Lhumina

First of all, thank you to everyone who's been messaging me. I'm really, really touched that the first question so many of you asked was "Are you okay?" over anything else. That means more to me than words can properly express.

To address what's usually the second question, no, I'm not exactly happy with the decision about PKMN-Crossing. I never was and I probably won't be for a long while, which is something the rest of the moderating team acknowledges and respects. They deserve cookies for putting up with all my heel-grinding and teeth-gnashing; I know I'm prone to being insufferably stubborn when it comes to what's important to me. I hold fast to the belief that the group had a lot to offer, and I'm still very fond of its premise and the vibrant cast of characters that gave it life.
... And that continue to give it life, actually. I'm glad to see how quickly folks are recognizing how much freedom they suddenly have with their PKMN-Crossing characters. That is unabashedly awesome, and it's been pretty cool to see former Pokette residents popping up in different areas. It hasn't even been a full day!

To that effect, I want to spotlight a few things I've seen blossom since the retirement journal went live. Those of you who enjoyed PKMN-Crossing, be it as a member or a watcher, might find these parallel to your interests:

• lunixesquire (Lunix the Mightyena) and TheLonelyQueen (Duff the Wigglytuff) have started up a send-off collaboration for everyone (yes, everyone!) to partake in, which you can read about here: fav.me/d7klfv2
  Details on how to participate can be found here: fav.me/d7klloq
  (Kinda reminds me of when we all banded together for this thing, haha. Wheee, memory lane.) This sounds like a great option for anyone seeking closure. There's no deadline in place, which makes it ideal for anyone struggling for time.


• wee-donut (Lycie the Froslass) had the idea of moving characters to Tumblr; I know there are a lot of you on there already, and it seems like a cool way of keeping role play and character interactions in circulation without having to worry about any rules or restrictions -- barring Tumblr's ToS, anyway -- bogging you down. A few character blogs have gone up already, and there was once a list of PKMN-Crossing Tumblr blogs on TheTownHall's account. I don't know how many of them are still active, but maybe here's a good excuse to boot them back up?


• Some of us have also been recreating our characters on Guild Wars 2, too, which is a fantastic game that I can't recommend enough. It's been pretty fun pseudo-RPing with the folks there, especially given how wholly bizarre it is to shove peaceful, suburban-dwelling townsfolk in the middle of a fantasy RPG world. It'd be great to expand the cast list even further, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to know what sort of role your characters would fill. (Beware of KeatonCreature's Kola.)


• In a similar vein, I also want to spotlight an idea by DragonOfEclipse, who is using the group's retirement to fuel an upcoming project. You can read more about it here, but the concept revolves around sharing stories about life after and beyond Pokette. I think it's a brilliant idea -- kind of like an unending epilogue to residents' adventures thereafter.

They're all very solid ideas and projects, and I hope you'll embrace them. Maybe it can help transform all these "goodbye"s I've been seeing to "see ya later"s instead.
In the meantime, hang in there and keep your heads up. I know it doesn't really feel like it to a lot of you, but I promise it will be alright. Thanks for all the memories and the great times, both in-character and out-of-character. It's been great, and I hope they can continue.

Tagged by LindsayPanes. I was due for a journal anyway. It's been just a few months shy of a year since the last one. 

Alright, so there's this journal-tagging thing going around, where the first such-and-such number of people who comment get a feature of the poster's favorite character of the commentor's-in-question:

Quoth the Tag:
"For each of the first 10 people to comment, I will feature one of their characters, as well as tell you what I like about them! If you comment, DO the same in your journal, putting the tagger on in the first slot. The idea of this is not to get a free feature, it is to spread art around for everyone!"

... 'Cept I don't really give a hoot about numbers and love the dookie out of characters, so I'm just gonna feature anyone who's interested, starting with she-who-tagged-me. Don't really care if you tag back, either. Do whatever floats your boat, mang.

---

LindsayPanes -

Hah, I bet you thought I was gonna pick Sade or Saph, didn't you, Lin. Truthfully, though very few of my characters have interacted with yours, this is the one who has piqued my interest the most. She's well-designed, has an adorable, bubbly personality, and I love how high-energy she appears in every submission she's in. Jem's a character that emotes well without a narrative, and that level of unaided expressiveness really attracts my attention. Definitely my favorite out of your cast. Second vote goes to Korinne for pure sass.

TheLonelyQueen -

This one's probably not much of a surprise to you, Queen, but Terra takes the cake for me. This character is only a baby, but she's already experienced so much development, it's hard not to become wholly enamored with her. I especially love how she's believably transformed from a helpless infant into a toddler bursting with personality over time. It's one that shines through in every drawn stage of her life, and it's really cool to see her alternate-self in the Retype-Gates recreation of Terra. She's one of your strongest and best-explored characters, in my opinion, and easily my favorite. Second vote goes to Mel for that attitude o' hers.

lurils -

Man, this was a hard call. I think I've got to settle on Hiro, though, because wow, does he ever intrigue me. I like how a character so "normal"-looking can spark so much curiosity, and the few pictures you have of him (or, well, him and his past incarnation) leave me only craving more. There is so much emotion to him, and you capture it all so well that it's blatantly clear this guy has got to have a story behind him. It looks like that's the case too, considering the artist comments in the featured deviation. It's gonna be one that I'm positive will be worth following along with, and I'm gonna be keeping an eye out for more of this fella in the future.

Jwaterworks -

Dude, I cannot express how much I love this character, and I'm totally sorry that I never got to interact with him in PKMN-Armonia. His whole look just oozes "cool kid," and I like the way you established his behavior and interests in his character history. I love how consistent he is in all the submissions he shows up in, too. Like, the dude never drops the aloof facade, and I adore that - especially since it's portrayed in so many different lights. In some pictures, he's smirking, in some pictures, he's brooding, but in all of them, he's unflappably detached. S'just great attention to detail. Also, this never gets old: fav.me/d5dzo5r

0Koji-chan -

Pheeew, you have quite a few characters! This is the character I kept coming back to when I was poking through your gallery, though, so I think Koji here gets to claim the slot. I even went to your Gaia Online profile to see if you had any more pictures of her hidden away, haha. (Awesome dream avi, by the way, and I'm digging the bunny shroud you've got on.) It's really cool to see how many changes this character has been through, and I hope you never stop developing her and letting her grow.

Luckynight48 -

PORK. I could only find three pictures of him, but those three pictures were more than enough. For a character allegedly crafted out of boredom, this guy is phenomenally entertaining. I wish there was more of him, haha. He looks like he could be the mascot for some kind of cartoon series, and I really like the color scheme you chose for him. (I'm a sucker for yellow and purple.) I also love how he's got this permanent-angry-face thang goin' on. Second vote goes to Niko for her rockin' design and sweet hat.

qqsd -

:thumb369730390: Haha, wow, this character is packed with attitude. Dosey seems like she'd be a real hoot to interact with. I love how well the "bold" aspect of her personality is emphasized, because that's exactly what I thought of her while I was reading her application. She comes across as a very well-rounded, well-developed character, and I really like how she was essentially raised on the open seas - that's not something I see often in character histories, least of all for Beautiflies! I thought that was a really neat twist.

EmiBird -

You thought you could hide her from me, but you were WRONG, because I WATCH YOUR SCRAPS. HAAAHAHAA. But, no, really, Josie is hands-down my favorite character of yours, and I miss her dearly. There's just something about that oblivious cheer of hers that comes across as incredibly charming, and I hope to see her again someday. Second vote goes to Mickie for the quirky spin on RO Thieves.

Eiliakins -

Ughghghhh, it took me a long time to pick out a character of yours. You have so many of them, and I like them all a lot. Lullaby is the one I know best, though, and his appearances never fail to make me smile. He's such a sweetheart in-character, and I love how classy and suave his design is compared to (most of) his brothers. Second vote goes to your entire Nuzlocke cast, because I love them all to pieces.

1wordinsane -

As if you didn't see this one coming, haha. I've told you time and time again that Richter is my favorite character of yours, and that's something that still holds true today. Richter is an extremely well-grounded and well-thought-out character, whose words and behaviorisms come across as very real and very believable. I also love how much control he exhibits: he's a dude who knows how to keep his cool in a bad situation, and I like how he never really lets the gravity of danger effect him until after it's overwith. His mini-meltdown after that first cave adventure with Hickory still cracks me up. I kept the posts 'n everything. I love this guy.

wee-donut -

I was gonna say Morty, but then August began to conspicuously shine her blaster, so... In all seriousness, though, this is the character I think has come the longest way, and it shows. All the time, thought, and dedication put into her has helped breathe life into August. She's gone from a one-note bratty twerp to fully-dimensional bratty twerp, and it's been cool to watch her transform over the years. M'really looking forward to reading her story. Second vote goes to Lycie because I can't get enough of her.

chibi-man007 -

Aw, Fizgit's adorable. I started perusing your gallery in search of characters, and this one kept popping out at me again and again. I like how you've kind of let him grow from a fursona into a character all his own, with a little storyline and everything. The Scales High thing sounds pretty interesting, and it'll be neat to see where you go with it.

Great-Leo -

You probably guessed I'd pick Levy, and if you did, you were right. There's something extremely mellow and calming about Levy; he's very much a fatherly figure to the citizens of Pokette. I like how he's also one of its few elderly residents - not that he lets his age get in the way of kickin' arse. I still have a few logs laying around where he's shown his battle chops. The guy's a force to be reckoned with, contrary to his jolly, peaceable demeanor. There's a lot of wisdom behind those wee spectacles, and I think you do a wonderful job of portraying that.

Stais -

I am so out of touch with your characters, it ain't even funny. My first instinct was to hunt for Jiro, before I realized I haven't kept up with him in years. So, Teddy gets the spotlight instead, because I shamelessly adore him. There is nothing about Theodore that I don't utterly love. Every single one of your deviations with him provokes a giant grin outta me, and I like how HAJKLHlkjdkjvv you know what, no, just LOOK AT THIS: fav.me/d5ckl11 This picture tells the whole story. Just look at that face, ohmygosh.

CaptainButter -

YOU'RE TOO YOUNG FOR MARRIAGE, RANDALL. YOU'RE TOO YOUNG. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. STOP IT AND GO HOME. I LOVE YOU. YOU'RE AN ADORABLE LITTLE TURD. EVERYTHING YOU DO MAKES ME EITHER LAUGH OR GO 'AWW'. BUT YOU ARE A BABY. GET BACK IN YOUR CRADLE AND DO BABY THINGS. PUT THIS PROPOSAL NONSENSE BEHIND YOU UNTIL YOU'RE MARRIED AND I'M DEAD.

Darkm00nShine -

Freakin' Rufi, man. I don't even know where to start with this guy. He's just such a rampant cuckoolander. That Quirky nature of his suits him to a T. I don't think I've ever run into a character quirkier than this quirkmeister. I love how goofy and lovable he is, and how he always buys into Bucky's 100% totally-beyond-a-doubt-legit-no-really-I-saw-it-on-TV-once conspiracy theories, no matter how inane or moronic they turn out to be. And I especially love how cartoony Rufi is! He's a joy to draw and a joy to watch. You just can't go wrong with him.

llimus -

I decided not to count the little picture of Vardan's head. SO, TOGINN. I have experienced very little of Toginn's company (which probably isn't a bad thing, since I'd be cackling too much in-game to be of any use; we both know that's a recipe for death). Apart from being an Asura - bonus points, by the way - I love this dude's snarky attitude. You pull it off spectactularly, and I'm kinda bummed at how quiet his Tumblr Ask has been; it entertained the patooties out of me.

The-Good-Wario

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is my favorite movie of all-time, so I maayyy be a little biased, but this is the character of yours that I enjoy the most. He carries a lot of the same traits as Eddie Valiant, while still maintaining enough originality and strength of character to stand apart from him. Martin seems like a pretty swell guy, and I like how more and more of his personality is defined through the narrative of your fic - which was a total blast to read.

Relaji -

It's a good thing this meme isn't specifically about the characters you like best out of experience, otherwise Evelyn would have claimed this spot. As much as I love your Ninetales, Gwen is the one I'm most interested in right now. She's got the coy look of a roguish trickster, which, as anyone can tell you, is my favorite character archetype. I was kinda disappointed to find that her character info still wasn't up, but I'm sure you'll be fixing that pretty shortly, haha. I've got no idea if my guesses are on the money or not, but I love her design, and I love the small shimmer of personality visible through it. Here's to learning more about her. Your characters are always fun and fascinating; I'm positive this one won't disappoint.

TamarinFrog -

Ugh, way to make me choose! I finally settled on Jill, though, because I realized how much I adore seeing her pop up in my inbox. Jill is hilarious (jillarious?) and always makes me grin. I love how over-the-top she is in her vigilant seriousness, and I think her design is fantastic. Who knew Patrats could be SO CUTE? Jill is absolutely one-of-a-kind, and I simply adore her to pieces. Second vote goes to Ross for being the world's most adorkable sweetiepie.

Gafagear -

You've got an army of characters so expansive that I had no idea who to choose, at first. I picked out Jaque, though, because.... He's Jaque, man. I love what a one-track mind he has, and how virtually nothing fazes him. And that accent. His subtly protective attitude towards Minh is pretty sweet, too. I like how it shows there are more layers to Jaque than he's willing to display pubicly, which is something I always always always enjoy seeing in a character. Second vote goes to Slowbeard for similar reasons... but mostly for having a sentient buttmuncher.

Whitewing16

Did you honestly expect anyone else? Sophia is definitely my favorite character of yours, White, no contest! She's the reason we ever got to meet, and it's been a blast to watch her grow up with you. Not only that, but I really like what an interesting background she has, and how strongly it's influenced her personality. It's kinda fun watching her progressively test the limits of what constitutes "lady-like" behavior - even when she's stuck in a tricky situation.

Merry Christmahanukwanzikaaaaaa

meeeeee

haaaaaa

m--Oh, alright, alright. I've probably killed that joke fav.me/d4k5gel already. Maybe next year.
In the meantime, how is everyone's holiday season going? I hope you're all enjoying yourselves, even if Christmas isn't your thing. Stay safe and don't party too hard.

On the subject of 'things', though - I have a 3DS now! Would anyone like to swap friend codes, so I can mob you with doofy SwapNote drawings? Mine is 4957 - 2299 - 1555!

If you never hear from me again, at least you know why.


_{Edit: Picked Dragonbrand as home server.}