Status as of 9/25/2020:

Chapter buffer: Healthy

Revision progress: Complete (planning to rewrite very early chapters again eventually)

Hey there! Most people call me Namo around here. Some folks might also know me as Vara. I answer to both~

I also frequent discord, and will probably reply to that even faster. If you're interested in chatting with me, feel free to join the discord I have specifically for the Kiloverse / the world of Hands of Creation! The invite link is (just remove the space) discord .gg/HMxphUJF8a

I'm a writer who does it partly for fun, and partly to get my stories out there. I'm also a writer of original fiction, using characters (their personalities and names, at least) similar to the ones I use in my work here. That being said, this story has really evolved into something that I'd never be able to do outside of the Pokemon setting, and that's what makes it all the more special to me.

I take reviews very seriously and appreciate every one. Compliments keep me motivated and make me realize that there are folks out there that really like my story. Criticism puts fire in my gut to improve what I'm making. And to be honest, I just love talking about my characters and their personalities, interactions--everything that makes them, them.

As of this writing, I've fallen into a pretty stable routine in my life, balancing work, hobbies, and, by extension, writing. Therefore, I can confidently say that my only hiatuses will be scheduled and announced in advance via author's notes. Otherwise, I'm aiming to publish a chapter every two weeks.

I actually have a few side stories, one-shots, or small-shots in mind that I might want to get to one day... but as of now, I'm not tired of writing HoC, so that's what I'll be focusing on for now. If I ever want a change of pace, I'll throw a side-story of some kind. I've done it now and then when my chapter buffer is very large.

I shamelessly include my favorite Pokemon in my fics. Those include, but are not limited do, the Charizard line, the Goodra line, and most else dragon-related. Special shout-out to Flygon, the inferior Garchomp, even though I love the red-goggled 'mon more.

Every day I get feedback is a day that I learn a little more about writing. As of late, I've been combing through old chapters when I'm sick of writing new ones, editing out my old flaws. In particular, my abuse of elipses (Act 1 alone used to have 4000 instances of "..." at the end, in the middle, or at the beginning of sentences, when commas or narratives could easily substitute for the pause instead.) Additionally, my habit of using epithets "i.e. The Charmander, instead of he or Owen, or the Lucario, instead of he or Rhys, etc.) is going to get phased out as I progress through, though I'll still keep a few for reminders to the reader on who's what. And finally, setting descriptions. I need more of 'em. Get what's in my head into words. It's been fun!

Other media! I play mostly Nintendo and PC games. Aside from Pokemon and Mystery Dungeon, I'm also a big fan of Pikmin, Fire Emblem, the 3D Zeldas, the Mario-related RPGs, Touhou (and the fangames), Monster Hunter, and Xenoblade, off the top of my head. Anime? Of course! Though I don't watch a whole lot, shonen anime is my guilty pleasure. Death Note, Dragonball, Fullmetal Alchemist (both of them), Bleach... Oh yeah.

Other than that? I dunno man. If you have something you want to chat with me about, feel free, especially if it's about my work. Every conversation can be useful for ideas and reader insights.

Fanfics I've read/enjoyed:

TheG0at's Gravity of Perspective - An adaptation / slight remix of Super. While wordy, it thoroughly retells the events of Super in a darker and less idealistic light, reworking some events and adding a few new ones altogether. I'm not one for adaptations, but this one was bearable--and that's saying something, coming from me, who generally avoids these kinds of adaptive works.

Shadow of Antioch's Rebirth It's an original setting that has a very strong "dark fantasy" feel to it. Bonus points for Charmeleon as the main hero, and a Dragonair as the closest partner. Dark, and most of the characters are unlikable, but the core two are precious.

ShmokeyDaBear's Canon Breakage is a complete rework / semi parody (?) of the Explorers games. Features a protagonist who is aware of how the canon plot is supposed to go. The plot does not go as planned. Funny, but can be taken seriously. Updates very rarely.

Cynsh's Fractured Elements is an original setting following a Chimchar and Riolu on an adventure to solve the increasingly disastrous weather patterns of the region. Without giving away spoilers, it isn't your typical Mystery Dungeon story the deeper you go. Plot is a slow burn. This fic earns my personal award for "coziest read."

Will1231's Blazing Aura, an adaptation of the Explorers games. The first ten chapters or so are quite similar to the source material, and is slow in pace, but spends a lot of time on world building and fleshing out the society of the Explorers games. Later chapters introduce elements that are completely foreign to the canon material, giving this work an interesting flavor. Has a surprising amount of precious and delectable lore that sets it apart from your typical adaptation. Would recommend.

Soniclink137's Amaranth, a postgame story of Super featuring the heroes of life, a Pikachu and Fennkin, and a new recruit to the Expedition Society, a Shaymin named after the title. When an old friend from Serene Village falls ill, it's up to the heroes and Amaranth to help her. Slow start with some stumbling prose. However, this story stands out because I genuinely wasn't sure how it would turn out until the final chapter. Also, unlike a lot of things on here, this work is complete.

Ambyssin's Guiding Light, an derivative setting taking place on an alternative canon of the post-Super world, with an emphasis on Gen VII elements. Humorous and lighthearted tone near the beginning, suffers from Cerebus Syndrome and pacing issues, but the characters are entertaining to read about, and it fills the void that is the lack of a Gen VII PMD game. It's not on my favorites for nothing; this story is now complete, and was an amazing ride. Kirby fans will likely enjoy it even more.

My Stories

Hands of Creation:

A story following a Charmander meeting new friends and remembering old friends, while simultaneously uncovering the secrets of the world that his parents, idols, and mentors have hid from him his whole life. Meant to be a serious story speckled with levity and fun characters throughout. Contains a large cast of characters with a small but dynamic core focus. Generally follows the Charmander, but sometimes hops to others.

One shots:

I've got In Beta, Lunar, Prayers Unheard, The Godslayer, and The Great Dunspace Apocalypse under my belt right now in terms of single-part stories that I hope make for good reads. Dunsparce Apocalypse is a half-joke April Fools story I wrote that is an action comedy with a bit of absurdist humor. Godslayer is similar in nature but taken more seriously. Lunar was a very quick gift fic I wrote based on a fun premise many Christmases ago. In Beta is sort of a suspense/sci-fi story but it's fairly lowkey. Prayers Uneard is a bit of a downer of a story, if you're into that sort of thing.

Generally speaking, everything I write pertains to Hands of Creation in some way, except for One Last Game which takes place in the canon setting pre-Wigglytuff's Guild. That was written as a gift for a group roleplay I'm part of to depict the backstory of a few characters there.