i have a lot of Thoughts about this au. specifically where both kni and vash's goals differ but yet i still try to keep the same. the shift is, who was the one who got rem's speech after tesla's revelation.
kni uses his powers of creation so as not to let his sisters suffer the end of a last run anymore. hence the black hair. meanwhile, vash doesn't want to eradicate all of humanity, but to control them and strip them of their free will. he thinks in this way, he could control how plants are to be treated and kni won't have to slowly kill himself for the Humans and their sisters. he's starting a cult lmao
i'll literally never be convinced crystal/kristen was not a figment of misty's imagination, a friend she invented for herself that the others played along with because at least misty was occupied. i know she reads so fake to me just because she was poorly integrated into the rest of the wilderness plot (as in - not at all lol), she's a half-assed attempt at giving context to misty's anxious attachment style, which was almost immediately undermined anyway by her deciding to like walter. crystal/kristen never appears until misty is socially iced out for accidentally poisoning the soup and suddenly there's a second incredibly annoying theatre kid everyone wishes would go away? that dresses in misty's exact color palette? and they've been on the same team this whole time while misty was so ostracized and lonely? nobody even wanted to look for her when she "vanished"! the wilderness even magicked away her body so they'd have to hunt each other! crystal isn't even her name. i'm sorry, but she's about as real as akilah's mouse.
not being able to suspend my disbelief long enough to accept this subplot as real cheapened it a lot for me as it happened, but i have since decided her not being real could be plausibly-canon, and suddenly it's so compelling. misty invented herself the perfect friend that accepted everything about her and daydreamed little playdates and slumber parties, and even so, when she confessed to destroying the black box, her daydream turned on her. misty's own (quite vivid) imagination couldn't stretch enough to allow her a friend who accepted her wholly. she plays out what would happen if she told her closest friend this dark, fucked up secret, and it ends bloody. she convinces herself she'll never be fully accepted and loved, and ultimately it doesn't matter if crystal/kristen was real or not. i'm honestly fine with this theory never being confirmed (again, i don't think they intended it this way, crystal's place in the story was just criminally unearned and underwritten), but i'm much more compelled by a version of events where misty is so lonely and confused and guilt-ridden that her mind (or, if you'd like, the wilderness) gives her the kind of friend she was unlikely to find even under better conditions, and there's still betrayal and death at the end of it. misty's adolescent brain is already self-aware enough to know her hands will be bloodstained and unholdable for the rest of her life.
Total built; 2 originally, it's now being theorised that more than two were built in secret)
At first glance, the engine looks normal. Though, the engine will start making clanking noises and will make a majority of creaking noises. Albeit faceless, Talyllyn is very much sentient like her twin and can't tell you if she feels unwell. It's up to you to keep an ear out. If the clanking or creaking noises continue despite repairs, quarantine the engine.
The faceless engine's smokebox door will slowly come off the hinges. Black fluids may also leak out, but not every faceless engine will have leaking problems.The crew will also notice a slight stench coming from the smokebox.
A new and more organic smokebox door, aka; the face, will develop through out each week. After the old door falls off, the skull will immediately push its way to the front, replacing it. Examine the engine when it's in this new stage. You will hear faint breathing, a sign that the lungs are beginning to develop.
Stage 3 will forsee the growth of the face becoming a little more grotesque. Muscles and flesh begin to materialize on the skull, and breathing becomes more noticeable. Black fluids may leak out. The infected engine will begin to subtly twitch their jaw.
Stage 4 has the muscle and flesh materialism continue, and the stench will get more foul and unbearable to withstand. The eyes may appear in this stage. Incoherent and raspy sounds may be heard.
The face has fully appeared, but the skin will be a sickly colour, damp, soft and weak, and slightly bloated. The engine's face will be stuck in a shocked or dead expression, but is now able to move it. Do not touch the face.
Face has ripened and became fresh. The engine will be mostly docile in the final stage, even after shedding their chassis. The engine's senses will be restored as well.
"*old man inhale* No, no, I'm not falling asleep, couldn't be me, I'd never do such a thing." "The thought never even passed my mind" "your vampiric pillow ✨️awaits✨️"
LIKE CMERE SO I CAN KISS ALL OVER YOUR OLD MAN FACE ☹️♡♡
Since you guys liked the finished planted tank so much, have the tetra update!
A little bit of glass surfing is still happening but honestly was more because I was bugging them with my phone camera than anything. Most of today they were all over the place exploring~ also weird thing in the tank is a Banksia Seed Pod, threw it in for some extra tannins to help with any transition stress (natural antibacterial).