#Cassidy wake the dead

[harbingerofdespair]

Still bitter about Cassidy dying. She was the one I wanted to be a LI

[talesfromcordonia]

Cassidy

[who-knew-a-sheep-can-write]

Recover: Cole Cassidy x Reader

Everything was in ruins. Everything was destroyed, up in flames and smoke. The once proud, Overwatch banner fluttering in the Swiss wind is now ash. You were one of the lucky ones returning from fighting, even luckier to miss watching the explosion happen.

Countless dead, many more lying in rows of rooms in the now overcrowded hospital in the next city over.

In the chaos and panic, it was only another stab at Ceaser’s back to know both Strike Commander Morrison and Blackwatch Commander Reyes were both missing, Moira O'Deorain as well. Even in these tragic times, the leaders were missing, gone from the wreckage.

You felt numb, only watching on as the death toll rose overnight in the hospital. No time to grieve, as soon as you all started to weep for one, three more followed soon.

But even in these tragic times, it was warming to see those recover quickly. Genji Shimada of the Blackwatch division was one of them, only needing replacement parts welded back onto him before he too roamed the rooms with you.

But you both found yourselves hanging around one room in particular.

Cole’s room.

It was puppy love, really, but you couldn’t help but feel like a teenager again with how he complimented you. Those tips of his hats to you, all of the little gestures, the growling southern drawl, the winking… Even throughout the chaos of what was Overwatch and Blackwatch, you both found time to… get to know each other better.

He made you feel all fuzzy inside, warm and happy in the cruel world of war you all were forced into. But now, as you look over his body lying lifelessly in the hospital bed, you felt hollow.

His left forearm had been completely blown off, the elbow missing completely. Shattered ribcage and gashes that had him stitched up worse than old children’s toys. His right knee already prepped to have metal implanted later today as his kneecap was missing.

His once hearty tan now pale under the unforgiving hospital lights. Dark circles under his eyes made him look like the undead. All of the bruising and scratches only hurt you the more you looked at them.

You refused to leave his side when you could stay, only really leaving to help out or when he was wheeled back in for more time under the knife. Genji, Ana, Angela and Reinhardt would always walk in on you, clutching Cole’s right hand as you furiously tried to stay awake, wanting to be there when he woke up.

That’s where you were right now, sat in the uncomfortable chair, hunched over onto the hospital bed, elbows digging into the thin mattress as you kept your head up with one hand as the other was linked with Cole’s. It was hard to keep your aching eyes open, the monotone beeping of the machines had started to lull you to sleep once, earning you a mark on the forehead from when your elbows gave out and your head smacked the railing on the bed.

Genji had dropped by earlier, sat with you for a bit in silence before being called away by Angela needing to tune up his cybernetics.

You only perked up as the door opened once more.

Ana had walked in, looking at you gently before looking back at Cole.

“They have his arm’s blueprints ready. Torbjorn is making it now,” she offered, smiling softly at you. You only nodded your head slightly, covering your mouth as you yawned. “How long has it been since you’ve slept?”

“I don’t know,” you stated. “I wanna be here when he wakes up.”

“What good will that do? You’ve already hit your head once from not sleeping, it could be something worse soon.”

“Ana, I’ll be fine. I’ve been through worse sleep-deprived.”

“That doesn’t matter. You can’t stay up with coffee and force. You need rest.

Please.” She stayed silent for just a moment. “Cole would want you to.”

Just the mention of his name brought tears to your eyes. You sniffed and sat back in the chair, never unlinking your fingers from his hand.

“I’ll nap in a bit.”

“(Y/N),” she warned.

Damn her motherly tone.

“One more hour. And then I’ll rest.”

Ana sighed, knowing full and well that in one hour, you would be defying your promise and staying up, waiting patiently for Cole to wake up. Without saying another word, she left the room, leaving you to near silence.

You had no idea how much time had passed, most likely another two hours before the door opened again. It was Ana again, Reinhardt behind her, no doubt the muscle if you refused and latched yourself onto the bed as to not go.

“You’re still up,” she noted.

You felt awful, you were exhausted but you didn’t want to sleep without knowing Cole will be alright. So many things could go wrong in your sleep. You couldn’t bear to know that you weren’t there as he died.

“Come on, (Y/n),” Reinhardt stepped out of the way of the door, “it is time to rest.”

Knowing the German soldier would not leave this room without you in tow, you gave up. Defeated, you finally let go of Cole’s hand and stood on quaking feet. They both smiled, knowing you would finally sleep and take care of yourself.

They both stepped outside into the hallway, allowing you to look over Cole once more from his scruffy hair and sunken face to his pale, clammy body that was mostly hidden beneath the hospital sheets.

As you stepped after the two, you stopped and coiled up at the softest groan, fearing that it was just a hallucination. But as you looked to Ana and Reinhardt, their wide eyes were confirmation that you weren’t hearing things.

You practically flung yourself back into your seat, grasping at Cole’s hand, crying as you saw his eyelids flutter and split open just a bit. You heaved and sobbed, suddenly breaking apart as he gently squeezed your trembling hands, gazing at you out of the corner of his eye.

[hollyethecurious]

CS AU: Pan Says... (13/13)

Summary: After waking up in a strange room with a naked stranger, Emma and Killian must endure the twisted game their kidnapper insists they play in order to gain provisions and avoid punishments.

A/N: We've made it! The final chapter is here. Thank you all for going on this journey with me! I hope is does not disappoint!

Much love to my @kmomof4 and @ultraluckycatnd for being amazing cheerleaders and betas! A shout out to all of you who sent me prompts. This fic would not exist without y'all!

Rated E / Also available on ao3 and ff.net / buy me a coffee / add to tag list / Curious? Come Ask Me!  

Part One / Part Two / Part Three / Part Four / Part Five / Part Six  / Part Seven / Part Eight / Part Nine / Part Ten / Part Eleven / Part Twelve

Part Thirteen

“There has to be a way out of here,” Killian grumbled as they hit yet another dead end.

Never had he been more eager to get his Swan to safety. Sure, the man who’d been tasked to eliminate her may well be dead, but that didn’t mean she was out of danger. Cassidy was still lurking somewhere within the maze and Killian didn’t want to take any chances of him getting his hands on Emma.

“Killian?” Emma whispered softly next to him, both of them trying to draw as little attention to themselves and their position as possible. “What do we do if Neal finds us before we make it out of here? Assuming there is a way out.”

“There has to be,” Killian replied, bypassing her initial question and leading them down a new corridor. Or had they already been down this way? “Pan can’t trap us in here forever.”

“Sure he can.”

Killian and Emma spun around, stunned to find Neal Cassidy making his way around the corner they’d just turned. Where had he come from? That way had been a dead end. Hadn’t it?

A baseball bat was firmly gripped in one hand as he menacingly tapped the cap of it in the other. No need to guess the weapon he was meant to use in order to complete the grizzly task Pan had assigned him.

“Looks like Emma already took care of your dear old dad,” Neal commented, his eyes taking in the blood soaked into Killian’s sweatpants and smeared across his bare torso and chest. Shifting his attention to Emma he added, “I knew Pan would give you Brennan, leaving Killian and I to duke it out to the death.”

Killian let the man keep his wrong assumptions and tightened his grip on Emma’s hand, hoping she would do the same. Having his focus on Killian as both his target and would-be assassin allowed them the upper hand, even if they were both loath for Emma to be in a position to have to take the man’s life. Neither of them wanted it to come to that, but Neal seemed not the least bit concerned with the idea of cold-blooded murder.

“I’m gonna enjoy this,” Neal murmured darkly, continuing his advance as Killian and Emma both crept backward down the corridor, unwilling to take their eyes off the danger in front of them. “Do you know how often I’ve dreamt of killing you? How many times I begged Pan to let me be the one to punish you?”

Arriving at a T junction, Killian signaled for Emma to go to her right, hanging behind for a moment to ensure Neal did not lunge at them unexpectedly. She’d only just rounded the corner when a panel slid out from the wall, cutting him off from her completely. Forgetting about Neal, Killian spun around and yelled Emma’s name, desperately feeling his way along the panel for a way to remove it.

“Swan!” he hollered, but was unable to determine whether or not she could hear him. Her name had only just left his lips when a whooshing sound gave him a mere moments warning of Neal’s attack. Ducking out of the way, Killian nearly had his head taken clean off by the swing of Neal’s bat, which instead collided with the solid panel separating them from Emma.

“Quick bastard, aren’t you?” Neal muttered, taking aim once more.

His next swing was stalled when Killian demanded to know, “Where’s Emma? How did you manage to separate us?”

“Don’t look at me, pal,” Neal scoffed. “Haven't you noticed the walls moving before now? Hallways seal themselves all the time, creating new dead ends. It’s all part of Pan’s genius.”

“Awfully enamored with Pan, aren’t you?” Killian stated derisively.

“Pan is my family,” Neal shot back. “He’s always looked out for me.” Cocking his head to one side, a sneer crept over his lip as he taunted, “Unlike your own father who left you and your brother to rot in foster care. Left you to the mercy of someone like John Silver.”

Killian tamped down the anxiety and panic the mention of his abusive foster father’s name brought up. He could not afford to let Neal rile him up or make him lose focus. In fact, perhaps it was time to turn the tables.

“Always looked out for you?” Killian countered. “Was he looking out for you when he brought Emma here? When he let me have her instead of you?” Neal’s knuckles turned white as he clenched the grip of the bat tighter in his hands, his teeth grinding together in anger and rage Killian hoped he could work to his advantage. “Tell me, Neal,” Killian continued to taunt, “How was Pan looking out for you when he let me pleasure Emma? Let me caress her body and taste her cunt before fucking her to heights of ecstacy you were incapable of giving her?”

A guttural roar of rage preceded the wild swing of Neal’s bat, but Killian managed to side-step it before it made contact.

“Or was he looking out for you when he forced Emma to her knees to suck me off?” Killian said, throwing another barb at the man who was growing more and more unhinged by the second. “Or when she washed me, or kissed me, or fondled me, or rode me like a bloody goddess?”

Another savage swing broke the air, but when this one also missed its target, Neal, in a rage, rushed at Killian, nearly knocking the breath out of him as they both landed on the ground.

“You think any of that meant something? You think it means she’s yours?” Neal bellowed, striking Killian in the jaw with his fist when he attempted to get up, landing him flat on his back once more. “She’ll never be yours!” Neal roared. “She’s mine!”

Crushing the bat against Kiliian’s windpipe, Neal continued to rail at him. Perhaps he’d done too good of a job riling the man up in the hopes he’d make a mistake. It was clear, however, that Killian had been the one who’d made the fatal error. Frantically, he clawed at Neal’s hands as the man continued to spit vitriol at him, not that he heard a word of it, the sound of his blood thundering in his ears as a ringing began to swell from the lack of oxygen effectively drowned the murderous man out.

No! He couldn’t let the man win. He couldn’t leave his Emma at the mercy of Pan and Neal. He couldn’t… he had to… he must…

Killian’s vision began to tunnel, the black edges of oblivion quickly creeping in as the pressure in his face and head continued to build and his lungs screamed from want of air. With the last of his strength he tried anything and everything he could to dislodge the man from his chest and bat from his throat, but it was no use. Neal would not be moved.

The last vestiges of consciousness began to leave him, his final coherent thoughts of his Swan and the grief he felt as he mourned the life they could have had together. He wished he could see her one last time. Hold her. Kiss her. Tell her he--

Killian jolted from the blast of gunshots that rang out and his lungs suddenly opened, allowing him to draw in a much needed breath. His eyes, which he hadn’t even realized had shut, flew open in time to see Neal Cassidy being propelled backward by the force of the bullets hitting his chest, blood splatter from his wounds erupting in the air and hitting Killian in the face as he continued to choke and gasp for breath.

“Killian!” Emma screamed, her footfalls rushing towards him as he rolled over onto all fours in an attempt to get up. She practically knocked him on his back again, throwing herself at him and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

“Careful, love,” he choked out, settling back onto his heels as he knelt before her, threading his fingers through her hair and holding her as close to him as he possibly could. Once he was able to breathe again without a choking fit, he pulled back and looked over at Neal’s prone body.

“Is he… dead?”

“I unloaded the clip on him,” Emma told him, her tone giving away none of what she might be feeling over the matter. “So, yeah. He’s dead.”

“Good.”

She released a heavy breath in response, tears pooling in her eyes as relief seemed to engulf her. Cupping her cheek, Killian nuzzled his nose against hers and affirmed, “You did what you had to do, Swan. You saved me.”

“I tried to hurry,” she told him in a slightly hysterical tone. “I knew there had to be a way back around to you. I’m sorry it took me so long to find it.”

“Shhh, love,” Killian soothed, pulling her back into his arms and cradling her head against his chest. “It’s all right now.”

Emma’s eyes fell shut and a tear slipped past her lashes. Before Killian could wipe it away they were both startled by the sound of more panels closing in around them. Getting to their feet they frantically looked about for a means of escape, but there was none. All access points had been closed off to them.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Killian hollered, grabbing on to Emma’s hand for fear they might get separated again. “It’s over! We completed your tasks and survived! We won! Why have you trapped us in here?”

“Yes, yes,” Pan said in an unenthusiatic tone with a half-hearted slow clap accompanying his words. “You’ve won. Congratulations.”

“That's right!” Emma chimed in. “We won, so let us out! You said we’d earn our freedom if--”

“And I am a man of my word,” Pan replied, though there was clear reluctance in his tone. “Even if letting you go will end up costing me dearly. Think of the revenue I’ll lose from my guests when they discover their favorite playthings are no longer available to them?”

“Forgive me if I don’t lose any sleep over it,” Killian grit out through clenched teeth. “Something tells me you’ll manage just fine without us.”

“I suppose,” Pan sighed. “Part of the fun was watching your father and Neal suffer and stew while I played with you. Now that they’re gone…” Another heavy exhale filled the corridor as a panel slid open. “Well, I suppose a deal’s a deal. Pan says, follow the corridor.”

“Wait!” Emma called out, clearly unconvinced that he meant to make good. “This is really it, right? You’re letting us go? We’re free? Forever?”

“Of course,” Pan replied. “Unless you would wish to stay and remain a part of my--”

“Fuck that,” Killian said, pulling Emma along the corridor with haste, ready to be done with this god forsaken place once and for all.

The path led them back to one of the rooms they’d started in and a cold stone of dread dropped in Killian’s stomach when the door shut behind them.

“I knew it!” Emma exclaimed. “I knew it was a trick! I knew he never meant to--”

Her words were cut off by the hissing sound of the fog filling the room. Terror filled green eyes caught his own as they stared at one another in fear.

“K-Killian?” Emma stammered. “Do you… do you think he means to--”

“Relax,” Pan’s voice exasperated from the speaker. “It’s only going to knock you both out. I can’t have you remembering any details that might lead the authorities back here, now can I?”

A shuddering exhale of relief left Killian’s lungs, but it was replaced with a fresh breath of panic. Where did he mean to take them? Would they remain together or would he dump them back where he’d had them grabbed that fateful night?

“Swan,” Killian said desperately. The air around them was already filling with the noxious choking gas and he knew they didn’t have much time. “I’ll find you,” he promised. “If when we wake we aren’t… I swear I’ll find you.”

“I know you will,” she said, clinging to him as she nodded furiously. “Or I’ll find you. We’ll find each other.”

“Aye.” Pressing his forehead to hers, he lowered them to their knees, not wishing for either of them to become injured when they eventually lost consciousness and fell to the floor.

“Killian, I…” Emma gazed up at him, a sentiment he’d longed to hear swirling in her jade depths as the words began to form on her lips. “ I lo--”

“Don’t,” Killian said, cutting her off. “Not here. Not like this.” Taking her face in both hands he pleaded with her, “Tell me when we’re free. Tell me after… after you’ve found me or I’ve found you. Please, love.”

“As you wish,” she slurred out, her body becoming too heavy for his weakened arms to hold. Together, they collapsed to the ground, their bodies entwined with one another as darkness pulled them under.

~/~

A horn blared from the street outside the window jarring Emma awake. Bolting upright, she was stunned to find herself in her apartment, the air thick with two months worth of dust collecting on the surfaces. Glancing down to assess her physical state, she was again taken aback. Someone had dressed her in the very clothes she’d been wearing when she’d disappeared. The same tight jeans, the same gray tank top, the same red leather jacket, the same tall boots, even the same ponytail, she realized, reaching back to run a hand over her hair.

Out of instinct she called out for Killian, hoping against hope he might be somewhere in her apartment as well. After a very short, quick search - her place was tiny with only an open concept living and kitchen area, a bathroom, and a bedroom - she was devastated to discover she was alone.

Patting at her pockets, she found her phone tucked away in one of the interior ones of her jacket. A curse fell from her lips when she tried to unlock it. The thing was completely dead. Rushing to her bedroom, she started tearing it apart in search of her phone charger, all the while trying to decide who she should attempt to contact first.

Obviously, she needed to find Killian, but there was also David and Mary Margaret to consider. They’d been through hell and she didn’t want them to suffer a moment longer than they had to. Not to mention, the police had to be notified, she was probably gonna need a good lawyer, she was desperate to find out if Henry had indeed been returned to his mother, it would probably be a good idea to have a doctor check her out, but out of all of the concerns and worries spiraling through her brain, the thing that continued to drive her as she searched for her damn phone charger was Killian.

She had to find Killian.

Someone started pounding on her front door, causing Emma to freeze. As the assault against her door continued, Emma realized there was one thing that had not been returned to her from the night Pan had her taken.

Her gun.

Looking about for something she could use as a weapon, Emma froze again when a voice began to accompany the banging.

“Killian?” Sprinting to the door, she didn’t even check the peephole before throwing it open.

Hand still raised, ready to set another round of knocks on the surface of her door, Killian stared back at her with equal disbelief and elation.

“Swan,” he breathed, barely able to complete the exhale before Emma launched herself into his arms.

He struggled to keep hold of her and make his way into her apartment as she wrapped her legs around his waist and peppered his face with kisses.

“How… How are you here… How did you… find me so fast.”

“It was Pan,” he muffled against her lips, causing her to flinch back.

“What?”

Setting her back on her feet, he reached into the pocket of the jeans he wore - tight fitted jeans paired with an equally tight black shirt, charcoal colored waist coat, and a black leather bomber style jacket - and produced a familiar looking folded piece of paper.

Closing the door as she took the message from him with trembling fingers, Killian recited the words as Emma read them.

“Pan says… find her.”

Included on the paper was her full address.

“Well,” she said, wetting her lips and handing the note back to him. “Good thing you did, because tomorrow I’m moving to an unregistered address.”

Killian chuckled and they were back in each other’s arms, lips sliding and tongues tangling as their hands clung to the fabric of the other’s clothes.

“You’re alright? Truly?” he murmured in the space between them when they broke apart for air.

“Yes,” she assured him. “But I’m not sure how long I was out. I only woke up a few minutes before you arrived.” Pulling back further, she gazed up at him and asked, “How did you get here so fast?”

With a stunned expression, as though he himself hadn’t quite gotten over the shock of what he was about to relay to her, he said, “I live just on the other side of town.”

Emma was struck by the fact they never once talked about where they lived. All of his stories had been of his life back in the UK, having only mentioned once in passing that he’d moved to the US for a fresh start after his court martial.

“After I woke up and saw the note, I raced over here. Breaking several traffic laws in the process, I’m sure.” Taking her face back into his hands, he caressed the apples of her cheeks with his thumbs. “I had to see. I had to see for myself that you were alright.”

Reaching up, she placed her hands over his and closed her eyes, letting his touch and the comfort of his presence wash over her. When she opened her eyes again, she led them to her sofa, asking, “What about Liam? Or the police? Have you--”

“I called Liam on my way here,” he told her. “He’s booking the first flight out.”

“I guess I half expected him to already be in the States, working with the police or at least connecting with David and Mary--”

“Aye, he did all that,” Killian added, cutting her off so he could relay what Liam had told him over the phone. “After our phone calls to them, Liam and David and Mary Margaret were in contact with one another immediately and he came here to help them convince the police to take up the case again. Unfortunately, his leave ran out and he had to go back, but he said he would reach out to David and Mary Margaret, as well as the detective that’s working our case, to let them know of my return.” With knitted brows he looked around and said, “I’m surprised they aren't blowing up your phone or already at your door.”

“My phone is dead.” She nodded at the coffee table where the useless device was still laying, then glanced around once more as she said, “I was looking for the charger when you…” Emma returned her gaze to his, not wanting to take her eyes off him for fear he might simply disappear. Shaking off the absurdity of that feeling - while trying to convince herself it was absurd - Emma cleared her throat and informed him, “David and Mary Margaret live more than an hour away, so… we have a bit of time before they come barging in.”

“Aye,” Killian acknowledged. “And Liam asked that I wait to go to the station until after he arrives. He uh… he wants to be here. To support me through…”

“Of course he does,” Emma said, running her hand up and down his arm in a supportive and comforting manner. “He’s your brother and he loves you.”

Killian stood and started to pace, his hands sweeping through his hair over and over again. “I’m not sure what I’m going to tell him,” he confided. “About what we’ve been through. About what we… what I had to do in order to gain my…” Stopping dead in his tracks he looked over at Emma with mournful eyes and asked, “How am I going to tell him about Brennan? How do I confess to him that I killed our father?”

Emma sprang up for the couch and wrapped her arms tightly around his middle. “You didn’t kill him, Killian. You weren’t the one responsible for his death. And regardless, you won’t have to face it alone. You won’t have to do any of this alone.” Craning her neck, she captured his gaze and reminded him, “We will get through this the way we’ve gotten through everything else. Together.”

“Aye, love,” he expelled on a relieved breath, crushing her to him. “Together.”

After a few more minutes of simply holding one another, Killian loosened his grip and chagrined, “I’m sorry, Swan. I know I’m not the only one facing a daunting amount of trauma to work through.” Taking her hands in his, he brushed his thumbs over her knuckles, his Adam’s apple bobbing heavily before he spoke. “I know now that my father sacrificed everything to protect Liam and me. That he gave up his life to ensure I had a future.” Gently, he placed her hands against his chest and cradled them there, flicking his gaze up to meet hers, the intensity swirling in those forget-me-not depths nearly drowning her. “And I damn well intend to have one,” he murmured fiercely, their lips now only a hairsbreadth apart. “I know you must have your own trepidations about entering back into the world, but I want you to know that I will be by your side. For all of it. Always.”

“I know,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his and losing herself in the fervor of his kiss and the promise it left simmering between them.

After taking a much needed breath, Emma burrowed her face into his chest, refusing to let go as she tightened her arms around him. “For now though?” she implored. “For the little bit of time we have before David gets here and goes all Nolan, or before the police descend with their questions and interrogations, or before your brother arrives and I have to worry about earning his approval…” Killian chuckled at that, giving her a comforting and commiserating squeeze. “Can we just… do this? Can we just… be? Can we just leave the world outside for a little bit longer? I just want you to hold me. Can you just hold me and let me forget about everything else for a while?”

“Aye, love,” he murmured into her hair. “I can do that.”

The tightening of Killian’s arms around her alerted Emma that there was something she needed to do first.

“Um… actually,” she said apologetically, wiggling out of his embrace and shooting him a slightly embarrassed look. “Real quick, I need to um… use the restroom. Sorry.”

Killian chuckled again and fully let her go. “Go,” he said in an amused breath. “Take care of necessities while I make myself useful and get us some tea.” Waggling his brows at her he added, “Then we can cuddle up with a cuppa until the masses arrive.”

Emma smiled and threw out instructions of where to find things as she made her way to the bathroom. When she reached the door, she paused and turned back.

“Oh, and Killian?”

“Aye?”

Drawing in a cleansing breath, she declared, “I love you.”

He whirled around from the cabinets and beamed at her, elated. “And I you, Emma,” he murmured back, clearly torn between taking her in his arms again and letting her continue on with what she needed to do. “And I you.”

“Hold that thought,” she told him with a coy smile, her hand pressed against the bathroom door while her attention remained focused on him for a second longer. Watching him smile that adorable boyish grin as he went back to puttering around her kitchen, Emma placed her other hand over her chest. Her heart was full and feeling as though it might burst from relief and joy and hope and a certainty that settled deep within her.

They were going to be okay. There was a lot for them to face and get through and overcome, but… he loved her and she loved him. They were going to be okay.

Swinging the door open, she stepped into the bathroom, then stopped short with a gasp falling from her lips that took her elated smile with it.

“Oh, my God!” she exclaimed before clamping a hand over her mouth.

Killian’s rushed footfalls were accompanied by his frantic tone as he demanded, “What is it? Swan, are you--”

She flicked her gaze up to the mirror, her face white and her eyes wide as saucers. When he joined her his attention was on her reflection, but then followed her gaze as it returned to the counter, and the note laying there.

A note she somehow had not seen earlier when she’d quickly checked the bathroom for Killian.

A note that was sitting atop a very distinctive object.

“Is that…”

A pregnancy test.

Emma nodded and they both leaned down to take a closer look. Hands shaking, Emma picked up the stick and a shuddering breath left her lungs as Killian read the scrawling words that had been penned on the paper.

Pan says, congratulations are in order.

The End

(cue evil laugh)

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[amnesiaguy]

calling across the house to cassidy while lying on my side in bed… and he makes an urgent little honk and thunders over to jump up onto the mattress & curl in a ball at my belly. while purring loud enough to wake the dead

[importantchaosgiver]

The Mystery Is Solved

Summary: It all clicks for (Y/N). Why the animatronics moved the way they did, why no one could find bodies. But she had yet to confront the real man behind the slaughter. She was not anticipating that the answers she wanted for so long were right in front of her...

Warnings: Mentions of spring lock scene, blood, fighting, spoilers, weapons

******

No one's POV

(Y/N) had hit so many dead ends in this investigation, it was abnormal. Most of her colleagues would've given up, especially with a case as long as this one. But not her. (Y/N) could feel the answers. She was almost there. It was at the tip of her tongue! But she was missing something. Something vital. Just beyond her reach. It annoyed her. She was so close to it!

She sat at her desk, her face in her hands, rubbing her tired eyes. It had just reached 10:30pm and she had already spent the majority of the day in her office, trying to figure out what she was missing. But she had gotten nowhere. As she stood up to gather her things and go home. She paused. On her desk laid out the pictures of the children. These pictures were taken with a person dressed up in a Spring-Bonnie suit. Brand new. They all smiled, but the pictures were taken individually. (Y/N) picked one up. The child was a young red haired boy called Fritz. Her eyes scanned the picture and spotted her was holding a hook....... like a pirate. Like....... Foxy!

(Y/N)'s eyes widened. It was even in the same place! Now she saw that, she looked at the others. Susie, Jeremy and Gabriel all had characteristics that matched Chica, Bonnie and Gabriel. As for Cassidy, (Y/N) was stumped, but this couldn't be a coincidence. She saw the man wearing the Spring-Bonnie suit in all these pictures. This had to be the link! She then thought back to the scene back in the 80's. She looked throughout the entire building. Nothing was found. Not even the air vents showed any signs. But there was one place they never checked. One place no one bothered to, because why would they mess around with robotics? It all made sense! She knew where the children were........ and she was too late. She had to tell Mike. (Y/N) grabbed her coat and ran out of the deserted station, most officers having already gone home. She had to get to the pizzeria!

She got into her car, speeding to the pizzeria, skidding to a halt outside. She discarded her coat, making sure her gun was loaded before slipping inside. Upon arrival, she saw a more battered version of the Spring-Bonnie suit. But the way it moved proved someone was inside there. Mike was on the floor, unconscious, Abby beside him, crying for him to wake up. The other animatronics making their way forward.

"Stop!" she shouted, making everyone pause. (Y/N) raised her gun, pointing it at Spring-Bonnie. He laughed, the mask making his voice distorted and robotic. "So, you finally figured it out. Took you long enough," he cackled. She didn't look impressed. "You covered your tracks well, I'll admit. But surely you didn't think you could get away with it forever," she spat, her hand steady whilst aiming. "You're smarter than the other cops. I remember seeing you for the first time back all those years ago. Maybe you're not just a pretty face after all," he sneered. (Y/N)'s gaze hardened. "Not a man enough to show your face...... Steve? Or whatever your real name is?" she asked. The man took off his mask, smiling smugly as he tossed it onto the floor. It was Steve. No..... William Afton.

"Do you honestly think you can stop me?" he chuckled darkly. The animatronics all looked at her. They were following his orders. "What you did to them was horrific. What you are still doing is even more barbaric. I won't let you take another life," she swore, cocking her gun. He raised his knife. "One cop against four animatronics and me. The odds aren't in your favour, (L/N)," he said, holding out his arms. Her eyes flickered over to where Mike had finally woke up. His eyes locked with (Y/N); a plan burning in his eyes.

"So be it," she said, taking a shot. But it didn't cause bad damage. William stumbled back due to recoil, but the exoskeleton and fiberglass shell protected his body. He scowled at her, going forward, his knife ready, batting the gun from her hand. (Y/N) moved back, grabbing his wrist, stopping him. She then shoved him back. Not hard enough for him to fall over, but enough to make him stumble. Abby then stood up, holding a drawing in her hand. William saw, going to stop her, but (Y/N) grabbed his wrist again. "I won't let you hurt her," she seethed. William glared at her, moving forward and stabbing her in her thigh, making her cry out in pain, falling down. The knife was buried deep in the thigh, cutting through a lot of muscle and tissue. The pain overwhelmed her senses, making her hearing and sight dull down. She faintly heard shouting, pained grunts and whimpers. (Y/N) felt someone grabbing her, putting an arm over their shoulders and hoisting her to her feet, half dragging her away as crashes and sparks flew. Her vision blacked out when she felt fresh air hit her face....

Some days later...

The first thing (Y/N) experienced when she came to was the feeling of someone holding her hand and a slight tingle and numbness in her right thigh. She groaned, slowly opening her eyes, letting them adjust to the lights of a hospital room. Once she got her bearings, she turned to look to the side. Mike was sat there, holding her hand, Abby beside him. "Hey, you're finally awake," he said gently. "You were asleep for ages," Abby butted in. "How long for?" (Y/N) asked, her voice slightly croaky.

"Two days," Mike said, handing over a plastic cup filled with water. She drank it gratefully. "What happened? Where's Afton?" she asked. Abby left to get something to eat. "He was spring locked inside his suit. He'll be dead," Mike said gently. It was silent for a minute. "(Y/N) there's something you should know. When Afton stabbed you...... your condition was bad," Mike explained. She raised an eyebrow. What exactly did he mean?

"The doctors stopped the bleeding, but you developed septicemia. They...... they had to amputate the leg," Mike said gently. (Y/N) froze, lifting up the blankets to show her right leg was missing. Nothing more the bandaged stump. "Oh my god," she whispered, looking at it. "The doctors said you were lucky to pull through," Mike stated. (Y/N) put the covers down, still a little shook. "What can I say?" she muttered, looking at him. "No one can get rid of me that easily.....

I always come back..."

*****

Two parts in one day. Hope you're liking this. I'm going to do a bit of (Y/N)'s backstory next time. I know this may seem like the end. But more is coming. If you got any theories or any suggestions about what might go on, feel free to comment. I hope you enjoy.

[dykevanny]

Sorry I don't know all of the wererabbit lore could you explain to me? Sorry if you already have by the way!

HAPPY TO RAMBLE I’M LIKE THE HIPPO.

Ok so basically. Idk when exactly it takes place but the aftons are all alive, henry and Charlie are alive, the glamrocks are a few 20-somethings with a shitty transgender garage band, cassie tony and Ellis are hanging around, cassidy hangs around Evan and Charlie, and well basically. Vanessa and Gregory were both homeless (they met at 17 and 6)(vanessa ran away, gregory has dead parents LOL) and ended up living with Freddy yay! Nessa soon got a nice normal job at a totally normal local diner (Fredbears) and ends up meeting william yay!! They hang around a lot and it’s nice :] will gets someone new to monologue at and vanessa gets a whimsical father figure. Unfortunately for literally everyone William has made a discovery!

For some fuckass reason he’s discovered how LITERAL KOOKY MOON MAGIC works and is using his favorite employees as his TEST SUBJECTS. He tried to turn bonnie into a wererabbit and the guy DIED. Surely this did not impact anyone in any sort of way. Well after perfecting his funky spell he decided to test it on Vanessa and .. it worked.! So now during full moons she turns into a giant rabbit creature that William can command. He uses this power for murder of course- because he is quite silly. Vanessa does not remember anything that happens as the werebunny and is quite distressed whenever she wakes up in the woods in her PJs covered in somebody else’s blood. Not fun. However she hasn’t. Told Gregory or Freddy because she doesn’t wanna worry them.. also William knows about this issue and says he can help so surely she doesn’t have to worry right? one night, the afton kids had gregory over for a goofy sleepover!(Michael was acting like a chaperone all ‘ohh well I’m the oldest so i better make sure you guys don’t set lizzy’s room on fire’ when actually he is participating equally in the chaos.) they end up playing hide and seek in the woods…. Which sounds stupid but trust me living in front of the woods does that to ya. Anyways they encounter the werebunny (ran away from will.. turns out giant neurotic prey animal is difficult to control sometimes) and these whimsical children take it home with them because they noticed it had been chained up and decided they HAD to save it.. so of course the beast had like 13 bows in it’s fur. They have it sleep under lizzy’s bed just in case mrs afton walks in and sees it and well in the morning they check and. WHY IS VANESSA HERE.!?

……………so basically the kids know vanessa is a werebunny. Vanessa is just finding this information out and is very distressed. William doesn’t know his kids found the werebunny but he knows SOMEbody is tampering with his murder freak animal (and well, gregory treats the werebunny like an oversized lapdog, Liz and Ev are living their Disney princess dream, and Michael is having his HTTYD era but ultimately that doesn’t affect Will’s control over it he’s just got control issues)

Um and yeah it’s uh basically a goofy silly au from my Powerful Transgender Mind uhh yeah 👍 fucking bunby reblog if you agree

[valleyfthdolls]

Movie!Cassidy is an Afton - an entirely speculative theory

(CW FOR DISCUSSION OF CANON TYPICAL HARM AGAINST CHILDREN)

A starting note

I do believe our little boy in Golden Freddy is named Cassidy, because Cassidy in the game universe is not confirmed female. Again I remind you all that Scott does not confirm fuck about these games. Fans have a tendency to claim their headcanons or whatever new fanon theories get popular have been confirmed to be canon. This is basically never true. Look at the semi-recent "Gregory is Scott's favorite" ordeal for an idea of how this information is shared in good faith and gets twisted nonetheless. Look at the comments under a fnaf au gacha life video for an idea of how people just straight up lie about that.

Cassidy in the games refers to himself as "he" and "him", we never see his physical appearance enough to make any judgment calls on his gender- any idea of his appearance is totally speculative, just like this theory- and most importantly, Cassidy is not exclusively a girls' name- it's actually a unisex name that started as a masculine one! It derives from the Irish surname Caiside, then became a masculine forename, then as it became anglicized as Cassidy it became unisex. In both modern day and the 80s, it is and was applicable as a boys' name.

Now, with that in mind, on to actual discussion of the Afton theory, and why I think movie Cassidy is one.

They look strikingly similar

Compare, for a moment, the appearances of Vanessa, William, and Cassidy. I'm using pictures of their actors because the pictures of them I could find online SUCKED.

William: Light skin, straight(?) brown hair, blue eyes. Vanessa: Light skin, straight blonde hair (though it's wavy in this picture, it's definitely straight for Vanessa), blue/maybe green eyes. Cassidy: Light skin, straight blonde hair, blue eyes.

The movie does suggest that Vanessa colors her hair blonde from brown (see: the brown roots), however, when she shows the photo of her childhood self and her father off to Mike, young Vanessa clearly has blonde hair as well.

And notably, her roots are just as blonde, suggesting that blonde was her natural hair color, but that it darkened as she got older, only for her to begin bleaching it back to its original color.

Now, blonde hair and blue/green eyes are both quite rare, but not rare enough that it's a dead ringer for a genetic connection. Hell, the Chica girl has blonde hair and blue eyes. However, Susie in the games has blonde hair and blue eyes, and Cassidy in the games very clearly has brown, and likely dark hair as well.

This makes the change to blonde with blue eyes very noticeable, and very noteworthy. And it’s a set of traits that he shares with Vanessa, as well as the notable blue eyes with William, as well as appearing to have a similar face shape.

Cassidy is inexplicably special

Cassidy is the first person who shares the image of Afton as Spring Bonnie with Mike when asked about who took Garrett. He seems more aware than anyone else of William, Garrett, William’s crimes, and what they’re doing.

When Mike asks who took Garrett, Cassidy responds by drawing a rabbit in the dirt- Spring Bonnie. (I will come back to this momentarily.) While the other kids believe Spring Bonnie is their friend, Cassidy seems to know the truth. He knows Garrett is dead, and offers Mike the chance to essentially see his ghost in exchange for Abby.

Furthermore, Cassidy doesn’t ever attack Abby, he doesn’t respond when William tells the children to wake up and go after her, and most interestingly-

Look at this image.

When Abby shows the missing kids what happened to them (in a scene I actually loved, btw, and I will take absolutely no criticism), you can see Jeremy in blue, Gabriel in the top hat, Fritz with the hook hand, Susie with long blonde hair, and… what I believe might actually be Garrett with dark hair and a red shirt. Because one thing is clear- that is not Cassidy.

Cassidy is not being controlled. He is fully aware, and he is angry. Hell, if you listen to his tone when he says “we want Abby,” it’s angry. Forceful. “We. Want. Abby.”

Again, Cassidy knows what is happening. He is angry and vengeful, and he’s the only one. So… why?

Well, honestly, this was my big qualm with the movie. Why was Cassidy special? In my eyes, there are four answers to this. He has a direct connection to William, a direct connection to Fazbear, a direct connection to every missing child that is unique to him, or he was the first or last of the missing kids. These would all set him apart. But we have no reason to believe he has a connection to FE, he was the fourth of the five missing kids as seen in the opening, and it seemed like the five of them were a group of friends. So what makes him special? He obviously knows or has something that sets him apart.

The imagery

Let me rewind now to when Mike first gets his answer about who took Garrett. He finds Cassidy in the woods and asks him for help remembering Garrett’s kidnapper. Cassidy responds by showing Mike a drawing of Spring Bonnie. Again, he knows that Spring Bonnie is evil, but more importantly here, he knows that Spring Bonnie took Garrett. Now, there are three ways he could know. One, process of elimination- the rabbit took him, so it took Garrett too. Two, assuming a relation to Afton, he saw or knew when this happened. Three, it was a matter of association.

Well, I actually doubt it was either of the first two. (You will see why this is not self contradictory in a second.) One, if it was because Spring Bonnie took Cassidy, well, Mike asked about Garrett, not Cassidy. For someone as obviously aware as Cassidy is, this is an obvious logical gap I doubt he’d make.

Two, Vanessa- Afton’s known daughter- didn’t know what happened to Garrett. When Mike asked- "asked"- if she knew, she said "not about Garrett." And while we don't have a clear timeline here (thanks Vanessa for your very ambiguous "in the 80s, kids went missing", we. we know), this was likely Afton's first kill. Meaning Cassidy was even younger then than he was when he died.

So, what do I mean by "it was a matter of association"? And how is this not self contradictory?

Well, assuming Cassidy didn't just. know Afton did it, what might have happened instead actually works even better with the idea that he knew Afton.

Compare the imagery here to that of the photo Vanessa shows Mike.

Spring Bonnie and the toy plane. If he saw Spring Bonnie and Vanessa with Garrett’s toy, seeing Garrett with that toy, he could assume that Spring Bonnie got it from him. Therefore, Garrett was taken by Spring Bonnie- Vanessa and Cassidy’s dad in the costume.

Their relationship

This one I’ll keep short. We only see Cassidy and William interact once. And it’s a very bizarre scene.

William is struggling, clinging to life, and Cassidy is standing, watching. Someone else said he was crying here, but I didn’t see it. Maybe, maybe not. I’m leaving that there. Either way, William reaches out to Cassidy, seemingly for help, and Cassidy shuts the door on him.

Watching the movie back and realizing Cassidy was never under William’s influence, this scene is… confusing, to say the least. Why would William reach for the help of the one child who was never under his thumb? What is he trying to appeal to? And why does Cassidy get the moment of being the one to shut the door on him?

Well, it’s obvious to see through Vanessa and the four missing children under his control that he is very clearly abusive to his children. Which isn’t a surprise to most, but anyway. Through the few minutes he and Vanessa are together, he berates her, strangles her, stabs her in the stomach and leaves her for dead, and Mike remarks that William “really messed [her] up”. He similarly berates and insults the missing kids, calling them pathetic and small. At the same time, however, he relies on his children to back him up. Vanessa is supposed to keep Mike from knowing anything and kill him if he gets too close. The animatronics are supposed to kill children and adults alike on his command. He leans on them. They are supposed to back him up.

And this would extend even to the one who he never controlled entirely if Cassidy was his son. His daughter let him down. His victims turned on him. But he still has one child left who hasn’t let him down. One who wasn’t there for him, but should be. Because that is the job of William’s children.

He reaches for Cassidy, the boy shuts the door on his murderer. The man who abused, betrayed, and slaughtered him all while he was meant to be his dad. William’s son is not going to clean up his messes now. He’s going to make him pay for them.

(ENDING DISCLAIMER THAT THIS IS ALL SPECULATION! I know there are many other explanations. This is just the one I like and I wanted to share it!)

[dutifullynuttywitch]

Sisterly advice

Wake the Dead fanfic

Pairing: Brynn Archer / Eva Archer (sisters)

@choicesfebruary2024 Prompt: Family

Summary: Eva and Brynn Archer enjoy a rare day off in the Tower.

Word count: 1,200

Rating: Teen

Today has been an almost perfect day, Eva Archer reflects.

She’d had the day off from pest control. Brynn and her crew were also on a rare break from scouting.

She and Brynn had woken up late, enjoyed a half decent meal for a change – scavengers had brought back apples from a nearby grove – and spent the afternoon playing cards with Cassidy, Dirk, Troy and Mack.

Even Troy had refrained from cheating, mostly. He’d slipped her a couple of aces under the table when her pile of chips had run dangerously low, grinning charmingly at Cassidy’s amused smirk, the others oblivious to the maneuver.

This was about as perfect a day as she could hope for within the confines of the Tower.

Her wandering thoughts sour at that.

The Tower.

Forever cooped inside a large, windowless, oppressive bunker. Surrounded by too many people, all busy eking out a living, oblivious to the world around them, living and working under the flickering of artificial neon lights.

Of course, there were bright spots in that otherwise bleak world.

Her Sister Brynn and her scouting crew, Cassidy, Dirk, Brianna. Their quirky friend Mack. And Troy, her best friend and partner in crime. They had become her adopted family. Made her existence in the Tower more bearable.

Eva dreams of being able to head out and see the world. Feel the grass between her toes again. Visit some old world relics she faintly remembered from her childhood and would avidly read about in Troy’s magazines - amusement parks, libraries, museums... She wants to swim in the sea. Feel the warm, salty breeze on her face.

Eva barely remembers life before the drones, before the Tower. She had been so young when people had started to change, when they’d lost their fathers and had been forced to flee. Brynn, still a child herself, taking on the parenting role.

“Hey! Earth to Eva! What are you daydreaming about?”

It’s the main reason she wants to become a scout so bad. To Brynn’s immense displeasure. Too dangerous, she’d growl, shutting down every attempt at a conversation.

Brynn pulls her out of her reverie with a light tug. Both sisters are sitting cross-legged on Brynn’s bottom bunk, the older sister’s hands nimbly working on braiding Eva’s fiery red hair.

“Nothing... I just.. I’m realizing, I’m starting to forget what the outside world looks like, feels like...” Eva murmurs, looking at her hands.

Brynn freezes, a pained look on her face.

“Eva...”

“And I know what you’re going to say, outside is dangerous, full of drones. And I know you’re right, I’m not trying to minimize the danger. But still, you get to actually leave this place for a while, breathe fresh air, feel the sun on your face... The last time I saw any of the outside world was when Troy ...”

Eva clamps her mouth shut, realizing she’d said too much.

“When you what? Eva, when the hell did you see the outside world with Troy?!” Brynn rounds on her, furious.

“It’s not like we left the tower or anything, Brynn! A... a few months ago, he took me to see the northern lights up on one of the top floors. We may have snuck back up a few times since... but only at night, with no one around to see us, I swear!”

“Are you kidding me, Eva?! Do you have any idea what’ll happen if Blackstock’s people find you sneaking into off limit areas? And after curfew at that?! God, I don’t know who's the worst influence between the two of you.”

Brynn stares at her, furious, then lets out an amused chuckle.

“You know, I thought the two of you were sneaking around making out or something. Was working myself up to the birds and bees talk. I definitely did not suspect late night stargazing. You’re such dorks!”

“Making out?! Birds and - what on earth gave you that ridiculous idea?” Eva splutters, face heating up.

“Oh come on, little sis, I’m not blind. I can see how you look at each other. And the not-so-subtle flirting.”

Wait, what does Brynn mean about Troy looking at me like… Eva’s mind spins as she thinks back to their daily interactions. His charming smile, his soft brown eyes sparkling with mischief and affection…

Nah, he’s just being friendly, as he’s always been. My best friend, nothing more, nothing less.

Could they ever be something more?

She shakes the thoughts away.

Brynn smirks, enjoying her sister’s discomfort a little too much.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eva mumbles, “Troy's just a friend. Besides, he’s a huge flirt. And a goofball. And an ass more often than not. He’s really not my type.”

“Uh Huh. You keep telling yourself that.” Brynn smiles, amused.

“Okay, since we’re going there, what about you and Dirk? I see the way he looks at you. The guy worships the ground you walk on!” Eva turns towards her big sister, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

Brynn becomes serious, a little hesitant.

“Dirk and I... It’s complicated. I know he cares about me. And I do have… feelings. But when you’re out with someone risking your lives on a near daily basis, you need to fully trust them. Right now, we have a great dynamic going with him, Cassidy, Brianna. We have each other’s backs, but we also know none of us will hesitate to do the hard thing if one of us got bit. If Dirk and I became something more, I’m worried it’d cloud our judgement if things went south...”

Eva takes in the admission, brows knitted, then grabs her big sister in a crushing hug.

“Brynn, you deserve happiness. And love - even if it’s with someone as grumpy as Dirk.”

Brynn scoffs at that, but Eva continues.

“I swear, you’re always putting everyone’s needs and wellbeing ahead of yours. Even the damn job. You’re always looking out for me -”

“It’s my job, even though you don’t make it easy, you brat!”

“Well, if you weren’t such a stuck-up ass all the time ...”

“Watch it, lil sis...” Brynn growls, eyes narrowing in warning.

“Or what? You gonna -”

Eva squeals as Brynn lunges at her, jumping off the bed. She ducks as a pillow sails right above her head.

“I swear Eva, I don’t know how I even put up with you.” Brynn mutters, getting up to grab her boots.

“’It’s cause you loooove me!”

“You’re lucky we’re related or you’d be out on your ass. Now get a move on or we’ll miss evening rations.”

“Yeah yeah.” Eva smirks.

She suddenly turns serious, pensive.

“For what it’s worth, Brynn, I get your concern that letting someone in may… complicate an already good thing. But if you don’t, you can also miss out on the chance of something amazing.”

Brynn stops to ponder. Then smirks.

“Wait, actual words of wisdom from my little sis? I guess you did learn something in between all your suspensions. Any chance you’ll follow your own advice?”

“… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Riiiight.”

Eva rolls her eyes, wrapping an arm around Brynn to give her a hug.

Brynn reaches up and playfully rubs her knuckles on her sister’s head.

“Ouch! Brat!”

Both sisters giggle and tease each other as they head out into the labyrinth of neon-lit hallways.

[alphashley14]

Oh dear.

I just had another idea for a SDMI fic…

Honestly at this point I’m considering making an entire WHAT-IF style collection of short stories in order to write all of my SDMI fic ideas without making them all novel-length.

SO. Today’s brain child:

Everyone keeps their memories when the timeline resents, so they basically all wake up with new lives and vague new memories to help them navigate them. Dead people are alive. People who were formerly in miserable situations now have their dream jobs. And without the influence of the curse, a lot of former assholes are suddenly much better people. All things considered, 90% of. Crystal Cove is better off. A couple of people (ie: Daphne’s sisters) got screwed, and some people are placed in situations that are… complicated. Like Sheriff Stone and Mayor Nettles, who have suddenly leapt from dating to married, and who have three kids who didn’t previously exist and who don’t understand why Mommy, Daddy, and most of the town are suddenly acting weird and telling crazy stories.

… And then there are Ricky and Cassidy… the protagonists of this story.

“-Wait.”

“-Oh no.”

💍*Staring at their matching wedding rings*💍

“Erm-“

“It would appear-“

“We’re married.”

Misunderstandings and miscommunication ensue.

Ricky immediately leaps to wanting a divorce, because even though he still loves Cassidy and always will, he remembers the way he used to be and everything he did, and he doesn’t think he deserves this second chance or that she could ever love him back.

Cassidy agrees all too readily at first. She’s angry with him, and hurt and confused. But as she inevitably spends more time around him (because they live together and run a company together) and gets the whole picture of what happened after she died in the original timeline (ie: that Ricky was tortured after he tried to stand up to Pericles and that he sacrificed himself to save the kids), she comes to realize that he might not be exactly the same boy she fell in love with, but he’s not who he used to be anymore either. And this time, they actually have a shot at being happy together.

So right before the divorce starts to be finalized, Cassidy starts fighting it. Starts trying to convince Ricky that she still feels something that could grow into something more. That they should try staying married and see what happens. That they both deserve a second chance.

… And little by little, (with the help of some meddling kids)… he starts to believe her.

What do you think? 😁

[karmirage]

fic masterpost

yeah i do have other marvel fics on my ao3 but some of them i wrote in high school also some of them i don't vibe with anymore

note that some of these are from a while ago! my perceptions and takes on characters change and grow, so if i wrote something, sometimes i won't agree with the characterization later. keep that in mind.

on that note: many of the old fics name Xuân as Xuyen, bc that was the fanmade actually-Vietnamese alternative to Xi'an before her name was changed in canon.

Family Colors (2018): 1,679 words. Standalone (there used to be a second chapter but I didn't like it so I got rid of it). Gen, Kamala-centric, Civil War II era. To whom do the Captain Marvel colors belong?

cloudburst (2019): 423 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. ever wake up to a thunderstorm?

Retail Therapy (2020): 1,209 words. Standalone. James Proudstar/Terry Cassidy. Early-krakoa era -- I wrote this just a bit after krakoa became A Thing, when we didn't know what had recently happened with more minor characters like terry. also i think they're very cute.

Morning Song (2020): 955 words. Standalone. James Proudstar/Terry Cassidy. idk I think Jimmy would like cooking.

if you don't mind me saying so (i love you) (2020): 25,423 words. Part 1 of "love like fools." Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. my funny little fake dating indulgence. the epitome of "I wrote it for me but you can read it if you want" (as so many of my works are). i haven't actually reread this one i have no idea if it's good or not. but it sure exists.

Days Off (2020): 1,523 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Sam wakes up sick and Roberto tries to help.

sunlight (2020): 2,090 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Seasonal affective disorder strikes Roberto.

the whole 'not being dead' thing (2020): 1,094 words. Standalone. Gen. Early-krakoa era. Jay is resurrected and catches up with his new nephew.

Winner Takes All (2020): 2,006 words. Two chapters (so far. might fuck around and add another chapter idk). Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Utopia-era. sparring and unsaid feelings and also Doug's new ability to read body language.

i don't want to spend my life (without your kiss goodnight) (2020): 1,702 words. Rated M for non-explicit making out. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. the world has not ended so obviously let's party

my home in you (2020): 2,122 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. patching up the other's wounds.

The Meaning of Family (2021): 10,926 words. Standalone. Gen. Ruth-centric. Ruth bonds with her family -- because she does have family, and no x man is truly ever alone. Also, possibly, she might kill someone in the future.

live our life like we know we could (ONGOING/HIATUS): 22,300 words. Part 2 of "love like fools." Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Post mission, post reveal, navigating uncharted relationship waters.

in the name of the moon! (2022): 4,382 words. Standalone. Gen (though it's tagged as Sam/Roberto, and you can certainly read it like that if you want, but that's not the focus). Sam textile artist real To Me. also: halloween and sailor moon.

i mean every word i say (2023): 1,559 words. Rated T for mention of sex. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Sam's been keeping secrets, and that makes Roberto nervous.

we will never be forgotten (2023): 2,689 words. Standalone. Sam Guthrie/Roberto da Costa. Roberto gets mindwiped, knocked out, and a visitor in the infirmary (in that order).

you're never gonna get a second take (2023): 2,166 words. Standalone. Dani Moonstar/Xuân Cao Mạnh. don't you just love those undercover missions where they have to dress in fancy clothes? yeah so does xuân

nothing holds me back at all (2023): 1,461 words. Part 1 of "the memories that make us." Gen. Dani-centric. Dani rides a horse for the first time (with her father's help).

you can never take this part of me (2023): 1,691 words. Part 2 of "the memories that make us." Gen. Sam-centric. Sam goes fishing with his dad and his gaggle of younger siblings.

~~~

works in progress (that I'm posting to hold myself accountable so I actually finish them someday):

- the rest of "the memories that make us" (i.e. the other 13 parts, one for each of the original nine and the six academy x era students. all of it is me practicing writing kids)

- king/lionheart Sam/Roberto medieval au. even tho I hate royalty the aesthetics kind of slam

- megafic (62 chapters planned! six tie ins! almost fully canon compliant all the way up to war of realms!) the ties that bind & related works wrt the better endings au

- rewriting document of high school fics (mostly samberto. I'm more or less a one trick pony)

- several shorter smaller things that I just have to work up the courage to post (including practice with NSFW writing)

- not a fanfiction: but my long ass academic paper (fully cited) that talks about the mutant metaphor and the actual minorities within the x men and my huge large spreadsheet that goes with it.

[elm-writes-stories]

Cuphead: Isle of Memories (REWRITE)

*Hey, everyone, I'm back!!! Who misses me?! Eh? Eh? Well, anyways, I'm back with another episode of Cuphead: Isle of Memories. We're about halfway done with the story. However, the updates will be slower to maybe once a month because I got work and school to contend with. This is published on February 10, 2024. If you guys like the story, don't be afraid to leave kudos and comment! They will be greatly appreciated! Have a blessed day! Bye!*

Episode Twelve: The Living Legend

“We are the Calix Animi.”

Mugman kept hearing the phrase. He couldn’t move or wake up for a moment. Pictures of strangers fighting each other flashed before his eyes until finally he saw a pool in a dark wide hallway. It was glowing with three glowing orbs with two on one side and one on the other side.

“Love. Value. Protect.”

“Love thy neighbor. Value the lives around you. Protect those less fortunate.”

“Mugman…Mugman…Mugman!!” his mother’s voice cried from within the pool.

Mugman couldn’t respond to the voice or call out to her. He was paralyzed.

“Mugman! Mugman! C’mon, Mugman, wake up!!”

He felt like he was being pulled towards the pool, but he couldn’t scream or move to get out of whatever force was pulling him towards it. His vision had become more blue as he got closer. He looked into it to find a group of warriors within the reflection of the water, laying dead in a battlefield. He watched his arm moved towards the water to touch it before—

“Mugman! Mugman, wake up, bud!!”

Mugman gasped and snapped his eyes open, his vision a blur for a moment until he could finally move again. He saw Cuphead, Cassidy, Natalie, Canteen, and Chalice standing over him.

Cuphead smiled in relief. “Oh, thank goodness.”

“DJIMMI, WE GOT A SITUATION!!” Ribby’s voice was heard from a distance.

“It’s okay! He’s awake now!” Cuphead shouted, but Djimmi came into Mugman’s field of vision to look at him.

“What happened?” Djimmi asked the kids, mostly Mugman.

Mugman groaned in pain and held his head.

“I dunno. One minute, we’re looking at Natalie and Cuphead dancin’ and then the next minute, he just fainted,” Chalice explained.

Mugman tried to remember why he fainted exactly. He could’ve sworn he heard someone calling his name. Then there was that pool…that glowing pool. Why did he see a glowing pool? Was that Quadratus calling him? No, Quadratus didn’t have a power to do that, he would think. The vision bothered him as he looked to see his hands glowing blue and shaking.

Djimmi noticed this and examined his hands. “What’s wrong with your hands?”

Mugman was snapped out of his thoughts. “Huh?”

The genie helped the mug up on his feet. “C’mon, let me take a look at your hands.” When he saw Mugman’s legs wobbling, Djimmi picked him up and carried him over to his tent.

Cuphead glanced over in concern. “What’s wrong with Mugman?”

“Give me a second,” Djimmi sat Mugman down on the chair while the kids came over to the genie’s tent in concern.

Mugman could his hands shaking more while glowing blue.

Cassidy saw this and attempted to hold his hand, but she felt a small shock when trying to hold his hand.

He gasped when he saw her get zapped from trying to hold his hand to comfort him. “Sorry.”

Djimmi observed this while kneeling down in front of Mugman. “Hold still.” He gently grabbed Mugman by the arm and examined the hand shaking. “It looks like your hands are under a magnetic force.”

“What?” the kids uttered in confusion.

“Magnetic force?” Natalie questioned.

“Yeah, like he’s being pulled towards someplace unknown,” Djimmi explained.

Mugman thought for a moment, and the vision of the pool kept invading his mind. He tried to ignore it, but he couldn’t keep quiet about it.

“The pool…”

The kids and Djimmi looked at Mugman.

“Huh? What pool?” Cuphead questioned his brother.

Canteen and Chalice exchanged quick glances at each other as if they were thinking of the same thing and then back to their friend.

Mugman shook his head. “I don’t know…”

“Are you seeing Quadratus in your vision?” Djimmi questioned.

“No…Quadratus…he wasn’t in the pool. But someone else is…” Mugman uttered, now feeling the blue glow spreading up towards his arms.

Chalice could feel a shiver down her spine.

“Maybe you shouldn’t talk about your visions for a little bit,” Djimmi said before getting out two bracelets and put them on Mugman’s wrists, causing the blue glow to fade from Mugman’s body. “It’s an anti-magic bracelet. It will probably keep your visions at bay for a while. Take it off if you need to.”

“What’s happening to me?” Mugman asked Djimmi in a shaky tone.

The genie frowned. “I don’t have an answer for that. Whatever it is, it’s probably nothing. I suggest you get some rest and drink water, okay?”

Mugman nodded his head.

Djimmi was putting everything away in his tent as Mugman walked out.

The kids followed Mugman out of the tent.

“You okay?” Cuphead asked his brother.

Mugman had the look of guilt on his face to see his brother still wearing the red suit and Natalie wearing her dress. “I’m sorry I ruined your date.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Natalie reassured Mugman. “It was coming to an end anyway.”

“Yeah, we ain’t worried about that,” Cuphead replied to his brother. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“No…Yes…” a sigh escaped Mugman’s lips. “I don’t know.”

Cassidy leaned her head against his with a small purr. “Whatever it is…we’ll all get through it, okay?”

He nodded in agreement with his lover. “Yeah…okay.”

Chalice and Canteen had been silent the entire time, looking at the mug in concern.

Chalice, however, decided to plaster a smile. “Hey, why don’t we all get some rest? It’s gettin’ late, ya know?”

Mugman rubbed his arm and nodded. “Yeah…I guess.”

He walked away from the group with the vision still in his mind, leaving the kids to look at him in concern.

~.~

It was late at night when the boys were already in their pajamas. The brothers decided to switch bunk beds with Mugman at the bottom and Cuphead at the top, just in case Mugman would have a vision and fall off the bed. He wouldn’t have to fall far if he ended up rolling off of bed.

With both of the brothers asleep, Mugman started to toss and turn from a strange dream that no one will ever know except for him.

He saw the faceless warriors fighting against each other. He was breathing heavily in fear while watching the demons tearing through citizens with their bare claws and teeth. Blood was everywhere while he could hear the words in Latin once again.

“Multa bella pugnabuntur.

Multi milites in manibus sunt mali.

Nondum venit finis, sed cito venit.

Agnus ueniet ad gregem et reducet eos in campums seculorum.”

In the real world, Mugman groaned uncomfortably and clutched his blanket tighter. His hands started to glow blue again, breaking through the anti-magic bracelet around his wrists. The blue glow spread across his body as Mugman tossed and turned more.

Back into his vision, the battle raged on while he noticed that his body was glowing blue. He breathed heavily and grabbed his head. He shut his eyes while his body was trembling.

“Make it stop! Make it stop!” Mugman screamed, but it was muffled by the Latin words spoken to him.

He snapped his eyes open to find that glowing pool again, but he shut his eyes again. The tears leaked out of his eyes.

“Ite, et lapsorum quaerite memoriam.

Ite, et lapsorum quaerite memoriam.

Ite, et lapsorum quaerite memoriam.

Ite, et lapsorum quaerite memoriam.”

“Shut up! Shut up!!” Mugman screamed.

“Mugman…MUGMAN!!!”

Mugman snapped his eyes open with a gasp to find Cuphead by his bedside. His vision was blue.

“Buddy, you okay?” Cuphead asked.

Mugman rubbed his eyes and the blue in his vision was gone. He looked down at his body glowing blue, which caused Cuphead to clench his jaw.

“Your bracelets were broken while you’re asleep,” Cuphead explained.

Mugman kept seeing visions of the pool and hearing words whispered in his head. He groaned and massaged his head to soothe his headache.

“I-I gotta go…” Mugman uttered as he stood up.

“Whoa, whoa.” Cuphead hurried to stop his brother. “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know, b-but I have to get there. I can’t keep ignoring it.”

“Ignoring what?” Cuphead questioned with a brow raised.

“The vision, Cuphead!” Mugman blurted out, his hands trembling. “Something is trying to lead me somewhere and I need to get there. I know it sounds insane and probably ridiculous, but I can’t ignore it. I-I can’t…”

Cuphead watched his brother’s body trembling with a soft look. He frowned and pondered for a moment until his head perked up like an idea came to him.

“Why don’t we go wherever you’re going together?” Cuphead asked.

“Really? You would come with me? You don’t know where we’re even going,” Mugman pointed.

Cuphead gave his brother a deadpan stare. “Mugsy, how many places have I dragged you into where you didn’t know where we were going at first?”

Mugman blinked for a moment to think about it. “A lot of places.”

“Sooo, you get to drag me to a place I don’t know either.”

“But, Cuphead, we both don’t know where we’re going.”

“So? Let’s go,” Cuphead said while opening their bedroom window.

“Wait,” Mugman uttered. “What if it’s someplace dangerous?”

“We got powers, bud. I ain’t too worried about it. We can bring the others if that makes you more comfortable.”

“Maybe…I think we should have more people just in case something goes wrong,” Mugman replied logically.

“Great idea, bud,” Cuphead whispered before climbing out of the window.

Mugman sighed and followed after his brother.

~.~

“So, let me get this straight,” Natalie uttered while walking through the forest with Cassidy, Chalice, Canteen, Cuphead, Aurora, and Mugman. She rubbed her eyes with a yawn. She was in her nightgown and holding her little sister’s hand. “Mugman has some weird vision of some pool…and we’re going towards it.”

“Yeah, that’s the gist of it,” Cuphead replied. “Though I don’t think we know where exactly.”

“Djimmi said something about Mugman’s hands being under some kind of a magnetic force,” Canteen noted while pointing at Mugman’s hands glowing blue and guiding everyone through the forest.

Cassidy stayed beside Mugman and pressed her head against his. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, angel,” Mugman replied while receiving affection back.

“What’s going to happen once we find the pool?” Chalice asked. “Is it going to hurt Mugman or—?”

Chalice’s sentence was cut off once they noticed the mausoleum glowing blue in front of them.

Aurora noticed Mugman’s pupils glowing blue. “What’s happening to Mugsy?”

The rest of the kids looked at Mugman.

Mugman’s body glowed blue as if he was being pulled towards the mausoleum.

“Mugman?” Cuphead called nervously.

Mugman didn’t listen to his brother as he headed towards the entrance of the mausoleum.

“G-Guys?” Mugman stuttered, looking around for them.

“We’re right here, Mugs,” Chalice reassured him. “Whatever is going on with you, don’t fight it, okay?”

Mugman nodded. He stopped fighting the pull and headed into the blue glowing building. The others glanced at Chalice in confusion as she frowned and looked away.

“What’s happening to him, Chalice?” Cassidy asked in fear.

Chalice frowned and looked at her friends. “It’s hard to explain.”

Canteen held her hand, reassuring her that it was okay to not talk about it at the moment. Whatever it was that she was keeping from everybody, anyway.

The kids shifted their attention back to Mugman, who came upon the square gap on the floor. He jumped into the darkness as everyone else approached the edge.

“What is he doing?” Natalie questioned.

Chalice frowned and jumped into the darkness to follow Mugman.

Cuphead swooped Natalie off of her feet while picking up Aurora. He dropped down with his orange wings spread and both of the girls in his arms to keep them safe.

Canteen and Cassidy exchanged glances at each other. They held hands and jumped down into the darkness.

Once the kids landed on the ground, Cuphead managed to let Natalie and Aurora go. The kids watched Mugman walking down the wide hall, approaching the glowing pool at the end of it. The three orbs glowed brighter at the mug’s presence. He looked into the pool and caressed the water.

The voices grew from the pool, Latin phrases that the kids weren’t familiar with except for Chalice. She understood the words:

“Noli timere.

Noli timere.

Noli timere.

Noli timere.”

Cuphead felt the sudden burn in his chest, causing him to stumble.

“Ack! Mugsy!” Cuphead cried, getting everyone’s attention.

Natalie rushed by her boyfriend. “Cups! Cups, what’s wrong?!”

“I-I don’t know!!!” Cuphead cried in pain.

Chalice noticed her hands glowing in a bright sunny color. She felt the sudden warmth that she could’ve sworn it wasn’t from the fire. She started to tremble at the sight of the brightness, trying to snuff it out by covering herself. But it wouldn’t dim the brightness.

Cassidy’s heart was racing as she saw Mugman falling into the water. She hurried towards him to save him, but Canteen stopped her.

“No! Cassi, you’re going to drown yourself!” Canteen shouted.

The kids turned and watched the pool glowed brighter.

~.~

“Stop! Thief!”

Mugman snapped his eyes open with a gasp. What did he just do? Was he stealing something? He looked around to find himself in a town that was smaller than Inkwell Isle. There were cabins everywhere with citizens using stoves to cook their food. There wasn’t electricity either.

“W-Where am I?”

“Stop, thief!”

Mugman turned to see a couple of soldiers in bright red uniforms charging towards him. “Wait, wait, I didn’t steal—”

The soldiers phased right through him as if he was invisible.

“—anything,” Mugman finished his sentence and turned to find the soldiers were chasing someone else.

He joined them in the pursuit, wondering who they were chasing. However, he felt something magnetic pulling him in another direction to the left. He stumbled and noticed someone hiding in the shadows. Mugman could see that this must be the thief that the guards were calling…except he recognized that thief somehow. Once the thief leaned into the light to watch out for more guards, the white porcelain cup head with a curved handle and some designs shaped like electric shocks and there were fire engravings on his handle.

Mugman widened his eyes in shock. “G-Gabriel?”

“Hm?” Gabriel responded to his name, but he didn’t find anyone nearby him.

Mugman realized that he couldn’t see him as well…but could hear him strangely.

Gabriel shrugged it off and hurried off.

“Wait!” Mugman cried while chasing after Gabriel.

Gabriel rushed around the town, carrying a satchel of whatever he stole from the market.

“Gabriel, wait!” Mugman shouted, chasing after Gabriel until they arrived at a shack. It looked rundown and in poor condition with just a fireplace and furniture scattered all over the place.

Mugman widened his eyes in shock at Gabriel’s living conditions and followed him into his home where he saw a pregnant cup woman who…looked a lot like his mother, but different. She appeared to be sickly while her blonde hair was falling out.

“You alright, love?” Gabriel asked softly while kissing her cheek tenderly.

“I’m alright. I felt a kick today.”

“You have?” Gabriel inquired with a soft smile.

She placed his hand on her stomach to feel little feet kicking inside the womb.

“Do you feel it?” she asked.

“Aye, I do,” he responded. “You can tell he wants out.”

“She,” she teasingly argued.

“Oh? I don’t think so. He’s going to be a strapping young boy like me.”

His wife rolled her eyes. “Or she’s going to become a strapping young girl like her father.”

“You think?”

“I know so.”

He chuckled. “Remember the deal, love? I name the boys and you name the girls.”

“If it’s a girl, I’m going to name her Rose.”

“Rose, huh? Beautiful.”

She noticed the satchel strap over his shoulder. “What did you steal this time?”

“You’re saying that as if I have been stealing every day,” Gabriel replied with a smirk.

“You have,” his wife said without hesitation.

He rolled his eyes playfully and opened his satchel to find that it was food. “A lot of food. Wouldn’t want you and the baby to starve.”

“That’s considerate of you, dear,” his wife said while sitting up to eat the food.

Mugman gazed at Gabriel softly. Before he could reach towards Gabriel and his wife, the memory switched to Gabriel being captured by the guards for the professor, who was a fork with a coat and glasses.

“I see that you have a nasty record of stealing things in the market, Mr. Arch-Cup,” the fork professor replied while looking through Gabriel’s records. “If I were you, I would thank the Most High that you’re not in jail right at this second. Though you should consider your choices carefully. What I am about to offer you could enrich you from this poor state you and your family were living in.”

“How did you—?”

“Rumors fly, good sir,” the professor answered without hesitation. “There is something I would like you to steal and it could save your entire family. Heck, I shall pay you a good sum for it and keep the soldiers off of your back so that you can provide for your family.”

“What am I stealing?”

“An excellent question. There are two orbs that were untouched by this exclusive group called the Calix Animi. They say that only the purest of blood and worthy can obtain these orbs, but you, my friend, are a common thief, not a pure blood and definitely not someone the Most High would deem worthy, which is perfect for this operation,” the professor replied.

Gabriel arched a brow. “Uh…thanks?”

“You’re welcome,” the professor said abrasively. “It’s up to you whether you’re up for it or not.”

“How much will you pay me if I do this?”

“As I said before, just enough to keep you and your family off the streets. Besides, I’m sure you didn’t find any better jobs than the jobs here.”

Gabriel took a moment to ponder about this offer.

Mugman looked to the side to find another memory of Gabriel’s wife coughing and holding her stomach. She couldn’t move and rubbed her stomach to soothe the baby in the womb. The memory disappeared, causing Mugman to shift his attention to Gabriel.

Gabriel huffed out a breath and looked up at the fork professor. “I’ll do it.”

“Excellent,” the professor said with a smile. “I’m sure you’ll do fine in this operation.”

Mugman watched a memory appear to see Gabriel sneaking into the familiar mausoleum and followed after him.

Gabriel approached the two orbs, one blue and one red. With a deep breath, Gabriel carefully put the orbs in his satchel to take back to the fork professor. Both Mugman and Gabriel weren’t sure why the professor wanted the orbs, but one could assume that the professor might be studying in a subject to which everyone called him insane over. But before Gabriel could make his quick exit before the members of the Calix Animi wake up, the orbs were mixed together in his satchel. Were the orbs supposed to do that?

When Gabriel opened the satchel, the substance leaped inside of Gabriel. Everything was turning blue and red in his vision while screaming in agony from the flames and electricity.

Mugman watched in horror at Gabriel’s suffering as everything became a blur to Mugman. He felt electricity running through his veins as he cried out in pain. His powers must have been responding to Gabriel’s newfound the powers. Mugman felt a tug towards Gabriel, but he couldn’t tell what was going on after everything went dark.

~.~

The building started to shake slightly, which was noticed by Canteen.

Canteen let Cassidy go and noticed Chalice’s body glowing brighter than usual.

“What’s happening?!” Canteen shouted his question.

“I-I think there’s s-something else I didn’t mention to you,” Chalice stuttered, her body glowing brighter.

“What?!”

Chalice stumbled trying to go to her boyfriend until Canteen rushed to catch her.

“Chalice, what’s happening to you?” Canteen asked, his voice trembling.

“Cuppy!” Aurora’s shout caught Chalice and Canteen’s attention.

They turned to find Cuphead burning up in his body, agonizing him further.

Natalie tried to get near him, but was too afraid of the growing flames coming out of his body. “Cups!”

Cassidy looked down at the pool for her boyfriend. She heard Natalie calling Cuphead’s name. She turned to notice the flames growing with wide eyes in fear for Natalie’s life. She looked at the water and then glanced around for a bucket. Once she found an old bucket, she scooped the water from the glowing pool and hurried to douse the flames on Cuphead’s body. Once she poured water over him, the flames exploded as if it had been doused by gasoline instead of water. The explosion pushed Natalie and Cassidy away from Cuphead.

Natalie bumped into the podium and noticed a pink orb about to fall on Aurora behind her. She got up and held up the orb to save her sister from the pink orb falling on her little sister. However, the pink substance flew out of the orb and into Natalie’s body, causing her to drop the empty orb in front of her feet. She collapsed on her knees and gripped her chest as her veins glowed pink.

Aurora hurried by her big sister. “Sissy, Sissy! What’s wrong?!”

Natalie gritted her teeth to keep her from screaming in pain.

Cassidy flew onto the podium that held the green orb, knocking it over. The green orb broke and the green substance was set free. The red feline noticed it coming towards her, but it was too late to run from it since it entered her body. She could feel something growing inside of her. She clenched her teeth with tears in her face.

Chalice noticed the girls suffering. “Oh no…”

“Oh no, what?” Canteen asked in fear. “What’s happening to them?”

Chalice glanced up at him. “The prophecy…it’s coming true.”

“What prophecy?” Canteen probed. He could feel the building shaking, knocking over the dark blue orb and breaking it. The substance from the orb lingered out and into Canteen without hesitation. Canteen’s body tensed up from the strange feeling, until he could feel his head hurting.

“C-Chalice,” Canteen whimpered in pain. He held his head and fell onto his knees with screams in pain.

Chalice noticed this and hugged him tightly while he started to scream in pain.

Aurora witnessed all of this with fear in her eyes. She trembled until an idea came to her. She looked at her sister and said in a hurried tone, “I’m going to ged Briney! Hold on!”

She looked around for an exit and found it on the side by Cassidy. She hurried to the exit and rushed up the stairs to get help.

~.~

Mugman fluttered his eyes open and noticed that he only had red vision on one eye and the blue vision on his other eye. A groan escaped his lips…but he didn’t sound like him.

“What the—?” Even Mugman’s own voice didn’t sound like his own.

He saw six strangers around him, but their faces were clearer than before. One at the center of the group was a familiar female chalice leaning down to get a closer look at him.

“Chalice?” Mugman recognized…but his own voice still didn’t sound like him.

“That’s the Legendary Chalice to you,” she corrected him with a growl. “Question is, who are you, thief?”

“Thief?” Mugman glanced at his hands to realize that…wait a second, those weren’t his hands. They were much bigger than his usual hands. He got up on his feet, completely ignoring the Calix Animi group. He didn’t realize he was so much taller than before. He spotted a mirror and hurried towards it to look into it. Once he looked into it, his eyes widened in horror. He could see that he had one eye red and one eye blue…but that wasn’t all. He appeared a lot like Gabriel…wait, no, he was Gabriel now…or possessing him.

Mugman turned back around to face the Calix Animi group as Gabriel. He noticed their eyes glowing different colors.

“Who are you?” Mugman asked with Gabriel’s voice.

“We asked you first,” a silver spoon said with her arms crossed.

Before Mugman could introduce himself, he felt like something pushed him out of Gabriel’s body. Mugman tumbled onto the ground and looked to see that he was himself again. He glanced up to find Gabriel blinking in confusion.

“The bloody hell?” Gabriel uttered.

“Who are you?” the spoon asked impatiently.

“Gabriel…who are you?” Gabriel replied in confusion.

“We’re the Calix Animi,” The Legendary Chalice said. “You better have a good reason for stealing those orbs.”

“Let alone absorbing them,” the spoon, Silversmith, spoke up.

“He must have a pure blood and was worthy of the Most High if he’s able to absorb it,” the adult cup girl with pink glowing eyes, Esther, replied softly.

“Look, I didn’t think I could absorb whatever this substance was in those bloody orbs,” Gabriel growled at the group.

“Hey, hey, you don’t need to get angry. We just want to understand why you broke into the mausoleum,” the other cup man, Chester, said with his hands raised up.

“I need to get whatever this is out of me. Is there a way to do it?” Gabriel interrogated the group.

The group looked at each other and then at Gabriel.

“Unless you died, there’s no way to get the gifts out of you,” the old plate said.

Mugman watched it unfold while tilting his head.

“Well, I’m definitely not going that route,” Gabriel responded.

The Legendary Chalice smirked. “Or we can train you on how to use your powers and become part of the Calix Animi.”

The old plate glared at her. “Are you crazy?! We are going to welcome a thief! I bet he came from a poor family and had nothing else better to do than to steal.”

“Oi,” Gabriel uttered in offense. “I have a sick wife, mate!”

“You have a sick wife?” the cup girl with pink glowing eyes uttered.

“Don’t fall for his deceit, Esther,” the plate groaned. “You know he’s using that to his advantage.”

“No, I’m not,” Gabriel argued. “My wife is pregnant and if I can’t save her, then she’ll die along with the baby.”

Esther, the cup, stepped towards Gabriel. “Show me where she is. Maybe I can help her.”

Gabriel arched a brow to appear skeptic, but he nodded in agreement. “I’ll show you.”

Mugman watched on with curiosity and another memory appeared when the members of the Calix Animi in Gabriel’s shack with Esther healing Gabriel’s pregnant wife.

Esther smiled to see Gabriel’s wife healed from the sickness. “You have beautiful babies.”

“Babies?” Gabriel uttered.

“Yeah, you’re going to have twins,” Esther pointed out to him.

“We should get her somewhere safe,” The Legendary Chalice replied.

“Wait, we’re already taking him and his wife in already?” the silver spoon with green eyes questioned the Legendary Chalice. “Didn’t he try to steal from us?”

“Hold on for a second,” the cup with purple eyes glowing replied while placing his hand in Gabriel’s head.

Mugman watched with wide eyes and noticed Gabriel’s veins glowing.

The cup with purple eyes removed his hand from Gabriel’s head. “He’s trying to help out his family.”

“There’s gotta be something we can do to help,” Esther replied.

“We are not going to take them in,” the old plate growled. “They don’t have pure blood and they were not worthy to the Most High.”

“Why? They’re too poor for your taste?” the purple-eyed cup, Chester, responded. “C’mon, Grandius. The man is trying to help his sick wife, who is expecting twins soon.”

“Exactly,” The Legendary Chalice replied. “We are the Calix Animi. We are supposed to help people and fight the demons.”

“Yes, we are helping people who needed help. Not criminals,” Grandius, the old plate, said with a growl.

The female plate, Marilyn, frowned with dark blue glow in her veins. “Perhaps maybe there is a purpose as to why he’s here. Why don’t we take him in since he already absorbed the orb?”

“I’m not sure about this,” Silversmith said with uncertainty.

“Then let’s do it,” the gold chalice answered excitedly. She turned to Gabriel. “What do you say? We take both you and your wife in and keep you safe from the demons and soldiers on the streets.”

“Until the twins are born at least,” Grandius said. “But after the twins are born, you and your wife won’t be welcomed further into the mausoleum. Understood?”

The others turned to Grandius with small glares.

Gabriel nodded his head in understanding. “Understood. Thank you.”

The Legendary Chalice smiled. “No problem.”

As the others were exiting out of the shack, Grandius pulled Gabriel aside away from Gabriel’s wife’s earshot.

“Since the others think you and your wife are worthy of staying, you might want to watch your step around here. If you pull one little trick up from your sleeve, you best believe that I will make sure that you won’t breathe again. Filthy criminals like you will become the downfall of the Calix Animi. You better remember that,” Grandius said before walking away.

Gabriel stood there with widened eyes. He looked back to see his pregnant wife staring up at him to silently ask what was wrong.

It was sudden that everything glitched around Mugman. Mugman could feel the sparks electrocuting his body. He clenched his teeth in pain as his eyes turned bright blue. The vision of the battlefield showed up except it was the members of the Calix Animi members fighting it.

“Stop…Stop!” Mugman screamed while watching each Calix Animi members slaughtering themselves. “STOP!! WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING EACH OTHER?!”

“Mugman…”

“Ma?” Mugman whirled around and noticed someone tackling him onto the ground. For a moment, he saw Grandius Plate choking him.

“You shouldn’t be here!” Grandius Plate growled at him. “You should never exist!”

“Get off of me!!!” Mugman barked, zapping the plate with his electricity. His eyes widened when he realized that he shattered Grandius in pieces when trying to get him off of the mug. “What’s happening?”

Mugman glanced down to look at his hands.

The pieces of the Grandius Plate were put back together automatically.

“Your bloodline ends now!” Grandius growled.

“Leave me alone!” Mugman cried. He felt paralyzed in his whole body that he couldn’t run when he wanted to. The plate gripped Mugman around the throat again. It was sudden that the plate was transformed into the familiar tiger with green eyes staring into his blue ones.

“Did you really think you could get away from me?”

“GET OFF OF ME!!!” Mugman cried and zapped Hunter with the sparks. He watched Hunter stumbled back away from the mug. Mugman kept shooting sparks at the tiger. “GET AWAY!!!”

Hunter had electricity in his veins.

“Get away!” Mugman repeated again as he kept shooting the sparks at the tiger. However, he could feel himself draining. “G-Get away…from me—”

Everything went dark around him once again. 

~.~

The storm was brewing in the night sky.

The thunder boomed and the lightning cracked across the sky. Aurora was sure that the heavy rain will come pouring down next. She was lost in the woods, forgetting the way to get to the hide-out.

“Briney! Briney!” Aurora cried. She put on a brave face and hurried through the dark woods. However, she could see yellow eyes lurking in the shadows, causing her to breathe heavily in fear. Were these creatures in the woods dangerous? The rain poured in the woods, making it harder for her to see where she was even going. She shivered in the cold rain as she stumbled into a space where the water droplets weren’t rained on. She felt a warmth behind her back and saw a glow shining from behind to light up her path.

“Are you lost, little one?” A gentle voice asked softly.

She turned to face the bright glowing man, towering over her to shelter her from the rain.

Aurora nodded her head and answered, “My friends are in trouble and I need to get Briney.”

“I’ll help you find him,” He said, holding out his hand.

Aurora took his hand with a smile. He walked her through the dark woods, lighting up the pathways so that no monster could snatch the toddler up in the dark.

“What’s happening with your friends? Are they hurt?” He asked.

“I think so. They were screaming in pain. There’s something inside of them, but I don’t know what,” Aurora answered, sticking close to the bright glowing figure.

“And you think Briney can help?”

“I think he can help Sissy. I’m not sure about the others.”

“Where were you at?”

“A temple I think?”

The glowing figure nodded in understanding. “I’m sorry that it’s happening to them.”

“Why is it hurting them?”

The Most High stayed silent for a moment. Then he sighed, “Their bodies weren’t used to these kinds of powers. Or “gifts” they’re once called. It will take some time for their bodies to be used to it. That’s why it’s hurting them now.

“Then I hope they will be okay.”

“I hope so too,” He said before looking ahead.

“Who are you?” she asked Him.

“I’m the Most High. And you?”

“Aurora,” she chirped.

“Beautiful name,” He said as He noticed her little legs getting tired. “You need a lift?”

“Please,” she uttered innocently.

“Here.” He lifted her up onto his shoulders with her legs dangling around the back of his neck. He held her legs just so that she wouldn’t fall. “How’s that?”

“Wow! I can see the camp from here.”

The Most High chuckled. “We’re getting closer to it.”

Aurora rested her hands on the Most High’s glowing head. “Can we be friends?”

“Of course, we can be friends.”

The little girl gasped happily. “Best friends?”

“Yes, even best friends.”

“Really?!”

He nodded. “Really. Really.” Up ahead, he noticed that they were approaching camp. “Here you are. You should be able to get to Briney from here.” He lifted Aurora off of his shoulders and placed her on the ground.

“Thank you, bestie,” Aurora said while rushing off towards the camp.

The Most High chuckled and watched her hurry to find the pirate over by Porkrind’s shop. He heard a scream in pain and hurried to the house where it came from. He peeked through the window and found Elder Kettle trying to get Murray to wake up from the couch while Murray was screaming.

“Murray!” Elder Kettle called while shaking him.

Murray snapped his one eye open with the purple glow, muttering Latin words.

O’Fera barged into the house with an urgent look. “What’s going on?!”

“Something’s happening to him!” Elder Kettle shouted.

O’Fera shook Murray. “Murray, Murray, can you hear me?”

Murray grabbed his head and curled himself up, screaming in pain.

The Most High gasped in concern and phased through the wall. He walked beside Murray and placed his hand on his shoulder without O’Fera and Elder Kettle seeing him.

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” The Most High soothed. “It’s okay. The pain won’t last.”

With that said, the pain in Murray’s body became less tense, surprising both O’Fera and Elder Kettle.

“The mausoleum…” Murray finally uttered.

“What?” Elder Kettle questioned.

“My boys…” Murray said with tears in his eye. He rushed out of the front door, not aware that he moved away from the Most High’s hand.

“Murray, wait!” O’Fera called, following Murray with Elder Kettle.

The Most High was left alone in the living room. With a huff in determination, he walked out of the house by the front door to follow the others.

Meanwhile, Brineybeard found Aurora around the shop after he asked Porkrind and Jerry if they had seen Aurora and Natalie. Chef Saltbaker was there as well, looking for Chalice.

“Lass!” Brineybeard gasped and picked her up with a hearty laugh. “Yer okay, lass! Wait, where’s yer sister?”

“Sissy and the others are at the temple!” Aurora alerted Brineybeard.

“Wait, Cassi is there too?!” Porkrind shouted.

“Yeah, something is happening to them!” Aurora explained.

“Then let’s not waste time,” Chef Saltbaker determined.

Dice walked up to the group from his tent. “What’s going on here? Why is everyone shouting in the middle of the night?”

In the distance, there was a familiar scream echoing through the forest.

“What was that?” Chef Saltbaker uttered.

“That sounds like Cuphead,” Porkrind responded.

“Murray, where are you going?!” Elder Kettle shouted from the side.

The group turned to find Elder Kettle and O’Fera following Murray towards the forest.

“What’s going on with him?” Porkrind questioned O’Fera.

“I don’t know,” O’Fera responded in panic.

“We got to hurry! Sissy and the others might be in danger,” Aurora encouraged.

They watched Murray entering the forest to follow the scream.

“Let’s go!” Brineybeard responded as the adults awake hurried to follow after Murray with Aurora in the pirate’s arm.

~.~

Mugman gasped awake and sat up in the middle of the battlefield.

He realized that Gabriel was trying to fight the demons trying to get to his pregnant wife.

“Run, Lily! Run!” Gabriel called out to his wife while fighting the demons.

Lily, Gabriel’s wife, ran from the scene.

“Lily?”

In a flash of memory, Mugman saw his own mother running out of the house with both Cuphead and Mugman as babies in her arms. He glanced to the side to see that Murray was fighting back against Hunter and his assassins.

The memory faded back to Gabriel slashing the last of the demons. He turned to the side to see the Legendary Chalice stumbling back with side bleeding. Gabriel rushed by her side with urgency.

“Are you alright, lass?” Gabriel asked.

She nodded her head.

“Good, come on,” Gabriel urged while helping the Legendary Chalice up on her feet.

The memory switched back to Mugman’s mother, as a nurse, tending to Murray’s wound while the bombs were going off outside of the tent. She wrapped the last bandage on his side with a soft smile. Murray stared at her in pure awe and adoration.

“Get some rest,” she replied to him. “You should be able to recover in a few days.”

“Wow…” Murray uttered.

“What?”

He blushed and looked to the side. “Nothing…sorry.”

She smiled at him softly. “Rest up.”

“What’s your name?”

“Hm?”

“You know, in case I see you again,” he added.

She grinned at him. “Lily…Lily Rose.”

“Murray Cup.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” She gave him one last smile and walked away to tend to other patients.

The memory switched back to Gabriel helping The Legendary Chalice behind the boulder while fire arrows were shot at them.

They both looked over the boulder as Gabriel rose back to fight the demons once again.

“Wh-What are you doing?” She stuttered.

“Our friends are back out there. I’m going to help them,” he reassured her.

He ran back out into the battlefield.

“Gabriel, wait!” She called out to him.

As Gabriel was running through the battlefield to help the others, Mugman watched arrows raining down from the orange fiery skies.

The Legendary Chalice noticed this as well as she got up and hurried after Gabriel to help him in the battlefield. She cast a shield to protect Gabriel from the incoming arrows.

Gabriel noticed and looked to see her joining the fight with her spear. She impaled one of the demons charging towards her. With a nod from her, Gabriel spread his wings with red and blue feathers. They charged into the battle, fighting the demons trying to get to the mortals in the village.

Mugman noticed Grandius Plate stumbling through the battlefield, appearing to be fearful of everything around him. When Gabriel approached Grandius to help him, Mugman noticed an arrow coming down to Grandius, causing him to grab Gabriel and moved him in the way to get shot by the arrow instead of him.

The arrow impaled Gabriel from behind, causing him to fall over.

Mugman breathed heavily at this sight and looked to the side to find the Legendary Chalice clenching her spear in anger after witnessing it.

“NOOOO!” The Legendary Chalice screamed while aiming her spear. The lightning burst out of the tip and zapped into Grandius Plate, shattering him.

She hurried up to Gabriel and held him. “Gabriel? Gabriel! Are you alright?!”

“C-Chalice…my wife…my kids—”

“C’mon, let’s get you—” The Legendary Chalice looked up and watched the Devil and the demons rampaging the village as if it was theirs to claim. “No…”

“Ch-Chalice…”

She glanced back at him.

“M-Make sure that my family is safe…please…”

“No, Gabriel. You’re going to make it. You’re going to see them again—”

Gabriel passed out in her arms, exhaling his last breath. She saw the gifts extracted from him, combined together in her hands. She shook her head rapidly in denial.

“No…No! C’mon, Gabriel, I know that you’re stronger than that…please…come back…”

Mugman frowned and noticed a shift in the memory back to the empty hallway with Gabriel disappearing from her arms. He watched her standing over by the pool he kept seeing in his visions with her spear.

Out of spite, she dropped her spear into the pool and watched it sink further and further until the light from the spear faded.

Mugman gasped to see the Most High approaching beside The Legendary Chalice, who was now just holding the Eternal’s Orb.

The Most High stood quietly beside her, taking in the silence until she spoke.

“We’re never your chosen ones, are we?” The Legendary Chalice replied while looking away from the Most High.

The Most High was silent for a moment. He looked down at the pool. “Your group was made to protect mortal kind from demons.”

“But we failed at that…heh, I guess pride really got into some of our heads.”

“If I were you, I would protect these gifts from the Devil. Who knows what he could do with them once he finds them?”

“Right…”

He frowned and placed his hand on her shoulder. A sigh escaped his lips. “You will remember them for a long time. The memories of both the good and the bad will be engraved in your head. You will be reborn and you will still have half of your powers once you moved on to the next life. But I will tell you this, you will have this again. You will have friends who you cared about. People you will fight for and with. And they will care for you back.”

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

“The New Calix Animi will be formed in the times of trouble. You’ll see,” The Most High replied.

The memory of the Most High and The Legendary Chalice faded away.

Mugman was left facing the darkness.

~.~

 Captain Brineybeard, Aurora, O’Fera, Elder Kettle, Dice, Porkrind, Jerry, and Saltbaker followed Murray through the forest where they witnessed the mausoleum glowing blue.

“What the heck?!” Saltbaker shrieked at the sight.

Murray ran into the building without hesitation.

The others stood outside of the entrance with wide eyes in shock.

“Are we sure we should enter there?” Dice questioned the group.

The screams echoed from outside, sounding like Cassidy’s.

“CASSI!” Porkrind and Jerry gasped in unison and hurried inside.

“Guys, wait!” O’Fera shouted while the others chased after them.

They noticed a large gap in the middle of the room, but they didn��t hesitate to jump in.

Once they reached the bottom of the pit, they widened their eyes at the sight of the kids suffering with something glowing within each of them. There was a bright blue glow within the pool ahead of them, but they weren’t focused on that.

Brineybeard didn’t hesitate to hurry besides Natalie and cradle her in his arms. “Natalie, are ye alright, lass?”

Natalie clenched her teeth and looked up at Brineybeard and Aurora. “B-Briney…?”

“It’s alright, lass, we’re here.”

Porkrind and Jerry noticed Cassidy screaming in pain at the far corner of the hallway.

“Hold on, honey!” Porkrind shouted while both of the men hurried towards her.

Cassidy noticed both of her father figures coming up to her, scurrying back in fear. “No, stay back—” Unintentionally, the vines burst from the ground to stab the men, but Dice’s card swiftly moved in front of them to block the attack.

Porkrind shielded Jerry with his body, not aware that the card came to defend him too until he noticed Dice hurrying beside him.

“You guys okay?” Dice questioned them.

Porkrind moved the card aside and watched his daughter writhe in pain. He was about to go around the card and the vines to get to his daughter, but the vines grew more to block his way.

Saltbaker rushed by Chalice and Canteen holding each other. “Hey, what’s going on?!”

Both Chalice and Canteen couldn’t answer, their limbs shaking from gold and dark blue glows in their veins.

O’Fera noticed Murray crawling over to Cuphead, hugging him despite his son being on fire and suffering. The different colored glows grew brighter and brighter in the room where Elder Kettle and O’Fera were the only ones covering their eyes.

The different-colored glows shined bright from outside of the mausoleum and then dimmed. Once the brightness was turning dim, Elder Kettle and O’Fera uncovered their eyes to watch the glow from the pool faded into darkness.

Murray fell over on the floor with Cuphead in his arms, no longer suffering.

Natalie went limped in Brineybeard’s arms for a moment.

Chalice and Canteen regained their breaths, still holding onto each other for dear life.

Cassidy trembled in the cold as Porkrind was able to get around the now dead vines and picked his daughter up in her arms.

“Are you okay, honey?” Porkrind asked softly.

“I-I don’t know,” Cassidy answered with a whimper.

Jerry came beside them and comforted Cassidy. “It’s alright. We’re right here.”

Elder Kettle approached Cuphead and Murray. “Are you guys okay? Wait, where’s your brother?”

Cuphead lifted his eyes up to the old tea kettle and then shifted his gaze at the pool that was no longer glowing. “M-Mugsy…”

O’Fera glanced at what Cuphead was looking at. She didn’t hesitate to jump into the pool after Mugman.

“O’Fera!” Elder Kettle called.

There were bubbles forming into the surface as O’Fera popped back out of the water with passed out Mugman in her arms. She yanked him out of the water by the collar of his shirt with her mouth and used her arms to get on the cobblestone floor.

Mugman breathed heavily, his limbs trembling. He fluttered his eyes open to find his friends, his brother, and his girlfriend having different-colored glows in their veins. He blinked a couple of times to realize something must have happened while he was in the pool. He glanced up at O’Fera.

“You okay, kid?” she asked.

“What happened?” Elder Kettle probed the other kids.

The other kids looked at Mugman, who didn’t know how to answer.

“What did I just do?” Mugman uttered in fear. 

To Be Continued...

[alexlesuagz]

Criminal Case fanfic ideas (because IDK, I’m bored)

[Possible spoilers for all 8 seasons]

{S5} Prequelfic where Amir realizes he’s gay and confides in Rupert about it.

{S5} Rupert having an ace awakening (because yes, I headcanon him as ace) and being extremely confused about his feelings, so he confides in Amir about it. (No seggs, only tea, amirite)

{S3} [TW: SA] Jack finally gaining the courage to tell Lars about Lavinia DeBrils SA’ing him.

{S1} How Chad Whickman and Rose Cassidy first met (because goddamnit, they deserved better).

{S1} AU where Chad managed to calm Joe Stern down, not die, and get the job.

{S2} [TW: Abuse] A day in the life of Duncan Young, living with his mother and sister and having to deal with her emotional abuse.

{S1} Adam Bentley talking with his foster brother at his grave.

{S1} The aftermath of Julian Ramis’s arrest from the perspective of Julian’s parents.

{S2} [TW: Homophobia] The end of Zack and Becky’s friendship.

{S5} James Savage first meets Carter Hayes.

{S4} How Timmy and Bridget Baker first became friends.

{S5} [TW: Implied Sewerslide] Rene Narcisse’s words almost push Julian over the edge until the player and Gabriel show up.

{S2} [TW: Murder] A young Yann Toussaint has an argument with his parents and storms off. That would end up being the biggest mistake of his life.

{S5} Jones accidentally stumbles upon Zoe suddenly using telekinesis.

{S2} [TW: Cults, PTSD, and Implied Abuse] Not even Russell is safe from flashbacks, and surprisingly, the one who helps him out of a PTSD-induced panic attack is Frank.

{S4} The events of Vittorio Cappechi’s murder from Seamus’s point of view.

{S6} One of Amy’s therapy sessions with Marina following Nebet’s betrayal.

{S6} Sirius wonders why Orlando constantly ignores him, so he decides to ask. It doesn’t really go well.

{S6} Sequelfic(?) where Tony meets the player during S1 and tries to recall why they seem so familiar.

{S3} Baxter Fraser goes to therapy.

{S3} AU where Obaasan (IDK how to spell it, sorry) is found dead and Tsukada Hiroshi is alive because he killed her.

{S7} An apology note Dolores wrote to Gwen before her demise.

{S7} Inspired by @katrinahood , a crackshipfic between James Savage and Sam Ellis.

{S5} Crackshipfic between brunette bastard Louis Leroux and Joe Warren.

{S8} Jones and the player bond and catch up after 3 years.

{S8} Hugo Mercier giving love advice to Carrie.

{S5} Jones copes with Tony Marconi’s death.

{S8} Hugo and Jones bond over similar experiences.

{S5} [TW: Sewerslide] Gabriel and Jones talk after Jones’s attempt.

{S2} One of Jupiter’s letters to Russell, apologizing for being a shit dad.

{S5} Jones, Zoe, Alex and Cathy have a double date.

{S7} Larry Zarus goes on a car ride with his friend and business partner, Bernie. Next thing he knows, he’s waking up in a coffin. His own coffin.

{S4} Charlie reveals that he can’t slow dance for the life of him. Maddie decides to teach him.

{S2} [TW: Abuse] Frank confronts Miriam Young about her shit parenting.

{S2} [TW: Abuse] Duncan confronts his mother about her shit parenting. It goes as well as you’d expect.

{S2} [TW: Abuse and Death] The day the Young siblings’ father died was a hellish day indeed.

{S5} [TW: Underage Drug Use] Julian and Vicki smoke weed together and have a chat about life.

{S7} Dolores tries to figure out a way to apologize to Gwen.

{S7} Arthur Darkwood never really enjoyed the small things in life, and he never noticed until he spent time with the Supernatural Hunters.

{S5} Jones is lowkey kinda lonely, so Ramirez decides to set him up on a blind date to cheer him up. Unbeknownst to Ramirez, Jones’ blind date was one of his old college acquaintances — Zoe Kusama.

{S6} The “Altered Present” Arc, but Lars is in it for some reason.

{S7} Zander Stark and Danny Kwame were queerplatonic bros, change my mind— (I hc Zander as bisexual and Danny as omniromantic asexual)

{S8} Cody reminisces on his failed relationship with Eleanora.

{S8} Prequelfic where Jean-Phillipe slow dances with Marguerite.

{S5} After skipping the trial of Rosamund Wilcox, Julian runs into Chelsea Bloom and they have a chat.

{S7} Human AU where Arthur and Reggie decide to have some “brother bonding time”, so they go to a local art museum. Things don’t go well.

{S4} Seamus makes eye contact with Giulietta at Mr. Alastor’s party.

{S2} A series of noteworthy recorded conversations between Bobby Prince and his therapist over the span of a year.

{S3} 5 times Jonah tries to smile and the first time Marina makes him smile.

{S3} [TW: Kidnapping, Torture, and PTSD] Elliot claims that he’s moved on past the whole “Anbu Devanesan” thing. He has not.

{S6} Serap and Roxelana’s love story, starting from their first meet.

{S6} Noah Lowe gets some advice from Ian Devine about love and life and shit (also, Noah lives in this fanfic concept, because bro deserves better).

{S7} AU where Rathimael lives, Arthur lives, and they live a peaceful life together in a small lakeside cottage on the outskirts of Michigan.

{S2} “What happened to the Francis I loved and cared about deeply?!” “He’s dead, and I killed him a long time ago.”

{S2} Bobby Prince’s last thoughts were about the idyllic life he would live with Amy via the virtual reality. (This was inspired by Bojack Horseman btw) (No I do not like Bobby Prince)

{S5} [TW: Attempted Murder] AU where Zoe survives Louis’s attempt on her life.

{S3} [TW: Implied Abuse] Michelle Zuria’s traumatic childhood at the hands of her nanny.

{S5} [TW: Sewerslide] AU where Jones decides to go home after Leroux is arrested, and the player decides to accompany him. Possible alternate endings available.

{S7} Fabien de la Mort chills out and asks Gwen for advice on how to properly swoon a certain someone (*cough*, Luke Fernandez, *cough cough*)

{S7} [TW: Murder] Ruth Wu’s final moments were in utter agony. (Deserved tbh)

{S4} [TW: Murder] Elias Willingham pays local pimp Kristopher Bauer for information about his missing daughter. Like many moments in the Criminal Case universe, things do not end well.

{S7} AU where Arthur Darkwood survives the events of S7 and decides to join the Supernatural Hunters.

{S2} Anjulie Cruz breaks up with Bobby and remembers all the red flags he showed while they were dating.

{S1} AU for “The Rorscach Reaper” where Ramirez arrives just in time to arrest Tess — but too late to save the player.

{S5} Canon divergence after Zoe’s arrest when Jones confronts Marconi and breaks down. Marconi talks him out of doing anything foolish and the two of them just talk while lying down on the grass.

{S7} Arthur never really had a family (besides Reggie, but we don’t talk about Reggie) due to being a demon. One of the Supernatural Hunters (probably Hope Newman) makes an offhand comment about how he’s family to them. (Bro deserved better imo)

{S5} [TW: Attempted Murder] AU where Nathan manages to regain consciousness just before Kit pulls out the snake.

{S6} Series of transcripts from Marina’s therapy sessions with different Criminal Case characters, including Jack, Amy, Jones, Chief Arrow, and Arthur Darkwood.

{S5} Prequelfic where Joe Warren meets his new college roommate, Louis Leroux.

{S2} After the events of “Once Upon a Crime”, Frank decides to call his daughter to tell her what happened.

{S5} [TW: Sewerslide] Either Alex, Grace, or Ramirez get the call about Jones’ attempt on his own life.

(I’m perfectly fine with y’all using these, just please ask first and credit me!)

[wildissylupus]

I know you've spoke a lot about Cass but dude that content keeps me alive 😭 (I love him so much) So if you have any more headcanons or ideas about him please ramble about them

Alright!! Always happy to talk about my favourite Cowboy!!

I like to think Cassidy is really good with little kids, and that kids always bond with him super easily. This is specifically because Cassidy doesn't underestimate them and is the first to recognise them as their own person. He treats them with the amount of respect he gives adults, it's part of the reason Fareeha drifted towards him of all people. Because of this and because of the fact I've been reading Hero of Numbani, I like to believe Efi and Cassidy would get along. I also like to think that Cassidy would see a lot of Liao in Efi.

Cassidy is not a morning person, he's an early riser, but he looks like he died, went to hell, and clawed himself back out in the mornings. The thing is he wakes up almost before anyone else so no one has really seen Cass like that, except Jack. Jack wakes up at around the same time a Cassidy, and being the morning person he is, has seen Cass looking half dead and making himself five cups of coffee on multiple occasions.

Cassidy never really left base on his days off unless a big event was happening with Pharah, like her graduation or a big basketball game. He knew the dangers since he was still technically a wanted criminal but he wanted to support his sister. (Especially after things got bad between her, Ana and Sam.)

He finds comfort in the mundane, even though he probably will never have a normal life (not like he wants one now anyway) he still finds comfort in cooking and cleaning. Though he never really gets to do that much since there is always something else happening.

Cassidy is like Ana in the fact that he can fight either Jack or Gabe and they will actually have to put effort in. This is because he was trained by Ana and most likely spared with Gabe on multiple occasions, meaning he's one, stronger than he looks and two, can both take a punch from and fight a super-soldier. Does this mean he'll win the fight? Hand to hand combat, no, but since Cassidy can fight from a longer range, at the very least against Reyes he'd have a possibility of winning.

Cassidy is terrible at technical subjects like math and science, however, he knows and understands the most random topics for them. He's also fairly good with mechanics and engineering.

[cadybear420]

Cadybear's Reviews- Wake the Dead

Welcome to the thirty-third official Cadybear's Reviews! Today I'll be talking about Wake the Dead, which I have ranked on the "Bronze Tier" at 5 stars out of a possible 10. My last and only playthrough of this was around December 2021-May 2022.

So this one is, uh, very complicated…

I really should like this one more, and I want to like it! It has actual impactful choices with the Hard Choice system and the structure building! This is the type of shit that should put a story in my Diamond Tier! 

Unfortunately, while it did have choices that affect the storyline, the story as a whole was pretty lacking in enjoyability. 

After the first three chapters, following the death of MC’s sister, the story just kind of… fell off. It just dragged on when they weren’t fighting zombies. I know action/thriller/horror stories shouldn’t be nothing but intense gory fight scenes or whatever, but I literally could not have been more bored when they were recruiting new colony members. They didn’t do a lot to make it interesting other than seeing all the different kinds of colonies and new breeds of zombies. 

And why the hell is this book so safe with the main cast?? Like, there is literally no sense of danger, no potential consequences for any of them. I mean at the very most, Eli can get shot and Shannon can get PTSD, but that’s about it. There aren’t any consequences to any of the other characters for having low stats, and the plot armor for these characters is insanely high. 

I know not every horror story has to have all the characters die or get harmed in order to have impact, but it just doesn’t have that same feeling of dread and danger like something like the It Lives series had. A few side characters like Cassidy and Mack will die, but they never gave us a lot of (if any) reason to care about them like ILS did with its non-LI characters like Lily, Dan, Noah, ILB MC’s grandpa, etc. 

And don’t even get me started on the ending. There were zero stakes in that final fight! And the memorial scene was just awful. Why is MC’s sister the only one that gets honored? Then again, everyone else that died were all such forgettable non-characters that they make HSS:CA’s side characters seem relevant and fleshed out. No wonder the book didn’t remember to include them in the memorial.

And the real kicker? Like I said, this is the kind of book I should be putting on Diamond Tier. Like, with books like FCL, Surrender, TBB… we do anticipate better from them, we do mourn the wasted potential of them, but we at least kind of expect them to end up being trashy, or unremarkable at the very least. 

WTD, on the other hand, is something I think we all expected to be amazing. And credit where credit is due, it does have a lot of aspects that make it respectable, not to mention a breath of fresh air as we were entering into an era of mostly single-LI choiceless stories. The hard choice system, 5 non-customizable LIs, exploring the action/zombie horror genre. But I just feel like it could have done more. 

Maybe one day, I’ll give this book a second chance.

[angeygirl]

Crying Child has his coma nightmares as per usual, then starts hanging out with Cassidy, Duo Golden style. All is normal until he sics the Nightmares on Michael because Cassidy told him violent bloody revenge would be fun

It's only a medium amount of fun, but it's better then nothing.

Alternatively, violent bloody revenge is actually very fun. C.C. becomes super violent and awful and the nightmares last way more then just a week and for the first time he knows what it's like to have someone scared of him. Then he goes on to inflict pain on all of the other bullies and maybe his father. After all, the man was never there for him, no matter how much C.C. needed help, what would be better then making him relive being an abandoned child? Assuming William had a rough past as well, it would be a way of showing him that he was no better then his own father. Oh sweet guilt-ridden angst

Bonus points if C.C. personally shapeshifts into Nightmare Fredbear and gets to 'kill' (they survive, it's just a dream) the ones who tormented him, first hand.

And then him and Cassidy go mad with power

And then they parallel Springtrap

And then they torment bullies and criminals all over the world as vengeful spirits bringing their twisted justice in the form of near-deadly night terrors

And they get powerful enough to actually kill people who can't wake up

And then everybody is miserable and dead

And then UCN happens