Nightlight

A friend of Crocigator's ever since he could remember. Leader to a swarm of fellow fireflies, she and her companions keep a close watch on the young Stubby while the young gator is out on his adventures. Should Stubby be ever in any danger, the fireflies work as a team to inform Crocigator right away, who is never too far from him. In return, Crocigator allows the fireflies to live in the safety and comfort of his shack.

While an observer might find it odd that Nightlight and her fellow fireflies go out of their way to do this for the gators, it is said that both Nightlight and Crocigator shared a certain history with one another, leading them to be in each other's debt. This agreement between the gator and the fireflies is supposedly their own way of repaying one another.

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The last of my inks for this year's Inktober, which I hadn't gotten around to uploading until today. This one took me a while to do at the time because of the detailing I put on the leaves.

More friends in Swampland! And I just might make a map of the entire known swamp thus far.

Noozle Bunny

When the lady tries to nuzzle noozle over Skype, she reminds me of a rabbit. And it's the cutest thing ever.

Migawari

The Japanese call this Migawari (身代わり). For everyone else who speaks English, we call this Substitute.

Inspired by my very own Substitute doll, which I took the liberty of nicknaming Spike. 😊

I wanted to sign this off in Japanese, but it slipped my mind until the last minute. 😞

Go Fish Buddies

Dragged by an ecstatic Stubby--who was eager to make a new friend--, an anxious Todd winds up in Gatorville and meets Stubby's gator friends (and Pointy). Although initially hesitant because of how intimidated he was by Crocigator, he eventually warms up to them and finds himself playing a game of go fish with the two adult gators.

---

Gator buddies make friends. Todd also makes friends. Everyone becomes friends. Everyone's happy. 😊

Etherei

Gender: Male
Age: 18
Occupation/Class: Enerhija Knight
Height: 3'8"
Weight: 39 kg./84 lbs.
Likes: Tinkering with machines, reading, hot chocolate, having friends, Rei-Rei
Dislikes: Bullies, arrogant people, high places, being unable to stand up for himself, feeling lonely

A former member of the Enerhija Knights' Recon Squad Delta. After a mission that left his squad members dead, he is suddenly brought from his homeworld of Radisrol to the world of the Aether. Alongside his Kit-En companion Rei-Rei, and the sprightly traveler Zephyr, he must journey across the Aether and find some way to return to his world, report the horrors he had seen in his last mission to his superiors, and reunite with his sister Hailey, who likely believed he was dead by now.

But his journey is not all that simple; from Aetherian rebels to Valkyrian cultists and ambitious rulers, he finds himself soon drawn to the forces at play in the world around him. Eventually, he also encounters forces that threaten to destroy his world and that of another as well...

---

Did y'all know how long it took me to come up with his hairstyle? Five freaking years! His sword will probably take another five at the rate I'm going, though. But I genuinely hope not!

Eth is my avatar turned OC from Spiral Knights. Since Three Rings or Gray Havens or whoever the fuck ran their shitshow for years couldn't pull their shit together, I decided to create something based off of the Knights' race in-game and develop it into something much more different than what they would ever have to offer. And it all started with this character.

You can expect more of Eth and Zephyr's adventures from here. It's high time I became a little more dedicated towards them. I'll also write a more detailed piece about the Enerhija race later on as well, along with a bunch of other pieces that paint the colorful world of the Aether and Radisrol.

The Marks at 11

"How were your lessons, Sylvie?"

"They were okay, I think. I'm starting to get the hang of playing the violin. My instructor said I'm getting better at it too."

"Think you can do the recital next month?"

"I hope so... I don't feel so confident about it."

"I don't blame you. Just thinking about playing for so many people just gives me the creeps."

"Right? When I started though, even just playing for my instructor makes my knees all jittery. It was like he's gonna chew me out any second if I made a mistake!"

"Ugh. Does he?"

"He used to, but not anymore."

"Then you're definitely getting better, heh."

"I think I eventually got used to playing with him, so it isn't that bad. You know, even if it's scary thinking about it, I like the idea of playing for so many people and just feeling so... Graceful when I do."

"Like a princess or something?

"No, not like a princess. More like a bird?"

"A bird?"

"Yeah. Do you remember that show we watched about hawks a couple of months ago?"

"Not really. What about it?"

"You know how sometimes there's just a man talking and then music just plays while it shows birds flying over the sea? Sometimes I imagine I'm that bird. I just fly low over the water and then soar into the sky like I'm just so free and nothing can keep me grounded."

"You're starting to sound like some cheesy don't-give-up motivational song."

"Ahaha. I don't mean to. But that's just how I feel about it."

"If you say so."

"One day I hope I can play as good as the masters do. Maybe I'll be good enough to dance while I play the violin."

"Is that even possible??"

"Yeah. I heard of a violinist that twirls like a ballerina and can bend back really low while she plays the violin. Her movements don't stop her playing at all, but sometimes it does... And even then she keeps practicing and trying to get it right. Then she just hits each note perfectly once she masters a song. It's amazing. I just don't remember her name..."

"That's incredible. I don't believe it though, but it sure sounds really cool. Think you'll be able to pull something like that off?"

"Me? I don't think so. I'm not as flexible. And it looks too much for me to even do!"

"You tell me you wanted to be like one of the masters, and here you are saying you don't want to do something one of them is already doing."

"Well yes, I--hey, I thought you said you didn't believe that was true!"

"I didn't, but I think it'd be cool if you could do it too." Hilda looped her arm around Sylvie's free one. "We can practice stretches at home. Then we can look her up online and see how she does it so you can start playing like her too. Come on!"

"H-Hey, wait! Hilda!"

---

A passing thought I had for my OC twin sisters.

During my trip to Turkey over a month ago, I was listening to Lindsey Stirling a lot, which inspired me to write about these two at the time. She combined two things I love about music: EDM and violins. Definitely a fan of her work.

Now listening to Lindsey's songs reminds me of the Pammukale Travertines, Cappadocian caverns, and dusty Anatolian steppes.

IDGAF

I was once told that my spirit animal was a boar. Mirroring their nature to charge ahead of themselves and trample anything that comes in their way, boars are said to represent people who set their sights on goals and stop at nothing to achieve them, regardless of whatever happens to try to hold them down. They are also said to represent people who tackle situations head-on, knowing that this is the only way one can solve their problems (sauce here).

I will say that I don't know if I agree with this. But I will say I certainly don't like leaving anything unfinished. I've also reached a point in my life where, after the hardships I experienced years ago, I can no longer bring myself to give a crap about anything anymore when it comes to achieving my goals. If it means improvement and progress, I'm gonna say what needs to be said even if I'm treading on someone's precious little feelings. I do admit at times this kind of thought process causes me to be a bit reckless at times, but oddly enough I don't really feel that regretful at all. In fact, I feel very relieved.

Okinawan Rail

The Okinawan rail is a flightless bird that lives in the northern forests of Okinawa, in the Yanbaru area. It is characterized by its orange beak, gold and white feathers, a stout body and long legs. It was "discovered" by a biologist in the 1980's, but the locals had claimed then that they'd known of its existence for decades. It is considered an endangered species.

In Japanese, it is read as 山原水鶏 (ヤンバルクイナ), which can be literally read as, "a Yanbaru waterfowl".

---

When I finished this, I thought, why not sign off in Japanese? I'm talking about something Japanese, after all.

Victoria "Tori" Hearthwell - R/S/E (2019)

A young girl who was mysteriously brought to the Pokémon World. Lonely and sheltered, she turned to video games to cope with the loss of her father, who left one day and whom she came to believe had left her and her mother for someone else. This instilled within her a deep, seething hatred for her father, and she taught herself early on to never be the same as he was.

When she was brought to the Pokémon World, she first strived to find a way to return to her homeworld. However, after befriending so many Pokémon--who became something akin to family to her, which she had wanted for a very long time--she decided to settle down and live along the riverbank of Route 119 with her Pokémon, living a simple and quiet life alongside them.

Interestingly, despite her own reasons for hating her father, she hardly seems bothered by the thought of leaving her own mother by herself. Whether it be because she would likely rather not sacrifice the happiness she found for the loneliness she felt in her own world, or perhaps her own mother failed to give her the attention she needed as a child, is a mystery.

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Tori at 12 years old.

I had drawn up a concept of her in her younger years before but I wondered if maybe I should have gone with something less tomboyish. I decided to keep it though because it harkens back to a much older character design that I once had for her.

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Gonna be posting a couple of my finished inks for Inktober, which I forgot to post because of my new job as a teacher. 😅 I didn't finish on time this year, but I'd still want to get the inks I managed to finish all posted up on the site.

Victoria "Tori" Hearthwell - B2/W2 (2019)

A Trainer from another world who was brought to the Pokémon World time and time again by an enigmatic being. Two years ago, she had fought and defeated this very being, who sought to swallow up the world and her own by using the Trainer's hardened spirit as a vessel for their incorporeal soul, as the girl possessed a mysterious power called the Sanguine--a powerful crimson energy said to be the very manifestation of the Creator's power. In order to keep this very being from destroying both worlds, and to save those she cared for the most, she chose to return to her world and remain there for the rest of eternity... Until the guardian entity Eldritch came seeking her out, for her enemies had resurfaced to continue the schemes they started two years prior.

As the successor of the Sanguine, she is the only person capable of putting an end to the evil that threatens to plague both her world and that of her loved ones. Wishing to put an end to this once and for all whilst protecting her friends and family, she returns to the Pokémon World under a new name and appearance, along with a new team of Pokémon to stand beside her on the journey, and the inevitable battle for the fate of both worlds that lay ahead of them.

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My Trainer OC Tori at 22, during the events of Pokémon Black 2/White 2.

Over the years, her appearance at this age hasn't really changed. But since she started to share a ponytail hairstyle with one of my other OCs (who originally had the particular hairstyle Tori had on her previous design), I had to draw the line somewhere and give Tori a new hairstyle instead whilst retaining the design of her outfit from 2015. I definitely prefer this current look for her than her old one. 😄

Her story needs revising again, but I'll get there... Eventually... 👀

Beaver Brothers

Twig, Trey, and Todd: a trio of beaver brothers who live in the swamp. They make their home in a wooden shack by the southwestern shores of Lake Arca. Despite being related by blood, their personalities are completely different from one another. Recently, times have gone hard for the brothers since the death of their father, who raised them single-handedly after the death of their mother. For the three of them, it's a long journey ahead on the road to acceptance.

The Second Time

I was musing to my girlfriend about what I ought to draw next. She said a few days ago that she wanted me to draw us again. I had plans to do so anyway; I just couldn't figure out what kind of scene would be good to draw. Eventually, I settled for drawing us hanging out together when I took her to Tokyo Disneyland last April.

I was messing around with my gray and gold pens, but the gray one kinda ruined the picture for me somewhat when I was working on her sleeves... My girlfriend says she loves it though. 😅

Gator Buddies Play D&D

I was thinking of gators, and D&D, and Final Fantasy, so I ended up thinking of gators dressing up for D&D and Final Fantasy. Also took advantage of my gray pen a lot on this one, and I'm happy to say I've discovered some new tricks from working with this ink. 😄

Now for some character and job descriptions! 😊

Stubby is a thief. He's a little guy but he's quick on his feet, and if you're not careful he'll be stealing your fish in no time.

Crocigator is a warrior. Not exactly the most chivalrous of them, nor the most willing to exert too much physical effort. Despite this, if anybody even dares to try hurting his little buddy, he will crush them without a second thought.

Pudgy is a lancer. He's all geared up and makes sure he and his party have enough supplies for their journey. He's not quite used to his new job just yet, but he's eager and willing to learn.

Pointy is a wizard. A master of his craft, he is knowledgeable with even the most forbidden of spells. Unfortunately, he cannot speak, let alone chant them. Nonetheless, he can derp a spell to life; what the spell turns out to be, however, is a complete mystery.

Pointed Glare

"If you got a problem, punk, I'm right here. Oh don't worry, take your time... I got all fucking day."

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Requested by a friend. Thankfully for him, I had coffee in my system at the time and I was more than willing to just go for it.

Also, I found my old scanner; it still works! A little editing here and there and I came up with this. While I'm contented with it in general, I'm still kinda iffy about those little patches of white though...

Those Aren't Shorts...

"Hey, <Name>. I didn't know you were back already. Oh, these? These are those new shorts I told you about... Do you like them? What? They're not shorts? Well, yeah, I guess they aren't, but they're close enough I think. Besides, you do like them right? You'd rather see what's in them? Heh... Anything for you, <Name>..."

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Alex, from Stardew Valley.

I have a thing for jocks who seem arrogant but turn out to be actually really cute and sweet. My girlfriend hates him though, but it's not really out of jealousy. 😅

Really feeling like I did him a lot of justice here (I mean just look at that bod, honestly 😏). I am really proud of this one. 😊

Tempesta

I decided to take a well-deserved break from drawing characters and drew one of my favorite cars in GTA Online: the Pegassi Tempesta. I don't draw cars often so seeing how this turned out was a relief. I might draw more cars like the Dominator (again) and the Bifta too, but we'll see.

Lonely Stitches

Broken again. Ahhh, the neck is about to tear... Better get that fixed up right away. Ears aren't looking too good either. Why did he have to get all busted up like this anyway? Now, where did that sewing kit go? Oh, there it is. Okay, now he needs to thread this needle. Needs a steady hand, as usual... Steady now... Steady... Oh thank goodness it actually got through that tiny hole this time! Okay. Now to start on that neck, then he can work with the ears.

Hm... He might need a patch for this... Urgh, why did this have to be so difficult? This isn't supposed to be this hard... And yet when they used to do it, it looked so easy... And they were really good at keeping this neat and all patched up too.

Oh no. Tears again. He's shaking now, making his repairs harder to do, but he tries to stop himself, to focus on his work. He said he wouldn't cry this time; he would be strong and try to push it down so it wouldn't consume him. His Trainer wouldn't have wanted to see him in such a pitiful state...

And yet, despite his best efforts, the tears keep falling. And in the literal drop of a pin, he finds himself lost once again in the tempest of his own despair.

---

My friend suggested that I draw a Mimikyu, preferably one that was in tears. So I did that.

This little scene I wrote came as a result of my convo with him after I showed him the final draft:

Convenience Store

"Tori," Nanami asked. Tori spun around, finding the Gardevoir with a jar of cookie butter on hand. "Would this be what you're looking for?"

"Let's see here..." Tori examined the sandwich spread made of crushed biscuits and cinnamon. "No, I don't think this is it."

"Ah."

"I think it's on one of the other aisles. Let's keep looking."

"Alright." Nanami set the jar back onto where she found it. "Nanaki, let's go."

The Sceptile in question was standing just right behind her. However, he didn't seem to hear her, as he was deeply engrossed in the highly suggestive material that he picked up on one of the magazine stands by the entrance of the convenience store. The page his attention was currently directed towards featured a rather... Voluptuous human female with tied up black hair and a pair of glasses, wearing nothing but a scant, yellow two-piece with red polka dots. The expression she had on her face was... Alluring, for lack of a better word.

"Nanaki?" Nanami put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to bolt upright and immediately look behind him. "Nanaki, what are you doing?"

"O-Oh, uh, hey, Nanami." He sounded absolutely flustered, and his face was hot with near-embarrassment as he hid the magazine behind himself. "Sorry about that. What's up? Did you two find what you were, uh, looking for?"

"No, not yet." She started walking ahead of him. "Come on, Tori is waiting for us."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." As much as he didn't wish to, he left the magazine all by its lonesome on the nearby shelf of sweets. There was no denying the curiosity that he held towards its contents, but he knew that curiosity killed the Skitty, and he wasn't interested in being that particular Skitty any time soon.

---

Been itching to do a scene I've had in my head for a while featuring my Trainer OC and her starters. And what better way to do it than with inking and a little quick story?

I hate the fact that this ended up later than it needed to be, but I'm glad it turned out looking really good. 😊 I better get started on the next one quick!

The Shining Thunder

Urf! Late... But I can safely say that I didn't give in to procrastination! ...Yet. I also changed my pen, and I have lesser problems with smudges now. 😊

This one's a tribute to my good friend Sanrey, whom I met during a time I would like to call the more halcyon days of Spiral Knights (ahem, late 2012). He's been a great partner-in-crime when his account was still up and running, and one of a few best friends that have stayed loyal to this day, and for that I'm grateful.

Here's that pic I promised you, buddy. It's nothing like the Sanrey you imagined it to be like, but I hope you like it anyway. 😄

Fishergator

Been meaning to draw a picture of Pudgy for a while. And Pointy's here too to give him some company because he knows how lonely Pudgy can get.

My inking is a bit rusty apparently. I also have some problems with smudges now...