🎶 𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝙳𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚜 🎶

An ask and roleplay blog for Mari from the Hikiko Omori AU. Please read the Rules and About before interacting! Rules for Roleplayers HIKIKO AU Overview

[dear-hikikomari]

[READ ME; ASK RULES]

This is my policy on incoming asks; make sure to take a read through these before sending anything. Asks that break the rules will be deleted on sight, so keep that in mind!

All asks will be assumed as directed to Mari unless otherwise specified.

If you send an ask to the blog, I’ll answer it IC with a little Mari doodle to accompany the response. This is open to anybody, so long as you abide by these rules! That said, if you want to interact with her through a character of your own, make sure to refer to my roleplay rules first; my guidelines for that are a bit stricter. If you’d like to talk to me, the ‘mun,’ directly, make sure to address me in the ask so I know it’s to me! My IMs are also open, but I will not be answering them IC; those are for mun talk only.

Be respectful to the blogger!

Remember that this is something I’m doing for fun; I’ll do my best to get to all the asks and give fun responses, but I can’t make any promises. It’ll largely depend on what I feel up to answering, what art I get inspired for, where stuff fits best in the narrative, etc etc. If I take a while to get to your ask or wind up not answering it, please don’t take it personally. You’re always welcome to send something else! You can ask if you’re worried an ask got eaten, but please don’t try to pressure me into answering faster; that’ll just result in it getting deleted. Additionally, absolutely do not attempt to drag me into drama of any kind; I’m not here for that.

Absolutely no NSFW, but other dark content may be present.

Expect canon-typical levels of disturbing content; psychological horror, body horror, character death, self-harm and suicide, mental illness, etc will all likely be present here to some degree. That said, I am not at all comfortable with sexual content and will not be accepting any asks of that nature directed at the mun or muse. Please do not send them here. Offenders will have their asks deleted and/or blocked, depending on severity.

Don’t repost or use my artwork without permission.

Unless otherwise specified, all icons, promo images, sidebar images, and other artwork utilized in asks or the blog itself were drawn by the mun. Please do not repost it elsewhere or use it off the blog without asking me first. If you’d like to use it for roleplay icons or something I might be okay with that, but let me know and make sure to credit me somewhere. I do reserve the right to say no, though.

Please don’t reblog roleplay threads you’re not a part of.

Most of my content is a-okay for anybody to reblog, but I ask that ‘threads,’ (written interactions between two or more roleplay blogs) are NOT reblogged by people outside of them. This can mess with thread trackers and often is considered really rude to roleplayers, so be respectful of this boundary! If I see this happen, I will be coming to ask you to take it down. That said, liking a thread to show your support is 100% okay!

Crossovers with other ask blogs won’t be canon.

I’m open to doing little cameos and stuff like that with other ask blogs, but bear in mind that they very likely will not be canon to the blogs themselves; they’re just for fun and shenanigans. If you’d like to discuss trying something like that feel free to drop by and ask, I promise I don’t bite! I’m sure we can come up with something.

Some additional notes to keep in mind:

Remember that this Mari is specific to the Hikiko AU.

For reference, the Hikiko AU is an AU of my own design; it’s loosely based on Omari, but with some pretty significant tweaks and story changes. As such, these are the basics you should know; Mari is still alive here, 19 years old, and attending a Junior College a few hours away from Faraway Town. If you’d like to know more, feel free to check out the about and AU pages for everything that’s been revealed thus far! And if there’s anything missing there that you’d like to know… Well, you can always try asking Mari. Just keep in mind that this AU is quite a bit different from the canon timeline or classic Omari, and Mari won’t have knowledge of any of the events that didn’t happen in her world. Likewise, this blog is not affiliated with the Hikki or Omari projects in any way; honestly I can't even keep track of who it is that's actually making them, let alone be in contact with the creators.

This blog is not spoiler free!

If you haven’t played the game or know the story, I highly recommend doing so before interacting with this blog or reading any further. While there’s plenty of divergences, the blog also contains some parallels to pretty significant spoilers and will definitely give away some big twists. Omori is a pretty intense emotional roller coaster of a game so I definitely would suggest experiencing it for yourself if you can handle the content it entails. It isn’t necessarily mandatory to interact here, but will probably add to your experience.

Guest characters may pop up from time to time.

On occasion I might let other characters from the AU participate in an ask or pop up in art. That isn’t to say it’ll happen every time, but I figure that’s a fun way to switch things up– and possibly provide some details Mari herself might not be as keen on discussing. That said, I can’t guarantee that an ask addressing them will always make it to the intended recipient– that depends on how likely they are to be able to find it. But do feel free to try if you’d like! You might just learn something interesting in the process.

Mari is an unreliable narrator.

Much like Sunny in Omori, she’s not always going to be honest about what really happened or how she’s actually feeling. Her experiences aren’t always true to reality, often laced with hallucinations, delusions, and dissociation. After all, Mari is someone who strains herself very hard to maintain an image of perfection and stability– and that’s one thing which has remained a constant here. It’s going to take quite a bit of effort to peel back that mask of smiles.

Check here for the dedicated tags!

I have a handful of dedicated tags for different content; feel free to blacklist anything you don’t want to see. I also track the tag #dear hikikomari, so feel free to use that if there’s something you’d like me to see!

#asks - the answered ask catch-all. #threads - the roleplay thread catch-all. #main; dreaming of you - the tag for main ask blog content. #side; pure imagination - the tag for non-canon side content. #my art; through her eyes - mun art tag (posted or reblogged) #reblog; strange reflections - others’ art tag (promos and etc) #mun post; the music stops - ooc posts from the mun.

And now, meet the mun!

Hey, thanks for reading this far! Feel free to call me Timey. I’m 25, and use she/her pronouns. I’ve been roleplaying across various platforms since 2010, so this is just the latest in a long series of experiments; I’ve had this AU in the works for quite a while, so an ask blog felt like a fun and interactive way to share it with folks. Here’s hoping you’ll all enjoy it as much as I do!

[grcndel]

practices the rpc needs to Collectively Get Back Into:

commenting on peoples’ posts, threads, art, graphics, etc. just telling them that you see it and that it looks good / is entertaining / etc.  –  because content creators can’t read your mind and  as nice as it’d be for us to always serve ourselves with our work  …  realistically we will lose motivation to continue creating without some kind of support.  if you like something then say so !!

sending each other’s muses messages about muses they’re talking to or characters from their canon and just generally getting actively involved in the narratives other people create  &  encouraging those people to discuss them

asking people random questions about their characters without fear that it’s too outlandish, provided the question isn’t invasive or rude

sending honest, heartfelt notes of positivity and making loveposts about other creators and the work they do.  not chainmail, not lazy generic shit, but real kindness, in our Own Words

drawing people fanart of their characters / ships / OCs !!  please !!  really !!  i don’t know when that  EVER  became something people grew too nervous to do !!  most people  ADORE  it.  even if it’s just fucking stick figures, man, i  PROMISE  you that taking the time and putting in the effort to show someone that the work they do inspired the work you do will make their whole fucking day

telling !!  each other !!  that !!  we’re !!  doing !!  good !!  jobs !!

being  NICE  to each other  OPENLY  and  FOR NO REASON  with  NO PROMPTING

making sure other people feel included in discord servers, roleplay groups, groupchats, multi-way threads, art trades, events, and just.  like.   overall

acknowledging !!  each other’s !!  art !!  metas !!  threads !!  worldbuilding !!  and !!  style !!  PLEASE !!  PEOPLE !!  DONT !!  KNOW !!  YOU !!  LIKE !!  THEM  !!  IF !!  YOU !!  SAY !!  NOTHING !!

and  NOBODY  with  ANY  goddamn sense is  EVER  going to react negatively to you Just Being Fucking Nice so stop worrying about doing that !!   PLEASE !!!!!

[dear-hikikomari]

nitenife​:

sunny takes a small, sharp breath; his mouth slightly opens in awe. mari’s hand is not cold as a corpse. her voice… it’s changed a little, but not by much. he stares up into her eyes—tired, confused, but so full of life. she’s filled with that which he had robbed from her prematurely.

sunny never was the best with emotion. it seemed to weave around him, bounce off of him; he never felt things too deeply, and this was a vice he carried throughout his life. but the water coalescing in his eye… it speaks a million feelings. his hands tremble. her fingers tighten, and so do his. the boy’s grip is almost iron-like.

he’s afraid to let go. wouldn’t she disappear the moment he did so? and he’d spiral into confusion again. at least… he can try to help deduce the situation. she’s asking a question. he can answer. he can help.

he can answer.

…

sunny’s throat feels locked up. no sounds emerge from him, rather he continues to gaze pathetically. he lowers his head, blinks away the water in his eyes, frustration gathering in his gaze. his hands begin to tremble more. suppressed fear.

“ i— ” finally, a word scratches itself out of his throat. his voice is so raw compared to his usual monotone drone. he carefully looks back up, as if still expecting her to manifest into something horrid.

“ i’m sunny. i’m sunny. ” he whispers, firmer in the second utterance. “ you… i… c-can’t… you’re… breathing. you’re… n-not… ” a word left unsaid. sunny’s shoulders tense, and he wavers on his feet slightly. he looks at mari. he looks at the house. quietly, almost helplessly; “ i don’t… i don’t understand. ”

      ... Sunny.

      She didn’t understand either, certainly no more than he did. That was the name of her brother, undeniably. Some would say that Mari made the sun shine brighter, but first there had to be a sun to shine. Her entire world went dark that day. The sun never shined again, not for her. It left her life so bitter and cold.

        The room seemed almost to spin. She felt dizzy, and yet she didn’t release his hand, even then. His grasp felt like her only anchor to reality, even if it was a reality that no longer made any sense. It contradicted itself in every moment, his voice audible in a house that never would have decayed if he had still been alive. And yet, here he was, speaking as if she was the one who should have been laid to rest.

        Sunny...?

        Had the lie run deeper than Mari thought? Had even she been deceived? What a cruel twist it would be, and yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be well-deserved. All these years, and even she hadn’t really known the truth, covering one lie with another. Which one was reality? What was she supposed to believe now?

       His eyepatch caught her gaze once more. Was this a recent injury, or an old one? The result of whatever harsh life he’d lived beyond her knowledge, or a scar from the day she would have done anything to take back? Was this her fault? Had she left him in this state? How had she never even known? Never even guessed?

        Had he survived after all? Had he really been out there all this time, living a life far, far away, believing she was the one who’d died? There had been so much blood. He couldn’t have. He wasn’t breathing, she knew he wasn’t, she’d even tried to find his pulse and--

       But what if she’d been wrong?

        Sunny...!

        Something cracked, in that moment. She released his hand-- only to fling her arms around the teen’s shoulders in a desperate embrace, hugging him close against the front of her soft, plush sweater. Mari didn’t care if it was real or not. She didn’t care if it was even possible. She didn’t care about anything right then other than that her brother was right there and she could hold him in her arms.

      “I don’t understand either,” Mari managed feebly, “It.. It feels like a miracle. A-After, all these years, you’re.. You’re really here. You can’t be, but..” The young woman drew one long, rattling breath, trying to gather the words. “You’ve been missing for a long time. And it... It was my fault. I’m so sorry.”

      Mari pressed a single kiss to the top of his head before settling her chin into his dark hair, trying not to let herself tear up again. She only halfway succeeded.

      It felt like a miracle. If this was a dream, she wasn’t ready to wake up.

[dear-hikikomari]

May I offer a couple of HIKIKOMARI AU stickers to celebrate the New Year and Hero’s birthday? The first features Hero’s Dreamspace design, and the latter offers a bit of Heromari for the soul. I don’t draw softness very often, so enjoy it while it lasts! They can be happy for just this once, as a treat.

Happy New Year, folks!

[soulprompts]

‘𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲’ 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬.

prompts designed around the concept of a character having a difficult day and another character arriving to help/support/care for them!

DIALOGUE PROMPTS.

“ you look like you could use a hug. ”

“ please tell me you didn’t cancel your plans for me… ”

“ don’t be silly, you’re much more important than some tinder date! ”

“ where’s your jacket? i’d like to show you something, and it’ll involve a bit of walking. ”

“ you know i’m always here for you, don’t you? no matter what. ”

“ hey, now… i’m only ever a phone call away. ”

“ come on. let’s get you to bed. ”

“ i’m listening. ”

“ hey, do you have any spare pajamas? i’m going to sleep on your couch tonight; that way you just need to shout if you need me. ”

“ what are your nightmares about? they may not be so bad if you talk about them. ”

“ another nightmare? ”

“ hey now, no more apologizing. i’m glad you called me; i meant it when i said any time, any place. ”

“ you know you’re never a nuisance nor a burden. not to me. ”

“ i’m helping you, and that’s final. i’m not taking no for an answer. now. where’s your kitchen? i’m making us some comfort food. ”

“ maybe you think it’s your job to look after everyone else. but it’s not supposed to be like that. it works both ways. and now it’s my turn to look after you. okay? ”

“ hey, now. you’ve been helping me ever since we met. it’s about time i started repaying the favor. ”

“ i’m so proud of you. i know it’s hard to get past these rough days, but… i still want you to know that i’m proud of you. “

“ you know, i reckon our bond is definitely strong enough to endure whatever it is that you need to get off your chest. “

“ it’s alright, now… i got you. “

“ you don’t need to worry about scaring me off. i’m not going anywhere. you can try as hard as you want, but there’s nothing you can say that’s going to make me like you any less. “

“ you know, i make the best hot chocolate in the world. seriously, i’ve asked absolutely everyone on the planet. everyone except you… what do you say? wanna make it a global fact? “

“ let’s go smash some stuff until you’re ready to talk, okay? “

ACTION PROMPTS.

[ TEA ]: sender prepares a mug of hot tea for the receiver.

[ BLANKET ]: having found the receiver either sleeping or just lying on the couch, sender gently takes a blanket and drapes it over them.

[ BATH ]: sender runs a hot bath for the receiver after a particularly challenging day.

[ DINNER ]: having learned that the receiver has had a difficult time lately, sender arrives at their door with their favorite dinner and drinks.

[ COOK ]: in an effort to boost the receiver’s spirits, sender arrives with all the ingredients needed to make the receiver’s favorite comfort food, with the well-intended intentions of cooking it for them.

[ FORT ]: sender builds a blanket fort for the receiver following a long and difficult day.

[ HUM ]: sender hums gently under their breath to soothe and comfort a distressed receiver.

[ WIPE ]: after the receiver has stopped crying, sender tenderly leans forward, cups their face in their hands, and wipes their tears away.

[ JOURNEY ]: noticing the receiver has had a particularly rough day, sender invites them to accompany them on a walk or drive to get out of the house.

[ HAIR ]: as the receiver leans against them/lies in bed, sender begins to run their hand through their hair to soothe them until they relax or fall asleep.

[ CARRY ]: sender lifts a (nearly) sleeping receiver and carries them into their bed, tucking them in in the process.

[ GUIDE ]: sender physically guides an exhausted receiver into their bedroom, following weeks of very little sleep and very high amounts of stress.

[ BESIDE ]: receiver wakens from their first genuinely restful sleep in weeks, to find the sender asleep next to them, having been holding the receiver throughout the night to help them fall asleep.

[ BEDSIDE ]: receiver wakens from their first genuinely restful sleep in weeks, to find the sender asleep in an armchair by their bedside, having stayed there for the night in case receiver had a nightmare or needed them in any other way.

[ KISS ]: as a gesture of comfort and affection, sender leans forward to kiss the receiver on the forehead.

[ HAND ]: noticing the receiver is close to tears, or otherwise struggling with an unseen but considerable burden, sender gently takes their hand and holds it in an attempt to comfort and encourage them.

[ RUB ]: sender gently rubs receiver’s back in a soothing motion.

[ TV ]: sitting next to the receiver on the sofa, sender joins them in watching their favorite show/movie on the television.

[ HOLD ]: as soon as the receiver opens the door and realizes the sender is there, sender wordlessly opens their arms out, and gives the receiver a warm, sorely needed hug.

[dear-hikikomari]

[Starter / Plotting Call!]

Alrighty, let’s see if we can get this show on the road!

Go ahead and slap that like button and I’ll write up a starter for you with one (1) very soft and stressed college girl. Or alternatively; reply to this post and I’ll hop into your DMs to plot one out instead! I’ll put together a few rough concepts beforehand to see what sounds neat– or if you’d prefer something else instead.

[dear-hikikomari]

nitenife​:

as Mari speaks, as sunny hears, as his eye shows his subtle shock and confusion , as his body tenses, everything conveys a message to him: this is wrong. it’s all wrong. not only doesn’t this fit with his memory at all, but she’s talking about him like he’s deceased. by all means, he should be talking about her like she is such.

sunny’s eye widens with pure startlement. his hand uncurls and slides down the wall slightly before dropping back to his side. he looks down at the ground. what’s real? is this a dream or was his life a dream? could he even tell in the first place? was all his progress for naught? sunny runs a hand through his hair, beginning to hyperventilate. he wants to curl up, shut his eye, and…

his eye. it clicks. if his memories were of a dream… he wouldn’t have the scar he has lurking under his eyepatch. so, what he remembers is real. why does all this also feel so real? and the largest question: is she real?

sunny gingerly turns to face mari. he takes soft, tentative steps toward her, the floorboards creaking quietly underneath him. he stands in front of her, staring up at her—how amusing it is that he’s not grown much—and then he holds his hand up, as if asking for a high-five. he doesn’t care; a high five, a press, something to confirm she’s not an apparition.

She was cautious, at first. Part of her was tempted to back away and maintain the space that had been between them. Emotional, physical, both seemed the same to her in that moment; Mari couldn’t help feeling that she’d already bared her heart enough for one day.

Even if he was an apparition, even if this wasn’t real, even if no one else would know about the wounds she exposed in her soul... She would know. She would remember.

Mari had never been very good at overlooking mistakes. Her own, and his alike.

But even then she remained in place, as if rooted to the rotten floorboards by the weight of her guilt. Her dark eyes watched him with clear apprehension, waiting for the moment that reality’s rug would be tugged out from under her feet. He was so close now, this shadow, this eerie, uncanny echo of her beloved sibling. Mari couldn’t help feeling pathetic.

What right did she have to be scared? If anything, it should be the other way around.

Her eyes widened as his hand raised, yet still she didn’t budge from her place. After only a moment, though, her alarm was replaced with confusion; what was he doing? He made no move to grab at her... Rather, if she didn’t know better, she’d think it was meant to be a high-five.

An awkward pause followed. She blinked, several expressions crossing her face in rapid succession; bewilderment, disbelief, something almost like suspicion. Was this a trap? If something felt too good to be true, it usually was. But at the same time... Mari couldn’t shake the feeling that this was exactly the moment of truth that she so desperately needed.

Her arm lifted, slowly, cautiously, as if approaching a shy bird that would flutter away at the slightest provocation. Mari took a breath; she’d regret this, surely. The phantoms always felt cold as ice water, but at least it was usually quick.

With that, she pressed her palm to his before she could overthink it any farther.

A flash of shock crossed her face. While it faded quickly enough, something had certainly shifted in her eyes. It was a strange look, like one could just see the gears turning in her mind, trying to grapple with an unexpected turn of events.

... Warm. The shadows that haunted her were many things, but they were never warm. In fact, she scarcely felt them for more than a moment; it should have been like swiping her fingers through a chilly fog. But there was no denying that the pressure against her palm was very, very real. And not only real; alive.

In only a moment she clasped his hand in a gentle yet firm grasp between her own, bending down just enough to look him in the face-- to really look at him. She studied every feature, so familiar and yet so different. It could have been him, she thought. It could have been, if... If...

But it wasn’t, because that was impossible. She knew that better than anyone.

“... I don’t understand.” Mari’s voice was quiet, uncertain, but controlled. “You look just like my brother, you even sound just like him, but... You can’t be. Who are you?” Part of her was tempted to ask if this was even real, but she knew there was no point in it; if it was a dream, he wouldn’t know it any more than she did.

And well, if it wasn’t, then she’d be admitting to just how out of touch with reality she was.

Not just to him, but to herself, too.

[dear-hikikomari]

nitenife​:

a weight drops in sunny’s gut. not home, but home? after what-? after… what he did, likely. guilt skitters over him like king crawler. sunny’s gentle touch to the wall quickly turns into something else; his hand curls into a fist and he slams it against the wall, keeping it pressed there—shoulders taut for a moment before he slouches again.

the pain from hitting the wall is real. in sunny’s dreams, even nightmares, pain of the physical kind never reached him like how it did just now. it usually bleeds. this… it stings. like in the waking world. this observation is enough for his mind to begin being swamped with confusion. sunny’s chest rises and falls with the subconscious beginnings of panic.

sunny doesn’t know what’s happening, none of it lines up with his memories. at least… he’s with even just a possible hallucination—she hasn’t turned demonic-looking yet—of someone who he was once able to be utterly vulnerable with. sunny’s head slowly tilts to look in mari’s direction, his dark eye somehow almost glowing in the night’s light.

“ mom did move away, then? ” his brow dips ever-slightly, a familiar subtle expression of worry that could be difficult to make out in the lowlight. his gaze finds the floor. his flat tone has a hint of distress underlying it. “ what about our friends-? i didn’t want to leave… ”

The thud of a fist against old plaster made Mari jump, if only slightly.

Mari’s dark eyes stared at the point of contact, shoulders slowly releasing the stiffness they had gained. She couldn’t blame him; she hated this place, too. But the outburst-- even as momentary as it had been-- brought back memories. They weren’t the kind she liked to remember. The young woman’s brow furrowed more deeply, stress creasing her features even more than exhaustion already had.

There was something in his gaze that unsettled her; a flash of silver, dreadfully familiar, yet so very wrong on his face. Perhaps this was indeed one of her ghosts after all... just a bit bolder than the usual. This one wasn’t content to merely cast judgment, but instead sought to ensure she felt its keen sting in her very soul.

And sting it did, as soon as he spoke those final words. Mari felt sick. She wanted to leave.

The only thing that stopped her was a single, bitter thought; I deserve this.

“I.. I know, and I’m so sorry.” You didn’t deserve to be taken from everyone so soon. There was a quiet sniff, one knuckle carefully rubbing at her face in an attempt to wipe away tears before they became too obvious to hide. Mari took a long, rattling breath, trying to steady her nerves and gather herself. What he had meant and what she had heard seemed to be two very, very different things.

“Mom.. Was the first to leave,” she admitted in a small voice, picking at her sleeve absently. “She didn’t take it well. I can’t say I blame her for that. One day she announced she was going to visit some relatives, and then.. Just, never came back. I don’t think it surprised anyone.” Mari had heard the fights, the hushed whispers, the bitter remarks. Part of Mari wished she could have gone with her. She didn’t want to stay with him, either.

“I’ve tried to keep our friends together, but.. It’s hard. I-I can’t help feeling like you could have done a better job..” A hint of a sad smile tugged at her lips, but it was faint. “I do what I can when I’m in town, but it seems like things are worse every time I come back.”

Her eyes closed as she strained to maintain what little remained of her composure, but it wasn’t enough. Not when more words felt like they were bubbling up her throat, no matter how much she tried to force them back down.

“I miss you,” she whispered finally. Her tone was desperate, pained in a way that sounded deeply wrong applied to her voice. “I miss you, so much, every day. I just, I wish I’d appreciated you more, before...” Mari couldn’t even finish the sentence, choking up before she could reach the end. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking, and keeping her eyes squeezed shut certainly didn’t curb the tears.

Only then did she dare open her eyes again, slowly, hesitantly, as if expecting to see something else instead. Her apprehension was replaced with relief when it was still just him, even if Mari knew full well that he shouldn’t have been there either. She watched him for only a few moments before averting her eyes, drawing quivering fingers through her bangs.

I would have done anything for the chance to see you again, just one more time.

But this is just wishful thinking. I know you’re not really here.

[dear-hikikomari]

What Chess Piece Represents You?

The White Queen

You are the White Queen. The Queen is the most powerful piece on the board, meaning you are strong in some aspect of your life. Physically, emotionally, mentally, one of these is your strong suit. The queen can move anywhere she wishes upon the board, meaning you have your hands full with all the different tasks and choices in your life. Just be careful not to overwhelm yourself. For all your poise and status, your position will surely crumble under the weight of your pride.

[dear-hikikomari]

@itsyourbestnightmare​ ❤️‘d for a starter!

Mari had seen a lot of weird things in the last couple years, but this was... A completely different variety of weird. Maybe it wasn’t as creepy as the usual nonsense her mind conjured up, but that just made the discovery unsettling in a whole other way. She just stared from a distance for a good while, leaning forward slightly to get a better look.

“Does that flower... Have a face?”

Okay, sure, some plants had features that resembled animals; more than a few flowers were uncannily similar to fluttering birds’ wings. But this? This honestly looked like an actual, real face on a flower. Mari could’ve imagined her little brother drawing something like it. Was that why it was here? It seemed too bizarre to be real.

Then again... Considering where she’d been before she found herself here--

There was every possibility she was either dreaming or already dead and just hadn’t realized it yet. Mari decided to discard the latter possibility (for now) just to conserve her sanity. The young woman glanced at her hands, frowning; nope, still her own. So if this was a dream, it wasn’t the usual kind. For better or worse, this time she was visiting the unknown and whimsical as no one but herself.

Well, it was time to get a closer look at what she was dealing with then.

Brushing her hair out of her face, she straightened to spare herself just a moment of thought and steel herself for whatever she was about to find. A brief sigh, and that was all. Without further ado, Mari started forward to close the gap between herself and what had to be the strangest example of vegetation she’d ever seen.

It wasn’t like it actually had a face, right? It just... looked a lot like one. That was all.

[dear-hikikomari]

During this brief intermission, I think I’ll infodump about HIKIKO’s version of Mari in the context of a Deltarune / Undertale crossover a little more since it’s been on my mind a lot lately.

- Mari’s soul normally appears as a split trait between Perseverance and Kindness; it’s a bit ironic considering her role in Omori, but the purple coloration happens to match up with her pretty well-- and she’s never been the type to back down from a challenge.

- In the Undertale world this gives her a potential aptitude with healing magic and barrier formation, whereas in the Deltarune universe she can only use magic in the Dark World. It takes her a lot of practice to actually use these skills on command, though!

- As a human with some amount of Determination, Mari can remember Resets-- but she can’t actually initiate Saves or Resets herself. Usually it does leave her a bit disoriented though, with memories from past timelines feeling slightly distant and confusing.

- Mari’s appearance in the Dark World varies depending on where she is in her main plotline. Pre-story, she’ll appear and behave as HIKIKO, with her soul losing its vibrant coloration to match HIKIKO’s monochrome palette. However, post-story the two split to act as separate individuals, with their own thoughts, feelings, and desires.

- HIKIKO’s abilities in the Dark World match much more closely with those she utilizes in Dreamspace; her weapon of choice is the Harmonic Cord, a unique, ribbon-like whip that seems to respond to HIKIKO’s will. The lasso loop on the end often looks suspiciously similar to... Something else. It’s better not to think about that.

- Mari and HIKIKO have different stats from one another. HIKIKO is marked as a concerningly high level, matching up with her status in Dreamspace; as a consequence, her stats are pretty far up there, too. Mari, meanwhile, would be considered LV 2 by Undertale logic. Do with this as you will.

[dear-hikikomari]

@plcntegg​ ❤️’d for a starter!

Saying Mari was confused would have been a tremendous understatement.

Maybe college life kept her out of town a lot of the time, but she was still pretty well-acquainted with most of Faraway’s citizens. Normally she’d get a wave or two while she was out, exchange some tales with old friends, sometimes receive a look of pity when they thought she wasn’t looking.

When she’d woken up on an unfamiliar picnic blanket near the lake, she’d assumed maybe she’d just nodded off-- even if she couldn’t quite remember how she’d gotten there. Now, though, Mari was starting to wonder if she’d even really woken up. It hadn’t taken long to notice the weird looks that park-goers gave her, if they even noticed her at all. No one even seemed to recognize her; it was like something right out of her nightmares.

It felt like she was a stranger in her own hometown, and she didn’t like that one bit.

So now here she was, back at the old hideout by the lake, searching for clues to a mystery she wasn’t entirely sure even really existed. If this was just a dream, did it really matter if she got to the bottom of it? Her head said no, but her less rational side said yes. Maybe it was some kind of elaborate prank? She wouldn’t blame Hero for wanting to get back at her for the empty terrarium fiasco of last fall... Mari was pretty sure he still checked under his bed on a nightly basis.

This seemed a bit extensive for some friendly payback, though...

Finally she flopped onto the blanket with a sigh, laying there for a time to try calming her nerves. At least it was a nice, warm day to be out... There were worse times to be lost and confused. In younger, more innocent years, she might have even sat on the dock and dipped her toes in the water for a bit.

However, as the sound of approaching footsteps and rustling foliage caught her ear, Mari quickly sat up to stare towards the entrance. There weren’t many people who knew about this place... In fact, as far as Mari was aware, the only ones who’d been here were--

Her dark eyes flashed with hope as she caught a glimpse of pink between the trees. Mari sprang to her feet a bit too roughly, quickly adjusting her balance to get the weight off her bad knee before it could buckle; it still left her with a brief wobble, but that was just the price Mari’s pride would have to pay for a moment of recklessness.

It didn’t stop her from starting forward to close the gap between them, though-- only to stop dead in her tracks as she got her first good look at the arrival. The young woman’s characteristic smile faltered, if only to be replaced with clear concern and bewilderment.

“.............. Aubrey?” It slipped out before Mari could stop herself.

Part of her regretted speaking her old friend’s name the moment she did, but... Oh well. Too late to take it back now. She’d just have to roll with it and hope for the best.

[dear-hikikomari]

nitenife​:

his eye flickers with unbridled fright. what nightmare is this? what dream is this? what’s happened to his home? why is his imagination tricking him again—generating a picture perfect sister that’s marred? sunny stands like a deer in the headlights, not even able to hide his befuddlement or trembling; for him, of course. his expression of shock was always akin to nights years ago when he’d think he’d seen a creature slinking in the corners of the bedroom, and immediately sought comfort.

sunny steps back, his breathing speeding up; why does this seem so real? and why does she..? no. by all means, he did not deserve any single word of the sentence she spoke. he is not allowed to have comfort. especially not from her.

and despite this being sunny’s home, it felt so unfamiliar. for all of his apparent tangibility, he steps backward in pure silence, pale as a ghost and distant like a phantom. he looks around again, anxiety spiking. he looks downward, stress conveyed in every bit of his body language.

“ it’s always been all my fault. ” a whisper. he humors the dream, if briefly. yet… it’s too tangible. sunny shuffles over to a wall in the living room. he touches it. “ is this… home? ”

Mari’s smile dropped. She couldn’t maintain it anymore, hard as she tried.

Seeing her dear little brother back away in fright broke the young woman’s heart. When they were little, he’d sought her out when the nightmares became too much; she’d been a symbol of comfort in those simpler times, the one he could always rely on. Mari had never minded, perhaps even taking a bit of pride in the knowledge that Sunny felt so safe with her.

Now all that fear was directed at her. Mari couldn’t help feeling it was well-deserved.

And yet... For all that she might have expected this strange, one-eyed apparition to say, the words that reached her ears certainly weren’t in the running. Was that why he was acting this way..? She bit her lip slightly and glanced away, unable to even look at him any longer.

His fault? It was so wrong, so horribly wrong. She wanted to protest, but couldn’t find the words. Mari was the one who should have known better, the one who should have protected him. He was right. I hadn’t been paying attention to his feelings at all...

She didn’t seem to notice as she gripped her sleeve, digging her fingers slightly into off-white fabric. It did nothing to relieve the stress. If she’d just been the sister he deserved--

The boy’s inquiry snapped Mari back to reality, silencing the spiral that had been threatening to consume her. Her dark eyes lifted once more, watching the way his hand made contact with the peeling, faded wallpaper. Even in the dim lighting she could make out clear shadows flickering across the ragged surface.

Her ghosts never cast shadows... At least not like that.

Mari was quiet as she scanned over their surroundings once more, taking in the decayed remains of a house that had long since passed its prime. “No,” she decided finally, her voice faint and bitter. “It was, a long time ago, but.. Not anymore.” There was something pained in her expression. “We might have stayed here for a while afterward, but.. I.. I don’t think it ever felt like home again, after..” Mari trailed off, one hand lifting to cover the lower half of her face.

Even after all this time, it was still so hard to talk about it.

She swore she could feel silver eyes watching her from the doorway.

[dear-hikikomari]

[ Ask and Roleplay Blog for HIKIKO AU Mari from Omori. ]                     [ An interactive story told by Timey. ]

Now open for interaction! Make sure to read the rules and about first.                                  [ WARNING; Not spoiler free! ]

𝙷𝙾𝙼𝙴 || 𝙰𝚂𝙺 𝚁𝚄𝙻𝙴𝚂 || 𝚁𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙿𝙻𝙰𝚈 𝚁𝚄𝙻𝙴𝚂 || 𝙰𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚃 || 𝙷𝙸𝙺𝙸𝙺𝙾 𝙰𝚄

[dear-hikikomari]

[Starter / Plotting Call!]

Alrighty, let’s see if we can get this show on the road!

Go ahead and slap that like button and I’ll write up a starter for you with one (1) very soft and stressed college girl. Or alternatively; reply to this post and I’ll hop into your DMs to plot one out instead! I’ll put together a few rough concepts beforehand to see what sounds neat-- or if you’d prefer something else instead.

[dear-hikikomari]

It’s (after) midnight on Halloween, so here’s some slightly unsettling HIKIKO AU Dreamspace tidbits!

- The nature of HIKIKO as a ‘mask’ is quite a bit different from how OMORI exists for Sunny. She’s a mask of smiles, maintaining that eerie smirk even in times most would consider highly inappropriate. For all her surface-level charm and sweetness, the darkness underneath is that much bleaker; HIKIKO wipes away imperfection wherever it hides, unwilling to allow anything to taint her brother’s precious world.

- Dreamspace is a much more self-aware world than Headspace was, treating Black Space and its poisonous nature as a part of its living lore. Entities that are exposed to its many openings become ‘smeared,’ their appearances drained of color and mangled with disturbing deformities. It’s said that the knowledge down below is too powerful for them to comprehend in its true form.

- Most assume HIKIKO is immune to that effect, that her pristine, shining white cuts through the darkness to keep her sane. But, say... She doesn’t seem very colorful compared to the rest of Dreamspace, now does she?

[dear-hikikomari]

I think a lot about what a Deltarune / HIKIKO AU crossover would look like just because it’s one way outside of dream-sharing that other characters could encounter HIKIKO instead of Mari. In the shadow of a dark fountain, Mari takes on the form of her dream persona-- with all the changes it entails.

And if, say, Sunny’s old sketchbook were to be exposed to a fountain of Mari’s creation... Well, that sure would be a trip down memory lane, wouldn’t it?

On the flip side, there’s also the comedic value of this weird girl moving into Hometown, and nobody has seen her yet so they make up all these wild assumptions and rumors. But then it just turns out Mari was being so secretive because she wanted to get a special introduction ready for meeting everybody and make a good first impression. The girl was just a bit self-conscious about being a human moving into a (mostly) monster town, whoops!

She does not inform them that about half the rumors were actually true.