#Failure to protect

[bonefall]

wait, two children? leopardpelt had a sibling??

Yeah! Carpwhisker isn't SUPER important, but she is here now.

[ID: An anxious looking, brown, spotted cat with a white belly and green eyes.]

She is a kit save because I needed her genetics around for the RiverClan Family Tree, she is the mother of Duskfur, Voletooth, and an apprentice who dies during TNP, Splashpaw.

But most importantly, she was added because I'm telling a very different story with Leopardfur. I am very frustrated by how canon decided that a large motivating part of her villain arc is... being spoiled by her dad for being an only child with a dead mom.

So there's been some real big changes to Leopard's family.

Brightsky isn't dead. She left to become a kittypet, but gave half of her litter to Mudfur.

Brightsky and Mudfur used to be very united in their criticism of Clan culture, and the path it was taking. Brightsky decided that there was no fixing it, and it was better to get away from it completely.

She begged Mudfur to come too... but he couldn't. He couldn't leave his life and legacy behind. But he asked to keep his children-- no one knows what happens to kittypet kittens when they become too old.

She wanted at least two of them to have a peaceful life. Water and Oat stayed with her. Leopard and Carp went home.

Carp was probably sent back, in particular, because she has a family resemblance to her famous ancestor Volestar. Successor of Darkstar, creator of the Queen's Rights.

And on that note, only Hailstar was told the truth about Brightsky. Him and Mudfur agreed that the official story would always be that Brightsky had died trying to escape kittypets, but that Mudfur had been able to save his kittens.

If Mudfur had known what would happen to Leopardkit, if he could glimpse into the monster that she would become, he would have left both of them there, in that warm nest beside their mother.

Carpwhisker is not an ambitious person, and honestly a bit of a coward. She's easily walked over and on the quiet side, not the sort of person who will jump to the defense of a friend, even if she wants to. She used to like Aftergatherings, but stopped when Leopardfur told her it made her look disloyal.

She helps out in the nursery, and is one of the reliable members of the Construction Patrol. Her political profile leans heavily towards Fire Alone, but she was not trusted to be a TigerClan rebel because it was known she was rather meek.

What DID she do during TigerClan? Well, actually, it was HER idea to create a mud facade so the Bonehill wouldn't be solid bone, and reduce their workload by a lot!! And then Tigerstar decided it was his idea. ah.

[scribz-ag24]

Grovyle's got some emotional baggage to work through.

[bread-wizards]

Love Laudna wanting Orym to be the one to cut her down if need be because she feels he can make hard choices, and Travis like "uh hello? What about Chetney? You want to put Orym through that anguish? I am right here" like damn, he right tho

[piracytheorist]

Yor worrying that her disappearing because of her job would mean she betrayed the Forgers vs Yor realizing that the risk is worth protecting them.

Grey colours, the Forgers as she first met them having their backs at her with empty, disappointed faces, vs bright, warm colours, the Forgers as she now knows them facing her directly and smiling at her.

She starts the story feeling like an outcast, fearing that no-one, not even her brother, will accept her as she is. That people will turn their back on her, and her life will continue being colourless and lonely.

Then her life fills with colour, with people who will face her head-on and accept her. She develops into confidence that the Forgers care for her and is reminded that even if she ever has to leave because of her job, the knowledge that she protects innocent people...

and that this work of hers will be acknowledged...

... is enough to give her the strength to carry on.

[ask-cloverfield]

Wonder if part of the reason he was so awed by this body, was like because when the kid he fumbled saving gave him a physical form, the kid directly based it off what he saw as an ideal hero.

Rution probably needed that

[danmeichael]

shen jiu keeps walking into situations where the dm says "are you sure about that?" and replying "yes" and then juuuuuust scraping past the dc of the interaction.

[writer-room]

Hey. The Finders have no idea that Bonzle was captured. Fritz and Spitz are still waiting, playing video games in the Monastery, for Cole to bring their sister out of hiding now that the blood moon is over. Geo is still sitting by the window, watching and waiting for a dragon on the horizon to return his kid safe and sound. Cole took a very unsure Bonzle, assured them all everything would be okay, and they'd be back soon. He promised he'd find a way to protect her.

Don't think about how they'll smile when Cole finally trudges back, happy to know he's okay. Especially don't think about the Finders stopping, looking out over the group, and how Cole can't look them in the eyes when they turn to him and ask; where's Bonzle?

[boxesblr]

Rotating Etho's choice to protect his allies in my mind. Obviously they made incredible escapes and held their own but Etho also refusing to sell out Cleo and Grian meant that nearly everyone else died, some died multiple times, most lost additional hearts, hurt alliances (Scott: Gem has no band loyalty!), and did not gain something like 120 hearts total

Meanwhile, Cleo and Grian get to feel secure in their alliance, not go red, and actually finish their tasks. The playing field has obviously been levelled significantly and they still suffered, but Etho facilitated his alliance gaining the most where everyone else lost the most

Obviously it's a display his loyalty first and foremost but he also played the game, ran the numbers, and counted himself out of success knowing it would be diminishing returns to go after them and I just think that's neat

[kagoutiss]

rly rough sketchies…..ft impa

[quietwingsinthesky]

Dean is such a paradox for me because on the one hand, I have been actively triggered by him in the show, there are moments where, intentionally or not, the writers managed to create a portrayal of manipulation and abuse and control issues that it sets off actual alarms for me. And on the other hand, I would not have him any other way. There is something — not comforting, that’s too soft a word — about knowing where Dean’s actions stem from, having seen and learned all that we do about his childhood neglect and parentification and the trauma he goes through repeatedly in the show, and that he doesn’t come out clean. He comes out a goddamn mess who ends up hurting the people around him in reaction to his own pain!

There’s a reality there that’s. Almost nice, actually. Distressing to watch, but it is a fucking mess, it’s a good mess! He’s got zero healthy coping skills and a healthy relationship with say, his brother, is terrifying because it leaves him open to abandonment!

I’m not sure I’m wording this correctly. There is a way to be a good abuse victim. Take the pain, martyr yourself on it, and then, even if you have no support or idea how to, then you have to become a Good Person who never hurts anyone the way you have been learning to your entire life. Simply toss everything that shaped you out the door and emerge a saint with a tragic backstory. And Dean is not that. And that’s so fucking good. Everything that he has gone through continues to effect the way he treats the people around him, and he can’t fight the behaviors he might recognize as harmful because he also sees them as protecting him (or protecting Sam by keeping Sam with him.)

And sometimes, idk. It feels good to see a guy who didn’t heal the “right way.” Who mostly didn’t heal at all, just keeps the wound open because it’s easier that way.

[fjordfolk]

i also think "police dogs are tools of police brutality" and "dogs are animals without ideas of ethics or morals that are acting according to their training" and "putting them in situations where they cause and/or sustain harm is also a welfare issue in addition to a human rights one" and also "maybe we have come to a point where sharp work for police dogs is no longer societally acceptable from either angle" is not an unnatural train of thought

[shower-phantom-ideas]

You guys just don’t understand

You can’t even begin to grasp the amount of pranks Danny could pull on super heros (is that one words? Superheros?)

Added a read more because I hate long posts

Danny as a ghost is so powerful. Like our boy can walk through walls, disappear, and fly! Do you even grasp how much more unique he is than the others guys??

Jokes aside just imagine if you will. Danny could leave batburger cups next to Batman all the time (he comes back later to toss em out of Big ol B doesn’t)

Like hell we talk about Danny just showing up basically stalking the heros but ok hear me out. He didn’t mean to figure out Batmans identity ok but he was in the right place at the right time and over heard some stuff. Now he follows Bruce Wayne around instead. Always spitting out if a batburger cup. Maybe Bruce makes eye contact with him and one time Danny just leans his drink out to as one does to offer a sip xD the man is horrified.

For the ?Robins? The other bats maybe he leaves gifts of sorts. Stuff they would like made from his ice or something. He can understand becoming a hero young and most (if not all) of them did that. He plays favourites with the younger Heros for sure. But hes still making them have there “God?? Is that you” moments like everyone else.

Hell he could follow Superman around and always make his cape flow against the wind and the Hero wouldn’t know wtf is going on. Maybe Superman hears a very slight snickering maybe but the prank is harmless enough so why worry too much. I mean it’s probably bad someone can do this without getting detected till they give themselves away by laughing but nothing harmful yet. (Yet would emphasise Batman)

I don’t know anything about GreenArrow but I assume he uses a bow and arrow so I could imagine Danny grabbing his arrows and making them fly in crazy wild paths before hitting their mark.

Idk honestly how he would fuck with GreenLatern besides like using his ghost powers to try and one up his ring. Like Lantern makes a shield? Danny makes a better one next to it or in front of it. Tbh it’s actually helping Danny get better at his powers so he does this a lot rip Hal (I did not know he was played by Ryan Reynolds maybe ill watch the newer movie)

He refuses to mess with Wonder Woman because the Phandom has told me she is his fav thus he refuses to prank her. He respects her too much and is a huge enough fan that hes too nervous to even approach. Thus she thinks she is this pranksters least favourite since she is never bothered.

Aqua-man (thx for the correction siri) is pretty fun to prank because Danny can follow the man underwater. Idk anything about science of it but imagine Danny like making a space he can talk in with his ice powers (making a bubble of sorts) to make spooky noises at ?Arthur? (R we seriously going with Arthur in this one?) like I assume without actual fish related powers, or with them I havent seen any thing aquaman, you can’t talk underwater. But also if Danny figures out his real name hes 100% gonna be playing the Hey Arthur theme at this man all the time.

He just lowkey overshadows cyborg. Not in a controlling way but just along for the ride kinda way. He was gonna make remarks about his tech but ended up being stunned by how good it is. “Fam I aint gonna lie. I came here to follow you around and make comments like a streamer but your tech is crazy cool. I mean you could have saved a little room with a more compact cooling unit but I mean this is probably some of the best stuff I have seen outside my family!” Or something idk. Maybe he goes full on antman in coldwar

As for the Flash thats pretty simple. He doesn’t let the Flash run from him. I don’t think Danny could keep up with the Flash at all. Like man cants have everyones powers (can’t he tho) but he just hangs on and pretends to have followed. I mean hes invisible the whole time so not like anyone can see lmao though if (idk who the flash is? So ill use Barry cause thats why google say) if Barry goes too fast he might get Danny to give up the game cause boy is on the side vomiting. Barry is pretty smug about probably being the first to throw the prankster for a loop but Danny is just on the side like “how can you go that fast and not be sick dude”

Like tbh I was gonna just make a list of pranks he pulls on Batman but yall seem to enjoy the Justice League so here go off I guess.

Honestly I had to charge my phone so I forget a lot of the post rip this kne

[carefulfears]

we've both talked about how scully isn't jealous fire. what differences do you see between protective scully vs jealous scully?

yeah to me the main difference is that one is more external and the other internal. she gets very emotional when she’s jealous. in episodes like alpha (literally sitting that woman down and going “i’m watching you.” cracks me tf up. Dana nobody is taking your man.) and war of the coprophages, it’s kind of angry. it’s louder, but still something very vulnerable and true to her (hater-ism). in episodes like the end, it’s heartbreak. that’s one of the very few episodes where i think she was purely jealous, and sad. she usually understands what’s going on and i think she knew as soon as she heard him call diana by her first name that something was going to change. i think it hurt her feelings, that specific display of connection, usually reserved for her.

when she’s jealous she retreats. she watches quietly. she cries alone in her car. she needs a moment to herself.

it’s when she’s protective that you can’t shake her for anything. one of my favorite images in fire is her standing in the doorway while mulder and phoebe meet with the arson specialist. i didn’t even notice she was there the first time i saw it. she wasn’t invited. she’s just keeping watch. later, she’s standing in the hallway. after that, she’s in his hotel room, and doesn’t leave when phoebe comes in. says “are you okay?” the moment they’re alone.

people write off her behavior in this one as being “jealous” because she has a lil crush and there’s another woman there, but i honestly find that dismissive. sometimes people discuss scully through such a wide lens, not taking into account who she is. she’s really surprised throughout the time that phoebe was there. it’s that soft edge that still shocks to cruelty, that she never really loses. it’s what shocks in the pilot when the doctor hits mulder twice. what shocks in the following episode when the government agents punch him on the side of the road. (look at you you’ve radicalized scully). it’s what makes her wary of jerry lamana, even before he stole mulder’s work.

but phoebe is so cruel, and so personal, and has so much history. it’s not jealousy that makes scully linger in doorways. it’s not jealousy that spawns that folie a deux. no one else understands. no one else can be trusted. (which i do kind of think started in fire, i’ve said before). she isn’t jealous that he startles when he hears this woman’s voice.

and i know that’s a lot on phoebe as an example, but it doesn’t stop. she doesn’t stop keeping watch. she doesn’t stop shocking to cruelty. she’ll get loud. she’ll make plans. she’ll surprise herself. and it doesn’t come with jealousy’s mortifying intimacy.

(don’t have much else to say but i found this from an old post of mine and wanted to share: “scully has that kind of protectiveness towards him that you have towards a child that hasn't been touched by the world yet. it's very 'the world is at least half terrible, though i keep this from my children.’ 'good bones' by maggie smith. scully in the beginning is like......there is something here that should have broken by now. and she wants to watch him be able to walk into every room with the most hopeful answer and a hand out to every stranger.”)

she shares him with the world only reluctantly, Etc etc

[laughhardrunfastbekindsblog]

Can we talk a bit about the fact that Hunter seemed to just forget about Crosshair's predicament after Eriadu happened?

Because I don't think for one second that it's because Hunter doesn't care about Crosshair - his only hang up to mounting a rescue mission was their lack of reinforcements (and that's par for the course, this has ALWAYS been his hang up about carrying out an op against Imperial facilities). I think Hunter, for all his calmly explaining to Omega that Tech is gone, is absolutely shattered by what happened. He lost Crosshair a long time ago, but at least that brother left the squad alive. Tech is now dead. And Hunter is NOT going to lose anyone else. Echo has decided to go off and do his own thing, but Wrecker and Omega are still counting on Hunter. So forget any more rescue ops. It's time to put being soldiers behind them, for good.

I get where Hunter is coming from, I completely sympathize with him and interpret this as another indicator of how hard of a blow Tech's fall was to him; but I do wish the show had delved just a little deeper into this, maybe by having someone give Hunter a little more pushback to his plan of retiring before freeing Crosshair. Something like "But... how are we going to rescue Crosshair? It's what Tech wanted." Something to make Hunter have to say out loud that he refuses to risk another member of the family. Something that makes it absolutely clear that Hunter took the loss of Tech so hard he can't even bring himself to entertain the idea of fulfilling the mission Tech died for, and instead decides that the best way to "not waste" Tech's sacrifice is to go into hiding to try to survive.

[bonefall]

Are you going to keep Goosefeather's curse? If so are you going to change anything about it? From my memory the book was... depressing.

It will probably get rolled into Pinestar's Crusade, building it up into an SE rather than just a novella. There's actually a lot going on in that specific moment, and it makes sense to go over it all at once.

So to answer your question, yes, most of Goosefeather's Curse is staying. Most of the Crusade Generation have depressing stories to tell. If the Thistle Period is defined by the fact that Thistle Law metastasized and went terminal, and if the Campaign Era was when it was newly born, then the Crusade Era was when it was first conceived.

I've been thinking about Pinestar's Crusade idly and mentioned it a few times, but here's my fragments so far;

PINESTAR'S CRUSADE (Fuses Pinestar's Choice and Goosefeather's Curse)

We start in the Crusade Era; there is now more focus on 3 major characters, though it's still built around Pinestar as the POV

Pinestar, Goosefeather, and eventually Pinepaw's apprentice Speckletail.

Pinepaw is born into the start of the Crusades, a bloody period where the Clans are invading Chelford and brutalizing cats in the hopes of appeasing StarClan. He only begins to learn the full story of what happened in Darkstar's Commandment once he begins going to Gatherings as a warrior

The truth being that Oakstar came up with this idea because he couldn't take an L

But even as an apprentice, it becomes quickly apparent to him that what they're doing is evil. They were brutalizing kittypets who aren't trained to fight back.

During his first raid as an apprentice, he allows a ginger-and-white mother and her kittens to escape

This came back years later, when that queen, Crystal, forms BloodClan in response to the Crusades.

Pineheart watches Oakstar die barely a year later to the queen he saved, using early claw extenders to cut right through him. Even if he hadn't been on his last life, it would have ended him.

But, Crystal lets Pineheart go, recognizing the Clan cat who had saved her life.

Watching his dad die along with several friends, and countless more innocent Chelford, plus being released by Crystal, is a Formative Moment.

Doestar continues the Crusades in the name of revenge for Oakstar, but now that BloodClan exists and is ARMED, the easy raids become bloodbaths.

They slowly peter out, not with a bang but with a whimper. She never announces an official end, eventually she just stops organizing them. No one gets closure, especially not Pineheart.

But the 'peace' doesn't last. Just before Heatherstar takes power from Smallstar and begins the Campaign to take the Mothermouth Moorland, ThunderClan deals with the Great Hunger

Pineheart and Goosefeather become very good friends, part of a little buddy group that also included Tawnyspots and Pheasantfeather (who will become One-eye later)

Pineheart was given his first apprentice, a rowdy little one and the niece of Doestar, Specklepaw. He's tasked with helping her fill the pawsteps of greatness she's destined to walk in.

Just like canon, Goose predicts the Great Hunger... though, he is an adult this time around because of some timeline changes.

And, like canon, it fails. They couldn't stockpile enough food to last an entire year of famine, a scorching summer and a frozen winter, they end up losing a huge stock of their food as if it was destiny.

Goosefeather was forced into a role he hates, given horrible visions of the future, and argues ferociously with Pineheart; if they hadn't tried to stockpile, they wouldn't have lost all that food to begin with.

It is in this moment, he comes to realize that every time he's fought back and used his visions like a warning, it's backfired.

So, perhaps, they are instruction.

But, meanwhile, Pineheart can't loose his apprentice or his friends. While others were hunting desperately, he was keeping cats alive through scouting for grubs, foraying into other territories, and...

Every bite of kittypet food he took for himself was a morsel in someone else's mouth. But this... this he kept quiet.

It started a "bad habit" he could never break.

Having lost the previous deputy to starvation and on her deathbed, Doestar nominates Pineheart to the position. He was shocked and upset by this, but he was the obvious choice.

Son of Oakstar, Hero of the Hunger, the cat who had kept Specklepaw alive when all the other kits and apprentices starved.

But, Pinestar took the helm to extreme controversy.

Everything Pinestar's ever done that worked was nonviolent. He's never seen battle do anything but bring harm, and the thought of leading people into war... it makes him feel sick.

But the rest of the Clan can't see what he sees. They yearn for the glory days (even though they were not glorious at all), itch to die for a cause, and leave this old, disgusting subsistence survival behind them. ThunderClan wants blood and Pinestar just wants peace.

Taking back Sunningrocks is an example of this. To avoid losing Clanmates, he proposed to Hailstar that they would have a Joust, instead.

ThunderClan's strongest against RiverClan's strongest. Adderfang vs Mudfur.

It didn't go well.

The problem with those sorts of situations is you have to abide by the deal. RiverClan took Sunningrocks for 6 months. It was humiliating for ThunderClan.

Even the cats he'd saved from the famine were furious with him

The only things that DID seem to please the Clan was when he would throw them fully into battle. Such as Goosefeather's prophecy that WindClan's herbs needed to be destroyed...

Every time a situation like that happened, where Goosefeather would phrase things as a Holy Struggle, Pinestar was thrown right back to the Crusades

Terrified eyes, screeching, cats begging for mercy, his father dead at his paws and feeling horror and relief swirling

Sitting vigil for old friends killed in these horrible fights, like Moonflower, it made him feel like how he felt the day he buried Oakstar.

And the bile rose in his throat, remembering that Oakstar was not there at his Leadership Ceremony, damned to the Dark Forest.

A thought was born, here. What does StarClan truly want? What do they expect of him? If they will send the architect of the Crusades there...

What of a cat who stayed fed on human food and fed grubs to his Clanmates? Or a leader who never knows the right thing to do?

When Mumblefoot retired and Sunfall became deputy, the Clan seemed to love him more than Pinestar. He found himself just... sitting back, and allowing Sunfall to call the shots.

It was towards the end, when Leopardfoot proposed an Honor Siring. He was from a glorious legacy, she wanted kits... and on his end, he wanted the peace that raising kittens could bring.

The warmth of human dens was calling him, but perhaps the warmth of love for children could keep him home.

UNLIKE CANON; Nothing about Tigerkit was born evil.

There was no StarClan vision of Tigerstar; Goosefeather knew full well that Thistlestar was the Leader of Prophecy.

But Pinestar would never give Thistleclaw an apprentice in time. Nor would he ever give his own little son to a cat as vicious as him.

Goosefeather never hurt anyone... but Pinestar just needed a push.

Pinestar was already anxious, unhappy, clinging to the goodness that was his little kits. Even as two of them were lost to minor illnesses, shortly after receiving their names.

It wasn't a lie. It was just half of the truth.

"Pinestar... you have a choice to make. StarClan has given me a vision of blood and war, and Tigerkit will have a role to play in it."

He DID have a vision... of Thistlestar. Not Tigerkit. But that was enough for Pinestar, his fear and trauma took the helm from there.

He'd seen his friends, his apprentice, the kits who had been born and died in his rule, all of them turn into the monsters Clan Culture demanded

Nothing he did ever seemed to work, why would THIS moment be different?

How could he prevent Tigerkit from becoming like that too?! Was StarClan telling him to KILL his son??

Pinestar's never had a vision from StarClan. He doesn't have the aptitude like a Cleric... what he has is a nightmare, of Tigerkit growing so large he crushes the whole camp under his claws

After a week of agony, Pinestar unknowingly creates a prophecy of his own,

"Can only the death of a child break fate?"

Sensing he was close to victory, Goosefeather dipped his head, not denying his question.

And it's the last straw.

And that is the climax of Pinestar's Crusade. Broken from his experiences, every turn taken for peace causing him more pain, the idea that he might have to hurt his own son plaguing his mind, he makes the choice to leave.

It wasn't hard, he'd still had that old bad habit of taking bites of kittypet food, a couple friends on the other side. But what he doesn't know is that by leaving with his life... he prevents Sunstar from acquiring his own.

Sunstar had ONE single life, StarClan was not able to give him more with the previous leader still alive. For leaving his Clan, for unknowingly preventing the transfer of power, and for dismissing the Warrior Code, Pinestar is sent to the Dark Forest after his death.

He can choose to walk there, or spend time in the mortal plane as just a spirit, but StarClan offers him no place in the cosmos.

[pinkcreamypeach]

I wanna make a whole short story about younger Mario meeting a younger peach.

So I did 🥰

A quite young meeting

Here's the story

It was 7:30 PM, and a teenage boy was sitting by the concrete curb, leaning back slightly as he took heavy breaths. Blood trickled from his nose, and he looked battered with bruises and a black eye. His knuckles were raw and bruised, his clothes ragged and covered in dust. His Converse sneakers bore the marks of a recent confrontation. He had just been in an unfair fight against three older teens who had been harassing him and his brother, Luigi. Although he didn't exactly win, he fought long and hard, refusing to back down.

Mario was short and a bit chubby, and despite recently taking boxing lessons at the gym, it didn't seem to make much of a difference. His mother's constant feeding made it hard for the twins to say no to her home-cooked meals. Luigi had the blessing of a fast metabolism, but Mario wasn't as fortunate; losing weight was a challenge, no matter how hard he tried. Adding to his struggles were acne and the onset of puberty, which brought unwelcome facial hair. Mario hated everything about his 17 years of life—his body, his school, and the relentless challenges he faced.

Mario carefully wiped the blood from his nose, feeling the tears welling up and threatening to spill down his face. He quickly brushed them away and sniffled, but a few droplets of blood still landed on his shirt, leaving noticeable stains. Clenching his bruised knuckle tightly, he winced from the sharp pain it caused.

“CAZZO!!” He screamed out

Overwhelmed with frustration and resentment from constantly being picked on and bullied, Mario couldn't help but feel a deep sense of anger. A voice yelled from the nearby window, "People are trying to sleep here!" The shout served as a harsh reminder that he was just one person in a vast city, a vast world, and that his struggles weren't unique.

"Sorry!" Mario apologized through gritted teeth, his voice strained and sore. He could feel the damaged braces in his mouth and knew he'd need replacements. His father was going to be furious. Mario could try to explain what happened, but his mind circled back to the real question: why was he out here alone at night in Brooklyn? It wasn't the safest place after dark, like any other densely populated city. The myriad of smells, both pleasant and unpleasant, assaulted his senses.

He surveyed the bustling scene: cars, taxis, and even public buses still operating. Some vehicles sat parked, reserved spots to avoid being taken, while the relentless traffic made driving a nightmare. Walking seemed easier but came with its own set of challenges. His thoughts wandered, realizing he had to come up with yet another excuse. Despite the chaos, his phone, with its cracked screen, rang in his pocket, a small relief amidst the turmoil.

Mario took out his phone and noticed a missed call from "Weegee." Although he felt the urge to answer it, he decided against it and let it go to voicemail. He felt an overwhelming desire to throw his phone across the street but restrained himself, instead gripping it tightly as he scanned the empty sidewalk. His working eye was half-lidded, reflecting his tired expression. The absence of people on the sidewalk was peculiar but welcome, sparing him from any rude encounters or judgmental glares for not fitting the image of a super hot model from a Korean drama.

Mario sat there for a few minutes, dreading the inevitable return to his family's apartment where he would face a disappointed and angry father, a saddened mother, and a terrified, worried twin brother. He lingered, taking his time until something unexpected caught his eye.

Turning to his right, Mario found himself face-to-face with a young girl who had strikingly bright blue eyes. She was nearly at eye level with him and held a handkerchief adorned with peach patterns. She looked as though she had stepped out of a fairytale—her round, pointy ears, royal fancy dress, and big doe-like eyes were nothing short of enchanting.

“..You don't seem okay..I-i mean you look hurt…Wait let me..” she said nervously

As she reached out with the handkerchief to wipe Mario's nose, he was paralyzed with shock and surprise. His face turned bright red as she brought her hand closer to his bloody nose, and in his bewilderment, he stumbled and fell back onto the sidewalk. His eyes widened in shock, and he let out a groan from the impact.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! That was too forward ... Oh mushrooms," she exclaimed, clearly embarrassed, her ears drooping downwards.

"Are you ... a weeb? I mean, my brother is a weeb too, so no hate, but ..." Mario stammered, looking at her while struggling to straighten up. As the initial pain subsided, and the heat in his face began to cool down, he felt a bit more composed.

“What’s a weeb?” She tilts her head confused

“You don't know what a weeb is? I mean..eh..how old are you exactly?”

“Am sixteenth.”

"You don't know what a weeb is?" Mario asked, perplexed. He had always thought that girls his age liked anime because of the boys in them. But here was this random pretty girl, looking like she stepped out of a fantasy world, and she didn't know the word! This must be a dream, or maybe he got hit so hard he's in a coma... If it's a dream, he didn't want to wake up anytime soon.

Mario began explaining weeb culture and anime to her. As he talked, he felt himself relaxing, and he adjusted his posture to sit more upright. The pretty girl listened intently, her ears twitching with interest, and she smiled more and more as he spoke. When he finally finished, there was just one question left on his mind.

"So, pretty girl... I mean, you have a name, right?" he asked with a slight grin.

The girl paused as she got up, dusting her dress off “Oh where are my manners. Am princess peach, princess of the mushroom kingdom. Nice to meet you gentlemen.” bowed down as she held the ends of her dress as she bowed down.

“..eh.. nice to meet you principessa.. Actually. Yea heh.. that makes sense.” He chuckles to himself, getting up himself to bow down to the princess

“You can just call me Mario, La mia principessa.” It nearly fell forwards but kept his balance chuckling awkwardly to himself as Peach did the same. The two stood up straight at the same time, nearly bumping each other's foreheads. Getting even more nervous chuckles out of the young teens.

This was the first time a pretty girl actually gave him attention. I mean, he was considered a loser with issues with trying to be the bigger guy. Trying to be tough and not be a coward, the girls who would talk to him. Would use him and humiliate him.. But this girl. Well princess was different of course she was. Her appearance and attitude towards him showed she was actually talking to him out of free will. Made him blush and start to sweat, which isn't a good thing. He's been growing facial hair after all, and didn't wanna smell like trash. In Front of the only girl who enjoys talking to him.

“..Well it was nice talking to you Mario hehe. You made my day better..But I have to go”

She frowned a bit before going to walk away, he ran over and took her arm. Which got her attention, her turning back and him immediately letting go. Feeling like a weirdo..

"If you have to go... then can I see you every day?" Mario's voice quivered with desperation as he spoke.

The princess looked at him with sad eyes but managed a slow, comforting smile. She took his hand and gently placed her soft, baby pink handkerchief that smelled of vanilla and peaches.

"Unfortunately, no," she said sadly. "But I promise, someday we will meet again. Thank you for this amazing moment, Mario."

Peach let go of Mario's hand, and he stared at the cloth she had given him. When he looked up to say something, she was nowhere to be seen. He scanned the alleyways for a glimpse of her blondish-white hair, but to his disappointment, she had vanished. He would have called out her name, but it was too late. He might have thought he was hallucinating if not for the tangible proof in his palm—the princess's handkerchief, which he held close to his chest, cherishing it and protecting it from getting dirty.

Gazing up at the moon, he took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the cool night air before slowly exhaling. The moonlight cast a silvery glow on his face, highlighting the surprise in his widening eyes as his cheeks flushed a vibrant red.

"Santo cielo... I have a crush..." He whispered, the realization hitting him like a tidal wave, washing over him with a mix of wonder and disbelief.

He couldn't believe he was crushing on a girl he might never see again. It felt ludicrous and yet, his heart pounded so intensely that the pain from his bruises seemed to vanish. A smile spread across his face as her image dominated his thoughts. As he walked home, he knew that he had to keep her precious gift safe, holding onto the hope that their paths would cross again someday in the future.

//Here's some extra pictures of the two separately//

Mareach teenagers ♥️ 🩷

@bberetd @maceincognito @house-of-xiii @magnas27 @peaches2217