#basically i have brain rot

[ichiro-artosaki]

farmer'zel

[avasthesia]

okay so when benson tells randy he's been watching him, acknowledges the fact out loud that randy is seen, it's a connection and simultaneous projection of bensons own wants and needs. from all we are shown it's easy to assume benson lacked the support a child desperately needs when processing a traumatic event, especially that of abuse. whether he ever spoke up about it or not it's clear nothing was ever done. there's only so much guessing as to whether or not the abuse benson suffered lead to any behavioral changes in his home or school life, but again, regardless of if there were any "signs" the adults in his life could've caught, they were either missed or ignored.

so benson grows up and up in a sort of isolated suffering, continuing on living when he's got all this hurt and confusion and no one to explain it to him, no one to tell him how to be okay. it both warps and cements his beliefs that if nobody comes to help you, you have to do it all alone. this thinking likely keeps him from being able to process and move past his trauma. if you're like me, bensons portrayal is deeply personal, deeply relatable, and even if it isn't, there's humanity to be seen in bensons character (shout out 2 u kyle 🗣️)

this is what benson sees in randy. when you've lived it, the signs are easier to recognize, and maybe benson saw the way randy was wasting away between coworkers and customers alike, and over time began to see something familiar. not a mirror, but a reflection. when he listens to randy's story about ms beard outside the mall, though he laughs at first, he still reaches out to connect to and comfort randy by wiping his tears. benson also telling randy he was only a kid and that he can't blame himself for what happened is just another way he projects his needs onto randy. thisss is whyy i feel bensons verbal acknowledgment of his observing of randy is so pertinent to his character.

it's likely that no one ever told benson that they saw him, no one ever watched benson struggle through life and thought to themself that he needed guidance and change so that the weight of his world wouldn't fall so heavy on his shoulders anymore. in his own very crude and very violent way, benson attempts to give randy what he always lacked, someone giving a shit enough to step up and intervene.

[tevanbuckley]

seeing people act like tommy cutting the date short is some kind of grand foreshadowing from the writers signalling their relationship is doomed and not just buck making a mistake and briefly suffering mild consequences is infuriating. did we perhaps babygirlify this man a bit too hard? sometimes your blorbo screws up and they deserve to be left on the sidewalk until they’ve worked some shit out.

honestly it’s probably a good job bvddie hasn’t happened because good lord what would this place become the second there was any kind of conflict in their relationship?

[kevjeanday]

Jeanrenee going from long distance dating to nothing but friends + that one random poly couple in TSC + Kevin coming to California to help Jean 6 months before they were supposed to talk for the first time + Jean literally being canonically in love with Kevin + Kevin doing everything he can ensuring Jean ended up at the best possible place and time for him to properly heal…

[luvuomi]

i just woke up from a nap and: kazulie and amethos rings :(

[mobgabriel]

"hey mob how crazy you are over echo and silent"

well...

all things considered i'm extremely normal about them

[a-sad-mage]

Man-Down AU part 2 : Let's Do This!

Oh man here I go again, covering ep 4, 5, 7, and 8.

───✧★{Prolog/Part 1}★✧───

✧★✧ Coming Together In Crisis ✧★✧

Will Shane is rushed to a privet Hospital where he receives immediate treatment. this Hospital in particular is one Will actually went to when he got more seriously injured Missions, and couldn't handle the wounds himself.

the lead Doctor who normally deals with Will is an ass, but he's the best at his job, Will trusts him, and Pronto knows this, hence why he was brought here.

The Doctor, Dr. Dwelling (if you get the reference, high-five), informs them Will Shane is in a Deep Coma. That Grimmstone caused some serious Head Trauma, on top of that, what ever stuff was used to corrupt that Slug seems to have affected Will as well.

Not by a lot, but enough that its going to mess with recovery. Meaning the older Shane could fall into a vegetative state, and remain unconscious for who knows how long.

Eli is obviously very distressed by this

its been a week- A WEEK he's barley had any real experience, and his Dad was supposed to be there! How was he, a 15 year-old, supposed to be a protector? Better yet, DEAL WITH BLAKK!?

Lucky for him, Kord, Trixie, Mane and Pronto, are there for him.

promising they can all visit once a week(more or less depending on how Eli feels), and tell Will about their adventures, and keep the older Shane 'Updated' on everything. And take on what comes next together, as a Team.

Eli chokes back tears, saying they don't need to do that, let along get involved because they could get themselves killed if they do this, especially if they go up against Blakk.

But they (Kord, Trixie, Mane and Pronto) aren't having it, Will Shane, and the Shan's in general have stuck their necks out for just about everyone. And while not every decision is looked at, fondly, if not out right hated and ridiculed, didn't change the fact they owed the Shane's.

The group hug that follows leads to Eli crying

the Shane Gang is officially formed.

✧★✧ The Slugout ✧★✧

two days after Will was hospitalized, Eli's blaster starts falling apart.

his Slug's have gotten more powerful, and it probably doesn't help he's been slinging with his Dad's slug's during practice and on missions when one of the older Shane's slug's decide to come along.

All Eli wanted to do was make sure his Dad's slugs where taken care of :(

That's when Kord suggests they head to Quiet Lawn Cavern, to meet with Red Hook, a Master Class Blaster Forger all the best Slingers, including Will Shane, go to.

Everyone's a little hype about it, I mean, come one, its Red Hook, guy's a legend!

arriving to Quiet Lawn Cavern, it was rather... Quiet? I mean with the name that makes sense, but after they get, what one could considered 'violently shushed', they look up.

Grenuker slugs, like a whole colony of them, just, hanging out on top of the cavern.

Eli:[looking up] Well, I guess I can see why the neighborhood's quit. Mane: Yeah... I too value not being exploded Kord: I second that Pronto: Pronto is not afraid of some slugs-[Trixie's hand clamps over his mouth] Trixie: Shhhh!

They make it to Red Hooks, and knock on the door.

the voice of an old man tells them to get off his property cuz he ain't make'n anything for yeah Hooligang thugs!

The Gang clarifies they are not the Hooligang, but the Shane Gang.

several locks unlock, and they are let in.

Pronto was already on this ice with Red Hook from a previous visit with Will, so the Mole tries his best-

Eli ask's about Red Hook fixing his Blaster, and Red Hook flat out says no, and that there's no way the teen could be a Shane, since Will was still around.

Eli deflates

that's when Trixie pipes up that Will Shane is currently, indisposed,

"His dad's IN A COMA YOU PRICK!"

Pronto then knocks over a display case and they get kicked out.

The Hooligang shows up not long after, bosting how their part of this ' larger super elite gang, who are now totally in charge'

que teasing from Eli and the rest of the Shane Gang, and Billy getting challenged to a tick-shot contest by Eli for Quiet Lawn's safely.

Mane offers one of her two Blasters(dual wielders am I right?) as a temp for Eli but Billy shuts that down, giving Eli, Shorty's Blaster to use. Shane's gotta prove himself-

Mane: Okay E, remember what we practiced Eli: [loading one of his slugs] uh, trust my instincts? Mane: ... okay well yeah, but also, your slugs, and get creative! make it flashy! But not too flashy you feel? Trixie: say's the New Neoite Mane: And yet, not one of you have beat me in a trick-shot demo yet! Kord: *cough* Will Shane *cough* Eli: haha, he's got ya there Mane: shut up an aim Shane Pronto:... Pronto scenes danger... I shall head back and apologies to sir Red Hook! hopefully he helps...

Eli mops the floor with Billy, winning match after match. though he dose feel bad about filling those mail boxes with magma...

Billy, in his anger purposes one last challenge, seeing who can knock down the most Grenuker Slugs

obviously a bad thing, and the Gang shuts it down, Shorty getting her blaster back in the prosess thanks to Glasses as one of his Arachnet's,

leaving Eli with his busted Blaster, that immediately falls apart after he fires one slug that couldn't even reach Velocimorph without Kord's help, so Mane quickly tosses him one of hers to use.

Billy get's to his last slug, a one eyed, light green slug. one he calls useless, tosses to the ground and then tries to step on.

Eli intervenes, saving the Slug, and is like, ten seconds away from kicking Billy's teeth in. (but hey, + 1 new slug friend :) )

The Hooligang retreat, swearing they will be back.

And as much as Eli appreciated Mane letting him use one of her Twin Blaster's, he knows her dueling style well enough by now to know she was handicapping herself so he could fight. And that wasn't fair to Mane, so he gave the Blaster back despite his friends protest saying it was okay.

Eli needed a new Baster, like, now. Everything be damned, the young Shane was not going to take no as an answer from that hook handed old man!

While Trixie, Kord and Mane help clean up the damage and prep for the Hooligang's return, Eli heads back to Red Hooks.

Pronto is still there, apologizing on the names of his forefathers

The young Shane lays it all out, he dose not care what Red Hook thinks, he's got the slugs, and will pay almost anything to get a new Blaster so he can Protect Quiet Lawn, and every other Cavern he can.

The fire in Eli's eye's is undeniable, still a little smaller then the one Will had, flickering with self-doubt, but the kids conviction was unwavering.

Red Hook: [placing a container with the Shane symbol on the counter] you know, your a lot like your old man... Eli: ... Red Hook: stubborn, never knew when to quit, would do anything for those he cared about...[he opens the container the Defender Slipstream XVL is in it] Eli: whoa... Red Hook: Only ever made two of these, your father's got the first one. Eli: Red Hook- Red Hook: Save it, just take it and go. Go be the Shane you where meant to be... and Eli? Eli: [carefully picks up the Blaster] yeah? Red Hook:... I'm sorry about what happened to Will, I know it must be hard, having him so close, yet- *sigh* Eli: ... Thank you Pronto: Yes truly! Pronto could not be more grateful! Red Hook: [nod's], now, geT OUT! AND TELL YOUR BASTERED FATHER I DON'T CARE HE'S IN A COMA! IM GOING TO BEAT HIM TO A PULP THE MOMENT HE WAKES UP, FOR NOT TELLE'N ME HE HAD A KID! YOU HEAR ME!? [somewhere, while in his coma Will Shane gets the feeling he's going to get decked in the face]

all in all, that went well

and just in time too, the Hooligang are back, and this time, the leader of that Large Elite Gang, gave them Ghouls

three guesses on who the Leader is

at the apex of the Slug-Out, Billy is down to his last Ghoul, and Eli his last slug, the one he saved from Billy.

The Velocimorphed slug and Ghoul collide in a blinding flash of light. And when the slug and Ghoul return to Protoform, the Ghoul, isn't a Ghoul slug anymore.

Eli's new Slug is a healer! one of the rarest Slug's in the Caverns, and this one was able to cure Ghouls!

Welcome to the team Doc!

victory was secured after that. And Eli gets an idea.

The Gang would then head to the Hospital, and see if Doc could help speed up Will's recovery.

And while the Healer Slug can help heal the physical wounds, what's keeping Will in his coma is something psychological, given his minimal brain wave activity.

That being said, Doc did help speed up the older Shane's physical recovery. And that was better than nothing.

✧★✧ Club Slug ✧★✧

Mane was going to strangle Pronto

The Mole bought into an ad for a Slug training retreat the pervious evening and spent a good chunk of their gold- their gold for groceries, repairs and emergency's, to book a glorified spa day.

Club Slug, or whatever.

But since Pronto already paid, and there where no refunds... might as well make use of the facilities... [plus, Eli needs a distraction]

At least that's what Kord, Pronto and Trixie thought.

Mane and Eli where tagging along to one, no totally waist the gold spent and two, water slide and spa treatment. Their slugs? so not participating.

For Eli it was obvious, he's a Shane, and want's to do things the 'old fashion way'

as for Mane, she's an Entertainment Duelist, and Entertainment Duelist's don't do short-cuts, you gotta earn what you work for, with your Slugs.

Sargent Slug: I see we got a Shane join'n us today. Eli: sorry but, my slug's won't be participating in your training, I'm just here for the water slide. Sargent Slug: [raises an eye brow] that so? anyone else here to leach? Mane: I'm just here for a nice back massage, Sargent. Sargent Slug: oh trying to impress the Shane now are we? Mane: okay, first how dare you assume I'm trying to impress a guy I've known for less than a month, and have seen loose at chess, horribly, no offence. Eli: none taken...? Mane: Second, I don't even Sling that way, and Third, if you haven't guessed from the Visor, I'm from New Neo Cavern, and we take training our Slug and Slug care to heart, so unless you wanna share your slug food recipe, count my slugs out of your little scam. Sargent Slug:[eye twitches]... eh fair enough, already got your gold away way! HAHA [walks off, and the group + a few others follow] Eli and Mane: Shadow's that guy sucks

Safe to say the Shane and Sharp-Shooter are not thrilled

but hey water slide and sap day- what could go wrong?

while everyone else voluntarily put their slug's through the training, Mane and Eli's Slug's make the most of it and have fun, either at the pool or relaxing in their slingers rooms.

While Mane gets her massage, her Midus Slug, Bling-Bling(She did not name it lol), gets his golden shell waxed.

And Eli and his Slug's make the most of the pool and Water Slide.

after about like, half a day since arriving the first round of training for the Slug's is done, and Sargent Slug ask's if anyone is up for a duel

Eli:[resurfacing from the pool, hanging on the ledge] Did Someone say Duel? Sargent Slug: Well how about it? who want's to test our there luck against a Shane? Kord: Oh ho! Count me in! Trixie: [to Mane] 10 gold Kord beats Eli this time Mane: your on! and while where at it, why don't we settle the score? loser dose the others laundry for a week. Trixie: Do your worst party girl!

Pronto is going to record the match between his friends/teammates, but Sargent Slug stops him.

apparently there's a no recording rule inside Club Slug.

Kord and Trixie, beat Eli and Mane, quite easily with how powerful their slugs have gotten.

Eli picked up Banger, the little Armashelt dazed after getting hit by Kords Rammstone, Bludgeon.

While Mane tares the webbing off Bling-Bling, her Midas slug, after he got slammed, hard, into the wall by Trixie's Arachnet, Webber(no official name so I'm making one up).

Bling-Bling trills an angry sound, and hisses at Webber, as Mane holds the golden slug. And Banger seem's rather irritated as well. though Bludgeon and Webber seem a little more amped and, well, aggressive?

Mane: ... Well I guess I'm doing your laundry for the week... Trixie: Come on, don't be such a sore loser Mane. Mane: [huffs, and holds Bling-Bling closer], I am not a 'sore loser' Trix, it's just- that [points to the small indent in the wall where Bling-Bling was slammed into] that was too much, my and Eli's slug's could have been seriously hurt! Kord: It wasn't that bad. Eli: Tell that to Banger! Bludgeon was out of control! Pronto: Uh, may Pronto remind you two, slug's get beat up all the time in duels? Mane and Eli: That's not the point! Sargent Slug: [clears throat] If I may, given the results, of this little practice duel, why don't you both let one of your slug participate? see the results first hand for yourself. Mane: Screw off! I don't know what crap your pulling, but its. Not. Normal- Eli: [looking at Banger, who nods] ... sure, Banger will do a round.

Mane is not happy with Eli and the others as they put their slugs through another round of Sargent Slug's training, after the little guy's ate more of the special Slug Food mix.

She storms off to her room. And the others give her space to cool off. They had never really seen Mane so upset, not even after Pronto ate her dissert that one time.

Thing is, instead of stewing in her anger, Mane puts it to use. And goes snooping. The Entertainment Duelist was going to figure out what that Slug Pellet mix is or she's burning Club Slug to the ground.

So while everyone else was made use of the Club facilities Mane and her slug's where on a mission. Unscrewing the vent cover in her and Trixie's room, Mane crawled through the vents, her slugs hopping ahead to scout out the connected rooms.

Eventually the New Neoite finds what she's looking for, the production room.

Sargent Slug is already in there along with one of the Staff.

Sargent Slug: AHAH! did you see the reaction from those idiots! it's barley been two rounds of 'training' and there hooked! Even the Shane is finally giving it a shot! can you imagen the gold that will come in once we advertise a Shane's part of Club Slug! Staff Member: ah, uhm, yeah... But that New Neoite- she could be a problem. Sargent Slug: [rolling his eye's] Yeah right, like one flashy glitter thrower is going to mess with us. If you ask me, party girl needs to loosen up, have fun. Bling-Bling and Mane's other Slug's: [growls] Mane, whispering: [rubs Bling-Bling's head] yeah, yeah, I hate it when creeps like him call me 'party girl' too. Staff Member: well... regardless, what do you wanna do for the next group? Sargent Slug: hmm, double the dose of 'that' ingredient [Mane tenses in the vent, and her slugs quiet down, Mane set's her visor to record] Staff Member: D-Double? but that- Sir! I get wanting to make the Slug's dependent- Sargent Slug: Double. The. Dose. I don't care what the repercussions are! Those Slug need to be hooked- so their Slinger's get hooked! That Dark Water stuff our supplier is sending, is the key to that! And the more we feed to those Slug's the faster they get hooked! Staff Member: Y-yes s-sir, I'll get to making the the nest batch of Slug Pellets with, double the amount of Dark Water. Sargent Slug: Good. Mane: [seething] Well now it's personal you muscle bound scumbag-

Sargent Slug was going to get slugged, point blank, in the face, then punched in the face repeatedly

Sargent Slug and his staff member leave the room and Mane's slug's quickly steal a sealed vial of the red liquid.

thank you 'Light's out Crew' training

by the time Mane get's back to the group with her evidence Eli has discovered part of the scam, with the slug's burning out after a few shots, and then needed to come back for more 'training' to keep their 'strength'

Obviously the rest of the Gang is against the use of artificial enhancers, but the other three guests that where staying with them?

eh, they seem 'okay' with it, if it meant their slugs would be stronger.

a Slug-Out with drugged up slugs ensues bringing Club Slug to the ground.

Literally.

Before Sargent Slug can sneak off with the gold he scammed, he gets gooped in place by a Jellyish.

Mane stalks over to him, her Jellyish hopping back to her, and the Entertainment Duelist loaded a Neotox slug in her blaster and takes aim.

Mane: [snarling as Sargent Slug] Shadow's, I so badly want to drown you in Neotox gas Eli: WHOA! HEY! Kord: Mane- put the Blaster down- Trixie: Yeah girl, you don't wanna do something you'll regret later Pronto: Do not gas the phony military man- it's not worth it! Sargent Slug: Y-yeah listen to your friends part-ACK[gets hit was a butt of Mane's blaster] Mane: Geez, have ye so little faith? I've never shot Powder unless I absolutely had too. Sides, this guy isn't worth it. Even if he's been dosing slugs with that red stuff [she holsters her blasters] Trixie: Wait- red stuff? Mane: yeah- [holds up the vial of red liquid] Called it Dark Water or something like that. Eli: hold up- I remember seeing that stuff in Blakk's office! He was using it to ghoul a slug! Pronto: well that can't be good. Kord, muttering to himself: ughh, why dose this sound familiar???

With Sargent Slug detained, Club Slug destroyed, and evidence collected, the Shane Gang slowly start to get the feeling this is only the beginning of something worse than they originally feared.

guess this scam was worth it.

✧★✧ Mecha Mutiny ✧★✧

Kord was... confused

It was about the parts for the Mecha Beasts

normally he would get parts/mods for Mecha Beats from the Beast Forge to field test. And the latest batch was... off somehow.

so, out of mild concern, and just general wanting to visit the other Toll's at the Beast Forge, Kord and the other members of the Shane Gang where going on a field trip.

The Beast Forge was huge, like, massive, and you could hear the metal work happening within.

Pronto: so what now? we knock on the front door? Kord: yeah, pretty much Pronto: Why am I not surprised...

To Kord's befuddlement(yes I know big words, fight me)a blond human, Darius Yorman, and he seemed annoyed.

What in the name of the Shadow Clan happened to Grendel and the others?

Apparently Grendel and the others had retired, and the Beast Forge was under new management.

In order to appease the Cave Troll, and show nothing is funny in going on, Darius invites the Shane Gang in for a tour as their Mecha's get serviced and polished, for free.

skeptical, curios and not wanting to pass on a free Mecha Servicing the Gang take the offer and are led around the Beast Forge.

As Darius leads them around, Kord picks up that their host, doesn't seem the know a whole lot about Mecha Beast's like he aught to.

Trixie even ask's a question, that Darius answers wrong and Kord corrects him on it.

They pass by a closed off wing and Eli asks what's going on there.

Darius: Oh its nothing special, just a new manufacturing wing that's under construction Kord: A new manufacturing wing? what's wrong with the old one? Darius: nothing, just another wing means more Mecha Beast production and all that. Trixie: But isn't the Beast Forge known for it's quality? Mane: yeah... wouldn't another wing mean less quality control? especially if you have new staff? or are you bringing back some of the old staff to help? Darius, muttering under his beath: well aren't you a mouthy group Pronto: What was that good sir? Darius: I said, aren't you all smart! yes, under normal circumstances, a brand new wing would mean our quality control is spread kind a thin, but I can assure you, we have brand new automated system in the works! [Darius continues walking, and Kord, Mane and Trixie follow, but Eli stops, and pulls Pronto off to the side with him under the excuse of them needing the bathroom] Pronto: Pronto dose not- Eli: shhhh- I don't either- we are going to check out that 'new manufacturing wing' something tells me its not what Darius say's it is Pronto: covert ops! do not fear- Pronto the magnificent is most efficient at that! Eli: good to know, now lets hurry before Darius or anyone else get's suspicious of us.

it dose not take long for Eli and Pronto to uncover the truth

The Cave Troll's who where once in charge of the Beast Forge where tied up, bound and it looked like who ever took over the Forge was going to have them melted with magma-

yeah, no time to put an and to this

Freeing Grendel and the rest of the Cave Toll's, the bust out of the closed off wing, and start what some might consider a riot to take back the Forge

In the chaos, the Gang finds out their Mecha Beast's, and more concerningly, all the Mecha Beast's in the facility have been corrupted.

and now the Gang's Mecha Beast's where raring to attack them

Trixie: Who! Boomer- come on you don't have to do this- Kord: Wyatt come on don't rush me- it's gonna hurt if you do- Pronto: Fernando! is this how you treat Pronto after all our adventuers! Mane: Agk- ouch- Chicky no your beck- I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE GONE FOR THE DULL MODLE! CURSE YOU AESTHETIC'S! Eli: ah, ha- Lucky please don't kill me-

Eli on a whim loads and fires Doc at Lucky.

and to his surprise, Doc purified whatever was corrupting his Mecha.

so with that bit of information, Eli makes the most of it, and use's Doc to cure the Mecha Beast's stopping them from attacking their owners.

Grendal and others, deal with Darius and the worker's that took over their Forge, tying them up to deal with later

Grendal would then explain that not along ago, someone wanted to commission some custom Mecha Beast's, nothing out of the ordinary, but the power source the Buyer wanted, and was going to provide, was not.

Obviously the Forge refused, thus prompting the Buyer to try and Buy out the whole Forge, and when that didn't work, hostile take over, with those Ghoul Slug's

Dr. Blakk

Eli and Doc cure all the other tainted Mecha's

but one thing is clear, Dr. Blakk is ramping up his methods, if his silent takeover of the Beast Forge was anything to go by. Because if the Shane Gang hadn't shown up when they did, a whole shipment of hundreds of Dark Water tainted Mecha's would have been sold to the public.

Eli... get's the feeling to check up on his dad a lot more often now... becuase if Blakk could take over the Beast Forge, he might do worse...

✧★✧ Dead Weed ✧★✧

Trixie was going to strangle Eli

They where riding past Dead Weed Cavern on their way home, and she, Mane, Kord and Pronto started swapping creepy stories about the place as they passed the entrance, even holding their breathes as to not 'let the ghost in'

Eli wasn't buying it. And, of course the young Shane would be the one to remember Dead Weed Cavern was where you could get Frightgeist slug's from...

So what dose Eli do against everyone's protest?

he goes in.

And not even a minute after entering they hear Eli scream bloody murder spurring them into action to rescue him.

Darting inside, the Gang franticly call out for the Shane only to hear a sound from behind and slowly turn around, to be met with Eli and Burpy jump scaring them

Pronto: YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH! Kord: NOT COOL MAN! Trixie: IM GOING TO KILL YOU! Mane: WHAT THE HECK ELI!? Eli & Burpy: *Laughing hysterically* Eli: Y-You sh-should have seen your faces! ahaha! Priceless! [A sudden gust of wind blows and shuts the entrance to the Mine] Eli: okay, okay- very funny, who's pulling jokes on who now? Kord:.. uh Trixie: that wasn't us... [que panic and intro]

So yeah, Trixie was going to strangle Eli, fair enough.

With the main entrance closed and Kord unable to kool aid man himself through the door, the Gang is forced to walk through the creepy mine in search of an alternate exit.

one Pronto insisted existed because all mines have more than one

which, yeah, in retrospect makes seance

Trixie, despite being thoroughly creeped out my the mine, starts recording, after all, not every day you can get footage like this

As they turn a bend, the Gang hears a gurgling groaning sound.

at first they think it's Pronto's stomach

but it's quickly proven not to be that, just as Trixie take's a snap shot and something that wasn't there before was right Infront of them

its the ghost of the miners who went missing!

"l̶e̴a̶v̷e̴ ̷t̶h̶i̷s̸ ̷p̸l̸a̶c̸e̵!̶"

Σ(°△° ꪱꪱꪱ) <( RUN!!!! )

in the hurry to get away, Mane trips over some tools, but doesn't have much time to register what it was as she gets back up and darts off to catch up with the rest of the team.

the Ghost stop following them at a certain point, almost like they where afraid, and that's when they see it.

and eerie red glow.

faint but persistent, coming from the end of the tunnel.

there where also the sounds of machinery and people talking coming from down there.

Mane: Please tell me we aren't going towards the red light- Kord: ... where going into the light Eli: oh yeah, totally Trixie: This goes against every single thing Horror movies tell you not to do. Pronto: time to become stereotypes then, Pronto demands to be the 'cool mysterious' one

carefully they approach the tunnel exit make sure to keep themselves hidden by the rocks.

and there they find a bunch of people from Blakk Industries, if the logo on the hazmat suites and crates is anything to go by.

And the fact El Diablos Nacho, Blakk's left hand, is also here...

and they where, harvesting something...

it was that Dark Water stuff, again

That's when Kord remembers where he's seen it before.

 Karum-Zanul - as Cave Tolls called it. it seeped in from below, in parts of the caverns that went just a bit to deep.

Mane then feels very stupid, as she now recognizes the stuff herself, New Neo Cavern had a few literal underground clubs in Paleo, that would sometimes get leaks of the stuff.

But she's never seen this much of it, and by the looks of the set up, there was a whole harvesting operation going on, filling barrels, on barrels of the red liquid and shipping it Shadows knows where.

well, this isn't good!

Trixie trails her camera long the scene playout before them, capturing as much as she can, when she captures damning evidence.

a Hop Rock getting Ghouled

okay, that's it, they need to shut this operation down, like, now

they form a small plan, stealing some hazmat suites, and sneaking to on the the operation shacks where they find an old photo of the miners,

wow, they look a lot like the ghosts...

hopefully stopping what's going on will put them to rest...

Eli wonders how many families they would have to brake the knew too, or how many care still. If it was him, it would probably brake him, after all, its already eating at him to have his dad in a coma, if Will Shane ever did die...

Eli shakes the thought off, he needs to be locked in for this

no time for 'what if's'

despite their best efforts to remain stealthy, a shoot out inevitably brakes out, and Nacho nails Eli with a Nightgeist after braking out of some ice the young Shane and Chiller tried to trap him in

screaming due to his warped vision, Eli run's off down a random tunnel.

much to everyone's concern. but the Gang can't go after him, not right now- they just hope Eli snaps out of it soon and if okay

The Shane did snap out of it, and had to take a moment to catch his breath, and stave off the memories of the hallucinations

he was going to need sooo much therapy

but that's a problem for future Eli

spoiler alter, he never got that therapy-

While calming down, a Fightgeist a cute little guy, made himself known, Eli names the slug Spooker

Just as he obtained in his slug friend, the Ghost's come back.

this time, Eli isn't afraid.

Eli: ... I get it.. right, look, my friends and I are trying to stop what Nacho and rest of his men are trying to do, just like you are. let's run these jerks out of here and put an end to this! Ghost's: [looking at each other] w̸e̵r̶e̷ ̵w̵i̶t̶h̷ ̶y̸o̵u̴ ̵k̶i̵d̶

The Ghost and Eli lead a charge back into the harvesting chamber, overwhelming Nacho and his men.

It also helped Eli got a little pay back by slugging Nacho with Spooker, dialing up the corrupted elf looking man's fear response

With Blakk's goon's driven out of Dead Weed, and Pronto plugging up a valve that busted open during the fight with his rump, the Gang goes about closing the Dark Water valve off, for good

after all, they can't leave Pronto to keep it plugged up

With the valve closed, the Dark Water Vapors started to dissipate

and the Ghost's, as it turned out, weren't Ghost's

With the vapors gone the Ghost's returned to normal humans again, no longer stuck in their ghostly ghouled state.

Everyone get's a Frightgeist :)

one of the miners then explains what happened

some time ago, the Dead Weed mine was bought and the miners were ordered to dig down with no idea of what exactly they where looking for.

by the time they hit the Dark Water vain it was too late for them, and while stuck in their ghostly forms, they chased off anyone who entered for their safety, and tried fend off Blakk's men to no avail.

And while this most secretly was a win, Blakk had been harvesting from this place for months.

he more than likely has a massive stockpile of Dark Water just sitting somewhere.

and with you only needing a capsule of Dark Water to ghoul a slug...

plus, who's to say there aren't more Dark Water well's that are still being harvested

Mane: This is getting out of hand Kord: No kidding Eli: And were not backing down, Dr. Blakk is going to destroy Slugterra if he continues ghouling slugs. We have to stop him, no matter what. Pronto: Now your talking like a true Shane! Trixie: And we can use the footage I shot to our advantage! Expose Blakk, and his company for what they really are!

Blakk may have a stock pile of Dark Water, an army of ghoul slugs, but he wouldn't be ready for what was coming next.

even if Will Shane was out of commission, his son, Eli, was picking up the slack, and he was not alone in his crusade

───✧★✧───

ep 6, "The Slug Run" is actually getting moved to happen after ep 13, "Dawn of the Slug" this is becase I'm actually adding some extra content, and I kind a need Saturday for it to work out the way I need to. plus, "The Slug Run" is one of those episodes where it can happen just about anytime and still make sense. So that's why it wasn't included, and heads up, I will be shuffling a few more episodes around because I'm weird like that lol.[I have PLANS] THAT'S ALL FOALKS! im'a go work on that Storm Hawks thing I've been meaning to do... - Sad Mage, OUT ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

───✧★{TBC...}★✧───

[kodasea]

Til death do us part

[crustyfloor]

If Till had a sketchbook I wish we could’ve been able to see what he doodled in his free time. flowers (edelweiss hm…), random specimen around an anakt garden, he sketched Mizi a lot as it seems but wouldn’t it be cute if he sketched the rest of his friends too? Ivan even 👀

[tashatoons]

Milluki’s parents had been rather surprised when he’d jumped at the opportunity to take a job in eastern Padokea. The fact that their homebody son was actively making more of an effort to get out of the house had been a relief in the back of their minds, though Milluki’s reasoning had less to do with work and more to do with desire.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/65389840

[chocohedgie]

Random headcanon based on this moment in the pilot:

Jax was a lonely teen before he put on the headset. He usually hung out alone at the mall, just riding the escalators. He eventually found comfort in the sound of the escalator.

[nostalgicsneeze]

this is the only website i post art nowadays and i’ll keep doin it but DAMN…

[resident-rats]

I’ve written two and a bit chapters of my metaltango au, idk might post it soon I guess?? I have it properly outlined anyway, it should have 5 chapters??

[fishandshesmygills]

not even joking abt the cognitive decline anymore im actually scared. i saw the tv glow hit too hard for me everything has felt wrong and i don't even know since when, do i have long covid brain fog? residual damage from my concussion this past fall? what about my first concussion six years ago? i feel like there are pages missing. i feel the gaps in my knowledge and awareness and abilities. im scrambling around in the dark

[problemduetest4life]

thinking about Jean joining The Trojans and how that's going to go. AFTG came out about ten years ago and the series is set about ten years before then (2006-7 for AFTG and TSC will be 2007-8). There's not a whole lot of common knowledge surrounding mental health at that time compared to today.

We get to see the Foxes figure stuff out on their own because a lot of them have shared experiences (addiction, abuse, family trauma) but that's specific to their team. The Trojans are described as "more normal" and I'm a little worried about how they are gonna handle Jean.

Physical touch on teams is something that just happens: arms thrown over shoulders, hugs, pats, (even slaps on the butt on my team haha) and all that. Communal spaces for showering and changing is also just everyday life, being comfortable in vulnerability. The Foxes have boundaries with these things but I highly doubt The Trojans do, especially considering the time.

basically I'm interested to go into TSC with a 2024 perspective in a very 2000's world.

[pollen]

i've been diving a lot deeper into adhd symptoms and comorbidities and misdiagnoses and whenever i tell my boyfriend something i learned that sounds like me he responds with something like