#partner swap au

[simplyreiartblog]

Turned most of the tamer digimon for the partner swap au into Lisa frank creatures~

[masterqwertster]

🏴‍☠️ and/or 🫂 for the au tidbits

Evergreen AU Prompt

🏴‍☠️ Orym keeps a sharp eye on Liliana. Mother of his captain she may be, but he doesn't trust her.

It's not that she hired them for a smuggling job. Mostly. Orym's learned in his time on The Hellion that some things need to be smuggled for the good of others. He's also pretty sure Liliana's cargo is not that kind of job. Not with the imperious way she treats anyone not Imogen (and even Imogen is talked down to, though in the manner of a child rather than an inferior person not worth the time). The good kind of smuggling tends to come from worn-down but well-meaning and kindly folk.

No, the main reason Orym doesn't trust her is the way Liliana is trying to force herself into the role of a mother to Imogen without acknowledging her nearly lifelong absence in Imogen's life, or even seeming to notice that Imogen is her own grown woman, not a helpless child.

So when Orym notices Liliana's brow furrow in that same way Imogen's does when she's actively listening to thoughts, as the interloper stands on the deck over the Green Cabin, he heads on over to put an end to that mess in the making.

"She won't appreciate that," Orym says as he draws close, placing himself between her and Dorian at the helm, and crossing his arms over his chest.

"She ain't gonna find out, now, is she?" Liliana retorts with a threatening look in her eye.

Orym can't help but think it's the kind of look befitting of a cutthroat. Dangerous, if you aren't a dangerous fighter yourself. It's not nearly so terrifying, so cowing, as a sharp look from one of his mothers. More proof, really, that Liliana may have birthed Imogen, but she's not much of an actual mother.

"Maybe Imogen isn't as good at this telepath-psychic stuff as you, but I'm pretty sure she can tell when someone's poking at her brain all on her own," Orym evenly replies.

He doesn't mention that Imogen also wears an enchanted circlet under her captain's hat that prevents mental intrusion, so what Liliana's trying won't work anyways. Nor does he mention that the other mind Liliana will find in the cabin could potentially eat her alive. The galaxy depths of Ashton's mind have already nearly taken Imogen and FCG and Prism, and Ashton likes them.

"I'm just tryin' to get to know my daughter," Liliana wheedles.

"Then talk to her," like a normal person, he doesn't say.

And maybe that's just a Thing with psychic telepaths: they'd much rather take unfiltered information straight out of your head than attempt to articulate anything in words or let you consider your answer. Because honestly? Imogen pulls this shit too. If people don't answer her questions, if they're not fast enough to reply, if she feels their answer is lacking details, she dives right in to search for what she wants to know.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but she won't talk to me," Liliana scathingly says.

Right. Because the other problem is that–

"You don't listen to what she's saying. So is it really any surprise she doesn't want to talk to you when you just ignore what she tells you anyways?" Orym pointedly replies.

He watches the woman flinch back, thinks he feels the flutter of another mind brushing his own.

"I do listen," she insists. "Imogen just don't listen to me."

Orym huffs a sigh. Stubborn as her daughter, this one. It's going to take someone better at people than him to straighten this mess out.

🫂 "I can't believe you were living with an earth genasi," Cyrus says as they sit tucked away on Eshteross's airship.

"It's not like I ended up there on purpose," Dorian defends himself. "Ashton helped me out of a tight spot early on, took me in."

"And you didn't leave," Cyrus points out the obvious, brows furrowed.

"Well, I..."

Dorian trails off. It's difficult to describe the deeply buried elemental instincts that sticking around Ashton stirs. Yes, there's that disconnect of Earth and Air that makes his previous living situation so unbelievable to his brother. But there was also a sense of safety in the immensity of the power sleeping in Ashton's veins. Great wings to shelter under from the storm outside, if he's being poetic. A sense of belonging when Ashton checked-in with Dorian, asked him to help them.

"Well, what?" Cyrus impatiently asks as Dorian's silence stretches.

"Well, I– You know how we were taught as kids to sense the strength of another's elemental bloodline?" Dorian asks, completely changing tracks.

"...Yeah?" Cyrus warily answers.

"I don't think I've ever sensed anyone with a bloodline as strong as Ashton's. It's... I don't even really know how to quantify it besides immense. And it's scary. I won't deny that. A bit off-putting too because he's Earth and I'm Air. But also incredibly comforting when you know they're on your side," Dorian explains.

Cyrus gives him a blank look.

"I– It's– Look, I know it was unconventional. I went in thinking I'd take their hospitality for a few days, maybe a week, and be on my way. But it felt like a slightly off-kilter sort of right to be in Ashton's care. Like– like the stories mom would tell, about how the greater Elementals, the greater bloodlines and families of the genasi, are supposed to care for and protect those under them. That's how strong Ashton's bloodline is, strong enough to overcome the divide of elements," Dorian desperately tries to explain.

Cyrus gives his little brother a searching look.

"...Okay. I believe you," he softly says. "But I also think that's kind of terrifying, and it makes me worried for you."

"I'm alright. I promise," Dorian gently murmurs, pulling Cyrus in to press their foreheads together. "Ashton's rough around the edges, but good. I'm just going to miss them."

Cyrus doesn't say that that's what worries him. All genies, all greater Elementals, are collectors. And he's terrified by what may have collected his little brother.

[talesfromtherollingmountain]

PARTNER SWAP!

Sanji and Jocasta come together as two former members of royalty who much prefer the seas and freedom, but bond over the idea of being inherently "good" people who have done some terrible things.

Im sorry that Sanji is just so damn shippable.

[leftsidebonfire]

THE PARTNER SWAP AU IS CONSUMING ME ALIVE

Why is Jocasta just my most shippable OC ever???? Is that just me????

She just works so well with pretty much any of the Strawhats and she would be very loving and respectful no matter what 🥺🥺🥺🥺 She's just here to appreciate attractive people and do her best 💕

[u3pxx]

💛🕊️ Five times Aziraphale gave Crowley a gift plus one time Crowley gave a gift in return.

DID YOU KNOW THAT @contritecactite, once again, wrote a VERY GOOD fic about my bad omens spouses??? and it's so wonderfully GOOD???!?!?!!

anywhooo, a very big special thanks again to elle for writing this! it's been just a real treat talking to them and the klapollomb gomens s2 support group about bad omens 🥺 i'm really, really thankful that y'all decided to indulge me and my freakingg swap au wheezes <33

i'm gonna cut myself off here and ramble more under keep reading :0]

like these drawings? they're prints, here! | like what i do? support me on ko-fi!

seeing this get written was an experience! one of the things keeping me alive during prelim exams LOL if i remember correctly, this kind of started bc i was curious if bomens zira would actually have, i guess, a real demon equivalent the way shax (stork), beelzebub (fly), and furfur (deer) do. so i looked up the words 'crow demon' and whaddya know!

a crow demon!! and what's that? "cause Love"?

what a perfect fit for demon!aziraphale! and really, i was only messing around the first time i had the idea of "haha lol wouldn't it be funny if demon aziraphale was a crow", and then bam! all of it started to, surprisingly, fit well together pfttt (special thanks to bepo for being the one to piece it all together wheezes <33) (also, just really thank you all for bouncing ideas with me, it really does make me happy dfgdhjd <3333)

and then elle wrote a little snippet at first (IIRC) and then he just feakign!!!!!!! WOAGH!!!!!!! just, tasty delicious words, a fic that made me kick my feet like i was a schoolgirl while reading the whole thing ASKSKS <333

i'm really happy with all the spot art i drew for this! wanted it to look very uhhh, i wouldn't say storybook, but watercolor illustrations were definitely a huge inspiration! i wanted them to feel as nice and cozy as YOU would feel while reading elle's fic <3

i do gotta thank elle again for making these two fem-presenting when they were at the dowlings' bc then i get to draw butch gardener crowley. do you know how much that means to me? do you know do you do y do you know how m how much that how m b butches butches butches .

and a little bonus, one where crowley did not want to pose for the painting PFTT

i am once again putting the link here if you've scrolled this far down without reading it yet, go! go! go!!! IT'S SO GOOD!!!! <3333

[thebiscuitlabryinth]

Perhaps, if he had bothered to ask for a second opinion, Shadow Milk Cookie would have been told he shouldn't be doing this. Luckily, he hadn't, so he manages to confidently prepare the magic circle with very little concern towards the appropriateness of his own actions.

He steps back to look over it once more, checking for any errors, before finally setting the chalk down. Brushing off the dust from his hands, Shadow Milk admires his handiwork in the light of the crescent moon, his dough crawling with accumulated anticipation.

He noticed it a long time ago, the suffocating blanket of churning emotion that often drapes itself over him, heavy and dark. It isn't his own emotion, he realised that quickly, because it weighs over him instead of burrowing into his chest, and nothing happened to him personally to prompt such tumultuous feelings. This realisation was soon followed by another – namely, that some sort of external being must be the cause, and it must be following him, if its presence is plaguing him so strongly. It comes and it goes, but it always returns, and he is finally going to find out what it is.

So Shadow Milk is looking forward to this. It is his specialty as the holder of the Light of Truth, after all, to reveal unknowns, and this unknown has long become personal.

With the magic circle ready and the moon in the sky, there is no reason for him to wait any longer, so he doesn't. He steps carefully into the circle, making sure not to disturb the lines as he makes his way to the middle, and with a sweep of his robes, he settles down into a sitting position.

This spell is a difficult one because it was found incomplete, the rest of it either lost to time or unfinished. It had taken quite a lot of reworking to finalise something feasible, in between all his other duties. There is also the added caveat of it being a Black Magic spell, but Shadow Milk had found a compromise for that, which is precisely why he chose to perform it under the smiling crescent, mere days away from the new moon, instead of the full moon.

Regardless of the effort required, if everything went well, this spell should allow him to make contact with the being that had been following him, whatever it may be. More specifically, it should open a mental connection, allowing them to have a conversation even if this being was something incapable of speech.

That alone was worth all this effort. After all, Shadow Milk had plenty of questions to ask it.

He plants his hands on the ground, drawing power from the moon tentatively like unspooling a thread. It starts to spill in quicker, wilder, and he makes sure to remain calm as it seems to buzz and writhe through him, focusing on redirecting it into the magic circle. It begins to glow a cold white, and Shadow Milk feels his dough prickling like it is being watched, that familiar presence growing heavier around him like a blanket. He bites down on his excited smile.

Don't worry. Just a little bit more, and we'll finally meet.

Shadow Milk's hands twitch with the force of the magic coursing through him, and he watches out of the corner of his eye as the shadows in the room seem to congeal, growing thicker and pooling out of their hiding spots. They eat away at the magic circle, closing in on Shadow Milk swiftly, and he welcomes them as they eagerly swallow the circle, the floor, the walls, the room, everything.

What happens next is difficult to describe. He doesn't feel the ground fall out from under him, he just realises it is no longer there. It is so dark that it makes no difference if his eyes are open or closed, and they don't seem to adjust no matter how many times he blinks. It only makes the surrounding darkness begin to squirm in strange patterns, as if alive. He suddenly feels strange and cold.

But most importantly, he feels like he is submerged in those restless emotions, his every move weighted like he is underwater. They nearly choke him, stronger than he has ever felt before, and delight bursts in his chest in jarring contrast, thrilled that the spell seems to have worked.

"Hello?" He calls out, his voice echoing in a way that makes his ears ring. For a moment that feels like forever, there is nothing but a deafening silence around to greet him.

And then, he is attacked with blinding light.

Shadow Milk rears back as much as he can manage, instinctively shutting his eyes at the assault, and raises a hand to shield them when he immediately tries to open them again, curious of the source. Squinting past the shade of his palm, he finds dozens of white suns glaring down at him, their light doing nothing to penetrate the overwhelming black of the void.

"How are you here?" A voice calls back, hoarse and whispery and frantic, as if it had never been used before, and Shadow Milk's breath catches.

Upon closer inspection, the suns surrounding him are actually the pupils of a dozen huge eyes, bearing down on him with wide-eyed focus from all sides. Shadow Milk soaks in the attention, joy bubbling nauseatingly in his stomach like soda, his mind running so fast that his thoughts become incomprehensible.

"Who are you?" He asks, the question almost bursting right out of his chest with how suddenly it comes. He can't quite look at the eyes directly, with how blindingly bright they are, but he does his best to hedge in quick glances.

There isn't a response, not from the voice or the eyes, but that doesn't deter him. Now Shadow Milk has unshakeable proof that the being is here, capable of conversation, he doesn't need any more encouragement to keep going.

"I'm Shadow Milk Cookie, though you must know that already." He introduces himself with a polite nod of his head, somewhat entertained by the thought of his eldritch companion being shy. When that doesn't garner any meaningful result, he tacks on, lightheartedly, "Isn't it a bit rude to not introduce yourself back?"

The eyes blink at him, the syncopated movement rippling through the nothingness.

"...There is nothing to introduce." The voice replies reluctantly, though it sounds more stable than before, slightly stronger as it curls around him. "I don't have a name anymore."

"You must have a name," Shadow Milk urges with a creeping smile, "or at least something I can call you."

There is another stretch of silence, long enough that Shadow Milk is forced to reconsider his approach, before it is graciously broken by his companion, who must have come to some kind of conclusion.

"You can call me the Beast of Deceit, if you must call me at all." The Beast offers, and if Shadow Milk's attention hadn't already been fully devoted to it, that certainly would have done the trick. "That is all anyone calls me now."

"The Beast of Deceit." Shadow Milk repeats the syllables carefully, tasting them as he brings a hand up to the warm pulse of his Soul Jam. Something clicks pleasantly in his mind, like a perfect solution to an equation that has been bothering him. "Then you're almost like my other half, aren't you? Since Truth and Deceit are direct opposites." The thought is nice enough, he supposes, but more than that, it is intriguing. "Is that why you've been watching me?"

This must be the wrong thing to ask, because the Beast skates past his question entirely, eyes squinting as if pained. "You shouldn't be here."

"And yet, here I am. It took quite a lot of work for me to get here too, so you'll understand that I'm not in a hurry to leave." Shadow Milk explains amicably, hoping that if he was clear with his intentions, the Beast might entertain a more fruitful conversation. He pauses, looking around at the surrounding infinity. "Where is here, anyway?"

"Nowhere you would want to be." The Beast says cryptically, its voice slowly moving, collecting somewhere in front of him. It's a bit disorienting.

"...You aren't very good at holding a conversation, are you?" Shadow Milk sighs, not unkindly but certainly with growing frustration. Still, he has considered this possibility before, of his unknown companion being uncooperative, so he tries again. "Isn't it unfair for you to not answer any of my questions, after following me around for so long? I think I deserve an explanation, at least."

"I have no explanation to give." The Beast's tone is flat. It's… a disappointing response, frankly, but Shadow Milk smiles through it.

"But you can't deny that you are the one who has been following me." He counters, his voice light and pleasant so it doesn't come across too heavily as an accusation. "Your emotions are very palpable, so your presence isn't subtle. There is no mistaking it."

The coiling thickness of those emotions seem to shift around Shadow Milk now, almost self-consciously, but they do not lighten. Such strong negative feelings - he is fascinated by them, the researcher in him wanting to know what exactly could cause them.

The Beast sighs as if it is carrying the weight of the world on its shoulders, and the sound finally settles in front of him entirely as some of the eyes slide closed. The clashing light and dark begins to morph before him, a faint silhouette forming and rising out of the nothingness.

Shadow Milk watches, enraptured, as the shape of a Cookie emerges, dripping with the void itself. He looks battered, wrapped in dishevelled black robes with equally dishevelled dull hair. It is covered by a dark hat shaped like a crown, with what must be his Soul Jam set in the middle, its blue the only splash of colour to be seen. His eyes are covered in a thick black blindfold, and he holds a staff protectively in front of himself with both hands, eerily similar in style to the one Shadow Milk left outside of the magic circle, if not for the vertically oriented eye.

All in all, he does not look intimidating. If anything, he looks like a chess piece.

"I apologise for that, then. I wasn't aware my presence would disturb you so much." The Beast mutters, as if he would prefer not to be speaking, his form not quite fully formed. "But you shouldn't be here. Please leave."

"You don't look like much of a beast to me." Shadow Milk comments warmly, extending the friendly compliment in the hopes of distracting the Beast from his complete lack of intention to leave. Even so, his words are genuine. "That title doesn't fit you at all."

The Beast frowns, ducking his head lower. "Don't act so familiar with me. I am called the Beast of Deceit for a reason." He hisses, but it holds no malice, only tiredness. Then, after a beat, he repeats, firmer than before. "Please leave."

The title really doesn't suit him, though. Shadow Milk ponders this for a moment, before mentally renaming him as the King instead. A poor excuse for a king, perhaps, but that still felt far more appropriate than a beast.

"...Will you really not tell me anything?" Shadow Milk asks finally, growing more subdued. "You must know, since you have been following me, that I have worked hard to be able to contact you like this."

"I have nothing to tell, I have already told you that." The King reminds him quietly, unimpressed, turning his head away. "I apologise for your wasted time, but it was unnecessary to begin with." Then, after a beat, he repeats, an attempt at a lacklustre command. "Please leave."

Shadow Milk hums under his breath, pondering this too. This isn't going exactly how he had hoped, that is true, but to call his time wasted is completely incorrect. On the contrary, all this encounter has done is make his curiosity peak, even more invested in this mystery than he was before.

Maybe it was for the best that the King refused to tell him anything. Thinking about it now, wouldn't that have been too simple? It is more fun to unravel some things himself, and Shadow Milk is certainly capable of uncovering the truth behind this odd apparition.

It is his virtue, after all.

"...Alright." Shadow Milk nods, taking one last lingering look at the King, before closing his eyes. "If you insist, I'll leave."

The King doesn't reply. That's fine. Shadow Milk focuses on searching himself internally for the tether to his physical body, for the anchor that is the magic circle. Since this is his first time casting this spell, and the way the magic twists is unfamiliar, it admittedly takes him a moment to get a hold of it, but he does.

Concentrating on that anchor, he calls himself back to his body.

Much like leaving, returning is just as hard to describe. There is no jolt, or impact. Everything simply returns – his senses, the floor beneath him, the sound of the wind outside the window – from one moment to the next. He shudders as he gets reacquainted with his body, or rather, his body gets reacquainted with him.

The chaos of those negative emotions are awfully thick in the air, squeezing around him tightly like they hope to crumble him. Shadow Milk relaxes into it, releasing his grip on the flow of magic and the spell itself, and opens his eyes.

There, in front of him, the King is suspended in the air above the outer edge of the circle, unmoving. His form flickers, translucent and blurring at the edges. Slowly, unnervingly slowly like he doesn't know how to use it properly, he turns his head.

"...What is this?" The King whispers, the words almost dissolving into the ambient noise, his grip on his staff visibly tightening.

"The spell I used to make contact with you forged a connection between us." Shadow Milk says patiently, making sure his expression is open and welcoming, the same one he uses when introducing himself to new students. "If my presence could be projected to wherever we were previously, then naturally your presence can be projected here too. It's only fair, since you were watching me anyway, weren't you?"

Shadow Milk rises to his feet, brushing dust off his robes with both hands. The King says nothing, but he can practically feel the frown directed at him.

"I understand if you don't want to tell me anything. That's okay!" Shadow Milk assures, lifting his gaze back to that blindfold, that staff, that Soul Jam, near identical to his own. His curiosity burns.

"You don't have to tell me," he smiles like a promise, "I'll find out for myself."

[kitamars]

wowee

[fujii-draws]

Me and @cyber-streak-2 thinking of a new au together >:3

[didderd]

he kiss you this time :>

(this was inspired by the tags in this reblog from @robobbin :3)

[simplyreiartblog]

Felt like drawing these two in my lisa frank coloring style~

[masterqwertster]

Have you ever done an AU of what if the starting pairs were different? Like if Laudna found FCG instead somehow, or Chet had been in EXU crew with Orym?

I've seen a brief fic where Fearne and Ashton were a starting pair (because Fearne pulled him out of Hexum's courtyard and Ashton ended up with flower filled cracks instead of gold), so FCG got thrown in with Orym and Dorian (it just went to initial Bells Hells meetup), but I can't say I've given that sort of thing much thought myself before (besides the slight Ruby Hells AU reorganization), so...

Partner Swap AU

Bells Hells starting mini-groups are organized differently.

Ashton & Dorian

That time Dorian got his purse stolen in Jrusar? It was Ashton. There was absolutely no fucking way that fancy-pants blue boy couldn't afford to lose his coin

Except the next day, they see him performing on the street as a simple bard, and when they pass by again later, Ashton sees some thugs trying to take everything the guy's got because they're not satisfied with Dorian's earnings for the day

Feeling kind of bad that he put Dorian in that situation, Ashton steps in, kicks ass (with some help because Dorian is not completely helpless, just a bit clueless), and somehow ends up taking the other genasi under his wing

Look, the blue boy is just so clueless and anxiety ridden that the suppressed sibling instincts kick in

And Dorian is so lost in this big, strange world outside the Silken Squall that another genasi, even a surly earth one, is a comfort (even if Ashton is an asshole and a criminal. Please stop involving me in your crimes. Please. Never!)

Orym & FCG & Laudna

Dancer, FCG, and the Division of Public Benefit manage to adventure their way out of Marquet, and instead set off FCG's murder-mode somewhere in Tal'Dorei

Laudna just sort of stumbles upon the scene by accident, but FCG is conscious and greets her. They talk, becoming fast little friends, and Laudna takes them with her (which isn't easy because FCG is probably a little heavier than her and their wheel is bent out of shape)

With some collaborative work between Laudna's fixer-upper skills and FCG's basic knowledge of automata (and a little bit of input from Delilah on advanced arcana) they get him back in working order

Laudna and FCG become part of the Crown Keepers alongside Orym (Laudna gives Opal advice on making goo work)

Laudna may not have put together Keyleth being part of Vox Machina by the time her, Orym, and FCG bounce through Zephrah for marching orders to Marquet

Fearne & Chetney

Fuzzy be(a)sties!

Morri gave Fearne a little more direction than just shoving her through Artagan's Gate, instead directing her to head to Marquet to find her parents

Somehow, Fearne and Chetney end up on the same ship to Marquet (maybe Artagan's Gate wasn't the fey rift Fearne was sent through? or a layover in Tal'Dorei for a ship from Wildemount to Marquet)

Anyways, the two chaos gremlins make eyes at each other, possibly some pickpocketing (at least by Fearne to Chet, not sure if he steals back), and decide to keep going together since Marquet is a big place and Fearne doesn't actually know where her parents are to be found beyond that

Imogen

Finally got sick of Gelvaan and decided to hop a caravan (circus?) out of town. At least strangers won't look at her funny until she actually does or says something

Heard about the Starpoint Conservatory in Jrusar and decided looking for research/answers to her powers was as good an idea as any

Runs into the same lack of clout problem to gain access, and ends up running with the Hells to get Lord Eshteross's patronage

[grishaversegirlblogger]

inktober day 30: rush // outfit swap

crowley's been smited smote n smittened

[graymatterggfancomic]

Digimon Gray Matter

Pages 1-9 of Chapter 9: Top of the Class

Start- Previous- Next

[sincerely-sofie]

I just realized something, wouldn’t Ruby’s situation also bring back a lot of parallels with the whole situation with Team Skull ?

Imagine Uncle Skuntank learning about all of this, and while of course, Ruby’s situation is a lot more dire than Kip was, he recognizes the bullying, the contempt, the « I will leave you for dead in the Mystery Dungeon and it’s your own fault ».

He’s horrified.

That realization would be what pushes him to finally apologize, for real.

This is something I’ve been thinking about too! With how much Opal adores Team Skull, she’d introduce Ruby to them the second they stopped by after she became a part of their household— whereupon they’d swiftly learn that their teasing doesn’t sit well with the new kid when she bursts into tears despite her efforts to keep up a brave face, and would snap to handle her with kid gloves from then on.

Koffing and Zubat notice the similarities on their own— they picked on Kip all the time as they were growing up, and even if they can’t place the exact reason why, Ruby makes them think of some kind of funhouse mirror reflection of Kip. It worries them. Skuntank takes a while longer to catch on to there being more to Ruby than just being a skittish kid who starts shaking when she’s jokingly called a brat— and he sees more similarities to Twig than to Kip.

By the time Skuntank came along and Team Skull was formed, Kip was a lot more confident. He was still an anxious pushover, but he was able to hold conversations and assert himself with a good deal of courage as long as Twig was around. Skuntank didn’t know Kip as the incurable scaredy-cat that Koffing and Zubat see a magnified reflection of in Ruby. When Skuntank figures out Ruby has something from her past that’s got her so skittish, it’s because he remembers seeing Twig hiding behind the vacant counter of Chimecho’s Assembly in the middle of the night one evening when he got hungry and decided to raid the Guild larder. She was crying. He was so weirded out by this when he’d never seen her so much as sniffle, no matter how weepy-eyed Kip got when he was frustrated with their jobs, that he left back to the dorms without grabbing anything to eat. It’s not the dead of night, he’s not starving for a real dinner, and he’s not stumbling across a charmander that had gotten an earful for threatening his life in response to a prank… but finding a zorua who knows how to cry almost silently hiding under a bush outside Twig’s place is close enough to make him recall the memory.

He’s unusually solemn when he and his partners return to their home, and over the following days he’s uncharacteristically quiet. He hears Kip is coming into town and pulls him aside on his way to Twig’s house when he does. Kip is wary as he always is when Team Skull are inevitably planning some cruel joke, but is startled when Skuntank apologizes to him for what he put him through. He rambles a bit as he does so, and mentions Koffing and Zubat hoping that Twig and Kip had forgotten about everything when they were apprentices, but he doesn’t think they have, and… and… Arceus, he’s sorry, Kip.

Kip is disoriented by the exchange and numbly thanks him. Skuntank leaves, muttering about how now he’s got to figure out how to apologize to Twig, and he’s not looking forward to it.

It takes a few moments of standing there in shock, but Kip dazedly realizes Skuntank finally got his name right.

[u3pxx]

shut it! just because i’m an angel does not mean i am nice.

(now i don't actually know what the in-universe context for this/what would've driven them to make the same pose, i just wanted to redraw this scene bc i thought it'd be funny with their counterparts pftt)

[thedeafprophet]

Lowkey. Want to do the nemesis run au Alex on an alt ajskkfkfkgh. But also I don't think I would be able to power through knifegate again

Also there's no relationship option for what Alex and Jamie are so that's stopped to