#entering my feral arc

[love-marimo]

LOOK AT THEM?!! 🤨🤨😤😤

HE'S CASUALLY STRIKING A POSE TOO??

his abs are so defined you can see it from afar and I AM HERE FOR IT

[mushroom-for-art]

Lmao here's some more in which @oogaboogaspookyman 's little bastard son briefly experiences consequences for his actions and then is immediately like oh nvm this could be interesting.

Breaking point

Splashing. Struggling. She'd been swimming for who knows how long really, the blue expanse of the ocean seemed never ending and it was cold all around her. Her head slipped under the water and with more and more difficulty she surfaced to gasp and splutter. It wasn't right. She hadn't seen or heard a single Wingull or had a single fish Pokemon brush past or offer help. She slipped under swallowing water, gasping coughing when her head surfaced, her arms weakening heavy like lead and her legs she could barely kick them to keep going, but she had to, there must be an end to all this some buoy or piece of land she could stumble upon and grasp onto. Maybe a Wailord would finally see her and offer her a ride, surely something would save her. The water washed over her face once more as she sank, she weakly kicked, managing to get her snout above the water, snorting an exhale before slipping under once more before she could gather a breath. She sank deeper into the water the coldness numbing her body and holding her like a mock blanket, water pooled into her lungs heavily as she attempted to breathe choking without air trying to gasp but unable the pressure in her chest crushing and uncomfortable as her vision faded into blackness as she drowned in the unfeeling ocean.

Her body dropped heavily onto the gray floor still soaking wet she coughed with difficulty water splattering out her nose and mouth uncomfortably as she desperately tried to breathe. The dark tail of the other Mewtwo swayed in thought as he watched her struggling too weak to move, he put his foot under her shoulder and somewhere between a shove and a kick flipped her onto her side into somewhat of a recovery position before she choked. He heard her coughing, he sneered at the sound as water was forced from her lungs. He floated away casually leaving her to shiver and splutter on the floor placing down a timer next to some others with an amused sound.

"Do you know how long you were swimming for?"

He asked knowing she'd be too busy recovering to answer him really.

"Roughly 45 hours."

He answered himself. Looking over the timers.

"Its fascinating actually, when you believed help would finally find you or you'd find salvation you were able to swim much longer, when you didn't believe help would come and you let that hopelessness devour you well you barely managed to swim 30 hours, just a bit longer than the average human."

He seemed fascinated by the results as he talked about the average, statistics and what it all meant, though she was barely listening. She felt his foot pressing down on her head and skull as his voice came back into focus as he pushed down to the point she was whimpering in discomfort.

"You're a hope driven creature. I can't wait to see what happens when you succumb to despair."

He slowly removed his weight after smirking down at her, he floated away again. He'd been doing that a lot lately, leaving her to recover or leaving her all alone in general in the bleak stretching gray space with only the corpse of her brother as company.

After what felt like hours she pulled herself up enough to drag herself over to where her brother was splayed on the floor, he smelt putrid. His guts were spilled out along the gray floor, they'd darkened to black adding a twisted contrast of color to the place they were in. She moved to pull herself to kneel, her hands shook as she carefully lifted his upper frame, something cracked, ripped and squelched as she carefully put his head on her lap, his eye had fully rotten away now and the other was hanging out only connected by a few nerves, most of the flesh on his face had scarred or been ripped away revealing muscles and bones, a lot of his body was starting to rot to black. Though she suspected it was partly the fault of the demon and his blackened eyes. She held her baby brother one hand delicately resting on his forehead, careful not to rip away more of his fragile damaged skin, the other loosely wrapped around him resting over his chest. She barely recognised him really, the color had faded from him, she couldn't remember what he actually used to look like anymore. The past few cycles had mostly been without him and she feared what that meant. She hung her head as all she could do was hold her brother while she could, her upper body beginning to rock back and forth trying not to let the anguish get to her, she wouldn't let that demon see her cry anymore.

The white two watched them from a distance, she was cradling what was left of her brother again and rocking. Something that had started to annoy him. It was pitiful really and in a way that made him angry. Truthfully he'd been finding it difficult to reanimate the body into decent condition to put it into the loop, while at the beginning of the loop he is always technically alive the damage to his body by the end of each loop had become too vast, while he tormented May he had tried to undo some of the damages. When he'd sent him into the loop previously his wounds would be coated in a black sickly substance that pulled his injuries closed like stitches and engulfed him to undo wounds. Unfortunately now when he attempted to do so his efforts would quickly fall apart reverting the body back to its corpse state and it simply blackened his organs and blood further. It seems he'd broken that toy far too much. He should have considered the consequences of destroying him within each loop every time but well it had been too much fun playing rough with him he hadn't really thought, besides he didn't think they'd have been so entertaining for so long.

He glanced over at May, he hadn't actually killed her in any of the loops and despite the copious injuries and no doubt mental traumas she was fairing well, in that she wasn't rotting on the floor. Some of her wounds had even slowly healed, would they be there in the real world he wondered or only in this other space. He looks at the dead one again, perhaps he should release him back to before this all started and he created the loop and other space, Matt was it? Well whatever he was called he'd be back to a point of no injury and could simply be grabbed again from that point bring a 'new' so to speak unbroken toy into the loop to start again. He did create this whole space as a consequence free experiment after all, he could easily do it again and again.

Perhaps this time he could end May's life and torment the living Matt with his failure to save his sister who has fought for years to save him. Hm. Tempting. Though he got the impression he'd quickly grow bored with Matt, he was young with little to no real world experience, he was a blank canvas and not in a good way. He'd probably break and give up far too easily. He scoffed quietly to himself, well at least one of them remained entertaining. He floated over lazily to the others, he could hear May doing her annoying whimpering and whining, it was a strange throaty sound like trying not to cry. He stood behind her as she rocked either unaware of him or choosing to ignore him, he tsk'd to himself reaching a hand to pull the corpse from her.

"Let me look at it."

He felt the pain shoot up his arm before he even heard the growl, May's teeth were sinking into his flesh as she snarled, her eyes frenzied before she clamped her mouth further around his arm her head thrown upwards before tearing downwards ripping away a decent chunk of his pale flesh as his arm was freed and he flew backwards to examine the damage. The white flesh and slick black fluid of his blood hung from her mouth as she continued to snarl in his direction, he twisted his arm to look it over as his flesh around the area stretched and regrew closing his wound as he coldly glared at her, the most unusual part was her refusal to spit out the mouthful she had which he assumed should have been her first response after lashing out. He sneered at her and growled in return showing his fangs in threat as he watched in some surprise as she swallowed, his blood still dripping down her chin.

"Vile creature. Look at you. What you're becoming."

He mocked coldly, noticing her eyes didn't shift to shame remaining wild and glaring.

"Recollect your senses girl. I wasn't threatening your meal."

He smirked, expecting horror at what he was implying. She looked away from him and he felt victory wash over him turning his back to her to plan what to do in retaliation for her thoughtless actions. He heard her mumbling presumably apologies to her brother, maybe he could torment her with his puppeteered corpse. A snarl. He looked over his shoulder in time to dodge the glowing sharpened claw of her hand that just missed his face.

He flew back, turning to look at her, her form seemed disheveled as she stood hunched over her shoulders tense, head hanging low both her usually blunt feeble weak hands covered in bright sharp aura. Her head lifted slowly to look at him over the rim of her glasses, her pupils were shrunken and almost erratic giving her a manic kind of demeanor before she lunged for him again, surprisingly quick on her feet she swung to slash him with her claws. Normally he would've stood and taken the hit, despite the aura slash was a normal move and his ghost typing and abilities meant normal wouldn't hit him, but he leant away dodging her wild attempts to attack him. She'd lashed out at him during a cycle that's for sure and expected. But never here. It was fascinating to observe really, her expression reminding him of the violence committed by her possessed form. As well, she clearly must have known Slash wouldn't touch him from her past experiences in the cycles gone, she knows she'll receive a major beat down from him and no doubt punishment. So why use it?

He grunted as her forehead rammed forward into his lower chest and it sent him backwards until he could regain composure. That hit him. And it hurt. He could see blackness on her remaining horn, the injured one long since finally broken off. He glanced at himself, she'd managed to cut him with her horn during that attack, either headbutt or takedown. By the way she stood looking feral still and swaying on the spot idly watching him he assumed takedown. There's no way she should've been able to touch him. He observed her, as she watched him, he watched as she moved, pacing still hunched and wild acting more animal like than intelligent. Maybe he'd finally broken her too. He noticed after a few moments she was tricking him into moving, she was now pacing in front of her brother where before she paced in front of the stretching gray. She was guarding him.

He looked past her at the body, he closed a hand behind his back, darkness creeped and wrapped over the body covering him in blackness before dispersing leaving nothing behind. She didn't notice simply going for him again for daring to look at her brother, he sent flows of darkness like lightning to strike her down, it hit her dead on and she slid backwards on her feet across the floor with a scream of pain, her hand touched the floor in regaining balance before bolting for him again with surprising speed. He just missed her fist which slammed into the floor where she had intended to catch his face and slam him into it, before her tail caught his side in a swing. The weight and force of it pushed him backwards as he grabbed hold of her tail and sent another shock of darkness through her body accompanied by purple ghostly clawed hands that ripped scratched into her flesh and burrowed into her wiggling under her skin before burning out as she stumbled in the agony.

He grabbed her second neck as she stumbled, yanking her head backwards painfully as she cried out screaming, her wild demeanor and violence seeming to falter. He grinned, rattling her and shoving her to look at the empty spot on the floor.

"Now, look what you made me do."

He felt her still before she tried to look around frantically and he squeezed forcing her to be still.

"He's gone now. Because you couldn't behave."

He mocked. In reality Matt was simply gone from the other space existing once more before this all began to be grabbed again in better condition. He shoved her forward away from him as she tripped and fell to the floor, he watched her desperately pat around hoping her brother was there just invisible but nothing remained. With nothing to protect he suspected her powers would switch off again leaving her defenseless, and he intended to make her regret what she just did. Even if it had been extremely insightful and entertaining, a real look into the violence she was capable of outside of possession. Did it perhaps mean the behavior of the shadow version was simply using the aggression May suppressed and was an extension and outlet? And now with it gone she had to bear it herself? He'd figure it out eventually and maybe eventually bring her brother back into the loop for good behavior.

He observed her desperation in great joy watching her trembling, shaking, scrambling to find any trace or evidence her brother was secretly fine. She turned and glared at him once more, much to his surprise, it seemed she hadn't learnt her lesson. That's when he noticed sparks and crackling from her chest, as an extended hand shot out to grab him only stopped as darkness wrapped around her body coiling around her throat to choke and restraining her arms, her fingers brushed his snout as she attempted to grab him the darkness pulling her backwards as she pulled forward, her mega form resisting his powers in a tug of war.

"Where is my brother?! If you've killed him! If he's dead!" She struggled her sentences short with both extreme anger and from struggling against the dark tendrils pulling her backwards. He was almost impressed as she managed to pull herself forwards pulling against the overwhelming pulling ropes of darkness. But he knew she couldn't win as more wrapped around her pulling her tail, her chest, her waist tangling her legs and wrapping around her head to pull her backwards painfully so.

"You'll what?"

He mocked simply watching her slowly but surely be pulled backwards and downwards through the gray floor into a new cycle. But she met his gaze as she still fought.

"If he's gone." Her expression fell unusually dark. "Then you have nothing to stop me anymore." She looked directly at him as her body was pulled down, only her shoulder and head visible. "Do you." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She met his eye even as he stepped on her and shoved her through the gray flooring into a new cycle of torment. Something in her eyes telling him that things had indeed changed, the mania and threat of violence he was met with as if she was challenging him, becoming worse than him. He simply grinned.

This could be very, very, interesting

[halcyone-of-the-sea]

Songs That Sound Like Sea-Foam (I)

AU MASTERLIST || PART II

PAIRING: Fisherman!John Price x F!Mermaid!Reader

WORD COUNT: 6.2k

WARNINGS: Fluff, mentions of death, being hunted, vulgar language, price in a tunic (yes this is a warning by itself), awkwardness, nakedness, suggestive (?), implied age gap, etc.

A/N: I'm feral over this AU, ong. A million kisses to the Anon that brought this to my attention-btw this is definitely becoming a mini-series.

*I do not give others permission to translate and/or re-publish my works on this or any other platform*

Your family told you to never go beyond the deep waterways of the cove, never to brave the open sea. Times were changing. The Harpies, when they weren't as shrewd about their feathers getting wet, would fly down from their tall mountain spires and tell stories—ones about the hunting ships. 

They’d seen them, they said as your family listened on in horror from the rocks, dragging all manner of Merfolk up from the waters in large nets made of iron and hard steel. Spears that tore scales to take for profit. In other instances, the unlucky individuals were even sold to royalty to become showpieces in displays of high wealth and standing. 

But it wasn’t just Merfolk. It was all manner of mystical beast and being. Hunted. Sold. Humans, your parents had told you, were not friends. They were greedy and selfish; more than often cruel. 

And so they started to do the same unto them. Your family would lure them with their voices to the ends of the great ships that were brought close to your cove—watch as they hurled themselves from the sides into the grasp of the ruthless waves. They did it for you, they explained. To try and keep you safe. 

For years they did this until they were gone too. 

Suddenly the cove seemed more like a prison than a safe spot, and the Harpies no longer came to converse or tell news. Killed or taken you had no idea, but it was becoming fairly obvious that even interactions with your own people were impossible. Were you the only mermaid left? It was a good question to ask and one that you could never answer. All that you knew was that you had been alone for a very long time. 

That was, before you first laid eyes on the fisherman. 

You watch him now, yet again, from behind the sharp jutting body of the rocks; the water delicately bobs you up and down as your vibrant tail hangs limp in its otherworldly throes. Eyes softly wide and mouth parted in wonder. 

He’s walking along the deck of a small ship—not the large and intimidating ones of the other men that sail the seas—with a strong form. A hat on top of his head of brown hair and a well-trimmed beard of the same color made him look gruff in appearance. 

Your hands shift over the sharp black stone, and the nakedness of your top is covered by the long strands of your wet, uncut, hair. This man wore a plain white tunic and brown pants stuffed into large boots. Even as far as you were, you heard the soft whistled tune dancing in the shell of your ears. Delicate eyes watch, head slowly peeking out more and more. 

He was tending to the nets he had on the bow and as you studied him you were mystified. 

“Fascinating,” you whisper, unknown emotions swirling in you. 

His muscles strain, large and expansive shoulders lead down to a tapered waist; legs that you blink at before glancing at your tail under the rippling water. There’s a large grunt before the fisherman’s net is thrown in a beautiful arc, hitting the water with a slap and a spray of liquid as it begins to sink. Startled, you flinch back, gasping loudly.

With a racing heart, you quietly scold yourself for the childish reaction, flicking your tail in annoyance. Slowly but surely, your head peaks back out with water dripping down the flesh of your shoulders. 

But when you shift back into the open, you find a deep set of stormy blue eyes digging into your field of view. You freeze, seeing his lids go back in surprise and shock as your jaw slackens. A cold fear enters your veins at the new attention brought to you but you find yourself unable to look away. 

The Fisherman is the picture of utter stillness, just as you are, like twin mountains of ancient stone. Your nervousness only seems to grow as he doesn’t do anything—teachings and lessons about those who walk on two legs and sail in ships poking holes into your mind. 

Gawking and spying were one thing…but being seen meant death. You swallow stiffly and go tense, shifting to half-hide behind your rock. 

“Oh, no,” your mouth murmurs, self-hatred and fear lining the tone. “Oh, no, no, no.”

And yet the Fisherman had not moved, nor made any attempt to pull his sinking net back into his boat. Fish panic in the rope grave they’ve been ensnared in. His eyes….why are they so curiously locked on you?

You spare one last glance before shoving away from the rock and disappearing under the water with a violent splash; making off for the deep underwater caves that offer salvation. 

When you’re down there—in the darkness with only silent ripples of light to guide your eyes—you find it hard to stop thinking about the Fisherman and his strong jaw. His genuine awe at the sight of you. 

Had he not heard the stories of the Merfolk of this region? Or…or were you truly the last of your kind? 

The thought troubles you, and, riddled with anxiety, you go over to your store of shiny trinkets that you’d collected over the years; grabbing them in your hands and fiddling with them to try to put your mind at ease. The walls of the caves bare down on you and you hope you’d not just signed over your own death warrant. 

Maybe he’ll go away, you offer yourself, face tight and tail curled close, maybe he’ll be afraid and won’t come back. 

It was a pointless belief. They always come back—driven by greed or a righteous authority. Humans were cruel. 

But your brain goes back to stormy blue eyes like pebbles and softly parted lips. Orbs glinting with wonder and shock. No attempt to shout or grab for the large knife you’d seen strapped to his belt. 

A fisherman, you told yourself, who hesitated to go after the biggest fish of them all. 

You didn’t quite know if that made you more afraid or more intrigued. 

—

It was only after you’d spent three weeks in the underwater caves of the cove that you’d finally decided the coast was clear. You’d cautiously gone back through the winding seaweed and schools of marine life to hide in your little rock fort; afraid but brave. From under the waves in the calm of the water you’d scanned the surface for the shadows of a boat, anything to indicate that the man had returned. 

Nothing. 

Tension leaves your shoulders and you travel upwards, vibrant scales shimmering like jewels. You were quite close to the mainland, you would say, back to the shore to look out over the open entrance to your home. At the first sign of danger, the rocks would be your first point of shelter if you wished to remain hidden but continue to watch.

Ears popping as your head surfaces, you only look out with the water swaying below your eyes; nose and chin hidden. Sand from behind you shifts.

“Knew I’d seen something, then, eh?” Your heart lurches—brain flashing to hooks and nets; you shove yourself back under the water with a garbled gasp.

Fish around your form dash away as you frantically look back at the surface, your scales shining as the light hits them. Fingers tense in the water, you shift your body so that your form has its back to the floor of the cove and breathe quickly in your own mermadian way with shaking fins. 

On the very edge of the shore, you see the shadow of a sitting body in the sand. He hadn’t moved, this Fisherman. Was waiting as inanimate as an empty shell.

What had he said? You ask yourself, hair disturbed by the flow of the waves above your head. A gentle back and forth. After a moment of contemplation, the large muscle in your breast slows itself and a nervous curiosity grows.

Yet still, the shadow stays completely motionless beside the occasional itch and brush as facial hair. Waiting. 

Waiting to attack, your hand twitches in the water and you flutter your tail to take you closer to the open air, or waiting to see me?

Taking what you can describe as a deep breath, the top of your head once more breaks the top of the water; lashes dripping salty tear-drops as you blink away the sting. Every part of you is ready to disappear once more if things go south. 

And then you lock eyes once more. 

The Fisherman sits in the sand with his boots pushing up the granules—his right hand rests over his bent knee while the other keeps him up in a relaxed position from behind his back. You stare, the sun reflected in your eyes with a small glinting and hair in your vision. A foreign heat builds in your face when the man’s head tilts; tiny eyes narrowing as if he’d just proven a point to himself. 

Why doesn’t he seem surprised?

There’s a moment of a smirk that slashes his hidden lips but it’s gone in a fraction of a second. His mustache moves as he speaks and your face slightly bobs lower instinctually. The Fisherman doesn't seem hostile—he has a kind of stern comfort to him. 

Stubborn gruffness. And his accent only amplifies that fact.

 “Well, wasn’t expecting to find you here,” his chest rumbles with his words. You find you quite like the sound of it. Shells grinding against each other and pearls that clatter in palms. Your eyes widen with innocence. The Fisherman clears his throat, still watching carefully as the water sloshes over his boots. “Else I would have stayed clear when I still could.” 

Your hands tread water around you, tail flickering in small movements. 

The man's gaze darts down to stare as well as he could through the ripples. 

“Bloody Christ,” he murmurs to himself, returning your eyes once more, “thought you were all mostly extinct. Fuckin’ hell.”

“Extinct?” Your lips flinch, chin caressing the waves as brows pull up. The Fisherman blinks as if surprised to hear you speak. To be honest, you were half afraid you couldn’t either—how long had it been since you’d had a conversation above water? You spent most of your time passing comments to rare traveling Hippocampus and Sea Serpents.

Not that they could respond, of course.

By now your face had entirely left the water, that word startling you. Your chest tightens.

“What do you mean,” you ask the older man, this strange Fisherman who was shifting his weight in the sand, “extinct?” 

Dark brows furrow and his back slightly straightens itself. 

“You aren't exactly what I’d be calling common, Love. No one’s seen one of your kind in years.” Your face stills. 

“Years?” Head angling itself down, you stare at your reflection in growing fear. 

The Fisherman makes a move to stand, and you dart back swiftly. A pale hand is held in the air as if to sedate you.

“Easy, now.” It’s said softly, a grunt stuck at the beginning. A small moment passes before the man fully stands up, dressed similarly to when you’d seen him before. 

Top, pants, hat. There’s also a flash of metal around his neck, some piece of jewelry hidden on the chain under the layer of his thin, flowy, tunic. Hands go to cross over his chest in a display of muscle gained from a long time of hard work.

You nervously plead for an explanation, “B-but that…that doesn’t make any sense! I’m not the only one left!”

“No,” the Fisherman slowly states, taking off the hat from his head and delicately placing it on the ground. “No, you’re not the last.” 

His eyes dart along your visible body, trying to catch a glimpse of that tail that was in all stories about your kind. 

“Your name, Ma’am,” he asks, blue returning to your own sights, “what is it.”

“Well, what’s yours?” You counter, getting snappy in your anxiousness. “You come into my home and expect me to answer to you? And where’s your fishing boat anyways—unless a male Selkie has suddenly managed to brave the deep sea?” 

Perhaps it had been a trick of the light, but you had sworn the Fisherman had smiled at you; it was a swift slash of something that pulled his mustache back and wrinkled his face. An amused thing it was. A sort of tiny tease, in its own right.

Your heart beats steadily at the sight, eyes watching. 

“Well, I suppose you’re right, then.” He scratches at his beard with one hand, still studying you with a tilt of his head. As if weighing what he should tell you. There was an air of intrigue but that did nothing to hide the hesitance. “I docked my boat in the sea cave, thought it would do more harm than good to leave it in the open. If you’d seen it, you wouldn’t have shown, eh?” The Fisherman points and you look to the deep indent in the mountainside, the tiny ship visible as it stays stationary. You blink at it slowly. 

“And you can call me whatever it is you like, I don’t bloody care, but I’m not inclined to tell one of the Merfolk my name—I may have come ‘ere, but I’m not fuckin’ daft, now.”

It was true, what he spoke of. Names to your people have a stark and violent purpose. To know one's name is to own a piece of that person’s soul. Songs gain more power, words grow into orders followed without thought. Not that it was your intention.

You glower, brows pulling in. 

“A simple fisherman does well to know that it’s rude to speak ill like such in another’s home.” The man smirks, cheeks rising. 

“Simple, am I?” The already expansive build of his shoulders widens as he leans back on his heels, water sloshing at his boots. His eyes glimmer like lighting with humor. The look makes your cheeks burn with warmth, throat swallowing saliva.

“Why are you here?” You avoid the question, treading water and letting your tail drift. Willing the water to cool your senses. It was obvious that this man wasn’t a hunter—foolish, perhaps, but no hunter.

Or maybe just confidently brave. 

The Fisherman hums under his breath, grunting in the way you’d already come to associate with him. Rugged fellow, really. Weathered like a pile of old rope but still handsome, the sinews under the stain of dirt pure of color. You found yourself, however apprehensive, enjoying the squareness of his face; how the brunette’s hair would sweep in the warm breeze. 

He was attractive.

“Fishing, Ma’am.” A broad sweep of one of his hands, “You have a proper cove. Plenty of places to cast.” 

Your tight arms somewhat loosen. 

“Just fishing?” Your voice darkens. “Then why is it you’re here on shore and not doing just that.” Tail flickering, it lightly brings you back from him, eyes always darting away to stare into the background of his form—at the dark shadows of trees behind the dark rocks. At the open mouth of the cove in case of extra ships. 

If what he told you earlier was true, you were in danger just by living. 

Extinct? Not seen in years? No, that can’t be right. A deep knot forms in your stomach.

“I may be human, Ma’am, but I believe myself to be above intrusion.” The Fisherman splays his hands by his waist and shifts his thighs. He seems serious again, like a wave going forward and back he seemed to always revert to a crafted visage of firm resolve. “This is your home, and I’m asking to ferry my boat here when able. Nothing else.” 

You blink in surprise, brows pulling back. 

He was…asking you? 

“I…own the cove no more than the Manticore owns the desert,” your voice stutters, oddly touched by his sincerity. You pause and push yourself farther above a wave. This large man didn’t seem cruel to you. “I have no claim on the waters—they have been here longer than I. Do as you wish.” 

While that should have been the end of it, you found his blue eyes continuing to watch you, head tilted like a shaggy dog. Thinking deeply with a slight parting of his lips and rising to his lids. 

At the intensity of his silent wonder, your head goes light. Had you said something strange? No, it was just the truth. Then…why was this man’s face going to a modest pink shade? Why were his eyes darting away from yours and his feet shifting? 

You narrow at him before he speaks, clearing his throat and crossing his arms.

“Alright,” the Fisherman mutters, chest rumbling. 

A silence falls where your ears twitch to the lapping of the sea-foam and the feeling of blood in your veins which mirrors such movements. As you saw him do to you, your vision falls to the man’s body; looking across the tapering of his waist and the rolled sleeves of his tunic—showing off years of muscle 

“I don’t suppose…” Your tail flinches from the sudden noise from the brunette, expecting him to swim over to his boat and get to his business. You stare and listen, and for the first time, you believe a mermaid has been entranced by another's voice. “That I’ll have the pleasure of seeing you again?”

The Fisherman speaks slowly, hands shifting on his biceps; thighs tense and settle. You allow the waves to connect and slide around your body and a feeling reminiscent of warm rocks in the sun grows in your heart. 

Strange, this man. This serious-faced Fisherman who asks one of the Merfolk for permission over the waters we don’t control. You tilt your head to teasingly mirror the brunettes. He humphs in his throat at your action. I enjoy him. 

At the first sign of danger you’d leave—but for now…talking felt good.

“Perhaps,” you say, lips twitching into a smile. “Would this nameless Fisherman enjoy the company of a mermaid? Not many would say yes.”

“I think you’ll find I’m not like those many, then, yeah?” He smiles, a small twitch of his lips. You begin backing up, getting to deeper water while maintaining eye contact. “I don’t care what you are, just that we have an agreement.”

“Very well,” your neck dips under the waves, tail momentarily peaking above the surface. Blue flickers to it, shoulders lowering in hidden awe. The Fisherman’s lungs still. 

He hears your giggle before you dive under, disappearing swiftly down to your caves with a splash. 

It’s a long while before the brunette picks up his hat and begins walking the length of the shore—strong steps taking him back to his ship with a tiny smile brightening his ruggedly handsome face. 

He runs a hand over his chin and chuckles.

“Fuckin’ hell.”

—

You perch on the side of the Fisherman’s boat, golden comb in your grip as you run it over and over through your locks. Tangles and knots are rendered useless to the fine and beautiful make of the object, the handle covered in small barnacles and seaweed. A nice breeze wafts in the air, and behind you, the padding of feet goes across the deck. With the sliding of nets and a small whistling from the Fisherman, you feel your tail gently sway from side to side; the bottom under the water whose waves rise and lower the vessel. 

It had been a week since your first meeting and you had become more relaxed about this man’s presence. He had been truthful—every day he would come and fish. 

At first, you’d watch from the black rocks, sitting atop them and studying. More than once you’d see the brunette raise a hand in greeting when his boat had entered the cove; an acknowledgment that you were there and nothing more. No expectation for you to come over or speak to him. 

Day after day you’d see the net being thrown from the side only to be reeled back by large arms, legs apart and firm to the deck. 

On day four, you swam over and grappled onto the side of the ship, curious. Before you could even realize he instantly knew you were there—despite his back being to you—the Fisherman spoke in a cheeky tone.

“Come up, then, if you’re that interested. No use watching from the water.” So you had, with a bit more fire to your cheeks than you thought mermaids could handle.

Now it was routine. The human man would pull into the cove and you would sit on the side of his fishing boat, doing whatever you wished as he worked. 

You pull your comb through the ends of your hair, placing it down after and closing your eyes before your hands grab the shiny strands, twisting them. Under your breath, you hum in tune with the Fisherman’s whistled song; the notes like a growing symphony in your head. 

Song to Merfolk is sacred and revered—everything sings, in its own right, and deserves careful crafting to fully understand. 

“You seem to enjoy that,” you startle to a stop, eyes popping open. Sharply looking over your shoulder, you pause your hands. Staring, the man has completely stopped his work; nets at his feet with slapping fish of all colors stuck in the rope’s limp weavings. 

He squints at your confused face.

“Rhythm.” 

“Oh,” you offer a smile and watch him look away only to kneel down and begin separating his quarry. “If you’re worried I’ll sing around you, think nothing of it—I know what that could cause.” 

The Fisherman hums, amused at you, “I’m not. I was complimenting you,” the knife at his belt glints in the light. “You have a pretty voice, Love.” 

You shyly watch him, hair partly covering your visage, and catch a glimpse once more at the necklace he seems to always wear. Silver and shiny but still hidden. 

“If you knew about my species, you wouldn’t be saying that.” Explaining lowly, the man grunts, sending a look your way as he tosses a Cod farther up the deck—you watch it flop around for a moment. 

“Well,” the Fisherman explains, hands pausing and body leaning closer as one of his knees connects to the wood. It’s a teasing whisper that slides into your drum, and you find yourself nearly shivering from it. Blue eyes twinkle with mischief. “I did. No worries, I’ll never tell.”

A deep chuckle joins a lighter one, and your tail shimmers in the open light; scales vibrant and rich-looking. From what the brunette can see on the deck—the smaller plates that extend all the way up your navel to stop at your belly button—you know he stares at them. 

Not a greedy, evil, stare…just one of hidden admiration. It was of no surprise to you that he found it beautifully uncanny.

You have no idea how to read this Fisherman; have no idea what he wants. You think he doesn’t want anything. On your face, a strange calm settles. 

“Tell me, Fisherman,” his gaze snaps from your scales to your face, momentarily stopping at the dip of your neck as you turn as fully to him as you’re able from your perch. Your hand rests at your side; spine twisted halfway. “Who are you? No, I don’t mean your name. I want your person. You don’t act afraid of me—of what I am.” He stays kneeling and lets the net rest for now, his heart beating steadily in his breast. “There is more to you than a human at sea, surely.” 

Your words are not accusatory, they lacked any sort of confrontation. Curiosity, though, like enclosed treasure, was stuck behind your tongue. He surprises you by standing and beginning to walk over, boots thumping. 

As he nears, he sits down with a huff on the edge, right next to you. 

There’s a moment when you both stare into each other's eyes as you feel the world shift. Blinking up at him, at the closer range you take into account the ancientness of his eyes and how it seemed, for such an alone man, it was making him look far older than he was. Still older than you, yes, but the sentiment still stands.

With his hat having been retired not five minutes earlier onto one of the many ship’s barren tops, you saw the streaks of sun-bleached strands in his brown hair. You unconsciously reach for your comb but stay your fingers as they flinch over the gold.

Storm-blue carefully glances away before coming back to you. 

“Not much to know, Love,” the Fisherman’s brow raises, “you understand?” 

“No,” you say, honestly, head tilting at him. He looks surprised, breath hitching. 

“It’s just…there’s not much to tell, Sweetheart.”

Humans are strange creatures.

Not knowing this word game, you take your hand away from the comb and bring it to his chest, slipping under the neck of his tunic to grasp at the necklace he always wears. A hand snaps to your wrist almost immediately—a startling speed that makes you flinch. 

Above your heads, seagulls squawk at you, but all you can gaze into are those pure blue orbs. They trap you, drag you down far faster than a whirlpool into the briny depths of hypnotic appeasement. 

Perhaps you were naive to the magical whims of males that walk on two feet.

The Fisherman’s jaw clenches, eyes tightly narrowed at you in hesitance and veiled threat. You blink at him softly, not doing anything besides twitching your fingers and widening your sight. Before long, his hold loosens but doesn’t leave, allowing you on whatever it was you were doing yet still touching your damp flesh.

Lips parting, you don’t make a fuss. Instead, you hum under your breath and allow his calluses to scrape you. The toughness becomes a stark contrast to your own make-up. 

Feels nice.  

Your digits peel out the article of jewelry and you shift closer to look; bare chest brushing against his. You can feel his pulse through the brunette’s tunic, the way his throat shifts in a tense swallow of nothing. 

The necklace held two pieces of small, round, silver and said the following. 

“Jonathan Price, Captain, 141st company under the King.”

As you read, your tail gradually begins brushing his leg in its swaying. Through it all, the large Fisherman only slants his chin down and watches, breathing half through his mouth and half through his nose. You hear his throat clear; feel his grip squeeze your wrist. 

It is a small and taken-aback kind of noise. He doesn’t move his hand.

You are happy he doesn’t. 

“You’re a…Captain?” Asking, you look up shocked and aren’t taken aback by how close your face was to his. Even if your cheeks begin to burn at the beard bristles itching your nose. 

“...Yes,” breathe puffs over the lower half of your face. Your fingers detangle from the Fisherman’s necklace and let it thump to his chest. “I was. Left.” 

Blinking, you whisper, steadily, “What’s a…Captain…?” 

A small sound is made in the back of his throat and he releases your wrist and pulls back before a loud bark of a laugh jerks his chest. You stare in innocent confusion, hair falling over your shoulders.

“What?” Gripping his mouth, Jonathan Price grounds himself by gripping his thigh as he chuckles.

“No, no,” he takes a deep breath and releases his face, smoothing down his beard quickly with amusement stuck in his smile. “Bloody hell, it’s nothing. Nothing at all, Love.”

He sends you a warm side glance and you huff, moving back and picking up your comb, getting back to brushing your locks again. You are acutely aware that you now know the Fisherman’s name, but refrain from saying anything until he does. Now you know why he reacted in such a way.

Your tail twitches in the water as fish brush past it and the brunette begins with a soft look. 

“I was in charge of a small group of men—we had a ship. Far larger than this old girl,” he pats the deck, and you slow your motion to show that you are listening, intrigued. “We did what was needed of us, but there was a thin line that needed to be drawn to keep every bastard sane.” 

Blue meets your eyes and the man’s expression darkens. Your fingers twitch as the breeze ravages his hair, chest tightening. 

“And yours?” You ask softly, entranced and open, “What was your line, Captain Price?” 

He hums after a small silence, sighing deeply. Along the hull of the boat, the waves rock the vessel gently side to side, and your mythical attention seems to entrap him far better than your voice could. His face loses that dark edge, well-trimmed beard relaxes as his jaw does. 

The past it seems, looms over him like a tsunami.

Reaching up a slow hand, his fingers brush the tendrils of hair that had slipped out of your hold and were dangling in front of your face; the Fisherman blinks and pushes them back behind your ear. By now your brush had long stopped and your breath was held in your chest. For the first time in your life, you think you feel yourself shiver at the delicate scrape of his skin on yours.

“John,” he mutters, and you suck down a shallow breath as he watches you like you were an idol of the Gods, “Just John.” 

Your smile leaves his fingers pressing deeper into your scalp and, perhaps a bit naively, you welcome him to you like a bird to the sky. You liked his gruffness—his beard and his face. The lines on his forehead that you could imagine tracing as if they belonged on a map instead of the squareness of this Fisherman’s profile. Tiny sockets that hold sapphire stones.

“Maybe I left because I couldn’t stand seeing such beautiful creatures being put to the hook, eh?” Your eyes widen, tiny gasp leaving your lips. 

Merfolk swooned with flattery, truth be told. They enjoy being doted on and praised; given gifts of both words and objects. You were no different. 

Oh…did he call me beautiful?

John smirks at your reaction, taking his hand off of you and standing with a low chuckle. Your tail flutters at the sudden absence, head following after him as he walks back to his net with a sway in his step. You blink in astonishment. 

“You’re a strange human, John,” calling to him, you grimace at the blatant disappointment in your bones at the lack of his skin on yours. At his humored hum, you sense your growing attraction to the grind of his vocal cords. His voice. “I don’t know what to think of you.”

“Then think nothing of me,” he explains easily, casually, re-gathering his nets in his toned arms. You try not to let your jaw slacken at the bulge under his tunic when he carries them. “I’m not offended by it, Love.” A sly look, “Do as you wish.” 

Your tail twitches so violently you’re afraid you might break the side of the ship. 

And so this strange dance between the two of you continued well into the longer months—John would come in his ship nearly every day and you would join him on the side of the deck. Sometimes you would hum for him and he would whistle a tune back, others there were long bouts of conversation about the ways of humans and beasts. John told you that the King had ordered the total extinction of all manner of ‘strange and unordinary’ creatures to secure his line safely to the throne. 

When he had explained it, the mad had gone red with anger.

“Fuckin’ muppet,” he’d spit, fiddling with his knife as you watched a small distance away, playing with his silver necklace in your hands. You twiddled it around and liked how it shimmered like your scales did in the light. “Bloody thought I would just go along with the deaths of innocent beings. He had no facts—no proof to back up his claim. I’ve done things. Horrible things,” John explained to you, sending you a stiff look, “but I’ve not forsaken my damn mind to reality. Takin’ the piss.” 

Muttering the last sentence to himself, you had felt your lips curve into a smile. “You have a proper conscience, John, done bad or not.” 

“Yeah, well, Sweetheart, I’ll be done in soon enough.” You only stared with care-drowned eyes and caressed his necklace. When he had seen this, his body had deflated with an exasperated grunt. 

You shared a chuckle and he got back to work; feeling his melting gaze drawn back to you every so often. 

Later, yet again, you found your form on his boat, this time with his hands across the small of your back as you studied the blade of his knife.

“Careful, now. Don’t run your finger along the edge.” His free grip points to the sharp side—breath fanning your ear. You feel your throat tighten and nod, caressing a thumb on the leather handle. 

John’s hand is hard on your bare skin and you sense his heat drilling past your veins into the very marrow of your bones. You unconsciously sigh when his fingers slide slightly higher, traveling the length of your spine; his scars catching on every knob of bone. Your exploration stills and your pupils widen. 

His breath is on your neck, nose tilting as his jaw does just above the meat of your shoulder. 

“Why’d you stop?” You stare off into the metal, lashes fluttering when his fingers finally curve at the swell of your neck. Lips drag on your flesh before a deep grumble of affection stems from John’s chest as he kisses your rapid pulse. “Distracted? Hm.” 

“It’s,” you breathe out, scales reflecting light as your lower body shifts on the wood. His opposite hand circles your waist, drawing your back to his chest. Skin burns and thoughts go to liquid as you feel his roving muscle. “It’s g-good. Pretty—” 

Words fail you as his lips continue to slowly travel.

“Could say the same,” John grunts; beard scraping down your flesh. 

Your eyes flutter, head tilting to give more room at the same time you whisper out, violently shivering at the compliment, “John…” 

“What is it?” The grip moves to run over your scales, right where your upper hips would be; the sensation of him caressing you with gentle, deep, rubs of his thumb was all it took for you to give in completely to him. “Go on, Love, speak.” 

You take a breath and feel his heart beating steady along your back—the texture of his tunic. “What…are you doing?” 

John moves your hair and places open-mouthed kisses on the back of your neck. He breathes in your scent and you turn your light head to stare unabashedly at his flushed face. Your tail sways, limp, over the side of the boat. 

Blown pupils hide that sea-storm blue like a lock and key to dangerous thoughts and attraction. 

In answer, his eyes flicker down to your lips hungrily and your gaze widens; a small sound in the base of your throat. 

“You’re somethin’ beautiful, y’know that?” He says and you let him lean in closer to your face, eyes threatening to close when you take in the musk of human flesh and sweat. Rope and wood oil. John’s words make you shiver again, hairs standing on end—responding to that deep growl with a roaring in your ears. 

You shouldn’t be enjoying this. Shouldn’t be enjoying his lips or his tight grip; his…his rough, large, hands that encapsulate your body and drown you. It terrifies you, this heart-stopping magnetism. You can’t get enough of him.

John presses his firm lips to yours, groaning into the connection as you sigh and part your mouth. Fingers shaking, you twist and place your hands on his chest, gasping mutely as his teeth nip into your lower lip and pull back before pushing back forward. Sparks of subdued pain mix with pleasurable agony at the scrape of his beard hair.

 “Every inch of you…” John’s grip captures you closer, hands ensnaring you against his chest like deeply intertwined strands of fabric, squeezing as he licks his upper lip. He catches his breath shallowly. Blue eyes burn through you. “...is fucking perfection.”  

You grab at his necklace and drag him back in, feeling him not waste a single moment to grip the back of your head and keep you trapped to him, tongues slipping out of mouths to tangle together like seaweed. Perhaps it was foolish, but a part of you knew that this Captain, this strange Fisherman—this Johnathan Price—was the only man or being on this planet, land or sea, who could make you feel like you could walk and fly all at once. 

When he lifts you in his arms and drops you in his lap as if your body weighed as much as a pebble, you knew you’d brave the open ocean for this man in an instant. His arm drips with water as it slips under the joint of your tail; where your knees would be if you had them, and you whine into his mouth at the slip of his fingers. 

Intoxicated, drunk off of his scent and his pressure. 

A dangerous mix of two different lives. 

It couldn’t last.

TAGS:

@luuvbuzz, @emerald-valkyrie, @anna-banana27, @blueoorchid, @cryingnotcrying, @writeforfandoms, @homicidal-slvt, @jade-jax, @frazie99, @elmoees, @littlemisstrouble, @alpineswinter, @phoenixhalliwell, @idocarealot, @lavalleon, @facelessmemories, @h-leigh, @20forty9, @glitter-anon-asks, @emily-who-killed-a-man, @neelehksttr, @aeneanc, @escapefromrealitysm, @i-d-1-0-t, @pparcxysm, @hawkscanendme, @caramlizedtomatos, @konigsleftkidney, @sanfransolomitatm, @maelstrom007, @jemandderkeinenusernamenfindet, @pheobees, @glitterypirateduck, @uselsshuman, @fan-of-encouragement, @halfmoth-halfman, @ghostlythunderbird, @I-inkage, @pukbadger, @kopatych11, @0nceinabluem00n, @cocrorapop, @knightofsexyness, @abnormalgeil, @smallseastone, @jacegons, @330bpm-whiplash, @simon-rileys-housewife, @4-atsu, @tiredmetalenthusiast

[total-drama-brainrot]

Is Ezekiel one of your favs? You talk a LOT about him and pick that little feral farm boy apart several times over (love seeing dissections of him don’t get me wrong)

Not really. He's just interesting to think about.

Ezekiel’s character is probably the most tragic one out of the whole series; he enters the show incredibly naive and sheltered, gets eliminated first for parroting misogynistic views he obviously internalised from someone else (most likely an authority figure in his life, and given the nature of his incredibly isolated upbringing that's most certainly his dad) and is immediately universally disliked by the people around him.

He fundamentally changes himself to be (what he believes is) more appealing to the world at large, only to be faced with the same treatment.

And then he literally goes feral. Not even in a metaphorical sense - this kid goes full Gollum Mode and starts living underground with mutated gophers after throwing himself into an active volcano.

His whole story arc on the show is objectively a tragedy, which is free real estate for things like AUs and, in my case, character analysis.

What could he have done differently to prevent his fate? Why was he so hellbent on winning in World Tour to the point his body and mind started to decay?

Why he geen? 🟢

[lazysublimeengineer]

Man, I'm remembering Naruhaya again and it's sad Naruhaya Asahi hours again for me 🥲 he is probably the only side character who got eliminated that I honestly got sad about. His backstory, fears during the second selection and his disqualification scenes and dialogues with Isagi hits hard. Naruhaya's backstory is the second one that made me tear up a little with Chigiri's past and backstory is the first backstory in the franchise that really made me emotional. And is still is.

Also, half of the fandom is wild sometimes about Isagi. Like I get him being feral on the field and his opponents but I digress that he was *that cruel* to them. His match after Naruhaya was the evidence of it. Isagi had the time to belittle him or mock him because of what Naruhaya said to him before the match. But no. After the match, Isagi was surprisingly somber and and a bit regretful. He was the only opponent that he didn't openly mocked afterwards and even swore to him that he'll win for him. And that's how vital Naruhaya is to Isagi's character development. Because they were on the same pod before. They're the type of players who will not get chosen in the past if they lost in the second selection.

Bittersweet.

But also, I admire that Naruhaya is the first person who knew and acknowledged his adaptability. He said that Isagi wasn't afraid to change and he knew that his movements were now stolen from him. God, I can never move on from these two during second selection I swear-

But let's head now to Nanase and Rin in the current arc of the manga shall we? I really appreciate the fact that Nanase was determined and actually making an effort to be a good player in order to make it to the top 23 list because he knew from himself that he wasn't that great. And Isagi had said so himself during the U20 arc. I like the fact that Rin had taken him under his wing and trained him even though the price for it was to be his own dog or a lackey in the field perse. (Well, almost all the characters are doing this to survive). Nanase wasn't in my radar. Until now.

Because he's making an effort and was trying so hard.

He's a side character that's getting important and it's making me care for him.

Again.

Which is not good because I'm getting some vibes that he's not gonna make it.

Especially with Rin NOT BEHAVING ON THE FIELD.

Like I acknowledged Rin being a genius on the field but it pissed me off when the ball was assisted by Nanase to him but he ended up showing off to Isagi instead of just kicking the ball in the goal immediately before Hiori got the time to counter it. Ugh.

Now I know half of the fandom probably wants Kaiser or whoever from BM like Isagi or Ness to score a goal (as an act of revenge) in the next panel. But all I want is for Rin to score a goal again with an assist from Nanase to have the latter got a higher bid and higher spot and probably enter the top 23.

Because if Rin won't score again, God, I may have to say goodbye to Nanase and him entering the top 23. Jfc. It's like Naruhaya all over again.

[cinnamon-girl-writes]

who am i against him? (the darkest hour of the darkest night) . . . satosugu fic

what if gojo couldn't move on from getou leaving, and it drove him crazy? or: a collection of feral gojo pining for his long lost lover.

3.6k words, angst, gojo x geto, set during gojo's past arc, canon compliant request: [...] a little angst with gojo and geto inspired by the myth of orpheus and eurydice, hadestown is my favorite musical (well you can tell from the url hehe) and i was listening to 'doubt comes in', the kfc scene came to me in your head for a moment thinking about satoru trying to rescue suguru from the underworld, following him in the darkness and trying to show that he was present, suguru entering a spiral of dark thoughts and doubt, realizing that he will be alone in the underworld because he let his own thoughts defeat him. [...]

by @cinnamon-girl-writes

SEPTEMBER, 2007

It wasn't him.

The raven-haired, kindred spirit of his past was gone. The old Suguru was dead, gone and buried somewhere beneath the man that stood before him-- no, the man that was walking away from him now.

And in that moment, Satoru knew what he had to do. He couldn't continue on the way he was now; he was an emotional wreck who could hardly breathe without a sharp pain in his heart. He would get better, for his own good and the good of the jujutsu world.

And he knew the only way to do that would be to save Suguru's soul.

SOMETIME, 2 WEEKS LATER

It had seemed like hours that Satoru had sat at the small desk in his room at Jujutsu High, pouring over books and phone receipts and journals left behind. There had to be something somewhere that revealed where Suguru had gone and what he'd planned to do. Everyone had seen it on the news, reports of horrific massacres caused by an unknown person, but they knew who it was. It almost hurt more to see it on the television when the normal people were so confused, so unaware of what was really happening.

A cleansing. A genocide.

Satoru slammed the book in front of him closed in frustration. He felt like he would never figure this out. Mabye he'd never see him again. Have to live with the pain of always having him as an enemy instead of a friend, have to teach the next generations about the notoriously wicked curse user Suguru Getou. No. Not Suguru.

By some miracle, it had come to him one day when he was walking the streets of Shibuya. He was pondering where else he could possibly look when he felt something brush against his hand in his pocket-- no, Suguru's pocket. Suguru's jacket that he had left behind.

After all, there were some things that Satoru couldn't just leave behind.

When he recognized the foreign object, he ripped it out, smoothing it's surface in his palms. With a pang in his chest, he recognized the handwriting, the glossy black pen that belonged to him (it hurt too much to think his name).

His normally neat, structured penmanship was disshelved, spanning across the entire page in what seemed like an insane man's attempt at stability. Perhaps a sign of his mental decline.

The note read an address, a date (September 29, which had passed), and one word: temple.

AGAIN, LATER

It would be hard to tell who's the insane man now, Gojo thinks as he frantically shoves clothes, books, and everything else he can see into a someple black bag. His room is in shambles, things scattered across his bed and the floor. It hasn't been an easy past couple of weeks, but this was no time for cleaning. He decides against wearing Suguru's coat, however-- the thing holds too many memories, too many good times to potentially be lost or damaged.

Maybe, if he didn't make it back alive, Shoko could keep it, he considers.

"Gojo? What's wrong?"

Shoko. Satoru feels anxious then, as if he's summoned her with his thoughts.

He shrugs the bag onto his shoulders, crossing the room to stand squarely in front of the girl. She's blocking his path, leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded on her chest.

"You know what, Shoko."

Her eyebrows crease. She's concerned. "You're not going to look for him, right?" she questions. When she doesn't get an answer, only Satoru looking away from her face, she asks again, "Right?"

His eyes harden then. There's no easy way to do this, he reminds himself. But it has to be done. To fix everything.

"It's the only way. I have to find him, to talk some sense into him, to curse him, anything!" He doesn't intend to, but his voice increases to a shout. He doesn't want to yell at Shoko, but he doesn't feel he has a choice.

She scoffs, "You're not going to help anyone with your little stunt! You're only going to end up getting yourself hurt or killed."

"And what if that's what I want?" he counters. "I have to do something or I'll die here under the weight of doing nothing. And I'd rather be killed than live like this."

Shoko stands shocked, appalled. If this was his decision, then so be it. She understood how he felt more than anyone-- Suguru was her best friend, too-- but Satoru had turned reckless, abandoning all caution or thought.

Without another word, he pushes past her, shoulders brushing as he exits. He thinks to himself as he walks: Will this be the last time I ever walk these halls?

there were so many memories held here: the boys carrying a drunk Shoko back to her room one Halloween, stargazing at midnight, dying Nanami's hair purple in his sleep. Satoru wanted to laugh, but he found he couldn't.

"You're going to find him, aren't you?" He recognizes the voice: Nanami. He wishes people would stop interupting him. Was it not enough to die in peace?

He turns, seeing the underclassman behind him in the hall. He's got his hands shoved in his pockets, his blond hair covering half of his face.

Satoru considers the man in front of him for a moment. Since Haibara's death, it seems like he hasn't been the same. He realizes, for a moment, that if anyone has a chance at a normal life one day, it's Nanami. He can get out of this hell hole of Jujutsu society and have a normal job, a normal life, maybe even a family and kids.

"Yeah. I have to."

Nanami nods solemnly. "I understand completely. If I could go back and change things I regret, I would too."

This strikes Satoru as odd. Does he not regret Suguru leaving? Does he agree with his frustrations? He realizes then that he must be talking about Haibara, one of his only true friends.

There's a moment of silence, of two people regarding eachother and acknowledging what's about to happen. Nanami takes a step forward, extending his hand.

Satoru laughs a little in his head. Nanami was always one for formality.

"I hope it goes well. You have my best wishes, Gojo."

The two shake hands, mutual understanding passing between them. Though they had never been close, more like mortal frienemies, what they had been through had changed them. They realized they weren't just high school students anymore and never would be again; the world would never have the same blue tint as it did those sweet years.

And with that, Satoru thinks he can leave in peace. He's made all the ammends he needs to; Shoko knows his plan, and though she disagrees with it, she must understand. And he recieved Nanami's blessing, something he never thought he'd have. Grief does strange things to the world.

THE NEXT DAY

First, leave the city. He took the night train from Harajuku to the farthest outskirts of Tokyo he could make it to. From then on, he continued by foot. He knew the address through and through, having read the scrap of paper over and over enough times to have it memorized.

The autumn wind played about his hair and kissed his cheeks as he walked, leaving him with a flushed face. What would happen when he saw Suguru for the first time? After all that's happened?

He couldn't even let himself ponder that right now. For now, he had a job to do and he couldn't afford to get distracted.

Eventually, he comes onto the street name, feeling a chill go down his spine when he notices a large building on the top of a hill. There are images painted on the outside of the building, but he can't quite make out what they are from here.

He hikes upwards, not failing to notice the steep incline. The path is littered with small, white flowers, their leaves browned by the cold and petals shriveled nearly beyond recognition. Would there ever be beauty again?

Stumbling, he halts a few feet in front of the doorway. He was really about to do this; to go see Getou again. To fix him? No, to save him. From what? From himself? Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him or there was something in the air, but he couldn't quite remember why he came all the way here. Right. Suguru's here.

He presses against the door, willing it to open. He didn't travel all this way just to turn around now. To his surprise, the door slides open, revealing a dimly lit room about the size of the classrooms at Jujutsu Tech. Cold air brushed against his face, and he took in the scene before him: small, golden candles lined the walls, woven mats layed on the floor in an intricate array, and a woman carrying a clip board stood at the front before what seemed to be a stage. A place of worship?

She was of average height, her coral pink hair spilling down her shoulders. She would have been beautiful if it hadn't had been for the scowl on her face that seemed to be permanent. She seemed a little familiar to Satoru, but he couldn't quite pinpoint where she was from. Perhaps they shared a passing glance in a hall where she once practiced jujutsu. Likely, he would never know.

She started walking forward fiercely, "Excuse me, you can't be here-" Almost on command, she stoped in her path, her face dropping and her eyes widening in recogniztion. It was almost as if she had seen this face before, or she knew what his presence meant.

She nodded solemnly, taking a step back in submission. She extended her hand to a doorway that Satoru hadn't noticed was there, "This way."

He followed to where her hand pointed, though she herself chose to stay behind. He spared a final glance back at the lit room, then continued down his path.

The hallway he found was slightly more lit than the room, and he recalled that it must be dusk at this point. He did the math in his head: 30 minutes bus ride, then two hours walking- or was it three?

He followed the hallway, noticing several shut doors along the way. Which one was he supposed to enter? And what lied behind closed doors? Suddenly, he realized how many secrets and how much information this building held. Having gotten this far, he should be searching the rooms for anything that could benefit the council of jujutsu in stopping another mass murder. Or heading back to the school to share the location of Getou's base. How many lives could he save in doing so? How many more atrocities could be prevented?

He continued walking. With a jolt of realization, he knew where he was supposed to go.

On the left side of the hall, the second furthest door down, a simple black curtain covered a doorway slightly larger than the others; it must be significant, he thought.

Sooner than he'd like, he came to the concealed room. He didn't want to enter. In this moment, he wanted to turn around, head back to jujutsu high, pretend like he'd been there all evening. Swear Shoko and Nanami to secrecy about what he'd done.

Before he can consider his options, however, a rustling sound comes from inside. He hears the sound of someone's footsteps coming closer, closer. Heavy and slow: familiar. Panic rises in his chest. He could die here. It felt strange, but he realized that he was okay with that fate.

"Satoru. Nice to see you."

The familiar stature of Suguru Getou stood in front of him, but Satoru could hardly recognize him. He was dressed in blue robes, so dark they were almost black, and his hair which was usually tied back cascaded down his shoulders.

He froze. Was this a dream? No, this is what he had imagined for weeks. This exact moment, idealistic and impossible as it seemed. He could save him, right here and right now.

With a motion, Suguru steps back, inviting Satoru into the room. It's small, with almost nothing in it but two mats on the floor and scraps of paper lining the walls with words that Satoru payed no mind to reading. He stepped inside the room, taking in the warmer air.

"Suguru." He takes in the man's presence. He seems so different to him, though it's only been mere weeks since he left. "I thought I'd never see you again."

Suguru nods solemnly and Satoru swears he sees a hint of a smile on his face. How could he be so calm in this moment?

"I appreciate your dedication in coming all this way, Satoru. You would've made a fine member of my new family. But I'll spare you the time. I'm not coming back."

Satoru was taken aback. A fine member? Was what they had not enough? Would it ever be enough? "New family?," he repeated. He felt himself stepping away from the man in front of him. "We had a family, Suguru! You and I and Shoko. We had everything! We were happy."

Surprisingly, Satoru sees something strange and unfamiliar and decidedly unattractive on the man's face: anger. "No, we weren't. Maybe you were, but I could never really be happy. Not in this filthy world."

Satoru feels speechless. How could he never had known? Getou was never the most upbeat, but he always boiled it down to his personality. And sure, he had his moments, but being a sorcerer was hard, and sometimes things had to end. Could he not understand that?

Getou steps forward and leans in, impossibly closer. He's almost speaking directly into Satoru's ear. He breathes in his scent, all too familiar and lined with too many memories. Suguru at the beach. Suguru tying up his hair. Suguru lying against his chest. He pushes the air out of his lungs, willing the memories to disappear. He wants them gone, to never think of them again, to never breathe again.

"What we could've done together, Satoru. We could have changed the world. You and I, we could have been gods."

Satoru can't comprehend what he's feeling right now. He grabs Suguru by the shoulders, fruitlessly shaking him, trying to knock any sort of sense into him. "What do you mean, changed the world? We had the world, Suguru. You and I, it was enough. And now you've gone so crazy, I can't even recognize you anymore! For god's sake, you killed your own parents? Where's your humanity?"

He continues. "And what of the next generation? What will they learn in their textbooks? They'll read about the evil curse user Suguru Getou who killed thousands. They study and train to kill you!" He was nearly shouting at this point. "I don't want that for you, Suguru. I want you to be there with me. I don't want to have to hate you! You do understand what this means, right? We'll be painted as mortal enemies. They'll pit us against eachother, and eventually, one will have to kill the other, and you know who it'll be. I don't want to, but I'll have to! You know how the higher-ups are, they're already out for your blood! Imagine what would happen when they waged war on you!"

"I don't want to hate you. I won't hate you. But I'll have to kill you," he falters. "Is this really what you want? I thought you respected jujutsu more than anything!"

A beat. Then, as if being roused from a dream, Suguru feels calmer, regaining his own composure. He places his own hand on top of Satoru's, as if replicating a loving touch; how ironic in a time like this. His skin is cold and pale and unfamiliar.

"Unfortunately, I don't think you understand my vision. You and I have led very different lives, and though our paths my have intersected for a brief time, you are no longer a part of mine. If you're unable to see the reality of the situation, then I'll have to ask you to leave."

He can't breathe. He tries to inhale, in, out, anything, but the air won't come. It's as if it's been sucked from the room. Slowly and mechanically, he steps back, releasing the man from his grip. He nods, turning on his heel to face the door. He felt like he was a robot, controlling his body with methodical instructions. Now you have to leave, Satoru.

As he's pulling back the cloth that covers the doorway, Suguru's voice sounds behind him, deep and rich and resonant. "Perhaps we'll see eachother again, someday."

He doesn't have the strength to respond. He steps outside, finding himself back in the hallway in which he arrived. Now you walk outside, Satoru.

He makes his way down the familiar hall, recalling the hope he had the first time he was here only a few minutes ago. He'd thought that he'd saved his best friend, that he could finally come home. How foolish he had been.

He ends up in the large room again, stopping in the center of the floor to regard it. It's truly a beautiful building. He wonders if Suguru had it built himself or if it had been here for centuries.

He realizes that he'll probably be here again soon, on a mission from the jujutsu higher-ups. To spy or investigate or worse.

"He told me about you, you know." Satoru turns, searching for the source of the voice. It's from the coral-haired woman that he had seen earlier. She's changed now, wearing a long midnight blue nightgown and white slippers.

"He told me that if an arrogant white-haired man claiming to be the strongest sorcerer came, to send you to him." She smirked a little. "Almost as if he was expecting you'd come and try to stop this. Always the hero, aren't you?"

Of course, Suguru had put so little meaning behind his once best friend. His past life didn't matter now, right? He had even sank so low as to taunt him.

"I'm flattered," Satoru replies without humor. He notices that she's no longer carrying the clipboard from before. Instead, she holds a small wooden box with intricate engravings on the sides.

"You're different than I would've thought. I admire that," she explains. Satoru starts to fell a little annoyed. Is this all she has to say? To mock him for his failures?

She steps forward, extedending her hand and placing the box in his own. "Farewell, Satoru Gojo. I wish you the best of luck."

Luck? Luck in what, exactly? But it's too late to ask, as she's already turned around and headed back down the hallway. What a strange woman.

He puts the box in his bag, zipping it shut, and making his way toward the door. He lets his feet lead him, not quite questioning where they're taking him. He goes down the slope of the hill, past the road name in which he had memorized. Then he's at the train station, riding in the crowded car. Eventually, he's back in the dorm building at jujutsu tech.

When he enters and notices the common room is empty, he says a silent prayer of thanks that no one is out and about. Then he realizes there's only two students left besides himself.

His door pushes open, revealing his room, dark and lonely. He unpacks his bag, his clothes, the torn pieces of paper, and finally the wooden box.

It really was quite small, fitting on top of his hand. He traced the etchings on the side with his fingers, recalling where he'd seen the box before. It had lived in Suguru's room on his bedside table. he'd never questioned what was in the box, always assuming it was some sort of personal item from home or a family heirloom of sorts.

He felt like a trespasser. The old Suguru was dead, and this felt like he was invading in the part of his life he had never known about. But isn't this what he wanted, or what should be done? The woman wouldn't have gave him the box if it wasn't for a reason. Maybe it was fate.

He twists the small metal lock on the box; it was a simple thing, really, and most likely hand crafted.

Satoru fought the urge to gasp, though he was alone in his own room. The box contained tens of dozens of photographs. the first one he picked up was of Shoko sitting on the balcony of one of the buildings, flashing a grin and a peace sign at the camera, cigarette between her teeth. The next was himself and Suguru. He assumed the picture was taken by Shoko because they were both of them were engaged in the moment, laying on the training field in the evening and looking up at the stars. He hadn't even known that the picture had been taken.

He turned the small photo over. On the back, in the same familiar handwriting, read: August 17, Me and Satoru on the field. Only mere weeks before everything fell apart.

He realized that every photo had a date and a description on the back: February 8, Riding bikes; June 30, Night in Harajuku. March 14, April 13, July 9. The list went on and on, moments and memories that could never be relived or taken back.

Satoru gazed out the window then, taking in the view. It was a beautfiul sunset, one of the most breathtaking he'd ever seen. Oranges and pinks and purples melted together in a kaleidoscope of colors. How could the end of the day be so beautiful? His heart ached with longing for some sort of closure. Would he ever feel that way again?

Of course, all beautiful things must end.

[i-never-forgot]

"In the Morning Light" Canon Timeline

In light of posting my fic(s), I wanted to clarify my AU for the sake of comprehension since there are some timeloop shenanigans that occur that may make it confusing, especially since I have somehow ended up writing it all backwards lol.

This is going to be a mess of bare minimum (but we know it's going to be long-winded—c'mon, guys, it's my writing we're talking about) plot points to explain the premise of my perpetual WIP fanfic, my OC(s), and the potential AUs that may be involved. Buckle in for a whole lot of nonsense, my dudes—this is really just me trying to get everything in my head on paper, so to speak, so I don't really know who will be interested in reading all this lol, but I appreciate all of those that do. This has been stewing in the back of my mind since 2015 so…yeah.

This outline is broken down into acts, so it follows the basic canon storyline of the game until the post-game's ending, from which it deviates. (As always, questions about any of this are more than welcome in my askbox! I relish any excuse to yap about my babies!)

[Divider credit]

"Past" Arc:

[The events of "A Stagnant Life" occur.]

Eliana wakes up in the paralyzed future and thinks she's dreaming. She rescues a terrified, treed Treecko from getting trampled by a rampaging Nidoqueen by distracting her, tumbling into a ravine and hurting herself in the process, then falling unconscious. When she wakes up, the Treecko is there and...talking to her, asking if she's all right, and trying to give her a berry. That's a lot to process with a concussion, but, at this point, after taking in the decaying scenery and strangeness of it all, that seems the least fantastical element involved in her current predicament.

He convinces her to go back to his cramped cave at the top of the other side of the ravine, afraid of being out in the open for too long, and asks her what kind of Pokemon she is. She explains that she's a human, he's confused. She tries to explain that she's obviously not from the area, but isn't entirely sure how she got there—the memories are...fuzzy, for reasons that she can't seem to fathom.

Treecko says, after some questions of her own about sleeping off their injuries for the night and figuring things out in the morning, that he doesn't even know what "the sun" is. It's always dark, always silent, and the vast majority of other Pokemon are feral and violent. The poor thing has no concept of time and is extremely timid and soft-spoken, and he's obviously intimidated by Eliana in general (but especially by her size and comparatively incredible strength), yet he seems to trust her despite himself for that one act of kindness she gave him...of course, that may also have to do with the fact that he looks like he's never gotten a full hour of sleep and seems cripplingly lonely and starved for touch and company, too.

Despite the grief and trauma surrounding the loss of her original childhood partner Pokemon, Eliana's initial insistence on only keeping an eye on the little creature that had inadvertently saved her life with oddly potent naturally medicinal fruit long enough to figure out what in the hell she was going to do quickly fragments when she starts teaching him how to battle to defend himself, rescues him from a couple more dangerous situations, and answers his endless questions to the best of her ability. (She's only known this Treecko for what should've been a couple of days and if anything happened to him, she would kill everyone in that fucked up frozen world and then herself.) She decides very early on that she would lay her life on the line for him, even if she doesn't openly admit to having an attachment to him to herself until much later on.

She learns about mystery dungeons when he runs out of supplies and she figures out that the only way to get fresh food and water is to enter these odd, labyrinthian structures and to emerge successfully on the other side because, oddly enough, things seem to have been “sealed” in a way that regenerates the feral Pokémon and the items. Treecko is terrified of having to go into them because of the other Pokémon since they attack anything that moves, but Eliana starts coaxing him to try. She figures out how to use throwing items, seeds, and orbs as means of defense since she obviously has no moves, and very slowly Treecko starts to get stronger and more confident.

One “day” Eliana finds a Dig TM before they emerge on the other side, and they pass a local pond on the way home. Eliana stops by the water while Treecko stays near the treeline with their finds, but she’s attacked by a Mightyena and gets pinned under the water to drown her. Treecko accidentally activates the Dig TM, learns it, and defeats the Mightyena by using it—it’s the first time he’s knocked out a Pokémon on his own. He’s frantic about whether Eliana’s okay and clings to her well after they fall asleep.

Eliana receives her first Dimensional Scream soon after this, although she doesn’t understand what it is and thinks she might be hallucinating. (*I haven’t decided what it will be yet, but for this “future” portion of the fic, I would utilize the “past” dialogues—just like the hero captures glimpses of Grovyle’s dialogue in the past, e.g. Foggy Forest.) They're staying near Treeshroud Forest, so this is what triggers it, but they don't realize there's a Time Gear there until later.

She grows too curious about the state of this world to stay put any longer, and she tells Treecko that she wants to explore it to see what happened—she’s explained to him how it should be, but he’s never witnessed anything different. He’s understandably wary about the idea of traveling long distances, and Eliana tells him that he doesn’t have to go with her—since he has a home here and feels safe, she could leave him with what they had gathered the last several trips to the local mystery dungeons and gather her own stuff as she goes along.

(However, she doesn’t realize that the reason Treecko feels safe now is because he’s met her—she’s boosted his confidence, has taught him how to battle, and has been his sole companion in almost all of his life. He owes her everything, he feels, so he decides to go with her in order not to lose her.)

[The events of the top half of "Cuddles" occur.]

They travel along an old path that leads, unbeknownst to them, southwest. Eventually they reach the coast and discover the ruins of a town. Eliana is fascinated and tries to uncover what's left, but anything valuable has already been looted. They find an underground base mostly hidden under brush pulled over its entrance. They creep inside and are attacked! But the scuffle doesn't last very long because their assailant is a) old and b) the only other sane Pokemon they've encountered.

It’s a blind, older, chronically wounded Lucario that refers to himself as the Old Master. Eliana and Treecko are uncertain what that means, exactly, and he doesn’t deign to explain it. After some convincing that they aren’t raiders, he offers for them to stay in the little underground haven he’s built. It used to be an exploration guild, he explains, and he was its master. Since the world fell apart most Pokemon either fled across the continent or were driven mad. He doesn’t admit it but Eliana can tell he’s been lonely and he’s relieved to have some company, even if he has to readjust to it some.

He starts explaining what he knows—which is quite a lot, actually, since he’s studied all of the old tomes in the Guild’s library for lack of better things to do while hiding out between ventures into local dungeons for food. He’s able to answer some of Eliana’s questions—including that the planet is paralyzed through time stopping. Eliana exhausts his knowledge and he diverts her to the library and proceeds to teach her how to read the written language(s) of their world.

Eliana is a quick study. She even uncovers and is able to read the ancient tomes composed in Unown runes since it’s similar to the alphabet with which she’s familiar. Lucario is amazed by this and by her and Treecko’s partnership. He mentions eventually that she reminds him of someone he used to know, but he can’t place it.

Eliana uncovers texts about Time Gears and their function. She proposes a crazy—but plausible— idea. It is no negligible task, but…Lucario agrees to help, tired of the world he’s been trapped in and that Treecko has been born into. They will need help if they have any hope of finding them. But even if they did manage it, since no locations were recorded in the records, how could they possibly reverse what had already happened?

They travel to what once was Capim Town on the opposite side of the coast—a long, arduous journey filled with peril. Treecko gets stronger and quicker all the while. They arrive and Eliana is met with suspicion and outright aggression—those who remembered humans before the cleansing did not approve of her presence, so she was forbidden from remaining in town. Treecko goes with Lucario when he speaks with the leaders of the town, but he’s rejected because they suspect that any tampering with the timeline would cause their erasure. Lucario declares that the world in which they live is nothing for them, nor their children, to suffer—what would it mean for them to lose their lives if countless others could be saved in the process? (Treecko adopts a lot of Lucario’s opinions on things after this, admiring him a lot for his steadfast rationale and ability to handle tense situations.)

When they leave the council chamber and return to Eliana, Lucario is discouraged. However, a moderate-sized group of townspeople follow them before they can depart and say that they're willing to help them in any way that they can to rectify the past. They end up forming the Planetary Investigation Team and start researching the cause of the planet's paralysis by uncovering other texts and such.

Lucario, Eliana, and Treecko return to the Guild and begin their plans. They determine that while their new team attempts to narrow down the possible locations of the Time Gears in the past, Lucario says that they need to find out a way to travel through time to start with. He has to work on that, but he has enough information by then to send Eliana and Treecko out into the continent to start the process of elimination on where the Time Gears might have been.

Unfortunately, all this hubbub and action has caught the attention of the spies scattered throughout the land for Primal Dialga. They report back what's going on, and Primal Dialga sends out his best henchman to determine the intentions of these insurgents and to stop them by whatever means necessary if he determines that they pose a veritable threat to the timeline. (They do, he finds.)

Eliana and Treecko start traveling around the continent counter-clockwise, first discovering the Time Gear below the Northern Desert and in Quicksand Cave thanks to another vision she receives from almost falling into the frozen quicksand. She trusts her gut, they go down, and find the first Time Gear suspended, frozen, and inert. [Since Temporal Tower had collapsed, the "feedback loop" powers they possessed went dormant. That's when they truly figure out that they have no choice but to travel back in time in order to utilize them effectively.]

They find the other Time Gears based on the possible locations Lucario marked on their map: Crystal Cave/Crossing's, Treeshroud Forest's, then Foggy Forest/Steam Cave/Fogbound Lake's. Eliana keeps having these visions, and she realizes that they're linked to the Time Gears, although she can't figure out who is in them (spoilers: it's Lu).

They have their first run-in with the Sableye when they discover the Time Gear in Limestone Cave, and Eliana and Treecko have gotten so accustomed to combat that they don't pose that much of a threat. Treecko has become confident, sure in his abilities, and he is proud that he's able to protect Eliana just like she has him.

They book it back to the Guild to report their findings to Lucario hoping he's found a solution. He has: Celebi, the Time Travel Pokemon. He hopes that they can find her if they find a Passage of Time, and one is located near the Mystifying Forest because it's a place of primordial, mystical power. There's no guarantee that Celebi will be there, but Lucario hopes to at least leave a note there in hopes that she might assist them.

However, just as they're getting ready to travel there, the Guild comes under attack. Several of Primal Dialga's servants have discovered the place and are trying to stop them...and Dusknoir is leading them. He demands their immediate surrender with a cease and desist order, stating that if they stop their plans to tamper with time that their punishment won't be as severe.

Obviously they don't agree to his terms. A tense and rapidly losing battle happens so they can fight their way back out, but Lucario sends Eliana and Treecko away while he takes on the rest of them and holds them off to buy them more time. Tearfully, they flee. Dusknoir pursues them, but they're faster since they're more familiar with the area.

They fly through the mystery dungeon and come across an old spring. Dusknoir and his Sableye ambush them there. It's a tough fight, and Dusknoir is merciless since he's decided to use force. Eliana gets hurt, Treecko gets pissed. Something about the energy that resides there reacts and Treecko evolves! Grovyle's able to beat them off and to knock Dusknoir down long enough for them to slip deeper into the forest.

He's struggling to adjust to his new form and they're both frantic at this point, on the verge of an inevitable and certain demise but he's just so proud of his new strength and Eliana's overjoyed that their bond is strong enough to afford him that, and they almost miss it when they're called into a barely-visible cave entrance. Celebi is waiting there, having known they would come because she's been watching them, wondering why Pokemon were suddenly looking for the locations of the Time Gears. She fully supports their cause and apologizes that she couldn't have been introduced to them sooner, but she was trying to avoid detection by Primal Dialga for defecting.

She leads them to the Passage of Time, explaining that she relies on its power for longer leaps like they require in order to reach the past. They're down to the wire: Dusknoir and the Sableye catch up to them just as they're getting ready to pass through. Dusknoir almost snatches Grovyle but Eliana dives in and tackles him through the Passage. Celebi flees once it's shut behind them, and Dusknoir is left cursing in their wake. (He's in deep shit with Dialga now.)

Due to the instability of the portal, Eliana and Grovyle struggle to cling to each other. It's violent, almost, throwing them about like they're in a storm. They're attacked in the midst of it, Eliana thinks it's Dusknor following them, and shields Grovyle. It sends her careening out of the Passage, freefalling over the ocean below.

"Present" Arc:

Eliana wakes up on a beach with only the memory of her name, the certainty that she should not have fur and paws, and little else save vague sensational impressions and gut feelings about certain things (and Pokemon).

A young, blind Riolu finds her and offers to patch up her wounds (after she was battered around by the storm, hit her head on a rock which resulted in a concussion and her amnesia, and nearly drowned as a result) despite his initial wariness of her rather unbelievable story, but his personal treasure is stolen by a couple of bullies and she is Not Having That Shit since he's so sweet and shy. It takes her a little bit to get used to her new body, but using items helps. Riolu is extremely grateful for her help, doesn't know how to repay her other than offering to help her in return, and offers for her to join him in going to Wigglytuff's Guild. Eliana doesn't know what else to do, so she accepts so she can at least have time to get her bearings.

She quickly trusts Riolu because of his sincerity and opts to give him a nickname. They make fast friends with the other Guild members, but Eliana is soft-spoken and reclusive, never really coming out of her shell since she's so shaken by her lack of identity and the mysterious visions she keeps having. She grows accustomed to Lu's innate and, at times, unnerving ability to tell her mood sine he sees using his aura reading ability.

[Regular plot happens, y'all know the drill. I'm trying not to make this too terribly long so I'll add anything else here if I think of anything.]

Eliana discovers that she has a passion for the historical aspects of exploration and, in order to understand the world around her, she starts reading as many books as she can get her paws on. (She's surprised that she can read all of their written languages, as well as Unown script, although she struggles with Footprint Runes). Lu tries to keep up, but a lot of times he falls asleep while she's pulling her secret all-nighters even after the Guild's curfew has passed.

They initially focus on small jobs that don't offer big rewards since those often get neglected, but as they get stronger they start focusing on ones that are more dangerous so they can help those that need it most. They ascend through the ranks rather rapidly this way compared to their peers.

Everything proceeds as normal until they return from the expedition to Fogbound Lake and Dusknoir arrives at Treasure Town. Everyone is immediately enamored with him upon their first meeting, including Lu, but Eliana senses nothing but Bad Vibes. Her hackles rise and her fur stands on end and she can't get out of the room fast enough. Lu wanted afterwards to meet him but he goes with her to conduct their business outside the Guild. They do their missions for the day and go to Spinda's to unwind.

[The events of "Inexplicable Dread" occur.] | [Here is some meta. And here is some more.]

Dusknoir shows up and Eliana panics and gives him a false name. Lu is trying to be accommodating while keeping up decorum for their visitor, so she tries to push down her anxiety for her partner's sake. Dusknoir notices her apprehension and tries to smooths things over, which makes her second-guess herself and her initial reading of him: he is kind, considerate, and interested in what she has to say. He succeeds in being the second Pokemon to get her to open up by asking her about her studies. By the end of the night she feels comfortable in his presence, but that ill feeling lingers in the back of her mind. They accidentally touch, and triggers another vision: of Dusknoir reaching out to them, stating "You two are coming with me." She runs out in fear, leaving Dusknoir concerned about her being hurt in the past (but little does he realize he's the one that did it).

Lu finds her already in bed, curled up tight with her fur on end. He manages to get her to calm down, but she refuses to share what she saw bc he just got through telling her about how nice and kind and concerned Dusknoir was about her and that he's never met anyone so sincere with such a clear, bright aura. She decides to give him a chance since Lu was able to tell Team Skull were bad eggs right away.

They start interacting with Dusknoir more, having conversations here and there, and Eliana and the ghost-type are able to have intense debates or discussions about hypotheses that surpass anyone else's realm knowledge. Dusknoir loves listening to her talk since she's so articulated and wise beyond her years (until she reveals she's older than she looks, being a first-form Pokemon) and he'll actually go full-throttle explaining things since he doesn't have to stop, slow down, and give extensive context for his subject matter bc she already knows what he's talking about. Eliana develops a fondness for the bass rumble of his voice, like thunder, and she falls asleep a couple of times listening to his veritable lectures. She adores his patience, gentleness, and willingness to share his vast knowledge.

[The events of "Trust" occur.] | [Here is its meta.]

When Dusknoir rescues them from Amp Plains, offering to carry them back to town because of their wounds and fondly murmuring, "You two are coming with me," Eliana decides that she trusts him completely. He has brought no harm upon them, he has helped the both to be more confident in their abilities, and he so obviously cares bc he threatened to rip Team Skull a new one for the dirty trick they played that might have cost Team Relic their lives! She diverts him to the beach and confesses her true name, her ability, and her amnesia being the reasons she was hesitant to trust him at first. She is relieved to no longer hide these things from him, but he is...decidedly not. He conceals his reaction well enough, but Lu notices an inexplicable shift in his aura that darkens him. He starts acting...different. He draws closer to them, claiming to try to help Eliana with her ability to they can find Grovyle, and yet he's more reserved. It's an odd mixture.

When they begin their manhunt for Grovyle, she teams up with Dusknoir to research where the rest of the Time Gears may be located. They spend many late nights like this, usually with Lu asleep nearby, and grow very close as a result. They end up on a "first name basis", so to speak, and no one else talks to him with such casualness and informality, as though he's an equal rather than a superior. He is surprised to find that he...almost appreciates the normalcy of it, despite the circumstances. Eliana respects him entirely by the time the events at Quicksand Cave occur, and she fully commits herself to helping Dusknoir capture Grovyle.

[The events of the former half of "The Hero and the Wraith" occur.] | [Here is some meta. And some more.]

They stop Grovyle at Crystal Crossing, almost at the cost of their own lives. Eliana thinks him cold, cruel, and is almost smug about his desperation once Azelf locks down the lake. Serves him right, she thinks, after everything he's done. She doesn't realize he's on the verge of breaking down, panic and terror and grief that he's been doggedly avoiding since getting separated from her all rolling into one and verging on the edge of a mental meltdown. He's had to relearn himself while separated from his most trusted partner and best friend, not knowing what became of her, whether she was dead (or worse). He's seen no sign of her thus far, getting the Time Gears, and he fears the worst. This is the last straw, and he's barely holding it together. That's why he lashes out with violence instead of deflection or defensiveness; he's hemmed up into a corner with nowhere left to go and he's just so very frustrated and afraid.

Dusknoir didn't have to step in. He could have let Grovyle do his dirty work for him. But...he couldn't stand the sight of Eliana and Lu getting wounded so mortally. He steps in before Grovyle can land the killing blow (on Eliana, because she managed to get up to shield Lu despite being on the verge of unconsciousness). He chases after Grovyle when he escapes, but it doesn't take him long to decide the thief is gone and he rushes back to scoop up the team and Azelf to bring them back to Treasure Town.

He's frantic, the Guild members would say, worrying himself to death about their condition. He looms outside their room while Chimecho and the other healers on-hand patch them back up, and he stays with them through the night in order to monitor their condition. He has to leave the next day to keep up appearances, to hunt Grovyle down, but his inner turmoil distracts him more than anything. He shouldn't care. He would be forced to bring Eliana to her death anyway. Why would he be worried for her health now? (Why had it scared and wounded him so badly? Why did he allow himself to get involved with them in the first place?)

Eliana wants to go with him to trap Grovyle once he, Magnezone, and the Lake Trio decide on the plan. He refuses. He doesn't want to risk her recollecting anything about Grovyle, certainly, but he doesn't want to stay around her any more than what is strictly necessary anymore. He has to distance himself. He can't allow his personal feelings interfere with his mission anymore.

Eliana is anxious waiting for the update. She doesn't fully realize that Dusknoir will have to leave once he captures Grovyle. It hits her like a truck when they're in the town square and Dusknoir's imparting his goodbyes.

She doesn't expect him to reach out and snatch her (and Lu). Waking up in the frozen future is disorienting, to say the least. She and Lu are still a bit beat up from the fight in Crystal Crossing, and the last thing they want is to rely on Grovyle for anything, but...why is Dusknoir trying to have them executed? Eliana's in survival mode, realizing that her Dimensional Scream had tried to warn her and she hadn't listened. Dusknoir had betrayed them, he had lied to them, why couldn't Lu just accept that?

They argue before they decide to find Grovyle. Lu is already upset, and to see Eliana so angry scares him. When he cries, she softens back up enough for them to remind each other that they're on the same team and that they have each other, if nothing else. They don't trust Grovyle, but what he says makes sense, and Eliana admits that the "enemy of my enemy" mentality will work for the time being. (So why does she feel so safe in his presence?)

They fall into an instant rhythm. Something about him seems so oddly familiar, comfortable, and she almost knew what he was going to say before he said it or what he was going to do before he did it. They fight back-to-back effortlessly. Lu notices that his aura is pure, and murmurs such to Eliana at one point; he's sincere, and he has no malice for anyone. Something about that seems...right.

Celebi recognizes Eliana, but says nothing. She thinks Grovyle knows, and since she can see through the timeline a bit she doesn't quibble with it. She's just trying to focus on getting them back without bringing up the odd transformation.

Dusknoir reveals the truth and Eliana would've had a harder time believing it if it hadn't...felt right. It's difficult to reconcile in her mind, and she doesn't truly have time to process it, but...she realizes the voice in her past Dimensional Screams must have been Grovyle's. There was no possible other option. It's a much harsher truth to Grovyle, though, given he's been suppressing his emotions about the entire ordeal for so long. That's really what guts him in that moment, steals the wind from his sails: for a moment he truly thinks they're at the end of their rope, that there's no hope...and then Lu steps in and saves them all with his steady resolve and quick-thinking.

[The events of "A Dawning, Horrific Realization" happen.]

It's an emotional night, crowded around their low fire in Sharpedo Bluff and eating in near silence until they brave broaching the subject. Grovyle can scarcely contain himself, his relief overwhelming him to the point that he is reaching out to Eliana out of habit; but he'd hurt her and Lu, and while she felt some sort of vague bond with him, she was still readjusting and absorbing everything that she'd learned about herself and him. Despite him trying to hide it, she sees the hurt written plainly in his eyes when she rejects him politely yet apologetically.

He wakes her with a nightmare that night. She tries to wake him, but he reaches out to her again with a desperate mumble of her name. Heart hurting for him, and for the version of herself that he had lost, she caves and cuddles with him. They both sleep better than either of them had in a long, long time, finally reunited.

She builds a fast rapport with him despite their rocky start. They butt heads a little, since Grovyle had to learn the hard way how to make decisions for himself while Eliana is used to taking point with Lu, but they get everything done. When he departs to speak with the Lake Guardians, it's a tense, but temporary, goodbye.

They keep the note he leaves behind for them in Sharpedo Bluff.

The battle with Dusknoir is violent, brutal, and enraged. Eliana doesn't hold back against him, although she's limited in what she can do. She bites him on the arm hard enough that it scars. Lu and Grovyle have to volley so he won't target her specifically. He grabs her throat at one point in the fight using an Ice Punch, freezing and scarring the flesh to the point that hair no longer will grow there.

It nearly shatters Eliana to lose Grovyle at the temple in the Hidden Land, but she has to stay strong for him and for Lu. She can't let herself crack under the pressure now, not when they're so close.

She doesn't let it slip when she starts to disappear, trying to stay strong for Lu's sake so it's not as hard on him. He wishes she would have told him sooner, but it's the one time they agree to disagree.

Lu develops gray hairs on his muzzle in his grief, but Eliana's temporary absence matures him a lot. He doesn't let her out of his sight for months after they're reunited, and hardly out of reach.

The entire Darkrai ordeal breaks Eliana. Finally learning what happened brings all her grief of being betrayed but who she thought was her friend, then losing her best friend, all back again to the forefront. This is the weak spot that Darkrai tries to exploit, and it works. It's only Lu that's able to pull Eliana back out of it. She feels a sort of grim satisfaction that Palkia inflicted upon Darkrai what the Nightmare Pokemon had done to her so long ago.

Her and Lu work through their traumas as best as they're able, working through the ranks and becoming one of the most succesful exploration teams in the continent. They find a tentative state of peace in their routine, and they feel like they get a fresh start when they finally evolve. Eliana chooses to become a Leafeon in honor of Grovyle. It's an emotional moment for her, the closest she's felt to her long lost partner in months. She misses him terribly, and while Lu is able to settle, she finds herself restless still.

"Future" Arc: [WIP] {No spoilers!}

[The events of "That Poison, Reconciliation" occur.] | [Here is some meta.]

[The events of the latter half of "The Hero and the Wraith" occur.]

[The events of "Rest" occur.]

"AU" Arc(s):

Returning to IRL AU:

[WIP] Through some space-time shenanigans (whether divinely ordained or not, that's yet to be determined), Eliana is returned to the human world about years* after she disappeared from Eterna Forest. A missing-persons investigation had been conducted and ruled as a closed case when no signs of her were found. Her roommate put her belongings in storage, thankfully, never really believing that Eliana was truly gone. She struggles to get her feet back under herself, having to find another job and place to live and basically start from scratch...

Extra Information:

Team Relic:

Reference.

Meta.

Team Sunrise:

Reference.

[santacoppelia]

Do you have any favorite Good Omens fics you would recommend, or have you written any?

Hi there!!!

Oh, dear, I have A TON! I'm not sure if they would be "new", but here I go, nonetheless. I read a lot of AU fics (and I'm writing one), so I hope it's not a pet peeve of yours! I'll try to limit myself and not recommend things that I have seen recommended a lot (like "Factory Settings", "the therapy one with the impossibly long name" LOL, "Slow Show", "Oopsie Omens"... I'll make a couple of exceptions, tho). I also read a lot of WIP's, love angst, hurt/comfort and fluff, and prefer skipping over smut (Not a against it per se, love sexy times with feelings), so my selection is... Very particular. Here it goes!!

Demon and Angel Professors: I adore this series of short fics. There are 200 of them in the collection, they all are 666 words long, and both the guys and the new characters are absolutely endearing. The diversity of the cast was a welcome addition.

Listen, Will You Learn To Hear Me From Afar?: This one is short, a little sad but very, very sweet. Aziraphale starts receiving flowers and poems every three years, after Crowley disappears in Edinburgh. I loved the poetry selection.

Stalwart Sun, Wily Moon: Probably, my first AU and the one that started it all. I'm pretty sure this is one of the "everyone and their grannies have already read this", but I adore the relationships, the way the characters transformed by entering this universe (Crowley being a fantastic art thief with a magnificent taste for clothes was something I never knew I needed). I would absolutely watch an adaptation of this fic to the screens.

Too Wise To Woo Peaceably: This one is, probably, another one of the "everyone has read this fic and I don't care", but I really feel deeply about it and its author. It was a tour the force, with daily posting and the author reading and answering the comments EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. Feral But Fluffy brought me single-handedly into being an active participant in this fandom instead of just lurking in the corners. It's a fantastic continuation from the ending of Season 2, with a lot of angst, hurt, laugh and comfort. And Muriel rings absolutely true in here.

Give A Man A Mask: Another one by Feral! This one is a beautiful seduction game, taking Venice and a Masquerade as the background. Sexy, exciting, and hurtful at the same time.

Postcards From Paris: I find myself absolutely enraptured by the AUs created by Ghostrat (and their illustrations!! I use his AU Streamer!Crowley as my laptop wallpaper), but this one is very close to my heart. One lonely lawyer starts receiving postcards addressed to the previous tenant, signed by one AZF. The concept and execution are lovely. His Streamers AU is also very funny, and the Professors AU (Mon Horrible Cheri) is one of the "must reads with a lot of hits that recommends by itself".

Husband Material: This AU has made me laugh A LOT. Crowley is a wedding planner... And he has to plan the wedding of "the one who got away", Aziraphale. It is still a WIP, and it lights my day whenever it appears in my inbox.

Shepherds of the Damned: an after S2 work, the Crowley recovery arc in this fic had my heart leaping. It is also gripping and full with angst and action. A very noble S3, if you ask me.

Symphony of Second Chances: in this AU, Crowley is a drummer, recovering from a terrible shoulder injury and trying to get back to his place in the orchestra. Aziraphale is the visiting director for the next season... And they are absolutely smitten with each other. A lot of hurt and the sweetest comfort ever (it made me want an Aziraphale in my life more than ever). Still a WIP.

The Anon Before Christmas: This fic was pure happiness and tooth rotting fluff, ideal for December, with a warm cup of cocoa. They are humans and have the nicest group of friends one can ever imagine... But they loathe each other. Of course, one meddling Anathema makes sure to make Crowley Aziraphale's Secret Santa.

To Love The Stars Too Fondly: Another fantastic post S2 fic, filled with love and angst and adventure and all the right things to make it a gripping read, and a GREAT ending. Another take that could be a satisfying alternate canon.

Because We Are Carying The Fire: A horror AU! Aziraphale is a professor with a PhD in parapsychology, and one day he receives a mysterious book. Weird things happen, and he looks for the help of Crowley, a podcaster and self appointed demon expert. It is a WIP, and it really delivers. It is romantic and terrifying at the same time.

And my works!

I've written a short fic, Rebellion, speculating with the causes of The Starmaker's Fall. It came from a prompt imagining "what if rebel angels had been creating alternative lifeforms in the Universe", and it turned slightly dark (because I'm me). I'm also writing and publishing a longer fic, Under The Fold, an AU where AZ Fell and AJ Crowley are journalists who made an exposé that put them in danger and where they will have to use all of their researching abilities to bring justice (and avoid dangers). I've already written 2/3 of it, and half of it is already up, if you feel like reading it!

I enjoyed answering this entirely TOO MUCH. Take all this reading suggestions!

[theclearblue]

Can I ask your top 5 favorite moments each from Dungeon Meshi and Blue Lock? And your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from each series? Thanks 🌷

For Dungeon Meshi I am just currently watching the anime (which I do love very very much) but idk if there's enough content yet to elaborate on top five moments :( If I had to choose a favorite character, it would be Marcille (second place to Laios) and my favorite moments so far have been the fight against the living armor, Laios mimicking a siren song (lmao), and of course Falin's resurrection! I can elaborate a little bit more on Blue Lock though (under the cut)!

Favorite Characters (no order really)

Honorable mentions: Oliver Aiku, Nagi Seishiro, Hyoma Chigiri, Rensuke Kunigami, Michael Kaiser (he's probably the most likely to move into the top 5 in the future tbh)

Yoichi Isagi

Big thing for me in every series is to make sure that the main character is someone I want to follow, and Isagi is one of the strongest characters in Blue Lock. I think it's fun to see his two sides where he's so sweet and genuinely kind to the people around him, but he also doesn't let people walk all over him, especially when it does come to soccer. Barou, Kaiser, Rin, even with the very first conflict with the kid that he entered Blue Lock with (forgot his name, the guy that gets eliminated first lol), people consistently underestimate him, and that usually follows with him crushing them lmao. Both of those sides are real and genuine, and I like how they don't really conflict with each other too, there is a time and place for kindness, but also a time for him to achieve his own goals and feed his own ego. Never disappointed with any screen time he gets.

2. Meguru Bachira

Probably the character that stood out to me first, and one that I'm really happy with how he's developed, I'm obsessed with insane energy. In a sea of really angsty and serious characters (which, I'll talk about some of those later too lol) Bachira just comes off as such a breath of fresh air in every panel with his demeanor and friendliness, and it's genuinely fun every time to see him play, whether as a friend or enemy (love when characters have unique dribbling). And I think the reason 2nd selection remains such a consistently strong arc is in large part thanks to Bachira and his character arc there, where he's grappling with actually playing with people and not just "the monster" and in turn, also dealing with the loneliness he experienced growing up. Another thing being that even after his big character arc, he's still being developed after in the Neo Egoist League (Rip Chigiri you deserved the same treatment) where he's learning to incorporate the monster back in, and the new dribbling he's developed. He's just such a fun character to watch.

3. Rin Itoshi

Yeah it was so over for me when they introduced the tragic siblings, especially when Rin is the younger brother. I wasn't super into him when he was introduced, I'm not usually a big fan of really stoic characters, but he won me over big time in the U-20 match. To see how much he looked up to Sae and was so excited to see him come back home just for Sae to try and crush his dreams, ohhhh that got me good, I felt so bad for him and everything made sense with his character. And then him going absolutely feral in the U-20 match, playing at his very best, just to get hit with this?

This is...maybe still the saddest moment for me in the whole manga, my jaw dropped when I read this. I haven't seen much of him since this match, but I'm excited to see him show up in the Neo Egoist League eventually, I think his rematch against Isagi will really really interesting!

4. Reo Mikage

If you asked me a few weeks ago, Nagi probably would have been in this spot instead, but I think Reo inched him out of that spot in the Manshine City match for me. He's an incredibly messy and flawed character throughout the series, but undoubtedly the most human out of everyone. On the surface level, I like the development of the chameleon play style he has, everyone is such a specialist but I really like the jack of all trades master of none style he has, and think it fits his character perfectly. His character development has been a little bit more in the background, but I really like how he has developed his relationship and his complicated feelings towards Nagi. He is kind of an asshole in the beginning and so codependent with Nagi, that he lashes out at everyone, but a big part of him wanting to play football is to play it with Nagi! He needed to grow separate from Nagi, and when they finally were in a place to work together again in the Manshine City match, it was REALLY satisfying. It feels earned and Reo working through both his bitter feelings but also his want to play with his boyfriend. I like how human of a character he is (especially in comparison to most of these characters lmao) and he's always an interesting player to watch.

5. Yukimiya Kenyu

Yeah you knew this one was coming if you've seen my blog in the last week lmao. The thing is out of the new characters introduced in third selection, he intrigued me the most. Declaring he's a pacifist while having one of the most aggressive play styles lmao. But then he kind of fades into the background, the only one in the top five not to score a goal...until the match against Manshine City. His backstory just added so much depth to his character and all the moments we saw before, his introduction, his polite nature, him being upset at Isagi after the last match, him praying to God, it all just clicks and it's really tragic to me how he has this timer on his dream. And then him getting that goal, despite how irrational it seemed, despite him getting into a fight with Isagi about his assist in the last game...God it's maybe my favorite goal in the series so far (well, tied with Isagi's goal at the end of the U-20 match actually). Maybe a little recency bias with him but I'm utterly obsessed with this guy, I think he's got so many layers that you can just pick at for forever.

I kind of talked about a lot of my favorite moments throughout this lmao, so I'll show you some of my favorite panels so far!

[piss-pumpkin]

Tea time (golden guard x reader)

[Wholesome fluff + Dadrius + ratio]

1.3k words

established relationship :)

It had been what, four months? Four months of dating Hunter. The former golden guard, one of the heroes and saviors of the boiling isles, the man himself. Who was shockingly down to earth and insecure for all his titles. But that wasn’t why you were scared.

”Oh don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” Hunter waved his hand in dismissal, his eyes looking to the side. “He likes Luz and when they first met he thought she was feral.”

”Yeah but Luz is… Luz,” you said. “And the circumstances were different, he had to like her.” 

Hunter took your hand and gave it a light squeeze as you started to walk. The two of you were going to the castle, most of which had been repurposed after Belos’s dethroning. One part stayed the same though. 

Gravel crunched under your feet, “Like Luz was an ally in a trying time, and she’s Eda’s kid, you know? Darius had no choice. Plus she wasn’t your partner, he’d be more critical of me then her.”

Hunter pursed his lips, looking over at your unimpressed and anxious eyes. “Okay, but because of those things he never got to know her, so their relationship wasn’t that deep.” 

You grumbled. You grew closer to the castle, where Hunters new uncle still lived in his tower. You closed the space between you and Hunter, purposely bumping into him. He stumbled off the path for a moment before recovering, and playfully shoving you back with his elbow, still holding your hand. “Y/n, you’ll do fine. And if you don’t…” he laughed for a moment, “Darius didn’t even like me in the beginning, so first impressions clearly aren’t a big deal to him.”

“Hmm,” you mumbled. You silently chewed your lips to relieve nervous energy. It was like your blood was lightning, you felt positively static. Darius had to like you. It was weird that you hadn’t met him until now. If only you’d done this earlier, then it wouldn’t have had such build up. The former coven leader was a busy man. 

“Okay, remind me again, about what to do, how to act” You swung your hand in his as you walked. “I can only get so far with my effortless wit and charm.”

Hunter chuckled, “Your wit and charm is crazy though, it’s all you need.” He swung his hand too, feeding the wide arc of the motion. 

The castle was in front of you now. Not long now. 

“Quickly, just like give me some hints like, how would my energy be, should I talk any different, like sound fancier, or something?” 

You were just in front of the gate now. You had stopped walking without noticing, you feet refusing to cross the threshold. You wiped your free hand on your shirt, just now noticing it had grown sweaty. 

Hunter looked down as you did it, and took the hand in his own. Smiling, he lifted both hands up so they were between you, with your fingers laced together. “Y/n, chill out. He wants to meet you.” 

“I could be an adapted and improved me though if you’d give me some tips.” 

He scrunched up his face, “No none of that.”

You sighed. “Okay, but-“

”But nothing, Y/n.” His tone was soft, and he was almost murmuring. “You’re pretty great, okay? You’ll do fine.”

Your face felt hot, and you didn’t have any response. Instead of speaking, you head butted him gently on the chest. 

Hunter laughed, and you looked up to see a warm smile on his lips. He hummed, “So, you ready?” 

You moved closer to him, into his chest. You could feel him lightly exhale as he wrapped his arms around you. For a glorified pice of wood, he sure was warm. And for an absolute goblin, he smelled nice, comforting even. Or maybe you just liked him, and you were bias. You nodded, feeling the soft fabric of his sweater on your cheeks as you did. He gently pushed you off so he could see your face, and cupped your cheeks in his hands. 

You sighed, “Fine, yeah, let’s go.”

He grinned, “It’s gone be great.”

                                             …

Entering the castle you felt even more intimidated. You had dressed nice for the occasion, but the intricate carved stone walls made you feel like you should be dressed like royalty. That’s what would suit this place. You looked over at Hunter, walking beside you. He wasn’t dressed fancy. In fact you noticed he was wearing his dumbass home sewed wolf shirt once he took off his sweater. Despite its silliness you found it oddly endearing how proud he was of making that. 

The two of you were approaching the door to Darius’s quarters and your palms were sweaty. Hunter looked over at you one more time before knocking on the door.

As he raised his fist  and pulled back to knock, the door swung open. 

“Hunter, you’re late, it’s like you don’t want me to meet them,” Darius said, exasperated. “Come in, come in your two.”

You stiffly obliged. The former coven head had an air of judgement and confidence. Hunter walked in behind you, arms crossed at his chest, “Hey, we’re on time!”

Darius led you to the dining room. It was small, given the size of the castle, but none the less decorated with gold and purple fabrics and antiques. Every item in your sight was the type you’d be afraid to touch for fear of damaging valuables. Even the chairs looked intricately carved. 

Darius stopped, and held a gloved hand out for you to shake. His tone quickly shifted from exasperated to friendly. “Glad to finally meet you, Y/n. Hunter has told me so much, sit down.”

You smiled and nodded, pulling out a chair. Hunter followed and did the same beside you.

Darius sat across from you, and looked to Hunter. “Little prince, could you go to the kitchen and fetch our tea?” 

He pursed his lips and scrunched his brow, “Alright then.” He squinted at Darius briefly before standing up to leave.

Once he was through the doorway, Darius leaned forward in his elbows. “You know I’m honestly surprised he found a partner that knows how to dress, maybe you’ll be a good influence on him.”

You laughed lightly into your hand. “What do you mean, he’s just so quirky.”

Darius grimaced, “Yes that’s for sure. But anyway I am glad to finally meet you. Hunter does not shut up about you sometimes.”

”I can only assume he’s been saying weird shit.”

He leaned his head on his hand, and looked to the doorway. ”You could say that.” He looked back at you, and smiled warmly, “But I can tell you make him really happy.”

You felt your face grow warm, and your lips involuntarily curve into a smile. You stuttered, “Y-yeah, I do try to…”

Hunter walked in balancing three cups of tea on his arms. “Y/n, you like mint right?” 

“Uh- yeah, mint is good.” Hunter nodded and set down the small cup in front of you, and sat beside you. 

                                             …

You left with Hunter a few hours later, all the tension from self having melted as the evening went on. 

You held his hand tightly as you walked along the path, now darkened. You wore a bright smile that cut through the night though. 

Hunter couldn’t see your face completely, but could sense your happiness. “I take it that went well?”

“I’m a fan of him.”

Hunter chuckled, ”Yeah, I think he’s a big fan of you too.”

[an-autistic-with-personhood]

PLEASE tell me about your littlest pet shop town that you made with your sister omg i’m on the edge of my seat

Oh my god oh my god ok

So we used to play with them with a semi-normal town setup, with the animals as pretty normal modern townsfolk. Our town had a king (as you do when you're eight years old), most of the animals had families, and the many, many children left over stayed in an orphanage run by a Miss Hannigan from Annie-esque cat. I'll just list the ways it devolved from there. Relevant quotes attached.

The dog king got divorced every time we found a prettier dog wife for him (his first wife Daisy was an absolute bitch)

Jessica the orphanage caretaker hates kids and only works there because she's serving community service. We never explored what got her there.

Whenever we got new animals, we'd welcome them to town with a hazing-but-not-really-hazing ceremony (They'd very menacingly tell them they'd give them a "Nice. Warm. Welcome." But then it'd be the most wholesome cutesy song)

During our NCIS phase, we killed off a cat so we could do a murder investigation episode. She dangled from a makeshift noose in the corner for a few years before we brought her back

Some of the children from the orphanage ran away to live in the dump. They sell spiked lemonade. "The feral trash children spiked the lemonade!"

Somewhere down the line, a campsite went up with a pair of manipulative elephants hoarding the biggest campfire for themselves

The cat that ran the orphanage (Jessica) divorced her husband, and he got a redemption arc (and a bad haircut) out of it. I think one of the things that solidified his decision was when she spent the children's food money on a spa day. "Chad, I NEED this!!"

Accidental Krampus Christmas Special. "Saaanta's waaatching..."

Horror Christmas Special with children-eating snow bunnies. "🎵Frosty the Snow Bunny🎵 is gonna eat you now!"

Strained marriage between a husky and her idiot golden retriever husband (he loved her so much but he was just such a himbo that she sometimes couldn't take it)

Several character deaths after our family dogs chewed on the toys

I came home once to find my sister and cousin had been basically playing Survivor. Yet another cat was hanging from the bannister by a noose

Himbo golden retriever saw a lady bug (Carlos) for the first time and dubbed him the "chosen one", essentially starting a cult. Carlos was just the adopted son of the local cat polycule, but ce la vie

We have an au fanfiction somewhere of the himbo entering the town for the first time. au town was named Larpeville, pronounced "larpay villay". He met a vegan lion named Leoche (the "che" was silent) and nearly crashed a scooter into the town's new leaders. "*Sister making 'putputput' motor noises* *screaming*"

Triplet horse sisters (Sandy, Brownie, and Snowy) fell in love with a zebra, but all took different strategies to win his heart. Sandy took a pretty normal "get to know you" route. Snowy was the blondest of blondes and just blurted whatever. Brownie went full stalker. "My name is Snowy, but my friends call me Tanya"

The zebra befriended the orphans and talked to them on his morning runs. Pretty normal, but I had to mention my sister's genius improv when she blurted out Carlos's line, "I don't live here!!!"

The last time we played was exactly a year ago. My sister was 25, I was 24, and our cousin was 21. We made a playboy kink mansion. The himbo and his wife were trying out a sex therapist and she suggested they explore said playboy mansion.

Co-signed by my sister and my cousin - they just read the post and added some ridiculousness I'd forgotten

[ao3wasntenough]

Okay so unfortunately I feel back into my highly specific transformer interest and have thought more and learned slightly a bit more

So that Sam being a part of a headmaster/target master duo,

Well Sunstreaker had a headmaster arc, and he’s one of the view bots I like imagining the dynamics of.

And so I pitch, Sam being abducted during an attack and is assumed dead no body found, sector 7 deviants cemetery wind kinda crew, they take Sam for study and research around the allspark, alien technology influences on his mind and body and maybe cause an exasperation of the remaining energy and it creates a kinda energy feedback loop their trying to exploit by finding a conduit/port way for that energy. With no earth tech working to a positive effect they want to try and see it’s reactions to cybertronian tech.

Enter new cybertronians who are cocky and uncaution about human organisations out against them, and that leads to Sunstreaker being captured by the same group, and they bring him into contact with Sam who’s barely lucid and kinda going through a time like absorbing the all spark, he sees yellow giant robot and mentally thinks it’s ä familiar autobot and Sunstreaker who’s fighting containment, and sending out signals waiting for a response, causes a magnetic reaction and Sam and Sunstreaker are mentally linked like that of a rough headmaster/target master type connection

But Cemetery wind(whoever actually has Sam, I realise it also doesn’t necessarily need to be human*) can’t measure or see that reaction and they send Sam back into his little box while Sunstreaker goes feral on them, it’s safer to turn him loose.

Allowing for Sunstreaker to go back to base and act like nothing happened except he’s getting the occasional flash and feeling of Sam’s state, being an experiment or allspark knowledge inducing trauma. Eventually through Sam’s efforts of reaching out to Sunstreaker he learns Sam’s actual name and then catches the name Witwicky being used. Everyones tense and tight lipped about it and he has to come clean that he may have obtained information on the condition and location of Samual Witwicky and was briefly captured by an enemy and used for a sciene experiment.

Que rescue and Sam and Sun trying to not offline each other and trigger each others nightmares

the idea of Sam’s sassieness and willingness to mouth of at Megatron being very entertaining next to Sunstreakers sarcasm and ego. Sam probably would give Sunstreaker a compliment on his paint job more often if Sunstreaker didn’t lock him out of the car when it’s raining because “water on my interior? No”

and “I hate all humans but we’ve seen each others darkest thought and we’re still here so I guess your better then the others-sometimes-rarely-”

*if Sam is captured by humans, decepticons or a small faction of humans under decepticon control it sets up an interesting discussion with Sam and Sunstreaker around the horrors both cybertronians and decepticons are capable of and they’ve been the victims of, and where Sunstreaker acts with aggression to all sides Sam still gives faith to cybertronians and autobots which Sunstreaker counters that he’s done things and the line of decepticon and auto can blur which makes Sam naive in his trust

But Sam like ƪ(・_・)ʃ I guess but I trust bee, Optimus, ratchet and the others I hope they would rescue me and that hope kept me alive so I’m gonna keep having it in them, and your an asshole but i can have trust in you too I can literally see in your processor so I know when to get out of blaster range que Sunstreaker testing Sam’s dodging skills sporadically

:( it can be like their version of a trust fall, Sunstreaker throws shit/shoots at sam and sam has enough of a mental read on Sunstreaker to dodge

[tetsunabouquet]

I noticed your NSFW headcannon for the kiryuu twins and I would just like to add: Ichiru has a mommy kink, and Zero has a Daddy kink. (Ichiru would definitely call his partner mommy and Zero would go feral when his partner calls him daddy) anyways cheers to the Kiryuu twin supremacy (the fandom easily dismissed Ichiru and fail to see him as an actual intresting character even though he was apart of the best arcs in the Manga/anime)

I can see them having such kinks. But absolutely, Ichiru was such an interesting character and I hate how we were robbed. Just that one bonus page where Ichiru crossdresses to make fun of Zero alone makes me angry about his death and even angrier at his 2nd death as a clone in Memories. It showcases how much Zero still loves Ichiru deep down, just like when he doesn't shakes him off in that other bonus scene where they both enter the room in the same pose but mirrored. He wants Ichiru to stay a part of his life but doesn't knows how to say it, which again makes me furious at his 2nd death because WHY?! Why introduce him and kill him off in one chapter?! IDC about cloning Yuki so Yume can be endgame in Memories- screw that ship, I want to see Ichiru's clone. How can Zero be not completely traumatized after killing Ichiru once more?! HOW?! Ichiru's character himself also had so much things to offer, he showed a different side to Zero with their dynamic, he was one of the few characters with braincells like when he pointed out to Yuki how stupid she was and how Zero must always be constantly worried about her because of it. Most of the other characters might say it behind her back, but few have the guts to confront her about her stupidity. He has a lot of nerve in general and I like that! God I wanted to see Ichiru embarass his big brother some more. Just like Shizuka's playful side, this dude has a mischievous side and I kind of hate how the playful characters either are killed by the time Yuki becomes a pureblood or they change to be more serious like Yuki herself. The politics really suck some of the series humor away when there could easily have been a scene of Takuma goofing off with Senri when he's under Sara's influence. Like Takuma joking about their favorite rakugo performances as Senri tries to control himself after he consumned Sara's tablets and he's trying to distract Senri from growing wacky under its influence. Anyways, Ichiru and Maria are such relatable characters to me having been born chronically sick myself. The over-exerting yourself because you want to have fun with everyone else, for one, is something I definitely understand. Sometimes it feels like it eats away at your ability to be young and just be a kid because you're already worried about such grown up topics like your health at a tender age. The tiny ways that reality just stabs you like the time I overheard two girls wondering where the local hospital is because one had an appointment there. I was 20, they were in their mid-teens. At the time I only lived in my current city for 6 years, yet I already had multiple appointments at the hospital and could easily find it on my own, and these girls who didn't look like sisters couldn't possibly both have been living in the town for less years then I had yet they were clueless about its location. Or that time were I figurated in a production teaser, and I was chatting with two other girls who were figurants and they were only like two years younger then me. One girl talked about food multiple times and I'd make the occasional remark. When she praised bounty bars and said they were healthy to me and the other girl, I nodded in agreement saying, "Yeah the coconut is really good for your digestion system." And she looked at me saying, "You really know a lot about food don't you?" It wasn't asked in a rude way at all or something, just a statement she was impressed but I felt so awkward on the inside because I know all these things due to having GERD and now also having developped IBS as a result of living over 20 years with a stomach condition. There's just something so alienating about being born chronically sick, even more so then being neurodivergent because at least I could attend special needs school and be amongst other neurodivergent kids.

[maskyartist]

had to get the headshots outta my system since thats all i got in me today but more aus i forgot to mention here that yall will probably enjoy! this time featuring angst :)

my ramblings are under the read more but enjoy them :D father son trauma so much bonding,,,,

once again me n @rexidot got opinions n thoughts n they all revolve around dadpin :D

essentially Salem created a new kind of Grimm, one that has the ability to infect humans. If done correctly, she can transform them into grimm. A sorta early prototype to what she does during V8 with the S.E.W yknow?

the infection seeps through the bloodstream and enters through open wounds. from there it travels to the brain first, attacking your mentality and slowly corrupting you from the inside out.

effects include-

high chances of sudden aggression and rage

extreme resilience to pain

human mentality slowly dwindling into a feral-like state

tougher skin

sharper vision (partial color blindness downside)

invisible to Grimm (due to them sensing emotion, the Infection drowns out the scent and causes them to think you're one of them)

inability to use Aura on effected skin and muscle, making wounds permanent/more dangerous on infected skin

And eventually fully turning you into a Grimm. or at least a very animal-like human

theres also one more effect Salem didnt plan on, and thats the ability to command Grimm yourself if you are infected long enough. risk reward n all that.

during the travel to Mistral and Haven, Ozpin had Oscar train before and during their trip to the station. unfortunately instead of finding Hazel, a Grimm attacks them and being a new kind, Ozpin was woefully unprepared causing his son to get hurt. the Grimm dies but Ozpin watches in horror as the inky blackness quickly begins seeping up his son's arm and into his very body.

in a moment of pure panic, Ozpin yanks Oscar close and reaches deep within his old old soul to pull out that sweet sweet magic, using it to take half the infection from Oscar. think 60/40. it stopped it from rushing so quickly, but the damage was done. both of them were infected now and it was only a matter of time before it got worse.

of course this Grimm hadnt been around before. it was only just created by the time volume 4 began, meaning some sort of cure was basically impossible to find or create. Ozpin simply settled for keeping an eye on his and Oscar's condition to make sure it didnt get worse

it did :)

eventually the infection traveled from arm to brain, seeping into their minds and effecting their thoughts, as well as physically showing on their faces. the mental effects kick in during the battle of Haven where Oscar gets hurt by Hazel, who threw him to get to Ozpin, and Ozpin practically snapping and going as hard as he possibly could to protect his son. absolutely feral he was screaming and playing as dirty as possible, at some point he bit Hazel??? he managed to hit him so fast so hard the pain broke through Hazel's semblance and that caused the fighting around them to pause just briefly

the physical effects (as shown above) begin to appear during the Brunswick farm and the full effect (eye change and proper heavy lines connecting to the face and spreading downwards) happened at the Arc house with high tensions. the infection gets worse with stress, more powerful when the mind is on high alert, so staying calm is essential.

Ozpin eventually has to admit that like with Salem, he has no plan for this. he wants to take more infection from Oscar but that'd just doom him and if they lose this body now it'll be hell to start over, hes too deep in

Oscar meanwhile is just...scared. he left his aunt wanting bigger better things, to be a hero like his papa, but now hes just afraid

theres cloqwork and rosegarden content too we got it ALL

so yeah thats what we got for now :)

[life-in-the-monster-haus]

In Defense of Gillington "Gil" Webber Part 2

After the last Episode we take a break from Lagoona's boy troubles and it's time to focus on Frankie's boy troubles. it's refreshing to see Jackson & Holt just come out and say they likes Frankie instead of tip toeing around the topic, Then Deuce has girl troubles and Ghoulia has boy troubles and everyone is in some relationship drama except for Clawdeen... Smart Ghoul. BUT this isn't about them. but I do enjoy the last half of Volume 2! I forgot about how much of jerk Operetta was, I kinda miss it.

We don't hear any updates on Gil and Lagoona's status until Episode 57 "The Bermuda Love Triangle" where Frankie needs help deciding on who they like more Holt or Jackson, under advice from a Teen Scream magazine the oracle tells Frankie to ask their friends for advice! and the first friend they run into is Lagoona.

In her fragile state Lagoona is probably the worst person Frankie could have possibly asked for relationship advice.

"Hey Lagoona! I think I like 2 boys!"

"wow! 2 boys huh? good for you! some of us are lucky if we can find one! much less get his parents to accept us or even keep him in the same school. But 2 boys!? Good on ya mate, I'm very happy for you"

Lagoona falls apart during the end of her comment then she turns away from Frankie and cries into the drinking fountain. I'd like to remind Lagoona that she is the one who did this! she pushed Gil to confront his parents about their bigotry and Gil warned her this would happen, we're supposed to feel bad for Lagoona but I just don't! She made her bed now she has to lie in it. We're supposed to be sad because she sheds a few tears? While Gil is currently rotting in an Underwater Boarding School! crying is the least of his problems! is he getting hazed? or caned? we don't know! I wouldn't put it past racist parents to tell the Dean to put the boots to him extra hard for being a dirty salt water monster lover. I would give anything if Mattel showed us what that school was like! cowards!

BUT being a bitch to Frankie isn't going to undo what you did sweetheart.

We don't hear from Lagoona during the Monster Mashionals arc Which was the end of Volume 2 but after that finishes we get our second Special and My personal favorite: Fright On!

Fright on is where Gil makes his big return to Monster High! Lagoona mentions the feud between Salt Water and Fresh Water folks and Gil mentions that his Parents sent him away "But they couldn't change me so I'm back!"... What!? that's it? that's how you got them to send you back to Monster High? nononononononono! Racist Parent's don't just give into the demands of their kid because "they can't change you" they weren't trying to change Gil, they just wanted to keep him away from Lagoona! it's such a weak BS excuse! come on Monster High you are WAY more creative than this hand wave of why Gil has returned. I like my theory better that Gil went feral at the boarding school and got thrown out on purpose so his parents had no choice but to send him back to Monster High. (I did mistakenly call it a Military school, my bad) and That's the theory I'm sticking with. The most common reasons people get expelled from Boarding Schools are carrying weapons, fighting, stealing school property, disrupting the education of others, hacking the school computer systems to change test scores, damaging school equipment. So do with that information what you will.

Now regardless if you accept the canon explanation or my theory the outcome is the same either way... Gil basically strong armed his parents into getting his way. This is important but also worrying for Gil since it has been heavily implied that Gil fears his parents, I can't imagine they welcomed him back with open tentacles.

Now we officially enter Volume 3! The first few episodes of Volume 3 spend a lot of time taking characters who were introduced in Volume 2 and Fright On and blending them with the monsters we already know and love. We don't really see much of Gil and Lagoona until Episode 72 "Unlife to Live" and it's only for a second. they're still palling around together.

For the beginning of Volume 3 Gil and Lagoona are hardly in it together. We don't really see or hear from them much as a team until we get to the first movie "Why do Ghouls fall in Love" where they are giving Ghoulia love advice because she is torn Between Slo-Mo and Don of the Dead. Can I just say I can't think of any couple least qualified to give someone else dating advice? Their relationship is being held on a thread of Gil's parents mercy at this point.

Now it's been AWHILE since I've watched this movie, despite my love for Kieran Valentine and his sexy southern drawl It's not really part of my rotation unless it's Valentine's Day. But does anyone else remember Draculaura being a huge cow in this movie? Because for some reason I don't but during the re-watch she really is! in terms of Monster High characters who are bad partners Draculaura definitely fits the bill here, Not only is she ungrateful as hell to the gifts Clawd gets her, She low key cheats on him with Valentine during this entire movie.

I know I'm supposed to be focusing on Gil and Lagoona but this seems like a bigger problem at the moment.

Valentine has just walked into the school, he has NOT yet put Draculaura under his spell or hypnotized her or anything yet. He just walked up to her and give her flowers and she calls him "My Valentine" all love struck... Clawd walked away from her not even 10 seconds ago. And this is how she acts when her ex shows up and her current boyfriend is out of ear shot??? This may not be "technically" cheating but it's suspicious as hell and not cool. Flirting is cheatings ugly cousin. But no one gives Draculaura shit for being a bad girlfriend now do they? I feel like it's because she's a fan favorite, cute and a girl, But because Gil isn't that he seems to have the worse reputation...and why? Gil has done nothing wrong. I'm gonna be mad about it the whole movie. Clawd doesn't deserve this. The ghouls & Frankie but mostly Clawdeen do get on her case about this, but it's already after Valentine has been touching her, romancing her, having lunch alone with her... This is cheating y'all. They tell her she needs to choose but completely ignore the fact that she has already been cheating on Clawd. Clawdeen tells her that Clawd isn't stupid & he's a great guy - for some reason they are tip toeing around saying the C word...but it's cheating y'all, this is cheating. Draculaura cheated on Clawd on got away with it. Frankie who is narrating this movie spins us a yarn about how poor Draculaura is torn between 2 boys!... But she isn't though... She is currently in a monogamous committed relationship with Clawd and cheating on him with her Ex... this is not "torn between 2 loves"- cheating! it's cheating. "But in the end Draculaura knew the answer" - to STOP cheating on the boyfriend that she already has is the answer. In the next scene, to Draculaura's credit she DOES choose Clawd and tell Valentine that it's been fun but she loves Clawd... Valentine then hypnotizes her to get her in his clutches, NOW from here on out y'all can feel bad for Draculaura but don't forget she cheated on Clawd before the hypnosis thing with little to no prompting. But tell me again how Gil is such a shitty boyfriend.

That movie ends with Draculaura having cheated on her boyfriend, but she still got a car, a party, gifts, Clawd. This is a horrible message to send to little kids, How did we let this fly in 2012? Don't cheat on your partner folks, there is no guarantee they will forgive you and IMHO they shouldn't.

The next 3-D Movie is "Escape from Skull Shores" and THIS is the the one we've all been waiting for! so go grab some milk or an orange, pack a lunch because this is going to be a long bumpy ride!

So, right off the bat Lagoona planned Gil's spring break without telling him under the guise of a "surprise" and apparently Lagoona's parents sent them a luxury cruise to bring them to the Great Barrier Reef (Great Scarrier Reef was not canon yet) so that Gil can meet her parents. Gil... Understandably so freaks out a little.

Maybe it's just because he's a boy and "meeting the parents" is such a big step in a relationship, maybe he fears they are racist like his parents are and won't like him... Lagoona reassures him no one cares about the whole salt water/fresh water thing anymore... Gil is...

Not convinced.

Gil is kind of being a sandy butt hole about this but after what his parents put him through can you blame him?

Lagoona is trying to be very optimistic and tell Gil about how Beautiful the Great Barrier Reef is to put him at ease but...

"I just wish it wasn't so full of Sea Creatures"

Pump the Breaks! This might be the first unsavory thing Gil has said, I really hate to give that "Gil is a racist" mindset any legitimacy but... that was kinda bigoted Gil, it reeks of "you're one of the good ones!"... Which if your familiar with racism like myself you'll know that's not a compliment!

Lagoona isn't hurt by this. She uses this as an opportunity to gently remind Gil he is starting to sound like his bigoted parents and then she does a very.... Canadian? Midwestern? unflattering impression of Gil's mother?... "Oooh yea! a thousand lakes! no salt in MY water!"

Gil immediately apologizes for his bigoted statement and confesses to Lagoona that he's afraid of the sea. He thinks it's full of scary fish and monsters who just want to get their flippers on a fresh water guy like him... Gil's parents have instilled in him that sea creatures are out to get him, this is not Gil's fault this is an unfortunate side effect of being raised by a racist (trust me). He also adds on that the "Normies" have polluted it so much you can't even see 3 feet down... you know what? I'm gonna let Gil have that one, Humans DID fuck up the ocean.

Gil: "what's that!?"

Lagoona: "it's an island chain, mate"

REALLY, LAGOONA!? is it an island chain!? or is it a fuckin' Kraken!?

This does not justify Gil's parents racism against all sea creatures but to treat any place on earth like it's completely safe would be a fool's errand. Danger is everywhere.

"What was that you were saying about the sea being "perfectly safe!?"" I wanna bust Gil for being an asshole here but...given what's happened to them, he's kinda right to get sassy.

Lagoona doesn't say a damn thing.

While they are shipwrecked they get picked up by this greasy human dude named Bartleby Farnum who's just a lazy parody of P. T. Barnum, If you know even a little bit about P. T. Barnum you already know this guys deal, scam artist, showman, trickster. the whole movie is already spoiled for you, Sorry.

Frankie looks exactly like this scientist lady from an Island Farnum knows about so he wants to use them as bait to catch Andy. it's a popular head canon that G1 Frankie was just straight up built using the dead scientists head and I completely agree, it would explain their "uncanny" resemblance to her.

Frankie's head has to have belonged to the scientist... Heterochromia is pretty rare, what are they odds they would look like her AND have her Heterochromia!?

Edit from future me: SHE EVEN HAS A CUT ON HER FACE IN THE SAME PLACE AS FRANKIE! this is no longer a head canon, it's just canon, Frankie's head used to belong to the normie scientist from Skull Shores. She probably got that cut on her face from being in the jungle.

While everyone was sleeping Farnum steered them to Skull Shores, when Lagoona asks about the Great Barrier Reef, Farum assures her this is just a one night stop to rest and get supplies. Notice how he did not tell any of them this, before they went to bed. Just assume everything Farnum says is a lie and you'll be good. Farnum makes up some BS reason why they should say on Skull Shores and everyone loves the idea except for Lagoona who thinks her parents will be worried sick about them if they don't hear from them soon, Farnum guilt trips Lagoona into letting everyone stay and she caves.

Lagoona is rightfully suspicious of why Farnum wouldn't let her back onto his boat when they all just spent the night on it and enlists Gil to help her spy.

Gil would prefer to stay on Skull Shores because 1.) it has a lake and 2.) it means he doesn't have to go meet Lagoona's parents. Lagoona knows he is stalling and Gil finally breaks.

Gil: "They won't like me Lagoona! I'm a fresh water freak to them!"

Lagoona: "it's all in your head Gil! they're modern monsters! that's not how they feel!"

Lagoona is being kind of a hypocrite. Gil warned her several times that his parents are racist and won't let him see her, Lagoona told him to stand up to them and when he did he got sent to an Underwater Boarding school for the entire Summer and half the next school year! Now Lagoona is trying to convince him her parents aren't bigoted and from Gil's POV why should he listen to her? the last time he took her advice he got exiled. They're trying really hard to paint Gil out to be the bad guy here for not wanting to listen to Lagoona but look at what happened to him the last time he did.

Is he right? No. But do I blame him? also No. By being so pushy with his parents Lagoona ruined her own credibility. it was real easy for her to go "Stand up to your parents!" when it wasn't her head on the chopping black. Gil was the victim in that situation and he's scarred now.

Despite being hesitant Gil goes with Lagoona. He protested but he still goes with her, this is yet another case of Gil going against his better judgment to support Lagoona.

Lagoona: "let's hurry!"

Gil: "Good, I don't want to be in the sea any longer than I have to"

Lagoona: *gives Gil a dirty look*

Gil: "Whales go to the bathroom in here Lagoona!"

Gil, Shut up. I've been defending you all this time but don't sit there and tell me that crocodiles and gators don't shit in lakes. Gil complains, a lot and he's been real sassy this whole movie... but he still goes with her.

Lagoona and Gil are missing from dinner and Farnum instantly sends Kipling to go find them... Farnum must have better instincts than me because if I was babysitting some teenagers on an island and the boy & girl who are real close ran off to be alone in the woods... I would just assume they're boning and go back to trying to rob the natives or whatever he's trying to do.

I just gotta pause this analysis of Gil and Lagoona's relationship to focus on this hunk of Manster that we never got a doll of. Mattel robbed us blind! Can you imagine him on a Manny Body? Bow chicka wow wow! Me @ G3 please bring us Andy! I'll forgive you for removing Frankie's neck bolts if you give us Andy!

Lagoona sees that Farnum is tracking Frankie and she wants to rush in and follow him, Gil asks her what she plans on doing once they get there and her answer is "I'm not sure but we'll think of something" Gil... respectfully tries to question her logic and he insists they think about this before just jumping in but Lagoona, ignoring Gil's sound advice steps forward on the cliff ledge they are are on and falls into Farums hands.

Lagoona isn't stupid but this is probably the second dumbest thing she's ever done, the first one being telling the boy she likes to confront his racist parents like he's not going to get punished. Rushing into things without considering the consequences is no way to go through life Lagoona.

Once we see Lagoona get caught we pan to Gil who looks like he's running away because... Movie has to engineer conflict SOMEHOW. Did people just stop watching Skull Shores after the commercial break? because that's the only reasoning I can think of for why Gil is so frequently labeled a coward and a bad boyfriend. Because if the movie ended HERE!? then yes, Gil is a coward and a bad boyfriend. But it doesn't.

Farnum roasting a teenage girl that he has just kidnapped because her boyfriend ran away and Lagoona agreeing with Farnum. "I knew Gil wasn't the most courageous monster but I never thought he would just hang me out to dry" WOW Lagoona! way to have faith in your man! Everyone keeps saying that Gil is a bad boyfriend to Lagoona but I'm beginning to think maybe Lagoona has been a shit girlfriend. "but Jess!" I hear you cry... "what would YOU do if you saw your man run away!?" If it was me? I would assume he's thinking up a rescue mission because him running down that hill after I get caught to "save me" would be very stupid when it's 1 against 6 and one of those 6 is a pretty big dude. getting BOTH of us captured wouldn't have done anything to help our situation.

I started this deep dive to defend Gil but really all it's doing it making me dislike Lagoona. She's SO short sighted! I guess years of looking at her with rose tinted glasses made me see her as this perfect person but the problem with looking at someone with rose tinted glasses is... all the red flags just look like flags.

Just as it looks like Farnum has won, Gil returns with an army! "The salt water army" in his own words! My boy came back with reinforcements and he tamed the Kraken!? He swam all the way to the Great Barrier Reef by himself and showed up on Lagoona's parents doorstep, exhausted and probably rambling about their daughter being in trouble and they trusted him enough to take care of business on his own... mind you this is the first time they met him!

Between this and getting snotty with Mr. Hack it's very clear that Gil has no problem facing conflict on the condition that conflict is not his own parents why is that? Because Mr. Hack and Farnum don't have control over his life! His Parents do. Gil has been very brave when problems arise his one weakness is his parents and I don't think we should fault him for that. He busted ass for Lagoona and y'all have the nerve to call him a racist coward, the level of disrespect is unreal.

This is yet another moment they should have kissed, Gil even has his water tank off. I can't even use the excuse that Mattel is run by prudes in this part because Draculaura and Clawd got to kiss in "Why Do Ghouls Fall in Love" Why no Lagoona and Gil kiss!?

Anyway, Gil says the whole time he realized what he is the most of afraid of is losing Lagoona... Which if you've read this far... Duh.

The rest of the movie wraps up with not much more from Lagoona and Gil they had their big moment. Great timing too because I have once again hit Tumblrs photo limit. I stand by everything I said in part 1, In fact I'd like to double down on it and say not only is Gil a great boyfriend, Lagoona might not be a good girlfriend. Gil has one boundary and Lagoona does not respect it. Re-watching the Webisodes and the first few movies has shown me that Gil is willing to do anything for love... but he won't do that and all Lagoona and her fans can focus on is the that.

I don't know how this Gil slander started, but whoever started it clearly has no critical thinking skills at all OR they like, saw the screenshot of Lagoona crying and got insta-mad "Gil made Lagoona cry! rage!"... yes... yes he did make Lagoona cry... And then she got him sent to an Underwater Boarding school! one of these things is vastly worse than the other! get perspective!

I don't know if I'll make a part 3... I really want to cover 13 wishes but by now? I feel like I've made my point. The Gil slander is unfounded and Gil never did anything wrong he's just a good boy in a bad family situation.

I would think a lot of you... if not most of you can relate.

Part 1 + Part 2 + Part 3 + Part 4

[tabswrites]

OC Questions Tag

Tagged by @writernopal here!

Okay, I’ve done this for Hettie and Oliver, so this time it’s Adrin’s turn!

5 words to physically describe your OC (do you have a drawing? even better!)

Pretty, blonde, toned, sad eyes

Who inspired your OC? (can be your mum to a very famous fungi)

YES okay so Adrin was the first character I created for Silver Sentinels. He was initially inspired by Soren from The Dragon Prince because I love, love LOVE his character arc. He’s just a loyal knight following orders and chooses to throw everything away (including his family) to do the right thing when he realizes he’s a part of the problem. Adrin’s arc kind of reflects that in a way, which you will see by the end of ToL. Additionally, Soren’s appearance greatly influenced Adrin’s.

I call him my golden retriever because he’s cute, loyal, protective and just so stupid sometimes. He’s a large part of the comic relief, usually at his own expense or Mara’s.

Give me a song to define your OC (I will listen to it to enter in your WIP mood!)

I have been actively looking for more but the one that is just perfect so far I imagine to be Sophie’s song to him :(

Murder Song by AURORA

If I met your OC on the street how would they greet me?

Listen, the ToL gang is pretty antisocial as a whole. They’re all too emo for that. If he greeted you at all, rather than slouching past in an angsty manner, it would be a simple “hello” and “goodbye”. He’s polite, but largely uninterested in making friends.

Can your OC be your best friend? Why?

Of course! I love Adrin, he’s a sad man who needs all the friends. Majority of his dialogue is taken verbatim from me, reading my writing aloud—his sarcasm fuels me, and vice versa. I also enjoy that he doesn’t take Mara’s attitude seriously and treats her like the feral cat she is. “Oh you want to snap at me? What are you going to do, bite me?” I’m a very sarcastic person and I need friends who can keep up with that. Also, every time I see videos of someone bathing their hairless cat I immediately wish I had the ability to send them to him. (Irk, in a little swimming cap? Adrin giving him a bath??? I would die and so would Hettie.)

I would also be friends with him just so I could play with his fancy sword…

1 adjective and 1 noun to describe your OC (blue soul)

Sad puppy (that’s what I call him lol)

Gently tagging: @mysticstarlightduck @mister-writes @rachaellawrites