#vylupe

Seems we have a crossover battle featuring various bipedal beasts.

From Pokemon, we have Lucario readying the Bone Rush move in a familiar staff style. From Digimon, Renamon is striking from above with Diamond Storm. From Palworld, Anubis is using his Spinning Roundhouse to strike a wide area around him. Finally, from the Esper Woods, Vylupe lunges in with an air-rending version of his Shadow Claws.

Many of these creatures are often pitted against Lucario in dream matches; Renamon has been the most frequent, while Anubis is perhaps the most recent. In Vylupe’s case, it's the fact that Lucario was one of the inspirations for the concept – it's the dark fighting wolf’s chance to compare his abilities and skills. Interestingly, all the opponents are typically taller than Lucario as well. It's a bit difficult to tell who would come out on top in this free-for-all. 

This image was very difficult for me to put together…I'm not used to such dynamic action scenes with so many subjects at once. Real-life problems have only added to the difficulty, as time and ability were also a struggle. I get the feeling these sorts of images won't be so frequent from me.

A drawing of three plushies Vale keeps in his room. From the left: the alien Qaim, the dragon Gene, and the Vylupe Zack. The latter was a commissioned plush.

They've been a source of comfort for Vale, who lives alone in his new house. Vale treats them like companions, reflecting personalities on the three as though they were friends he could have conversations with. Qaim is curious about the world he's in, unknowing of what dangers may be out there. Gene is timid and unconfident, often needing reassurance that everything will be fine. And then there's Zack, who likes to pick on the others, acting tougher than he actually is.

Time for a Vylupe picture. This one's name is Van.

A young member of his pack, he went out on his first hunt and encountered a feisty Leppicorn. While he fought his best, he was unprepared for the Leppicorn's wrath as it restrained him to a tree with vines and viciously slashed at his chest, then leaving him for dead. He was found by fellow pack members three days later, and he left his pack that night after everyone heard about his embarrassing defeat. His self-esteem was destroyed, and he felt like an inept hunter and fighter.

But he met someone who was also down on her luck. And after a long chat , she became his best friend. With her encouragement and love, Van now had a reason to keep getting stronger. He would do anything to keep her safe, just as she will do anything to make him happy.

Bonus:

An alternate version of the image, where he's wearing a red mantle given to him by his friend, who made it from an old rug. Van didn't like it at first since the white X on the front reminded him of his scar and, by extension, his humiliating failure. But his friend insisted that the X-shaped scar looked cool, and should be a reminder of why he needs to become stronger, and why he must keep fighting.

Rough artwork of a female Vylupe. I named this one Claudia. (The pose is meh.)

The biggest visual differences from the male variety include a longer mane and the different fur coloration at the chest area. Their physical abilities are otherwise very similar.

This is an image I tried to make of a little Leppicorn kit getting intimidated by a little Vylupe pup. I'm not fully content with how it turned out, but it still looked cute enough to share.

Obviously these two still have some growing up to do. The Leppicorn's hair and antlers haven't fully grown, and the same goes for the Vylupe's mane and fur fringe. What's more, neither of these two seem fully aware of their innate supernatural abilities, so they're mostly limited to what their physical abilities allow.

The rivalry of a Leppicorn and Vylupe often starts with a situation such as this, with their conflict continuing throughout the rest of their lives. However, it's all dependant on the events to follow this moment. Their choices could just as easily make them friends--or it could lead to an untimely end for either one of them. What will become of these two?

I haven't drawn Vylupe very much after introducing the critters, and I hadn't even detailed their more supernatural traits. So I wanted to make something to get the basic vibe of the character and the design down. So we have a rather excited Vylupe executing a fierce divekick.

I feel like even if he misses, he's still enjoying himself; he looks like one of the "cruel" Vylupe that just enjoys causing trouble and hurting the weak. Dude's just asking for trouble.

The Esper Woods is an expansive wild area populated by some of the most dangerous wildlife ever known. Their intelligence can reach levels above that of humans, and their abilities have been described as supernatural, drawing upon forces beyond human comprehension -- which is said to be how the Esper Woods got its name.

Human civilization does exist along the perimeters of the woods, and certain facilities have been sparsely dotted within the woods themselves, but humans hardly ever venture into the woods for fear of the creatures within. Many believe the creatures are evil beasts intent on reclaiming the territory humans have been taking over the course of centuries; unlike most land, when humans try to push into the Esper Woods, the creatures can push back.

The reality of the situation is a little more complicated. The creatures there are indeed quite rare, and they are constantly fighting for survival not just against humans, but all the other species. Yet despite their seemingly dire circumstances, they seem otherwise content with their lives. There are known enemies and rivalries among species, but it's never 100% the case. Predators and prey can sometimes find themselves as allies or friends; the relationships can vary wildly.

Because of this, these creatures have sometimes been the subject of research. A few dedicated human groups have become fascinated with certain species and study their respective behaviors and lives for the sake of better informing others of their nature. Their findings sometimes contradict the old tales and accounts of other people from the past, where the creatures are often painted as the antagonists of horror stories.

Perhaps the most well-known creatures in the Esper Woods are the Leppicorn and the Vylupe. They are typically viewed as sworn enemies, the respective prey and predator; yet they have both been recounted by humans as demons and/or monsters, ready to cause people dreadful harm if provoked or encountered. They are also both considered marvels of the natural world by their human admirers, a few of whom have wanted to take care of them as though they were pets. Whether these creatures would welcome the idea is unknown, as their personalities can vary wildly. Some are docile, some are volatile; some are smart and clever, while some can be foolish or careless. It can be a matter of both luck and circumstance.