#— henrik .002

[huffle-dork]

Glitch into the Hufflverse Chapter 5: Septnautical

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Diving under the water they see the murky yellow water under the aurora and the shapes of the hybrids swimming through it. Mer Jackie waves and then loops around to catch up with Henrik.

As they all swim after them, the water quickly starts to transition towards more of a green, rough rocks jutting out from the sea floor. Then, it turns a brilliant bright blue, the sun shining dream-like through the surface of the waves above.

Jackie and JJ both fumble for a while as they swim. This isn't like swimming as a person at all. Jackie figures it out first, moving his tail up and down. JJ takes a bit longer, but soon realizes how he has to use his new wings to help him glide along. It's a strange arms-out position.

Schneep, unfortunately, struggles for a while. His soul sensing abilities don't extend to all animals, only the bigger or smarter ones. And so, since there are a lot of alien fish in this alien ocean, he keeps bumping into them and slowing down. Eventually, JJ doubles back, reaching out and offering his arm. Schneep finds it and quickly clings onto JJ, looking a bit upset about how he can't swim as well as the others yet.

As they swim Henrik starts to explain, "Ah... we are obviously not fully human. But you cannot be... naturally born as this. And Alterra is a large company who has been given free reign to... experiment on this planet. And that is how... we all came to be. ...to them, we are not even known by our names. We all chose these names... but we are only letters and numbers to them- a result to be studied. They know me as... SH-003. The... third of the hybrids to be created."

Alt feels dread hit him like a punch in the gut. "... you all are... experiments...?" He asks quietly.

Mer-Jackie nods and holds his arms. "Yeah... I'm- uhhh RL-006-! But, we don't usually use those. Feels icky."

JJ sighs. He knew it wasn't good.

"Don't worry, if you do not like those titles, we will not use them," Schneep says.

"Yeah, I'd hate to call someone something that makes them feel icky," Jackie adds. "Uh... I'm uh... s-sorry if..." He clears his throat. "Well, I'm glad you were able to find your names."

"How many of you are there? If Jackie is six and he mentioned two others younger than him... eight?" Schneep is more talking to himself than anyone else.

"Oh! There's 7 actually- that fact makes it confusing." Reaper Jackie laughs, "Actually i think... right after I was born I... I technically died? But me and Marv were the only ones born outside of eggs and we were ready at around the same time so... I think putting us together saved me somehow?" He shrugs, "That's what Zara told me a PDA file said about me and him. But- that's why I'm technically older but he's the fifth- WH-005. The last one is Jamie- he's CH-007."

Henrik nods as if to confirm this. "Yes and other than them and me. There is RR-001, Chase- SE-002, Jack..." Henrik seems to linger on Jack's name before moving forward, "And... my near twin, Anti, SD-004."

“Died?" Jackie blinks, surprised. "I'm guessing you don't remember that. I hope you don't." He shakes his head. "I, uh... know someone named Marvin, too... But I can't imagine being paired with him." He hides a shudder.

"I can picture it all too well," Schneep mutters.

Reaper Jackie laughs, "Nah I don't remember- Marvin doesn't either! We were like... just a few days old i think." He swims back to look at Jackie and tilts his head at him. "Huh? Why...? Is your Marvin mean? ... I mean mine can be too but- I'm also kinda mean sometimes." He bares his teeth in a sharp grin and flexes his mandibles. "Then again I'm biased~ he's my twin!"

'You are not actually twins, Jackie." Henrik chuckles.

"It's close enough!" Mer-Jackie argues.

Jackie shakes his head. "The Marvin I know... isn't a good person..." he says slowly. "It's a long story." He wishes he could put his hoodie on over his new mandibles.

"What do all those Letters mean?" Bro asks, "I get the numbers just... the letters seem weird."

Henrik chuckles, "Those let the scientists know what species of hybrid we are. Like me- SH, stands for Stalker Hybrid."

"And I'm Reaper Levithian, RL!" Reaper Jackie adds with a grin, easily swimming circles around the others.

"You will understand better when you meet the rest." Henrik smirks. "Since it seems you are all not familiar with the fauna here."

"yeah- totally in the dark," Alt mutters. "... they're neat though I... I'd love to learn more."

JJ nods slowly. I vaguely remember hearing some of these names from my Anti, he says. While he uses his arms to sign, Schneep transfers his grip to JJ's waist, holding on via tendrils.

Mer-Jackie bllinks at JJ's signs and then looks to Alt. "What did mustache guy say?"

Alt laughs, "He said his friend Anti told him some of those names."

"Oh yeah! Cuz they said it was a game! Man- that's weird. Is it a naming game? Like- name all the fauna? That's nooo fun- that sounds like white suits drills." The reaper grumbles.

JJ chuckles at being called mustache man. I wish I had a spell that could let everyone understand me... but at least one person can.

"It is much more helpful than having someone translate for me," Schneep says. "Or the morse code system me and my JJ use. It is just a shame we found a wor—we found somewhere where most people do not know."

“I have a spell- but it’s still kinda iffy on non- spoken languages,” Alt sighs.

“It’s just that your signs are weird! But also cuz no one really uses them here much- ‘Cept Jamie now. And like- we didn’t really know how to read for a while so learning stuff like that is hard!” Mer Jackie chuckles.

“Imagine having to learn to read with your fingers," Schneep says. "I'm sure sign language is easier."

JJ looks back at him and frowns. Braille is an alphabet. BSL has individual words.

Schneep laughs. "You are right, you are right."

“We all have our struggles Schneep,” Alt laughs.

As they're swimming, they're now in a more colorful patch of ocean. Large tunnels of coral and weird looping structures of rocks. Colorful rays with bright blue and orange swim by, singing a sweet melody. The ocean is alive with schools of fish and colorful plumes of plant life.

JJ looks around with wide eyes. This place is beautiful! He waves at the rays as they swim by. Jackie can't help but duck through some of the rock loops.

The hybrids slow down a bit as the others take in the sea. Henrik smiles. "It is beautiful out here, is it not?"

"The shallows is one of the prettiest places! That's why our cove is over here! But also cuz it's the safest place!" Mer Jackie explains.

Bro sees Jackie swimming through some of the loops and laughs, trying it out himself. Man- it feels just like flying when he swims- just a bit more muscle work. Alt laughs at their antics.

"It is just a bit further to the forest," Henrik calls, spurring forward. "Careful you keep up- we have been building up our camouflage so you could get lost!"

The group speeds up as Henrik says to. Schneep bats angrily at the kelp strands as they pass. He makes a note to himself: never travel through forests. He doesn't want to hit his head on low-hanging branches. JJ squeezes his hand, reassuring him that he's there.

Henrik has taken to the kelp forest with ease- this is clearly his element and he has the way memorized well. They start to go a bit lower into the tall flowing strands of thick kelp. There’s even bundles of glowing seeds clustered together to make patches of bright light. Which helps since the ocean seems a bit… darker here amongst the swaying fronds.

Eventually they seem to come across a hole amongst the rocks and kelp and in it, surrounded by tall rocks is a white base. Most of it is covered in windows and… tubes? But there are some parts hidden amongst the twisted maze of hallways and rooms.

“Woahhh!” Bro laughs, “That’s so cool!”

Henrik grins. “Welcome to the Ocean’s Arms.”

"Whoa!" Jackie gasps. "Look at that scifi shit!"

JJ stares up in awe. His eyes are practically sparkling.

Schneep tilts his head to the side. He can sense nearby human souls... though none seem familiar. "What is it like?"

"Oh—well it's all white and glass," Jackie says. "Made of tube and round rooms—very round in general. It's all twisting and stuff."

"Ooooo. Sounds very nice." Schneep grins.

After Schneep is done getting the lay of the land- a black and white bundle speeds up and suddenly tackles mer-Jackie in a big tentacle-y hug. The reaper laughs and pats the new tinier merman that has attached himself to him. “Hi Jamie! We brought some new friends- you wanna meet them?”

A head of teal hair perks up away from Jackie’s chest and looks at the others. He has the same mustache as JJ’s except less maintained. He has black and white dots all over his face like freckles except one large patch that covers his left eye. And instead of the long singular tails the rest of the boys have- this tiny merman has 5 black and white spotted tentacles. He gasps quietly at seeing the others and then shakes mer-Jackie’s arm, pointing wildly.

Mer-Jackie laughs. “Yes I see them! Say hi! Show off your new thingy!”

Jamie nods and swims up closer to the others. Now that they are closer- it seems like he’s wearing… gloves of some kind? But with strange robotic-like finger attachments on the outside. He taps on a bag he has on his side and a strange robotic fish swims out, its body mostly consisting of a green and blue eye. Jamie makes a show of coughing in a somewhat dramatic manner like he’s gonna speak before- he starts to sign. And as he does- sound comes from the fish that sounds exactly like JJ from the few things they’ve heard him talk.

“Hello! I am Jamie! I’m still learning this so- forgive me if I am slow. My friend Ollie is teaching me trans-universal sign!” he beams once he’s done, flicking and swirling his tails, almost like a happy dance.

"Oh!" Jackie gasps. "Ohhhh that's so cool! Gloves that like—like translate sign language! That's so cool!"

JJ laughs. It would definitely be helpful—though it seems like sign language here is different.

"Yeah, no wonder they were calling BSL weird," Jackie agrees. "Anyway—it's nice to meet you, Jamie! You're like—some kind of black-and-white speckled octopus—pentapus? Cause there are only five tentacles?" He laughs and shakes his head. "This place is crazy."

Jamie tilts his head to the side. “What’s an octopus?” He whispers in a very quiet voice.

“Yeah or a pentapus- the fuck is that?” Reaper Jackie asks.

“Uh- creatures from our world.” Alt explains, “They’re helping us… take all this in better.”

“A pentapus isn’t even real,” Jackie laughs. “That was a joke.”

“Ah well here- he’s a cuddlefish!” Mer-Jackie grins. Jamie smiles shyly and twists his tails again.

"We should introduce ourselves," Schneep says. "Though... if you are anything like your brothers here, you will find it strange. My name is Schneep, and this is JJ—"

JJ waves.

"—and Jackie—"

"Hey!" Jackie grins.

"—and Alt and Chase."

Alt gives a two fingered salute to his name and Bro grins. “Yo! Nice to meet ya!”

Jamie blinks at all of them before pointing at the others and looking back to Henrik and mer-Jackie. “…they have your names.”

“Yes-“ Henrik nods.

“They look like you too!” Jamie tries to say a bit louder.

“Kinda freaky isn’t it?” Reaper Jackie laughs.

“Freaky? I can imagine,” Schneep says, amused.

Jamie swims up so he’s face to face with JJ. He blinks big blue eyes at him and tilts his head curiously. He signs and the robot fish says “You look like me! JJ… I like that!” Jamie smiles wide.

JJ blinks, then nods excitedly, matching Jamie’s enthusiasm. “I do look like you!” He says—though he then coughs and rubs his throat. Probably best to avoid that for a while.

Jamie’s expression turns into one of my sympathy and he floats towards JJ and lightly touches his neck. “…hurts?” He asks quietly. He then touches his own neck and nods like he relates. JJ can see a bit of scarring there.

JJ nods back, giving Jamie a small smile. He hopes the understanding comes across.

 Then, Jamie looks at Alt and Bro. He points at Bro. “…Chase-“ then at Alt, “Anti!”

Alt chuckles, “That’s one of my names yeah- but only Chase calls me that. You all can stick to calling me Alt.”

Jamie looks back at the hybrids and signs, “Anti came back here earlier. He looked mad. Said something about freaky new humans.”

“Oh? Did you see where he went?” Henrik asks.

“He went to go see Jack.”

“Oh. Well um…” Jackie squirms slightly, tail flicking. “We… might know something about those ‘freaky new humans’.”

“Surprise! It is us.” Schneep waves. “You are not going to believe hearing that, but it is true. You can ask your Jackie and Schneep.”

Jamie then blinks and looks at all the others and then mer-Jackie and Henrik. They laugh.

“Strange is it not? They have uh… magic I guess. To turn from human to hybrid.” Henrik says.

Jamie’s eyes sparkle with wonder as he swims excitedly all around the others and studies all their tails.

Jackie blinks. “…Jack, huh? He flipped out about him earlier. Sensitive subject, I take it.”

Jamie deflates as Jack is brought up. He looks back to his brothers as if asking for permission.

Reaper Jackie sighs “…we might as well tell them.”

Jamie looks back at the others and signs slowly, “Our older brother Jack is… asleep. He has been for a long time. The white suits did something to him and… Anti was used by Alterra to protect him… as a weapon. But, he still loves Jack so much- we all do. It makes us sad that he is still asleep.”

Bro’s eyes widen, “…woah that’s… that’s insane.”

Alt feels a bit in his stomach. “Anti.. he was used as a weapon…? How?”

The merboys all look a bit uncomfortable. Finally reaper Jackie says “… mind control. They erased Anti’s memories of us and put these weird chips in his ears that made him obey them. But he’s- he’s better now! We saved him from that.”

“Oh,” Jackie says quietly. “I-I’m um… I’m sorry about your brother.”

“Fucking mind control,” Schneep mutters. “I have dealt with a…similar situation with a friend of mine.”

JJ sighs. He nods. Me too. We’ve all had to deal with that in my home.

“Lotsa fucking mind control out there, isn’t there?” Jackie says.

Alt looks angry at hearing what happened to his counterpart, his tail flickering and a few zaps of electricity coming off him. Bro gets zapped and he yelps. “Ow Alt! careful!”

Alt blinks and then looks at his fins and tries to shake out the electricity. “ah sorry…”

“I-it is good that you are all past that, though,” Schneep says, smiling a little. “I suppose that makes sense why Anti was not trusting of us.”

Jackie pauses for a moment, giving the news the respect it deserves before moving on. “Well. Uh… This is where you guys live, then?” Jackie says, gesturing at the base. “Cool. I’m guessing you guys can’t actually go inside. Cause like… you’d need legs and stuff. But this is where those Ocean’s Arms guys live? They’re, uh… your friends?”

Mer-Jackie laughs, “We don’t live here! Our family has a cave together in the shallows! But, Henrik stays here mostly- he has a neat little cave he made for himself to hide all his scrap!”

Henrik blushes a little and flicks his tail. “… we all spilt up for a bit but we are… coming back together.”

Jamie smiles, “yes the base has our friends! The Ocean’s Arms saved my brothers from lots of things so now they make it so we feel safe here. They take care of Jack and! They made it so we can travel inside- in fact I think Marvin, Chase and Anti are inside if you’d like to meet them!”

“Coming back together, huh?” Jackie repeats. For a moment, he looks thoughtful. Then he shakes his head and smiles at the hybrids. “Yeah, we can go meet them.”

JJ nods excitedly. He wonders what the others will look like! The fish seem to have some crazy variations here!

Schneep chuckles. “I am glad of that. Everyone should have a place where they feel safe. We would love to meet your brothers. Ah, how do we get in?”

Reaper Jackie grins and flicks his tail. "Just follow us!" He dives down towards the base with Henrik and Jamie following closely after him. Alt and Bro follow after them.

Jackie quickly chases after the rest of the group, while JJ and Schneep are a bit slower.

As they approach the base, they suddenly notice the tubes have a couple entrances into the water, which the merboys slip easily inside. Alt looks a bit apprehensive about going inside but Bro helps him in.

"... these are a bit tight..." Alt mutters.

Henrik laughs, " A bit- you get used to them. These designs were made for tinier fish but they make it work!"

"Honestly I prefer this," Schneep mutters. "Less options for places to go--and nowhere for the fish to jump out at me—"

JJ laughs. You weren't hurt by running into all those fish, were you?

"I think the fish were more hurt, actually."

Jackie taps the tube walls as they go along—sometimes unintentionally hitting them with his mandibles. He wonders if people can hear that on the other side.

They swim for a bit in dizzying circles before stopping inside a larger aquarium tank that flanks an inner most hallway. There is another hybrid with bright yellow green hair, a large blue speckled tail with bright orange fins and even orange appendages that stick out from his back. He also has wings like JJ's attached to his arms with bright blue edges. He seems to be sitting in the sand, talking animatedly to... a couple kids?

Jamie swims over first and tackle hugs the new hybrid. He yelps in surprise and then laughs, hugging him back. "Oh hi Jamie! The kids were wondering where you went!"

Jamie beams and waves at the kids. There's a tiny brunette boy with- what looks like a prosthetic leg. And a tinier blonde girl with her hair in pig tails. And she's holding an almost holographic looking device in her hands. When she sees Jamie she lights up and starts rapidly typing on the pad. A robotic voice calls out, "Hello Jamie! Welcome back!" Jamie giggles and then tugs on the hybrid's arm to try to get him to get up. The older hybrid laughs, "What's got your tails twisted, Jay??"

The hybrid then looks up at the approaching group of new hybirds and freezes. Especially as he meets Bro's eyes. "oh... woah..."

The little boy gasps, "More hybrids?! I-I didn't know they were more!"

Mer Jackie laughs, "They're... kinda new? But also- kinda human? It's... super weird."

Henrik smiles, "Everyone, this is Chase. Our eldest brother."

Chase spurs up to look at the others higher in the water. "Uh... h-hello..." He stares at them apprehensively and a bit guarded, pushing Jamie behind him. The smaller merman huffs a bit. "Who... are all of you exactly...?"

"Uh... hi." Jackie waves a little at the kids. "And... hello to you, Chase."

JJ also waves, much more enthusiastically. How cute! The friendly blonde girl sort of reminds him of his Jackie's daughter—though they look nothing alike.

"This is going to sound very unbelievable," Schneep says. "But we have the same names as your group. I am Schneep, for example."

"And I'm Jackie," Jackie says. "This is JJ, Chase, and Anti—but he prefers Alt."

"You sound a bit nervous," Schneep mutters. "I... suppose that is understandable. But we are not here to do anything. It is a long story, how we even ended up here."

Bro waves awkwardly, "Uh yeah I... I'm also Chase..."

Chase stares at his copy. "...you look just like me..."

"Uh... yeah." Bro agrees. "Even got the same hair~"

Chase's eyes narrow and he bares surprisingly sharp teeth at the others, eyes flitting around a bit wildly. "S-So what is this? Is this a trick from Alterra?! D-Did they make you all t-to replace us?"

"H-Hey Chase calm down bro! I-It's not like that!" Reaper Jackie tries to say.

Jackie holds his arms up, showing that he has no intent to harm though—though he's aware that it might look like he's concealing something inside their bundle of clothes. "We're really not here to hurt you. We've never even heard of Alterra before we arrived here!"

"Y-Yes they are... they are human, but they are not Alterran!" Henrik adds.

Chase quiets down but still seems defensive. "...where did you all come from then? W-Why are you hybrids-"

Alt swims a bit forward, "Um... I know it doesn't make much sense to you but... I'm a magician! I can cause... strange things to happen by just- thinking about it and I... I knew a way to let us come underwater since there wasn't much for us on land."

"and if they are lost... I think Danan and Zara can help them find a way back to where they are from," Henrik adds.

Chase hums in thought, still warily looking at Bro but seems to relax a bit. "... okay uh... w-welcome then..." Jamie swims up and hugs Chase's middle, both to show the others he means no harm and to comfort Chase.

"Thank you for the welcome." Schneep smiles in Chase's direction. "It is nice to hear. Things were very confusing back when your brothers first met us. Hopefully we can take care of things quickly."

JJ nods. It's good to meet you—even if I know it might be confusing.

"JJ says it's good to meet you, even though it's probably confusing," Jackie relays.

Bro tries to smile encouragingly at Chase.

Chase seems to fully take in the way JJ signs and looks at Jamie behind him. "... he does the hand thing that Ollie taught you." Jamie nods excitedly. Chase seems to hum and then looks back at JJ. "... Henrik and another blue suit made the robot that Jamie is using to talk... maybe they can make one for you too? Just so we can understand you..."

Alt's eyes sparkle as he looks to Henrik, "You made that robot??"

Henrik flushes more and nods, "With some help... M-Marvin helped me to draw it and Tessie put the ideas i-into the fabricator... it can make anything so... w-we could make another..."

JJ’s eyes light up and he nods eagerly. That would be so helpful! Can they make one so fast? Well, this is supposed to be the future, isn’t it? That would make sense.

Schneep clears his throat. "Your Jackie and Henrik mentioned those two. Danan and Zara. They are... friends of yours?"

Mer Jackie swims up and nods excitedly to Schneep, "Yeah! They're our friends! Danan is a former scientist with the white suits but she left to form this place! Cuz she wanted to take care of us but also let us be free! And Zara- well... she realized she was doing bad stuff and left to help us too! Now she's like- one of my best friends."

Chase smirks, "More than friends, I'd say."

"Huh?? What's that supposed to mean??" The reaper screeches, face getting red.

Jamie looks up and then makes kissing faces at mer-Jackie. The reaper shrieks in response and tackles Jamie to the ground and the two start to wrestle. Henrik and Chase don't seem phased by this but they do laugh.

Jackie grins. “Ah… reminds me of a friend of mine who constantly teased me about my dating life. His name is Chase, too.” He shakes his head. “Still can’t believe he figured out Frederick was my boyfriend before we told him…”

JJ blinks at him. You know, in my world you’re married to a lovely person named Rama.

“Really? Never met anyone with that name. Glad he’s happy with them, though.”

Alt looks over at Jackie with wide eyes and then swims over, looking excited, "You guys got together?! Thank god! Dude you were sooo obvious the last time I was there!"

“Wh—sh-shut up, I was not!” Jackie protests.

JJ laughs. If you’re anything like my Jackie, you were.

“Oh yes, same,” Schneep says. “The Jackie I know is not dating anyone right now—the whole… situation kind of interfered with that—but in the past, when he did—”

“You all are so mean to me,” Jackie whines.

"You're one to talk Alt," Bro snickers, "Sounds like there's another doppelganger of your boyfriend here if I'm guessing right."

Alt shuts up as his face turns red. "y-you don't know that... m-maybe its just... similar names!"

Bro rolls his eyes and then looks at Mer Jackie. "In our world you- I mean... our Jackie is married to someone named Zara. They have 3 kids together."

Reaper Jackie seems to short circuit. "k-kids?!" His face becomes as red as his hood.

The rest of the merboys laugh. Alt and Bro also burst into laughter at the other boys' banter. 

Jackie laughs as well. “Yeah, I know, right? I can’t see it for myself, personally. Kids, I mean.”

"Anyways- Danan knows a lot about this kinda stuff. More than we would. If you guys... don't know Alterra and got lost here, she can probably help." Chase explains.

Schneep clears his throat. “In any case, yes, we would love to meet Danan. She sounds wonderful.”

Henrik swims up back towards the tubes, "Come- we can stop by the lab first to get a device for JJ. Maybe Danan will be nearby!"

“Ooo, ‘the lab,’” Schneep repeats, eyes lighting up—literally, irises turning turquoise. “That sounds fascinating. Well, lead the way, then! Ah, if you want to, of course.”

Henrik smiles, "Of course! Follow me." And he swims back up into the tubes. The others start to follow. Jackie follows after Henrik immediately, and Schneep isn't far behind. But JJ lingers, waiting for everyone. Chase swims down and meets back up with the kids. "I think my brothers need me anddd your mom is probably looking for you." He laughs and pokes the glass. "Don't get into more trouble, okay? "

"Awww okay Chase." The boy whines. Chase chuckles, "Don't be sad, Grayson. We'll catch up later okay?" The girl perks up and types out another message. "Bye Chase! Love you!" Chase blinks and blushes a bit before smiling warmly, "Yeah... bye Skylar..."

Grayson grabs Skylar's hand and starts to lead her back down the hall and Skye leans back to keep waving at Chase. Chase floats there for a second waving after them before sighing and following after the others.

JJ smiles as he sees Chase's interaction with the kids. He doesn't know a Chase in his world... but if he's anything like Bro and this Chase, he must be kind. And yet, as that thought comes to him, something bad lingers at the back of his mind. Why does he feel... dread? His smile fades and he shakes it off, following everyone else into the tube system.

The tubes lead into a few more confusing circles before they wind up in a green tinted room. It's filled to the brim with gadgets and materials, fabricators lining the walls and bigger machines in the corners. A workbench-like table is set up in the middle and even though this place looks like it’s made more for humans, it’s filled with water on the inside. Inside curled up in the corner is a bundle of purple.

"Oooo." Jackie looks around. More scifi shit.

Jamie seems excited and swims forward, "Marvin!" He quietly greets.

The purple thing jumps- and a bunch of metal starts to float around it, caught in a blue light that reflects in its eyes. Upon closer look- it's another hybrid! But this one seems closer to JJ- in which his tails are see-through, you can see his inner organs inside his chest and he has two tentacle-like legs. A purple armored cape hangs around his shoulders that end in tentacle-like tails too. He has bright green hair that is quite long compared to the others, pulled back into a ponytail by a bright blue ribbon. And most notable at all, he has a white cat mask on his face, a strange red symbol in the middle.

Reaper Jackie swims up next and grins, "Marv! I wondered where ya were!"

Schneep lingers near the wall, pressing a hand to the glass. There's someone else in here. He can feel them even before Reaper Jackie calls out his name. Marvin, huh?

JJ grins widely, flapping his arms and causing the attached wings to flutter. This place is so cool! Oh, and another Marvin! A nice one, he hopes--feels like he's the only one who has a nice Marvin. This one has cool powers!

"y-yeah h-hi...?" Marvin mumbles out nervously, "I was just... I..."

"You were trying out those new powers of yours, yes?" Henrik supplies. Marvin sheepishly nods. Then, he seems to notice the new people and he yells, throwing out a hand and sending bits of glowing metal junk hurtling towards through the water.

"Holy shit!" Jackie starts to dodge the junk but a big bit hits him in the stomach, sending him flying back. JJ isn't as fast and takes two blows, one to the chest and one to the tail. Schneep immediately tenses when he hears Marvin yell and the whoosh of water. He instinctively leaps to the side, but he doesn't quite get out of the way and a sharp bit of metal cuts his upper arm. "Motherfucker!" Schneep curses. "We mean you no harm!"

Alt and Bro try to dodge- But Bro gets hit across his cheek and he holds it with a yelp. "Ow! Jesus!" Alt almost manages to glitch out of the way- only to be disoriented by glitching in water which feels weird and actually kinda hurts! So he gets hit by another piece that hit him in the chest. He oomfs and tumbles back in a bit of somersault before he rights himself.

"Stay back!" Marvin hisses, holding out his hand as more objects lift up in the water, glowing like the blue light in his eyes that starts to shift to a hot pink. "I-I don't know who you guys are but-!" He gasps a bit as he sees Alt glitch though and the objects all float back down as the power dies down. He appears next to Alt in a circle of purple and blue magic and gets right up in his face. "Y-You... you warped! H-How?? How did you do that? Y-You're not a warper!"

"A-A what?!" Alt stammers out, nervous now that Marvin is in his face. That shade of purple is... luckily not like Mag's. But, it's too close for comfort.

Marvin swims back with wide panicked eyes and behind all the human-hybrids a pull is felt. But- it's not like the rifts- this one is glowing and swirling with pink and blue like a whirlpool. "I-I dunno what you are but! G-Get away from my brothers!" Marvin shouts.

"Really! We're not here to hurt you!" Jackie holds his hands up--then spins around as the pull appears behind them. JJ gasps in surprise. A whirlpool?! Schneep immediately latches onto the closest person—who turns out to be Jackie—and braces himself to be sucked in.

Then, Mer-Jackie tackles Marvin and the warp gate behind them bursts into bubbles as the concentration is broken. "M-Marv! It's okay! They're with us!"

JJ shakes his head, also raising his hands, and tries to look as harmless as possible.

"I said we're not here to hurt you," Jackie mutters.

The rest of the merboys come over and try to explain, kneeling down by Marvin.

"Friends!" Jamie emphasizes.

"I-I still don't get it but i-I Think they're harmless..." Chase adds.

"We are trying to help them, Marvin, but we will not let them hurt you...!" Henrik says gently.

Marvin still seems freaked as he looks up towards the human strangers. "W-Who are you?"

"um- I'm Alt, if that helps..." Alt speaks up. "And t-this is my brother... Chase."

Bro waves, "You guys can call me Bro though if you want... s'easier."

"I... think this will be very strange for you to hear," Schneep says slowly. "But I am Schneep, and this is Jackie and JJ."

"Hi." Jackie tries for a smile.

Marvin's eyes widen as he hears their names and looks at all his brothers with a bit of distress. Reaper Jackie gives him a tight smile. "Yeah... it's weird I know but... I just think they're lost. And they have like weird powers which is why they're hybrids too. Alterra didn't make em..."

JJ swims over towards Jackie and Schneep, holding onto Schneep's arm. A bit of blue magic wipes away the cut on his arm. Is anyone else hurt? he asks.

"I'm fine... just got my breath knocked out of me," Jackie says, looking down at his stomach where the junk hit him. He might have a bruise there later.

Marvin still looks a bit guarded but that goes out the window as he sees the blue magic and how JJ healed Schneep. He swims over and then pulls on Schneep's arm and then lifts it up like he can see where the cut went. He looks at JJ with wide eyes. "H-How did you do that??"

The other merboys also look fascinated by this and swim a bit closer.

Schneep stiffens a little, but he doesn't pull away as Marvin grabs his arm. JJ notices, though. He smiles at Marvin and gently pulls his hand away from Schneep. Magic, JJ says.

"He says it's magic," Jackie says. "That's some of those weird powers your Jackie mentioned."

Bro timidly raises his hand and points to his cheek, "...if you wanna show them more, J."

JJ looks at Bro and nods. He puts his hand on his face, next to the scrape, and similar blue magic heals it away. He then pulls away, shaking his head slightly. I can't do it forever. I have a limited amount of energy. So I think I'll save it for emergencies for now. Jackie repeats this for the hybrids.

Alt looks at JJ with worry. "Do you need anything to fuel your magic like I do? M-Maybe some food will help..."

JJ looks at Alt. Time and rest, is usually all I need. But food does help. I like thinking of it as a stamina bar in a video game. It recharges slowly but there are items to help fill it.

Alt laughs with JJ, "I like thinking of it that way too!"

"Magic?" Marvin's eyes shine a little bit then he giggles a bit shyly, "...i've always liked that word. .. it's how it feels to make my warp gates... you know? Making something out of nothing..."

Henrik notices the boys having to translate for JJ and hurries down to one of the fabricators, bringing up a hologram menu and clicking around on it. After finding the right plans he beams then swims around to collect the materials. He sets down the right ones and sets the machine to create. Two beams of light start to create the base of a fish robot like Jamie's. Henrik hurries over to another and makes the gloves that go with.

Schneep hears Henrik working around and swims closer, trying to figure out what's happening just by the sounds. He grins. This seems so interesting. Even just the noises are cool.

Alt can't help but be fascinated as he sees the machines create stuff- so much so that his tail starts sparking again. "Woah! Oh my god that's so fucking cool?! How is it doing that??"

"Oh uh... I dunno." Henrik says.

"Oh oh! Zara says it has something to do withhh rearranging maffer." Mer-Jackie says.

"It rearranges matter at the atomic level," Marvin says almost robotically, a bit of pink appearing in his eyes. "It was the catalyst behind the great expansion, and remains the backbone of the modern world." He shakes himself out. "It uh- makes stuff from other stuff."

The merboys look at Marvin weirdly.

Jackie frowns. "I'm guessing you didn't mean to say that," he mutters.

"...he's doing that fancy talking thing again," Reaper Jackie mutters. Chase laughs and ruffles Marvin's hair, "Kinda nice I'm not the know it all anymore!"

Marvin swats them with his tails. "I-I am not! Besides- Schneep is the know-it-all!"

"Yes, but I did not know that." Henrik laughs. He does give Marvin a look, something that holds a bit of concern.

Schneep turns his face towards Marvin again. "I am guessing you quoted something? It did not sound like your voice at all. Ah, I mean your personality—I assume, I mean." He tilts his head. "Rearrange matter at the atomic level... that must take an incredible amount of power. Yet this room does not seem so big. And I think the others would have mentioned it if you saw a huge power plant nearby. Oooo, how incredible it must be, then! The technology you could have that is possible but only limited by power—" He grins excitedly.

Jackie sighs. "All this science and magic stuff flies right by me. I mean... it's cool. But still." He rolls onto his back, floating with his hands behind his head.

Bro laughs with Jackie and nudges him, "dude me too- I don't get a lick of this stuff."

Marvin looks freaked out and backs up some. "I-I uh... I-I..." His eyes have a bit of pink in them again and he stiffens a bit, "T-There's multiple power sources on the planet. We are on top of a super volcano which provides thermal power the lower you go. Or Solar power which runs this base. Power Transmitters can use both solar and thermal power to power a single seabas-" He then shudders and swims backwards, holding his hands to his chest. He looks scared. "S-Sorry- sorry-" Jamie swims over and tries to hug Marvin- Marvin is stiff at first but slowly lets him.

Schneep faces Marvin again as he speaks some more. "N... no, I am sorry, for making that happen," he says quietly. He's curious, but he doesn't want Marvin to be seemingly taken over by whatever this is. Still, he's not the best at comfort, so he stays silent and lets Jamie take care of it.

"I-It's... fine." Marvin grumbles, "I'm t-trying to learn how to c-control it... sorry..." 

Henrik grabs the new objects and hands them to JJ. "Here- put on these gloves... and then try to sign something. The robot should translate out loud for you. I have it set to have the same voice as Jamie's."

JJ's eyes light up. He puts the gloves on, making sure they're secure, then signs, Thank you. Can you understand me now?

The robot fish powers on and swims around JJ, partially translating. "Thank- you understand?"

"Huh... guess it's still struggling with BSL..." Alt mumbles.

"BSL? I've heard of that!" A new figure appears in the lab, and she has black hair bundled back into a ponytail and- oh she's human! She's in a blue and black dive suit with a strange symbol on her shoulder glowing blue and white. She also has purple eyes. Bro and Alt seem to recognize her immediately and stare a bit in dumbfounded awe. She's... younger than the Zara they know but- definitely Zara.

Mer-Jackie perks up and swims over to throw his arms around the woman. "Zara!! Hi!!"

The others turn to look at Zara—or, Schneep faces her. She's not familiar to the three of them, but Jackie does blink in surprise. So the Jackieboy from Bro and Alt's world is married to someone like that? ...well she is cute. Maybe if he'd never met Frederick he would've found her cuter, but he can understand it. He laughs a bit at mer-Jackie's excitement.

Zara laughs and hugs Jackie back, "Hey you!" She then blinks and realizes how many hybirds are in the room. "Woahhh- I knew our scanners picked up new lifeforms in the system but... wasn't expecting this..." She then grins and goes to swim over to grab JJ's fish robot. "Lemme try to fix this for ya though before we do intros!" She takes out a tool from a small bag tied to her leg and opens up a panel on the side of the fish. A small hologram menu shows up again and she scrolls through the options before she beams. "ah ha! Here it is!" She selects it and closes the panel before gesturing for JJ to try again. "Give it another try!"

JJ looks down at his gloves and tries signing again. Hello! It's nice to meet you. All of you.

The robot repeats his words back perfectly. The merboys all perk up and smiles. "Yay! We can understand you now!!" Mer Jackie says excitedly. Jamie swims around JJ in circles, giggling. "New friend! New sign friend!" His robot says.

Alt and Bro look relieved too and smile at JJ. Zara giggles, "Sorry it's usually set to Trans-Universal- BSL is like ancient now but some people still use it!"

Alt smiles at Zara, "I'm Alt- this is Chase." Bro waves.

Schneep nods. "Nice to meet you, Zara. This is going to sound very strange, but I am Schneep, and this is Jackie, JJ, Chase, and Alt. We are... ah..."

"We're from another universe," Jackie says bluntly. The others turn to face him, surprised, and he shrugs. "What? I got tired of dancing around it. Technically we're from other universes, actually."

Zara starts to smile at first but her face falls a bit and her eyes widen. "What...? a... different universe? Different universes?" She emphasizes looking shocked. "you're... all not even from this star system?"

"We're not even from this... plane of existence." Alt answers, rubbing his arm. "Like... good example- what year is it here? For us... it's 2020. Or for me and Chase- I mean Bro at least."

"WHAT?!" Zara exclaims in pure shock.

JJ nods slowly. Well actually it's 2019 in my world.

"Oh same," Jackie says.

"In mine, too," Schneep says.

Really? What month is it for you? It's March for us.

"January," Schneep answers, and at the same time Jackie says, "June."

"Oh you all are a year behind us- huh." Bro comments.

JJ looks at the hybrids. Sorry for not saying all this earlier. We weren't sure you would believe or understand us.

"Hell, I barely understood it, at first," Jackie says.

Schneep sighs. "And yet, you were so eager to share it."

"Honestly, I think it was rude for us to hide it."

"Well...Anti was very aggressive for us even mentioning our friends called Jack," Schneep says carefully. "Based on that, I was a bit hesitant."

"I'm not even sure I understand it..." Mer-Jackie says as he scratches his head. "The fuck is a universe?"

The merboys do all look a bit confused about this. Marvin grips at his head a bit but bites his lip to keep from saying anything.

"If you don't even know what a universe is, then... I am not sure how to describe it," Schneep says. "Think of it like... you have a piece of paper with a drawing on it. You copy the drawing, and on one you add some more details, but on the other you add different ones? Does that make sense at all?"

The merboys look even more confused. Well- except Marvin. He seems to understand the drawing analogy and nods. “Okay… I guess that makes sense.”

“Does it?” Henrik asks, making a face.

Zara still looks shocked, "I.. I can't believe that... h-here it's... 2232-"

"2232?!" Jackie inhales sharply. "Whoa... I-I guess it makes sense that time wouldn't line up perfectly... and that some worlds would be way ahead or way behind of the others.”

Alt sputters, "What?! t-that's insane-"

"As insane as you saying you're from another universe!! That's like- not in ours-"

"It's... parallel actually." Alt explains, "...that's why we all look similar or have similar names... in a way- we are some of you. Just... from somewhere different."

Chase makes a face, "How does that work? I.. I'm me- I'm not- not that guy!" He points at Bro.

Bro laughs nervously. "It's... complicated. But there's always ah... trends- similarities that tell us we're the same. B-Besides you know... looking like each other and having the same name."

I think that in a lot of ways that matter, we're not like you, JJ says. So... if it's easier for you, you can just think of us as a group of people who are kind of similar to your little family.

Chase nods to JJ, “y-yeah… you’re just… g-guys that look like us… that’s all.” He hugs his arms. “I-I don’t wanna think of it more beyond that…”

JJ smiles back at Chase. We'll leave it at that, then.

"Are you okay Ms. Zara?" Schneep asks. "You sound very shocked." He chuckles. "Though... that is understandable. It is very shocking."

Zara blinks at Schneep and then waves her hand. “Y-Yeah I’m just… trying to process all of this… like there’s a world- m-multiple worlds where these guys… don’t grow up here. In the past… that’s so crazy.” She laughs, “Do I even have a parallel in your worlds?”

“Uh… not in theirs,” Bro gestures to JJ, Jackie and Schneep. “But in mine and Alt’s? … yeah. You… you’re… a mum. And married to our friend, Jackie. Jackie Mann. But I think… is your last name uh… Caley? Cuz that was her maiden name.”

Zara’s face turns dark red and she holds her cheeks. “W-woah… god I… I’m way too young to be a mum!”

“To be fair our Zara is more of Bro’s age,” Alt laughs nervously.

“…there’s a universe where I… I get to be with Jackie and… have a family…?” She whispers, slowly smiling to herself.

"Yeah—and the kids are very cute," Jackie says, grinning. "I saw them for a bit when I popped into Alt and Bro's world. But I didn't see you." He pauses, thinking about what Bro said about Zara and their worlds. "Actually, maybe you do exist in our worlds? Our three. Maybe you exist, but we just don't know you?" He guesses. "It's a big world, after all. A whole planet—oh! Wait a second, by the way, is there even a planet Earth in this universe? Or did humans evolve on a different planet?"

"Perhaps it does?" Schneep says. "Alterra—the company name has 'terra' in it, and that is a word for Earth. It could be a very big coincidence that Alterra was called that—but perhaps not?"

Zara laughs, getting over her blush even if she glances at reaper Jackie who looks equally as flushed, hiding his face in his hood. “No you’re actually spot on! A lot of companies who went off into the further reaches of space came from earth of course, but Alterra was the only one bold enough to take its name. This is a planet far from Earth though. I’ve never even been near Earth- I was born here.” She explains, “We’re around a star called 4546 in the Ariadne Arm. This planet was the first found around 4546 so we call it 4546B. It’s a bit far from federation space but it’s more habitable than it was when it was rediscovered by Alterra almost a century ago. Right now Alterra’s trying to find… use of it. There’s lots of good resources and… well- ample places to experiment.”

Schneep makes a little "ooo"ing sound as Zara talks, and JJ swims closer, fascinated. But she lost Jackie the moment she confirmed that Earth existed.

“Those are… so many big words.” Bro mutters.

Zara laughs, “That sounds like something Jackie would say!” Mer-Jackie flicks his tail a bit in annoyance.

“I… I can’t believe we’re on a completely different planet…” Alt whispers in awe. “We’ve never managed to do that before.”

Zara blinks, “You’ve been to… other universes before?”

“Yeah! A ton! Me and Alt are like regular multiverse travelers now!” Bro grins.

"Not us, though." Jackie gestures at himself, Schneep, and JJ. "This is the first time I've been sucked into multiverse travel. Though—I guess I can't speak for you guys."

JJ shrugs. I got snapped to Alt and Bro's world one time, alone with some friends. But nothing since then.

Schneep shakes his head. "No, it is the same for me, Jackie, you are right." He pauses. "Though... one time, when I was getting used to my powers, I... ended up somewhere very strange. It is hard to describe... but it might have been outside my world." After a moment, he shakes his head again. "Don't ask me to go back there, though, I do not think I can. It was a freak accident... and very confusing."

"Well... what do we do now that we know more about this world?" Jackie looks at the others—mainly Alt and Bro, the experienced travelers. "We have these cool mermaid forms—hybrid forms, I guess. So I guess we could go anywhere? But... just, what do we do?"

“I… I dunno-“ Alt admits. “Honestly I was hoping… if this was future tech then… maybe they’d have a TRVLR like IRIS but… I don’t think they do.”

“Yeah sorry… none of those are ringing a bell.” Zara says softly.

Marvin seems to stiffen again and then clasps hands over his mouth. The merboys all look at him with confusion. “…do you know of something, Marvin?” Henrik asks.

Marvin tries to shake his head but then blurts out, his eyes going a bit pink again. “Sector Zero has an interplanetary phase gate hidden for Architect use-“

Zara’s eyes widen, “What?! A… a phase gate?!”

“Uhh- what’s a phase gate?” Bro asks.

"Ooooo, a phase gate," Schneep repeats, interested. "It sounds like some sort of... man-made wormhole."

Like from that movie Stargate! JJ says. He looks at the others. If you guys know what that is.

"I've vaguely heard of it, but I've never seen it," Jackie says.

“Yeah same- never was big on sci-fi movies.” Bro laughs.

“Phase gates are used for travel between sectors of space- they’re huge things used to teleport whole space crafts to other worlds. Sector Zero has that??” Zara gasps.

“The fuck is sector zero?!” Mer Jackie asks. Marvin almost seems to pale.

“It’s the arctic part of this planet outside the crater where we are now… I know there used to be researchers there a while ago but… that place gets abandoned a lot. It’s too cold.” Zara laughs lightly. Then she perks up and seems to realize what Jackie is. “oh!! That’s why you look so strange! You’re not a species from this side of the planet you’re a- a… oh what are they called?”

“A chelicerate.” Marvin supplies robotically before clasping his mouth shut again.

“Yeah!! That!” Zara beams. She swims around Jackie to admire him. “yeah! They’re like… the equivalent of reapers over there! That’s what my dad said at least- I think he and Zeke studied there for a bit!”

Jackie looks down at himself. "Oh. Huh." The mandibles snap again. "So... guess it's fitting that I turned into one, if this Jackie is part reaper. Parallels and shit."

Are you okay, Marvin? JJ asks, concerned. Do you need us to stop asking questions?

Marvin shakes his head. “I… it’s fine I just- h-hate that this k-keeps happening. I-It’s like my head fills with words and they don’t go away until I… I say them.” 

“Danan did say it could be from your warper chip… warpers apparently are very smart.” Chase says. 

Marvin grumbles. “I don’t wanna be smart… I don’t like being a… computer thing that just s-spews stuff out…” Jamie frowns and hugs Marvin around his shoulders.

Schneep frowns at the implications. Did they put a chip in Marvin’s head? Sure, the guys are experiments in this world, but something about that seems a bit too far even by those standards. "Unfortunately, I have another question that seems important," Schneep continues. "What does this phase gate have to do with the TRVLR thing, and IRIS? I see the connection between traveling through space and traveling through worlds, but... it is a different thing with a different purpose. And apparently made by a different company."

"And who the hell is Zeke?" Jackie asks.

Zara sighs, “Unfortunately… Zeke is my older brother. He’s… not a good guy. He’s the reason I left to stay here and… he tried to turn Marvin into a…a full time warper for him to use. And uh here- warpers are a type of like- mix of biology and tech… they were made by an ancient group of aliens that lived here like… a thousand years ago I think?”  She shrugs, “The ones that live here are pretty harmless. Just- warping around, which is like teleporting. They’re Predators but they keep to themselves mostly. Not many are left cuz… they don’t reproduce and the Architects are gone So… Zeke thought Marvin was… fascinating.” Both Zara and Marvin shudder.

“Oh, so he’s an asshole,” Jackie says.

You can’t just call someone’s relative an asshole, even if they’re a bad person, JJ says.

“No no no, let him keep going,” Schneep says. See, that’s why he thought it was too far to put a chip in someone. Who knows how that could be taken advantage of? Even if these real warpers have tech, he can’t believe Alterra did that. Or—any of this, really.

Zara laughs, “No you’re right. He’s the biggest asshole. …but I think he just… got influenced by all the Alterans we worked with… I dunno. Part of me wants to… find some way to…” She shakes her head. “no… there’s no excusing what he did. But uh- speaking of the architects that brings me back to Schneep’s point. I.. I don’t know how a phase gate relates? I mean… they’re powerful… maybe there’s a way to set it to… different universes? I dunno… I don’t know many people here who work on that kinda tech. Most of us are like… Xeno-biologists or simple Alteran engineers.” Zara explains. “Besides I feel like if Alterra had that kind of knowledge they’d be advertising it like crazy. Those guys only care about research and money…”

“Hm… maybe Marvin simply got triggered to say that from hearing traveler?” Henrik suggests.

“Fuck if I know…” Marvin sighs, crossing his arms.

Alt hums, “…maybe we can try to see if we can like- work with a phase gate?”

“I dunno- those things are hugeee.” Zara says. “And still- no one here knows how to work them…”

“Hm… is there anything… smaller then? M-Maybe like- interacting with something like that could… I dunno- sense we’re not from here and send us home? Or like- I’m good with tech…maybe I could figure something out..”

Marvin stiffens again, “Similar technology is used in the Alien arches scattered across the crater. All connect to the Primary Containment facility.” He says robotically.

The merboys all gasp slightly. “T-That is where they had Jack and Anti…”

Alien technology… JJ repeats. It’d be exciting if the hybrids didn’t all have an immediate negative reaction to hearing about this containment facility. I’m going to guess the place is under the company’s control?

“Then it’s probably not safe to get too close,” Jackie says. “People like that would be fascinated with your guys’ magic.”

“But we still need to get home,” Schneep mutters.

“Yes but… the base there was also destroyed.” Henrik replies to JJ, adjusting his goggles. “I do not know if the containment was destroyed… but we also do not know if there are any… survivors down there.”

“It’s also not safe to go there cuz it’ll boil most of us alive.” Mer- Jackie says, “It’s down in the lava zone. Only Marvin and Anti can go down there without being fried.”

“Lava zone?!” Jackie gasps. “That would be so cool if it wasn’t able to kill us! Well—still kinda cool, I guess, but you know what I mean.”

Schneep frowns. He almost wants to ask what destroyed the base… but maybe later. He doesn’t want to get sidetracked.

Marvin’s eyes dim a bit and he answers a bit more quietly, “…I think A-Ant- Alt is onto something though… if similar tech exists in these arches then… t-they’re teleporters. Maybe there is a way to make the destination back towards your homes…”

“That is true… these humans do possess power that even the white suits do not have…” Henrik muses.

“And um… we don’t need to go to the lava zone… we can find one of the arches c-closer by I think…? I’ve… seen a few around.” Marvin says timidly.

“Oh yeah- isn’t there one in the mountains?” Chase says. “It’s that- freaky black diamond thing we sometimes race through.”

“Y-Yeah that’s it.”

I suppose it makes sense that there are closer ones, JJ says. If you have teleporting technology you would want to use it.

“…we should ask Danan,” Zara says. “She’s been researching on this planet longer than I have and might know more about this architect stuff.”

“Danan, right.” Jackie nods slowly. “If she’s in charge here, we should let her know we’re here, anyway.”

“Where is Danan?” Bro asks.

Zara sighs. “She’s taking care of Jack… which means well- you’ll be able to see Anti again because.. he’s there too. Doing his uh- guard thing.”

JJ tilts his head. You know, where I’m from, Jack is Anti’s cousin. They’re the only ones of us who are related.

“They’re pretty close where I’m from, too,” Jackie says. “I uh… don’t know how to describe it. They’re like best friends and family and a weird symbiotic relationship wrapped all into one.”

“Ha… weird. I got a friend named Jack back at home. He helps me make my music for shows.” Alt grins.

Schneep laughs nervously. “Well… that is fun to know. Anyway, should we head in that direction?” He doesn’t want to talk about his Jack and Anti.

The merboys shift a bit uncomfortably. “Jack and Anti have always been close… despite Jack being a bit older than him.” Chase says sadly. “But… now Anti hardly leaves Jack’s side… I think it’s cuz…”

“Cuz of what those white suit fucks did to him.” Reaper Jackie growls, digging his nails into his arms. “They made him their personal bodyguard to make sure Jack never escaped. But- heh, that backfired on them.” He grins.

The more I learn about Alterra the less I like them,” Schneep mutters. JJ and Jackie nod in agreement.

“Yeah just know he might be a bit… snippy, to put it lightly.” Zara says with a wince.

“Don’t worry though! We’ll protect ya!” Mer-Jackie says brightly.

Bro laughs, “I’m not worried dude- I think we can handle it. We’re all a pretty tough bunch.”

“Hey, I can handle a snippy Anti,” Jackie says. “The one I know is a dick. Good person, but a little mean.”

JJ chuckles. My Anti can be like that too. You have to get through the prickly outside.

“Yeah I think all Antis are like that- especially the good ones.” Bro laughs, nudging Alt. Alt glares a bit then flicks his tail at Bro giving him a tiny shock. Bro yelps then makes a face at Alt who only grins back. “What? You said I was prickly, prick.”

“Okay, I suppose that you should all go in front, then?” Schneep hurriedly says before anyone can notice him avoiding the topic of his Anti. “So that way he sees you first before us. I imagine we look quite shocking.”

“Your tail is transparent, by the way,” Jackie comments. “We can see the bones.”

“What?!” Schneep leans down and grabs onto his tail, but it feels like normal fish flesh to him.

The others all kinda hide their laughter. “Y-You didn’t know? You’re just like me actually.” Marvin tries to smile.

“Oh uh- Schneep is… blind.” Bro tells everyone. The ones who didn’t know eyes widen.

“Oh! Wow- you… don’t super act like it but that makes sense..” Zara says. “Good thing you got those tendrils though! I bet they help.”

“River Prowlers use their tendrils to lure in prey.” Marvin says with a twitch and then shudders.

“The extra limbs are helpful, yes,” Schneep says, one of the tendrils grabbing onto JJ’s arm. JJ looks at it a bit warily as Marvin makes that comment, but doesn’t pull away.

Mer-Jackie nods to Schneep, “Well you got the right idea other Schneep, we’ll head the group, c’mon!”

He quickly swims back up into the tubes, the rest of his brothers following after. Zara smiles at the rest of them before following.

“Oh, Zara’s coming with us?” Jackie says, surprised. “I, uh, hope we’re not interrupting anything.”

“I’m sure she knows what she’s doing,” Schneep says. “It will be nice to have someone to help explain.”

Thank you again for your help with the robot, by the way, JJ adds. Then they all follow the others, leaving in that order.

“Ha don’t worry! Hanging out with these guys is kinda my part time job now. ” Zara says with a wink. “Except better cuz I enjoy it! …and I don’t get paid regardless.” She laughs. “Plus it seems like you all need some more uh- human explanations. The boys are still- learning a bunch.”

Alt and Bro follow closely behind but Alt starts mumbling. “I wish I knew a spell that could like… I dunno… fix your vision or at least let you see temporary, Hen…”

“Hmm? Oh.” Schneep turns back towards him and smiles. “Thank you for the concern, Alt. It means a lot, truly. But you don’t have to go out of your way for me. There is a sadness that I lost my sight, but I have grown used to it. I have more accommodations than most blind people, since I can tell where people are, at least.  I am mostly satisfied with my situation. I don’t think I need anything more.”

“Wow Schneep you’ve taken losing a whole sense with a lot of grace.” Bro smiles.

Alt frowns and holds his arms. “…I can’t imagine losing my vision. Maybe it’s just cuz I’m an artist but… I just… that terrifies me. I dunno how you do it.”

“I do wish you could see all this though,” Bro says quietly, looking outside the base as they cross through the glass tunnels. “All of this is… just insane.”

“Oh, well, it has not been easy, of course,” Schneep says. “I had to leave my job—hard to be a surgeon when you cannot see the patient. And there are many inconveniences. Even something like buying food can be difficult. Cannot read the labels, yes? But I am lucky to have had support in adjusting. My friends are always willing to help.”

Jackie looks back at him for a moment, thinking. “You… I’m glad they’re there for you,” he says softly.

Schneep nods. “I am very thankful for them.” He presses a hand to the glass wall of the tube. “But I am sad to be missing out on the view.”

We could describe it for you? JJ suggests.

Schneep laughs. “Give me the colors, if anything. I can figure out the rest with my other senses.”

Bro sighs, “Damn… going to medical school for so long and then having to stop… that majorly sucks.”

“Your friends are good ones though,” Alt smiles. Then he blinks and looks out the windows. “Well here it’s- it’s kinda green but I think that’s cuz there’s these tall kelp vines. You probably felt those. Most of the leaves are at the top of the water though so it kinda makes a canopy? So it’s a bit darker here… and there’s like these glowing fruit things on the vines so it’s all- glowing and shit.”

“Glowing…” Schneep repeats. He smiles. “It must be beautiful.”

[septnautical]

Hybrid Creation Logs

RR-001 and SE-002

(AN: Hello friends! I’m getting back into writing stuff and while rereading older stories (and fixing a lot of stuff like how I used to write Henrik’s dialogue, yikes!) I realized I absolutely hated how little info I gave in the original creation story of how the boys were made and met- they didn’t even have their designation numbers back then!! So!! It’s revamp time!! Starting with Chase and Jack and - a bit more from the white suits too :3)

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To: Grant Xander, 4546B Xenobiology Research Team 213

From: Xeno Research Division

Subject: RE: Experimentation Grant

Proposed: Experimentation of humanoid -fauna hybrids using DNA from dominant species of 4546B and DNA samples from deceased Altera crew member, Sean Mcloughlin.

Status: APPROVED

Good luck with your experiments, team. We look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor. Please send regular updates and logs.

-Alterra Xeno Research Division

———————

Notes from Dr. Cynthia Goodall, regarding growth of Rabbit Ray human hybrid RR-001:

12-10-2226

It has been about 8 months since RR first emerged from his egg. He has made tremendous progress and his growth factor has been outstanding. Despite it only being months… mentally the subject is processing information and even speaking to other scientists at the level of a 4 year old human child. It is extraordinary to witness. That means mentally each month he is maturing about half a year. We are providing him enrichment and lessons to help accelerate his growth. Vitals are all good and he is quite active. No predatory or omnivorous traits to be seen so far- despite the extra fauna we have supplied in his tank. He actually likes to race the other fish and has even been found singing to them, despite low exposure to his mother species. Perhaps linked to instinct? Further research required on that point…

However, I am a bit worried. For the past couple weeks he seems to be more tired and lethargic. We make sure he has exposure to the sun through the top of the tank and artificial sunlight is provided. So, not a seasonal issue… again maybe further research is necessary. I hear there’s already talk and work being done on another hybrid… perhaps that might give me some answers.

———————————

Notes from Dr. Grant Xander, regarding growth of Sea Emperor human hybrid SE-002:

05-15-2227

It has been 3 months since SE-002 emerged from its egg on 07-02-2227. We didn’t think it could be possible… that’s why we tried with RR-001 first. A more readily available DNA to procure. Though, the sea emperor population has increased exponentially since 4546B’s rediscovery about a century ago.

However- we should have tried this much sooner… SE-002 is a marvel. The fauna it interacts with seem to love and adore it, much like a king with his subjects. The whole tank has been more energetic and lively, with SE-002 playing and laughing throughout the day before tiring itself out to collapse into a sleeping heap. Usually the other fish circle around it.

It has been documented the Sea Emperor while held in the Primary Containment Facility seemed to be able to pacify predator and prey alike within its tank- to see a similar phenomenon with a half human is unlike anything we have seen… we are unwilling to try to see if SE can truly pacify a predator at the moment but perhaps after more growth from the subject. It is healthy and happy.

It seems to be growing in the same manner that RR-001 had. About half a year or so within a month mentally and physically- at least by human standards. By now, SE-002 mentally seems close to a 2 year old child. Maybe younger… unlike human toddlers though- they are not helpless. It seems the hybrids are able to swim almost right away- and find food quickly. Though, it seems they do need help at the beginning- they very quickly learn what they can find themselves provided it’s planted for them in the aquarium. Until about 2 weeks after hatching- it seems the hybrids behave more like their mother species- i.e. fish-like. They had a vacant far off stare and were driven by food and providing for their needs. They had trouble gripping things with their hands and would often run into objects with little grace. At this stage, a small personal aquarium is the safest option. Then, there is this… spark. It's like the human part of their brain has caught up and starts to develop milestones much like a human infant. Imitating smiles, babbling, gaining control of their hands, eye tracking. Thank god that Alterra has mastered the childhood development programming that we all grew up with on our own planets- they have been essential in ensuring we can provide correct education to the hybrids as they mature. We are not childcare providers… I don’t think any of us quite expected this experiment to result in… something so… human? Ironic, I know. I think we all expected something a bit more… easy to document and understand. And perhaps it is- just from a parental perspective instead of purely scientific. It was harder to understand what exactly we were seeing when observing RR-001… until one of our crew had a child. Then, we started to see the connections, even if the hybrids are growing more rapidly than human infants do.

I do hope this accelerated growth has a plateau however… Maybe human maturity? Perhaps, they will be like Terra canines- growing at a fast mental rate within the first years then stagnating after adulthood. We can only hope… if the hybrids grow so rapidly and it only leads to faster expirations… then this experiment might be considered a failure and waste of resources. I don’t want that to happen. I believe this project has so much left for us to discover…

Especially with SE-002. Even if it’s been a century since the curing of the infamous Khaara bacterium- it is still present here on 4546B. Just- much less deadly and easy enough to cure. Like the common cold, really. However… we saw in the Sector Zero Levithan… Khaara has a chance to survive and mutate- which we are all well aware of. History could very well repeat itself as we put ourselves into the grand roles of the ancient Architects. So… SE-002 could be the key we need should any disaster strike. Once stable enough, we should be able to see if he can provide any Enzyme 42 samples like its mother species.

Personal notes: …I’ve started to call him Jack… Jackaboy. I can’t help it. He looks so much like him when he was younger. Almost makes me miss home. But, I can carry a piece of my Jack with me this way. It’s unprofessional, I know. Unnecessary attachment… but SE-002 has an irresistible charm to him and zest for life. Just like Jack. I believe my brother would be honored.

—————————

To: Grant Xander

From: Cynthia Goodall

Subject: Hybrid Interaction, Urgent Matter

05-08-2227

Grant,

I am deeply concerned for the well-being of RR-001 at the moment. Subject is showing signs of depression and is not as active as he once was. I believe SE-002 is showing signs of being healthy and active. Perhaps we should combine our efforts and house the hybrids together for observation and socialization? I believe this could negate any negative impact from perceived isolation. Many fauna here are highly social, especially the rabbit rays. I think RR-001 could really use a friend. Please advise.

- Cynthia

——————

To: Cynthia Goodall

From: Automated Response Line

05-08-2227

Hybrid Tank integration: APPROVED

-Grant Xander

————————-

Xander walked down the bright white corridors of the lab, holding SE-002 in his arms. The little sea emperor had his arms wrapped around the scientist’s neck as he observed the base with wide curious eyes. They sparkled as they passed windows showing the ocean beyond, bright with fish and glowing fauna. It wasn’t too different from SE’s tank but…. It was so big. It seemed like it went on forever.

“Hey Xander? Where are we goin’ again?” SE-002 asked.

Xander chuckled, “I thought I told you Jackaboy! Today, you’re going to meet a new friend. Someone who could really use someone as energetic as you.”

“Oh yay!” Jack smiled wide, “I like making friends! Is it more fishies??”

“No, lad,” Xander laughed, “It’s another hybrid. Just like you.”

Jack gasped, his eyes widening and sparkling. “Wooahhh! Really?? Someone just like me??”

“Well, he’s a different kind of fish but… very similar.” Xander smiled. “In a way… you two are like family. Brothers, really. I think you’ll like him. You two can be together from now on.”

“Yay yay yay!!” Jack cheered, bouncing up and down in Xander’s arms. The scientist shook his head with a laugh, “Save some of that excitement for RR, Jack!”

Soon enough, Xander strides into the main lab that housed RR-001. Dr. Goodall looked up and beamed at seeing SE-002. She walked over with a bright smile.

“Hello Xander! SE-2! My… look how big you’re getting!” She cooed. Jack shyly hid behind Xander’s neck but did attempt to wave.

Xander chuckled, “You remember Dr. Goodall, don’t you, SE?”

Jack shook his head. Cynthia smiled. “Well that’s alright. I’ve only really seen you in passing. But, I watch over RR-1 so… now that you’re joining him- we can all get to know each other better, hm?”

Jack looked a bit nervous and clung tighter to Xander, digging his little fingers into his white coat. Xander pats his head. “I’ll be around too, Jackaboy.” He whispers. “You don’t need to worry.” Jack slowly nods.

Cynthia gives him an understanding smile then gestures towards the hatch at the end of the large aquarium tank in the room. “Ready to meet RR, SE?”

Jack nodded again and smiled, his tails flicking to show his excitement. “Yes…!” He says quietly and the doctors smile. Dr. Goodall opened the hatch and Xander gently lowered Jack into the water. He smiles and ruffles Jack’s hair, “Go have fun, lad. I’ll see you later, okay?”

Jack beamed, “Okay! Bye Xander!” And then the little sea emperor rocketed off deeper into the aquarium to explore.

RR-001 was lying in the sand in a hidden corner of the tank, hiding behind some of the long creepvines. He was too tired to go swimming around today… he was hardly getting any sleep. And there was this- hole in his chest. It ached. More than the needles and small tests the doctors did on him. But… different somehow. He didn’t really have a word for it. And he didn’t want to deal with Dr. Goodall’s attempts today… she had been trying so hard to make RR act happier. Saying he wasn’t himself. Maybe he could see that… but he just didn’t have the energy. She did seem to mention a… surprise for him though? He couldn’t remember what… maybe a new fish for him to attempt to eat. He didn’t really like eating them though… made his stomach churn.

Suddenly, the vines he’s hiding behind are split apart by hands and a similar looking face to his pops into view.

“There you are!” The doppelgänger shouts with a smile. RR screams in turn and backs away, curling his tail up as close to him as possible, squeezing himself between the rock and the glass of the tank.

“W-W-Who are you?!” RR squeaks in a trembling voice.

The other hybrid grins, his teeth sharp but his expression is friendly. “I’m SE-2! But I dun really like that name. Xander calls me Jack and I like that sooo much more! So you can call me that!!”

“…j…Jack…” RR repeats. “Okay uh… h-how did you find me? I… I thought it was really good at hiding…”

“You were!” Jack laughs, “But I could hear you over here.”

“Really?” RR says with a tilt of his head, “…I didn’t think I was making any noise-“

“You didn’t tell me your name!” Jack interrupts, spurring forward to sit on the sand in front of RR. The rabbit Ray mer tries to scoot back again but he’s out of room. He looks at Jack with wide eyes.

“Uh… I… I’m RR-001.” He says slowly. Jack makes a face, raising an eyebrow.

“Your white suit doesn’t call you anything else?”

“…white suit?” RR asks.

“Oh- that’s what I call the doctors sometimes. Especially if I dunno who they are. They all wear white all the time!” Jack laughs.

RR finds himself chuckling too. Then his face falls. “…my ‘white suit’ hasn’t really called me anything. She gives me… nicknames? I think she called them? Like sweetie and love and stuff but… I don’t think those are… names. Usually, she just calls me RR.”

“Well that won’t do!” Jack exclaims, “s’not fair for me to have a name when you don’t! Besides- you don’t look like an RR to me… that’s a dumb name!”

RR makes an offended noise and slaps his tail against the sand. “Well! It’s the only name I know! M-Maybe I think Jack is a dumb name!”

“No you don’t. You think it’s cool. You’re kinda jealous.” Jack says simply, looking at RR with a strange, almost knowing expression. RR finds himself shivering. “H-How do you know that?”

“Mmm… I can feel it. Coming from your head, like- you’re saying it but not through your mouth.” Jack shrugs. “Dunno how I do it. I just know. So! Let’s think of a real name for you!!” He smiles brightly.

RR looks at the other hybrid nervously and curls up some more. “I…. I dunno how to… do that though…”

“We can figure something out! C’mon!” Jack says, grabbing RR’s hand and pulling him out of his hiding spot. RR makes a noise of protest but is eventually pulled out into the light, squinting his eyes and covering them up with his other hand. Man… how long had he been hiding in the dark…?

“Woahhh! You’re so much bigger than me!” Jack exclaims, looping around RR to look at him. “And your tail looks squishy!!” He pokes it and RR exclaims and pulls it back. “Hey!”

Jack’s head pops up under RR’s wing, almost looking like he’s wearing it as a hat. He giggles and nuzzles around in it. RR finds himself laughing without meaning to, pushing the other hybrid away. “Ah s-stop! That tickles!”

Jack pulls back up and giggles, swirling his tails around. “Sorry!! I just haven’t seen anything like ya! You’re a… a… oh what are they called?”

“…a rabbit ray.” RR supplies quietly, “that’s what Dr. Goodall says the RR in my name is. Rabbit Ray, RR. The 1 is because I was the first. That’s why you’re 2- you’re next.”

“Oooh!” Jack nods, then flicks his tails towards RR and giggles. “Well! I’m a Sea Emperor! Xander tells me they’re really special and junk. But, I dunno- you seem pretty special too!”

RR finds himself flushing. “You… you really think so…?” He asks, fidgeting with his hands.

“Yeah!” Jack says enthusiastically. “You were made first! That’s super special! That makes you my… brother- I think Xander said!”

RR’s eyes widen, a light coming into them that wasn’t there before. “…a… brother? Like… a… a family?”

Jack grins more and nods, “Yeah! That must be why we look alike, right? Xander and his brother also look alike but I’ve only seen pictures on the PDAs-“

RR finds himself laughing dazedly. “Y-Yeah… I guess so…”

Jack smiles at him and then twirls to look at the tank. “Alright then! Let’s look for your name then cuz I ain’t calling my brother a dumb letter name!”

After a few seconds of looking around Jack hums and then turns back to RR. “Before I came here, what did you like to do? Like- your most favorite thing to do!”

RR flicked his tail and played with the end of one of his wings. He eventually shrugs. “I… I like to swim fast- race with the other fish and try to chase them…”

“Oh! I like that!”

RR looks up and cocks his head, “like… what?”

“Chase!” Jack exclaims with a bright smile. “I think that sounds more like you than RR!”

“C…Chase…” RR tries out. It feels weird but… right. Slowly he smiles warmly at Jack, the biggest smile the tinier hybrid at seen from him.

“Yeah… Chase. I… I think I like that too.” Chase says. Jack yells in excitement and goes to tackle Chase in a hug. Chase startles, stiff in it as first. But, slowly he experimentally wraps his arms around Jack and… oh… that… that felt really good. Suddenly, his eyes feel wet and he makes a choked noise.

Jack backs up and then looks at Chase with concern. “Oh no! Why are you crying??”

Chase wipes at his face and looks at his hands in confusion. “I… I dunno…” he then laughs, “I think… t-they’re cuz I… I’m… happy…?” He laughs a bit louder and pushes his hair back, “y-yeah…! That feels right. I… I’m happy.”

Jack grins and grabs Chase’s hands, “Good! That’s really really good! C’mon! We can play now!” He starts tugging Chase through the water. “I wanna see how good you are at chasing, Chase!” And Chase can’t help but laugh and follow after him.

The two played all day long, Chase more lively and energetic than the scientists have seen in months. So, when the ocean water dimmed around the base and the lights turned off in the lab- the two were exhausted.

Chase swam over to his usual sleeping spot and splat down, ready to curl up in the warm sand and pass out. But, then he startles as he feels Jack crash down next to him and then sleepily curl up into his side, under his wing.

“Uh… Jack? What are you doing…?” Chase asked quietly.

“Gettin’ comfy….” Jack yawned, pressing his face into Chase’s side.

“Oh… um… why here?”

Jack blinked opened an eye and Chase now notices that they kinda glowed in the dark like his tails. Jack snorts out a tired laugh. “The fish in my tank never let me sleep alone so… I'm not gonna let my new brother sleep alone. Seems too lonely…” He yawns again and closes his eyes. “Dun wanna feel lonely again…”

Chase feels a grip on his heart and… that ache in his chest that had been so persistent seemed to fade. He chuckles softly and curls up so his wing is properly over Jack like a blanket and curls his tail around the tinier merman. “Okay…” He suddenly felt a surge of protectiveness flow through him as he looked down at Jack’s tiny body, how he breathes softly and relaxes into the sand. If there were predators around… he wouldn’t be safe.

Chase finds himself scooping up Jack to rest against his chest as he hugs him tight to himself. Jack is mostly asleep but just hums with a slight smile and curls some of his tails around Chase’s waist.

“…I’ll protect you, little brother.” Chase whispers, pressing his cheek against Jack’s hair. “We don’t have to be alone anymore…”

[flownintothesun]

LAYER 001 : THE OUTSIDE.

name : westley colin johannes henrik van der sterren (mccarthy / bernardi / pollard / gunderson).

eye colour : shifting like the sea between blues and greens & grays.

hair style & colour : curly & black — catches red in the light.

clothing style : think ‘bad boy’ who can clean up damn well.

best physical feature : the ones i write about most are his ever-changing eyes, the dusting of freckles across his nose, or the dimples when he smiles.

LAYER 002 : THE INSIDE.

fears : abandonment, death of a loved one, being incapable, not being strong enough, lack of control, lack of stability, not being smart enough, being the reason a loved one gets hurt, losing his sense of self, being corrupt / evil.

guilty pleasure : musicals. he enjoys both watching them and singing them and will take this fact to his grave — unless you’re muriel or james, in which case you already know.

biggest pet peeve : incompetence that causes trouble, people who don’t respect the boundaries of his loved ones.

ambitions for the future : to be happy and loved.

 LAYER 003 : THOUGHTS.  

first thoughts waking up : coffee now pls.

what they think about most : @batteredoptimist’s james and muriel, tbh. how to love them, how to keep them safe, how to do good / right by them.

what they think about before bed : honestly it’s probably very citrusy, and i blame nonny for this, too.

what they think their best quality is : well, since we got him thinking about citrus fruits, he says his ass. i think his best quality is that he pushes himself so hard to do right by the ones he loves when the world did him so utterly wrong. he’s a fighter and he is so strong and beautiful and brave and i’m so proud of him.

LAYER 004 : WHAT’S BETTER?

single or group dates : single (but also this counts for his polyam triad with muriel & james)  — he just wants to spend time with the ones he loves, tbh. he doesn’t mind company, but prefers to keep dates intimate.

to be loved or respected : both, and feared too in the right circumstances. it depends on the person. by strangers? respected. by an enemy? feared. by those he loves? loved, loved, loved.

beauty or brains : he says that muriel tells him that he has both. but ehm, in a partner? i don’t think that it’s that black and white and neither does he. beauty becomes beauty when it’s something beloved, and intelligence is such a broad spectrum of knowledge. westley says (and i agree) that there is no one person that is more or less this than anyone else in the right eyes.

dogs or cats : dogs, but he loves both and he basically is a wee feral kitten. he has a golden retriever named ‘baby’ that he adores in one of my main / closed nonny-verses though and thus...dogs, but also all creatures great and small. ♡

LAYER 005 : DO THEY ...?

lie : he values honesty in relationships but he will absolutely lie to every single other person in his life that isn’t intimately close.

believe in themselves : he has a weird relationship with this, and it kind of teeters back and forth.

believe in love : of course he does. he’s loved too deeply to doubt that love is one of the greatest forces on earth.

want someone : *waves at james and muriel* but also, he wants ‘home’ and ‘family’.

LAYER 006 : HAVE THEY EVER ...?

been on stage : verse-dependent.

changed who they were to fit in : sure. he’ll do whatever it takes in a pinch to get himself and his loved ones out of or into whatever scenario presents itself.

LAYER 007 : FAVOURITES

favourite colour : gold

favourite animal : he says don’t make him choose. he seems to have an affinity for pretty much all animals — but maybe dogs and birds?

favourite book :   he has adhd and has trouble focusing if it’s not special interest. he likes to make up / tell stories, or hear them from others. if he wants to learn something though, he will BURY himself in source material.

favourite game :  no one plays board games or video games with him, he’s absolutely relentless.

LAYER 008 : AGE

day their next birthday will be : june 26, 2023.

how old will they be : verse-dependent. infinite, or technically somewhere between 26-28.

LAYER 009 : FINISH THE SENTENCE

i love my husbands.

i feel deeply, sometimes i feel too much.

i hide from rejection. i don’t want to be a disappointment.

i miss feeling as though i belonged somewhere in the world.

i (rarely) have all the answers.

[nelefinn]

      HENRIK ( @henriklarsen​. ) EARLY MORNING, MAY 23RD, ROUTE BETWEEN HOTEL AND WATER TREATMENT PLANT. Nele was driving — she hadn’t given anyone else the chance, jumping into the drivers’ seat first — toward the water treatment plant. It was only a little over a week ago that she’d been there with Nikolai, the two of them returning to the QZ a little worse for wear; but alive. They hadn’t been able to say the same about the patrol they’d left with. Now, once again, it was the home to another disaster that required rescuing, and would they be more successful this time? 

     At least they knew they wouldn’t be running into any Bloaters; Nikolai and Nele had cleared it of that — which was a damn good thing when her hands hung limply on the wheel, her eyelids heavy after a night spent navigating a storm rather than sleeping. Those in the hotel fared better than some, but the weight of knowing there might be casualties, and more work for certain, made it difficult for her body to find rest. It was difficult to hear if there was any danger around when the wind lashed at the windows, and the rain sounded more like rocks. 

      Nele had to maneuver around a pile of broken branches, the truck bouncing through the uneven dirt and brush before she re-centered it on the road. She lifted a fist to rub it against her eyes, exhaustion ringing in her ears, faraway and fucking annoying. “I know you’re not much of a talker, but I’m gonna need you to start before one of these other assholes begins droning on.” She could smell the moisture in the air, evaporating off of every surface, and there’s the quiet that came with nature recuperating from its own destruction. Or perhaps, it was watching silly humans fumble about in its aftermath. Then again, Nele was hardly fucking spiritual. 

     “You certainly rocked the wet rat look.” 

[egopocalypse]

Devotion

"H͠ap͟py͡ a̕n͘ni̢versàr͠ỳ,͝ ̛d͝o҉c̛."

He's lounging on the gilded throne, poisonous green eyes watching as his strings drag the doctor into the spotlight. The crown rests on the corner above his head, next to his other trophies- a grey baseball cap and a white porcelain mask, the light reflecting off the sheen.

A smirk tugs at his lips and he wraps the strings around his hand, pulling them taut. He grabs them in his fist and yanks, pulling the doctor closer until he's an inch away. “Di͠d͏ ͟yo̴u ҉li͘k̶e͏ ̀m̶y ̢li͡ttl̷e g̴if̡t?̢"

Henrik gasps for breath, his lungs heaving as he claws at his neck, nails scratching at strings and skin. He's choking- wheezing as he gulps down what little air he can- and tears well in his eyes, blinked away by fluttering lashes and blurring vision. "Ppleasse."

"͢Oh, b̢ut̴ d̷o͡ctor,̕ y̕ou̢ de͢serv͞e ͜th́is,҉ d̨o̵n͡'t y̶òu?͞" Anti croons. He grabs Henrik's chin, wrenching his head up as he examines the razor sharp strings. Blood trickles down the doctor's neck, staining the strings a deep red, and Anti laughs, the sound grating against Henrik's ears. " Y̧ou f̕a̶ile̢d͞ ̧hìm,͟ ýou ̷fai͠led͘ all̡ ̀of ̸ţh҉e̸m, a͠n̷d̷ n̕ow I͘'m͠ ͝he̕re̕ to̵ co͜llec͢t̕ ͟yo͜ur ̷debt."

"But first," Anti snaps his fingers, grinning as the strings loosen and fly away from the doctor's throat. Henrik collapses, spluttering and gagging on air, but he doesn't have time before they latch around his wrists, jerking him up into the air, and he hangs there, a new marionette dancing on strings. "̷Let'̛s ̶ģo͟ ҉back̨ ͏to͏ ̕th̸ę ̸g̴òo͜d̕ ol͡d days͝, ̕sh̨al͏l we?͡"

The throne rooms fades from Henrik's view, static creeping over his sight, and the last thing he sees is Anti's grin before he's dragged under, white noise crackling in his ears.

"S҉wee͝t ̡dre҉am͜s̶"

@cloakhiddeninplainsight

@kisstheashes @abouttobesilenced @superbanananinja234 @assbutt-of-the-readers @sylver-striings @lostinegomayhem @here-be-becquerel @dakotathewhale @spicy-spedicey @imallwaysconfused @awkward-bullshit @cest-mellow @starlightxnightmare @help-trashbin @epicfangirl01 @clownoutofdarkness @mihaela-tbg @iris-the-asparagus @cutewarmachine @sqxxddygremlin @nextstep17 @bunchofdoodlesinspace @ill-spink @dreamsoffallingstars @redangel201 @abyssshifter @eridangan @jaysflight @skyewardlight @wildhorsewolf @metautske @allons-ychey @stuck-in-a-l-o-o-p @kyerrio @unadventurousjulie @lunatrixyl @oliveroxenfree3 @kairomancerr @kitnkas @gray-avidan @dorito-with-no-weakness @lildevyl @glixbitch @spontaneoustornadoes @littleluversblog @violette-lily-davenport-art

[mystiicall]

Favorite Recipes/Food - Feast 

Henrik wants to be a chef, he loves food. All food. He likes to cook it, share it with people. It was the first thing that made him feel like home when he woke up without his memories. He loves Pizza and heavy meat dishes like the ones that he made with Esther as a child.   

[demi-shoggoth]

2022 Reading Log, pt 1

Figured I’d keep this going...

001. Molecules by Theodore Gray, photos by Nick Mann. Starting off the new year with some chemistry, and by filling in a gap. I’ve read both Elements and Reactions by the same team of author and photographer, but had missed Molecules until now. This book discusses bond types, valence shells and nomenclature, among other chemistry topics, in an engaging and easy way, before moving on to a wide variety of interesting chemicals. Fibers, drugs and poisons, flavor molecules and dyes are all covered, among others. It’s a lot of fun, very pretty and informative, and it’s a good foot to start on. Incidentally, this is the book where the tumblr infamous “forbidden bath toy” of the pure sodium duck appears.

002. A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth by Henry Gee. This book was much weirder than I thought it was going to be. The format was what I was expecting—each chapter covers an era of geologic time and the evolutionary transitions that occurred during it. And the book does a good job of setting the context for major phases based on atmospheric and continental conditions. What’s odd is that the author makes very big claims without supporting them in any way (and there are plenty of citations for other claims). Some of these claims are merely old fashioned and not supported by modern evidence—that the sails of Dimetrodon and other stem-mammals were definitely thermoregulatory devices and that giant birds were the primary land predators of the Paleocene. Others are just bonkers, like the idea that pterosaurs were incompetent fliers that were torn apart by inclement weather during the separation of Pangaea, or that Neanderthals were subterranean humans who only emerged onto the surface to hunt (a comparison to Morlocks is specifically made). The last chapter, predicting what will happen in the post-human future, is at least acknowledged as speculation, first borrowing from After Man, and then declaring that the final phase of life on earth will be endosymbiotic superorganisms made from plant, fungal and animal cells in combination. A very peculiar book for what is supposed to be a general introduction to paleontology; not sure I can recommend it.

003. The Gruesome Guide to World Monsters by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Henrik Drescher. Another monster book for children recommended to me by @abominationimperatrix​ , this is a global guide to various monsters around the world, rated on a scale of 1-5 for deadliness. The art style is bold and eccentric—think Quentin Blake off the shits—and the monsters covered are from a broad variety of sources, including a number I’d never heard of. The most over the top possible description of most monsters is the one pictured; the cover critter, for example, is apparently a rakshasa. What I found especially sophisticated is the afterword, which talks about how monsters are used by cultures around the world to enforce societal norms and illustrate taboos. Pretty heady stuff for a book aimed at the 6-10 set.

004. Turtles of the World by Jeffrey E. Lovich and Whit Gibbons. Following in the wake of Spiders of the World and Lizards of the World comes… turtles! Since there’s less turtles than there are spiders or lizards, this book actually manages to cover every genus, with photographs, information on distribution and natural history, and conservation status. If you like the previous two of the World books published by Princeton Press, this will also suit your fancy. There was one thing, however, which stood out to me as frustrating. The image captions only refer to the animals by common name, and the infobox refers to them only by scientific name. So only if the particular species is covered in the main text will you get an association of the two names and know exactly what organism the picture is of. Really grinds my gears, and prevents me from giving this my fullest recommendation.

005. Dinopedia by Darren Naish. This is a pocket-sized, A-Z guide to dinosaur biology. Three major themes run through it: coverage of most of the major clades, discussions of important dinosaur workers, and alternate hypotheses and controversies in dinosaur biology. Dinosaurs in culture take up a fourth place rank, with entries on Jurassic Park and the Zallinger mural in the Peabody Museum. I found this book highly enjoyable, but I wonder how well it would play with a reader who’s not already familiar with dinosaur phylogeny. Terms like Thyreophora and Ornithoscelida are thrown around casually, which might overwhelm people not accustomed to the terminology. Also it’s very clear that this is Darren Naish’s Dinopedia—the authorial voice is strong and he takes sides on controversies and public figures (at least usually; he amusingly says that his opinion on whether “thagomizer” is an appropriate term for stegosaur tail spikes or is too jokey is “the majority opinion, whatever that is”.)

[dvlwthn]

“  we’re  one  with  the  sea  .  ”

Is that NOAH CENTINEO? No, that’s just ATLAS LAVEAU. They were born on 09/05/96 and are a MERMAID living in Northknot Town. They work as a SWIM INSTRUCTOR at Good Vibrations Gym. Some say they're PROTECTIVE and INTELLIGENT, but I’ve heard others say they're EMOTIONAL and BLUNT. When you think of HIM, don’t you think of SUNSHINE AFTER RAIN, OCEANS SO BLUE YOU CAN’T LOOK AWAY, LOYALTY SO STRONG IT CAN’T BE BROEKN?

A E S T H E T I C

swimming  to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  .  peace  in  the  silence  .  the  sound  of  clicking  from  a  keyboard  .  mind  always  wondering  .  leaving  words  of  poetry  behind  everywhere  .  carrying  a  notebook  around  for  no  one  to  see  .  stopping  in  the  middle  of  something  to  write  something  down  .  unbreakable  loyalty  .  kind  smiles  ,  forgiving  nature  .

Q U O T E S

“  you  must  always  remember  this  :  have  courage  ,  and  be  kind .  you  have  more  kindness  in  your  little  finger  than  most  people  possess  in  their  whole  body  .  and  it  has  power  .  more  than  you  know  .  ”   –  brittany candau. “  i  see  myself  forever  and  ever  as  the  ridiculous  [ person ]  ,  the  lonely  soul  ,  the  wanderer  ,  the  restless  frustrated  artist  ,  the  person  in  love  [  with  love  ]  ,  always  in  search  of  the  absolute  ,  always  seeking  the  unattainable  .  ”   –  henry miller. “  i’m  with  you  in  rockland  . . .  where  we  are  great  writers  on  the  same  dreadful  typewriter  .  ”   –  allen ginsberg .

M U S I C    P L A Y E R

“   and  i  can't  sleep  .  i'm  up  at  night  ,  you're  in  my  ear  and  i'm  alright  .  i’m  trying  not  to  put  it  on  the  line  .  and  i  am  so  tired  of  losing  sleep  .  i  just  want  to  keep  you  around  .  you  make  me  feel  alright  .  you  make  me  feel  alright  .  you  make  me  feel  like  everything  is  gonna  be  just  fine  .  ”   just fine by spookyghostboy. “   je  veux  de  l'amour  ,  de  la  joie  ,  de  la  bonne  humeur  .  ce  n'est  pas  votre  argent  qui  fera  mon  bonheur  .  moi  je  veux  crever  la  main  sur  le  cœur  .  allons  ensemble  ,  découvrir  ma  liberté  .  oubliez  donc  tous  vos  clichés  bienvenue  dans  ma  réalité  .  ”   je veux by zaz. “   sometimes  there's  bullshit  that  don't  work  now  .  we  all  got  our  stories  but  please  tell  me  what  there  is  to  complain  about  .  when  you're  happy  like  a  fool  ,  let  it  take  you  over  .  when  everything  is  out  ,  you  gotta  take  it  in  .  oh  ,  this  has  gotta  be  the  good  life  .  ”   good life by onerepublic.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

+ intelligent, protective, and kind

- sometimes too optimists, blunt, and emotional

atlas has been through a lot of hurt. however, unlike most people he hasn’t let it change him. people take his kindness as a weakness but he see’s it as a strength... that he won’t let anyone change him no matter how cruel they can be. he wants to believe that people aren’t all bad, sometimes he tries a little too hard to believe that. but he isn’t naive either when it came to what he expected from other people. the man isn’t oblivious, he just likes to try to have hope. to not expect the worst from people until they give him no other choice to. sometimes, he also can’t help himself and is a little blunt. he never does it to be rude or hurt anyone’s feelings... it’s just he is protective and will call someone out on something in order to protect them. also the little pretentious writer in him sometimes makes him unable to stop himself from just saying certain things as they are. 

H E A D C A N O N S

001. atlas henrik laveau never knew his father, not that he ever cared about that. the boy was a huge mama’s boy. his mother was the strongest person he knew. growing up with only his mother, and his two step sisters. . . atlas grew up seeing the strength in women and couldn’t be prouder of his family.  002. however, being the only boy, atlas did always want a little brother. and he found that in a young boy whose family lived near his. it started with him just being asked to watch the young boy (eric) but eventually turned into him adoring the kid like his little brother. his family and friends all know how atlas saw the young boy and welcomed him themselves as well. 003. atlas prided himself on learning as much as he could on anything and everything. about his world under the sea and the world above. human, vampires, werewolves, witches, etc. he wanted to be ready for when he moved to the land above, it was always part of his plan. plus, he wanted to help his hybrid best friend as much as he could. 004. when he was younger, atlas’ favourite thing had always been writing and telling stories. he was always a creative person and enjoyed sharing all of his ideas. due to this, atlas was known for always thinking outside the box. 005. he ended up going through a hard time when eric was killed. it had been a day that he was asked to go watch the young boy, but he couldn’t do it. so eric’s parents moved their day around and stayed with him. atlas had finished his day early was was going to go surprise the boy and maybe offer to help out so the parents could do whatever else they could. however, when he arrived, he found the entire family had been murdered. atlas took it really hard and blamed himself. he even stopped talking for a couple of months. he spoke to NO ONE and the only person who could get some type of reaction out of him had been his best friend. 006. at the right age, atlas wasted no time in getting his ring so he could travel above land. he didn’t make the move just yet, cause he wasn’t fully ready to leave his family. but mars and him traded off on who was visiting who. he loved the land and wishes his family felt the same, but they loved the ocean too much. so he stayed for awhile longer before eventually making the move all together. though he does visit his family still. family is everything to the man. 007. he’s currently working at the gym as a swim  instructor, but he only does that while working on his book. everything is looking well for him, he already has publishers who want to work with him. he just needs to make a choice and small changes to his book that he feels he didn’t write correctly. he’s very excited about what’s to come.

C O N N E C T I O N S

BEST FRIEND. these two grew up together and have always been close. they’ve always seen each other as family and don’t keep secrets from one another. atlas knows he can tell mars anything and never be judged, just like she can do with him.   [ TAKEN ; marcelline ]

CLOSE FRIENDS. these would be the people he goes to that isn’t mars. probably someone who is a little more like him. at least in the sense where they are more kind and forgiving compared to most of the people in town. they could meet when atlas got to town and kind of just hit it off. or just sometime since he’s been around and just grew close kinda quickly. i just want him to have a couple of people he’s really close with.   [ 1/2 (could be down for three) ; tabitha ]

CO-WORKER. ever hear of a work wife/husband? that’s what this person is to atlas. they are very close and are always there to help each other. their other co-workers tease them about acting like a married couple at work, but it really is just a platonic friendship.   [ OPEN ; xx ]

EX GIRLFRIEND. i would really love one of those obvious jealous exes who broke up with their boyfriend due to him being so close to their best (girl) friend. so this person, whom atlas loved so much, really didn’t like how close atlas was to mars and grew tired of people making assumptions about him and mars. it eventually got to the point of them telling atlas to pick between them and his best friend. they didn’t realise how much atlas actually LOVED them. now, however, atlas can’t see them the same and they act very bitter toward each other.   [ OPEN ; xx ]

CRUSH. someone atlas has a bit of a crush on. they don’t need to return the feelings. this is just someone he really admires but never acts on his feelings because he doesn’t want to ruin their friend ship. *bonus points though if they do return his feelings and they are thinking the same way he is. that they are worried about ruining the friendship too.   [ OPEN ; xx ]

EX BOYFRIEND. they were friends first and things kind of just happened. it was one of those relationships that just made sense. however, after a few months, this person decided they just wanted to be friends. while it hurt atlas, he understood and agreed. yet since then, the two are just awkward around each other. atlas still has a soft spot for this person and wishes they could actually be friends again.   [ OPEN ; xx ] 

DISLIKE. atlas tried to get along with everyone, he really does. but this person just DOESN’T like him and atlas isn’t too upset about it. they rub him the wrong way anyways. or maybe it’s vice versa. . . atlas can’t stand them? they rub him the wrong way and he just CAN’T see past it.   [ OPEN ; xx ]

[plutoandpolaris]

how about number two for those experimenter Anti prompts? 👀👀👀

“Can’t you last any longer than this? The others did.”

(Tw: water torture, blood, wounds, Anti being a freaky bastard, mind break)

It was 18:00 exactly, 6 pm, down to the second as it clicked by on the softly glowing face of Anti’s watch. He pressed the small button on the side, starting the timer and watching with a disappointed sigh as Henrik floundered in the small tub of water, his head held under by his own brother, grip steely, eyes glazed over, unseeing.

Ten seconds went by, then fifteen, before Schneep began to violently thrash, running out of air. Anti stopped the timer with a frustrated huff.

“Pull him out.”

Jackie wrenched Schneep out by the hair, tossing him down onto the damp concrete at Anti’s feet.

“Fifteen and a half seconds. Pitiful!” Anti kneeled down beside the gasping doctor, slight satisfaction welling in his chest as the man stilled immediately in his presence.

“Is it something wrong with your lungs, dear doctor?”

His voice turned sickly sweet as he pulled back the damp fabric of the tissue-thin white shirt he had each of his little lab rats wear. All made of the exact same polyester blend and washed in the exact same solution every week for accuracy in future experiments, of course.

“Or are you just frailer than the others? You always were the delicate one. So sensitive, and small, and weak, and so, so disgustingly fragile.” Each word was accentuated with the tapping of Anti’s claws on the doctor’s ribs, the fourth and fifth to be exact, right over top of the heaving form of his battered lungs.

Henrik’s breath hitched violently as Anti ceased the tapping, instead opting to hold his palms flat over the doctors’ scarred chest, contemplative.

No, he wouldn’t shock him today. He was already damp, the water would mess with the data. He was getting impatient, sloppy.

Anti shifted his hands instead, leaning down, digging his nails into the soft skin around Henrik’s sides, right between every space of the false ribs, each tiny wound two millimeters in diameter, three millimeters deep. Slightly torn at the edges from the rough keratin of his claws. Should begin to scab in a day or two, might even scar.

“Can’t you last any longer than this? The others did.”

The chest heaved, slightly. Crying already, how pathetic.

“000, twenty-five seconds. 001, twenty. 002, thirty seconds. 004? Nearly a minute.”

His voice dropped to a whisper. “003. Fifteen and a half seconds.” There was a pause, a beat of silence, before Anti exploded, wrenching Schneep to the side and slamming him into the wall, his claws ripping shallow but long lacerations across Henrik’s torso, a grin splitting his face at the sickeningly dull smack of his victim’s skull on the hard stone.

“I have half a mind to hold you down there until your miserable, useless lungs burst! Cough up blood until you fucking drown in it!”

Schneep could barely hear him, holding his throbbing head in his hands, the air ringing shrilly around him, curled against the wall like a rabbit cowering from the jaws of a ravenous fox.

A deep breath, then another. Lacerations, bruises, god forbid a concussion. He’d planned for several more tests today, but the data would have to be changed for all of the new variables. He’d have to push back his schedule an entire week!

All of the work he’d done, every meticulous calculation, constantly soiled by his temper. It figures.

He ran a hand through his hair, casting a glance back at Jackie, still kneeled by the tub, staring off into the distance, perfectly still. At least one of his projects had been progressing as planned.

“Take him back to his room, put him in the leather restraints, not the metal ones. Buckle it halfway, no tighter.”

Jackie stood from his place next to the tub, not even acknowledging Anti as he wrenched his brother up by the arm, half leading half dragging him out the door and down the hall. Henrik continued to sob, occasionally imploring Jackie to let him go, but the other didn’t even look in his general direction.

To his room. Leather restraints. Halfway, no tighter.

“Please, Bruder! Bitte, bitte, hör nicht auf ihn, Jackie, please!”

To his room. Leather restraints. Halfway, no tighter.



To his room. Leather restraints. Halfway, no tighter.

(Hope I did your boy justice, Bee!)

Prompts

[spy-in-the-house]

WOODY McBRIDE aka DJ ESP

[ Communiqué Records | Experimental | Drop Bass Network | Generator Records | Synewave New York | Analog Records | Head In The Clouds | Sounds | Bush Records | Ovum Recordings | Kompute Musik | NovaMute UK | White Noise | Nocturbulous Records, Bismarck/ Minneapolis USA ]

Brief bio of a DJ: American Techno and Acid Icon DJ ESP aka Woody McBride is in the mix. With releases and remixes on Dave Clarke's White Noise, Josh Wink's Ovum, Eric Powell's Bush, Fat Boy Slim's Skint, Novamute, Acid Tracks, Drop Bass Network and dozens of other labels … keep readin’ more!

without the past … there’s no phuture … these alltime top50 faves in no particular order

01 THE ORB: Toxygene [ Island Records PR12 7432-1 US Promo-12” | 1997 + the whole rest of The Orb catalog! ] 02 APHEX TWIN [RICHARD DAVID JAMES ]: Didgeridoo _ Aboriginal Mix [ A-side from "Analog Bubblebath Vol 2" Rabbit City Records CUT-002 UK WL-12” | 1991 ] 03 WOODY McBRIDE: Onda [ A2-track from "ESPHS03" Xpdigiflex.rec ESPHS-003 FRA 12” | 2008 ] 04 HENRIK B [HENRIK GUSTAV BERNTSSON]: Untitled [ 3 tracks on "Stuntman EP" Corb CORB 1208 SWE 12” | 2000 ] 05 ESP WOODY McBRIDE ft. K JUSTIN J: Everything Under The Sun _ Original Mix [ A-side from Bush 2021 UK 12” | 2003 ] 06 DAVE TIPPER: Neuron Huskie [ Track 8 from "Broken Soul Jamboree" Tippermusic TIPP-004C US CD | 2010 ] 07 THE ADVENT [CISCO FERREIRA & COLIN McBEAN]: In Search [ A-side from "Motor EP" Kombination Research KR-008 UK 12” | 1999 ] 08 ESP [WOODY McBRIDE]: Low. [ Synewave SW-009 US 12” | 1995 ] 09 RICK JAMES: You And I [ A2-track from "Come Get It!" Gordy G7-981R1 US LP | 1978 ] 10 ESP WOODY McBRIDE: Huge [ A-side from "Huge / Stinger" Bush-2005 UK 12” | 2002 ] 11 SLIGHTLY STOOPID: Come Around [ C3-track from "Meanwhile...Back At The Lab" Stoopid Records SR-011LP US 2x12” | 2015 ] 12 ESSIT MUZIQUE [ERIK VAN DEN BROEK]: Essit Musique [ A-side from "Whoo Part Twoo" Dance Arena Productions DAP-005 NL 12” | 1994 ] 13 WOODY McBRIDE: 13 Drive _ DJ ESP Mix [ Communiqué US unreleased Track | 2016 ] 14 [RANDY] BACHMANN [C.F.] TURNER OVERDRIVE: You Aint Seen Nothing Yet [ Mercury 73622 US 7” | 1974 ] 15 JAY LUMEN [CSABA LUMNITZER]: Inside [ Footwork Audio FW008 HUN 12” | 2018 ] 16 WOODY McBRIDE: Tell it like It Is [ White Noise WHITE NOISE-002 EU 12” | 2008 ] 17 ZOMBIE ZOO [JOCHEN WESER & UWE TAUBERT]: Disco Shit [ Amused Records AMR-012 GER 12” | 2007 ] 18 40 THIEVES [COREY BLACK, JAY WILLIAMS, LAYNE FOX, SUSAN LANGAN, TRAVIS KIRSCHBAUM]: Don’t Turn It Off _ Brennen Green Mix [ A-side from "Don't Turn It Off" Chinatown Records SCIFI-004 US 12” | 2009 ] 19 SONIC BOOM [PETE KEMBER]: Ecstacy In Slow Motion [ A-side from "Drone Dream E.P." Sympathy For The Record Industry SFTRI-075 US 7” | 1993 ] 20 NICK CURLY: Cozumel [ B-side from "Azylum EP" Cécille Records CEC-019 GER 12” | 2011 ] 21 JUDAS PRIEST [JOHN PERRY, BRUNO STAPENHILL, JOHN PARTRIDGE, ALAN ATKINS]: The Helion/Electric Eye [ Song 1 from "Live 1988" CDr/Album, Unofficial Release YUG | undated ] 22 ROLLING STONES: Dance _Instrumental [ B-side from "If I Was A Dancer (Dance Pt. 2)" Rolling Stones Records DMD-253 US 12” | 1981 ] 23 ADAMSKI [ADAM TINLEY]: Liveanddirect [ MCA Records MCA-6454 US Album/LP | 1989 ] 24 RHYTHM & SOUND [MARK ERNESTUS & MORITZ VON OSWALD]: Collection [ Rhythm & Sound RSD-1 / Hard Wax GER CD | 2001 ] 25 DJ HYPE [KEVIN ELLIOT FORD]: Peace, Love & Unity [ A-side from "Peace Love & Unity / And Remember Folks" True Playaz TPR-001 UK 12” | 1996 ] 26 ENRICO SANGIULIANO: Moon Rocks [ Drumcode DC-160 SWE 12” | 2016 ]   27 DJ ESP WOODY McBRIDE: Put A Smile On Your Face (And Live Life Like There’s No Tomorrow) [ B1-track from "I Love Acid!" Aciiieeed!-003 GER 12” | 2005 ] 28 ALAN FITZPATRICK: For An Endless Night _ Jel Ford Remix [ A-side from Drumcode DC-140 ss-12” | 2015 ] 29 BLONDIE [CHRIS STEIN, DEBBIE HARRY, CLEM BURKE, JIMMY DESTRI]: Rapture _ Long Version [ A-side from "Rapture" Chrysalis CHS-025-PDJ US 12” | 1981 ] 30 DJ ESP WOODY McBRIDE: All Night Rager [ Communiqué US unreleased Track | undated ] 31 BRICK [AMBRIC BRIDGEFORTH JR., DONALD NEVINS, EDDIE IRONS, JIMMY "LORD" BROWN, RRAY RANSOM, REGI HARGIS]: Dazz [ A-side from "Dazz / Music Matic" Bang Records B-727 DISCO / Atlantic US 12” | 1976 ] 32 THE MAGICIAN  [STEPHEN FASANO] feat. YEARS & YEARS [Emre Turkmen, Michael Goldsworthy, Olly Alexander]: Sunlight [ Potion POT-001 NL 12” | 2014 ] 33 THE PROTOTYPES [CHRIS GARVEY & NICK WHITE]: Pale Blue Dot [ A-side from "Pale Blue Dot / Humanoid" Viper Recordings VPR-058V UK 12” | 2015 ] 34 BILLY STEWART [WILLIAM LARRY STEWART]: Summertime [ A-side from "Summertime / To Love To Love" Chess-1966 / MCA Records US 7” | 1966 ] 35 THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS [TIM & RICHARD BUTLER]: Dumb Waiters [ A-Side from "Dumb Waiters" CBS/Columbia CBS-A1166 UK 7”+ Flexi-disc-7" | 1981 ] 36 DJ ESP: Picnic In The Park [ A-side from "Genius Of Fun E.P." A3C0I3D Tracks AT-002 GER 12” | 2001 ] 37 BLUES BROTHERS [ JOHN BELUSHI & DAN AYKROYD]: Rubber Biscuit [ A-side from Atlantic-3564 US 7” | 1978 ] 38 BOMBINO [GOUMOUR ALMOCTAR]: Tar Hani (My Love) [ A2-song from "Agadez" Cumbancha Discovery CMB-LP-072 US Album/LP | 2011 ] 39 WOODS [G. LUCAS CRANE, JARVIS TAVENIERE, JEREMY EARL]: With Light And With Love [ Woodsist WOODSIST-072 US Album/LP | 2014 ] 40 RUN WESTY RUN [R.W.R.]: Run Westy Run [ B6-song from SST Records SST-199 US Album/LP | 1988 ] 41 BROTHERS JOHNSON [GEORGE & LOUIS JOHNSON]: Stomp! [ B-side from A&M Records SP-17111 US Promo-12” | 1980 ] 42 ALEXI DELANO: Love To Adria _ Woody McBride Mix [ A1-track from "V.A. Submissions 11" SubmissionsSUB-011 UK12” | 2006 ] 43 HECTOR LAVOE [HéCTOR JUAN PéREZ MARTíNEZ]: Periodico De Ayer [ A3-song from "De Ti Depende" Fania Records JM-00492 US Album/LP | 1976 ] 44 TECHNOTRONIC [THE PRO 24's] feat. FELLY: Pump Up The Jam _ Jam Edit Mix [ B2-track from ARS Records ARS-3740 BEL 12” | 1989 ] 45 NINE INCH NAILS [TRENT REZNOR & ATTICUS ROSS]: Everyday Is Exactly The Same [ Track 6 from "With Teeth" (NIN – HALO_19) Nothing Records B0004553-02 US CD | 2005 ] 46 JOHNNY VICIOUS [JOHN COLES]: Frozen Bass Vol 1 [ Vicious Muzik Records JV-002 US 12” | 1991 ] 47 ASH: Sunboogie [ Cellophan PHAN-L 001/ Linear GER 12” | 1998 ] 48 THE STREETS [MICHAEL GEOFFREY SKINNER]: Original Pirate Material [ Atlantic 93181-1 / Vice Records 93181-1 US 2x12” / Album | 2002 ] 49 MOVING FUSION [DAN SPARHAM & JEFF LANGTON]: Turbulance [ RAM Records RAMM-021 UK ss-12” | 1998 ] 50 ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN [IAN McCULLOCH, WILL SERGEANT, LES PATTINSON, PETE DE FREITAS]: Villiers Terrace [ B3-song from "Seven Seas 'Life At Brian's - Lean And Hungry'" Korova KOW 35T / WEA 249320-0 UK 12” | 1984 ] #woodymcbride #djesp #bookmarks: FACEBOOK | FB ARTIST | INSTAGRAM | WOODY McBRIDE | DJ ESP SOUNDCLOUD  |  BEATPORT  |  RA  |  RA-EXCHANGE  (podcast) YOUTUBE  |  COMMUNIQUÉ RECORDS | DROP BASS NETWORK

[doctordiscord123]

002. The Host/Dr.Iplier.

When I started shipping them: Oh I don’t know, I didn’t really walk into it shipping them? It was kinda like, I didn’t really get into the ego part of the fandom until WMW came out, and I read a bunch of fanfic and more or less was like ‘oh shit that’s cute as Hell’ and da duh duh my addiction was born

My thoughts: Absolutely beautiful ship, 10/10, I do love

What makes me happy about them: They are such Disaster Gays, Dr. Iplier may be an absolute bitchy bastard but he plays the caregiver role so beautifully and gently for the Host, it’s absolutely magical, and then the Host just writing poems and stories for his doctor warms my heart pure

What makes me sad about them: The fact that the Host has such a painful beginning in the first place, the whole relationship has its roots in trauma sort of, it’s just got a really sad start

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: This is just a general statement about writing the Host, but so many people use him and his narrations as a scapegoat for lazy writing, like they’ll take a descriptive paragraph and stick quotation marks around it and be like ‘Done! The Host’s part is fulfilled!’ and that pisses me off to no end. That, and people bouncing between first and third person in his dialogue, like he’ll start in third but then say ‘you’ two words later and it confuses and pisses me off 

Things I look for in fanfic: That cute cuddling kissy shit, Hell yeah

My wishlist: I don’t know what this means??? Honestly, the two bastards being domestic cute bastards with each other while simultaneously inconveniencing each other in petty ways is my shit, I’m happy with that

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Mmmmmmmmmmmm...I mean, I guess I’d be satisfied with Henrik for Dr. Iplier? And the Host is such reserved individual, I don’t who else he could possibly get close to like that? I love this ship too much to pair them with anyone else

My happily ever after for them: Getting married and being massive nerds together for the rest of eternity the end God bless

[mysticofthefallenrpg]

event 002: the days of the dead (please see plot drop 002 for further information)

whatever wish was made in the dark by hope mikaelson, the retaliation is all but instant.  no longer content with its previous small efforts toward its freedom, malivore unleashes legions upon the town of mystic falls in search of the knife that will help secure its release into the world.

slowly at first but with eventual shocking speed, the creatures flood the town and surround its buildings, searching them one by one for signs of the knife.  the largest groups of townspeople, those inside the salvatore school and the mystic falls hospital, organize a desperate resistance bolstered by the return of their powers.  only time will tell if it will be enough.

ooc notes: 

characters are trapped throughout the hospital and the school, divided into the following groups:

Mystic Falls Hospital

Group 1

   Avery Nichols

   Kayleigh Doyle

   Victor Kenner

   Alex Salvatore

  Davina Claire

Group 2

   Rowan Labonair

   Daisy Kenner

   Noelle Winston

   Rosalie Aumont

   Wesley Carter

Group 3

   Hayley Marshall-Kenner

   Tanner Anderson

   Landon Kirby

   Gabriel Kenner

   Lizzie Saltzman

Group 4

   Klaus Mikaelsson

   Wyatt Turner

   Tara Nichols

   Archer Thatcher

   Maya Anderson

Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted

Group 5

   Tyler Lockwood

   Skyla Ashford

   Alaric Saltzman

   Matthias Thatcher

Group 6

   Freya Mikaelson

   Kiera Nichols

   Jasper Winston

   Cora Anderson

   Tatia Petrova

Group 7

   Liv Parker

   Caroline Forbes

   Jo Laughlin

   Dex Vane

   Elena Gilbert

   Darcy Vane

Group 8

   Jackson Kenner

   Kol Mikaelson

   Nic Nichols

   Daniel Labonair

   Henrik Mikaelson

in terms of activity during the event, all characters must have one thread with a character in their own group.  they may have as many threads as they like with other characters in the same location, no matter what group they’re part of.

characters may not communicate across locations - cell towers have been taken down, and travel between the two is impossible.  for the moment, they’re stuck with the people in their own location.

starting from today through may 20, you can post threads for the event!   tag any starters for the event with #motfevents002 (please note the s, or your starter might get lumped in with old posts) we hope you enjoy our second event!  pre-existing threads may be continued as necessary  .  other  than that  ,  go  crazy and have fun!  

[septnautical]

Zara’s fingers flew across screens and keyboards, working furiously to keep the power down. She brought up file after file, erasing everything she could to keep the whole base distracted and frantic.

Deleting SD-004 control blueprints…

Deleting SE-002 experiment databank…

Deleting Hybrid Information Data….

Zara smiled to herself as she worked, focusing on destroying the files related to the boys. These evil bitches were gonna lose everything.

Jack stared up at his brothers as he tried to form words, “H-how… how did… how are you here? T-the white suits, the lava! A-Anti?!” HIs mind was reeling but his questions were halted by Jamie leaning over and putting a finger to his lip with a shaky smile.

“Deep breaths, Jack,” Schneep encouraged.

“A white suit helped us,” Chase explained. Jack’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“A- what? A white suit?!”

Jackie pushed closer to Jack his eyes alight with excitement, “Yeah! She’s really cool actually! She had like this machine that can make things out of nothing! She stored us on her ship and then made a way for us to get to you!”

Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly as he processed this, “Why… why would she do this?”

Chase leaned over and held the still unresponsive Marvin in his arms, “She didn’t want what happened to Marvin to happen to anyone else…” He said quietly, eyes sad.

Jack bit his lip, still skeptical. But, he had something more pressing to deal with.

“Do you know what happened to him?” Jack asked, taking Marvin’s hand and squeezing. Marvin didn’t even blink as the others shake their heads.

“He.. he contacted us through a radio to tell us he got captured. When we got to where they had him, we heard he was… that he was on his way to here. That’s when the white suit decided to help us,” Chase explained as he brushed back Marvin’s hair.

“The mask…” Henrik said as he drew in closer, “It is supposed to have a command chip or something in it. Like what they did to Anti. It must be keeping Marvin in this ‘Warper mode’….”

“Is that why his eyes are pink?” Jack blinked as the others nodded.

“This isn’t the first time he’s been all glow-y, pink and scary,” Jackie muttered, fiddling with the end of his hood, “But when he gets like this...he gets like violent and starts warping everywhere! He’s… he’s never been so still like this…”

Jack stayed quiet for a second before he grabbed Marvin and brought him closer to him. “I’m gonna try something…” He muttered as he drew Marvin’s face closer to his, making their foreheads touch, “Be prepared to catch us if we fall okay?” He doesn’t give his brothers any time to respond before he shuts his eyes and wills himself and Marvin asleep. Slowly, Marvin’s eyes slip shut as Jack feels himself pulled into dark blackness.

When Jack next opens his eyes, he knows he’s in his dreams, the same place he’s met Anti. But, this time it’s Marvin in front of him, floating almost lifelessly with the same pink glowing eyes. Jack gulps as he blinks next to Marvin in a flash of cyan light. He slowly brings up his hand and touches Marvin’s face, “Hey, Marv. Wake up!”

Marvin shakes his head as his eyes fade back to their original blue. He blinks rapidly before he rights himself and stares at Jack, mouth agape.

“J-Jack?!” He whispers breathlessly, yet his voice still echoes throughout the blackness, “What the hell?” He brings up his hands and touches Jack’s face as he blinks back tears, “Are you here? Like… really here?”

Jack gives him a wavering smile, “Yeah buddy, it’s me… What do you remember?”

Marvin looks confused for a second as he tries to think. Then his muscles tense up as his expression changes to fear.

“I-i… i remember panicking.. And hurting and being tired all the t-time. I-i was losing myself. Then.. w-white suits!” Marvin’s breathing begins to pick up as his eyes grew wider, “They found me.. They wanted me to stay a w-warper. To not be me! They they they…” Marvin grips his hands to his chest as he heaves, unable to breathe.

Jack shushes Marvin and cradles him in a hug, “Take a deep breath Marv. It’s gonna be okay… I’m gonna free you.”

The warper merman takes a shaky breath and whispers over Jack’s shoulder, “H-how?”

Jack smiles as he holds Marvin out, holding his shoulders, “I managed to learn a few tricks here.” His face falls to a serious expression as he studies his face. After a few seconds, Jack takes his hands and place them on Marvin’s face. One hand on his temple, where his warper chip is, the other on the side of his face where the mask is currently embedded in his skin. Marvin’s breath hitches as he feels sparks of pain from the points.

Jack takes a shuddering breath, “Marvin..before i do this. I need you to promise me something.” Marvin cocks his head slightly, “Um okay, what is it?”

“When you wake up. The second you see any opening that leads outside, I need you to grab the others and warp out as soon as you get outside this tank,” Jack breathes, looking exhausted yet determined.

Marvin looks confused, “What.. what do you mean? I don’t..”

“You’ll understand in a second. Just trust me okay?”

Marvin slowly nods, “Okay Jack, i promise.”

Jack smiles warmly at Marvin, “Thank you.. Now.” His face falls and he bites his lip, “This… this is gonna hurt…”

Before Marvin has a chance to ask, Jack’s eyes turn cyan and start glowing. Suddenly, Marvin feels a strange pull where Jack has his hands before he feels white hot sparking pain. Marvin feels himself screaming as the entire space turns white.

There’s the sound of loud cracking as Marvin and Jack spring away from each other back in reality. Jack falls backwards, his eyes fading from cyan to normal as they roll up in the back of his head. Jamie manages to catch his head before he hits the ground.

Marvin flies backwards, into the arms of Jackie and Chase. His mask has a long deep crack down the center now and slowly Marvin blinks away the pink light from his eyes. He gazes out at everybody, but it doesn’t look like he’s really seeing anything. It takes a few more seconds for him to come to his senses and he blinks rapidly, eyes darting around to catch sight of his brother’s faces.

Jackie laughs and leans down to hug Marvin in a big tight bear hug, “You’re back!!”

The celebrating is cut short for a second as they all hear Jamie whimper as loud as he can, “Jack…!”

Chase helps lead Marvin over as the others crowd around Jack as he lays in Jamie’s lap. His skin is even paler than before, the dark purple bags under his eyes more pronounced. His breathing is labored and strained, his face twisted in pain. Jamie lightly pats Jack’s face, trying to wake up.

There’s a couple minutes of tense silence as the boys feel their hearts in their throats, watching Jack as he struggles to breathe. But finally, Jack’s eyes flutter open and he takes a second to focus before he breathes, “Did.. did it work?”

The boys all give shaky and nervous laughs. Jackie bites, “Don’t scare us like that man!”

Marvin pushes himself forward and stares at Jack like he’s a ghost. Slowly, he reaches out and touches Jack and bites back a sob as he realizes he’s actually there. Jack smiles weakly as he shakily takes Marvin’s hand, “H-hey Marv…”

Marvin’s eyes fill with tears and he whimpers around the mouthpiece in his mask. Marvin looks like he’s ready to crush jack in a hug, but Jackie stops him.

“Wait, let’s get this fucking thing off you!” He grabs both sides of the mask and tries to pull and Marvin’s eyes shut in pain and he whines through the mask. Schneep panics and pulls Jackie’s hands away, “stop Jackie! I do not think you can just pull it out!”

Marvin holds the sides of his face, feeling around the mask, chest starting to heave. Chase swims over and wraps his arms around his shoulders, trying to calm him down.

“Don’t worry Marv. I’m sure you guys will find a way to remove it outside of here,” Jack pipes up as he pulls himself into a sitting position. The boys all stare at him.

“You.. you make it sound like you’re not coming with us,” Jackie says softly, something akin to mounting horror spreading across his face. Jack hangs his head.

“I… i can’t,” He nearly whispers.

Jackie is suddenly yelling, “What do you mean you can’t?! Don’t you want out of here? Don’t you want to be with us?!”

“Of course i do!” Jack snaps back, then deflates, “But you guys don’t understand… The white suits… they won’t-”

“Fuck the white suits!” Jackie screams, “We’re taking you home!”

“Just shut up for a second!” Jack yells back, and Jackie gapes slightly as he drops down. Jack takes a shaky breath, “You guys have to leave without me. It’s the only way you’ll be safe…If i get out of here, they white suits… they’ll never stop hunting me down…. They’ll… they need me.”

Jackie is bristling with anger, “Did those fucking bastards brainwash you too?!” Chase gasps and hits him in the arm, “Jackie what the hell?”

Jack glares at Jackie, “You’re not hearing me Jackie! You guys are more important to me than anything! But the only way they’ll leave you alone is if i’m here! Or do you want to be killed?! Do you want to have a mask strapped to your face and lose yourself like Marvin almost did?! Do you want to become like Anti?!” Jack’s eyes flash cyan and the water around him stirs angrily as his voice rises. The boys all unconsciously scoot back, eyes wide. Jack’s stance deflates again as his head falls.

“Please…” His voice breaks, “Please just get out of here-”

Suddenly, the lights in the tank wink back to life and cast everything in an eerie green glow. The boys all stare at each other in horror.

“Z-zara!” Jamie whispers.

Jack is floating upwards, “Okay no more fucking around, you guys need to leave now! Get Marvin out of here and get him help!”

“We’re not leaving without you!” Jackie cries. Chase tugs on his hood as if he’s ready to tear them back towards the hatch Zara made for them but he freezes when he looks to the wall to see it had vanished.

“Oh fuck-”

A strange sound fills the area as hatch after hatch appear in the upper levels of the tank. White suits carrying statis guns and blasters filter in and start heading straight for the boys.

“SCATTER!!” Chase screams and the boys all scramble into different directions. Everyone except for Jackie though. He hunches back his shoulders and roars as loud as possible, sending a blast that sends a couple white suits swirling backwards. Chase looks back to see Jackie about to dive after one in blind rage but he doesn't seem to notice as another trains a blaster on him.

Chase screams and rushes to push Jackie out of the way. And he manages to, but not without getting hit himself. The blaster takes a chunk out of Chase’s shoulder and he yells in pain. Jackie cries out and hurries to grab Chase in his arms. Jackie starts to hyperventilate seeing Chase’s blood seep into the water. His eyes start to go black. Schneep tries to scamper over to try to calm Jackie down but he’s quickly grabbed by a white suit and yanked backwards.

Marvin is opening up his hands, trying everything he can to open a warp gate. But nothing works, the water doesn't even swirl. Jamie stays with him and tries to silently encourage him and warily watches above as the white suits close in.

Jack sees Chase get blasted and his body immediately fills with white hot rage. He feels that weird tug in his gut he knows is tied to his powers. He doesn’t fight it and lets the tug pull him under, rage fueling every inch of his body with renewed vigor. His eyes burn cyan and the water twists and turns in crazy currents, sending white suits and merboys alike spiraling. All the other creatures in the tank respond to the call as their eyes turn cyan too. The aggressive ones growl and start to attack the white suits, chomping and smashing anyone in their way. Smaller fish huddle into big groups and dive bomb and try to trap or blind the white suits.

A fellow stalker smashes into the white suits holding Schneep and he scrambles away and makes his way to Chase and Jackie. Chase is trying to hold on, gripping Jackie’s shoulders like its his only lifeline as he tries to whimper for Jackie to calm down. Jackie is trying to buck him off as he roars, eyes locked on white suits that try to draw near.

Bonesharks and Stalkers gather into a huge group, starting to smash the against the walls where it feels the hottest. They bang and bash all their weight against the wall, not caring if they injure themselves in the process. After barely even a minute, they manage to burst their way through, sending boiling hot water into the tank.

As soon as the way is open, Marvin’s head snaps up. He doesn’t know why but he has a voice screaming at him to grab everyone and run. Everyone but Jack. His eyes become rimmed with cyan light. He tries to argue with his head that no, he can’t leave Jack but his body is moving already, grabbing Jamie in his arms and surging forward to grab the others. Marvin can hardly think as the voice in his head screams for them to escape. He grabs Schneep in his other arm and grabs Chase and Jackie in his tails, not caring at Jackie clawing and screeching. Marvin immediately veers towards the hole as he hears the sounds of blasters and statis rifles fire towards them. Hoards of fish move in the way of the blasts that look like they will hit the boys.

Marvin pushes through the hole and into the boiling water and as soon as he touches it he feels the spark of his warp powers return. He concentrates and a shaky unstable warp gate starts to open, way too slow. Marvin hears the sounds of angry roars in the distance and he sees a familiar figure barreling towards them, readying a fireball. Anti! Marvin panics and wills the warp gate to open faster. As soon as he’s sure they can all fit, he surges through, barely dodging a fireball as it explodes where they just were.

The boys are all sent straight into the ground with a loud crash. Marvin shakily sits up and looks back through the gate as it starts to waver and dim.

He sees Jack turn back towards them through the puncture in the base as his eyes dim. He smiles sadly in their direction before he’s overrun and grabbed by white suits. They plunge a needle into his neck and Jack’s eyes roll back and he falls as the warp gate dissolves into foam.

[wynterst0rms]

002 - Complicated

Henrik sighed, cradling a glass of whiskey in one hand and a clipboard in the other. Chase had pulled through, and grew more conscious with every passing day. On top of that, Jack had written up a proper - but brief - medical history for him. While having the records made treatment easier, some of the contents were worrying.

Certain items, he had expected. The mild color blindness was something they all shared, and the healing bullet wound in his forehead was blatantly obvious to anyone with half a brain. It wasn’t the variance that had him worried either; every one of them had special medical needs.

But even with all the things he expected to find on the list, chronic depression and alcoholism came as a surprise. As if that wasn’t enough, alongside the medical records had come a note from Jackie. A transcript of the new Power Hour.

“It seems you and I have more in common than I thought.” Henrik murmured into his glass, taking a drink as he read through the brief summary for the third time. He sighed, reaching the final line.

Pending divorce, custody battle. Visitation rights. Two kids.

He glanced over at the sleeping man, taking in the bags under his eyes and the cap at his bedside. His bandages needed changed again, and the IV needed attention as well…

“I understand, buddy. It’s complicated, fighting against her, still loving her. Not seeing the children…” He set down both the clipboard and his now-empty whiskey glass, pausing a moment before resigning himself to work.

“I have been there, and it will get better. We will support you, and you will see them again. Maybe they meet their uncles, hmm? It would be interesting, children running around.”

Henrik chuckled, lost in thought. “If they are half as excitable as my own, then we are in trouble. I still remember when my son would run from front door to back, towel wrapped around his shoulders, he would yell, ‘I am Superman! Look, I am Superman!’”

Shaking his head, the doctor sighed. “… he was so young then. I wonder how old your children are. Are they young, full of adventure? Or broody, anxious teenagers like mein own?”

He finished dressing the wound in silence, nodding to himself as he finished. “Perhaps when you wake up, you will tell us. I will not have to wonder then.”

—–

And that makes two done in two days!

Not really proud of this one, but if I don’t post it today I never will. 400 words.

I might not be looking hard enough, but I rarely see anybody remember Schneep’s wife and kids. I imagine that relationship got complicated, especially with Tennis Instructor Rick in the mess as well.

I tried to stick to the prompt.

@septic-dr-schneep @antisepticeye-girl @lifewithoutcosette

[altarochkorset]

Hästen & Korset Discography

UPDATED 2023-06-07

001 altar of flies-‘how many times can we be born again?’ cd-r limited to 75 copies   002 altar of flies-‘as the years went on, that dream ended…’ cd-r limited to 76 copies 003 Fossils/altar of flies split cd-r First press 66 copies, second 34 copies 004 altar of flies-Trapped under water CS 20 copies 005 altar of flies-dead air, broken wings CS First press (red) 38 copies, second (blue) 25 copies, 3rd (green) 25 copies.   006 Afric Simone-Ramaya CS First press 40 copies, second 20 copies 007 Gitwars-Live at iDEAL fest (Stockholm/Fylkingen 06) onesided CS First press 64 copies, second 20 copies   008 Worms-melted CS 42 copies 009 Herrarnas-Best of nr.8 onesided CS 79 copies, cd-r 20 copies                                 010 f. Kr.-Gudförmörkelse onesided CS First press 17 copies, cd-r 50 copies 011 Johan Rohbau/altar of flies split C60 50 copies 012 altar of flies-Ljud från Mjölby… C24 55 copies, second press 40 copies 013 M. Frisk-En dag i väntan på livet C34 50 copies 014 altar of flies-Songs from tapes (compilation) cd-r 30 copies 015 altar of flies/WORMS split C60 limited to 23 copies (Made for the first altar of flies live show at Fylkingen 2007) 016 altar of flies & M. Frisk-Collaboration (Made for  the Fylkingen show 2007) cd-r limited to 40 copies 017altar of flies & Josh Lay/collaboration onesided C60 (USA edition on Husk) limited to 100 copies 018 altar of flies-'the creeping unknown’ + bonus 2xC60 limited to 8 copies, 'the creeping unknown’ C50 + Badge, second press 70 copies 019 altar of flies …hate this city/Stuck 7’ (daisy cutter records test copy) limited to 2 copies 020 altar of flies-Taste the blood cd-r 50 copies 021 Optic Nest/altar of flies split C20 55 copies, second 40 copies 022 Black River Error Band-Metal skeletons C19 40 copies 023 Optic Nest/Joachim Nordwall/Black River Error Band/Jean-Louis Huhta split 2xC20 BOX Special release for the Norberg Festival 2008, 30 copies 024 SNAKE WORSHIP series VOL.1 C20 Only sold at the Kolsyrefabriken show 2008. 5-6 copies? Side A. 8 Dec 2008, Side B. Black Tunnels part 1 (outtake with different ending). SNAKE WORSHIP (recorded to a comp on 88 m.m early 2007, unreleased until now). 025 V.A-Sink Or Swim C70 100 copies 026 Henrik Rylander-“Sluggish Detonations” C61 75 copies 027 Kraus-“Lamentations of an Ape” C25 75 copies 028 V.A-Kolsyrefabriken December 19, 2008. cd-r 20 copies (Lo-Fi live document with Jean-Louis Huhta, altar of flies, Time Deleters, Optic Nest, Audio Laboratory) 029 Time Deleters-“From The Night Zone” C20 60 copies 030 altar of flies-Kill the lights C30 (re-press of an cassette originally released as ESR 073 ) 40 copies 031 Mattias Gustafsson-“KÖTT” CS 16 copies for the Utmarken gig. 032 Agent Side Grinder-The Transatlantic Tape Project C35 80 copies 033 WORD WOOD SALAD/Mattias Gustafsson split C74 68 copies 034 altar of flies T-SHIRT (51 shirts made) 035 Black River Cranium Band-Temporal Fenestra C12 30 copies 036 Joachim Nordwall-THE SKULL TRANSMITTER C30 109 copies 037 “Magnetic Meltdown” (SPHYNXS/Altar Of Flies/Optic Nest/TIME DELETERS) C30  35 copies 038 altar of flies “TOUR TAPE MARS 2010” C30 35 copies, second 20 copies in box with bonus C10 039 Altar Of Flies-Cenotaphs 7" 105 copies

040 Black River Pregnant Band-ULTRALJUD C32 92 copies

041 Jean-Louis Huhta/MUSIQUE DÓRDINATEUR C34 80 copies

042 M.G.-STALKER ELEKTRONIKS C30 135 copies

043 Darksmith/Altar Of Flies split 7" 100 copies, clear vinyl

044 Tour tape II C30 36 copies (made for the “Swedish Energies” festival in Brooklyn, NYC 2011.)

045 altar of flies-“Let new life rise in the face of death” CD digipack 300 copies

046 Tapeworks Volume I C30 145 copies

047 V.A Tapeworks VOLUME II C40 192 copies

048 Henrik Rylander-The Horror C30 93 copies

049 Tapeworks Volume III C30 133 copies

050 Preggy Peggy & The Lazy Babymakers-A dead man has freedom & all he can do is shit in his coffin C46 70 copies

051 V.A Tapeworks Volume IV C36 156 copies

052 Ornaments-Fall C60 71 copies

053 Altar Of Flies-Auditory Hallucinations C30 163 copies

054 V.A Tapeworks Volume VI C62 149 copies

055 Altar Of Flies/Mirrors Are Black split LP 2 copies (H&K test press edition)  

056 Altar Of Flies “Svartåns mörka vatten rinner genom mina vener” t-shirt 51 copies

057 TAPEWORKS VOLUME V CS 155 copies

058 Cryme Cryme – It’s All Cold 7″ Hästen & Korset 100 copies

059 TAPEWORKS VOLUME VII (Landmusik) CS 128 copies

060 Altar Of Flies-Rabbit Hole CS 119 copies &  LP (H&K test press edition 1 copy)

061 TAPEWORKS VOLUME VIII 118 copies

062 Piano & Tapeworks 2017-2020 Boxset tape/cd-r/artworks 59 copies

062  Piano & Tapeworks 2017-2020 CS (regular tape edition) 75 copies

063 Artworks 2010-2020 (Book, C20 + cd-r) 7 copies

064 altar of flies-inblick C40/onesided edition 56 C40 light blue, 20 C90, 10 C40 dark blue

065 Altar Of flies-Överblick C40, Art edtiion 32 copies, 20 regular. 

066 Altar Of Flies-Bortom Reven test press edition LP/CS/reel-to-reel loop/Cassette loop/artworks/box 5 copies 

066 Altar Of Flies-Bortom Reven (Epilog) CS 49 copies

067 Altar Of Flies-Female CS 92 copies

068 TAPEWORKS VOLUME IX 104 copies

069 Mattias Gustafsson-Piano & Tapeworks volume II CS box 70 copies, 45 copies second edition. 

070 TAPEWORKS VOLUME X C90 153 copies

071 Barstool Mountain - I (closing time) CS 112 copies

072 Barstool Mountain II - (Memory Eraser) CS box 111 copies

073 Mattias Gustafsson-Seven Movements 2 x CS box 60 copies

074 Mattias Gustafsson-”Nedbrytningen” CS box 52 copies

075 nya metoder CS box 15 copies

[erikamadsen-archive]

MOODBOARD - 002

Erika Madsen --> Henrik Mikaelson 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIKKI!!!!! @eterncllynever