it and reach out outside of the platform. I don't think many would disagree either.Probably my autism about this being an anonymous thing and all, mea culpa.
>>58684321e621rating:safe, pokemon_(species) :^)
