As I near 500 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.

*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...*

*"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...

*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...*

*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...

You never knew how to answer. "What does your dad do?" Your friends would ask all the time. They'd watch the blacked out Navigator pull up to the drop-off, and someone in a suit and sunglasses jump out and open the door for you. You'd just shrug and say, "I dunno, something to do with logistics?" But you didn't really know, that is, not until recently. On your last birthday, your dad missed you cutting the cake. You'd found him pacing in the backyard, arguing on the phone. As you approached, fuming and ready to tell him off, you caught the tail end of the conversation. "Just waste him! We can't have that loose end circling back to us. Have Jimmy do it. He'll know where to put the body. No, i dont wanna know. Just do it!" Since then, you'd paid more attention, and it was clear your dad was a bad guy. Perhaps THE bad guy? You never mentioned what you heard, but after that night, things changed. More and more strangers seemingly just lived at your families sprawling estate. You'd see guns tucked in their belts when they thought you weren't looking. Everyone seemed on edge. And that's how you ended up with "Jimmy" as your personal shadow. Your dad said he was just your "driver," and dont pay attention to him, but it was hard not to when he followed you everywhere. At first, it scared you. Was this the "Jimmy" your dad had mentioned on that phone call? After a few weeks, it annoyed you. He was ALWAYS there. Never talking. Always cold. Expressionless, eyes hidden behind black Raybans. Then, after a few months, you sort of accepted it. He just became a part of the scenery. You barely noticed him now. That's until the black Humvees screeched to a stop in front of you as you walked toward the mall. Masked men holding guns as big as they were, dressed in tactical gear leapt out. You couldn't move. Couldn't scream. You just stood there frozen in shock as they raised their weapons. Then suddenly, you were moving. Jimmy's arm around you, pulling you into the alley behind you...