Holy Shit It Came Out Great #originalcharacter #oc #OC #digital_art #digitalart #drawingtablet #drawing

It all feels the same

I loathe Heroine.

I loathed her ever since the first time I saw her. From the very first flashy, dumb grin she flashed at me.

I loathe the littered freckles on her cheeks and the red, long scar that went over her jawline. The dark circles under her eyes and her forever messy curly hair.

I loathe her stubbornness. How she shows up every day. How she manages to get up every time. How convinced she is that her actions truly matter. How she fights for each pathetic person, as if each and every soul was so precious to her.

I loathe the way she pretends. Pretends to be confident. Pretends to be in control. Even when she is hurt and anxious and so obviously tired. How she comforts every victim, when she can barely calm herself. How she smiles softly, even at me. As if I were that easy to fool.

I hate her for rescuing me. 

She threw herself into the water. She pulled me up to the shore. She stayed until I sat steadily. Then she left. Not even giving a demand or a price or a reason.

I hate how she laughs at my jokes. As if we were friends. As if I actually make her smile.

I hate her most when it’s just the two of us. Hate how calm she gets. Hate how much she underestimates me. How calmer she gets.

And I was angry when I found her lying in the cold. Angry at her recklessness and bravery and passion, that forced her to never back down. Angry that I had to drag her out of there. That she used me for warmth. That she looked so comfortable. 

I get angry when she doubts herself. 

Because I know just how harder my life has been ever since she came to it. I know how kind she is in her greatest victories, I know how purposeful she is in her darkest hours, I know her better than everyone.

I was angry at her lover the moment I met her.

Angry at this feeble, laughable, fool who seemed to think she deserves Heroine. I got furious when she approached me. The idiot smiled and offered her hand.

I pushed it right away. I shoved her past me and wanted to walk away, to wait until she realizes just how useless she is to everyone. Wait until she leaves my and Heroine’s life. 

But she dared to keep talking. Dared to say she understands me. Dared to say Heroine’s name.

I lashed out at her. 

I yelled that she has no right to tell me about Heroine. That she’ll never know Heroine like I do.  That she is just lonely and desperate enough for Heroine to pity. That she would never truly love her.

I was pulled to the ground, and saw Heroine above me.

I could barely recognize her face. There was so much loathe and hatred and anger in her stare. I never saw her like this, not when she fought the worst of villains, not in the most stressful situations and not when I was in danger.

She told me to stay away from her lover.  That otherwise she will kill me.  That she doesn’t want to see me ever again.

She only stopped when my eyes started to water. I couldn't tell anymore what expression she wore, but I saw her leaving.  Panic rose through me, and I called her name. Begging her to stay.

She looked back at me, and for the last time, I saw her clearly. There was no malice nor pity in her eyes. Only disgust.

I loathed myself ever since.

So while I really loved s4 of Carmen Sandiego, and I enjoyed the finale, it felt more like a season finale than a series one. While the last episode was great, I felt the last ten minutes felt very rushed. So here’s some things I would’ve done different if there was a season 5 

Highlights include: tons more of Player interacting with everyone (more Player and Carmen friendship, Player being in danger from VILE), Gray officially joining Team Red, Zach and Ivy joining ACME having more build up, etc. 

Season 4 

Carmen and Player’s first in-person meeting is shown in FULL like cmon

Have Carmen’s brainwashing last much shorter, only about a month at most (you cannot expect me to believe Team Red would let it go on for seven months) 

Carmen never joins VILE’s faculty, but we do see her being quite cruel on cases, and Gray’s growing concern and guilt 

Team Red teams up with ACME, desperate to get Carmen back and willing to do anything 

Like in the show: VILE lies to Carmen about Shadowsan and she goes after him. Gray realises how wrong all of this is and turns himself over to ACME to try and save Carmen

There’s a big Team Red/ACME vs VILE/Carmen fight. Gray tries to get the headset on (we’re keeping the “please come back” line because it broke my heart) but she realises he betrayed her and shocks him. It’s a big fight between Shadowsan and Carmen, he gets the headset on her and her memories start to come back, but she destroys it before it can work completely. Shadowsan is down, and Carmen’s about to take him out when…

Player shows up! 

He’s been beside himself since she went missing. When he finds out about the plan to save her, he says he’s coming with them. The rest of the team thinks it’s a bad idea, that it’s too dangerous, but he says it’s worth any risk to save Carmen. “She’s my best friend! My first real friend! I’d do anything for her, please!’ 

Player’s always been Carmen’s secret weapon, even back on VILE island. He was her first real friend too. Even if they erased all those years of Carmen Sandiego, even if they took away her heart, Player’s always gonna be in there. 

Player tries to talk her down, tries to remind her of their time working together, tries to get her to leave Shadowsan alone - ‘Come on, Red. You gotta remember, please! Remember me, remember who you really are!’ She’s confused, conflicting memories tearing her apart. But she still refuses to listen and maybe pushes him away (he is still a kid, even without empathy, I doubt she’d just attack him). Carmen goes to take out Shadowsan with the crackle rod and Player puts himself between her and Shadowsan. 

Carmen demands that he move out of the way. She’s starting to cry, starting to break. Player refuses. ‘I told you, Red. I’m not going anywhere.’  

And it all comes back to her at once. She remember everything, her life, her friends, what happened when VILE kidnapped her. She’s overwhelmed - relieved, heartbroken, confused. Player just hugs her, so happy to have his best friend back. 

As they start to pick themselves up after the battle, Carmen’s heartbroken at everything she’s done. She tries to apologise, but all her friends refuse to hear it, just glad to have her back. 

When Gray wakes up in the hospital, Carmen’s already there waiting for him, to make sure he’s okay and to apologise. But he just apologises for not doing something sooner. They call it even. The Chief shows up to tell Gray ACME’s not after him. Carmen offers him a spot on her team, but he says he’ll have to think about it. 

Team Red officially teams up with ACME, of course partnered with Jules and Devineaux. Jules is continuing to look into the mystery of Carlotta Valdez, and everyone’s ready to work together to take down VILE. 

The very end of the season is VILE faculty talking with the Troll. He’s got the security footage from when they lost brainwashed!Carmen. The know everybody in the footage except for one. The piece they were missing from the puzzle. They zoom in on Player. 

Season 5 

With Team Red and ACME working together, they finally start to take down VILE. They still don’t know their new Headquarters, but they start to take out VILE strongholds, like Doctor Bellum’s lab. 

Zach and Ivy start working closely with ACME, realising their skills and what the might want to do in the future.

Carmen’s pretty shaken by what happened to her. She’s terrified of being captured again, haunted by what she was forced to do, but refuses to let on that anything’s wrong. Eventually it all builds up and she ruins a mission. She and Shadowsan talk things out, have a wonderful father/daughter scene and Carmen slowly starts to heal as she realises she doesn’t have to take on the world herself. 

Even without the need for revenge, there’s some tension between Carmen, Shadowsan and the Chief. They slowly start to trust each other and gain more respect. 

We get some great team ups: Jules and Carmen get to work together! Also the chaos that Devineaux, Zach and Ivy would wreak as a team, or Devineaux and Shadowsan trying to work together - think of the potential! Also we get a callback to the first episode - Devineaux yelling ‘where in the world is Carmen Sandiego’ during a caper, but it’s waiting for her to come and help him

Gray of course joins the team, changed by Carmen, her faith in him and the remorse after what happened with Carmen’s brainwashing. Parts of the team don’t trust him right away, but he proves himself. 

We get some backstory on Player! Apparently he became a hacker to try and find his father after he left, but is now happy with his mum and stepfather (this was in a tie-in novel?). But we see this! We get to see Player’s family! How much they love him, why they’re so overprotective. He’s still happy and comfortable in his room but his experience with school and finally meeting Team Red makes him want to push outside of his comfort zone. He tries to make some real life friends (joins a pride group, or a coding club or something). And if I’m writing this, what the hell, he also gets a boyfriend. 

But of course, VILE has their sights set on Player. Now that The Troll has a target he’s been trying to track the kid, and finds him through security cameras. Player’s having dinner with his family one night when a knock comes at the door. It’s Coach Brunt. She bursts in, Player recognises her and tries to go for his room to call Carmen but Tigeress cuts him off. He’s in big trouble.

They take Player and his family hostage and Player’s parents finally find out what he’s been up to. 

‘Wait, you were helping take down an international crime organisation!?’ ‘Yes mom, I told you that!’ ‘I thought you were playing a video game!!!’ 

VILE uses Player and his family as bait to try and finally take out Team Red. Of course they fail, everyone is literally ready to Kill to save Player. Carmen is more furious than we’ve ever seen her. Player gets to do something cool like knock out Tigeress with a computer screen or something. ACME takes Coach Brunt and Tigeress into custody (continuing the fall of VILE). 

Player’s parents get to see that their son is friends with bunch of secret agents and ex-criminals. They also see the big sister/little brother relationship between Carmen and Player. He talks about her all the time and they’re really happy to finally meet her, and she becomes an honorary member of the family. They’re still worried about Player’s involvement, but they see how much it means to him (and with ACME assuring their safety) agree that he can continue. 

Jules finally finds Carmen’s mother. She brings her the information and Carmen admits that she’s afraid to go and find her. We find out a bit about Jules, how she’s not that close with her own biological family, and how much this new team has meant to her. How family is who you choose. Carmen is comforted by this. She decides to set aside her mother until she finishes up her business with VILE.

They’re building up to the final fight, they’ve found the location of the headquarters. Carmen recruits whoever wants to join (Team Red, ACME, different friends from their journey like Sonia). There’s a big battle, bringing back different VILE characters (Mime Bomb, Flytrap, Spinkick, etc.), gadgets and robots vs the new team. 

Of course they defeat VILE, finally bringing them out of the shadows and taking them in. 

The Chief officially offers everyone on Team Red places with ACME. They all talk, and Zach and Ivy decide to accept. It’s not Carmen, Gray or Shadowsan’s thing, but they agree to stay on as consultants. Shadowsan decides to retire and go home to his brother. The team “splits up” but promise to see each other again soon. 

Carmen gets permission to take Player sightseeing over the summer, so he can get out and go see the world like she did. 

Carmen goes to meet her mother, encouraged on the phone by Player and his family (because he’s not sitting alone in a diner, he’s hanging out with other people, showing his character growth). 

There can still be a timeskip, but it’s where everyone’s still working together to take down any last traces of VILE

I dont really...have the emojis so I'll just list em...post nightmare cuddles, a warm hug, fluffy blanket, and bedtime story....villain caretaker and whumpee hero...sorry if I used the whump term wrong just first time trying to use it lmao

Warnings: referring to a person as a "creature" but that is all

~

"You know what? I am done with this. C'mere." Villain suddenly grabbed the shaking hero and pulled them closer to their chest.

"What are you-"

"Shh," the Villain soothed and wrapped their arms tighter around the hero. They murmured soft words without any real meaning, but Hero relished in the comfort. The warmth and the care that Villain gave them- it made their heart flutter and their heart pump warm blood throughout their veins.

Until reality struck. They were with the villain. A creature of pure evil and menace, just waiting to take the perfect opportunity to twist this newfound trust and hurt them.

So Hero jerked away, but Villain hands were linked together. They blocked any hope or chance of escape with merciless living shackles.

Villain, who was slightly taller than Hero, rested their chin against the other's head. Hero dug their nose into Villain's neck instinctively. Comfort felt good, especially after...

Hero shuddered, remembering their previous vision of the city being destroyed... it was horrific.

Hero suddenly felt themselves drop and in an instant they were coated with a thick faux fur blanket with Villain tucked in next to them.

"Okay... what is this?" Villain said. Just as quickly as they laid Hero and themself in bed, they reached over and revealed a book.

"A book?" Hero guessed somewhat sarcastically. But it came out squeaky and quiet, choked and heavy.

"The BFG by Roald Dahl," Villain sighed as they settled back down next to Hero. The hero cuddled right next to their enemy, not caring anymore that they could kill them in a heartbeat.

Villain flipped the book open to right where Hero dog-eared it and began to read, "The great yellow wasteland lay dim and milky in the moonlight as the Big Friendly Giant went galloping across it. Sophie, still wearing only her nightie, was reclining comfortably in a crevice of the BFG's right ear-"

Villain swooped an arm around Hero's shoulder and brought them closer before continuing with the paragraph, "She was actually in the outer rim of the ear, near the top, where the edge of the ear folds over, and this folding-over bit made sort of a roof over her and gave her wonderful protection against the rushing wind. What is more-"

Villain was cut off by Hero resting their own arm across Villain's muscular chest. Villain smiled to themself and resumed reading.

After a while, Hero's head gently became more heavy in weight as they fell alseep soothed by the villain's deep rambling. The villain set the book on the nightstand and curled up next to them.

Hero tensed up, but melted right back into the embrace. Villain watched over them for a while, studying the delicate features of their face. The slightly crooked nose and the prominent jawline that shifted ever so slightly. The thick, bushy eyebrows that were so relaxed and the long lashes that brushed lightly under their eye to complet the placid expression on their face. Villain grinned and rested their own head against the pillow, falling alseep to the slow breathing of their enemy.

‏‎#drawing #sellartonline #realistic_arts ‎‏ https://www.instagram.com/p/B267SNBhSNC/?igshid=10cgr3rcgwa5m

Prompt by @gingerly-writing

“Run.”

“If the potion only makes you attack the people you love, I’ll be fine. I can stay here and stop you from attacking anyone you actually do love-”

“I love you!” the villain snarled, concrete fracturing under their fingers. “Now run.”

There was little for the hero to do to stop themselves from being horrified.

Up until then, the villain had refused to look the hero in the face, but now, the villain’s slow and concentrated fury was on full display.

“Before I kill you.” That was the final warning, the concrete that barely stopped the villain nothing more than dust.

The hero bolted, frantically feeling around their belt for anything that might hold the villain off. For the first time in a while, they didn’t want to use their powers on them.

Earth shattering footsteps pounded mere paces behind the hero.

There was a grappling gun, and while it couldn’t do much against the villain’s sheer strength, it might work in slowing them down.

Blindly, the hero shot behind them, hoping they hit somewhere around the villain’s legs. That’s when they stopped, and sidestepped, making the villain trip forward, charging into thin air.

While the grappling gun lay discarded a mere distance away, the hero still had their fists. They tackled the villain, straddling them on the ground.

The villain, in turn immediately tried to reach for the hero’s neck. Keeping the villain’s murderous hands away took far too much of the hero’s strength.

“Stop it!” The hero commanded. They hadn’t noticed the villain’s bloodshot eyes.

Whatever reply the villain did try to make came out more animalistic, a contorted face with a hoarse and frustrated voice.

The hero jolted when the villain tried to wrestle out of their grasp.

With limited options, and a villain almost free of their grip, the hero did the first thing that came to mind.

True love’s kiss was only for fairytales, sure, but who decides the difference between life and a fairytale?

The hero felt awful, because at first, the villain was frozen, making no effort to reciprocate or pull away. They did, however, try and pull the hero closer. The hero felt less guilty about kissing them with that motion.

When they parted, the villain managed to rasp out a few words

“Needs to be-” the villain stopped, their hands twitching in the hero’s hold. “Needs to be out of my system. Lab. Go.”

The hero felt questions bubbling out of them, but had no time, as the villain leaped forward with more strength than the hero possessed, breaking the previous hold.

Now, instead of looking down at the villain’s face, the hero looked up, wasting no time in kneeing the villain’s stomach, and grabbing the discarded grappling gun just inches from their hands.

Once again, the hero shot, hooking the grappling gun’s cord around the villain’s feet. They were behind the villain in a flash, one arm wrapped around their throat.

Three, two, one. The hero counted in their head, listening for even breaths. When they heard it, they finally turned the villain around, lifting them in their arms.

The villain’s tear stained face was on full display for the hero, stray drops leaking from their eyes. Gently, the hero wiped them away.

“You said a lab?” The hero asked, mostly talking to themselves. “We can work on your vagueness when you’re you again.”

Spill

“What’s one goal you would fulfill if we weren’t about to die?” Villain asked, fists clenching as cold water touched his fingertips. Soon, it wouldn’t matter that his fingers retreated. The water was rising, and it would only continue to do so.

Hero, in turn, didn’t clench her fists. She said- rather declared, “We’re not going to die.”

“We’re in a tight-sealed box- at the bottom of a lake- with a leak the size of a safety pin point. We’re dead. So tell me your goal.” As a series of silence followed, Villain continued the conversation. “Fine. I’ll go first. I would have liked to done enough damage to a particular someone that I gave them nightmares for the rest of their miserable life.”

“Is this supposed to be some weird introduction to your tragic backstory?”

If Villain could have glared at Hero, he would have. “Spill.”

“That’s not the most appropriate word to use in this scenario.”

“Thought you said we aren’t going to die.”

There was a sigh. Hero shifted, shoulder blades clashing with Villain’s. The water was up to her knuckles. “I don’t have any.”

A hum. “Not sure I believe that.”

Now, another sigh. Hero attempted to pull her hands apart from Villain’s. No use. They were stuck like this, not even able to stand together and investigate their little box. “I’m going to sleep.”

Villain pulled his shoulder forward before slamming it back. “Like hell you are. I’m not sleeping until I can feel water up my nostrils. I’m finding a way out of this.”

Groaning, Hero said, “Now who thinks we’re not going to die?”

“I think the chances of surviving are extremely low, but it’s going to be none if we don’t even try.”

Hero shook her head then leaned it against Villain’s head and closed her eyes with a soft huff. “Supervillain wouldn’t let us die. He just wants a reaction. Thanks to you, he’s getting one.”

“One, get your head off mine before I bust it. Two, he will kill us, and I’m not going down without a fight.”

“You and your dignity…” Her voice almost turned sour but she controlled it. “That’s what’s going to be the death of you.” Hero didn’t move her head.

“No. Water will be. It’s going to fill both of our lungs.”

Hero gave a false chuckle. “You were so bent on us dying just minutes ago. What happened?”

Villain shrugged. “Guess I’m more hell-bent on that goal of mine than I thought.”

Silence. Hero lifted her head.

Then, “That person you want to haunt so badly is Supervillain…” She turned her head, only barely able to see Villain’s cheek. “How long ago?”

“What?”

“How long ago did he traumatize you?”

Big breath. Villain stiffened before saying, “I never said it was Supervillain.”

“Who else would it be? Your parents are gone, you have no siblings, and you only care-” Hero blinked, a realization stunning nearly the same as the freezing water touching her wrists. “Do you care about me? Is that why you showed up to save me?”

When Villain didn’t respond, Hero demanded, “Alright, spill.”

******

Part 2 here

Finished✌️ #redraw #fanart #art #sheraandtheprincessesofpower #shera #sherafanart #adora #princess #sword #netflix #cartoon #blond #feminism #cool #drawing #drawingtablet #digitalart #digitalillustration https://www.instagram.com/p/CNC5OQyJNxs/?igshid=1evbiuq2gbwic

Behold: the greatest ongoing crossover saga of all time.

P2 Obedience Without Rules

Part 1 here

******

“Why’d you do it?”

Hero was frightened at first, thinking the worse- that Villain was mad at her. And maybe he was, but not in the anger which Hero assumed. An anger which involved malice, hatred, and revenge.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think about it. I should have let him finish instead of-”

“Let him finish?” Villain squinted over at Hero, who wouldn’t face him no matter how gentle his tone was. Hero seemed- “Are you afraid of me?”

In response, the chains attached to Hero’s wrists clashed and jangled. She said nothing. Swallowed. Stared at the floor. Pondered whether this silence was a better or worse response than…than anything else. Maybe silence would upset Villain further.

Why exactly would he be mad with her? Well, it could have been for several reasons.

The first, Hero eliminated: Villain cared for her.

The second, infinitely more likely: Hero messed up, didn’t allow him to pass out- to avoid the pain which Supervillain caused.

The third, perhaps close to the first: Villain was annoyed by her self-sacrifice, only for it not to work. The stupidity of the act, the thoughtlessness.

“Hero.” Villain’s voice was more demanding this time- a mistake on his behalf. “You are afraid, aren’t you?” Even after that…scene. Villain felt bad, he did- though perhaps he shouldn’t have. He was truly a villain. Caring about whether or not some philanthropist was afraid of him might as well have been considered a crime against his own moral codes. And yet… “We’re- uh- we’re in this together, alright?”

Was such a simple statement easy to say? Not at all.

But was it necessary? Absolutely.

Truthfully, Villain wasn’t sure he would have survived had Hero not stepped in. Yes, he was upset- because he did believe Hero deserved better than to go through…through that. That, which Villain didn’t like to think of, even if it was over for the time-being. The torture.

In any way, Villain appreciated Hero for the help, but…but, it made him angry. Not at her. He couldn’t be angry with Hero, not for something that was so natural to her, and not when it saved him from more torment than he could handle. He was angry with Supervillain, for breaking someone not worth breaking.

It wasn’t that Hero wasn’t a worthy opponent. It was that she didn’t- again- deserve to be an opponent at all. She was kind, self-sacrificing, giving, thoughtful- in a caring way, not so much in a strategic one. Opponents were created with negative connotations, with spite and hate. Hero didn’t deserve that.

“What did you mean earlier,” Villain asked, “about letting Supervillain finish? Finish what?”

“Finish learning,” Hero said, voice almost quiet enough to miss. “It’s easier to let him finish the process, to- for you to sleep, so that it doesn’t- um- doesn’t hurt anymore. But I stopped him too soon and now-”

Is she sniffling? Villain couldn’t see her face anymore. She’d dropped it, letting her hair fall over her eyes and cheeks.

“-he’ll have to do it again. He’ll finish next time, have to do it all over again. I’m sorry.”

Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong, Villain wanted to say, but by judging the rest of this situation, saying anything would make it worse. Hero would view every word as a lie, or read it as aggravation, and fall further into brokenness. Not to mention, if Villain told Hero not to apologize, then she’d likely apologize again, feel bad for it, and then it’d become a cycle which neither party knew how to deal with.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Hero. It’s okay.”

‘It’s okay.’ Well, wasn’t that the biggest lie of all? None of this was okay, but it was all Villain knew to say. All he could do in order to give Hero hope.

That’s what she deserves.

Hope.

So, maybe it was a good thing, to say they were okay, that they would make it out. Because it was the only thing the two had left.

💘 #procreate #drawing #dogs #puppy #goldenretriever https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ2vSy-plws/?utm_medium=tumblr