( cr chart )

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"..." ❖ - ❖ - ⍚ - ∴ - ⍚ - ❖ - ❖ [artist]

FRACTURES illenium (ft. nevve) [♬] Burning everything I know Desperate for a change Crashing down the ancient roads Past our yesterday Maybe there is hunger in my blood Screaming out loud for what I want See me running full speed at it Shattering, collide Call it post-traumatic Now it's do or die Feeding frenzy is in my brain I'm hopeful every day I gotta get it while we are still young enough to break We're finally not afraid Maybe there is hunger in my blood Screaming out loud for what I want See me running full speed at it Shattering, collide Call me post-traumatic Now it's do or die Coming after tiny fractures Coming after tiny fractures See me running full speed at it Coming after tiny fractures Call me post-traumatic What comes after Tiny fractures

◆ THE DRIFTER ◆

A Searcher, aspiring to find a cure.

Silent, adaptable, and deathly ill, the Drifter has braved countless dangers without faltering, or even speaking aloud. Their hunt for a cure to their sickness has brought them through innumerable obstacles of every sort, up to and including their own death at the hands of their illness and at those creatures that stand in their way. Aided by the silent jackal god, they would learn to get up from even death each time, persevering past the point where anyone else would have given up. They have been battered and broken more times than they can count, hounded at all times by the spectral appearances of the Immortal Cell, Judgment, that festers in their organs and eats away at their health from the inside out. They still dream of its toxic influence, and they continue to cough up their own blood when their trials grow particularly difficult. Despite that, they do not give up. As long as they can stand on their own two feet, they will endure and fight through whatever needs fighting in order to reach the end of their journey. They had presumed that the destruction of the Immortal Cell had ended their long struggle with sickness - and ended it with death, as well as the jackal god's vision that would promise the world's return to health and prosperity. But when they awoke on the archipelago of LifeAftr, such proved not to be the case at all...and even more perplexing, there would be innumerable others willing to not only tolerate the Drifter's presence, but accept them as something almost like an ally. As the Drifter has struggled to remain detached, in the tradition of a nomadic warrior such as themself, they have finally come to accept that this resolve will inevitably end in failure. Logistically and practically, it would never have been possible, and the Drifter has been forced to confront the simple fact that they have not avoided becoming attached; that they, in fact, care a great deal for everyone they have encountered, and are willing to pour everything they are into protecting them.

<center><table><br /><tr style="height: 500px;"><br /><td height="500" width="300"><br /><a href="http://JOURNAL.dreamwidth.org/profile" _fcksavedurl="http://JOURNAL.dreamwidth.org/profile" target="_blank"><img style="align:center;border:5px solid #000022" src="IMAGE" _fcksavedurl="IMAGE"></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family:courier;">"QUOTE"</span><br /><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family:courier;">SYMBOLS</span><br /><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family:courier;">[<a href=url/>artist</a>]</span></div><br /><br /><td style="align: middle"><span style="font-size: 15pt; font-family:georgia, serif; letter-spacing:10px;"><center>SONG TITLE<br /></center></span><p><center><span style="font=size=10pt; font-family:georgia, serif; letter-spacing:5px;">ARTIST</span></center><p><center>[<a href="SONG LINK" _fcksavedurl="SONG LINK" target="_blank">♬</a>]</center><br /><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family:georgia, serif; line-spacing:0px;"><br />LYRICS<br /></font></small><br /></span><br /></td><br /></tr><br /></table><table width="550" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3"><tbody><tr><td><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 20px; letter-spacing: 3px;"><b> CHARNAME </b></span></td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-family:georgia, serif; font-size:10px; letter-spacing:3px;"><i>CHARQUOTE</i></td></tr><tr><td align="justify"><font face="arial narrow"><span style="font-size: 13px;">CHARBLURB</span></font></td></tr></tbody></table>

	∴ canon	₪ cross-canon	♥ friend	▲ complicated	⩺ worry	✔ trusted
	✘ dislike	✼ protect	¿ unknown	★ acquaintance	◊ debt	❖ sickness
	⋙ feared	ϟ threat	⩕ helpful	〷 terminate	✧ neutral	❱ avoid
	⍚ drifter	⅄ kind	⑊ kindred	∏ worship

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◈ navigation ◈

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◇ c a n o n ◇

◇ c r o s s - c a n o n ◇

◇ d r o p p e d◇

◈ canon ◈

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the guardian ◆ hyper light drifter

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"I'll cover you." ∴ - ▲ - ⩺ - ✼ - ◊ - ❖ - ⩕ - ⍚ - ⅄ - ⑊ ♥ [artist]

AN ACT OF KINDNESS bastille [♬] An act of kindness Is what you show to me None more than I can take Oh none more than I can take Kindness is what you showed to me It holds me 'til I ache Overflow, and start to break An act of kindness Is what you showed to me It caught me by surprise in this town of glass and ice Kindness, so many people passed me by But you warmed me to my core, and you left me wanting more Oh I got a feeling this'll shake me down Oh I'm kind of hoping this will turn me round Oh I got a feeling that however small Oh I'm kind of hoping this will reach my soul And now it follows me every day And now it follows me every day And now it follows me every day And now it follows me every day, every day, every day Oh, my back's up against the wall I feel guilty, I feel guilty And you want nothing in return I feel guilty, I feel guilty

◆ THE GUARDIAN ◆

Never explain. Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.

They would have given everything to save them, once. Now that they finally have that chance, what can they possibly say or do to make up for the kindness that was done to them? As time goes on, it's clear that they really do know so little about someone they dared to call "friend" - and they dared to call them friend, they think, because they did not expect to ever need to confront that. The Guardian has lost so much, and the Drifter is but a footnote in a life of solitude and tragedy. How do they even begin to address that?

◈ cross-canon ◈

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◇ undertale ◇

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kittu ◆ undertale

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"... I think we're both okay." ₪ - ⩺ - ✼ - ★ - ⩕ [artist]

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO greg hvnsen [♬] What would you have me do? Where would you have me go? Tell me to fly away, I'll spread my wings and go Tell me to stay, I'll lay back down Drift away without a sound Oh, keep on framing a frame of you Every day's a new shade of you What would you have me do? Where would you have me go? When will you understand? It's not the same anymore You bear with me deep and dig me up So we are diamonds in the rough Oh, we can't be saved this time (it's true) Doing my best to break through to you What would you have me do? Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? Where would you have me go?

◆ KITTU ◆

Blessed are the hearts that can bend; they shall never be broken.

A quiet child, one that does not seem to enjoy speaking unless there is good reason for it…which had made their arrival to LifeAftr all the more tumultuous, when Frisk’s two raft-mates were a blind man and a mute drifter. Placing them in the position of the awkward medium of translation had not been ideal, but the Drifter had not seen any other choice besides getting everyone to shore as swiftly as possible. Regardless, they know enough of children to know that is not a fair thing to leave them to. They had done their best to alleviate that pressure, acting as close to lighthearted as is possible for them, but time will tell if they succeeded. They have not seen the child since.

kidwun ◆ undertale

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"I helped, as was my wont. There is nothing owed." ₪ - ✼ - ¿ - ★ - ◊ - ⩕ [artist]

CALAMITY miracle of sound [♬] Take a deep breath, open your eyes Sweet slumber's over, it's time to rise So much to alter, to rectify I've been here waiting to show you why There's something in your past That you can't ERASE Build the road in front of you You can't fix a broken heart In a couple of days So bring it back or start anew You'll find your bastion, take to the skies You'll hear the sweetest of lullabies You'll learn your history, so steeped in shame You'll feel the guilt of the ones to blame Cloudburst, moving in reverse Old curse, thought it couldn't get worse Still land, company once grand Withstand, knuckles of your own hand Turning back is bound to be Just another calamity

◆ KIDWUN ◆

You will burn and you will burn out; you will be healed and come back again.

A curious child resembling the one with which they woke on their raft, when they first opened their eyes to the lands of LifeAftr properly. They refused to acknowledge the debt owed to them by offering the Drifter their help, though the Drifter is not likely to forget, even now, that which they have given. They do not forget their debts, and they have every intention of paying them back. The child has proven themself eloquent, well-spoken, and talented at handling explosives. This should be more worrisome than it actually is; at present, the Drifter can merely be grateful that someone else here has a talent for munitions.

muffet ◆ undertale

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"I'm not sure people are ever 'just' anything. They tend to be a bit too complex to be reduced to one or two convenient things." ₪ - ♥ - ✼ - ◊ - ⩕ [artist]

THE SUN donny [♬] I know that this may come out wrong But sometimes wrong is what we need Before our time will fly by In a heart beat And we will be there both agree to disagree So let me come out to the rescue Before it's gonna be too late And let's just show appreciation I don't want us to look back and regret Thank you for all the good that you've done I gave you the moon and you gave me the sun Thank you for all the good that you've done I gave you my heart and you gave me the sun

◆ MUFFET ◆

Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Walk beside me; just be my friend.

She was pleasant enough at first meeting, both helpful and charming in putting forth her aid. But when the Drifter offered to seek a means of repaying the debt, the spider refused. Her insistence on embarking on even footing was both perplexing and illuminating - for very few, in the Drifter’s experience, are willing to put forth that sort of helping hand without expecting something else in return. And they were well willing to give it. It would not cease there, either. Given every chance, Muffet has each time elected to be polite and helpful rather than exploiting the Drifter’s obvious illness for her own gain. She proves also a talented cook and far more acquainted with the unfamiliar foods and landscapes of the world of LifeAftr than the Drifter themself is. But above all, she is perhaps the first to establish herself as a friend willing to lend a helping hand without the expectation that they must repay her. She does not view them as expendable because of their occupation or the blue tint of their skin, something that must be avoided or perhaps even spat upon. And that in and of itself makes her more than a little extraordinary.

◇ pokemon ◇

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guzma ◆ pokemon sun & moon

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"You're...you're a good person - don't matter what no one else says or thinks. We can all see it, and s'why we throw ourselves to the gauntlet." ₪ - ♥ - ✔ - ✼ - ◊ - ⩕ - ⅄ [artist]

THE BIRDS ARE SINGING AT NIGHT lord huron [♬] Through the dawning age We go walking together Toward the yawning grave Burning days as we make our way We'll leave our bones in the dust An untold legend is lighting up When we're dead and gone, Will the mountains remember or just carry on Moving as slow as the forest grows And turn our bones into dust, An untold legend is lighting up When will I reach that light that I'm running to When I die will it turn out forever There's a fire burning inside of me, When I die will I burn out forever? You don't need to lie, I know it will Because the darkness doesn't need the light All the young are getting old and the summer is cold, And all the birds have been singing at night Well, don't even try to save me, friend, 'Cause I know it ain't worth the fight. All the young are getting old and the summer is cold, And all the birds have been singing at night

◆ GUZMA ◆

And as our bodies break down into all their rocky little bits, piled up under mountains of dirt and silt and still - the world, it don't give a shit.

For all his rough looks and grouchy demeanor, the Drifter's first experience with Guzma was one that would affirm a perplexed fondness for his capacity to help. For all their insistence that they owed him for his assistance, his only price was their company - despite the fact that blue-skinned drifter is about as undesirable a company that one can keep. Either he does not notice or does not care, but that is all the kindness the Drifter needs to owe him in turn. The more they have come to know him, the more fiercely protective he has become, despite the fact that the Drifter cannot entirely see why. Regardless, his stalwart acceptance of everything they are is warming to the point of utter confusion. They are not used to this manner of affection, nor are they used to hearing it expressed.

◇ osomatsu-san ◇

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ichimatsu matsuno ◆ osomatsu-san

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You're not gonna care w-what you left behind. All you're g-gonna think about... is who." ₪ - ♥ - ⩺ - ⩕ - ✼ - ⅄ [artist]

DEAR ME slushii [♬] Dear me, it's okay to shed a tear once in a while All these moments spent with her stretch on for miles You've been through this hell and lived to tell the tale Hold on tight, your story's waiting to set sail Dear me, I'm coming undone I feel the ground beneath me feet begin to crumble To the sound of the ensemble in our dreams Dear me, I'm putting to rest I'll never let you slip away The thought of you will never fade As long as you're here, I'm okay Dear me, it's okay to shed a tear once in a while All these moments spent with her stretch on for miles You've been through this hell and lived to tell the tale Hold on tight, your story's waiting to set sail Dear me, I'm coming undone I feel the ground beneath me feet begin to crumble To the sound of the ensemble in our dreams Dear me, I'm putting to rest I'll never let you slip away The thought of you will never fade As long as you're here, I'm okay Take my hand, I will never fade away Bring it up, bring it up now I'm going down faster than the wind carries me

◆ ICHIMATSU MATSUNO ◆

And when at last you find someone to whom you feel you can pour out your soul, you stop in shock at the words you utter — they are so rusty, so ugly, so meaningless and feeble from being kept in the small cramped dark inside you so long.

One of the three identical brothers on the island. Less personable than Osomatsu but no less sincere, Ichimatsu established himself as one of the few parties interested in the Drifter's illness without insisting that he could somehow ease that burden, a refreshing break from the norm. He is likewise decidedly more morose than his brother for reasons the Drifter has yet to discern, though they not asked. If he wishes to divulge those reasons, he will; until then, it is not their business. Not content with being indebted to a stranger, he also traded his surgical mask for several coconuts, an instinct the Drifter can both understand and appreciate. They did not deny the gift, and wear it still. His penchant for self-deprecation is so deep-rooted that he cannot seem to understand why anyone would help him - just as the Drifter cannot understand when others seek to offer them kindness. But one kindness can change someone's entire world. He has given freely, and so will they give in return. Even when he claims he does not understand it, or that it will hurt... They know that. Of course they know that. Does he think they don't know that? Maybe he's right, for the wrong reasons; he will, inevitably, be the one left behind when their illness finally claims them. They would not wish that hurt on anyone. Him least of all.

◇ fragile dreams ◇

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ren ◆ fragile dreams

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"You were pretty. Now you're prettier." ₪ - ♥ - ✼✼✼ - ⩺ - ⅄ [artist]

LOVE; NOT WRONG (BRAVE) EDEN [♬] And I know I've been closing myself off, unsure I know I've been real hard to reach, harder to love And I know it's tiring, this shit is getting old So I won't go, I'm still living in the middle of a one-way war I can't fight it but I'm trying to be what you want, yeah You can't sing but you're singing this anyway And anyway, so please just hold on to me This is no end, we're not finished here Finding our way, we're just changing Becoming more than I think of me, yeah These fears in my head, dreams in my bed They won't get the best of me 'Cause I chase dreams 'till the end, these nightmares all bend Silver linings are all I need So, please, just hold on to me I've slayed these demons, they're old to me Recurring dreams, this is happening Tearing my seams from reality And I just want you to feel love before it disappears 'Cause we are more than we're not so never fear to feel Good when everything's wrong and find some beauty there 'Cause all we ever are is brave

◆ REN ◆

Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes; for those who love with heart and soul there is no separation.

Treasured. It is difficult to say how Ren so swiftly and so easily became a vital part of the Drifter's experiences in LifeAftr, but now that she has settled in their heart there will be no getting rid of her. Between her earnest joy and concern for them and her ability to find beauty in even the smallest of everyday things, she has fast become a child whom the Drifter would protect at any cost. Something of her genuine nature and love for typically childish behaviors has even allowed them to understand the benefits of, for once, not necessarily needing to always be an active participant in a life full of mystery. She has taught them the merits of patience, and of taking joy that which is small and seemingly insignificant. She even thinks them...pretty.

◇ final fantasy ◇

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ignis scientia ◆ final fantasy xv

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"It will be sometime before I can honestly say I'll be okay again, but it's of no concern right now. No first aid kit can mend what ails me." ₪ - ★ - ✼ - ⩕ [artist]

KAIROS the eden project [♬] I'm never gonna break I'll never fucking break I'm never gonna break I'll never fucking break And it all comes crashing down Like the words that we never found We're addicted to drama It's the first signs of trauma The things only I know I just keep waiting for Kairos Although we got no hope, we hold on It gets worse before it's better I won't go, I'm not done This is not the time, I'll hold my tongue 'Cause we could find another reason So we can fall apart again And we'll go running back in circles Waiting on flesh, until the end And it all comes crashing down Like the words that we never found We're addicted to drama It's the first signs of trauma The things only I know I just keep waiting for Kairos

◆ IGNIS SCIENTIA ◆

Not all complex problems have easy solutions; so says science (so warns science.)

The Drifter does not pity the blind man; rather, they are frustrated above all else that their inability to verbalize makes communication between the pair of them quite impossible, which had been a trial in and of itself for getting their raft to dry land. Ignis was by far the more talkative of the Drifter's two raftmates, and even managed to lend his assistance - as the Drifter is a determined soul, but not capable of propelling a raft with three (if relatively light-weight) persons inside of it. They cannot help but be grateful, for that. But they've no means of informing him as such.

◇ the adventure zone ◇

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taako ◆ the adventure zone

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"Co-ool. Party get." ₪ - ♥ - ✔ - ◊???? - ⅄ [artist]

(FUCK A) SILVER LINING panic! at the disco [♬] Fuck a silver lining Fuck a silver lining 'Cause only gold is hot enough, hot enough Fuck a silver lining Fuck a silver lining 'Cause only gold is hot enough, hot enough One more, one more It's just cherries, cherries Everything is cherries on top No wings of wax or endless mountains Tragedies with penniless fountains It's just cherries, cherries It's coming up cherries on top Sunset shadows through the trophies I guess it just ain't big enough Say it one more, one more, one more We've been falling, falling It's like we fell to the top I was born to cut a million Cut my teeth and made a killing Now I'm dodging, dodging Everything you think that I'm not Archetype of television Was lost in thought but held the vision, hey When you gonna say my name? When you gonna say my name? Quick charade, Beyoncé, Lemonade When you gonna say my name? When you gonna say my name? No delay, no halfway, let me hear you say One more, one more, one more

◆ TAAKO ◆

It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to.

Quick-witted, able, opportunistic, and practically inseparable from his twin sister Lup. Both elves take good care of Ren, and despite the uncertainty to their pseudo-parenting, the Drifter has seen for themself that they've done a reasonable job of keeping her safe. They have ended up in the debt of both elves time and time again in a continuous loop - saving one elf's life, only to require the aid of another, to the point where the Drifter can no longer tell who is in whose debt, anymore. Perhaps it will be this relationship that teaches them the benefits of no longer trying to keep such painstaking count.

lup ◆ the adventure zone

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"Please, I-I need to-- Taako, I need him--" ₪ - ♥ - ✔ - ◊???? - ⩕ [artist]

STAY FROSTY ROYAL MILK TEA fall out boy [♬] I think I got too many memories getting in the way of me I'm about to go Tonya Harding on the whole world's knee And I'm stuck, night vision So stuck night vision But I come to life, come to life Seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind And all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died Fake tears, we are living fake tears But the alcohol never lies, never lies Some princes don't become kings Even at the best of times I'm out of my mind You only get what you grieve Are you smelling that shit? Are you smelling that shit? Eau de résistance The only thing that's ever stopping me is me, hey! The only thing that's ever stopping me is me, hey! I testify if I die in my sleep Then know that my life was just a killer dream, yeah Then know that my life was just a killer dream, yeah I testify, I testify Are you smelling that shit? Eau de résistance

◆ LUP ◆

Knowing that they were paid to remember the past, he blew out a hot breath and said, "burn it all."

In a word? Fiery. Lup and her twin brother have looked out for Ren from the very start, which was more than enough to earn the Drifter's trust from the get-go. Both elves would only proceed to garner more of their faith with their consistent competence and care - for Ren, for one another, and for solving the archipelago's manifold problems in general. Similar as the case with her brother, the Drifter has reached a difficult point where they can no longer say for certain who is in who's debt as of their latest cycle of life-saving. At present, this is more confusing than it is welcome.

kravitz ◆ the adventure zone

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"Over a thousand deaths? You can't just do that, y-- you're spitting in the face of the natural order!!" ₪ - ▲ - ✘✧ [artist]

HEROES DRESS IN BLACK blues saraceno [♬] My heroes dress in black Well, I know my soul is on fire As I turn this withered shade of gray And I find, on my way to death and happiness That my heroes, my heroes dress in black So I pray to my god for salvation As I suffer these wicked outlaw ways And I turn to those I pass upon my reckoning 'Cause my heroes, my heroes dress in black I'll shoot you down Your lord I forsake Forgivenesss for all My soul be saved My heroes dress in black My heroes dress in black My heroes dress in black My heroes dress in black My heroes dress in black My heroes dress in black

◆ KRAVITZ ◆

A man who is used to acting in one way never changes; he must come to ruin when the times, in changing, no longer are in harmony with his ways.

Kravitz managed a feat few others do, upon meeting the Drifter, inadvertently leading them to be subtly offended on the behalf of the jackal god that revived them numerous times throughout their journey. Kravitz saw this as a massive affront to the natural order, torn between outrage and horror at the sheer number of times they have died and risen again. Thus, the Drifter regards Kravitz with a mixture of suspicion and resentment. It might be far from a pleasant state of events, but it is nonetheless one they can understand and accept; it is far more familiar to them than anything else has been thus far.

◇ ōkami ◇

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amaterasu ◆ ōkami

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"..." ₪ - ✔ - ⅄ - ∏ [artist]

WOLVES WITHOUT TEETH of monsters and men [♬] Open my chest and colour my spine I'm giving you all, I'm giving you all Swallow my breath And take what is mine I'm giving you all, I'm giving you all I'll be the blood iIf you'll be the bones I'm giving you all, I'm giving you all So lift up my body and lose all control I'm giving you all, I'm giving you all You hover like a hummingbird Haunt me in my sleep You're sailing from another world Sinking in my sea, oh You're feeding on my energy I'm letting go of it She wants it I can see through you, we are the same It's perfectly strange, you run in my veins How can I keep you inside my lungs I breathe what is yours, you breathe what is mine And I run from wolves Breathing heavily at my feet And I run from wolves Tearing into me without teeth

◆ AMATERASU ◆

Each of us narrates our life as it suits us.

A god of light and of life, so the Drifter has deduced from the way her form clearly parallels and contrasts that of the jackal, that god of death with the lean, dark shape and pointed snout. This god, with her snowy white fur and penchant for growing things, is far less aloof than the Drifter is accustomed. She mingles with mortals freely, favors naps and pets of her soft fur, and the Drifter is...unused to this level of divine interaction, to say in the least. That is not to say it is unwelcome; they simply have not yet learned how best to react to it. They have already been claimed by a god of death; that a god of life would care so much about their fate, and even help them and allow them to help her in turn, is a peculiar notion indeed.

◇ hollow knight ◇

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the knight ◆ hollow knight

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"sibling in chains...still crying...had to help them" ₪ - ♥ - ✔ - ✼ - ◊ - ⩕ - ⅄ - ⑊ [artist]

TIMES LIKE THESE the eden project [♬] It's been a long long time, We've come a long long way No, I can't see the finish line Scared half to death but that's okay It's been a long, long night after a long, long day My body's aching but I know somehow My feet will find a way So I'll sing it loud in the silence And give the best of me 'till it's all right But not over, I will find fight Like a soldier coming home in the silence But I have never felt so free; the future's so bright This is our time and I'll live it how I dream It's been a long, long time time Since I've seen sunlight through the rain Since I've felt love or truth, It's strange But I left bliss back where I came And I wont lie, it's taken so long to feel okay And now the world is screaming out for more But I don't feel the same Because it's all we know and it's only change Sun sets on the old but we're nocturnal anyway And this is how we know it'll be okay These are the times we will hold when our memories fade Sometimes it takes times like these to know You're in the right place

◆ THE KNIGHT ◆

The world is a shadow: if you run after it, you will not catch it, but if you turn your back to it, it will follow you.

A creature so very like them in many respects, and so very unlike them in others. Nameless but for their indistinct title, they refer to themself as having been "created" rather than born, as though they were fabricated into existence. They lack a mouth, and thus a means of communicating verbally. They are stalwart and direct, far more equipped to solve a problem with active intent than stagnant pondering. Despite that, there is something of them that remains...distinctly childlike, for reasons thus far unclear to the Drifter. They enjoy the sort of boundless play that would be expected from a child, and frequently cling to the Drifter's hand. Perhaps it is due to Ren's influence that the Drifter finds they do not mind, though it may be just as possible that it is the Knight's own overwhelming similarity to the Drifter themself. If they have one flaw, it is that their concern for the Drifter's wellbeing will inevitably end in anguish.

troupe master grimm ◆ hollow knight

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"Waking is an end...dreams, nightmares...born the same." ₪ - ▲ - ¿ - ✧ [artist]

LIGHTS GO DOWN i don't know how but they found me [♬] Hello Pardon me if I forget your name But not every hollow is sleepy, is this one? The heads loll just the same Oh lord Just like the slough uptown Parade through the ballrooms Decay in your costumes and dance Come now Is that any way to talk to me? Corrupting the young with your uncivil tongue What a shame if you misspeak now Somehow Danced 'til the lights go down It's curtains for you, jump the back of the queue And they'll break our necks like we do when the lights go down Oh no, what have we here? Oh no, the thief of the year! Steal every heart from the boys that you're touching And dance Until the lights go down Until the lights go down Dance 'til the lights go down Until the lights go down Dance 'til the lights go– Oh no, what have we here? (Until the lights go down) Oh no, the thief of the year (Until the lights go down) Steal every heart from the boys that you're touching And dance Until the lights go down

◆ TROUPE MASTER GRIMM ◆

Do not ignore dreams. They are a line from the past to the future. All nightmares are real.

For the first time since their arrival, the Drifter's methods of questioning - and the lack thereof - have run straight into an immovable object in the form of Troupe Master Grimm. He makes it difficult for them, perhaps intentionally, by refusing to give them the simple answers they seek, and instead encouraging them to pursue them rather than abandon all efforts. He and the Knight know each other, and fought - and he killed them several times. The Knight does not seem particularly bothered by this. The Drifter, for their part, cannot fully conceptualize a fight in which death is not the intended outcome, which leaves them...uncertain, as to how to feel about Grimm in person. Particularly now that they know him to be a god, and one with a decidedly peculiar, cyclical lifespan. He does not protest fate, does not struggle against those chains, but... But it is still...troubling.

the hollow knight ◆ hollow knight

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"..." ₪ - ⩺ - ✼ [artist]

ALMOST EVERY DOOR the mountain goats [♬] Cower in the corner Try hard to disappear The moment’s never going to come When anyone can say that the coast is clear Maybe turn around Find a wall to break your fist on Dream about the outside Sprinting down the open plain Barefoot and outclassed Bloody up the broken grain Every cartoon keg TNT and nitroglycerin Pause before each door Like a sinner lost in prayer Always one more hallway At the bottom of the stair I get knocked down But I get up again like a dunce Cave’s all sealed up Nowhere to hide out in the winter months Aiming for the blackout Spare a prayer for souls in prison Almost every door’s an exit Just not this one

◆ THE HOLLOW KNIGHT ◆

I am grateful to be a ghost. That means I was once alive. -Nathaniel Orion

The Knight's elder sibling. While they are larger and presumably older, they also seem, paradoxically, far less developed than their younger sibling. Their inability to speak seems to be a common trait of their kind, for "vessels," but the Knight could understand the basics of communication, and obviously had for some time; this creature cannot so much as write their name. They obey orders unflinchingly, and with an alacrity that suggests they do not take the time to consider their wisdom, or lack thereof. They are important to the Knight; therefore, the Drifter is to consider them important as well.

◇ pacific rim ◇

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newton geiszler ◆ pacific rim

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"So what if you get hurt, huh?" ₪ - ♥¿¿¿¿¿ - ⩺ - ✼ - ⩕ [artist]

20-27 rowan lewis [♬] What remains of who I was Has drained away, leaving God knows what. In the lingering light of a terrible storm Lightning touches left me warm I’m glad you’re absent, even though I need you Because I don’t want you to see me fall Feel proud of breaking down At least you’re actually feeling something now Take my hand, and meet my fear Hey, it’s me And I’ve always been here It’s in my genes, it’s in my sight It’s in my speech, my movement My writing, my grip and my height Cry and writhe, leave the room God’s got no idea and neither do you. I’m glad you’re absent, even though I need you Because I don’t want you to see me fall And in the end, I‘m Not much at all

◆ NEWTON GEISZLER ◆

Whatever happens, he'll leave it all up to chance.

He doesn't remember them. The Newt they knew before was recklessly charismatic and possessed with an odd sense of humor, but a useful ally. The Newt they know now is different - less scarred, less broken, and more prone to hurtling himself headfirst into everything that attracts his interest. This is something they can relate to, but they still...worry. Impossibly, ridiculously, perhaps foolishly, they worry. It is a foolish thing, to fret over that which they might not be able to change. But they have always been the sort of person to attempt the impossible.

◇ mass effect ◇

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legion ◆ mass effect

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"Our people were destroyed. Now we are here." ₪ - ♥ - ⩺ - ✼ - ⩕ [artist]

SOUL the eden project [♬] And it breaks my heart To be so left behind at the start When I always thought I'd be so much further So far away from here Souls, on fire But it feels so heavy But it feels so heavy So I'm HK bound But it means nothing to me cause I feel at home When there's no one left to scream at all I've done But I've learned to let fear go 'Cause all I've done 'Cause all I've done 'Cause all I've done is give the world my...

◆ LEGION ◆

The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.

A sad, lonesome creature whose species was taken from them, leaving them the last of their kind. As a member of a group that has been historically mistreated, having to fight tooth and nail for recognition as an entity deserving of the right of self-determination, is it any wonder that the Drifter has come to relate and understand them the more they learn of their past? It is a grim history that they have shared, and the more they share, the more their solitude and grief makes sense. They have been brutally wronged and betrayed, and they are well within their rights to never trust a living soul again. But...still. Still, they do their best to help where they can. They act in such a way that the Drifter recognizes because they have also oft been arrested by the kindness of others. They act like someone who does not expect to be picked up off the ground. If nothing else, they can see that the story of the Geth lives on - preserved forever in history.

◇ critical role ◇

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beauregard ◆ critical role

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"Maybe hit your head less hard next time, but like, I don't own you or anything." ₪ - ¿ - ★ - ⑊ [artist]

WRECKING BALL mother mother [♬] I made a wreck out of my hand I put it through the wall I made a fist and not a plan Call me a reckless wrecking ball I throw my plates against the wall And give it all I got I aim to break not one but all I'm just a big ol' wrecking ball It takes a dedicated hand To put it through the wall You gotta wanna break the heart Of all those pretty porcelain dolls You gotta want to be the drummer in the band You gotta want to be a battering ram You gotta see the artistry In tearing the place apart with me baby Let's break it (just because we can) Deface it (just because we can) Let's break it Just because I am unruly in the stands (I am a rock on top of the sand) I am a fist amidst the hands And I make a wreck out of my hand I make a fist and not a plan And I break it Just because I can

◆ BEAUREGARD ◆

Never was anything great achieved without danger.

Someone predisposed to hit things first and ask questions later, which is an instinct that the Drifter cannot help but appreciate. Beau is loud and boisterous and prone to kinetic force, and this is all a language they understand. She also tends to help those in need, like them, which is...kind. Kinder than they think they have suggested they deserve, but they cannot fault her for having that instinct.

yasha nydoorin ◆ critical role

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"...I wander, too." ₪ - ★ - ⍚ [artist]

NEVER GOING BACK the score [♬] Shrug us off our shoulders We don't do what they told us So I don't wanna be another face in the crowd So I can't slow it down, no So I can't slow it down, no They write us off and say it's just another opinion I'm tired of trying to fit in when I'm one in a million So I can't slow it down, no No I can't slow it down, no Don't tell me that it's over when I'm just getting started I'm done with waiting for them 'cause my ship has departed And I can't slow it down, no No I can't slow it down, no I'm never gonna follow Just because they say so I'm never gonna let go, let go They won't win this fight 'Cause I've already hit the low I've already felt the cold So I'm never giving up, never gonna crack Never giving in, never going back Already fell below I fell deeper than the snow So I'm never giving up, never gonna crack I'm never giving in, never going back

◆ YASHA NYDOORIN ◆

Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.

A self-professed wanderer, quiet and restrained - at least, in every situation the Drifter has encountered her. Though aloof, her direct, blunt nature nonetheless appeals to a creature such as the Drifter, who is often unilateral to a fault. In combination, the pair of them are not much for conversing, but in action...perhaps they could be a lethal duo.

mollymauk tealeaf ◆ critical role

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"Alright, I'm into it. Let's go somewhere less messed up." ₪ - ¿ - ★ [artist]

EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES panic! at the disco [♬] Welcome to the end of eras Ice has melted back to life Done my time and served my sentence Dress me up and watch me die If it feels good, tastes good It must be mine Dynasty decapitated You just might see a ghost tonight Sycophants on velvet sofas Lavish mansions, vintage wine I am so much more than royal Snatch your chain and mace your eyes If it feels good, tastes good It must be mine Heroes always get remembered But you know legends never die Mortal kings are ruling castles Welcome to my world of fun Liars settle into sockets Flip the switch and watch them run And if you don't know, now you know I'm taking back the crown I'm all dressed up and naked I see what's mine and take it Finders keepers, losers weepers The crown So close I can taste it I see what's mine and take it

◆ MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF ◆

We swallowed the chaos because we knew we didn't want to be ordinary.

A stranger who appeals to them by virtue of his strangeness, because, like the Drifter, he stands out - with his bright purple skin and curled horns and garish dress. He is practically a neon sign beckoning questions and attention, where the Drifter has always sought to conceal that which drew that sort of recognition. It just so happens that they feel a certain kinship with things that are decidedly unordinary, which Molly most certainly is.

◈ dropped ◈

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asriel dreemurr ◆ undertale

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"The world feels a whole lot less cold and empty with even just one friend in it, doesn't it?" ₪ - ♥ - ⩺ - ✼ - ⅄ [artist]

I AM THE MOUNTAIN HYDDE & vives [♬] I am the mountain Will I wash away? Born from the ashes of my darkest days I feel all right with the decisions I've made I feel all right with everything I am the river with an endless well Flow through the desert of my broken shell I feel all right with the decisions I've made I feel all right with everything I found motion but I'm falling too soon Over the ocean I am going to bloom I found motion but I'm falling too soon Over the ocean I am going to bloom

◆ ASRIEL DREEMURR ◆

After you find out all the things that can go wrong, your life becomes less about living and more about waiting.

A young boy of unknown species. His earnest disposition and call for help drew their attention at once, and upon meeting him properly, he immediately offered to be the Drifter's friend; the first person on LifeAftr to say such a thing directly instead of implicitly, and set it in stone. The Drifter admittedly has yet to learn very much about him other than his name, and the fact that he possesses the sort of bright enthusiasm for exciting adventure stories that suits a child, but for now, that is enough for them to assert that such a child needs protecting.

the batter ◆ off

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"Perhaps your world will see a rainbow." ₪ - ★ - ◊ - ⩕ - ⅄ - ⑊ [artist]

MIND GAMES sickick [♬] There's another side that you don't know, you don't know I can't wait to get you all alone, all alone Once I'm in there ain't no letting go, letting go Watch me turn your mind into my home Now that I'm in there's no letting go And your emptiness begins Once I grip onto your mind and soul Your brightness starts to dim Sin after sin you won't feel no more You've lost your trust again I know you wish you could let me know That you're praying for an end I can lie to you and tell you I can't get you out my head But I'm loving watching you think You're controlling me instead, singing There's another side that you don't know, you don't know I can't wait to get you all alone, all alone Once I'm in there ain't no letting go, letting go Watch me turn your mind into my home Mind mind games until you lose control Mind mind games until you lose control Mind mind games until you lose control

◆ THE BATTER ◆

Of course there always will be darkness but I realize now something inhabits it.

A man similar to the Drifter in his laconicism and goal-oriented nature. Reticent and combat-oriented, they have come to appreciate his ability to cut to the chase in nearly any situation, whether rooted in battle or in diplomatic exchanges. He has admitted to not quite understanding the intricacies of interpersonal relationships and the appropriate thing to say in certain contexts, but for the Drifter's part, they think he is doing quite well. He has proved to be a more than capable ally, saving their life and the lives of others they have grown to care about in equal turns. He has promised to show them a rainbow, should circumstances allow. They think they would like that very much.

seto ◆ fragile dreams

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"You look like the sky. Why would nobody want to be remembered by something that pretty?" ₪ - ⩺ - ✼ - ★ - ⩕ - ⅄ [artist]

ANOTHER LIGHT red vox [♬] Turn the page and start to write The world won't wait for procrastination You'll never bleed if you never fight But how much worth the pain is elation? Part the sea and release the skies The future's brighter than you'll ever know If you ever frame your mind and see it all in another light If you ever frame your mind and see it all in another light If you ever frame your mind and see it all in another light If you ever frame your mind and see it all in another light Follow through in the face of ire Turn away from feigned admiration Define the rules by a state of mind Don't give in to cheap imitation Change the scene to a better line We need it more than you'll ever know If you ever frame your mind and see it all in another light If you ever frame your mind and see it all in another light If you ever frame your mind and see it all in another light If you ever frame your mind and see it all in another light

◆ SETO ◆

Appetite, with an opinion of attaining, is called hope; the same, without such an opinion, despair.

A friend of Ren's; in fact, possibly the most important person in her life. Having met him properly, it's not difficult to see why. Seto is kind, generous, and devoted. In the short time they have known him, his concern for the wellbeing of others, even those whom he barely knows, has shone through clearly. It is still strange, to know people who do not recognize them for what they are, who call the color of their skin "pretty" and think they have done nothing worth agitating them over. Perhaps, in time, he will change his mind.