Me when I don't work on my main AU I keep saying I'm gonna work on and instead make another random AU with my minuet attention span.
This AU is not recent lmao, it has been just sitting in my drafts for around 5 months atp. Mostly because I was unable to find the time to finish the main three's refs lol (Rupert's finished ref has been rotting for 5 moths, poor guy.)
Anyways, here are the main three of the AU. The Tumultuous Trifecta, if you will. And ofc, it's the background trio that includes my favorite character blah blah blah sue me or whatever lol.
Take a wild guess who Rupert is swapped with. Go ahead. Guess.
If you didn't guess Henry, affectionately you might need to replay the games again. I mean, this whole AU did develop from my hc of Rupert being a chaos anomaly and the fact that Henry considered being a prison guard when looking for job opportunities. However, the different timelines are more of an exploration of Rupert's personality, going from a huge angry guy to an either a laid-back, slightly silly CCC agent, a cut-throat warden, or a very self-righteous vigilante. And ofc, the other minor endings that keep Rupert's angry personality but spin it in a selfish way. The usual.
After a lot of bouncing around everyone else's roles, Johnny became the Charles equivalent. They both have a spunky personality that shines the best in being chaotic and doing dangerous stunts. They both work for organizations that are connected to law enforcement. They both have connections to old dudes in the military. Uhm... they both die? That works. However, Johnny doesn't know how to fly anything, his strength lies in driving. He still dies in one of the endings though. Canon event and all that.
Dave was the one I thought would have gotten the most flack as an Ellie swap. Although they aren't that similar, they do share similarities with being imprisoned, having the option to free both of them from said prison, and both having narrative quirks (Dave's flash drive/CCC accordance depending on who you ask and Ellie's force powers and Toppat accordance depending on who you ask). However, Dave is different in the sense that instead of becoming meeker from being narratively doomed, he somewhat confidently seeks out danger and makes himself narratively doomed lmao. Also, his journalism is just a side hobby, his regular job is a mailman (wooow so original).
Bonus doodle below cut:
After this AU's CtM (which has no name change as of right now), Dave wears longer sleeves and Rupert cuts his hair down. However, he does keep some of the length, and he grows an appreciation for it bc of his friends both having longer hair themselves. No need for a hypermasculine haircut when everyone accepts you and is non-conventional themselves. It's super freeing working under the CCC in this plot. (The other ending tho, ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh not so much.)
Sorry for not being super active, I've been tired/channeling all my energy into personal projects (an object show that I finally feel confident in producing officially) and college.
Soooo to the -5 people who are asking "WHERE IS CTN YOU SAID YOU'D BE WORKING ON IT!!!" My answer is I was forever-plagued. I have been sick for almost a month and a half and JUST NOW STARTED TO GET BETTER OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOODDDD. But we're good now, and once I get my responsibilities out of the way, I can finally cook again.
BUT I did have some doodles backlogged from ages ago. If any of you are in the discord servers I'm in you've seen these before and can scroll past idm lol. If you wish to continue, join me as I condense 3 months' worth of yapping into one post.
Dave: Mal, I went to the CCC for an interview, and I got this cool hat.
Mallory: Oh man, I gotta see if they'll give me one too.
Bill: You're cursed. Would you like the cool hat or cool shades?
Mallory: Could I have both-
Bill: NO.
Take a Mallory moment before you descend into hell. I'll be waiting~ (More below cut):
OK OK SO BEHIND THE SCENES I HAVE BEEN DOING SO MUCH CANON LORE BUILDING. And by canon lore building I mean hyperfocusing on Rupert, Mallory, and the people they're associated with bc goddamnit if I'm gonna draw, I'm gonna have fun with it.
As a result, I have proceeded to make family trees, ocs, angst art, and cutely finding ways to insert Mallory into pre-BTB lore cuz I love Mallory and I love making them important when they really have no business being there.
For the first comic, I set up Dave's torture lore. Wanna know why Dave's life is so "god's favorite torture city resident?" Mallory. Mallory unintentionally did that. Mallory's curse does cause bad things to happen both to them and the victim of eye-contact. HOWEVER, it is not instantaneous. It can be, but not always. Sometimes it likes to wait and linger until the most inconvenient time ever. (So StD lol. Mallory gets shot and almost bleeds out while Dave gets kidnapped, thank you, narrative. How kind.)
And because I hate my boy Rupert, he has ALSO met Mallory. However, they were vastly different people at the time.
Rupert: GODDAMNIT!! I'm not a fuckin' "chaos anomaly"!! I am NORMAL!! Ya hear me!? NORMAL!!! Stop askin' me 'bout it!!
Mallory: ... (Waaaait a second.)... Why did he leave unscathed?
RUPERT LORE DROP. YEAH, HE'S A CHAOS ANOMALY TO ME. His "final girl" energy and the swap AU I have yet to post about has manifested in my head into "oh yeah he's an anomaly just unclassified." Like, once or twice is a coincidence, but over and over? That's a pattern. A pattern of being the last guy standing.
In my hc canon, Rupert is an unclassified B10-Anomaly. He would be the same "rank" as Henry, but one class lower than Mallory, who is a A5-Anomaly. He is a danger, but to everyone else instead of himself. As a result, if he was classified, he would be pulled from any kind of law-enforcement or military jobs on the basis of regular death and as a result, being deemed a hazard. However, since he wasn't classified (he stormed out of his CCC scanning and avoided the organization like the plague ever since), he was allowed to stay in the force and upgrade to the military.
And since Mallory ain't a snitch (also lowk relating to Rupert), they pretend that he was clean. Rupert has no record of his status because Mallory was scared but also intrigued by him lmao. However, Mal knows he's quirky. After all, nothing bad happened when they made eye-contact, which is why they were asked to interview Rupert in the first place. If things went south, eye-contact could cause incapacitation of the opposite party. Ofc Mal would be hospitalized or smth but that's the price to pay for public safety (woooow, I wonder why they left the CCC, I couldn't imagine).
Speaking of Rupert and his friends~
???: Wow Rupert! You look nothing like your kid self.
Rupert: Tell me about it.
Heh, yeah, my Rupert is trans. This is the future I (the woke left) want 😈😈. Also, he realized he was trans as an adult, both for story reasons and because later cracking eggs deserve to be represented lol.
Bc of this cute thing called genetics, Rupert was indeed a little blond kid before growing up and his hair progressively getting darker. He was always spunky tho, he just became a pissy teen from family problems, school issues, and unrecognized dysphoria lol. After a very violent episode in his early days of being a police officer, he cut off his long hair, and lowk realied he enjoyed it being shorter and more "boyish". He started T at 23 lmao.
As for his family, it does look small, but that's because both parents are partially estranged from their families. They were both immigrants (Maria from the Philippines and Mitch from Australia) who met in California and moved to Arizona before Rupert was born. There, he was born and raised and stayed until joining the military. His family is bigger technically, but he doesn't know any of them.
The other family tree is Johnny! I love Johnny guys, even if he's one of the most nothing-burger guys ever. But it's ok, he's my oomf.
Johnny's family is interesting cuz it can either be one of the most wholesome things ever if he lives, and incredibly tragic if he dies. On one hand, MARRIAGE AND LOVE AND HEALING FAMILY TRAUMA AND A DAD WHO STEPPED UP LET'S GO. ON the other hand, unfulfilled promises, trauma, revenge, and fighting. Decisions decisions.
And uh, Nora and Rupert have beef. At first, it's kinda one-sided on Rupert's end for... reasons, but in IoaS, the beef is crazy and violent and screamy.
Nora, in her grief shows her distain for Rupert (and law enforcement as a whole), by basically saying he should have been the one hit by the rock and turning into asphalt splatter instead of Johnny. And although Rupert defends himself, he can't help but agree with her.
He'll never admit it tho.
Also Fish is back to kick ts outta Rupert. He deserves it for being so interesting to me <3.
???: What are you doing?
Fish: Stress relief.
Oh yeah, and the original Mal comic:
Thank you for reading til the end and have a wonderous day✨✨✨
Poor Russell...A lie will grow up to a big problem at last,even it just a little bit at first...He almost be teard by his guilty💔Really hope him a happy end,he worth it🥺
No matter how Warren hurt him before his past life,but now,Russell-I means- Rupert, could play an important part in his four children's lives🤭💖I look forward to meet them on your next article!And Sven,and Ellie🫶
Anyways,Thank you so much for your stuffs,Lucy!Really love them🥰Hope you have nice days AND,MERRY CHRISTMAS🎄✨
"Hello, new recruit, I'm the current leader of the Toppats, Russell Rupert Price and what's your name?"
Yes, I finally gave Russell a human-ish design. Do note this is his formal outfit, he doesn't wear a cape all the time. You might notice where Reginald's golden dollar sign necklace is supposed to be is replaced by a R and a laurel wreath-like design. This is because I want to make him different from Reg and TK/T4L Henry.
Rupert doesn't seem to be a money-hungry person, so the OG necklace doesn't fit him here besides Reg and the entire Airship Division is stuck in prison so there is no physical way for Russ to get it but nonetheless he took some inspiration from it to make his own. Simple but classy enough to show he's the leader. I feel like Rupert is a minimalist at his core so he wouldn't be too flashy with his clothes.
He also has a lapel brooch pin, a sapphire in the shape of a star (didn't have time to draw it). It was a gift for his graduation at police academy given to him by Johnny and Hershell and the only hint to his past life when he was an officer. While military lapel pins do exist, I don't think it will necessarily fit him since Russell didn't join the Government at any point in this AU. Yes, he has fingerless gloves because Russell looks good in them, ok?
Have a miscellaneous doodle of Rupert on how he looked like when he first joined. He was originally a part of the Train Division and acted as a guard on the train to protect from bandits and wild animals while it travels valuables and other stuff back and forth (that's why he has a rifle-). The guards have rotating duties but Rups like the night shift the most since it was way quieter and calmer compared to the day, and he has a chance to look at the surroundings and the stars.
Siiiiiiiiiiiigh, I know you guys don't really care about this AU that much BUT I DO!! "ROOMATES FOREVER" UPON YE!!
AKA THE BEST STICKPRICE AU EVER!!!!!!11!!!!!11! (lying)
Aka aka, what if I decided to be super self-indulgent and make an AU just for the shit and giggles <33
A buncha more stuff below, like other ships and even a "fankid":
Before we start, there were hints of this au in this post. It's not super important, but I figured I'd mention it.
ANYWAYS.
I really hope that when I say "Stickprice is the best ship, trust", y'all imagine this image.
I loooooooooooooooooooooooove how bad these two are for each other. The ugliest couple on the planet no shot at competition.
So ugly and incompatible that I felt compelled to make them take care of a kid they didn't ask for 🎉🎉🎉
Rupert: HOW ARE YOU SO GODDAMN DENSE THAT NONE OF THIS STICKS!?
Amber: I'M SURE YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT STICKING WITH THAT BALD-ASS HEAD OF YOURS!
Rupert: I'm gonna do it, Henry. I'm gonna strangle her.
Henry: P-please don't.
This is Amber. She is a rambunctious and hyper kid that tried pickpocketing Henry one day. After he catches her easily (cuz he's smart and can tell), he teaches here the right way to pickpocket. After a few more encounters with her, Henry learns that Amber is homeless for the most part (he doesn't really force any information out of her about family) and asks if she wants to stay at their place. Amber gladly accepts, which at first was just a ploy to try and steal some of Henry's valuables and run for it, but ends up actually enjoying coming home to a place to eat that has a reliable source of food and warmth (and AC since I like to think they live in Arizona).
Of course she's still a little shit, but at least she sometimes apologies for it.
Also like, both her dads are kind of really bad influences on her lol.
Amber: I know he forgot my damn pudding cups again.
Henry: You really shouldn't shoot Rupert every time he upsets you.
Amber: You say that, but he probably forgot your cheese too.
Henry takes in Amber cuz he sees a lot of his younger self in her. That poor kid who had to steal to make ends meet and survive on the streets. In a way, he's trying to steer her off the path of needing to steal to live, and if she so chooses to steal for the love of the game instead, he's willing to teach her the ropes (as long as he gets a cut lol). Eventually, his efforts work, and Amber starts to view Henry as her chosen dad and the apartment as her safe-space and home. They get along really well.
Amber: HEEEY RUPERT! I gotta question.
Rupert: ...What is it?
Amber: How much do you like Henry?
Rupert: Enough. ... Why?
Amber: Enough to marry him?
Rupert: ...! How much do you value your face?
Amber: A lot, actually.
Rupert: So, you'll shut up before this book collides with it.
Amber: Never~
Rupert, on the other hand, does not like or care for Amber at all. Amber reminds him waaaay to much of his past self for comfort. A past self that got angrier and more violent as he got older, and kind of doesn't want to see that progression of a kid like that under his roof. Also, the kid also kind of reminds him of Ellie, so that also puts him off about the kid. After enough exposure to her, however, they develop a bond. It's more like a sibling bond over a fatherly one, but a bond, nonetheless.
After a while, the three of them become a somewhat functional family unit even if it isn't super traditional. They are allowed to have their soft moments as a family.
Also like, I love putting them in casual wear. Ikik recognizability or whatever, but there is no way that all the characters are just wearing their work uniforms to bed bro.
This is the epidemy of "this would be so funny" and then I do it. I love how unserious this AU is in every regard (except for when it randomly locks in like this lol)
Henry: I know nothing I do will make up for my past actions, but I want to improve. I am going to try and be a better person now.
Rupert: Sure.
Henry: Just know... I don't expect you to forgive me. I won't think any lower of you for it. I wouldn't forgive myself either.
Rupert: ... Ok.
Oh, sweet Henry, your heart is in the right place, but this is not getting the right message across to an angry self-loathing Rupert.
At first this kind of seems like an overreaction on Rupert's end. I mean, being angry about a version of Henry that seems real in your head but isn't and then crying about it because your frustration is technically unjustified and an overreaction in and of itself? Seems childish. But when you know the lore of the timeline BEFORE this one, this stuff makes a lot more sense (even if Rupert doesn't remember the actions as to why he's so upset at Henry).
After all, these guys can't remember past timelines, but they can remember how they felt during said timelines.
And if the stickprice fluff and angst wasn't enough, we got another couple thrown into the ring:
HELL YEAH PANROSE AND STICKPRICE IN MY THSC AU THIS IS THE BEST THING EVERRRRRR
But yeah! To the no one wondering what Ellie and Dave are up to in this AU (cuz of course the leftovers of Stickprice would be wondered about) they are the leader and "Left Hand" of the Toppats (or like, what's left of them).
After the whole "everyone getting arrested thing", the clan was in shambles. Ellie, who was out working with another gang, a certain... biker gang, reconnects with her roots at the Toppat clan and becomes leader. Dave, on the other hand, was with Burt during the mass arresting (Burt was trying to sneak Dave back into civilization before the rocket launch). After all the arrests, only a few small groups survived, and when Ellie managed to regroup them with the help of Burt and unexpectantly Dave, the stragglers all managed to meet up and resume operations.
It was at this point that Ellie asked Burt to be her right hand for management. Burt turns this down though, since he has no interest in leadership, but then proposed Dave for the position. Ellie was reluctant at first, but having been working with Dave for the last few month with regrouping, she began to see the potential in him with his selfless attitude and quick thinking. Dave, although very hesitant at first, decides to step up to the plate and take the position.
And surprisingly, having that level of power actually did wonders for his self-confidence and leadership abilities. Dave was finally able to have agency for the first time in forever, and his sub-leadership may have been rocky at first but ended being the best decision he's ever made.
Also, Ellie and Dave do become an item later down the line. The two work incredibly well together, and their favorite move is Ellie running and carrying Dave while he shoots at their enemies (the brawn and the sharpshooter).
And would it really be a self-indulgent AU if I didn't have an overly complicated ship chart?
So yeah gang, the partner swap was no joke lol. Also also, I had to slip in some good stuff like Curtpan and Stickvin, but like at QPRs cuz I NEED more of that in the world frfr. And like, ig Johnny and Sven are here too for moral support or smth.
MORE TO COME CUZ I'M DERANGED AND THIS IS MY OUTLET. IT'S MY TURN ON THE AUX.
I think they appear in Convict Allies in the background somewhere. Strange. No one talks about them. But I WILL RAAAAAAAAAAAH NEW OC ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!
More doodles n lore n stuff below cut:
Everyone, I'd like to introduce you all to my latest punching bag- I mean... child. This is Mallory Archer, and they are a Toppat who is planted at the wall as an undercover recruiter.
They are quite the confusing guy. Somewhat menacing, very smart, very socially awkward, and very doomed narratively, they got it all.
Also they've like, worked at every organization in the games for the most part (the CCC, the Toppats, and "the Wall"), so that's fun.
How did that happen? Well, I'm glad you asked!
Mallory is this super cute thing called a chaos anomaly. As a result, she has this cute thing that causes reality warping. What's that reality warping? Extremely bad luck and having it be triggered when making eye contact with someone, to which there are disastrous splash damage repercussions. Also, they're not immune to it, so they get just as injured as everyone else. Also also, everyone lives through the disasters, and they all point at Mallory as some kind of "witch", "curse" or "evil spirit".
Super comforting and wonderful thing to hear, especially as an impressionable child.
Growing up, they had no idea they were a chaos anomaly. They just saw everything as coincidence, and therefore, not their fault. However, when you don't know you have problems and bad things keep happening, it makes holding jobs and being around people difficult.
Eventually, they wound up applying for a position at the CCC (mostly from peer pressure and lack of options) and during their screening, they are classified as a chaos anomaly. For once, Mallory got answers! They finally learned why they were different! However, that's the problem. They're different. And everyone who blamed then for these horrific accidents were completely in the right to do so. They were technically... cursed.
They got the job at the CCC because of course they did. They were an anomaly who wanted to make a difference. Also, some testing showed that obscuring eye contact greatly lowered the chances of any accidents occurring, so Mal was a bit more ... OSHA friendly.
After half a year, the job became too much for Mal. Seeing other chaos anomalies be shunned away, locked up, or in a way "forced" to work for the CCC reaaaaaaally bummed them out. They hated their job. So they quit.
But once a chaos anomaly, always a chaos anomaly.
After being flagged by the CCC, Mallory basically had no shot in getting a "real" job anymore. Everyone who interviewed them knew about the quirks for safety reasons, and as a result, no one even bothered past the first interaction.
With no real option left and never wanting to go back to the CCC again, they do the sensible thing and run into the forest for a few years to "find themselves." It was there they discovered the love for archery and hunting as a whole.
Eventually they got into a scuffle with some Toppats and law enforcement, and by accidentally saving some goons, they were brought back to that area's base and recruited into the clan.
So to clarify, Mallory is not a criminal. That is not why they joined the Toppats. Mallory joined because they were the only group who was willing to give them a shot and accommodate for their needs without making them feel like a freak or a monster for it. They saw them, said "Hey, we could use your abilities," and give them proper aids to control it comfortably. Hat brims are a surprisingly good eye skewer.
Through all the misfortune and trauma, they have learned to have low expectations of the people around them and how to just, mask how they really feel about stuff. Learning to be unexpressive and cold does wonders in preserving yourself and the people around you. They're distant to protect others, not just themselves.
However, it isn't all torture city for them. They get some fun things, like a partner!
Matteus: Even if you don't want me to see your eyes, I'm sure they're beautiful.
Matteus: Stop! Your gloves are so cold!
Mallory: Bleh bleh bleh bleh bleh
Some might find it surprising that Mallory was able to pull, but in all seriousness they do still deeply yearn for companionship. So, when working in the Wall, they manage to feel somewhat normal and build these connections with some guards and inmates. In particular, Matteus. He's a very sweet guy who I personally think is a family person. He loves them a lot lmao.
These are Matteus's bio card and the original memes.
Yall want some Whiteboard Stickdog and Rupert slop?? No?? Well too bad!!
Rupert: Thanks, Bud. Appreciate cha' <3
This is one of the few instances where Rupert is allowed to be kinda happy. Who could've seen that coming? (Especially because he isn't a dog person.)
Big yap session (and drawings) below:
OK, SO, STORY TIME!!
Stickdog was actually a gift to Rupert from Johnny! The dog, temporarily named "Lass" then affectionately changed to "Rupert Jr." later, was originally going to be a family pet for the Panzers, but quickly changed course when service came into the picture.
Yes, that means that the name on Stickdog's vet records is "Rupert Jr."💔
She was sold to Johnny for like 20 bucks by a possibly shady figure, and she lived with his family for like a few weeks. The first week was rough, Stickdog was very lethargic and unresponsive to most things. She was very much just moping around a lot, and while Johnny chalked it up to missing her old owner, he couldn't help but feel like something was wrong.
Things changed however when she first met Rupert.
Johnny noticed right away that Stickdog always had a liking to Rupert. Whenever the two were together, she would always cuddle up with him and stick to him like glue. She was also much more excitable and attentive, helping him around the house and retrieving him stuff. Things she would NEVER do with Johnny or his family. At the same time, he noticed how much Rupert would calm down and perk up with her around. Especially because he had become much grumpier and... depressed recently.
It got the policeman thinking.
After like three weeks of some "secret" training, Johnny brought Stickdog over to Rupert's place and basically passed custody. Johnny explained that his kids were allergic to the fur, and he couldn't keep her. And from that day fourth, Stickdog became Rupert's undocumented sight dog.
Rupert was less than enthused about the random dog drop. After all, he was just blinded (like the 2nd timeline reset atp), so he was not fond of the idea of a rowdy and needy dog running around his place while he could barely walk without running into a table or counter. However, cutie patooties have the ability squirm their ways into your heart, and that's exactly what happened with Rupert.
Rupert: OK OK!! I GET IT! YOU MISSED ME! HI!
I am the BIGGEST supporter of casual beanie wearer Rupert. Absolute peak design I love it.
Most would assume their relationship would have been "love at first sight", but it was more so on Stickdog's side. She knew he was her owner way before he even wanted a dog. Rupert had to warm up to her, but now he would gladly put his life on the line to keep her safe. She's one of the only constants in his life regardless of the timeline, and he'd rather get shot dead before letting her go.
???: Heh. Your service dog kinda looks like you!
Rupert: What are you talking about?
Rupert and Stickdog are very similar actually. With a lot of things. But for right now you just get to see the two locked in. (Also, Rupert not appreciating people making subtle jokes about him being soft.)
Rupert: Ok Bud, can you fetch me the stick?
ANOTHER MANADTORY STICKPRICE JOKE CUS THEY MAKE ME SICK TO MY STOMACH I HATE THEM💖!!!! I NEED THEM BOTH TURNED INTO PASTE IMMEDIATELYYYYYYYY!!!!
Rupert: FETCH!!
The jokes write themselves gang. Also, Rupert trusts Henry as far as he can throw him.
"Look how much fun Bud's having!"
"Henry is being violently dragged through the dirt-"
"This ain't about him."
Like, do you have the heart to tell her that the game of fetch is wrong? I wouldn't.
Rupert: I hate that guy.
Also like, someone asked if she was gay. Sadly gang, no, she's not gay /lh /j, but she does have a gaydar. And she likes to be silly with the people she likes, especially Rupert (and Henry sometimes).
This is probably all I'm going to post of the whiteboard until I inevitably dump about Rykor or my other AUs again. You'll be seeing those again, I'm sure. I love torturing this man.
Ever since I made a Spotify playlist for this stupid AU it was ALL OVER.
All I can think of now is this AU. Every waking moment it occupies my mind. I think I need help.
More lore below cut (TW: VIOLENCE):
"Why am I making people click to read my random lore dump?" you may not be asking yourself. Well, my dear reader who definitely cares about this AU as much as I do, I actually have a blog for it now. So, I shouldn't be going around spoiling the entire plot for fun (even tho I basically did lol). These little yaps are me just talking about stuff that is going to happen in this AU but not really disclosing the order.
Y'know, keeping you guys on your toes.
So here is a ton of doodles with very brief explaintions.
Galeforce: Since we are not aware of how dangerous this will be, we have designated you a helper.
Ellie: Yeah, whatever. Not that I need it.
Galeforce: Ms. Rose, I'd like you to meet Charlie Calvin! Ace pilot and a communications lead. He will be your ear to us once you're on the station.
Ellie: Uh... Oh... great.
Ellie: So... your name's "Charlie"?
Charles: Yeah! Bit I do prefer Charles more.
Ellie: ... Ok. CHARLIE!! NOT NOW!!
Charels: HEY! DON'T CALL ME THAT! But sorry...
BUCK TOOTH GAP TOOTH DUO LET'S FREAKNG GOOOOOOO.
I am really excited to work with these two in particular in the future, especially because they do not bond well at all at first. Ellie is very stubborn and "in her ways" and she kind of views Charles more as a kid than a co-worker (especially because of her kinda projecting her estranged younger brother's traits on him). Charles is excited at another chance to "better" a criminal and make a friend, but he often finds himself frustrated with Ellie's refusal to hear him out on things. But who knows, he might get the chance to enact a "Greatest Plan" if things align right.
However, even if Charles can be perceived as "childish", that caring and approachable vibe has definitely helped in getting information about the new Toppat leader.
Specially with certain traumatized kids.
"Hat Kid": ... Here.
Charles: Ohhhh no... That's not... That's not Henry.
Victoria: Wait... Why do they look familiar?
HAT KID APPEARS LIFE IS GOOOOOOD. Not for her but for all her fans. Also, Rykor does not discriminate against who he threatens. If you challenge him, expect a gun in your face within the next week tops.
Which is fun because that high level of stress leads us to the next doodle. Something wholesome for a change.
Ellie: Yeah. Let it out, dude. You shouldn't be baring this kind of load alone. The CCC, the imprisonment, the forced servitude.
Dave: I just... wa-anna go h-home...
Ellie: I swear on my LIFE, I will help you get out of this mess.
Drawing Dave getting hugs because we all know his ass ain't getting enough of them in this AU.
Also also, it's a fun thing called "subtle foreshadowing". So have fun with that 🤭🫶
Ok, so now we get into something that WILL be illustrated better. So, you don't get much explanation here. Piece it together if you'd like lol, but if I stay motivated to work on my ask blog this will be coming up in the distant future.
Rykor: Because unlike your LAST "CHIEF", I KEEP MY PROMISES.
Sven: W-what the HELL is your problem!?
Rykor: My PROBLEM is how BLANTANTLY DISCRESPECTFUL this stupid clan is. "Respect your leader" MY ASS.
The last doodle should be lowk obvious where it takes place in the timeline💔
"Google, how do I tell people that I do not care for Reginald or RHM so I killed them off early, so I didn't have to write them in? Google, why is my related searches the same question but with Henry?"
Anyways Reginald cannot aim for shit. And he also can't end the night on a losing streak apparently.
Reginald: Don't turn your back on ME!! Nyeh!?
"I didn't hear no bell" ahh Rupert.
To the very logical people who ask, "How did Rupert kill all the elites with RHM being right there?" Headshot. To the head. Instantly. No time for a reaction. (Also, like RHM was anticipating Rupert shooting Reg first so he didn't really... protect his own human parts💔)
Oh yeah, here's the image I redrew over in the first image :)
Have a wonderful day broskis, I'm off to work on my ask blog again.
Happy 5th anniversary The Henry Stickmin Collection
THSC has a lot of positive endings, doesn't it? Triple Threat has a classic happy ending, and Toppat Recruits and Special BROvert Ops are also good... There are many other wonderful endings for Henry!
...I wonder how everyone else except Henry feels about it.
We love like a smoking gun,
Ripped a shot,
Then I hid and run from the scene.
----
You're sick of your life.
I don't lie.
The ones we need.
---
___
I lied about drawing fluff. Y'all get angst instead.
More doomed toxic panprice for my sick and twisted soul. I love studying their dynamic here under a microscope 🫶
Alt versions and progress below cut:
I had a vison for a cool art piece. Cool. Then had like 30 other versions of that vison. Not as cool. So, I just decided to do some silly editing to be free. I think they turned out well.
The song is "Ofelia" by Kiltro. This song fits these two surprisingly well, and it is a very relaxing to draw to lol.
It more so fits Dave and his internal battle about his feelings about Rupert. Dave attempts to gaslight himself into trusting Rykor when he knows this is all wrong by constantly telling himself "It's a light" and "It's alright" when in reality "It's a lot" and "It's a lie". Also, he wants to believe that Rupert "loves him so", which is part of the reason he keeps going, even though, deep down and buried, he knows Rykor is just using him. However, he'll never give up on his friend, even if it kills him. After all, Rupert would have done the same... right?
Also, for the shading I tried something new. I went for more of a comic/graphic look compared to my softer pieces. Overall, really proud of this.
Survivor's Guilt [TW: POSSIBLE EYESTRAIN AND DEATH]
"What makes you so special?
What allows you to rise when everyone around you falls?
And ...
Do you blame yourself for it?"
People who say that Rupert's life got better after Henry broke out of prison don't understand what overcompensating or internal competition or probably extreme levels of guilt do to a guy.
Lowk a character analysis essay below cut, so if you're interest feel free to read lol:
Like be fr, yes, he did excel in his career even making it to the military as a high-ranking soldier is under a year. He made it big; he earned his name and his position. He won. But at what cost?
Who had to go missing, get hurt, or get killed, for him to be where he is today? How many dead bodies did he have to witness and step over in order to make it to his position? How many of his friends were ripped away from his grasp because of his job and the people he had to chase as a result?
How many times has he probably blamed Henry for all of it; the guy who broke out of prison under his experienced eye? Who robbed the Tunisian Diamond? Who betrayed the government while he was present? Who witnessed one of the best military members sacrifice his life for the good of everyone? How much do you think he blames Dave for by not checking the package and being negligent? Does he think Johnny caused his own death by being reckless during a chase? Does he blame the government for trusting a crook and bombing the mission?
He can point fingers all he wants, and he probably does. He's trying to protect himself, protect his ego, protect his mind. He does not want to believe he played a part on all these incidents that destroyed lives. Because deep down, he probably blames himself for everything.
... How many times do you think he blamed HIMSELF for his own negligence and arrogance? Did he blame himself for Dave, his partner, getting fired when he himself was allowed to stay and rise in his field? Does he blame himself for Johnny's death? For not being a good enough driver or not stopping mid-police chase to make sure his partner was okay? If he hypothetically suggested Henry for the Tophat raid, does he blame himself for ruining everything when Henry goes rouge? If Henry complies, does he blame himself for Charles's death by not being able to stop the Tophat takeoff beforehand?
He probably feels like he's never doing enough, so he overcompensates by exceeding expectations and rising quickly. Everything is does is to make up for his singular mistake to his record, and because Henry is well... Henry, he can never make that mistake up. He cannot win to Henry. He can never live down that one fatal error for the rest of his life.
How much does he carry on his shoulders because of his one mistake a year ago? Because if I witnessed what he had, I would also be crushed under that pressure.
TLTR: I hate this man, and I'll make sure he eats asphalt 💖
Rupert: What's with the bricks?
Fish: Trauma.
Alt version without the noise and progress shots are right here.
Thanks for reading the yap sesh gang, expect more bc Rupert's so fun to draw in anguish. Beating him to death with that pole Henry used in EtP.
