#chitchat the squirrel

[rose-i-guess]

SO. I am currently in my wild robot fixation era and read two of the books in like. 4 days whoops

Anyways I doodled Chitchat, the professional yapper. She’s so silly

REALLY curious what things are gonna change if they adapt the second book >:000

[fish-paul-society]

I today finished reading "Wild Robot". It was a great read! I felt compelled to draw Roz and her found family of forest critters. May read the other two books someday!

[they-thespian666]

That's actually why I like the book a LOT more than the movie because that sense of community and mutual aid is there from minute one in the book. When Roz first shows up to the island (and eventually camouflages herself and learns the animals' language) the animals already have an established "dawn truce" where they all agree that there will be an hour every morning where no one will hunt or kill anyone else and often talk and spend time together between species. And initially Roz is ostracized from this group/ truce as she's seen as a monster who everyone fears will eat them. Then after the incident with Brightbill's family Roz decides (on her own) that she won't let the gosling die as well and goes to look for help and guidance. After briefly meeting Pinktail who teaches her acting and how to seem less intimidating, she finds a goose named Loudwing (best character btw she deserves better I miss her) who helps teach Roz how to take care of her new son and when the topic of shelter comes up, Loudwing is the one who sends Roz over to the beavers to get them to help build her den after a bit of convincing. Then when Mr. Beaver is done with that he sends Roz over to a family of deer to help make a garden for the den to attract more neighbors and actually integrate Roz into the community. After that Roz starts coming to the dawn truces and many of the animals welcome her and give her parenting advice. Then skipping forward to winter and Roz letting animals stay in her den to escape the cold they extend the dawn truce to everyone who stays in the den and when it gets too crowded she builds more and teaches the animals how to safely make fire and keep each other warm. And even in how the book changes the factory robots tracking to instead of Roz sending out the tracking signal herself to her throwing a party with a huge bonfire to celebrate the anniversary of her arrival.

And yes the book does acknowledge that some animals will not come back and sometimes they will have to kill and eat one another, but very few of them are mean or nasty about it. It isn't just the animals all hating each other and then Roz arrives and teaches them the importance of working together, it's an already well established community that Roz is able to adapt and truly become a part of

Anyways sorry for the ramble, I am very insane about this book series

The Wild Robot and Mutual Aid

I just got out of the film, and whilst naturally I noticed and adored the themes of motherhood, neurodivergence, physical disability, and the "kind, smiling face of capitalism," there's one theme I really wanna narrow in on.

Really early on in the film, it's established that everyone on the island is part of the "Mutual Struggle" for life, or "survival of the fittest." Everyone has to eat, nature is harsh and unforgiving, and kindness is not a welcome survival instinct.

When Peter Kropotkin went out into the wilds himself to observe what the Darwinists were talking about in regards to Mutual Struggle, he noted that he saw far more examples of Mutual Aid. He continued to observe examples of animals and insects aiding each other.

And by the end of The Wild Robot, that's what we see. Not just a community, but a community whose aid is giving freely, who find a way to shelter the storm together. They call a truce during the winter because survival rests not just on the instinct of hunger, struggle, predator and prey, but sometimes on aid, warmth, generosity, peace, and community.

Will the animals go back to hunting each other during the springtime? It's possible, it's even likely. The bear says he won't hunt Fink, but he still needs to eat.

But when the winter comes once again, they will all be in the home Rozz made for them, and they will call that truce again. Because the world should not revolve around struggle, it should turn on giving without asking for anything in return.

[miasmaghoul]

So I got one particular kink request that mentions maybe needing an OC. I have an idea for this already, but it occurred to me that I've never told you guys about my actual OC. I'm sure most won't care, but I do, soooo...

Everyone, meet my ghouly guy Jasper!

Jasper is an earth ghoul, but more in a rock direction than a plant direction. He was summoned near the end of Terzo's reign, and lives in the depths of the abbey with the other service ghouls. His assigned tasks mostly revolve around building maintenence, and he usually goes unseen due to a preference for working at night. He's not a fan of crowds anyway, so it all works out. The last thing he needs is a gaggle of siblings ogling him while he repairs cracks in the walls with nothing but a palmful of finely crushed stone and a little burst of magic.

He keeps to himself in the off hours too, preferring to hang in his dorm with something immersive; a good book (preferably horror or mystery), a video game (loves single player RPGs and cozy games like Stardew Valley), doing a puzzle (jigsaw, crossword, or really any sort of word game) or listening to music while staring at the ceiling. His dorm sits beneath one of the band's equipment storage rooms, and it's not uncommon for one or two of the band ghouls to hang out and play something every now and then. He has very sharp ears, and if he closes his eyes he can usually tell who's fucking around (or just fucking, let's be real) in there.

If he does need to participate in group activities, he enjoys the company of his fellow earth ghouls. They aren't a rowdy bunch (except for Pebble, though they still get on well enough), so he'll have no problem meeting Mountain in the orchard for a joint and idle chitchat, or having a quiet lunch with Ivy in the rose garden. He also finds himself drawn to air ghouls - he had a huge crush on Zephyr, but their Whole Thing with Mountain told Jasper to keep his distance. They still made great friends though!

His first roommate was Aether, before he was recruited into the band and moved to Dew's room. They got along very well, and Aether taught him a lot about many, many things. The abbey, the world Above, human-shaped vessels and what they can do...many lessons were taught in that cramped dorm room. Jasper has it to himself now, but still he leaves Aether's side clean and organized. Just in case.

Aether tried to teach him to play guitar as well, but never got the hang of it - coordination was an issue, as was the fact that his finger strength kept breaking the higher strings. He prefers to sing anyway, in a voice that could go straight to your bones. The one exception to his 'no crowds' rule comes when it's time for a celebratory mass, where he will don a ceremonial robes and join the choir in worshipful song. Mostly he just sings in the shower though.

He has an extremely dry sense of humor, always heavy handed with sarcasm, but is also able to pull a pun out at the drop of a hat. Loves to banter and tease in his own way, though it can take other ghouls some time to adjust to his mannerisms. But if something hits him just right, really tickles, then he's cackling like a hyena with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Loves to hunt with Mountain; the pair of them have spent many night tracking everything from rabbits to bucks with nothing but claws and fangs, tearing into their prizes with unabashed, feral pleasure. Jasper will take pieces of their pelts and fashion them into little pouches or decorative pieces to store on his one crowded bookshelf. There are a few hand-carved pieces of antler there too, none of anything identifiable, but at least he'd tried!

He eats normal human food too, as most ghouls do, but he has a guilty pleasure - red clay, harvested from the banks of the stream that cuts through the forest. If anyone finds him gathering it he says he's trying his hand at pottery, but in reality he's squirreling it away to dry so he can have a nice crunchy snack afterwards. Aether walked in on him with his mouth covered in clay dust once, and he has yet to live it down.

Now, some rapid-fire physical traits and preferences!

Jasper is intersex, presents on the masc side of androgynous, and uses he/him pronouns (though they/them is okay too). Demiromantic pansexual, far more willing to share his body than his emotions. Kinky as all hell, but he is a ghoul after all.

He is 6'2" (188cm), narrow and lanky.

He's pale, doesn't particularly enjoy being out in the sun, (Mountain call him a cave dweller), but if he does spend a day tilling in the gardens or the orchard it'll bring out the freckles on his face and arms.

Keeps his hair very short, almost shaved, on the sides and back, but shaggier on top. Easy to let flop over his forehead, or to slick back if he needs to look "presentable". It's thick and copper colored, looks redder in the sun, and he's always running his hands through it. If he shaves the sides down, he likes to carve little designs into the remaining fuzz. His horns are stone-like, only a few inches long, starting at his hairline and angled backwards. (When he's unglamoured they become twin rows of stalagmites in all sizes, sharp as anything.)

His face is angular, with sharp cheekbones and a pointed chin. His ears stick out, the left one more than the right. His eyes are steely gray, a touch sunken and perpetually accompanied by dark circles. Has a thin scar that runs down his forehead and through his left eyebrow, from the time he tripped and fell through one of the glass panels of the greenhouse. His nose used to be narrow and straight, but after an evening spent drinking Terra's moonshine his bedroom floor changed that. (He's a clumsy guy, what can I say.) He doesn't mind the crookedness, though he does sometimes wince when he sneezes. Wears glasses for everything except to read.

Piercings: double lobes in both ears, with a helix on the left and a daith on the right. Used to have his septum done before the nose incident, chose not to re-do it after that healed. Nipples (prefers barbells or shields). Bellybutton (blame Aether).

Tattoos: his elemental symbol on the inside of his left wrist. An intricate sigil at the top of his spine, extending down between his shoulder blades. A black and gray snake that wraps around his right calf, it's head on the top of his foot.

Wears a simple silver ring on his right middle finger and a pair of complementary chains around his neck. One holds a cage-style pendant surrounding a piece of raw obsidian, the other small crystalline vial of something that DEFINITELY isn't blood. Enjoys painting his nails, and will keep his claws glamoured just to flash his color of the week. It'll be chipped after two hours, but he doesn't mind.

For clothing, he keeps it simple. Service ghouls all share a uniform - a black tunic, slacks, white-tipped Oxfords and a simple black mask - but in his off time he likes baggy t-shirts and comfy pants. Or no pants, he kinda hates pants. Keeps a few nicer pieces for the rare occasion his uniform isn't formal enough, but they mostly sit unused in the back of his closet.

Finally, he is terrified of spiders. Many spider-related pranks have been, and will continue to be, pulled on him.

Aaaand thats all I've got off the top of my head lmao. I've never written down anything about my weird rock boy, he just lives in my mind and now, maybe, in yours. Will he ever be fully fleshed out? Will he make an appearance in any future fic? Find out next time, on DragonBall Z!

[ilovescaredysquirrel2]

DreamWorks's "The Wild Robot" and TADC episode 3 review

Okay I'm glad I can squeeze two reviews into one so I have a lot to talk about! Let's start with the new DreamWorks movie, The Wild Robot. It came out last week and I highly recommend seeing it if you haven't already! DreamWorks deserves it right now, plus I like that the movie was creative (despite being based off a book) kinda made fun of AI, a bit. Well, the other robots and machines were the villains of the movie but Roz, the main robot who lived in the wild got in touch with nature and they tried to show a "nature is more powerful than machines" message which I liked. According to my friend, they left out a squirrel character called Chitchat and that's disappointing, but my favorite character was Fink the fox, he was so funny and had a personality that matches what a real fox is like. I like how the animal characters had personalities based on the animals they were, which is good. I love that movie and I love the mother-son type of story. We need more mother-child type of stories in animated media, but what I really like to see someday is a grandma-grandchild type of story. I hope to see that from DreamWorks one day, especially if the grandma is portrayed as normal and not a silly old lady comic relief, or old and helpless, but still a fun and gentle character.

Also, there's one thing to consider about The Wild Robot movie; don't expect it to be all funny and silly like Flushed Away or the Trolls movies! This one is more emotional and there was more action scenes. There wasn't as many jokes and funny moments for this one, this one was more to tell a story than to make people laugh. I admire them for that honestly, although there were a few little light hearted moments when they were teaching Bright Bill to fly and stuff, don't expect it to be a goofy funny DreamWorks story with clever jokes. This one definitely has more serious vibes, but not too much. The last DreamWorks movie I saw in theaters before this was Trolls 4, and it's definitely not like Trolls 4 at all. I still think this movie is beautiful, I'm just giving you an idea of what to expect. It's a beautiful mother-son type story, not a silly colorful movie with a bunch of clever jokes.

Now for The Amazing Digital Circus episode 3, there's a lot I wanna say! I'll start with the one negative and move onto all the positives. I'll admit I was uncomfortable about the Heaven and Hell thing, I'm very religious. I try to remember that at that point they were still in the digital world, so it's not real Heaven and Hell in that, and I think I went to the bathroom during that scene anyway. My bestie and I watched it together (I get scared easily and there were a few moments I looked away at). However, there's a lot that I enjoyed about episode 3! I'm sure fi you're a TADC fan, you already watched it so I'm not gonna go easy on spoilers. I'll just say it, Martha is so iconic and that part where she tied up Jax when her and Ragatha and Gangle were having tea, that was the best part! LOL Imagine how Jax felt being tied up by that tough Victorian-era ghost baddie! I also thought the moments where Caine tried to be the therapist to Zooble, were funny too. What really got me emotional was the thing between Kinger and his abstracted wife, Queenie. I really hope we get to see a Queenie flashback in the show! (I hope Gooseworx reads my review! ^u^) What really got me was the backstory, and when Kinger was staring at the creepy monster thing and saw abstracted Queenie, he said "You look beautiful, honey" that actually made me cry! I totally ship Kinger and Queenie!

So many couples in media nowadays are always portrayed as sexual, but we don't get to see enough of that true loving romance, especially not in Indie animations! This is a big deal! The Amazing Digital Circus really went all out with this one, they live up to their title as being the AMAZING digital circus! And yes, we need more couples being cute loving romance instead of just being sexually attracted to each other, we need to see the love aspect too. Love and lust are very different, I hate when people confuse the two.

Anyway, these are my thoughts on both! I squeezed two reviews into one and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments too! Even if you don't agree with everything I said, still let me know your thoughts!

[catindabag]

TBOSAS on Crack short take (55)

Prof.Click: Alright! Settle down, my children! Let’s communicate~!

Felix: Professor, are you perhaps drunk right now?

Prof.Click: President Ravinstill?

Felix: No, I’m Felix-

Prof.Click: Sir, why are you in my class and not running the country?

Felix: Yup. She’s drunk.

Coryo: Ugh. Who gave her a bottle of posca before class?

Diana: Wasn’t she drinking two gallons of water at the cafeteria earlier?

Festus: Are you sure about the water part?

Diana: No. Not really.

Prof.Click: Shhhhhh~! Quiet, my children. We are about to start a brand new session!

Festus: A new session?

Prof.Click: Yes! Our first official ✨group therapy✨ session!

Juno: I thought our school can’t afford a real therapist?

Prof.Click: That’s correct! We can’t! That’s why I’m being forced by our fantastic Dean Highbottom to do the “therapy” part.

Festus: But you’re not even a licensed therapist-

Prof.Click: I’m your communications professor, boy! I’m the closest thing to a therapist! I can even communicate with squirrels!

Felix: *sighs* This is why drinking posca and whiskey should be banned in the workplace.

Coryo: Class Pres, why can’t the school afford a real therapist? I thought ✨The Academy✨ was pretty well off-

Felix: Unfortunately, our school is currently facing bankruptcy due to the infamous Heavensbee Hall Flooding Incident. So-

Coryo: It’s our fault.

Felix: Yeah.😑

Coryo: Well, that explains why Dean Highbottom is still forcing us to go to every ✨Late Night Live Shows with Lucky and Jubilee✨.

Felix: True. Our crazy interviews are financially helping the school buy more booze.

Coryo: You mean books, right?

Felix: Sure. Whatever you say, bro.

Coryo: More sponsors, more money, I guess?

Prof.Click: Hey, stop talking to President Ravinstill, Snow! Our first group therapy session is starting!

Coryo: But-

Prof.Click: First question! How did you guys survived the war?

Festus: Professor, I think that’s too personal-

Prof.Click: Mr. Creed, fire away.

Festus: No.

Prof.Click: Answer my question.

Festus: I refuse-

Prof.Click: Detention will be given to those who defy me and my dumb questions!

Festus: That doesn’t even make sense!

Prof.Click: Your odds don’t make sense!

Festus: Fine! But don’t share this information or I’ll sue you.

Prof.Click: Lol. No promises.

Festus: I- Um- I survived the war because my crazy mama forced me to hide and live in a rat infested dumpster for 2 years when the rebels infiltrated our home!😭

Coryo: Festus, are your okay?

Prof.Click: That’s rough, buddy. Who’s next?☺️

Coryo: Professor, are we not going to address the fact that Creed’s mother just left him to rot in a rat infested dumpster for 2 years?!

Festus: It’s fine, Coryo. Don’t feel too sorry for me. My crazy mama even forced my germaphobe dad to do it too.😞

Lysistrata: Well, that explains why Creed’s favorite hobby is dumpster diving for food coupons.

Prof.Click: Enough chitchat! Monty, you’re next!

Palmyra: The war? What war? I don’t remember any war~.😊

Iphigenia: Why is Monty acting like the Dark Days never happened?

Coryo: Sadly, that’s just Monty’s way of coping with her war trauma.

Iphigenia: So why is she smiling like that?

Coryo: You do know about the infamous Rebel Pie Incident, right?

Iphigenia: No. Not really.

Coryo: Oh, you sweet summer child.

Iphigenia: Why? What happened?

Coryo: Ask Florus. He knows more about that incident than I do.

Iphigenia: *turns to Florus*

Florus: No! You can’t make me talk!

Iphigenia: Florus, tell us about the Rebel Pie Incident.

Florus: Never!!

Iphigenia: I’ll ban you and your family from my grocery store if you don’t tell us~.☺️

Florus: Ughhh! Fine! But don’t blame me for ruining your day!

Arachne: Just spit it out already, Flory!

Florus: *sighs* The only reason why Palmyra’s crazy family survived the war is because her unhinged mama fed the rebels her notoriously deadly apple pies when they broke into Monty’s mansion.

Iphigenia: So the rebels died from accidental food poisoning?!

Coryo: That wasn’t an accident, Moss. That was a premeditated murder in the form of self-defense.

Florus: Yup. I was there when it happened. And yes, I still have nightmares. And- *is having war flashbacks*

Coryo: Florus, are you okay?

Clemensia: Florus, do you need us to call the medics?

Florus: Those rebels didn’t just die peacefully, Clemmie!! They (censored)! They freaking (censored) in front of my eyes!😭

Coryo: Florus, please stop saying (censored)!😩

Florus: Coryo, they really (censored) in front of me!!😭

Coryo: Florus, please-

Florus: I can’t believe those poor bastards really (censored) and died horribly when they ate Monty’s accursed pies!!

Iphigenia: Can a grown man really (censored) from eating expired pies?!

Coryo: But seriously, guys, please stop saying (censored)!

Festus: (censored).

Diana: Don’t say it again, Creed. You’re scaring poor Coryo and Clemensia!

Festus: (censored).

Apollo: He said it again!

Felix: Stop saying (censored), Creed!

Festus: You’re saying (censored) too, Class Pres.

Clemensia: I’m going home!😫

Palmyra: Well, it’s what they get for breaking into my mama’s mansion without an invitation~.😊

Prof.Click: Sorrows and prayers. Who’s next?😀

Lysistrata: Coryo, you go.

Coryo: Fine. The only reason why I survived the war is because my family and I illegally traded and bartered all of our expensive belongings for food.

Lysistrata: Oh, that’s not so bad-

Coryo: I also had to fight off a crazy cannibal who wanted to eat me.

Persephone: Don’t look at me. It wasn’t me!

Coryo: And I also had to wrestle my pesky neighbors for stealing my precious cabbages.

Prof.Click: Cool.

Coryo: There was also that time where I had to punch a former congressman who wanted to trade me for 10 cans of lima beans.

Festus: Trade you?!

Coryo: Oh, and one time, I had to fight a pack of rabid dogs for some garbage.

Prof.Click: Lol. Is that all?

Coryo: Nope. That’s just the half of it.

Lysistrata: Coryo, are you okay?

Coryo: No. I’m traumatized for life, ✨Bestie✨~!🥰

Arachne: Well, that explains why Coryo is now willing to marry and become Sejanus Plinth’s little housewife~.

Coryo: At least I’m going to be fabulously richer than you, Crane.

Prof.Click: See! I told you that this group therapy session was helpful-

Felix: For reminding us of our war traumas!!

Prof.Click: To be fair, Mr. President, we already lost our marbles even before the war ended.

Felix: *sighs* Maybe everyone’s right. Maybe we should just change our school into a mental asylum.😞

Coryo: And I thought our school was already a mental asylum for the rich and me.😑

Prof.Click: Hilarius, you share!

Hilarius: Um- I-

Prof.Click: Don’t be shy, Heavensbee. We’re all here to support you.😊

Hilarius: I don’t believe you.

Prof.Click: Do you want a demerit?

Hilarius: *sighs* I survived the war because my creepy old man hid me inside his super secret basement when the rebels destroyed my family’s gold encrusted mansion.

Arachne: What’s inside the basement?

Hilarius: You don’t want to know.

Arachne: Tell us, Hilari.

Hilarius: No.

Prof.Click: Demerit and detention-

Hilarius: Fine! The basement was filled to the brim with Crassus Snow’s cute candid photos!

Coryo: What the actual f*ck, Heavensbee!

Felix: Well, that’s another restraining order for Mr. Heavensbee Sr.

Hilarius: This is why we don’t share our war traumas with each other!😭

Festus: By the way, where’s Sejanus?

Coryo: Yeah. Where’s my sugar daddy- I mean, boyfriend?

Urban: Don’t be mad-

Coryo: Urban, where’s my fiancé?

Urban: I think I accidentally locked him inside Highbottom’s broom closet earlier-

Coryo: You what?!

Urban: We should better go and check on him.

Prof.Click: No! You can’t leave! Our first group therapy session isn’t over yet!

Felix: Professor, please stop this madness! You already made Florus and Hilarius cry!

Prof.Click: They can cry harder!

Felix: That is it! I’m calling Highbottom to suspend you!

Prof.Click: Joke’s on you, Sir! I’m also Highbottom’s therapist!

Coryo: That just explains why Highbottom’s drunk all the time!

*Meanwhile, with Sejanus*

Sejanus: *is still locked inside the broom closet* Guys? Hey, guys! Is anyone there? Hello? Hello~?! Coryo?! Clemmie?! Festus?! Class Pres?! Can somebody help me?! Hello?! I have money!! Please call my boyfriend! I’m scared!! Get me out of here!😭

[mocktortis]

Thoughts on The Wild Robot movie, kinda spoiler-y.

I got to see The Wild Robot yesterday, and while nothing will ever touch my love for the books, it was a pretty good adaptation. The biggest change I noticed was mostly regarding pacing, which makes sense because the books definitely have a much slower pace. It was a great choice to show a lot more of the goose migration from Brightbill's perspective rather than just have him tell Roz like in the books. Squibling pointed out that the movie seemed to be targeting a slightly younger audience than the books, which I agree with. The books don't really shy away from the idea that these creatures are animals, and that sometimes they eat eachother, and sometimes a hard winter kills a lot of critters, whereas the movie is a bit more subtle on that front. I'm kinda sad they completely cut Chitchat the squirrel and Loudwing the goose from the movie. Loudwing in particular was one of my favorite characters (even though I can never remember her name). A lot of her characterization was given to Pinktail the possum, who is pretty delightful in her own right. Fink has a much bigger role in the movie, which might bother some people, but I thought he was sort of charming. A lot of the conflict in the movie is more drawn out. Like I said, the book has a slower pace, and it covers a lot more. In the books, Roz starts to gain friends almost as soon as she takes in Brightbill, mostly with the geese, but also with Chitchat. The movie plays up Brightbill being different from the other geese a lot more, and makes Roz's choice not to tell Brightbill about the accident with his family much more dramatic than it is in the book. There's not as much of a question in the books about whether Roz and Brightbill are family. They just sort of... are, and they're unconventional, and they're okay with that (Fink is not a part of their family in the book). The only other change I'm not as happy with is the confrontation between Vontra & the RECOs vs Roz & the animals. There is no Vontra in the books, just the unmanned ship and three RECOs. Vontra is interesting, and the way Stephanie Hsu voices her is just magnetic, it's mostly the RECOs that bother me. Because there are a lot fewer in the books, the fight at the end feels more tense, because each individual RECO feels like more of a challenge. Some of the animals get hurt, which didn't seem like it was emphasized as much in the movie. One thing the movie handled expertly was showing the animals come together to fight for Roz, and the overhead shot to show most of the island on fire. The shot of the lodge charred and destroyed was pretty heartbreaking. I like the choice to end the movie with a more hopeful scene, because oh my jod, reading the ending of the book destroyed me the first time (granted I was probably around 14 but man). The end of the movie made me tear up a little too, but in a good way.

Overall, a very good adaptation and standalone movie; I can't wait for the sequel. I kind of hope we get more Vontra, she and Fink are probably my favorite changes to the movie.

[normaltothemax]

how's it going, guys, girls, and squirrels

i'm here and diving into drafts. hmu if you wanna chitchat

[gemstarb]

Watch "LFM TV - Big Blue BBQ night protest 🥩🍔🚨🧡👁️🙌❤️‍🩹🥩" on YouTube

[bbbutterfingers]

i guess it’s just because i didn’t understand how it worked, but i didn’t realize anyone considered amelia and gura “real people”... i thought they were like cartoon characters where they had a voice actor/mocap but were still clearly fictional characters

i mean, they ARE real people, and they ARE performing a character at the same time. but yes, I agree with you!! i think that’s a healthy way to look at it. you gotta sorta just cross your eyes and accept that there’s a lot of overlap, be smart, make a distinction between the streamer and the character yourself. 

[violet-shadows]

I’d do anything for you.

Summary: Cassian will do anything to make his mate happy, even if it means sacrificing his own comfort.

Word Count: 2.9k

Pairing: Cassian x Reader

Warnings: mention of non-violent, non-graphic death of a pet

A/N: So I find I really enjoy writing for Cassian. Tbh I was a little unsure about this one but hopefully, you like it. As always, I’m open to feedback, prompts, and general chitchat. Drop me a line!

⊱ —————— ❈  —————— ⊰ 

You were young when your powers first manifested.  Your mother had already put you to bed, drawing the curtains to hold in the heat and try to block out the howling wind. You were drifting in the twilight state between wake and sleep when you heard it, or rather, felt it. It started as a pit in your stomach, a sense of dread that didn’t quite belong to you. Then, you were shivering, the icy wind outside chilling you to the bone, despite the warmth underneath your covers. Before you could comprehend what you were feeling, you were out of bed and donning your coat and boots as quietly as you could manage. You slipped into the blinding snowstorm, the strange pull inside of you guiding your steps.

You found the source of your unease at the edge of the woods, huddled at the base of a great conifer tree. The faelights from your home provided just enough light for you to see two wide blue eyes peeking out from a snow-covered lump. It was a puppy, only just weaned, with fuzzy white and grey fur like the sled dogs bred in some parts of your court. When your eyes met hers, a message, crystal clear yet entirely unspoken, was relayed.

Help me.

And help her you did, your parents had been furious at first, but as time went on, they began to realize that your affinity for animals went beyond ordinary affection. It wasn’t so much that you could talk to the animals, for your languages and means of communicating were wholly mismatched, but, somehow, you could understand them. You could parse their needs, their emotions, and, if enough trust was established between the two of you, they might share a snippet or two of their experience, not unlike the way daemati could show memories to others. The puppy, who you named Selene, was the first animal with whom you shared a close connection. By the time her natural life came to an end two decades later, the two of you had long since learned to share information with ease, your communication as natural as thinking or breathing.

Other animals came in and out of your life. The birds and squirrels around your home would whisper their thanks when you brought them food, and in exchange, they would alert you to changes in the surrounding woods. The power, while rare, was not of particular political or defensive value, so most Fae regarded it as a novelty if nothing else. The newly minted High Lord of the Night Court, however, thought otherwise. Before meeting Rhysand, the extent of your communication with animals was largely idle chatter. But while others saw an oddity, Rhys saw potential. Under his tutelage, your ability to receive and convey messages with various creatures grew, and it was through the experience that your found ways to leverage your power for good. Animals, especially small, common creatures like birds or squirrels, or rats, are never thought of as threats to privacy. So, the creatures you had befriended were audience to private matters, and through your unique connection, they shared secrets of great political value.

It was through these activities that you became a permanent fixture in the Night Court’s Inner Circle, a makeshift family in which you also found your mate. When you first met Cassian, you were deep in mourning over your last close companion, a raven you met as a fledgling named Icarus. He remained your constant companion throughout his unusually long life, but eventually, time came for him, as it did with all mortal creatures. The loss of Icarus, who you had come to think of as more of a friend and confidant than a pet, had devastated you. Coupled with your newfound mating bond and role in the Night Court, you decided you would endeavor to keep animals at a distance, not allowing anyone to stick around too long, lest it endear itself to you once more.

You kept that promise to yourself for a long time, finding that your bond with Cassian helped to fill the void of loneliness that crept up when you lost your companions. Sure, you had a fondness for the creatures you spoke to regularly but avoided forming a deep connection as you had with Selene and Icarus. Then, less than a year since the period of peace had begun, on a chilly autumn day in Velaris, you felt it again. The tug was not uncommon, as the animals that knew you could reach out over that indescribable bridge to grab your attention when they needed it. This feeling, however, was strong and tinged with desperation, reminiscent of a cold winter night all those years ago when you found Selene.

You found her huddled in an alleyway, among some discarded crates and trash. Grey and white with familiar blue eyes, except this time, in the form of a tiny, malnourished kitten. She was weak and flea-bitten, and when she stood to crawl to you, she swayed on her feet. You were whisking her to your apartment in an instant, her cry for help piercing your core. The first night, you weren’t sure she would make it. She was dehydrated and skinny, her gums pale and skin cold to the touch. You spent the evening next to the hearth, picking fleas out of her downy fur and coaxing her to drink milk. Your plans of avoiding attachment went out the window in an instant as you whispered words of comfort throughout the arduous night, willing the little feline to fight.

And fight she did. Over the next two weeks, the kitten became your constant shadow as she put on weight and built-up strength. The line of communication between the two of you was unusually well developed, and at times, when she whispered her whims into your mind, you could swear it felt like Selene was at your side. When Cassian came home from the camps, you were giddy with excitement. You couldn’t wait to introduce your mate to your new friend, who had taken up residence at the foot of your shared bed. In the weeks since you found her, you had resisted the urge to give her a name, intent on having Cassian involved in the decision. After all, she would be living in his home for the foreseeable future.

When Cassian returned, you all but dragged him to your apartment, babbling excitedly about the creature you had quickly come to adore. Cassian was grinning from ear to ear, your own elation reflected on his face. He had seen the way your previous losses had affected you, especially after the bond snapped. He felt the twinge of longing when you watched birds soaring over the streets of Velaris. He felt the ache when you heard wolves howl while visiting the cabin. He knew, perhaps more than you did, how much you missed the unique friendship you formed with some animals. When you told him of your new discovery, his heart soared. Throughout the week, he had received bits of your joy down the bond, little pulses of sunlight that made his time away from you slightly more bearable. It was only when you dragged him into the house, fingers interlaced with his, that his smile momentarily faltered.

A kitten. Your new pet was a cat.

The General was quick to conceal his alarm, his smile returning as you looked back at him, cuddling the fuzzy creature to your chest. It wasn’t that he didn’t find her adorable, quite the contrary, in fact. The picture of you grinning in the afternoon sunlight and cooing softly made his chest constrict in a way he would never admit to his brothers. His apprehension, rather, came from his previous experience with cats.

In Illyria, Rhys’s mother’s cabin developed a rat problem one spring and the solution was a big, white mouser borrowed from a local farm. The cat had stayed with them for three weeks and in that time, Cassian quickly learned he was very, very allergic to cats. Still unendingly grateful for the grace Rhys’s mother had shown him, Cassian didn’t say anything about the constant itch of his skin or his watering eyes. It wasn’t until he woke up one morning with his eyes nearly swollen shut that the truth came out and the cat was returned to its post at the farm.

He thought about telling you for a brief moment, but the look on your face stalled him. You were selfless, so very selfless, and he knew if he told you that you would find the kitten a new home for his sake. Simply picturing your smile fall at the news had him resolving not to tell you. You would be devastated, and he would itch and sneeze and sniffle for an eternity before he would cause you pain.

So, he ignored the tickle in his throat when you thrust the little fuzzball into his arms. The two of you decided on the name Celeste, a tribute to the court you now called home, and it wasn’t long before Cassian’s affection for the animal matched your own. For the first three weeks, he was able to hide his symptoms from you. At night, when you readied yourself for bed in the bathing room, he would quickly swap out his pillowcase for a one not covered in cat hair before shooing Celeste into the hallway, lest she get too close to his face in the night. During the day, he spent as much time as possible out of the house, making excuses to bring you with him to places unsuitable for a kitten. When Rhys and Azriel learned of your new pet, he’d practically screamed at Rhys in his mind to keep him from saying anything. The two shared a knowing smirk but dutifully kept his secret.

For nearly a month, Cassian kept his allergies a secret, blaming cold weather or dust when you did catch him in a sneezing fit. It wasn’t until he woke up one morning with Celeste sleeping on his chest that the truth came to light.

“Cassian!” He startled awake, sensing your alarm through the bond before you even spoke his name. His movement was quick enough to send the cat scrambling off of him as he jumped to his feet, his hand on the dagger he kept under the mattress in an instant.

“What’s wrong?” When he was sure there was no immediate threat in the room, he took to examining you for injuries.

“Your face!” The response puzzled him, his sleep-addled mind still reeling from the rude awakening. Were you calling him ugly? “Your eyes! They’re swollen. Are you sick? Do you feel okay?”

It was only then that Cassian realized just how itchy he was. The skin on his chest and face was splotchy, red welts broken out where the Celeste had slumbered. His eyes were indeed swollen and itchy beyond belief. It was worse than visiting the Spring Court, Tamlin and all. Still, he thought of the alternative, of the guilt and grief the truth would cause you and he scrambled to come up with an explanation.

“I—uh, it’s probably just the pollen.” He stammered.

“It’s nearly winter, Cas.” You raised an eyebrow incredulously, the concern not leaving your features. Cassian rubbed the back of his neck nervously and you leaned forward, taking one hand in yours. “You’re not telling me something.”

It wasn’t quite an accusation, but keeping something from you, even for your own benefit, didn’t sit right with Cassian. He sighed, his gaze fixing on where your hands connected and spoke. “I didn’t want to tell you, and it’s really not that bad but I’m sort of… a little bit… allergic to cats.”

Your eyes went wide at the realization, and you quickly snatched up Celeste who had since returned to her spot on the bed, gently depositing her outside the door before returning to your mate. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“I saw how happy she makes you; I didn’t want you to feel like you couldn’t keep her.” You opened your mouth to rebuttal, your eyes slightly glassy, and Cassian’s heart sunk to his stomach. “But it’s really not that bad, sweetheart. She can stay. I want her to stay.”

“Cas, it is bad. You’re miserable and I’ve been completely oblivious.” The look on your face when you spoke broke Cassian’s heart and he silently cursed himself for his inability to lie to you.

“Please, sweetheart. I don’t want you to send her away. I will be itchy for the rest of my life if it means you’re happy.” His tone was pleading, and you could have laughed were it not for you’re the pit in your stomach. He should have been asking you to find a new home for the kitten, but your generous, stubborn mate was instead advocating for the source of his discomfort to remain if only to make you happy.

You went back and forth on the matter as you flitted about the bedroom, pressing a cold compress to Cassian’s face while you removed everything Celeste had touched, hoping to ease his symptoms. By the time Cassian had to leave for a meeting, his eyes were nearly back to normal and his skin was significantly less red, but you didn’t miss how he scratched at it when he thought you weren’t looking. When he left, he pressed a kiss on your forehead and said again, “It’s okay, sweetheart. I like her too. We should keep her.”

Despite Cassian’s insistence, you spent the day contemplating how you would find your beloved pet a new home. Despite the grief you felt at being separated from her, it wasn’t reasonable to expect your mate to tolerate his allergies for the next twenty years, even if he would gladly do so for you. You waited until he was gone to cry, allowing yourself a few moments of private grief before you set off to begin asking some friends if they would be interested in a new pet.

When you returned home at the end of the day, you did so with a heavy heart. A friend of a friend who owned a book shop on the Rainbow had recently lost her cat and was more than willing to take in Celeste. Tomorrow, you would pack up her things and bring her there. You thought about how you would tell the kitten the whole walk home. How would you explain that you were bringing her somewhere else to live? How would she feel about living with someone who couldn’t understand her the way you could? Would she feel abandoned? Rejected? By the time you stepped in the door, the tears had returned. You picked her up when she greeted you, stroking her silken fur while you blubbered. It wasn’t until he had crossed the room and placed his hands on your shoulders that you registered Cassian’s presence.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He looked alarmed as he asked, a calloused hand coming up to wipe away your tears. You thought about lying to spare his guilt, but in the moment, you could conjure no excuse.

“I’m just a little sad,” you croaked. “I shouldn’t be. I found someone to take her. It’s a great home.”

To your surprise, Cassian smiled, an excited gleam in his hazel eyes. “Tell them you’re keeping her.” You opened your mouth the argue but Cassian continued, “I talked to Madja. She got me a potion to treat the allergies. I already tested it out and it works! She can stay!”

Your heart pounded, hope blooming in your chest as your mate smiled down at you. “Here, watch this.” Before you could protest, Cassian was hauling Celeste out of your arms and rubbing the bewildered feline on his face. You couldn’t help but laugh at the sight and soon Cassian was joining you. True to his word, his eyes did not swell at the contact and no red splotches appeared on his skin. He kept Celeste settled in the crook of his arm, his soft smile turning into a grin when she purred affectionately. “Madja said that over time, I might not even need the potion.”

Your heart could have burst at the tender moment. To think that your mate was willing to hide his misery just to make you happy, then sought out a solution to alleviate your guilt, was enough to bring tears to your eyes. “It really works?” you asked, and he nodded enthusiastically, bowing his head to smile down at his new pet. “You’ll tell me if it stops working, right?”

“I will.” He glanced up, catching sight of the tears in your eyes, and his eyebrow furrowed. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

You let out a choked laugh, stepping forward to wrap your arms around your mate. “Nothing’s wrong,” Cassian’s free arm wrapped around your waist, and you added, “everything is perfect, actually. I just… I can’t believe you went through all that trouble just to make me happy…”

His wings came around you then, wrapping you and Celeste in a warm embrace and he smiled, his eyes filling with sincerity. “Of course,” he pressed a kiss to your forehead and continued, “I’d do anything for you, sweetheart.”

⊱ —————— ❈  —————— ⊰

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[pedros-mustache]

✨ I AM NOT SORRY ✨

She didn’t do it on purpose.

Not at first, anyways.

It was a simple adjustment. His legs were in a wide stance— one was bent, the other thrusted long out behind him— and she weaved through the aisles of mats set just so, silent feet padding over the varnished wood floor.

Lovely, she murmured.

Beautiful, Andrea.

That’s right, Beth.

He stationed himself towards the back of the room, squirreling himself away— as if there was anywhere to hide in a room full of wall-to-wall mirrors.

Dark hair, dark eyes.

She saw him straight off, as soon as he entered the studio, and not just because he was one of the only men there— no, there was something about him. The slope of his shoulders, maybe. The crook of his nose. His mat was folded in a crumpled heap pressed to his side and he looked, in a word, skeptical. She’d seen it before; the origin stories—what possibly brought them to her class—might be different but the gut feeling - the expression - is always identical. She’s learned not to take it personally— in fact, if anything, it’s a challenge she’s aimed to rise to.

She sat at the head of the room and smiled from across the way, a lopsided little thing, welcoming him to the class. He gestured with his mat, like a stilted wave, and unfurled it with a dull splat onto the floor.

When she finally roves her way through the sea of bodies to him, they’re posed in a warrior asana, legs rooted strong into earth, chests erected like a monolith, arms linear and long, replicating the planes below.

She places her hands on his shoulders, pawing at the taut clump taking up residency there.

“Release this.”

They slump— he’s forcing it, there’s nothing ‘released’ about it, but she doesn’t comment. The man is tense. His body is coiled, tight and thrumming with a pulse all its own— ready to spring open like the jaws of some great beast.

She kneads her fingers there once - twice - more before smoothing down his back, ironing out the wrinkles of his shirt and brushing over the golden skin peeking over his waistband where his top has ridden up. She gently pulls the hem of it down.

“Good,” she coos— private, tranquil— for his ears only. She meanders back to her mat, feline and quiet, and demonstrates the next position.

A mumbled choir of namastes and the class is over. The students wobble up from their shavasanas, vision blurring as they readjust to the light, and she finds him. He’s rolling his neck out, the cords and veins there straining against the flesh, as if begging for attention.

When he opens his eyes, they meet. The brown is warmer than she expected— dangerous, too.

The ladies are all chitchatting and gossiping and clutching their proverbial pearls (or literal pearls, she notes) and scheming up plans to grab a glass at the new wine bar that’s opened down the road and it’s sucking the damn zen from the room, but hey, at least they’re enjoying themselves.

She parts the throng.

The sun has just began its descent. A glimmer of rose gold paints the room, and it bounces off the reflections there. Sharpens it— captures the prisms as they scatter across the mirrors.

He’s up on his feet by the time she gets to him.

“I don’t think I got your name.”

The second time was definitely intentional.

erikka..... ERIKKA!!!! ERIKKA!

i am a puddle of many things. the idea of her just..... like.... “hehe this is my job to touch your muscles thank you goodbye” and him being like “touch me again and i will implode” i could live in this FOR DAYS

this is the only image i will use to reaction to your writing from now on

[radicheart-a]

andy-squirrel-and-friends​:

Closed rp with @radicheart

The squirrel sinner had finally emerged from her hiding place once the extermination was finally over. Being hell for three years, she was quick to adapting to this new life. Or rather after life. Despite having a home, it was too far from the center where most of the carnage took place. The demons who weren’t so lucky usually had some type of cash or other valuables while trying to hide or flee from the exterminators.

And with her living conditions, she could always use the extra cash. So she would hide away in one of the buildings closest to where the action would be, and would quickly make her rounds from corpse to corpse to see what she could find before other demons came around to clean the streets of the bodies.

Essentially becoming a scavenger just to make ends meat. After a while she had managed to gather just enough money to get something to eat. After getting some food from the grocery store, she walked outside only to see sinners hiding away in fear as a static like hum filled the air. She looked over to see none other than the radio demon himself.

This is just the norm for Alastor whenever he goes anywhere: people hiding and watching him closely no matter what venue he decides to visit. Today, it happens to be the grocery store, and he’s also on his way out.

He’s been stopped by someone he knows that wanted to engage in some idle chitchat, making him stand in place with his paper bag held in both arms in front of him while he smiles politely and nods along with what they’re saying.

Someone else comes out, spots Alastor, and panics, hurrying past and nearly knocking the squirrel sinner over. The only thing that stops her from falling completely is a sharp-nailed hand gripping firmly but surprisingly carefully at her shoulder. 

“Whoa there! That was quite rude of him, now wasn’t it?” comes the staticky, cheerful voice as Alastor removes his hand and smiles down at her. “Are you alright, madam?”

( @andy-squirrel-and-friends )

[currentsinbiology]

Squirrels listen to birds' chitchat to gauge if trouble's afoot 

Squirrels eavesdrop on the chatter of songbirds to work out whether the appearance of a predator is cause for alarm, researchers have found.

“This study suggests that eavesdropping on public information about safety is more widespread and broader than we originally thought,” said Prof Keith Tarvin, co-author of the study from Oberlin College, Ohio.

“It may not require tight ecological relationships that allow individuals to carefully learn the cues provided by other species,” he added, noting that the grey squirrels and songbirds in the study moved from place to place without regard for the other.

[okageshadowkingfannovel]

Book 1: Chapter 2

The next night finds Ari and his curious family standing together in the living room. Framed ancestors peer down upon their descendants with haughty seriousness. A fire dances and crackles in the fireplace, driving away the chill seeping through the house’s bones and playing a snappy percussion to the family’s musings.

“Hmmm … the crest is … I think … hmmmm,” says Ari’s father, furiously rubbing his chin to redness in thought.

The family stands around the mysterious, moaning, moldy, still quite unopened bottle. The purple clashes violently with the swirling beige pattern of the antique rug and it starts to give Ari a headache. Ari’s mother giggles.

“You’re obsessed with that bottle, dear. You always did love antiques.”

Ari’s mother is too right. The whole family - mother, Ari, Annie, and even grandmother and grandfather - have been called into the living room to try and puzzle out the bottle with the unbudgeable cork. They have been standing there for at least an hour and a half.

“I still say we just smash it open,” Ari’s grandfather pipes up from the couch.

“Uh huh, uh huh, that’s right, honey.”

“No, no, Dad, this is no ordinary bottle. It’s special, so you have to open it in a special way.”

Ari’s father doesn’t see the dramatic eye roll making its way around the room.

“Oh! You know what?” Ari’s mother suddenly exclaims, “I just remembered. The circus is in the field tonight.”

“Hmmm, the circus,” muses Ari’s grandfather, “you know, I was in a circus before we got married. But back then, we were in true love. Isn’t that right, honey?”

“Uh huh, uh huh, that’s right, honey.”

“Yes, yes, Dad, very romantic,” says Ari’s mother, “but Ari, Annie, why don’t you go and have fun?”

“Alright, Ma, see ya!”

With a whip of her perfectly set pigtails, Annie turns to run off.

“Oh! Annie! You shouldn’t go out alone at night. Go with your brother.”

As if waiting for this opportune moment, Annie looks over her shoulder and gives a triumphant smirk to her mother.

“It’s ok. Chad is picking me up. I’m going out on a date tonight.”

The words ‘Chad’ and ‘date’ wash over Ari’s mother like some divine tidal wave. She looks at her daughter, her eyes sparkling with joy and pride.

“Oh Annie! You’re going on a date! You’ve grown up! I’m so happy for you!”

But Annie is gone before the praises can even reach her. Ari’s mother collects herself with a few sniffles and a dab or two at her eyes with the end of her sleeve.

Ari turns to leave as well, but is stopped by his father.

“Ari, my son! Let’s talk for a while, boy!”

The phrase is saturated with paternal sentiment and Ari gets a brick like feeling in his stomach that this will take much, much longer than just ‘a while.’ Like the dutiful son that he is, Ari about faces and returns to his spot before the bottle, by his father’s side.

“Ahem, this bottle … this bottle,” his father begins.

“It’s pretty awesome,” says Ari half-heartedly, “I mean, the color … purple is so cool.”

“Oh! You can tell! Good! Listen, this crest on the bottle.” His father gestures vaguely at the tangled design. “If my theory is correct, this crest is in the shape of the tail of the Rainbow Rat that only comes out by moonlight, namely …”

“Oh, um, and?”

His father carries on, speaking quickly and unleashing all the excitement that has been building ever since he found the ridiculous bottle with the long back story. To his credit, Ari sincerely tries to understand his father’s retelling of the bottle saga, but he can only catch and fathom every fifth sentence or so.

“… Among those ancient rituals is …”

“… and the curve of the handle is …”

“… foretold by the shoelace weaver …”

“… with the proper harmonics …”

“… all you need is a little garlic …”

“… at 200 degrees for an hour …”

“… No, wait, let me see …”

“… Then, yes! No … no …”

“Then, it’s simple quantum physics.”

Some time later, the question “do you understand, son?” reaches Ari and it takes the boy a minute to realize he’s actually meant to respond to something.

Ari glances at the clock on the mantel above the fireplace.

Two hours have passed.

The rest of the family has disappeared and the fire has shrunk to embers.

“Oh, th-the circus …” leaves Ari’s mouth.

“Huh? Circus? Oh, the circus! Yes, the circus was tonight, I remember. Well, don’t just stand there. Go and have some fun, boy! We can talk more about this tomorrow.”

“Thanks, dad,” Ari says quickly before launching himself out of the living room.

He throws himself out the front door into a dark, cool night. The moon is full and golden yellow, hanging high in a star filled sky. It’s all quiet save for crickets and the breeze rustling the trees and Ari’s harsh panting as he runs. Ari leaps down the stone path to the front gate, hoping he hasn’t missed it. Maybe he can catch the grand finale. That’s always the best part anyway. Maybe he’ll be able to find Julia.

Following the pale moonlit path, he comes to the crossroads and turns towards Tenel Field. There’s a clearing off to the right from the path, tucked away in Tenel Forest. Usually, all that sits there is an old stone circle with a massive pillar sticking up out of the middle. It’s ancient and harmless and it doesn’t take up a great amount of space. Tonight, it would be joined by a massive tent and loads of people and the sounds of an amazing performance.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who’s there?”

Ari stops and suddenly notices the sentry standing guard. He must’ve gone too far and missed the clearing.

“Geez,you scared me, kid,” says the man on sentry duty. He’s a skinny, pale young man that looks barely able to stop a squirrel, let alone a ghost.

“Sorry,” Ari wheezes.

“Anyway, it’s dangerous to go out there at night,” he says, gesturing behind him, “man, I can’t believe I got this shift tonight when the circus is in town.”

“Right, sorry.”

Ari turns and runs back to where the clearing should be. Somehow, he had run right past the banner hovering ghost-like over the smaller pathway leading into the clearing. As he draws closer to the hulking black silhouette of the circus tent, it strikes Ari how quiet it is. There is no laughter or cheering or the thunder of applause. There’s not even the babble of chitchat as people spill out into the night and head home. Ari’s heart sinks.

Before the yawning entrance to the darkened circus tent stand Levi, Julia, and, off to the side, a short, portly man with a thick black mustache and a tall top hat. Assuredly the ringmaster, he looks incredibly tired and drained. Ari trots to a defeated halt in front of his friends.

“Oh, Ari,” starts Julia, distracted by the sound of Ari’s exhausted panting, “good evening.”

“Hey Ari, what’s going on? The circus is over.” It can’t be seen in the dark, but the smugness on Levi’s face drips into his words. “Ha ha ha! You’re such a loser! You always miss out!”

Ari looks at Julia and tries to make out the expression on her face in the dark, dark night, but he finds it unreadable. She doesn’t say a word.

“Anyway, come on, Julia. I know a place with a great view. Let’s take a walk. We’ll see you later, Ari.”

“Um … bye, Ari,” Julia whispers as she and Levi circle round him to stroll on down the path.

For a moment, Ari watches their figures disappear into the dark. He wonders if he should have said something. But then, if so, what could he have said. He sighs, his lungs still aching from his race to the clearing.

“Ah, nothing beats a drink after work!”

Ari looks to see the pudgy ringmaster tilting his head back and raising an ambiguous looking bottle to give himself a long drink. After a long and fairly impressive moment, the ringmaster finally lowers the bottle and punctuates with a hiccup, a burp, and a satisfied sigh. Then, the ringmaster turns a bit.

“Huh? Hey kiddo, circus is already over,” says the ringmaster in a not unkind manner.

“Yeah, I figured,” says Ari gloomily.

“By the way, …” The ringmaster takes a few steps closer.

Ari can suddenly detect the smell of popcorn, peanuts, sweat, and high proof drink clouding off of the ringmaster’s person. By the light of the moon, he can suddenly see the polka dots on the man’s tie and vest and a strange haunted look in the man’s large, round eyes.

“Kid, did you know that your spirit seems a bit … I dunno, overshadowed?”

Ari gives an exasperated huff. “Yeah, I guess.” The social tragedy of tonight weighs heavily on him, and Ari is not really in the mood.

“Everybody tells you that, huh?” The ringmaster fidgets the bottle in his hand, making the liquid inside slosh and swirl.

“Yeah, thanks for bringing it up.”

“Ha ha ha, calm down, kid. I don’t mean to rattle your chain.” The ringmaster’s demeanor suddenly takes on an air of concern. “But, watch yourself. Stay strong, kiddo. Heh heh heh.”

The ringmaster ends with a hearty chuckle and another long swig from his bottle.

“Right,” says Ari as he turns to walk back up the path, “have a good night, sir.”

“Will do, boy, heh heh,” calls the ringmaster, “take care!”

With hands in pockets, Ari slowly makes his way back to the main path and heads towards the crossroads. As he walks, his mind fills and drowns with all the ‘overshadowed’ business that always seems to buzz around him. Heck, even the ringmaster, a complete stranger, picked it off him in barely the blink of an eye. Is he really so ordinary, so unmemorable, so unnoticeable?

Overshadowed?

What a crappy night.

“Omigod!”

Ari looks up from his shoes. The cry came from just up ahead at the crossroads. It sounded like Annie’s voice.

He breaks into a run. Just in front of the directional sign, Ari catches two human figures - one standing and one lying on the ground. And then, looming over them …

“Oh no! It’s-it’s-it’s a ghost! It’s a ghost!”

A huge misty white cloud with glowing yellow eyes bobs up and down over the couple like a drunken fish.

“Somebody! Help!”

The standing figure suddenly goes running back towards town, leaving the other still lying motionless on the ground, at the mercy of the wandering specter. The realization punches Ari in the stomach and he feels the blood drain from his face. That’s Annie lying on the ground.

Without thinking, he charges the ghost, a guttural yell ripping from his throat.

To his surprise, this actually works.

The yellow eyes fall on the screaming boy and widen in what might be surprise. Mid-bob, it spins round fast and drifts off into the trees, fading away into the night air and the dark.

“Ari?” Suddenly, his father is running down the path from the house. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Unable to get the words out, Ari crashes to his knees beside his sister. He puts out his hands, but is afraid to touch her.

“Annie? Oh god, Annie!”

His father gets down beside him and gently touches the girl’s small shoulders.

“Annie? Can you hear me? This is your father. Annie! Open your eyes!”

Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10 • Chapter 11 • Chapter 12 • Chapter 13 • Chapter 14 • Chapter 15 • Chapter 16 - Finale

NOTE: Okage Shadow King is owned by Sony Computer Entertainment and Zener Works. This novelization is purely a fan-work and the writer claims no ownership over the characters, general plot line(s), etc.

[vagrantblvrd]

I’m just. Crinkle Dot AU where Michael gets ~kidnapped by some idiots (not the crew) who are dumb rather than dangerous?

Maybe they needed him to fix up one of their buddies and it gets...not quite awkward but obvious they’ve never kidnapped someone before, you know?

Steal a car or two, somehow manage to rob a store, but nothing really major and they all know Michael’s never in any real danger? Especially as time goes by while Michael’s treating their buddy and it gets awkward enough for one of his kidnappers to start up some small talk?

Michael is just so very ??? with these idiots and a little amused and why not chitchat with them to pass the time?

Somehow they get on the topic of significant others and this happens before people find out Michael’s got a thing going with the Vagabond, right, so Michael’s not naming names.

Just complains about this asshole who messes up his place and leaves his shit everywhere (the guns and knives and other assorted weaponry Ryan was stashing around Michael’s place like the demented squirrel he is, claiming it’s all for Michael’s safety and such.

This asshole whose friends are the weirdest people Michael’s ever met - and goes off on a rant about them showing up unannounced and so on. Eating all his food, drinking his beer and all that.

This asshole who is just the worst - no, seriously, the abso-fucking-lute worst while his kidnappers commiserate with him and offer advice and such.

They bond, because of course they do, and when Ryan shows up to ~rescue Michael thinking he’s in Dire Trouble he’s greeted with them laughing like morons and Micahel looking Ryan dead in the eye,

“Maybe I just have bad taste in men,” and Ryan shuffling his feet awkwardly because clearly this is not a Dire Situation kind of deal.

Not with Michael sharing drinks with a bunch of idiots - one that MIchael must have been kidnapped to patch up, what with the bandages and whatnot - and he’s just.

“Uh?”

Because what even???

Michael shaking his head and thanking his kidnappers for the drink before he reminds the injured one to keep his stitches dry and so on and leaves with Ryan who is still utterly befuddled.

Michael humming a little to himself and leaning towards Ryan because it’s cold out and he’s not wearing a jacket and why the hell not, you know.

Ryan doesn’t say anything until they’re in his Zentorno a few streets away, and then he’s just.

“What the hell happened back there?”

Michael giving him that shit-eating grin of his and telling him it was nothing, just some idiot kids who don’t know what the fuck they’re doing and don’t give ‘em a hard time about it, okay? (He knows, okay, knows Ryan’s going to go back and “talk” with them later, or maybe he’ll get Gavin or Jeremy to do it for him, who knows.)

Ryan being all fidgety and fussy because what if Michael was serious about having bad taste in men???

And Michael, okay, he knows Ryan well enough by that point to snort and be like.

“You’re not a complete asshole,” which is more or less the truth, really.

“Flattering,” Ryan says, cutting a look at him. “But I’ll take it.”

Michael with this stupid fond look on his face because Ryan actually is pretty terrible? But so is Michael, so that probably cancels out. Or something,

Whatever.

(Also later the idiots who kidnapped Michael end up as members of B-Team so it really does work out. Even if Ryan will sometimes find Michael and them commiserating about their relationship ~woes and such and Michael being a little shit about it because he can.)