Tatterdemalion

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

POTENTIAL 1

Sara dumps the hot purple tracksuit into Locker’s hands, grinning. “There is exactly one reason I would tragically kill one of my loyal followers,” she explains, grinning. It’s the middle of the night, they’re on top of a parking garage, and the tracksuit’s just her favorite thing in her duffel bag of surprises. “And that is, drum roll, if Comstar possessed you and tried to kill me! You’re going to want to go into a deep place, full of spiteful rage. You’ve been in prison, you have negative fifty followers on your Patreon, and I’m on top of the world. The jealousy has driven you mad.”

Isn’t it weird? She barely feels any antipathy towards Comstar anymore. Part of it was very decisively winning, but another part just... kind of felt that was too small and petty to worry about anymore. It’s not like she needed to worry about being left in Comstar’s dust anymore, or about not being skanky enough to compete with her on stream, or even about just getting outsmarted by her. Even if Comstar broke out of super security... she’d lose. That’s just how it is.

But the audience didn’t need to know that! And to get Locker out of the crosshairs (presumably being in trouble with the Russians), he’d have to sell the performance of a lifetime as Comstar 3.0, Bodyjacking Style.

“Once you finish,” she adds, rummaging in the duffel bag, “I’ve got some makeup. We really want to go for the bags under the eyes; it helps sell that you’re losing it, big time. And don’t worry, once you’re dead, I’ll make a big show of taking the body back ‘to Victor for analysis.’ You’ll be home free. Do you need a recommendation for a facial reconstruction expert? Because I know a gal.”

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

POTENTIAL 1

Back in the day? She’d crack open some beers, pull up some psychedelic rhythm game on the flatscreen, and blitz her mind out on colors and sound. If you’re in the moment, you’re not thinking. You’re distracted. You can keep your head down and let the black thoughts pass you by.

Before she got her own place? Throwing herself at any book she could get her hands on. Mostly non-fiction: medical textbooks, pop science, romance novels. Another way to sink into something else and let those black thoughts go by. If your head’s somewhere else, they can’t catch up.

But that’s not tonight. Tonight she’s got no patience for the games and the beer tastes sour and she’s sprawled out on the couch facing the window, which looks out on the lights of the city.

She was a kid. (Does that matter?) They were already dead and gone. It was the last thing they could do for her. (She didn’t know.) Round and round they spin. The skin’s clammy under her fingers where she rests them on her stomach.

She sinks into the mire.

There’s something underneath, though. For once. Elegant metal. Arms she could rest in forever, because they belong to Euna.

...she screwed everything up and Euna still let her come back. She was a disaster at her, and Euna forgave her. She doesn’t deserve it, she knows, you don’t have to tell her. But she’s selfish. She’ll take it and take it and give what she can and marvel that Euna thinks it’s enough. That maybe it actually is, somehow.

The mire laps at her. The moon shines down, bright and white.

The moon. Ha! The real estate’s open again, but there’s no atmosphere. Nothing on there but an airless death, except that Euna caught her. Euna saved her. Euna hauled her back to Earth and kissed her like she was drowning, like Sara was irreplaceable, and that had been the beginning of the end.

Which end?

The end of the show. The end of tactical flirting. The end of AEGIS, all because Euna dared to kiss first. The end of this chapter and the beginning of something new.

Euna’s coming back. She’s coming back and then Sara can invite her over to the couch, just to hold her and be held. The apartment was changing, becoming something shared, something lived in, and that was good. It was good, and her nightmares of waking up and having a Euna-shaped hole in the world in bed next to her, ground down to feed her light, her everything fading away until she couldn’t remember the color of her hair or the sound of her ridiculous snorting laughter or the feel of her hand on her skin...

That’s when the phone rings.

Princess-Champions of Hyperborea

Kathelia!

Wham. Blam. Right on the button. Azora Howl’s eyes prick with tears. “No,” she howls, stomping her foot. “No, no, no! You’re wrong! Daddy likes me bestest and he wouldn’t ever throw me away!” She tosses Kyouko aside casually; the fox princess flops down like a wet noodle, bonking her head on the floor in the sort of way that will cause headaches and a bruise later. But now she’s just thrown away her leverage, and is advancing on you with murder in her starless eyes, like using you like her punching bag would let her pretend what you said wasn’t true.

And that’s when the wall explodes.

***

Adila!

Everyone ends up squished up against the front of the drill when Hornet presses the big red STOP button this time. You reach down and pluck Hornet carefully out from under you by the scruff of her jacket, and she, in turn, grabs a Lightning-Infused Tuning Fork and an Autonomous Net as her weapons of choice. “For Hobling Keep!” She cries, dramatically, as the two of you tumble out the hatch with Helya and Tashanna, leaving Dandy, Ninian and Adila I as the secondary strike team.

Azora Howl is dumbstruck by the appearance of a giant drill inches from her nose, and has big fat tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. This is the most vulnerable she will ever be, and if you want to take her down, you need to do it now.

Good thing you’re not alone. You have a team. You also have Hornet. And you have orders.

Pay a price and then roll to Finish Her. With Advantage, even.

***

Mittens!

Brush brush brush. The brush runs through your hair as you purr delightedly.

This is the perfect world, always in the same moment even though it changes. The rain will always be falling. The fire will always be crackling. Your head will always be full of catnip, incense, and love.

Your Mommy pulls a glass hairbrush through your hair and sings you a song.

What does she sing? What appears and disappears without you noticing? What makes this moment the kind you could lose yourself in forever?

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

COMING THIS FALL...

THE CROSSOVER EVENT OF THE CENTURY

Admiral Bearclops has kept the seven seas and skies clear of piracy for as long as he’s had fluff in his tummy. It’s his watchful eye that makes sure everyone gets their shipping on time, twenty-four hours guaranteed! He’s faced down the Drone Weaver and Captain Communal, protected the beautiful Dame Cio and wrestled Mecha Hercules to a standstill! He’s even been to the Age of the Dinosaurs alongside Doraemon and his friends! But this Fall, witness the latest chapter in nautical cinema, right in your VR room!

When shipments of toys going to children all over the globe start going missing, Admiral Bearclops and the crew of the Chibiargo are on the case! Every toy belongs in the hands of the child who purchased it, after all. But this time, he’s up against an enemy who’s... a hero of her own?

Can the rumbly tumbly Admiral keep his eye on the prize without being dazzled or blown away? Can he defeat the saltiest superheroine ever to take to the seven seas? And why has @SARRRAPHIM succumbed to the temptation to steal the honestly purchased toys of innocent children?

Find out in ADMIRAL BEARCLOPS VII: MYSTERY OF THE STREAMING PIRATES, available for home streaming from August!

STARRING

Michael D’Nofreo as Admiral Bearclops
Megan Yen as Captain Bunnitaur
Jacen Simms as Lance Corporal Ratmaton
Honoria Saint-Yves as Dame Cio
@SARRRAPHIM as Herself
@SARAPHIM as Herself
AND
Two-time Tooncademy Award Winner PHIMMY as Herself

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

POTENTIAL 1

Of course Sara saves the damsel in distress. How could she not? She’s a big-time superhero, after all. Saving people? It’s in the job description.

She does this by jerking her foot under the table, which naturally causes Victor to jerk back, which just as naturally causes her to fall out of the chair, and even though there was a solid beat you just know everyone is going to think it’s because of the comment.

Don’t worry. She’s still processing that. Later she’ll quietly melt over it. But right now she is on the floor cussing out Victor.

Princess-Champions of Hyperborea

Kathelia!

The collar falls to the floor with a melancholy jingle, and Azora Howl breathes out in shock. "My kitty..."

Then she turns on you, furiously. "What did you do to my kitten? Bring her back!!" She unrolls the blanket dramatically and steps on the still sleeping Konkon princess, sneering. "Go and bring back my little Mittens or I'll toss your little girlfriend down there instead!"

She's being arrogant and vulnerable to a sudden strike, but even if you managed to overcome her, you would have to move quickly and skillfully in order to avoid her vengefully hurling Kyouko down the hallway.

That being said, you've already figured out the purpose of the hallway. Behind each of the doors is a dungeon dimension, naturally, given the runes etched into the frames. They're custom designed just for each and every one of you, and... well, either there's unbelievable torment or pleasure so decadent you'll never want to leave. Imagine what might be behind your door... maybe it'd be Hornet's workshop! You could spend the rest of your life there fangirling over her inventions and notes!!

Eupheria has to be here. She's hidden, for once, but she has to be here. You're being watched by her right now. If you play your hand too early, if you spoil her game, you'll force her hand. But if you manage to figure out where she is, to surprise her... wait. There. Of course she's hidden behind the Caduceus, again. Just like at the beginning.

Too bad that Azora's playing right into Euphie's sense of drama.

***

Adila I!

This really is an impressive device. Everything inside of the drill is finely crafted, except for the shambles of a ruined tea corner, covered in broken porcelain and dog hair. You've managed to fit your army inside, and are homing in on Eupheria's location, using Hornet's strange homing device. It repeatedly pings as an arcing line sweeps across its face.

"You'll have to tell me when to stop," Princess Hornet says, though in the larger sense, you have no such intentions to stop her chaos. She is your new secret weapon. You will use her to attract Eupheria's attention, along with your young successor.

"Adila," you say, scritching her behind her ear. "I would like for you to spearhead the assault on Eupheria, and your partner will be Princess Hornet of Hobling Keep." You quietly ignore the fact that she is draped over the satyrian Felorian princess. She is a member of the Watch. She knows her role is to carry out your own orders.

"Good girl."

***

Mittens!

The fire in the fireplace is sparking and warm, radiating heat onto the rug and the sofa. The brazier smoking on top has a lavender catnip mix, so faint and so delicate from your position curled up on the rug.

Your Mommy pats her lap and smiles at you, a smile without any exhaustion or shivering. Outside, the rain plays a soft staccato on the glass balcony, kissing the orchids so gently. The clouds are faintest violet.

"Come here! Come here! Who's Mommy's special little kitten, huh? Come climb up here!"

You were doing something else, weren't you? Just a moment ago? You put your head in your little paws. All your thinkies smell like lavender catnip.

Pat, pat lap!

"C'mere, raindrop! That's a good girl!"

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

SECOND PLACE
WEREWOLF MAGNET

If Elodie was thinking clearly or planning ahead right now, you know she would pump Sam so full of life flowers would be blooming where he walked. But she's not, is she? What she knows, right this second, in this moment, is that the shadow is clinging to her and dragging the warmth out of her with teeth like little needles and it hurts and she hates it, she hates it so much, so she digs her claws into it and gives it breath and a curse which is all things strive and then she flings it at a bookshelf and scampers, scampers, scampers out.

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

POTENTIAL 1

“Two people can definitely fit inside a hideout,” Sara says, looking Euna dead in the eyes. “It’s just a matter of... getting them to fit. Hideouts are cramped. You see parts of people you wouldn’t ordinarily see, parts which aren’t as pretty, and, well... it can be hard to figure out which one of you will end up on the bottom.”

Poise mostly recovered, she takes a bite from Euna’s ice cream and makes a show of eating it. A show. Tongue is involved, and a decadent enjoying-ice-cream moan.

As for the question? Euna can definitely answer that. She’s just relieved that it’s looking like her path forward, no matter what it looks like, is free from AEGIS oversight looking over her shoulder.

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

POTENTIAL 1

It takes a comically long time for Sara to figure out what Euna means. She takes a bite, nods because of course she’d know a good place, hook a sister up with some real estate, and—

Victor’s comment makes her choke and her hands fly to her mouth as green slime escapes her lips. Cough cough hack wheeze death. She glares, tears in her eyes from aforementioned hacking wheeze death, across the table at Victor. A kick is aimed at his nano-shin.

Princess-Champions of Hyperborea

Adila!

Thankfully, you have one Princess Dandy to distract you. She wraps her arms around your neck again and squeezes. "I knew you'd come back for me, sugarcube," she says. "But you know what I realized down there?" Her hands still shake where they touch your fur. "I reckon that I haven't spent half as much time with you as I'd like. When all this hurlyburly is over and done with, well, I reckon that... if it ain't too much to be asking, we sit down with Iron Star and see if we can't talk things over about you being inclined to have a heart for a whole packle of princesses at once."

It's a lovely moment only spoiled by Hornet yelling from the front, "Hey, official friend! Want to come pull this go backwards lever? It makes us go backwards!"

***

Mittens!

"You are such a naughty little thing, aren't you? Yes I am! But I'm soooooo cute!! Aww, okay, I'll forgive you this time! But next time you go around being a little flirt, you're going to get grounded, you hear me? Mew mew mew!" You stand before the tree amid the burning, shadow-scorched ruins of the garden. Well, you don't stand. You're dangled above the ground being given PAT PAT PATS by Azora, whose shadow is even now plucking the last golden apple off the tree, and being narrated for by said Azora.

At least you saw Rita, her eyes sparkling with love, dart through just ahead of grasping shadows, bereft of her scarves but still able to make such amazing acrobatic feats! Maybe she'll be able to stop your Momma from doing anything bad...

You put your trust in your Rita, and in your unlikely friend, as Azora plucks the last golden apple and the tree opens wide to receive the four of you into the next room...

***

Kathelia!

Your head is a sack full of turnips that is being shaken about. They are soggy turnips. You are soggy and sweaty and Kyouko feels clammy where she's pressed up against you.

...

Kyouko is inches away from you, a snakerchief stuffed between her lips, and you are very pressed up against her. Again. Gosh. She's still groggy and somewhat out of it from the manticore venom, which means you have time to analyze where you are.

It's a vast shrine in the Classical Illuminan style, except instead of being in honor of Argossa, this shrine is in honor of Eupheria. Her swirling eyes look down at you from icons, the rafters are shaped like her arms, and the altar at the end of the shrine holds the Caduceus, hanging ominously above it just like it hung over Eupheria's false tomb. Was that today? It feels so long ago.

It's too easy.

There are rooms behind screen doors on either side of the long hall. Muffled sound emerges from behind each one, and each one is labeled with sigils. This is obviously a trap, especially because neither Isolde or Rita are in sight. Something's behind those doors. And Azora's going to just wilfully march down that hall, leaving you and Kyouko to squirm in the blanket, dragging Alina with her to whatever terrible fate awaits them both...