???

Ive recently been using ask hints for the first time this year and honestly I find them extremely useful but also very hard to come up with if the blog is either plotless or me pulling shit outta my ass 97% of the time (which is often) 🤣 I used to just go with whatever would come into the inbox, which can sometimes be fun to play around with, but I understand some people have Choice Paralysis when it comes to picking characters or asking certain questions even with the ask hints there. It helps to bold certain hints if you really want something pointed out!

I don’t usually send asks myself or have others send them, but only a very few number of people know the plots of my blogs lmao.

I wanna know some behind the scenes things!!

Ok! In replacement of taking munday questions, I have a few for fellow blogs. I'm always curious on how other people handle own their blogs behind the scenes and what types of responses they get. So here's a few questions I'd love answers for! Feel free to either respond as much or as little as you want through reblog, or reply. I don't mind.

Do you have your friends send questions to your blog with meta knowledge? (Alternatively, do you just send them yourself?) What do these questions normally highlight?

(Like, do you ask your friends to send asks specifically pointing out details that the general audience might miss. Or to point out specific nuances of your characters feelings over what they're going through. etc etc be specific if you feel the need to)

When people don't use the ask hints (if provided) when sending asks, do you still find that those asks that are still useful to you? Alternatively, if you don't have ask hints, have the asks being sent satisfy you enough to reveal what you want about your characters?

If you provide ask hints, how well do they work? Are the majority of the asks you get based off the ask hints? Do most of the hints you provide get used, or are there some that still never get covered?

Feel free to also include anything else that you feel useful to know! Add context, or maybe a different approach. I know this seems particularly plot-based blog focused but I'm all for hearing the responses of non-plot ones. It'll help with perspective! I did always feel a little.. lonely in knowing how other people feel about their blogs going, if it was going how they wanted or what challenges they face. It really helps to uncover the veil to understand the person behind the blog! Thank you, if you take the time to answer these, or even just read and consider.

( Previously… )

Hana watched as the Rockruff walked off, taking note of her simple request. For a moment they felt bad for the inconvenience they might’ve caused the pair asking for something off-menu to be made specifically for them, but the Greninja seemed more than delighted to oblige. They pulled out their phone and wallet, wanting to tip ahead of time for going out their way to make the dish; when they noticed the cooks’ sign faced towards them.

…

It’s not the first time they’ve been asked this question, they’ve answered it more times than they care to remember. Even so, each time, they’ve had a different answer. Admittedly, it’s something they haven’t thought about in a while, at least a few…months? Years?? Decades???. Being a species who’s longevity can last well over a millennia, it’s easy to forget how different it is for other mortals bound by the laws of their own mortality.

Time moves differently for those forced to stand still.

Taking out some money and settling back into their seat, they looked back at the Greninja with a melancholy smile.

…

To be honest, it used to. Growing up, they don’t really tell you how different you are from everyone else when you’ve always been surrounded by others just like you. You just learn to accept it and call it a blessing, I guess.

I hated it, and to be honest I still do. You’re not immortal, but compared to everyone else you may as well be. I used to make a point not making friends with anyone with too short a lifespan than mine, especially humans. The kid you saw last week could be an elder the next, and all the while you haven’t aged a day. It’s…terrifying.

…

Well, I’m not about to sour the mood more than it already is, but long story short is that you find reasons to make the ride better, ‘cause it’s gonna be a long one anyway, so might as well make it worth it.

( @casteliacityramen )

The Arcanine looked about. This was the last place... right? As he tried to recollect, a throbbing in his head made him grumble under his breath. That Vulpix, a bitter thought as he paused in his search. That Hana actually did something... nice, despite their first encounter. It would be best to quash- something caught his eyes, a small Vulpix kit with a unique fur pigment. A squint. Pink and stardust... "Hey kid where's your parent?"

Admittingly, the child wasn’t expecting the hulking figure of the dog to cast such a wide shadow over them. Had they not realized they were being spoken too, they could’ve mistaken him for a tree, compared to their relative size.

Huh???

Starting from his paws and eventually craning their neck upward until they eventually toppled over, the child would struggle to see who was addressing them, considering they sun shined just behind their shadowed glare. Not bothering to get up, they would give a snort.

“…”

“Why are you so big, and stinky? You smell like dirt poop…”

[ @lustrous-dawn ]

@???: - Hana, a Very Normal Human™️, stands at a distance, surveying the gym and it’s leader- “Huh…so this is a gym. I’ve heard of these things, where Pokémon trainers challenge leaders in battles and win badges. I know people enjoy these things, but what about the Pokémon? Do they enjoy battling in these challenges? What happens if a Pokémon doesn’t “have what it takes” to keep up with a gyms reputation? Do they get retired or…?”

Characters

Pokemon discovered

---

{ Previously… }

Starflower

Small Dad says that the doctor says that I have a extra tummy where food doesn’t go but everything else does and that’s where all my bug friends go. I don’t eat Big a lot because he’s too big especially after I eat a lotta food. But I ate this morning so it’s ok.

Also, this is Big. His name is Big because he’s big.

( @askadelcatty )

Starflower

Yeah, I love my dads. Small Dad’s at home while Big Dad’s at work.

Sometimes Big Dad’s gone for a while, but sometimes they’ll bring me snacks when they come back, or they’ll come home for lunch. Small Dad sometimes works at home but sometimes they’ll go into the city to work, so I’ll go to grandmas house so she can look after me.

I like to visit Big Dads’ job with Small Dad, it’s kinda like camping, but no bears…

{ @askadelcatty }

Hey, I know it’s a bit ‘off menu’, but could I get a bowl of Kitsune Udon? I’ve been craving some lately and I’d figure I’d get some. - Hana

“How was supposed to know that? I was asleep. I’m only getting enough for one bowl, alright? You better not mess it up,” Rio says to Ray.

In a short moment, she’s got her delivery box on top of her back with the ingredient list inside. Before she starts to walk down the street, she turns to you.

Rio walks down the street and turns a corner, away from view. Ray takes his whiteboard:

He remembers you, even if Rio didn’t. It seems like he’s eager to try to please, especially after the first bowl you had here was… well it was okay.

It’s strange, you don’t remember showing him this form when you were first here.

He turns around to start prepping the ingredients. It won’t be too long before Rio comes back. Before he turns around to go to work, he pauses for an uncomfortable moment as if he’s contemplating on a decision.

He picks the whiteboard up again.

???

Star??? Starflower! Where are you?

Great…I turn my back for half a second…

I’m sure they’re nearby, they couldn’t have gone too far…

[ Someone seems to be searching for Starflower… ]

Is Tamashi still available for asks?

Hello! Tamashi is still around as a friend of Hana’s but won’t be very active on this blog for quite some time. I planned on moving him and most of a few others to @hodgepodgeofhooligans in the meantime If you’d still like to see him and others!

{ HodgepodgeofHooligans } - Star approaches Eclipse, staring at them for a moment before burping up a fairly large Hercules beetle at their feet. Somehow it’s alive, and very active! -

Though it took a moment for the Skitty to notice the skittering bug in front of him, he began his gentle pat down of the beetle at his feet. His ears twitched as he listened, before one swiveled in Starflower's direction.

"Cool hercules beetle. Whats his name? Also, did you burp him up? I only heard him skittering after you did. How did you do that without killing him?"

[ @pokitsune ]