Separated

Pikmin 4 Dating Sim - May 4th Development Blog

Welcome to the first installment of the Pikmin 4 Dating Sim development blog! A weekly "news letter" where I will discuss my progress on the dating simulator. I thought instead of doing a discord server, this would probably be the best course of action. If we get more buzz around the project, perhaps a discord server still can be made.

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What is the Pikmin 4 dating simulator? The Pikmin 4 dating simulator (working title) is a dating simulator where you create a character and go on a little narrative story path with members of the Rescue Corps!

It takes place late into your mission on PNF-404, a multiple day storm forces the Rescue Corps to halt rescue efforts and take shelter in the S.S. Shepherd.

During this time, you decide to get to know your crew members, each having their own arch and story!

Planned routes:

Captain Erma Shepherd

Collin

Russ

Dingo

Yonny

Bernard

All around, it will be a light-hearted playable dating sim made in Ren'Py!

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What has been done this week? (Well, a bit over a week)

Shepherd's rough draft

Russ' rough draft

2 backgrounds

Most of Russ' sprites

Started Shepherd's Sprites

Started writing Introduction

UI text box shift when custom character is on screen

-------------- Please keep in mind, I am one person <3 I'm working as fast as I can while also working a job! Feel free to DM me anything <3 either on here or @andrabeets on discord --------------

So, obviously, the official name won't be "Pikmin 4 dating sim" or "Rescue Corps dating sim" I have a few ideas for a name but I thought I'd let you guys vote!

The winner doesn't guarantee the name of the project. I just know I'd like it to be something to do with dandori.

-------------- Thank you for reading! Hope to have more updates for you next week! Stay curious~

andrabeets / Cherie <333

everybody go watch the Ribs sfm again please it's so funny + i love left 4 dead 2

Darth Maul

He's done y'all and I am so happy

P.S. because I always feel like I'm deceiving people when it gets mistaken. This is a vitrail painting, not an actual stained glass window. I am the dollar store version of stained glass 😎

HELP

He's TOO gorgeous.

Am I losing my mind?? Is this referring to Santi or someone else??

This was supposed to be an exercise in composing multiple separate sketches in one canvas, but Rex's turned out too nice and I had to follow through a bit

Darth Cutie 💕

i gave him a little smile because who doesn't love a smirking villain

NSFW-ish? full version below the cut 👀

i didn't want to draw his legs or hands but i feel especially guilty about the lack of legs haha

fuck it, Shane dying in a glue trap.

I will never be over Maul’s cunty little earring

Show Me Mercy - 1 (Midnight Mass)

Summary: Stuck in an unhappy marriage, Raven winds up in church despite not being religious. Therein she meets Father Price.

Word count: approx 2.6k

TWs: toxic relationship, abusive marriage, narcissistic abuse, eventual cheating, alcoholism, religious imagery, catholic guilt, holiday depression.

Definitely inspired by Fleabag and the hot sexy Father Price art by @andrabeets

Raven strode down the hallway of her apartment complex, still pulling on her coat as she went in a hurry. For once, too angry to cry about her husband's selfishness on a say that was supposed to be for the both of them. She would've hoped that he'd spend the day with her at home today after work, but he'd been out with his buddies from the office because they were single and hung out as a group on holidays.

It was Christmas fucking Eve, and she'd spent the entire day alone at home wrapping gifts, preparing dinner, and preparing tomorrow's sides to bring to his mom and dad's place for Christmas Day.

So, when Darling Danny Peters came home in an Über because he was too drunk to drive home and would have to pick up their only car in the morning, Raven put him to bed and stormed out just to have some time to do whatever she wanted.

Which ended up being just going for a walk in the falling snow. Fresh air, so cold that her lungs burned, served as a good way to cool down from tonight's bullshit. 

The nerve of that man; after everything she ever did for him, even just today.

Snow crunched under her boots, cars intermittently splashed through dirt-blackened slush in the streets, Christmas music softly played from every closing storefront, restaurant, bar, and bodega. Festive lights twinkled in windows, street light beams were gently interrupted by city-posted wreaths.

It was 11:35 at night, and she was outside on the streets of New York City, while the ‘city that never sleeps’ was at least pretending to rest while in wait for Santa Claus.

She would've loved to have that kind of nostalgia during the holidays now. But for the last two years, Dan had made special occasions about himself even after promising to be present, sober, and supportive. Whether it was Raven's college graduation, her birthday, his parents’ anniversary, his sister's engagement, or his buddy's new baby on the way- Dan liked to take away the attention and put it on himself. No one else could have their own happiness, it seemed.

So Raven had the tendency now to not tell Dan any good news. Good things were precious secrets so they could stay good. If it made her happy, then it was for her, and her alone. 

The cold was starting to make her teeth chatter, her skin had gone numb, and she sniffed when her nose was starting to run. She didn't want to go home yet, so she would just have to find somewhere still open, this close to Christmas Morning, just to warm up a little bit. 

Just then, a warm glow across the street caught her eye. The big, ornate structure of a church. 

For a second, she wondered who would be at a service this late at night on a holiday- then remembered that catholics sometimes held midnight mass. Sure, she wasn't religious by any stretch, but she didn't think ‘God’ would care if she just came in to sit for a few minutes. 

All were supposed to be welcome, right?

Even if she didn't belong there as someone who was never even so much as baptized. But who was going to ask? 

She peered in either direction before crossing the street, careful not to splash freezing, dirty water on her shoes or pants as she went, striding up the shoveled and salted stairs, and slipping inside the church through the front door as quietly as she could, immediately warmed by being out of the weather, immediately hearing the shortest pause in the priest's sermon as she entered. 

And as soon as she looked towards the pulpit, she saw him and about a dozen members of the seated audience glancing at her as she reluctantly moved to sit in one of the pews in the very back. Alone, because most of the occupants were far up in the front. 

She'd almost forgotten her glasses at home when she hurried out of the house. She was glad she had them now to see in high-def. Because as the priest continued speaking through an alluring English accent, Raven couldn't help but notice that he was fucking gorgeous. 

“- rejoicing in the presence of God, here, among us, let us pray with confidence as

our Savior has taught us. Our Father, who

art in heaven, hallowed be thy name-”

Fuck, man, if I wasn't married and he wasn't celibate…

If she'd believed any gods to be real, she'd probably be more concerned with the chance of being struck by lightning just for thinking about a holy man like this. 

Thoughts weren't harmful, as far as she was concerned. 

She'd never done anything to harm her marriage, even if her mind wandered to dark places from time to time. She chalked it up to the honeymoon phase being over. Romance didn't last forever. Flowers eventually stopped coming, disagreements eventually became arguments, and spending quality time together eventually became spending quality time apart. She felt that was normal. As long as they didn't hurt each other or anyone else, they were fine. 

… Right?

She realized she'd been staring so intensely when the priest looked towards her for a second and she immediately had to look down into her lap- her face burning. Mind reading was impossible, if course, but she still dreaded the idea of her expression betraying her thoughts when someone looked her in the eyes for just a second too long. She just had to hope now that she wasn’t so red that he could see it from across the room. 

She bit her lips together to (poorly) camouflage an anxious grin. 

She hated that she smiled when she was nervous. 

She hated that she was nervous because of a priest looking at her. 

Hated that she was starting to resent Dan so much that maybe another man's attention might've been invigorating if she was reckless enough to seek it out. 

A bored, overachieving housewife who lives inside of her maladaptive daydreams and secret little rituals. 

A selfish husband who only pays performative attention to the wife when he wants to fuck. 

The narrative practically wrote itself. 

She stood when the others in the church stood, silent, hands folded and eyes down while they sang hymns she didn't know or recognize. Once again, her eyes raised to look at the priest, realizing that her heart was racing with the thought of him possibly catching her looking again.

No doubt, he'd wonder why she wasn't singing, blissfully unaware that she couldn't, even if she wanted to. He'd probably think she was uptight. Most people did when she didn't participate in spoken word- until they knew why.

The hymn ended and she sat with the others, quietly unbuttoning and removing her thick wool coat now that she'd warmed up a bit. She wasn't in a rush to get home to Dan snoozing away in the center of their bed, but it did feel wrong to get comfortable in a place where she didn't intend to stay much longer, especially since she wasn't one of the chosen people who felt God's presence in this building. 

She'd imagined what feeling the divine must be like a dozen times over after getting married in a church- which she hadn't really even wanted to do.

Was it like happiness? Fear? Pleasure? Maybe it was just reassurance that someone, somewhere (allegedly) loves you unconditionally.

“-We offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your spirit to live and work your praise and glory. The Lord be with you. May the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the perseverance of the wise men, the obedience of Joseph and Mary, and the peace of the Christ child be yours this Christmas, and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be upon you and remain with you always. Go in peace to proclaim the Word made flesh.”

“Amen,” echoed the attendees.

Raven could only mouth the word, simply out of respect for the closing of the ceremony, as weird and creepy as she felt the verbiage was.

As the pipe organ played, the attendees began to flock towards the exit to go home, the doors at the front of the church propped open for ease. A cold wind blew inside and Raven shivered in her seat, but didn't hurry to get up to go. These people had families to get home to. Beds to get to, so that they could open gifts on the morning and make good memories with their loved ones. 

Soon, she was the last one, and the organist had stopped playing to leave as well.

Raven didn't have much to look forward to at the moment. All she could think about was how much she wished she would've known to just go ahead and eat dinner without Danny if he was going to be home so late. She was so hungry, and she'd done her best to make a nice meal. It had been fun, but went unappreciated.

At least she could look forward to a plate before bed. Alone.

With a deep inhale, trailed by a deeper sigh, she stood and pulled her jacket back on- at the very least, less tense than she was when she’d left home.

“Did you enjoy what you got to hear?”

She jumped when she heard the hot priest's voice addressing her, quickly looking to see him making his way up the aisle towards the doors. Probably to lock up for the night.

Christ, he was even better up close. 

She was mesmerized by his pretty blue eyes as he strode past her to close the open doors, the cold promptly vanishing. 

All she could do was nod and button her coat, her hand with her wedding ring pulled into her sleeve- and he looked over at her when she didn't offer a verbal answer. 

“You can hear, can you…?” He cautiously asked, a look on his face of preemptive embarrassment for asking a deaf person a question. 

Raven only nodded again, her lips tight in an awkward, polite half-smile. 

“Mute,” she signed to him, wondering if he'd understand. Prepared for him to not.

“You're still welcome, even if you can't speak the Word. Even if you couldn't hear it either,” he assured, even signing back to her to show her that he understood her perfectly.

The visible surprise on her face made him smile. 

He had such a warm, kind smile.

She was ashamed to feel a little flutter in her chest at the sight.

“Father John Price,” he offered her a hand.

She shook, wondering if she was smiling too much, then spelled out her name for him.

R-A-V-E-N  D-U-P-O-N-T-E

She didn't know why she gave him her maiden name. Didn't know why she felt like hiding her wedding ring either. 

Maybe it was just nice to be herself around someone new, who didn’t know her or Dan. 

To not be ‘Mrs. Peters’ had some liberties to it that she otherwise didn't have. 

For instance, people didn't whisper ‘his poor wife’ or ‘she has the patience of a saint’ about her when they thought she couldn't hear.

“S'lovely to meet you, Ms. Duponte,” he said, and the way he spoke and how he sweetly gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze made her really believe he meant it too.

Danny never spoke this sincerely in the entire time she'd known him.

God, if I wasn't married and he wasn't celibate, she thought again, hoping that her face wasn't flushed as she signed back in kind that it was nice to meet him too. She meant it too.

“I'm sure you've got to get home before Christmas, eh?” He asked. “Anyone waiting for you?”

She shook her head, mournful for the painful truth. Sure, Dan was home. But he probably wasn't waiting for her. She would've stayed all night just to listen to Father Price’s deep, soothing voice. She wouldn't have even cared if all he talked about was Jesus.

“I'm sure it'll still be a good day,” he said. “And if it's not, you can come back here- if you like.”

She nodded, appreciative. “I'll be seeing family.” Not her own family, but family nonetheless.

“Good,” he nodded, walking at her side as she headed for the door. “I'm happy to hear that.”

“Thank you,” she signed. “Merry Christmas, Father.” She stepped outside and turned toward him, wondering briefly if he had anyone at home waiting for him. If he had anyone to spend tomorrow with.

“Happy Christmas, Raven,” he told her in return, even signing it back to her for good measure.

She smiled like a sappy idiot as she turned away and left, feeling all aglow as the door fell shut behind her.

The feeling followed her through the whole six block walk home in the gentle snow– and ended abruptly as she reached the door of her apartment, where her husband was. Possibly awake and wondering where his wife had gone in the dead of night. 

Possibly still very drunk, and possibly even belligerent.

She didn't want to believe he'd hit her or throw her out of the house, but anything was possible when your husband was unpredictable, intoxicated, and habitually kept you on edge because he thought you were ‘cute’ when you were jumpy.

Raven took a deep breath and unlocked the door, not bothering to sneak inside- because she knew that would just look suspicious. She hadn't done anything wrong, but…

Dan had once or twice accused her of sneaking around behind his back with someone else– when she wasn't. All she'd done was sign up for fucking yoga last summer. Even told him where she was going those afternoons.

Just the memory of that steeled her for an upcoming argument as she pushed open their door– met with the same dark room she'd left with. 

The Christmas tree was still glowing in front of their windows, still with only the presents she had wrapped sitting under it. The food she'd made was still sitting in pots and pans on the stove, uneaten. No new dishes in the sink. 

Raven frowned, taking off her coat and shoes at the door, walking in her socks, steps muted, towards the open bedroom door.

Inside, Danny's silhouette was still sprawled on the bed, snoring quietly, blissfully unaware of his wife's nearly two-hour absence.

She rolled her eyes and sighed haplessly, slipping into the bedroom to change her clothes in front of the dresser. She put on her pajamas, throwing her snow-dampened outfit into the hamper before slipping back to the living room and closing the bedroom door on the way out.

Danny hadn't moved an inch all the while 

She turned on the kitchen light and made herself a plate of food, reheated in the microwave, then sat alone at their table to eat while she scrolled boredly through her old friends’ social media posts. 

Seeing who got engaged for Christmas. 

Who was announcing pregnancies for Christmas.

Who was buying luxury vacations, cruises, houses, cars, or adopting pets.

She didn't like feeling this kind of envy.

Like she wasn't living the life she knew she wanted. Instead, stagnating. Rotting very quietly.

She suddenly lost her appetite, deciding to busy her mind with putting the rest of the food away and doing the dishes.

Once finished, she finally settled in on the couch, a glass of red wine in hand, watching an old stop-motion Christmas movie with the thick, fuzzy throw blanket around her shoulders. 

Making the best of her quiet hours. Having her own secret Christmas Morning that nothing could spoil, not even the short amount of sleep she'd get before she had to get up and get ready to go to the in-laws.

Once her glass was empty and the movie was over, she laid out on the soft couch cushions, one throw pillow under her head and another hugged against her chest, and stared at the colorful lights and glittering ornaments on the tree until she dozed off, another old holiday movie playing on mute while she slept.