#i need to mourn what could've been and just be sad

[ichigosoju]

☁️

[why-fucking-bother-anymore]

I swear I've gone through every emotion known to man.... (And then some) today...

[cactusdodes]

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[userttpd]

Hi! Can you recommend me your favourite spuffy fics? Any genre is welcome I desperately need the void after finishing bingewatching Buffy 😭. Thank u xx

hi! thank you so much for giving me an excuse to share my favorite spuffy works! if you read any of these, please come back and lets talk about it! okay here's the list:

these are all completed on ao3, most of them contain smut, most are oneshots, no deaths/cheating/nothing too dark, some toxic typical s6 stuff but they all have happy endings or hopeful open endings cause i cant stand them being sad!

do you wanna break bread with me?

this is fun, dawn comes out as bi to spike which spirals into everyone realizing they are queer, its pretty touching and domestic.

High Stakes

sexy fun poker smut, no plot, just vibes

Service the Girl

s6 smut but with complicated feelings

(Unintended) You Could Be

there's something about spuffy and roadtrips that hits so right plus parenting dawn, s5 set

i could've been your girl (we've all been here before)

post s7 buffy running into drusilla, starting a relationship and then spike joins them (i might be the only person ever into this pairing)

What Remains

again spuffy roadtrip, sad one cause s5 but they lost the battle and everything, but still have each other

honey and milk are under thy tongue

smut but with complicated s6 feelings plus spike reading poetry

nothing safe is worth the drive (follow you home)

i highly recommend EVERYTHING by this author, my favorite spuffy writer ever. this one is a s5 roadtrip escaping glory and its domestic, funny, sad, sexy and hopeful, felt like watching an episode (i seriously love this one but plz check them all out)

i will follow you into the dark

this one is by the same author but it deserves its own mention. its heartbreaking but healing at the same time, just the most beautiful spuffy work ever

Let's Get Lost

OH THIS ONE, s2 buffy runs away but runs into spike who has a little problem. its so so in character, captured so well both characters and their dynamic where they are all each other have and absolutely hate that

The Choice

s6 dynamic, spike starts seeing a buffy that loves him, its a choice whether he'd rather have that or the real buffy, its pretty sad but u know, they always find each other

Centering

spuffy roadtrip! s5 set, he comforts her through mourning and feeling helpless

What it is to Burn

post everything, long distance relationship that buffy can't stand anymore

What She Deserves

another roadtrip fic, i know so surprising. buffy heals by herself, runs into a spike that felt like she did in 6, she's the one helping him now with an actual healthier dynamic where they both heal

[the-golden-queen-82]

The excuse that Maelor couldn’t be worked into the budget is bullshit.

As you pointed out, there was money for a scene that’s only purpose was shock value but overall a redemption arc for an irredeemable character had to have been a money vacuum.

- They brought Milly and Paddy back and they had to pay them what they were worth.

- Hiring an actress for Alyssa.

- For Bloodraven

- For the Daenerys that was promised

- All the CGI needed for this.

Daemon’s LSD trip literally could’ve taken 1 episode, not 7.

There are also several scenes of Rhaenyra's youngest sons at

Dragonstone and in the Vale. Not only that but they waste more of the budget on showing little Aegon's Dragon. We see Joffrey mourn Luke and we see him clutching at Rhaenyra’s skirts when he has to go to the vale.

In contrast, we only briefly see Jaehaera in episode 1 and once more in I think episode 3? Where she just goes from Alicent's arms to the nanny’s and gets booped on the nose by Helena on her way out of the door and the season. Rhaenyra's little boys add nothing to the story yet aside from saying "Mummy" and bashing toy dragons together but we see them more than Jaehaera whose twin brother was murdered while she was in the same room, her own life was in danger because she could have been murdered in his place.

Twin relationships are so significant in asoiaf (Cersei/Jamie, Erryk/Arryk, Baela/Rhaena, Aerea/Rhaella) but we don’t get to see Jaehaera express sadness over her twin brother or what affect B&C had as a whole had on her. She lost her only playmate and the adults in her life that she spends the most time with were deeply affected (until the writers made them move on) by what happened but we don't see Jaehaera again or get a mention of her being sad or confused or lonely. Not to mention that an episode later her father is almost killed and is instead suffers burns on most of his body and is crippled for life. We still don’t see them interact. How much could 5 seconds of her visiting Aegon’s bed side cost HBO? How much effort would it have been to just show the little girl there on the floor playing with dolls like Rhaenyra’s boys played with their toys? They had little Aegon and little Visery visit Viserys last season.

Also, Aegon was devastated by the murder of his son but he just abandons his daughter and only heir without so much as a kiss on the forehead as he himself is fleeing because his brother tried to murder him for his crown and he knows that an attack on KL is almost imminent since Rhaenyra assembled the Suicide Squad over on Dragonstone? It doesn’t make sense.

Rhaenyra’s 3 youngest sons aren’t important to any of the plot lines yet but they’re given more screen time than Jaehaera. Seeing them once or twice this season as they are not needed until the gullet, should have been sufficient enough but it’s important that we constantly see Rhaenyra propped up as a mother.

Maelor as a character is not so important on his own but he’s essential to the plots of several more important characters in current and future events.

- He was Aegon's surviving son and heir, so he becomes a threat to Rhaenyra and Jace that needs to be taken care of.

- The fact that Helena chose him to die had such an impact on her emotionally, she can't bear to look at him out of guilt and grief and his death drives her to suicide.

- His murder drives the kind, fair and well rounded Daeron to allow war crimes to be committed under his leadership.

Maelor is also given to Alicent by Aegon to nurture and raise as her own child because Helaena couldn’t anymore and it did have an effect on Maelor’s emotional wellbeing in the book. Imagine what the writers could've done with that in a season where

- She and Criston feel so guilty over the murder of Jaehaerys.

- Is reflecting on her role as a mother and how responsible she is for the nature of her eldest sons.

- Also dwelling on her disconnect from the son that she gave up for a better life.

- She aborted the only child that wasn’t conceived from marital rape.

Alicent would’ve had an abortion yet STILL had to start over as a mother with Maelor. It could’ve gone 2 ways, maybe the Alicent who is clearly exhausted by Aegon and Aemond would have felt shackled by motherhood yet again. Or the Alicent that’s seeking a new beginning could’ve seen it as a second chance to “get it right” away from castle life and the crippling duties.

It’s so clear that Maelor wasn't written out of the series because of the budget and the difficulty of working with toddlers but an Agenda and the Agenda is that they don’t want viewers to see the Greens as anything but backstabbers and each other’s betrayers. While we can’t see Rhaenyra as anything but a Saint forced to do bad things because bad people. They used the time and budget excuse on Daeron too. Daeron was originally written out of the show because he clashed with the narrative that Alicent is a horrible mother because Book Daeron was raised by Alicent and was said to be the most like Alicent and he was kind, respectful, smart, brave and well liked. He and Helaena are good and Alicent having raised 2 good kids is apparently outrageous propaganda that’s a threat to Rhaenyra Sue’s characterization. We’re only supposed to see the greens as dysfunctional and incapable of healthy bonds and attachments..

They don’t want us to see the Rhaenyra that cuddles and kisses her babies order the capture of her sister’s baby that leads to him being mutilated and decapitated by a mob. Just like Hugh and Ulf- Rhaenyra’s future betrayers get expanded roles. Hugh got a wife AND a daughter who which presumably also took time and money. Hugh gets royal blood and a Targaryen mother but Nettles who actually had a backstory in the book gets written out of the show/merged with Rhaena because her existence threatens Rhaenyra’s Mary Sue- Perfect Patty image and Daemyra’s already deeply problematic relationship.

Oh and the mud wrestling scene. Waste of my time, show time, and money-!that had to be choreographed, coordinated, casted and filmed for multiple takes.

ALL OF THIS!

Thank you anon!

[nicky-jr]

genuinely one of the things that make me the most sad about s2 is just that dood had paeden/hermie syndrome and was just kinda forgotten until they were plot relevant. like i totally understand why (i can imagine dm npcs in the party are hard to keep track of/dm is more focused on the actual players) but the personification of an unknowable eldritch horror as a young, very impressionable, very unstable teenager who needs to be taught by other very unstable teenagers morals and how to be a human is such an intriguing concept but in the end not much is done with it outside of a few moments. they just kinda exist as a plot device and to restate the theme. and like thats fine, i just mourn what could've been yknow

[the-moon-devi]

🦋Channeled Messages from Spirit 🦋

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Use your intuition & pick which mood board is calling u!

Decks used: The HooDoo Tarot & The Love oracle

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Pile 1:

Channeled Messages:

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♡ Flower dress- cottagecore

♡ The color pink??

♡ breadwinner

♡ shame

♡ gossip

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Cards pulled: Father of Baskets, 9 of sticks, the sun, son of knives, bottom of the deck; justice

You carry yourself respectfully,and you come off lady-like/ feminine. But I feel like you don't bs around, people may think your not very smart. People comment on your looks alot (maybe your hair) to make you feel self conscious about your appearance. (Cuz' their jealous) The first card that came out for you was the Father of Baskets and the energy I'm getting is maybe a father or perhaps a boss or love interest either way I feel like this person tries to tell you what to do and wants to keep you in harsh situations or puts you in harsh situations. You may find yourself in a position to defend yourself and your ego. This may have something to do with your reputation or how others view you this person could have been sneakily putting out rumors about you. I'm getting you deserve justice for this and your going to get it. Honestly, this could even be a legal battle your going through. I'm getting like legally blonde vibes from this pile. I feel like people think your too pretty to be smart. They try to pick you apart and get mad once they realize your more mentally strong than you gave off. This man gossiped and talked about you so bad. I feel so hurt and betrayed for ya'll. You could've trusted this person and talked to them about your emotions but they were very two-faced to you. You may have learned they were doing this to you because you were eavesdropping. If you haven't then you will and I'm getting the energy that's it going to come out pretty soon. Alright pile 1, I hope this helped and you guys cuss this person out because you have every right to. 😘😡

Pile 2:

Channeled Messages:

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♡ falling/ Tower card moment

♡ unexpected

♡ confusion

♡ lost

♡ tired

♡ starseed

♡ scorpio

♡ necklace

♡ overestimated/ exhaustion

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Cards pulled: The lovers, 5 of cups, ace of knives, 3 of Baskets, 5 of sticks, the high priestess.

Oracle: coffin- growth,change liberation,change

Heartbroken- deeply hurt,sad,seperation,breakup, feeling lost grieving mourning,

The runner- fear of intimacy, listening to ego

Ascending- transcending, obstacles, learning expansion, new phase, preparing for union

You are very confused right now, I feel like you guys hit rock bottom or you were just thrown down a hole or like a maze where you keep going around in circles. It could feel like something or someone is chasing you. I just had a dream similar to this, so this message could really resonate with this pile. You may be scared of a love interest hurting you, because we have the lovers card here, this person could have actually hurt you and left you feeling disappointed in love. That experience is what could have put you in this tower energy. I think your ancestors sent you into this to get clarity on something that's spiritual. You have the ascending card and the High priestess. Your in a maze and you have to find a way out instead of running from what your scared of face it head on. That thing your running from could be the thing that's going to protect you. You also have the 5 of wands there could be some spiritual warfare going on for you this may be affecting your mental. This is such a complex pile and I love it because your message is very deep. I felt the need to go on pinterest after channeling and I saw a cross necklace with Jesus and a picture that said Evara. Evara means gift of God. Your very connected to the ETHERS and your being called to pull out that ace of swords to beat whatever enemy you have. You have the gift of God and you are protected. You may be in some type of religion it doesn't have to be Christian, you could be like a witch/ apart of some type of cultural group or in a cult. I'm getting vibes like that. I feel like you work very well with dark energy. Because you are of light & dark and know how to transmute. Something could also be affecting your sleep or, you could literally avoid sleeping because you feel attacked in your dreams. I did also channel starseeds before I pulled your cards. You could be confused on why all of this is happening to you and this could be why. A certain celebration also could have not turned out the way you wanted to. There could have been a fight or smth like that. Theres also a few of you who are going through this because your running from your person, and they are trying to protect you. Im getting a lot as i close this energy out but yall are tired try to go to sleep. You could get alot of psychic downloads which leads to overstimulaion & paranoia try to journal and speak aloud. Maybe even psychic attacks. Some of you also could have lossed a partner. Im so sorry. I hope this helped in some way, and I pray for mental/ spiritual insight for you. Pls do some protection/banishing wrk if ur in2 that. 😘🔮

Pile 3:

Channeled messages:

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♡ Thick/ nice shape

♡ Monochromatic/ Luxury

♡ Natural hair

♡ single mom

♡ callou/ Arthur

♡ writer

♡ Family by dream girls

♡ the box- Roddy rich (this is so random ik 🤣 but maybe there's a message 4 u 🤭)

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Cards pulled: Son of Baskets, 2 of knives, Mother of baskets, 4 of wands, Hierophant,  Father of swords

Oracle: Photograph- looking at your photos, missing you, Nostalgia, make new memories

For those of you who chose this pile, you could have children or your pregnant. While I was started channeling I started rubbing my stomach so maybe your expecting. I also started remembering shows from my childhood like callou and Aurthur (2000s babies know). You could be a young parent reflecting back on your childhood because your energy pulled  the Photograph oracle card and this represents old memories and Nostalgia, I kinda got like a melancholy feeling from this like you miss it. Your now realizing your entering a new phase in your life. You may be having/ have a boy too since both of those shows have little boy as the main characters. I feel like you have two options with the two of swords here. You may not know the specifics of each option and feel like you don't know enough about either to choose. 4 of wands here im getting family but also you have the hierophant and this card represents traditional values. The hierophant can also represent marriage so you could be getting married and starting a family with the father of knives soon. (I'm seeing 717 as I'm writing this) look up that number it could have a meaning for you. This person could feel you have very mothering energy. Your energy is the mother of cups. I see you and this person have built a very solid foundation. You may be worried about being pregnant or whatever your case is but whichever turn you make you'll be fine. I'm also getting your family will have your back no matter what. You may be worried about being a single mom or conforming to traditional roles of being married before you have children. You could have this mindset because of your family. It was a pleasure reading for you guys, yall energy feels so venusian & Lunar. Best wishes to you and your decision! 🌺🦋

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Catch ya later lovelies! Til' next time!

𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓵 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓼 xx🤎💋

~𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓵

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𝓓𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓓𝓮'𝓛𝓾𝔁𝔁𝓮 (masterlist)

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©𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓵 (Do not copy or steal my work)

[psychiccreationclown]

I'm so actually sad over the fact that majority of the big og creepypasta characters were *kids*

Toby is like, 15-16, and is an extremely traumatized boy who had unresolved trauma that kept building till he snapped. And Jeff was 16-17, and was just trying to protect his little brother.

Do you ever think they miss their families? In moments of clarity, do you think they mourn the fact that they can never return?

The oldest out of them, masky and hoodie, were barely mid 20s. They had just started being adults.

Do you think that they could've been happy in a different life? If they got the help they all needed? If they weren't doomed from the start? Do you think that they miss their pets? Their friends? (What little friends they had)

In that big Mansion that we all had them living in, do you think they could hear each other through the walls? Just,, sobbing? Do you think they comforted each other? I can't imagine them holding each other. I can't imagine Jeff comforting toby. Telling him that everything is gonna be ok in the end, that his sister doesn't blame him for all that he's done.

They were all victims of circumstance, Or mental illness. They couldn't change the trajectory of their life, not really. Do you think that they think about the life that the could've had? How happy they could've been?

Do you think that Toby kept his phone on him? Do you think he reads over the texts from his sister? Listens to her voice messages, calls her number just to talk at the recorded voice of hers? Do you think that Jeff can do the Laundry? Smell the bleach, and feel it against his skin again? Can he stand around a fire?

I think that Toby, when all of *that* happened, he was in a manic episode. I think that as soon as he got out, he *realized*, realized he couldn't go home, couldn't stand in the room that him and his sister shared for *years*. He probably didn't even grab a single picture of his family. The memories of them leak out of his brain, and soon, the people closest to him are now just,, Vague ideas, concepts. Only certain memories jump out to him. A strong hug he had shared once. Laughing late into the night with his best friend.

[x-birdsong-x]

1 7 10 and 13 for Warriors?

1 - Frecklewish. Not a compliment. Mapleshade too, but on a different scale because it's the people pushing "perfect victim" on Frecklewish that play along with two YouTubers' out-of-context words being used to say Mapleshade was evil from the very start actually. Appledusk plays a part here too. I'll come back to this.

7 - Frecklewish, again. She's angry. She's absolutely furious. She and Oakstar plan to raise the trio as weapons to kill Appledusk. She wants one to be named Birchface because she sees them as only extensions of him. Mapleshade did a bad thing- for the sake of her kits, in her eyes- but Frecklewish does not wait for a reaction of any sort before she pounces on her and slits her eyelid. It takes two full-grown warriors to pull her off. All in front of the toddlers she calls half-clan creatures and stopped giving a rat's ass about as soon as they weren't related to her. Their confrontation at snakerocks was not a case of Frecklewish being non-confrontational or Mapleshade provoking her for the entire scene. Frecklewish jumps at her and screams that she wished Mapleshade had died, and this is during Mapleshade talking about Frecklewish seeing her kits in the river and never mentioning Freckle doing nothing to aid her.

Frecklewish shouldn't have jumped into the river, of course not. But she saw the RC patrol and they didn't realize what had happened right away. If Mapleshade could be IN THE WATER and hear Appledusk calling for her, then Frecklewish could've yelled over the river as soon as she saw the patrol to make sure the kits got across the stones safely. She followed them out of camp in the first place, making it impossible for Mapleshade to hide them on the territory considering Frecklewish attacked her once already and as we hear in the snakerocks scene, wants Mapleshade dead. She doesn't care about the kits as soon as they aren't related to her. She's not a precious little baby constantly crying for a blankie. She's impulsive and angry and judgemental. She didn't deserve hell, sure, but the fandom should've been angry that Oakstar and Appledusk stayed sippin' wine in heaven while only she got booted, rather than immediately going to "she did nothing wrong!11"

10 - I can easily get into more of Frecklewish and Appledusk here, but lets go for Mapleshade being painted as evil from birth and manipulative from the start and pinned as "Appledusk's abuser" is revolting. I don't care that the fandoms precious pair of leading YouTubers said one thing that can be taken as them thinking this. That one video is not well-written and full of out of context things and them acting morally superior for not liking Mapleshade because that wasn't the trend at the time until the fandom 180'd the second the video gained traction. The title of the video alone is spiteful. I could directly quote and talk about one thing said in that video that isn't twisting a simple line from the book, but I think the fandom would hang me. It's ironic that Mo/onk/itti can come out with acknowledging that people will defend male characters while "pulling apart every tiny infraction a female character has ever committed" while The Mapleshade Problem is doing nothing but that.

On another end, people who script the MAPs "about" Reedshine should ask themselves why they need to woobify and sympathize with Appledusk to sympathize with Reedshine (because everything is about a man and female characters are just DLC for male characters). The way so many people see nothing wrong with Freckle and Reed being characterized by the fandom as sad all the time purely over a man and thinking about a man 24/7 says a lot. Spending her whole life mourning a man who had an affair behind her back and called his children mistakes and used her to fuel his crocodile tears apology is nothing Reedshine deserves.

Reedshine's got an attitude herself, telling Mapleshade to go away and that she caused enough trouble was blatantly bitchy and a horrible thing to do, but considering her husband is a dishonest, two-faced, chickenshit son of a bitch I think she has the right to a rude moment or two. And no, that's not applicable to me refusing to play along with or defend the fandom ignoring Frecklewish's actual character.

13 - The same answers all around. Frecklewish and Appledusk. I'm also fiercely anti-crowfeather and gray wing <3.

[theforestsongz]

"THE MAN I HATED MOST IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS DEAD AND NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. I DON'T KNOW WHAT FACE I SHOULD BE MAKING"

TW nonspecific mentions of abuse, grief, personal stuff

God I relate to this quote. This scene hit hard for me, firstly, because Dazai says important words ANY abuse survivor should hear:

"You don't have to forgive. No matter his beliefs, what he did to you was barbaric and unforgivable."

A few years ago (I think, cba to check), my main abuser died. I got pressured to feel sad about it by most people in my life, got loads of condolences and hugs, and people assuming I'd be in tears along with them over a woman who made my life hell for over a decade. My brain is in pieces because of her, and here people were, telling me i should feel bad to finally be free of her. And yet, I cried at her funeral.

To this day I like to pretend her death didn't affect me at all, that it's mostly positive, and that's for the most part true and yet I cried at her funeral. I spent so long thinking my grief wasn't valid because I wanted to be rid of her. I prayed for her death when I still lived in her house...

"I can only give you the common advice. People tend to cry when their father dies"

That line hit me like a fucking truck. I needed to hear it as much as Atsushi did. Until that point, no one had told me it was okay to both grieve the loss of this person I had spent a considerable amount of time with and got attached to, and to not forgive them for those actions. I'm sure there are parts of my brain still attached to her who need an outlet for that grief, and that's okay.

As I said, I did cry at her funeral. I still sometimes miss some conversations we had. She was a considerable part of my life, despite being so horribly horribly abusive to both me and so many others. She was like an extra mother figure, and when I was young I'm sure I wanted her affection as any child would. I mourn the person I could've been without her and the bond we could've had if she wasn't awful.

This is just a bunch of disjointed thoughts ^v^ I just really love how bsd shows various complicated feelings towards abuse, power, being a "good person" etc. Thanks so much for reading!

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Foxtrot Alpha Alpha - Chapter 28

Pairing: Hangman x Female OC

Word Count: 2642

Warnings: Talk of death

Summary: Hangman learned his lesson a long time ago to never show his true feelings when someone's words or actions hurt him. To do so showed weakness that could be exploited, and Seresin men couldn't show weakness. Of course, there was an exception to every rule, and Jake's always came in the form of women, three in particular: his mom, Juliette Kazansky, and the girl whose name he could no longer bring himself to speak. She was the girl that got away; she was his biggest 'what if' and his biggest regret; she would forever be the ghost that haunted his dreams. Jake believed that's where she'd stay, for he would surely never see her again after what he did.

Or so he thought.

Notes: This is the sequel to India Lima Yankee; I'm using the same callsign for the Female OC as in Ghost Story because I just really like it, but they are different characters; chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: I Could Use A Love Song Sad Beautiful Tragic

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Ghost

The ocean breeze caressed Ghost's tear-stained face while she walked mindlessly to a destination unknown. She should've headed to her apartment, but the last thing she wanted to do was be alone in a place her dad had helped her find, even if it had been remotely. No, Ghost ached to be home, but she'd learned quickly whenever she thought of the place, the road led to Hangman, and she could not go back there. He'd had his chance to explain and had thrown it away for some unexplainable reason. Hangman had been close, so close, to telling her. Ghost had seen the desire in his eyes, but something stopped him, and whatever it was had a stronger hold on him than his love and respect for her, so she had to make the call. 

She tried to ignore the ghost of his lips on hers and the phantom hands tracing the trail of where Hangman's had traveled. Ghost attempted to ignore the painful knot in her throat, which threatened to burst at the slightest inconvenience. She had to keep it together until she had peace and quiet, when no one could see her break and mourn the loss of not only her father, but now her best friend for a second time. The last time she'd been this bad off, she'd ended up getting smashed and sleeping with Rooster, but Ghost had no interest in doing anything remotely similar tonight.

She thought of calling Juliette but hated to disturb her friend this late, even though she was probably up. Ghost considered calling Javy but decided against dragging him into the middle of the fallout. He'd been friends with Hangman before her, and as upset with Jake as she was, Ghost was aware enough that he would need a friend to help him through this. She could've reached out to Jackie but figured her sister had bigger fish to fry with her divorce. She could've called her mom but hated to bring up her problems when Charlotte Blackwood grieved over her late husband. Ghost came to the dismal realization that she was on her own tonight.

So she continued walking.

And walking.

And walking.

Ghost walked even when her feet screamed at her in pain, even when the knot in her throat begged her to release it, even when the rain began splattering onto her bare skin, even when the wind whispered her name and called for her to stop. She ignored it all, continuing her trudge through the cool sand and refusing to stop until her body decided to physically give out.

Someone gently grasped her arm, jarring Ghost out of her melancholy. She yanked back, already planning to go on the attack, but froze when she recognized the person under the umbrella. She blinked, perplexed. How had he found her? "Captain Mitchell?"

His green eyes roamed her face, taking in her bedraggled, distraught appearance. "I didn't mean to startle you. I was calling for you, but you weren't answering. What happened?"

The pure shock of seeing him temporarily erased her sadness. "I-I had a fight with Hangman. What are you doing here?"

Maverick shifted closer so the umbrella covered both of them from the slowly intensifying rain. "Jules and Rooster sent me. They would've come, but Jules is currently hurling her guts out, and Rooster didn't want to leave her, but they also didn't want to leave you. Why don't I take you to them or-"

"Why did they want to come get me?"

"Uh, Hangman texted them, I think."

Why is he trying to take care of me? I don't need him now. Ghost lied to herself. She would always need Hangman, but she couldn't admit it. Not again. Not when it came with the risk that he would let her down again so horrendously. "Oh..."

"I'll take you anywhere you want to go, but let's get you out of the rain."

Ghost debated on protesting against his wishes, but the fatherly concern in his green eyes weakened her resolve. She gave in and followed him to the Jeep. He opened the door for her, and Ghost slid into the warm car, immediately feeling guilty when she realized her clothes were soaking wet and that she sat on the bare leather without any barrier protecting it. 

"Do you have a blanket or towel? I don't want ruin your seats," Ghost said, twisting around to scan the backseat for such an item.

"Don't worry about it," Maverick replied as he pulled onto the main road. "Here, take my jacket, though. You're shivering."

He shrugged it off and handed it to her. Ghost gratefully took it, savoring the warmth radiating off of it. "Thank you for giving me a ride, sir."

"I'm just glad I found you. Where were you heading?"

"No idea," Ghost confessed, her fingers curling tightly into his jacket. "I didn't have a car when I left Hangman's, and I didn't want to subject an Uber driver to my emotional state, so I started walking."

"Were you heading to your apartment?"

Ghost shook her head. "No. I don't know where I was headed, but it wasn't there. I don't want to be there right now."

"How come? Is everything okay?"

"It makes me think of my dad... he helped me find the place, even if it wasn't in person, and he was so excited that I got a decent place out here. Hangman offered to let me stay the night at his because I didn't want to be at mine with my dad having passed away a few days ago, but-"

"Your dad just passed away?" Maverick asked in surprise, head swiveling to look at her.

It dawned on Ghost she hadn't told anyone outside of Juliette and Rooster - with the exception of Hangman, of course - about her dad and that Juliette had recognized Ghost's desire for privacy in the first few days of his passing, whether Ghost realized she'd needed it or not. "Yes, sir. A heart attack. Hit him so suddenly that he never had a chance..."

"I'm so sorry, Ghost," Maverick said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. The gesture nearly broke her. 

"Thank you, sir. The grief comes in waves." She wiped a stray tear from her cheek and sniffled. "I think my fight with Hangman temporarily distracted me from it."

"What did you and Hangman fight about?" Ghost bit her lip, hesitating to answer. Maverick treated Hangman like a son, and in return, Hangman saw Maverick as a father figure. She had no right to drag the captain into their issues. As if sensing her reluctance, Maverick said, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Why don't I bring you to someone who does, though? I know Juliette's worried about you."

"No, no, I can't do- she and Rooster have enough to worry about as it is with her pregnancy and its complications. I'm not going to burden them with my issues."

"I doubt they would see it that way. You're family to both of them and the way Juliette puts it, you're the sister she never had. She wouldn't mind at all."

"I know, but the last thing she needs is to be dragged further into the shitshow Hangman and I created for ourselves." Ghost swiftly mulled over her options: the Bradshaw's was out of the question. Coyote was a possibility, but Ghost figured he'd want to check on Hangman the moment he found out about their fight, and Ghost wanted Hangman to have someone because, despite their fallout, she had seen the pain in his eyes. Whatever truth he withheld from her, it was anything but pleasant. Ghost considered Phoenix, but the female aviator would demand an explanation, and Ghost couldn't bring herself to even consider the idea of bringing it up with her. She was hardly close enough with the other Daggers to reach out for a helping hand, causing Ghost an epiphany: she was well and truly on her own tonight. She had no choice. She had to stay in her apartment.

"If you're not ready to go home," Maverick began hesitantly, "you're welcome to stay at mine and Penny's. We have a spare room that all the Daggers have used at some point. We have clean clothes that you can use and a healthy amount of midnight snacks in the nightstand drawer. What do you say?"

The offer was tempting, but Ghost hardly knew Maverick outside of dogfight football and the occasional conversation at the Hard Deck. But maybe staying there for a few hours wouldn't hurt...

"As long as I'm not intruding," Ghost said weakly, "and as long as I'm not disturbing y'all."

Maverick shook his head. "Penny's still at the bar and Amelia's spending the night with a friend. Even if they were home, I assure you, they've had much rowdier wakeups due to the Daggers."

A smile tugged on Ghost's lips, but she made no response. Instead, she rested her head on the window and stared out through the rain-streaked window. 

Upon arriving at the quaint Benjamin household, the pair hurried inside and out of the now-torrential downpour. Maverick escorted her to a cozy guest room at the end of the hall and showed her where the spare clothes were. Ghost thanked him profusely, unsure of what she'd done to deserve such kindness but grateful for it nonetheless.

"I'm going to let Juliette and Rooster know you're safe. I'll be in the kitchen when you're ready," Maverick told her. Giving her an affectionate pat on the shoulder, he left Ghost to her own devices. She wasted no time stepping into the bathroom and stripping out of her drenched clothes. The warm water soothed her frayed nerves and warmed her body from the bone-deep chill caused by the rain. For those ten minutes, Ghost allowed the shower to wash away all her emotions.

When she stepped out, she towel-dried her hair and threw a pink sweater and a pair of black leggings. Ghost then shuffled to the kitchen, stopping hesitantly in the entryway. Maverick, who stood at the counter waiting for the kettle to boil, must've heard her silent footsteps because he turned around. 

"I'm making tea. Figured you could use it. Chai?" He said, grabbing two mugs from the cupboard. 

Ghost nodded. "Yes, please. That's my favorite."

"It was your mom's too. At least, it was the last time I saw her."

"It still is. How did you-" Ghost stopped herself, a story she learned back in high school- "Right. You two dated for a bit."

"Twice, although the second time was only for a couple weeks, and-" Maverick handed her cup of tea and sat with her at the table- "we were both going through a rough time. I'd broken up with Penny again, and your mom and dad were taking a break."

"I didn't know she saw you again after the first breakup," Ghost remarked, adding the milk and sugar to her drink.

"It was so brief that it barely counts, but yes, we did. I learned about you from Bradley's mom, who occasionally stayed in touch with Charlie. I reached out to congratulate her, but she didn't pick up. Guess she didn't want to talk to her fling around her husband."

Ghost choked on her tea. "You two had a fling?!"

"Like I said, we were both going through a rough time."

When did they have the fling? How long was I born after it? It was the year before I was born, so there is a slim possibility... I need to talk to Jackie about this. Maybe she could help me look into it. Careful to keep a neutral face, Ghost replied, "It's so weird that I knew of Rooster's mom and kind of knew of him and Juliette but never met them until by chance on my own. Of all the eighty-six legacies, I only knew Wolfie."

"He's just like his dad," Maverick mused, smiling to himself. "It was good to see him after all these years. Same with Sunrise and Diva. Can't remember the last time I saw them. They might've still been wearing diapers."

"Did you have any kids of-"

The door opened, cutting Ghost off. Penny appeared a second later, running a hand through her wavy brown hair. Her green eyes landed on the pair of aviators, confusion flickering in them, but she smiled. "Ghost! What are you doing here?"

"Juliette and Rooster asked Captain Mitchell to check on me. It's... been a rough few days," Ghost admitted shyly, not wanting to dive too deep into her issues. She already felt like an imposition to Maverick; the last thing she wanted to do was burden Penny with her problems, too.

Seeming to sense Ghost's reluctance, Penny simply replied, "Well, you're welcome to stay however long you'd like. Our house is your house."

"What are you doing home so early?" Maverick inquired as Penny came to stand beside Ghost.

"Rooster called to see if I could bring Gatorade to Juliette after work. Since it was a slow night, Tom offered to finish the shift by himself so I could get it to them sooner rather than later."

Ghost stood and finished her tea before setting the empty mug on the table. "How is she feeling?"

"Rough. Worried about you." Penny's face softened. "She told me about your dad. I'm so sorry, Annalise."

Whatever control Ghost had on emotions evaporated, and her head bowed instinctively to hide the tears welling in her eyes. Penny's arms enveloped her immediately, pulling her into a comforting, motherly hug. A firm hand clasped her shoulder while she silently sobbed into Penny's shoulder, the wave of grief she'd been holding off finally breaking past her defenses. 

Penny and Maverick dutifully stood there, allowing her to get the tears out until they ran dry. Once Ghost managed to gather her composure, she wiped the remnants of tears off her cheeks and apologized.

"What are you sorry for?" Penny asked gently.

For breaking down on you when you barely know me? For burdening you with my problems when you didn't ask? For imposing my presence when you probably hoped for a quiet night? For throwing a wrench in any plans you had with Maverick tonight? "I don't know."

Penny smiled understandingly. "Come on. Why don't you go dry your hair and then get to bed? I think some rest will do you good."

Ghost silently agreed, and tugging the sleeves over her fists, she said, "Thank you for letting me stay tonight. And thank you for picking me up, Captain Mitchell. I really appreciate all the hospitality."

Maverick nodded. "Like Penny said, our house is your house. And please, call me Maverick. All my kids do."

All my kids do. His words warmed her heart. Even though Ghost knew most others called Captain Mitchell by his callsign, hearing him say "all my kids do" to her, of all people, made it sound like he considered her one of them, one of his so-called kids.

Penny escorted Ghost to her room and, after one more hug, left the pilot to get ready for bed. With a quick blow dry- the job already half done from letting her hair air dry- and a swift brush of the teeth, Ghost crawled into bed. She texted Juliette and Rooster to thank them for sending Maverick and to check how Jules was feeling, if the vomiting had ceased. After setting her alarm, Ghost started to set her phone down, but it buzzed with an incoming text message. Expecting it to be from one of the Bradshaws, she opened it without hesitation, only to discover it had been from someone else entirely. Fresh tears blurred her vision as she read: I'm sorry. Forever and always.

****

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[buckybarnesss]

Imagine a world where all of the TW characters were given time and space to unpack their trauma. Where we saw Scott and Derek actually get to bond over how Peter hurt them both, how Isaac and Stiles could relate to seeing a parent become someone they no longer recognized. Just. Imagine.

the fact derek hale was never allowed to talk about his trauma will forever make sad, frustrated and angry. he is probably one of the most traumatized characters to grace television but he's not allowed to acknowledge any of it.

the other day, on the teen wolf sub reddit (believe i know. it's a sickness that i keep going back) i talked about how it bothered me how it is peter and jennifer that get to talk about paige. in visionary, peter is telling a story. paige isn't really a person to him and we know there is no way what peter tells stiles and cora is the whole truth. for her part, jennifer has mythologized paige's death and almost sanctified derek for committing the virgin sacrifice that allowed the nemeton to have enough power to save her when kali left her for dead. it's partly why she's so obsessed with him. in a twisted way derek saved her so paige is just a means to an end.

meanwhile derek doesn't even get to so much as say her name or confirm the real story when he was the one who had a relationship with paige. he is the one who knew her as a person, loved her and mourned her. .

someone in response to my saying that was like yeah well derek's not just gonna talk about his trauma. he's not that kind of guy.

and i'm like why not? characters suffering is not the only interesting way to tell a story.

if derek's story was to eventually evolve than that could've been part of it. opening up and healing.

imagine how powerful it would've been if derek was able to reach out to scott in the wake of allison's death and be able to tell scott about paige, that he understood all to well what scott was going through. imagine how much character growth that would've been for the both of them. derek finally able to reach out to someone emotionally and for scott to reach back finally able to set aside his issues with derek to see him as a person.

the missed opportunity that was cora hale. we could've learned about talia and laura and pre-fire peter via a couple of conversations between her and derek. there wasn't even a proper reunion between the two. (the fact most of our information about talia hale comes from gerard fucking argent still pisses me off).

malia was also a missed opportunity. derek had what? maybe one real scene with her? malia's character development should've been related to her reconnecting with her father, readjusting to being human and her figuring out what it means to be a hale by blood and what that legacy meant to her. not putting her immediately into a romantic relationship with stiles. derek could've factored into that. specifically regarding loss and guilt.

like derek finding out he had a cousin and malia finding out that just because she doesn't really care for peter doesn't mean there aren't other hales she can possibly have a relationship with.

isaac and stiles being bitchy to each other is fun but it's jealousy based due to scott. i think they could've overcome this eventually. imagine them hating theo together???? beautiful.

scott and isaac. i love them. adore them. but i will forever be pressed about that scene where scott throws isaac into a wall. like, fuck off. it was weirdly out of character for scott. instead of all the stuff about allison they could've talked about their dads. scott weirdly doesn't talk much about rafael and that bothers me because rafael mccall needed to be read for fucking filth (i am a child of an alcoholic so this may be a me thing). like we saw how much stiles hated rafael mccall. it would've been interesting for isaac (who was living with scott and melissa) to in turn be protective of him.

we had a whole episode of kira having a life changing field trip with derek and i wanted more that okay. that was a dynamic we needed more of.

i maintain lydia and derek's relationship would've been like two reality show judges. two beautiful people dealing with a world of plebs. lydia martin making derek hale have a spa day was a missed opportunity.

jordan parrish and derek hale being the personification of "someone is going to die." "of fun!" meme from parks and recs.

derek hale (and everyone else on this show) should've been allowed to unpack some of their trauma suitcases.

the fans wanted found family and the show took us by the hand and said "no. xoxoxoxo"

[jujitto]

. . . . . 떨어져 있을 수 없다  ★ c a n ‘ t s t a y a w a y

♩ ⁺ ┄ p a i r i n g s :: jake sim x reader

♩ ⁺ ┄ g e n r e :: angst....because I love it!

♩ ⁺ ┄ w a r n i n g :: mentions of toxic relationship

♩ ⁺ ┄ w / c :: 1.1k

You hadn't talked to Jake in months. Not that you wanted too. But now that he was on his way home from God knows what but for the last few hours he had been texting you nonstop. You had yet to answer any of them.

The message on the screen stared back at you, the message from Jake taunted you with its unanswered status. You hadn't wanted to reach out. Not since you both had stopped talking to each other a few months back. But here he was messaging you. One part of you wanted to respond but you knew you shouldn't. Throwing your phone to the side you stood up from the couch, deciding to erase the thought of his message and him altogether. You didn't need to be thinking about him right now, you didn't need to think about what happened between the two of you.

You sighed heavily as you placed a hand over your eyes, closing them tightly. You didn't know why you were doing this. But it was like you had no control over yourself. Even though you wanted to not think about him. The memories of him came flooding back to you.

The first time you two met, your first kiss with him, everything you tried to forget. You and him weren't anything. You haven't been in months. Not since everything came crashing down. So why haven't you blocked him? Maybe some part of you were hoping to finally get an answer from him why your relationship had become the way it did. Toxic and emotionally draining. You couldn't help but replay the last few months of your relationship with Jake in your mind.

Everything seemed to be good and healthy like any new relationship was but over the months and year you two were together things started to become tense and every day it seemed like you guys were arguing. And now looking back on it, you guys never actually broke up. It was simply that communication between you both simply stopped. It was as if both of you had just disappeared without a trace.

Feeling lost you grabbed your phone doing the thing you knew you shouldn't, but couldn't resist either. Opening the message from Jake, you read it again:

“I'm going to be landing soon. Can I come over?”

You stared at the message from Jake, reading it over and over again. It was a simple question, but it held so much weight. It wasn't a good idea. You couldn't-didn't want to see him. Glancing at message once more you clicked on his contact finally having the strength to do what you should've done months ago.

Taking a deep breath, you tapped on Jake's contact and scrolled down to find the "Block" option. As your finger hovered over it, you hesitated momentarily. This was truly the end of something that could've been great but wasn't. Taking a deep breath, you tapped the "Block" option without looking back. It was time to move on and let go of the past. The weight of the memories and emotions you had been carrying for months slowly lifted as you finally took control of the situation.

After blocking Jake's number, you placed your phone on the couch. It had been done. But why did you feel like it didn't change anything? Was this how it was supposed to feel? Like a mix of sadness and relief? It was as if you were mourning the loss of something that never quite had closure. The memories still lingered, and you couldn't shake the feeling that there were unanswered questions, unspoken words, and unresolved emotions.

For hours this feeling consumed you and your mind. Why weren't you happy you finally let it go? “Was it supposed to make you happy?” You questioned laying in bed later that night. Restless, you tossed and turned in bed, wondering what he would've said if you said yes. Would he have come to apologize? Would things have taken a different turn? It was impossible to know for sure, and that uncertainty gnawed at you.

Tired of tossing and turning, you reached for your phone on the nightstand and powered it on. The screen illuminated, and you found yourself staring at the list of blocked contacts. The name "Jake" stood out, a stark reminder of what you had done earlier. With a mix of curiosity and hesitation, you tapped on Jake's blocked contact and selected the option to unblock him.

When you did you were met with messages coming in. However it was one that stood out.

“Can you let me in?”

Delivered just a few seconds before you unblocked him. As you stared at the message from Jake that came through just moments after unblocking him, your heart started pounding in your chest. A rush of conflicting emotions surged through you. You knew you shouldn't have unblocked him, but there he was, trying to reach you again.

Rushing out of bed, you stood in front of your door. The very same door which he stood on the other side of. Your hand hovered over the doorknob, uncertain of what to do next. Part of you wanted to ignore him, pretend you hadn't seen the message, and leave things as they were. But another part of you, the part that still held on to the memories and the hope for closure, was tempted to open the door.

Taking a deep breath, you decided to face him. Maybe it was time to confront the past and get the answers you needed to move on. Slowly, you turned the doorknob and opened the door to find Jake standing there, looking anxious and nervous. Now that he was standing in front of you it felt like the walls had started to crumble. The tears you had held back for god knows how long finally feel as you jumped into his arms.

In that moment, everything felt calm as you let Jake hold you. No words were spoken as you soon lay embraced in his arms in the comfort of your once 1 person bed. As much as you wanted to hear an apology or something from him but at this very moment, you needed nothing but his comfort. One part of you couldn't help but be angry with yourself for answering the door. The other part of you just couldn't let him go.

Maybe it was stupid of you to do so. Because once this was over it would be back to the way it was. You apologize and then somehow it would turn to arguing, and screaming at each other. Leaving one another crying and sitting in a pile of tears and heartbreak only for you to get back together and do it all over again. Just like you had months prior. Nothing was going to change if you didn't stop it. But sadly you couldn't. Because you just couldn't stay away.

[macfrog]

Is it annoying and/or anticlimactic to release an INCREDIBLE and LONG chapter of a beloved series and have people immediately clamor for more? Like “You literally just ate shut up”?

Anyway, this is such a fascinating series for me to read. I’ve always been/intended to be child free and just recently took steps to make that permanent. As much as I knew I didn’t want kids, it was startling to realize in the process that I also had to grapple with and mourn what I was giving up - in particular, seeing my husband become a dad. It was hard to reconcile my certainty in not wanting children with the recognition that there were aspects of motherhood I will miss. I guess I thought if it wasn’t all or nothing then I wasn’t fully committed and people would doubt me and pull the “you’ll change your mind” card too much, which could make me doubt myself. Anyways this has been cathartic and also a little extra sad for me but in a good way ❤️

hahaha honestly, i don't really mind. it's lovely to feel people's excitement over something you've posted! and those comments are also ways that people express enjoyment, so i'm cool with them. (also i'll always work at my own pace anyways - which is quite slow i'd say lol)

i love that you're intrigued by the series. this is such an insightful message, so thank you for sending it in. i love to think and talk about this sort of thing, so i hope you won't mind me adding my two cents here.

firstly, i think it's great that you assessed your own wants and needs and acted accordingly. super brave to put yourself first - it's not always easy to think that way and do it, so kudos to you.

secondly, i don't think these sorts of things are ever very black and white. i think it's perfectly normal and perfectly natural for you to know within yourself that kids aren't something you want, but to still wonder. the idea of what could've been, right? but i think that happens with every decision we make in life; it's just part of the deal.

personally, my feelings on motherhood have changed drastically. when i was younger, i don't know if there was anything i wanted more than to be someone's mom. now that i've grown up a little, come into myself, i've realized it's not really for me. that's fine! maybe one day i might change my mind, maybe i never will. both are also fine!

scom is obviously a pregnancy-related fic, and she clearly grapples quite a lot with the idea of fitting into this role that she just doesn't see herself as, yet. but it's not a fic intended to capture one side or the other (of an issue which i think is very gray, anyways). it's just a fic about a woman deciding what she wants, and doing it - which is the least we can really ask for, i guess. it's the least we deserve.

i hope you're good. your decision is so valid and i'm damn glad you made it. thank you again for this very thoughtful ask. how lovely that you're able to find catharsis in art! what a wonderful thing to have stumbled across. 🩵

[kart0]

Grieving

It's weird. It's been two days since Heso passed. August 27th I woke up, at 7:07, I had a missed call from the vet clinic. They called me at 7:05. I called them back.

I didn't feel anything. Went to the clinic to see her one last time and do the paperwork. I was crying, but I think it was more from shock than from actually losing her.

I cried all day and skipped class. Cleaned my room where she was staying and threw out all of her things, because there's a big chance she had the Bornavirus which is fatal and contagious, and I couldn't let my other birds get it as well.

Then, on the next day, I felt better. I did my things, went to college, saw my friends. But it was very strange. I didn't feel anything. I was numb. I ended up going home earlier.

And then at night, I went through my media and watched some videos I took of her. Chirping, flapping her wings, cuddling. And then I broke, and started sobbing for hours.

I would look for her around my room and I'd see the place where she would be and imagine taking her in my hands and warming her up and feeding and cuddling. Watching her grow. Bonding with my other birds. Getting old together.

It's weird. We spent only 10 days together and I think she changed my life in a way that I can't even say. It's just very weird. I keep looking at the time and wondering "hm, it's time to feed her" or "has she pooped ? I need to clean her spot"

I felt crazy and wanted to get a new bird. But then it dawned on me. I wanted to replace her, to get her back.

I felt ashamed. How could I even think that ? It's so disrespectful, to Heso, and to this hypothetical new bird. Heso was Heso, her own being. And this new bird would never be her. They would be their own self.

I can't get a new bird now. I got accepted to work in my university, Monday to Friday, 6pm till 10pm, until the end of the semester. I won't have time to bond with a new bird. I won't have time to properly take care of a new bird.

Part of me feels angry that I'm aware of this and being responsible. There's a tiny voice that just screams "this doesn't matter. it'll make you feel better" but then again, that's just not the right thing to do.

Maybe I'll get a new bird when I start my uni break. But now is not the right time.

I feel embarrassed that I didn't realize I was mourning. Doing things in autopilot and feeling so numb, dissociating, avoiding friends, distancing myself from everybody. Hiding only to sob at night when I'm all alone.

I should've known myself better. But yet again, I can forgive myself: as I mentioned before, I've never lost a pet before. This was my first time dealing with loss. A significant one.

I kinda feel bad that I've never felt this affected by losing someone before. But, Heso was 150% my responsibility, she would spent all day with me, and just became a part of my routing. Waking her up cleaning her nest making sure she's warm, feeding her, cuddling her. She was a wonderful, wonderful bird. And it makes me so sad. She would've be a great companion to Yuu ( the baby girl on my pfp ) who is very sweet as well.

Heso got used to me so quickly it was amazing.

I miss her. I wish she was still here with me. I wish I could get her back. It's just dawning on me now that she's actually dead, and will never come back. Even when I saw her little body. My mind keeps tricking me that I'm going to find her at home, that somehow she would magically return, and I'd hear her chirp once again.

Grief is really strange. I'm still not sure what to do, this is new territory for me. But I think I'm starting to accept it.

It is out of my hands. There's nothing I could've done to prevent this. She just passed.

Things happen and nothing is permanent.

I'm grateful that she was part of my life, even if it was merely 10 days. I will miss her forever. But I think I did a good job and made her feel very loved as well.

[adobe-outdesign]

What do you think of cubone?

You really can't go wrong with Cubone. A little dinosaur-ish creature wearing a skull makes for an interesting visual and unique theme as-is, but the heartbreaking backstory is what really helps people remember this line, what with the whole "it constantly mourns its dead mother and wears her skull" thing it has going on.

Arguably this backstory doesn't make much sense when applied to the species as a whole, especially when you can obviously breed them without the mother dying, but the powerful imagery associated with this 'mon can't be beat. I think just fleshing out the lore behind it would help it a lot; maybe skulls are passed down through generations when one dies, thus explaining where the Cubones that have mothers get their helmets from.

Backstory aside, the design also looks solid; the skull has a good sense of shape and depth to it (also love the cracks, even if it's a bit weird that they're always in the same place), and a nice, neutral body to compliment it. I wouldn't have minded a bit of a darker brown for contrast, like the above art sports, but otherwise I have no real complaints.

Marowak has some really interesting lore behind it: basically, Cubone's grief makes it stronger, and when it comes to terms with its loss, it evolves:

It kind of adds a nice moral about accepting grief into an otherwise sad story, even if you still have to try not to question the "dead mom" thing too much.

Visually, it does the logical thing and fuses the skull with the head completely. I do kind of question it changing shape, given that it's supposed to be the skull Cubone wears, but it at least looks nice and streamlined.

I guess my one problem with Marowak is that it maybe looks a bit too similar to Cubone? They're not the same, obviously, but it feels like the concept could've been pushed more at this stage. Make it ground/ghost, make the underbelly look like rib markings, add a skeletal tail tip, that kind of thing. Really advance the skeleton motif it has going on.

Another option would've been for Cubone to not carry the bone club until it becomes Marowak, which would've done the same "advancement" idea with drastically changing anything. It's not bad as is or anything; just could've been pushed a bit more.

Thankfully, Alolan Marowak is one of those designs that comes in and does everything the original design doesn't.

First, the dark body and skull markings look great; they compliment the skull well and add some much-needed contrast. Meanwhile, the fire adds some nice pops of color. And not only does this Marowak add fire to the bone it carries, but it also has some great vertebrae markings on its back, going back what I was saying about Marowak pushing its visuals a bit more.

Combine all that with fire/ghost typing and a fire dancing theme going on with the bone, appropriate for the Hawaiian-based region it's from, and you have a pretty perfect regional that's honestly far better than the original in my opinion.

My sole nitpick with it is that for some reason the body way skinnier than on original Marowak, giving it a weird top-heavy appearance for no real reason. Also, while I'm not opposed to cutting pointless regional pre-evos, it does feel weird that regular Cubone drops ground in favor of fire and ghost typing out of nowhere, but that's beside the point.

So overall, Cubone is a adorably pitiful Pokemon with a great theme and solid design. Marowak is fine, but doesn't push its design as much as it could; Alolan Marowak makes up for that with a refreshing take that really breathes some new life into the design. Overall, a very solid line.

Also, final side note: the Gen 1 betas reveal that the theorized connection between Cubone and Kangaskhan was indeed real via a third evolutionary sprite, though exactly what the intention was lore-wise here is left ambiguous. It might have been interesting, but at the same time, I feel like it might've distracted from Cubone's own themes a bit by tossing a baby in there. Too hard to say without knowing the context.