#Squire Squirrel

[runawaycarouselhorse]

………. I'm glad you're aware of that, sir, but then why not give her any… I get that it's appropriate to the time period, but man, the amount of "oh, this kid wasn't beaten/spanked enough, that's why they're a brat" with kids who are traumatized/lost parents/are not getting their emotional needs met is wild... at least it's Maple Town, so it ends neatly and happily with a life lesson learned (including for the parents, because man, his favouritism of his son over his daughter is harsh!)

It's sad Judy has to prove herself worthy of her father's praise, but I'm glad that even before that, Patty calls him out and explains that Judy's antics (wearing the dress, bringing his favourite (sugary, messy...) snack into his work area... were all because she just wanted him to notice her. ;_;

[number1yisuchongfan]

Happy Honeymoon Era to the married couple this chapter, I hope nothing bad happens to them in further chapters of this fanfic

(Norm thinks they’re married) (Thaddeus doesn’t know and thinks they’re just dating) (Thaddeus just excited that he took this twink’s virginity)

[flowery3d]

The Tale of a Cruel World(model 1 attempt 0)

Scott the Guide has been slain

The Wall of Text has awoken

Two days ago i got so bored on the graduation ceremony(middle school->high school(≈college), i decided to re-learn 3d modelling. Also because of some imaginary stuff i decided to create Calamity-based series of 3d models, mostly tied to music.

This one is made of the starting weapons; Copper Broadsword, Amethyst Staff, Copper Bow, Squirrel Squire Staff, and, of course, a pile of Throwing Bricks.

This is the result of my first 7.5-8.5 hours of work since 2017 or 2018(don't remember, on Reddit i said it was 2019 but the Blender's version i have disproofs that guess). The photo is from the WIP state, hence the "attempt 0", my next post will be the finished version, after which i'll try ninjaless king slime

In my partial migration from Reddit i decided to tie the start of my blog to the start of me 3d modelling. Let's hope both stick.

So, anyway, if you have any tips on how to be better at 3d modelling - feel free to tell me.

The spaces between line are sure getting long

The Wall of Text has been defeated

(Am i doing this right?)

[bodhrancomedy]

Characters I’ve gotten to play on TV:

Idiot teenage drug dealer with a stolen gun on the run from a gang who abuses him who goes to his single mother after a fight.

Characters I’ve auditioned for:

Delinquent teen trying to raise squirrels in a bin to compensate for his neglectful father.

Teenage runaway who got beaten up by his dad

Mentally ill teenager who is severely messed up by his part in murdering his abusive father.

Trans teenager living in the aftermath of his abusive father having a stroke.

Characters I want to play on TV:

Academic who discovered something dangerous

Competent squire

A mentally sound adult with a father 🫠

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Squirrels caused about 80 power outages in Toronto in 2023 after coming into contact with power equipment, Toronto Hydro said, after a squirrel-related outage in the city Wednesday affected about 6,500 people.

Racoons caused 13 outages in 2023, whilst birds caused about 30 outages in the same year, Toronto Hydro said in an email.

"While each power outage is unique to its circumstances, outages due to wildlife interference…are resolved on average in under two hours," spokesperson Daniel McNeil said.

Wednesday's outage happened after a squirrel came into contact with a utility pole, Toronto Hydro officials previously told CBC News.

The outage impacted customers for a few hours between Rosedale Valley Road and the Gardiner Expressway, and from Church Street to the Don Valley Parkway. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland, @vague-humanoid

[1980sactionfigures]

Squirely Squirrel / Bludgeonly Bulldog - Battle Beasts (Hasbro)

[will-graham-coded]

Had surgery this morning-- puked at a sheetz gas pump then wobbled into CVS and had my mom buy me a stuffed squirrel named Squire. I'm never doing drugs--I don't have it in me. Ketamine, bro.

[artsyturnip]

I remembered the existence of a super old warrior cats AU I made where Squirrelflight was a reincarnation of a squirrel and retained all her memories from being a squirrel

I made a map script even though I never actually made it into a map given I was like 11 or something (please keep that in mind if you read this the script is horrible 😭)

Anyway, it inspired me to make a design for Squirrelflight and also a little doodle of my take on squirrel Squirrelflight (Never once drawn a squirrel)

If you have any questions about the AU feel free to ask me! Honestly kinda of want to remake this AU cause it's kinda a cool concept

[mattkenzie]

Credit goes to Gooompy (Tumblr)

I’m kind of leaning towards dubbing this Pokemon Squirerel (Squire + Squirrel) Normal/Grass(?)

I loved the idea of a branch evolution akin to Tyrouge where EV training comes into play (Attack = Hitmonlee and Defence = Hitmonchan). None of the NPCs in any of the Pokémon games never seem to talk about Effort Value training and yet we have a lot of PokéTubers teaching us about it and where to go.

I would like Squirerel to be my Route 1 “rodent”

Grass/Fighting

[sonicstorybook]

The King's Champion

A SatBK AU where Shadow is the one sent to Camelot and Sonic is the doppelgänger- the one and only King Arthur!

Part: 4/4

Summary: Arthur the Hedgehog pulled the legendary sword Caliburn from the stone, and he became King Arthur, the ruler of Camelot. Shadow the Hedgehog appears in a flash of magic in the middle of his banquet hall, and he becomes Arthur’s problem. As the sun rises over the kingdom, a pre-dawn conversation between both hedgehogs also helps them reach... well, not quite a mutual understanding, but progress is progress!

(Shadow doesn’t know where he is, what’s going on, or why he’s there- but it doesn’t matter. He’s Shadow the Hedgehog, the world’s ultimate life form, and he’s going to play this weird game by his rules.)

Contains: Pre-relationship/platonic Arthadow (Arthur the Hedgehog x Shadow the Hedgehog)! Lamorak (Jet the Hawk) and Percival (Blaze the Cat) are siblings! Gawain (Knuckles the Echidna) and Gareth (Mighty the Armadillo) are siblings! Gawain and Gareth are Yvain’s (Ray the Flying Squirrel) cousins! Kay (Scourge the Hedgehog) is Arthur’s adopted brother!

Rating: G

Word count: 2,252

Note: The close of the first chapter of Shadow’s stay in Camelot! C: Will there be more? Yes, because I have no self-control. C,:

Reminder of characters: Sir Kay is Scourge the Hedgehog! Sir Gareth is Mighty the Armadillo!  Sir Yvain is Ray the (Flying?) Squirrel! Percy is Percival the Squire, aka Blaze the Cat! 

All chatter ends and the courtyard is deathly quiet as everyone collectively holds their breath, certain they must have misheard Shadow just now… but the black hedgehog doubles down.

“You heard me,” Shadow repeats, turning to face Gawain with a challenging arch of his brow, “Lancelot can keep his Queen- I’ll take the King.”

“What!?“ Half a dozen voices cry out at once. Arthur barely manages to contain his own surprise, whipping his head to look at Shadow so quickly he almost flings the circlet off his head. 

Shadow does not flinch under the heavy weight of the stares, cool and determined with a haughty hand on his hip.

“Shadow,” Arthur wishes he had a moment with Shadow alone to explain what the black hedgehog was getting himself into, tenting his hands in front of his face thoughtfully, “Once again, I am asking you to reconsider this request. That is no light commitment or task. Are you sure this is what you truly want?”

“I’m going to prove that I am superior to this Lancelot in every possible way,” Although Shadow says Lancelot’s name, the challenging glare he levels in Arthur’s direction indicates that Camelot’s king is included as well, “By the end of it, all of you will be comparing Lancelot to me.”

“You are completely mad if you think the king will accept such outlandish demands!” Gawain is so worked up he throws his hand out, hitting the unfortunate Sir Yvain in the chest with his barbed knuckles. The yellow squirrel is knocked off his feet and into Sir Gareth behind him, who barely manages to keep them both upright, “Who are you?! What are your designs on our king?! Are you a spy or assassin?!”

“I am Shadow the Hedgehog, the world’s ultimate life form,” Shadow is arrogantly self-assured as he literally turns his nose up at Gawain, “Don’t flatter yourself. I don’t care about you or this kingdom. And if I wanted your King dead, there’s nothing you could do to stop me!”

“You churl-!”

It’s very clear that Shadow and Gawain are about to start slinging hotheaded boasts, vicious insults, and blows again. But before Arthur can try to restore order, aid comes from an unexpected source.

“Hah! You are a saucy one!” Sir Lamorak’s squawk of laughter shatters the tension like ice, pushing past Gawain to stand directly in front of Shadow. 

“Brother!” A small purple cat darts out from the crowd, grabbing onto the hawk’s hand and giving him a stern shake, “Do not be foolish!”

“I know what I’m doing, squire,” Lamorak hisses at her, low enough only those nearby can hear him, shaking himself free and pushing the child behind him, “Watch and learn, Percy!”

‘Percy’ gives a loud, annoyed groan as she stomps her foot irritably, sulkily crossing her arms and watching her brother with an incredibly unimpressed expression. Who was this girl, again? Lamorak had asked if he could bring his sister in as his squire, but that had been only a few days ago and she wouldn’t have been able to make the journey so quickly, could she? She also seemed a little too young to be a squire… 

Lamorak flips his visor up with one hand as he looks down on Shadow with a condescending grin, “Do you have any idea what you are asking for? Do you really think an untried knave without any weapon or armor of his own has a chance?”

Shadow is coolly defiant, eyes boring into Lamorak ferociously, “I don’t need anything but my bare hands to beat you.“

Lamorak’s grin falls immediately, and his hand reaches to the scabbards where his twin swords are sheathed on his back-

“Enough!” Arthur steps in before Shadow manages to make more enemies, putting himself between his combative guest and his strongest knights, “Shadow is new to the realm and not familiar with its customs, and yet you treat him with great hostility! Where is your courtesy? Your patience? This is a most inhospitable way to treat my personal guest!”

Arthur hates having to use his authority like this, he really does, but Shadow is going to wind up as unpopular as Kay at this rate. 

The stunned silence lasts only a moment. 

“Your guest!” Gawain sputters indignantly, gesturing at Shadow like he doesn’t know what else to say, “Your guest!!”

“My lord,” Gareth puts his hand on Gawain’s shoulder, choosing his words carefully, “It is most unusual to have someone enter the kingdom with the visage of one of the round table’s most illustrious and well-regarded knights-”

Kay blows a dismissive raspberry, smiling when the armadillo gives him an annoyed side eye. Gawain leans over his brother’s shoulder to give the green hedgehog a full on glare.

“And it would be imprudent to rush into something like this without considering all potential factors and viewpoints,” Gareth finishes primly, bowing his head respectfully as he meets Shadow’s eyes, “While still giving Sir Shadow the same opportunities we would extend to every other child of Camelot.”

“You cannot be serious!” Gawain turns to his brother incredulously, “He disguised himself as Lancelot!”

“I have no need to disguise myself as anyone!” Shadow’s eyes narrow as he takes a step toward Gawain.

“Enough, enough!” Arthur massages his forehead as he glances up at the sky, knowing that this argument will cost him the rest of the morning. He will be struggling to meet all his daily obligations at this rate, and will likely be working late into the night... “I will hear your arguments in the great hall at the round table- after we break our fast.”

Before anyone can say anything else, Arthur turns to his guest, “Come, Shadow the Hedgehog, bringer of chaos! Before you end up creating blood feuds with the entire round table!”

Shadow doesn’t look the least bit chastised, incredulous and amused as he gives a flippant shrug, “Fine by me.”

“With these jests, it sounds like you’re better suited to the role of court jester!” Lamorak laughs boisterously, arms crossed over his chest as he grins mockingly. His squire stands behind him, less than enthused at her knight’s actions, but doesn’t say anything. She simply grips onto his tail feathers and digs her feet into the ground below, trying to physically keep him out of the range of Shadow’s fists. 

“Have you any more?” Lamorak jeers, obviously trying to get back at Shadow for that earlier insult. (Even though the brash hawk brought it on himself. Again.)

The air around Shadow turns positively murderous, and he flexes the fingers of his right hand as he brings it up mid-chest, “How about a magic trick?

Sparks crackle around his fingertips as he looks at Lamorak over his shoulder, eyes narrowing like he’s honing in on a target.

“I can make you disappear-“ Shadow starts to say, bringing his hand down in a vicious arc-

That Arthur jumps in to stop with his hands. The strange energy spreads through Shadow’s fingers and into his own, leaving behind a tingling sensation that seems to seep into his skin and to his very bones. Arthur lets go quickly, but it travels up the length of his arm and into his shoulder before radiating through his entire body.

“My Lord!” Half a dozen voices cry out at the same time in dismay.

“It’s nothing!” Arthur doesn’t have any time to dwell on any of this, even as his body seems to buzz with the energy. He wants to shake his hand out, but he knows that will just worry his knights, “I said this will wait until after breakfast! Be still, all of you!” 

He grabs Shadow’s hand tightly as he ushers his taciturn companion forward, as if afraid the black hedgehog is going to run off and punch someone else in the face. (Which seems very likely at this point.)

 “Come along!” Arthur’s hand buzzes where it touches Shadow, even through the fabric of his glove. He half expects the dark hedgehog to push him away, and is surprised when Shadow’s hand squeezes him. But painfully so, like this is a challenge he can win while making sure Arthur doesn’t let go. The king glances back as Shadow, curious to see why the prickly hedgehog would touch him without a clear purpose- when it becomes clear this is a calculated power play.

Shadow is staring Gawain down, using this simple gesture to establish himself in the king’s entourage, annoy the echidna and the other knights who regard him with suspicion, and show his clear disregard for hierarchy of the court. For some reason, Arthur is disappointed… but he pushes that feeling aside immediately. Shadow would be a fool if he did not use the king’s political and social position to his advantage.

Arthur pulls Shadow towards the now doorless archway, whispering as he discreetly elbows the black hedgehog, “What are you doing? I don’t know how it works in your world, but you’ll accomplish more with friends in Camelot’s walls rather than enemies!”

“I don’t need friends,” Shadow gives Arthur a flat look, answering loudly as he glowers back at Lamorak, “And if you want to keep yours in one piece, they shouldn’t start what they can’t finish. I don’t like leaving loose ends.”

Arthur rolls his eyes in exasperation as he hurries through the corridor, ear swiveling backwards to pick up on the disgruntled chatter that is naturally amplified by the stone hallways. Shadow’s combative attitude and abrasive demeanor are certainly not doing much to endear him to anyone.

“You don’t seem to like casual conversation or friendly advice either,” Arthur quips back, shaking his head, “And certainly not comfortable beds. What of mead and bread? Do you like that?”

“You're starting to irritate me, hedgehog-” Shadow answers back automatically, annoyed, before blinking rapidly. He gives Arthur that look again, like he’s seeing him in a completely different light, “You are going to drink mead for breakfast?”

Arthur finds Shadow’s baffled confusion amusing, quietly chuckling to himself, “Would my new champion prefer wine instead?”

“Sure, why not,” Shadow lets Arthur open the door to the chamber himself, purposefully ignoring Gawain’s outrage and rubbing it in by refusing to let go of the king’s hand the entire time, making Arthur do it one handed. Arthur can’t remember the last time he’s opened a door for himself, let alone another person. It’s strangely thrilling, “Where does the echidna sit?”

“I sit in the red velvet siege,” Arthur nods at the plush seat with the crown carved into the wood above it, “And ‘Wain sits to my left-”

“Good,” Shadow doesn’t wait for Arthur to finish explaining or sit down, plopping himself in the seat to Arthur’s right like it belongs to him. It belongs to Sir Kay, who seems less than amused- but, in a rare move of self preservation, also doesn’t seem very keen to attract Shadow’s ire on himself directly. Arthur shrugs to his brother apologetically, making motions to an attendant by the door to bring another chair.

In fact, Shadow goes out of his way to make himself look as comfortable as possible, throwing his crossed legs over one arm rest and propping his elbow on the other, resting his chin on his fist. Incredibly bold… Arthur sits down quickly himself, hiding a smile behind a sip of his cup.

“MY KING!” Gawain yanks his chair out from the table so violently the wood cracks under his grip, splinters falling to the floor as he sits in it heavily and unhappily, “THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!”

Shadow stares at Gawain with a bored expression as he filches a piece of cheese from Arthur’s plate, popping it into his mouth as the echidna slams his hands back down on the table. 

Well, this is certainly turning out to be a very different and complicated day! When Arthur first rose this morning, he didn’t think he’d end up having breakfast with Shadow the Hedgehog sitting on his right hand side after causing a feud with almost half the round table. Or to have Gawain, one of his most powerful and influential knights, squabbling with the black hedgehog like a petulant child.

One of the many large and small problems he needs to solve... Arthur nibbles on a roll absentmindedly as he listens to Gareth’s argument from the other side of the table, pretending he doesn’t notice Shadow flick a piece of apple at the side of Gawain’s head.

He needs to nip the budding tension between Lamorak and Shadow before it leads to bloodshed… Lamorak is very pointedly glaring daggers at the hedgehog until his sister kicks him in the shin when he doesn’t pass her the jam quickly enough, and that quickly devolves to the hawk arguing with a literal child. 

Arthur needs to make Shadow’s self-appointed position as his champion palatable to the majority of his knights and advisors, many of whom are regarding Shadow with guarded suspicion over the rim of their mugs. 

He needs to find and check on Lancelot, whose absence in the siege at Gawain’s right is painfully obvious. And Arthur needs to soothe Kay’s wounded pride before his brother does something reckless and foolish that causes them all unnecessary grief. (Especially Kay himself.)

It was exactly as Sir Ector had warned- the secret wish of excitement in his heart had been answered in the most unexpected way. But Arthur has no regrets. 

Despite it all, he is eager to see how this new adventure unfolds.

[hannahhook7744]

Disney Descendants hc for Artie Pendragon please ?

His full name is Artorius Gaius Pendragon. Of course, as a twelve year old the name 'Artie' is much more appealing.

His best friends are: Gingalain (son of Gwaine), and Stephanie and Dragonet (daughter and son of Merlin).

His other friends include Pucelle aux Blanches, Helior, Dragonet, Menw, Tom Thumb, Penpingion, Taliesin, Cerdan Jr., Mabon, Hélie, Esmerée the Fair, Thitis, and  Galeholt but he's also friends with Tulip's friends.

He goes on to marry Tulip Rossi (Tiger Lily and Lampwick's daughter) as you know.

They have one child; a daughter named 'Violet', as you know.

He is a prince and a squire.

He's a bit impatient and can jump to conclusions sometimes but that gets better as he's older.

He goes to Merlin Academy.

He's fascinated by Modern Technology.

He is the child of King Arthur and Queen Hazel (Guinevere) Pendragon and he is an only child.

Artie wants to be a brave knight and a brave king like Arthur.

Artie's weapon of choice is a white handled sword with a gold blade.

His likes include royal feasts, tournaments, climbing trees, sparring, jousting, horseback riding, dragon riding, listening to music, adventure, quests, magic tricks, hunting, swimming, and listening to Dragonet's poetry.

He has a pet dragon named 'Agathera'.

His favorite colors are red, white, black, and gold.

His favorite food is turkey legs and his favorite drink is apple cider.

His favorite season is sunmer and his favorite animals are horses, owls, and dragons.

His dislikes include: Being compared to his dad, being called 'Arthur the less', assassination attempts, Dragonet and Tulip hurt, Dragonet and Tulip in danger, people insulting the roundtable, people insulting 'his knights', council meetings, royal events, etc.

He fears: being disowned, being abandoned, losing his family, losing his friends, destiny, evil sorcerers, betrayal, etc.

Artie dislikes his foster uncle Kay and foster grandfather Sir Ector for the treatment they gave his father before they found out his status and doesn't go out of his way to respect them. But he doesn't disrespect Kay's children (Kelemon, Gronosis, Twinkle, and Garanwyn) and gets along with them a fair amount, as well as Kay's wife, Fabiana.

He has been compared to a squirrel on occasion, personality wise.

Artie can be quite mischievous and loves pulling pranks.

[runawaycarouselhorse]

[number1yisuchongfan]

The way I tell you that I need Thaddeus to pull up with a horse and poncho, trying to act all tough and stuff, with his new ghoul/mutant look in Season 2. I need him to become the country boy that he raised like, but the second he’s out of sight from main characters, he goes back to being goofy pathetic Season 1 Thaddeus. Let him become country……

[flowery3d]

The Tale of a Cruel World(model 1 attempt 1)

Logan the Guide has been slain

The Wall of Text has awoken

These sacred lands...

Here where the life prospers...

Where the creativity of humankind shines above all sentience...

They had not seen such forgiveness and mercy before.

In an era lost in time and memory,

Wars were waged against humanity, monstrosities, and gods.

These lands had then suffered great losses, along with their inhabitants.

Even now, one can hear countless soldiers pleading for their lives...

Others begging for a warm embrace of death.

Creature once thought to be mere obstacles

evolved into beast with unbelievable power and force.

This was the era when millions died for what they believed in.

This was the age in which feral, rogue monstrosities ravaged the world.

This was the time where gods either abandoned or struck those who had faith in them.

This was the moment in which Calamity reigned supreme.

Many knew nothing but that stage of the world.

And yet, it was about to end.

These 5 weapons are far from impressive.

However, they gave birth to a legend. Take a look at what a start to the path of greatness looks like

The Wall of Text has been defeated

Brett the Guide has arrived

Brett the Guide has been slain

The Wall of text has awoken

The first finnished model. Amethyst Staff has had enough back pains and hit the gym, which happened to be quite an effective scoliosis treatment, but it now hurts to huch her back, so she doesn't do so even for the photos. But if you ask her nice enough, she will actually do so. Sadly, the shine in her eye becomes duller because of pain. Other news: Amethyst Staff's cousin, Copper Broadsword has evolved, and his brother, Copper Bow has lost some weight, dyed his string black, and got closer the some of his friends - the pile of Throwing Bricks, to be exact. I think he might be dating one if not even some of them, but i can't confirm my suspicions. Also, the acorn of the Squirrel Squire Staff grew a lot since the last photo and the part from which it hangs became less smooth for no apparent reason

In total spent ~10 hours fucking around and actually doing something that would contribute to the picture

[times-chu]

After a certain incident back in March, I said I would be done with D&D once the games I was in ended. Generally I want to hold to that, but this was a special circumstance and, well, the Book of Ebon Tides lets you play as a 1' tall squirrel so... Squirrel musketeer! Or, well, wannabe musketeer, right now.

This is Ètienne LeTellier, son of a royal messenger, he dreamed of chivalry instead of service. Being as he is the son of a noble, even if not a very important noble, he still qualified to squire under a knight. He learned swordsmanship, the complexities of court, and other knightly things. This made him loyal, brave, and charming, but also haughty, temperamental, and self-interested.

I based his personality heavily on d'Artagnan, so he's equal parts chivalrous swashbuckler and violent cad. I look forward to playing him, though I don't plan to put nearly as much thought into him as I have my other characters. I don't need to add to my list of characters I plan to novelize.

Appearance wise, he's fun but nothing unique. I'd like to give him more distinctive features, and I couldn't settle on an eye design so I just shadowed them. I had a lot of fun with the shading here. I discovered a new tool for hatching, and it's shockingly versatile while also being stupid easy to use. Want something dark? Put multiple strokes. Light? Erase a little bit. I was shocked at how complex I could make the shading with so (comparatively) little effort.

[gabriellerudessa]

Compass (Norm Maclean x OC) - Part XXVIII

Marigold squatted, gun pointing to the path as she watched something on the ground, and Norm approached carefully, stopping beside her.

A footprint, very clear in the ground, even as the earth was starting to dry up. A trail of those, and his eyes followed and followed… The path to the left.

“It was done after it started raining, so what… One hour and a half ago?”

“Around it.” He confirmed, swallowing.

AO3 | Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI (Smut) | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI (Smut) | Part XXVII | Part XXIX | Part XXX | Part XXXI | Part XXXII | Part XXXIII | Part XXXIV (Smut) | Part XXXV | Part XXXVI (END)

PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE

Word Count: 4.503

Warnings: Wasteland Typical Violence

XXVIII

The so-called cantina and its communal bedroom was a metal-building with two rooms, one large and closed, the other open to the night air on one side, fire stoves and two counters against the dividing wall. Marigold recognized Aspirants cooking and one Initiate manning the business side of it, tables and chairs all around. The open side opened directly to the ruins, and the lights along it – windows, streetlights, everywhere – were harsh and bright, almost looking as if the stars were on the land instead of the sky.

There was no way to deny that at least the cold fusion or whatever energy source was true. She had never seen so many lights in a single space.

How and why they were keeping it a secret from the rest of the region, she didn’t know. Ma June would’ve told her without a doubt, but no. Besides, the place was empty of non-Brotherhood; the news would’ve attracted traders from all around and the Observatory would be bustling. She didn’t understand everything about what cold fusion meant, but whatever could energize such a big stretch of land meant power in the Wasteland and she was certain the Brotherhood would do its fucking best to exercise it.

Maybe the secrecy was more about where the source of it was, which made sense, especially if they were still figuring how exactly it worked and fortifying better their position to keep it with them.

Or maybe news were just being slow, which, fair enough, that was Wasteland for you.

Brotherhood members came and went from the cantina, not paying for food and water, some Squires taking food to specific Knights and even Paladins. The few non-members paid – and a fair price at that, Marigold noted as she passed the caps to the Initiate.

They sat at a corner with their own plates and cups – squirrel and tato stew with mashed corn and water. Talk was all around them, enthusiastic and loud, and Marigold and Norm kept their ears up even as they exchanged what they had discovered in lower tones, without actually discussing possibilities and theories – better let those for when they were outside Brotherhood’s hearing range.

“Nothing that indicates Lucy?” Norm shook his head as she finished with her stew and started on the mashed corn. “Damn. That’s depressing.”

And worrying. They both heard about the fucking cold fusion, apparently Moldaver’s work, and the tension between the so called Knight Maximus and the Elder Cleric, but no one even mentioned a Vaultie woman.

The prisoner that had stolen Power-Armor was a good clue, at least. Most Power-Armor was in Brotherhood’s power from what she knew, so they just needed to find people talking about one travelling alone and so on. Hopefully it would lead to Lucy too; Norm hadn’t talked about it, but she guessed the prisoner was probably his father – which was messed up if what that Maximus guy said about the prisoner having bombed Shady Sands was true. How could he have done it from inside a Vault? Why?

She hoped it was all just a misunderstanding, because if true… Not only pre-war, but bombing a city with thousands of inhabitants? Fuck.

Marigold finished eating and leaned back on her chair, legs crossed, one arm possessively on the back of Norm’s chair, eyes watching the movement and the lights while she sipped slowly on the water – purified, fresh tasting. She wasn’t rushing with it.

Most of the talk around still revolved around the battle against the NCR and Maximus promotion, with some high-tales of how he had killed Moldaver – all contradicting each other. Few talked about the escaped prisoner, even fewer about what was being done, and no one mentioned a Vaultie woman or some Knight Titus or an Enclave scientist – Marigold hoped it didn’t equate to bad news about them. And, as Norm finished eating, all the talk diminished even more, as the Brotherhood members departed to their own quarters.

Fuck. She had hoped to hear something more interesting and definitive, that complemented better what they already had. For no one to talk about Vaulties, they hadn’t really found one, and they hadn’t known Norm’s father was one. Where was Lucy? Had she even arrived?

“I think it’s better we go to sleep and leave early tomorrow.” Norm said after he finished, sounding as disappointed as she felt, and Marigold nodded, finishing her cup of water.

“Yeah.”

They took their tableware to the counter and paid for a couple of beds. The Initiate rattled out the number and handed them two robust padlocks with keys – “there’s lockers under the beds, you can put your things in them.”

Thank God.

The communal bedroom was filled with metal bunk beds, old and rusted, mattresses exposed. Their numbers dangled in small metal plaques attached to them, and Norm read them in low voice as they walked, not bothering the few people already sleeping.

She wasn’t surprised when both of the numbers the Initiate had said indicated a single bunk bed.

“I’ll fall trying to reach the higher bed.” Marigold sighed and shrugged; there was a reason Goose and Mika were the ones to usually get the higher beds. Too many times her and Regina – and Moose, when still single – had made bunk beds tumble just by trying to get into them.

“And I’ll fall during the night.” Norm’s shoulders slumped and she nodded, still remembering how he had tossed and turned the only night they had shared a bed and not cuddled. “Did he say anything against sharing?”

“Nope.” She grinned and winked at Norm, already pulling the two lockers from under the bed. “But that’s a great idea, Norm-boy.” And maybe would help cheer him up.

Norm shrugged with a small smile, taking their blankets out and helping her with storing the bags and locking the padlocks.

That taken care off, they cuddled in the bed. It was usually a tight fit for her, her feet easily dangling outside, and with Norm it was even harder. However, as they hugged each other tight under the blankets, his head against her shoulder and neck, her arms pulling him into her, their legs intertwined, she wouldn’t exchange that moment for anything.

---------

The night went fast, and soon they were waking with the sounds of more people getting up and moving around them. Somehow, he and Marigold had gotten even more intertwined during the night, blankets twisted around limbs, and they needed some minutes to get out without tumbling into the ground, whistles from anyone that passed by them making his ears burn.

Finally they managed to get up and got their bags – everything exactly as they had left – and folded the blankets into them before leaving the communal bedroom.

There was another bunch of Brotherhood members cooking in the annexed cantina and another manning the counters – Aspirants, Marigold specified, marked by the dog tags around necks and lack of jumpsuit, and an Initiate. They paid for a bowl of food and a cup for what passed as coffee in the surface.

The food was mashed corn with meaty pieces that Marigold called “iguana”, soft and white-ish, the taste subtle and pleasant. The coffee, made with something Marigold called “coyote tobacco chew”, was black, bitter, thick and weird, and for the first time exactly as he liked without him being the one to make it – in the Vault the rule was usually either too weak, too full of sugar, or both, and he hated all those variations.

The talking around them was muddier than last night, more about the responsibilities awaiting the Brotherhood members that day than recent news. He noticed the Dane-person appear, taking a tray with them – “Knight Maximus’ breakfast”, had been their words –, as others did, but that was the only thing that caught his attention in some way. Norm and Marigold didn’t dally long after eating.

They left the Observatory hand in hand, just like they had arrived, a comfort that Norm had missed. Two different guards were at the gates, noting their names in the clipboard as they left, and then they were walking the trail down the mountain, the morning sun doing its best to warm the day despite the cold wind.

---------

As they walked, the trail sunk back amidst the thin trees, slowly descending, the Observatory getting farther and farther away. Norm sighed and finally allowed himself to try and process what they had heard – and what they hadn’t.

“From where the hell that cold fusion came?”

“Wish I knew, Norm-boy. I was even thinking last night, about how they’re keeping it a secret.”

“The rumors implied it was Moldaver, that she activated it while fighting the Brotherhood…”

“Makes sense. Still your question: from where? She had the tech the whole time?”

Norm stopped talking for a moment, thinking, frowning…

“Maybe it involves my father, or at least Vault-Tec… If she had this the whole time, why go inside a Vault and kidnap someone that works for Vault-Tec before activating it?”

Marigold made silence, hand squeezing his, and he sighed, frown remaining.

“…I was going to say that it may involve the scientist, but considering that we heard nothing about Lucy or that Knight Titus, I think it’s safe to say they must still be after the Enclave scientist… Even if it does sounds like something from the Enclave.” She hummed, voice serious, and Norm groaned, scratching at his eyes with one hand.

“Damn it. That, Moldaver’s death, and with my dad God-knows-where, supposing he’s the escaped prisoner… Lucy won’t even have to who deliver the scientist.”

The pieces made less sense than before. The new ones only told him about some stranger Squire-turned-Knight and his tensions with the highest ranking officer in the region, of probably his father running away in a Power-Armor and being the guilty for Shady Sands, of damned cold fusion… And that was it.

Knight Titus, with whom Lucy had left Vault 4? Nothing. Considering he was after the scientist and what the Brotherhood had done to Filly after such scientist had passed through, Norm had no doubts that the man’s presence would’ve been mentioned, at least to say if he had been successful in his mission or not.

No Lucy. Not even the damned scientist. It was anti-climactic, all his stress over it and over everything influenced by it feeling as if for nothing.

Damn it, all of it was almost as bad as his lack of answer regarding his mom.

Norm was so fucking tired of half-answers and trying to fit a bunch of pieces that didn’t even seemed to belong to the same puzzle. One thing was trying to discover what the hell had happened with Vault 32 and what was going on with Vault 31… Another was trying to discover where the hell Lucy was and how to find her, while desperately hoping she was still alive.

And he was all out of clues regarding location, state of living, everything.

“Come here.” Marigold whispered, stopping and pulling him into an one-armed hug, his forehead resting on her breasts.

He breathed her in, sand and gunpowder and blood, arm around her waist and pulling her closer, not allowing the hand-holding to fade. Her free hand slowly massaged across the top of his back and shoulder.

All that without including the stress over his relationship with her. Damn it.

“… I don’t know what to think, expect, or do, Marigold.”

“You don’t need to decide now, Norm-boy. Let’s focus on reaching Catarina’s house, eat lunch and note down everything we know and discuss what it all mean, there. Maybe there’s even some clue in Catarina’s terminal that you didn’t notice.”

Norm sighed and raised his head, looking up at Marigold. He got she was trying to encourage him, but it seemed cruel that he had a clue regarding his father – lying person, he still loved him, still didn’t know how to untangle the mess of feelings –, but not about his sister, the one he really needed to see and talk with.

“… Do you think we could’ve done something different to try and discover more at the Observatory?” He finally asked, and her hand cupped his nape, thumb stroking his hairline.

Norm felt her breasts moving as she sighed, eyebrows frowning slightly.

“No.” She wetted her lips. “The only people that would’ve know more were either high-ranking Brotherhood members, and any imprisoned NCR. Maybe the Squire-turned-Knight, he was supposedly there when the prisoner escaped, so he would at least have some definitive answers about if it was your father or not.”

He drummed his fingers against her back.

“And we would’ve needed an excuse to talk with either of them. And there’s no way we can give one without going into details about my Vault or my father. And there’s still no way to know if they would’ve answered us or imprisoned us or whatever.” Norm whispered, closing his eyes.

“Unfortunately.”

He sunk more into the hug, fingers digging into her waist, her hand squeezing his. It helped his heartbeat, no longer in his throat, relaxing slowly into it all.

“… Can we stay like this just a little longer, Marigold?” Norm forced himself to ask.

“Of course, Norm-boy.”

---------

The “a little longer” turned into almost half an hour, and Marigold carefully pulled them both more to the trees, humming… She didn’t even know what, but she felt Norm relaxing so she kept at it, ignoring that small, annoying part saying that she should convince him to go back to the ranch with her – “you don’t know where your sister is and we have no place to search for more clues”.

If Marigold had a way, she would slap some common sense in that fucking part of her. They had clues about his father, if anything going after the man would mean stumbling into Lucy, at some point. And if they found clues about him in the whereabouts, she was staying with him too. No need for that… Despair.

Eventually he retreated from the hug, hand tugging lightly at her braid. Marigold went, touching her lips to his, firmly, but trying to imitate those sweet kisses Norm so easily gave her. She must’ve done something right, because she felt him smiling and sighing into it.

“Thank you.” He said against her.

She nodded and started guiding the path down once more, a calmer pace, hands not letting go, ears attentive to the path.

They stopped briefly at the start of the trail so Norm could buckle back his Pip-Boy. Marigold was just starting to guide again… Then a solitary drop of water hit her nose.

Soon more drops, the Geiger count rumbling lowly from Norm’s forearm, and then more, until it was a light drizzle upon them. Not enough to soak them, clearly just slightly radioactive, but still annoying. Marigold barely stopped to think before grabbing the bottle of Rad-X and giving one pill to Norm, just then taking her own.

Norm swallowed the Rad-X and extended his hand towards her, even as his eyes watched the rain around them – in the sunlight, not through a night-vision scope.

Something in the brown was marveled. It made Marigold smile as she started pulling him down the path towards Catarina’s house, double careful when slippery rocks appeared – the last thing they needed was a twisted ankle or anything like it.

---------

The water was cold on his skin, but at least the leather coat and the Vault-Suit kept it off from most of him, water just sliding against the fabric. Still, Norm closed tighter the neckline of the coat, trying to keep it from seeping down his neck and under his suit. Marigold didn’t have the same luck, only the leather bracers and short cape sliding off the rain, while pants and shirt were slowly and inexorably getting wet.

The water glimmered lowly in the light of day, and throwing looks to the trees showed the weird squirrels enjoying it, cleaning their sickly looking skins, drinking from the shallow puddles forming and licking stones. Somehow, the smell of petrichor was even more intense than the other night, the air inside his nose and lungs fresh, humid, totally different from the dry warm air he had gotten used to.

The paths that went through dry streambeds were more dangerous, not enough water to turn them into streams, but still making the rocks and stones slippery. Marigold repeated numerous times for him to be careful as she kept him ahead of her, always hugging him when they left those.

The rain eventually stopped, leaving only the fresh air and wet earth under their feet. The clouds disappeared in the sky, midday approaching, warming the day and the wind.

 It didn’t take long after it for them to see the large stone with the childish-looking bear painted on.

“Not long now.” He hummed under his breath.

“Yeah.” Marigold stopped suddenly, hand tightening in his before letting go and he frowned at her.

“What is it?”

She was already holding the hunting rifle ready, tip pointed to the ground, slowly approaching the stone, head turning and watching everything around. Norm stopped and looked around too, not hearing anything beyond the low chippering of the squirrels and the light squishing of her steps in wet ground.

Marigold squatted, gun pointing to the path as she watched something on the ground, and Norm approached, stopping beside her.

A footprint. Very clear in the ground, even as the earth was starting to dry up. A trail of those, and his eyes followed and followed… The path to the left.

“It was done after it started raining, so what… One hour and a half ago?”

“Around it.” He confirmed, swallowing.

“Light feet, it’s not as deep as it could be, most weight on the front… And smooth, which usually means leather soles, like mine.”

“Another Bear?” Oh, please, it would make things so much easier…

“Nope.” Marigold raised and stepped firmly close to the footprint. Besides the size – Marigold’s foot clearly way bigger than the footprint –, Norm immediately noticed it had a careful indent of a ‘B’ in the heel. “We mark our soles for this reason. It’s not always there’s ideal condition for it to appear, but when it does, it’s clear to see.”

Norm sighed, holding the revolver, even if unsure if he would be able to use it much; cutting a neck was one thing, shooting at someone was another.

“Hopefully whoever left those ignored the house.”

“That’s my hope too.” Marigold nodded and started for the path. “Now let’s keep silent, Norm-boy.” He nodded, following her and trying to imitate the light and almost soundless footsteps.

He concluded that he was really bad at it.

---------

The strings of a fiddle reached them before anything else as they walked; Norm guessed they were in the middle of the distance to the house.

Then someone humming along, happily, the sounds approaching, and Marigold looked back briefly, a confused look and a shrug, before looking back to the path.

A bend later, and a man became visible, Brotherhood jumpsuit, black but mud-stained in patches of browns, tall but not nearly as tall as Marigold.

Her hunting rifle went up, pointing at his head, and the man let out a high-pitched scream, raising his hands, a small object falling to the ground.

“PLEASE DON’T SHOOT!”

“What are you doing here, Brotherhood?!”

“I’m-I-I-I-” the man stuttered, trembling, eyes crossing to keep looking at Marigold’s gun.

Norm circled behind Marigold, noticing an open bag on the men’s shoulder, vegetables sticking from it. He hadn’t stopped to actually analyze Catarina and Sarah’s garden, but it seemed clear from where it had come.

“He was getting food from the garden.”

“THAT!”

A moment of silence, the man with hands still up, the short mousey-brown hair wet and sticking in all directions. The fiddle music still echoed and then Norm noticed it came from the object in the ground: a small radio.

“Brotherhood offers food for free to their members and there’s a corn field in the Observatory. Why are you here?” Marigold asked once more, words slow and paused, and Norm recognized the same coldness from when they had met the other Bounty-Hunter.

“I-I can’t return, they’ll kill me!”

Marigold frowned.

“Why?”

“I’m-I’m turning into a Ghoul! Here, look!” The man raised his head, exposing his neck.

It was Norm’s turn to frown.

“Describe what you see, Norm-boy. If you so much as twitch towards him, Brotherhood, I’ll blow your brains.”

The man nodded, fervently, and Norm slowly approached.

At the man’s neck, there it was.

“There a weird scar… It remembers a burn but… Not exactly? There’s weird grooves.”

“Sounds just like a radiation burn. So what, Brotherhood?”

“It-It was a bolt! Through my neck!” Norm blinked.

“You mean it healed like that instead of killing you?” he asked, and the man fervently nodded, and Norm looked at Marigold. There was a small ounce of pity in her face.

“Fuck.” Marigold. She breathed in. “Raise one foot, Brotherhood. Take a look at his shoes, Norm-boy.” Her voice was calmer and he remembered her explanations about how the Brotherhood persecuted ghouls and other people with mutations because of radiation. Apparently not even members were an exception.

Norm nodded and the man carefully did as she ordered.

“It’s rubber. There’s grooves in it. Not smooth.” He looked at the line of footprints they had been following. “His foot is also way bigger than those.”

Norm retreated back towards Marigold and the man put his foot down.

“Did you pass by anyone? Saw anyone? Heard?”

“No… I was in the garden by the better part of the morning. With the radio on.” Apparently Marigold’s calmer demeanor meant he was also calmer, clearly considering the risk of dying as lower.

But he was still wincing

“Of course you were.” Marigold sighed and rolled her eyes.

“How long have you been getting food from the garden?”

The man’s shoulder bunched up.

“Almost two weeks, I think. Didn’t saw anyone. There were things starting to dry and rot. Figured no one would miss some food, if it was going bad anyway.”

“Didn’t try and hack into the house?” Norm raised one eyebrow.

“Didn’t want to risk the owners finding me if they returned.”

“You must be at the narrow pass, on the other path.” Marigold raised an eyebrow and the man nodded. “Too narrow for Power-Armor and a lot of hidden crevices. Smart.”

Norm exchanged a brief look with Marigold. Not who had left the footprints, hadn’t heard anything… He felt a pit in his stomach, the disappearing form in the distance flicking through his mind.

Marigold mouthed one name: “James”. Norm swallowed. It horribly fit. The man knew where they were going, after all, even if didn’t know the exact location of Catarina’s house. If he had managed to survive, he didn’t even need to follow their trail.

In retrospect, if it was James, they were lucky to have found the place before him.

“Can I go now? I don’t want trouble.” The man had lowered his hands a little.

“You have been a deserter for almost two weeks?”

“… Yeah…” the man answered Norm’s question carefully.

Norm raised an eyebrow at Marigold. Almost two weeks. Not inside the Brotherhood anymore, but wandering the region. Maybe he knew something, at least from before the attack. God. He hopped so.

Marigold just nodded, gun tip to the ground.

“Not yet, Brotherhood.” The man groaned, hands lowering. “We need some information, but here’s too open. You walk ahead.”

“Fuck. Promise not to shoot or kill me?”

“If you don’t attack us or give me reason to think you know the owner of the footprints, then sure.” Marigold shrugged, the man’s shoulder’s slumping.

“Can I at least get my radio?”

Marigold grinned, extra trouble, and Norm snickered.

“Yes, but please turn it off. We heard it before we saw you, Brotherhood.”

The man’s ears burned red as he leaned down.

“It’s Thaddeus.” He grumbled and started walking, radio off.

---------

Thaddeus walked ahead of them, in silence, and Marigold kept her rifle pointed in his general direction.

Despite the warming of the day, her clothes almost dry, the footprints were still easy to follow. Marigold could clearly see how different from Thaddeus’ they were: the former Brotherhood also had heavy steps, weight evenly spread in the footprints. Someone used to carry heavy loads. Former Squire, she bet.

Then the house appeared, and the footprints went directly to the closed door.

If not for the radio, Marigold would doubt Thaddeus’ allegations of “didn’t see or hear”. And if it was James, and he had been the one to disappear probably thanks to a stealth-boy, then even without the radio.

He had managed to approach the terminal and put the holotape in the ranch without raising any alarm, after all.

She pulled Thaddeus by the neck of his jumpsuit, noses almost touching, making sure to show her teeth like a wild animal.

“You stay silent and quiet and don’t fucking run. If it’s who I think, you’re lucky he didn’t cut your neck.” She whispered, and Thaddeus nodded fervently.

Marigold let him go and he stumbled as his feet touched the ground again.

The perks of being so tall.

Norm was waiting her, and they slowly approached. There were sounds from inside, but the metal and concrete muffled it all enough that she couldn’t say what was causing it.

The door was closed, and Norm approached the terminal, fingers dancing over the keys. He mouthed “locked” and she carefully put her ear to the metal, noticing Thaddeus approaching carefully, hands twisting around each other.

A voice, amidst breaking glass… Slowly the voice became more recognizable as of fucking course James, and she mouthed it. Norm winced.

Then the words became easier to get and… Bloodbugs flying around? What?

Then she remembered the poisoned food and James penchant for eating other’s food, and she grinned, big.

She mouthed “Heart-Crasher”, slowly retreating, and Norm shook his head with a wry smile. Good choice of his, leaving it behind.

Marigold landed the rifle in the table carefully, then did the same with her backpack and bag-belt, Norm looking at her curiously.

She could still remember the razor touching Norm’s neck, the fear that James would say to Nip-Nip that they better kill Norm. The coward had run away and insisted on going after them. She wasn’t letting the poison do all the work. Besides, Heart-Crasher could take a fucking long time to kill sometimes.

Her Ma’s knife in one hand, the drop-point one in the other, then she mouthed at Norm to unlock the door.

Norm looked at her, frowning, then pulled her closest hand and kissed her knuckles. He mouthed something against her skin, and she couldn’t say what exactly. Norm’s eyes watery, he let go and turned to the terminal once more.