#Piglets in Space

[satureja13]

New Chapter!

Home cr happy home! As soon as they jumped out of the TukTuk, the Boys ran down to their Underground Police Station to look after Tiny Can. How had he been able to repair himself after being blown up? And where did he get all that money from to pay for their school fees? ö.Ö'

But Tiny Can wasn't at the place they left him. This little brat! Of course he was hiding somewhere, fearing Saiwa's wrath. Saiwa: "Spread out and find him! Dead or alive - I don't care. As long as his memory is still intact so we can track where that money came from and give it back. Gods, we are going to jail if this comes out!" Jack tried to defend his (t)rusty friend: "Sai, we don't know what happened to him. I'm sure it isn't as bad as it seems and ..." But Sai didn't listen and kept spitting: "Damn - I knew he was trouble!We should have left him at the temple to rot for the next thousand years! It's all your fault, Jack! You took him with us!" It hurt Kioyshi that his mate got scolded, but he knew that it was useless argueing with Sai when he was in his rage state. And so he hushed the others up and out to search for the lawless tin can... Kiyoshi sighed, he knows that Jack doesn't care much to be Sai's punching bag. More than that, it's a labor of love for his oldest friend.

Jeb and Ji Ho started to search their home lot. Since Tiny Can can even fly short distances, he could be anywhere! Jeb winced internally. Again, Sai is so, so furious. Jeb really needs to find ways how to deal with Sai when he's like that. Or better, ways to take this self-destructive anger off of Sai. And the blame he mortifies himself with. They are all to blame. Not only Sai. This has to stop.

Even though Ji Ho was travelsick and drained again from teleporting, he kept on searching. He even tried to suppress his feelings to not upset Vlad and keep him from their task. Vlad would come back to him immediately if he knew how exhausted he really is and how much he craves Vlad's healing and comforting touch. But this has to wait. Finding Tiny Can is more important than their 'indispositions'... Who knows what has happened to him? Ji Ho doesn't believe Tiny Can broke the law. Tiny Can helped him get his feelings back so Vlad and him can finally be together. Only - Tiny Can also put the influence his grandfather had over him with that spell into the Therapy Game. Ji Ho thought it was to make him so angry to finally open the Pandora's Box with his hidden feelings - to protect his friends. But what if the Council was behind all that? And they called Tiny Can back to extract the evidence he gathered - to use it against them? Ji Ho ran faster - despite his body's hammering ache and desperate pleads for some rest - and Vlad.

Kiyoshi, Vlad and Jack called the horses to search the surroundings. Vlad was torn. Of course he knows how negatively teleporting affects Ji Ho's (and his own) well being and it must be even worse now that he has his feelings back. Vlad would skip the search in an instant to care for Ji Ho but he also knows that Ji Ho would never accept his ministrations at the moment. In fact, rather the opposite. Ji Ho would be embarrassed to cause a fuss and make it even harder for his friends in need. So he kept on raking Tomarang. Ji Ho would send him away anyway.

Not many creatures are able to reach the Otherworld. And no one can stay for longer, so it was pretty pointless to ask the few people who are currently lingering here if they'd seen Tiny Can. But hope is the last to die. As Ji Ho, Jack can't believe either his tinny friend did something illegal to get them into trouble. Tiny Can's actions weren't always clear to them - but Jack is sure he always had good intentions. When Tiny Can let Jack getting killed or set Lou up with Caleb in the Therapy Game, Jack was upset and felt betrayed - of course he was. But in the end, all that Tiny Can did was to help him. He helped all of them. And they owe him. Without Tiny Can, he never would have been able to be mates, just mates with Kiyoshi and he never would have found ways to deal with his (many) disorders.

Kiyoshi rode over to the temples to talk to Arturo, but he also had no luck. One would think that Tiny Can would have ran for shelter to Arturo, who offered the Boys the circuit board with Tiny Can's AI 'to help them through this'. But Arturo didn't see him. Nor had he heard any gossip about a stray Astromech in the Otherworld from the visitor's of the temples he cares for. Surely someone would have noticed him.

And while the others turned every stone in Otherworld's Tomarang, Sai tried to catch a signal from Tiny Can to track him down. But it was as if he was wiped from the planet. They have no internet or phone reception here in the Otherworld, so Sai even connected his computer with their 'Post Office Device' to find a trace of him in the Muggle World - to no avail. And how could Tiny Can even reach the Muggle World without them teleporting him there? No, he must still be here in Tomarang. This little piece of junk must have supressed his signals! Ach, Sai distrusted this rusty tin can from the beginning! And he knew there was something foul about him. Even months ago, he already suspected the Council behind! But they all had been too excited about the Therapy Game and finally getting some help... And Sai had been too confident in his abilities to make it secure for them. But he utterly failed. The blame is on him and him alone. He never should have allowed Jack to bring Tiny Can among them. And he should never have installed that circuit board with the AI into Tiny Can. He created a monster that was bound to destroy them in the end. If the Council now has evidence they stole that much money, no one would be able help them anymore. They would get sentenced and sent to jail and that would incite even more hatred against creatures! All the creatures, in all the worlds... The creatures they are supposed to help. They are a shame and a threat for their community.

... to be continued

'Boom boom, ready to use my body Using the entire city of Seoul as my stage Nod, nod, your head I don’t want to be locked up Gather the crowds, let’s break the taboo We need to spread out Or else we might become scarecrows We can make empty lots into royal spaces This is the peak, don’t exit out now To the left, to the right, rock all night'

Block B - Shall we dance (Real Ji Ho's (and my favourite) group)

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter: starts here with this post :3 Last Chapter: 'Here comes the Sun' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-28

[mrmozzarellaman]

A mood board dedicated to my favorite childhood plushie, piglet from winnie the pooh! And to my favorite animal, pigs :3

[bethanythebogwitch]

Wet Beast Wednesday: tardigrades

Last week on Wet Beast Wednesday I covered the largest animals to ever exist on our planet. This week I'm going to pull a full 180 and cover the smallest animals yet on this series. Meet the tardigrade, the internet's favorite micro-animal the is said to be basically immortal. How true is that? Let's see.

(Image: an electron microscope image of a tardigrade. It looks a lot like a potato with eight stubby legs tipped with long claws. At the front is a small, circular mouth. It has no other discernable features. In the background are bits of plant matter that look like seaweed at this scale. End ID)

The tardigrades are 1,300 known species (and probably a lot of unknown ones too) in the phylum Tardigrada. They are also part of the superphylum Ecdysozoa, which are animals that grow by molting their outer cuticles or exoskeletons. In particular, the tardigrades are believed to be a sister group of the arthropods, the group that contains crustaceans, insects, isopods, and a lot of other things. Tardigrades are truly tiny, the largest species reaching a whopping 1.5 millimeters in length, though most species reach no more than 0.5 mm. They have round, segmented bodies with four pairs of legs that end in either claws or suction discs. The body segments consist of a head, three body segments with a pair of legs each, and a caudal segment with the final pair of legs. The first three legs are used for movement while the final pair points backwards and is used for grabbing onto substrate. All of the body segments except for the final one correspond to segments found in the head section of insects. Tardigrades are missing many hox genes, genes that direct the body plan during development. Their ancestors may have had a body plan more similar to insects, but the loss of the hox genes has compressed them into walking heads with a bit of butt. The mouth is tubular and sucks in food. In the mouth are stylets, needle-like structures used to pierce food objects. Once food is drawn into the mouth, a structure called the buccopharyngeal apparatus activates. This is a combination of spines and muscle that acts like an inner jaw that pulls food into the digestive tract. The buccopharyngeal apparatus is distinct enough to be used as a major identifying feature between species. Tardigrades are translucent and many images you've seen of them have false color to show the details or are 3D models based on scanning electron microscope imagery of them. Tardigrades molt their exoskeletons multiple times (up to 12) during their lifecycle. Some species are unable to poop normally and instead all their waste is discarded during the molt. It was formerly believed that tardigrades could exchange genes with each other without mating, a process called horizontal gene transfer that is seen in bacteria, archaea, and other micro-organisms. It has since been discovered that while still capable of horizontal gene transfer, it is quite a bit rarer in tardigrades than we thought.

(Image: an electron microscope image of a tardigrade standing on a bit of plant matter. This one has a closed mouth with a ring of triangular tooth-like structures. It also has two simple eyes that look like black dots. End ID)

The name "tardigrade" means "slow walker", which is fitting as, despite their eight legs, tardigrades have a slow and awkward gait. This is the result of their legs being unjointed, only able to pivot at their connection to the body. Their gait has been compared to that of bears, hence why they are often called water bears and their discoverer, Johann August Ephraim Goeze, called them "kleiner wasserbär", meaning "little water bear". Tardigrades are found worldwide and have inhabited virtually every habitat, from the tops of mountains to the deep sea, from hot springs to the antarctic, from freshwater to saltwater. The one thing they have in common is a need to stay wet. Tardigrades can survive out of water as long as they can stay moist and are often found in mosses, hence another common name: moss piglets. The majority either eat plants or bacteria, but some will feed on smaller tardigrades or other micro-animals. Their famous survivability makes it easy for tardigrades or their eggs to be carried to new habitats by larger animals or other phenomena. Tardigrades are one of the first micro-animals to colonize a new habitat and they are a pioneer species, the first species to colonize a new environment and whose presence makes that environment fore suitable for other species to follow. Tardigrades are a major food source to other micro-animals and larger organisms. Most species have distinct males and females, though a few reproduce through parthenogenesis. In most cases, molting female will lay her eggs in her shed cuticle and males will them fertilize them. Other species have a form of internal reproduction. Males and females will court each other before mating and females will usually allow multiple males to fertilize her eggs. Female tardigrades are typically larger and more abundant than males. Eggs can take up to 14 days (species dependent) before hatching. All tardigrades of the same species have the exact same number of cells as each other. They are also born with the same number of cells they will have as an adult. Their growth is driven by enlargement of the existing cells rather than cellular reproduction making new cells. The lifespan ranges between a few months to a few years, depending on species.

(Image: a color photo of a tardigrade. It is a pale, translucent white, making it hard to make out details. Its body is curved, with the front end pointing at the camera. It has two simple eyes. End ID)

(Image: an electron microscope image of a tardigrade egg. It is round but covered in small pores and conical structures. End ID)

The most famous feature of tardigrades is their legendary durability. It is commonly said that tardigrades can survive just about anything (except for the things that are actually trying to kill them. They are prey to a lot of species after all). Among the things they can survive is extreme heat, extreme cold, dehydration, extremely high and low pressure, exposure to ionizing radiation (that's the scary kind), low oxygen environments, environmental toxins, heavy impacts, and the vacuum of fucking space. While the can survive in extreme conditions, tardigrades are not considered extremophiles. True extremophiles thrive in extreme environments and are negatively impacted by leaving them. Tardigrades can survive in extreme environments, but are negatively impacted and can't survive as well there as they can in less extreme places. The main trait that has allowed tardigrades to survive all five mass extinctions in history is cryptobiosis. Cryptobiosis is the rare ability for an animal to enter a state of dormancy where their metabolic processes come to an almost complete stop. While in cryptobiosis, metabolic activity drops to 0.01% normal and water content drops to 1% normal. In this state, the tardigrade is called a tun. Tardigrades usually enter cryptobiosis in response to arid conditions. One experiment showed that a species of tardigrade could last for at least 30 years in this state and return to normal lifestyle functions when exposed to water. Tardigrades will also enter cryptobiosis in response to low oxygen, toxic chemical exposure, increased or decreased temperature, and excessive salt content in the water. Tardigrades also show extreme resistance to both high and low pressure. They can live in 0 atmospheres of pressure and some species can survive up to 6,000 atmospheres, more than double the pressure at the bottom of the Marianas trench. More interesting is their ability to survive dangerous radiation. They can survive 1,000 times the dose of gamma radiation that humans can. Early tests focused on tardigrades in cryptobiosis and concluded that the extremely low water content of a cryptobiotic tardigrade doesn't leave much opportunity for the radiation to react with the animal. However it was later found that active and fully hydrated tardigrades are still considerably resistant to radiation. Studies into this resistance indicate that tardigrades can very efficiently repair damaged DNA and have unique proteins called Dsup that provides additional protection. Dsup introduced to human cells has provided additional protection against x-rays.

(Image: an electron microscope image of a tun - a tardigrade in cryptobiosis. It is smaller and very wrinkly, with the legs and mouth retracted into the body. End ID)

Tardigrades were the first animals to be exposed to the vacuum of space. They were exposed for 10 days, some in a state of cryptobiosis at the time of exposure and some still active. It was found that they were able to survive the vacuum when shielded from the sun's ultraviolet radiation, with those already in cryptobiosis doing better. Upon being rehydrated, many were able to resume normal life functions and successfully reproduce, though others died after being rehydrated. Those that were exposed to UV radiation fared much worse, with only a few hydrated individuals surviving. The individuals in cryptobiosis had a lower survival rate when exposed to UV than those not exposed to UV and were less successful at reproducing afterwards. Studies of tardigrade's space survival abilities and resistance to radiation could go a long way in helping human space travel. One of the largest dangers of space travel is that space is full of nasty radiation from the sun that Earth's magnetic field protects us from. Some scientists speculate about the possibility of accidentally seeding other planets or moons with tardigrades or other space-resistant organisms. This is a problem because introducing Earth life to other world has the potential to damage any native ecosystems and if we find life in space in the future we don't want to have to figure out if it's something we accidentally put there. While tardigrades could likely survive on other planets, they would eventually die without a food source. Some sources reported that tardigrades may have colonized the moon after an experiment with them crashed. Unfortunately, the moon is not crawling with tardigrades now. It's way too dry for them to exit cryptobiosis even if they survived the crash, which they probably didn't.

(Image: art of a tardigrade floating in the vacuum of space. End ID. Source: University of California - Santa Barbara)

[littleprincerianne]

the realest dude in the hundred acre woods ಥ⁠_⁠ಥ

[mwolf0epsilon]

Clone Medic Sponge Fact #???

Despite being completely ok with the idea of midichlorians and how they are the key to certain beings getting strange mystical powers, Sponge is incredibly unsettled by the existence of tardigrades...

[timbercow]

Tardigrade Bok globules. Inspired by the Hubble image of a Bok globule nicknamed the "Caterpillar" in the Carina Nebula.

[sweater-equestrian]

and ofc the mandatory visits to the pigs and the goats at the pumpkin patch <3

[smolpotatobigdreams]

Does anyone else just want a CG who can be as nurturing as Kanga with Piglet 🥰? Piglet's Big Movie is the best Winnie the Pooh movie and no one can change my mind 🐷🍯

Source

[satureja13]

Vlad, Kiyoshi and Jack returned back home after long hours of looking for Tiny Can - without success. Jeb finished searching their home lot just a few minutes ago and sent exhausted Ji Ho to take a bath until Vlad was back to charge their Bond with him. They also asked Adriano if he'd seen Tiny Can leaving, but he denied. (Ariano usually stays at home when the Boys and the Goats are out and about. He enjoys his alone time without the quirky goats ^^') There's nothing more they can do tonight and Jeb volunteered to deliver the bad news to Saiwa...

Vlad immediately went to their shared bathroom to look after his bonded. Some ghosts had gathered around Ji Ho and illuminated the scene. It was a sight to behold. Ji Ho is utterly beautiful. His scales shimmering in the faint blue light. Water driplets rolling down his moist, tattooed skin. Vlad just hopes they don't have to go too far to charge their Bond and heal themselves from the exhaustion of teleporting them back home. To not taint their freshly blossoming love...

And while Vlad left to wait in Ji Ho's room until Ji Ho got dressed, poor Jeb went over to Saiwa. Not only does he have to bring the bad news that they didn't find a trace of Tiny Can, he also has to stop Sai from searching and put him to bed. Well, he had a few hours to ponder about this and thought he'd go with stern and bossy ö.ö Gladly, he can't see Sai's exasperated face, otherwise this would have probably stopped him... Jeb: "We quit for tonight. Let's take a shower and go to bed." Saiwa: "No sign of the tin can, I suppose. Go ahead. I'll try..."

But Jeb interrupted him: "No. We all need to recover." Sai already felt the new vibe in their dynamics at Castle Hummelshain, when they all went with him to discuss the loan. Even earlier. When Jeb stated he didn't want to roll back into their former relationship - and start from scratch again instead. And even though Sai is just a tiny step away from tripping over the edge and falling into the abyss of sorrows and despair, Jeb's words pierced through. Sai knew that Jeb was right. They all promised to carry the burden with Sai - and Sai promised to let them. And so he obeyed and went to take a shower. As soon as the hot water Sai pattered on his skin and washed away the makeup and tension, he was able to push the tin can aside for a while and recalled how stern Jeb was. Sai hates it to be their leader and so he was quite excited to see the bossy side of Jeb. That's one of the reasons Sai wants Jeb to be his top. For once he wants Jeb to take the lead and let himself fall. And surrender his body, mind and soul to Jeb's will. Subordinate to Jeb's commands... Uh, it's getting hot in here ö.ö Now is really not the time for thoughts like these. Sai turned on the cold water and held his hot face into the chill stream. When Sai came back to his room, Jeb had also taken a shower and changed into his sleepwear. Sai can't believe his luck: "You stay over?" Jeb: "No, we are going to sleep in my bed. I'm afraid if I leave you alone, you'll go back to the computer to track down Tiny Can." Dammit, Jeb knows him so well. But he's going to sleep in Jeb's bed! With Jeb beside him!

Jeb: "Come here, I'll hold you until you fall asleep." Sai: "And then you shove me away? How am I supposed to fall asleep then?"

Jeb laughed: "Fine, I'm going to hold you - no matter what." Sai sighed contently and snuggled closer, deeply inhaling Jeb's scent: "I missed you so much." Jeb tightened his arms around Sai: "I missed you too. Sleep now. And don't worry, we'll figure something out. As always." Sai was so tired and exhausted, he just believed in Jeb's soothing words and closed his eyes. It just felt too good to be held by him. His strong arms around him, holding him tight. Nothing else mattered in this moment. And Sai fell asleep.

Vlad and Ji Ho sat on Ji Ho's bed. The Bond was so happy there are no more obstacles, curses and spells that keep the both of them apart, it didn't demand much and was just glad to help healing them. They just cuddled for a while and soon they felt so much better. Maybe Ji Ho's new found feelings helped too. Everything was so much more intense now, including Vlad's touch. Especially Vlad's touch.

It was too early to share a bed but Ji Ho asked Vlad to stay. He can't be alone right now. So Vlad slept on Ji Ho's sofa. They both know that nothing will keep them from being together for real now and they cherished this heady newly-in-love feeling. Ji Ho can still feel where Vlad's hands touched and caressed him. And when Vlad's breath steadied and slowed, Ji Ho fell asleep too. (The cute painting of Little Goat sleeping was a Winterfest present from Vlad.)

'Sometimes in our lives We all have pain We all have sorrow

But if we are wise We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me When you're not strong And I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on...

For it won't be long Till I'm gonna need somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride If I have things you need to borrow

For no one can fill Those of your needs that you won't let show'

Lean on me - Bill Withers

Outtakes

The way Vlad looks at him. Vlad is happy when Ji Ho's happy <3

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter: starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Here comes the Sun' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-28

[hoperays-song]

Gunter Babysits Review and Commentary

Time for the first shorts commentary! Is this an elaborate plan to distract me from my fic being with my beta reader? Yes! Am I using it for content? Welcome back to the madness!

(Shorts will be posted individually but only one part each. Sorry for the delay, some stuff for my school got bloody insane.)

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Jump scare Gunter within the first three seconds!

Is that a drawing of a human? It kinda looks like it. Probably isn't but looks like it.

Also, very curious to what's on this whiteboard.

All other phones in this series we see seem to be normal modern phones, so this was a choice by Gunter to have this one. Also, love the stickers and pig home button, it's really cute!

Awwwwww, he called himself uncle Gunter!!!!!!!!!

Rosita definitely designed this kitchen because the lights coming on slowly when off if you open the cabinet (to give your eyes time to adjust) is simply brilliant.

So we already saw inside this cabinet in Sing 1 and it had a ton of assorted stuff. Now, it is purely candy. This has to be like right after Halloween or something because why else would they have so much candy? Especially with really young kids.

... The horror movie music that starts playing here is correct. This is terrifying. Straight up. Just terrifying.

I worked as a babysitter and nanny for a bit... this is legit one of my worst nightmares. Gunter, I feel for you mate.

Ok, these kids got their mom's inventive brain but they also look like tiny little DnD villains while they're plotting. Honestly? Love that for them.

Two things! One, we get to see the recipes that are planned out for the family, all of which, kinda unsurprisingly, are vegetarian sounding. We have leeks and potatoes, eggplant burgers, and Mom's super soup! Plus a really cute drawing the kids made of their parents!

Two, those are groceries on the counter. Like, some of those look like bottles of stuff that seems like it should be kept cold. It almost makes me theorize that this wasn't a date night or anything like that (I know it's hinted to be, just throwing this theory out there) but instead some urgent family thing that would have pulled Rosita and Norman away, hence them needing a babysitter.

Ooooo, the phone has lights on the side, that's cool!

Ok, bonus points to Gunter for being able to stop a cabinet from falling while restrained because that would have seriously hurt those kids.

...Kids. Will. Try. To. Eat. Anything.

Also, Gunter's little grimace in response was just so fair. I've done that so many times mate.

Ok, what kinda phone is this?!?!?!?!?

Plus, love how all the kids were immediately afraid Gunter was going to call their mom the moment he got free. Terrifying Rosita confirmed.

Love this because it reminds me that Gunter canonically runs his own dance studio and likely teaches classes there.

Also, I have decided the kid on the counter to the right is Rory. No reason, just gives off Rory vibes.

Ok, but this is so accurate??? Like it is easy to convince kids to do things when you have music most of the time. They will just go with it.

Rosita and Norman were only gone from 7:30ish to 9:00 apparently. That is an incredibly short amount of time. Also means the kids were running absolutely insane for potentially close to an hour, so Gunter has my sympathies.

Rosita's kids really love space. Like not just their pjs but everywhere in their room. Bonus: stickers I was able to screenshot over their bunks.

The Alien Rosita Drawing Lurks Once More.

Gunter, I have a small feeling that as soon as those kids wake up and tell their mother, you will not be watching them next week.

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Overall, this was super cute. Gunter is already uncle Gunter to the kids so he was clearly incorporated into the family really quickly after the events of the first movie. Also, the piglets are pure and utter chaos and I love that.

[downfallofi]

It's too peopley in the shop.

[frentique]

[slothandmanatee]

Sloth and (Moon)atee 15

New comics come out Each Weekend along with Art and Nonexistent Tarot and Other Nonsense, come join us, yes yes!

[timbercow]

Cosmic tardigrade.

[cloudberryalf]

[fraugwinska]

I know canonically Alastor doesn't sleep but let's assume it's not because he doesn't have to but because he doesn't want to - he feels powerless and vulnerable when he sleeps, also he is tormented by nightmares.

What if one night everyone is waken up by hotel almost falling apart: walls are cracking, everything is shaking, and a green glow is flowing through the corridors. Turns out, Alastor is asleep and having a very bad nightmare. And unless they want the hotel to fall apart, someone has to wake Alastor up... (reader volunteers as a tribute)

LOTS of angst with a comfor ending? :)

You ask, Anon - and I deliver (at last)! Thank you for being so patient with me! Today just felt right to write this, and I sincerely hope you find it worth the wait! <3 TW: Depictions of Blood - Minors DNI - 2.8k words

The Eye of the Storm

"What the fuck is going on?!"

Another loud boom shakes the ground of the corridor, almost making you trip and fall if not for the handrail you managed to grab. Angels door opened at the other end, a scared squeal of Fat Nuggets faintly audible as Angel stumbled out, clearly as startled and scared as you.

"Fuck, toots, what is that?"

"I have no idea!"

You had no idea, but whatever was causing it, the entire building was shaking like in an earthquake and you were terrified some of the older, worn out parts of your floor could collapse any moment. The cracks on the walls were growing with every rumble, and a bright, green glow had overtook the lamps, turning the usually warm and inviting space into an eerie nightmare.

You exchanged a terrified look with Angel, both of you unsure what to do next. He hurried over to you, his piglet shaking in two of his arms, taking your hand with his free one and pulled you with him. "C'mon, we need to find Charlie, before the fucking ceiling falls on our heads."

You didn't even have the time to reply before the lights went off, a terrified scream leaving your mouth before you could stop it. You heard a string of curses from Angel and felt him squeeze your hand tighter. The both of you ran down the stairs as fast as you were able to in the dim darkness. You tripped several times, but Angel held you steady, trying his best to not fall himself. The lights went on again with another rumble, making the stairway moan like it was in pain.

"Charlie! Vaggie!"

You reached the lobby, where you found the rest of the residents already gathered. Everyone was there, looking shaken and confused, but unharmed. You saw them look around and then up to the ceiling, the cracking of the wood and walls sounding louder and more violent than upstairs.

"Ey, you two, are yo' hurt?" Husk yelled over the noise, his eyes scanning Angel with a worried look.

You shook your head, letting the spiders hand go so he could run up to Husk, who took his pig into his arms and hugged Angel close.

"Is everyone alright? Where's Niffty... and Alastor?" Charlie's voice sounded shaky, and you could tell she was doing her best to keep calm and not freak out.

"I'm here!" The little cyclops girl appeared behind Sir Pentious's hat, her eye wide. "But I think Alastor's not okay."

"What do you mean?" Vaggie asked, her hands stiff on Charlies trembling shoulders.

Niffty looked around, biting her lip. "He has bad dreams sometimes, and he's really scary when he does, and then stuff like this happens. He can't control his powers, and-"

"Wait, so it's HIM who's causing all of this?" Vaggie's eye widened in anger and another boom made the whole lot of you duck as the glasses from the bar fall from their shelves, flooding the floor with shards of glass and debris.

"Yes, but he can't help it, it's his brain messing up! We need to help him!"

Vaggie cursed, while Charlie and the others started to ramble over another.

"Someone has to wake him up, before the hotel really collapses."

"Are 'ya crazy, Charls? We can't go in there!"

"Yeah, at this state, yo' won't know that fucker won't rip yo' to shreds befo' you even reach his room."

"It'ssss better to evacuate, I think."

"And leave the building to fall into pieces? Ugh, maldito idiota de la radio..."

Your head turned worriedly back to the green glowing corridor. Alastor. What the hell kind of bad dream would make him lose control over his powers like that? Niffty said it was his brain messing up, whatever that meant - did he really suffer from nightmares? You felt a sting of worry for the deer demon. You didn't even want to imagine the kind of terrors he had to have in his head to cause something like this.

"I'm gonna go."

Everyone stopped talking and looked at you. Husk gave you an incredulous look, still holding Angel and the pig in his arms. "Y-yo' can't be serious. That's straight-up suicide."

You shook your head. "Someone has to. I'll be fine, just... get out of here, wait outside and make sure no one is getting hurt."

Angel tore himself out of the cat demons grasp, taking you by your shoulders, his eyes pleading. "Toots, Alastor is not himself right now. He can't control what the fuck he's doing, and if he hurts 'ya, I don't... Please, don't do this, that bastard ain't worth it."

You knew the spider demon was worried, and you appreciated your friends' concern, but he didn't know the Radio Demon as well as you did. You were aware of his reputation, the stories of his atrocities and his sadistic nature. You knew how cruel and unforgiving he could be, but you also knew that over the last few weeks, he had shown you a softer, less menacing side. You and him bonded over his love of cooking and your love of eating what he prepared, over your shared interest for record players and classical music and your affinity to magic and the obscure. He could be a lot of things, but he wasn't just the bloodthirsty serial killer most of the denizens of hell made him out to be.

You gave the spider a smile, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "Don't worry about me, Angel, it's going to be alright. He's my friend, I can't just leave him in there to get crushed by the building."

Before you could be held back, you started to run towards the stairs. Charlie cried out to you, but you ignored her, you just took a last glance back, shouting as you vanished into the darkness.

"Just trust me, and get your asses out of here."

"Fuck."

The group stood there, unsure what to do, and a loud snap coming from the second floor made them turn and run for the doors.

The higher you climbed the stairs, the more intense the shaking and rumbling got. You had to crawl on the steps at times, because it was too dangerous to walk, and you didn't trust your legs not to give way under you. The walls were splitting, the green light was burning in the lamps, and the air was crackling with what seemed like dark magic, ominous glowing symbols appearing and fading in your vicinity.

When you finally reached Alastor's door, it was already hanging from the hinges. It had probably blown when the magic started to burst out in violent waves, the green glow brightly pulsating and threatening from within the inside. You wondered if your heart could beat any faster without giving way. It wasn't the first time you were scared witless, hell wasn't exactly a carnival. But as much as you believed the best about Alastor, he still was one of hell's most powerful overlords. He still had countless bodies in his name. You trusted him, but if Niffty and the others were right - and it seemed to be the case that they were - he had little to no control over himself when lost in a nightmare. Could a demon like him sleepwalk and kill you in their sleep?

You took a breath and squared your shoulders, turning around to call into the room, not daring to set a foot inside yet.

"Alastor? It's me. Can you hear me?"

The rattling of the sudden radio static made the framed pictures on the wall shatter to the ground, and from the edge of your field of vision you noticed the lights fade once more, turning the already ghost-like bedroom almost black. You reached for the doorway and lowered your voice.

"It's me, you have to listen, okay? It's okay. I just came to check on you. It's safe now. You are safe."

No answer, again. The darkness felt suffocating, as if it was about to crush you any minute. You felt dizzy, disoriented, like a rabbit that had caught the eyes of a fox. You didn't dare say anything else, not until you could at least see him, figure out what was going on. With shaking legs, you took a step over the threshold. The lamps flickered again and you tried your best not to stumble as you scanned the room in front of you in between the shutters of brightness for traces of the other demon.

When you found him, you had to bite down a cry of horror.

You wished you hadn't.

He was curled up and violently shaking on his bed, the covers ripped and laying in pieces around his sweating body. His head was almost between his knees, hair spiky and disheveled and his overgrown and twisted antlers slicing the mattress and pillows with every tremor rushing through him. You could barely see him, the flickering lights making his face obscured in the shadows, but what you could see made your heart sink. He was sobbing in between shattering breaths, his chest heaving up and down erratically and his claws digging deep ridges into his torso as his body jerked and twisted, blood pooling into the covers in deep red.

"Al." You couldn't control yourself anymore. The shock, the dread and worry freed your legs from their stupor and you rushed to the hunched form, nearly stumbling on the ripped fabrics.

His eyes flew open at the touch of your fingers, burning in bright crimson with ticking dials as irises, almost completely overtaking his entire eye sockets. The howling of radio static screeched from his lips as the room shook again as he bared his sharp teeth, his clawed hands swiping at you with violent intensity that send you flying on the ground. You tried to catch yourself, but fell to your side, letting out a pained cry as you felt the wound on your waist, dripping with blood and split wide open.

You watched him with wide eyes as his limbs grew, afraid to even move. His stare was petrifying you, you had never seen such violent, uncontrolled expression on him. He growled, his head turning towards you, his mouth, no, maw opening. He looked like he wasn't there anymore, that nothing left was inside besides a manic creature ready to slaughter everything it crossed. A nightmarish beast in its lair that had cornered a small helpless prey, ready to be swallowed alive.

He got up in one swift motion, the pieces of fabric that once were bedcovers flying through the air and a dark aura creeping into your vicinity. Your breath hitched. You couldn't get out of his range with him like that, the open wound kept you from moving fast, and his maw was so big it seemed he could rip you apart by just inhaling.

"Alastor, it's okay. It's me." you breathed, desperate not to lose hope. There must be something that could call to him in the deepest parts of his mind, something that could snap him out of this lucidity. You scrambled back as he stepped in front of you, lowering his head to meet your eye level. His claws dragged on the floor beside him, and in a sudden, swift move, his large hands grasped you, the pressure on the gash blindingly painful.

"I-It's okay, it's not y-you, it's just a bad dream. I'm here to h-help you. Let me..." You gasped, a sob leaving your throat as his claws started to dig into you.

"Nnnghh... Y...-you c..c-c-an't ...-he..lp...m...m-e-e.."

A snarl left his lips and he raised his face into the air, his arms lifting you effortlessly and you whimpered in fear. Pushing through the hazy fog that invaded your brain, you tried again.

"Please, Al, j-just look at me. Wake up a-and look at me. You'll be okay."

"W...-why d-d..id..-.yo...-u co..-m-e... -h..e-re...?"

The blood loss was making you feel faint, and you lifted a bloody hand, desperate to touch him, to reach the man behind the monster. With blurry eyes, you brushed his cheek, his face just near enough your fingertips reached the fizzing skin. It felt like dipping your hand in pure electricity, numbing and painful, but you didn't care.

"Because you a-are scared and h-hurting, and I care about y-you. What f-friend would I be if I l-let you s-suffer alone?"

At your words, his enormous form shivered, and you felt his grip on you loosen ever so slightly. The dials fixed on you were still ticking, but the red of his eyes dimmed. Your other hand came up, slowly, to take the other side of his face.

"Can you wake up for me, Alastor?"

More growling, more shaking.

"Pl-please. Wake up and come b-back to me."

His eyes flicked, the howling static became more hushed and his ears twitched under the forks of his antlers. You took a shuddering breath of relief as the animalistic stare on his face lost its threatening gaze and felt the buzz under your fingers slowly dying down. The sharpness under your hands subsided fully as you saw Alastor shrink back, slowly becoming aware again of his surroundings. The green glow that filled the room flickered and turned into the familiar oranges and reds. You held onto his face and his eyes, not daring to let him go until he had finally settled and transformed back into his regular form, the last clicks of the vanishing dials fading as his irises turned to dim reds once again.

"What happened. Why are you..." The sound of his familiar voice was all you wanted to hear now. As your legs gave away, you didn't fall however, Alastor's slender hands were quick to catch you, his smile confused and irritated. He let his eyes travel down your arms to the wound and pools of crimson surrounding you, and back at your face, now pale.

"What do you think you are doing, dear." he breathed, settling you down slowly on the ground.

"You had a nightmare. The hotel... everything was chaos. I had to come, had to... get you out of it." you stammered, watching him looking around to see the damage, his face warped in realization as he put the pieces together.

"Fuck!"

It was rare to hear the usually so poised and reserved Radio Demon swear, but for this situation you'd agree it was entirely appropriate. But the hotel still stood and he was back, and that was all that mattered. When he took you up in his arms and buried his face in your neck, you felt the more alive than in the whole time on earth.

"You foolish girl. You could've been killed by my hands."

You let him embrace you, his long arms circling around you protectively and his forehead resting on the hollow of your throat.

"But I wasn't." you said simply, smiling weakly into his hair. Your arms felt heavy but they still managed to find their way onto his back, reassuring and tender, letting him know you were fine, mangled maybe, but alive and there. You stayed that way for a moment, both of you unable to move or say something as you found some grounding in each other's warmth and the now peaceful silence.

The quiet was broken, however, when you heard frantic footsteps in the hall outside and the uproarious group of the hotel staff came charging through the opened door, halting when they saw your display. Alastor didn't lift his head, in fact, he didn't move at all. You turned your head, your hand barely leaving his back to give the speechless group a lazy wave.

"Are 'ya ok? I'll kill 'im if 'yer not, I don't give a shi-"

"You were so incredibly brave, oh gosh, look at all this blood. Vaggie, we need to get the first aid kit!"

"I'll get my mop! And a broom, look at the mess!"

"Aye, this fucker really owes you."

"Umm... this is rather... Should we give thossse two a moment?"

"Lo juro por Dios, un día de estos lo voy a matar..."

Through the mass of noise the others made, talking and fussing and scurrying, you heard Alastor's quiet whisper against your bloodied skin, loud and clear.

"Thank you, dearest."

You smiled, closing your eyes and holding him a bit tighter, even if it made your wounded side sting.

"It's okay, Al. What else are friends for?"