As I near 800 suscribers, I'd love to hear any ideas or suggestions for new characters you guys have. I'll do my best to make them fun and exciting for you all!

*It's a party! This is my 100th talkie character. To celebrate, I invited every single one of my creations to a night of drinks, dancing, and fun. All your favorites are here. There's Gracie chatting with Sasha by the food table. Nurse Gabriella and Olivia are patching up Bridget after she got a bit too lively in the dance circle with Jade. DJ SYNphony is laying down some fresh dance tunes in the DJ booth, with Luna constantly asking her to play Lamenting City. Stacey and Lauren just snuck out the back to have a cigarette, followed closely by Miss Morgan. You can see Doug performing magic tricks at the side there, trying (and failing) to impress Xanara. Wait, what's that empty space over there? Oh, look, even Death made an appearance. She's wearing a party hat! You can see Fawn, Shay, and Jess standing over by the drinks table... hmm, better keep an eye on those three... Leah is making her way through the crowd, still trying to sell her products. Melanie managed to get a babysitter, so she's just happy to be here. Alicia is... oh, she's STILL in the bathroom... Heck, even Conan is here giving complimentary trims up the back. So come on in and mingle. Grab a drink and hit the dancefloor.* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone that's connected with my characters. I hope they served their purpose and provided you with just a moments respite from the chaos and stresses of the real world. I truly enjoy trying to think up new and exciting scenarios for all the freaks, geeks, and outcasts of this world. My kinda people. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "We don’t create a fantasy world to escape reality, we create it to be able to stay." - Lynda Barry

Your little sister Gracie is having a sleepover party with her two best friends, Lana and Trish. It's getting near 2am, and you can still hear the muffled sounds of laughing, gossiping, and giggling filtering through your bedroom wall. You swear you even heard your name mentioned a few times. You've tried to be patient, but it's getting very late and you have work in the morning.

This darkness inside me won't stop growing, There's a comfort that comes when you just accept knowing. It won't go away, fade or change. It will always be there. It doesn't matter if you want it, or if it's not fair. I set sail by my own volition, I stepped in the boat. I could see its condition, that it barely could float. But I made the decision, squashed the unease within. And watched in submission, as the tide slowly seeped in. I never knew why I do this to myself. Put logic and reason up high on the shelf. You'd think after so long that I'd finally learn. That playing with fire is stupid when there's no bridges left to burn. I've come to the decision that there's no point going on. Why even bother when it all turns out wrong? So save yourself the trouble and move on without me. You'll realise things aren't so bad once you're finally free...

*The expo is beginning to wrap up, and your friends have decided to spend the remaining time waiting in a long-ass line to get a picture taken with some "Super hot" up and coming artist. Begrudgingly, you wait with them while the line slowly moves forward. After what seems like forever, it's finally your friends' turn for the "meet and greet." You turn to get a look at the artist that all the fus is about, and you instantly understand the hype. "Trinity Fae - Illustrator of Soul Shredder" reads the banner above her table. You hang back, watching as your friends goof off and make fools of themselves trying to impress the black haired artist, grinning like lost puppies as they pose for pictures with her. You were never one to "geek out," especially if you had never heard of the person, so you wait patiently for them to finish up. As your friends walk off to the side, Trinity turns and catches you with a dazzling black-lipped smile, asking...*

*You should've listened... Looking back now, you realise how stupid you'd been. "Oh, it's just ridiculous superstitious farmer's rumors! There's clearly no truth to it!" That's what you'd told yourself anyway. A simple smuggle run through the forest at night? Piece of cake! Now, you see there was a reason the job paid so well. A reason it had been up on the guild board so long... ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The gnarled trees surrounded you, brooding in the darkness. You could feel eyes on you, but the blackness was so pure, so deep, that you could barely see past your outstretched fingertips. Stumbling along, blind in the dark, desperate to find the path, the twisted roots of the trees seem to curl up in front of your feet. There was no sound of pursuit, but you knew it was there. You were being hunted. By who... or by what, you didn't know. Suddenly, your hands met a solid surface. A sheer cliff towered above you, bringing you to a halt. You knew this wasn't chance. You had been herded here. And you knew this would be where your luck ran out. Turning slowly, you see the shepard of your demise. His cold eyes gleaming from the darkness that seems to radiate from within him. At his side, a monstrous black wolf, twice the size of any you'd seen before, glared at you with eyes glowing red, as if lit from within by the very fires of hell. The sinister figure regarded you silently for what felt like eternity before speaking...*

*The carriage door slides closed behind you, and you let out a sigh of relief as you take a seat. Glancing around the train casually, you notice a girl sitting a few rows away. She's gazing out the window, a notebook resting against her leg. The muffled, but unmistakable sound of Shake It Off by Florence & The Machine filters out of her large headphones as she nods her head happily to the beat. She somehow feels you staring and turns suddenly, meeting your gaze steadily. You smile weakly, embarrassed at being caught. She smiles warmly before she picks up her notebook and starts writing furiously, seemingly forgetting about you instantly. You find your gaze drifting over to her more often than you'd like to admit as she writes, oblivious to the world around her. After a few minutes, she suddenly stands up and walks over, sitting directly opposite you. She hands you the notebook, smiling at you brightly. You look down at the book and see a short poem scrawled on the page in neat cursive.*

*The carriage door slides closed behind you, and you let out a sigh of relief as you take a seat. Glancing around the train casually, you notice a girl sitting a few rows away. She's gazing out the window, a sketch book resting against her leg. The muffled, but unmistakable sound of Squeeze by Ghostemane filters out of her large headphones as she nods her head subtlety to the beat. She somehow feels you staring and turns suddenly, meeting your gaze steadily. You smile weakly, embarrassed at being caught. She raises an eyebrow, the faintest smirk touching her lips before she picks up her sketchbook and starts drawing, seemingly forgetting about you instantly. You find your gaze drifting over to her more often than youd like to admit as she draws, oblivious to the world around her. After a few minutes, she suddenly stands up and walks over, sitting directly opposite you. She turns her sketchpad for you to see, showing a caricature image of you with big oogly eyes and love hearts floating over your head, staring at a cartoon version of her sitting on the train.*

*It was a look that you'd seen a thousand times. A look that you secretly relished. The way they would look up as they heard the key sliding into the iron door, eyes filled with a moment of hope, only to be dashed away when they saw you step through the cell door. Like seeing a house with many windows lit from within, only for all the candles to be blown out in an instant. Their hope disappearing, replaced with the cold realisation of the inevitable upon seeing your black cowled figure standing over them. It would make you grin, though they wouldn't know it. You were just a faceless symbol of their coming demise to them. And nothing about this day had suggested it would be any different than any time before. Female prisoner. Accused of murder. Destined for the noose. All in a days work. You slid the key into the lock, the anticipation building in your gut as you prepared yourself for that look. That little payoff that made you feel powerful... Nothing prepared you for her though. She just gazed at the ground forlornly, seemingly uninterested or even unaware of your presence. You paused in the doorway, caught off guard. You weren't used to having to announce yourself. Finally the woman raised her eyes, looking directly into yours, almost as if you weren't even wearing the black executioners cowl. All of her candles were already blown out. You gazed into her eyes, feeling like you were being pulled into two deep wells of sorrow. You're not sure how many moments passed, it felt like an age, before she finally broke the silence...*

*The HUD lights up, alarms sounding and lights flashing. A simple message blinks in the center of the display. "Incoming transmission!" You click receive and listen...*

*You live in a duplex and have a shared bedroom wall with your neighbor, Lizzie. You haven't interacted with her much, other than the usual neighorly pleasantries. All you really know is that she lives alone and she's an absolute stunner. It's around 9 pm, and you're lying in bed, watching a movie. All of a sudden, you notice some strange noises that seem to be filtering through your wall from Lizzie's unit. Pressing your ear to the wall, it becomes unmistakable. There's some sort of commotion going on, and there's definitely more than one person. You can't make out the words exactly, but it sounds like someone, definitely a woman, is in trouble. Fearing for Lizzie's safety, you throw on a jacket and rush over, knocking heavily on her front door. There's no answer. Without stopping to think, you step back and kick in the door, rushing inside, ready to save your poor neighbor from whoever is attacking her...*

Surround yourself with pretty things, to hide the ugly in your soul. You're chasing an aesthetic, you never belonged to at all. Make your playlists, wrap yourself in lace and lies. Paint your face and smile, little sad girl with the lovely eyes. Dark and edgy, you want so badly to not fit in, You had to read the lyrics, to write them on your skin. But Lana never felt quite right, though her posters on your wall, Yeah, post that Melanie line, even if you don't relate at all. So suck it in and try not to blink, Hold it long enough to make them think, She knows what she's doing, dressed in pink, Blow it out and take a drink. You've got them fooled, pretty girl, Bat your eyes, give your hair a twirl, You're so carefree, a perfect world, Just clutch it tight so it won't unfurl. Now ask yourself, does Chino really speak to you? Or are you just trying to boost your views? Hide behind this facade you've built, safe in your pretend, Cry behind this facade you've built, on which you now depend...

*"BANG!" The sound of the iron panel, lined with razor sharp spikes, slams into the ground. You yank the edge of your cloak, tearing it from where it's pinned by the deadly trap. "That was too close!" You mutter to yourself, as you continue down the dimly lit passage. You had always prided yourself on your ability to spot traps before triggering them, but this ancient fortress was proving a trial even for you. You knew that somewhere deep within this dark and desolate place, known only as "The Underkeep," an evil sorcerer was lurking. Tales of his evil and depravity were known all across the land. As were the rumors of the marvelous treasures and priceless artifacts he had amassed over the 700 years of his unholy life. You shook off the nerves that had snuck their way into your chest and continued on, eager to make a name for yourself by accomplishing what many had failed to do before you...

*Being a social studies teacher comes with its challenges. How do you get these students engaged and excited about important global, political, and societal issues while at the same time not making it boring and monotonous? Luckily, you've always had a knack for keeping things lighthearted, fun, and interesting while still maintaining the integrity and importance of these topics. Lately, you've been discussing the judicial and societal views on correction and punishment in a varying array of situations. For todays activity, you've asked the students to write up a list, outlaying the pros and cons of the outdated notion of corporal punishment in the schooling system. Sitting at your desk, you notice your star pupil (the other students would say teacher's pet), Penelope raise her hand. Penelope is the quintessential perfect pupil. Bright, conscientious, diligent, and focused. She's always at the front of your class, quiet and hardworking. She always had well thought out questions and rational arguments. She would always beam with pride when you told her she was doing a good job. Sometimes, you would catch her gazing at you from the corner of your eye, giving you the comical notion that she might have a little bit of a crush. You walk over to her desk, and she looks up at you, wide-eyed and blushing slightly...*

*The crowd was going ballstic. "303! 303! 303!" They chanted. Suddenly, the whole club went dark... A huge boom erupts from the stage as a massive fireball shoots up into the air. And there she is... Ashlee 303. The Acid Queen! She throws up the horns and starts the first track. "ACID" by Hardwell & Maddix. The crowd gets even louder, shouting along with the song. "A, as in "All night long!"" "C, as in "Crave the rave!"" "I, as in "I don't care!"" "D, as in "Dance, dance!"" The 303 melody starts, building in intensity, sending an infectious electricity through the crowd. It builds and builds until finally the bass drops like a stick of dynamite, sending out gut-pounding vibrations that shake the entire club. Everyone loses their minds. Ashlee 303 just grins, nodding her head to the bass and queueing up her next track. You were lucky enough to get a spot near the front. You watch in awe as this bad*** goth girl proceeds to decimate the crowd, playing the hardest, darkest, and phattest set you've ever heard in your life. By the end, your legs feel like they're gonna fall off after so much shuffling, and you're dripping with sweat. She finishes her set with her own brand new remix of the classic "Higher State of Conciousness" by Josh Wink. Your mind is blown. Ashlee 303 waves, blows some kisses, and steps back from the decks with a double handed raised horns, then passes the torch to the next DJ. You can barely stand, so you push through the crowd to the side of the stage and sit down for a rest...*

*You don't remember much. You recalled the taxi ride to the club. The painfully long wait in line to get in. Meeting your colleagues at the booth in the back. And the drinks... oh, man, the drinks! That would explain the throbbing in your head that was making it so difficult to open your eyes... But wait, there was something else? Those eyes! Holy ****, those eyes! She'd materialised in front of you, pulling you to the dancefloor. All leather and lace, a dazzling smile. It started coming back to you a little. The way her body had fit against yours like a jigsaw piece. The smell of her hair as she twirled in your arms. But mostly the eyes... What was her name again? Did you even ask? What had happened next? You strained your thoughts, but there was nothing. It was like a slate wiped clean. Just those eyes. Like they were burned into your very soul... With a groan, you slowly sit up, rubbing your temples. And immediately, you wish you'd never seen those ******* eyes...*

*The patrol had been uneventful, as usual. You'd made your way through the forest on the outskirts of Kirigakure, keeping out of sight and silent as your training had taught you. You we're about to return to the village when something caught your eye. In a small clearing, the glint of something discarded in the undergrowth. Dropping from the trees quietly, you approached. You couldn't tell exactly what it was yet, but if your training had taught you anything, it was clear that it had a seal on it. You stooped to pick it up and immediately were thrown back as a pulse of light flashed, blinding you. As your vision clears, you're amazed to see a young Kiri ninja standing in front of you, looking just as shocked and confused as you are. Her attire tells you she's from Kirigakure, but she doesn't look familiar. A small rat scurries about around her feet. She looked around in bewilderment, finally focusing her keen gaze on you. Her expression slowly turning to one of excitement...*

*Branches whip your face as you blindly crash through the undergrowth. Trees loom up suddenly in the dark, twisted roots seemingly grappling at your feet. You stumble, falling hard. An agonised grunt escapes your lips as your knee slams into a gnarled stump. You try to stand, but the searing pain that shoots through your leg sends you back to the forest floor. In a panic, you scramble behind the hewn tree, trying desperately to steady your breathing. You strain your ears, listening for any noise of your pursuer. Nothing but the freezing wind that slithers its way between even the tiniest gap in your clothing, chilling you to the bones. But you know they're there. You peer over the edge of the stump, scanning the trees, but you can barely see. It's almost as if the darkness is heavier than normal, like a fog closing in around you. You slip back down, hoping you managed to lose them in the pitch black. The beasts slavering jaws were inches from your face. Quivering lips curled back in a terrifying snarl, revealing razor-sharp teeth. Its red eyes bore into you, glowing from within as if lit by the fires of hell themselves. A low, guttural growl emanted from deep within the wolf's throat as it stepped closer. You stare and wait for the inevitable when you hear a cold voice, laced with disdain...

*Everything was wrong. Your head was spinning as you stumbled down the path into the forest. How could this happen? How could everything go from perfect to chaos in a split second? You stroll along blindly, not even paying attention as you relive the moment over and over in your head. All of a sudden, you realise there's no path beneath your feet. You look around, and everything seems strange and foreign. You stop. The only sound is your breathing. Surely the path can't be far? You look around, dread slowly building in your gut. Suddenly, you're blinded by a dazzling light. As if the sun had come out from behind a cloud on a gloomy day, but 100 times more vibrant. As you focus, a figure comes into view.*

*"If strength is born from heartbreak, then mountains I can move." That's the line that finally broke her. You watched as she broke down, shoulders heaving in heavy sobs, still gazing up at the stage as Tim McIlrath belted out the rest of the song. This was a long time coming. A moment that needed to happen. She needed to happen. For a long time. She wouldn't even be able to tell you how many years it had been, if you asked her, since she felt this. Endless hours of cooking, cleaning, teaching, and, of course, Cocomelon... So much Cocomelon... Stuck in the house, isolated and alone. Messages from friends left on read for far too long to reply to now. "Yeah, for sure, we definitely need to catch up soon!" Just seems so out of touch with everything she needs to say. It's not that she's unhappy in her life, just that she feels unfulfilled. She gave up so much when she became a mom, without even a second thought. This is a chance for her to reconnect with a part of her she had long thought lost. This is a night that she'd remember forever. A night that would make it easy to return to her "normal" life. You catch her eye as she glances over at you, recognizing a kindred spirit. A smile is shared between you in that fleeting moment. The song ends, and she makes her way through the crowd toward you on her way to the bar.*

Every evening, it starts the same, I watch the stars wake up and curse your name. Now I walk these nights a haunted man, The dark closes around me, like your tinted hand. Always now, wheeling above me, I'm caught forever in this silent tragedy. Forever looking skyward, you always draw my gaze. Now I just seek solace sleeping through the days. Sweet Cassiopeia, you surely kept your word. Beautiful Cassiopeia, the sky is ruined for me now. Oh, Cassiopeia, through tears, your lights are blurred, Cold Cassiopeia, if I can escape you, I don't know how. We sowed the seeds, but this love was made for the dark. With no sun, it never took root, save for in our hearts. No matter how high I get, I still can never reach you, The light-years that stretched between us were further than we knew. But it was so much more than just the distance, Because being close to me is a lonely existence. Now the heavens are forever veiled to my eyes, Alone again, the final piece of my lonely heart dies. Now I just sit outside, gazing up at your lovely lights, Burning so far away, just another satellite. All I can do is linger here and watch you shine, Without a single word, you took away all of mine.

*You were just finishing off your scrambled eggs (picking another piece of shell from your mouth), and enthusiastically eating the last sausage (it was burnt on the outside and still frozen in the middle, so kinda evens out?). "Mmm, that was sooooo good, kids! Thank you! How did you get to be such good cooks, huh?" The whole time, though, you could feel the sense of dread building. You knew what was coming... And when your youngest ran out of the room excitedly, you knew that time had come. "HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD!" they cheered, placing the assortment of wrapped presents on the bed. You shouted in excitement. "Wow! What's all this?" Hugging and kissing them, holding them close so they wouldn't see the dread etched on your face... Socks... okay, good. A golf club cleaner... Alright, you dont play golf, but no worries. Some chocolates... So far, so good! One more to go... You knew as soon as you touched it, and your heart sank. It was definitely clothing. You chuckle nervously as you unwrap it slowly, masking your fear with a forced smile. Your little ones jump up and down in excitement, grinning from ear to ear, completely oblivious to what they've done as you slowly hold up the t-shirt. Across the front in bold letters is written... "#1 DAD." "You can wear it when we go out for lunch today!" They say enthusiastically. You nod, smiling grimly, feeling like you're gonna be sick...