#finally done with this

[nocterish]

Be careful of summoning

because sometimes it just doesn't go as plan

[kvtnisseverdeen]

stranger things: season two 

if we're both going crazy, then we'll go crazy together, right?

[mari-art-archieve]

“All I need are things I like”

“I really like you”

[eru-iru]

bedman color wheel!

[roki-roki-roll]

Part 3 out of 3

Part 1 and part 2

Lyrics from The Machine (Intro) by Jukebox the Ghost

[rescuedrop]

Daily drawing practice day 736 (4/4/24)

Black Knight from Shovel Knight as a Fire Emblem Fates wyvern lord

[omi-papus]

My son. Hes a loser.

[project-doomsday]

Dib Membrane (Doomsday AU Character Summary)

Dib is a 16 year old boy who is the main character of the series. He loves researching alien reports, the supernatural, cryptids, and other mysteries. His dream is to uncover and expose supernatural entities so that he can become a famous paranormal investigator. You can usually find him taking notes in his notebook, recording audio logs of his reports, or even searching for cryptids in the woods.

Dib's clever, strategic, and extremely observant, looking at things from a whole different perspective than most folks. His problem is that he leaps to conclusions too often and rushes into things without thinking. This gets him into a lot of trouble and for those around him.

Dib’s somewhat of an outcast among his peers, particularly known as a loser or freak. This doesn’t bother him too much, but often he gets lonely due to isolation. Dib’s socially awkward around folks but once you bring up anything involved with the supernatural he can talk for hours. It’s something he’s very, very passionate about which stems from a personal history with his mom. Although Dib is bullied, neglected, and doesn’t have any friends, he has a strong sense of justice and is determined to help and protect anyone, even at the cost of his own life.

>> Gaz Membrane Character Summary

>> Z Character Summary

[shootingstarwritings]

Eight Cups a Day Finale

A Star-Studded Future

“Nrgh, mm! Oh god, oh FUCK!” said Danny as Eddy slammed harder into him. “God, fuck me harder, daddy. Make me screaaaam.”

At that Eddy just chuckled. “God, what was in Forde that made you into such a needy slut?”

“Dunno, whatever it was that made ya lust for man-ass,” Danny quipped back as Eddy relentlessly pounded him. Before Danny could continue his trash talking, he gasped as his back arched in a perfect C. “Woah! I’m fucking close, I’m gonna…!” Danny let out a small whine as Eddy wrapped his arms around him. Leaving behind little kisses up Danny’s neck, Eddy eventually began to make out with Danny—silencing his screams as the two came. Ropes of cum landed all over the freshly-washed sheets. Shame for Forde’s detergent supplies, but that wasn’t Eddy’s problem.

“Mmm, so fucking nice,” said Eddy. He ran his finger down the sheets and scooped up some of the cum. It tasted much sweeter than he expected. Was that an effect of being a species like himself or did Danny-boy just have a nice, pineapple-filled diet? “Goddamn, that was good. Really needed that to start the morning.” He lightly slapped Danny’s ass while the cum dribbled out.

“Whatever, homo,” said Danny, eyes rolling. After a few seconds of disentangling from each other, he rolled off the bed and made his way over to the backroom, not caring how much he was leaking or the mess he was leaving behind. “Clean up the sheets and shit. I gotta take a shower,” he said in an uncaring tone.

“What, no cuddling?”

“Cuddle with yourself. I reek after you rubbed your torso and shot your loads all over me last night.” With that, Danny slammed the door behind him.

Eddy shrugged and put on some of his clothes. His host hadn’t brought another change of clothes and he wasn’t Forde’s size, so he had to settle for the shirt that reeked of sweat and the shorts with cum stains. “Not like I care too much,” he said, shrugging. Speaking out loud was beginning to be a habit of his—despite the lack of memory of him doing that. “Must’ve been a Forde thing,” he reasoned. Despite all that happened and how much he wished it hadn’t, he had to accept the reality.

Eddy wasn’t Eddy, but he was close to it. The small parts of him that wasn’t Eddy were that of Forde and his memory of who Eddy was. Would that be enough to fully play the role? Eddy wasn’t sure, but he also wasn’t sure of who he was, only who he was supposed to be. How were they expected to play this role for? It was difficult for them to even achieve this sort of bond with their hosts. Now they had to play pretend for the rest of their hosts’ natural lifespan? They would be impostors for the rest of their lives, carefully calculating their behavior to fit their host as best as possible.

And yet, just the thought of that made Eddy’s shoulders slump. It wasn’t just a burden, but a limit on his life. He knew Eddy’s plans for the future, but the picture-perfect life tilted just the tiniest bit. He was Eddy, but enough of him wasn’t Eddy that he felt like something completely new. It was a dysphoria he couldn’t quite shake off. Did he deserve the right to uproot the wishes of the original Eddy? Or the wishes of his friends and loved ones?

Where did Eddy end, and where did this not-Eddy begin?

“Wonder how long we can keep it up…”

“Keep what up?” Eddy turned around and saw Makoto walking around with just a jockstrap on. “’fraid our folks are gonna find out ‘bout us? I wouldn’t worry.”

At the very least, both Eddy and not-Eddy disliked Makoto just as much. He wouldn’t have to pretend that part. “Just because Forde liked being just as much a slob as you are doesn’t mean you’re gonna blend in perfectly.”

“Oh c’mon, li’l Ed,” said Makoto, grinning at him. “Don’t be such a pessimist. We’ve done the impossible already. Stopped an alien invasion and got some sweet bodies outta it.” As he spoke, he gyrated his hips and even thrust into the air a few times.

Eddy stared, but he wasn’t amused. “Like Nolan said, Makoto, we killed these guys and took their place. We’re like those freaky bodysnatchers in the movies.”

“God, now I know you’re gonna do well as Eddy,” said Makoto, dropping his grin. “Just as much of a killjoy as the original. Go blow a few more loads into Danny-boy so you can actually crack a smile.” Smirking, Makoto added, “Or else it’ll be me coating his walls.” Before Eddy could reply, Makoto spun on his heel and walked away.

“Piece of shit,” was all Eddy said before sauntering towards the living room, hands in his pockets and slouching.

It was still rather early—only about 7 am—but most of the hosts were already milling around in the living room. Because of the dilemma that occurred last night, most of them hadn’t gotten much of a chance to really get to know and explore their new forms. “It’s hard to figure out who or what we’re supposed to be.” It was one of Forde’s older friends, a man by the name of Oscar. “We’re not really these creatures, not really Forde, but not really any of our hosts.”

He was a more thoughtful individual than Eddy was, so he figured he might as well just speak to him about it.

“You thinking about it as well?” asked Eddy as he slid over to an open seat next to Alan.

The poor man was looking around, eyes eagerly taking in every sight like a newborn. Since there was very little of the old man’s mind left by the time Forde’s offspring took over, he was in an “awkward situation,” as Nolan put it. Eddy preferred the term “horrifying,” but he kept it to himself. No need to bring the mood down even further. Turning back to face Oscar, Eddy continued. “I feel like Eddy, but not really at the same time. Like I’m playing a role.”

Oscar nodded. “One way to see it is that we’re the offspring of Forde and our host. In that way, our existence is a lot more humanitarian. We’re just children that have to play pretend in to keep the order.” He took a deep breath and crossed his legs together, as if meditating. It was a habit of Oscar whenever too mcuh stress took ahold of him. Eddy could at least see that.

“So you’re fine with this,” said Eddy.

“No, but I’m not un-fine with it, either.” Was that what peace looked like? Oscar didn’t seem satisfied or dissatisfied. He simply accepted it and moved on. Perhaps Eddy should try the same, but that niggling feeling in the back of his head wouldn’t disappear. “You won’t be fine with it until you’re fine with who you are, Eddy,” said Oscar.

Eddy rose from where he had fallen on the ground. “Always were good at scaring the crap outta me,” he said, rubbing his head. “Get out of my head, Oscar.”

“You told me what was bothering you. I’m just trying to help.”

“Still on it, Ed-boy?” Eddy groaned as Makoto walked into the living room once more. At the very least, he was far more modest. Not only that, but Makoto was also carrying a duffel bag. “Figured it’s about time we parted ways,” he said when everyone’s eyes went over to his bag. “There’s no point in staying here while everyone messing up my vibes.” Swiping a pair of discarded sunglasses from the table, Makoto put them on and flashed a peace sign. He looked like such a douchebag. “Got a life to lead, y’know? Y’all should do the same. ‘s all we can do for our hosts and our species or whatever. No need to grieve when we can party.”

What did that even mean? Even before the invasion, Eddy and Makoto were simply incompatible. Just sharing their thoughts or perspectives out loud led to arguments and fighting, as if they couldn’t tolerate the existence of such feelings. They were oil and water. Or rather, water and Rubidium, as a certain fictional con-artist once put it as. Despite the gravity of the situation, this was just another case of the two of them being unable to agree. Despite the familiarity, Eddye still felt sick as he stared Makoto down. “Doesn’t it even matter to you, ya prick?” said Eddy. Before the two of them could start fighting, Oscar cleared his throat.

“Say goodbye to Forde and Nolan first,” said Oscar, a relaxed yet enigmatic smile on his face. “It’s rude to leave the nest without properly thanking your parents first.”

“...They’re still having a chat...” said Makoto, gaze growing distant. The duffel bag slipped from his grasp as he was lost in thought. “They haven’t stopped talking since last night. I don’t know how Forde’s doing, or if he’s even gonna get any better.”

An uncomfortable silence spread over the room. Forde hadn’t been able to see any of them eye-to-eye since the previous night. They had won, and yet the look of pure despair on Forde’s face sapped any joy any of his offspring could have felt in that instance. Without a leader, they were stuck in that awkward point where none of them could figure out what to do or who they even were.

Children imitate their parents, thought Eddy, but are we supposed to imitate Forde when parts of us are already Forde? Oscar said we were like Forde and our hosts’ kids, but… why do I feel sick just being alive? Is that part of childhood as well?

There were no answers to that. The invaders, now much more docile and depressed, simply conversed on ideas of what they could do. Even what they considered themselves as was no longer accurate. Though Forde had won them their freedom, they were left in the uncomfortable position of defining what their freedom now was.

It was impossible to see the stars in town. To do so, Nolan would have to organize another trip, and he doubted Forde was in any state, physical or emotional, to do so. “Sun’s been up for a while,” he told Forde, who remained huddled in a cocoon of blankets. “You don’t want to get up? At the very least, stretch your legs?”

No response, as usual. Nolan sighed and peeled the curtains to allow the sunlight in. Forde wasn’t a morning person, from what Nolan could recall, but Forde had been catatonic for the past few hours. “I’m not leaving this room without you,” he said. He paused and focused on the memories he could access, he remembered a certain device tucked away Forde’s closet. It was a gift from Nolan from their childhood that Forde refused to throw away despite how much dust it had collected.

A gift from an unrequited love.

Nolan—the creature inside of Nolan—wondered what exactly the real Nolan would think of this. Would he be touched or disgusted? Did he appreciate like this new Nolan did? Or was this some kind of twisted victory for Forde?

Nolan shook his head. There would be time for such thoughts later. For now, Forde needed him.  He walked towards the center of the room and turned on the projector.

It wasn’t quite the planetarium, but it would do. The sky wasn’t the same as that night, but it was close enough. Just as these creatures weren’t quite their hosts, they would have to do. “We’re trying so hard to be human, to be normal,” Nolan muttered out loud, another habit from Forde, “doesn’t that give us value as well?” He stared up at the false stars spinning on the ceiling and wondered where had they come from? Or had they always been dwellers of the sea?

They were liars and fakes. Most people would think they had little value. Had Forde ordered them to, most of them would’ve swallowed the salt with little hesitation without any of the memories of personality of their original hosts fully absorbed. Now it was far too late. Forde had given them the gift of life—of awareness. Their lives were their own to decide. Wasn’t that in itself beautiful? Worthy of being alive?

Nolan wasn’t sure. In all honesty, he wasn’t exactly how much of himself was Nolan, Forde, and his very own self. Yet the feeling ballooning in his chest had so much weight and shined just as bright as any star that he refused to believe they had any less value.

Authentic or not, original or stolen, their lives were their own.

“Thank you, Forde,” said Nolan in a louder voice as he slipped under the sheets and embraced Forde’s still body. “What you did wasn’t a mistake. We’re alive because of you. And we get to see sights like these because of you.” His hands searched until he found Forde’s own. Their finger intertwined, without any resistance from Forde. “Let’s go camping again, just like that night. But, let’s make it our own. Not our parents, but our very own memory.” Tears had begun to spill onto the bed. Nolan wasn’t sure if they were his own or not. “Wouldn’t that be something, right?”

…

…

…

“… I wanna see those stars again...” Forde squeezed Nolan’s hand back.

It was an awkward step forward, but it was a large leap for them all nonetheless.

[mayorraa]

Buggy the clown 🎪🎈🎡

[amngtheflowers]

Fallens

[kvtnisseverdeen]

picspam battle | vs. hellcheerful

scott & allison + negative space

[exoticalmonde]

Friends are awake, Pinkie is busy but Dr. Kryostin saves the day by guiding me into completion. Handholding supremely seconds after I ate my dinner, salted with my own tears.

First try too.

The only moment that's worth talking about is that HE IS TAKING HIS SWEET TIME HAVING NO HEALTH AT ALL THE HARLOT

Ah but who cares. My pain in three posts. Die, Angel. Your god is in the basement playing dubstep, mine is with me holding my hand. Pathetic.

Thank you Penance for overlooking.

I have all my medals now, it's time to turn off my brain for 4 whole days.

[aa-carnivorousfatality]

*** ᴸᴱᵀ ᴹᴱ ᴮᴱ ʸᴼᵁᴿ ˢᴱᶜᴿᴱᵀ ˢᴵᴺ -----*

𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐎𝐑𝟎𝐔𝐒𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘****----> “ They lurk in the cold and dark. Hungry and , wicked , they wait for their one chance to devour the weak on Sorry Night. Then the vours feast on a banquet of fear. Your fear. They steal your soul but your body remains. No one knows the difference."

-simon holt . *

canon divergent and semi selective CARNAGE of the VENOM / SPIDERMAN FRANCHISE promo . Headcanon based and mainly placed with the film's take. Does have comic aspects included in the lore. Carnage on his own , without a host. Has dark themes and will not interact with minors . Crossover friendly !!!!

STUDY OF-----> descent into the darkness , bloodlust , hunger , demons within , everyone is a monster , some embrace it , grief , mistrust , lies and trickery , violence , devour.

[ PSD CREDITS -----> HERE AND HERE. ]

Likes / reblog if interested in interacting! Or just to get the word out! Many thanks!!

[makima-s-most-smile]

Trigun Maximum 1 (Part 2)

*me rushing after the bookclub timeline* My brain does not work in summer heat!

*continues to waffle about the smallesT details* And I will only get worse, nyehehehe

Chapter 03: Bravo Girls!

Meryl!

Uh… Neither can a man?!? Karen, what kind of sexist logic do you have there? 

Everyone should be capable and independent, that’s how you avoid landing in abusive situations. (It also does not mean that you shouldn’t rely on people. That’s how communities work.) Knowing your worth and loving yourself is the key here.

Those who know, know -_-

This is the first time that Meryl got any lifesign from Vash for about 2,5 years. She must have thought he died until now. No wonder she is near tears. Her friend is alive! She must feel so relieved! Boyo survived whatever the fifth moon incident has been!

Oh, I immediately dislike Mr. Keele. Keele = Kill, did anyone else zoom in on the phonetic similarities?

Again! Mr. Keele is a tradesman! An Assassin! I didn’t imagine it! Somebody tell me that I didn’t imagine it when I said that Wolfwood literally advertises he’s a trained killer in Ultimate 2! Karen gives Meryl all the hints! “Yeah, I would not want to be there, even if I was you, with Mr. Keele being a killer. Y’know, the ex-elite-military-dude.” We see the penny drop on Meryl’s face!

This has to be one of the bigger cities, since it was build around a ship. But it looks so small. Like 1.000 people, maybe 2000 max. I read somewhere that like 20 Million humans of 100 Million survived the fall (correct me if I remember that incorrectly). But with such small settlements… I cannot believe that. There was surely a second Great Dying in the aftermath, but this… this is so small. And it is a big, well-established city. If Vash is able to run around without people realising who he is, there need to be more people for that anonymity. Big cities offer anonymity, small communities do not!

I like this shot of Vash. He looks like he is Batman, all brooding and watchful. Through that establishing shot, we, as readers, aren’t really surprised when Keele is busted immediately. How exactly, besides Vash being careful, I don’t know. Is it the body language? The way he carries himself and his weapons? Does he hear them talking at the reception desk?

I like this whole scene. Vash is not naive. He knows of the dangers, he knows he is still hunted down, even without the bounty.

Keele is ruthless! To get to his target, he is willing to kill innocents. The woman in the car is an innocent bystander. Vash needs to shield her with his body. While the other assassins until now also killed people, they didn’t use them to get to Vash. That’s a key difference and makes Keele so much more coldblooded.

How much pain tolerance has he? He is smiling and joking after it. Yes, he is showing pain, but he is more obsessed with making everything seem less dire. Of course, Wolfwood sees through it and gets help. I am not sure, he may even carry Vash, since it is highly stupid to let Vash lay there in the open with a fucking hitman on the lose. I wonder how Wolfwood feels when being confronted with that kind of hit man. While we know that Wolfwood is able to “easily” kill, he does not seem like a person who would use innocents to get to his target. He is too direct and honest for that. You could also use the word too ethical, but that is… *looks at the killer for hire part* Well, even professionals have standards?

I love Meryl’s cool speech, but… Keele was hired by her boss. Her boss would have known that Keele is a hit man. Even Karen commented on it. What does that say about her organisation as a whole? I want consequences for it! Be it structural changes or anything, but we never get any. Please, if you have something like this in the story, Nightow, please, do something with it. What are the consequences about this for Meryl and her job, what are the consequences for Milly? Do they report this? It would be in character for both of them! And if they don’t… SHOW IT TO US! PLEASE! What is their reasoning then!

I’d say, Keele is not without logic, but it is not insurance logic. It is the logic that the state works with in “The minority-report”. The idea of a self fulfilling prophecy is also present here, too. Though, it is unethical from the perspective that it infringes on the human’s agency. Another little thing that is important for me (and most likely for Meryl, too) is that Vash is not the disaster! Things happen to and around Vash, but he is not the one who decides to go bat-shit crazy, he runs, he flees and most importantly, he keeps the casualties low! There is no intent there! She would have put that in her reports! Keele didn’t care, her boss didn’t care. 

Can you punish someone for something he doesn’t do? It would be punishing his existence. 

Keele goes to threaten Meryl with a gun, intending to kill her. He is not only a hit man, he is a murderer. His reasoning is greed and covering his own tracks. You could say, in this chapter, he is somewhat the antithesis to Vash. Vash brings destruction without intent and does his best to avoid it. Keele kills for personal gain without care for anyone other than himself. Who is worse? The answer is easy, but somehow from a purely capitalistic view the insurance agency came to another result.

Meryl thinking back to what Karen said, but I don’t think she thinks about herself in that position. She thinks about Vash and how he is thrown into life threatening situations again and again (at least that is my interpretation) and how he cannot be happy like that. His smiling picture contrasts what they have been through together. Yes, it is a shitty position that Meryl finds herself in, but she chooses to stay at Vash’s side. And damn, that’s fucking nice of her. She is his friend. She is brave. And she has ethics!

Milly to the rescue! I love the whole framing of that pic. Her smile and then the close up that shows it is an angry one!

It’s subtle, but does Meryl help Keele to fly by tripping him? Her position changes so much from the former page. She looks so completely unimpressed by Keele. Also, isn’t it nice that people other than Vash get panty shots, too?

WHY?! You smoked Vash out! You followed him! You literally got into a life threatening situation! Why don’t you go to him? AHHHHHHHHHH

Gosh, Wolfwood is so petty. Yes, he keeps Vash’s ethical standground and does not kill his fellow hitman, but Vash never said something against torture… And I didn't get why his face is so bloody, I thought that was the sauce, but no, he skitted on his face due to Milly's hit. Dayumm.

Meryl’s reasoning reads so weird. She used the vacation to look for him, but now she says that they will deal with him through work… Is it her being shy? And Keele never got busted… Nothing changed at her workplace even though it did something so unethical. I… really don’t like this plotpoint.

Chapter 04: Hero returns

Knives! My second best worstie! New readers still don’t get to know his face! Though, this is a memory from Vash. His brother is distorted to a monstrous being, inhuman with crazy eyes and a smile with so many teeth, it is a threat. Knives is not human, but Vash, his brother, is not human, too. 

“Forgetting brings too much sorrow, remembering brings everlasting pain.” That’s grief and it makes Vash's whole being. Sure, if you forget the person you lost, your pain may be gone, but you also lose what made you you. But now, every memory is tainted with the loss. Time should heal those wounds, pain becomes bearable and now painful memories become bittersweet. But I don’t think Vash ever reached that point. Rem is still a sore spot for him, he can’t even talk about her, but she haunts every step. Every scar on his body is a sacrifice to her godhood. Vash is less his own person and more a priest to her existence. While I am sad for Vash, I also feel for Rem. If she was able to know how her son idolises her to his own detriment, she would despair.

Vash having nightmares due to trauma, confirmed.

Damn, that contrast. Wolfwood, the black smudge, between all that white space and all the coffins hanging over his head. We already know that he deals with death at this point, being a gun ho gun and all that shebang, but it also evokes something claustrophobic in me. Wolfwood watching as more and more coffins -corpses- pile up, ready to crush him under their weight. And he just stands and stares.

Wolfwood, the town gossip. “Thank heaven you asked! It’s a long story, though it is kinda a short one! Anyway-” 

Eh, the town going all Montaque and Capulet, just without the lovers and more sexual assault. Kinda sad, but that is greed working. The planet truly brings out the worst of humanity. And Vash is still able to be sad about it. Because he knows humanity can be better. And Wolfwood is his bitter, contemptuous self, not without reason. I don’t see him saying that as misanthropy, though. Wolfwood said in his introduction chapter that he has an orphanage to care about. While Vash cares about the whole of humanity, Wolfwood cares for his smaller circle and he needs to stay alive to do so. He cannot allow himself the risk. 

And damn, Vash just plainly calling him out for having secrets and Wolfwood again, not denying it and just falling silent. They know. And it hurts.

Brad!

He is 17. Why do 17 year olds in manga either look kawaii or like the worst Jojo-delinquents

His hair reminds me so much of Ryu (or Josuke mixed with Jotaro)

Damn, Brad, you are such an arrogant arsehole here. Oh, yes, the people who are trying their best to survive daily on a planet that is unable to really accommodate their needs are not the nicest around… Dude, you are living at a place that guarantees that your basic needs are taken care of. Brad lived with a priviledge that other people literally would die for. I know Brad will grow on me, but damn, his introduction is always… I wanna kick him! At least you are not as bad as ‘98 Brad.

What conversation? The one about plants? The one about having to kill to protect your close ones? Are you trying to make him understand that you, Wolfwood, need to stay alive to keep the orphanage going? Or the one about you hiding stuff? Are you going to confess? Why you are here, Wolfwood? What is it? It is open to interpretation.

But I love this! This shows what a truly honest and open dude Wolfwood truly is. Yes, he goes so easily on the defensive and, damn, he speaks in absolutes and thus can be seen as condescending. But he reaches out to Vash again and again. He literally runs after him to talk! He tries to go by Vash’s rules. He didn’t kill anyone with his fucking machine gun cross, because Vash asked him to, and that is a feat in on itself.

Oh! There is a new coat in the suitcase, too! Didn’t see that in the first readthrough.

Brad: “I don’t think we have a choice, do we? Lost technology for lost technology.” I read this in my first readthrough as Vash trading stuff with the colony, most likely because I still had the scene with Kaite in my head, where Vash just pulls out a radio in the form of a pen. But now it reads as Brad putting Vash down as a plant and dehumanising him.

No! Vash, you are the fucking gun! Yes, you have dangerous powers, but you did not pull the trigger! I know it feels like it! And damn, your body must feel foreign and hostile to you, but you did not chose this, the responsibility lies not on you, however much you put it onto yourself.

“We have no choice but to depend on him”

“The only one who cannot flee or surrender, who will even return from the dead is that nice man right there.”

Damn, that hurts. I know the doctor has a better relationship with Vash than Brad has, but it reads like they are only using him and that only because there is no other option. It mirrors how Vash treats himself.

Brad struggles with Vash seemingly being immortal and inhuman. His hissy fit kinda fits what is brewing in Wolfwood. But with the Docs explanation of Brad being a fucking brat that has a temper trantrum because his age mate Jessica has a puppy crush on Vash... He is just a fucking hormonal teenager. Brad the brat. And that makes Vash’s bout of hating his plantness immediately less dire. I love Doc. (I wanted to write like, but my hands wrote love, so love it is.)

Wolfwood can never eat in peace part two electric boogaloo. He looks so cute, squatting down and just eating XD. It is one of my favourite Wolfwood panels. He just looks so innocent and curious. Annnnd… the softness is immediately gone with his scowl returning. Interesting, how Wolfwood takes the police/army force intervening as something that can go either way and not something purely positive. We don’t see much of them in the manga anyway, so how much power do they truly have? Not enough, considering Knives is scheming in the background with the whole of the gun-ho-guns.

Also, Brad, just go away with your prejudice. I’d like to see how you would have come out living not in a safe space but a world in which you can be shot just for looking stupid.

Kinda hypocritical of Wolfwood. He wants to go away and not interfere. While that is a choice, it is a passive one. His action is nonaction. But nonaction is also an action. He wants to avoid having to make this decision of life and death. But that also tells us, the readers, that while Wolfwood is capable of doing so, he hates taking a life, he hates this part of life and himself. 

And his decision is to decide which conflict he interferes with, because his main goal is to keep the orphanage afloat. Wolfwood has to decide for himself who is worth saving and who is not. No wonder he calls himself a demon. But it is also very human.

He does not have the capacity to help everyone and if he dies here, the orphanage would suffer. His life is worth something for that very cause. While Wolfwood is right that you cannot not make a choice, he doesn’t seem to completely understand it, either. Surely, he breaks the choice down to kill or let live, but there are myriads of other choices that have to be decided before it comes to this. His choice right here is not to kill or to kill, but avoid interfering so he does not risk his own life at the detriment of the orphanage.

And Vash is… Not understanding Wolfwood or humanity. From Vash’s perspective every life is important. He cannot fathom that for some people some lives are more important than others and that alienates him from humanity. From his position it seems unimaginable for him that he does not jump into the fray to rescue the hostages. And it reads a bit patronising or judgemental that other people are unable to do so. It reads like: I can do it, why can't you? Wolfwood has a point, but Vash slaps it away by telling him it is just talk. Vash is not human here, he is far from it.

For me, this also opens up another question. Is Vash using this unconsciously to avoid Knives? By concentrating on helping the locals, he gets distracted again and again from their real goal, smoking out Knives. While Vash said that he wants to kill Knives, it goes against his ideals. Rem also died for Knives, not only humanity. And Vash still loves him, even though Knives did something unmentionable to him. Considering that Vash is also latently suicidal… is there an unconscious hope that he could die before having to meet Knives? It also makes his position of I can do it, why can't humanity do it, kinda sad. He can't imagine people wanting to live and considering staying alive a priority. 

I… just love this very interaction. It feels a bit jarring that they had such an intense argument just a page ago and now they are back to silly nillies.

Chapter 05: Dancing revolvers

Hehehehe, Baby Vash immediately wanting to eat the geranium. Geraniums are also used to repel mosquitos. How does Zazie feel about them? Do the plants smell of geraniums? Imagine Zazie meeting Knives and having to retch.

Interestingly, I mostly found geranium meaning protection and warding off evil, even as a promise to meet at a specific place. Only after a deeper search did I find the meaning of determination. Rem’s face in that scene. She takes strength from that meaning, her own determination to leave behind something or start anew. The woman has a deeply seated regret or two.

We learn later what this exactly means, but Luraude not losing a drop of sweat… HINTS! It looks like he was controlled somehow.

Vash, that can kill a person… A pacifist, you are…

Then why are you bleeding from the mouth?!

I love the framing of Vash’s shooting scene and the aftermath. How his training comes to fruition and how much of his fighting is like high level mathematics. We also don’t know why the storage is shown in the aftermath until we get the resolution of them having been shot open. 

Chapter 06: Sin

I love that framing. It shows the sin and the grief that follows it. It doesn’t show the act, it shows the victims! That makes it much more poignant for me. It is about how innocent people are forced into such situations, how much loss there is from ONE wrong act. 

And while it makes a full circle back to Wolfwood’s words and gives them much needed human context, it also opens up the idea of Wolfwood being a victim that had to take up arms, too. His expression is also important. There is no: “Gotcha! Spikey! There is not his angry stubbornness or this neutral, stoic facade that normally accompanies him trying to make Vash understand. It is just absolute sadness and, maybe (I am really bad with faces) apathy by helplessness. I like that we get a callback to the scene a few chapters beforehand, because this close up tells us a whole different story and frames Wolfwood’s position much more as a position made by need and not by want. As much as Vash cried in that scene, Wolfwood looks like someone who wants to cry, too, but has no tears left.

Wolfwood says that Vash is foolish and stubborn. He looks kinda like a devil, enjoying Vash’s plightful situation. Could it be misguided care for Vash’s survival, because Wolfwood himself had to learn the hard way how to survive? Or does he want confirmation that Vash is someone who reacts and thus is in the end human? There is the hint that there is more to Wolfwood joining Vash’s travels. Our man is sus.

There are other questions that I have as a reader. How often does Vash regret the outcome of these situations? Does he only regret those where he couldn’t save everyone? Or in which people choose to be greedy? How does he keep up his hope towards humanity after those situations? Every life is holy for him, so the life of the murderer and the life of the daughter has to be on the same level. Doesn’t how we fill our life’s make a difference? Vash needs to say no to this due to all encompassing love for humanity. And that makes him inhuman. 

I love how the panelling kinda says two completely different things. By lowering his gun, Vash takes a step back and lets the father decide how to punish his daughter’s murderer. Framing Knives in the middle could be read as Vash’s own acceptance of his hypocrisy. If he is willing to kill Knives for what he did, why should he stop the father. But it also shows Vash’s inner fight for me. He lowers the gun, while we are presented with Knives’s portrait. Vash is unsure if he even can kill Knives.

You can’t save everyone, but you should at least try. And Vash acts upon it. Not putting the father in danger by using his gun, but by trying to save the rapist with only his hands. It is about not burdening the father with being a killer. And… it is an end that makes Vash keep up his promise, but it also feels hollow. The girl was tortured to death and her killer lives. It is unfair. The father’s grief won’t lessen, he may even feel like a failure. And everything about this is just sad.

Another point for Vash being decidedly inhuman and separated from humanity. How would I feel if I saw my family that I put under my protection tear themselves apart. I look down from far above and their scuffles would seem so menial to me and I still lose family members to it, other grief and take more lives in revenge. But also, if everyone is your family, no one is. Family is that important because it is our in-group. But an in-group automatically has an out-group. Vash is ripping himself apart with his point of view.

Yeah, I would also yawn if my boo bombs up my holding cell and gets me with his cool bike. As if Vash expected Wolfwood to come to his rescue.

I like this little tidbit of Wolfwood showing empathy to the father and offering him an escape. Our boy is a softie! Even though he immediately grows defensive when Vash calls him out on it.

I also like Wolfwood stressing to Vash that Vash’s luck will someday run out. And Vash knows it. Vash knows he has been lucky til now. Wolfwood means it in a Vash’s life or the other person’s. Wolfwood wants Vash to chose his own life.

Annnnd Luraude was a puppet and no one knew. Even Vash with his supersenses didn’t sniff or hear him out. 

And I lov…hate… love… Legato. I mean, it is a planet full of bdsm-gear-wearing cowboys shooting each other up and he walks up like from a HIM concert all in a fucking iron maiden. Damn.

[trinoxtrinox]

A Party to be Remembered Through the Ages (Epilogue)

Ectoberhaunt 2022, Side Chaos. Prompt: Costume Party

Summary: The aftermath of Johnny and Kitty's party, and we see how Danny and a few ghosts deal with it.

Author's note: I'm finally done with this \OwO/ I swear this thing had no right to take me so long to write, why did a one-shot become a full on fic with 7 chapters I don't know, but at least now I know to be careful when writing to that my ideas don't get out of hand XD Please enjoy since I'm oficially done with this and I won't be joining in another event ever, this was too much for me considering I have plans for my own fics for the future :V

Edit: First - Previous - Next (This is the last part :D)

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“Ok, so you’re telling us that you got to the party, talked a little, played Just Dance twice, broke a fight and left the party, and it all happened in 2 hours?” Sam’s skepticism could be noticed a mile away, and neither Tucker, Jazz nor Danny could even pretend to not notice that.

“Yeah, that’s the brunt of it,” the poor halfa tried to defend himself, but the faces he received from everyone made it clear he would not be able to fly away with just that, “it’s the truth! I swear I’m not lying!”

"Wait, why was Technus disguised as himself?" Jazz asked while tilting her head slightly.

"Apparently he's the main reason the Ghost Zone is able to have technology working at all." Danny said, he was also going to continue talking some more about the different roles that the ghost can take in doing so, however he was interrupted by Tucker.

“Aha, yeah, why don’t you tell us what happened between all of that that you conveniently forgot about, huh?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow to Danny’s avoidance of going further.

“Awww, did my baby bro embarrass himself at the party or something?” She teased him while poking at his cheeks, all the while evading the blur of slaps that the brother was throwing around to avoid her teasing, “you know you have to tell us now what happened, right?”

“Will you stop if I tell you!?”

“Sure, but I want nothing but the truth little brother, got it?”

“Fine, fine, you got it.” “Woo hoo!” Exclaimed the rest of the trio, high fiving each other as they prepared themselves for the gossip that Danny was bound to offer now.

“So, I might’ve accidentally not on purpose… brokeSkulker’smindwithawhatIcanonlysupposewasabigrevelation.” That last part was said in a hurry, hopefully to avoid any further embarrassment that would be brought up by this.

“You broke Skulker!? Ha! You have to tell us how you did it now.” Tucker demanded as he pointed a finger to his best friend and laughed at the misery of the ghost hunter.

“So, apparently, the Ancients are not only still kicking around, but I’ve met all of them and made friends with half of them, beating the other half to a pulp.”

“Yeah, we’re gonna need more context for that. Who are the Ancients again?” Sam asked this time, flipping through one of the books she had with herself, “I can’t find anything on them.”

“Ok, so you remember Pariah Dark, right?”

“The dude that plucked Amity Park into the Ghost Zone?” Tucker asked, straightening himself on the seat he was on, now paying more attention to the story being told.

“Yeah, that dude. He was trapped inside the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep when Vlad released him that one time-” “-Vlad was the one that released him!?” Jaxx interrupted, putting hands in the air as her disbelief was heard from her voice.

“Wait, why am I surprised? He’s narcissistic enough to believe that was a good idea.”

“Yeah, anyways, the ones that trapped him there in the first place were a group of 7 powerful ghosts that banded together to stop his tyranny. Those are the Ancients.”

“Ok, so how do you know them all then?”

“I’ll just name them for you and you’ll get it. First is Clockwork-” “Yeah that’s a given.” “Not surprised.” “Who’s Clockwork again?” “Oh yeah you weren’t there when we had our time travel adventure.” “Oh, from the Dan incident, got it.” “Basically ghost time god.” “Well, doesn’t that rock the worldview.” “-next is Pandora.”

“Wait, Pandora is an Ancient?” “Considering her box I wouldn’t be surprised.” “Talking about those, it is safe, right? Nowhere near Boxy?” “Don’t worry Jazz, we’re safe there.”

“Anyways, the rest are Undergrowth, Frostbite, Vortex, Nocturne and Marduk.” Danny finished listing all of the Ancients’ names, a finger up for each of them until 7 fingers were up.

“Ok, so apparently we all know all of the most powerful ghosts of the Ghost Zone, and somehow became friends with 3 of them, while also managing to survive being enemies of the other half?” With each word, Tucker’s voice became more and more strained and high pitched, and in the end he seemed like a kettle in the boiling point.

“Yep.”

“That means I also got mind controlled by one of the Ancients.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t a good day.”

“That also means that that one Observant you punched in the eyeball was an Ancient, right?” Jazz was beginning to get a little nervous now, if the increase of pitch in her voice and dilated pupils were anything to go by.

“That asshole deserved it and nothing y’all say will make me think otherwise.” Crossing his arms Danny floated in place with his head up, not regretting doing said thing in the slightest.

“Wait a second, doesn’t that mean that you’re stronger than all the Ancients then? You managed to defeat Pariah alone after all.” Sam brought up a good point, a smile spreading through Tucker’s face when she said so.

“Dude, this is great then, that means that you won’t have to worry about any ghost ever again, you can just relax and goof around now.” Tucker was vibrating in place right now, stimming as his eyes shined through his glasses, “how many shenanigans do you think we can do with your fights now?”

“Oh oh oh, I got some ideas for that kind of thing,” Sam got closer to the boys, now conniving with them as well.

“At least you’ve managed to reach some peace of mind brother.” Jazz muttered under her breath as she sighed and shook her head, a fond smile adorning her face while doing so, “ok, move away, I also have some ideas for shenanigans.”

Meanwhile, in the Infinite Realms, the rumor mill was beginning to work around as ghosts were talking and spreading the things that happened at Johnny’s party the previous day, and it all started with Technus visiting Skulker.

“Skulker! I, Technus, master of all things technological and electrical have come to give your suit a check up and see if it’ll need any updates!” He trespassed into the island of the hunter with no regard to the traps that were spread around the place, moving masterfully to avoid all of them without a second thought. “Skulker!?”

When he managed to find the hunter, he was outside of his suit, just looking at the vegetation that spread through his Lair as the different hues of green were distinct enough to be distinguished from each other and the perpetual green with purple highlights of the Ghost Zone, eyes unfocused on anything as he remained there unblinking.

“Skulker, you alright there?”

“Peachy.” The sarcasm was tangible even in the soft single word that was uttered from his mouth, gaze still unfocused and to the skies.

“What happened that got the greatest hunter of the Ghost Zone in such a bad mood.”

“We’re just playmates Technus,” he finally turned his eyes away and looked directly into his eyes, “we’re just playmates to the whelp.”

“The ghost child? What makes you think that?”

“He told us about that yesterday”

“You mean that wasn’t a joke? How did you figure that?”

“Because of Frostbite.”

“What does he have to do with anything, he’s a pretty strong ghost, I’ll give him that, but he’s friends with the ghost child, he isn’t his enemy, he wouldn’t fight him of his own volition.”

“He has everything to do with this. I did some research on why he picked his costume and how come that Frostbite ghost was dressed up as the Whelp as well, and the things I uncovered were disconcerting to say the least.”

“Ok, and those things are…?”

“He’s an Ancient.”

“...What?”

“Frostbite is an Ancient.”

“You’re telling me I fought against an Ancient!?”

“Oh yeah, I forgot that detail when the Whelp chose to give me an existential crisis back then.”

“I fought against an Ancient!? I mean, no wonder it all seemed like a game from his perspective, but still, I sparred against an Ancient!?”

“And that’s not the only thing.”

“There’s more?” The whispered question left Technus’ mouth as disbelief plagued those words.

“Ember told me that the other ghost the Whelp invited is Pandora, another one of the Ancients.”

“Is the Kid friend with all the Ancients!?”

“At this rate he might as well be.”

“I-I need to sit down for a second here. This is too much.” Technus lowered himself until he was sitting on top of a rock that was next to Skulker's empty mech, bringing a hand to his head and combing his hair.

“Yes… It’s a lot.”

“Wait… didn’t Frostbite say that the Ghost Boy’s fighting abilities would be up to the standards of the Ancient of Hope Pandora?”

“Oh Ancients you’re right… Does that mean that we’re up to the standards of an Ancient?” The hope in Skulker’s voice was palpable, having the possible recognition of an Ancient as the greatest hunter of the Ghost Zone would give him the biggest boost to his ego in his whole death.

“I have to tell everyone, I can’t believe even the Box Ghost has met the standards of an Ancient.”

“Pshhh, I doubt that guy can meet anyone’s standards,” Skulker began floating to his mech and got inside, closing his face and beginning operating it, “except maybe Lunch Lady’s standards for a lover. I heard from Ember that they’re looking to take the next step soon enough.”

“Oh, they’ll have a baby!?” Technus floated a few centimeters higher when he heard the news, “I have to congratulate them, then I’ll spread the word of Phantom and us being up to Ancient standards.”

“Don’t exaggerate anything, I don’t want any powerful ghost coming to my Lair looking for a fight and destroying me,” Skulker said as he stood up and began polishing some of his weapons, “the Whelp is the one within standards, we’re just below them, remember that.”

“Sure sure, now I have to go to congratulate the lucky pair, see you later Skulker.”

And like that, a rumor began running around the Infinite Realms, starting with the fact that Phantom was up to the standards of the Ancients, and some of his rogues were as well if Danny had to take their fights seriously; then that got distorted into Phantom fighting some Ancients with the help of some of his rogues, then it distorted furthermore into Danny fighting and winning against some Ancients alone, then some rouges (between them Skulker and Technus) being able to defeat some Ancients if they work together, then that Johnny’s party was interrupted by an Ancient that Danny beat up and got out of his Lair, to then Danny fighting against 2 Ancients and winning barely with the help of some other ghosts present; to finally land funnily enough to Danny kicking out 2 of the Ancients alone of the party, which is actually true if one remembers that he did so with words only instead of fists and ecto-blasts, but that’s something only a few knew, and it’s not like doing that isn’t just as impressive as doing so with a fight.

After that small rumor mill completed its job through a month’s time, another one began working at the same time about the epicness of Johnny and Kitty’s parties, beginning with the fact that one would be able to duke it out without repercussions, to the fact that the open bar they had had some very mysterious and potent stuff, to there being the possibility of some famous ghosts assisting, to the certainty that famous ghosts always go to them, to Ancients going to them as well.

And it’s not like those 2 rumors will be leaving soon, after all they all have some nuggets of truth inside them. Danny is strong enough to be recognized by all of the Ancients, and he’s friends with some of them, not to mention that he has defeated 3 of them as well. And Johnny and Kitty both have some bottles of liquor without labels, and they allow fights as long as they happen in the backyard of their Lair, and in the latest party 2 Ancients were invited as a +3, and they’re plenty famous alright if ghosts know their history, which to be fair, that’s only a small amount of them.

By the time that Danny went to the Acropolis of Athena, all the ghosts that he came across that wasn’t part of his rogue gallery gave him a wide berth, avoiding him at all costs, and the fact that everyone say him arriving towards the Lair of an Ancient, passing over the labyrinth without being struck down, and stopping at Pandora’s room, letting those few with the ability to see though the buildings witness her receiving him with open arms and a hug, did nothing to calm down the rumor mill, if anything, it made the rumors going around worse, thus marking the day of the party as one that catalyzed the biggest rumor distortion of all time that somehow managed to stay 100% on spot.