#Kalani's just a guy

[zz-chikorita]

If your characters were in the ABO universe, what would they each be? (Leon, Guzma, Plumeria, Kukui, Molayne, Kalani, any of the grunts?)

So... *sweats* um full disclosure, I'm not the biggest fan of ABO. I don't hate it or anything (I've read a few entertaining ones in my time), but I don't think I'd ever find myself writing one. That being said, this is all hypothetical for fun, so I don't actually have an issue with answering this question. However, when I look at my story, I can't help but think about how fundamentally conflicting the ABO system is with the concept of māhū, something that is mentioned and explored multiple times.

I'll talk more about all that below the cut, but I'll go ahead and leave the TLDR here with the answer to your question:

Alphas- Kukui, Plumeria, B.

Betas- Molayne, Kalani, Leon

Omegas- Guzma, A.

For those that are not familiar, māhū is an identity in indigenous Hawaiian culture that translates roughly to a gender that is "somewhere in between." Thus, the entire notion of gender and what makes a man a man and a woman a woman is far more fluid than, say, a traditional western interpretation. I say that this is fundamentally conflicting with ABO because the ABO system is, by design, rigid- all people are broken up into very specific categories based on both gender and sex. Also, although it is not depicted this way in every ABO au, an individual's free will can often be overtaken by instinctual/biologically driven impulse. Needless to say, this is extremely counter to many aspects of the story, but most importantly, one of its underlying themes about how people grow and change over time (for better OR worse) and that the world and relationships (whether they be romantic, platonic, familial, or whatever) are NOT black and white.

[sefusneezed]

Out of context oc memes to get me back into drawing now that I got TIME AGAIN ft. kalanis speech they give to their manufactorium workers before giving them a pizza party

[lobaznyuk]

the s*xual tension between me and the decision to watch the dance moms reunion

[peonyblossom]

i should make an au where kalani is a part of the endless summer crew and spends the whole time on la huerta geeking out about all the flora and fauna

[symliadoo]

love my boyband boys...

[sins-of-the-sea]

🥀Do you create bonds with mortals or avoid getting attached? { For all of them? Idk go off!! }

Questions for Immortals/Ancients

Captain Frascona sighs as he is the first to speak. "Both, I'm afraid. We may have sold our souls, but we are still human. It is not easy to keep ourselves wholly isolated from the world and avoid making any bonds with mortals. If we do, then we have to make efforts to keep it on an acquaintance level, or sever the friendship ahead of time when we feel that our secret is in any danger of being exposed."

"We would love to become attached; all of us came from parts of the world with a huge environmental emphasis on big families and loving communities. And while we are a crew of seven.... seven is not a big number. A house with a loving family will still need to open up to the rest of the world. We're not an island. We don't want to be. But we have to."

"It is more than just because we are immortal and must remain under a masquerade. We are the Seven Deadly Sins of the Sea. We made pacts with a devil in exchange for power. Our souls belong to him, and with that, our place in whatever afterlife awaits for us is forfeit. However, none of us considered that by giving him our souls, more of ourselves have been forfeit with them. That includes our place with humanity as a whole, as they are a part of God and the Universe, which our souls no longer are among."

"Not to mention the Master is a jealous and capricious being. With our souls bound to him, he is free and open to do whatever he wants with us as he so chooses, no questions asked. That includes releasing his anger upon anyone he feels is having more 'fealty' to them than we should for the Master. This can be a friend, lover, or a family member. The only reason the Captain, Giovanni, and Abena as a family, and Phoebus and Guy as brothers, are not destroyed is because they all are bound to the Master. But we have lost so many friends and loved ones if we try to be close for an extended length of time. Guangzhou is the biggest example of that."

"We don't want to risk exposing new people to the Master either. We're doing our best to keep our Crew of seven as just that: seven. The Master wants more souls, usually by us raiding them as his pirates. But as much as possible, we don't want him to obtain new thralls. Once someone takes an interest in making a pact with the Master, we have no power to dissuade that person or else we'll be severely punished. The best way right now to do this is to show everyone how unglamorous and horrifying it is to be bound to the Master."

"Not to mention we're just... horrible people. The Master constantly reminds us--and I mean constantly--on why we bound ourselves to him. If we become close to people, it has to be somewhat one-sided or surface-level, on the mortals' side. None of us seven are saints; we have committed atrocities for our Master for years. Some of us even did vile things long before we met the Master. If anyone knew what we did, then hearts will be broken--the mortal friends', and ours for having to cut ties. I mean, you people of the modern age make posts to shun and avoid folks for being terrible to other people, right? You'd rightfully do the same for us if you found out what we did."

"You have no idea how much we want, in all the entire world, to have close bonds with mortals. So, so very much. But we are in no position--ever--to have anything meaningful. We can't. We shouldn't. But the kindest of hearts sometimes see us through... and then we would be put into the hardest decisions to ever make. If anyone is strong enough... brave enough... to ever love us... and mean it... then either find the Devil's Eye before we do--and destroy it--or accept we cannot get close and move on. For their safety. And our punishment."

[wangxianficfinder]

Fic Finder

Dec 19th

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1. Hello! I'm looking for a fic post canon in which the Lan elders get tired of LWJ and WWX going like rabbits so they give a teaching position to WWX, it sounds a lot tame than how it sounds hahaha

WWX teaches arrays and uses creative ways to make time to be with LWJ. I remember a lot of original lan juniors, all with names and Sizhui appears a little bit later. I think the story actually starts from Jin Ling POV because he's angry the Lan juniors become too good at escaping traps

Thanks a lot for your help :) @lauyuu

FOUND! 🔒 A More Practical Approach by Elhana (T, 9k, WangXian, Canon Compliant, Teacher WWX, Humour, POV Multiple, Implied Sexual Content, when you just want to get frisky with your hot husband but your in-laws crave their peace and quiet, huge conflict of interest right there, WWX is resourceful, wuxia magic shenanigans, Post-Canon)

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2. Hello! Thank you all for the work y'all do <3

I've been looking for a fic called negative: shoot or smth similar with model wwx and lwj studying... smth to do with business law, iirc. wwx ends up modelling to make money but wants to study toxicology and I think there's a recurring OC by the name Tang Liwei who's a photographer. I've been trying to find the fic but I cannot seem to and idk if it's been set to private or deleted or if it's just me. Any help would be appreciated <3 @rue-cimon

2 appears to have been deleted. I clicked the link from an old subscription email and it came up error 404

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3. Hi, I'm sorry for bothering you with this request. Do you know of a wangxian fic were towards the climax of the story Jin Guangshan tries to assault Qin Su, but she knows that he's her father and stabs him. The entire fic wangxian and company know something is up with the Jin sect and are trying to prove it. Also, I think the wen sect still exists after the war and some of them are demonic cultivators who are working with Jin Guangshan? And I think earlier in the fic Jin Guangshan uses a demonic cultivation array to mess with the sect leaders durring a cultivation conference?

I thought I bookmarked it, but I went through them and wasn't able to find it. Thank you for listening.

FOUND? Back To The River (So Learn To Swim) by kalany (M, 83k, CSSR/WCZ/JFM/YZY, XuanLi, WangXian, Fix-it fic, self-reincarnation, autotransmigration, time travel adjacent Pregnancy, access to appropriate obstetrics care, Childbirth, Unplanned Pregnancy, Polyamory, Polygamy, survival sex, unwanted pregnancy ending in termination, on-page death of a child, Murder of a Child, non-explicit discussion of sexual assault, Sexual Coercion, brief glimpse of sexual assault, Canon-Typical Violence, Canon-Typical Sexism, background asexual JC, bisexual JFM, bisexual YZY, Bisexual CSSR, bisexual WCZ, Sect Heir JYLLZ) sounds like 'Back to the River (So Learn To Swim) by kalany. It's a time travel fic where Yu Ziyuan goes back in time.

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4. Hi i'm looking for a fic set post cloud recesses study arc. Wei wuxian returned to gusu to for individual study but he and Lan wanji haven't really spoken since he returned. This is all background for the fic. The main plot is centered around a nighthunt in which Lan Xichen takes wwx, lwj, jc and i think su she. They are their to restore a barrier of sorts that surround the town. The head of the town is a creep and is realised to be the reason for all the resentment trapped within the town. His new target was wei ying. Wei ying gets nose bleeds and has a ghastly encounter with a spirit while in the bath. I dont think it's finished but the last chapter ended with wei ying and lan wanji fending off the mayor guy- he falls off a railing i think. Idk why I didnt bookmark it but I can't find it for the life of me. I'm pretty sure I read it on ao3 but idk if it was posted anywhere else. Not sure if you'll be able to find it but thanks so much for your help!

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5. Hello:

First THANK YOU for finding fics its awesome that you help us that way;

Now there are 2 fics that I cannot remember well but

A- WY brings A-Juan to work he’s an office tech put him in a file cabinet LZ comes in and finds A-Juan then takes him to walk around while WY works and LXC and LQR buy stuff for him something like Gucci, Prada or another $$ stuff and a crib and more …

I know is pretty vague specially when there is a similar fic

B- this one has a lost A-Juan from LZ office and is found with WY antagonizing JC by making A-Juan press a button to mess with JC computer, WY send msg to come collect child because he is running out of red vines not sure

Thank you @bkpmystinen

5B)

FOUND? The Little Lost Piece... by Liebing (T, 4k, WangXian, Cute, LWJ dad, Business man, WWX is the IT support, LWJ is upper management, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Soft, child goes missing, Mild Peril, Happy Ending, Found Family, Modern AU)

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6. I am looking for a fic I read when I first got into this fandom. I cant remember much about it but Wei Wuxian is dead and Lan Wangji is angry at everyone who played a part (including his brother and uncle). What I remember the most is that he refuses to wear the Lan colors and starts wearing black and red, I think as both a synbel of love and grief, Everyone does eventual learn that Wei Wuxian was innocent and Lan Xichen tried to apologies to his brother but Wangji ignores him (I am pretty sure). Thank you @alyholmesz

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7. Could you help me find this fic? It’s one where lan wangji traveled back in time to during the sunshot campaign shortly After reviving his lashes as punishment and going to the burial mounds to find Wei wuxian but finding LAN shizui instead. Everyone around at the camp is confused on why lan wangji is acting strange and where the small child with him came from. @djalexdask

FOUND? Lan Yuan’s War by BurningTea (G, 196k, WIP, LWJ & LSZ, LXC & LWJ, WangXian, LWJ & WQ, Time Travel, Dad LWJ, Sunshot Campaign, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Rumours, Lots of rumours about LWJ, several people worry about LWJ, CQL Verse, Mental Health Issues, LWJ is very much not okay, Time travel has consequences, Sick LWJ)

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8. Hi! This is for fic finder. I dont remember much. It was canon divergent post war au i think. I dont know when but WWX and LWJ figure out their relationship and then gets enganged. JWY act as chaperone and bring a stick so everytime WWX and LWJ gets to close to each other, he use the stick to separate them and says that they need to get away to each other minimum as far as the stick that he hold. I think in one scene he give his stick to his diciple to chaperone them but that diciple is failed at the task. Thats all i can remember. Thanks @idontknowwhattowriteforusername

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9. Hi! So appreciate your recs!

Im looking for a fic where Wei Ying and Lan Zhan decide to dual cultivate before killing the Xuanwu of Slaughter and WY gets pregnant but nobody believes them.

I know that Wei Ying still gets thrown in the burial mounds and thinks he lost the baby but then he ends up having the baby (a-Yuan) and they have his 30 day event in a tent (I think) still around nightless city?

I know that he loses his core but because of the baby gets a new core too

FOUND! Impermanence, Transience, Permanence by Best Bepsy (BepsyGray) (E, 39k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Sunshot Campaign, Unplanned Pregnancy, Mpreg, Gore, Medical Procedures, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Assumed Miscarriage, Explicit Sexual Content, Cesarean Section, Childbirth, Golden Core Reveal, Impermanencia, Transitoriedad, Permanencia By Best Bepsy (BepsyGray) by VicoMejia73 (VicoMejia733))

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10. Hello! I’m trying to find a fic where Madam Yu and JFM lived and Madam Yu was specifically raising WWX to be a sort of bodyguard to Jiang Yanli and to follow her to Koi Tower after her marriage. And WWX felt a lot of guilt over it because he had fallen in love with LWJ and thus also wanted to get married and move to Cloud Recesses.

The specific thing I remember was a conversation between Madam Yu and JFM about WWX moving to Koi Toawer after Yanli’s marriage and another conversation with WWX, JYL, and JC talking about what WWX wants in life.

Both conversations happened at the end of the fix though, so I can’t recall the rest of the the plot, though presumably it was a Sunshot Campaign retelling.

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11. Hi! I’m trying to find a fic where Wei Wuxian has an OnlyFans and Lan Wangji finds out about it. Lan Wangji agonized over how to tell Wei Wuxian he has found it (I believe they are friends in the fic). Eventually they talk and Lan Wangji ends up helping with the OnlyFans (camera and lighting type help). Eventually Jin Zixun finds the account and sends it to WWX’s family members. That is all I remember. It was a multi chapter fic and it wasn’t very explicit at all. Thank you for all your help!! @kjwaikiki

FOUND? For a Good Time, Call by ScarlettStorm (E, 170k, WangXian, Modern AU, Getting Together, Pining, Porn, like in the writing and also as a plot point, onlyfans au, repressed LWJ, sex worker WWX, Minor Angst, major shenanigans, Background ChengQing, background NieLan, background XuanLi, Nonbinary NHS)

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12. Hello! I have lost a fic and would love help finding it again - it was a long form modern au where Wangji was kidnapped as a child and trained as a fighter for the Wens. He was kept in a cage where all he had was a picture book and his stuffed rabbit and he had a collar they put him in that he was terrified to remove cause they trained him to be super violent without it. Wei Ying played piano or guitar and it made Wangji come to him for help. Help me wangxianficrecs mods, you’re my only hope! @the-vaguely-shifting-void

FOUND? Across the street to another life by danegen (M, 99k, WangXian, Modern AU, unleashed au Family Fluff, Set in America, Hurt/Comfort, Past Child Abuse, Addiction, Crime, Amnesia, Ableist, Language, another fridged mother, POV Alternating, past wwx/ofc, past wwx/omc, Medium parent YZY, A-Yuan is wwx’s biological son, Musicians, Happy Ending)

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13. Hi! I'm looking for a wangxian fic but I don't remember it too well. Basically I remember that Cangse Sanren was still alive and she and Wei Wuxian were rogue cultivators. And Lan Wangji meets Wei Wuxian for the first during a night hunt I think. I'm pretty sure Wei Wuxian is bathing and then later everyone initially mistakes Wei Wuxian for a girl because he's used to wearing female clothes because of the way his mom raised him.

Thanks for helping!!

FOUND? 🧡 Resplendence by FrozenMarVel ( E, 187k, WIP, WangXian, CS Lives, Rouge cultivator WWX, Crossdressing, Canon Divergence, Fix-It of sorts, Fluff, Explicit smut)

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14. Hello! I'm looking for a fic where wangxian are sent back in time. They begin to change things for the better but as time passes lwjs core begins to weaken until he almost dies. The only other thing I really remember is that lwj was upset/uncomfortable around lxc and didn't really trust him. Thank you and hope you can help me find it!

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15. Hi, I really need help on that one fic in which WWX time travels temporarily to his Yiling Laozu self, back in the archery contest with the Jins, older WWX seduces LWJ and then they have sex in the forest, which was supposed to be the mystery kiss (WWX with his canon CNC kink and roping young LWJ with it) Younger WWX was aware and he was also there inside his body, but can feel everything. Later, older WWX leaves and gives advice that “If you want him to go harder, beg for him to have mercy on you” and “if you really want him to stop, go still”

Younger WWX pleaded for mercy (and he wanted it harder) and later get caught by Madam Jin, Jiang Yanli, and Jin Zixuan. His reputation was down the drain but at least he got the love of his life.

Like, he went from rapist to a smitten lover for WY.

Please please please, I knew I saved it but I can't find it anymore on my bookmarks.

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16. Hi so this is what I remember I think it's an alternate universe canon divergence wwx did not get adopted by Jiang and he's a prostitute he was given as a present to lwj but the person who gave it to lwj was kind of like mocking him and the person who was giving wwx to lwj was the horrible Jin cousin I can never remember his name because I can't be bothered because he's really irrelevant and it was a podfic as well I think it was a cold read or maybe not oh and wwx is not a cultivator and from what I remember there was only one chapter because the original work is still ongoing @constancebloodstone

FOUND? Gifted by Deastar (E, 7k, WIP, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Courtesan WWX, Sex Work, but not between the main characters, as in canon the real villain is sex work stigm, Supportive LQR, 🔒 [Podfic of] Gifted by AuntieIroh)

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17. I am going crazy trying to find a fic based off of a screenshot I have. It's one where Lwj is an author and hgj and yll are the characters in his book. The scene is wwx screaming that the characters don't end up together but they do in the last line of the book. @abijo2024-blog

Hey, thank you for looking for the fic I messaged about, sadly not the right fic but it's so close. I wonder if the fic was taken down that has the quote from the in fic novel "come back with me. Come home. Home. I thought you'd never ask" I have a screenshot of the fic scene where wwx is yelling at Lwj and Lwj shows him the last page with that quote.

NOT FOUND! when we’re full of stories to be told by fakeplasticlily (M, 45k, WangXian, Modern AU, journalist wwx, Writer LWJ, Kid Fic, Fluff and Angst, Childhood Friends, Pining, Mutual Pining, Mild Smut)

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18. Hello, thank you for your hard work! Could you please help with finding a fic that's about soulmates, where if I'm not mistaken you only know who they are when they die, and no one alse can see the soulmate's ghost. What I remember most clearly was that apart from WangXian, LXC and NMJ were also soulmates and LXC banished JGY from Cloud Recess because upon NMJ's death he learned of JGY's treachery. WWX helped calm NMJ who was full of resentment. Thank you so much!

FOUND? The Cruelty of Fate by Procrastination_Sensation (T, 9k, WangXian, Major Character Death, Canonical Character Death, Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Minor LXC/NMJ)

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19. Hi! I've been looking for a fic where I remember wei ying living with his parents in a nomad community(?), I don't remember why but qinghen-jun kidnaps him to give as a gift to lan zhan, I think it was his birthday(?) and therefore lives in the harem, that's what I clearly remember, in one chapter lan zhan gifts(?) or allows wei ying to go riding with him and that's all I know, it was the royalty type

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20. hello I’m looking for a fic read a while ago, I don’t remember much aside from it being an omegaverse, lan wangji an alpha and Wei Wuxi an an omega. It was set during their time in cloud recesses and I think Wei wuxian presented, and lan wangji went feral or his instincts made his go crazy and hover over him to protect him. Sorry it’s not much but it’s all I remember. @djalexdask

FOUND? Yiling Laozu Reincarnated: The Alpha's Soulmate by Luna_Klebsiella (Not Rated, 39k, WIP, WangXian, Reincarnation, Time Travel Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Alpha LWJ, Omega WWX, Alpha LXC, Alpha JC, Omega JYL, A/B/O Dynamics, Omega Verse, No Golden Core Transfer, Top LWJ/Bottom WWX, Smut, Anal Sex, Mpreg)

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[vaynoo]

❄️Supper❄️

A while ago, I decided for myself that I'd return to the Fandom at some point. I just didn't know when. 😭

After a long time of thinking, I've decided for myself to just stop thinking about it too much and go for it. So I'd like to introduce to you my two Rayman fan characters, Arvid and Kalani! I'll post a proper colored reference of the two I've made a long time ago very soon.💕

But otherwise... yeah! I am back! I'll see how I'll handle it, but I'll likely just enjoy my time posting artworks and stories about them.

It's a good way to switch up and occasionally recharge energy from drawing my usual OCs so much.✨️

I hope you guys enjoy this little drawing of Arvid serving Rayman, globox, murfy, and Kalani a delicious meal to keep the chills away.

I'm unsure if I'll finish it or not just yet, but for now, this will suffice💕

CHARACTERS: Kalani, Murfy, Rayman, Arvid, Globox

STORY: x 🌺🌥🌟

[jjmaybankswh0re]

𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 ~ 𝐎𝐁𝐗 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐂

Part 2!

Blurb ~ Kalani thought Midsummers was the hardest thing to shake, but the Pogues’ new adventure plunges them into deeper chaos. Sunken boats, cryptic messages, and John B’s quest for gold lead them to the eerie Crain house, a place steeped in dark legends. As tensions rise, especially with John B’s kiss with Kiara, secrets and dangers unravel.

The revelation that Ward Cameron is John B’s guardian shakes the group, but they press on, following a map to the Crain property. Amid creepy tales and an overgrown yard, Kalani takes a fall, and JJ’s unexpected concern sparks a new, unspoken connection between them. As the mystery deepens, so does the strange bond forming between them, unnoticed but undeniable. ~

Read part 1!

Master List

Word count: 10,011

I woke up groaning, my head pounding, the dull red glow of my digital clock screaming 7:34 AM. Way too early for someone who spent the night tangled in chaos. I rolled onto my back, staring at the ceiling, but the memories of last night wouldn’t let me rest. They played over and over, each one a knot in my stomach.

After ditching the suffocating Midsummers party—and good riddance—the Pogues and I headed to Rixon’s Cove. That’s where we belong, not at some Kook circus with crystal champagne glasses and fake smiles. Kie showed up, too, leaving behind her “perfect” world for the one that actually matters. We all just wanted to chill by the bonfire, forget everything for a bit. But, of course, John B had other plans.

He told us he’d made another discovery about his dad. Another one. Ever since Big John disappeared, John B’s been on a mission, collecting clues like his life depends on it. And maybe it does. His dad’s been gone nine months. Nine months of nothing—no calls, no sightings, just silence. Two months ago, the cops decided to close the case. Told him to sign the papers and declare his dad officially dead. He refused, obviously. Said he wasn’t going to let them write the final chapter when he wasn’t even sure the story was over.

For the longest time, I thought it was just his way of coping. Building theories, imagining his dad out there somewhere, alive. We all did. But last week, something happened. Something real.

It started right after Hurricane Agatha. We took the HMS Pogue out, exploring the marsh, and that’s when we saw it—a sunken boat. A Grady White. It was shiny, new, and way too expensive to be floating half-buried in the mud. Seeing it there, abandoned, gave me chills. It felt wrong, like a secret begging to be uncovered.

Curiosity got the better of us. Of course it did. We dove into the murky water, swimming down to see what secrets it held. John B stayed down the longest, and when he came back up, he wasn’t just holding his breath. He was holding a motel key. The kind with a plastic tag and a room number, straight out of some shady movie.

Not just any motel key either. It belonged to the one motel on the island, the kind of place people go when they don’t want to be found.

We thought about calling it in—reporting the boat to the Coast Guard—but when John B tried, they didn’t even let him talk. Told him to get lost. That’s when we decided to handle it ourselves. We went to the motel, figuring out which room the key opened. Me, JJ, and John B snuck in while Pope and Kiara covered for us. Inside was like something out of a crime novel. A safe with stacks of cash, a gun, and an aura that screamed don’t trust this. JJ claimed the gun immediately, of course. It’s JJ.

We didn’t have much time to process what we’d found before the cops showed up. And not just any cops— Shoupe and that other lady he is always with, the ones who seem more interested in us than in actual criminals. We barely made it out, slipping through the shadows and running like hell.

Later, we learned the boat belonged to Scooter Grubbs, a guy who had no business owning something as fancy as a Grady White. A dirtbag who always seemed broke but suddenly had cash to burn. And now, he was dead, found after the hurricane.

After the body of Scooter Grubbs was found floating in the marsh by a fisherman, everything shifted. The cops suddenly perked up, acting like they cared about what was going on out here on the Cut. They were out there now, combing the marsh, looking for the sunken boat we’d already found. But so far? Nothing.

It’s almost laughable, the way they stumble around trying to piece things together. We’d been there, seen it with our own eyes, touched the secrets buried beneath the surface. But we can’t say a word. Not now.

We went back to the marsh to find the sunken Grady White the cops were searching for. JJ convinced John B to steal scuba gear off Ward Cameron’s yacht, The Druthers. Since John B works for Ward, he could sneak it out without raising suspicion. Once we got to the wreck, John B dove down and returned with a duffel bag.

On the way back to the Chateau, we noticed a boat tailing us. At first, we thought it was nothing, but when they started shooting, panic set in. We pushed the HMS Pogue to its limit, speeding through the marsh, but they wouldn’t back off. Kiara saved us by throwing a fishing net into their propeller, giving us just enough time to escape.

Back at the Chateau, we opened the duffel bag, and out fell an old brass compass—John B’s dad’s compass. It felt like a gut punch. Why did Scooter Grubs, a random fisherman, have something so personal to Big John? John B showed us a hidden compartment in the compass with “Redfield” carved into it, written in his dad’s unmistakable handwriting. It wasn’t random. It was a clue.

A few days later, John B and JJ went to see Lana Grubs, Scooter’s widow, hoping for answers. When they arrived, the same men who’d chased us were tearing apart Lana’s house, demanding something Scooter had. After they left, John B and JJ found Lana in bad shape. When John B asked about the compass, her fear was palpable. She told him Scooter didn’t have the compass and warned him not to let anyone know he did.

John B made the connection between the name “Redfield” and his great-great-great-aunt, Olivia Redfield, whose tomb was hidden in an old graveyard on OBX. We followed him there, through a maze of crooked stones, to a weathered grave. John B found a crack in the stone tomb, climbed inside, and emerged with a small parcel addressed to him from his dad.

Inside the parcel was a voice recorder and a map of the coastline. John B clicked play, and his dad's voice crackled through the tiny speaker: "There she is, kid, the Royal Merchant."

The map had a black "X" marked near the lighthouse, a few miles off the coast. The Royal Merchant is one of the most famous shipwrecks in history—sank with $400 million worth of gold. And John B's dad had been part of the search for it. He found it. Not the gold, but the wreck itself.

Then last night, at Rixon's, John B dropped the bomb that he was meeting Sarah to get an old plat map from her. He’d found a letter from Denmark Tanny, and he explained that if we could get an original map of the island, we’d be able to find the location of the gold. But then he blindsided us with news about Sarah, and Kiara lost her cool—honestly, I couldn’t blame her. That whole mess got worse when we went to the Hawks Nest, where John B and Sarah had planned to meet up. He told us to stay back, wanted to do this on his own. Bad move.

Topper—drunk after Midsummers—decided to push John B off the top of the Hawks Nest. I heard Sarah scream for help, and we ran from the Twinkie, straight to her. John B was unconscious, laying on the grass, and out of nowhere, Sarah kissed him. It was like everything stopped for a second, and then we had to rush John B to the hospital.

Now, it’s 7:34 AM on Saturday, and I can’t shake the images of last night from my head. The chaos, the danger, and the way everything’s unravelling. I keep replaying it all, wondering how much longer we can keep this up before everything falls apart.

I could already feel the weight of the inevitable lecture coming my way from my parents after ditching Midsummers last night, so I had to get out of there before they even had a chance to wake up. I rolled out of bed. I grabbed a white halter top with a low V-neck that hugged my chest, then flared out loosely at the waist. It’s the kind of top that’s cute but still feels laid-back enough for my usual chaos. I pulled on a pair of distressed denim shorts in a dark wash, the kind that were perfectly worn-in and a little frayed at the edges. To finish it off, I slipped on my dirty, worn Converse high-tops—comfortable and a little beaten up, just like me.

I kept the jewellery from Midsummers on, each piece a reflection of a world I was born into—polished, perfect, and just a little too much.

I adjusted the gold necklace with the small sun pendant, feeling it rest against my collarbone like a quiet symbol of something I couldn't escape.

I reached for my perfume, Good Girl Blush Elixir by Carolina Herrera. It was my scent, the one that lingered with me long after I’d left a room. I spritzed it on my wrists, neck, and behind my ears, the soft floral notes a small comfort in the chaos of my thoughts.

Slipping my phone into the back pocket of my denim shorts, I glanced around my room one last time. With a sigh, I stepped out into the upstairs hallway, trying to shake off the lingering tension from the night before and whatever was coming next.

I slid into my car, the engine purring to life as I made my way to the chateau. I had no idea if John B was home, but JJ would probably be there. He usually was. His home life was a disaster—his dad Luke, a piece of work, always causing trouble—and so JJ spent most of his nights crashing on the pull-out sofa bed in the chateau's living room. It was his escape.

When I pulled up to the chateau, everything was eerily quiet. No music, no voices, just a hollow stillness hanging in the air. It felt off. John B always left the back porch door unlocked, so I figured I’d let myself in. I walked around the old, creaky shack to the back porch and made my way up the stairs. The door gave a protesting groan as I pushed it open slowly, peering inside.

The familiar sight of the kitchen and living room hit me. A chaotic mess—empty beer cans, fast food wrappers, half-smoked joints scattered about like confetti from some never-ending party. I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me with a soft click.

My eyes drifted to the living room, landing on the pull-out bed where JJ was sprawled out, deep in sleep. Told you. He was shirtless, his chest rising and falling gently as soft snores escaped his parted lips. His body was tangled in the sheets, half in, half out, like he hadn’t even bothered to get under them properly.

I reached over and tapped JJ lightly on the back. "JJ?" I said, my voice soft but insistent.

He groaned in response, shifting on the bed with a disgruntled frown as he rolled over, still half asleep.

"What?" His voice was thick with sleep, a little annoyed but nothing I hadn’t heard before.

I rolled my eyes, sitting down on the edge of the pull-out bed, careful not to get too close. "Where’s John B? Is he still at the hospital?" I asked, glancing at him while he kept his eyes shut, barely acknowledging me.

“Yeah, Sarah’s probably with him,” he muttered, throwing his arm over his eyes like he was trying to block out the world.

I hummed, a small frown on my face as I started absentmindedly fiddling with the rings on my fingers. "Kie was so pissed last night," I said, more to myself than to him.

“Mhm,” JJ mumbled, sounding like he was on the edge of falling back asleep. "John B’s in a lot of trouble."

I couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh, shaking my head. "Yeah, a lot. You think Topper caught them kissing up there or something?" I asked, half-curious but also just trying to distract myself from the mess of it all.

JJ gave a lazy nod. "Probably. I mean, Sarah is cheating on him," he said, like it was the obvious conclusion.

"Yeah, she is," I replied, my voice quiet as I processed it. I hadn’t even made the connection until now, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. “Well, John B is fucked,” I muttered, feeling the weight of it. He had no idea what kind of mess he was about to be in.

JJ sat up, dragging a hand down his face, his movements slow, almost reluctant. “You know, John B kissed Kiara a few days ago,” he muttered, like it was just another piece of gossip. But the way his gaze darted to the floor right after? That gave him away. He wasn’t supposed to tell me that.

I froze, staring at him as the words sank in. My jaw dropped, and before I could even think, the word was out of my mouth—loud, sharp, and disbelieving. “What?!”

JJ flinched when my voice shot through the air, his hand coming up defensively. “Jesus, Lani,” he muttered, shooting me a half-hearted glare before looking away. “Yeah, they kissed. But Kiara shut it down, told John B she didn’t like him like that.”

My jaw stayed slack as I tried to process it, the room feeling too small all of a sudden. Kiara shut it down. That sounded like her—always knowing exactly what she wanted, or in this case, what she didn’t want. But still... John B had kissed her?

I rolled my eyes, letting out a dry laugh that barely masked my disbelief. “So, in the last week, John B has kissed Kiara and Sarah?” I said, mostly to myself, the words dripping with sarcasm as I pieced it all together. “Lovely.”

“Yeah, but don’t tell anyone I told you that,” JJ said, pointing at me with a sharp look, his face uncharacteristically serious. “Seriously, Lani. If John B finds out I told you, or if Kiara finds out John B told me—” he shook his head for emphasis—“they’ll both kill me. And you too. So shut your mouth, got it?”

"Your secret’s safe with me, JJ," I said, the sarcasm dripping from my voice. But honestly, it was true. I wasn’t about to go telling anyone about this.

JJ nodded, a small, tired smile tugging at his lips, clearly relieved that I wasn’t going to spill the beans about John B and Kiara. He swung his legs off the side of the pull-out, stretching as he let out a loud yawn that echoed through the room. I barely had time to process it before my phone buzzed in my back pocket, the sudden vibration making me jump a little.

I pulled it out and saw the notification: a message from John B.

John B: Meet @ the wreck, now.

Kalani: You're alive? Thank God.

John B: Yeah, yeah. Just get your ass here, it’s important.

Kalani: K, omw.

I slid my phone back into my pocket and looked up at JJ, who was still sitting next to me, his expression expectant.

"John B just messaged," I said, "He wants us to meet him at the wreck."

JJ raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "What? Why?"

I shrugged and made a half-hearted "I don't know" sound, then got to my feet. "He said it was important, so put a shirt on and let’s get outta here."

He let out a small groan, but stood up anyway, stretching his arms. He grabbed his shirt from the pull-out and pulled it over his head. It was an old, worn blue muscle tee, faded with the logo of the marina, and definitely showing its age. As he adjusted his cap backward, I stood up and walked toward the door.

I stepped outside, walking around the chateau and to my car. The morning air was sticky with humidity, but it wasn’t enough to deter me. I leaned against the car, crossing my arms as I checked my phone again. I wasn’t sure what John B had gotten himself into now, but with the way things had been going lately, I knew it couldn’t be good.

A few minutes later, I saw JJ round the corner of the chateau. His shirt was on, cap in place, and he wore those black worker boots of his, the rolled-down black socks barely visible beneath them.

I looked up at JJ, giving him a smile before opening the drivers side door and getting in. I slid into the driver’s seat, feeling the familiar cold leather beneath me as I stared at the dashboard of the Audi Q3. Every time I get in this car, it’s like stepping into another world—a world that isn’t mine. The high-tech touch screen, the sleek leather, the polished chrome details—it all feels so... perfect, like it’s meant for someone else. Someone who’s not me.

I never asked for this car. When my parents first asked me what I wanted for my 16th birthday, I had it all planned out. I told them I’d pay for half of a second-hand car myself. I’ve been working at the boutique in town since I was 14, and I’ve saved up a good chunk of change. Enough to cover at least half of a decent, second-hand ride. I didn’t care about fancy new cars or anything. As long as it had Bluetooth, I’d be fine. But they shot that idea down without even letting me finish. No explanation, just “No.”

So, imagine my surprise when I walked outside on my birthday and saw this Audi Q3 sitting in my driveway like it was a joke. It wasn’t a joke. It was their idea of a gift. A fully decked-out, brand new, high-end car that felt like something straight out of a Kook’s playbook. I stood there in complete shock for a moment, staring at it. What was I supposed to do with this thing?

I was grateful, in a way. I mean, who wouldn’t be grateful for a brand-new Audi, right? But the thing is, it wasn’t what I wanted, and it wasn’t what I needed. It was theirs, not mine. It was a Kook car, and no matter how grateful I tried to be, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I didn’t belong in it.

But what could I do? My parents, with their Kook mentality, had decided this was the car for me, and honestly, I felt like I couldn’t even say no. They’re the ones who pay the bills, and they’ve always overdone everything for me, in ways I didn’t ask for. So, here I am, driving a car that feels like a constant reminder that no matter how hard I try to fit into this world, it’s never really going to be mine.

JJ slid into the passenger seat and tossed his cap onto the dashboard with a loud thud. "Nice car, kook," he said, his grin wide as he slammed the door shut.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "Don’t start," I muttered, hitting the button to start the car—no key, just a button, because of course, that’s how these things work.

JJ chuckled, watching me with an amused glint in his eyes. I unlocked my phone and connected it to the car’s Apple CarPlay system, the sleek head-up display flashing on. I handed the phone to JJ, Apple Music already open. Yeah, I know, Apple Music is kind of lame, but it’s what my parents pay for, so I use it.

“Here, you can pick the music,” I said, leaning back into the seat as I shifted the car into reverse, slowly backing out of the gravel driveway.

He raised an eyebrow as he scrolled through my playlists. "What the—why do you use Apple Music?" JJ asked, swiping through the endless options of songs and playlists.

I shrugged, not caring enough to explain further. “Dude, I don’t know. It’s what my parents pay for.” I turned the wheel, heading down the street toward the main road that would take us to The Wreck.

He laughed, tossing a quick glance at me. “Your parents are rich as fuck. They’d probably pay for Spotify too.”

The first notes of “Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon started blasting through the speakers.

I shook my head, laughing a little. “Yeah, they probably would,” I said, the irony not lost on me. It’s not like I had a say in any of it, but sometimes, I guess you just roll with the punches.

The rest of the car ride was mostly silent, with JJ selecting a few songs while I hummed along, my mind running through everything that had happened. JJ tossed in a joke here and there, and I half-smiled, half-rolled my eyes at his usual antics. It was easy to get lost in the familiar rhythm of the drive, especially with everything else weighing on my mind.

The Wreck was the only halfway decent restaurant around OBX, though Kiara’s parents owned it, which meant it wasn’t exactly our go-to place. They didn’t love the Pogues, and we definitely didn’t fit into their “upscale” crowd. But it was still a good spot, and the tourists made it a cash cow for them.

I pulled into the parking lot, which was still mostly empty since it was only about 9 AM. The only other cars I could spot were the Twinkie (obviously), Kiara’s car, Pope’s truck (the one he borrows from his dad), and a few other cars that were probably from customers already inside. I parked the Audi, the engine quieting as I cut it off, then turned to look at JJ.

He glanced back at me, that familiar smirk tugging at his lips.

“Ready?” I asked, my voice casual, though I was already feeling the tension start to creep in.

He gave a quick nod, then jumped out of the car without saying anything else. I followed behind him, my footsteps heavier, though I didn’t rush to catch up. JJ never waits for anyone, and today was no exception.

The inside smelled like coffee and fried food, a little bit of the greasy, touristy charm The Wreck had going for it. I spotted John B, Pope, and Kiara sitting at a table by the window, and JJ slid into the seat next to John B without a word. Kiara’s face immediately tightened into a scowl, like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. I didn’t blame her; I was feeling it too. I took the seat next to her, not saying anything yet, just waiting for John B to drop whatever news he had.

John B cleared his throat and looked around the table, like he was about to give us a serious briefing. He had that look in his eyes, the one that said something was coming, and it was going to change everything.

“Okay, now that everyone’s here, I need to fill you in on something,” John B said, his voice heavy.

The rest of us leaned in, our attention on him, trying to read his face. I caught a glimpse of the cast on his arm, a reminder of how close we had all come to losing him last night.

“So, Ward Cameron has signed papers to become my legal guardian… foster parent thing, I’m living at Tannyhill” John B said, his words cutting through the room like a knife.

For a second, no one said anything. My stomach dropped at the thought.

I glanced at Kiara—she looked like she was about to explode, her jaw clenched so tight I thought it might snap. I couldn’t blame her. We were all trying to process it. Ward Cameron, of all people, now had some kind of power over John B? My heart was pounding in my chest. This was bad, really bad.

Kiara’s voice snapped through the air, dripping with frustration. “I’m sorry. You’re staying where?” she demanded, her eyes wide as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Tannyhill,” John B replied, like it was the most casual thing in the world.

Kiara shot him a look, her eyebrow raised. “So, you’re living with Sarah Cameron?” she pressed, not letting him wiggle out of the question.

John B raised his hand to his forehead, rubbing it like he was trying to ease the headache coming on. “Okay, look, the only reason I’m staying there is because her dad bailed me out, all right? And it’s better than foster care, which, by the way, I was about to end up in if Ward hadn’t—”

“Wait, wait, hold up,” Pope cut him off, leaning back in his chair with that smirk of his. “So, do you have a membership to the clubs now? You, uh, joining the country club scene or what?”

I had to bite my lip to hold back a laugh. I glanced at JJ, and I could see he was trying to keep a straight face too. Kiara, however, was all business. No smile, no joke—just that hard, focused expression she wore when she was trying not to lose it.

John B’s patience was wearing thin. He shook his head. “I don’t know, Pope,” he muttered, voice laced with annoyance.

JJ jumped in with his usual teasing. “What about those little golf carts they get to drive around? You get one of those?”

I had to look down at my feet to hide the grin forming on my face. JJ’s timing was perfect.

Pope wasn’t done either. “Does it come with a sweater-vest, or do you have to buy one on your own?”

Kiara rolled her eyes, sitting up straighter in her chair, clearly over it. “Look,” she said, her voice level but tight, “you promised.” She shot John B a pointed look. “You said you weren’t with her.”

John B froze. He’d been knocked out cold the night Sarah kissed him, so he had no idea that Kiara had seen it. He was totally oblivious to the tension in the air.

JJ gave him that look of disbelief. “Bro, just own it. She gotchu,” he said, grinning like he knew exactly what was going on.

I couldn’t help but feel the same. “Look, if you want to hang out with her, that’s fine,” I added, my tone casual but carrying that edge of “don’t drag me into this.” I wasn’t about to get caught up in Sarah Cameron’s mess.

Kiara gave me a sharp look of agreement. “Me and Kalani aren’t doing anything with Sarah,” she said firmly, and I nodded, my lips pressed together. There was no way in hell I was involving myself in anything that had to do with Sarah Cameron.

John B, finally starting to get irritated, rolled his eyes. “Do you guys see her here?” he asked, looking around The Wreck. “No, right? Okay, can we focus here for a second?” He motioned to the table in front of Pope, where an old plat map was spread out. “We’ve got the map, right?” It was the one John B must’ve gotten from Sarah, all folded and crinkled at the corners like it’d been carried around for a while.

“It’s all outta whack ‘cause the guy was ganja’d when he drew it,” JJ says, casually tossing out his explanation like it was the most logical thing in the world.

I looked up at him, narrowing my eyes. “It’s ‘cause the coast has changed,” I corrected, the words coming out a little sharper than I intended.

JJ blinked at me, his mouth opening slightly in a surprised “ooh” kind of way. He gave a nod, clearly playing it off like he knew that, like he wasn’t a second away from looking clueless. “Right… duh, I totally knew that” he muttered, as if trying to save face.

Pope, never missing a beat, leaned over the map with a furrowed brow. “So, we just have to look for landmarks that haven’t changed,” he said, analysing the worn-out map with a serious focus.

John B, who had been staring at the map with a look of frustration, suddenly brightened. “What about the old forts?” he asked, pointing to a section of the map where the fort sites were marked.

“Battery Jasper,” Kiara piped up immediately, her finger tracing the spot on the map. She didn’t hesitate for a second.

I leaned forward, glancing at the map to make sure I wasn’t missing anything important. The landmarks around here were all familiar in a way—places we had all been to a million times.

We all crammed into the Twinkie, the familiar creak of its ancient hinges and the hum of the engine filling the air as we drove out toward Battery Jasper’s lookout spot. Everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts as we bounced along the uneven roads toward Battery Jasper. The faint smell of salt air hit us as we got closer to the lookout, mingling with the engine’s faint whine.

When we arrived, it felt like stepping into a different time. Battery Jasper was one of those places you almost forgot existed until you were standing in its shadow, surrounded by overgrown brush and the sound of waves crashing against the shore. Battery Jasper stood as a quiet, forgotten monument to the past. It felt oddly fitting—us digging through old maps and clues, chasing something that probably wasn’t even ours to find.

JJ had already climbed up onto a large rock, perched there like some kind of pirate lookout. He was scanning the horizon with a casual air, but I could tell his mind was working overtime. Kiara, of course, was wandering a few feet away, crouching down every now and then to inspect a plant or two. Classic Kie. And John B? He was just standing there, staring out at the waves, looking like he was waiting for some divine revelation to hit him. He was about as helpful as a flashlight with dead batteries.

Pope spread the map out over a large, flat rock, his movements careful as he tried to smooth out the creases. His face was a mask of concentration, eyes flicking between the map and the landscape in front of us. “If this is Parcel Nine…” he started, his finger circling a faint marking on the map. His brows knit together as he tried to piece together the lines from decades ago with the current view in front of us.

I leaned over his shoulder, squinting at the map as if staring harder would make it any clearer. “So, Parcel Nine has to be northeast of here,” I said, pointing toward a stretch of the coastline that seemed to match the general direction of the map’s markings. My voice sounded sure, but in my head, I wasn’t entirely convinced. Everything looked so different now compared to the map’s decades-old sketch.

“Somewhere over there,” I added, pointing out to where the land curved and the horizon seemed to shift. Gesturing toward a cluster of trees and rocky terrain.

“Right,” Pope agreed, nodding like he was trying to solidify the idea in his mind.

JJ was still up on his rock, squinting into the distance. “Over there? Guys, that’s not Tannyhill—that’s a subdivision,” he said, gesturing vaguely with one hand like the answer was just going to fall out of the sky.

John B, who’d been staring out at the water like he was trying to will the answers to come to him, crossed his arms. “Tannyhill plantation used to be the entire island,” he shot back, his tone sharp.

I crossed my arms, looking up at JJ with the sun glaring behind him, forcing me to squint. “It got sold into smaller pieces over time,” I added, my voice softer but no less firm. It was weird to think about how much the island had changed—how much had been carved away and sold off.

Pope’s finger hovered over a spot on the map, a section marked with a faint stone wall that cut through the property like a scar. “So, we’re just looking for an old stone wall,” he said, his voice steady but edged with the realization of how impossible that task might actually be.

I looked out at the endless stretch of coastline, the sunlight reflecting off the waves like shattered glass. The enormity of it all settled in my chest like a weight I couldn’t shake. It wasn’t just about finding a wall or following a map. It was about finding something that could change everything for all of us.

We piled into the Twinkie again, settling into our usual spots like puzzle pieces fitting into a well-worn frame. Pope took his place up front with the map in hand, acting like our navigator, while John B, ever the captain, was behind the wheel. Kiara and I slid onto the long, beat-up bench seat in the back, the cracked red vinyl underneath us telling its own story—every rip and scratch like a roadmap of adventures past. JJ, naturally, claimed the oddball seat in the corner. It wasn’t even a real seat, more like a half-hearted addition someone thought might be a good idea. It wobbled if you leaned on it too hard, and the vinyl was just as battered as everything else. Still, JJ perched there like he owned the place, his hat pushed low over his face.

As the van rumbled northeast, the road stretched out ahead like a promise we weren’t sure would be kept. Pope leaned forward, pointing out the windshield. “Okay, the road should split up here,” he said, his tone confident but a little tense.

John B nodded, hands steady on the wheel. “Got it.”

Kiara was beside me, staring out the window with a distant look in her eyes. The soft strumming of Mess is Mine by Vance Joy hummed through the van’s speakers, blending with the steady drone of the engine. The atmosphere felt quiet, like we were all lost in our own heads—until JJ decided to stir things up.

He was sitting directly across from me, and we’d somehow fallen into a game of sticks. My fingers were spread out—three on one hand, two on the other—while JJ held four on one hand and two on the other. It was my turn, and I leaned in, tapping his hand with two fingers to knock out his four.

“You’re cheating!” JJ exclaimed, his voice breaking the calm like a rock tossed into still water.

I burst out laughing. “Am not! You’re just a sore loser,” I teased, grinning at him.

JJ rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up like he was ready to declare war. “No, you definitely cheat,” he muttered, but his smirk betrayed him.

“Sounds like someone’s salty!” I shot back, my voice playful.

The bickering escalated from there, a back-and-forth filled with muttered insults, laughter, and a few not-so-gentle kicks under the seat.

“Will you two shut up!” Pope suddenly snapped from the front seat, whipping around to glare at us. His expression was pure exasperation, like a parent trying to keep a car full of rowdy kids in check.

JJ shrugged, turning to face Pope. “It’s her fault,” he said, his voice full of mock innocence.

I rolled my eyes and gave him a light kick in the shin.

“You little shit,” JJ growled, twisting back toward me.

“Oh, please. You started it,” I retorted, sticking my tongue out at him like a five-year-old. JJ reached over and slapped my knee, a little too dramatically.

“Hey! That was uncalled for,” I said, pointing an accusatory finger at him, my face scrunched into an exaggerated scowl.

JJ leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms, and muttering something under his breath, pretending to sulk.

“Shut up,” Pope repeated, his voice sharp and final as he turned back around in his seat, clearly done with our nonsense.

Kiara snorted beside me, trying to hide her amusement.

“All right. You’re gonna take a left,” Pope says, pointing out the next turn. John B jerks the wheel sharply, the Twinkie bouncing down the uneven dirt road and tossing all of us around like ragdolls. I grip the edge of the bench seat, glaring at him. “Smooth driving, Cap,” I mutter under my breath.

We pull up alongside a mossy, crumbling stone wall, its edges barely visible under a blanket of overgrown bushes and weeds. Pope sighs, leaning forward. “This is it,” he says as John B shifts the Twinkie into park.

“That looks like a stone wall to me,” JJ says dryly, peering out the window.

I give him a sideways glance. “No shit,” I reply, turning back to take in the sight.

It’s hard to tell where the wall ends, and the wild growth begins. The vines creep along like they’re trying to swallow the thing whole. Beyond the wall, I can make out the faint silhouette of a house through a gap in the trees. My stomach drops as I realize where we are.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whisper, stopping dead in my tracks as the others start walking toward the wall.

“Not the Crain house,” John B mutters, the tension in his voice unmistakable.

Of course, it’s here. Of all the places on the island, it had to be here. My feet feel rooted to the ground, dread clawing up my spine. JJ steps up beside me, his jaw tight, his gaze locked on the house ahead.

“Worst-case scenario,” he mutters under his breath. His voice is steady, but his hand flexes at his side like he’s ready to bolt.

“Why’d it have to be here…” Kiara murmurs, barely loud enough for me to hear.

“Of all places?” I add, shaking my head as my pulse quickens.

“I heard Mrs. Crain buried her husband’s head on the property,” JJ says casually, as if he’s commenting on the weather.

I whip my head toward him, my face scrunched in fear. “Don’t remind me.” The island’s been full of creepy stories about this place for as long as I can remember, but that one always stuck with me.

Kiara’s voice cuts through the rising tension. “JJ, shut up,” she snaps, her glare sharp enough to silence him for once.

“Are we going over?” John B asks, gesturing toward the wall like scaling it is no big deal.

I shake my head, but the rest of them nod like it’s just another day in the OBX. Typical. With a sigh that feels like it comes from my soul, I mutter, “Guess so,” under my breath.

We take turns climbing over the wall, the rough stone scraping against our palms. I land awkwardly in the overgrown yard, the dense weeds clawing at my ankles. The house looms ahead of us, shrouded in shadow and silence. Its dilapidated facade seems to watch us, daring us to step closer.

The wind rustles through the trees, and I can’t help but glance at JJ. “If we die, I’m blaming you,” I say, my voice barely steady.

JJ flashes me a grin, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Noted,” he says, stuffing his hands into his pockets as we move toward the ominous silhouette of the Crain house.

Kiara takes the lead, her shoulders squared as she pushes through the tangled mess of overgrown bushes and weeds. I follow close behind, brushing aside stray branches that snag at my shirt. JJ is right on my heels, muttering something about poison ivy, while Pope and John B bring up the rear. The yard is eerily quiet, the only sound the crunch of our footsteps against the dead leaves underfoot.

Me and Kiara keep our eyes locked forward, trying not to dwell too much on the reality of what we’re doing—trespassing into the front yard of Mrs. Crain, the island's unofficial boogeywoman. She’s probably inside right now, totally oblivious to the fact that five teenagers have just vaulted over her stone wall and are trudging through her overgrown front yard, all in the name of hunting for gold.

The place looks untouched, like time forgot about it. Small, moss-covered statues peek out from under the wild greenery, half-hidden like eerie little sentinels. There’s a birdbath that’s cracked down the middle, its basin filled with murky rainwater and a couple of drowned leaves. The once-pristine yard is now a jungle of neglect, but it’s clear this place used to be something else entirely.

I glance around, the ghost of a memory tugging at me. When I was younger, maybe seven or eight, back when I still hung out with the kook kids my parents pushed me towards, we used to sneak into this yard. Back then, it was spotless—perfectly trimmed hedges, vibrant flowers in neat rows, the statues shining bright without a speck of moss or grime. We’d play hide and seek for hours, darting behind trees and crouching behind the garden sculptures. Back then, the Crain house was still mysterious, but it wasn’t this. It wasn’t haunted by the stories of murder or madness.

I slow for a moment, my fingers brushing against the rough bark of a tree as I take it all in. The yard is unrecognizable now, swallowed up by years of neglect. Mr. Crain’s death—or murder, depending on which version of the rumour mill you believe—changed everything. After he was gone, Mrs. Crain stopped caring for the place, or maybe just couldn’t anymore. She’s too old now, and it shows in every vine that’s strangled its way across what used to be a manicured paradise.

It’s sad, really. This yard used to have life, like someone loved it enough to keep it beautiful. Now it’s just... forgotten. I shake off the thought, hurrying to catch up with Kiara as she ducks under a low-hanging branch.

“Look, you guys know whose house this is, right?” I say, looking over my shoulder at the boys behind me still keeping my pace as I walk behind Kie.

“Oh, yeah. No, I do.” JJ says.

“Look- Honestly, I don’t really believe the stories of this place.” John B says, his voice a little too loud.

Pope turns around and shushes him louder than John B was talking.

“What?” John B says a soft whisper that’s barely audible over the soft crunch of leaves and grass beneath our feet.

JJ catches up next to me, walking alongside me rather than behind me I keep my eyes forward as I continue behind Kie. It’s not until JJ starts talking that I look at him.

“Which stories did you hear?” JJ asks me.

We continue  to walk through the overgrown front yard, “The one where she killed her husband with an axe.” I say like it’s obvious my voice tight with (add something here) “And that shes been holed up ever since.” I say, looking back at Pope and John B as JJ continues to walk next to me.

“On certain nights, when the moon is full…” I turn to look at JJ, walking backwards, “you can see her in the window!” I drop my voice to a soft whisper lifting my hands up and wriggling my fingers in JJ’s face in a “creepy crawly” kinda way.

“No, Lani, it’s not funny,” JJ says as I turn around making a “Waah!” noise as he continues to talk, “cause its all true.” JJ says from behind me.

“I swear to God, guys, this is all real. I knew Hollis.” JJ continues, looking back at John B and Pope. We walk into a more open area of the yard, it’s a cleared space but still overgrown. There is a statue of a lady and as JJ turns back around, “Jeez!” he says, lifting his arms up, ready to punch.

This causes all of us to jump.

We all stop walking for a second, “Wait, you knew hollis Crain?” Pope asks JJ.

“Yeah, dude.” JJ responds.

Pope puts his hand on JJs shoulder, pushing him back a little, “Dude, how do you know Hollis Crane?”

“She was my babysitter, man.” JJ says, “She told me all about it.” His voice drops to a low whisper, “Told me the truth… about her mother.” JJ says, we all stand around him, looking at him with disbelieving eyes, “About what happened in this house.” JJ says, jerking his head towards the house in front of us.

JJ continued, telling us about what Hollis Crane, JJ’s babysitter and Mrs. Crains daughter, had told him… apparently.

“So as a kid, she heard all the stories that her mother killed her father, and… she was a murderer and all.” JJ says, looking around at us, “Hollis didn’t believe it… until that night.” He says, ominously looking down at the grass.

“What night?” Kie asks, raising an eyebrow.

JJ turns to look at Kie, his eyes boring into hers, “It all came back to her.” He says.

JJ turns to look at the house behind him, “When Hollis was six years old, she heard her parents arguing downstairs.” Sounds familiar, I think to myself.

Kiara is looking around, like as if she is paranoid something or somebody is going to pop out and jump us. My eyes stay locked on the house as JJ recounts his story, my eyes flickering between the various windows to see if I can see Mrs. Crain staring back at me. Nothing yet.

“So, she goes downstairs to see her mom washing her hands in a sink…” JJ takes a step forward to John B, “Full of blood.” He says his voice strong.

John B looks away from JJ, his face is saying everything he is thinking: “Bull shit.”

JJ continues, “Her mother just says that she cut her finger.” Popes eyes are wide like he is believing every word that is leaving JJ’s mouth. “The next morning, she says her father and her split up.”

“But then, Hollis noticed something.” JJ says, looking at John B again. “Her mother going into the parlour. Constantly. In and our and in and out with plastic bags.”

“Weeks pass, and Hollis decides to use the outhouse.” JJ continues, my eyes are still locked on the windows of the house… Hold on, I think I see somethin’ lookin’ at me through dat window. Oh, nevermind, its just a curtain. Ha, Ha, Ha.

“And as she’s using it, she looks down,” JJ pauses for a moment looking down, dramatic effect, I guess. His eyes are still glued to John B like he is trying to convince him that all this is real, he has me, Pope and Kie convinced, that’s for sure. So far, anyway. “And there, in the outhouse,” He looks back up at John B, “is her fathers head,” He points his fingers to his eyes, “Looking straight back at her.” JJ says, emphasising his words.

John B throws his head back, looking up at the sky and JJ looks confused as to why John B isn’t quite understanding the importance of what he just told him. “God, you are so full of shit.” John B says, shaking his head.

“Do you guys even know whose house this is?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder at the boys trudging behind me, my pace steady as I follow Kiara, pushing through the mess of overgrown bushes.

“Oh, yeah. No, I do,” JJ says nonchalantly, as if we’re walking up to the Wreck for a basket of fries and not trespassing on the infamous Crain property.

“Honestly, I don’t believe the stories about this place,” John B pipes up, his voice just a little too loud, like he’s trying to convince himself it’s no big deal.

Pope spins around and shushes him sharply - louder than John B was talking. “What?” John B hisses, his whisper barely louder than the crunch of dead leaves and grass beneath our feet.

JJ picks up his pace, falling into step beside me instead of behind. He’s always like this—itching to turn tension into a story or a joke. “So, which stories did you hear?” JJ asks, his voice dipped in curiosity, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

I let out a short breath as we push through another tangle of overgrowth, the damp leaves brushing against my legs. “The one where she killed her husband with an axe,” I say flatly, my tone tight with discomfort. “And that she’s been holed up ever since.” I glance back at Pope and John B for a moment before turning my attention back to JJ, who’s nodding like this is all completely normal.

“And on certain nights, when the moon is full…” I turn, walking backward now so I can face him, dropping my voice to a stage whisper, “you can see her in the window!” I wiggle my fingers in front of his face in a mock-spooky gesture, barely holding back a grin.

JJ swats my hands away, rolling his eyes. “No, Lani, it’s not funny,” he says, his voice trying to sound serious but failing because of the grin creeping up. “Because it’s all true.”

I spin back around, throwing my hands up dramatically. “Wooooo, scary!” I say in a teasing voice, earning an exasperated groan from him.

JJ doesn’t let it drop. “I swear to God, guys, this is real. I knew Hollis.”

That pulls my attention back. My brow furrows as I glance at him. “Wait—you knew Hollis Crain?” Pope asks, stopping to turn toward JJ, his expression a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

“Yeah, dude,” JJ says, as if this is just another casual fact.

Pope puts a hand on JJ’s shoulder, giving him a gentle shove back. “How the hell do you know Hollis Crain?”

JJ shrugs like it’s the most casual thing in the world. “She was my babysitter, man.” He pauses for dramatic effect, glancing at each of us like he’s about to deliver a mic drop. “She told me everything.” His voice drops conspiratorially, his tone low and chilling. “Told me the truth… about her mother. About what happened in this house.” He jerks his head toward the looming shadow of the house behind us.

“Everything?” Kiara echoes, her voice tight as she glances nervously toward the looming house ahead.

JJ nods, and we all freeze for a moment, the weight of his words settling over us like a heavy fog.

JJ launches into the story, his voice low and deliberate, drawing us in whether we want to hear it or not. “So, as a kid, she heard all these rumors—that her mom killed her dad, that she was a murderer. But Hollis didn’t believe it… until that night.” JJ’s voice is calm, almost too calm, as he looks down at the ground, like he’s pulling us deeper into the story one word at a time.

“What night?” Kiara asks, her voice tight, her eyes darting nervously toward the house.

JJ meets her gaze, his own eyes dark with the weight of the tale. “It all came back to her. When Hollis was six years old, she heard her parents arguing downstairs.”

The words hit me in the chest, unsettling and weirdly familiar. I glance at the house, my eyes scanning the windows, half-expecting to see a face staring back at me. So far, nothing.

“So, she went to check it out.” His voice drops, and he takes a step closer to Pope. “She finds her mom at the sink. Washing her hands. In blood.”

“Her mom told her she cut her finger,” JJ says with a shrug. “But the next day, her dad was gone. Just… disappeared.”

John B scoffs softly, shaking his head, but JJ keeps going, undeterred.

“And then,” JJ adds, stepping closer to Pope and lowering his voice, “she starts noticing her mom going into the parlour. Constantly. In and out. Always carrying these plastic bags.”

A chill runs down my spine as the story twists darker, the tension in the air thick enough to cut. my eyes are still locked on the windows of the house… Hold on, I think I see somethin’ lookin’ at me through dat window. Oh, nevermind, its just a curtain. Ha, Ha, Ha.

“Weeks later, Hollis goes to use the outhouse,” JJ continues, his voice hushed. He pauses dramatically, glancing at each of us before finishing. “She looks down. And there… was her father’s head. Staring straight back at her.”

The silence that follows is thick, suffocating. For a moment, none of us move, the weight of JJ’s words settling over us like a heavy blanket.

John B groans, throwing his head back. “God, JJ, you are so full of shit.” He looks back down at JJ, his voice tight.

JJ’s face falls, genuinely offended.

“Dude, I swear to God, man.” JJ mutters, breaking eye contact with John B, his gaze flicking to the ground. JJ always had a thing about eye contact, like it made him too vulnerable or something.

Pope steps in closer to him, his voice low and cautious. “Did she call the police?”

“She didn’t have time—” JJ starts, but John B shoves himself between them, cutting him off.

“Wait! Hold on—dude!” JJ snaps, grabbing John B’s arm and spinning him around.

“What!” John B barks, and yeah, he’s pissed now.

JJ hesitates, glancing at me like he’s searching for backup, then back to John B. “Are you sure you wanna do this? She’s an axe murderer. You got a cast on, dude,” JJ says, gesturing to John B’s injured arm.

John B narrows his eyes, his voice a sharp whisper. “I don’t give a shit if she’s an axe murderer, okay? I’ve got nothing to lose, right?”

They stand there, locked in a tense stare-down. Pope shifts awkwardly beside them, his eyes darting between the two like he’s watching a tennis match.

“You comin’, or what?” John B says, before turning and stalking off. Kiara and Pope follow close behind him without hesitation.

JJ stays rooted for a second, scratching at his arm. I walk up next to him, nudging his shoulder. “Come on,” I say softly, jerking my head in the direction of the others.

He looks down at me, his face unreadable, then finally sighs and falls into step behind me.

We creep through the overgrown yard, ducking lower as we approach the house. The shadows feel heavier here, stretching out across the ground like claws. John B stops abruptly, motioning for all of us to gather closer.

“Hey, come on. Come here,” he hisses.

I quicken my pace, closing the gap between us. JJ moves up behind me, his presence a comforting weight, even if he’d never admit he’s as freaked out as the rest of us.

John B leans in, lowering his voice. “So, here’s the plan. We need to look for the wheat near the water, like it said in Denmark’s letter.”

Right. The cryptic message we decoded back at Rixon’s the night before. “Wheat” meant gold. Simple enough.

“Okay, but, like, what kind of water?” Pope whispers, his forehead creased in concentration. “Like pond water?”

JJ snickers, never one to miss an opportunity. “Bong water?” he quips in a lazy, exaggerated stoner voice.

I roll my eyes and glare at him, Kiara and Pope doing the same.

“Seriously?” I mutter under my breath.

John B’s patience is clearly hanging by a thread. He sighs, exasperated. “No. It—it just said ‘look for water,’ okay?”

Kiara crosses her arms, raising a skeptical brow. “That’s the shittiest secret message ever.”

“You wanna complain a little more, Kie?” John B snaps, his tone sharp. “Nobody said it was gonna be easy.”

They peel off from the group, leaving me, Pope, and JJ standing awkwardly in the clearing.

Pope turns to us, his expression all business. “I’ll search the northeast quadrant. You two take the northwest quadrant.”

My eyes widen in protest, but Pope walks off before I can get a word in.

“The decapitation quadrant,” JJ mutters under his breath, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Great,” I grumble, my voice barely audible.

JJ glances at me, his smirk softening just a fraction. “Come on,” he says, grabbing my arm and pulling me along through the tangled mess of greenery.

I don’t resist, but as we move deeper into the yard, the air feels heavier - charged, like we’re trespassing on something more than just property. And for once, JJ’s silence doesn’t feel like a joke waiting to happen. It feels like he knows it, too.

“Were you serious about all that stuff with Hollis?” I ask JJ, my voice low but sharp, as his grip on my arm pulls me through the jungle of weeds and crumbling statues.

He glances over his shoulder briefly, his expression unreadable. “Most of it, yeah,” he replies, shrugging like it’s no big deal, before turning his attention forward again.

“Most of it?” I repeat, my tone incredulous. “So, what parts were you not serious about?”

JJ doesn’t even slow down. “The part about her seeing her dad’s head,” he says flatly. “But that’s it.”

I freeze for a second, staring at his back. “Oh, great. Super comforting, JJ,” I mutter, shaking my head as I quicken my pace to catch up to him.

His lips twitch like he’s fighting a smirk. “Relax, Lani. You’ll live,” he says, tossing a glance at me before stepping over a fallen tree branch.

I didn’t even see the branch—it came out of nowhere, or maybe I was just too lost in my thoughts. My foot caught on it, and before I could steady myself, I was falling. JJ’s grip on my arm tightened, but he didn’t have enough time to pull me back.

I hit the ground hard, knees colliding with jagged dirt and rocks. A sharp sting spread through my leg as I felt the scrape.

“Shit! Lani!” JJ’s voice was urgent, panicked, as he crouched beside me in seconds.

I shifted, moving to sit on my butt, lifting my knee to inspect the damage. Blood was already pooling in the scrape, a nasty mix of dirt and raw skin. I winced, letting out a quiet, “Ow.”

“You okay?” JJ’s hand landed firmly on my shoulder, his blue eyes flickering between my face and my knee.

I nodded quickly, even as my face scrunched up from the sting. “Yeah, yeah, I’m okay. It’s just a scrape,” I said, trying to sound tougher than I felt.

“You sure?” JJ asked, his hand sliding down my arm in a gentle but searching way, like he wasn’t convinced.

“I’m sure,” I said, looking up at him. A small smile crept onto my lips, hoping to reassure him.

For a moment, his eyes locked onto mine—those stormy blue eyes that always seemed to be either full of trouble or, like now, concern. Then he stood, brushing the dirt off his knees, and held out his hand.

“Come on,” he said.

I took it without hesitation, his grip steady and strong as he pulled me to my feet. My knee stung like hell, but I wasn’t about to complain. JJ still held my hand for a moment longer than necessary before letting go.

“Next time, watch where you’re going, klutz,” he teased, but his voice was softer than usual.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, brushing off my shorts and trying to play it cool. My cheeks burned a little, though, and it wasn’t from the fall.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬, and I hope you are enjoying it so far 😏! Please give this post a like so I know you guys are enjoying it, again thank you so much, part 3 will be out soon 💞

Also... I hope you enjoyed the small Lani and JJ moments I have sprinkled in there 😘

[deeptrashwitch]

Earthquake

One-shot inspired by an episode of the k-drama Descendants of the Sun! Remember that the WTF belong to the marvelous @islandtarochips! Now, let's begin!

Taglist (just to show :3): @alypink @snootlestheangel @islandtarochips @hollywood-is-bleeding

@cynicvice @midnight193 @mutantthedark @justasmolbard @welldonekhushi

@tapioca-milktea1978 @imagoddamnonionmason @stargazing-sapphire2 @milkteaarttime @blacktacmopsi

@maymaylyn @thatonesillyducko @seraphiixiao @me-is-confused @gunnrblze @taciturntraveller

The Specters and the WTF were involved in a mission regarding a branch of a cartel they both were hunting. At first they were sent to France to chase the two leaders they were looking for. As they arrived and raided the main building, they noticed how the objectives had already fled away.

“Wraith, where to now?” Alicia asked while all of them looked around. 

“They split. One is going to Kiribati, but we have their live location over Kyrgyzstan.” Wraith informed through the joint line. “The other one’s going to Cyprus, right now arriving.”

Kanoa intervened from his comms as well. “Then we need to split as well, Origin. If we let them have any kind of advantage, they’ll disappear.”

Alicia nodded and made a sign to call her boys. “I agree. Where will you go, Alpha Six?” 

“Kyrgyzstan, if we can intercept the bastard, we can get the locations.”

“Copy that, we will go to Cyprus then.” 

Wraith intervened with a calm voice. “Alpha Six, you and your team can go with our pilot. I already planned a transport for the Specters.”

“Much appreciated, Wraith.” Kanoa said, then nodded at Alicia before going to get his people.

“Copy and over, guys, good luck.”

Soon Edward and Nicholas were flying the WTF to a base in Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile the Specters were on a carrier going to Cyprus as they were taking a look at some last minute files Wraith sent them to prepare themselves. They were arriving at night to the island and were meant to go to a building in a city near Nicosia. Although, Elliot was looking at the sky with a bad feeling.

“Something wrong?” Marcus asked curiously when he noticed Elliot’s frown.

“I just…have a bad feeling, y’know? But it’s odd, I can’t get a name to it.” He murmured a bit worried.

“You should tell the Captain.”

Elliot nodded, then his frown deepened a bit when he noticed the birds flying weirdly. “Yeah, I’ll go get her.”

As Elliot spoke with Alicia, Jackson was looking at the comms, noticing they were getting oddly cracked. When they contacted Nicholas about it, the man was confused but figured it out relatively quickly as they docked in Cyprus.They were driven to the city where they had the intel about their objective in silence. 

Either way, they kept comms open. 

“Alpha Six, here Origin, you copy?” Alicia asked calmly.

Kanoa answered with a chuckle. “Here Alpha Six, how’s the paradise island?”

“How funny.” She murmured with a smile. “We’re arriving at the building, fucking old by the way, you?”

“All done here, we managed to intercept it and we sent the intel to General Kalani and Wraith..”

“Good to hear that, have a good trip back home.”

“Thanks. Change and out.”

“Hehe, we’ll keep comms open just in case. Change and out.”

Soon the Specters went inside the building, noticing it was oddly empty. So they prepared for any kind of traps that might await them inside the building. With the rifles raised, they started to walk back against back as Elijah and Alexander climbed up to the ceiling beams. That was the way they moved for a while, with their recon and sniper cleaning part of the path and informing them about any kind of enemies or problems ahead, of which Noah and Elliot took care of. 

At some point, Elijah and Alexander stumbled over the beams and it called everyone's attention.

They climbed down quickly, surprisingly uneasy as they walked towards the team.

“Delta, Hawk, what is it?” Alicia asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Something’s wrong, ma’am. Up in the beams, it shook.” Elijah murmured, shivering. “Not like us losing balance, but…literally shaking. It wasn’t strong but-”

“It’s not normal. That never happens.” Alexander interrupted, oddly serious.

Luke frowned and soon everyone was on high alert at what they said. The Lieutenant especially looked around and paled when he noticed some signs he knew well.

“What the-?” He murmured as he looked at some stagnant water now waving. “Oh fuck.”

“Harlem?” Jackson asked, now worried.

“Earthquake.” Luke murmured, and everyone tensed.

And in a second, the ground started to shake with enough strength that the huge machinery started to clink and fall. 

“Origin, Origin! What’s going on?!” Kanoa asked over comms when they heard the rumble from the other side of the line.

“There’s an earthquake! We’re evacuating!” Alicia answered as they started to ran towards the exit to avoid being locked with the machinery. 

“Wha-?!”

“CAPTAIN, THE PLACE IS COLLAPSING!” Luke shouted as the walls started to crack and explosions could be heard outside. 

“Get out! GET OUT! EVERYONE RETREAT NOW!” 

“WATCH OUT!” Jackson yelled with an edge of worry and fear.

Then a scream cut on the line, then it cracked and got cut off completely, just leaving static behind.

Meanwhile in Kyrgyzstan, the WTF seemed in shock as the static filled every channel they had available to try and communicate with the Specters. Tiala shared a look with Kanoa, then both of them looked at Agnes and nodded in silence. 

Blast nodded back and sped away, running towards the plane where Edward, Nicholas and Francis were anxiously looking at the control console of the comms.

“What’s going on?” She asked Edward, panting from the run.

Edward shook his head and looked at Nicholas. 

The comms expert seemed even more anxious than the other two. “I can’t get a hold of them. None at all. Lines are down completely.”

“What?” Agnes whispered worriedly. 

Francis simply went to look for some documents in the meantime, all while Tiala, Kanoa, Aelan and Nigel arrived running. The Specters cartograph was frantic as he logged in to get some news in real time.

“Viper, what do you have?” Edward asked worriedly.

Francis was pale as he read the breaking news, then looked at his Sergeant, whispering nervously. “Cyprus was hit by an earthquake that's a 6 on the Richter scale. They were near the epicenter.”

Kanoa felt a cold shiver run down his back and the fear started to clench his chest. For a second the world stopped as his mind kept running at the speed of light thinking about all the possible scenarios. 

“There’s seriously no way we can know how they are? None at all?” He asked, trying to keep his composure.

“Well, we all have trackers for our vital signs.” Edward explained, scratching the back of his neck out of pure nervousness and worry. “If Wraith can find the signal, at least we can know if they’re alright.”

“Good, good, is Wraith available?”

“Yes, sir.” Nicholas said, connecting with Black Tomb and Wraith’s office inside it. “We have her right now on channel three, connection stable.”

Kanoa nodded and took his own radio. “Wraith, here Alpha Six. You copy?”

“I’m here, Alpha Six, send traffic.” Wraith said as a keyboard clicked on the background. 

“We’re aware of the situation in Cyprus right now. Sergeant Edward Jackson informed us about vital signs trackers, can you get access to it?”

“I’m on it, give me a second.”

For a second everyone stayed in silence as they waited. It was a heavy silence filled with tension, and Tiala was speaking with Edward to prepare everything to take flight as soon as possible.

“I…I don’t know.” Wraith murmured, scared to everyone’s shock. “I can’t find it.”

“Repeat that, Wraith.” Kanoa ordered, his voice trembling for a moment.

“I can’t find the signal of the infantry team or recon pair trackers. To this moment, we aren’t sure if they’re dead or alive…they’re MIA from this moment forward.”

Kanoa closed his eyes almost like he received a punch while Francis sat next to the control console with a trembling sigh. Nicholas simply frowned and kept trying to connect with their radios. Even Nigel and Agnes seemed worried and confused, not sure of what to say at that moment or even at all.

Meanwhile Tiala looked at his brother and noticed the fear in his eyes as he leaned against the wall of the plane. She walked to him and put a hand over his shoulder.

“We can’t- we need to go get them. I don’t wanna think they might be dead.” He whispered, unable to look up from the floor.

“Noa, breathe in.” She said, worried. “We’ll find them. I already spoke with the Sergeant, and we’ll be ready to fly to Greece and move from there to Cyprus.”

Kanoa nodded in silence, feeling a lump on his throat. The forty minutes that took to refill and prepare the plane felt like an eternity for everyone. And as soon as the plane was ready to go, they charged everything and took flight while Wraith coordinated everything with a base in Greece.

In the middle of the flight, Wraith told them more about the situation as Francis showed them a map of the island.

“I’m following the news live, and it seems like the epicenter was in Nicosia. The capital is almost destroyed, and the cities nearby are somehow in the same state.” Wraith murmured, sighing heavily while Francis showed them images of the disaster in Cyprus. “We can’t wait for the rescue aid services, the priority is on Nicosia right now. From what I can tell…it’ll be days until they get to the place where they are.”

“What about the UE aid?” Tiala asked with a raised eyebrow.

“They aren't ready yet, but the Greek government can assign a rescue dog and its handler for now to help us if we’re ready to help in the rescue.”

Kanoa sighed and looked at Aelan, who seemed thoughtful. “Aelan, if we encounter an emergency-?”

“I'll lead with it until we can take them to a hospital or medical tent, Captain.” She said with a nod, seriously.

“Good to hear.”

“We’ll go too.” Edward said from the pilot seat. “We might not be infantry, but this is our team too.” 

“All hands are helping hands in these cases.” Kanoa said with a nod. 

As they flew over Georgia, Kanoa just closed his eyes and pressed the back of his head against the wall. He sighed and tried to ignore the thoughts about the possibilities of what happened. 

His hand clenched on a fist as he tensed. Not again. He won't lose anyone again if he has a say in it. 

A couple of hours later, they arrived in Greece and Kanoa went to speak with the high ranked soldiers while the rescue dog and the handler arrived. It was Aelan who spoke with him, coordinating everything to start the search as soon as they took land. Soon they hopped into a helicopter to fly towards Cyprus to start the rescue. 

The sight of the cities was discouraging, with the buildings collapsed, fires in some points of the cities and blocked roads. In a few minutes they arrived at the city where they had the last location from the team. And the first thing they saw was dozens of buildings destroyed on the floor while some people tried to help to find some victims of the earthquake. 

“Alright, let’s move everyone! We have people to find!” Kanoa ordered in a roar. 

“Yes sir!” Everyone shouted back and they started to move around the debris and the broken streets. 

The dog and its handler took the lead and Aelan followed them while the rest started the search and to help wherever they could as well. Sometimes, the dog barked towards some piles of debris where they started to search. To everyone's relief, they found many civilians still alive, so Aelan helped as much as she was able while some medical staff arrived after the nearby hospital sent their ambulances.

As they kept searching, bodies started to appear as well, which only worried the WTF and the remaining Specters even more.

For a while they didn’t find much as Wraith also told them that the rescue aid from the UE was on their way, which made everything a bit quicker for them. While they kept searching, at some point, when the rescue dog was a bit far, it started to bark loudly. And that called Aelan’s as well as the handler’s attention, so they called some of the paramedic and aid personnel. 

“Wait a minute-” She murmured at the same time she saw some smoke coming from under the debris near the dog, flare smoke. “They wouldn’t do something that stupid. Wait, it’s them, they would.”

Aelan ran towards the dog, who was scratching the debris and barking. 

“Who’s there?!” Jackson’s voice asked, half worried and half relieved.

“Jackson!? It’s Aelan!” She screamed, avoiding the flare smoke . “Are you okay?!”

“We’re still alive and using gas masks! But we need medical treatment for some of us!”

“On it! Have you-?!”

“Done triage?! Yes! We have one that needs immediate transport, two that need evaluation, another two with apparent light wounds and the rest of us are safe!”

“Copy that!” Aelan shouted, then turned on her radio. “To everyone, I found the Specters infantry and recon team. I repeat, I found them.”

“Copy that! Where are you? Six and I are on our way.” Tiala asked through comms.

“Approximately eight kilometers from the medical tent, follow the smoke, it’s a flare.”

Nigel’s voice came through as well. “Blast and I are going with some rescue personnel. Everyone can hear you right now.”

“Alright, we have eight people, all survivors, most of them are wounded and buried. I have no report of any external agent that can complicate the rescue.” She explained looking around and seeing how pieces of the building were still up. “Seems to be a partial collapse, so there is a possibility of foundations still supporting the area.”

Soon the comms were in stand by as well, and Aelan simply stayed beside the opening from where the smoke came from. She narrowed her eyes to try and glance inside, sighing relieved when she noticed the light of a flashlight emerging as well, followed by the well known medic.

“Good to see you, Jackson.” She said with a chuckle.

He huffed and sighed. “Me too, Aelan, me too. How’s everyone out there?”

“We’re helping with the rescue labors while searching for you, and you?”

“...We’re still alive and that’s enough for us right now.”

Aelan nodded and as soon as the flare started to burn off, she lit a new one and helped as much as she could to move some of the debris that didn’t seem to be of structural support. Not long after, the rest of the WTF arrived with Edward, Nicholas, Francis and a group of rescue workers. 

Bit by bit, the debris was taken off as the rescue personnel started to send a stretcher down. The first one that came out was Elijah, who was in the worst state of them.

The recon expert had an iron bar going through his leg, with his uniform already stained with blood. He was already in silence, simply exhausted despite the pain.

“The bar didn't seem to have punctured the femoral artery, either way, I haven't removed it in case I misdiagnosed.” Jackson explained to Aelan. “I stopped the bleeding, but still, he lost a lot of blood.”

Aelan nodded and helped to move Elijah to the place where the aid personnel were waiting before they rushed down to transport him to the medical tent. The next one was Alexander, who seemed to be hurting as Jackson explained that he was hit by some debris over his back. 

“He hasn’t moved since the end of the earthquake, I haven’t allowed him in case he has a crack or something.” Jackson explained while Alexander was taken by the rescue workers.

“Understood.”

One by one, he helped everyone to get the wounded ones out. Kanoa sighed relieved when he saw that everyone was alive, even chuckling a bit when Nigel and Agnes running to speak with Marcus and Noah, both of them with light wounds. 

However, he felt a shiver when he noticed how Alicia was unconscious. But before he could start to overthink, Tiala dragged him to talk for a second.

“Easy Noa, she’s okay.” She said to calm him down. “Jackson told Aelan what happened, she got hit by debris on the back of her head, but she’s unconscious because she was starting to panic bad.You know how Licia gets with dark places.”

“You sure?” He asked, worried.

“Wanna ask Luke? He’s already out.”

“Yes please.”

Tiala nodded and made a sign for Luke to get near, so the Lieutenant came near still covered in concrete powder and ashes. 

“What is it?” He asked curiously.

“First of all, are you good?” Tiala asked.

“Just a cut in my arm, nothing serious.”

“Good, do you mind explaining to Kanoa what happened? He's getting pretty worried for Alicia.”

“Ah, about her? She got hit by debris in the head, but when we ended down there it was pitch black and…well, we all know Alicia doesn’t like being in dark places like that. Long story short, Jackson helped her to calm down and she basically went out cold. She’ll be fine, Captain Toa, I promise.”

Kanoa nodded and sighed again, relieved, then decided to keep helping with the rescue activities while everyone was sent to the hospital. It was hours, until late night, before they could finish their help. mostly when the UE rescue aids came finally. They were covered in dust and tired, but they decided to go see if they could see everyone.

However, Wraith told them, more calmly than before, that they were in a hospital on the Turkish coast while they got treated. Mostly referring to Elijah’s injury, since most of Cyprus hospitals were either destroyed or collapsed. 

It wasn’t until three days later when they were able to go see them.

“Oh, c’mon! I didn’t die! No need to go mama hen with me here!” Elijah exclaimed, and it was heard from outside of the room.

“You shut up!” Noah exclaimed, half amused, half worried. “What if you fall down or something?”

“I’m not that clumsy, Noah!”

“Lie!” Nicholas intervened, laughing.

“Shut up!”

Tiala and Kanoa shared a look and chuckled. 

“Seems like they’re alright already, eh?” Kanoa murmured.

Once inside, they found the eight of them in their stretchers, some of them talking and some of them doing other things, while Edward, Francis and Nicholas were sitting with them and speaking. Jackson was in a corner, just watching everything with a smirk, but also with a huge bruise on his face and arms.

When he noticed them, the medic nodded as a greeting. Aelan went to get an update from him while the rest went to say hi to the wounded.

“You look horrible.” Kanoa commented to Alicia, chuckling despite the spark of worry in his eyes.

“I know, the worst part is that my neck itches and now I have a bald patch.” She commented with a calm laugh, leaving her book aside. 

“You do?”

“...Yeah.”

“Hehe, baldy.”

Alicia rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Shut up. But it’s good to see you, Noa.”

“Yeah, me too.” He murmured sitting beside her stretcher. “I was scared, y’know? For a second I thought you might be dead, and even just remembering you and your team were MIA…”

“I understand, don’t worry.” She said with a soft smile, punching gently his arm. “Also, since when am I easy to kill? You know I’d crawl back from hell if I had to.”

“Haha, how funny.” He said sarcastically while rolling his eyes.

Alicia laughed softly, and then looked at how Tiala was waiting for them to finish. So she smiled and waved at her, to which Tiala waved back and went to hug her gently. 

“Good to see you, Licia.” Tiala said with a hum, sitting beside her and leaving a flower bouquet next on the nightstand.

“Likewise, Tia, it’s good to see you too. How did everything go?”

“Our objective is captured and being interrogated, and yours is dead.”

“For real?”

“We found the body after a while under the debris.”

“Huh, seems like the world took it in its hands.” Alicia joked with a smirk.

“Yeah, it seems like it.”

“Well, it ended well after all. But I can already guess Wraith will give us an update for the trackers.” She murmured, looking away. “And a scolding now that I think about it.”

“Oh yeah, even Wraith was scared.”

“Ah shit, what if I feign I ended deaf?”

“Alicia no!” Tiala and Kanoa shouted, frowning.

“Okay, okay, sheesh. Just let me rest while I get better, then I’ll lead with Wraith.” Alicia said with an ashamed smile, raising her hands as a peace gesture and chuckling.

[pokemon-ash-aus]

I'm sorry but I can't see Tio being mentioned without giggling a bit bc here in Brazil, tio means "uncle" so everytime I am just thinking people are calling him "uncle" lol

I don't know how to tell you this but-

Im mexican and it means the same lmao. I knew what i was getting into when i gave him the initial noclname Tio XD latiad is the same with Tia!

It's why, eventually, they do get real names like Kalani and Kaida!

For reference!

"I'm Tia!" Latias grinned before pointing at him. "And that's Tio."

Ash snickered, and he had to resist the urge to throw something at him.

"You guys are named after... Uncle and Aunt?" the Blonde one seemed skeptical.

"We uh- it's a nickname." Latios shrugged with a wince. "Our Parents nicknamed us after the dragon twins of the city."

It's also well known imto others as well

[sefusneezed]

INEPTUS MECHANICUS

Synopsis

Within the frigid cities of the forge-world Ineptus Anser, Manufactorium workers toil to death to create medical equipment and mass-produce medicines. In the dark alleyways hide gangs of scavengers, ready to pounce on unsuspecting Tech-Priests and tear their bionics from their remaining flesh. Thousands freeze throughout the night, unable to secure shelter to protect them from the bitter cold.

But all of these are 'poor people problems' to Katrumarius. As the narcissistic and airheaded nepotism baby of the forge-world's Archmagos, she already has the title of Metasurgeon despite her young age, and her borderline-heretical experiments result in nothing more than just a slap on the wrist. Her war criminal Tech-Marine friend Lyrane, supposedly tasked with learning from the forge-world's tech-adepts, gets stuck going along with Katrumarius's genetor shenanigans.

---

Character Refs

COMICS DIRECTORY:

La Creatura

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five (WIP)

SHORT ONE-OFFS

Old Men

Pickle Kat

Skit Plushie Fucking Dies

Epic Noosphere Gif

Father Daughter Bonding Experience!!! Gah!! Scary !!

Lyrane Gets Smacked

Kalanis Commits Insurance Fraud

Custom Mouse Cursor

ROGUE SKITARII OCS

Chocolate Milk Guys

Angry Birds

[islandtarochips]

Monster COD AU: Watch your Steps

Arthur’s Note: This AU was inspired by @bluegiragi for their AU is SO cool and SO awesome! You guys should check it out!

*Alejandro and Kanoa were on point as they went to the enemy’s base* Kanoa, crouched down a bit as he look through his scope while hiding behind a bush: Just two enemies standing in front of the gate. Alejandro, nodded: Bueno. We shall go down there and deal with them. QUIETLY. Kanoa: Agreed. Let's go. *Alejandro took a step back as he accidentally stepped on Kanoa's shark tail* Kanoa: NGH! Alejandro, looked at the Captain confusingly: Captain? Are you alright? Kanoa: N-No...because you are stepping on my TAIL, uce. Alejandro, looked down as he jolted to see his boots on Kanoa's tail: Meirda! I am SO sorry! Kanoa: I-It’s ok…🥲 Alejandro: Um...will it make you feel better if YOU step on my tail? Kanoa: No no no! It's ok! I'm fine! Let's just get this mission going, ok? ~later~ *Agnes and Soap were on a stealth mission in the dock* Agnes: *was planting the bombs on the boat* Soap, was on guard making sure no enemy comes through: Are you almost done, Blast? Agnes: Almost done So-ACK! *covered her mouth* *Soap turned his head to see Agnes was covering her mouth* Soap: Lass, what's the MATTER?! *saw Agnes was looking down to see he was stepping onto her eel TAIL* Soap, gasped a little and quickly moved away before crouching down to hug her: I’m so sorry I’m so sorry I’m so sorry I’m so sorry I’m so sorry I’m so sorry I’m so sorry I’m so sorry- Agnes, chuckled a little: I’m fine, Soap. Don’t worry. *Agnes sweat a bit at Soap still hugging her* Agnes: Um…Soap? I’m ok…John? ~later~ *Ghost was in a med bay with Aelan who was putting an icepack on his bruising eye and patching up his arm that was bleeding a bit* Aelan, bandaging his arm: ……HOW did this happen? Ghost: …First Sergeant Shark has some anger issues. Aelan: ………You stepped on her tail didn’t you? Ghost: ……maybe. Aelan: And you didn’t APOLOGIZE? Ghost: …….no. Aelan: WHY? Ghost: She just GROWLED at me! Aelan: Because you STEPPED on her TAIL, Lieutenant!

Arthur's Note: To let you guys know! Ever since I saw @bluegiragi post about the info of the 141, Los Vaqueros, Valeria, Graves, Konig and Horangi. In the Monster AU. It inspired me SO much for me to make my OCs into this AU. Did quite a bit of research of trying to find a PERFECT match for them! And let me listed down of what monster these guys are!

Tiala/Kanoa Toa - Shark Hybrid

Agnes Falagi - Eel Hybrid

Aelan Kalani - Just a human

Yeah. It's only Aelan who is human. But for these three! They are just sea creature hybrids! And I was imagining about their monster features! Which the number one thing that got me are their TAILS! As you can see, the shark and eel tails aren't that flexible like how Alejandro and Soap's monster tail were. So you can say that their tail are like heavy weight, getting dragged onto the ground. Which they're used it. But it IS easy to drag it in water since it could just float around better than dragging it on land. And since their tail dragged onto land, imagined the people accidentally STEPPED on it! That’s why I made this small skit to share this funny moments about the WTF’s situation if they’re a MONSTER! Lol.

Characters:

Tiala “Shark” Toa -> Me

Kanoa Toa -> Me

Agnes “Blast” Falagi -> Me

Aelan Kalani -> Me

Just wanna tag the peeps about this. Lol.

@deeptrashwitch @alypink @kaitaiga @welldonekhushi

@revnah1406 @sleepyconfusedpotato @dirtfullofwork

@sweet-samnang @iamcautiouslyoptimistic

@imagoddamnonionmason @applbottmjeens

[feral-mouse]

OH MY GOD SO MANY PEOPLE DIED OSJPAJFJKS. I'M SO SORRY RANDY IS SUCH A HARD BITCH TO SURVIVE 😭😭😭. But anyways, let's get into the statistics 👀

I sadly won't be going through every character, but I'll try to explain my rankings

You can find the template here

First I'm gonna provide some color coding assignments, so if you wanna look for a specific oc, it'll be easier to do so lol

RED: Squirrel, Skull, Eugene

ORANGE: Tantrum, Clove, Fester, Elowyn

YELLOW: Cyrus

GREEN: Davis

BLUE: Dan, Bo, Oenis

PURPLE: Conrad, Ronny

PINK: Kalani, Colin, Vesper, Theo, Sable

Most/Least Likely to get Kidnapped

Dan is at the number one slot. SOMEONE HELP HIM. RANDY HAS BEEN MEANING TO EAT HIM FOR MONTHS NOW PSJFJSKA. THE SECOND DAVIS IS OUT OF THE PICTURE, DAN IS A DEAD MAN

Squirrel is next. Since she loves climbing trees, this means she's always out in the woods, and has a high likelihood of bumping into Randy lol

Then I have Conrad in third place because honestly, I feel like she's a danger magnet pajjcjs. Maybe she's seen way too many people bring Randy back to their hotel rooms, only for them to be found dead the next night. She made the mistake to confront him about it 😤

I've placed the people in the middle because I feel like they wouldn't be as likely to run into Randy, whether it's because they hang out in the wrong crowds, or because they won't venture the woods at night lol. It is leading with Vesper and Bo because they would smell delicious. Randy would approach them first 😔 pshjcksl

The last five starts with Fester. He might be too intimidating for Randy to try to eat lol. Randy does not want to get into a losing fight 😤. Next is Cyrus, who is only placed so low because he is VERY CAUTIOUS. He is making sure not to run into ANYONE. He wants to stay hidden. Davis is after him because if Randy goes after him, Dan might start to get suspicious. And he does honestly get the vibes that Davis wants to kill him too (he does lol). Oenis is there because he honestly does not look appetizing at all 😭. He looks so dirty and like he'd taste gross 😭

Then in the very last place is Skull. RANDY DOES NOT WANNA GET INTO A FIGHT WITH THIS GUY. HE COULD VERY CLEARLY OVERPOWER RANDY, AND HE DOES NOT WANNA TAKE THE RISK PSJFJKSL

Favorite/Horrendous Victim

Davis 👏 is 👏 number 👏 one 👏 👁👁. HUNT THAT BITCH DOOOOWN. Randy would honestly love to hunt Davis. Give him a taste of his own medicine. He'd love to put him in his place. Randy is actually stronger than Davis. Davis would put up a good fight, and it'd definitely be very fun for Randy to watch him struggle, but unfortunately, he is going to end up dead. Randy has a vendetta against Davis. Not only is Davis preventing him from kidnapping Dan, but he's also just so passively aggressive in general. He gets bad vibes from Davis, and feels like Davis is constantly judging him (which he is). Randy hates those types of people

Squirrel and Colin are next because Randy would have a blast hunting them down. I feel like Squirrel's not the type to go down without a fight. You know she's gonna be climbing up trees and using that to her advantage. It's gonna be something that Randy's never seen before. Sure, people have climbed the trees to get away from him, but Squirrel is different, she's experienced, she knows what she's doing and she's swift with it. For Colin, Randy would be mesmerized by his outfit, and also he'd love watching Colin squirm and freak out lol. He's such a cutie that you could gobble right up! 😋

Starting from Theo, Randy starts to have less of an enjoyable time because these people are fighting back lol. He does love a good chase, but also he does NOT like dying. If you're fighting him with the intent to kill, he's putting a stop to that immediately. That being said, I do still think Randy would have a good time interacting with some of them. Theo seems super nice, and Tantrum would honestly be a blast to fight, he would love her spirit >:). Clove would be very fascinating as well, considering he's a fox beastkin. After the initial awe though, Randy is going to have to adjust to fighting him. I'd imagine Clove is very nimble, so that would really catch Randy off guard

Eugene's right in the middle because he would be too boring, he's too passive 😔 pzjfks. Ronny and Sable would be too eager to kill Randy, so he doesn't like them either lol. Same with Skull, Cyrus, and Fester, except they'd REALLY wanna kill Randy osjfkl

Elowyn is in last place because Randy would honestly just find her annoying psjfksk. She would be going into this too tactically. She is coming up with plans and backup plans, trying to figure out how to use the woods to her advantage, coming up with ways to manipulate Randy. But all of that shit would fly over his head. Nothing she says is gonna land with him. He's just gonna be like "she talks way too much and I don't get any of it 🙄" before stabbing her in the stomach lol

DEAD

For the last section, I'm gonna start by talking about the people who die lol

Unfortunately, Vesper, Bo, Dan, Conrad, Elowyn, Eugene, Colin, Cyrus, and Tantrum getting EATEN PAJFKSKA. The others are getting eaten too, but they're dying in a scuffle. I'm sure everyone is fighting back, but these guys are fighting back. Tantrum and Cyrus are too, but I feel like they're easier to take down than the last three

Survivors who KILLED

Theo, Skull, and Clove are killing Randy. Of course, Theo is immortal lol. So even if Randy somehow kills him, Theo is getting back up when Randy least expects it and is stabbing him in the back

Skull's massive size and wolf strength is easily overpowering Randy

I feel like Clove would also get the upper hand on Randy because he's not used to hunting people who are so quick. Clove is dodging all of his swings and it would honestly freak him out lol. Randy wouldn't be thinking straight in his panic 😔

FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HE SPARES

He is vibing. He is chilling. They are all having a good time

Once Randy learns that Sable has been the one who's dumping bodies in the middle of the woods, they are immediately becoming best friends pekfkw. Killer solidarity. Sable needs a way to get rid of the bodies, and Randy needs to eat

I think Kalani would know exactly what to say to win Randy over and spare her, whether they end up as friends or lovers 😌

Squirrel is also just so cool. I could see them getting along really quickly lol. Randy might stop hunting her in the middle of it because her vibes are fantastic

Oenis is also surviving because the two of them would also get along lol. They have the same type of humor, and honestly I can imagine the both of them hunting people down together lol. Also, since Oenis is a shapeshifter, it would be an instant party trick between the two of them lol. Randy would love watching him turn into different people lol. (Also Oenis would NOT be pleasant to eat osjfjks. Man is too dense and chewy, he's grooosssss 😭)

Characters belong to...

@hurrl: Conrad, Kalani, Squirrel

@derekgoffard: Colin, Tantrum

@dread0narrival: Clove, Vesper

@weirdo-canniboy: Theo, Skull, Fester

@the-bees-knives: Oenis

The rest belong to me lol

[leaderpinhead]

Idia - The Tavern Scene

Prompt: "Fantasy AU"

You find yourself in a lively tavern. Patrons of all walks of life, from towering half-orcs to nimble gnomes, cram themselves into the small room from wall to wall, and laughter fills the air along with the mouthwatering smells of cooked meat and stew. Tiny fairy lights drift above the crowd, creating a light and cheerful ambience. Though you have no memories of traveling here, you find yourself relaxing thanks to the warm and welcome atmosphere. You walk deeper into the crowd in search of an empty table. You eventually find one, but upon sitting down, you realize three others have done the same. 

How do you introduce yourself? 

[“Roll for initiative!” 

“Huh? Initiative for what? I just said to introduce yourself.” 

“I wanna go first!” 

“You don’t have to roll initiative for that. Just go first.” 

“Shit! I got a natural one.” 

“You’re going last now.” 

“lol sucks to suck.” 

“Be nice, big brother!” 

“What’s initiative again?” 

“Introduce yourselves already!”] 

“I sit down after carefully propping my samurai sword against the table. I bow my head to each of you as a show of respect. Konbanwa. I pray you do not mind I claim this seat. I have traveled a great distance this evening.” 

“I smile and lean across the table like I wanna shake his hand. The heavy backpack I always carry accidentally knocks over the chair, and a few pebbles kinda break off my body and fall on the floor. Whoops! Sorry about that! I’m not used to being in such small places. I take his hand whether he wants me to or not and give it a hearty shake. My name’s Orzo! I point at the little fairy next to me. And this is Lulu! We’ve been traveling together for a long time. Lulu is the one who woke me up.” 

“I kinda bend forward from the force of his shake because he’s so large, but I act all cool about it. A pleasure to meet you both. I am Kenji.” 

“I just keep shaking his hand and smile because I have no awareness of human social cues.” 

[“Roll for constitution, Idia.” 

“Why?” 

“Because he’s a giant ass stone golem with no social awareness. He’s gonna crush your hand if you don’t do something.” 

“I got a six. Plus five which makes that eleven.”] 

Although you sense no ill-intent from this strange creature of earth and stone, you begin to feel the slow crush of bone as he slowly squeezes your hand tighter and tighter. Not knowing how this new companion will react to rejection, you smile and bear the intensifying pain shooting up your forearm as you formulate a plan to politely extract yourself from his grasp. 

[“Could I step in to break them apart before Idia loses his hand? 

“Yeah, go ahead. You’ll roll a d20 for charisma to see if your interjection is enough to distract Orzo.” 

“Can she have advantage since Orzo and Lulu already know each other?” 

“Sure. I’ll allow it.” 

“Great! You can use my die, Yuu!” 

“Thanks. So I just roll this and give you my number?” 

“Yeah. Roll twice and take the higher number. Then add the modifier on your character sheet for a final total. That’s how you’ll roll for skill checks, ability checks, and other stuff like that.” 

“Twenty-five.” 

“Your interjection is so successful that Orzo will never forget the social cue again.” 

“By the way, Yuu? You’re supposed to use our character’s name while we’re roleplaying. So I’m Orzo, Idia’s Kenji, and Kalani’s Gacktu.” 

“Right. Sorry!”] 

“Um, I’ll fly up onto the table since I’m assuming I can’t see anything from my chair anyway and...skip over to where their hands are. I’ll kinda flutter in the air next to their hands and grab Ortho—I mean Orzo’s wrist. Slow down there big guy! You’re gonna break another hand.” 

[“What? Why are you laughing?” 

“You sound so...squeaky.” 

“I’m supposed to be a fairy! Fairies sound squeaky.” 

“It makes me wanna squish you between my hands!” 

“As Gacktu or Kalani?” 

“Both!” 

“You need to stop hanging out with Floyd…”] 

With your reminder, Orzo recognizes Kenji is wincing in pain and releases him. Since you interjected when you did, Kenji is freed from Orzo’s hold before he takes any damage. Continue. 

“As I was saying [—stop laughing!—] you've gotta remember your strength big guy. Humans aren’t as sturdy as stone golems are.” 

[“Did you just get inducted into the mafia?” 

“Srsly. What is that accent?” 

“Shut up and let me roleplay!”] 

“I get tired of waiting for my turn to introduce myself and throw a stink bomb into the center of the table.” 

[“Are you kidding me?” 

“Everyone roll a dexterity save. You included, Kalani.” 

“My dexterity is shit.” 

“You did this to yourself. I told you if you were going to ruin my game with your random crap like you did the last one, then I was going to kill you in the first hour.” 

“Seventeen!” 

“Ten.” 

“Nat twenty.” 

“Freaking six.”] 

A small ball made of dried leather and stitched rather roughly together lands in the center of the table. Before you can deflect it back at the little booger sitting with you, a noxious green gas explodes from the seams. Both Orzo and Kenji dodge the attack; Lulu and Gacktu do not. Lulu takes three acid damage, and Gacktu takes six.” 

“Screams in goblin!” 

“I do this sick kind of backflip and grab my sword like I’m ready to attack. I do not know how your kind normally greet each other, but I will only allow such treatment once.” 

“I go to throw another stink bomb directly at the funny looking human. It’s just a friendly how-do-you-do!” 

“I see the stink bomb heading straight at me, and I don’t even hesitate to unsheathe my blade. The edges of it glow with purple wisps of magic, and the elvish symbols etched into the steel glow a similar purple. [I activate my cantrip Ghost Blade which allows me to parry physical and arcane attacks until my concentration is broken.] I parry the bomb off the flat edge of the blade and send it flying across the room.” 

You successfully parry the stink bomb, and it goes flying across the room just like you said. Unfortunately, the tavern is so crowded, there’s no way the stink bomb can be fully avoided. It explodes into another cloud of noxious green gas just like the first one. You all watch as a party of innocent gnomes are immediately incapacitated by the fumes. All of you need to roll perception saving rolls. 

[“I got a seven.” 

“Three. Fairies aren’t very perceptive.” 

“Neither are stone golems. I got a natural one.” 

“Twenty-seven, patootie!”] 

None of you except Gacktu notice a number of patrons turning in the direction of your table. Gacktu, you realize they are aware the stink bomb came from your table, but they don’t look like they know exactly who threw the bomb. Their wariness has shifted the light-hearted atmosphere. 

[“I don’t bring anyone’s attention to the people staring at us.” 

“We’re gonna get KO’d before we’re even able to order a drink...”] 

“I had kinda dove under the table to avoid the original bomb, but since I’m so big, you still see most of my body. So I’m essentially just hunched over with my head under the table. I wave Lulu over to me after I realize she took damage from the first stink bomb. Oh, no! Lulu! Come here so I can heal you before that nasty acid melts your wings.” 

[“Lemme see. I’ll use one of my tier one spell slots to cast Cure on her. And...she’ll get the max heals of six.”] 

“I crawl to the edge of the table and dramatically fall into Orzo’s hand for him to heal me. Thanks Orzzy. Now watch this. 

[“Since I’m a rogue, can I do this sleight of hand action to steal all the stink bombs off Gacktu?” 

“I’ll allow it with advantage. Do a skill check the same way you did the charisma check.” 

“You guys are boring.”] 

“Once I’m healed, I flit over to Gacktu. He doesn’t see me crawl into the pouch on his hip where he had pulled out the first bomb. I use my natural fairy magic to trap all the stink bombs in little bubbles of light, and they float into the air to join the fairy lights lighting the tavern.” 

The patrons see this and lose a bit of their wariness and return to what they were previously doing. Before you leave Gacktu’s pouch, you notice more odd leather balls of varying color. 

[“Oh, come on! Now you’re just being a patookie, Ladnar!” 

“You’ve angered this world’s god, and he is fully prepared to smite you. Yuu, roll another sleight of hand with advantage and an arcane check.”] 

You notice more odd leather balls of varying color, and with your knowledge of magic, you recognize these leather balls are potent bombs of alchemy. Having already experienced Gacktu’s short attention span and lack of patience, you decide it would be best to steal those balls and make them into fairy lights as well. 

[“Don’t I get to make some kind of saving throw?” 

“No. You’re distracted by your own mayhem. Strike all the stink bombs, smoke bombs, lightning bombs, fire bombs, firecrackers, and ice cubes from your inventory.” 

“You want my bath bombs too?” 

“Since you’re being a little shit, yes.” 

"I’ll make you regret this.”] 

“I fly back over to Orzo when I’m done and dance around his head. Look Orzo! Aren’t they pretty? And then I’ll pull out the bath bombs I stole and proudly show Orzo. And I got this! It smells like mint bubblegum, so I kept it for myself.” 

“I’ve never seen anything like that before. What does it do?” 

“I don’t know, but he obviously doesn’t use it. He smells like old cheese and swamp. We can try adding it to water later to make a potion!” 

“I relax a little since I saw Lulu take most of the bombs from the crazy goblin’s pouch, but I keep my hand on my sword just to be ready. I don’t sit again, but I stand next to the table. I see that you, Lulu and Orzo, may be more trustworthy than this creature. Tell me, do either of you know this area well? I have found myself here, but I have no memory of my travels.” 

“What a coincidence! Neither do we. I’m not that great when it comes to directions, but Lulu’s really good with maps. She keeps really good track of where we travel, but there’s nothing on her map after we left the last town we were in. I dig into my backpack and pull out a small map that’s barely larger than the palm of my hand. See? Nothing there.” 

[“Can the map just be a bunch of scribbles with cartoons that look vaguely like mountains and forests?” 

“It’s your map. You get to decide how all of your personal things look and what they do, just like you decide what your character does. I’m giving you the overarching story and directing you through it.” 

“Cool. So the map basically looks like a kid drew it with crayons. There’s some green scribbles in one corner that looks like it might be a forest and some grey scribbles at the top that kind of look like mountains or clouds. In one section of the map is a cartoon of a cat that has a bunch of exclamation marks and a red stain next to it. There’s a bunch of black scribbles that kinda look like a large ball of yarn all over the paper with random red X’s scattered here and there. Above each X is the word HERE, and only one X has a HERE that hasn’t been scribbled out.] 

“I point at the one X and say, Last I checked, we were there, but now we’re here, but it’s not the same here as there, so it can’t be here, here, or here. I’m pointing at the other X’s as I say that. So the only here it could be is right here! And then I take a little red crayon out of the pocket of my little leaf overalls and make a giant X in the middle of the map.” 

“So we do know where we are! See? I told you. Lulu is great with maps! I go to give Lulu a high-five even though she’s barely the size of my palm.” 

“I give him a high-five by tackling his hand with my entire body.” 

[“Can I do a perception check to see if the people in the tavern are watching us again?” 

“Why are you trying to ruin this moment?” 

“I want to play the game, and this is getting boring!” 

“Fine. Do a perception check.” 

“Sixteen.”] 

You see the patrons who were suspicious of you earlier have returned to their drinks and company. They’re not looking in your direction at all. [“Are you happy now?” 

“Yes. What does the bar area of the tavern look like?” 

“It looks like any other tavern. I didn’t plan for you to linger here long enough to put any special detail into it.” 

“Hmm. So I’m assuming they have stereotypical tavern fare. Like barrels of ale.” 

“Yes. What are you fishing for?” 

“Nothing. Continue.”] 

"I'm nodding my head as Lulu explains her map to me. but I’ve decided Orzo and Lulu are not a reliable source to answer any of my questions. Perhaps we may travel together for a while to—.” 

“I cast Fire Bolt on the barrels of ale behind the bar and yell, Kowabunga!” 

[“Are you serious right now?” 

“Kalani!” 

“GG bois. We’re cooked. Literally.” 

“No. No. No! He is not doing this again. I will not have another space funeral like the Meteor Odyssey campaign. Everyone roll dexterity!” 

“One.” 

“Four” 

“Nine.” 

“Twenty! Ahahahaha!” 

“Crap. All of you except Kalani take fire damage. Lemme see...Idia you take three damage; Ortho you only take two; and Yuu...how much health do you have?” 

“I only have six since I’m a tiny fairy.” 

“...” 

“Am I already dead?” 

“You’re not by chance a fire fairy, are you?” 

“No.” 

“Then yeah, you’re dead.”] 

“Lulu! No! You can’t die on me!” 

“Orzo. My friend. I’m afraid...this is the end. Bleh.” 

[“You know, we might be roleplaying, but you don’t have to actually lay on the floor and die.” 

“Yes, I do, Idia.” 

“No, you—.” 

“Yes, I do, Idia.” 

“Fine. Whatever.” 

“All the people that were angry at us earlier have to be even angrier now. Angry enough to start a tavern brawl!” 

“Why are you trying to fabricate an unnecessary fight this early. I had it planned for you to fight an undying—.” 

“Too slow! Not enough violence. Gacktu crave violence!” 

“You know what? Fine!”] 

As the fire ravages through the room, engulfing Lulu’s small body— 

“Lulu! Who will guide me with their maps now?” 

“Bleh!” 

—the patrons who noticed your infighting earlier begin to converge on your table. The flames reflect off the surface of their eyes, and you can see the same angry heat personified in their movements. Many of them are unarmed, but others pull daggers from their belts. Because of your location in the far back corner, you have no choice but to engage with them. 

[“Roll initiative so we can get this bloodbath over with and call it a day. Everyone is at a disadvantage except Kalani because he’s the one that started all this.” 

“Fourteen. Not that it matters.” 

“Another twenty!” 

“I’m just going to sit next to where Lulu once was and let the fire take me.” 

“You don’t have to do that Ortho.” 

“I do! We were the best of companions, and I could never continue my journey without you! Bleh!” 

“I’m starting to think you two just want to lay on the floor.” 

“Kalani and Idia, you both rolled under what I just rolled for the tavern group, so they all go before you.” 

“How many are there?” 

“Twenty-six.” 

“Crap...” 

“The six unarmed patrons move to get into attack range, but their movement is impended by the fire, which leaves them five meters short of reaching you. Six of the patrons wielding daggers do the same. Five of those patrons with daggers throw their weapons at Gacktu. What’s your AC?” 

“Ten.” 

“They all hit for a total of twenty-five. Each.” 

“Gacktu will slowly fall to the ground, and his screams become all gurgly as blood gushes out of his throat and the wounds where the daggers penetrate him. Ahhhhhgghghghgh!” 

“Ew. You just spit all over my tablet.” 

“Welcome to death, Gacktu.” 

“Why does the Underworld smell like vinegar?” 

“The other patrons move forward.” 

“I’m rolling for immediate death. Nat twenty. GG. I’m out.”] 

“Are you happy now, Kalani?” Ladnar snapped. He closed his laptop with a heavy slam. The squinted glare he directed at the cackling boy sprawled on the ground made Idia hide behind his tablet. “You managed to ruin another campaign in less than half an hour. Congratulations.” 

“I had fun,” Yuu said. She shifted to look less “dead.” Ortho snickered where he sprawled across her stomach. “It sucks that I died before I could stab anyone with my twin knitting needles, but I’ll play as Lulu the thieving fairy again the next time you play.” 

“I���m not ever playing with Kalani again,” Ladnar insisted. He fidgeted with his glasses. Azul usually did the same when he lost a game in their Board Game Club meetings, so Idia figured it was just a habit all glasses-wearing people had. “Why do you have to blow up everything before the campaign even starts?” 

“‘Cause it gets so boring,” Kalani groaned. He wiggled around on the floor until he bumped up against Yuu. Yuu’s nose wrinkled when he flung his palm into her face. “Does my hand smell like vinegar?” 

“Ew. It does. Why do you smell like that?” 

“It’s the floor! Someone spilled vinegar on the floor!” 

“You were also eating salt and vinegar chips before we started,” Ortho argued. He rolled onto his stomach and propped his elbows on Yuu. He kicked his legs in the air behind him. “I’m gonna agree with Ladnar though. You can’t play with us anymore.” 

“Aw! You too kaikaina?” Kalani groaned. He rolled around on the floor. Idia couldn’t help imagining him being a little child throwing a tantrum with his flailing limbs. “I was just tryin’ to make things more exciting and get the story moving!” 

“I told you during session 0 that our first session would be a little slow!” Ladnar argued. Idia slowly slid down his chair until he could barely see Ladnar’s reddening face over the table. “We’re establishing the setting and story. I had a combat sequence planned to end the session that would have been a satisfying cliffhanger and helped ease Yuu into the game mechanics. But she didn't even get a chance to fight because you killed her!” 

Kalani stuck out his tongue so far that Idia thought he would stick it up his nose. “You were taking too long. We’ve been playing for two hours now!” 

“We’ve barely been here for twenty minutes!” 

Idia slithered out of his chair as the argument between Ladnar and Kalani escalated. He army crawled to join Ortho and Yuu. Ortho giggled, and Yuu grunted when Idia “accidentally” knocked his bony elbow against hers. “See why I don’t usually play TTRPG IRL? At least online you can kick a griefer from the campaign and block them.” 

"Technically, we didn’t have to just die,” Ortho said, “but it didn’t sound like Kalani was really feeling the setting. We can always try again next week!” 

“Yeah,” Yuu said. Idia hissed through his teeth when she dug her elbow into his. “Playing games online isn’t bad but getting to watch everyone act out their character is a lot more fun than I thought it would be.” 

“Oh!” Ortho popped up off the floor in one fluid motion. Ladnar and Kalani’s argument had dissolved into them throwing insults at each other, Kalani shouting nonsense while Ladnar blinked in and out of existence. “We should invite Vil to play with us! I could totally see him playing a high elf, noble, warlock!” 

Idia snorted and propped himself on his elbows to check the gacha games notifications on his tablet. “Yeah, right. Like Vil would agree to—.” 

“He says he’s down as long as it doesn’t conflict with his schedule,” Yuu interrupted. Idia’s head snapped towards her so suddenly that a muscle in his neck twinged in pain. Yuu had pulled out her phone and was obviously messaging someone. “I bet Lilia would enjoy a game like this too. Is there a limit to how many people can play?” 

“Five is a pretty common number for most campaigns,” Ortho answered. Idia shot Ortho a wide-eyed look at his encouragement, but he appeared as enthusiastic at the prospect of more players as Yuu did. “Six might get a little busy, but Ladnar’s hosted a campaign with ten other dorm mates before. I’ll go ask him how many players would work with a campaign reset!” 

Idia stared in silent horror when Ortho flew over to talk to Ladnar, interrupting Kalani’s attempts to reenact his character’s fire spell. Idia groaned and dropped his face into his hands. “This was just supposed to be a one-time thing…” 

“Azul says he’ll play if it counts as club time.” 

Idia groaned again and felt his Fate was sealed when he heard another happy exclamation from Ortho. It was one thing to play a TTRPG with his dorm mates—who were all as nerdy as him even if one of those dorm mates was Kalani—but people like Vil, and Lilia, and even Azul? He might as well melt into a nerdy puddle right now and save himself the embarrassment. All because he had jokingly said he would set up a game if Yuu filled out a huge character sheet, complete with three pages of a full backstory. 

He was never making an offhanded promise to the prefect ever again. 

[hurrl]

💋 and 🩸 for everyone?

Also IF THAT IS TOO MANY PEOPLE YOU CAN ONLY DO AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO IT'S OK 👀💦💦💦

OH MOUSE, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS BUT IM ONLY GONNA ANSWER THE KISS QUESTION CAUSE ITS LONG THERE'S A LOT SO I PUT THEM UNDER THE CUT

💋 (kiss) - Is your oc a good kisser? Have they kissed anyone before? Do they even enjoy kissing? What was their first kiss like in comparison to their most recent? Kalani- That girl is a marvelous kisser, she's really good at gauging what her partner likes and adjusts herself accordingly. Do they prefer sloppy and rough or sweet and slow? From sweet little pecks on the cheek to breathless make-outs, she likes it all. Her lips are buttery soft and her breath is always fresh 👍(she makes SURE). Kissing is just AFFECTION, and she loves giving and receiving affection 😌 Her first kiss was a stage kiss when she was in high school BUT if you're not counting that, her first real kiss was with (and if you haven't seen the lore change, hi) her best friend in college, Valentina. Gosh, that really was something 😳 unfortunately, it was that kiss that led to the end of their friendship (and Val!). NOW HER MOST RECENT KISS was with her deceased husband (Geez! Maybe don't kiss her, you'll end up dead!) who... no yeah it was bad, she had to ask him to kiss her. There were no ZING no SPARKS; she had already been disillusioned-that man wanted her money and a hole to shove his dick into and nothing more. It made her feel icky knowing that she was just being used.

So yeah, the kiss with Val wins with her, despite how it ended, her first kiss was with someone who loved her. That's what matters most💞

Hugo: You know what this is up for debate, this guy is a SELFISH and AGRESSIVE kisser. There's tongue, he grabs, he bites... but does he even like to kiss? Intimacy is a form of escapism for Hugo, all of his kisses are hungry, he needs to get out of whatever state of mind he's in, to get lost completely in another person. If he kisses you, it means he fully intends on sleeping with you and never seeing you again. Kind of a dick move, and he's aware. It doesn't make him feel good about himself but he doesn't change either.

Like his most recent kiss; his first kiss doesn't matter.

Wolfgang: THIS MAN HAS NEVER BEEN KISSED IN HIS LIFE. He gets no bitches, zero play, zero pull. And when he does get his first kiss IT WILL SHOW. That man is nervous and sweating and WHOOS sorry you got like a foot of tongue down your throat!

Lilith: She is a GOOD KISSER. Anyone who has kissed Lilith knows this, and she's never had any complaints, but she doesn't particularly like or dislike kissing 🤷‍♂️ it's just a thing people do! She is not going out of her way to kiss people, and doesn't understand why anyone would want to kiss her (she is aware that objectively, she is strange/weird looking) but if someone asks, she's not gonna say no. Her first and last kisses were done at the nightclub where she works and she felt the same about both- neutral. Conrad: ANOTHER BITCH WHO HAS NEVER BEEN KISSED. Her and Wolfgang, the rizzless twins. Must run in the family. She has never gotten close enough to anyone to want to kiss them 😭 this is not a topic that weighs heavy on her mind. The girl is perfectly pleased with the way her life the way it is 🙂‍↕️. Though, I think if anyone ever builds that sort of relationship with her, she'd be a wreck. You'd have to guide that girl.

Squirrel: YES YES YES!! THIS BITCH LOVES TO KISS BITCHES. She's kissing friends, she's kissing strangers, she's kissing your mother, your father, YOU. Kissing's fun!! Casual or otherwise!

Her first kiss wasn't pleasant. She was fifteen and It had been a "prank" that ended up outing her to her school.

HER MOST RECENT KISS WAS BOMB, THOUGH, it was with Astrid, the drummer in her band and dear friend 😌. Sometimes you just gotta kiss the homies, you know.

Chrysalis: Oh her kisses are FIRE 🔥but she typically kisses with the intention of teasing. She wants to get you hot and bothered so she can make fun of you for getting HORNY over a kiss. That's just her way 💅

Her first kiss was during spin the bottle and her last kiss was done at the club 🕺during a steamy dancefloor session. The club wins, obviously