Earlier this week I uploaded this drawing of my OCs Alex and Laetitia:

So today I want to tell you guys a little bit about them, because in all technicality they are my oldest OCs that I'm still using to this day. These two are characters from a story I wrote in 2014-2015 and then dropped because I had hit a dead end. But they kept living rent-free inside my head and I kept thinking about them, wanting to continue their story for years but never having the motivation to do so. Last year I finally decided to give them a well-deserved sequel. My current story takes place eight years later, where they finally meet up again after all those years of no contact. According to the new story line, Alex broke up with Laetitia with very little explanation in 2013 (which was where my original story took place) and then moved away never to be seen again. They slowly restore their bond and end up falling for each other all over again, but not without obstacles and newly revealed secrets from the past years.

In the past I mostly used these two characters as an outlet for my personal struggles and traumas growing up in an unsafe and abusive environment. Now I try to make the story more of an educative one where I go over the very different coping mechanisms someone can have due to childhood trauma. Alex and Laetitia both have childhood trauma but their coping mechanisms are very different: Laetitia struggles with showing emotions and display of affection and refuses to admit she's struggling. As a result she's been suffering from (for now) undiagnosed C-PTSD without knowing, because she's too stubborn to seek help. Alex, on the other hand, has been in therapy for years and has diagnosed DID which has landed him in a mental hospital twice in his life. Now that they're adults, they're learning about each other struggles and trying to help each other get through the everyday obstacles of life.

As someone who's also diagnosed with PTSD, I'm writing this book in an attempt to educate people on the very different types of trauma responses and the struggles people like us face every day that seem invisible to those around us. But I also want it to give hope that help is always available and that any challenge can be overcome.

This is my second universe that is actually fully developed and thought out. I can do another OC dump after this, but their universe isn't really... Anything interesting. Just humans in a human universe.

In this universe, there are various schools that were founded to train the "gifted". All OCs I am about to mention go to the same school (despite their age differences, as there are different groups based on age), founded by Mrs. and Mr. Gibson and their son Hunter. This school focuses on using your powers for legal and useful purposes, rather than combat training like some others do.

Universe 2: Not-So-Super-hero Universe

Lydia Hall (24) - Super speed

Lydia Hall was adopted by a wealthy couple and was raised like their own along with her three siblings (two older sisters and one younger brother). Her superpowers have always been a part of her, but didn’t become apparent until during her early teens. Lydia was an extremely unmotivated student and eventually dropped out of high school. She was twenty-two years old when she received an invitation to come train her powers in the school run by the family Gibson, where she would learn more about her powers and how to put them to good use. Normally students are required to apply by themselves but considering the fact Lydia had the authorities after her, they took the opportunity to "get their hands on her" before the cops did. Hesitant at first, Lydia turned down the invitation a few times. When the Gibsons' son Hunter (who was also the one inviting her), promised that she was free to go home whenever she wanted, Lydia eventually agreed.

Aliyah Williams (23) - Visions

Aliyah Williams grew up in a town that was like close-knit community, together with her two parents and 4 siblings. She was forced to suppress her powers (future visions) for most of her life, since that’s what her father wanted. She was told that her gift was a curse and would only bring her misery. When her father passed away, she began experimenting with her abilities and fought her way out of poverty by stealing what she knew to be winning lottery tickets. Mrs. Gibson-- catching her in the act and being impressed by her abilities-- invited Aliyah to come study with them, lured in by the promise that they would provide a monthly income for her mother if they were ever in need again.

Olivia Reyes (17) - Mind Control

Olivia has lived in an orphanage for most of her life, in and out of foster homes. She has a long past of abusing her powers to get what she wants and to get rid of those she considers to be a threat to her. She was forcefully made to attend the Gibsons' school at the age of 16 by authorities (it was either that or jail time) after being a complete menace to society for years. She is not a bad person, but is extremely misguided and gullible and often associates herself with the wrong people.

Bella Rose Ayala (24) - Heat Manipulation

Bella grew up with her father and older sister and lived a pretty regular life up until high school, where her life was flipped upside down after her best friend took her own life due to severe bullying and abuse at home. Since teachers and even the police never took her situation seriously and thus indirectly contributing to the death of her best friend, Bella started developing a deep rooted hatred for authority and began taking this out on her father and sister too. After giving her sister 3rd degree burns on her arms and throat, her father kicked her out at the age of 18 and Bella was left to roam the streets by herself. That’s where she was found by Hunter Gibson, who then took her in.

Moha Nasri (23) - Illusion Manipulation

Moha, a mystery to most fellow students, is the youngest son to an immigrant family that originated from Morocco. He is selective mute and uses his so-called "creations" (hallucinations visible to everyone) to speak for him. The only people he feels comfortable speaking to using his own voice, are Bella and Aliyah. He used to attend a different school (one that focuses on combat) before getting expelled from there.

Evelyn Miller (14) - Telekinesis

Evelyn, just like Moha, used to attend a different school. After 3 years she was expelled for continuously "breaking school rules", while in reality she was being bullied and framed for actions that weren't truly hers. Not much else is known about her yet.

Naia Dakos (26) - Super strength & increased reaction speed

[I hate how the only art I have of her is ugly af but anyway]- Naia used to attend the same school as Moha did and was send to this school under the guise of being an exchange student, while in reality she was sent to spy on them. When meeting her now-boyfriend Andres and eventually falling in love with him, she cancels her mission and chooses to stay in this school instead.

Andres Diaz (28) - Intangibility (Phasing)

[I haven't thought of a story for him yet, but he is dating Naia lol]

June ??? (19)

[Only drawing I have of her is from an animation I made which I can't upload due to copyrighted music but it's on my YT channel] - June grew up in a small, cult-like village that was very closed off from the rest of the world and even had their own language. She was raised with the belief that she possessed magical powers and could tell the future through magic cards. She knew she was an ordinary girl, but fearing social rejection or any form of punishment, she played along and pretended to be reading the cards; thus keeping her people satisfied for as long as possible. She was considered to be the village’s “hope” and “gift”. This was until a terrible plague broke out which wiped half the population of her village, causing more and more people to turn to her and expect her to give them hope. For months she played along until someone saw through her act and snitched on her. She was labeled a fraud and was to be hanged publicly for her betrayal. She managed to escape her village- and respectively her death- by stabbing herself right before her execution and running away after her wounds being taken care of. She roamed the middle of nowhere for two days until finally reaching an inhabited area. Completely disoriented by the different lifestyle, she stepped onto the road and was nearly hit by a car until Bella happened to see the situation and quickly pulled her back. Due to the language barrier, June was unable to communicate and explain who she was and where she came from. Bella took her to her school where she was examined. No one could figure out where she came from, so she was kept there for the time being. Since she arrived in June, she was given the nickname June and even when she finally figured out a way to communicate with the rest, she still preferred to be called June.

Extra art

Aliyah's vision warning her to not proceed with the haircut she was about to perform on Lydia.

Andres and Naia cuddling on the couch (pose was referenced from some Korean drama cover).

Due to her super speed, Lydia "vibrates" when she's nervous.

Lydia looks up a lot to Barry Allen aka The Flash...

Bella vs. Moha trying to cheer up a crying child... (I didn't get to color Bella yet)

Hunter and Lydia's first interaction.

"Wow, who cares?" Me. I want to share-- with the few people that check this page-- my OCs and a little bit about them.

Universe 1:

Rosa

This is Rosa Tanaka-Juárez. She is a 25 year old Japanese-Mexican girl (living in Mexico). She is best described as brash, fearless and grumpy. She has a hard time embracing her Japanese roots and doesn't have a good relationship with her father's side of the family, therefore she simply considers herself Mexican.

Leah

Leah is Rosa's "chicana" cousin: her mother-- the sister of Rosa's mother-- is of Mexican origin while her father is American. She grew up in the American suburbs and still lives there. She and Rosa are very close, even if they do have somewhat of a love-hate relationship. Growing up, the two had somewhat of a language barrier since Leah doesn't speak Spanish and Rosa didn't speak English yet.

Kiki

Kiki is a "zombie" that Rosa discovered wandering around in the woods nearby her home. For the longest time Kiki was unable to speak, so no one really knew where she came from or who she was, but Rosa still provided her with secret shelter after learning that she wasn't interested in eating her unlike those zombies shown in movies. Eventually Kiki snapped out of her zombie state and revealed her tragic past of being experimented on by her best friend's father, an evil scientist, and turning out like this as a result. Leah is the only person beside Rosa that knows about her true form.

Some art of these characters together

Here we see Rosa and Kiki (in human disguise) shortly after snapping out of her state and finally going out in public.

And here we see Leah (foreground) and Rosa (background) back when they were kids.

Here are Rosa and Leah dressed up for Christmas (Rosa is not enjoying herself, as per usual).

And lastly, Rosa facetiming Leah while getting ready for Día de los Muertos :)

Hi! Someone commented on one of my artworks that I should write an introduction so hopefully I am doing this right??

My name is LIDL (not really) and I've been making digital art since 2016. I am new to Newgrounds and used to only be active on Twitter, but I prefer this website already despite not fully understanding it yet.

I suck at introductions, so I am going to list my special interests by using bullet points below:

• VOCALOID (Hatsune Miku in particular)
• Ongezellig (Dutch animation series on YT)
• Rhythm games (Project Diva, FNF, Love Live, Deemo etc.)
• Sharks (or animals in general, really)

I speak Dutch, English, German, Greek and Turkish. Nice to meet y'all!