Zephrun’s Imperium

Star felt a stab of pain in her back just as she grabbed a pack of something or other. She gasped, her senses all dimming at once, her whole body in more shock than pain. The edges of her vision dimmed, smells dampened, and the pack fell from her fingers. The world went quiet, save for her breath pulsing quickly in her ears. What.. what was that awful sensation? She turned around, though the motion made her feel dizzy. "Xino, what-" Her eyes widened. The hatchet was bloody. Her back... Star started to shake just as her legs gave out from under her. "Xino..." How could you...

The title says it all! I decided to redraw these two pieces from back in October 2019. Geez, that was a long time ago. Anyhow, it really shows how much I've improved.

Star ran towards the cornucopia. She knew it could mean her death, but adrenaline pushed her forward, her feet thumping against the grass. She grinned, feeling the wind on her short blonde hair, finding joy in the intensity of it all. If she could just get something, maybe she could help protect her and Xino from the other tributes... Visions of her and him valiantly fighting back the rest of them before dying heroically beside each other swam in the back of her mind. It was easy to forget, now, that only one of them could survive. Easy not to think on, to instead focus on the task at hand. She had a simple plan in mind; gather weapons so that she could keep her timid companion safe. Beyond that... Well, they'd find a way. She trusted in that. While it was tragic that both her and Xino had been chosen, it would have been more tragic if only one of them had been. Having to live without him, or worse, forcing him to live without her... it was too much to even think of. They'd survive together long enough. Maybe make a suicide pact if it came to it. But that wasn't worth thinking on yet. She was one of the first to arrive. Her eyes darted about the wealth of weapons, picking out a hatchet, which she handed to Xino. "Here, take it. You defend me while I get as much as I can carry..." Star left her back exposed to her friend. It would be her last mistake.

I can’t believe I was the only one who died

.... Wha... Xino... How could you? I'll take District 5. I'mma get Xino for this...

As long as I'm in the simulator, I'm happy.

You didn't tag me! I'm District 7 female.

Happy Mental Health Awareness month! I struggle with... a lot, as anyone who knows me well is aware of, depression and anxiety most prominently. I also have OCPD and non-verbal learning disorder. I'll start with anxiety. I've been an anxious wreck my whole life, but until I was about 14, I just thought I was simply weak and should toughen up, even if that hurt like all Mal. I remember three years ago, in fact, reading the mental health awareness thread and feeling unworthy to post here because I supposedly didn't have anything wrong with me. I was wrong. If you're reading this and feeling like me, please, please talk to someone. Your problems are worth getting help for. Getting diagnosed was life changing for me, and even though I still have a long ways to go, that first step was crucial for me to start the path to healing. Anxiety is not weakness; it is as real as any physical illness and you are not any lesser for it. In fact, I would venture to say that you're all the stronger for having to deal with it day by day. As for depression... It is very real, and very debilitating. Even on meds, I still have very low lows, and I would not say that I like my life enough to truly want to keep it. That said, I do believe that better days are coming. I have tasted happiness, and I will taste it again. For anyone else struggling with depression, my heart goes out to you. If I could only say one thing, it is that you are loved, your pain is real, and that better days are coming. That last one might be hard to hear, but look back, and you'll see; you've been through this before a million times. and you're still here. What's one more day? You never know what happiness might await. In the words of Raskolnikov from my beloved Crime and Punishment, "Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on this earth." Think about Kaladin and how much we all love him for what he's been through and how he continues to fight. You are as much a warrior as he is.

Ah, I love these two. Here's Nicolae Kimby and Basil Fischer from Masquerade, making out like it wouldn't send them to the gallows.

@xinoehp512

Gotcha. That works.

… did Xino approve that?

Huh. Mine is Sophie Celeste, a living cartoon character and scholar in love with the last luxsprite.

*narrows eyes* ... I have a TLT character named Sophie.

Just a fun bust study with everyone's favorite Nicolae Kimby. Have a zu-bop of a day!

Star stirred, restless in a nightmarish sleep. In her dream, she struggled to stay afloat in a stormy sea. One moment, she gasped for air, the next, she was thrust beneath the dark, cold waves. Water filled her airway, making her choke before she could scream for help. Ironically enough, all she could wish for, as she crashed through the sea, was to be safe at home in bed. "MAVERICK!" she tried to yell. The winds, however, had other plans; they tore her words up the moment they escaped her throat. Eventually, realizing how hopeless things were, Star began to sob. But just as she did, she felt a strong hand pull her up onto dry land. She continued to cry, embracing the man who'd lifted her to safety. "Oh, Author... Dear Author above..." She nestled into his shoulder, comforted by the man's warmth. But when she pulled away... "Pheonix?" Star looked up into his honey-colored, slanted eyes. He only smiled at her, saying nothing. With that, she awoke.