#its bc she was supposed to just be floating like in the void

[pseudobun]

[the-satellite]

Hello friends and welcome to ☆Hateful Nostalgia☆. I was exposed to the mob talker mod WAY too young bc I was an unsupervised child on the internet watching mod showcases and SkyDoesMinecraft. Looking back these sucked, the stories were often bland and the designs were milk toast at best and tits out at worst. So for the sake of procrastinating on working on anything substantial I grabbed the main 6 I remembered and gussied em up. Redesigns, rewrites, better names, all that bullshit. If your interested in better photos, design notes, story details and rambling hit the basement, otherwise here's a line up you should click for better quality.

Also I wrote all this once before already but I deleted it like a dumb bitch. On the night Unus Annus was murdered in front of my eyes no less. Was a rough fuckin night.

The Creeper- Kupa. An explosive pyromaniac with a habit of making empty threats and yelling. She protects what she believes to be her territory with a suicidal passion, but if you manage to get her to cool down and soften up she's pretty sick to hand out with. Hard of hearing, has at least one bout of head trauma at all times, and deathly allergic to cats.

Because the creeper is kinda the og I wanted to reference AT2's design more than the others, but I'm p sure the only thing I actually kept was the red hair and brown gloves. Otherwise I was doing whatever. I really wanted to lean into the explody bit of creepers, so I gave her some bite and dressed her in clothes referenced from Irish railroad workers. This may also be why I keep imaging her with a very heavy Irish or Scottish accent, whichever would be most incomprehensible when angry. Every color but her skin was color picked from one of the references, with some minor alterations for makes my eyes happy reasons.

With Kupa I imagine a story line with her would largely be about her as a character and her development than like an actual adventure narrative like everyone else. She starts off ready to blow up both you and herself in a misguided attempt to defend what she sees as her's and opens up and learns not everyone is out to get her. Lots of time taken to understand her childhood and how she ended up how she is. Very simple, probably the default or tutorial run people would go through.

The Zombie- Bee. The ill husk of a missing explorer suffering from a less than conventional appetite. She wallows in her self imposed loneliness, believing herself to be an irredeemable monster doomed to hurt those around her. What she really needs is a buddy and some clue to who she used to be. Rough voiced, chronically fatigued, and prone to spontaneous combustion in sunlight.

 I definitely consider this one the weakest for design sadly. I imagined Zombies as humans who went into strange caves and caverns and didn't come out for years, only to pop up as completely different people. I just tossed AT2's design. The first thing I did was make her a bit of a genderbent Steve and tinted her green bc Zombies in game are just Steve but green. Tore up her clothes, colored picked the darkest colors I could from the clothes on the in game and boom, Bee. I do vaguely regret not making her eyes pure black but I also still wanted her to be human enough to fit with the other overworld mods.

 Ok so Bee actually has a basic story. When you meet her she's aggressive, but as a warning. She fears the possibility she may hurt somebody so heads for threats immediately. Going back and forth between her cave and village for a while you learn more about the situation with the missing folks who come back and Bee as a person. After a bit you pick her up off her depressed ass and start a nocturnal adventure of refinding your past, adapting to who your becoming, overcoming self destuction, and slow burn babey!!! 

The Skeleton- Ulna. One of the few surviving warriors of a now destroyed kingdom and dead culture. She spends most of her time now traveling alone, hiding in trees and shooting anything see sees as a threat- which is everything- in the face with homemade arrows. Very much suffering from loss of her home and a bad case of lost purpose. A woman of few words, very antisocial, and naturally nocturnal.

 I came in with the Skeleton wanting to make her seem mysterious, so my first thought was immediately a cloak and a mask, but I wanted her face to like be visible so I went with the face paint. I didn't actually know that I wanted to do under there so I went with wraps that are reminiscent of the original outfit but still not tits out bc it's so fucking easy! Gave her a quiver, color picked the cloak and face paint from the in game model and the wraps from AT2'S art. I did like. Subconsciously draw her eyes the way I do Asian characters but I didn't have anything specific in mind so like go nuts with what you think she is.

 Ulna's deal is very much her lack of purpose or home and the entire thing is about finding that again. She's found sitting up in a tree during a storm pointing a bow and arrow into your face. She eventually let's you stick around until the storm is over and theres some bonding into deep night until the rain stops. You ask if she wants to come with on your little travelling sword for hire business, she says sure, sleep schedule shenanigans, backstory angst, and road trip bonding happens and she eventually decides that helping people is her new purpose and you're her new home

The Spider- Park. A young adult experiencing the world for the first time through her tribe's rite of passage. She's really just trying to figure out how to live life outside of the cave she's been stuck in her entire life and aggressively trying to be an independent adult despite not knowing anything about being an independent adult. Its projection. Blind in the daylight, naive and excitable, and taken to refusing help at her own risk.

 Ok so. I don't know who looked at the spider and said "purple haired loli with puffy pants" so I once again yeeted the whole thing, only really keeping the kinda cutesy and childish bits. Spiders are a tribe of humans what live in caves unless they've broken off to live on the surface. Kids are kept inside until they hit a certain milestone, where they come up to explore at night. They're usually small and pale, but are pretty kickass when necessary. Again picked the colors off the in game model, played with the lightest gray for the skin, and bc I couldn't figure out anyway to use the stripes so they're on the patches lol.

 Park's meeting is probably the funniest and most meet cute one here, in that she accidentally drops on top of you from a little cliff drop off. Cue loads of apologies and an explanation about the spider deal and being blind in light. She asks for some help getting around and bam babey friendship and emotional attachment! What follows is kinda a buddy of coming of age story with the obligatory goes home and is miserable scene. Generally it's just about being a scared young adult and having someone to fall back on and why that's important. Also crushes and young people being bad at that.

 The Blaze- Amber. A demonic entity who would let the world burn and the sun die if it meant she'd get her soul back. She's known for being ruthless, taking souls through force instead of making deals like other Blazes. Keeps this forceful nature even once she's become friendly, makes you do dump shit. Territorial, eyes glow and dim with her life, and runs remarkably warm.

 Amber here is the first one I actually did! I was just. Really tired that she was in a bikini. I decided early on I wanted overworld mobs to be human and everyone else was decidedly not, so Blazes are demons who gave up their souls under false pretenses to other Blazes. Because of how little clothes AT2's design wore I had essentially free reign and my thought was immediately to lean on golden knight bc of how Blazes are found protecting fortresses. The gold isn't picked from anything bc I was looser with the colors, but everything else is, and the hair is supposed to represent the smoke. Also the sticks in her hair are blaze rods bc I don't like them just floating around her.

Amber is found in the Nether obviously, protecting a fortress and immediately trying beat your ass and either incinerate you or make you give up your soul. During you prove yourself a p damn good fighter and she makes a deal to show you how Blazes exist and pursade you to give your soul up willingly. Bonding happens and she explains where the souls go and what happened to her. Insert line about how she dug in the sand for her soul until her fingers bleed bc I'm an Arcana freak lol. In general I'd just like her to learn to adapt to who she is now and learning to live life well instead of letting her anger burn her up from the inside out.

 The Enderman- Violet. A confused but sweet young bit of void created by and connected to the Ender Dragon. Her relationship with reality is tenuous at best and abusive at worst, making stable existence rather difficult. She doesn't know a name, age, gender, anything about herself aside from that she likes sweaters. Communicates primarily through psychic connections, docile and sweet, and melts like a witch in water.

 Violet was incredibly easy, so this may be way short. Endermen are decidedly human shaped void from the End with varying sentience. They're direct extensions of the Ender Dragon, and nobody knows how they're made or where they come from, not even they do. Adventurers who escaped The End say they seem scared of it though. Violet in particular is pretty damn new and extraordinary nonconforming, and I tried to show that with her sweater and ponytail. Once again, literally all colors picked. Definitely the simplest but one of my favs.

Violet is the sweetest meet up I think. As your traveling between villages you notice a strange enderman watching you and plant a little flower in front of her. She picks it and you hear a happy little trill come from you and a pretty voice say thank you in your head. Now you have a tall dark teleporting travel buddy! After a little bit of back and forth she tells you in some broken English that the Ender Dragon made her but she doesnt know how, and that it's bad and needs to be killed for the sake of Endermen and that's the new goal. Spoiler they're the corrupted souls of those that died fighting it, with it gone Endermen are free to exist as their own being and do whatever, hurray!

[photochoco]

New Recruit

After an unfortunate run-in with a client, Wisteria finds themselves with a curse. Luckily, Black Cauldron is here to help.

Pinprick and Bianca had been the closest to the disturbance. Patrolling had its perks, one of them being that you never knew when you might conveniently stumble upon magical mayhem. 

Well, they didn’t stumble upon it so much as they heard a pained screech split through the air as they walked along. Rushing towards the source, they rounded a corner and into an alley-

Someone in a pointed hat stood with their back to the Cadets, holding a second person up by their throat. Magic crackled in the air like static.

A witch.

“HEY!” Bianca yelled. Pinprick rushed past her, talons outstretched. 

The witch barely sidestepped his swipe in time, their hat getting nicked in the process. Scrambling onto their broom, they rose up into the air and took off above the buildings. 

“Pin, go after ‘em! I’ll take care of the kid.”

Despite being a giant, Pinprick was very fast. He gave a single nod and leapt up onto a nearby house, hopping from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit. 

The civilian was laying in a heap on the ground, unmoving. 

Bianca swore under her breath as she skidded to a halt next to them, grabbing their shoulder and rolling them over. Whatever had happened with the witch, it seemed like they'd put up a fight, smeared blood drying on the corners of their mouth. 

“Damn kid...I’m sorry…” Bianca muttered as she noticed the streams of multicolor flowing in rivulets from their closed eyes. It coated their hands as well; it was no doubt caused by a curse. At least they were breathing. Bianca considered calling for backup before Pinprick leapt down in front of her.

He wore a frustrated scowl. “The witch got away. They were too far ahead.”

Bianca sighed in resignation. “Dammit. Well, let’s at least count it as a win that they didn’t kill this kid here. Look at ‘er eyes though, I think they got cursed. We gotta- hff- get ‘em to Tracy- Geezus they’re a deadweight-” she sunk under their weight as she tried to hoist them up, an arm around their shoulders.

“Here, let me-” Pinprick gently scooped them into his arms. Their head sagged against his chest and they didn’t stir beyond a small mumble that was barely audible. “Poor thing…” he murmured, cradling them carefully against himself. 

“Let’s get 'em back to BC and see what the damage is. Hopefully nothin’ too bad.”

---

A myriad of voices reached her ears, but she couldn’t really understand what anyone was saying through her exhaustion. She wanted to go back to sleep.

Consciousness came slow, discouraged by soft, warm blankets. Yet they couldn’t shake the feeling that something horrible had happened…She scrunched her face up. It felt like...there was something...

“Oh shit, they moved!”

“She’s waking up!”

“Oooooh do you think she’ll wanna become a Cadet?”

“Whaddaya think happened?”

“Ok everyone, that’s enough, off you go! There will be plenty of time for meet and greet later!”

Coherent thought was returning in a steady stream, and it was now that she realized there were bandages around her eyes. Bandages? Is that why her eyelids felt so hot and swollen…? Or was it because her eyes felt hot and swollen that she had bandages…? Did something happen to them?

She sat up rather abruptly, hearing a squeal of surprise in response to her quick movement. Her eyes...were really itchy. They itched, but they stung more, like a dull ache. Like someone had blown pepper flakes into her eyes…they automatically watered in response to the thought. 

Her head throbbed. Ugh...it felt like something was hammering the inside of her skull...She pressed a hand to her temple in protest of the sudden headache.

“Welcome back, dear. You gave us a bit of a scare, being out for so long.”

She jumped at the voice and heard a soft chuckle.

“No need to be jumpy, now. You’re at Black Cauldron. My name is Tracy Pan, I’m a nurse here.”

“Black Cauldron…” she echoed. “You mean the guild for cursed people…?”

“The very same. One of our teams found you in an alley. It looked like you had been attacked. Does that seem familiar at all?”

It did. She nodded, her mouth suddenly becoming dry. If she was here, at Black Cauldron, did that mean…?

“I’ll get straight to the matter at hand. When our Cadets found you, you seemed to have color streaming from your eyes. When you got here, your eyelids were pretty irritated and swollen, hence the bandages as a precaution. It’s very possible you’ve been cursed.”

Wisty was silent as the nurse methodically unwound the gauze and peeled the medical tape off the pads over her eyes. 

“I...don’t really remember a lot about what happened. They were a client of mine, they were angry about...something about the art I made for them? We got into a fight and...they shot some sort of spell at me.”

“Hm hm! And what’s your name?”

She could barely squeeze it out of her rapidly tightening throat as dread coiled in her gut . “...W-Wisteria. Wisteria Inkwell. Or...Wisty...”

“Pleasure to meet you, Wisty. I’m going to remove your bandages. When they’re off, make sure to open your eyes slowly. If you are cursed, there’s a high likelihood that it affected your eyes.”

Please don’t let it be what she thought it was.

Please let that have been from shock. Please...

“Alright, you can open your eyes now.”

Slowly, reluctantly, she opened them.

Everything was grey. Greys and whites and blacks, like she was looking at an old photograph. Monochrome. The color was gone. Wisty’s heart had started to pound so hard she could feel each thump in her chest. The dread uncoiled and shot through her veins, bringing with it a wave of cold.

Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. Hot--

No. No. No. No way. This couldn’t be happening.

She would not cry, not in front of other people, let alone a stranger. Emotions she couldn’t place were whirling about inside her so fast. But her face was blank as she willed the tears back. She felt very dizzy.

“Hm hm!” A small plump woman popped into her view, a troll? She leaned in close, examining her eyes. “It would seem it is indeed a curse on your eyesight. Or is it perhaps a different version of soul loss…? Your eyes are voided out like another one of our Cadets, but his are white, yours are black. What do you see?”

Wisty fought off tears. “There’s no color. I can’t see color, I--they-- they took color from me...they--”

“Interesting, interesting…and how else do you feel?” Tracy continued.

The room was spinning.

“I...uh…kin...kinda...dizzy...” Wisty mumbled. “I think ‘m gonna b’ sick…”

 “Hmm, you might be in shock. How about we… …”

The rest of the nurse’s words were lost to the static roar that started in Wisty’s ears. Everything sounded very far away all of a sudden, she herself felt like she was floating. She could see things, hear things, but she couldn’t make sense of any of it. She tried to breathe in steadily, but her chest was burning. That wasn’t supposed to happen. She felt herself falling freely through space.

Where was the color?

---

It was quiet when Wisty came to again. Jeez...what happened? Had they fainted?

They opened their eyes, slowly.

It was no less gut-wrenching the second time.

The world was still in grayscale, and the sickening feeling swelled inside them all over again. They looked around and listened, eyes already brimming with tears. They were alone. Good.

They buried their face into their knees and sobbed. They sobbed until they felt like they were going to be sick. Their throat was tight and their head pounded, they cried until they had no tears left. The colorful world they’d loved so much was gone. And it wasn’t going to come back. Small wails mixed in with their sobs, thankfully muffled by the blankets.

Finally, they calmed themself down with a series of long sighs that shook their frame. They wiped their eyes and looked around, sniffling. Urgh, now they’d given themself a nasty headache and they couldn’t breathe through their nose. They slipped out of bed to find the bathroom. They could use some cold water on their face. 

Wisty approached the door and went to open it, only to have it swing forward on its own, causing them to yelp in response.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t--excuse me--” 

The pair of legs in the doorway bent down, and an incredibly tall ghoul ducked through the threshold.

“Ahem.” He straightened himself up to his full height, easily over nine feet. “Apologies cupcake, I didn’t see you there. Actually, should you even be out of bed? You haven’t been taking your curse very well.”

Wisty squirmed and hastily wiped at her eyes. “I, um, I actually feel fine now. I just wanted some water.”

He leaned down, putting his face too close to hers, and gently pressed a long pointed finger onto her cheek. She resisted the urge to shrink away. What if he noticed--

“Now, why the waterfalls?”

Crap.

“I. Um.”

The ghoul studied her expression and grinned widely with a chuckle, showing a mouth full of sharp teeth. Wisty averted her gaze. What colors was he? Frustrated tears bubbled up again. The ghoul cocked his head and continued to grin. Then his eyebrows hopped up and his smile dropped in surprise.

“Oh my. That doesn’t look normal.”

“H-Huh?” Wisty wiped at her eyes and was startled to smell...what was that? Ink? She pulled her hand away.

Some sort of dark substance was smeared across the back of her hand. She looked at it. Looked up at the ghoul. Back to the ink. Then the ghoul. He stared back with a surprisingly calm expression.

“Side effect of your curse, perhaps?” he suggested.

Fighting back the urge to just up and scream, Wisty replied, “Uuuhhhhh maybe? Hope this isn’t a permanent thing-”

“Yo Pin, quit hoggin’ the doorframe!” 

A girl with long gelatinous-looking hair squeezed past the ghoul, her eyebrows also hopping up when she saw Wisty.

Oh, you’re awake! ‘S about time too, you were startin’ to freak us all out! Especially after you fainted right outta the bed.”

She stuck her hand out, and Wisty took it in her own. The girl’s hand was very warm.

“I’m Bianca Frost, and this is my partner Pinprick! We make up Team B of Black Cauldron. We found you in an alley.”

“Oh--oh my god, you guys saved me? Thank you!!”

Bianca shrugged and rubbed the back of her head, looking away.

“Eh, it was nothin’. I’m just sorry we didn’t find you sooner. Uh, how are ya feelin’ now? You know your eyes are...uh, leaking, right?”

“Y-Yeah, dunno what’s up with that. I’m...better. It’s still kinda a big shock,” Wisty rubbed at her eyes again. “Do you have a bathroom in here? I wanted to get some water and clean my face.”

At her insistence that she felt fine enough to do it herself, Bianca pointed Wisty in the direction of the restrooms. They were easy to find, tucked around the corner from a bar area. There were several people sitting at tables, and they all swiveled their heads to stare at her as she walked by. With a weird flip in her stomach, Wisty hurriedly shut the door behind her as whispers began.

Purposefully avoiding the mirror, they splashed their face with water, sighing as it soothed their itchy, swollen eyes. Wisty braced themselves, head hanging with one hand on either side of the sink. They stared down at the wisps of ink mixing with the water as it all swirled down the drain. They could deal with this. It would be fine. They’d be fine. They’d find a way to keep making art, this was fine. They cupped their hands under the stream and took several thirsty gulps. This was manageable. People got cursed all the time. (As unfortunate as that was.) 

Wisty sighed again. They wondered if the curse affected how their eyes looked. Steeling themself, they looked in the mirror. Their eyes were completely black, no visible iris or sclera to be seen. 

“Whoooooooaaaa,” They couldn’t help the exclamation as they leaned in closer, staring at their reflection with wide eyes. “Haha, what the hell…?”

They pulled their eyelid down and rolled their eyeball around, looking this way and that; the whole thing was as solid and black as an 8 ball and reflected no light. Kinda like that pigment of black they used once-

A thought struck them- what would people think if they saw their eyes? Would they avoid her? Would people commission art from a cursed person who couldn’t even see the colors she was using? Cursed people in Salem were viewed with pity, and sometimes worse, outright scorn for being damaged goods. Would they have to wear sunglasses or something? What if--

There was a knock on the door.

Pin’s -that was his name right?- voice sounded on the other side, muffled, “Hey cupcake, are you almost done in there? John wants to talk to you.”

John? Who’s that…? Wisty opened the door. Two people dressed in Ironmaiden uniforms were waiting to greet her. One was a tall, imposing-looking woman with her greying hair neatly twisted into a bun. She looked severe, but her eyes looked at Wisty gently. Next to her was an equally-tall oxen hybrid, standing with his arms crossed. He looked at Wisty just as kindly, despite his intimidating appearance. She fiddled with the hem of her dress, clenching it in her hands.

“You’re Wisteria Inkwell, correct?” the woman asked. Wisty nodded.

“My name is Elanor Pan, founder of Black Cauldron. This here is John Bullock, chief of the Iron Maidens.”

“We wanted to ask you a few questions. Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble,” John said, noting Wisty’s sudden nervous expression. “We wanted to ask you about the witch that cursed you. It’s our understanding they got away after attacking you.”

“Oh, no! I don’t mind at all…” Wisty replied, feeling relief wash over her.

“Good. Now, if you’ll come this way…” John ushered Wisty into another room. Before the door closed, she looked back at the entourage that was still gathered. They all stared at her. 

Wisty rubbed at her eyes.

---

She ambled back out the door a good while later, now rubbing at her temple. John and Ela had peppered her with questions about her assailant until her head was spinning. They certainly were thorough. She’d drawn them a picture of the witch that had cursed her, which ate up even more time as she tried to recall as many details about them as possible. Then...more questioning. A drop of whatever-the-heck was dripping out of her eyes nearly ruined the whole damn drawing. 

Wisty wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to have happen. Did she want the witch to be arrested? Did she want revenge? Out of all the things she was feeling, anger wasn’t very high on the list at the moment. Both John and Ela had assured her the drawing she made, as well as the details she provided, would be put on the wanted board in Black Cauldron.

On that topic… Ela had said…

The people still in the bar area chose that moment to pounce, all but swarming around her.

“Hey! Did Ela talk to you about becoming a Cadet?”

“What kind of curse do you have?”

“Want some soda?”

They were all talking over each other so loudly Wisty could hardly piece together what any one person said. She was luckily saved by Elanor, who swept out of the room behind her.

“Really now! I’d said there’d be time for introductions later, but this poor child has had a very long day and she certainly doesn’t need to be bombarded by you all at once. I know you’re all excited about the prospect of a new Cadet, but please, be considerate. Don’t scare them off just yet!” she said, a good-humored smile curving her mouth. She placed a hand on Wisty’s shoulder and looked down at her, still smiling. “Think about my offer, won’t you? I think you’d be a valuable member here.”

“I’ll think about it, for sure,” Wisty said.

Ela nodded. “Good. In the meantime, would you like to stay here awhile until you’re feeling better? Maybe get yourself acquainted with some of our Cadets here.”

“I’m- Thank you very much Mrs. Elanor-” Wisty managed to squeak out as Bianca grabbed her wrist and began to pull her away.

“Just Ela is fine, dear!”

Bianca ushered a bewildered Wisty into a seat, and the remaining chairs at the table were very quickly filled in. A stout girl with hair that curled at the ends trotted up to the crowd, notepad in hand.

“Hi! I’m Cameilla, a waitress here. Can I get you anything to drink?” she chirped, smiling wide. 

“I’d looooove a soda-” a boy at the table started. “She was talking to the new kid, not you,” someone else retorted. 

“Well...if it’s not too much trouble, I’m literally dying for a lemonade right now,” Wisty said.

Cameilla smiled and hopped away towards the kitchen. “Cameilla is the youngest Cadet,” Bianca said. “She’s not keen on the whole fighting thing, so she works as a waitress here instead!” 

She returned a very short time later with Wisty’s lemonade, and the questions began. 

The first to speak was Pinprick. “So, my dear, care to share with the rest of the class? Why don’t we get those introductions out of the way.”

“Oh! I’m Wisteria. Just Wisty is fine.”

Everyone looked at her expectantly. One of the Cadets tapped near their eyes and pointed at her.

“Oh right, my curse. Well...I can’t see color anymore,” Wisty found it was easier to talk about than she had anticipated. “I can still see and all, but it’s like--you know black and white photographs? It’s like that. I can still see value, but all the hue and saturation is gone.”

There was a wave of nods and aaaaaah’s that quickly turned into a collective scream as a thick, viscous liquid trickled down Wisty’s cheeks.

“Holy shit your eyes are melting!!”

“No no no no they’re not! They’ve been doing this ever since I woke up. I’m...really hoping this isn’t a thing my eyes just do now…” 

Bianca slid a napkin dispenser her way and Wisty grabbed several, hurriedly rubbing at her face, grumbling in frustration.

“I swear, if this is just a thing for me now I’m gonna go feral,” she muttered.

“Being colorblind looks pretty metal,” a boy with glowing white eyes said, blowing a cloud of smoke out through his teeth. A cigarette was clenched between them.

Wisty wrinkled her nose and tried not to gag into the napkin. She hated the smell of cigarette smoke. The Cadet sitting next to the boy must have noticed, because he deftly yoinked it out of his comrade’s mouth.

“Yo Harvey, what the hell man?!” the boy squawked as the person in a bunny mask crumpled the cigarette in his hand.

“If you paid any attention to her face, you’d have seen your smokestack was making her sick, dumbass.” He turned to Wisty and stuck out his non-ash covered hand, which Wisty took and shook. “I’m Harvey. I make weapons for Cadets here. This idiot next to me is Dex.”

Dex gave a short wave, grinning widely. “Yep, that’s me! Dex, the resident heartthrob.”

Wisty blinked. “Oh, I’ve seen you before! You nearly ran me over with your bike once.”

Everyone present swiveled their heads to stare at Dex. He blinked.

“I’m sorry about him. He tragically lost all his brain cells years ago.“

“...I did?”

“Oh my god Dex that is NOT what you say to someone you nearly flattened with your dumb bike!”

“Hey! DeeDee is NOT dumb! She--ow ow ow ow!” his words cut off with a squeal as Harvey sitting next to him grabbed him in a headlock.

“I’m sorry about him. He tragically lost all his brain cells years ago.“

Wisty couldn’t help but giggle. “Um, have you all been here long?”

“Some of us have, yeah,” Harvey said. He released his hold on Dex, who sucked in air theatrically.

“Caldwell, the guy workin’ behind you? He helped form BC with Ela. They go way back,” Pinprick said. “Then we all joined one by one! There’s many more of us who aren’t here right now, but it’d be lovely if you met them, cupcake. We’re definitely a rag-tag bunch with a myriad of curses to match.”

Bianca tossed her hair, grinning in a way that seemed very much prideful. “A witch set me on fire and I turned into a lava elemental! Best thing that ever happened to me!” 

“I mean, it’s fairly obvious for me,” Pinprick added, grinning equally widely. “Black Cauldron’s resident ghoul.” 

Harvey was silent until Dex leaned on him hard enough to nearly push him off his chair.

“Oh god fine!” he relented, placing a hand on Dex’s face and shoving him away. “I was dared by some buddies of mine to put this mask on and it never came off,” he said. “Happy now?” he added to Dex, who was watching him with his chin in his hands, smiling mischievously. 

“How do you eat then?!” Wisty balked.

“With a straw, duh.”

“What about you, Dex? Wh-”

“Sooooo!” Dex cut in. “Are you thinking about becoming a Cadet?”

“I mean, Ela did make the offer to me. But I dunno how much of a help I’d be to be honest. Fighting sounds interesting, buuuuut all I’m really good at is making art.”

“We can help teach you, if you join. And Harvey can make you a weapon!” Dex said. “And if ya want, maybe you could team up with someone, like Alphus over there, or—”

“I work alone, Dex boy,” the woman leaning on the wall nearby said.

Wisty shrunk in her seat.

“Oh, don’t mind her cupcake, she can be a little standoffish towards everyone at first,” Pinprick said, placing a reassuring hand on Wisty’s shoulder, nearly knocking her off her chair. “Honestly Alphus, be nice!”

Alphus shrugged. “Hey, never said I was against backup if I’d ever need it, which I won’t. Just so long as no one gets in my way.”

“So what was this about you being an artist?” Harvey inquired.

“Oh yeah! I mostly do commission work and run my studio outta my apartment. You might’ve seen some of my stuff if you visit the underground city.”

“Oooooh, can you show us some of your work?”

“Can you draw something right now?”

---

It ended up being pretty late when Wisty finally set off back home. A slight breeze wafted through the city streets, and they initially felt oddly at ease, despite everything that had happened. But as they walked along, gazing at familiar sights, a pit opened up in the bottom of their stomach. How were they going to deal with this? What would they tell their friends? Their family? The streetlamps that once felt so warm seemed frigid now, a dull grey. Values were mixing together and hard to tell apart. Wisty impatiently flicked away yet another trickle of black from their right eye.

Black Cauldron…

They’d heard of them for a long time, but they never imagined they might end up joining one day. And even now, they were still unsure. Everyone they had met were very friendly, maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to become a Cadet. Maybe they could make recruitment posters or something. Or something. The last thing they wanted to be was a hindrance to anyone. 

A single day at a time.

“Ugh!” Wisty shouted aloud, throwing their fists in the air.

They had time to think it over, even Ela had said so! There was no rush.

They’d take it one day at a time.

[droory]

for @waifujuju bc it’s her bday! a little fic based on an au we talked about for several hours oops

The Temple of the Ancients was a confusing mess of doors and stairs that didn’t lead to where sense dictated they should. Cloud found himself guided wandering in what seemed to be a loop with his two travelling companions.

For the most part Zack was guided lead them around and defended them from any monster attacks with practiced ease. In his more cognizant moments Cloud found himself admiring the man the way he had once idolized all of SOLDIER and aspired to be one of them.

Mother walked beside them, taking on the form of Cloud’s old hero—Sephiroth—and cutting down any any beasts that made it past Zack without seeming to move a muscle. It was as though they simply fell silent when facing her before disappearing, Cloud couldn’t didn’t really care to think about where the corpses of the monsters ended up when Mother defended him.

Every now and then Cloud felt he could hear small whispers in the back of his mind or the flash of some small purple creature in the shadows of the temple, but then Mother would place a gentle hand on his shoulder and things would be right again.

It took them quite a while to navigate through the labyrinth of beasts, stairs and pathways before they found themselves in another room that didn’t seem to connect to the previous area at all. A simple path floating in what was seemingly a black void, enormous boulders tumbling along the path crushing anything unlucky enough to be caught in their path.

Had Cloud been here in any other company maybe he would have tried to move carefully along the path to avoid being crushed flat, but with Mother everything was so simple. She destroyed any boulder that tumbled toward them allowing them to proceed without any delay into a new room—a pit with the floating hands of a clock.

After solving the trick behind it they found themselves seemingly outside where suddenly the whispers in the back of Cloud’s mind were louder. He clutched his head trying to quiet them, the whispers becoming more of a screech over time, even Mother’s gentle touch didn’t fully quiet them.

Through flashes of white in his vision Cloud could see something up ahead, another of those purple creatures that he had seen here and there throughout peeking from behind a hole in a wall. In the blink of an eye Mother left his side and held the creature up in her hand, in another the blade of her weapon was plunged through it.

The whispering screeches faded out as the creature dispersed with a scream of its own into a haze of green vapour. Cloud staggered back to his feet, realizing that Zack was doing the same beside him. He looked at his dearest friend were his eyes blue or green? and with a smile and nod from the man was reassured he was alright.

Mother was at their side again, and suddenly the pain and disorientation they had felt seemed to vanish as she placed her hands upon their shoulders. Cloud smiled up at her and looked to Zack, him smiling just as bright as his wonderful green eyes.

They continued onward under Mother’s guidance, entering what seemed to be the primary chamber of the temple. Murals depicting the power of Meteor decorated the walls and at the end of the room was a small pedestal.

Between them and the pedestal, however, was a large red dragon.

With a roar the fight began, Zack was dashing forward while Cloud and Mother held back. Cloud could feel the Materia in his body pulsing with magic ready to burst out to help Zack at a moment’s notice but with Mother beside him the urge to run to Zack’s side was quelled.

Cloud was in awe as he watched Zack take on the dragon single handedly; the skill of SOLDIER enhanced by the power and will of Mother was breathtaking. Cloud hoped that maybe one day Mother would allow him to fight as Zack does, to be a SOLIDER like he had always dreamed.

Caught in his reverie Cloud didn’t realize that the dragon had been defeated until a beaming Zack was face to face with him, holding a shining red Materia.

“Here ya go, Cloud!”

The blonde gasped as he felt Zack press the new Materia against his chest. He staggered slightly, bracing against Zack for support as he felt the power of the Materia fuse into his body, fire and lightning crackling along his skin as the various other Materias with him began to resonate.

For Mother.

He told himself this every time Zack added another Materia into Cloud’s body. She had a plan for them, a plan for him, and he had to learn to accommodate the power of more and more Materia if he was to accomplish his role for Mother.

It took several minutes before the magic within Cloud’s body calmed and allowed him to stand under his own power. He looked up at Mother who met his gaze with the same indifference the real Sephiroth always seemed to have on his face.

So he wasn’t strong enough for her yet…

He followed behind, disheartened, as Zack and Mother inspected the pedestal that displayed some kind of projection of the temple and the Black Materia at once. A puzzle it seemed, designed to kill whoever wanted Meteor.

“Zack,” Mother spoke, stroking Zack’s cheek with her hand, and though it was Sephiroth’s voice there was something unmistakably her about it that soothed Cloud’s mind. “This is your duty.”

Zack nodded with a happy smile, his eyes positively glowing green, before he turned to Cloud. “It’s my time, pal. Quite the journey, huh?”

Cloud watched mesmerized as Zack pulled the Buster Sword from his back and offered it to him, he was so proud of him. He was getting to fulfill his part in Mother’s plan! His duty! He didn’t want him to go! He didn’t want to lose him!! He didn’t wan-

Mother placed a hand on his shoulder as Cloud hefted the Buster Sword into his grip before sheathing it on his back.

“Keep each other safe!” Zack said happily, waving them away. “Don’t forget about me!”

With that and one last wave to each other Cloud and Mother left the chamber and Zack behind them and quickly rushed to escape the temple. They were stalled, only briefly, by a wall coming to life and barring their exit. Mother was sure to make quick work of it before Cloud could even get a handle on the gift Zack had left to him.

Outside the ground rumbled and Cloud watched with a heart full of pride as the Temple of the Ancients was shrinking bit by bit. Zack was solving the puzzles so quickly! He was doing so great for Mother! He was fulfilling the destiny she had given him!! No! He was going to be gone soon!

He didn’t move through it all, simply watching with a content smile as the temple compressed down and sank into the hollow it once occupied. It was only when the ground finally stopped shaking and Mother left his side to drop down to where the temple was that his smile faltered.

He stumbled back slightly, legs uneasy, and held his head. He blinked through uncertain eyes at the strange surroundings he was in.

“Wh… where…?”

Was he alone? Why was there no one nearby?

“Za… Zack…?”

Where… where was Zack!? They had been together since Nibelheim! They had kept each other safe! They were supposed to get to Midgar and… and…

His head hurt so much. He couldn’t remember what had happened. How did he get here?

His hand brushed back over his head as the pain got worse, through his hair, before his knuckled bumped against something. With a tentative grip he took a hold of whatever it was and hefted it around in front of him.

“Zack…?”

It was Zack’s sword… he never went anywhere without it. It was too important to him! Had something happened to his friend? Why did he have it!?

“Cloud!”

He looked up to see Zack walking toward him, waving happily as he did.

“Thanks for keeping my sword safe, pal!” Zack said as he took the weapon from Cloud’s hands and sheathed it behind him. “Could have been tough to get back with it on me.”

“Wh… what?” Cloud desperately hoped he would explain.

“Hey don’t worry, it’s alright, look!” Zack held up a shimmering black orb to Cloud’s eyes. “ We got it.”

“Got it…?”

“Yup, for Mother.”

Zack set a hand on Cloud’s shoulder with a bright smile. Had Cloud kept looking at the black orb rather than at his best friend’s wonderful smile maybe he would have seen his eyes flickering back from blue to a bright green.

But that didn’t matter to him.

Nothing mattered if Mother didn’t want it to.

[bnha-hcs]

Soul Bond - Chapter 4

I’M FINISHED WITH FINALS YEAAAAAH now I can write and draw for at least a month before classes start back up... BUT I’M GONNA WRITE BC I’VE BEEN SO CREATIVELY STARVED UGH. Here’s chapter 4 to Soul Bond I’ll probably be writing some Jojo stuff later because I’m trying to update all of my series. Emphasis on try. My goal is to finally get part 2 to Winning Your Heart and another chapter for the Death Before Decaf before I die alsdjak. I might open commissions again but we will see 

- Tiki 

You didn’t have much time to respond to what Katsuki had just let fly into the void like that. The sharp intake of breath from yourself didn’t you serve you much as you tried to say something about how it was extremely unnecessary to just shout things like that as you stopped to watch as the knight’s face contorted to such pure undenied rage that you thought the poor guy was literally going to explode. I mean, he was out here probably guarding the world eater of all things… his pride out here probably was already a little… damaged if you will. Katsuki’s words probably did him in if you were being honest.

The knight and his crew stopped a little beyond the base of rocks that you were on, and by the looks of it, you could see that he probably had a LOT to say to you which was great.... Thanks for that again Katsuki. You were about to try and buckle down to get through whatever rant this knight was going to spill on you, but in the distance, closer to the world eater, you could see two men. How they got past these idiots in front of you, you had no idea but it looked like there were trying to take on the world eater themselves… Or not, you couldn’t really tell from this distance anyways. But it wasn’t until you heard a throat clearing so obnoxiously loud that you remembered your situation that you looked back to the knight. Well… Great.

“Are you even listening to me???” The knight asks, obviously more offended by the fact that you didn’t hear a single word of his rant. You sighed.

“Obviously not!” Katsuki said for you. He was right, though so you sat tight as Ochako approached from behind you, now finding herself into the situation unfolding in front of all of you.

“Jeez, are you in trouble with authorities already?” She asked poking her head from around you.

“I wouldn’t really call them-”

“Enough!! State your business here immediately and we’ll remove you by force!!” The knight yelled.

“Don’t you mean OR you’ll remove us by force??” Ochako asked, squinting at the man. You heard Katsuki snort.

“This guy is just full of beans huh…”

“Well we’re here to attack the world…!!! Thingy…!” Ochako said, losing a bit of her enthusiasm halfway as she realized that 1. She didn’t know the name of the thing they’re fighting and 2. That it sounds completely ridiculous. The knight looked at her like she’s the stupid one. (Spoiler she’s not.)

“That’s just… Stupid.” The knight says, very bitterly. You wonder how he thinks it’s any less stupid that he’s guarding quite literally the one thing that could kill him very easily.

“How rude!! We’re just-”

“I don’t have time for this lunacy!!” He yells, obviously thinking that all of you are out of your damn minds. “You all, get rid of them!!”

The soldiers who were on standby this whole time quickly started to make their way towards you like they were waiting for their chance to jump in. You were quick to jump out of the way but one managed to grab Ochako by the arm. She was quick to fend them off however and ran off after you and towards the path in between the rocks. Your strategy was to let them funnel their way towards the two, or three I guess, of you. And so you watched as Ochako found her place behind you and wait, the soldiers not being too far behind her.

“Keep your dirty hands off of me!!” You heard her yell, slicing into the shoulder of another one of the soldiers trying to advance.

You found yourself surrounded by four other soldiers and although they outnumbered you they looked even weaker than those bandits in the forest not too long ago. Maybe being out in the sun all day and having to deal with such an annoying commanding knight took a lot out of a guy, but if this was what the army was like around these parts you were sure getting past these guys was easy for most people. Your point was proven as one of the soldiers swung at you with a short sword, making an easy block and parry with your much longer blade. It took maybe one solid hit before he was on his ass and out cold.

The other soldiers seemed to pale when they realized that you were much stronger than they thought you were and you didn’t have too much trouble getting rid of them. They were dispatched and knocked out cold on the craggy field area as you started to loot them. Just as soon as you were done reaping your spoils, you heard Ochako from not too long a ways down finishing off a few of her own opponents.

“I guess I got to see how rusty I was with these guys huh.” You heard Katsuki say cockily as you started to walk over to Ochako.

“I thought you got to do that during the last fight?” You said unsure, sighing as you debated drinking another stamina potion before facing that annoying knight down the path.

“Yeah sure but now I’m really starting to be able to stretch my legs in this body.”

“I don’t know if I like that.”

“Sure you do!”

You were halfway through a groan when Ochako came up to you, seeing you unharmed and nary a scratch on you. The two of you nodded before you made your way down the path to where the knight was waiting. Upon seeing you he got on guard, and seemed a little angry by the fact that the two of you already bested his men. And to be honest you felt a little bad for him. Being stuck here with a bunch of shitty men who don’t know how to fight in the middle of a barren area with literally nothing to do. But at the same time he was really arrogant for someone who just got all of his men decimated by a Sepp and a possessed person.

It wasn’t too long before he lunged at you, obviously much faster and more experienced than his own men as he landed a blow on you. It wasn’t that good because you responded in kind, hitting him right back but much harder. Katsuki must’ve been able to tell that you were a little mad he got a hit on you because the power pulsing through your sword got stronger as the ringing in your ears got louder.

Ochako managed to land a hit on him not too long after you did, and hey, it was two on one so good for him for being able to hold out against you for so long. BUt he was still going to lose. And so with renewed vigor, you slugged the dude head on with a full body slash, knocking him off of his feet and into the dust. He scrambled for purchase on the ground as he made a hasty retreat.

“Impossible!! There’s no way such rabble them could….” He gasps trying to get away with some semblance of pride. “I’ll tell my commander of this!! Men, retreat!!”

You watched as he made his escape and weren’t too sure if he understood that his men were all knocked out but part of you knew that he probably didn’t care. Ochako was happily besides herself as she watched him go. And now that all that was over the three of you could get down to business and get after that world eater. You turned towards the direction that the path lead you to, contemplating if this fight was going to be that easy. A big part of you said of course the hell not because it’s a goddamn world eater and it literally eats worlds!! But it’s what you had to do so…

“Ha!! What a bunch of wusses!!” Ochako laughed happily, pumping a fist in the air.

“Yeah yeah, but you only won thanks to me here so…” Katsuki interjected. “Our real fight begins now though. Are you ready, Soul Mate?”

With a huff you cringed at the way Katsuki called you Soul Mate. You weren’t really sure if you liked it at all but you certainly didn’t like the way he said it. It sounded too… violating if you will. Like, you already had to deal with him being inside your body but the least he could do was not make such weird comments. You would prefer not to have to think about sharing your body with a master of death. In fact, you’d like to forget it sometimes.

“Anyways let’s just go kill this world thingy!!” Ochako declared, leading the way down the path.

“World EATER! Gods how can you forget something so important!?” Katsuki barked.

And so the three of you made your way down the path, taking note as any sort of life started to disappear around you. The grass was gone, and it was nothing but cracking sandstone and wind as you slowly got closer and closer to the world eater. You didn’t like the feeling that the rumbling ground made while you walked through the sand and sandstone, and how the air felt like it was thick with a static, an energy that you couldn’t understand. Katsuki was oddly quiet for someone who was supposed to know a lot more about this thing than you or Ochako.

As the three of you finally came into range, you could tell that Ochako wasn’t too sure about herself anymore either. She turned to you as it loomed not too far off. The thing looked absolutely massive. The main body was like a woman with a large dress but was discolored in a mixture of gray and bright magenta, mixing into glowing highlights of blue and yellow. Giant winglike structures grew out of the back and horns grew out from the beautiful woman’s face. Two large arm structures floated out in front of it, holding two giant golden swords all the while four more loomed ominously around the main body. Hmmm... you weren’t too sure if you liked to idea of fighting anymore.

“Hey now that we’re closer… It kinda looks tough…” Ochako said quietly, her will to fight also wavering.

“Of course it’s fucking tough! It used to serve none other than yours truly!” Katsuki said rather matter of factly. You heard Ochako groan. “Of course I could beat its ass in no time.

“Okay then go.” You said flatly.

“Then give me your fucking body!”

“No.”

“Ugh!!” Katsuki groaned disgustedly. “Whatever, we can’t do much talking now because here it comes!!”

“Wait is it those guys from before??”

You looked over quickly to see the two mysterious men from before with the knights. And with all horror you watch as the world eater slowly shifts to face them, charge up attack from the core of its belly, and then shoot it at the men. The sound echoed in your ears and cracks raced out of the earth around the beast. The light was so bright that you couldn't see, and you covered your eyes and waited for the attack to be over. When the blinding light subsided, the men were gone and the world eater slowly started to face back to the three of you…

“That thing is terrifying!!” Ochako shrieks, you nod solemnly in agreement.

“Yeah, and it wasn’t even aiming at us. It saw the actual strong people and went after them first.” Katsuki spat. “A hell of a lot stronger than you guys.”

You hear Katsuki whisper to you in your mind, “A shit ton stronger than you considering you can't even use my power right. You can pray that maybe you can be able to unlock even a sliver of my unlimited godliness.”

With a groan you rolled your eyes and tightened the grip on your sword. You hated that he’s at least kinda right. You don’t have any clue as to how to use this power you have, and nothing from your training ever prepared for you to be possessed by the master of death or even how to use his power for yourself! How were you even supposed to know anyways?

And then again with much hesitance you made your way closer to the world eater, and before you knew it, it’s going to engage you. You prepared for the worst as you practically stared death in the face, every hair on your body standing on end as every instinct you have was telling you to fucking run. You don’t and blindly walk forward. Right before it charges its attack you hear an oddly familiar voice.

“Leshura…” It says.

You watch as the golden rays charge up from beside it, and soon enough its floating arms fly out at you and Ochako, slicing you with one golden sword before the other one comes down and like a pair of scissors, slices you completely in half.

And just like that, you’re pretty dead yeah? Everything’s black, and your consciousness floats in an endless void. You aren’t sure where you are but it feels familiar. It’s then you realize… You’re there and then you look up and see him.

“Hey kid.”

[acquagalaxies]

my bits for “Together Alone”

It’s incredible how much happened in just 11 minutes, as It’s difficult to even decide where to start. Hard was also to not scream every 0.5 seconds for all the things the crewniverse and miss Sugar dropped in. Since already many of us covered up a lot of the stuff that have been proposed in a marvelous way, with all the references of the case, I’d just write down some thoughts I had in mind. to join my rant about an episode that blow my mind and try to talk calm-

THEY LITERALLY CONFIRMED THE “WHITE PEARL/ONCE PINK PEARL” THEORY IN THE FIRST FEW SECONDS CARTOON NETWORK U WANT ME TO DIE I HAD A STROKE SOMEONE HOLD ME I CAN BEAR THIS WITH MY ONLY STRENGH.

Ehm. So. What is presented to us I think is something like we saw in “Jungle Moon”: one of Pink Diamond’s past memories that appears in the shape of a dream, distorted by Steven’s mind (since, is in fact a dream and not just a vision/hallucination), which is a normal thing while one is dreaming, the brain in the unconscious state works and interprets things in a little bit different way, especially when it comes to memories: in the dream world the situation can take some sort of “surreal” twist that of course changes from what happened in reality and from what you remember consciously, in this case Yellow Diamond’s massively long neck (I wonder if the crewniverse is aware of the fandom’s YD giraffe neck meme and add it on purpose).

(the fact this all could have been a dream is evident already by the very first frame of the episode, when we see all the Diamonds’ ships on Homeworld perfectly intact, this alone made me confused at first for how strange and impossible it was, since we all know Yellow and Blue had to leave their ships on Earth for their being broken at the moment due to the events of Reunited.)

Aside that, the moment I loved the most is watching the complicity between Steven and this pearl (pretending to perform their role as what they’re supposed to do/be in front of others, satisfying their expectations so said others would not have anything to argue with, like Yellow smiling seeing everything seems to be at its right place, and when they’re alone again goofing around happily) that is just an altered reflection from the memory, in this case what is really shown is the bond Pink Diamond shared with who seems to be confirmed as her former pearl.

I couldn’t hold only inside a smile, because it’s heart-warming seeing this kind of relationship with someone else, with happy moments, laughter and bubbles, you can see that Pink treated her pearl like a close friend and most important, like an equal (many gems should take this behavior as a suggestion and moral model, but it’s very hard in their so hierarchical society to treat “lower gems” as your peer). By watching first the Jungle Moon flashback and Legs from here to Homeworld, I feared the physical damage that the now-white-pearl shows is the result of Pink Diamond’s infamous bursts of rage (since the first time she is introduced in Jungle Moon, Pink seemed used to this bad temper from what is seen to us, by this “brat and capricious behavior” of going around hitting things bc your parents didn’t give to you what you’re whining for) ended bad. I’m glad to see otherwise it’s apparently not Pink’s direct fault after all instead, the two seemed to share a more than good relationship.

(little thought: the way Steven lands graciously on the floor after his juggler number sweetly reminds me a bit when the young Greg met Rose in the old temple after their conversation on the beach.)

By this carefree spirit of hers and peaceful kind attitude, even a bit childish, the other diamonds maybe thought that was the pearl being a “bad influence” for Pink, deciding after to replace her with another (that’s why it is a little heart-breaking in now we’re only falling apart while Pink is trying to have a conversation with Pearl, she probably missed that complicity and the chatty moments with her old pearl, and because she wanted them to be friends and buddies, not just servant and master, encouraging Pearl to have her own thoughts and be self-conscious).

• but why keeping a broken pearl and not directly get rid of if the society cares so much of maintain only perfectly functional gems? What if White decided to keep Pink/White Pearl to make her be a constant walking reminder to Pink Diamond of who is really the one who commands and of what could happen if she tries again to make a gem behaving “different from how she is supposed to be and do”, or treats them differently from “the value” they own (like treating Pink Pearl an equal despite pearls are considered so much less, especially compared to a diamond). That’s creepy enough, I question if White was so cruel to make Pink watching while her so loved Pearl and (only real) friend turns from that pink fluffy sunshine ball into an empty shell smiling puppet without anything else left, ripped away from thoughts and individuality, a perfect obedient servant that would never get against your authority or retort your words.

The even sadder thing is, even if Steven will succeed in “bringing” back white pearl at her old self (something still welcomed just sayin’, #save the precious), still Pink Diamond, her diamond, the gem she was made for and with she shared that bond, is not here anymore.

Pink pearl has cinnamon buns on her hair bc like them she’s a cinnamon roll herself.

another heart-breaking detail is, by hearing them laugh, the voice getting from Pink Pearl’s mouth is patently Deedee Magno Hall’s, so Pearl’s supposed-to-be true voice. I’m weeping.

Then everything, pinkish and joyful, slowly becomes a grey dull nightmare, with Pink Pearl fading away into the void. Puking hair (whatever your own or someone else’s) in a dream often is the representation of the desire of expression about something that is denied. The will of wanting to express and be yourself that instead is being repressed (by someone, some situation, ecc.).  Or can also representing, in this particular case, White Diamond trying to push outside by force Rose Quartz’s persona/facade, a fake self, away from her Starlight.

Also, we’re finally able to see White’s hands (nails rigorously polished, I adore, as the cloak, so in style). Is not such important stuff but I appreciated that.

The pebbles are so adorable, they seems to love Pink Diamond’s very much (probably she was the only one that treat them decently, since apparently the word “pebble” is used in gem language also as a not-so-kind epithet? See Peridot using it with Steven when she was released from the bubble seasons ago), and I found  somehow cute (?) hearing one of them exclaiming “Pink is moving again” (which is totally reasonable since gems don’t have total acknowledge of what dreams are and what means sleeping in general, since is not something needful to them as is resting for organic beings). Plus, they apparently became attached at Connie too, that’s so sweet. Just to add, the green male pebble (which is also incredible to see a “kind” of gem being a “he”) chilling with Steven’s phone from the previous episode is so #icon. I love these little creatures.

“It almost feels like home” just being immediately replied with Garnet underlining embittered “almost” like to precise no matter how much the pebbles make the furnishing resembling as much as they can the real ones from Steven’s house back on Earth, still is not really “home”.

That grasps my heart a bit by hearing Blue Diamond, so emotionally and happily, announced than “we haven’t had Pink in 6000 years!”, since they still believe the one in front of them is always Pink Diamond and can’t well comprehend yet this aspect is not just a form Pink shapes for her amusement (just listening Yellow saying to her pearl “help her since she seems to have so much trouble recalling her past here on Homeworld”. But time to time), and getting worried this choice would not be liked by White, labeled as one of Pink’s usual childish jokes.

Ok but, someone pointed out that, “if the Diamond don’t throw a ball from 6000 years, then what about the Cosmic Jubilee Lars crashed in?” Well good question, I guess that is categorized as some kind of another event to participate at? I don’t think from Pink Diamond’s demise they never threw any party for other celebrations (a new colonial conquering for example).

Steven in the pink diamond’s outfit is a babe. It gives me the impression he actually wears It better than his mother.

What Yellow Pearl means exactly with “accept” or “reject” the members of Steven’s court? And… what happen to the ones that has been rejected from their diamonds?

Just realizing White’s throne other being of her dominant white shade, it actually reflects the colors of yellow, blue and pink, in the spots they’re placed the other thrones. Beside than being pretty aesthetical, it’s calling me the fact real life pure diamonds, reflecting the light, could do those spectacles of colors and reflections.

“Everyone stay where they belong” and Steven immediately floats near his friends and family. Bae.   smol beam of sunshine.

I really loved the explanation of what means to have “fun”, something you like to do, could it even be a passion or a simple playtime, for the good feelings it brings to you.

The pearls interactions, and the discovering of Blue Pearl’s hobby for drawing and Yellow’s for being a model just gives me life. I love the pearls and still want to learn more about their dynamics. Still, one of the moments that gives me chills is YP saying that “her feelings don’t matter” and how proudly she actually said it. Not gonna be surprised, we all know the conditions and how the pearls are considered in Homeworld society, as I know how much YP worships her diamond and how she considers herself lucky by having the “privilege” to serve the maximum rank of all gems. But still, it’s sad hearing someone states something like that without a problem.

OK SO. Since the very first Diamond Days trailer I was curious about one scene in particular: the one in which Blue Diamond separates with such brutality Steven from the group. I didn’t want to speculate about this just because I wanted first the context of the situation, and after seeing it… it actually makes more sense. I know people addressed this as Blue having a bitchy behavior because apparently she doesn’t want a Diamond that mingles herself with other gems (that compared to said Diamond, still remain lower beings, is like don’t wanting the princess of a country to get along with the farmers and peasants), but now it’s kinda reasonable? I mean, it’s still hurtful, but since White Diamond would be there, she’s afraid the gem matriarch would not be happy to see this kind out-of-the-rules behavior, and I’m sure no one would ever want to see White angry, am I wrong? Blue someways tries to protect Steven (and everyone’s asses) from doing a mistake in front of WD that could cost them. Still, it’s just the impression all the scene gave me, maybe I’m wrong.

NO NO BLUE, I UNDERSTAND YOU CAN’T FULLY COMPREHEND THE EARTH AND THE HUMAN HABITS, HOW ALL THERE WORK, CHANGE AND GROW, THAT IS SOMETHING BEYOND YOUR USUAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT DON’T DARE TO ADRESS CONNIE A SECOND TIME AS A “PET”, ‘kay?? Maybe she doesn’t do it through malice, but I really want episodes in which Steven teaches them with kindness and patience the beauties and worth of Earth, the things Pink Diamonds saw in the nature and its creatures, what took her to re-think her colonial project to preserve all of this, how magnificent and so different can be life, the organic beings, to change their consideration of them as inferior, they (we) just have another ways to live, to think and to do, that’s all. And when it comes talking about Amethyst…

“oh boy, here it comes…”

I know millions already talked and pointed out this but, I’m so proud of the character development  Amethyst is showing to us, already from the Heart of Crystal Gems arc. She has let behind her shoulders all the struggle, the feeling out of place, “wrong”, for being so different from the other quartz soldiers (“different” doesn’t mean “wrong”, and this is a very important teaching); she matures and understood it’s as alright as the way she is, and mean words from others is not worth her consideration, her tears, anymore, while in the past the same situation and phrases would have back the reaction to burst into trembling fury or silent crying.

From this dialogue whatever, it makes me consider one thing, probably “overcooked” gems seem not to be that much of scandal and dishonor (unless, Blue would have made more fussing about Amethyst and not allowed her into the ball in the first place): as long as they are, even with their “disabilities” and disadvantages, functional and useful for the society, it’s more or less consented and accepted. To not forget, Era 02 was for Homeworld a time of crisis in the production of gems due to less resources, so it’s not so shocked to see gems like Amethyst, or our Peridot, with less compared to the Era 01 gems, but still capable to fulfil a purpose.

Blue, for goddammit sake, let Garnet alone, together alone, thank you. at least, I’m content they included in this episode more lore, talking about the other types of “Garnets” presented on this planet: the Hessonites, of which we already have some acknowledge, thanks to the name dropped previously in Legs from Here to Homeworld and the contribution of  the “Save the light” game, that gives us clues on how they look like (someone else, beside me, prays to have the pleasure to see the same Hessonite from the game in the show? That would be cool, I can’t deny);

but also the Demantoids

And the Pyropes

However, who Blue just listed apparently are not invited at the ball. I’m not sure what kind of gems the ones presented above are, but they don’t seem to be Garnets however (the designs of those on the left – the green/yellow group – are kinda fascinating, not the same in my tastes for the ones on the right, but it concerns almost the “Thomas the Tank Engine” gems. Bad design in my opinion, but good memes for that. Interesting the choice to their “skirts” resembling gears, reminding Homeworld reflects a perfectly mechanic system where everyone has its specific place and purpose, working as, in fact, a gear in this immense society, and by fulfilling that purpose, this said society moves on and on, like a huge mechanism moved by the work of every single of its components – it’s also directly/indirectly underlined by their dancing afterwards, especially in the shooting sequence from above).

Look, look how many beautiful Garnets. Jokes aside, I’m really happy having the chance to see other sapphires (other rubies would same welcomed, of course), I already get in sympathy the cheek-gem one and the other few steps behind with a similar hairstyle like our Sapphire, but shorter:

oooh look these sapphires that never saw it comiiiiing

This is a one more time love for Garnet: even if she says moments before she’d not come, annoyed and angry for Blue Diamond’s talk to follow with head down the rules, she decides to do it for Steven, as Connie suggested, to give him the maximum support at the point to stay unfused for him. This, is real love too.

Aaand now here it comes the Diamonds!! Spectacular entry on the red carpet. Yellow is particular amused about how the project of the ball turned out, complimenting with Pink/Steven for the result (if she arrives to the point to congratulate with you and said that your idea is brilliant, you really did a good job then).

(same we could say for the future episodes)

E X T R A diamonds posing the way of their murals portrait.

as it is releasing sparkles and shimmers through the throne room at your subjects. because they’re glimmering and magnificent (shine like a diamond 🎶)

Icons. I adore. I can’t blame the random crow gem dropping tears, it’s so relatable I’d do the same.

Or the other one getting thrilled by the entrance of Yellow Diamond. I can’t blame her either.

But honestly, dat blue diamond hips sway. She is so elegant in her postures, a queen.

I know it sound so out of contest in the current talking but damn, Blue Diamond’s voice is so ASMR, soft and gentle. I especially feel nice chills hearing her says “you’re doing great”. Just. Fantastic.

“White Diamond… has more important things to attend to”  but 🙃, for real bro? It’s fucking new Homeworld Era ball. Pink Diamond return!! guess it’s important???? Poor Steven, he was so hopeful to catch the opportunity to finally talk to her (comparing my reaction with his when this was announced you won’t find any difference)

“Therefore, I will be here to observe in her place.”

How nobody says nothing about? a P-E-A-R-L that has the permission to stay on her diamond’s throne and be presented at her diamond’s place in sostitution. I don’t believe is something allowed to the other pearls (owed by a diamond or another high rank gem), to substitute their master and sit on their place during these events, even for Yellow P. or Blue P., or even our Pearl in her time on Homeowrld at the service of Pink Diamond. But maybe due to being the pearl of the most important Diamond and, if it’s her Diamond that orders her, it’s understandable and accepted. Dunno buddies.

Also, among all these crowds, it makes me remember Zircon’s words at the trial of what kind of gems were once in Pink Diamond’s entourage: where are the Agates, since there’re amethysts and quartz soldiers in attendance. Wasn’t their job to keep them on the line? And those sapphires? Are Pink Diamond’s? Or, since sapphires are considered aristocratic and not so common gems, this small group represent the only and all sapphires in the entire Homeworld? Another question, if not and there’d be others to meet, all Homeworld!Sapphires are all like classical blue sapphires or exist others of different types, like Padparadscha, but without being “off-colors”?

Plus, I’m sure the green/yellow gems are not from PD’s court but from Blue and Yellow’s (tiny hinted by those two react with emotion at their entrance, and we don’t see them greeting Pink like the other group do), but… there is none White Diamond’s gems (except the pearl, of course). After all, Yellow Pearl said  gems by the Diamonds are accepted or rejected. Think about it, maybe it’s why there’re no white gems…

But seriously tho, does White Diamond actually have her own court or directly ALL the entire society with all its gems is considered as “her court”, the other Diamonds included? Since her being the Mother of all gem kind and its supreme ruler, that would actually make more sense than the other way around.

Ok now, everyone get crazy about Connie’s “clever” move to drag Steven into dancing with her. I want to say, I don’t doom Connie for, quoting from others, “have been dumb”, instead, I appreciate her effort to cheering her friend up, as he always does to her. She knows she can’t totally be part of this world (due to many things, not being a gem, living a kind of life style so different from Homeworld standards, another mind-setting, and also c’mon, she is just a very young girl, you can’t pretend) , but she wants to stay on Steven’s side and support him as much as she can, to make smile again a friend so emotionally and mentally tired and down. She believed few moments of dance, enough to raise up Steven’s moral, would not hurt anyone, and no one intended to fuse, that was accidental. Many other replied that, thinking of it, every time that they danced on screen, they fused, so how did not see that coming?. Yes, every time on screen, but all the other times, off-screen? Like, on other afternoons, and at Garnet’s wedding after the ceremony, we don’t see them on the dance floor but I’m sure they didn’t miss the occasion to dance together and have fun. Not less important to mention, it was supposed to be a call-back, as the title of the episode, at “Alone Together”, as “The question” from the previous arc did with the older episode “The Answer”.

Plus, even Stevonnie is so adorable with Pink Diamond’s outfit. Pure bae.

While watching this gesture with the hands, I like to think is Steven and Connie individually still holding hands from the dancing, just a second before realizing now the hands of one became the hands of the other as well.

Oh, and there we are. Things fucked up in the worst of the scenarios. (there’d be a lot to say in particular about White Pearl’s frown at the sign of Connie and Steven twirling happily together, but all my thoughts I collected in a separated post, giving to that theory its own space, that I’d link here). Yellow whisper with tight teeth “Pink what are you doing?” is a cause of bad news.

And then the Crystal Gems come at the rescue, with Garnet and Opal (!!! before taking her down in 0.2 seconds, why this cartoon network, do you really want, at the end of the series, people coming up with videos like “every time Opal shows up” just to be, if everything went good, two and half minutes long? Is what you really want, CN?)

But the real surprise came with her:

from the end credits of the episode it’s “Jade”, she is actually very adorable: this little missing tooth, these sunshine eyes and the gem-stones placed like two puffy cheeks make her even more sweet (judging by the combination of her dress, I was right saying the yellow and green gem from before during the entrances of the diamonds belong respectively to Yellow’s and Blue’s court). It’s admirable having the courage to do “coming out”, encouraged by the CG’s bravery, standing for what they have fate in and for what is right, even if it means getting against the society’s stricter rules and meet the judge of the rulers themselves, with all the possible consequences. I’m sure she believed Pink/Steven, by her influence dictated by her high rank status, would approve and legalize cross-gem fusions and decided to stay by this diamond side. “I knew I couldn’t be the only one” is sorrowful to hear, so away from Homeworld’s eyes exist other gems of different types that fuse for love, but have to keep it hidden to not meet an horrible fate (shattered or possibly harvested). That’s sad. Let them be.

Also, love Stevonnie and Opal staring at Garnet like “yo man, you’re the fusion expert, what about that?”, and Garnet is just idk stuff dudes.

ok but, it’s not that Ruby and Sapphire lost their wedding rings after being poofed, right? … right…? (#edit after ChangeYourMind watching: thank the Lord it didn’t happen)

Scene: *everyone poofed, delirium, everything went wrong and Stevonnie is grounded* the evil gremlin inside my head: new outfits/new intro?

Last thing, I just want to make a point about Stevonnie’s “prison”:

A dark locked place at the top of a tower. Now, some time ago, Rebecca Sugar took part on a livestream with other cartoon creators, on the occasion, while talking about different stuff, Alex Hirsch (creator of Gravity Falls), asks miss Sugar what would happen if a gem was placed in a dark room for a long amount of time. Rebecca simply replied “I can’t answer that”, surely because if she does, it could be spoiler for the upcoming episodes (this constant keeping it secret is an ongoing situation with her, lol). The fact is, we all know the physical form of a gem is a projection of light that shapes in actual matter, to allow them to interact, act and speak, and it’s from light itself a gem takes her nutriment (and not from food, like organics do).

So deprive a gem of light (whatever kind: the sunlight, the moonlight, the stars’ light, natural light or artificial light), of her only nutriment, is the equivalent of making her “starving”? Adopted as a form of torture for gems considered needing a punishment for a possible wrong action?

A gem in a room surrounded only by darkness, without even the tiniest glimmer of light, what happens when she reaches her limit and lost all the energies left? Would she became a simple, faded, inanimate gemstone as the our ones from Earth?

Bonus: Who noticed that?

Since the answer I always had the anxiety these two rubies get shattered for ineptitude towards the mission to strike down the rebels and protect Sapphire. I’m glad they’re still around then.

[regalia-of-wisdom]

Why Vanitas and Marluxia can come back if they want to and Nomura didn’t retcon.

‪Ok so on twitter I said that I wasn’t gonna write this bc I didn’t wanna be called a KH3 apologist but then my friends were like “you’re a kh3 apologist anyways just do it” so I did it. I love KH and theorizing and analyzing everything and it’s great, but also it’s 2 am, and also Nomura really needs to consider writing these things down somewhere before releasing these games. Also stop recycling villains, dammit.

Sorry that I can’t line break. I’m writing on mobile rn :/ it’s a long post.

‪Ok I’m too lazy to go on the wiki or something and re read these but on the very first KH (or maybe it was in the Secret Ansem Reports in KH2...?? ANYWAYS IN ONE OF THOSE) it is stated that, according to the metaphysics of the Kh universe, a person is made up of a body, a heart‬, ‪and a soul. Bc the main lore of kh doesn’t mention it much not many players seem to remember or know what the “soul” is, especially since it’s clearly not supposed to be the same thing that westerners think of as a soul (that would be a heart in KH-metaphysics)‬.

‪So all we ever get in the series is people losing their hearts, which is synonymous to someone going fucking catatonic and emotionless bc they don’t have a soul (think Kairi in KH1), or just overall disappear bc of darkness related hijinks that cause complications.‬

‪Like, Kairi in KH1 was alive, y’all. She had a breathing pattern and open eyes and everything, she just didn’t have a heart. She’s the only example we have of this (unless you want me to include Aurora in BBS lol), because she’s the only one whose body wouldn’t react to darkness related hijinks (Darkness, as you all know, is quite annoying).‬ This means that, clearly, not having a heart doesn’t mean you’re a corpse. It’s probably more like you going in a coma. Nobodies in Org XIII aren’t walking corpses. They’re just ppl without a soul. (AKA a heart). They’re like, psychopaths? Sam in that one season of Supernatural? you know, just a bunch of ppl that don’t have to deal with pesty issues like guilt or ethics.

(If you’re wondering why Kairi’s catatonic body in KH1 isn’t a Nobody it’s bc Nobodies are dependent on Darkness. Only hearts that have turned to heartless (darkness) create Nobodies, and Nobodies are born with the ability to open dark corridors and control heartless and do whatever they want. Like, they technically have access to both light and dark (and. Void? I guess?) but they’re very obviously leaning more towards the side of darkness. Not that they’re inherently dark creatures, but that they are just yet another life form in KH that owes its existence to Darkness. Kairi, as we all will never forget, has no darkness bothering her and complicating her life. Sora’s the one that had enough darkness and body and soul to spare to create two nobodies out of thin air. What the fuck dude.)

Of course if you played DDD you’d be like “uh, but Xemnas said that Nobodies can grow hearts uhhh” and id be like yeah he did and it makes a lot of sense especially if you had watched/Played Re: Coded and payed attention to the juicy lore bits instead of the main plot like I’ve been saying forever. However unimportant the plot is, Re: Coded’s storyline literally exists to say that anything with a Body and a (what KH calls a) Soul (Like, say, the person made out of data that you’re playing as throughout the game) has the ability to grow a heart and become a person. The entirety of Jiminy’s Journal becomes a world a la Winnie the Pooh, obtaining its own heart. Like, it’s a book and it was made and it’s kind of fake but it developed its own sense of self, and developed a heart. Like, it was literally pointed out to us. Data Sora lives beyond his programming (just like, hey, Tron.) bc he developed a sense of self. A personality. A heart. He even makes his own Keyblade, that’s how much heart he mad. With a lesson like that being thrown at us, why wouldn’t the Organization XIII Nobodies eventually be able to develop their own sense of self? To go beyond what they thought their “original” selves were like, and become able to feel? Not to say they do, mind you. I think a lot of them, or all of them, like Axel in the beginning of Days, were so stuck on what they thought their original self was like that they were just following through the motions and doing what a data program would consider its “programming”. Axel only began to grow a heart once he stopped trying to be Saïx’s friend, and started to go beyond what his memories were telling him he should act like and do what he felt like he needed to act like.

Anyways now at this point you’re probably like, “what does this have to do with Villains in KH always coming back…” and I’m gonna get to that jeez hold on a minute, I just felt like I needed to explain what a heart was for this to be clearer to people. What are the functions of a heart, and what it ultimately serves. I needed to explain this, because losing a Heart does not mean you are dead, losing your Soul does.

The Soul in KH should probably be referred to as Spirit, as I think it reflects the idea better, while keeping basically the same word. (Unfortunately we already have things called Spirits in KH, and they’re adorable darkness creatures, so.) It’s supposed to be the energy that makes something move. It’s the Will to Live. The fact that the soul seems to be synonymous with will is important, bc only people with a “Strong Will”, that become heartless, create Nobodies. The Will in this case is clearly the energy source that provides a body with sustenance. With life. Pinocchio was given a soul by the blue fairy so he could move (the heart, I think, he made himself due to Geppetto's own feelings). The love of children give the toys in Toy Story a will to protect, love, and be played with. Terra’s will was so damn strong, it reanimated his armor. Terra’s Will to live makes his armor move on its own. Look, it’s even called The Lingering Will. What does this mean? That only a body and a heart that has lost its soul, that loses its energy source (its lifestream, I suppose) undeniably dies.

No one, absolutely no one in KH, has lots their soul. Ok, not true, obviously there are some exceptions, particularly regarding the Disney villains, but I’m talking abt the story original characters that Nomura loves to recycle so much. No one has lost it bc pretty much almost no one we fight is ever a complete human being. They’re always missing vital parts of themselves. Ansem the Seeker of Darkness was humanoid Heart walking around. Xemnas and the Organization were a few bodies and souls walking around with maybe a mini heart or two. Vanitas is literally the most incomplete being I can think of. He’s literally half a heart, half a body, and half a soul. The dude is a mess. Master Xehanort… MX is clearly using loopholes and luck to keep himself surviving this long. By now, he’s made a complete and utter mess of Terra, who got literally split into 3 entities for 10 years, while he himself is really only a floating heart and a soul ruining everything. Young Xehanort is a complete being that should probably watch out for decapitation or something, but we can certainly rule out that Riku would kill him because I mean. Y’all have met Riku, right? Also he’s just obviously alive lmao.

The fact that these beings are incomplete is important bc the keyblade, our weapon of choice, is a mysterious artifact that serves very specific functions. It opens and locks anything, specifically the hearts to a world and the pathways that lead to other worlds. It seems to exist to bring balance and stability to… anywhere it’s at, really. It’s a magical item with magical intentions. Now, I’m not gonna sit here and say what I’m about to say as if it’s proven fact that I read in an interview or deduced myself or something, I will admit that my next point is in theoretical territory, but that doesn’t make it any less likely or probable. And that is that the Keyblade can not kill people. That is to say, it can not kill a soul. It can only break apart, or reunite parts of a person, but not destroy them. “Killing” heartless restores them to their original state: a heart, and killing nobodies does the same. Xehanort and Sora stabbed themselves to get their hearts out of their bodies and created heartless and nobodies in the process. It’s like the laws of thermodynamics or something. It seems to me that that is the nature of a keyblade.

So, inclusion, nobody has died in KH. The end. This is unnecessarily long but I get like that sometimes. There is one last point that I have to address but I might do that tomorrow, if anyone gives a shit by then. Good night!

[beelieveinfandom]

Sethany

Some stuff from the chat about a noncat that is godmod canon the new main character of the AU. Someone write this fic please.

matt-Today at 2:16 AM hey y'all okay so thought: u know how black cats always look like the void with eyes when u take a photo of them right? here's my idea, void with eyes that vaguely resembles a cat and is taken in by an old lady with failing eyesight

LumiKat117-Today at 2:17 AM Sooo it would look like a cat

((Also cats are the best ever))

matt-Today at 2:18 AM old lady: hey look at my cat i love him anyone with actual functioning eyes: ................... uh

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:18 AM What does this blob of void feel like?

LumiKat117-Today at 2:18 AM Pffft yeah Soft silky fur Like how Nightmare wool feels like real wool just uber soft and silky

matt-Today at 2:19 AM oh yeah of course the void is soft and silky smooth

LumiKat117-Today at 2:20 AM What would its name be?

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:20 AM Mittens

matt-Today at 2:20 AM whiskers

LumiKat117-Today at 2:20 AM Ebony

matt-Today at 2:20 AM oh no i change my mind mittens is better ndksksksksk

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:20 AM Something really stereotypical

LumiKat117-Today at 2:20 AM Lol

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:21 AM This old lady isn't the most creative person on the planet but damn does she love her "cat"

matt-Today at 2:21 AM or maybe something like an actual human name like timothy or geronimo

LumiKat117-Today at 2:21 AM I like Ebony

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:21 AM Sethany

LumiKat117-Today at 2:22 AM Sith

matt-Today at 2:22 AM SETHANY

LumiKat117-Today at 2:22 AM Sith like from Star Wars

matt-Today at 2:22 AM no that's the name of her other cat who is like. a default grey tabby

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:22 AM Are you implying that Miskebonany might be evil??

LumiKat117-Today at 2:23 AM Pffft

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:23 AM How dare you imply that Miskerbonany might be anything other then a perfect darling

LumiKat117-Today at 2:23 AM No

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:23 AM So what does Sith think of their "sibling"?

LumiKat117-Today at 2:23 AM I think that it would be like the most affectionate 'cat' ever

matt-Today at 2:24 AM i'm not sure if it's funnier if sith ADORES little sethany or can't stand it

LumiKat117-Today at 2:25 AM How about both? Like one moment they would be cuddling and then the next they would be hissing at each other

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:25 AM Well, Sith would be hissing. The other one doesn't make noises

they just

ooze

LumiKat117-Today at 2:26 AM Lol

matt-Today at 2:26 AM they don't knock stuff of tables they.... absorb

LumiKat117-Today at 2:26 AM Lmao

matt-Today at 2:27 AM "sethany darling have you seen my glasses" [a shlurping noise is heard offscreen]

LumiKat117-Today at 2:27 AM My two cats kinda get along but the smaller one won't let the bigger one get close or she swats him

matt-Today at 2:28 AM m̸̀͡ę̢̀o̗͇̕w͜͏̝

LumiKat117-Today at 2:28 AM Lol

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:29 AM Oh god and they don't meow, they literally say "meow" like a human would total monotone.

matt-Today at 2:29 AM YES like text-to-speech

LumiKat117-Today at 2:29 AM YES And it sounds like Siri

matt-Today at 2:30 AM hey sethany do i have any appointments today? m e o w

LumiKat117-Today at 2:31 AM What if Sethany and the old lady actually talk but to anyone else they just hear the monotone meows?

matt-Today at 2:31 AM hmmmmmmmmmm i'm conflicted because it's Quality when it's one speaking normally and the other in monotone meows

LumiKat117-Today at 2:32 AM Like they just think the old lady is crazy and she just thinks her cat is special and purrfect

matt-Today at 2:32 AM you say that like sethany ISNT special and perfect haha nice

LumiKat117-Today at 2:32 AM I had to

matt-Today at 2:33 AM of course

LumiKat117-Today at 2:33 AM And it is purrfect and special Oh What if it LOVES CAT PUNS

matt-Today at 2:34 AM oh fuck yes when someone tells a really bad one they hear m e o w m e o w m e o w and sethany comes patting around the corner

LumiKat117-Today at 2:35 AM And it just curls up in their lap until they tell it all the puns they know

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:35 AM Which sounds cute until you realize it's really more of a hostage situation. You cannot get up if Sethany is on your lap

you just can't

matt-Today at 2:36 AM they are Here and therefore you are Also Here

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:37 AM

LumiKat117-Today at 2:37 AM It's like you've become a purrmanent fixture of the furrniture Lol yes Gremlin

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:38 AM Ots supposed to be sethany

Sethany cannot be photographed

matt-Today at 2:40 AM i mean they CAN be photographed but..... it's not really sethany

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:40 AM

LumiKat117-Today at 2:40 AM YES

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:42 AM Yes thats it

matt-Today at 2:42 AM YEAH sethany the void cat folks i think we just won the transcendence au

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:43 AM

matt-Today at 2:43 AM it's not gonna get better than this

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:43 AM That's really cute somehow?

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:43 AM Sethany in the dreamscape

matt-Today at 2:44 AM perfect amazing wonderful

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:44 AM

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:44 AM oh that's good

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:45 AM Void with eyes Sethany is best notcat

matt-Today at 2:47 AM

"m e o w" -sethany

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:53 AM Cuddling Sith

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:53 AM gasp

Zilleniose-Today at 2:53 AM okay guys I'm reworking tau, alcor is no longer the main character

matt-Today at 2:53 AM o h m y

Zilleniose-Today at 2:54 AM all hail sethany

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:54 AM A L L H A I L

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:54 AM Sethany is the one

H A I L S E T H A N Y

matt-Today at 2:54 AM rip alcor 201?-2017 you won't be missed because we have sethany now

Zilleniose-Today at 2:54 AM

A L L H A I L

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:55 AM ALL HAIL

LumiKat117-Today at 2:55 AM Daww

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:55 AM 2014-2017 ftr

LumiKat117-Today at 2:55 AM Pffft What if Sethany and Alcor were friends?

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:56 AM Okay so now we need to figure out exactally where Sethany fits into the AU That would work

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:56 AM Sethany is alcors notpet

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:56 AM although Alcor tends not to like cats, how would he feel about a "cat"?

Zilleniose-Today at 2:56 AM please... can sethany float too, like. this little old lady sees an amorphous floating cat, drifting sideways and saying "M E O W" and sees nothing wrong with this

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:56 AM Even he doesnt know what it really is But it comes to him for food every now and then

LumiKat117-Today at 2:56 AM It could be like the personification of the void in his hat

matt-Today at 2:56 AM sethany ABSOLUTELY floats

LumiKat117-Today at 2:57 AM Catification*

Zilleniose-Today at 2:57 AM just kinda. like a lava lamp.

very slowly. blooping

matt-Today at 2:57 AM they kinda drip a little too i guess the old lady thought they were wet when she found them?

"sethany where HAVE you been it's a gorgeous day outside"

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:58 AM (i love sethany and everything it is and is not)

Zilleniose-Today at 2:58 AM no mouth to be seen. how it eats and talks is a mystery

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:58 AM One not even alcor knows.

matt-Today at 2:58 AM noises just kind of....... emanate

LumiKat117-Today at 2:58 AM Would it be an it or would it want to have a gender like Xie?

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:58 AM Food is just kinda... Absorbed

Enveloped

BeelieveInBees-Today at 2:59 AM I think I'm going to keep using they/them for Sethany

matt-Today at 2:59 AM phagocytosis

Zilleniose-Today at 2:59 AM I think if you asked sethany's preferred pronouns, they'd reply "M E O W"

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 2:59 AM And it because whatever it identofies as is incomprehensible to people Think of the paperwork

LumiKat117-Today at 3:00 AM Hey Bee, you should make a fic for Sethany

matt-Today at 3:00 AM the old lady taking sethany in to be microchipped tho

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:00 AM But I already have so many fics anyway I'm not great at stuff without much plot

LumiKat117-Today at 3:00 AM Oml that would be funny

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 3:00 AM 'lady we cant do that'

Zilleniose-Today at 3:00 AM this is perfect bc I too, am an amorphous blob of only semi-existence that sleeps most of the day and likes mice

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 3:00 AM 'lady it doesnt have a body'

LumiKat117-Today at 3:01 AM Like the vet is just so awkward but the lady is just so sweet and they can't really say no

matt-Today at 3:01 AM 'lady please i'm telling you this is not a cat'

Zilleniose-Today at 3:01 AM "yes sethany is very unique" "that's. that's not."

LumiKat117-Today at 3:01 AM But she's so insistant So they give up trying to convince her and try to chip Sethany anyway

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:02 AM Floating

matt-Today at 3:02 AM ooooooo i love it

LumiKat117-Today at 3:02 AM And the chip... works?

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:02 AM The chip constantly states that Sethany is in about 15 different places at once

LumiKat117-Today at 3:02 AM They have no idea how

matt-Today at 3:03 AM the vet: ???????????? the lady: see, that wasn't so hard was it dear

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 3:03 AM It breaks the vets sanity each time sethany gets brought in

LumiKat117-Today at 3:03 AM Pffft I can just imagine that an intern sees Sethany and is like, totally chill with it Oh, what if the Old Lady is a R!Lazy Susan?

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:04 AM Oh that's how we could tie them in. One of the Pines goes into animal medicine And be that intern And be like "hey grunks, you gotta check out this cat"

LumiKat117-Today at 3:05 AM Pffft No wait What if the old lady IS Lazy Susan?

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:05 AM That would be great actually Sethany just shows up to the diner one day Just wanting to absorb some pie tins.

LumiKat117-Today at 3:06 AM @GODMOD Someone should post this to the Tumblr

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:06 AM And Suzan just scoops them up and starts talking And Sethany falls in love

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 3:06 AM Yeeeees

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:07 AM I can screencap it

LumiKat117-Today at 3:07 AM Welcome to the AU Sethany Now someone needs to write a fic where Sethany meets Alcor when the Pines Clan come to the Diner Maybe the Trips are like, 18?

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 3:09 AM The trips love them

LumiKat117-Today at 3:10 AM I can see the trips cat sitting

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 3:10 AM Hmmm, maybe before the trips are born but after henry? Think, sethany triplet sitting

matt-Today at 3:10 AM no that's a bit of a risk they might.... absorb the children they'd come out okay but

LumiKat117-Today at 3:11 AM Nah, I think Sethany can control the absorbing

matt-Today at 3:13 AM oh yeah they can definitely control it

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:13 AM Sethany can definitely control the absorbing or Suzan would be in big trouble

matt-Today at 3:13 AM whether or not they want to no one tells cats what to do, void notcats included unfortunately nsjsjsjs this is a joke btw sethany wouldn't eat a child

BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:14 AM not unless they were a really annoying child

matt-Today at 3:14 AM problematic customer? no more

LumiKat117-Today at 3:16 AM lol BeelieveInBees-Today at 3:19 AM That just makes me think of Sethany as actually working at the restaurant

tinylittlegremlin-Today at 3:20 AM Yes  

[angeladdict]

so storytime

my sister had a dream full of symbolism basically

she was awake in the dream and looked over at me still awake irl and thought to herself she needs to go to sleep rn so she can be here in this dream with me

she was in the bottom of her bunk bed with two angels on the top bunk, and they had to go to sleep to go to an alternate reality. my sister however was awake, and could still see what the angels saw in the parallel universe.

the angels were observing a bright purple storm being caused by a random guy standing in front of it.

my sis was snapped out of this alternate reality bc a guy and a girl came in thru her bedroom door (in the dream) and put a pot full of stones at the foot of the door so she wasnt able to leave.

she kicked the pot over and left the house

when she left all she saw was a river of lava. she began to float down it and was joined by some man, and they went down the lava unharmed. it didnt burn them at all

the lava ended eventually and led to a lake of murky muddy water. there were multiple plant boxes scattered throughout the lake. small sprouts were growing from the boxes, but there were gaps underneath the boxes that some random girl kept getting stuck in and drowning. they had to save her multiple times bc she kept getting stuck and almost dying.

my interpretation of this:

the whole dream seemed to be symbolic of my current life circumstance. i think i was supposed to be sleeping and having this dream, but instead she had to explain it to me. i wouldve normally woken up from the dream and understood the meaning instantly.

BACKSTORY:

so, theres this guy i met online 5 yrs ago and became enamored with within a week basically bc we quickly became engrossed in eachother, texting every second we were awake. we couldnt get enough of eachothers company

the bliss only lasted a month bc we mutually became triggered over the smallest of things, and he said he didnt sign up for this, and would come and go. we would bicker, hed leave for a week and return later to give it another shot.

well the coming and going gave my now codependent ass some serious anxiety that snowballed into full blown panic attacks

i broke my literal heart forcing myself to stop talking to him as i felt myself entering a depressive episode. i had zero mental space to talk to him or much less anyone at all.

a month after i left to heal, he gets with his current best friend. the first day theyre together, he posts on his blog "i only really want Your attention" that was the first red flag and threw me into a fit of rage that started small and grew larger and larger as i saw him subposting me and it was so glaringly obvious he was using her as a distraction and to fill the void of my absence bc he missed me and didnt know how to be alone or process the grief

i only think he even experienced grief in the first place bc of songs he would add to playlists and id look up the lyrics and would be like bruh. he started this whole journey of realizing my worth about a week after i had skipped town to heal. my parting message included that i was in love with him. he never replied.

a week after i had gone, he made a playlist and added some g eazy song "im in love with these tumblr girls" and i was like okay so you couldnt even reply though? do u just think its too late to bother bc im already gone? anyway so thats when the process of realizing my worth began. but a month after that he was in a new relationship which was super dumb and totally a rebound

well, i saw from day 1 she was a rebound and tried to tell her. she said i was batshit crazy, belonged in a psych ward, and that even if it was TRUE that he wasnt over me, she actually couldnt care less. this shocked me. she didnt care if he was into his ex? thats not normal. like AT all.

so fast forward FIVE entire years, theyre still together, hes still not over me, and she ignores the signs he leaves in the form of tumblr and twitter subposts ab me. she either doesnt realize theyre about me, OR she has a hunch and doesnt give a fuck.

now, i dont believe shes that stupid. i (personally) think she knew the entire time, and didnt care he was depressed and unhappy bc he couldnt get over his past, over me. she was content to continue dating him AND not address the elephant in the room. talk about selfish and uncaring for her boyfriends mental and emotional health.

on the flip side, she was oblivious bc he is an excellent liar and blamed his depression on genetics. to this day i have no idea what the truth of the matter is.

as of right now he is realizing theres a possibility she knew why he was so sad their whole relationship, and didnt bother to help him heal from me, just used him to fill her inner void and lack of self esteem bc of her childhood trauma.

he is currently questioning everything bc he isnt sure what her intentions were with him this entire time. he has no idea but is beginning to. i have my hunches, which i have expressed to him, but he is processing and coming to his own conclusions.

the main reason i dont believe she ever truly loved him is because she said she didnt care if he was miserable and not over me. she didnt care. i tried to tell her he wasnt over me and was miserable and needed help that SHE wasnt giving him by IGNORING his pain. she said i was lying and psychotic and jealous. no, i was trying to warn you. most girls would want to know their bf was emotionally unavailable. she didnt. THATS why i dont believe she had his best intentions at heart. she wanted to use him. she wanted him to be a trophy on her wall, a reason to view herself as better than me. why? because she has such low self esteem bc of her childhood and needed a reason to fuel her ego and feel better about herself. she BEGAN with pure intentions. it quickly turned into something much, much more sinister.

she was so volatile and rude, saying he only loved her and never loved me. she knew NOTHING of our experience, however brief it was. why? bc She Never Asked Him. why? bc She Didnt Care. why? bc she was never in it to care about him, but rather to care about herself and her need for validation and deprivation of love.

she is narcissistic. period. she has used him for their entire relationship (albeit the first week before i alerted her) to fuel her ego and sense of entitlement and feeling ~above me. ~better than me. she would gossip to her friends about how i was just jealous of her life and wished i was her. (they told me she said this). that is the OPPOSITE of the truth.

so all in all, she was a rebound for him, and he was an ego boost for her.

theyre mutually using eachother for selfish means.

OK BACKSTORY FINISHED

the dream interpretation:

[photochoco]

New Recruit

The story of how Wisteria became a Cadet. 

Pinprick and Bianca had been the closest to the disturbance. Patrolling had its perks, one of them being that you never knew when you might conveniently stumble upon magical mayhem. Well, they didn’t stumble upon it so much as they heard a banshee-like screech split through the air as they walked along. As the pair raced towards the sound, a figure flew up into the air and took off. A witch.

“Pinprick, go after them! They might’ve hurt someone, I’ll see if I can find anyone!”

Despite being a giant, Pinprick was very fast. He gave a single nod and leapt up onto the rooftops, hopping from building to building in pursuit. Bianca rushed down an alley, towards where the scream had rang out. She was met with a huge mural on a wall, still unfinished. The work seemed a bit familiar. 

And laying on the ground in front of it, a girl. She wasn’t moving. Bianca swore under her breath as she skidded to a halt next to the girl, grabbing her shoulder and rolling her over. Whatever had happened with the witch, it seemed like she’d put up a fight, dried blood was smeared on her shirt and the corners of her mouth. 

“Damn girl...I’m sorry…” Bianca muttered as she noticed the streams of multicolor flowing in rivulets from the girl’s closed eyes. It coated her hands as well; it was no doubt caused by a curse. At least she was breathing. Bianca considered calling for backup before Pinprick leapt down in front of her. “The witch got away,” he scowled. “Well, we can at least count it as a win that this girl here they attacked wasn’t killed. It looks like she might’ve been cursed, though. We’ll need to get her to Tracy. Can you carry her?” Pinprick knelt down and scooped the unconscious person into his arms. She didn’t stir, but she let out a small mumble. A good sign, even if a small one.

“Poor thing,” he murmured as he carefully cradled her against himself. “Let’s get back to BC. Hopefully she can give us a better description of the witch when she wakes up.” --- --- Consciousness came slow, discouraged by soft, warm blankets. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that something horrible had happened…She scrunched her face up. “Oh shit, she moved!” “She’s waking up!” “Oooooh do you think she’ll wanna become a Cadet?” “Whaddaya think happened?”

A myriad of voices reached her ears, but she couldn’t really understand what anyone was saying through her exhaustion. She wanted to go back to sleep.

“Ok everyone, that’s enough, off you go! There will be plenty of time for meet and greet later!”

She didn’t move for another moment. Then everything that had happened came rushing back in one great wave. She sat up so suddenly, a few people who hadn’t yet left squealed in surprise. Her hands flew to her face, her eyes. Her eyes. Please let it have been a dream. Please don’t let it be real. It wasn’t real, it wasn’t real…

“Welcome back, dear. You gave us a bit of a scare, being out for so long. Could you do me a favor and open your eyes?”

Slowly, reluctantly, she opened them. Everything was grey. Greys and whites and blacks, like she was looking at a black and white photograph. Monochrome. The color was gone. Her hands started to shake, her head whirled, and an icy cold dread washed over her.

No. No. No. No way. This couldn’t be happening. 

“Hm hm!” A small plump woman popped into her view, a troll? She leaned in close, examining her eyes.

“What’s your name, dear?” the troll asked. She could barely squeeze it out of her tightened throat. “...W-Wisteria. Wisteria Inkwell. Or...Wisty...”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Tracy Pan, resident nurse of the Black Cauldron. Tell me, do you have any recollection of what happened before you woke up here?” Wisty brought her knees up and pressed her face into them. “...I’ve been cursed, haven’t I.” “I’m afraid so, dear. It would seem it’s a curse on your eyesight, no? Or is it perhaps a different version of soul loss…? Your eyes are voided out like another one of our Cadets, but his are white, yours are black. What do you see?” Wisty fought off tears. “There’s no color. I can’t see color, I--she-- she took color from me...she--”

She would not cry, not in front of other people, let alone a stranger. Emotions she couldn’t place were whirling about inside her so fast. But her face was blank as she willed the tears back. She felt very dizzy.

“Interesting, interesting…and how else do you feel?” Tracy continued.

The room was spinning. “I...uh…kin...kinda...dizzy...” Wisty mumbled. “I think ‘m gonna b’ sick…”

 “Hmm, you might be in shock. How about we… …” 

The rest of the nurse’s words were lost to the static roar that started in Wisty’s ears. Everything sounded very far away all of a sudden, she herself felt like she was floating. She could see things, hear things, but she couldn’t make sense of any of it. She tried to breathe in steadily, but her chest was burning. That wasn’t supposed to happen. Where was the color?

---

Wisty opened her eyes blearily, staring at the ceiling. Jeez...what happened? She sat up, rubbing her face. She was back in the bed, or had she never left it...? 

The world was still in grayscale, and the sickening feeling swelled inside her all over again. She looked around and listened. She was alone. Good.

She buried her face into her knees and sobbed. She sobbed until she felt like she was going to be sick. Her throat was tight and her head pounded, she cried until she had no tears left. The colorful world she’d loved so much was gone. And it wasn’t going to come back. Small wails mixed in with her sobs, thankfully muffled by the blankets.

Finally, she calmed herself down with a series of long sighs that shook her frame. She wiped her eyes and looked around, sniffling. Urgh, now she’d given herself a nasty headache and she couldn’t breathe through her nose. She slipped out of bed to find the bathroom. She could use some cold water on her face. 

Wisty approached the door and went to open it, only to have it swing forward on its own, causing her to yelp in response. “Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t--excuse me--” 

The pair of legs in the doorway bent down, and an incredibly tall ghoul ducked through the threshold. “Ahem.” He straightened himself up to his full height, easily over nine feet. “Apologies cupcake, I didn’t see you there. Actually, should you even be out of bed? You haven’t been taking the curse very well.”

Wisty squirmed and hastily wiped at her eyes. “I, um, I actually feel fine now. I just wanted some water.” He leaned down, putting his face too close to hers, and gently pressed a long pointed finger onto her cheek. She resisted the urge to shrink away. What if he noticed--

“Now, why the waterfalls?”

Crap. “I. Um.” The ghoul studied her expression and grinned widely with a chuckle, showing a mouth full of sharp teeth. Wisty averted her gaze. What colors was he? Frustrated tears bubbled up again. The ghoul cocked his head and continued to grin. “I-I...jeezus, stupid tears,” she muttered as she wiped her eyes. “I’m fine, I’m just a little upset about my...about being cursed. I’ll be fine.”

“Yo Pin, quit hoggin’ the doorframe!” 

A girl with long gelatinous-looking hair squeezed past the ghoul, her eyebrows hopping up when she saw Wisty.

Oh, you’re awake! ‘S about time too, you were startin’ to freak us all out!”

She stuck her hand out, and Wisty took it in her own. The girl’s hand was very warm.

“I’m Bianca Frost, and this is my partner Pinprick! We make up Team B of the Black Cauldron. We found you in an alley.” “Oh--oh my god, you guys saved me? Thank you!!” Bianca shrugged and rubbed the back of her head, looking away. “Eh, it was nothin’. I’m just sorry we didn’t find you sooner. Uh, how are ya feelin’ now?” “I’m...better. It’s still kinda a big shock,” Wisty rubbed at her eyes again. “Do you have a bathroom in here? I wanted to get some water.”

At her insistence that she felt fine enough to do it herself, Bianca pointed Wisty in the direction of the restrooms. They were easy to find, tucked around the corner from a cafe area. There were several people sitting at tables, and they all swiveled their heads to stare at her as she walked by. With a weird flip in her stomach, Wisty hurriedly shut the door behind her as whispers began. 

Purposefully avoiding the mirror, she splashed her face with water, sighing as it soothed her itchy, swollen eyes. She could deal with this. It would be fine. She’d be fine. She’d find a way to keep making art, this was fine. She cupped her hands under the stream and took several thirsty gulps. This was manageable. People got cursed all the time. (As unfortunate as that was.) 

Wisty sighed again. She wondered if the curse affected how her eyes looked. Steeling herself, she looked in the mirror. Her eyes were completely black, no visible iris or sclera to be seen. “Whoooooooaaaa,” She couldn’t help the exclamation as she leaned in closer, staring at her reflection with wide eyes. “Haha, what the hell…?” She pulled her eyelid down and rolled her eyeball around; the whole thing was as solid and black as an 8 ball. A thought struck her- what would people think if they saw her eyes? Would they avoid her? Cursed people in Salem were viewed with pity, and sometimes worse, outright scorn for being damaged goods. What if--

There was a knock on the door. “Hey cupcake, are you almost done in there? John wants to talk to you.” John? Who’s that…? Wisty opened the door. Two people dressed in Ironmaiden uniforms were waiting to greet her. One was a tall, imposing-looking women with her greying hair neatly twisted into a bun. She looked severe, but her eyes looked at Wisty gently. Next to her was an equally-tall oxen hybrid, standing with his arms crossed. He looked at Wisty just as kindly, despite his intimidating appearance. “You’re Wisteria Inkwell, correct?” the woman asked. Wisty nodded. “My name is Elanor Pan, founder of the Black Cauldron. This here is John Bullock, chief of the Ironmaidens.”

“We wanted to ask you a few questions. Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble,” John said, noting Wisty’s sudden nervous expression. “We wanted to ask you about the witch that cursed you. It’s our understanding they got away after attacking you.” “Oh, no! I don’t mind at all…” Wisty replied, feeling relief wash over her.

“Good. Now, if you’ll come this way…” John ushered Wisty into another room. Before the door closed, she looked back at the entourage that was still gathered. They all stared at her.

—-

No sooner had Wisty closed the door she was ambushed by the people still waiting in the cafe area. “Hey! Did Ela talk to you about becoming a Cadet?” “What kind of curse do you have?” “Want some soda?” They were all talking over each other so loudly Wisty could hardly piece together what any one person said. She was luckily saved by Elanor, who swept out of the room behind her.

“Really now! I’d said there’d be time for introductions later, but this poor girl has had a very long day and she certainly doesn’t need to be bombarded by you all at once. I know you’re all excited about the prospect of a new Cadet, but please, be considerate. Don’t scare her off just yet!” she said, a good-humored smile curving her mouth.

Bianca ushered the bewildered Wisty into a seat, and the remaining chairs at the table were very quickly filled in. A soda was slid her way, and with a thanks, the questions began again. The first to speak was Pinprick. “So, my dear, care to share with the rest of the class? Why don’t we get those introductions out of the way.”

“Oh...I’m Wisteria. Just Wisty is fine.”

Everyone looked at her expectantly. One of the Cadets tapped near their eyes and pointed at her.

“Oh right, my curse. Well...I can’t see color anymore,” Wisty found it was easier to talk about than she had anticipated. “I can still see and all, but it’s like--you know black and white photographs? It’s like that. I can still see value, but all the hue and saturation is gone. Actually, speaking of that, are my eyes completely black? They looked like it in the mirror, but I couldn’t tell if they were just really dark, or...”

There was a wave of nods.

“Being colorblind looks pretty metal,” a boy with glowing white eyes said, blowing a cloud of smoke out through his teeth. A cigarette was clenched between his teeth.

Wisty wrinkled her nose and tried not to gag. She hated the smell of cigarette smoke. The Cadet sitting next to the boy must have noticed, because he deftly yoinked it out of his comrade’s mouth.

“Yo Harvey, what the hell man?!” the boy squawked as the person in a bunny mask crumpled the cigarette in his hand. “If you paid any attention to her face, you’d have seen your smokestack was making her sick, dumbass.” He turned to Wisty and stuck out his non-ash covered hand, which Wisty took and shook. “I’m Harvey. I make weapons for Cadets here. This idiot next to me is Dex.”

Dex gave a short wave, grinning widely. “Yep, that’s me! Dex, the resident heartthrob.” Everyone at the table rolled their eyes. Wisty blinked. “Oh, I’ve seen you before! You nearly ran me over with your bike once.” Everyone present swiveled their heads to stare at Dex. He blinked.

“...I did?” “Oh my god Dex that is NOT what you say to someone you nearly flattened with your dumb bike!” “Hey! DeeDee is NOT dumb! She--ow ow ow ow!” his words cut off with a squeal as Harvey sitting next to him grabbed him in a headlock.

“I’m sorry about him. His head is full of empty.“

Wisty couldn’t help but giggle. “Um, have you all been here long?”

“Some of us have, yeah,” Harvey said. He released his hold on Dex, who sucked in air theatrically. “Sooooo!” Dex cut in. “Are you thinking about becoming a Cadet?”

Wisty ran a finger along the rim of her soda can. “Would I even be useful? I haven’t really fought before.” “Sure! We can help teach you, if you join. And Harvey can make you a weapon!” Dex said. “And if ya want, maybe you could team up with someone, like Alphus over there, or—” “I work alone, Dex boy,” the woman leaning on the wall nearby said. Wisty shrunk in her seat. “Oh, don’t mind her cupcake, she can be a little standoffish towards everyone at first,” Pinprick said, placing a reassuring hand on Wisty’s shoulder.

“Actually, I do have a question. Just...not related to being a Cadet,” Wisty said. “Mmmm?” Wisty slapped her hands on the table. “What colors is this place? I can’t tell at all and I MUST know!”

The next half-hour was filled with back and forth questioning as Wisty grilled everyone about what they looked like, with the Cadets describing as best they could. At least she could still remember what colors looked like. By the end of it all, she felt oddly at ease, at least for the time-being. These people were very nice. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to become a Cadet. Heck, maybe she could even design recruitment posters or something, she’d at least be doing something for them. She’d have to talk to Elanor after this.

---

If this seems a bit different, it’s because Eri is now an OC called Wisteria! They’re my host-mom’s favorite flower