#SOS KATHERINE DIES AND THEN SHELBY DOES

[emilynyaesmp]

Nature wives are so doomed Yuri coded… 🫶

[fogwitchoftheevermore]

thinking about nature wives in the blaseball au. im gonna have soooo much fun with them.

also did you guys know there’s a tag limit cause i decided to scramble my thoughts down in the tags so i would remember and that’s what i learned today.

[amethystfairy1]

hi again. i did end up posting some of my art but idk if there's a way to link it in the ask (kinda new to tumblr lol), so im just gonna trust that you know how to find it. Anyways, I have more questions for you :)

jumping into the deep end w/ traveling thieves:

is there any way to remove a collar without the owner's permission? Could a non-collared person do it? Are they physically destructible? What happens if the owner dies? Basically anything that could free Jimmy and Scott T-T

Can any nether-born wield fire, or just blaze-borns? bc hypothetically, we could get some team ZIT going if impulse is a nether-born (he's normally head cannoned as a demon, but I like the idea of wither skeleton instead for this au, if you don't already have plans for him). he could join Zed and Tango :)))

how does the siren song work? can you get anyone to do anything with it if you were good enough? considering song is in the name, is it more effective if it's more melodic?

how do the rune trigger thingies work? Does the staff need to be continuously touching the person to trigger the collar, or does it have a time limit, or is it a secret third option? (this is for a lil piece i've written that I may or may not post lol)

That's it for now, although I do want to say that it would be adorable if Katherine got Shelby a sun-lamp so she could grow over-city plants down there :3

actually that's not it. it'd be fun if you wrote a piece where Grian helps Mumbo and Scar pull a (not so ethical) job. just an idea :)

ok goodbye

Hello hello!

I found the art! I reblogged the art! I LOVE THE ART!

I said it in my reblog but again here they are SO PRETTY I love Cute Guy his wings are beautiful and his shoes are so KILLER and then the SWAGON from Traveling Thieves! It's even got Grian's lil bay window! It makes me so happy! I will treasure them, thank you so much for sharing!

Questions questions! 🏃‍♀️

Short answer: No. Long Answer: Not any way that Scott or Jimmy currently have access too. If their current owner dies the contract has a clause that will automatically transfer them to whoever said owner designated as the inheritor, this being a built in safety measure to ensure enslaved hybrids don't try to one-hit kill their masters before a punishment can kick in to go free. They are technically physically destructible but any attempt at cutting them or unlatching them will trigger the punishment runes. And they are very tough, reinforced by the magic in the runes, again to ensure this isn't attempted, so it would be far to painful to attempt to just endure the punishment long enough to cut them off. This doesn't mean it's completely impossible for them to get them off without their current masters permission...but we haven't gotten to that yet. 😉

Blaze-borns specifically can wield fire as physical parts of their body, but other nether hybrids are able to pull similar tricks such as heating up their hands to work metal, and obviously they're fireproof. Plus, considering our lovely dark fantasy AU, some of them have proficiency with fire magic! I do have plans for Impulse in Traveling Thieves! Please look forward to it!

It's basically voice-based charm magic. I may have messed this up, but I'm pretty sure I only ever refer to it as 'siren spells' and not 'siren songs'? Is there anywhere I screwed that up? Siren spells also give the user the ability to make their voice more pleasant and tend to have good singing voices anyway. If someone is extremely good with it (ex: Scott's Dad) they could 100% use it to strongly compel others, but it's not like brainwashing. Like when Scott used it, all it really did was make the ice mage suddenly care about his opinion, and that confused her enough that she hesitated on using magic. It still has to be something understandable. It wouldn't have been enough to, say, get her to fire a spell at her companion and kill him. It's more like it makes the users words much more influential in the mind of whoever is hearing it. It can also do other things, though! Like how I mention that Scott's Dad would sing for the Queen, Scott's Mom, to help her relax, that's not just because he's a beautiful singer (which of course he is) he's also using siren spells to lower her stress.

One hit triggers the punishment runes. A second hit makes them stop. Like an on-off switch! They also specifically have to get hit with the gem at the end of the rune trigger. If you do post anything anywhere please do send another ask/post it somewhere I can see, I'd absolutely love to see what you do with the AU! ☺️

Awwww...Katherine could totally get Shelby a sun-lamp, that'd be so cute! Also I totally plan on writing a piece at some point where the Swagon Trio steal something, it's a series called Traveling THIEVES and there has been a distinct lack of thievery so I need to fix that. 😤

Thanks so much for all your lovely questions, and thank you again for sharing your beautiful art! 💖

[bed-of-ashes]

third life in the nature lives au

alliances!!!!

Shelby & Katherine: they live in one of the small dark oak forests on the map and give out mushroom stew as a silly trade. they throw their lot in with the witch's alliance and use potions quite a lot as well, and for the most part they just try to avoid being on anyone's bad side. Shelby does tend to pick fights with the other faction however and Katherine attempts damage control

Sqaishey, Netty, Stacy, and Lizzie: honestly this is the 2010s era alliance. they find a hill and make it as defensible as possible with lava and cactus, but they reject every other offer of alliance. because of this they don't make it super far and everyone raids their base

Pris, Eloise, & Cleo: the witch's alliance. they mainly deal in potions and enchants, so their base is a giant tower with many dispenser/pressure plate traps loaded with slowness + poison on the way up. their closest allies are Shelby and Katherine, and they share most of their resources with them

Jojo & Pearl: THE powerhouse. they take the desert and use the gravity mechanic of sand to their advantage. they're big pvpers so they don't do traps as much as they build an "arena" in the desert that they can use for the upper hand in battles. they're one of the big factions this season because of how dangerous they are, although Jojo takes it more seriously and Pearl is bigger on pranks

Gem, False, & Stress: they settle on the edge of the desert and maintain good relations with Jojo & Pearl. however, they do keep a lower profile, so they're less of a target and all three of them make it to the final battle.

how the games actually go

Lizzie is out first when red-named Pris follows her caving and takes her out. Lizzie's team is very upset about this and calls it a dirty move on Pris' part because there were greens + yellows she could have targeted instead. this leads to a big rivalry between these two alliances, and the extended witch's alliance eventually takes out Netty and Sqaishey as well. Stacy survives and runs to Jojo and Pearl as a last resort

In exchange for Stacy's allegiance, Jojo and Pearl declare war on the extended witch's alliance. this is a little more than the nature wives bargained for but Cleo strong arms Katherine and Shelby into it. the two sides on the server now look like this: {Katherine, Shelby, Cleo, Pris, and Eloise} versus {Jojo, Pearl, Stacy, Gem, Stress, and False}.

the stronger potions + enchants that the extended witch's alliance have means they are able to take out Pearl and Stacy, but the pvpers on the other side do overpower and kill that entire alliance.

While Jojo is weakened by potions, Gem runs in and one-hits her. As she, False, and Stress all catch their breath from the big battle, things start to calm down for a sec. False is the first to realize that they need to turn on each other. While Gem and Stress are distracted, she finishes them off, taking the crown as the first victor of the series.

False herself dies when she falls on dripstone. it's unsure whether this was purposeful or if, in her guilt-ridden state, she genuinely didn't notice the pointed stalagmites.

[bad-witchcraft-smp-ideas]

*overly dramatic gasp*

How could you??!!

*does it anyways bc Im nice like that (I spelt does as dies five times what's wrong with me lol)*

Anyways.

Anyone here remember X-life? There was a witches coven, including Joey, Shelby, Scott, Gem, Katherine, and Lizzie. The first three are all in wc, though only Scott has a similar power to the one he had in X-life. So what about the others? If I remember correctly, it sounded like Lizzie voiced the supreme witch in Joey's first ep.

Now it's time for me to draw very obscure lines to try and connect this back to everything.

Gem, originally the beast tamer witch, founded Crystal Cliffs Academy of Wizardry. Which, I'd like to point out, had dragons which are pretty similar to the ones around Xlife!Gem's coven house. Now, this academy I've already theorized how it connects to Shelby. But what about Katherine and Lizzie? Lizzie was the academy's very first student ever. Of course, Scott is technically the first but that was less a lesson and more of an excuse to go elsa-mode, and this was before it was actually completed, so I'm not counting him. Funny, isn't it, how Lizzie, one of the only students to be taught by the grand wizard personally, the witch powerful enough to bind her lives to another, also happens to become the supreme witch?

Katherine is much less direct than the other two. However, the original dirt witch becoming the ruler of a plant empire where a magical spring gives her flowers in a way very reminiscent of how she was able to produce dirt becoming the gardening teacher is oddly poetic.

Maybe she's Bertha lol. Complete the set, they now all have a role to play.

-wc!Shelby and e!Shelby classmates anon

(Future anon here, I just realized I completely forgot about Joey lol. Oh well)

OOOOOOOO I LOOOVVVEEEEEEEEE XLIFE SO SOSOSOSOOSOS MUCH

[pacificwaternymph]

"Oh, hello Your Highness." Xornoth set the rake they were holding down against a tree. "I wasn't expecting you today."

"Hello, Xornoth." Katherine nodded, smiling politely. "I needed to talk to Shelby about a small development regarding my... issue."

Xornoth frowned. "She's not here right now. She went off to Chromia to give Scott an update about trying to fix... my issue." It seemed as though the young boy shared the same aversion to the word "curse" as she did.

"He couldn't make it again?" Katherine asked, feeling a small curl of sympathy. Xornoth shook his head, sighing.

"It's fine." They brushed it off, though under their breath Katherine heard him mutter "Not like it's the fourth time in a row or anything."

"You... are you alright?" She asked, noting the child's pinched expression. He looked like he had just bitten into a lemon. They looked up at her, then back down at their hands, something forlorn in their expression.

"It's just... for someone who claimed he missed me so much, it sure does feel like he's avoiding me. I know he's got his own stuff to do, but he can't take one hour out of his week to come visit?"

"Oh, Xornoth..." Katherine reached out, setting a hand on his shoulder. "You know how hard it is for Scott to see you like this. It's a reminder to him of all that you've both lost. He feels guilty, I guess. That he wasn't able to save you."

Xornoth grit their teeth.

"I know it's hard on him, but what about me? It's not like I, I don't know, need my brother more than anything right now. It's not like I'm struggling to come to terms with the fact that I might outlive him, stuck in the body of a teenager and trapped in this gods forsaken forest while the rest of the world moves on without me, and that I feel like we're wasting what limited time we might have left with one another because he's too much of a coward to come and face his own mistakes-"

They cut off, tears pricking at the corners of their eyes. He squeezed them shut, trying to blink the water away, which Katherine knew never actually worked.

It was so odd, seeing how mature Xornoth had become in what, to him at least, had been such a short amount of time. And yet they still had moments like this, moments that reminded everyone around them that regardless of any weird time magic involved, they were still... just a kid.

She rubbed circles in his shoulder with her thumb.

"I just- I miss him. Miss Shelby's been doing everything she can but I don't know if she, or anyone else for that matter, are ever going to be able to break the grip the Evermoore has on my soul. If I'm going to be stuck here for the rest of eternity while he lives a normal life and dies without me, I'd rather spend as much time as possible with him while I still can."

Xornoth swiped at their eyes, trying to get rid of the building water in them.

"I just want to hang out with my brother again. Is that so much to ask?"

[sm0lcatfish]

Ok so i’m having thoughts about the fog or whatever it is thats leaving signs.

Awhile back someone said something or other about the fog being shadow from alsmp, and I thought that was interesting but I didn’t think it had much weight at the time.

But every once in awhile I thought back to it, especially after one block. If Shadow died, you’d expect that if Shelby had to change characters, it would be another alsmp life. Maybe bird because it was next and she dies immediately, maybe shulker to mirror The Incredible Shulk, or maybe some other life immediately.

But she doesn’t. She becomes The Great Witch. This.. does kinda imply that the two have some kind of connection, right?

Great Witch Shelby has absolutely nothing to do with Shulk, and yet earlier guest characters had something to do with Joey’s character of choice (Pirate Joe and The Ocean Queen are both ocean kingdom rulers, The Lost Emperor and Protector Sausage are both jungle kingdom rulers. Shulk and Shadow are both alsmp origins and each’s first. Prince Inchie was chosen for dark oak because of fairies being within the phase and Katherine is a protector of fairies.)

The only character that doesn’t have any direct connection, any big similarity that connects them, is Shulk and Great Witch Shelby. Sure, Shadow was building a brewing station that she continued working on, but that’s not any link to Shulk himself. So we can assume that Shelby’s connection probably is with Shadow, and what connection could they possibly have? Both being residents of that mangrove.

Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t the signs originally implied to only be from one person? But now it seems to be from multiple people with that ‘we’.. but who could it be?

Remember. Shulker Shelby never died in the story’s canon, she only threw herself off a height to officially end her tenth life. In canon, she simply faded away.. that doesn’t have to be the only guess though, considering Joey’s shadow origin and all the other Shelby lives and whatnot.

I don’t think that this is right that much but it’s fun to think about. ALSMP is technically canon to Empires Smp through One Block, sooo

[empires-au-ideas]

Two episodes away from finishing tma so </3 I'm coping and emotionally prepared (<- lying)

Writing nature wives annoying coworkers to lovers is very amusing, I will say.

Edit: finished tma. What the fuck.

The Riffs Archives! Take this!

...

Peace and Quiet

Tw for death by car accident

...

[Click]

Pix:

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about, Katherine.

Katherine:

Well I don't get why you can't just wait till Shelby gets back to record the statement, it's HER job, after all.

Actually... where did you say Shelby went?

Pix:

The Archivist had a meeting to attend. Now-

Katherine:

Thank you so much for that... CRYSTAL CLEAR explanation. Truly.

Pix:

Just-

[Low rumbling rises, then fades]

hrmmm.

It's one statement, Katherine. I'd prefer it be recorded and filed before the Archivist got back.

You're an archival assistant now, Katherine. Do try and keep up.

And stop wasting the tape on the recorders. They're for statements only.

[Door opens and closes]

Katherine:

Well, I was doing JUST FINE in the research department. And I didn't even turn this stupid thing on in the first place!

Fine...

[Paper shuffling]

Katherine:

Statement of- oh Jeez.

Okay, that makes a little more sense.

Statement of Shelby Shubble, regarding a childhood trip to her family home. Statement given June 25th, 2015. Jeez, almost seven years ago-

Oh, right. Uhm-

Statement begins.

Katherine (statement):

I've lived with my grandmother my whole life. She doesn't really talk about it, but through my own digging and what probably counts as snooping, I found out both of them died in a car crash, just after I was born.

Now, my grandma did the best she could. She was like, the grandma archetype. Cookies, knitting, "my grand child can do no wrong", all that good stuff.

But she did have her limits. I had not been an easy child to raise, nor an easy student to teach. I was hyper, I needed to be told things multiple times, but I also HATED being told to do things.

But it all got too much for my grandma... I think in sixth grade. I was called into the principal's office I think for throwing my samples for a science lab across the room because I wasn't understanding it. I stand by it to this day, it was the teacher's fault for yelling at me instead of telling me how to actually do the lab.

The silence was suffocating in the car ride home. I always liked having noise in the background of whatever I was doing incase I didn't feel like doing it anymore, that way I could just say the noise was distracting me. It also made me feel less alone. Hearing people talking was grounding, or birds chirping, or even the buzzing electricity in my house just reminding me there were other people, other living things on earth.

This all went down right before spring break, so I wad dreading the lecture I was about to be given. I knew it'd just end with me grounded. She lectured me about controlling myself, having more respect for those STUPID teachers-

But surprisingly? I was not grounded. Well. Sort of?

See, for some reason my grandma had kept my parents' house all those years. So instead of spending spring break in the dreary old suburbs where I had no friends and nothing to do, I was too be sent away to a place where I can find possibly more answers about my parents (at the time I hadn't figured out what happened to them yet, so this would be a big break through).

And I loved my grandma, I loved her so so so much, but I nearly cried out in joy when I heard she wouldn't be staying in the house with me.

That's just what being twelve does to you I guess.

I tried to keep he relief- the excitement off my face. It was the Thursday before my week off and I was to arrive on Sunday, so I spent two days packing and the Saturday making a checklist of what I wanted to find out at the house.

Sunday consisted of a three hour drive, listening to the car radio and singing songs, stopping for ice cream at one point, my grandma always did a terrible job at making sure I knew I was in trouble.

And I tried to do my homework in the car, I really did! But the sound of traffic and all the sights on the way distracted me. Hardly my fault. That's probably what I told myself, which is funny, because that's what I tell myself now.

The house was in the middle of the woods by a lake, so grandma warned me that it got pretty misty. She said there was a bike in the shed I could use to go to the town nearby incase of emergencies, but only for emergencies. I was going to be picked up on Friday.

It was a... really strange thing to entrust a kid- a twelve year old with.

I hugged my grandma goodbye and dumped all my school stuff I was SUPPOSED to be doing in the corner of the room. I immediately took to exploring, because as much as I loathed school, I loved learning new things and was just over all way to curious of a child.

It was a tall house, two stories, the shed, and an attic. The spider on the handle to the attic door deterred me from there the first day though, so i was stuck exploring probably the more boring stuff. A few framed photos of my parents, though they weren't smiling in any of them, an office with a bunch of finance papers, nothing too special.

It wasn't until the sun set and I tried to go to bed that I realized how quiet it was.

I was in the woods on the outskirts of town. But I heard no crickets, birds, even the shaking of the leaves was muted. I wasn't even that far from the road, so it was freaky to not even hear CARS. As much as I used the excuse of noise distracting me, the silence was way more tantalizing.

I immediately went downstairs and tried to do my homework, I just needed a distraction from the lack of noise. A whole weeks worth of homework done in one night.

And I couldn't even tell. I start homework at eleven, after trying to sleep through the silence for two hours, and I check the clock again and it's seven. I looked outside in a panic, but also relieved I had got some work done, and that the silence didn't drive me insane.

But the windows were still dark, like the sun never rose at all. I thought maybe the world ended, and I didn't notice because I was too lazer focused on homework. That I should have investigated WHY there was no noise last night. No noise because every living thing on earth died and I didn't even notice.

I opened the blinds, only to see absolutely nothing. A pure, neutral grey covered the world, the window burned my hand it was so cold.

So that was the fog.

I could distract myself though the spider was gone from the attic, so I was able to go up there. I'm not even particularly scared of spiders, never have been, so I don't know why it stopped me in the first place.

The attic was dusty and dull, full of boxes and brown cases. The whole thing was overlayed in that same grey. The way it was clear the attic hasn't been touched by humans in years, the quiet, it made me feel like I was truly alone. Just me.

I rummaged around in there for a bit, it was taking my mind off things, distracting me from the pit of despair in my stomach I hadn't realized was growing. It had always been there, with me having no friends, my teachers not helping me in favor of praising their "star students", never quite understanding the secret codes hidden in facial expressions or tones, but with no one around me the pit was threatening to grow, then burst.

I found some... odd letters. One of them mentions you guys, so I've attached it to the statement. It was from my dad I think, he was NOT HAPPY with someone named Conal, I'll tell you that much.

But after opening a few cases I found it. The solution to my problems. A record player. All the records they had were old, even for my parents probably, but I felt myself loosen up, knowing I could hear another human voice and have it fill the silence.

And for the next day I was relaxed. I double checked- triple checked my homework, it was rather boring now that I was done with the only thing I was supposed to be doing all week.

I doodled on old papers in the office, I tried baking, I caught up on some desperately needed sleep, it was... rather nice. If my spring break was spent making cookies, drawing and writing stories, and finding out secrets, I was content.

I was running over the decorative books and judging how boring the contents actually were for the millionth time when night came, the fog hadn't cleared up all day so I couldn't really tell, but it was eight. The record player made a noise and there was no more music. No more voices.

In an instant I am overcome with dread. What kind of twelve year old wastes their spring break dying of boredom in some musty old house? I was drained from trying to come up with new ideas for stories all day. I made cookies and cake but hadn't eaten them. My homework was so checked over my teacher might even give me a "nice job" stamp.

They did, they handed my papers back to me the following Wednesday, with numbers almost in the nineties for the first time ever. I had to meet with about half of them after school as they interrogated me on why I didn't do that kind of work on all my assignments.

Laying there on the couch with covers that itched just enough to notice, but not worth my effort to remove them, I was unmoving. I was twelve... why did it feel like my whole life was passing me by?

Why was it so much easier for everyone else? And if it was so easy, so natural, why didn't they explain it to me? Why did they leave me so far behind, when did I GET behind?

I must have laid there for hours before the tears stung my eyes. There. A feeling. It got me out of the depth and reminded me where I was, how I was feeling, and what was causing it.

The quiet.

I shot up and ran through the fog, I hadn't even been outside since grandma dropped me off, so I hadn't explored the shed or any of the surrounding area, not that I could with the fog. But I didn't care. I felt my way to the bike. It was probably later than eleven at this point, I couldn't see with the fog, I barely knew my way back to town...

But I didn't care. I just craved to be by another person.

The whole way was grey, but it did feel like the fog was lifting up. Luckily there were no cars or people on the road, they probably would have hit me. It was dark, and the bike was probably made before reflective tape was even a thing.

The town was quiet, which made sense, as it was the dead of night. But there were no lights on. And still no sounds. No rustling leaves. No cars. Or any noises from the houses.

But it looked like everyone had vanished seconds prior. There was food at the outdoor tables. Car doors open in parking lots, a trunk open like someone was about to put groceries in. But no people. It felt like I had just barely miss them, if I had gone a little quicker I wouldn't have been left behind.

And I was tired. I couldn't sleep for obvious reasons. So I sat at a park bench, the playground swings still swaying a bit, like someone had only just gotten off of them. And I waited.

And waited.

And waited

There was no sun, but I had been counting. I had sat at the bench for probably six hours. No people whatsoever.

After the realization his me, that I've been sat in complete silence for six hours, the fog comes into my vision again. I don't waste time stumbling back to where I had locked my bike and started riding to the house, even though I couldn't see a thing.

I get my way to a side door eventually and get inside, where the fog just barely goes away. Just enough to read the sticky note on the coffee table.

"Be back soon!"

Another on the fridge.

"Went off to school!"

Another in the office, on the paper I had been doodling on.

"Remember to water the plants!"

None of which had been there before. The creepiest thing about it was the pen in the office, still warm from the hands of another person. It... it truly did trouble me how much I yearned for the pen. It troubles me now still.

I gathered up all the notes, even the one on the paper with my drawing,cand threw them in the shredder.

I left to the town at around eleven, and waited for six hours at the park bench. An hour there and back, so that means from six to two thirty I was crying. It was noise at least. But even my sobs were muffled, like I was underwater.

I'm snapped out of it by a car door closing. I run to the window, filled with blinding sunshine as the fog had completely disappeared without me noticing. It was my grandma's car.

Which... no. I hadn't been crying for that long. It was only supposed to be Tuesday as well, when she was supposed to pick me up on Friday. I don't know if I realized it at the time though, I think I was just so relieved she was getting me out.

Her smile was so warn as she asked how my stay was. I don't remember saying a thing, but she keeps smiling, so I don't think I ever told her what happened. I remember her remarking that I had grey hairs now, she joked it was from all the homework.

The car ride home was the best thing I have ever experienced. The tired going over every piece of gravel and shaking the whole car. The radio. Grandma's humming. Hearing the other cars go by.

I still can't do silence. I'm always moving now, always watching other people to make sure they don't vanish either. The grey in my hair won't leave, but I think that's fine.

I always thought it was sound that I didn't want. I don't want the QUIET. Hardly my fault. How am I supposed to stay calm if I can't sense when someone's by my side?

Statement ends.

Katherine:

Oh... Jeez.

So. Shelby supernaturally acquired detachment issues. Nice.

Uhm... not sure how to do follow up for this one? It sounded like Pix doesn't was Shelby to know I've read the statement...

Why did Pix want ME to read the statement?

But it's cool. It's cool, if there's one thing I trust Shelby to do, it's to take this stuffy old place way to seriously. I doubt she'd try and prank the institute like one of those false statement givers.

Oh, and I should probably read the letters attached as well.

Katherine (statement):

Dear Gemini Tay, Head Archivist of the Magnus Institute,

I know you are well aware of what we have planned by now, it's probably hard for you folk to miss a whole area of land you can't see.

But my wife and I thought it'd be wise to advise your institute to stay out of our business. You know how much our family hates the spotlight.

Everyone knows what you did to the Buried, to your own brother to stop it. It's an easy way to make enemies.

From

Mr. Shubble

End of letter.

Katherine:

So... yeah. It sounds like Shelby's parents were supervillains, so that's fun. And he talked about Fwhip... Fwhip only moved away? I didn't think Gem did anything to him.

And whatever was going on at the house, I hope the grandma had no idea, for Shelby's sake.

Ugh. I swear, if this whole thing was a ploy to get me to cooperate with Shelby more-

Whatever.

[Click]

[Click]

Pix:

Katherine.

Katherine:

Ugh. What now, Pix? I'm almost off the clock, and I felt sick after reading that statement.

I don't like feeling sick.

So I swear if you have ONE MORE THING for me to do-

Pix:

Well I'm sorry to make you do work during work hours, Katherine.

Shelby will be back tomorrow, and she... won't exactly be in the best of conditions. You can have the day off tomorrow-

Katherine:

Yes!

Pix:

As long as it is spent looking after Shelby.

Katherine:

What?!

Pix, come ON. You know how much me and Shelby don't get along. If she's not in "the best of conditions", SURLY she'll want someone she ACTUALLY LIKES around.

Pix:

Well for how she's feeling, what she's experienced, I do not trust Sausage to take care of her in his state. Nor do I trust Fwhip, in general.

And I know it's not the same, but you've been sick before. So I thought you'd be best equipped for the job.

Katherine:

How the HELL do you know-

Pix:

Because I look over the statements, Katherine. Is it so hard to believe I'm just a normal man working at his job?

Katherine:

Maybe, if that job wasn't HERE. And if you weren't so cryptic a the time.

...

So, do you know how to fix it?

Pix:

I've been sorting through artifact storage to see if we have anything, but I'm not done yet. Rest assured, I'm not yet so "cryptic" that I won't tell you if I've found a cure.

Katherine:

Great. Cuz nothing bad EVER comes out of artifact storage.

Pix:

I've helped many people, Katherine. I'm not trying to hurt you, not while you're already hurting.

Be at the institute on time tomorrow, Shelby will probably be late, but you'll have to clean up the room you've been staying in to keep her there.

Katherine:

And now she's taking my room...

Pix:

And what did I say about the tape recorders?!

Katherine:

Oh, screw off!

[Click]

[storytellerofuntoldlegends]

an icarus and his sun: chapter 10

A/N: y’all ever think about that one empires episode of pearl’s where she helps sausage fight off a raid and that turns into a pvp battle between them, and she absolutely destroys him? yeah me too. also check out this awesome art by @amostfoolishgold​! anyway back to jimmy pov!

Warnings: injury, unconsciousness, fevers, talk of death, violence, corruption/infection, self-blame

AO3 Link - Tumblr Masterpost

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The sun was nearing the horizon, casting the Overgrown in a golden glow. The castle was beginning to take shape, but they had unfortunately run low on materials, and Joel and Lizzie weren’t back from their gathering trip yet. So for the moment, they all just sat in the half-constructed shell of a castle, having light conversation as they waited for Joel and Lizzie to arrive. But soon enough, the conversation dwindled into an awkward silence. That is, until Gem stood up with a determined look in her eyes and a gentle smile.

“Why don’t we head to my empire for dinner? We’ve been working hard all day and could use a break!” she said brightly. Jimmy wasn’t sure how he felt about Gem quite yet, after everything that had happened- but she and Pearl had been a huge help. Meanwhile Shelby looked intrigued by the offer, and while Katherine first nervously glanced to the horizon, she looked back to Gem with a smile.

“That is very kind of you, Gem. I’d love to- we should probably just leave a note for Joel and Lizzie to let them know where we’ve gone,” Katherine said, standing up as well. Gem looked to Jimmy semi-nervously- and well, Jimmy was always a bit of a softie, wasn’t he? He smiled at Gem and stood up too.

“That does sound nice, thank you for inviting us,” Jimmy said. Gem beamed, and Pearl looked relieved as she stood up next to Gem.

“Well, you definitely won’t see me complaining about free food!” Shelby chimed in, hopping up to her feet. That caused the group to break into laughter, and the air between them felt comfortable again.

Once Katherine had written the note and put it where Lizzie and Joel could easily find it, the five of them (minus Pearl, who had wings) equipped their elytra and flew off to the Crystal Cliffs. When they first arrived there, everything seemed normal. The grand cliffs themselves, the buildings nestled in and around them, the towers- it was a beautiful and mystical place. But there was something blue, white, and gold that stood out in a heap on the ground near one of the buildings- a very familiar something blue, white and gold.

“Oh my god-” Gem started, landing on the ground beside the figure.

“Is that-” Pearl said, unable to finish the thought as she landed just behind Gem.

“Scott?” Jimmy finished, voice shaking as he came in for a bit of an unsteady landing a few feet away from where Scott laid on the ground, breathing shallow and upon a closer look, something red pulsing and spreading beneath his skin like some sort of vine. Jimmy barely registered Katherine and Shelby landing on either side of him, too focused on what was before him.

“This- this red stuff reminds me of the redstone spikes in Fwhip’s empire- or maybe something from the nether?” Gem pondered as she knelt beside Scott, a purple glow coming over her hand as she reached out towards the infection in his arm.

“I’ve seen that before,” Shelby said, voice sounding distant and laced with horror. Everyone turned to look at her, surprised to hear such a terrified tone of voice from the usually enthusiastic gnome.

“The infection?” Pearl asked.

“The corruption. I’ve seen it happen to my people back home, until it consumed them until there was nothing left- it’s why I came here, to try and find a cure or some way to stop it. But nothing worked,” Shelby explained shakily, sounding like she was on the verge of tears. Jimmy felt like he was going to cry too- and some awful part of himself thought that he should be glad that this happened to Scott, that it served him right after betraying Jimmy and breaking his heart- but he couldn’t. Despite everything Scott had done, despite never wanting to see Scott again- none of that meant that Jimmy didn’t want a world where the winged elf wasn’t in it. And what about what Pearl had said? Scott didn’t seem happy with Fwhip either, but now Jimmy would never know the truth. Not if it died with Scott.

Jimmy was so wrapped up in his conflicted mess of emotions that he didn’t even notice that someone else had flown in until Katherine let out a sharp gasp. He tore his gaze away from Scott to see what had caused that reaction from Katherine- and saw Fwhip. A mix of anger and terror boiled in his veins and swirled in his stomach at the sight of him. Fwhip looked baffled to see so many people in Gem’s empire, and plastered on a forced friendly smile. Jimmy’s hand found Katherine’s, and she squeezed it back tightly with no intention of letting go.

“Gem! Hi, so I wanted to smooth things over- I think we left things on a bad note-”

“What did you do to Scott,” Gem demanded, cutting off Fwhip as she stood up from beside Scott. Purple sparks danced in the air around her, and Jimmy swallowed nervously- he didn’t think he had ever seen Gem seem so intimidating before. Jimmy was relieved to see that Fwhip looked nervous too.

“Well, I haven’t seen Scott since our meeting, he seemed upset when he left- weird that he ended up here- y’know I was actually gonna go and talk to him after you-”

“If by talk, you mean do whatever you did to Scott to us?!” Pearl demanded, hand on the hilt of her sword as she took a step forward to stand beside Gem.

“I didn’t-”

“I’ve had enough of your lies, Fwhip. What. Did. You. Do,” Gem said evenly. Fwhip swallowed nervously, before sighing and finally giving in.

“Okay, so I may have set a few traps in his empire and got Sausage to help me with letting a raid infiltrate his village and the surrounding lands- but I figured Scott could handle a few traps and some mobs, it was only meant to be a warning, I never meant to kill him! He must have really gotten soft if he couldn’t deal with it,” Fwhip rambled. Gem and Pearl seemed semi-satisfied with his answer, but Pearl kept her hand on her sword and purple sparks still danced around Gem. But there was something that Fwhip said that bothered Jimmy, and along with what Pearl had said… guilt was beginning to settle in the pit of his stomach.

“What do you mean by that?” Jimmy asked tentatively. Fwhip let out a harsh laugh, turning to Jimmy incredulously.

“The idiot actually fell for you. He was just supposed to be a distraction, a contingency plan to make sure you wouldn’t be trouble. But he got in too deep, and look where that got him,” Fwhip scoffed, looking down at Scott’s deathly still form in disdain. Guilt was crashing on Jimmy in waves now. He had pushed Scott away. Scott had actually cared about him and he pushed him away. And then he had no one to go to for help when Fwhip decided to send a “warning” and got hurt as a result.

“You’re lucky I’m a pacifist,” Katherine spat, more angry than Jimmy had ever heard her. He wished he could have shared her anger, shouted at Fwhip too- but Jimmy just felt numb.

“Well unluckily for Fwhip, I don’t have that problem,” Pearl fumed, drawing her sword. Fwhip started to scramble back as Pearl leapt at him. His backwards stumble turned into a run, and Pearl kept pace with him just fine, using her wings if necessary and brandishing her sword to chase him away.

“Pearl can handle him- can you three help me get Scott to the apothecary? I’d do it by myself, but he’s tall and there’s the bulk of his wings to worry about too,” Gem asked, looking down at Scott worriedly.

“Erm- right, of course,” Jimmy said, letting go of Katherine’s hand to join Gem at Scott’s side.

“Hold on- go to the other side and help me turn him over,” Gem said. Jimmy did as she asked, and being mindful of his wings, the two of them gently rolled Scott over so he was on his back. Scott was feverish to the touch, and even unconscious his expression was contorted with pain.

“He’s hot,” Jimmy said, distant horror in his tone.

“Now isn’t the time for that, Jimmy,” Gem teased, trying to lessen the tension in the air. Jimmy’s face scrunched up in irritation as he half-heartedly glared at her.

“He has a fever, Gem,” Jimmy huffed. Gem laughed nervously.

“I know, I know, just trying to make this less terrible than it is,” Gem sighed. Jimmy gave her a weak smile, and together the two of them gently lifted Scott up. Jimmy ended up mostly holding Scott, while Gem supported his wings. Scott’s head lolled against his shoulder, labored breaths fanning his neck. Jimmy should have felt embarrassed or flustered, cradling Scott like this- but he was too concerned with how limp and unresponsive Scott felt in his arms.

“I’ll get the doors for you!” Shelby offered, quickly making her way over to the apothecary door. Katherine hovered around Jimmy and Gem semi-anxiously, making sure that they had a good hold on Scott as they made their way over to the apothecary. But all went well, and they were able to safely transport Scott into one of the apothecary beds. He had begun to shiver and tremble every so often now, and Jimmy could have sworn the corruption had spread, reaching his fingertips.

“There’s gotta be a way to stop that, or at least slow it down,” Gem murmured in thought, pulling up a chair to sit at Scott’s side. She reached out to the cut where the corruption on Scott’s arm stemmed from, hand glowing purple again. She closed her hand over it, and her eyes began to glow the same purple as her hand. But then the glow flickered, turning red for a moment before it dissipated entirely and Gem drew her hand back with a yelp, stumbling backwards out of her seat beside Scott’s bed. Jimmy scrambled over to help her up, eyes darting nervously between her and Scott.

“Is everything alright? I chased Fwhip off, but I swear if he’s done something in here…” Pearl trailed off as she walked into the apothecary, eyes zeroing on Gem as she rubbed at her temples.

“I’m fine. The corruption- it fought back. It’s… alive, somehow,” Gem said with morbid curiosity in her tone.

“It’s a type of fungus. That’s as much as my people could figure out before I came here to try and find a cure. The red stuff is everywhere in my old home- even if you tried to get rid of it, it would just come back. And in the cases where it latched onto a person… there was no getting it out,” Shelby explained, sounding like she was going to cry. Gem hummed thoughtfully.

“Did you try any sort of magic with it?” she asked.

“No, my people were not magic-users- in fact I’d hardly seen magic before I came here, where the air seems charged with the stuff,” Shelby replied, gesturing around her. A determined expression came over Gem’s face.

“Then I’m not gonna stop trying. I don’t know if I can fully fight off the corruption, but I definitely think I can slow its spread. In the meantime, we’re gonna need to get Scott’s fever down- at this rate, that’ll kill him before the corruption will,” Gem said, resting the back of her hand on Scott’s forehead and frowning.

“He’s probably a little beat-up too- Fwhip did say he trapped his empire,” Katherine added. Gem nodded in agreement.

“We’ll need cool water and cloth to make a compress for his forehead- and I should have some healing potions around here- it couldn’t hurt to brew some more though too, just in case,” Gem rambled, starting to stand up before Pearl put up a hand.

“You two stay here with Scott, I know where you keep things around here. Katherine, Shelby and I can worry about getting things for you,” she soothed. Jimmy tilted his head in confusion.

“Wait, I can help get things too…” Jimmy trailed off uncertainly.

“You can help if you want. I just figured you’d wanna stick by Scott,” Pearl shrugged with a gentle smile. Jimmy flushed slightly as he looked down at the floor, away from Pearl’s knowing stare.

“I… yeah. I’ll stick by Scott,” he said softly, gaze shifting to look at the winged elf who always managed to make his emotions into a muddled mess. Scott was an enemy, a friend, a- a something, then an enemy again- but whatever Scott was to Jimmy now, he knew one thing: he wasn’t letting Scott out of his sight again. Doing so the last time caused this to happen. He had to be there if- no, when Scott woke up. He had to apologize for pushing him away, and hope that maybe Scott still cared about him after everything that had happened to accept it.

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[sandjosieph]

So, im really interested in this hybrid hunter au, and in the doc it says "I’ll send a message to the other rulers"

So, dies Katherine means she sgonna tell them that hybrids are banned from her empire, or try to get then to also ban hybrids?

Also, how many empires are in this au, because in Canon there are twelve, all ruled by one if the following people;

Scott, False, FWhip, Gem, Joey, Katherine, Lizzie, Sausage, Pixl, Shelby, Joel, Jimmy, Oli

But if Shubble isn't ruling a empire and was in Katherine's, then how many are there?

Which ones are still rulers in this au, I assume Lizzie is still one, but shelby isn't; so which are just apart of Sasagues sanctuary(or trailers or smth) and which are rulers

also, does this mean that there are less empires?

There are 12 empires. The Evermoore already exists and Shubble runs to it to get away from Katherine. It’s not an "Empire" empire but it’s so large that it might as well be one. Pixl doesn't have an empire (he's a Dungeon Man Hybrid and is part of the Historical Society) but Oli kinda does (it's really just him).

When Katherine sends the message (whatever it may end up being) she is telling the others that she’s banning hybrids from her empire. But she is also offering her services to those who may be having trouble (real or perceived) dealing with their own hybrids, hence the Hybrid Huntress title. This is the push that starts the hunts.

In general I was going more for a "Salem Witch Hunt" vibe as opposed to a race war against those of mixed race meaning most of the finger pointing is either out of fear or just trying to get rid of "unwanted" people for political/personal reasons. There is a bit of racial tension, however, since most of the empires seem to have their own native race(s) and someone of mixed race could be either pressured to take one side or driven out.

How the other empires react depends on how they define hybrids. Like how the citizens of Animalia define hybrids as those who aren't "purebred" while other empires might consider all of the Animalia citizens as hybrids. There is a general agreement that those who are part neutral or hostile Minecraft mob like piglins, creepers, endermen (think Oli, the Endarian), or witches (like in Shelby's case) are full hybrids. Most of the drama is caused by these conflicting definitions.

[fogwitchoftheevermore]

ok im still thinking about the blaseball au so here's an assortment of my thoughts

False somehow has the Mild curse despite the fact that she didn't play for the Thieves because I want her paranoia to be reflected in her stats.

She also DOES have an "evil" twin out in the world, but Hermit!False is a hlockey player so they never run into each other (as are the rest of the Hermits)

Oli and Rivendell!Scott are both pitchers on the Garages at the same time, for the entirety of Scott's career. Scott is team captain, and these two hate each other for no real reason, they just do. Oli hates setting up the band equipment cause he sucks at it and always manages to break something or get himself tangled in the wires or what have you, but Scott makes him do it anyways because, as stated, he hates him. It means someone else has to do it again once Oli's done but no one really cares enough to fight Scott on it. However, once Scott is released and someone new is team captain the conversation is basically "Now, we're all going to miss Scott, he was a great captain, however, now that he's gone- Oli, you're never setting up the equipment again."

Great Witch Shelby and Xornoth were friends during season 1 before Xornoth died because it is important to me.

I didn't put this in the body of the main post but I put Shrub on the Hades Tigers because the Tigers and Shrub both have the same experience of "had a person bring carnage and death upon you and your friends and you know it was the gods fault, not theirs, but you can't help but blame them, but at least you came out on the other side better for it". Do you see the vision.

Oli is one of those people who cares so much about team rivalry (he's compensating for the fact that he's, like, a middle of the road pitcher) and Pix, post resurrection, could not give two shits about it (and also he ISN'T EVEN A CRAB ANYMORE, OLI) but Oli gets sooooo into the rivalry with him because 1. Pix is really good and 2. This is how he flirts. He's like, staring down Pix on the field and being super aggressive with his pitches and then he gets back into the dugout and his teammates are like "you wanna fuck him so bad it makes you look stupid".

I can't decide if I want to make S1!Katherine just dodge the Wyatt Mason-ing by virtue of being feedbacked or traded like, the season before, or if I want her to experience it and be one of the few people who gets their full name back. How do we feel about this should I give her more trauma.

Hermes is taking the Son Scotch joke about "everyone in the league is compelled to be his parent" because. I mean, duh. He's also really good at blaseball. Like really good.

[phantom-swing]

This is in no way a ‘little rundown’ but here we go:

Everyone is in charge of their own empire and their season 1 characters aren’t the same as their season 2 characters. Season 2 Empires takes place a thousand or so years after Season 1 (which ended in ‘the rapture’ which is basically the apocalypse)

fWhip is a goblin king who was deputy to Jimmy until he gifted him a warden as thanks for going to his irl wedding and is refusing to give the badge back.

Lizzie is a cat pretending to be a human, mayor of a Critter City which has secret exploitative farms under the buildings

Scott was an adventurer who lost his eye to a magic skull and got a magic seeing yellow eye from a trickster wizard, is now best friends with llamas.

Joel fell into the magical lore fountain and became the god of lore, says he’s 11 feet tall and when his cheeks clap thunder happens.

Sausage is on the run from the evil king of his old kingdom. He can talk to animals and after his mum died he was raised by a blacksmith named Eddie. He is currently going through some inter dimensional vision stuff.

Hermes is the child of both Joel and Sausage. In game, they’re an armour stand the two of them trade around to give gifts to each other.

Jimmy is the sheriff, aka The Law. Is teased for being Woody from Toy Story and is fighting allegations that he is actually a tiny toy man.

Gem is a princess who follows willow wisps around for lore. Has butterfly wings, worships the sun and is non-violent.

Katherine is a princess, whose birth caused half of her kingdom to lose it’s light so her citizens don’t like her every much. She’s a tailor by day and secret monster slayer by night (magical girl transformation included) She wants to find a way to cure her kingdom

Shelby is a witch and was a bad student so she kinda sucks at magic. She accidentally teleported stuff in between realities so now the witch council wants her to stop doing magic and she’s hiding from them. Has a grandma and has a huge crush on Katherine and her big muscles

Joey was a pirate captain until his ship got attacked by Skeletron. He washed up on shore and is now saving his crew mates and rebuilding his ship to defeat Skeletron. Canonically Piratesexual, thinks Katherine is a pirate princess and was convinced the two of them were going to get married

Pix is a historian/ archaeologist. Out of lore, he’s basically the DM and is constructing the backstory of the land, building dungeons or the others to play.

False woke up on empires with no memories and a ton of paranoia. She stole clothes off a corpse and is getting strange dreams that inspire her to build various ways to get back to her home. There’s a pumpkin guy named Jack that keeps coming closer to her house and a sign that has a different ominous writing on it every episode.

Oli ascended from Afterlife SMP, met God, fell down into Empires before anyone else, spedrun killing the dragon, got trapped in the credits for who knows how long and returned to see civilization everywhere. Stole Gem’s horn, got trapped in goblin prison for months and is now in massive dept to fWhip. Silly little bard guy who is roasting the dragon egg to eat

Saint Pearl is a god, living in her S8 base in the clouds, watching tv. There’s a statue of her at the Ancient Capital, a church to her in Sanctuary and Joel has vague memories of her. She does not play in Season 2 but cameod in Oli’s and Sausage’s episodes briefly. She looks like Season 1 Pearl, who died in the rapture.

So can anyone who watches Empires give a little rundown of the lore for us Hermitcraft people? I though I knew enough but I do need t.

[gershwintheatre]

For remember-me-with-smiles

So I had this idea where Walt found David after realizing he had a son out there. David, feeling miserable because he is not connecting with his military father meets Walt and discovers the truth. That Walt is his real dad and the fact that David is very impressionable pushes David to doing this. The idea behind Shelby being taken and the other girl being taken is this... David gets a blond, blue-eyed prostitute (basically a Jane Doe) and takes her into the woods while Walt kidnaps Shelby. Walt has always wanted Shelby so Walt kills the Jane Doe with the belief that if they make everyone believe it is Shelby then he could hide her away.

This context makes gives a lot of clarification to the outline! I think as long as you give a well-enough explanation of how David is Walt’s biological son and how they were separated it could work. I’d also keep in mind that though David is a negative character in the show he’s still a kid who was sent to Horizon because of his struggles. It may come across negatively to some readers to make him a villain.

For some reason I thought Shelby was closer to 18 which is why the whole under-age thing completely flew over my head. So in the case of this story, I guess Shelby will be older. I thought Shelby was going to be graduating from Horizon soon? I will have to go back and rewatch the last episode to see how Shelby’s story ends.

I admittedly haven’t watched the show in quite a while, but I believe Katherine was the only one close to graduation. I got the sense that she was the only senior in the group, and that the rest were sophomores or juniors. Not sure if this is helpful to you, but as a viewer I imagined Ezra, Juliette, Shelby, and maybe Scott were sophomores, Daisy and Auggie were juniors, and Kat was a senior.

As for Peter, I figure Shelby has always seen Peter as the Dad she never had and I felt like he would want to watch out for her too. I was thinking that at first he tries to convince her to stay and maybe she fools him into believing she would. However, Shelby is a runner and she takes off. Now my idea was to leave Jess in the dark for her safety and knowing she could trust Peter and Sophie to care for her.

I definitely agree with the father point, or at least that Shelby views him as a stand in for a parental figure! And I think it is reasonable that Shelby would feel she could trust them enough to leave her sister behind, especially if she consciously recognized how young her sister is and how difficult her (Shelby) life will be as she tries to leave her entire identity behind.

I still need to work out where JJ goes and the connections she makes. Another option is that Peter knows someone who puts her in witness protection because of Walt and David. In this case, she would have to know it was them. I’ve just honestly read some other JJ/Shelby stories where she is placed in witness protection and I didn’t want to seem like I was copying them, but if think of a way I can twist it I will consider it. If I do go the witness protection plot-line I lose the added shock value towards the end of the story, but it could work.

I think the witness protection program could work; I don’t have too much knowledge on how it works tbh, but it seems like something a reader could reasonably suspend a bit of belief over even if it isn’t the most realistic

Like I said above, I figure Peter would be the one person from her old life she would keep in contact with. Maybe her sister to if you think it’s worth adding. Peter watches over Shelby from a distance making sure she’s okay.

I think that as long as the story follows a certain path in terms of when & how Shelby leaves Horizon and changes her identity, then keeping in contact with Peter seems believable/feasible. Outside of these restraints, there’s also the factor of Shelby’s personality. If she were to keep in contact with him, she seems like the type of person that would keep sporadic contact and kind of does is begrudgingly (imo). All of this could also translate to a relationship with Jess, if you decide to go that route.  

At first I was going to have Peter write to her and or she calls him when she receives the invitation, but I figured an in-person meeting would make it harder for her to turn him down. If you don’t think Peter coming to her work is a good idea I could always have them meet maybe at a diner or at her home. A diner could be interesting and maybe a co-worker is there picking up breakfast and sees them talk. Of course they don’t know who this guy is sitting with JJ. Instead of them overhearing JJ talk about Shelby it could be the shock value of them recognizing a picture of Peter when they later look into Horizon. They remember JJ sitting with him. No matter the case, Peter reveals to JJ that her sister is still working at the school as a counselor and Scott is planning on visiting once the off-season of football starts up.

I think a non-work setting seems the most realistic, and the idea of a diner or other place that this person could see them sounds fun! The idea of them recognizing Peter seems like it would fit better in terms of realism, because Shelby/JJ’s interaction with him isn’t as incriminating (they don’t know exactly why she has a connection with him and can’t prove that she actually knows anything about the case), whereas her stating anything about the case is very damning.

If I do keep this part in... When JJ makes the loud statement about “Shelby died in the woods that night.” And her co-worker overhears I do believe that is something to be brought up later. Her team has a rule of not profiling each other so her teammate watches and waits for the right moment to confront her. Of course she pushes away and gets angry.

You’d have to be very careful about how this statement & her co-worker’s suspicions and how they tie in later. I think once it becomes known to her coworker that Shelby/JJ’s statement is tied to the case in any way, it may come across as unbelievable that her teammate would keep this completely under-wraps. Maybe they could confront her about it and if Shelby/JJ is able to give them a convincing enough answer they’d decide to keep quiet.

What I was really going for was the idea that her co-worker asks her about Shelby and JJ pushes away. Then when the name pops up during search history and the fact she was found in the woods they put it all together. That JJ knew this girl Shelby. Either this, or the co-worker recalls seeing JJ sitting with Peter at the diner.

Similar to my last point, I think this could work in the situation where Shelby gives them a convincing answer/lie to keep them quiet

I’m glad you like the idea about Ezra being the one who brings her the case. I was thinking more along the lines of Ezra being a story reporter rather than a police officer. He seemed to enjoy documentaries and creative writing at Horizon so I thought it would fit his character. My thought was that Ezra knew Shelby and when these similar cases start popping up he puts it all together and brings JJ the cases in the hopes of not only finding the person responsible but also getting an exclusive on the story.

I think this could definitely work as well; I can totally see him as a reporter!

I know I’m going overboard on the crossovers, but I figure the way I’m planning on doing it will make sense. So JJ meets Kat at the police station, she married Hank who is now the lead investigator. Just because Kat and JJ meet does not mean Kat has to recognize her. Daisy works at the ME. When they arrive at the station two of JJ’s co-workers head to the ME’s office and get their information. When they return and JJ hears whom the ME is she makes a visit while her teammates are off having dinner (maybe she fakes being ill and with her odd behavior they all let it slide). JJ runs into Daisy who has this instinct about who she really is. I felt they had a strong connection as teens. Its an eye opening moment for JJ, realizing these girls at the ME’s office could have been her had she not gotten away. As for Juliette, well her story turned out sad. After leaving Horizon she hooked back up with Auggie but when he died (maybe a rival gang caught up with him) Juliette lost her compass. She really lost her way and found herself on the streets. Because the girls being taken are prostitutes (Jane Does), I was thinking JJ’s team could be out canvasing local hook ups. There, JJ finds Juliette who can vaguely recall who might be taking the girls and how it is being done. I Thought this would be an interesting tie-in. Maybe JJ helps Juliette by bringing her to Kat who offers to help her get back on her feet.

Kat’s ties through Hank definitely seem believable, and I like the Daisy idea as well. I immediately pictured a scenario where Daisy doesn’t really let Shelby/JJ know if she recognizes her or not, and Shelby/JJ is kind of uncomfortable because of it, but at the end of their interaction as they are parting ways she says something kind of cryptic that leads us and Shelby to believe she recognizes her. It seems very in-character for Daisy to silently recognize Shelby and not let on that she recognizes her until they are parting ways. I can also totally picture her working for a ME. I think that’s also an interesting spin for Juliette’s character and could fit into the storyline. Tbh I visually pictured Ruby from the early seasons of Once Upon a Time (lol!), so if you were looking for another spinoff/reference, maybe she could be going by the name Ruby! I think in all situations where someone don’t recognize Shelby, it would be helpful to make this known to the reader so they aren’t thinking “why doesn’t so and so recognize her?”. Maybe portraying Shelby/JJ worrying that they will recognize her and being relieved when they don’t.

My idea was maybe JJ was told to pick up lunch for her teammates and when she returns she overhears Garcia talking about how there was a similar case 10 years ago. A Shelby Merrick. Her co-worker recalls JJ talking about a girl named Shelby. Either that or when a picture of Peter shows up the one profiler remembers seeing JJ with Peter. She decides to put the take-out food on the doorstep and takes a company car to Horizon. JJ knows its just a matter of time before they find out the truth and scared of what her teammates will think and also about her Horizon family finding out the truth about her running away she decided to go to Horizon. Knowing that her long ago boyfriend and sister are there she wants to come clean to them about what she did before it all breaks lose in front of her FBI crew.

This additional context definitely helps clarify things. I think this could also be a cool opportunity to exemplify the battle between her personality/identity as Shelby and JJ; in a situation like this it seems likely Shelby would instinctually try to run and avoid being found out, but JJ would be more likely to try to get a handle on things and prepare for when everything comes out.

There, she does run into Scott who is visiting the school during the off-season of Football and for the reunion. Jess is now working there as a counselor. I wasn’t planning on having Jess know about JJ, but as a reader if you think it is something worth adding then I will consider it. Maybe Peter and Jess were both people she wrote to. If I do decide to keep Jess in the dark I think JJ would have her reasons. She trusts Peter and Sophie to care for her and know Peter will keep her updated. Jess would have a hard time with JJ coming back, but I think regardless she would whether she knew the truth or not. It has been 10 years after all. So like I said, when JJ returns to Horizon Jess is working at the school. She counsels a group of kids, one being a girl similar to Shelby and Jess (doesn’t have to be the same childhood trauma but in looks). Somehow Jess and JJ get on the subject about a tiger necklace Jess wears. Walt used to call Jess and Shelby Kitten. The necklace is a reminder that he no longer can hurt them and that Jess is in control over her life. She doesn't have to live in fear.

I think either way could work for Jess. I definitely agree that reuniting with Shelby and/or realizing what happened to her would be a big moment for both and this stands out as something that can’t be rushed through.

When JJ arrives at Horizon she and Scott get into a big argument (the kind they used to have as teens…good old Shelby and Scott). Anyways, Peter suggests they go on a buddy hike to talk over what happened. No people, only nature and the two of them working together and talking. I was thinking that by the time they return to Horizon her team is just arriving and they do bring in Peter, Scott, and JJ for questioning. Her team figures it was Peter and Scott working as a team to take these girls and somehow JJ knows about Shelby. It’s during JJ’s interview that it all comes out, about Walt and her being Shelby. How she was taken one night when the Jane Doe was found and everyone thought it was her she felt like she could finally breath for the first time. She had her chance to make a new life for herself and she took it.

I really like the idea of being back at Horizon/around her old classmates bringing out her Shelby personality and letting the readers see the struggle she probably has with trying to suppress that part of herself so she can live as JJ. I could see this whole portion of the story really being a blend of her Shelby and JJ personalities, and the two identities kind of battling each other as her two worlds really collide.

While being interviewed that night Jess and the female student who resembles the two girls is taken. Jess leaves the tiger necklace for JJ to find knowing she would understand. Going off of the necklace and memories, JJ convinces her team that she knows who has them and where they are. She tells them the wrong location so she can get to them first and by the time they realize what has happened JJ is face to face with Walt and David.

As a reader, I would question why Walt/David decided to resurface on this specific night, so you’d want to make sure to have an explanation for this. I think this could also another opportunity to show the Shelby/JJ inner struggle.

Overall, this gave a lot of clarification! As I said, I think a really interesting opportunity with this story would be to see Shelby/JJ’s inner struggle as her two worlds collide.

[pacificwaternymph]

Kid xornoth season 2 AU! Was wondering how you'd twist the kid xornoth au ti fit a season 2 version

So, question about it; how do Shelby and Xornoth meet in this one?

Also how does Zornoth react to pirate Joey

Also, with Shekbys recent stream, how dies he take ti finding out his mom has a crush on 'big string princess lady' aka, Katherine

Ahaha I'm glad you like it!

I've mentioned previously that Shelby and Xornoth met when Shelby was exploring the Mangrove forest. She got a bit too far in and found Xornoth, and took him back to her place so that she could contact his family.

For your second two questions:

Xornoth doesn't know what the hell is going on in the love triangle between Miss Shelby, the weird pirate, and the truly unrealistically buff princess (seriously, when did she find the time to work out to get that strong???), and at this point they're too afraid to ask.

(He is secretly rooting for Miss Shelby. For obvious reasons)

[empires-au-ideas]

Empires AU Ideas presents... The Riffs Archives

WARNING! I'm not done with tma, I'm only half way through season three. So if this is inaccurate, it's probably because I'm not done or because I'm changing things to better suit this cast of characters.

Shelby is the shiny brand new archivist, sent straight from the library. After the former archivist, Gem (s1 Gem) goes missing, Pix puts Shelby in charge for. SOME REASON. She's not particularly good at her job nor does she like it, but she's good at reading statements, she's surprisingly very willing to believe most statements, and she's already been marked so no take backsies.

She has three archival assistants, Katherine, Sausage, and Fwhip cuz that quartet was really fun.

Katherine's not an avatar, but the corruption will NOT leave her the fuck alone. She's more hunt like than anything, but the corruption is not having ANY of that and won't let any other entity take her. This has been going on pretty much since she was born after her parents decided to read her a Orionsound (a Leitner). She's joined the institute right after Shelby became archivist, because surely the ARCHIVIST of all people could get rid of the corruption, right?

Sausage is like... the opposite of a hunt avatar, where rather than being the hunter, he's the one being hunted by other hunt avatars. This is more or less due to a bad run in with a hunt avatar as a child. Sausage is at the institute for safety after he gave a statement, and head of the institute Pix offered him a job.

Fwhip is a buried avatar. Straight up just. Working at the institute. He became an avatar when Gem was the archivist but he just... didn't stop showing up for work. There have been a few incidents where he's filled up someone's lungs with dirt and half of the staff at the institute are indebted to him in some way, making him very good at getting evidence for statements with how much people owe him and have to do stuff for him. Pix isn't really sure if he CAN fire him.

And of course, Pix. Head of the institute, end avatar. The eye is a little pissed about this, as it needs an eye avatar in the institute, so Pix is forced into hiring archivists such as Shelby and Gem. He has the power to know if a person is dead and when they died and to sense if a death is about to happen. With this he's able to tie the archivist and the assistants together, he dies and they all die.

Once again, sorry if this is blatantly not canon to tma but I think it fits?