we've been cursed

He closes his eyes. No, that can’t be right. He must be being tested right now.

… He doesn’t want to lie, though, either…

"Hmmm. any digimon at the perfect level can open a portal, it requires a large amount of energy but its still viable. Of course there are many ways."

"The digital world is still a loving mystery."

Honestly, it was kind of hard to run the whole of Castle Town. Well, it wasn’t like he was doing it alone, sure, but it was kind of hard to adjust to having subjects… of any kind, really.

Even so, it was pleasant enough to be around everyone. A little chaotic, sure, but it was fun in that way that only something chaotic was. It made him smile. It was nice to see it grow—to see the kindness the Lightners had given these Darkners as something a little more tangible. He was fond of the messiness of it. It wasn’t like he was doing much ruling—things just kinda happened here.

“Oh! Hello.” Ralsei greeted Battat with a smile, “I… don’t think I’ve seen you around before. Are you new to Castle Town?”

That respect is the only thing that keeps Battat from rolling his eyes. Obviously he's new here. Does Ralsei even have to ask?

"I'm from TV World." Not originally, but Ralsei will know what he means.

"Thanks for letting us stay here, by the way. Tenna's taking it better than expected, and I know that's mostly because of you and your friends." All the Mikes owe Ralsei for that one.

"So if you need help..." He shouldn't do this. He's run ragged as it is, and the last thing he or Mike need is another ruler ordering them around. But Ralsei is a heck of a lot less demanding than Tenna, and this feels like the right thing to do. If Jongler or Pluey were around, he knows they'd say the same.

“Of course! To be honest, I’m relieved at how well everyone’s doing here…” He lets out a sheepish laugh. Funny, given he looks like a goat…

He claps his hands together.

“I’m sure we’ll find you something to do here!” He sounds excited at the prospect, but really… knowing the nature of Darkners, a purpose can be especially important. “That said, you don’t have to start on anything right away. I know TV World was… hard for a lot of residents.” To put it extremely mildly.

@blightts asked: { "I'M KIND BECAUSE I CHOOSE TO BE" PROMPTS }

“they've suffered enough.” (my ralsei for your susie?)

"Yeah..." Hardly a line Susie could really argue with.

Not that she wasn't going to try though.

"But, that doesn't mean you gotta burn yourself out for someone else, idiot." The much larger hero dropped a heavy hand on Ralsei's shoulder, sharp teeth on display with her wide grin. "What's that sayin'? Can't be on fire helpin' people on fire?" Something like that. She laughs, big, loud and bright.

Regardless, if it’s what Susie wants, he’s willing to keep from the self-sacrifice. Not if it puts either of them in danger of course, but… If he’s honest, it’s what Ralsei wants too. He wants to be real. He’s changed. He has thoughts and feelings of his own now.

Maybe he’s a little scared he won’t actually sacrifice himself if it really comes to it.

Nonetheless, he smiles.

everyone has been so kind to me and the critters I make, it means the world to me! so I wanna show my thanks somehow. and that'll be done by supporting amazing artists - 'cuz I'll be buying FULL COLORED, CHIBI commissions for the winners!

it's a shame I never have time to make art myself these days, so I hope this will suffice. 3 entries will be chosen on MAY 13TH.

BUT THERE'S MORE - the winners will also have the choice to turn the chibi into a KEYCHAIN, which I'll ship out. all expenses covered by me of course.

how to enter.

1 entry per mun.

to count as an entry; reblog this post with a colored reference of the character in question. OCs highly encouraged as well.

rules.

be patient!

I will use a wheel to randomly pick 3 entries. once chosen I will reach out privately! I'll wait 24 hours for a response, then I'll spin again. once I get in touch with all winners I'll announce who they are.

reference MUST be SFW.

Basil looks at Evan with a nervous but gentle expression. There’s a long pause before he actually speaks, but when he finally does, it comes out somewhat shaky.

“Um… are you asking me….?”

Evan's first few weeks since moving to Faraway Town have been rough, to say the least. As much as he hated the town he grew up in, things had finally been looking up for Evan's social life - something he'd yearned for since he was younger. Now he has to start over in a completely unfamiliar place.

The task is daunting, to say the least, but Evan is determined to try his best. It's why he psyches himself up to approach the blonde stranger in town with a wave and a question about Hobbeez. Evan assumed, because he was milling about the fountain near the shop, that the blonde would know about it. It seems he was wrong.

"... Oh!" Embarrassment quickly flushes the boy's cheeks, hands rising up towards his chest and waving about apologetically. A sheepish smile spreads on his lips despite himself. "Um... I just - I thought, since you were here..." he trails, feeling supremely awkward and partly like he just failed the first very important task in his quest to make friends here. A hand lifts, scratching the scars on the back of his neck.

“It’s not a problem or anything, don’t worry about it!” He tries to reassure. “I… keep psyching myself out of going in there, to be honest…”

A sheepish laugh escapes his mouth. “I, um, used to go to Hobbeez all the time. With friends. I know what their hours used to be, but… there are always changes being made in a small town like ours, you know?”

He doesn’t want to overshare. But he does, at least, want to explain why he said it the way he did. … It would be nice if he could make a new friend, too, honestly. Aubrey and Kel had their own new groups, Hero had people from his college… Sunny had moved away, too, and surely had made new friends in his new home. But Basil… didn’t really have anyone besides them. Despite everything that had happened. Reaching out, though… that was scary.

“… You don’t?” Frisk looks with a confused expression, “But it’s right there!”

"N-No...!" Blinking, he rubs his eye with one hand but still nothing...!

Conversation? Opportunity? He tries not to deal in friends these days but... well! You're on his publicly owned but emotionally claimed turf, buddy! And he's [ so alone ].

『 I DIDN;'T [ accuse you of crimes ]. I CAN'T. I WON'T. I SHAN'T, I WOULD,;N'T!!!!!!! 』

But now that you suspiciously mention it, and he takes a second look... Right. He may have jumped the gun. This is Cyber City, it might be business as usual. The puppet's tune changes in an instant.

『 OK. M4YBE [ 1 ]. PL43SE DO.;NT TAKE MY> [[ merchandise ]] !!!!!! 』

He's quite attached to his pillow and doesn't want to risk this individual finding it. It's the only furniture he has left.

“I… okay, sure, I guess.” It’s his merchandise? But it’s just trash, isn’t it? Whatever. If he would give them something useful for their nest, maybe it’d be fine. That was all they were trying to collect, after all.