#gotta also show off that scythe

[areyousanta]

Gotta make a matching one like I did with the demon bow

[firestorm09890]

FUCK what I said about the majority of significant changes to dialogue in Re:CoM being to adjust Axel's characterization, the most egregious change is actually this

(GBA CoM)

(Re:CoM)

if I had to guess, the reason for this change was because in GBA CoM, The Superior was a spooky, unknown being at the head of this Organization we had very little knowledge on, and for Vexen, the guy who runs his mouth constantly about how much better he is than the others, to be terrified of him, he must be some pretty scary dude. But then after kh2 we know him, it's Xemnas, he's very dramatic, he likes to talk to the moon, and the effect of your mind filling in the gaps about what "The Superior" must be like is gone. So it wasn't really necessary anymore, right?

(rest under cut because it's long)

Except... the way they changed it is so weird. In the GBA version, what's happening is pretty clear:

Marluxia tells Vexen that his project is a failure

Vexen demonstrates that he does not give a shit about Marluxia's opinion

he does care very much about The Superior's opinion, though, and Marluxia uses this to blackmail him into eliminating Sora- an action which is nonsensical, as the entire point of what they're doing needs Sora alive, making it clear to everyone in the room that he is deliberately sending Vexen to die

and then after that, when Vexen shows up to fight Sora, he goes "if you want to fight me for real you've gotta do it in the memories from the other side of your heart lol bye" and Sora goes "huh? other side?" and then it cuts to a scene on the top floor:

and then this gets more into subtext but here, Vexen has realized he's totally fucked and his only hope is to mess directly with Marluxia's plans (well, they were the Organization's plans, but it's pretty obvious by now Marluxia's abusing his power for his own purposes) by giving Sora more information than he should know. This does get the traitor gang worried enough to send Axel to go kill him (as opposed to just letting Sora take care of him, which was presumably the original plan)- he very specifically cuts Vexen off to keep him from saying too much (this is retained between the original and the remake)

Anyway, what happens in Re:CoM sort of follows the same order of events, but everything is changed slightly in a way that just makes things more confusing.

Marluxia tells Vexen his project is a failure and Vexen demonstrates that he doesn't give a shit about Marluxia's opinion, as before

Marluxia threatens Vexen with a weapon, rather than threatening to tell the Superior

this, notably, does not seem to faze Vexen very much. he continues to run his mouth while having the scythe pointed at him.

Xemnas is still leveraged- Marluxia points out it was the Superior who entrusted him with the castle

...even though reasonably Vexen would already be aware of this, and has still demonstrated that he has zero respect for Marluxia despite it

the lines about betraying the Organization being a capital crime are retained, probably because it's super relevant later, but then that line of thinking is abandoned in favor of Marluxia and Larxene just taunting Vexen instead

The part where Marluxia says "do it. you won't" could be seen as a sort of threat... if not for Axel's line: "You give a challenge like that to Vexen and he'll seriously want to eliminate Sora." It frames it all as though Vexen went to fight Sora out of some sort of pride.

And look, Vexen may have a temper and a superiority complex, but he's not stupid. They're obviously baiting him. Plus, what happened to him seeing himself as above the others and countering things he doesn't like with "well actually I'm higher ranked than you and also you're an idiot"? Is he that insecure in his fighting capabilities? I could deal with characterization changes doing him dirty if it didn't also make no sense in the context of the plot.

So now we have Vexen going to try to kill Sora, something that really makes no sense to do, out of pride. What was the purpose of sending Sora to Twilight Town? Also pride, over the fact that he managed to get that information? Giving the writing the benefit of the doubt, I could say that these nonsensical actions can be explained as evidence that Nobodies can have hearts and people with hearts do strange and rash things, but that just feels like a reach, which is bad because what they had in GBA CoM worked perfectly fine and made sense without any reaching for the "idk emotions make you do strange things" explanation.

It continues. After Vexen gives Sora the Twilight Town card in Re:CoM and Sora wonders about what the "other side" means, this is that version of the conversation the top floor members have:

...what? "If Sora disappears, that would mess up the Organization's plans"? what are you worried about? the only reason Sora would disappear is if Vexen killed him. there's no way they think Vexen being in Twilight Town would give him an advantage, right? they know he's a pathetic fighter. "Vexen has clearly committed a treasonous act against the Organization" HOW? HOW IS IT CLEAR? they don't express any worry about Sora learning too much, up until Axel says "I came to stop you from talking too much" when killing Vexen- and that being there makes it seem like they were worried about Sora learning to much, but if that's the case, why would they replace the perfectly serviceable lines in the above scene? it's just... baffling that they would want to lean into the narrative that Vexen going to kill Sora (which he'd been goaded into doing) is the problem here, because it just makes so little sense compared to what it was originally.

once again giving them the benefit of the doubt: Marluxia's real plan was to take over the Organization, and he saw an easy way to pick off one of the members, so he took it. the motive for stopping Vexen doesn't actually matter.

buuuuut it's the same as with Vexen earlier. Marluxia may be too self-absorbed and power-hungry to notice Axel is scheming against him, but he, too, is an intelligent man. he's plotted for a while, getting into Xemnas's good graces in order to be put in charge of the Castle. this is incredibly sloppy for him. I guess it could be said that getting so close to his goal would make him sloppy, but again, if they'd just left things the way they were in GBA CoM, I wouldn't even have to be saying this

in conclusion: GBA Chain of Memories' intra-Organization strife subplot is so tightly woven with calculated moves on all sides that Re:CoM changing certain things without taking into consideration the consequences makes certain parts of the plot fall flat and become far more confusing than in the original story

[nczaversnick]

WIP Questionnaire Tag

Thanks to @honeybewrites for the tag!

Rules: Answer the questions about a WIP!

These are for Project Gemini, with my answers in green and Rachelles in purple :)8

What's the first part of your WIP that you created?

For me, that would be Gemini. Or his concept anyway. A person with both fire and ice powers. Everything else was built around this one idea.

Uhh.. There aren't any parts I necessarily *created*, but more like added on. I've been here since the beginning. (We don't talk about the previous draft before I came into the picture) (Also, SIKE, I LIED. I created loveable Mason.)

If your story was a TV show, what would the theme song/intro be?

I'm not sure what I would go with, but off the very top of my head, I’d say the chorus in From Now On in the The Greatest Showman

Oooo, definitely Run by Iron Kid

What are your favorite characters you've made? Why?

Oh, definitely Adrian. He was originally the main character, so I developed his character way before I got to anyone else. He's the only one who didn't get replaced when I revamped everything a few years back.

I'm Adrian biased always, but I think I'm starting to have a bit of a soft spot for Mason and Iris - mainly because I don't know them that well, and that's a perfect start for me falling in love with them.

What other pieces of media do you think your fanbase would share?

Definitely the Lunar Chronicles. Probably Arc of a Scythe, too. Both series showed me how much I can do with multiple POVs to tell a story, but both are about revolutions and fighting for what is right

I don't think I understand this question

I hope they share sick animatics. That would be cool as Hell.

How do characters travel/get around?

Generally speaking, magneticlly powered trains and cars are the main transportation in the city

OH SHIT an underground rat maze in the sewers throughout the city would be sick af.

They mainly walk. Gotta keep hidden, ya know?

What part of your WIP are you working on right now?

I am currently trying to turn an outline into actual scenes. But I don't write like…whole chapters. I tend to write small snippets in random spots until there's enough to start trying to connect them

I'm constantly fluctuating between fixing what I've already worked on and continuing off from when someone gets their shit rocked for no reason (there's a reason, but it's a dumb reason)

What aspects/tropes do you think will draw your audience in?

I mean, who wouldn't love a dystopian lead by a found family of queer people?

Injustice and angsty slow burns.

What are your hopes for your WIP?

I have always wanted to publish this. Because I do actually want to be a published author, I enjoy writing and sharing stories with people, especially one so personal to me. A very longshot hope I have is that I'd love to see this made into a tv show, though I'd go 2D animation, not live action.

I obviously want to make something I'm proud of working on, but also use as a learning experience for my own projects. (I'm an entirely separate entity and *not* a growth from N.C.‘s brain)

Tagging: @wyked-ao3 @the-golden-comet @fractured-shield @theverumproject @the-letterbox-archives @ath3alin +open tag :)8

[retroactivebakeries]

The Scriptures of the Maidens as Dril Tweets

The Eternal Maiden: pissed off by the idea of my ass becoming grass The Desirable Maiden: drunk driving may kill a lot of people, but it also helps a lot of people get to work on time, so, it;s impossible to say if its bad or not, The Maiden at Sea: (witnessing the flaming wreckage of a 6-car pile up) ah. Respect. More power

The Maiden Entombed: my grave is just a huge tv displaying videos of me doing parkour in hell and it makes all the other graves look like shit The Maiden and Shadow: who the fuck is scraeming 'LOG OFF' at my house. show yourself, coward. i will never log off Lover and Maiden: damn it to piss. my wife replaced all of my anti-wife reading materials with Pro-Wife bullshit The Hunted Maiden: (dismissing waitress handing me the check with a hand wave) no thank you. i dont believe in any of that The Bride: i lvoe and cherish all of the girls of this site, and other websites. you all become my wife more and more with each passing day. Thank you The Dancer: my watch beeps whwich means its time to stand in front of my ex-wife's house and play "Hit THe Road Jack" while dacning and licking her mail The Desperate Maiden: ive signed a 1 Month Pact w/ my wife which grants her the right to viciously berate me online, as long as she watches & supports my Stream's The Clay Maiden: (playing russian roullette and its my turn) hasta the vista mother fucker (shoots the other guy The Drowning Maiden: joke's on you; i actually love being body slammed by one dozen perfect wrestlers. and my mouth isn't filled with bloodm, it's victory wine The Maiden on the Shelf: strongest blade in the world, howeve,r it is so fragile as to shatter when handled by any force other than the delicate touch of a lesbian . The One-Handed Maiden: BOSS TELLS ME I CAN KISS MY FERRETS AT WORK, BUT NO OPEN MOUTH. I PUNCH THE FLOOR SO HARD HIS SCREEN SAVER DEACTIVATES The Maiden at War: astrally projecting my brain into antifa head quarters and memorizing their combat patterns is the easiest shit i have ever done in my life That Old Thing: if someone posts something that is good then i will look at it and think its good. Simple The Savory Maiden: Your replies have been simply Fire. Love the energy but please do keep any talk of boiling me alive to a minimum as that is against the law The Maiden in Terror: big bird was obviously just a man in a suit. but the other ones were too small to contain men. so what the fuck The Maiden in Chains: i was tricked into sending $100000 to a man claiming to be DB Coopers son. and not a single one of my followers even bothered dialing 911 Absence: no The Maiden and the Dust: so long suckers! i rev up my motorcylce and create a huge cloud of smoke. when the cloud dissipates im lying completely dead on the pavement The Maiden and the Scythe: people come up to me and say, "I will never use the bathroom. I will never shit" and i gotta tell them pal, sooner or later youre gonna shit The Maiden's Promise: the doctor reveals my blood pressure is 420 over 69. i hoot & holler outta the building while a bunch of losers try to tell me that im dying The Expectant Maiden: as far as im concerned the best revenge is ordering wolf piss online & pouring it into soneones car. "living well" is too hard The Maiden and the Road: obliviously driving m y car through chernobyl , absorbing lethal anmounts of radiation while looking for cute girls

[marine-indie-gal]

I'd figure why not draw something special for one of my Close Friends that being @djinarocks of her Recent OC/Canon Ship between her own OC, Elodie and Lucien Bolok from The French Cartoon, "Space Goofs" (which is funny, considering that I was the one that made her dive into that Show in the First Place, lmao).

Anyway, considering that her own New Ship has got Me Hooked that somehow continues to fuel towards my liking towards Bolok (since both Me and @djinarocks like Him a lot).

Gotta say, Bolok kinda reminds Me a bit of Charlton Hawkfish from SpongeBob if he was a Creature Assassin rather than an Sewer Architect.

Gotta be honest, Bolok's head (compare to my very first drawing of him if he were in an Opposite Species) was VERY hard to draw. Like, seriously, his Skull was so confusing I couldn't tell if he was either Square-Shaped or Triangle-Headed until when I realized that he was more Pentagon-Shaped.

The Pose itself that I did for My Friend's Second Xilam OC/Canon Ship after Z&S! Hadephone was mainly inspired by the Statue of Death and the Maiden by Elna Borch, since I always get amount of Heavy "Grim" vibes from Bolok (even after my First Interpretation of Him as an Alien) so I had to recreate the Statue with My Friend's Ship just because that her Second Xilam Ship fits in that Category as well (at least, according to her when I asked).

(Funny enough though, her own version of Hades/Persephone in Xilam's Multiverse goes all the way back being one of the very first Death/Maiden Ships).

I wanted to draw my Friend's Recent OC in the Show's Artstyle (compare to how I did with some of her Other OCs in their own Fandoms' Media's Personal Artstyle) to see on how Elodie would look like if she was an Actual Character (which I've realized that I kinda made her look a lot like Jessica Rabbit).

Also, drawing Guns/Blasters are an Real Actual Hell compare to how I draw Buildings (which I mostly Hate). I had to took some Screencaps for Bolok's blaster from the Show as a Reference to his own Weapon cause I needed some help figuring out on what his own Blaster might truly look like (as an akin to the Grim Reaper's Scythe from the Statue).

Hope you really like this a lot, @djinarocks and Happy 4th of July! 🤍💙❤️💙🤍❤️

(P.S. I do NOT own the Background as I randomly got that off from Google as they were from Adobe Stock).

Lucien Bolok (c) Xilam

Elodie Auclair (c) @djinarocks

[flo55i]

Maxiel. 2k. Max as the Grim Reaper. Daniel as the lost soul he’s ferrying to Heaven. Because there are some things you shouldn’t have to do alone. tw: death but it’s as fluffy as I get, promise. And also possibly tw; blasphemy?

Daniel wakes up in the same clothes he died in.  He laughs at the irony of the phrase, ‘wouldn’t be caught dead in’, never believing it would apply to him. The only reason he wore the faded red track-pants out of the house was to collect the bins with. Now they look a deep purple colour in the dark swirly mist thing that the afterlife apparently has going for it.

Suddenly realising he’s dead, Daniel puts his hands in his pockets just to make sure he still has control of all his limbs and is distracted by the fact his phone isn’t in them. It makes sense. But like. He can’t remember the last time he was without it. It was definitely there when he— Quickly, Daniel pulls the elastic band around the waist of his pants back and checks his dick is still there. 

“Thank God.” He mutters to himself. 

“God? Like that idiot has got anything to do with this.” Says a curt and surly voice from behind him.

Daniel swivels and comes face to face with Death. Or at least he thinks it is. The long swirling black cloak and the huge scythe that is taller than he is, is a dead giveaway. Literally. Immediately Daniel’s first instinct is to run, but as soon as he takes off in one direction, there’s a snap of fingers and he’s right back where he started from. 

“Was that fun?” The guy says, scowling down at Daniel from where he landed at his feet. At the sarcasm, Daniel takes his hands off his head and dares to finally open his eyes. He thinks he’s more startled to find that Death has sneakers on than the fact that he’s still alive— Daniel places a hand on his chest, checking— still breathing. Whatever he is. He doesn’t know if he’s technically dead or is he in some kind of Limbo? He looks around. It looks like it could be the land in between heaven and hell. What with the dark clouds and the horizon of agonising nothingness and—

“I can do this all day you know.” The guy says, interrupting Daniel’s freak out by tapping his scythe impatiently on the ground. Then uncrossing his arm, muttering to himself he adds, “Not like I’m busy or anything.” 

Slowly getting to his feet and brushing off the mist still clinging to his bare chest, Daniel asks, “You’re not like, going to reap me and shit are you?”

Death rolls his eyes. “What is it that you think I am going to do? You are already dead!”

The hood falls back off his face as he raises his hands in exasperation and Daniel can see this guy is younger than him, and pretty much human too. At least he is from the outside. He doesn’t look very menacing. Especially with those pouty lips and bright blue eyes. Angel, yes. Evil, no. 

If he really is dead like this guy says, Daniel was kinda expecting a scary skeleton type-a-thing, like how they showed in movies and comic books and stuff. No soul, no eyes. This guy looks anything but evil incarnated, what with the way he’s just waving his scythe around all over the place like a toddler throwing a tantrum. Maybe Daniel got the defective grim reaper or something?

“I mean, I’m not telling you how to do your job or anything.” Daniel starts, trying to be nice. By the sounds of it, this guy has probably had a hard day already. Or Eternity. Whatever. “But like, isn’t this the part where you take my soul?”

“Trust me.” Death says, staring Daniel down pitifully. “I do not want your stupid soul.” 

“Oh.” Daniel doesn’t know whether to be offended or not so he just asks, “So what ARE you here to do then? ‘Cause I gotta tell ya dude, that scythe looks pretty ominous to me.” 

Though the response gets an eye roll, Daniel thinks he can see the barest hint of a smile underneath it. 

Coughing, he then states, all official like, “My name is Max and I am here because it is my duty to guide you into the afterlife.” 

Max holds out the arm not carrying the weapon in invitation and Daniel takes the hint and starts walking. There’s rocks and uneven terrain that he has to climb over and crouch through. There are no trees or birds, no life except whatever he and Max are considered right now. Daniel didn’t know what he was expecting, fire and brimstone? 

They come to a lake and at Max’s gentle look, Daniel moves silently forward. It’s cool and the water laps at his collarbones, coming up to his neck. His foot slips and Max grabs his arm, saving his head from going under. He shivers away from the freezing cold touch. The hands don’t linger, as if Max knows that they feel like having a corpse clinging to Daniel’s body. Body moving again, Daniel refrains from rubbing his arm and tries not to think of the water being made up of thousands of souls who didn’t make it across beneath him.

Suddenly, Daniel can’t stand the silence. He tries a joke. “Why did the chicken go to the seance?” 

“I do not know?” Max looks unsure. But more so at the fact that Daniel is actually talking to him about something so stupid and not because he doesn’t know the answer. He plays along though, finally asking, “Why did the chicken go to the seance?”

“To get to the other side.” Daniel replies with a grin. 

“That was terrible.” But Max is looking at least faintly amused again so Daniel doesn’t believe him. 

They’ve reached the opposite bank now and Daniel steps free from the water. He feels lighter, like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. Looking down, his pants aren’t even soaked. He doesn’t feel as cold either even though his skin is just as cold to the touch. It’s like he’s acclimatised and has simply gotten used to being here.

“So where are we going then?” He can’t help but ask. There’s nothing in front of them or beside them now, just a whole heap of swirling mist he can’t see anything through. “Up or down? Stairway to heaven or the Highway to hell?”

Max sighs. “Up.” 

“Yes! Woo hoo! Take that Mr Brown who thought I’d never get anywhere good!” Excited, Daniel starts singing. “And she’s buy-ying a stairway to—”

“If you sing one more word I will cut you down right here.” Max puts the blade right up against Daniel’s neck. 

“Chill dude. Relax.” Daniel tries to reassure whilst gently guiding the scythe away from his throat. It might not be able to kill him, but he doesn’t wanna spend the rest of eternity without a head either. Where was that nice guy with the smile from earlier? Daniel keeps talking, trying to find him again.

“So what’s it like then? Heaven?” He asks whilst drifting his fingers through the puffs of clouds at his hips. It disappears in seconds, like the water, without him feeling anything at all. 

“Is it Paradise like everyone says it is? Comfy digs, all I can eat? That sort of thing?” Daniel hopes the food is at least real. He can’t imagine not eating for the rest of eternity. “And are there hot angels flying around as far as the eye can see?” Daniel adds mostly to get a rise out of the one beside him. 

Max ignores him, long strides taking him slightly ahead. Daniel can feel that there’s some sort of frosty tension now, like Max is actually mad at him instead of just his usual surly and unpleasant self. 

“You know I always thought there’d be more trees and leaves around. More greenery.” Daniel muses out loud to himself since Max has gone quiet. “And like, I’m not going to be by myself up there, right? My family will be waiting, yeah? Cause that would suck, spending eternity alone and every—”

“I don’t know, ok!” Max shouts. Daniel stops when he does. 

“What?” He asks incredulously. “You’ve never been? Aren’t you an Angel? Isn’t that like, home base or whatever?” 

Max starts moving again and him not answering is answer enough for Daniel. “Is it a rule or something? No fraternising with the enemy or some shit?”

“I don’t—” Max starts, and Daniel is unnerved to see Death looking so startled. “I don’t remember.”

“How can you not remember?” Daniel snorts, struggling to keep up with Max’s pace. 

“I have been doing this for as long as I can remember. I don’t know what there was before.” Max whispers sullenly. “It is maybe punishment for something, I think, but I can’t be sure.”

Just as Daniel is about to ask what type of person is charged with leading him to heaven, Max holds the tip of his scythe up to point at something up ahead. They’ve reached the gates now. Actual pearly gates, not a hint of gold in sight. And they only open when Daniel approaches them after Max takes a step back. 

They creak charmingly, like a garden gate he barely remembers from childhood. There’s sunshine shining from somewhere beyond the clouds and it smells like summer rain and his grandmother’s chocolate chip cookies she would always have ready for him when he visited her. And Daniel knows everything that flashed before his eyes as the garbage truck hit him lies within— everything his Sunday school teacher taught him a life of good deeds has afforded him, but he just can’t seem to make himself take that final step. He hesitates. 

“Well?” Max asks impatiently. “What are you waiting for? Go!”

Daniel shuffles on his feet, only now realising he’s barefoot. The entire journey here, rocks and lakes and mountains of dirt and he hadn’t felt a thing. Max did that. Max got him here safely even though he clearly didn’t want to. “But what about you?” 

The question seems to stun Max, like no one has ever asked it before and it makes Daniel think that he has been fucking up his job all this time if the so called ‘virtuous people’ he’s been ferrying across Limbo to the afterlife don’t even have any human decency left to ask. 

“I suppose I will go and get the next idiot who cannot make it across on their own.” Max states bitterly. 

“By yourself?” Max looks away as he shrugs and Daniel can’t help but wonder what the crime was he supposedly committed that would warrant him to spend an eternity of torture having to watch as everyone else got their happily ever after and not him. “But for how long?”

Max is looking into the scythe now, like he can see all the answers to his past in its blade. Daniel can. Its shiny surface reflects the pearly gates and the Paradise beyond made up of everything he ever thought he could want in life. Family, friends, warmth, happiness…. But Daniel’s already had a crack at living that one. And it only ended up with him being sent here to Max.

“Don’t suppose you want any company, do you?” Daniel asks, half jokingly, half not, just to gauge Max’s reaction. He’s never believed in destiny or any shit like that, but who he is to turn down an actual Angel of God looking at him like he is the answer to all the mysteries and wonders in the universe. 

Holding out a hand, he takes the scythe from Max and suddenly Daniel is engulfed in a sea of black fabric. 

“Sweet.” He quips looking down at the same cloak as Max’s that’s now wrapped around him too. With the other hand not holding on to the scythe he holds it out to Max. “How’s about it then? We could call it a double team approach?”  

Looking back at the slightest glimpse of heaven he’s only ever been able to see, Max looks troubled. “Are you sure of this? I do not know if you can go back.” 

At the caution and care in those words, Daniel wonders who could have abandoned Max when he had obviously offered them to the last reaper. ‘Casue Daniel now knows that’s what must have happened. Max couldn’t ever be some heinous butcher or something like that. No one who has so much compassion and longing for human companionship could be capable of something so cruel as that.

“Well I ain’t no chicken.” Daniel laughs in reference to his own joke. “It ain’t all about getting to the other side, you know.” 

This time, the hand that grasps Daniel’s own is warm and full and together they glow a golden colour that makes him believe that this has always been a job better handled with two. 

“But you will not slow me down of course.” Max warns, still looking stunned at the glow. “I actually have a job to do and I can’t be holding your hand the whole time.”

And Daniel knows he’s bullshitting by how hard Max is still clinging to his hand but he lets it slide. After an eternity of dealing with ungrateful souls running and begging to have their lives back when he is only trying to offer them something so much better, Max has earned some faith of his own. 

“Then lead on, oh grimmest of reapers, you.” Daniel says and follows as Max leads them back the way they came.

Hands still tied by the souls that shine bright within, and by the burden of the scythe now shared between them, together they make the long journey back towards oblivion and beyond. 

[ogamagirl]

there aren't a lot left, but I'm gonna answer the rest of those cat-themed asks under the cut, cause I want to uvu 💕 also an excuse to show off the full version of my new icon because I'm so so in love with this pic of us rn ;/////; (artist is oozegod!)

Tabby: Are they snuggly? Are you? If so, what are your favourite ways to cuddle?

-I am a KNOWN snuggler, I always be snugglin' =w= he's always been touchy-feely too, but in a lower key kind of way (if he's close/comfy with you there's a lot of shoulder/back patting) so it was quite easy to get him to warm up to how much I liked to snuggle and now we both love it TuT we are always touching if we're sitting on the couch together; if we're not in each other's laps/laying on each other we've got our legs crossed against each other or hands on knees or what have you, but once we're home and done for the day we're usually spooning on the couch - our heights lend themselves nicely to me being little spoon and him being big but sometimes we switch it up (gotta give my boy some lil spoon time u3u 💕)

Ginger: Who is the most intelligent? Who is the sensible one? Or do you share one braincell?

-We're both intelligent! While I was a more diligent student than him (which btw is why I befriended Maka first lmfao) he's never been dumb, just not motivated academically. Who's more sensible tends to depend on what the situation is; I think he has more situational awareness/"street smarts" than I do (he's VERY good at reading people's intentions even when they don't make them clear) but in times of heightened emotions sometimes I'm the one talking him down. But I also tend to get more worked up more easily than he does, so in those cases he's always very clear/cool-headed and helps me work through stuff! We might share one brain cell occasionally when we're excited about stuff haha x3 like music or good food...our dumb/goofy sides come out when we're hanging out with our friends as well (you wanna talk about sharing one brain cell activity, put Soul and Black*Star in a room together, when he comes over I have to run damage control loooooool), but overall we're both smart cookies =w=

Siamese: Who is chattier/louder, you or them?

-I'd say we're both fairly quiet unless we know you/are comfy with you? Volume-wise I think Soul speaks more loudly, and even if we're comfy with someone I think I probably have a higher tendency to rambling/chatting at length than he does, so it's a mix haha.

Persian: Are you a high or low maintenance couple? Who has the most rigorous grooming routine? Do you help each other?

-He's a bit higher maintenance than me when it comes to appearance/grooming, he has gel for his hair n stuff/shaves in the mornings and what not. I usually just brush my hair and teeth and I'm good lol, I don't wear makeup or much jewelry, just my scythe pendant + whatever earrings I feel like that day. Sometimes we'll brush each other's hair! 💖

Maine Coon: Are you a stay at home couple, or do you like going on trips together?

-Right now we're more stay-at-home out of necessity tbh; I'd LOVE to go on more trips with him but money....😭 so while we do love traveling/going places together, we've become quite comfy with being homebodies as well - really, as cliche as it might sound, as long as we're together we don't really care where we are TuT we like playing games/watching stuff together so there's always something to do at home, and we like going out and taking walks together too! But someday...I'd like to go so many more places with him 💖

[ferrocyan]

re: tarts fighting style, there is something so COOL about a slower but unstoppable fighter, that's something I think is sooo sicknasty every time. Like yeah you'll see it coming. It's still gonna Get You

thank youu hehe i think so too! thats what the warrior animations bring to my mind bc like look at how meaty fell cleave is. the GRIND. also the upcoming updated animation for inner chaos THE GRIIIND oh we will have that ardbert/lyon grinding the axe against the ground as you run towards your enemies to smash them to bits animation yet

but yeah what i see from tarts favored jobs fighting style, warrior and samurai (and formerly reaper), is that deliberateness. with warriors heavy axe swings and samurais iaijutsu, you gotta commit to those big swings. and to the opponents your next move is perfectly visible, but so what if you hit big and hard enough that their defenses dont matter lol. while for reaper i think it was tart doing the scythe swings while the voidsent did all the magic stuff. which is why she gave it up when the voidsent went home. but the part where you get possessed by your voidsent and become a shadow monster is very like tart bc its so showy

bc thats the other thing with tart lmao, its all about showing off! being the most dangerous looking guy on the field so that she gets attacked by everyone else! because 1) being in a fight rules, being the guy everyones trying to beat up rules harder, 2) pain is great stimulation, 3) attention whore. most important reason tbh. i think if you could have tart as a trust npc her battle lines will be "eyes on me!/look here!" and itll be loud and annoying like YEAH IM LOOKIN GODDAMN SHUT UP ALREADY. but i still want her to annoy me >:3

[miss-midnightt]

AVALANCHE AU.

Lock leaves SOLDIER way before Cloud did and ended up becoming an unpaid Mercenary mainly due to her only wanting to help people with their problems, she also ended up joining the Neighbourhood Watch shortly after thanks to Wedge who, at the time, was the only one in Avalanche who gave her a chance, however she ended up actually becoming apart of Avalanche as 'The Insider' due to her knowing all the back routes and such in Shinra due to her not only being a former 1st class SOLDIER, but also due to her being Hojo's daughter, and also because she used to sneak out and explore, of course, in the very beginning, Avalanche didnt really trust her and she and Biggs didnt really see eye to eye and ended up getting into quite a gew arguments, but eventually, they settled their differences after Artemis came along during the Reactor 1 mission. Of course, Cloud left around 3 years after she did and also became a paid Mercenary for Avalanche, because he's obviously gotta make his gil somehow, however, he and Lock used to be good friends, Cloud looked up to her just like he did with Sephiroth.

Think: A Golden Retriver excited to see an Akita, follows her non-stop and wants to learn everything she has to offer and sees her as an older sister figure.

Think Warrior of The Mind kind of vibes for those two.

Bonus #1: Lock'a dog breed is an Akita and Sera's is definitely a Rottweiler!

Reasonings:

Lock: Akita's are typically rather closed off and rather quiet amongst those they don't really know, but oftentimes show their silly and affectionate side of personalities with their loved ones, such as friends or family! They tend to thrive around companionship! I feel like this dog breed fits Lock the best out of everything because of her odd personality!

Sera: Rottweilers tend to be calm, confident and not super aggressive like the Akita. And like the Akita, they really only show their silliness, playfulness and gentleness to those they love. I feel as if this fits Sera the best mainly due to her demeanour, personality and the way she behaves!

Conclusion: They both match each other really well and I just personally feel like it fits so well knowing how the both of them behave and react to things. They complete each other and I love them so much words cannot describe.

Lock reunites with Sera after years of not seeing each other during the Plate Seperation, Sera's whole mission is to eliminate the deserters of SOLDIER which so happen to be Lock and Cloud despite Hojo's protests and wanting Lock to be brought back safely, but after Sera fights a little while with Cloud, she sees a Scythe being hurled in and landed on the ground, she instantly looks up and there's Lock flying down, the two stare at each other for a few moments before they both ultimately back down and refuse to kill one another, Cloud completely understand this of course because he knows how much they care for each other just like how Sephiroth cares for Genesis and Angeal and how he himself cares for Zack. However, Lock is fortunately not taken back into custody, and instead, somehow convinces Sera to desert as well and join Lock in her little rebellion and help save the plate which, of course, doesn't work well and the plate falls anyways. During this time, Lock knows that Wedge and Jessie failed to stay alive but Biggs is still alive because she checked his pulse so while the group were trying to get off of the plate, Lock turns back, Cloud scolds her and tries to get her off of there but Sera follows Lock and soon realizes that Lock was trying to save her partner Biggs and Sera decided to help her to save more time, Artemis soon follows behind, and after Biggs is healed Lock introduces Sera to Biggs, and both are fine with it because both know that Lock is poly and CONSENT IS IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHAT. Anyways, Artemis is now so fucking distraught because Wedge is dead, and Sera, Lock and Biggs do their absolute bests to help Artemis out of this rut they've put themself into all while trying to save the planet from Shinra. During all of this, Freyja and Elena keep in contact with both Sera and Lock, but keeps it to themselves as they don't want anyone to find out they're in contact with the enemy. Especially not Rufus and the Turks. And because Biggs is in hiding and can't really do much, every now and again, Lock will drop by and drop some things off for him to help him with the situation, if she can't, then Sera does. A bit later, they find out Zack is alive and both Sera, Lock and Cloud all meet up with him and Zack explained whats happening and what has already happened. Anyways, Zack joins up with the rest of the party alongside Sera and Lock and Cloud and everyone else and go off to help save the planet. When they find Sephiroth, everyone is obviously on edge, except for Sera and Lock because for some reason literally knows why, they seem to completely understand the situation before he even explains it.

The whole plot would literally just be: Local 1st Class SOLDIERS reunite, create a rebellion and desert their posts. Chaos ensues.

I apologize for this long ass paragraph of seemingly excited ramblings, I have way too much energy and no clue as to what to do with it. So here I am, going way too in depth about an AU that will (probably) never be used.

Bonus #3: Biggs and Sera become really good friends and oftentimes ends up competing for Lock's affection in the most playful and harmless way possible. But as soon as Lock is in any danger, despite the two of them knowing that she can absolutely 100% defend herself, the two do their bests to protect their girlfriend.

Bonus #4: Lock has a Doberman named Ghost who was gifted to her by Biggs in the slums of Sector 5. He was a stray and needed a good home, he thought back to how Lock kept mentioning how much she loved dogs and one day wanted one so he gifted her the dog who at the time was only a puppy. Note: The Doberman is a failed Shinra experiment who was abandoned after several failed attempts.

YESYESYES I LOVE IT SO MUCH

imagine lock and sera reuniting, and AUGH GODDAMN!

I think when they first met up Sera would have a lot of trouble talking to like, anyone, and would be so sad looking and very depressed initially because everyone she’d cared about (Lock, her best friends—Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth) had left her, and she’d have to take on all the workload of SOLDIER because she was the only first class and Lazard was gone by then, so yeah!

also to add on, Sera would have so much trouble eventually having to FACE Sephiroth because along with Genesis and Angeal he was one of her best friends. The three kinda took her under their wing when she was a rookie, and that’s how she met lock (and got her crush lmao)

also also sera is really really affectionate and will always give hugs, cuddles, etc even if you’re just her friend…if she falls asleep in your lap she really really trusts you!

[staryarn]

Also new guy dropped

Hi it's 2:47 am and I'm about to fall asleep so. If this is poorly written uh 👍👍👍

His name is Ven (or vey I havent and decided) and is the crow to my good dear limts nevermore.

Theyre roommates (ambiguous) 👍

Was supposed to be an arbiter of th3 h3at but honeycomb man is funnier (what's was I sewing uhhhh yeah just think of it as his day off honeycomb Hawaiian shirt and a fucking fur collar(

This is all my brain will spit out rn idk if someone from discord wants ikl answer questions about them (too top ahit 2 answer twhrw mm)

Tfw when you're on your way to striaght up exterminate a star of the city and some random ass fixer is there before uou and kills it. So you ask them on a date and proceed ro haunt tyem so deeply that a knock at the door puts fear into their heart. But tbf it already did that in the first place. Hey maybe ask tyem how the whole 'find my dear friendlenore's missing body' is going on . Sure would suck if a wing or smthn had it man. Anyways what's your relation to the pianist incident and the reverb ensemble.

Would suck if they joined some ragtag company to try and escape every dingle knock at their door only for them to eventually confront it with a clock like. Damn. Sucks to suck but at least they partially manifested their ego before joining the company. Hey I wonder who their scyth3 is a reference to and the whole 'violet somgbird' nickname. Oh the wonders of the city

More about lint (Celeste soliayre, my limbus oc)

-

Grew up backstreets district 9. Was like. Vaguely aware of roland and angelica. And also fond of them.

- manages to get a job as a fixer (they're like. 20 ish here) and goes into I course nest for a contract their office made.

- sucks to suck penist shows up. You know how that goes

- straight uo fucks off from their job to go towards the pianist (mostly getting people out of the way so they aren't music slammed)

- not fast enough to kill that thang (does watch it die tho so. Yeahg)

- they do pass by arugula afterwards. He's doing 👍

- heavily scarred and "inspired and enlightened" by the incident that it shows up in their own personal ego ,(some sorta thang I gotta design that goes around their neck) normally uses scythe as their base weapon but decided to go with a short range close combat weapon for limbus because they're bad at it.

- absolutely miracle this fucker hasn't distorted by now. Broke into tye library to trade info and then got booked six or something times (you gotta figure out how to unhook people no way that lady did it naturally first try when they let everyone out of the libraby)

- got in contact with an arbiter (bee guy) and gave whatever info they had because man. Theyrr not fighting him.(moreso they just fucking appeared at their doorstep and they had no choice but to answer)

-starts going up in ranks. Like a pretty good grade 2 almost grade one but trying hard as hell not to become a color (every color they know is a sicko. Sad sandwich man? Murder violence spree. Blue sicko? His emo band. Violet tear? The fucking orphanage. The red gaze? Divorced energy)

- straight up quits being a fixer for "unknown reasons" to join limbus. Also goes missing for like. 6 months before this.

- with their ego is does rely on them using parts of their voice as something to physically attack with (pianist 2 : small edition)

-theyre like. Tsundere but not. Like normal enough but also very easily embarrassed and lies about almost everything. An honest opinion out of them is 1 rare 2 scary as hell please lie again you were nicer then

Literally just Blue sicko 2: remixed .

The 'I'm (not) normal. I'm so so (not) normal 🫠👍👍👍👍👍" vibe

[imsparky2002]

Ghouls and Monsters - The Phantom

(OperJean is jammin out on his synthesizer, waiting for his counterpart to show up. Mylentasma giggles in the darkness, before swooping down, ready to spook the boy. OperJean stops playing, swearing he heard something.)

OperJean: Austin? That you, dahlin?

(Mylentasma appears before him with a ominous clap of lightning and a menacing laugh, her cloak fluttering dramatically.)

Mylentasma: Behold... THE PHANTOM OF THE THEATRE!

(OperJean yelps, as Mylentasma's face is covered in dark shadow. She's so happy she got to scare her counterpart.) 

Mylentasma: So, fellow ghost. Are you quivering in fear at my sudden appearance?

OperJean: Land sakes, dahlin’, you scared the wits outta me! Almost made me play a wrong note!

(Mylentasma lets the shadows disappear, and gives a bow, showing her true kinder, yet still theatrical self.)

Mylentasma: Apologies, dear! I do just love to give people a little scare before I say hello!

OperJean: So, Phantom of the Theatre. What's your real name? Mine's Jean.

Mylentasma: I am called Mylene. Pleasure to meet you! 

(He raises an eyebrow, they knew she looked familiar!)

OperJean: You're a ghost in your world? Why, here, you're a plant creature! A real nice girl, might I add.

Mylene: How fascinating! So there is a version of everyone? (Claps in delight) Do you have a picture? I’d like to see for myself!

(He shows her one, and she coos.) 

Mylentesma: How wonderful! A true child of Mother Nature. 

OperJean: Yeah, and she's more of a hippie, so it's odd hearing her voice sound so dramatic. Not that I'm complaning, because I'm a dramatic fella myself. And might I add, that's a wonderful outfit you have on. I've never been one for capes, but yours is magnificent!

(She smiles and gives a dramatic flourish of her cloak, pulling it close to her face, before letting go and giggling.)

Mylenetasma: I’ve always had a love for garb of elegance and mystery. My Angel of Music just adores it! And I must say, you seem to have similar taste. That piano belt is just darling!

OperJean: Aw shucks. This ol’ thing? Well you know I gotta show off my musical talents, even in what I wear. You play some sort of piano?

Mylentasma: The pipe organ to be precise. You played such lovely tunes on your synthesizer.

OperJean: Well, thanks! It was just a little piece I wrote up for my Angel with a scythe, Austin! (Blushes)

Mylentasma: Ooh! An Angel of music and death! 

OperJean: Yep! I assume your Ivan is the angel you speak of? And he ain't a Yeti, is he?

Mylentasma: Why, no! He’s a human, though he may as well be sent from heaven. He’s gentle and kind, and so poetic! 

OperJean: (Chuckles) Kinda funny to think of him spouting poetry. (Deepens his voice and puts on a Russian accent)  Rose red, violet blue, watch out for avalanche. Ok I go now.

Mylentasma: (Giggles) That’s how he speaks? 

OperJean: We’ll, he grew up n’tha mountains, talkin’ a lot wastes oxygen.

Mylentasma: Ah, well that explains everything. 

OperJean: Well, I'm assuming you're as nice as my Mylene, so what do you do to help people as a phantom?

Mylentasma: Well, I’m there to give confidence to people who need it, keep the sets and backstage running smoothly, help with remembering lines, and every once in a while, teach a lesson to someone who gets a little too big for their boots. (Giggles)

OperJean: Lemme guess, you make 'em bark like a dog? 

Mylentasma: One of my favorite methods. I also spook kids by appearing in the mirror, or laugh from the shadows.

OperJean: Can’t say I do the same. Monsters don’t really…scare people in world. It wouldn’t really…help our situation.

Mylentasma: Ah, that makes sense. So how do you use your powers for good, my dear?

OperJean: Kinda like a bard, honestly. My songs cheer people up. I’m a great actor too, not to toot my own horn!

Mylentasma: I happen to be a thespian myself! My darling daddy taught me everything I know.

OperJean: Say, would ya like to join me in a show? We could be a duo. It would be totally tubular!

Mylentasma: That sounds delightful! I think our styles of music and theatrics could blend quite nicely!

OperJean: Alright! This is gonna be the bee's knees!

And there’s the first Monstrous/Ghoul Squad crossover! Thank you so much to Weeby for helping with the dialogue, and next up is the Werewolves in Ghoul Squad Alix and Monstrous Kim! As always, make sure to reply, reblog, post and ask. @artzychic27 @msweebyness 

[dyslexic-mess]

Sketch dump for the AU that has me by the fucking throat rn.

(Long) Explanation and sketchy comic under the cut

I cannot for the life of me find the post where I saw this first but BASICALLY-

Danny and phantom are separate beings. Phantom is actually a reaper that was supposed to 'reap' Danny's soul, but instead, after the portal accident, danny is still alive, and they get stuck together by these chains only they can see.

My brain APSOLUTLY went off on this one and I have several ideas. Specifically like, ghosts start comeing out of the portal, like in the show, but Danny dosnt have ghost powers (or atleast he has incredibly minor ones like maaaybe better senses or a 6th sence) and phantom has no power in the mortal relm.

SO phantom lends danny his scythe and with it the ability to tap into phantoms powers.

The first time this happens is a little funny bec danny has no idea how to fight with a sythe and phantom basically ends up flying around him, yanking the chains about and basically puppiting danny.

After the second time, they both agree that they CANNOT keep going like this. Its awkward and uncomfortable for both so Phantom agrees to teach danny how to use the scythe.

It starts with phantom basically getting dragged along because he's stuck with Danny until he 'willfully leaves his body' and there's a catch to that too! For whatever reason, Danny has to agree to leave his body completely of his own will. No tricks or trades. He's gotta be fully informed and make the conscious decision to let Phantom take him.

Eventually though, the two start to actually bond and phantom sorta starts to care about keeping Danny safe.

ALSO I'm thinking this really pivotal scean later in the story where danny just isn't enough to defeat the enemy. They NEED phantom at his full power, but Phantom can't do that because he has no power walst he's connected to danny. The only way to do it is for phantom to actually take Danny's soul from his body so the bond is broken.

He tells danny this and its late game so he actually cares about him now. He promises that when the enemy is defeated, he'll put danny right back and danny. Trusts him. He trusts him and willfully let's phantom do what he's been trying to do since the start of the story and phantom has developed enough as a charicter that he actually dose put danny right back and its a really big moment of trust for them!

Sketchy comic~

Phantom: I think that's enough for today

Danny: I can get it! One more try

Phantom: don't be stupid Fenton

Danny: I'm not! One more go. Gimme the scythe

Phantom: No Danny.

Danny: but

Phantom: Danny. Your gonna get yourself hurt. Sometimes you gotta know when yo stop.

Phantom: Look at yourself. You can barely stand. You haven't slept and you've barely eaten.

Yup! That's the post!!

[fromchaostocosmos]

when I was younger I decided that women's fantasy weapon should be a scythe and I had a whole theory for using that when I got older and learned more was just like same old boring gender symbolism and stuff.

Honestly I just scythes are cool. There should be more of them used as weapons and not just in fantasy.

Like be it the proper farmer style or the classic grim reaper style they cool.

Scythes for everyone. Thank you.

Sorry for the derailment of this post and its original point.

(also daggers are very cool, but then you gotta collect them, still cool. I also love the neko-te, what I can I say there is just something about the elegance of it all, the concept of hidden deadliness, and like sharp edges that I can't help but love and that goes for all three of these weapons. Anything that has that concept of hiding within/beneath a veneer of like not innocence, but sort of is just my favorite. Like I don't know anything about pokemon but whenever a friend shows me some and asks to me which one's I like I pick off of vibes and I always end picking the ones who give that am cute, but have powers you don't know about vibe)

It's weird that a lot of fantasy literature give female characters a bow and arrow.

I imagine it's because they think that a ranged weapon would be an equalizer for women because they have a general disadvantage in upper-body strength. But a bow and arrow is actually the weapon which is the most determined by upper body strength.

The stronger your arms, the more energy you can give your arrow, the farther it flies and the harder it hits.

[sincelastsession]

As much as I try the litany of coping mechanisms... They aren't really helping right now and it's really frustrating because I need to go to the grocery store and do normal things.

But I'm in a freeze state.

The more noise the worse it gets.

The ear plugs are a sensory nightmare.

I'm mad because it's been every day my neighbors are being so loud. The office and courtesy officer who is a sheriff is a fuckin asshole to me.

They think it's about race.

They don't seem to care about the OBVIOUS daycare being run. They won't investigate because they don't see it. I can't take a video to prove it. The kids sit on the stairs at night hollering and playing loud rap music and it's not even good rap music it's shitty SoundCloud rappers and it's not even intelligent. Like even if it was better music I'd still be pissed because I'm just trying to relax.

I do not understand why it's so hard for people to be courteous.

I'm literally going to put a pentacle wreath up and start doing witchcraft outside on purpose. Technically I'm exercising my rights?

Idk.

Parents are telling me July at soonest for moving.

I'm terrified I'm going to lose my cool and absolutely blast the neighbors, office, a corporate. I hate that they're under the impression I'm racist. I hate that they have experienced this themselves. It's more noise than you'd put up with yourself.

My parents seem to think they will find a place that's safe and quiet for under 1k. The places I have found they're not happy with and say are dangerous.

I don't know what to do. Earplugs and headphones are generally a sensory nightmare or they hurt my ears.

I wish they'd just move and put calmer professionals in that unit.

Even the drug dealer that was there before was quiet despite ppl going in and out of the apartment.

Like I know also there was prostitution going on as well a year or so ago in various areas in the complex.

I'd love if my parents with get in touch with my bestie Blake Knight of capital city concierge but my mom already led him on to believe she was getting a house for me last time.

It was embarrassing.

Piper's fiancé's mom found places but they are all in dangerous areas where I'd definitely have safety problems.

I really just would ideally like to get moved to a quiet safe spot. Work on my mental health. Get better. Figure out how to financially get around things without the sense if guilt from breaking rules and fear of getting in trouble and learn things I was never taught that I can't figure out with banking because I'm math dyslexic and literally no one takes me seriously on that. I mean my hope us to get better and much more functional like you know and can see.

I do wish they had the same sorta respite for people like me. In the UK they have them where ppl like me that are overly stressed can go stay and they just sorta treat it more like a resting place and have therapists and a doctor available if need be...

I don't understand why they don't have a place that's strictly for people who are just under too much stress due to anxiety, ptsd, and just life.

They have places for military to recuperate but it's kinda like "fuck you you fet to go to grippy sock jail because you weren't in war" But I have seen war. The entire time my friend Mike was volunteer fighting in the Ukraine he showed me all the things. The dead bodies, the trenches, a person's head on a spike with the skin peeled off and a scythe next to it that Russians left of a poor pow. They found one of our people hands cut off and decapitated. I mean the news censors everything so much. I've seen so much from a gopro from an actual team of ppl. I didn't fight but I've seen really fucked shit. War is hell.

Why aren't there places that are less clinical and more for rest and nervous system regulation?

I don't know if I would want to move states but there's gotta be something.

I just need peace. I have seen and heard enough. I only have respite time when I'm in my dynamic at this point and I've discussed this with my partner about how it helps in an odd but therapeutic way. There's books on how it helps. I think it does. I just don't want to have my entire dynamic be him calming me down. I'd like to have more fun. He understands and I'm not asking I hope for too much currently. I have asked him to lmk. He likes how we are so open and he likes my appreciation and points out how I'm different than most people.

I am thoughtful because I went through hell. I party had my tubes tied and an ablation so at least I'd never get pregnant from any possible SA which has always scared me, because I wouldn't birth a healthy child or even an alive one, and because I feel it would be cruel to pass on the genetics I have. To watch anyone or my own child experience what I did would break me.

So in the same sense...I don't want people to suffer. It hurts to see. It hurts to hear about. It hurts when I can't do anything and it hurts I have to accept that.

I'd love to bitch political and such with everyone else but that doesn't fix the issues. We as a people unless we raise hell and riot like the French aren't realistically going to change this country or stop politics from taking away our rights.

Political leaning to me doesn't matter at this point. I truly believe my vote means nothing and the presidential elections are a big fat bunch of bullshit to give people a sense that they're making a difference when rich mfers who do not care about anyone but thier own lives are really in control.

I hope it rains and the lights don't go out and I can just order doordash and people stay quiet.

That's what I need this weekend.

Just some peace and good sleep.

Because I'd like to accomplish things and it's impossible being interrupted by loud people CONSTANTLY.

[falloutstasis]

Picking up the little extras of life

Kelsey didn't think she'd find the Super Duper Market, but she did. Somehow, it was a little bigger than the ones she saw back at Washington, D.C or Boston. That or the structure was a little different.

"Finally, I found it." She lifted up the old walkie-talkie that was given to her and The Ghoul.

She raised it next to her head. "Hey, Mr. Ghoul. I found the market."

From the other end of the walkie-talkie, she could hear the Ghoul's voice. "Well, do you see the target?"

She looked through the window and as expected, it was in ruins. Not only it was in ruins, there was no one in there. It was a little to creepy. Viola told her that there should be a bunch of raiders in there and there wasn't in the building.

"Nope. Coast looks clear, so I'm going to go inside to see if I can find Michael."

Michael was the one who kept terrorizing a town in the Boneyard with his gang of raiders. In the same town that the Ghoul was resting in. It just so happened that Kelsey was also in the same town, saving the towns folk of the area. After treating the Ghoul with minor injuries, she was tasked into killing Michael and whatever raiders that got in her way.

The Ghoul, was a well known bounty hunter, gave this job to Kelsey instead and he told her that if she finishes this job, he'll agree to hiring her as his doctor.

Of course, Kelsey was no stranger to the merc job business, so she agreed to the terms.

When she entered the market, she was meet with a loud banging noise that caught her off guard. It can be heard at the other end of the walkie-talkie because Kelsey's was left on and The Ghoul heard her screaming.

She could feel the Ghoul's shit eating grin at his end of the walkie-talkie. "Shut up."

"I never said anything."

"Shut. Up."

The market was pretty much bigger, given how it looked on the outside. One of the first things she saw was an old movie poster on the wall. It looked like a wild west movie poster and when she got close to it, at the bottom middle of the post it read "STARRING COOPER HOWARD".

"Huh."

"What did you find?"

"Some old wild west movie poster with a cowboy on the cover. It's called 'The Man from Deadhorse.' Starring Cooper Howard."

When she read the movie title dramatically, there were soft giggles in the background from the Ghoul's walkie-talkie, probably the children that heard her talk.

"If I'm being honest, he kinda looks like an asshole."

There was this awkward pause between her and the Ghoul.

"Hey?"

There was no response. She kept going and as she did, she ran up to a couple of feral ghouls, which she took care with ease with her Plasma Defender.

"Hello? EARTH TO THE COWBOY IN TOWN! ARE YOU THERE?"

"Hey, don't fucking yell, alright?" Finally, the Ghoul's voice rang through the walkie-talkie. This time he sounded a little too annoyed. "I'm still here."

"Geez, I was trying to see if you still there."

"Yeah, and that's probably why the ghouls to you because you were yelling so loud."

Now it was Kelsey's turn to be annoyed. "Hey, you don't have to get snippy with me! I was concerned!"

"Michael, I hear someone!"

Kelsey quickly hid behind a shelve and put on her mask. From there, she could hear yelling not to far away to where she was.

"Michael, someone blasted these feral ghouls to smitheries! Someone's been here!"

"Don't panic, moron! Let me handle this..."

Michael stepped out from a room, got him to appear in front where all the freezers used to be.

"Fucking show yourself, you coward! We know your out there!"

She didn't reveal herself. Instead, she continued to yell, "Oh, that's real rich, tough guy! You go over to a town, sneak attack defenseless people, you blind side The Ghoul by shotting his leg, and you almost shot a child! If anyone is a coward here is you, asshole!"

"Well, it's a real good thing I don't give a shit, do I? It's a tough world out there and someone's gotta teach those kids a lesson."

As she was talking to Michael, she was getting her Laser Scythe, Duality, set up. She grabbed the two handles and combined them into one.

"Well, guess what."

With one twist, it locked the scythe and a purple laser blade appeared at the top of the scythe.

"I don't care either."

The raider just so happened to be near the shelve where Kelsey was hiding behind. So with enough force, she was able to push the shelve as fast as she could, crushing and killing the raider instantly.

To make sure the raider was actually dead, she took on swift strike through the shelve and through the body. There was blood pouring out on the floor and some of it got to the shelve, so it was safe to say she got him.

This action scared the hell out of Michael and caused him to stumble backwards.

"I'm gonna make sure you'll never hurt those kids again. For good."

"N-No..no, no!"

No other words had been said, because Micheal's head was cut through his neck. After killing him, she started searching for his belongings. But the item she was looking for wasn't with him.

"Shit."

"Hey, you okay there? You went dark for a moment there."

Kelsey quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie, put away Duality, and responded to The Ghoul. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Michael's dead, by the way."

"Well done, grasshopper. Come back with his finger and we'll work out the terms for working with me. Also Viola said she'll reward you when you get back."

Right away, Kelsey stopped dead in her tracks. "Wait, wait, wait." She pinched where the bridge of her nose used to be. "I'm literally 45 years old. I'm not a grasshopper."

"Yeah, well I'm over 200 years old. So that makes you the grasshopper."

Kelsey groaned in annoyance, putting the walkie-talkie on her belt. "Whatever, old man."

She kept looking for the item she was looking for and entered into the room that Michael was just in. She basically ransacked the entire area until she found a stitched up teddy bear with purple paint stains on its ear and the belly area.

"Found it!"

She took the teddy bear and put it in her bag. From the small pocket on her bag that was on the side, she grabbed a combat knife and went over to Michael's dead body. She did her best cutting the index finger off of the hand, below the knuckle.

"Time to head back."

The minute she turned around, there were a bunch of ghouls making her way. She could have sworn that she saw at least a dozen of them in the area. Some of them were still crawling through the various holes on the wall and the roof.

"Huh. No wonder there was just two raiders here."

"You made a lot of noise again, didn't you?"

"Shut up!"

She raced towards the ghouls and swinged her scythe to the ones that got in between her the way out of the Super Duper Market.

[magicbutsevenofit]

Chapter 39: Division

Frau flirts with a nurse. Teito kicks him in the face.

Then they're back on the trail. Teito is sad that he's still being protected by people but at least he knows his Father's name now. He then asks Frau if Ayanami is Verloren. What with the scythe and the "regaining his body" thing. Frau looks pained...but he doesn't respond.

So now they're in Dals where they can cross over to the 5th District. All they gotta deal with is the Pass Gate on the bridge which is going to be a bit of an issue because Teito is a deserter. Frau says they need to find a disguise for Teito...only to turn around and discover that Teito ran off behind his back.

Meanwhile, Carl is still on the prowl for Frau and Teito, having tracked them to Dals. Then Teito finds them and they attack. They lose. Teito asks them where Capella's mother is. After some pleasantries, Carl reveals that there are some records in the 5th District that should indicate where she is. Carl at first thinks he's lucky because at least he has Teito in his "clutches" now so getting Frau should be a breeze...but then Frau shows up behind Teito to smack him upside the head for running off.

Frau sweetly asks Carl and company to give him a ride. Carl reluctantly obliges.

While riding, Capella sees giant birds outside and asks Teito what they are. Teito answers that they are Wendi Skyrunners. At night, they attack ships but in the middle of the day, they're docile. Teito doesn't feel like he deserves to have family like Capella but, while he's still alive, he'll have to teach him as much as he can. Capella is excited to train under Teito. Teito just doesn't want him to learn like how he had to...

Horrors. His life legit sucked except for a maid named Kurena who looked after him. Then again, there was this asshole named Kai who made fun of him and reinforce his perception of his shithole of a living residence.

Life went on...even after he heard a kid cry for a word he never heard before: "Mommy". Teito didn't think it bothered him until he had to kill another guy for training, who fought him simply because he wanted to survive. Teito goes to bed unhurt...but his chest is in pain for some reason. He just gets sicker and sicker without knowing why...

One day he snaps and he tries to run out, Kurena blocking his way. That's when he sees a scar on her neck, left there by her previous master. Kai tells that if he escapes, her punishment will be death. Also, if that doesn't bother him, where is he going to go when he gets outside? Who will take care of him? Teito breaks down crying and life goes on again.

Then Teito has a plan. He'll join the military academy when he's 14 and leave, freeing Kurena. He enacts his plan and says goodbye to her, leaving to the school.

He wakes up from his flashback, wondering what Kurena is doing now. The chapter ends with her asking about Teito to Kai, who casually tells her he abandoned the military academy a month ago.