OC Interview - Valerie Powell
I was tagged by @gloryride forever ago to interview my girl--Thank you, bb! I'm so late to doing this that I'm not gonna tag anyone else, but feel free to yoink it if you wanna do it!
[Answers are directly from Valerie's POV before the heist in 2077.]
.ೃ࿔*:・ NAME?
Valerie Irene Powell. [laughs] Yeah, my initials are VIP. My dad had a dorky sense of humor, and my mom let him get away with it. "Irene" is my great-grandmother's first name on her side of the family.
.ೃ࿔*:・ NICKNAME?
Pretty much just "V" these days, which was all Jackie's doing. A lot of the staff and some regulars at Nishimura's used to call me "Blue," but that was ages ago. Overly familiar acquaintances who don't know me well but think they do usually call me "Val."
.ೃ࿔*:・ GENDER?
Biologically female, no gender alterations or augmentations.
A/N - Valerie is a cis woman, but I don't see that specific language being in her vernacular.
.ೃ࿔*:・ STAR SIGN?
I was born in Night City on October 12 2041. Misty tells me that makes me a, uh--Hey, Misty, what am I again?
[Misty, calling from the other room: Libra Sun with a Taurus Moon and Scorpio Rising!]
Yeah, that. [laughs] Whatever the hell that even means.
.ೃ࿔*:・ HEIGHT?
Tall. 5'10" or 178 cm. And I admit I have a weakness for a sexy pair of heels, so I usually look a lot taller.
.ೃ࿔*:・ ORIENTATION?
People are out here fucking cyborgs with four eyes and chicks with gold dicks and electric nipples--What does this even mean? [laughs] I've never given it much thought. I like what I like, and I've liked a lot of different types of people with a lot of different things going on. [laughs again]
A/N: I say Valerie is bi, because that is the contemporary real-life word that best reflects her sexuality for me when I'm talking about her, but when I was really thinking about it from her POV and in the context of her world, I don't think she'd be too hung up on a label. She'd also probably see her wide spectrum of attraction as closer to the default, not the exception.
.ೃ࿔*:・ NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY?
I'm a typical American mutt. My dad's side of the family can mostly be traced back to Western Europe--my grandmother told me "Powell" is an Anglicized form of an old Welsh surname--and my mom's side is from the Eastern Mediterranean. Dad's side has been in NUSA for a long time (like two centuries before it was even called NUSA), but Mom's family has only been here for a few generations.
.ೃ࿔*:・ FAVE FRUIT?
I just love fresh fruit. It's such a rare treat in Night City--I'll take fresh strawberries or melons over any other kind of sweet treat.
.ೃ࿔*:・ FAVE SEASON?
Spring! When everything starts turning green and flowers are blooming. There aren't a ton of places in Night City where you can really experience that, but I know a few hidden gems.
.ೃ࿔*:・ FAVE FLOWER?
Hydrangeas, probably. Especially the blue and purple ones. Oh, and wisteria! A tree covered in blooming wisteria is one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.
.ೃ࿔*:・ FAVE SCENT?
Freshly brewed coffee; new car smell; woodsy, smokey colognes and perfumes; real leather; whatever incense Misty uses in her shop; clothes right out of the dryer; lavender; a ton more that I know I'm forgetting!
.ೃ࿔*:・ COFFEE, TEA, OR HOT CHOCOLATE?
Strong coffee, black, maybe a little sugar if I'm feeling indulgent. Tea is nice, but it's not my caffeine fix. I like a cup of lavender or chamomile tea at night. Hot chocolate is too heavy and rich for my taste. A sip is nice, but I could never finish a cup.
.���࿔*:・ AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP?
I try not to get any fewer than 6 hours, but that's easier said than done some nights. Okay, most nights.
.ೃ࿔*:・ DOG OR CAT PERSON?
You know, I've only ever seen one dog in person. A childhood friend's family had one--I don't know the breed, but it was a yippy little shit and it bit me! Never really wanted to see another dog, if I'm honest.
I like cats, though. There's a stray that hangs by Misty's place--He's the sweetest little guy. I picked up a bag of kibble we keep there to feed him when he comes around.
.ೃ࿔*:・ DREAM TRIP?
I've actually traveled a lot--My parents had to go to Biotechnica's HQ in Rome a few times when I was a kid, and they usually turned those trips into an excuse to have an extended European vacation. And I went all over the globe working for Arasaka for 7 years. I'd love to go back to Japan for non-work reasons.
.ೃ࿔*:・ FAVORITE FICTIONAL CHARACTER?
You're gonna laugh, it's so predictable. In my defense, I can't remember the last time I watched or read anything new--Actually, that's not true. Jackie made me watch one of those Bushido movies last week, and I just don't get it. Anyway. It's Elizabeth Bennet. Don't look at me--What's the next question?
.ೃ࿔*:・ NUMBER OF BLANKETS YOU SLEEP WITH?
Just a sheet and comforter.
.ೃ࿔*:・ RANDOM FACT?
Oh, no, don't put me on the spot like this! [laughs] Um, okay, I shot my first firearm when I was about 7. Under intense adult supervision--My dad was really serious about self-defense and the right to bear arms, which always surprised people because he came across as such a meek science nerd. I didn't like it--It was so loud, even with earmuffs. Funny how things change.
Is that kind of a heavy note to leave on? [laughs again] Okay, how about this one: I can't roll my tongue.
28 notes
·
View notes
for those of you that wish we could have gotten a regular byler road trip full of mike and will shenanigans and gay pining, look no further! below is a fic i've been working on for a long time (with art by @oceanic-sunsets and @hei-jessi-draws !!) and i'd love if you'd be willing to check it out and leave a kudos, bookmark, or comment :)
summary: “I’m serious, though,” he says, and when he glances up, Mike’s already staring back at him, brown eyes imploring into hazel. Insistent. “We should do it. For real.”
Will’s breath catches at the way it feels like he can see right through him, and he swallows hard at how sincere he sounds, even if he doubts the idea will ever get off the ground, if he figures that Mike will forget about it in a day or two. “Where would we even go?” Will says, humoring him.
“California,” Mike answers, like it’s obvious.
OR: Mike and Will recreate their perfect spring break by taking a road trip to California.
24 notes
·
View notes
One of the most important and inevitable moments in any gacha game, is when you grind real hard, scrape every possible gem/wyrmite/inspiration/whatever-it's-called-in-another-gacha, sink hours of mind numbing gameplay for it,
only to still miss out.
Trying so hard, only to either get a dupe, something you didn't need or nothing at all.
It's kinda eye-opening. When it happens, you experience things.
"Of course I didn't get it, I wasn't expecting much" while no, you did expect much, you didn't spend three hours on clearing content for this ten pull to be nothing.
"This game is so unfair" - yes, that's the essence of any gacha, they are not your friends.
"Everyone I know lucked out" - desire sensor machine cares not for your pals getting stuff, it's only between you and cold numbers.
"Next rerun is in a year, I will save up by then" - god time feels fast when you play a gacha, a year feels like a month cause of this constant waiting and forgetting to live by the moment.
"I'm X from pity, maybe if I spend money-" - that's how they get you, this entire scenario was designed by real people for this exact purpose.
Aaaaand...
"God, I need a break" - and you delete the app for a week, a month, several months, you filter it out cause this grinding experience, without a reward in the end, just left you hollow. But hey, you also realise that it was just a PNG/a 3D model, and move on with your life. Well, until these punks release another cool character-
24 notes
·
View notes