Awww :3

Awww :3

Between Metal Slug Attack Reloaded, Awakening and the games I have on my PC, I've been getting back into Metal Slug.

Tarma be like: 🫵😆

The mocking friend

Marco, Tarma, Fio, Trevor, and Nadia are currently on their lunch break, enjoying delicious sandwiches made by Fio. Meanwhile, Eri decides to skip lunch and keeps watch for potential danger. Marco is typing away on his portable laptop, oblivious to his untouched sandwich. Tarma seizes the opportunity to mock him, mimicking his slouched posture and typing skills. 

Fio, Trevor, and Nadia can't help but snicker and burst out laughing at the sight. It's so hilarious that Trevor laughs even harder, beginning to cough, while Fio starts wheezing and Nadia playfully hits the table with her fist.

Nadia: Trevie! You sound like a dying pig! *she manages to say through her laughter*

Trevor: Goddamnit! *he continues to laugh, trying to calm himself down and breathe steadily*

All the commotion distracts Marco from his important work on his laptop. Tarma quickly stops mocking him as Marco looks up, confused and annoyed. Seeing Fio, Trevor, and Nadia laughing, Marco turns to face Tarma, his expression a mix of curiosity and irritation.

Marco: What’s so fucking funny? *he sounds serious*

Tarma gazes at Marco with a gentle smile, his lips twitching slightly as he struggles to not burst out laughing.

Tarma: *he lazily shrugs* I dunno…

Marco shoots Tarma a suspicious glance before letting out a heavy sigh and rolling his eyes. He closes his laptop and eats his sandwich in silence, his expression unreadable. Meanwhile, Tarma continues eating his sandwich, seemingly unbothered. Fio, Trevor, and Nadia gradually calm down from the humorous outburst that took place.

A big ol’ promotion

After the gruelling battle and eventual defeat of Rootmars at the hands of the Regular Army's special forces, General Morden and a few surviving soldiers escaped the Martians' clutches with the Dai-Manji in their possession. About half an hour later, the Dai-Manji landed at a secret Rebel Army base. There, Morden was finally reunited with the rest of his soldiers who had fought bravely against the Martians. With a proud posture, he exited the Dai-Manji, puffing out his chest and clearing his throat.

Morden: Attention everyone! Those gosh darn Martians were a real pain in the ass! But we did it! We put up one heck of a fight and came out on top, even if it meant forming an alliance with our greatest enemy. Anyways, you’ve all shown me that you’re all top-notch soldiers. You know what? I'm proud to announce that you're all getting promoted!

Multiple gasps erupt amongst the Rebel soldiers, followed by an outburst of cheers, applause, and whistles. Some soldiers high-five and hug each other, overwhelmed with joy and relief as they finally receive their long-overdue promotions.

Morden: Except you! *he says, pointing accusingly at a bazooka-wielding soldier near the front* You’re not even wearing your uniform!

The soldier, clad only in his army-green helmet and a pair of white boxer shorts, looked down at the ground with a disheartened sigh.

Soldier #1: Aw man… I’m sorry about that. Better luck next time!

Soldier #2: For crying out loud! I told ya to put your uniform on!

Soldier #3: *snickers at the soldier not wearing his proper uniform* Good job, dumbass!

A few other Rebel soldiers snicker and chuckle loudly at the misfortune of their comrade who was dismissed for his promotion.

Morden: Hey! Whoever just laughed at this soldier will also not receive their promotions! It’s disrespectful to mock fellow comrades! You hear me?! *he sounds frustratingly displeased*

The soldiers who rudely poked fun at their comrade now feel ashamed, offering a sincere apology to him.

"The Memphis bomb princess " <3

Updated: September 6, 2024

Reworked Character #3: Eri Kasamoto

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to abandonment, abuse, underage drinking, crime, unhealthy relationships, death, and SA.

Real name: Chizuko Kawaguchi

Alias: Memphis Bomb Princess

Occupation: Staff Sergeant of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., Ptolemaios’ second-in-command (formerly), and the leader of a street gang (formerly)

Retirement plans: Open up an inclusive orphanage in Hiroshima

Special skills: Orchestrating stealth missions and suppression operations, proficiency in explosives, survival techniques, lock picking, and brainwashing

Hobbies: Swimming, kickboxing, going outside to appreciate nature, thinking about her past mistakes and what she could have done better, and playing card games with her friends that include some sort of bet

Likes: Fio (views her as an older sister), Marco (views him as a brave leader who requires comfort and sympathy), pyrotechnics, aimless walks, and a keychain that was gifted to her by her ex-girlfriend

Dislikes: Blissful ignorance, overly mischievous and lazy people, being touched without permission, remembering the worst parts of her past, and Tarma (especially his stupidity and hotheadedness)

Favourite food: Vodka

Sexuality: Homoflexible sapiosexual

Gender: Female

Age: 16 (in 2022), 22 (in 2028), 24 (in 2030), 26 (in 2032), 28 (in 2034), 35 (in 2041), 37 (in 2043), 38 (in 2044), and 41 (in 2047)

Blood type: B-

Weight: 126 lbs. (57 kg)

Design: She’s a 5’ 6” (167.64 cm) Japanese ectomorph with an athletic, sylph-like build, broad shoulders, sand-hued skin, and top scars. She has dark brown eyes with visible bags beneath them and fingernails that are painted a metallic green. She has jet-black hair with choppy bangs that has been bleached dirty blonde and is styled in a mid-back shaggy wolf cut, often worn up in a ponytail. Eri has a jarring diagonal scar that runs from the left side of her temple, across the bridge of her nose, to her right levator scapulae muscle. She also has stab scars on the palm of her right hand, cut marks on her right forearm, the skin on her arms and shoulders have been picked at, and her legs are riddled with scrapes. She lost her left forearm in a traumatic incident, later receiving a metallic silver prosthetic replacement from Ptolemaios during her training. She dons green gold snake bite and silver jestrum piercings, and her makeup features a glittery artichoke green smoky eyeliner, light brown mascara, and a cherry blossom pink lip gloss.

Eri’s military gear consists of an olive green bandana on her head, a metal dog tag necklace with her name, and a black headset for communication with her snipers. She wears a black bra, myrtle-hued sleeveless button midriff, and a satin crimson sash. She wears a purplish-grey unbuttoned coat with ripped sleeves, four pockets, and a hidden strap compartment that holds her electrical baton. On the back of her jacket is the logo of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., which Fio kindly embroidered for her. Her purplish-grey army cargo pants were tucked into black combat boots and held up by a silver-buckled dark teal belt around her waist. She has a sheath for her combat knife and a drop leg holster for her handgun with a silencer.

She wears a black gas mask with red-tinted lenses, olive green gloves, black knee and elbow pads, and sage-streaked silver tassel earrings. She wears a keychain necklace featuring a fiery comet encircling a reddish-purple amethyst, carved into the shape of a human heart. Eri is adorned with two black steel armlets, one on each arm: the right armlet has a circular green crystal at its centre, while the left armlet has a red one. The green crystal grants her the power to unleash grey lightning, while the red crystal, forged from a fragment of Sol Dae Rokker, can summon deadly, wolf-shaped spirits that dive-bomb enemies.

Over her midriff, she dons a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a MultiCam pattern, which carries around her walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. She carries around a sage green load-bearing backpack that contains camping equipment, grenades, fire bombs, mines, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, three canisters of gasoline, a rocket launcher, and a bottle of vodka. Her olive green waist pack, secured at the back of her belt, holds a silvery flask of vodka, a matchbox, and a compact makeup kit containing her eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. The pockets of her coat contain a pack of fruity bubblegum, a navy blue lighter, a rainbow-coloured bouncy ball, and her lucky gold Kaiki Shoho coin. Meanwhile, her cargo pants hold lockpicking tools and three boxes of cigarettes. She has worn gauze wrapped around her right forearm, a gun holster for her handgun, and a sheath for her machete. She's still in possession of a Ptolemaic Army-commissioned scoped bolt-action rifle, which is often draped over her left shoulder.

Personality: She's a vengeful, sarcastic, cynical, tomboyish leader who’s overprotective of Fio and will stop at nothing to brutally hurt anyone she perceives as a threat to her closest friend. She has a sadistic streak, evident in her peculiar habit of smearing her enemies' blood on herself to intimidate others. When focused on her military duties and protecting those she respects and cares about, she tends to neglect her own needs. Eri's outspoken and crass demeanour shows no fear in speaking her mind, telling others off, and using profanities. As a self-reliant and lonesome individual, she’s bitter and aloof towards those she dislikes and strangers. She has a tendency to engage in dishonest behaviour and manipulate situations to her advantage. When confronted about these actions, she often responds with aggressive language and contradictory arguments. She holds immense respect for the deities, particularly Sol Dae Rokker, and will go to great lengths to worship and make sacrifices to them, often using the remains of her defeated enemies..

She fearlessly rebels against anything she deems morally wrong or a life-threatening risk. With her enemies, she shows no mercy, and her military missions showcase her exceptional resourcefulness, cunning, and tactical prowess. She is capable of sympathy and offering wise advice, but her willingness to do so greatly depends on the situation and her personal connection with the individual. Eri regards her team of rebel Ptolemaic soldiers, Fio of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., Marco and Trevor of the P.F. Squad, Ralf and Clark, the top dogs of the Ikari Warriors, Tequila, Red Eye, and Hyakutaro, Tyra, and Walter of Division 6 as family. She harbours significant animosity towards Tarma, seeing him as a hot-headed idiot who only causes trouble and can't take things seriously. Despite her best efforts to tolerate him, she can't help but snap at him when his silly antics go too far, he inadvertently ruins a plan, or he gets too flirtatious and physically close to Fio.

She lives with claustrophobia, mild social anxiety, insomnia, atypical depression, and borderline personality disorder. To cope with her mental health struggles, she often presents herself as highly intelligent, serious-minded, and seductive. However, when anger takes hold, her emotions can be difficult to contain, although she strives to maintain some self-control. Notably, Eri prefers not to be called by her old name, as it evokes memories of her past trauma, which she’s trying to desperately forget. She's a hardened pessimist, often appearing exhausted, yet she consistently demonstrates resilience and stubborn determination. She has immense compassion for those who endured a difficult childhood and does her best to offer comfort and support. She can't help but feel jealous towards those who have loving parents and weren't abandoned by them. When she's had too much to drink, she becomes prone to argumentativeness, physical aggression, and melancholy, and often sleepwalks.

She has a deep-seated distrust of Christianity, believing that many people hypocritically exploit God and Jesus' teachings to conceal their true intentions. She also thinks that certain Christian teachings clash with the harsh realities of life. Furthermore, she believes that God seems apathetic to humanity's well-being, watching them suffer endlessly, letting evil to continuously flourish, and restricting the potential for salvation. She holds that morality is culturally relative, and therefore, there are no universal moral laws, making it challenging to distinguish right from wrong.

In her view, human societies construct their values based on their distinct beliefs, customs, and practices, which are also influenced by social and emotional pressures. She believes that individuals have a moral obligation to protect innocent lives and uphold the goodness inherent in justice. Regarding war, she thinks it can be justified if it meets certain criteria: it’s openly declared by a governing authority, has a just cause, and aims to establish a lasting peace. She acknowledges the coexistence of life and death but does not see a clear connection between the two.

Backstory: Chizuko Kawaguchi was born on June 6, 2006 in Hiroshima, Japan. She was abandoned as an infant at the entrance of a Christian church by her parents, who had wanted a son instead of a baby girl. Her name was discovered on a piece of paper tucked inside her baby carriage. She was raised by the Christian church where she was sent to live, an institution with a strict religious environment. There, children who misbehaved were subjected to psychological reprimands. During Chizuko’s younger years, she acted out as an attention-seeking troublemaker, but was frequently punished through humiliation and isolation in a dark closet. She endured occasional physical abuse and emotional manipulation by the church orphanage staff who used the threat of eternal damnation to control her behaviour. This treatment had a profound effect on her, making her quiet, nervous, and obedient. As a result, she grew to resent the church, finding its teachings to be at odds with the harsh realities of her own life. She eventually lost faith in God, feeling that He seemed indifferent to human suffering, allowing it to persist without genuine intervention or care.

At the age of 6, Chizuko met Tarma and quickly befriended him after building a sandcastle and searching for worms under a heavy rock. This chance encounter taught her that there were kind people outside of her church community, and she had opportunities to form new connections and discover herself. She met up with Tarma a few more times until he stopped visiting Hiroshima, leaving her feeling alone and sorrowful.

Once she figured out the ways of the world, she escaped from the sanctuary of the church at the age of 12, alongside a small group of friends, eager to taste the forbidden fruit of the world. Seeking vengeance, she and her friends burned down the church orphanage in retaliation for the abuse they had endured. Most of her early life remains private. However, her invigorating and tomboyish nature lended her as a capable leader, founding a gang of street kids. They engaged in criminal activities, primarily petty theft, drug sales, weapon trafficking, and murder.

Details about this period are scarce, but it's known that Chizuko developed a fondness for vodka during this time. She would also go through a couple of romantic relationships with girls. Her first relationship was short-lived after she quickly discovered that her girlfriend was using her for financial gain. Her second relationship seemed to be going well, but it ended when her girlfriend's parents found out about her being a delinquent and forbade their daughter from seeing her again.

At 16, she reunited with Tarma after he ran away from home, inviting him to hang out and drink beer and vodka. As they caught up on each other's lives, she began to flirt and get physically close, seeing him as someone she could trust. However, Chizuko’s desire to escape the past and run away from her problems clouded her judgement. They spent many nights together, engaging in erotic activities, and she even convinced him to participate in a few crimes. But everything changed when Tarma abruptly ended things and returned home to Hokkaido. Devastated, she felt betrayed, despite having used him to fulfill her own desires and advance her gang interests. This experience explains her lingering animosity towards Tarma.

Her leadership skills and her gang had continued to grow successfully, but that success was short-lived. At 19, Hiroshima was suddenly attacked by multiple bombings from a mysterious group, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives, including her entire gang–her first true friends. This incident sent the Japanese populace into a deep state of panic and uncertainty. In the chaos, she also suffered a devastating injury, losing her left forearm. With quick thinking, she managed to improvise a tourniquet by tearing the sleeves of her medium-sleeved shirt and stemming the bleeding.

While treating her injury, she was approached by a brown-haired, grey-eyed woman wearing the attire of a Ptolemaic guerilla. This guerrilla fighter didn't want to leave Chizuko behind, knowing she would feel terrible if left alone. So, she convinced Chizuko to come with her to meet up with Ptolemaios. Chizuko was hesitant at first, but with no other options, she took the opportunity. The guerrilla introduced herself as Emily Kuznetsova, and Chizuko decided to adopt a new name: Eri Kasamoto.

Unbeknownst to her, Ptolemaios had been observing Eri for some time, recognizing her potential as a valuable asset for his army. She was first showered with excessive attention and affection by Ptolemaios' most devoted followers. Afterwards, they subjected her to an initiation ritual where she was forced to consume the heart of a deceased baby goat in the name of the Dark Lord and drink Ptolemaios' blood. He took steps to provide her with specialised training to enhance her skills in espionage and further develop her militant abilities. Once she received a sufficient amount of training, he wasn't hesitant to make her his second-in-command, which stirred some jealousy amongst the commanding officers of the Ptolemaic Army. On his behalf, she was responsible for multiple stealth missions to further the technological advancement and tactical plans of the Ptolemaic Army.

During this time, Emily's compassionate and courageous nature won Eri over, and she developed a strong romantic attraction towards her, which would eventually blossom into a full-blown relationship. Ptolemaios viewed Emily as a potential obstacle to his objectives and sought to eliminate her, motivated in part by his suppressed and secret sexual attraction to Eri. Emily's death was staged to appear as a suicide, with the circumstances surrounding it unclear. Eri was even sexually assaulted by a few commanding officers as Ptolemaios hoped that this would instill more fear in her and deter her from leaving.

However, these two events had a profound impact on Eri, leading to feelings of grief and anger, and prompting her to re-evaluate her involvement with the Ptolemaic Army. She assembled a group of individuals who shared her desire to challenge Ptolemaios' authority. The group consisted of six guerrilla troops: Mikuláš, Ji-Yeong, Konrad, Dezső, Sipho, and Harvie; four snipers: Amilcare, Diomedes, Souma, and Manouel; and eight special forces operatives: Kemalettin, Jaroslavas, Dermot, Agenor, Shelomit, Franjo, Prabhakar, and Radovan.

During their fight against the Ptolemaic Army, they caused major setbacks and killed off many soldiers and cultists. As Eri fought against Ptolemaios, she learned that he was responsible for conducting the terrorist bombings in Hiroshima. She tried to end his life, but felt a malevolent presence stopping her from doing so, forcing her and her rebel Ptolemaic soldiers out of Ptolemaios' compound in Osaka, Japan. Shortly after this time, she ripped off the sleeves of her purplish-grey coat to use as tourniquets for a couple of her men. She also chose to acquire her top scars, her way of trying to forget the past, reject social norms placed on women and girls, and embrace her true identity.

At the age of 22, she and her team decided to apply for military service, working under the Intelligence Agency as a formidable group of agents. Eri made a name for herself in numerous missions, earning a reputation as a vengeful leader amongst the Regular Army. However, she began to feel increasingly disillusioned by the constant assassinations and conspiracies that weighed on her conscience, reminding her of her time with the Ptolemaic Army. She applied for a transfer to S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., which was specially approved due to her exceptional record, indispensable skills, and intimate knowledge of the Ptolemaic Army's inner workings.

As the demolition and stealth expert of S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., Eri led her rebel Ptolemaic soldiers with immense success. She befriended Fio and felt an instant, deep connection after a few interactions, viewing Fio as the sister she never had and vowing to protect her at all costs. She played a crucial role in the Great Morden War by providing Marco's team with explosives, emergency rations, and valuable intel on Rebel Army positions through stealthy infiltration. Eri showcased her advanced combat and leadership skills by helping to thwart Morden's second coup, which was aided by her team, Fio, Tarma, and Marco.

I did feel a little bad for Marco...😅

Comfort after dreaming

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: This content discusses death and may be sensitive for some readers. Please proceed with caution.

Deep within a jungle, the night was quiet as Marco, Eri, Tarma, and Fio rested in their sleeping bags, hidden away in their tent beneath the starry sky. Unbeknownst to the others, Marco was trapped in a vivid and terrifying nightmare. His face began to twitch, his fists slowly clenching as his breathing grew slightly irregular. Cold sweat beaded on his face as the intensity of his nightmare escalated, threatening to transport him back to the horrific events he'd tried to forget.

Marco found himself back on the battlefield, surrounded by merciless Rebel soldiers as they overpowered and tortured his former friends and comrades. The deafening explosions and relentless barrage of bullets filled his mind, forcing him to watch in a powerless state as his loved ones suffered through their final, agonising moments. His vision blurred by tears, Marco rushed to Tarma's side, only to find his friend's bruised, stabbed, and bullet-ridden corpse. Just as the horror seemed too much to bear, General Morden's face appeared, his gun pressed against Marco's forehead. The general pulled the trigger, which jolted Marco awake.

His breathing was heavy as fear gripped his throat. His eyes darted around the inside of the tent, which was filled with the sounds of Fio's loud snoring. He noticed the absence of Tarma and Eri, making him fear the absolute worst.

He rubbed his eyes and swiftly got up, putting on his paratrooper boots and grabbing his handgun. Marco could hear two people talking outside the tent and caught a whiff of cigarette smoke. He cautiously made his way over to them and carefully unzipped the tent door. He let out a deep breath, realising that it was just Tarma and Eri. This grabbed the attention of Tarma and Eri, who both curiously stared at him. Eri seemed to be very exhausted, as her insomnia had been keeping her up, and Tarma was smoking a cigarette.

Tarma: Hey, Marco! Why are you up so early?

Eri: Did we wake you up? Sorry if we did… I don't think Fio's loud snoring helps either!

Marco quietly exited the tent and looked up at the sky with a sullen glare.

Marco: No... I thought I heard something dangerous lurking around. I'm just imagining things, I suppose. *he weakly shrugged for a moment*

Tarma and Eri knew that something was up, but they were accustomed to Marco bottling up his true emotions. Tarma finished his smoke break and crushed the lit cigarette beneath his boot, extinguishing the ember.

Tarma: Marco... You're hiding something from us. You've been doing this a lot more frequently since that massive war he caused.

Marco and Eri knew who the "he" Tarma mentioned was. It was Morden. Nobody dared to even mention his name around Marco, as it would send him into an uncontrollable rage–one that everyone was terrified of accidentally provoking.

Marco let out a miserable sigh, his gaze dropping to the grassy ground.

Eri: Marco? Is everything alright?

Marco was eerily silent for a few moments, his stillness making Tarma and Eri exchange worried glances. As they drew closer to comfort him, Marco suddenly broke down in tears and dropped the handgun.

Marco: Oh God…

Marco pulled Tarma and Eri into a tight hug, his body shaking with violent sobs. As Marco continued weeping, Tarma and Eri wrapped their arms around him, reciprocating the hug. Tarma gently patted his back in a comforting gesture. Eri could recall a similar moment with Fio, comforting her after a trauma-fueled nightmare.

Marco: *he briefly hiccups* I don't want to lose you two and Fio. I've already lost so much... You're all I have left… my only friends… I'm so afraid... I'm afraid of losing you three in an instant. The thought of it is unbearable. I don't know who I would be if that happened. I would be lost and lonely once again, back to being friendless and miserable. That's a fate I don't want to face again... *he takes a deep, trembling breath and sniffles*

Tarma: Shhhh... It's okay, Marco. I understand your pain. We'll always be here for you, no matter what. That's what friends are for, right?

Eri: I've been there too... I've lost count of how many people I've lost before joining the army and during my time in the military. It's devastating. The weight of those losses is a heavy burden that we soldiers have to carry. But we're here now, and we won't let war tear us apart. There will always be opportunities to forge new connections and meet new people. Marco, don’t forget that, okay?

Marco's sobs gradually subsided, his weeping growing quieter and quieter until he finally pulled back and wiped away his tears. He cast a brief glance down at the grassy ground before locking eyes with Eri and Tarma.

Marco: I’ll remember… I promise. *a gentle smile forms on his face as he sniffled for a little bit*

Eri and Tarma warmly smiled back at him, glad that they were able to comfort their leader and friend.

Marco: Let's get some rest. We head deeper into the jungle tomorrow morning. *he says, reverting back to his usual overserious self*

Tarma: Alright, Major. We’ll get our beauty sleep. *he playfully responds, getting a chuckle out of Eri as Marco rolls his eyes*

He picks up his handgun and heads back inside the tent with Tarma and Eri following shortly after. After a few minutes, Marco, Tarma, and Eri finally fall asleep, getting some much-needed rest for tomorrow's big mission.