#arcadia snippet

[polifandom]

by polifandom and mysweetcreature on ao3

Arcadia; the one where Gale and John form an unlikely pair in the zombie apocalypse.

Chapter 1 - Seven Nation Army

[...] Gale Cleven is alone in the way he moves between state lines with nothing but a backpack of food, medical supplies and a box of bullets. He is alone in the way he hides when he hears a voice, and shoots when he hears a gun. He is alone in the way he can’t recall what his voice sounds like, for it hasn’t been used even to himself in a long time.

Gale Cleven is alone in the way he is – the way he roams the earth with no one to remember him by, and no one for him to think of. It’s like poetry, really; roaming with nowhere to go, searching for nothing to find. Living in a way that’s not even being alive. A foot in front of the other, but no road to look back to. A son without a mother, not a thing to pursue. Surviving the end of the earth, when you have barely lived the beginning. Not a soul to hold onto, a life without a meaning. It’s poetry in the way that is consistent in its hypocrisy. It’s poetry in the way it’s fate, for the lone boy to survive the apocalypse. [...]

Arcadia, the clegan zombie apocalypse au, is out now on ao3! [click here to read]

<3 check my tag and @xmysweetcreaturex for more arcadia content!

author's notes beneath the cut!

ok so, i just can't believe this is finally able to be seen by more pair of eyes than mine's and taty's. i truly, truly believe this story has been the peak of my writing style in my life so far, and i have so much love for it that i can hardly put it in words...

writing gale's pov and figuring him out in this fic has been a wild ride, and i hope you guys like this complex lil fella as much as we do! this has truly been a labor of love, and we have poured so much time and enery and endless phone calls into this story, and my one true hope is that you fall in love with it too 𖹭

alright im done with the melancholy, go read!

<3 tag list: @wayrad @jjubilee-fluff @feyd-meowtha @wwasted @ignalina-c0re @bucksbluescarf @alienoresimagines @blixabargelds @mangokittokatsu @thegrandpineapple @sleepr-agent420 @amiserableseriesofevents @trashbag-baby666 @swifty-fox (please lmk if you do not wish to be tagged moving forward!) <3

[polifandom]

the way i was DYINGGGG for taty to finally post a wip u guys dony understand!!!!

john in arcadia is just... there's really nothing like it 🤌✨️

WIP Wednesday (Friday)/ Last Line Tag

I just wanna share my work 😫

A little scene from the MOTA Apocalypse AU that @polifandom and I are working on ✨ This one is a little bit thicker and spicier like John- which is good because its his pov lol

Despite his natural physique and stature, John’s never been the bigger man, metaphorically speaking. John’s never been one to back down from a fight; he only knows how to add fuel to the fire. The only problem is that sometimes he has to watch as the whole thing burns to the ground, sometimes with him in it .

“Starting to worry-”, John scoffs, “All you do is worry! It’s always ‘John do this’ and ‘John do that’. Do you get off on CONSTANTLY bossing me around? You got some unresolved Daddy issues, you’re trying to work through with me?”

Gale is as silent as the grave, his mouth pulled tightly into a thin line.

“Huh- Answer me, Gale!” John yells louder. The rapid beat of heart and the sound of his own rushing blood in his ears seems to spur him further; moving to stand directly in front of Gale and shove at his shoulders.

Buck absorbs the jolt as gracefully as one can with their boots sliding in the mud. He looks John up and down before staring back into the other man’s feral gaze as he breathes out a condescending chuckle through his nose.

“Have to have a Daddy first, wouldn’t I? ” Buck says bitterly, as he barges him out of the way to go sit at the river bank.

And it's like someone came up and popped the bubble that stood around them containing all of John’s misplaced anger and vitriol.

He thinks the ‘funniest’ thing about being a ‘firecracker’, a ‘hot head’, or a ‘loose cannon’ is that sometimes he starts fights he doesn’t wanna finish, not actually. Sometimes he starts a whole tangent only to realize half way through that he doesn’t know what he is talking about, or why he brought it up in the first place, or worse, he doesn’t even care, not really.

In the end, it’s the fallout that kills him. All the horrible things he’s said and all the people he’s hurt. It’s the kind of feeling that gnaws on his insides until he feels like there’s nothing left of him. That’s why he drinks.

It softens the edges and smooths the lines, makes him forget, makes him not care about the outcome or the aftermath. Makes him feel it all moment to moment, nothing is forever. Just chasing the pleasure that fills him up enough so he’d never notice how actually starved he is for genuine connection and love.

Now that it's gone though- he doesn’t want to go down this rabbit hole right now.

If you’d like to take a look at all the snippets and ramblings the ACU (Arcadia Cinematic Universe™️- i will make this a thing) has to offer feel free to peruse #Arcadia using this link.

super chill no pressure tags for these lovely peeps 💞

@antiquitea @soliloquy-dawn @skyyguy @daysofxavierspast @sleepr-agent420 @quick-catton @oopsiedaisiesbaby @feyd-meowtha

free tag @/anyone that would like to do this as well!

[generalallxsanjishipper]

Snippet from Lacrimosa ch. 4 (Tales of Arcadia)

“Y… You don't have to say anything,” he heard Claire say quietly, stuttering just a little. Douxie took an instinctive deep breath in. “Unless you want to, you don't have to. I… It's alright. You don't have to obligate yourself to be fine for us. I… We just want you to know that if you need us, we're here. And if you need space… If you need us to leave right now, we will. No issues.��� a poignant pause. In between what she had said before—it was unclear to him when—the mechanical motion of his hands had stopped. “So, really, your choice. We won't take it personal, push you to explain yourself or anything else, we just… We want to make you feel comfortable. With or without us. That… That's it.”

He breathed in and out, nodding. He kept his gaze focused on Archie—who still looked back at him with the same expression as before, rubbing against him one more time—for a few more seconds before raising it just a little, fixating it mostly on their hands, which almost seemed to hung on the food they had grabbed and that clearly hadn't been touched yet. 

He did not get to their face yet. Did not get to her eyes yet. 

“I…” he barely started, his saliva way too thick inside his mouth, his tongue still feeling a little too big. “I d-don't want you… To leave. I just…” he frowned. “Just need a moment.”

A beat. Two beats. Three. 

“Okay,” Jim said softly, his hands holding the Oreo package a little less tight than before. “All the time you need.” 

[an-autistic-dweeb]

Healing

WARNINGS⚠️!: Mentioned loss of limbs, mentioned stabbing, depressive thoughts, angst(hurt/comfort), Angor Rot x oc.

Angor was carving a small totem with a frown on his face, a jolt of pain shooting through his abdomen. That wasn’t an uncommon thing. Not after the Trollhunter ran him through with his sword. A necessary action, to get rid of her. Angor groaned from the ache. The necessity of it didn’t make it hurt any less…

Angor huffed as Avery came into the room to check on him. He didn’t want their help. He didn’t deserve their help.

Angor was forced to stay behind in Arcadia. He was too wounded to make the trip to New Jersey and it wasn’t like any trolls were fond of him. It was for the best. It would’ve been, anyway.

“More aches and pains?” Avery asked calmly, holding a box of medicines. Angor simply resumed carving instead of answering. Avery sighed and opened the box, quickly glancing at Angor’s lean body. “You need to change your bandages more often,” they spoke, gently pulling out some gauze, “you’ll get an infection.”

Angor didn’t understand why Avery cared. He was the reason that their right arm and eye were gone. He looked at the mangled scar that should’ve been their eye and growled softly. He’s caused them so many scars. And yet, they willingly stayed with him. Most of him was just waiting for them to leave. But a small part of him truly missed the care of his friend.

Angor remembered the day he and Avery became rivals. It was a bloody one. She had the cruelest sense of humor, and decided to have Angor bring them to her. She made it so that way they’d have the same life expectancy as Angor. A selfish part of him was grateful for it. His rivalry with Avery was bitter, and for centuries they would meet in battle. Now Avery was his caretaker. His companion.

“Why are you still here?” Angor suddenly asked, just as Avery disposed of the old bandages. Avery raised their eyebrow and handed Angor the gauze. “I’m not quite sure what you mean, Angor.”

Angor growled softly and started re-bandaging his wound. He scowled, “Why are you still here? In Arcadia. With me. Why haven’t you left already?” He asked in frustration. He truly didn’t understand why Avery was still helping him. Avery shrugged, “you make it sound as if I plan on it.”

Angor scoffed and glared at Avery as he used up the gauze, clearly unamused by their statement. “And why shouldn’t you? I’m the root of all your problems. You should resent me more than anyone.” He said bluntly. Avery just smiled, “and yet I don’t.” Avery took a moment to think and simply spoke before Angor could protest. “I simply stay because I wish to. Whether you’re satisfied with that answer or not is up to you.”

Angor simply sat still and sighed. “I’m sorry.” He said suddenly. He sighed and continued, “I used to excuse the pain I caused others with the fact that she controlled me. But that doesn’t matter. Even if it did, you still deserve an apology. I’m sorry.” He explained calmly. He’s never apologized for his actions under Morgana. But Avery needed to know. They needed to know that he was remorseful.

Avery paused. They simply paused and thought of it. They were angry at Angor for what he did for centuries. They were still a little angry. It was nice to hear his apology. “I can’t forgive everything you’ve done… but I appreciate your apology. It’s nice… hearing that.” They said, blushing softly.

“Thank you.” Avery said, earning a chuckle from Angor. “I should be the one thanking you.” He said softly. He leaned his head back and sighed calmly, a new lack of tension on his chest. “Thank you for staying.”

Avery calmly placed their hand on Angor’s shoulder. “Don’t mention it.”

[thekingofthenameless]

You know how writing inspiration just hits you out of nowhere?

I got inspired to write this from two Narnia posts I just found!

This is from Barbara’s POV! (Barbara supremacy!!!)

Jack was in the military. She remembered the look in his eyes when he’d finally come home. He was already an adult, but the loss of innocence was clear, and his eyes were too old for his face. She recognized the same look in Merlin’s eyes, even if she’d just met him. He was old; he was probably in his mid-sixties. His eyes were still too old. One part of the video that Jim had recorded of Blinky and sent to her had stuck in her mind; the part where Blinky had said that Merlin was one of the oldest creatures still living, if not the oldest. What has he lived through to give him that look in his eyes? she thought. …Do I really want to know?

[iikisa]

jlaire reverse au! more under the cut

This is yet another AU i’ve imagined… Reverse Aged-Up Trollhunter AU ✨ whoozie

It’s her senior year at Arcadia Oaks High when suddenly Claire finds the Amulet of Daylight becoming the first human trollhunter.

In this AU, think of Claire as the gorgeous punk introvert and Jim as the golden retriever extrovert.. he can cook, do first aid, super kind, tall and handsome?! every girls dream right? and Claire’s (not so) secret crush.

She’s friends with Toby early on because of their amazing sibling chemistry and Toby’s natural charisma— he likes to help (and tease) her with her little crush on Jim.

Eventually you can imagine our iconic trio together fighting stony crime: trollhunter claire, warhammer toby, and shadow magic jimmy jam

I have lots of ideas for this fic and I’d get all into the nitty gritty but I’ll spare you haha, hope you enjoy this snippet 🤪

[galdra-studios]

Hi everyone!

Welcome to our first post-Kickstarter Devlog! It’s already been almost a month since we wrapped up the campaign and we’ve been celebrating with some well-deserved time off to enjoy the Summer, but now we’re all back at work and ready to make a video game!

Katie and Mette are busy at work on the script! Now that we have a budget for voice acting, we’re finalizing the scope of the story. We’ve got a Catherine romance to add, cats to hide, and lots of lines to prep for voice acting, so we’re gonna be engrossed in that for a while.

On another note: You may have heard that the voice actors of SAG-AFTRA are currently striking for better conditions and protections against AI stealing their work. We fully support their efforts and wish them all the best in getting a better deal! For those who might be concerned this will affect our work on Arcadia Fallen II, we’re still quite some time from our first recording session, and if for some reason the strike drags out, SAG-AFTRA has made an interim agreement that gives actors the protections they are asking for, and we don’t mind signing that if it becomes necessary – So we should be good!^^

Sketches sketches sketches! Just like with writing, we’re finalizing the scope for art as well. The goal is to get all art assets into the game as rough sketches so we can get a feel of the flow and the amount of drawings we have left to do.

Here’s some examples of expression sketches for some of the characters! Some being… more detailed than others ^^0

Jesper is also back at work composing music and adding foley sounds. He’s gonna be very busy once we start recording voice acting, so he’s getting as much work done on this as possible to get ahead^^ Here’s a snippet of what he’s been working on together with the final timelapse for Catherine’s postcard.

Thank you so much for following our journey! And we’ll see you in September for another Devlog!

Cheers!

- The Galdra Team

[patchwork-crow-writes]

Thoughts on Kris x Ralsei

This is so long I had to split it up into parts - this is Part 1, which looks into how the roles that Kris and Ralsei are given contributes to the idea of their romance. As more parts are written, they'll be linked below in this handy-dandy TOC!

Part 1: And They Lived Happily Ever After <- (You Are Here!) Part 1.5: I Believe Your Choices DO Matter Part 2: A Pair of Star-Cross'd Lovers Part 2.5: In Another World, We Could Have Been (Just) Friends

Okay, so.

Wanted to elaborate a bit on my viewpoint of this ship, because I don't think it's something I've ever really discussed before and I think it's actually a very interesting dynamic (or at least has the potential to be, depending on where the rest of Deltarune goes).

So, Kralsei is cute, isn't it? It's fun to hug the fluffy boy and watch him melt into incomprehensible stuttering and blushing. All the little signs he's really, really into Kris, all the cute little snippets of dialogue you can initiate with him, all the alone time they spend together, in both chapters... honestly, the game makes it hard not to root for this pairing.

And yeah, it's cute... in a very surface-level, don't-think-about-it-too-hard kind of way. But once you start thinking about it... hoo boy. There is. A LOT to unpack here. So much more is going on just under the surface, and once you see it, it's difficult to un-see it. And in my opinion, it makes the Kralsei dynamic so much more nuanced, more compelling, and potentially quite tragic.

Now, a disclaimer: it's fine to like this ship on a surface level. No real harm is being done, these are fictional characters and it doesn't matter what reason you enjoy it for - if it provides comfort to you and gets you through, then more power to you! This is more me sorting through my thoughts on the subject and is not a judgment on how others approach it. With that said, and in the spirit of full disclosure, this will go into slightly uncomfortable territory - picking apart the idea of destined love, the deconstruction of common romance tropes, how outside manipulation might play a part, and even the potentially incest-adjacent nature of the relationship. If you don't want to deal with any of that, you can stop reading right now, and that's okay. Please continue to enjoy Deltarune in the manner that is best for you, and thank you for your attention thus far :)

If you're still with me, then please click the read more and we'll get started.

Part 1: And They Lived Happily Ever After

The first thing you have to understand is that Deltarune is utterly determined to cram the notion of Kralsei down the player's throat. The game is not subtle about this in any way, shape or form. Everything from the narration, to the dialogue, to major game events, to item interactions, and even the roles that Kris and Ralsei play both in the story and the party, serves to reinforce the notion that these two are very likely to end up romantically involved with each other in some way.

Let's look at the characters first. Kris is portrayed as the noble knight - stoic, unwavering, courageous, a natural leader - clad in medieval-inspired plate armour and wielding a sword and shield. And Ralsei is the archetypal princess - demure, dainty, kindhearted, nurturing - who uses magic to heal his allies and pacify enemies.

I did not mistype there - Ralsei is a prince, but the characteristics associated with him are more commonly found amongst female healers in JRPGs. Think Fina from Skies of Arcadia, or Marle from Chrono Trigger (minus the temperment), and you might have an idea of what I'm on about.

Think of knights and princesses for a moment. Imagine St. George slaying the dragon to save a helpless damsel. Imagine Lancelot and Gwenevere. Robin Hood and Maid Marion. Link and Zelda. Squall and Rinoa. Every single fairy tale involving an imperilled princess and a knightly rescuer. For a more modern take, imagine The Bodyguard. Ness and Paula. I could go on, but then we'd be here all day.

Suffice it to say that there is a pretty entrenched tradition surrounding these archetypes - a male-coded, phsyically-adept, courageous, stoic, action-oriented figure, is paired with a female-coded, magically-adept (depending on the medium of course), less-physically-capable by comparison, emotional, and more passive foil. The (male-coded) knight protects and rescues, the (female-coded) princess nurtures and soothes.

It is a very, VERY emotionally-charged dynamic, by its very nature. Through their acts of service to their protectee, the Knight displays their devotion and care for the Princess, and is in turn emotionally-enriched and cared-for. There is a great deal of physical and emotional vulnerability between them, and it is therefore ideal for romance stories.

Look at Kris and Ralsei again, through this lens. Kris is immediately put into the role of Knight, and Ralsei quickly establishes himself as a classic Princess. Almost instantly, before you've even become aware of it, you've made the connection - they're going to fall in love, because that's what ALWAYS happens in these stories. Ralsei supports and encourages Kris, both in dialogue and in battle, and Kris...

...Kris, uh...

...they...

...hug Ralsei sometimes...?

...they... they give him a ribbon...?

...no, that can't be right.

But it is right, for two reasons. One, Kris doesn't have to do anything. The roles are already established, and Ralsei is playing his part like a pro. And two, Kris doesn't do any of those things in the first place - you do. It's the player who hugs Ralsei, who gives him the ribbon, who picks the dialogue options, who makes the connections. You're the Knight in this scenario, not Kris.

Because Kris doesn't get to make that choice. Kris has to do what you tell them to do. And many of us have already jumped to the conlusion that this romance is happening, becuase that's what always happens. The Knight and the Princess fall in love. They get married. They live happily ever after.

So we ship them, because hey, it's cute, and it's easy. I can't stress enough how easy the game makes this. I'm fairly convinced that Ralsei was designed by comittee, like the Funzo toy in that one episode of the Simpsons. Like he was created with the sole purpose of being the most disgustingly adorable, lovable, awkward little cinnamon bun that ever existed. Like he was created to generate the maximum emotional response in players. It's the cuteness response dialled up to 11, and we are almost hard-wired to want to protect this little bundle of fluff from any and all danger, because lookit how sweet and adorable he is! The glasses make his eyes look all big, his fluffiness is reminscent of that of baby animals, he stutters and fumbles his way through dialogue, and you just want to scoop him up and put him in your pocket or something.

And so, we're more than happy to fulfil the role of the Knight to Ralsei's Princess. Whether Kris actually wants to or not. Because it does become increasingly obvious that outside of our influence, Kris is still their own person, with their own goals and desires, but no real agency with which to pursue them. Would that we could know what they truly want, but we are never presented with an opportunity to find out.

The thing is, Kris is not particularly... knightly. They play pranks on their friends, they swipe sweet treats from their mother, they seem to enjoy getting a rise out of people, and particularly from Asriel, if the story about "dropping the lizard into the pit to jump higher" is any indication. They sleep through class, yet by Berdly's grudging admission they are the "third smartest in the class". The only reason they go to church is so they can drink the "sick fruit juice". They don't seem to have any issue with prank-calling their mom, while she's taking about them with their tutor, while they're standing just out of sight, while they're balancing a trash orb on their head.

Nothing about this behaviour screams "Knight." If anything, it would make more sense for Kris to have become a Rogue-type character upon entering the dark world. So the question remains - why is Kris forced into that role? And to what extent is the seemingly "fated" romance between Kris and Ralsei part of that role?

Folks, we have barely scratched the surface here. If I keep writing here this will become a novel, so I have to stop for everyone's sanity. But I will follow up soon, looking into the ideas of Purpose and Destiny and how they relate to Kralsei in-game. If you've stuck with me up to this point, let me just say thanks, because wow I wrote a lot here, and it's probably a bit rambly and says the same things two or three times, but I just. Had to get this onto the page in some way or another, so... here it is.

Thanks for reading, and see you in the next one :)

[rosemaidenvixen]

Tales of Arcadia Halloween Fic recs

Any TOA fans out there looking for something spooky to read around Halloween? Well then this is the the list for you! A compilation of my favorite horror and Halloween themed Tales of Arcadia fics. Some of these are safe for all ages, but some do lean hard into horror, so mind the tags and read with caution.

Arcane Blight @avirxy Do you like horror? Do you like Tales of Arcadia? If the answer is yes to both then stop what you're doing and read this. Takes place in an alternate universe where Jim is the new kid in Arcadia, and he quickly realizes that this innocent looking town has dark secrets lurking beneath the surface. To say any more would ruin a lot of the truly gut punching, jaw dropping twists and turns this story has.

The Changeling Masquerade @earth-ambassador-jim Takes place in the author's changeling Toby au. Shows how exactly changelings celebrate Halloween, but with a sinister twist.

Tear Me In Two (The Moonlight Will Anyway) @avirxy Two words. Werewolf Claire. In a monster hunter au Claire gets a nasty bite from a lycanthrope and the whole group struggles with the consequences. One of my all time favorite pieces of werewolf media for the absolutely phenomenal way it explores what it means to unleash the beast within.

Through the Veil @pinkytoothlesso11 This one's just getting started, but holy hell what a start! Jim doesn't given much credibility to Eli's ramblings of monsters and conspiracies in their town, until he witnesses someone he trusts performing a horrific ritual on Halloween night that brings everything he thought he knew into question. Now Jim and his friends are far from home and lost in a world hostile to human kind, and no guarantee that they'll make it home safe.

Something's wrong with Arcadia @earth-ambassador-jim When Jim and team Trollhunters aren't running around causing problems, what does the average Joe think of the strangeness going on in Arcadia? Bular and goblins and changelings shown from a mundane point of view in a way that's absolutely chilling.

31 Days in the Darklands @xdeusxmachinax Not technically a Halloween story, but takes place near and on Halloween with tons of horror and spooky imagery. I always give it a re-read each spooky season. In the wake of an unconventional treaty Strickler struggles to keep balance between Trollmarket, the Janus order, Arcadia, and the Darklands but the universe seems to sabotage him at each stage, and there's more than just pumpkin spice in the air this year in Arcadia.

Snippets, Snails, and Trollish Tales @whitherwanderyouspirit Some mostly Stricklake centered Halloween one shoots ranging from sweet to spooky to downright terrifying.

The Manor atop the Hill @avirxy A Haunted House story like you've never seen done before. When a desperate and frightened Jim follows his mother into the mysterious mansion on the outskirts of town he finds himself trapped in more ways than one. No one has lived in this house for as long as anyone can remember, but it is far from empty. Forced to rely on ghosts and a mysterious girl, Jim has to keep his wits about him if he wants to escape with his life, and his soul, intact.

cave bestiam @rosemaidenvixen Based on the online two sentance horror story "A girl heard her mom yell her name from downstairs, so she got up and started to head down. As she got to the stairs, her mom pulled her into her room and said, “I heard that, too.” But staring Barbara and Jim.

Fear of Fears @rosemaidenvixen An alternate take on my sunshine au. Jim decideds to sneak out on Halloween by passing his troll form off as a costume, a decision that will ripple outward into horrific consequences.

Tales of All Hallows Eve @rosemaidenvixen Collection of my Halloween themed one shots and drabbles.

Dig your eight graves @rosemaidenvixen Eight teens from Arcadia wander far from home and suffer a brutal attack from an evil that was much closer to home than they could ever imagine. Alone and traumatized, one of them makes a bargain in order to reclaim what was taken from them. They gain everything they ask for and more, but lose more than they ever thought possible.

A Bunch of Hocus Pocus @rosemaidenvixen A collection of 31 spooky and Halloween themed one shots for Tales of Arcadia and The Owl House, released one per day each day of October until Halloween.

[jehan-d-art]

wip wednesday - jwds edition

this is part of my stylist!Jowoon AU in which he has to go to a sex shop for work reasons, aka to find some things for an idol's MV that's going to be filmed soon. at the shop, he meets Dongsik and of course, Jowoon is immediately into him but cannot reveal why he is there (literally because of his work contract) and so he accidentally lands himself in a situation in which Dongsik thinks he has met the perfect man who matches all his kinks - and well, the idol in this AU is obviously Gaon from TDJ) kudos to everyone who gets the reference in this snippet ^^ link to original post tag list: @clawbehavior @uhhhhmanda @gaylilsherlock @deepbutdazzlingdarkness @little-arcadia - in case I forgot someone, sorry... and if you'd like to be taken off of/added onto this tag list please let me know ^^

[polifandom]

last line tag

thanks so much to the crazy talented @feyd-meowtha and @wayrad (tagged me ages ago, sorry it took so long lol) for the tags!

here is a first look at mine and @xmysweetcreaturex zombie apocalypse au we have been secretly working on for ages...

Gale has always been a lonely boy – from his childhood, to his teens. Being secluded from everyone else is just another way of learning to be unattached – and however depressing that may sound, Gale has always found freedom in not having to rely on anyone. He’s taught himself everything, from how to brush his teeth to how to carry a gun and shoot it. He’s taught himself how to ride a bike and how to watch people die and move on from it. He’s taught himself how to read and write and how to ignore pleas of help when they eventually reach his ears. And most importantly of all, Gale Cleven has taught himself how to survive. Afterall, doomsday is no different when surviving is all you have ever known.

no pressure tags for the amazing @alienoresimagines @middlingmay @amiserableseriesofevents @soliloquy-dawn @ignalina-c0re @wwasted and my partner in crime @gloomxdream <3

[polifandom]

no bc u guys don't understand, this is our CHILD

also the way everyone is bout to fall in love with the way taty wrote john is NO JOKE

so yeah........ here is the first snippets of Arcadia, our zombie apocalypse au!!!

last line tag

biggest thank you to those of you that tagged me @thegrandpineapple & @polifandom , I am forever inspired and in debt to you both ✨

This is ANOTHER sneak peak of the love child that @polifandom and myself dreamt up, but this time its from John’s p.o.v!

(You can check out the other snippet here)

“Arcadia”- a mota zombie apocalypse AU

-or what he assumes is morning; he hasn’t been above ground in months.

It's all the same to him now, day and night – unsightly acts of horror no longer reserved for the shadowy corners of twilight. Everything is as scary as it could ever be all the time, but not for John. He sings his song and does his dance with an empty look behind glassy blue eyes and a dazed smirk stretched across his face. Everyone’s gone now, there’s no reason for him to be scared anymore. The only way he could recognize the passage of time would be to count the empty amber tinted bottles scattered across the room, but he never gets sober enough to tally the score.

Someone once told him that time was cyclical; a spinning carousel of never ending tragedy. Round and round it went, history repeating itself, empires rising and falling, democracy being formed and then torn apart. Life would follow the same patterns until you finally gave up and dropped dead.

John, being the crafty yet exploitative kid he was, found a loophole, a secret door that led him out of the maze of time and into the garden of Eden. His first choice, his last resort, his Hail Mary thrown before the buzzer goes off.

Booze, his first and last love on this wretched earth.

super chill no pressure tags for these lovely peeps 💞 @antiquitea @soliloquy-dawn @skyyguy @daysofxavierspast @sleepr-agent420 @quick-catton @oopsiedaisiesbaby

[streamdotpng]

What are Nevermore's reaction to the AMWA's seemingly inhumane uniform?

Yknow, I had this REALLY funny snippet for Wenclair

It's where Wednesday unclasps Enid's muzzle during their time alone somewhere in arcadia bay.

The metal is cold in her hands, absolutely freezing in the winter but Wednesday carefully curls her fingers along the muzzle anyways.

"you don't have to control yourself," she murmurs, voice low as she stares into the steel blue gaze of her werewolf. "not around me."

Wednesday expects the wet of tears when she pulls it off her lover's jaw. What she didn't expect was the way those lips formed into a pretty smile instead.

"you know that these are just for decoration right?" Enid says and Wednesday flushes.

"what?" she gapes. Muzzles? For decoration? Wednesday is aware that she may be behind compared to the rest but muzzles has always been associated with control, for disciplining dogs, not for aesthetics.

Enid's smile crinkles her eyes as she holds Wednesday's hands in her own, tracing those knuckles with her fingers.

"yeah! Yknow how us werewolves are seen around here," she chirps, shaking her head as Wednesday continues to stare. "we wear it to calm their normie minds, 'Day." the smile turns cheeky, "were you worried? I bet you we-"

Wednesday jams the muzzle back into her laughing blond's face in reply.

[atths--twice]

Hello!! For the WIP ask game: Arcadia :)

Ohhhh this is a fun one I started a few years back.

It’s different from my other stories as it’s in first person present tense, and it will be solely from Scully’s perspective. We will see the in between moments we didn’t see on the show. Moving in, unpacking of sorts, how they handle the aspect of living together and dealing with one another that way, and get Scully’s thoughts about it all.

Now, I know not everyone loves first person, but I thought it would be fun to explore.

Because I know it will be awhile before I post this, I’m going to include two little snippets.

The first is from their arrival to the neighborhood.

The second is from a discussion they have in bed when Mulder comes back to the room, claiming that the couch had been uncomfortable the night before.

Hope you enjoy!

______________

February 24, 1999

I hear Mulder humming, and immediately I’m back to loathing this assignment, my recent feeling of being okay with it, although a little nervous, disappearing.

I’m trapped in a minivan with him, on our way to an undercover assignment, and the thought of running away as soon as I possibly can sounds like a fantastic plan.

He’s been humming “Here Comes the Bride” and “Chapel of Love” sporadically under his breath for the past couple of days, and it’s beginning to drive me insane. I’ve tried glaring at him, telling him to stop, and even threatened him with physical harm, and yet he has continued.

With a wink to me no less.

The bastard.

“Mulder, seriously,” I say with force, as I simultaneously scowl at him, hoping that will be what does the trick.

“Scully, we are going to be portraying ourselves as a happily married couple. I’m just trying to lay the groundwork for us. Get us in the mood, so to speak,” he explains with an innocent tone.

But I know him, and that aw shucks attitude of his isn’t going to stop me from wanting to smack that cheesy grin off of his face. I sigh and he smiles, obviously believing he has proven his point and won this battle.

Looking out the window, I sigh again as I think of spending days and nights with him pretending to be his happy little wife. I know he was not exactly thrilled with the assignment, but in the past couple of days that we have been here in San Diego, he seems to have gotten into the spirit of it.

At least the ‘annoy the shit out of your pretend wife’ spirit of it.

He’s called me honey more times than I can count and every one of my admonitions have fallen on deaf ears. Seeing how gleeful he is when he gets a rise out of me, I’ve seen a glimpse into my very near future.

I wonder if I would be hurt too terribly if I just jumped out of the car now.

_____________________

He looks at me and I stare back. He nods his head and then looks away. The room is silent again as we both contemplate what it would be like to have someone waiting at home for us while we lay in this bed, together, though not together.

“These rings, though,” he says with a tone of changing the subject. “Mine is fine, but is that ring something you would pick? It hardly seems like a Scully type ring to me.”

“God no,” I say in horror. “It’s a beautiful ring, but it’s not my taste at all. I would want something much more…”

“Simple,” we say simultaneously, and I look at him as he grins at me.

“We should go on the Newlywed Game,” he says, waggling his eyebrows. “We would make an absolute killing. We would beat all the other couples hands-down. I know my wife.”

I laugh and shake my head. “And yet, you were the one who picked out this ring for me to wear.“

“Hey, I did exactly what I was supposed to do. I picked out the most un-Scully like ring I could find,” he says defensively. “Because you’re not Scully, you’re Laura and that is exactly the type of ring that Laura would want.”

“Oh, so you know Laura pretty well?” I tease him and he nods vigorously. “So what else do I need to know about Laura?”

“Well, for starters, Laura likes to sleep in the nude.” He looks at me with a sly expression and I laugh again, shaking my head and raising my eyebrows.

“Keep dreaming, buddy,” I say to him, still laughing at where his mind would go immediately.

“I’m just letting you know in case you wanted to get into character,” he says by way of explanation.

“Mm-hmm.”

____________

I really am enjoying putting this one together. Yes, it’s been a few years, but… I think it will be good once it’s all done. ❤️

[ferallymine]

Am I Still Me?

A/n: Thyme can best be summarized as "it's going to be okay but it's going to be different" Despite the horrors, they persist. -------------------------------

Mina held the tablet close, tapping gently against its screen. “According to the files, Sayer had plans to find psychic duelists and amass them into an army. He wanted to take over the city.” She played snippets of different videos taken within a laboratory. Different people, aspiring duelists, anyone who wanted a better future... all victims. Some survivors.

Akiza stood, frozen in shock, “He… he wouldn’t…I..”

Mina continued to swipe through different logs of evidence, “Akiza, you were a victim of Sayer’s manipulations. So was Thyme. It’s all here, but don’t worry. We’ll motion to-“

“Stop.” Thyme pointed to the screen, which now displayed a series of icons, “Open that file.”

Mina’s grip tightened on the tablet. “Um, no. Some of this information is classified-“

“It says ‘W.W.’ That’s me, Water Weaver.” Thyme’s eyes looked dangerous, “Open it.”

Yusei crossed his arms, “Thyme has a right to know.” We all do.

“As Secretary to the Chief of Security, I won’t take orders from- AH!” Water cascaded from the sprinkler system, freezing into ice. It locked her into place on the floor.

Thyme stepped forward, easily taking the tablet, “I wasn’t asking.”

Akiza shook her head, “Thyme maybe we should-“

“You have a past to run from.” They stared daggers into her soul, “I don’t. I want to know why.”

“Thyme-“

They ignored further commentary- opening the file and playing the first video. Static covered the screen until two people at a table came into focus. Yusei gasped, recognizing Thyme’s Enforcer uniform instantly.

-

“Thyme Uchiumi, also known as the Water Weaver. You possess great psychic ability.” Sayer sat calmly across the desk, reading off of papers from a binder. “You don’t even need to necessarily use a deck to control your powers.”

Thyme thrashed about, arms chained to a specialized chair, “Let me out of this and I’ll show you what I can really do, dickhead!”

“Quite the feisty one,” He laughed, “Is that personality what won over your little gang of friends? You call yourselves Enforcers? Enforcers of what, exactly? You have way more skill than they do.”

“We’re a good team.” They grit their teeth, wrists raw from the force of their efforts, “We have a strong bond. Something you’ll never ha- AAAAH!”

Sayer had pressed a button, sending jolts of electricity through the chair. “Bonds can always be broken. I wonder how quickly you’ll break.”

“Never.” Thyme gasped through the pain as the current ceased.

“Oh? You’re team’s already dissolved without you.”

“Liar!” They tossed their head back, “What evidence you got? Huh?”

“Yes, your leader- Kalin, was it? Yusei turned him in to Securities." He motioned to a screen, playing video footage of Satellite's Security building. "Looks like Mr. Kessler blew up the Holding Building trying to find you and Mr. Fudo wouldn’t let him continue his quest.” Sayer pointed to his binder, which contained paper reports from Securities about the incident.

Something in Thyme’s eyes shifted. A symbol on their arm began to glow. Sayer noticed immediately, “Hm? Surprised? I would be too if my lover betrayed any efforts at finding me.” He shut the binder, “Guess Mr. Fudo never loved you after all.”

Another button press. Thyme screamed Yusei’s name as they blacked out.

-

Ice burst from their feet, securing all bodies in the room to the floor. Thyme didn't recognize the person on the screen. Is that...me?

Yusei fought against the ice trapping his legs. Tears slowly slid down his face as he tried to maintain composure, “Thyme… Thyme I didn’t do it. He has it all wrong I-“

Another file opened on screen.

-

“Treatment number 12. Thyme Uchiumi. Reason being continued aggravation and repetition of previous Satellite affiliates.” A laboratory assistant read off a clipboard.

Thyme was now wearing an Arcadia Uniform, strapped to a series of equipment and locked behind glass. “Sayer, this is overkill. I’ve already proven my abilities to you! What gives?!”

Sayer pressed the microphone button, “You say you know someone listed in the obituaries. Care to elaborate?”

Thyme straightened their posture, “Yeah. I was reading the newspaper and the name ‘Kalin Kessler’ jumped out at me. From the Prison obituaries. I think I knew him growing up.” They pulled at the cables, “This could be a clue as to where I came from! Sayer, isn’t this good news? I finally remembered something!”

Sayer pointed to the lab assistant, who then entered a code into the system. Flashes of light and a series of electrical shocks filled the glass chamber. Muffled screams could barely be heard from the speakers.

Thyme collapsed to their knees, trembling from the impact, “Wh…what… where is-"

“Thyme, I’m going to read off some names. I want you to tell me if you know them.” The assistant flipped a paper over, “Kalin Kessler.”

“Huh?” They lifted their head, “Who?”

“Crow Hogan.”

They shook their head, gasping for air, “I don’t...”

“Yusei Fudo.”

Thyme paused. “I… No, Yusei is my- AAAAH!” The treatment picked back up. Another painful red glow from their arm.

-

“You had twelve treatments… and there’s more files still…” Akiza made no efforts to fight the ice at her feet. Guilt and shame kept her trapped more than the ice. What else had she willingly turned a blind eye to? She’d let down the only other duelist on her level in the movement.

-

“Treatment number 28. Thyme Uchiumi. Reason relating to reinforcement of mission.” The lab assistant stood behind Sayer, whom sat across from Thyme at the table, “Please state your name and mission.”

Thyme’s eyes looked dead and exhausted. “I am to protect the Asset.”

Sayer shook his head, “No. Try again.”

“I am to protect the Asset and lead Arcadia’s victory through her endeavors.”

He sighed, applying goggles to his face. The assistant flipped a switch, causing lights and screens to illuminate the room. Thyme didn’t try to resist, clearly too exhausted and broken to even try. After several minutes, all systems stopped.

Sayer removed his goggles, gesturing to Thyme. “Who are you?”

They took a breath, “I am the Water Weaver.”

“And?”

“I am a weapon for Arcadia to utilize.”

A smile, “And what have I tasked you with?”

“I’m to ensure the Black Rose Witch can succeed in her missions above all else, including my own life.”

“Good,” Sayer crossed his arms, “Do you have doubts about your duties?”

Thyme stared vacantly, “No. I am a weapon for Arcadia to utilize.”

-

Akiza covered her mouth, too stunned at everything she’d just witnessed. Eyes glossy with tears welling- it took everything to not completely break down in this room. How many subtle cries for help had Thyme told her that she ignored? There were still 11 files after this video. Sayer… how could you!

The ice slowly retracted throughout the room. Thyme placed the tablet on the conference table. They looked hollow, soul depleted at the revelations on the screen. “I’ve seen enough.”

Mina used her new freedom to adjust her suit, “Uchiumi, I know this is a difficult-“

“Difficult?” Thyme made a fist, "My entire being... who I am as a person... it was erased to make a weapon for some psychopath's vision of an army. I think this qualifies as more than difficult."

"You're right." She bowed her head, "I'm sorry for attempting to keep this from you."

"You should be." Thyme turned to leave the room.

Yusei grabbed their arm, "Thyme, I-"

"You're looking for a ghost." They shook off his hand and pointed to the screen, "Pull up the first video. You'll see your Thyme again."

Deafening silence as the door opened. Yusei felt his body tremble with grief as he watched Thyme disappear down the corridor. Everything faded to white noise in his head, thoughts too jumbled with heavy emotions to speak.

---

It'd been hours since the evidence was shown to them. Under a new moon and heavy smog, this night appeared darker than usual. The top of the Security building was definitely one of the tallest rooftops in the city. Thyme stared off the edge of the railing, ash and cigarette butts surrounded their feet. Stress levels felt higher than this skyscraper.

Was it taller than Arcadia's? Could they even see Satellite from here? Scanning the skyline, they found Arcadia's building with ease. The smog covered where the island should be; Thyme felt a sense of loss in that realization.

He erased everything... for a weapon?

The lapis pendant felt heavy against their chest. Rage at the false security Sayer had given them. A false future promised from a robbed past. Thyme ripped the chain off and threw it full force off the edge. Faint glimmers of reflected light as it cascaded to the streets below. Their sign glowed, but the pain didn't touch their mental spiral. Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Hands gripped the railing with fervent intensity; blood threatened to seep from the twisted decorative steel embedding itself into their palms. Wind blew past, making them shiver- from rage, grief, or chills? Even this tactile stimulation couldn't orient them to reality. I can't. I can't. I can't. I-

Thyme watched as their body seemed to flash between different clothes, different states of being. They felt their surroundings melt into a dreamscape. Was the brainwashing finally wearing off? Finally letting them peek into what had been suppressed? Nothing felt real because everything was happening at once. Who were they? What had been stolen from them? Why couldn't it have been anyone else? I won't. I won't. I won't. I-

Running down streets of Satellite. Destruction of Daimon Area. Jumping through a window to catch a falling body. Cigarettes on rooftops. Duels in warehouses. Experiments in a laboratory. Thyme was everywhere and nowhere. Adrift in what fate thrusted onto them without a second thought. Memories deeply buried resurfaced in an overwhelming wave. What order did it all belong in? Why were all the details so fuzzy and blurred? Why couldn't it have been anyone else? Save me. Stop this. Save me. Stop-

"Breathe." A gentle hand rested overtop their fist.

Gasps as Thyme found themselves back in their body. How long had they been standing here? Where was here? Who dared encroach on their space? Eyes darted around trying to find a sense of place.

"You're okay." Yusei stood beside them, one hand tracing patterns over their reddened knuckles. His other gently rubbed their back. "Breathe."

Respirations slowly came back down. The night was quiet, if their mind would let them enjoy the silence. Thyme finally released the railing, pulling away from his touch to wipe tears from their eyes. "...thanks."

"It's late." He sounded concerned, "A lot happened today."

"I don't sleep."

"I'm not asking you to." Yusei stepped closer. His fingers twitched, like he wanted to take their hand again but stopped last minute.

Spark, then flame. Thyme glanced his way, "Want one?"

Yusei took the offer. Thyme leaned close with the lighter, brief flame illuminated both their faces against the moonless night. Smoke laced with strawberry drifted between them.

"You did always like sweeter things," Sapphire eyes studied their frame beside him. This space felt so close and so far at the same time. You're still you, even after all this....

“That so?” They leaned their head back, staring up at the smog-covered sky, “Hm, guess you’re right. I’ve cycled through a buncha flavors lately.”

“Can I guess one?”

“Sure.”

“Vanilla.”

They smirked, “Congrats. Guess that puzzle piece still fits.” Thyme rolled their head forward, leaning onto the railing. “…What else do you know about me?”

Yusei’s heart caught in his throat; he knew exactly what they were asking. "...It's okay if you've changed-"

"But who did I use to be?" They balled their fists, "I have no reference point. Everything I thought I was..."

"Thyme-"

"Please... just tell me anything."

Ash collected at their feet, strawberry wisps dissipating through the air. Heartbeats of silence gave him space to think. Yusei finally leaned on the railing, closing the space between them, "You always cared about others."

"Like charity work?" they leaned their head onto his shoulder. Thyme pretended not to hear his breath hitch.

"Like breaking into Security Storage to retrieve stolen goods. I had to pick glass out of your hand because you punched out a window during the escape." He rested his head over top their own.  "There ended up being a lot of blood- Jack almost passed out looking at it."

They stared at their hands, fingers tracing faint scar lines...always there, simply ignored. "Ah... that makes sense..."

Yusei took off his glove, intertwining his fingers with theirs. Similar scars decorated his own skin, "You often bailed us out of trouble, even saved my life more than once. It was the least I could do."

"Hm, more criminal type trouble? Or generic type trouble?"

"A bit of both. You and Crow got into bar fights every so often. Always pickpocketing or scheming in some capacity. I've carried you home a handful of times."

"I don't really drink now-"

"Nope, not drunk. Just bruised from fights that got too big." He let out a small laugh, "Your portrait is still plastered on several "banned for life" billboards in a few places."

They smiled at the thought, "Did you always tend to me after these encounters?"

"I mean, we were dating so I just wanted to make sure you -"

"Was I a good kisser?"

Blush tinted his cheeks, eyes drifting elsewhere, "You... um..."

"Well, we were dating, right?" Thyme pulled away just enough to look him in the eyes, a teasing smirk on their face. "You can be honest. Not like I can break up with you now."

"You could," He wondered aloud, "We never technically ended it..."

"Yusei, it's been years."

"And in all this time and space between us, I never stopped looking." Calloused thumbs absentmindedly traced their fingers. "I never stopped loving you." I knew you were out there, somewhere.

Something in this realization pierced their heart. Thyme was stunned to silence, letting the weight of his truth settle on their soul. It'd been years and he never gave up? Never lost hope? They'd disappeared completely and  he wouldn't let anyone tell him opposite of how his soul felt.

Silence gave room for confidence- Yusei pulled Thyme's hands closer until they rested over his heart. "You're still Thyme. We can go back and forth all night with questions and comparisons. It changes nothing. You're still... well, you... And I-"

A hand on his cheek stopped his thoughts. Lips pressed against his own stopped his voice. Flavors of tobacco and strawberry danced between their shared space. Yusei dared to snake his arms around Thyme's waist, pulling them closer. Behind eyelids and intimacies, visions flooded forward. Kinder memories, not ones forged by steel and blood and sheer need for survival.

They finally separated, space just enough to breathe and lean their foreheads together. Quiet revelry for what love was once there. Being present for the love that remains. Both souls changed, different, yet still longing for the other.

"I'd like to learn how to love you again." Thyme traced the marker down his cheek. "If that's alright."

Arms pulled them closer, a soft kiss placed over their own marker. Yusei buried his face against their neck. "I'd like to do the same."

[wayne-bruces-artblog]

Brett & Ethan

The bookkeeper and his character (which he is NOT using as an allegory for his emotional neglect)

Brett- Brett is your average asshole highschooler and the club's secretary (or "bookeep" as he insists). He considers himself a jock and so much cooler than everyone else despite not being on the school's baseball team since sophomore year. He isn't the most open book (ha get it?) but he knows how to min-max the hell out of his PCs and make Clyde's life miserable.

Ethan- Rex means king in Latin, and Ethan considered himself one. He was arrogant, self-absorbed, had the sliverest of tongues. He believed no one could get past him literally or figuratively. That was his fall. A fae king in Arcadia lost in a game of Hazard and his shadow was given to the victor. Not bothering to win it back, his keeper lured Ethan down an alley late at night. Morphing his form into his shadow since it was more convenient. Kurt was stuck pretending he was someone other than himself. He was told to be everyone but who he was, even if he couldn't remember who he used to be half the time. His frustration and desire eventually bought his freedom but not without a price. He doesn't recognize the face in the mirror, the names on the plaques, or anything beyond his name and snippets of his old life.