#if I could clobber her unconscious I would

[thelikesoffinn]

God, Isobel is the dumbest person alive.

Can you, for the life of everyone, just stand there and let me protect you!? Stop trying to run, stop trying to fight. JUST STAND STILL AND LET ME CAST SANCTUARY.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Hewwo! So I was wondering if you could do some angsty headcanons of certain Pokemon accidentally hurting their Trainer Reader, who has been nothing but supportive, loving and caring for them?? Those certain Pokemon would be Koraidon, Iron Valiant and 2 more Pokemon of your choosing

Ough yeah I'm always up for angst-

The other two Pokemon will be Mimikyuu and Maushold!

........

Koraidon

After a gang of Maschiffs ran off with Koraidon's sandwich, the fighting/dragon type was understandably angry...especially with the leader Mabosstiff taunting them into a fight-

In which it got clobbered with Outrage. But even after that, Koraidon was still in a blind rage, staying in their Apex Build form.

You attempted to calm them down, but forgot that the attack still hadn't finished..

And they whipped around to slash you with their claws.

Your yell of pain made them snap out of it, and despite your attempts to hide the deep scratches they left, they shuddered as they realized what they've done.

They hurt you.

Just like.....

Suddenly Koraidon runs away, and you eventually track them down, finding them at the beach where you first met, curled up in the sand and back in their Limited Build.

By this point, your wounds were bandaged and you had casual clothes on, but seeing you and remembering what they did made them whimper with guilt.

They expected the worst, but you just sit down to comfort them, holding them as they push their head into your chest, trembling.

They feared that tey were becoming just like that other Koraidon--the one who killed an actual human.

Yet somehow you knew that's what they were thinking, as you reassure them they're not gonna turn out that way, and that you're gonna be alright.

To prove you still trusted them, you allow them to sniff and nuzzle you, while you stroked their feathers until they calmed down.

"Why don't I make you a brand new sandwich, Korai?" You offer with a smile, which seems to cheer them right up.

They briefly go into Apex mode....just to hug you gently against their throat sac, lifting you off your feet for a few seconds.

You just sigh and accept it.

Iron Valiant

Being programmed to be a merciless warrior, it's no surprise when your Iron Valiant sometimes defies your orders and throws themselves into danger.

But the problem is that they've been dealing with some internal conflict lately, especially when they learned Gardevoir and Gallade are your aces.

They don't know it yet, since it's such a foreign emotion to them, but they've been feeling...extreme jealousy.

They're overanalyzing the psychic types' interactions with you, wondering what made them so special...and why they can't be like them.

Being in-tune with your other Pokémon's emotions, Gardevoir and Gallade take notice of this during a picnic and decide to speak to their future counterpart privately. But Iron Valiant quickly got aggressive and began threatening them with their bladed weapon.

You witnessed this and tried standing between them and your psychic companions--

Only for them to accidentally strike you, knocking you out instantly.

This horrified Gardevoir and enraged Gallade, who went to fight IV while she did her best to heal you with Wish.

Eventually the robot did see you were unconscious, freezing for a moment as a new emotion was registered in them: Guilt.

That distraction allowed Gallade to gain the upper hand and knock them out.

The next day, you were released from the hospital, having suffered only a minor concussion and some bruises.

Upon arriving home to your worried Pokémon, you immediately asked where Iron Valiant was. Gallade didn't wanna tell you, but Gardevoir showed you to the backyard...where they stood rigidly, completely shutdown. Apparently they let their battery run dry all night as some sort of punishment.

After recharging them (with some help from Pawmi's Spark), they awaken with renewed guilt upon seeing you, kneeling down in apology.

But you convinced them to stand back up, instead embracing them and expressing your forgiveness.

"I know why you were angry...you just wanted to be like Gallade and Gardevoir. I've raised them since they were Ralts, so we do have a close connection. But don't ever think that I'll ignore you, IV. You're just as important to me, too."

Mimikyuu

After getting into a fight with a murder of Murkrow, your sweet little ghost/fairy's disguise was a lot worse for wear.

They try fixing it themselves, but even though you gave them a sewing needle...it just wasn't coming out right. Not the way they wanted it.

So much was wrong with it. The neck was still crooked, the ears were misaligned-

You didn't know how stressed they were until you hear their cries coming from an old pillowcases they were temporarily using for cover, and wanted to help them.

Unfortunately, yours was akin to an extremely stubborn child who didn't wanna share. And they freaked out when you tried taking their costume away, leading to them slapping your hand.

But in doing so accidentally jabbed you with the needle.

You winced in pain, although Mimikyuu quickly realized what they had done and panicked, dropping the tool and slipping further into the pillowcase, leaving their costume out in the open.

After plastering a bandaid on yourself, you got to work fixing it.

Mimikyuu never protested or said anything, feeling guilty for hurting you.

However, after some time you did feel the small, trembling lump hidden in the pillowcase curl up against your side. You patted it gently, humming a small song to help them calm down.

Once their costume was repaired, you presented it to them with a warm smile, and they...initially hesitated to take it.

You realized why, and closed your eyes so you didn't look at their true form, only opening them after the costume was on.

Looking down, you see them holding your hand and nuzzling where you had the cut, tears in their eyes.

"It's okay, Mimi." You coo. "I know you didn't mean it. I'll be okay..thank you for trusting me."

Maushold

They didn't hurt you directly...although they did feel responsible for the situation that injured you.

It all started when their two children began chasing some Hoppips who flew off when the wind picked up, while their parents rested during a picnic.

However, you were very observant and quickly noticed the little mice have gone missing, going to search for them so their parents didn't freak out.

You eventually found them being tormented by a Persian, who was circling around them menacingly.

Without thinking about your own safety, you just ran towards them and shouted at the feline Pokémon to get away, scooping up Maushold's children into your arms.

And you turned your back just as Persian lunged, attacking you with Fury Swipes, claws ripping through your shirt and scratching your skin.

They stung like hell, but you refused to let it harm either of the mice.

Fortunately, it didn't get a chance to attack again, as a flurry of Bullet Seeds caused it to flee.

You smiled as the rest of Maushold came to the rescue, reuniting them with their children.

But you didn't tell them about the attack until you went to Nurse Miriam and explained the situation as she treated your injuries.

To make a long story short...the parents were mad at their children for endangering you, though you gathered them all into your arms and hugged them closely.

"Don't be upset with them, they chased after some Hoppip and didn't know any better." You gently told the parents. "I can take a few scratches from a mean Persian if it means you're all safe."

As Tandemaus, they knew you were very loving and protective over them...but the fact you'd risk your life not only for them, but their kiddos? They teared up a little.

They feel very grateful having you as a trainer

[duhragonball]

Dragon Ball Super 114

Some guy in my replies: “No u don’t understand that’s a Yakuza reference all the criminal gangs in Japan hold hands like this it’s how they tell each other they like crime.”

Last time Goku started fighting Caulifla and Kale to show them Super Saiyan 3, but we’ve scratched that itch and now they just want to defeat him in battle.   So Kale powers up to her maximum, but she still has that little problem of being able to control herself at this level.

And Goku would know, since she clobbered him pretty good the last time she did this.

Caulifla, on the other hand, is all for it.

Elsewhere, Vegeta and Top have been fighting, but Vegeta keeps getting distracted by what Goku’s up to.  The girls have been improving dramatically since the tournament began, and I guess that’d be hard to ignore. 

Top admits that the Saiyans are a remarkable people, and Vegeta can’t help but take this opportunity to point at himself and talk about how he’s the best Saiyan of all. 

So Kale finishes hulking up, and Caulifla is worried at first that Kale still can’t recognize her in this form, but she takes her hand anyway and assures her that they’ll push forward together no matter what.  This somehow reaches Kale, and...

She changes back to her “happy medium” form, and regains her personality.  And yet, everyone observes that she still retains the power she had in the her jacked up state.  So somehow she’s finally gotten a handle on her Super Saiyan form. 

Meanwhile, Goku notices that his hands are trembling. With excitement, I guess? He’s been excited about a good fight before, though, and this time he acts like he doesn’t understand. 

It’s like I was saying before, this time is different for him.  He’s got these two younger Saiyans fighting him, and they’re pushing him out of his slump from Jiren clobbering him.  But they’re also sitting under the learnin’ tree, and he’s showing them things they’ve never understood before.  He’s finally getting to spend quality time with his own people, and the culture he never got to experience because his homeworld was destroyed.  And I think he understands that on some unconscious level. 

The closest example I can think of to compare this to is like when he was sparring with teen Goten in one of the last episodes of Z, or that barn-burner he had with Gohan in Episode 90 of this show.  He had the same sense of satisfaction, but he could tell himself that it was a father-son moment.  Here’s he’s having the same kind of feeling, but with strangers, and he doesn’t get it. 

Or maybe he’s parsing these romantic undertones without realizing it.  Kale starts out saying she’ll follow Caulifla’s lead, but Caulifla insists that they fight as equals.  Remember, they’re part of an outlaw gang back in Universe 6, and Caulifla’s the leader of that gang.  But she’s not the leader of their relationship, which is why I get so irritated with randos who keep trying to interpret this whole thing in terms of Yakuza stuff, or taking the “sister” thing too literally.   You know who’s actually a blood relative of Caulifla?  This guy:

Renso speaks highly of Caulifla, but he’s not part of her gang and he seems to have closer ties to Cabba from their time in the Sadala Defense Force.  I’m pretty sure Caulifla never even mentions her brother at all. 

You know who’s part of the inner circle of Caulifla’s gang?  This dude:

Not Cabba, I mean the anonymous guy with the pompadour mussing Cabba’s hair.  He must be a pretty big wheel in this gang or he wouldn’t be acting so high and mighty in Caulifla’s presence.  We never learn anything about this guy, except that he defers to her without question.   And we know this is where all the big shots in Caulifla’s gang hang out, because Kale’s standing just off screen. 

You know who calls Caulifla her “one and only”?  Who Caulifla looks at with unrestrained adoration?  Who Caulifla keeps holding tenderly? 

Seriously, what gang sign is this?  Harold, they’re lesbians.  Honestly, I don’t even care that much, but every time some weenie trolls my #caulifla tag and tries to deny or downplay this, I just get more convinced.  Because they’re always like “no no they’re not gay they’re not gay u just don’t understand gangs” and I’m like just give it up already.  Seriously, who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?

Look, I’m old enough to remember when Simpsons fans used to argue about whether Smithers was gay.  I can admit that I once thought there might be some heterosexual explanation for his whole bit.   But that was thirty years ago, and these two goofballs are constantly gazing into each other’s eyes.  Don’t piss on my head and tell me it’s raining. 

Now, where was I?  Oh, right, Caulifla and Kale start fighting Goku and whoopin’ his ass.

Bam!

PONCH!

Pursuit!

Goku starts to get boxed in, so he uses a Solar Flare.  I like how he still says “Sorry, Tien, but I’m borrowing your move!” before he uses it.  Meanwhile Krillin spams Solar Flare more than Goku and Tien put together, and he doesn’t even acknowledge the creator. 

Caulifla misses Goku and eats a faceful of rocks, so Kale gets upset and attacks Goku on her own.  She’s a house of fire!

Then they run across Frieza, who decides he wants in on this, but Goku tells him this is a private party. 

I know Frieza has a bigger role to play near the end of the tournament, but I gotta say he’s a real pain in the ass here in the middle.  He keeps standing around talking about how he’s going to do horrible things to his opponents, but he hardly ever jumps in and fights. It’s almost like he’s still that lazy fuck who spent most of the Namek Saga sitting in his scooter and drinking wine.  Anyway, Goku tells him to fuck on outta here. 

Also, Catopesra shows up to offer Frieza a different challenger, but Frieza ignores him completely, so clearly Frieza’s just phony tough.  Catopesra even changes the “P” on his costume into an “S”, but Frieza doesn’t care.

Anyway, Goku gears up for the next round, and Caulifla says he sure is confident, and Goku admits that he’s not.  Make no mistake, he’s not toying with these ladies. 

So then... wait, seriously?

I spent so much time talking about the other handholding scene that I forgot about this one. 

Which issue of “Way of the House-Husband” is this from?  Like, the main guy’s talking about laundry detergent with someone, and then he goes “I like to hold hands with my wife”, and the lady he’s talking to is confused because everyone knows holding hands is a thing criminals do to express how loyal they are to their boss, and the more murders you commit, the longer you have to hold their hand. 

So they do the bit where they make a dust cloud and Goku uses his senses to locate them, but that was the plan.  Kale traps his arm, setting Goku up for...

Fuck yeah!

See, some of you may be confused, so let me break it down for you.  The “sworn sister”, hand-holding, the “weeping at the though of being apart” stuff?  That’s Caulifla and Kale being gay.  This part?  Where one holds him while the other beats the shit out of him?  That’s the gangster stuff.

“WHERE’S MY FUCKING MONEY!”

“Gettin�� real tired of you ducking me, man!”

I can see it now.  “tumblr user dipshit89 replied to your post: But but Kale’s holding Goku’s arm and that doesn’t prove she loves him!” 

I forgot how he got out of this one, so I had to look up a YouTube clip of this, and basically Caulifla went for a spin kick to his head, which gave Goku enough time to duck and swing around Kale to reverse her hold.  Goku’s the man.  This fight rocks so hard. 

Likewise, I couldn’t get a good shot of this action, but Goku tries to teleport after he breaks free, but Caulifla’s seen that too many times, so she throws a ki blast behind her, guessing that’s where he’s going to reappear, and she’s right on the money.  I think that’s the first time we’ve seen any character scout the Instant Transmission.   Cell was just so fast that it didn’t bother him much, and I think every other character Goku has fought since then has been the same way, just rolling with the fact that Goku can teleport, rather than learning to anticipate how Goku uses it in a fight. 

Well, Frieza used the same strategy to beat Jimmiz, but I don’t think that counts, because with Jimmiz teleporting was pretty much all the guy does, so it wasn’t exactly difficult to predict.  Goku’s whole deal is that he’ll go so long without Instant Transmission that you almost forget he can do it whenever he wants. 

So Goku finally turns it up to Super Saiyan God.  Well, I say finally like he’s been holding back up to now.  This whole thing has been kind of similar to the way Goku started out against Jiren, except that in the Jiren fight, Goku was fresh, and he was deliberately working his way up to the higher transforms to feel Jiren out.  Here, Goku isn’t waiting to use Super Saiyan God.  Chances are he couldn’t use Super Saiyan God until now.  And it’s likely he’d still rather wait a little longer, but if he keeps fighting at SSJ2 he’s gonna get his ass kicked, so it’s now or never.

But now, Caulifla and Kale aren’t so impressed.  They went into this eager to see Super Saiyan 3, and now Goku’s showing them an even higher form and they’re like “Yeah, we can still take him.”

Goku opens with fingerguns.  Wait, there’s ki blasts coming out of there, that fingergun is loaded!   Watch out!

Kind of weird to see Goku using a beam attack.  Someone should write a fanfic set before this fight where Goku fights a memorable opponent with a beam attack and that sort of serves as a call-forward to this fight, where he uses a similar beam attack here.  It’s me, I should be doing that.

So things go as they did before, except this time Goku’s much harder to double-team.

Not sure Kale’s entirely on-model here, but I still like this shot.

The girls stay on him, though.  Kale manages to catch Goku in a big green ki blast, and Caulifla’s like “Yeah, you got him!”

But Goku just swims up the blast and clobbers her.  Shades of Cooler’s Revenge!

Then Goku fires two ki blasts at once.  Kale struggles mightily against one of them...

... While Caulifla tries to dodge the other.   Except Goku’s steering it to chase her.  Now, as Goku recovers his strength, we begin to see the gap between their powers.  They were doing well against him as a Super Saiyan 2, but in this form, Goku can sling around bigger, more powerful ki attacks and overwhelm them, despite their numerical advantage.

Kale manages to toss her ki blast up into the air, but Caulifla gets caught before Kale can help.  And that one blast pretty much took Caulifla out of the fight.  She doesn’t want to quit, but she knows she’s finished, and Kale can’t fight Goku alone.

Goku congratulates them for their great talent, but he says they need to learn how to “finish a fight”.  I didn’t understand what he meant before, but now I get it.  They probably had Goku cornered at least a few times before he turned Super Saiyan God.  If they had capitalized on that advantage, they could have defeated him before he ever got the chance to make it to Super Saiyan God.  Or, more accurately, if they had known how to capitalize on that advantage while they had it. 

It goes back to that “street brawler” thing Whis said about Caulifla last episode.  She’s good, but she lacks the martial arts background that Goku has, so there’s a lot of subtle aspects of a fight that she doesn’t know how to deal with.  As we saw, she’s a quick study, and Goku could show her what to do through fighting a lot faster than explaining it.  And the same holds true for Kale.  But ultimately, no matter how much they improve from fighting Goku, their basic approach to fighting is the same: Pound the other guy down until he can’t continue. 

And that usually works, but in this case Goku was getting stronger, not weaker, as the fight progressed.  Their best bet was to put him away early instead of trying to wear him down.  Their moment was probably about the beginning of this episode, where Kale reached her full power and Goku wasn’t ready to go God Mode on them yet. 

But they didn’t know how to seize that opportunity, so they just kept attacking and waiting for a better opportunity that never came.  It’s like when I play chess and I focus more on trying to take out all the opponent’s pieces instead of looking for checkmates.  That approach can work, but it also gives your opponent loads of time to find a way to checkmate you. 

Anyway, Goku’s got the clear advantage here, and he starts preparing a Kamehameha to blow them both out of the ring.  But Caulifla reminds Kale of that thing they got before the tournament began, and says it’s time they fought together “all the way”. 

But Goku is unaware of this plan, so as he blasts them (and a chunk of the stage) away, he doesn’t notice something cool is happening.

Awwww yeah.

It’s Kefla Time, Bay-Bay!

This was Champa’s secret plan all along.  Before the tournament began, he gave Potara earrings to the girls and told them to put them on near the end of the tournament.  They didn’t understand, but he insisted that they trust him on this.  And so they have, and here we are. 

This tournament fucking rules.  We’ve seen everything else so far.  Spirit Bombs, Evil Containment Waves, like four or five Hellzone Grenades.  It’s been five years and I still can’t believe they brought back Android 17.  So yeah, let’s throw in some good ol’ fusion. 

EVEN VEGETA IS AFRAID

Kefla is so strong and fast and cool that she overshoots Goku when she jumps over to him. 

Goku tries to punch her, but he misses. 

Here’s KISS with “Unholy”.

[beardedmrbean]

DALLAS - A woman struck from behind in an unprovoked attack in Downtown Dallas is sharing her story for the first time.

The last thing Elizabeth Ferguson remembers from September 12 was leaving her office at the George Allen Courts Building in downtown for a lunch break.

"Somebody was apparently going to get hurt that day, and I happened to be the one who was injured," she told FOX 4. "I went downstairs, walked through the lobby, and that’s the last thing that I can recall."

A half mile away from work at the intersection of Elm and Field Street, Ferguson was randomly clobbered her head with a blunt object and knocked unconscious.

"It looks like it hurt even though I don’t remember it hurting," she said.

The only thing Ferguson recalls is waking up in a hospital two days later.

"Those entire two days are completely gone," she said. "It’s my understanding that I wasn’t unconscious the whole time that people spoke with me. Apparently, I answered some things, but I don’t have any memory of it whatsoever until I was out of surgery."

Ferguson says doctors diagnosed her with a severe concussion, facial fractures, skull lacerations and even a spleen laceration from her fall to the concrete.

"I don’t understand why someone would feel like they needed to do something like that or had the right to do something like that or felt that it was a good thing to do," she said.

Ferguson does not shy away from viewing surveillance video of the attack.

The video led Dallas police to charge 36-year-old Antonio Banks with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.

Banks has a lengthy criminal history, including assault on a public servant and terroristic threats. He was on parole during the downtown attack.

"He needs to be locked up somewhere. He needs to be someplace where he can’t endanger anybody else," Ferguson said. "But I would like for him to have the ability, hopefully, to someday become a different person and be a person who does not resort to violence."

Ferguson says she is still working to recover from severe cognitive issues.

"Everybody hears every once in a while about terrible things happening around the world, and no one thinks that it’s going to happen to somebody they know — much less themselves," she said.

But for now, Ferguson is looking toward the bright side.

"All in all, I think I was lucky. If could have been a lot worse," she said. "I am so grateful for all of the work that went into helping me to heal to the point that I am now."                   

Banks is being held in the Dallas County jail on a $150,000 bond but with a hold for that parole violation.

[pesterloglog]

Terezi Pyrope, John Egbert, Karkat Vantas, Gamzee Makara, Kanaya Maryam, Sollux Captor

Act 6, page 7375-7382

TEREZI: JOHN, WH4T H4V3 YOU DON3!

JOHN: whew! that was close.

TEREZI: WHY 4R3 YOU H3R3??

TEREZI: HOW 4R3 YOU H3R3???

JOHN: it's a long story terezi. don't worry about it.

JOHN: the important thing here is, we did it. everything's going to be ok now.

TEREZI: D1D WH4T?!

JOHN: um...

JOHN: i'm not sure, actually.

TEREZI: OH MY FUCK1NG GOD

JOHN: well, i just clobbered vriska and knocked her out, like you said.

JOHN: jeez, i hope i didn't punch too hard...

JOHN: wow, she's really down for the count, isn't she.

JOHN: i got a lot of extra punching practice in my fight with the skull jerk.

JOHN: maybe i gained a bit too much man grit for my own good?

TEREZI: WH4T 4R3 YOU T4LK1NG 4BOUT!

TEREZI: DO YOU H4V3 4NY 1D34 WH4T YOU'V3 JUST DON3?

JOHN: yes.

JOHN: i randomly appeared and knocked vriska out cold, just like the scarf told me to.

TEREZI: WH4T SC4RF???

JOHN: um...

JOHN: this one?

TEREZI: YOU W3R3N'T SUPPOS3D TO DO TH1S!

TEREZI: 1 W4S SUPPOS3D TO K1LL H3R!

TEREZI: YOU JUST DOOM3D US 4LL!!!

JOHN: no, no...

JOHN: i mean, yeah, it was supposed to go that way originally!

JOHN: but now it doesn't have to, because of like, weird retcon magic, and also your crazy mind schemes.

TEREZI: M1ND SCH3M3S?!

JOHN: yes.

JOHN: well, you from years in the future, just before you died.

JOHN: i got help from your older, possibly wiser self. you helped me come back here, using the mysteries of the mind.

TEREZI: 1 S33

TEREZI: BUT TH4T DO3S NOT 4NSW3R TH3 MOST 1MPORT4NT QU3ST1ON OF 4LL

JOHN: what.

TEREZI: WHY 4R3 YOU SUCH 4 DORK?!

JOHN: shut up!

TEREZI: L3T M3 S33 TH4T SC4RF

JOHN: no!!

TEREZI: Y3S, G1V3 1T H3R3

JOHN: no, quit it!

TEREZI: YOU FUCK3D W1TH TH3 4LPH4 T1M3L1N3. 1 W4NT 4NSW3RS

JOHN: hey, i had to jump through a lot of your lame prankstery hoops to get here!

JOHN: plus i saved vriska from your back stabbing ways, so you don't need to do that for... whatever stupid reason you were going to?

JOHN: how about a little gratitude!

TEREZI: JUST T3LL M3 WH4T TH3 SC4RF S4YS

TEREZI: 1 N33D TO KNOW WH4T 1 S41D!

JOHN: look, all it says is this list of bloody passwords and instructions, most of which are dumb pranks!

TEREZI: PR4NKS? >:?

JOHN: yeah, i think so.

TEREZI: WHY WOULD 1 S3ND YOU B4CK 1N T1M3 TO PL4Y PR4NKS

JOHN: because you're a weirdo!

TEREZI: SCR3W YOU!

TEREZI: W41T

TEREZI: SO YOU 4CTU4LLY W3R3 TH3 ON3 WHO STOL3 MY DR4GON, 4ND WROT3 THOS3 NOT3S?

JOHN: yeah.

TEREZI: WHY

JOHN: i don't know!

JOHN: you told me to.

JOHN: probably to prevent you from fucking up your life?

TEREZI: 4ND YOU'R3 SUR3 YOU D1DN'T JUST M4K3 4 DOOM3D T1M3L1N3 H3R3?

JOHN: yeah, pretty sure!

JOHN: this is like, a fresh start. from this point on.

TEREZI: G1MM3 TH3 SC4RF

JOHN: no! stop badgering me about the damn scarf!!!

TEREZI: 1T'S M1N3 THOUGH, 1T H4S MY BLOOD ON 1T!

JOHN: no, it belonged to my dear departed FRIEND, her name was *future* terezi!

TEREZI: YOU B4ST4RD >:x

JOHN: look, it doesn't even say anything else, i already did everything!

JOHN: wait...

TEREZI: WH4T

JOHN: ok, there is one last thing i have to do.

TEREZI: WH4T

JOHN: it says i have to give you my wallet.

TEREZI: WH4T??

JOHN: but...

JOHN: i don't actually have my wallet?

TEREZI: YOU DONT?

JOHN: no.

JOHN: i lost it years ago.

JOHN: i think i gave it to...

JOHN: damn. who was it.

JOHN: liv tyler, the bunny?

JOHN: or was it that short chess dude.

JOHN: shit!

TEREZI: WHY WOULD 1 T3LL YOU TO G1V3 M3 YOUR W4LL3T 1F YOU DON'T H4V3 1T

JOHN: i guess you didn't realize i lost it??

JOHN: hell, even i can't remember what items we still have half the time.

JOHN: terezi, just between you, me, unconscious vriska, and that dumb clown there, this adventure has been one huge mess.

TEREZI: WH4T COULD 3V3N B3 SO 1MPORT4NT 4BOUT G1V1NG M3 YOUR W4LL3T?

JOHN: hmm.

JOHN: actually, it says give "her" your wallet.

JOHN: did "her" mean you, or vriska?

TEREZI: ???

JOHN: i guess it's a moot point, since i don't have it.

JOHN: let's just call it one small flaw in your otherwise mostly stupid plan, and get on with our lives.

TEREZI: 1T'S NOT MY PL4N!

JOHN: yes it is!

JOHN: or, was.

JOHN: i mean, will be.

JOHN: or... won't be anymore? now that we changed stuff.

TEREZI: UGH, SHUT UP

TEREZI: M4YB3 1F YOU COULD T3LL M3 *WHY* W3 N33D TH3 W4LL3T, W3 COULD M4K3 OTH3R PL4NS TO COMP3NS4T3?

JOHN: um.

JOHN: i dunno. maybe you need to captcha something really big?

TEREZI: L1K3 WH4T

JOHN: i don't know!

JOHN: it's just some vague crap you wrote on a scarf!

KARKAT: JOHN????

JOHN: oh fuck.

KARKAT: HOW IN THE CONTEMPTIBLE NAME OF MY PERMANENTLY HATE-SOILED JERKOFF TROUSERS CAN YOU ***POSSIBLY*** BE HERE?!

JOHN: no, i'm not doing this!

JOHN: i'm not explaining the retcon shit again!

KARKAT: RET-WHAT SHIT??

KARKAT: WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO VRISKA?

KARKAT: IS

KARKAT: IS THAT *GAMZEE* TIED UP ON THE FLOOR THERE?

KARKAT: WITH A HORN SHOVED IN HIS MOUTH???

GAMZEE: *HONK*

JOHN: sigh.

KARKAT: TEREZI, WHY IS GAMZEE TIED UP ON THE FLOOR.

KARKAT: I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU. I THOUGHT HE HAD GOTTEN TO YOU FOR SURE.

TEREZI: TH4T 1S SW33T OF YOU K4RK4T, BUT TH3R3 W4S NO N33D TO WORRY

TEREZI: 1 CR4CK3D TH3 C4S3

TEREZI: W1TH 1NV3ST1G4T1ON SK1LLS L1K3 M1N3, 1T W4S 1N3V1T4BL3 >:]

JOHN: (lmao.)

KARKAT: UM, OK???

KARKAT: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF SOMEBODY TOLD ME WHAT SORT OF PREPOSTEROUS SHIT WAS TAKING PLACE UP HERE.

KARKAT: WHAT HAPPENED TO VRISKA? WHY IS SHE PASSED OUT ON THE FUCKING FLOOR?!

JOHN: because i punched her in the face.

KARKAT: WHAT

JOHN: you heard me.

KARKAT: OK, JOHN, LISTEN. FIRST OF ALL, SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH.

KARKAT: I DON'T EVEN KNOW *WHERE* TO BEGIN ADDRESSING THE GLOBE NUMBING ABSURDITY OF YOUR SUDDEN PRESENCE ON THIS METEOR.

KARKAT: LET'S JUST AWKWARDLY STRAFE ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THAT HUMONGOUS, STINK-BELCHING TRUNKBEAST IN THE ROOM, AND LET THE VIOLENTLY UNINHIBITED NERD-GRILLING COMMENCE.

KARKAT: *WHY* DID YOU PUNCH VRISKA IN THE FACE??????????

KARKAT: I MEAN...

KARKAT: NOT THAT I NECESSARILY BLAME YOU, BUT STILL.

JOHN: karkat, take it easy.

JOHN: here, read this.

KARKAT: WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS.

JOHN: it's all on the scarf, buddy.

JOHN: it's all on the scarf.

KARKAT: GET THIS NASTY FUCKING RAG OUT OF MY PROXIMITY!

TEREZI: H3Y, TH4T'S M1N3!

KANAYA: Uh

JOHN: oh man.

JOHN: this is turning into a stupid circus.

GAMZEE: *HONK*

JOHN: shh!

JOHN: i should really get out of here.

JOHN: the time line is already boned enough as it is without me hanging around.

KARKAT: WHAT? YOU'RE LEAVING ALREADY??

JOHN: i mean...

JOHN: i guess it doesn't matter THAT much if i'm here?

JOHN: we already changed history like... almost completely?

JOHN: that was kind of the point.

JOHN: vriska's not dead anymore, so that means...

JOHN: wait, what does that actually mean?

KARKAT: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!!

KARKAT: WHAT'S THIS SHIT ABOUT VRISKA BEING DEAD? CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN THIS TO ME!

KANAYA: Vriskas Dead?

KARKAT: NO!!!!!!!!!

KARKAT: SHE'S ASLEEP ON THE FLOOR OVER THERE, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING!

JOHN: so, that means i'll never be able to get the life ring from tavros...

JOHN: but i already have the ring? so i guess that doesn't matter?

SOLLUX: wh0's talking.

JOHN: wait, does this really mean vriska's ghost stops existing, or...

JOHN: is her ghost just going to keep existing in the dream bubbles because of "reasons"?

KANAYA: Karkat What Is He Doing Here

KARKAT: WOW, GREAT QUESTION!

KARKAT: WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A FUCKING NUMBER AND GET IN LINE FOR THAT ONE!!!

KARKAT: I'VE ALREADY GOT MINE! IT'S THE FIRST NUMBER THERE IS. AN ANGRY, TREMBLING DIGIT, TOWERING AND ERECT, POINTING DIRECTLY AT THE TRASHFACED KINGPIN OF INEXPLICABLE HORSESHIT HIMSELF, *GOD*!!!!!

JOHN: and if i never ended up meeting her ghost...

JOHN: i guess i never stuck my hand in the house thing to get the retcon powers in the first place, so how...

JOHN: god damn it.

KARKAT: HER GHOST??????

KARKAT: HE'S TALKING ABOUT GHOSTS EVERYBODY!

KARKAT: EVERYBODY LISTEN, HE'LL SURELY EXPLAIN EVERYTHING ANY SECOND NOW! THIS SHOULD BE GREAT!

SOLLUX: can s0me0ne please tell me wh0 is talking.

KARKAT: SHHHHH, SOLLUX PIPE DOWN! HE'S ABOUT TO SPILL THE FART NIBLETS, I CAN FEEL IT!!!!!!!!!!!

JOHN: ok guys, really, i've messed with your time line enough as it is.

JOHN: sorry for clocking you, vriska, if you can hear me in your dreams. haha, you probably can't.

JOHN: but hey, i guess this means i get to meet alive you soon, instead of ghost you? so that's neat.

KARKAT: EGBERT DON'T YOU DARE FUCK OFF

JOHN: please tell her i'm sorry for punching her in the face.

JOHN: but also, she's welcome for saving her life.

JOHN: i'll see you guys later. um, in three years to be precise.

KARKAT: WHAT???

KARKAT: NO, DON'T

KARKAT: YOU STAY THE HELL PUT. DO YOU HEAR ME YOU UGLY, PEEJAY PACKING, FLAPSNIFFING SHIT INFANT

JOHN: bye dude!

[honorhearted]

Ben was restless. Despite the other matters attended to throughout the day, he could barely concentrate -- even on the very important tactical meetings on his roster -- and more than once, he'd been scolded for his lack of conviction. Although he wished to tell Washington of his plans, he also knew the general was not one for hearsay, and would demand tangible evidence -- evidence he unfortunately did not have.

After completing his remaining responsibilities, Ben returned to his quarters and changed into plainclothes. From head to foot, he was bedecked in dark, neutral colors, all of which would aid in his concealment. In the distance, the sun was already pulling downward, so he knew he only had a few hours more until Francesca's departure...

--

Just a little after sundown, Ben finally caught sight of her trekking across camp. He remained by his tent flaps, watching her figure get smaller and smaller before finally, he holstered his weapon and slunk after her through the dark.

Her steps were light and careful, so Ben, too, tried to mimic that pattern, never falling away from her tread, lest she turn and potentially blow both of their covers.

Before long, Francesca reached a clearing and there she was -- Mrs. Barnes, grinning in such a way that almost seemed sharp and wolfish. Despite the fact he didn't scare easily, something in Ben grew cold at the sight and he touched his flintlock, watching with unrest while the two women continued onward. Where were they going?

Frustrated, he waited a few beats more as Francesca glanced backward -- why had she looked back? -- before he finally felt safe enough to venture from the cover of the trees.

Though before long, the two women stopped again, and their tones grew more hushed, conspiratorial. Ben could distinctly hear the words Miss Bridgerton crooned into the air, and on impulse, he shot upward, his hand fumbling at his weapon. Behind Francesca, a shadowed figure appeared and then the man clobbered her over the head, rendering her unconscious as she sank into his arms.

Damnation!

Tasting bile, Ben gaped at the scene in mounting panic. Although he was a levelheaded, tactical sort, this had never been part of the plan -- this was not supposed to happen! -- and as he stood there in mute horror, it occurred to him then that he couldn't burst from his hiding place and rescue her. No, he needed to remain in hiding; not just for the sake of catching Mrs. Barnes, but in case there were reinforcements who could overpower him. If they were both captured, what good would that do for the Cause?

Taking note of the location, and how there would surely be tracks to follow, Ben said a quick prayer under his breath and bounded back towards camp.

--

"What do you mean, you let her go on her own?" Anna was furious. Her eyes were molten within the lamplight from her tent, and even as Ben tried to raise his hands in supplication, she irefully slapped them downward. "How dare you?" she seethed. "You knew that woman was a danger, and yet you let the meeting take place anyway?"

"I had to!" Ben growled in return. "Don't you get it, Anna? Without actual proof, we cannot convict Mrs. Barnes!"

"And without our agents, our friends, we are nothing!" she spat. "Francesca is a human life, Ben! Or have you been so consumed by your position that you've forgotten?"

For a moment he wavered, his eyes growing wet as he raised his chin. "I intend to get her back," he promised. "They can't have gone far... I will take a lantern and retrace my steps."

Anna nodded, though she appeared unconvinced. "Take me with you," she encouraged.

He immediately shook his head. "No. Absolutely not."

"Ben, take me with you! Francesca will need a friend once she is rescued."

"And what I need is as little distraction as possible," Ben volleyed. "If I have you to worry about on top of everything else, this will never work. And besides..." He straightened. "I need you here, just in case a ransom is made."

The fire in Anna's eyes did not waver, but she finally nodded. "Very well," she agreed, "but at least take Caleb with you."

Grabbing his punch tin lantern off the table, Ben offered her a bleak smile as his answer -- not on your life -- and continued out into the unforgiving dark.

"Not to tell anybody," Francesca amended, although she knew that she could not lie about this -- Mrs Barnes had told her not to tell a soul, but she had also mentioned Ben directly. She suspected something between them, that much was clear, and Francesca felt a dull thud in her chest as she realised that her words had only given validity to such assumptions.

His hands were suddenly on her shoulders and she flinched, forcing herself to look him in the eye as she spoke. "Of course she talks about you, everybody does," came her explanation, the desperation in her tone matching that of his gaze. She tried to wriggle free from his grip, suppressing the urge to raise her voice above a hush. "I was defending you -- People are starting to worry and they have nowhere to direct their anger but at you. You and your men. I did not tell her much, just... just that I know it is not your fault."

The incredulousness in his tone did not mirror well with hers, a hesitation in her mien as he spoke of her damning the camp. Francesca supposed that he was right, that meeting with Mrs Barnes would be the right thing to do -- So why did she feel so... afraid?

"I thought that you did not want me engaging in spy work."

The hardness of her gaze turned to immediate fear at the appearance of the woman in question. Swallowing back any further words, Francesca glanced between Mrs Barnes and Major Tallmadge, nodding once at his demand.

"Was he botherin' you?" Mrs Barnes asked as soon as he was out of sight, a seemingly eager glint in her eyes as she regarded Francesca's shaken frame.

She shook her head in response. "No. No, I just... I think I need to lie down for a moment."

--

The following day passed in a blur despite the looming dread that hung over Francesca's shoulders like a storm cloud. As the sun dipped lower into the sky, welcoming the deep purples of nightfall spattered with stars, she allowed herself to get ready, pulling her hood over her curls and setting out for the clothes fence.

As promised, Mrs Barnes stood waiting for her amongst the drying laundry, a bright grin alighting her features once she spotted the younger girl. Francesca could not help but think that such a smile no longer held a warmth to it - No, she looked like a crow honing in on its meal.

"I was startin' to think you'd never turn up," she said jovially, an almost frantic energy radiating from her.

"I know, I... There were people outside of my tent. I had to wait for them to leave." She paused, glancing cautiously towards the fence. It was a strange place to hold a meeting, at the bottom of camp where people were constantly bustling -- Although Francesca had never been here after nightfall, and nobody seemed to be milling about now. "What did you wish to speak to me about?"

"Ah." Mrs Barnes skirted closer, linking their arms together as though they were the best of friends, leaning in further until the space between them seemed no more than a hair. "Come. We can't talk here."

With a glance over her shoulder, Francesca scanned the view for Ben -- Surely he would be watching them; Surely he would not let her do this alone. No, he must have been there, hiding in the shadows in case something were to turn. And so she agreed, following Mrs Barnes towards the woodlands with a thudding heart and trembling bones.

They walked in silence for a while, the air around them charged with an intense unease. Risking a glance over at the older woman, Francesca noted her calm demeanour, the purpose with which she led the two of them further and further from home. It was not until Mrs Barnes stopped beside a large tree trunk, unlinking their arms as she placed a hand against the rough bark, that she finally spoke.

"Such a sweet girl," she crooned, the unexpectedness of the phrase causing Francesca to startle, bile rising in her throat as she realised -- This was never going to be a simple discussion. "Its such a shame he has you wrapped 'round his finger. But then, we all have our secrets. Don't we, Miss Bridgerton?"

Miss Bridgerton.

"What?"

Panic set in as Francesca stumbled backwards, her gaze flying towards the way that they came. They must have walked a mile, maybe more -- Could she truly run back? What did Mrs Barnes want with her?

Such thoughts left only an echo when a searing pain shot through her skull, a hand clamped down over her mouth. The last thing that Francesca saw before succumbing to hazy darkness was Mrs Barnes, her smile warm and welcoming.

[justcourttee]

I would love for like Adrien to find a lost 4 year old at one of his photo shoots and after conformting the child and trying to help him find his parents the kid yells mommy! And runs to damian and Marinette

So so sorry for being so inactive. It’s been a crazy semester and I haven’t been able to sit down and write as much as I had hoped. (Side note, If you sent a request, I promise I will get to it. I never overlook them unless they are the same request twice. I will only answer one if it’s the same prompt :))

There were three or four of these requests in my inbox all slightly different but based on this same idea! So I hope you enjoy this :)

Just Like You

Adrien knew one thing was absolute in this world.

Photoshoots always were and always would be the bane of his existence.

He thought that when his father left him in charge of the company so that he and Nathalie could travel the world, he could lay off on the photoshoots, hire some new faces. What a naive wish. He should’ve known that his father would have booked him to wear all of the upcoming designs and deadlines for the next two years.

“Alright guys, let’s call it quits for now and take an hour lunch. Everyone meet back here by 1.”

Adrien sighed as he slipped off the jacket he was wearing, handing it off to the intern before stepping out of their cornered off section of the park. What to eat for lunch was the only question plaguing his mind as he unconsciously stepped toward Andre’s cart conveniently set up a mere 20 feet from their site.  He was so close to his tasty snack when a cry pierced his ears.

His eyes swept the park looking for the culprit only pausing once they landed on a small child collapsed by the water fountain, their face buried in tiny hands.

Nobody seemed to be rushing to their aid, in fact, it was as if all of Paris was trying to ignore the girl’s cries as they scurried to wherever they were in such a hurry to be. Typical. His eyes glanced once more longingly at the ice cream cart before his feet turned on their path. He tried to approach as slowly as possible stopping a couple of feet from the child, careful to not scare her off.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?”

She didn’t even bother to look up, her wails echoing off the marble of the fountain. Adrien wasn’t sure what to do. He had worked with kids before in photoshoots, but he truly had no personal experience with them.

“Why are you crying?”

There was still no answer. He didn’t know what he was expecting. Just because he changed the question didn’t mean she was going to automatically talk to him. So instead, he remained crouched, hoping he could wait her out before his lunch break ended.

“Mom-Mommy told me not to talk to strangers sir.”

Her french was jagged, much like it was a language in progress. She was definitely from out of town. That concerned Adrien more than anything else. Hawkmoth may have fallen off the face of the Earth, but that didn’t mean every scum followed suit.

“That’s good advice from your mom. Is she with you today?”

Adrien regretted the words the minute they flew from his mouth. Her whole body stiffened as if she suddenly remembered her situation.

“I don’t know. She told me to stay put, but I saw this pretty butterfly and I thought it was one of mommy’s friends. So I tried to chase and after it and when it went bye-bye, I didn’t know where I was.”

Slowly, her head tilted to the side, her watery eyes drilling into his as if she wasn’t sure whether to cry or attack. The look, however, wasn’t what sucked all the air out of his surroundings.

“My God, you look just like her.”

The child turned her whole body, her face morphing from hostile to curious. It was as if some Akuma had hit Marinette Dupain-Cheng shrinking her to the size of one four-year-old girl. She was identical to the girl he had cared for save for her eyes. Instead of the mesmerizing blue he had gotten lost in so many times, they were a striking emerald green.

“Can we get some ice cream?”

Adrien blinked twice as if waking from a strange dream.

“From that cart over there?”

Her little finger nearly poked his eye out as she motioned behind him to where Andre stood.

“I-I-um,” his voice hadn’t cracked in years, was he going to hit puberty again? “I thought I was a stranger. You can’t get ice cream with a stranger.”

Gone were her tears and in their place stood a dazzling smile of tiny peals.

“You’re right, but you’re not gonna hurt me, mister. I can tell by your eyes. Daddy always tells me to check the eyes.”

Without another word, she skipped past Adrien forcing him to chase after her retreating figure. She had just reached the cart when a frantic voice stopped her order in its tracks.

“Amelia Martha Wayne, Where are you?”

“Mommy!”

It was as if she completely had forgotten about her ice cream as she pushed past Adrien’s legs leaving him frozen in place. That voice. He hadn’t heard it in so many months, so many years. It stilled his racing heart.

“Mommy, mommy, do you want some ice cream? This nice man was about to pay for some!”

Instantly Adrien felt his senses heightened. It felt as if he was seconds away from his death bed.

“I promise Marinette, it wasn’t like that!”

Adrien whipped around, his hands straight up in the air only to come face to face with a shorter, very angry face. His fist was already balled, raised in the air as if he was going to clobber Adrien from behind.

“Damian! Wait!” In an instance, a flash of black hair jumped between him and his would-be assailant. “I know him! You remember my partner, right? This is Adrien!”

The words didn’t seem to ebb at his anger, but he slowly lowered his fist, reaching down to scoop up the little girl instead. Adrien released the breath he didn’t even know he was holding.

“That is you, right Marinette?”

He felt like time itself had frozen as she turned, that familiar smile blinding his vision. 

She had matured. Her smile no longer held the naivety and love from when they were younger, but it was just as bright and welcoming. He couldn’t help his own smile that pulled at his lips. She was just as intoxicating as ever. And she was-

His eyes landed on the small bump protruding from her stomach.

“Hey Kitty, it’s been a while.” Her eyes followed his to where they remained glued on her midsection. “Oh yes, a lot has happened the past few years. Please, allow me to introduce my husband Damian and our daughter Amelia.”

His eyes shot back up, the red swallowing his face as he shot his hand out to accept the man’s extended hand in front of him.

“Very nice to meet you Damian, and of course, you as well Amelia,”

The man didn’t utter a word, his face still contorted into the snarl he had upon arriving. Adrien felt as though his voice was stuck in the back of his throat. How could this small man be so intimidating?

“Set call! Ten minutes people, ten minutes!”

Adrien’s eyes widened as he yanked his phone from his back pocket. There was no way that he had wasted his entire break, he hadn’t even had lunch yet!

“I remember that sound, we should be heading out cause I doubt Amelia has given you any time to eat.” Her playful glare earned a giggle from the little girl who mouthed a sorry to him. “But we should catch up before we head back to the States! Just text me when you’re free.”

Her smile was still warm, her eyes still shining with love, but there was one difference from the Marinette he used to know. All of that love was no longer directed at him. He watched as she intertwined her hand with the man beside her, turning to leave the park, the giggle of her and Amelia echoing in his ears. He wanted to reach out, ask them to stay longer, watch the shoot for old time's sake. But as they retreated further away, he couldn’t find it in him to bring her back to the past.

He chuckled quietly to himself, turning to rush to Andre’s cart before he had to return to the life he had chosen.

“I’m happy for you Marinette and that little girl of yours, well,” he spared one last glance over his shoulder, Amelia’s smile just as blinding as the one from his childhood “she looks just like you.”

Permanent Tag List:

@ash-amg @rebecarojas07 @heaven428 @long-lost-peace @thequeenofpotatoeunicornss @moongoddesskiana @nach0ava @iamablinkmarvelarmy @seraphkitty @clumsy-owl-4178 @pawsitivelymiraculous @mialuvscats @leagrey @smolplantmum @animegirlweeb @glitterflowercat @ladybug-182 @maskedpainter @remy-289 @redbullgivescaswings

[dr-drckken]

It’s Clobbering Time || Turquoise

@accendimi

Drakken had completely forgotten about the crystal that odd person had given him. He had fully intended on using it as soon as he got home but then mother had called and he had gotten distracted, putting the rock down somewhere while he talked to her. Then he had forgotten where that was, until a few days ago! He had found it in behind the cereal boxes! 

They had said the person he hated most would be tormented by nightmares when they slept. Ha! Just like they had made his days in college a nightmare! The crystal had lit up as he held it. Nothing happened, but he knew within a few days he would be able to call them and tell them the misery they were experiencing was because of him! Dr. Drakken!

That night he hadn’t attempted to go to sleep until late, insomnia keeping him up reading. Just as his brain had started to lull into the unconscious, it was pulled somewhere much darker. The first few days, he had thought it was the town making him wake up yelling. The next few, he didn’t sleep. Then, he finally admitted to himself that...that stupid tree hugger had conned him! Instead of affecting his greatest enemy, it had turned on him! 

He needed to destroy the stupid thing, and who was the one person he could count on for strength and green...you know he didn’t really know what it was her flames were, she had never let him test on her and- not important at the moment. 

Drakken had called Sarina to come over ASAP and pulled open the door when he saw her coming down the hall through the peep hole. He waved her on to hurry up and get inside. “It’s about time! I called you ten minutes ago, what took you so long!” 

[ampmiscfiles]

Let Us Love You: Chapter 8

Start at the beginning

Bucky watched with a thoughtful expression as Peter left. There was no denying the omega hadn't looked at him quite like he had before.

He looked......unsure.

He debated on letting the others know, but he didn't have to say anything.

"That was interesting." Natasha said, eyebrows raised.

"What was?" Steve asked, turning from where Karen had walked off.

"Bucky and Peter." she answered.

The three other alphas snapped to attention.

"What about them?" Thor pushed.

"We just made eye contact. She's making something out of nothing." Bucky said, rolling his eyes.

"There was something different in that look." Natasha said, crossing her arms.

"I don't see why this is such a big deal. We all know he was close to the version of me in his world. He damn near shuts down every time he sees me. You'd be better off ignoring what you saw. It wasn't me he was looking at." Bucky glared before stomping off.

"Was it really a big deal?" Steve asked, looking at Natasha carefully. "I mean, Buck's not wrong. Peter had a connection with his version, it really could just be that."

"Oh, it's definitely a little bit of that. I could see it. He misses him. Most likely it's the same with Sam. Still, he knew he wasn't looking at his Barnes. He was trying to seen him in ours though."

"Perhaps this is a good thing." Thor hummed. "If we can convince him to talk to our friend Barnes, then he could see ours is the same as his!"

"That might work in theory, big guy," Tony nodded. "But how do you propose to get close enough to Peter to suggest it? How would you suggest it?"

"It's not a bad idea. I think Peter wants to talk to him, but our other selves have left a serious impression on him." Natasha said, moving to follow where Bucky had gone. "Let's go. We need to do a little brainstorming."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Welcome to my awesome abode. I'd be glad to show you around. Maybe you'd like to see the inside of my bedroom?" Johnny winked, opening the door wide for Peter to enter.

"I've literally been here multiple times. I think I can get around just fine." Peter smirked. "Plus, I've seen your bedroom. It's a disaster."

"You've seen theother me'sroom. I can assure you thatmineis ready for company."

"I bet it is." Peter rolled his eyes. "Where is everyone?"

"In the kitchen. Come on, I'll win you over with my co-"

"You can't cook." Peter snorted.

"You don't know that!"

"What are we having?"

"It's.......um..."

"Exactly." Peter laughed, passing Johnny and heading towards the kitchen.

"Are you sure we're just friends? I feel like there's something between us."

"Yeah, a mutual respect for giving each other shit."

"You know, I think you're ignoring the fact I'm a different Johnny Storm here." Johnny pouted, crossing his arms.

"No. You're still the same idiot." Peter chuckled, flicking his forehead.

"I'll have you know, I'm a highly sought-after alpha. Everyone wants a piece of this." he gestured to his whole body.

"I bet. I had to fight the crowd of screaming fangirls just to get in here." Peter deadpanned.

The truth was, Johnny was every bit as good looking in this universe as he had been in Peter's. Still, just as he retained his looks here, he also retained his extreme level of self-confidence.

"I'll win you over yet, Parker."

"Uh hu. Sure. Just don't hold your breath."

Peter would never admit he had once had a major crush on his own Johnny.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Peter!" Reed smiled as he and Johnny entered the kitchen.

Sue smiled as she looked up from pulling a pan of lasagna out of the oven.

"Hello, Peter. Everything is almost done. Why don't you all go join Ben."

"Yes! I have so ma-"

"Reed." Sue warned. "He only just got here."

"It's ok, really." Peter smiled.

"I was used to this." he said, motioning between him and Reed.

"Let's talk then. I'm curious about your story. The multiverse isn't a common topic I get to discuss!"

"Well, I can't tell you you're gonna like most of what I have to say. Still, it's great to see you guys again." Peter smiled, genuinely happy to see the family of four back together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Heard we missed all the fun." Clint called, stepping off the elevator with his bags. "You guys couldn't have waited?"

"Sure. Next time we'll ask the killer robot army to hang on and let our other team mates get back from their impromptu vacation." Tony huffed.

"You all seem in a better mood than when we left. Something happen?" Sam asked, raising an eyebrow at others.

The alphas were gathered in the common area talking eagerly amongst themselves.

"Yes." Thor smiled widely. "We have decided to properly court our omega. We shall return to the old ways."

"Who says romance is dead?" Tony grinned. "We're gonna woo the hell out of him!”

"This should be fun." Sam deadpanned.

“Oh ye of little faith. We're an extremely romantic bunch when let loose.” Tony scoffed.

“The guy couldn’t be more clear on his desire not to be your omega.”

“We’ve been talking to Karen and each other. Slow and steady wins the race and all that.”

“I think we made it back in perfect time then!” Clint grinned, opening his bag. “Brought some of Laura and the kids’ things. They missed you guys.”

Clint passed out the few items he had brought from his home. The scents of Laura and the three kids extended into the room. The calm of knowing their distant pack members were safe settled the atmosphere.

“We’ll get out to see them soon.” Natasha smiled, rubbing the small stuffed bunny she knew belonged to Nathaniel.

“We may even get to introduce them to Peter.” Steve said, a hopeful lit in his voice.

“Please don’t push that on him.” Bruce sighed. “It’s going to be enough on him dealing with you all, much less integrating into a full pack.”

“We are fully prepared to take it slow with our young omega.” Thor smiled.

The four other alphas nodded in agreement. There was no other option really. Sam was right in his statement that Peter seemed to want nothing to do with them, but Peter's conflict over Bucky had revived their hopes.

Maybe it wasn't such a lost cause after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Your universe sucked.” Johnny scoffed from his seat next to Peter.

“I don’t always get along with Stark, but it’s deeply upsetting to hear about a version of him that was so violent.” Reed frowned, taking his own seat.

“I just can’t picture any of them being like that.” Sue agreed.

“Well, good thing ours arn’t like that. Not sure I could clobber them all at once.” Ben huffed.

Peter listened as the four voiced their opinions of the Avengers.To be honest, he was getting a little sick and tired of everyone telling him how wonderful they were.

They were wonderful in his world at once too!Everyone loved them and practically worshipped them!

Truth be told, there was no real understanding of the change. It wasn’t like anyone was opposing them. Who would? The Avengers risked their lives to help people, to keep them safe. Why would they evenneedto change?

Not that it mattered. They did change. They went from saving people tohurtingthem. They lorded their power over the people, and gleefully killed those who posed any real threat.

They were monsters!

Peter absently ran his hand along his thigh where he knew a long scar sat. A memorial to a particularly brutal up close fight with Black Widow. She had managed to stun him with her widow bites, slowing him down enough to prevent an unharmed escape. It could have been much worse, he knew, but he got lucky in where the bites had hit him.

She had been aiming for a fatal blow.

His movement had saved him from a slow death, but the blade had torn practically through to the bone in his thigh. If Bucky hadn’t shown up, she would have finished the job. As it was, he was out of commission for two weeks before the wound had healed, feeling had returned, and the leg moved without stiffness.

God, the blood she had spilt.

“Peter?”

Peter startled out of his thoughts to find the four looking at him.

“Sorry.” he mumbled. “I can get lost in thought sometimes.”

“Well, I’m more than willing to help you with that.” Johnny grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Oh I know you can. You always could bore me right to sleep.” Peter snarked.

The others laughed and began passing around the food as Johnny pouted.

"So, you said there are no second genders where you're from?" Sue asked, curious as to how Peter was handling the change.

"No, we definitely didn't have alphas, betas, and omegas where I'm from. It was.....surprising to say the least." Peter winced.

"Well, you seem to be doing alright as a beta." Reed smiled.

"Beta?" Peter raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Your scent is barely there. Beta scents are generally muted. Yours seems a little more so. Maybe it's because you weren't originally from here. Do you not know your second gender though, or did you think you hadn't gained one?" Sue frowned.

"I would have figured Matt and Karen would have explained things to you."

Peter looked around the table, unconsciously touching his wrist where one of the patches sat under his sleeve and web shooter.

"No," Peter hesitated. "They did, I.....I'm just still adjusting it all. I mean, I lived 26 years without all this, so it's easy to forget sometimes."

Ben, Sue, and Reed nodded, striking back up light conversation and more questions about himself and how he was getting along. Out the corner of his eye, Peter couldn't ignore the strange look Johnny kept giving him.

"So, what are you going by if you can't be a Parker?" Ben asked, drawing Peter's thoughts away from Johnny.

"Jones." Peter sighed.

"Any relation to Jessica Jones?" Reed asked.

"Yeah." Peter huffed. "Everyone thought they were so funny when they decided to make me Jessica's cousin."

"What's funny about that?" Sue frowned. "Did the two of you date back in your world?"

"Not hardly." Peter laughed.

"No, they just thought my initials were a nice joke.They left my first and middle name then changed my last."

"What's your name then?"

"My name is Peter Benjamin Par...err, Jones. Peter Benjamin Jones."

"I'm sure you'd make a delicious sandwich." Johnny snorted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours had passed before Peter noticed the time. He had been enjoying himself while getting acquainted with this version of the Four. They were practically identical to his, making connecting with them extremely easy.

“Well, I guess I better get going. Karen’s a worrier.”

“Don’t let Matt fool you, Peter,” Sue smirked. “He’s a worrier too with people he cares about. I saw you two talking.”

“Matt was the first person I went to after I got here. I was good friends with him.” Peter smiled.

He was happy to have Matt and Karen, and to be gathering back all the people he lost, but Ben, May, Bucky and Sam were never far from his mind. The people he wanted most were the people he’d never get.

After promising to visit again, and give a demonstration of his strength levels compared to Ben's, Johnny led Peter out.

"So, Pete," Johnny started, unusually hesitant compared to his normal composure.

"The others didn't press, but I'm going to. You're an omega, aren't you?"

Peter blinked in surprise. He had yet to have to admit his second gender to anyone on his own yet. Everyone who knew, had either discovered from his scent, or been told by someone else.

"I could see the scent patch occasionally when your sleeve moved up and your, whatever those are on your wrists, shifted."

Peter swallowed hard, not missing the fact Johnny had moved into his space.

"I...uh.."

"It's ok, Pete." Johnny smirked, stepping back. "I'm not going to blab your secret. I am, however, going to knock you off your feet! You'll give in to me yet, Jones."

"I don't think you want to try, Storm." Peter replied, breathing a little easier as Johnny's alpha pheromones calmed.

"Why? Do you already have an alpha? I just don't see any mating marks."

Mating marks?

Peter frowned. He hadn't heard of any 'mating marks'. Was there more he had to learn? Maybe he should keep blowing Karen's lessons off.

"No. I don't have an alpha, and I'm not interested in one." Peter narrowed his eyes.

"Fair enough." Johnny smiled, holding up his hands in surrender. "But that doesn't mean I won't keep trying."

Peter sighed. While he wasn't about to let Johnny Storm in on his alpha problem, he couldn't forget how the Avengers had reacted to Wade when they realized the two were hanging out together.

Deadpool hadn't been in any real danger since he could easily regenerate, but Johnny couldn't.

If anything Karen had already told him had gotten through, it was that alphas could be possessive. He had already seen it in action, and the Avengers were anything but normal alphas.

Still, he wasn't going to let that stop him from hanging around people he actually trusted.

They would just have to deal.

If they couldn't, and tried to hurt his friends, he'd be ready.

As he made his way back toward Matt and Karen's, he didn't even notice how his thoughts on the Avengers had changed from "when", to "if".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You smell like Johnny Storm." Karen frowned when he walked through the door.

"Hello Karen. I see your fine after today's events. My dinner with the Four was great. If was nice to catch up. Thanks for asking."

"Don't sass me, Peter Jones." Karen glared, following him to his room, passing a smirking Matt along the way.

"What if you had run into your alphas? You're unmated and smelling of an alpha that's not one of them! Even worse that it's Johnny with his flirty reputation."

"I'm not avoiding friends just becausetheymight not like it, Karen!" Peter shouted, turning around with his own glare.

"They don't own me and never will. I don't want them! I don't trust them! It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks of them. I can't stand them!"

"Peter, please," Karen tried.

"No. This discussion is over Karen. I'm never going to be with the Avengers. It's not happening."

"You won't even give them a chance!" Karen shouted, her frustration rising. "You're so hell bent on seeing them as the same villains they were in your world that you refuse to see them as the heroes they are here! This isn't your old world, Peter! You can't keep hanging on to what happened there. You're here now!"

The two glared at each other, neither wanting to admit defeat.

"You don't know what you're talking about Karen. You have no idea what I've been through."

"I have a damn good idea, Peter! You've made no effort to hide your disdain for them. You have no problems admitting what those other Avengers did to you. I know it's left physical as well as mental scars, but did you ever stop and think that maybe getting to know these Avengers could help you heal?"

There was complete silence as Karen's words hung in the air.

"Getting to know them and seeing they're who you wish your Avengers had been could be good for you. You could finally relax a little and try to move on. You've been here for months now Peter, and yet you still hold everything from your past so close it's like it all happened yesterday."

Karen sighed, running her hand through her hair.

"We're all still here, Peter. Nothing has happened to any of us and they've had more than enough opportunity to hurt us if they wanted to. They've had plenty of chances to kill the others and make it look like a casualty of a fight and no one would question it, but they haven't. They haven't, and you need to realize and accept it."

Without another word, Karen turned and headed into her and Matt's bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anger rippling under his skin, Peter left the apartment and headed towards Luke's bar. Maybe he could find something there to keep himself busy.

Anything to get his mind off his....whatever that was, with Karen.

Shoving his way into the back door, the sounds from the front filtered in through his ears. The place was at peek hour.

"I swear, if one more asshole-Peter?"

Peter looked over as Luke stormed into the back, grabbing a bucket and mop.

"Rough night?" Peter asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, it's gonna be for the shit that just broke a beer bottle over a guy's head. They're both about to clean up their little mess, then get thrown out on their asses." Luke grumbled, kicking the door back open and shouting.

Peter decided to hang out in the back, letting Luke handle things before making his way up front.

"Get out here, Jones." Luke snapped, sticking his head back through the door. "Make yourself useful and come serve some drinks."

Grinning, Peter slid his way behind the bar and got to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was slowing down to the more, quieter patrons of the night. These were the people Peter liked the most. While the more boisterous crowd could be fun, they could also be annoying and demanding. Some even tried to get a little handsy, over the bar.

This crowd though, this was crowd was just looking for a little break from the world.

Peter heard someone sit at the bar while he was crouched, placing glasses back into their places. Rubbing his hands on his pants, he stood up to greet the customer and....froze.

Sam Wilson stared back, as equally surprised to see him.

The two just stared at each other, neither knowing how to react.

"Hey, Pete-" Luke stopped as he took in what was happening.

He wasn't quite sure what to do, and it didn't appear as if Peter or Sam knew either. Had it been any of the alphas, Luke would have easily jumped in, knowing how stressed Peter would be.

Sam wasn't an alpha though.

“Let me start by saying your secret is safe with me.” Sam said. “I’m pretty burnt out on alpha desperation at this point. I just want to have a drink and enjoy it.”

Peter stared at him a moment before moving forward.

“What would you like?”

“Whatever you recommend.”

Peter looked at him again. Guess Sam was willing to trust his judgement in drinks in any universe.

Sam nodded as Peter slid a glass across the counter top and took a swig.

“I hope we’re not gonna spend the entire time in here in this strange, tense silence.”

Peter sighed.

“This isn’t....this isn’t easy for me.”

“I’ve gotten that impression. I also heard you were close to your world’s Bucky and I.”

“Y...yeah.” Peter frowned. “By the end, they were my best friends.....they were all I had left.”

The two were silent again as Peter busied himself with meaningless tasks.

“I’m sorry this is happening to you.” Sam said suddenly. “I think I would have reacted the same way.”

Peter stood with his back to Sam, debating on his next move.

Finally, he turned.

“You’re a lot like him, well, when he wasn’t giving me shit anyway.” Peter chuckled.

“Oh, I can give you shit if that’s what you’re looking for spider boy.” Sam grinned.

Peter grinned back, strangely comfortable in this Sam’s presence.

Maybe all Sam’s were pretty much the same.

“Look. I know you’re probably willing to talk to me like thishere. I can see Cage keeping an eye on you, but I think, if we got along in your world, we could get along here.”

Peter hesitated, the since of unease returning.

“I’m not trying to hand you over to the wolves!” Sam said quickly. “I’m more so trying to offer up another friendship. One that gets me away from everyone at the tower and one that offers you.....” Sam hesitated, unsure if he should continue.

“Maybe something that offers you a bit of what you lost?”

Peter’s eyes widened in surprise. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of this Sam’s offer. As much as he missed his own, and as similar as the two seemed, could he really ever think of this Sam as a friend on par with his?

“I...um...”

“You don’t have to answer me now.” Sam assured. “Maybe just think about it. I realize I’m part of the enemy here, but I promise I’m not a bad guy.”

“Yeah.” Peter snorted. “You’re not trying to get into my pants.”

“You do realize there’s more to it than that, right?”

“I’m not really interested.” Peter replied. “You don’t know what it was like to see them hurt people. To see them kill you and Bucky.”

“I’d offer up the argument that these Avengers haven’t done that considering Bucky and I are clearly still alive, but I have the feeling you’ve heard that line enough.”

“That obvious?”

“From five words in.”

Peter let out a breath, running his hand through his hair. It was hard having someone who looked like his lost friend be so close, and yet so far.

"I'll share a secret with you, kid." Sam grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

This caught Peter's attention as he leaned onto the bar.

"There are three betas in the tower. Me, Clint and Bruce-"

"I...I like Dr. Banner." Peter mumbled.

"What?" Sam asked, unsure he had heard right.

"I....I like Dr. Banner. He.......he had it hard in my world. Hulk is a force to be reckoned with. He can be easily enraged to the point that even the intelligence he does have can be quickly over written. When the Avengers...turned.....they held him hostage. Bruce was far to gentle in nature to side with them, so they held him captive, using Hulk against him. They'd do whatever they could to bring out Hulk, then set him loose on the city."

Sam sat in stunned silence. He could never imagine putting Bruce Banner through that kind of torment. Bruce struggled with balancing himself as both separate and part of Hulk.

"I wanted to free him. Tried several times, but it never worked. They kept him in an underground bunker beneath the tower. I only saw him once. I'm not even sure how I managed to make it that far. I've never forgotten how defeated, miserable and pained he looked inside that glass cage they kept him in."

"Glass doesn't sound like it would hold-"

"Oh, it was 'Hulk proof'." Peter hissed. "Before things went bad, Bruce and Tony created it to contain him if things got to bad and he needed somewhere safe to be until he returned back to himself."

"They used his own creation against him." Sam sighed, running his hand down his face. "Guess that explains why you didn't do anything to Bruce that day."

"I told Matt and Karen it was because he let me out. I'm telling you the truth because you live with them and need to know what they're capable of doing."

"If it makes you feel any better," Sam started. "We don't have a Hulk room or cage or anything."

Peter narrowed his eyes.

"Serious!" Sam defended. "Bruce comes and goes just like the rest of us. He pretty much stays at the tower though. We don't have many instances where the Hulk is needed, but Bruce's medical training comes in handy a lot. Even stepped up a notch when you showed up." Sam snickered.

"Are you.....enjoying me hurting them?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Immensely. Clint and I, don't tell him I agree with him, think it's amazing."

Peter didn't stop the upturn of his lip at Sam's grin.

"Omega's don't typically kick their alpha's asses on the regular. I mean, I've heard of those mutant omegas at Xavier's going out and fighting, but I've never seen them do it in person. You, on the other hand, I have watched fling every alpha on the team around like rag dolls. It's humbling really."

Sam's laughter filled the small space between him and Peter.

"Well, I do have a history of fighting the hierarchy." Peter smiled.

"Tell you what," Sam said, holding out his hand. "Let's start fresh. No alternate identities. Just two guys meeting at a bar. I'm Sam Wilson."

Peter looked at the outstretched hand and up at Sam's face. His spider-sense remained, as it had the entire time, silent. Slowly, Peter took the outstretched hand.

"Peter Jones."

Sam raised and eyebrow.

"Doesn't surprise me." Peter rolled his eyes. "Of course you'd all know my real name."

"Why change it?"

"Because a version of me existed here at one time." Peter replied, looking away. "I can't be Peter Parker when he's dead."

"I guess not one that looks just like him." Sam nodded. "I'm guessing there's also family then?"

"Yeah." Peter replied, not willing to say more.

"Alright then, Peter Jones, it was nice to meet you. I better be getting back home though." Sam smiled, standing up and taking his jacket off the back of the chair.

"You'll cover that for me, right?"

Peter looked down where Sam nodded at the empty glass.

"No way Wilson."

"To think, I wanted to be nice to you." Sam said, pulling some bills out of his pocket.

"There's no such thing as free alcohol, man." Peter grinned.

"Then what's the point of being friends with the bartender?"

"The fabulous company?"

"I know that's what you get, I'm still trying to figure out what I'm getting." Sam smirked.

"I'll tell you what, this time." Peter's grinned turned wicked. "You'll get to keep a place you can go where the other Avengers can never bother you. I'll personally see to their exits if they ever show up."

Sam barked out a laugh as he straightened out his jacket.

"Well, if they ever show up, it won't be because of me. With that said, I appreciate your willingness to uphold the sanctity of my sacred drinking hole."

The two nodded at each other as Sam walked out the door, followed shortly after by the last of Luke's customers.

"You ok?" Luke asked as he restocked the bar while Peter swept.

"Surprisingly, yeah. Dealing with just Sam was way different than the others."

"Well, being a beta probably helps." Luke shrugged, not wanting to verbally address the other issues.

"Maybe." Peter nodded.

"You worried you'll have more 'customers'?" Luke asked after a moment. "I can't exactly say I can ban the Avengers..."

"No." Peter said, looking up at Luke. "I'm actually not."

Luke stopped and raised an eyebrow.

"You do realize-"

"I don't think he'll tell. Not them anyway. Maybe Barton and Dr. Banner, but not them."

"Well, I heard about Banner, but what about Barton. What's the feelings on him?"

Peter stopped sweeping, letting his thoughts gather themselves.

"He was just as ruthless as the others in my world. Tony made him explosive arrows. He caused so much damage with those. Lots of innocent people lost their homes and their lives. I don't trust him any more than the others."

Peter's face turned stony as he thought about the archer.

"He shot me in the back once. Went right through my right side."

"He did what?" Luke growled, walking from behind the bar and over to Peter.

"Yeah, right here." Peter said, lifting his shirt and tracing the scar on the side of his stomach, then moving to the part on his back.

Luke looked at the two scars, not missing a few others as well.

"Jesus, kid."

"I keep trying to tell you all. The Avengers can't be trusted this blindly! They could turn at any moment, and you could end up with the same scars as me......or worse."

Luke frowned as he watched Peter try to keep his breathing calm. He wasn't sure Peter having contact with Sam was a good idea anymore. It didn't matter what intentions the man had, being around him definitely opened Peter up to chances of having to see the other members of the team.

"I worry though, that I'm letting positive memories of Sam cloud my judgement here." Peter sighed. "I'm worried desperation for that connection is taking over."

"You can always keep to meeting here. You never have to meet him anywhere you don't want to." Luke shrugged. "I know you're tired of hearing it kid, so I'll save a lot of it."

Peter frowned, unsure of exactly what Luke was going to say.

"I don't have a problem with the Avengers, but I'm also not you. I don't have your past, so my opinion means nothing. Sam though, Sam's not an alpha. He's a beta with no romantic interest in you. I don't think it would be a big deal to consider the option of some form of friendship with him. Shit on the others if you don't want to."

Peter didn't know what to say. He was genuinely worried as to what accepting Sam's offer might lead to. The worst scenarios running through the forefront of his mind. Still, the possible benefits kept pushing their way in.

"I'll think about it.

[alexaloraetheris]

Screw it up. In every way possible

Or, how to get your teammate laid in game. Or try to.

Anyway, for a bit of context, our group consists of six of us. I play a human Paladin, and usually do good on persuasion. Not this time. Only one other player is a girl, but she was absent today, so that meant, in game, our party is lugging her unconscious body around until the next session, where she comes play/wakes up.

She is also an Orc Barbarian, which meant she’s heavy. Really heavy.

So our fighter is lugging her around on his shoulder. And about three sessions back we had to get married so we’d have an excuse to break into the temple of Černabog (the BBEG of this campaign, we’re pretty much 100% homebrew). The priest performed the rites, we clobbered him, pilfered his office and scrammed.

We still hadn’t gotten around to a divorce.

Anyway, we were in a bar, and we take turns questioning different NPCs. I pick a hen party, because I figure I’m the least likely to scare them. I roll for persuasion, get 4. Could be worse.

Me: Hello ladies, I’m looking for Rasputin.

Girls (our DM in falsetto): Oooh, aren’t we all!

Me: What?

Girls: The greatest love machine, they call him.

Me: No, no, you got it wrong, I’m not looking for him for that.

Girls: Everyone looks for Rasputin for that.

Me, scrambling through my notes, knowing my DM is going to be of no help: Uuuuuh, I’m married. Right. Heh, why would I need a lover if I already got a husband?

*I roll again. I get a 1*

Girls: Pfft, so? Every married girl needs a lover to keep her entertained when the husband goes roaming, don’t we?

Me: What kind of husbands do you people have?! *I sound genuinely shocked* If you need ten more lovers on top of your husband why have you married him? If he can’t keep you company and a warm bed you might want to file for divorce.

Dead silence. Everyone is looking at me. I’m sweating bullets. The DM nods, rolls the dice behind his screen.

Girls: And... Who is your husband?

I point at the Fighter’s player. He starts sweating along with me.

DM: *ahem* The hen party looks at the big, handsome Fighter who is effortlessly holding a full grown Orc on his shoulder. They turn back to you.

Me: I give you one night with him if you tell me where to find Rasputin. One night only, though, is as long as I’m willing to give him up.

Fighter: Bhuh?!

DM rolls dice.

Girls: Deal.

The rest of the campaign was mostly our Fighter getting accosted by every girl in the city and our Bard holding a grudge the size of a mountain. At one point a girl came up to us to ask for help, but the DM didn’t even get to the ‘help’ part before he screamed:

“HANDS OFF WOMAN, I’M MARRIED!”

[realm-sweet-realm]

Prison Cell, chapter 1

Well, this one took on a life of its own. I intended to write a simple one-off taking place in an AU where the studio became the sketch dimension before most of the sacrifices were made. Turns out that this is going to take longer than that. While this AU will have an emphasis on horror, especially in the later chapters, I also want to show the resilience of some of these characters.

---

Joey Drew Studios was once an animation studio. Functionally, it still was. But before everyone’s eyes, it had become Hell.

The machine had been hard to ignore, but easy not to look into. No one seemed to know what it did save for a few, but no one was about to quit over it during the Great Depression.

The cult behaviour, in retrospect, had been the first sign. It isn’t everywhere that your boss demands an item from your workplace as a sacrifice to the Gods. But back then, it had seemed nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Pedestals had been set up in the break rooms. Sometimes your coworkers would go there to pray. It was strange. But again, not worth looking into, and not worth quitting over.

Joey had always been eccentric. Joey had always been unreasonable. Joey had always had an angry streak. If any of that was getting worse, it was getting worse at a fairly slow rate.

All of it happened so slowly. Until it happened all at once. The machine malfunctioned. It went into overdrive. Gent workers had rushed to quiet it. They turned off its power supply, and nothing happened. In desperation, they broke the pipes that had once fed it ink, and nothing happened. Finally, they frantically tried to dismantle it as it spewed ink, and... nothing happened. Even the strongest of men could not so much as loosen a bolt from the machine.

Then, something happened. An rapidly-growing area surrounding the machine lost its colour and detail- reduced to lines on a page.

In a last-ditch attempt to fix the machine, Joey and the closest members of his inner circle entered the ink machine room. No one knew what had happened. To outsiders, it had sounded like the ink machine had exploded. No one who had been in the room at the time emerged except for Sammy Lawrence, who came out limping and covered head-to-toe in ink.

From that point on, no one could leave. Doors to the outside were locked, and windows showed only black void. Sammy talked to many people in private in the coming days, and firm lines were drawn between those who were loyal to the cult, and those who weren’t- those who were donning masks and uniform. Those who were loyal left the studio occasionally- for meetings or to pick up supplies. Those who were not loyal had no way of knowing how they did.

Joey Drew still existed. Early on, there were rumours that he was dead and that his loyalists were merely following him in spirit, but before long, most people knew someone who had seen his new form.

Work remained much the same, albeit with a few fewer people, who had either not been in the studio that day, or whose primary duty was now distribution and getting supplies because they were some of the only people allowed outside. Everyone fulfilled their role. Gent workers maintained the machine. The others made cartoons, which, apparently, were still making it out to the outside world somehow. They ate. They slept. They mourned their losses. They formed small groups and tried to keep hope. A few small insurrections began, but but quickly ended in violence and were abandoned. With no access to medical professionals, no one wanted violence.

While no one in the studio had it easy, Susie Campbell held an additional secret. Every few days in the dead of night, a creature would come to her- a creature with a mask and curling, demonic horns made of ink. She’d wake up to the horrible creature sitting on her chest so she couldn’t move, and it would put a syringe in her neck and draw blood. This went on for weeks. Locking the door didn’t stop it. Eventually, it made her want to sleep as little as possible, and she began to wander the halls at night, oftentimes falling asleep in random places.

One night, after falling asleep in a hallway in the music department, she was roused by Norman Polk.

“Hey. Come with me tonight,” he whispered, helping her up. “That thing’s been stealing your blood, hasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Susie whispered back.

“I know someone else in that situation. But don’t worry- it doesn’t bother him anymore, either.”

Norman led Susie into one of the offices. Two cots had been set up, and one already had a person sleeping in it. “You settle in. I’ll go and look for another cot to bring in here. If the demon wants your blood, it’ll have to go through me.”

“Thank you,” Susie said. She wanted to say more, but didn’t know what to say. She was fast asleep before Norman returned.

Before the transformation of the studio, it would have been strange to see the two of them together, but times had changed. The big, strange, sneaky cryptid had gone from someone you avoided to someone you wanted on your side. And yet, on a social level Norman still mostly left the music room to themselves most days- he preferred to eavesdrop or hang out with the people who’d accepted him before all of this.

That changed after he started sharing a room with Susie, though. She started inviting him to talk with her and Wally, or any of her other friends in the music room, and he’d agree to it, mostly because he wanted to spend time with her. Eventually it became well-known what he was doing for his ‘guests.’

It continued like that for a few weeks. The creature found other victims before it found her. Then, one night, it slipped into the room, and it did not like what it saw. Two of its previous victims, including Susie Campbell. Susie was tucked into Norman’s arms. She opened her eyes for a moment, saw him, and went back to sleep. She felt safe and protected, and it made the demon’s blood boil. Blood wasn’t worth being clobbered for- not while he could get it elsewhere. But something had to be done.

The night after, Thomas Connor and two men nearly as strong as he was, each wearing loyalist uniforms and masks, entered the room. They pulled Norman out of bed, handcuffed and gagged him, and began to lead him away. Susie woke up to the feeling of him being pulled off of her.

For a moment, she was stunned. The next, she was yelling for help. The man in the other bed woke up as well. Susie had never gotten to know her “roommate,” but that didn’t matter now. “Come with me,” she said. “We need to wake people up!”

“What? Why?”

“You’ll see. Just trust me!” Susie had thought this day might come for quite some time, and she’d planned for it.

And so, the two followed the loyalists down the hall, banging on the doors and yelling to try and wake people up. Susie cursed herself for not finding out where people had been holing up. Her partner eventually found Emma Lamonte. Finally, one of the doors opened- it was Henry Stein- another person who could fight decently enough. “Henry, you’ve got to help. They’re taking Norman away. Hurry!”

Henry looked over to see it happening, and hesitated.

“Henry, if they get him on that elevator, we’ll never see him again!” Henry jolted into action, and soon he and Emma were in close range of the three loyalists.

It ended about as quickly. Emma managed to mule-kick one of the men in the stomach and knock the wind out of him before another one of the men snuck up behind her and began to choke her. Thomas was still holding Norman Polk as he squirmed in attempt to escape. Henry attempted to punch out the man strangling Emma, and he managed a few blows, but the man she’d kicked recovered and restrained Henry until Emma was unconscious. Once she was unconscious, her attacker rejoined Thomas, and they dragged Norman to the elevator. Before morning, Emma had been taken, too. Henry had run.

---

“I should have gotten in there,” Susie’s roommate said, breaking a long, tearful silence between them.

“You couldn’t have done anything. Those men were twice your size.” It hadn’t been as though they hadn’t spent the duration of the fight banging on doors in hopes of finding allies.

“I know.”

“What’s your name? I haven’t seen you around the music department.”

“Grant Cohen. Finances.”

“Oh. Norman’s talked about you. Well, I’m glad you’re from another department. Tomorrow, I’m going to try and get as many people together as possible- a rescue party, I guess. You could help. Tell everyone in your department to meet in the recording theatre after hours.”

Grant laughed bitterly. “Sure. I’ll gather all the bravest souls in accounting and finance.” There was a pause. “Don’t you get it? We’re helpless. People haven’t been forming big groups because when they do, things like this happen. And anyhow, I’d bet anything that Norman is dead already.”

A part of Susie agreed. But that wasn’t the useful part of her right now. “Look, I’m not going to try and convince you. But personally, I don’t like feeling helpless just because I can’t knock out Thomas Connor.”

---

The following evening, Susie had gathered quite a number of people. Henry’s friends had come, terrified that he was essentially a wanted man and that he had to be hidden from loyalists. Grant had showed up with a few others from accounting that had agreed to come along. And of course, the music department had all noticed Norman’s absence.

Susie began the meeting by telling the story of what had happened to Norman. Surprisingly, what followed was a number of other people coming out about various grievances. A few others had had the same experience as Susie, of having their blood harvested. There were also a few from other departments who had refused to work and had been punished by having one of their bones broken in the night. Wally complained about having to mop up blood.

“We need to handle all of that, too. But first can we talk about Norman?” Susie said, trying to regain control of the meeting.

“If he got onto the elevator, he’s probably dead,” Abby said, as gently as she could. “Or at least, he’s on one of their levels. There’s no way we can go down there and rescue him. But, since you’ve brought us all together, we might as well get organized. Maybe there’s a way for us to defend each other. And figure out who will be running the projector from now on.”

A knock at the door sounded, and everyone in the room went perfectly still.

“Do we open it?” Susie asked.

It seemed entirely ridiculous that the loyalists would try to get in by politely knocking.

“If they’re right outside this door, this meeting is over anyhow, and we can’t stay in here forever,” Abby reasoned.

On the other side of the door was Sammy Lawrence, holding a cardboard box. He was wearing the uniform of the loyalists, but thankfully he was alone. “I am not your enemy. I come bearing gifts,” he said.

Abby carefully opened the box, as though she were disarming a bomb. Inside were a few loyalist uniforms and masks of different sizes. She inspected them carefully and found nothing suspicious about them.

“Why?” Abby asked.

“Joey is working on a way out for all of us. None of us are getting out without his help. That is why I’m a loyalist. But, evermore since the machine cursed us, he’s been… worsening. I still have hope that he will get us out of here, but until then, you need to stand up for yourselves. Consider these a tool- they could let you visit the lower levels. But I beg of you- don’t interfere with loyalist work. Loyalist work is what allows some of us to visit the outside, and us going to the outside is what keeps you fed. Remember that.”

Abby nodded. “Thank you. This is very… courageous of you, Mr. Lawrence. But we’re still going to escort you to the elevator now. We can’t risk that this is just you trying to spy on us.”

Sammy did not resist as Henry and Jack escorted him to the elevator, and he left for the lower floors without issue.

“Well," Abby said, “I guess we have a way of finding out what happened to him after all.”

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs, “Operation Steel- Eye,”

This is probably the last bit I will be doing on this particular thread because I want to do more with it in the book version, but hopefully this will get you guys interested in how things turn out. 

They had gone through another attack. The rundi chairwoman had not been expecting it, but all of a sudden there were voices, and shouts, and people running this way and that, she had been hurriedly bundled into a truck and driven for over an hour in the opposite direction with no idea what was happening, and no one that seemed to want to tell her what was going on. When they finally stopped she was told there had been another attack, and they were trying to get her as far away from the fighting as possible.

They waited there for over half a day, and only began their return journey when a spotty call came in over their radio to drive them back. When they reached camp, a good portion of it had been damaged, especially alone the suwards side, though, as she got out of the truck, she was told they were lucky, and the ashfall cleared enough that their long range weapons became more effective, driving the Drev off for a time.

“However, I don’t think I need to tell you how imperative it is that we get operation steel-eye up and running.” The admiral was saying leading her through the camp, as the soldiers scrambled to repair and re-supply themselves for an attack that could happen at any moment. Ever since the supply ships had been able to get through the atmosphere, thing in camp were looking a little less bleak.

The wounded were better cared for, and the soldiers were receiving more rations. 

Though the ash was still a heavy nuisance, and kept the days mostly dark, they did have occasional times of clearance that allowed them to see the sun.

She moved into place behind the admiral, who had led them to the new medical tent, less of a tent now and more of a pop-up shelter, with reinforced siding, and an actual door. Stepping inside, she couldn’t help but gawk at the difference just a few days of supplies had made. The floors and walls were a uniform steel grey, and proper decontamination equipment was brought in to rinse ash from their bodies. Instead of suits to put over themselves they were washed off and given entirely new sets of clothes.

Stepping onto the ward was a much greater relief. The place was spotless clean, bright white lights shone in from above, and instead of rolled mats on the floor, there were cots, clean bandages, and monitoring machines hooked up to each of the wounded soldiers beeping away with their vital signs. Instead of moaning and pitiful whimpering from earlier, they were silent most of them asleep, all of them heavily drugged under vast swaths of pain killing medication. The first half of the room housed newly injured soldiers lying on cots their missing limbs bandaged and properly cleaned.

But the back of the room, well the back of the room was where things changed. 

The fruits of operation steel- eye. At least twenty soldiers, this being the first medical tent, she was told there were twenty more soldiers in the second.  They did not lay on open beds, but instead hung from the walls in various states of unconsciousness, pinned there by the thick metal contraptions welded to their bodies. A main rod of the metal was riveted down their backs curving around onto their hips and then locking at the knees, similarly with the arms.

Metal protrusions connected to the underarms and over the back of the hands. 

It was a strange sight, and made her rather nervous as she somehow felt the wrongness of the steel next to delicate skin and bone.

Theadmiral stepped forward to examine the sleeping soldiers, “We lost 20% of these brave men and women after the first few hours out from the operation. Bacterial meningitis, and the occasional paralysis. A few of them just stopped breathing, but that could have been a reaction to the medication. This is all we have left.

The rundi chair woman stepped forward looking up at the sleeping humans their eyes close, their faces so much more peaceful now. As per usual she was drawn to one human in particular, the only human that she actually knew on sight based on their history together, or their acquaintance.

From her reports, this human had been the first human ever to meet nonhuman life, and had been instrumental in language acquisition for their linguists, and now here he was reduced to nothing more than a piece of hardware to be upgraded and augmented for the purposes of better battle strategy

The thought made her sick and uneasy. The more she thought about it, the more she was coming to realize that the humans and the Drev had more in common than anyone else on this battlefield, both of them were unwaveringly brutal, the Drev with tearing off limbs…. And the humans continually asking their soldiers to give when they had already given so much. With this thought her eyes shot down towards the human’s new robotic leg still and silver in the painful overhead lights.

No other species had ever considered such a thing as an alternative option, adding machinery to bioology….. As far as she knew there was nothing human’s couldn’t replace, and that thought made her wonder…. How far could they go before there was no more human left before the machine took over completely?

As she thought looking up at the sleeping human the admiral came to stand next to her looking up at the face of the sleeping human.

Her eyes drifted downwards, noting a strange dissimilarity in one of the human’s arms. With one hand she pointed out, “What is that.”

He glanced towards, “Oh, well, that is a drug port.”

“A drug port?”

“He nodded, unfortunately due to our time constraints we cant let their injuries fully heal, which means we will be mainlining morphine during combat, but due to the nature of the side effects of morphine, we are going to have to pair it with a drug classified as a stimulant to keep alert during battle.” 

The rundi chairwoman shifted nervously, “I… not to question your methods admiral, but havent you asked enough from them. First they lose their limbs, then you splice them with robotics, and now you are keeping them drugged.” The admiral looked down at her with a cold unreadable expression, “You wanted us to win this war, and sometimes we have to do things that don’t make us sleep so well at night.” 

There was an awkward pause of silence between them, but she let it go.

What did she know.

The humans probably knew what they were doing.

***

Lieutenant Adam Vir woke slowly, but he did it without pain. 

In a somewhat drowsy haze, he floated upwards towards consciousness like one would float upwards through a pool of warm salt water. lights , beginning as big fuzzy circles, soon condensed themselves downwards into sharp points of light. The buzzing in his ears followed suit morphing and churning before turning dowards and sharpening out into a baseless echo. The echo that soon turned and warped again until, “Lieutenant, Lieutenant, can you hear me.”

The light jumped first to one eye and then the other.

He blinked past the pain squinting as he tried to make out the room ahead of him.

His fuzzy surroundings condensed, contracted, and then finally sharpened out, to the face of a woman. She was small petite, with black hair pulled up in a bun, and large, thick framed glasses. She had one hand on the side of his face as she flicked the light between his eyes.

He groaned slightly and shifted.

“There were are, that's good, can you focus here on the light and follow it please.” It took him a moment to comprehend what she was saying, but finally followed the little pen light with his eyes. She clicked it off andplaced it in her pocket, “Very good.” Reaching out she felt the side of his neck and up under his jaw, “Turn your head to the right…. Now left…. Now open your mouth…. Tilt your head back.” He did as told, though somewhat groggily. As he tried to tile his head back, he felt something strange flexing with him, “Very good, now can you wiggle your fingers for me.” He did as requested tilting his head down to look at his body, which he now realized was hanging upright instead of lying down. 

He blinked again, trying to push a haziness from his eyes as he squinted past his hands and down towards his legs. They were bare mostly, which is how he noticed the metal prosthetic so quickly. 

He missed her next couple of words as sounds and images came flooding back to him. Ashfall, a dark silhouette looming over him, the sharp point of a spear, and terrible horrible pain.

Something was beeping frantically off to his side.

A hand rested on his arm, “Come on back to us Lieutenant, you’re safe here.” He opened his eyes again looking over to find the admiral standing next to him, “There we go.”

He blinked again.

“How are you feeling?” The man asked

“Not… in pain.” He responded thickly

“Try flexing your toes.”

He did as told looking downwards. His left foot flexed just fine, but the right remained still. He grew sick felt his stomach churn.

“Hm that…. Wait, hold on there kid, we need to power it on.” A sudden relief washed over him as the woman bent down to engage the limb. The Admiral patted his shoulder, and suddenly his eyes widened, he could FEEL his leg, could feel the woman’s fingers as they moved across the metal, could feel it as if it was his own skin. 

He shivered, and then shuttered goosebumps erupting across his entire body. She looked up at him, “Can you feel that.”

He nodded dumbstruck, eyes wide.

“That's good, now do what the good lady says and try to raise your arms.” 

He did as told, and nearly clobbered himself in the head as his hands and arms flew upwards. He jolted in confusion, staring down at his arms in shock. He flexed hs fingers watching as tiny metal bits flexed with him clicking softly. He flexed his arm again and it felt as if he wasn’t even moving it, instead being dragged along by the metal frame which held his body.

He dropped his hands again.

“Reduce the response time on those,” the admiral ordered, “Let him get the hang of it first.” The woman adjusted something on the leg. He shivered again, feeling her fingers, the sensation was so real, he expected to look down and see his leg back, but predictably it was still metal.

“Go ahead and flex your toes now.” 

Nervously he did as asked,and this time the toes of the prosthetic twitched and then curled inwards. He moved one, and then the other and then rolled them tilting his head back and closing his eyes, feeling as if he was in ecstasy.

“Good.” All around him, the other soldiers were doing the same. Across the way, a soldier, who was missing three of her limbs had tears spilling down her face as she flexed her new arm.

Another was blinking through a robotic eye and speaking for the first time…. With a mechanical jaw.

“Lets lower him down slowly let him feel the ground. They rushed to do as told racing over to the wall and slowly lowering him towards the ground. His feet made contact with cold metal…. He could feel it, the cold through the soles of his feet, the only difference was that…. Without skin, he didn't feel that subtle deflection as skin puckered and flatted about objects.

He tried lifting the knee of the new leg, and it came as told. He flexed the ankle, and the foot moved seamlessly with it.

“Wow.”

It was almost as if his leg was back, almost as if….

Embers fell from the sky, and that dark shape moved closer to him fro the darkness.

A hand rested on his shoulder and he jerked away, “Stay with us lieutenant.” The admiral moved forward taking him by the shoulders, “Look at me.”

He did.

The other man’s eyes burned hungrily, “This is your chance…. For revenge, to make them pay for what they did to you.”

Adam nodded, but at the same time, something inside him felt very uneasy. IS revenge what he really wanted…. But of course it was… wasn’t it, that roach had taken his leg..? But shouldn't he feel more?

“And, you will help win the war, no more casualties, no more pain. You do this and it will all be over, you’ll have served the UNSC, the GA, and earth….. Can you do that for me?”

Of course the admiral was right.

“Yes sir.” 

[judediangelo75]

How Talbott Dropped the Question

Hello everyone~ 

I have another fanfic featuring our resident bird boy at Hogwarts, Talbott. Ugh, I love him to death (and I would protect him at all costs). As most of you can guess by the title, this is how Talbott asked Judith to marry him. But of course there’s backstory, hope you don’t mind ^_^”.

Side note: This is kinda playing on the idea that the MC did run away.

Alright enough of my blabbering. Enjoy!

---------------------------

After the death of Talbott's parents, the young boy didn't want to let anyone else in his heart, fearing that he'll lose them too. Only other person who made him happy was a little girl that he never saw again after just one day together... 

Coming to Hogwarts, he was sorted into Ravenclaw. He listened to Professor Flitwick give a welcome speech from the corner he resided in, watching everyone with cautious eyes.

Time seem to pass slowly. During that time, he befriended the most popular girl in his year, a Hufflepuff by the name of Penny Haywood. She was kind girl, a bit too preppy for his taste but he like the girl nonetheless. She was his only friend until his third year, where he met one of the Cursed Children, Judith Harris.

Anybody who read The Daily Prophet knows of what happened to best friends Jamal Harris and Jonah Brown.

How ironic that their sisters are best friends as well. 

So they already had an infamous reputation preceding them. 

Brooke ended up being sorted into his house. Judith had potential to become an Eagle as well, seeing how she experienced a Hat Stall between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. But she opted to become a Hufflepuff instead. Talbott was secretly glad for this development for awhile, seeing how her best friend was, he didn't believe that Ravenclaw could handle both of them at the same time.

At least, that's what he thought at first. 

Hearing her voice for the very first time, Talbott was almost taken aback at how soft and almost shy it sounded. He had to look up from his book to make sure he was speaking to the right person. Sure enough, gold eyes bore into his own. Looking into her eyes, Talbott felt an unexplainable warmth inside his heart. He didn't understand it and pushed away as he interacted with the Hufflepuff witch.

As he slowly learns more about her, he realized that she was definitely more quieter and calmer than her scheming best friend. Though, he could tell she possess a sneaky side to her, judging by the smirks she would give him. As well as the mischievous spark that danced in those gold orbs.

During their time together helping her become an Animagus, Talbott watched her closely. 

An old memory would come up to his mind where the little boy version of himself was watching the sunset in one of the trees the surrounded his home with a girl. He remembered promising her that he'll teach her to be just like him, hopefully that she would become an avian Animagus and they could go flying together. But they never got the chance to meet again, so Talbott thought he may never fulfill his promise...

Or so he thought.

It wasn't until after he got closer to Judith, after losing the necklace his mother gifted him, and following her to a graveyard is when he realized it.

That little girl was Judith. 

Talbott couldn't believe that after all this time he was reunited with his little bird. He felt the feelings that he had as a child come back full force like a wrecking ball. To the point he found himself admiring the girl secretly from afar.

Words couldn’t describe his disappointment when Judith took down her locs. He loved them because it made her unique. It suited her. But he loved her hair in general, secretly yearning to tend to those dark brown curls...

His breath would catch in his throat whenever he sees her in top that reveals more of her skin and upper body. He noticed the scars that scatter on her chocolate skin. He would sometimes unconsciously curl his hands into fists whenever he feels the desire to touch and study her skin.

Sometimes when she's next to him or passing by, he finds himself taking in deeper breathes to take in the scent that seem to cling onto her hair and skin. She told him about her homeland and how the scent was mainly coconut and cocoa butter and he found himself secretly yearning for more of it. Where he wants to just to bury his face into her hair or her neck and just relax with her in his arms with that intoxicating scent wrapping around him.

He loved to look at her face. He could tell how she felt by her expression, some of them were just too funny not to chuckle at. Though one expression that gets him the most is when she pouts. He always does his best to look away or focus on some other part of her face, and not her tempting, full, soft lips...

There were times he found himself to be acutely aware of the sound of her voice. Especially when she sings, he would feel himself unconsciously relaxing to the sound of her voice then. If he didn't pay attention or hear her the one time that she was cursing Merula to hell and back, he could've sworn she was born and raised in Britain. But the foreign accent he remembers hearing as a child would slip on occasion. He liked how different it sounded, to him it was cute.

It wasn't until one day he finally realized what the hell was going on and why he feels like he gets butterflies every time she smiles at him-

He had a crush on her. A major crush on her...

And to his joy (and minor fear), she felt the same way about him too. Although he was happy about this development, he was also deeply confused. He was nothing like the other wizards at Hogwarts. Especially not like Andre, her Celestial Ball date.

 He was loner and preferred it that way. 

Plus... he wouldn't admit out loud that he was insecure about how he looked. With such sharp features for a 15 year old, a lot of people would give him strange looks. It didn't help that he hung out with the owls that the Owlery, people would whisper he was their long lost cousin.

To have a beautiful witch like Judith crush on the likes of him? He would've suspected some kind of prank.

But sure enough, when Judith shyly asked him out on a date, he sound himself at loss for words. And at the wrong time, since Madam Pince had them shelving books for being too loud. But when he spotted an opportunity, he called the girl over and said he accepted to go on a date with her. Her smile made him feel secretly excited for their date.

It was going to be a double date with Brooke and Penny. He was fine with that. He actually sought out the his friend's help, completely unsure of what to wear for his first date with his crush. They settled for a dark blue tux, a bronze tie and dress shoes to match. As the two waited outside Hogsmeade for their respective dates, Talbott couldn't help but to feel nervous. As he readjusted his tie, he couldn't help but to wonder what kind of outfit Judith would show up in and if he did too much showing up in a tuxedo to a tea shop.

When Brooke and Judith did arrive, while Penny was gushing over Brooke and her outfit, Talbott was blushing to the tips of his ears as he took in the Hufflepuff standing before him. Judith's face was just as flushed as she looked at Talbott who was openly staring at her. She wanted to clobber her best friend for putting her in an short off the shoulder dress, revealing a lot of skin-

"You look smart, Talbott." the girl blurted out, unable to handle the silence anymore. Talbott finally came back to reality after realizing that he was staring at his crush.

"Y-you look lovely, Judith..." That didn't sound as confident as he would like and he felt stupid when he realized that he didn't get to compliment her first. 

He wanted to smack his forehead. 

He was already messing up their first date and they haven't even gotten to the place yet!

The two pairs made it to there date spot and that's where things went downhill. 

Talbott wasn't the social type whatsoever. 

He had no idea what to talk about and he wanted to kick himself when Judith would glance at the entryway where Madam Puddifoot disappeared through to make their order, the discomfort obvious on her face. 

It didn't help how beautiful his crush looked and he couldn't stop staring.

The retreating sunlight washed over her in a gentle glow. Her hair was pushed to one side, curls falling over her right shoulder while a red rose was tucked behind her left ear. Her eyelids were dusted with a dark shadow, enhancing those gold eyes. Her neck was free from any necklaces. Her bare shoulders and fully exposed neck was rather distracting...

To top everything off, Tonks and Charlie came to watch their date. Even though this encouraged conversation, it still felt a little awkward. They didn't remain so for long, seeing how Tonks knocked over a display of teacups that closed the shop. 

The walk back to Hogwarts felt like the walk of shame. 

This was suppose to Talbott's first date with the girl from his childhood. He felt like he ruined it for her. Which is why he went to the Courtyard to wallow in his shame. 

Until Judith showed up...

He felt like his heart was suddenly in his throat as he watch the Hufflepuff take a seat next to him. When she said she wanted to talk about their first date, he had to distract her. He didn't want to hear the girl's inevitable rejection. His heart wasn't ready for that sort of blow...

But he couldn't keep up with the "shooting star" gist for long. 

He knew he had to tell her the truth. He just silently prayed that she would quickly rip the bandage off...

He came clean to the girl, a little surprised to see that she was surprised when he hinted at her rejection.

They had a much needed "heart to heart" conversation, dispelling any fears and doubts that lingered between them. Ending it with the promise of a possible second date in their future...

As the two gazed up at the starry night sky, he heard Judith shuffle closer and the light touch of her fingertips against his. He glanced at her quickly to find her looking in the other direction. Taking a chance, he inched closer, laying his fingers on top of hers. He felt his heart race at the fond look that Judith graced him before their fingers intertwined. They looked up at the night sky to find a shooting star.

Talbott felt like he could never feel more complete outside of that very moment. Under the starry night sky, with Judith's warm hand intertwined with his own.

He was proven wrong.

It would be some time until their next date happened. It was February, which meant Valentines' Day was approaching and fast. Talbott never cared for the frivolous holiday. 

He had no interested in anyone... until his little bird. 

Their first date never left his mind. On more than one occasion, he finds his heart sighing after the young Hufflepuff whenever he saw her. He could still remember the feeling of her hand in his...

If he ever wanted to have a Valentine, he'd want it to be her.

Hell, his Valentine Howler made it bloody obvious. He felt quick to follow Brooke's example and light the Howler on fire as it spoke. Luckily no one was truly paying attention to him so he didn't need to take such drastic measures.

"Oh how my heart longs for you, pretty gold eyes..." Talbott turned red and immediately glanced at the Hufflepuff, silently relieved to know she didn't hear that. 

So much for being innocent. 

His feelings were definitely more intense than he expected...

As the day went on, Talbott felt like he could've gone without Gilderoy Lockhart and his party. But he was secretly glad to be working alongside his little bird.

As he was on a fruitless hunt for doves, Judith came to check on him. He tried to focus at the task at hand and not how on a night like this he was holding her hand.

Even with her help in their Animagus forms, they couldn't find any doves. Talbott felt annoyed that he was dragged into this party planning situation and that he was being forced to dress up in pink. But he couldn't lie that it would an opportunity to ask Judith out on another date with him. Especially if Lockhart's party was gonna be a complete mess, he could give her the Valentines' Day she deserved...

"You want to be my date too?!" Talbott caught onto her wording and felt his heart plummet to his feet.

"Too?" The girl blushed at her error.

"Er... I mean, again..." Talbott wanted to fly away but he knew that he had to ask to be sure.

"So, you've been asked to the party already?" The girl bit her lower lip.

"Yes but I didn't give him an answer..." 

Him. 

Andre. 

A twisted feeling settled inside his chest.

'Is this what jealousy feels like?'

"Oh... I can give you time to decide then..." The Ravenclaw wizard didn't give the girl a chance to reply as he flew off.

When they finally decorating the tea shop, Talbott couldn't help but to feel slightly bitter at the idea that Andre and Judith will being having a date here after they came here on their first date. He meant what he said, there was only one person that he would want to go with, and that was her. Judging by Andre's words, she hasn't picked yet. But he wouldn't be surprised if she did pick the style wizard.

He was a nobody after all...

He would admit he was surprised when the girl requested to have a word with him for a moment. He wasn't sure what she had planned to say so he stuck to a party related topic. She giggled when he misread her answer and said she would love to be his date to the party. Talbott was surprised that she chose him over Andre.

But it didn't make him less happy to know that he's gonna have a second date with the girl that he couldn't stop thinking about.

Though he wasn't too keen on his outfit. He felt ridiculous. And felt it even more when Judith and Brooke walked in the tea shop for the party. The Hufflepuff was a similar dress to the one she wore on their first date but the sleeves were long and the dress gradients from pink to white. A black chain that had a blue and sliver ring on it resided around her neck.

One look in Talbott's direction, Judith stifled a giggle before walking towards him. Talbott felt a blush rush to his face.

"I know, I know. I look ridiculous." Gold eyes widen and Judith shook her head. Her high ponytail swaying behind her.

"No! I think you look rather cute, like a Muggle cowboy." She reassured the tall wizard, fiddling with the pink pendant around his neck. The young wizard looked down at her, skeptical.

"Are you sure you're not saying that to make me feel better?" Judith rolled her eyes and got her toes, placing a light kiss on the tip of his nose. 

This was enough to set the boy's face ablaze.

"Of course I'm not just saying that, you silly goose. I like how you look..." Despite feeling like his face was melting off, Talbott smiled down at her.

Just Talbott expected, the party was a whole sham. 

It pissed him off that Gilderoy Lockhart casted a misfired Memory Charm on everyone before apperating. He felt scared that Judith may have forgetting all about their date because of this.

Even when he patiently waited in the Transfiguration classroom holding a red rose with yellow tips, he felt the dread building in his system. He was scared that the girl forget about being his date to the party. Though it was too late to cancel as he heard the doorknob turn.

Judith was in awe of the grand display, reassuring her crush that she didn't forget about being his date. She was sincerely touched that the stoic Ravenclaw would plan such a romantic evening for the two of them. 

Treasured items were exchanged that night, a symbol of the boy's heart and a ring that spoke who the girl's heart belonged to.

Talbott couldn't have felt more complete when he leaned over a pressed a chaste kiss on his little bird's cheek. The adoring look that she have him was cemented into his memory forever. 

He felt like nothing could top this moment.

He was proven wrong yet again.

After Valentines Day, Talbott was strongly aware of his feelings for the girl. He knew what he wanted.

He wanted to be her's and for her to be his.

He wanted to be her boyfriend. 

He knew that he wasn't like most wizards who would openly shower a girl with affection and such, but he knew he had deep feelings for the girl. Just like she did for him, she gave him a ring gifted to her by her grandmother for Gods' sake!

He'd figured it would be best to be direct about it. Seeing how it helped saved their two precious dates.

He asked her to accompany him on a walk through the forest, which she readily accepted. As they walked through the trees, he couldn't help but to notice how at peace she looked.

"So, Judith... T-there's something I... want to ask you..." The wizard stumbled and silently cursed his awkwardness. Gold eyes trained on him, paired with an adorable owl like head tilt.

"Yes?" Talbott took in a deep breath and reached out for her hand.

"Will... will you..." Talbott felt his face heat up as he tried to get the question out.

'OUT WITH IT!' His mind screamed, but his throat seem to close up. Caught up in his emotional turmoil, he missed the girl's smile or even noticed that she got closer. A soft kiss to his cheek finally brought him back to reality.

"Yes. I'll be your girlfriend, Talbott..." The Ravenclaw blushed but smiled nonetheless, hugging his now girlfriend close to his chest.

On top of their new found relationship, they had a small surprise. Talbott was in the witch's room, where she was sharing some of her memories that she kept in her little safe. She was showing an old Muggle romance novel when a white clover appear underneath one of the pages. Both seem to having a recurring memory of each other from their childhood, where Talbott gifted a white clover to Judith before never seeing each other again. As Judith touch the flower, both found themselves standing before their deceased parents.

It was then they realized that the other knew of their identity, remembering each other from childhood. Words couldn’t describe the relief and bliss they’ve felt in that very moment.

Until Talbott's mother starting talking about marriage. The two were flustered at this but they wouldn't oppose to the idea. 

Judith thought about marriage, but as a mere fantasy. She thought no one would truly love her enough to even considering bonding to her for life. 

Seeing her dead father for the first time in seven years brought tears to her eyes. 

He would never be able to walk her down the aisle, which broke her heart.

Talbott has considered it as a passing thought. He knew what he felt for the girl, even when he never truly understood it as a child. It would be a dream come true to see her walk down the aisle to him in a wedding dress and have her proclaimed Judith Winger. 

His wife. 

He unconsciously rubbed her left ring finger, imagining what it would be like to feel a cool metal band around her finger.

His mother did make herself clear the next time she sees them, he better have "wifed her" or she'd box his ears...

As embarrassing the situation was, it became a lingering thought in the back of his mind. 

A life with Judith, his little bird. 

Marriage. 

Living together. 

Her becoming pregnant. 

Them holding their baby. 

Building a family.

He wanted that. All of it. She was everything to him, he wants to be with her forever.

But not everything seems to go according to plan.

Stress landed Judith in the Hospital Wing and Talbott fussed over his girlfriend, doing what he can to keep her calm. What meant to be an innocent massage lead to a passionate embrace, which was nothing new to the pair. They've been intimate before on a few occasions, Judith made sure to drink her potion that kept her from becoming pregnant.

Except Judith hasn't been keeping up with her potions. It wasn't until she went to tell Madam Pomfrey about her sudden sickness is when she realized what happened.

She was pregnant with Talbott's child.

The girl didn't know what to think, nearly becoming an emotional wreck when Madam Pomfrey informed her that she would have to tell her mother about this.

Whatever relationship that existed behind mother and daughter was destroyed when Sade disowned her daughter in front of the school's Headmaster and never looked back. Judith was left with a stinging cheek and a broken heart.

She had no real family left.

Her father was dead.

Her brother disappeared again after she freed him.

Her mother disowned her.

She was alone.

Then she remembered the father of the baby living inside her. Talbott was one of the brightest students of their year and they were so close to graduating, with just one more year and they would go into their respective careers.

He wanted to be an Auror. But now he was a father. They didn't plan for this.

Judith didn't know how to tell him. 

So... she didn't. 

Time passed and Judith didn't speak a word about their child. After finally cracking under the pressure of everything, Brooke and her decided to leave.

Judith could resign to the idea of not really having a future becoming a professional Healer like her father. 

She made peace with that. 

But she refused to bring Talbott down with her. He had a chance.

With a tearful letter leaving out any mention of their unborn child, Judith left Hogwarts. Helping train her best friend during the months she was still light enough before taking a plane back to her homeland.

During that time, Talbott felt like he regressed back to the time when he first came to Hogwarts. 

This time, it was the loss of the girl he loves. 

She was all he had left, he would follow her to the ends of the Earth if it meant staying by her side. Her ring nearly never left his finger. Bill seemed to be the only one who understood what the young man was going through, considering he felt like he was going through the same. The two men became close during this time period.

It would be months before the two crossed paths again. After finding out the whole truth, Talbott left Hogwarts and Britain to head to Barbados, the land Judith was born and raised. Where he stayed to be with his girlfriend and son, Bakari. He was surprised to see how the little boy came out to be the perfect mix of the two. He had Talbott's skin color and red eyes but the facial features of his mother. Most of his hair was dark brown like Judith's but he had a tuft of hair that hung over his forehead that resembles Talbott's.

He was their little miracle.

After months of tension, Judith and Talbott had a necessary heart to heart which lead them to being in each other's loving embrace.

As much Judith felt happy to be with him again, she still want Talbott to achieve his dream. But he made himself clear that he wasn't going anywhere if she wasn't with him. Judith relented and offered a deal. If he agreed to go back to Hogwarts, she'll return with him to stay in Hogsmeade. But she will not be attending the school since she still needs to be there for their son. Talbott agreed, as well stating he'll be keeping her up on their studies. Judith grumbled at this but agreed nonetheless.

The two flew back to Scotland. With Brooke's and Dumbledore's help, they were able to get a small house in Hogsmeade. Some of the group that associated themselves with Brooke and Judith were curious to where Talbott could've gone for nearly a whole year, but Talbott never answered them. 

Not even Penny, who was his first friend at Hogwarts. 

Penny was suspicious to where Talbott would go every few days. She would normally respect her friend's space but eventually she cracked.

She followed Talbott out one day in Hogsmeade. She was surprised to see him enter a house. Doing her best to stay quiet, she peeked through a window to find a surprise. Judith holding a young babe in her arms, but the child looked like both of them. Putting two and two together as she watched the couple share a kiss, Penny stared on wide eyed.

Judith was pregnant with Talbott's baby.

She nearly squeaked when the little boy suddenly stared out of the window and directly at her. She quickly left before Judith and Talbott realized she was there. But she didn't hesitate to tell Jamal and Jonah about Judith.

Who later that night, paid the young witch and her little family a visit. Jonah nearly got thrown out of a window when he started demanding on his sister's whereabouts, but a simple hug and kiss from Talbott helped calm her down. As Judith continued to converse with her brother and Jonah from Talbott's lap, his mind was occupied with something else.

He felt a bit angry that Penny found about this, but he wasn't ashamed. 

He loved Judith. 

He loved Bakari. 

And he loved their little family. 

Watching Judith interact with their son filled him with a sense of warmth that he could never truly describe. She was such a wonderful mother and loving partner. Everything nearly felt complete. The only thing missing was a ring on her finger...

Fast forward nearly a year and half after graduation and becoming an Auror, and thanks to his prodding Judith was able to "graduate" and become a Healer, he sat in front of Jamal Harris as the older man processed his words.

"So let me get this straight, you want my blessing so you can marry my baby sister," he recounted. Talbott gave him a single nod. Jamal grew to respect Talbott a bit more, seeing how he takes care of his sister and little nephew. But he was still her big brother at the end of the day, he'll always be protective of Judith. 

Especially after missing out on so many years of her life.

"Why do you think I should give you my blessing, huh," Jamal stubbornly asked. Talbott sighed, predicting this.

"Your father seems to be happy with the idea of me marrying your sister. He sees something in me deeming me worthy of her." Jamal stiffen and glared.

"Watch your words, Winger. You don't even know my father." Talbott knew that bringing up Kendrick would be a sensitive topic for the man before him. From what he remember, Judith told him that Jamal ran away just several weeks before their father's death. To suddenly to come back to hear about his father's death, struck a cord in Jamal. And Talbott is more than happy to give him the closure he needs.

"Jamal, do you trust me?" Gold eyes narrowed at him.

"Why are you asking me this," Jamal asked instead. Talbott ignored his question and asked again. Seeing how he's not going anywhere, Jamal let out a simple "I guess". This was good enough for Talbott. Going into the bedroom he and Judith shared, went under the bed to retrieve the safe Judith showed him. Whispering the password, the safe unlocked, revealing the contents inside. He quickly grabbed what he needed and moved the safe back to it's original place before returning to where Jamal sat.

Before Jamal could ask what Talbott was doing, the Auror grabbed his hand with the shark tooth enclosed in between.

"What the f- Where the hell are we, Winger," Jamal growled as he looked around, bewildered.

"Aye, don't be disrespecting my resting place with all that noise, young man." Jamal stiffen at the voice he hasn't heard in years. Turning in the direction which it came from, Jamal stared in shock at who he saw. Talbott felt like it was just yesterday whereas he had the same reaction as Jamal.

Kendrick was sitting in the exact same position as the time Talbott met the man, in the same white clothes and all.

"D-Dad... is... is it really you," Jamal asked, his voice much softer. Tears sprang in the young man's eyes, blurring the image of his father. Jamal gasped when he felt a pair of strong, familiar arms wrap around him in a tight hug.

"It's good to see you too, son," Kendrick whispered, hugging his boy close. The dam broke and Jamal outright bawled into his father's shoulder, not caring if it wasn't really manly.

He missed his dad.

Talbott watched the scene silently. It reminded him where Judith and her father were in that same exact position. The Harris siblings were truly close with their father and it showed tremendously. It was also kinda interesting to see that Jamal didn't resemble his father too much other than eyes and hair color...

"H-How is this p-possible. Judith showed me..." Jamal trailed off as he remember the time his sister brought him to their father's grave. 

November 27th, 1981. 

Their dad's birthday and deathday. 

The same damn year he ran away. 

His dad been dead for years and he nearly truly known until he wanted to check in with how his family was doing. Only to watch from a distance to find his mother home but his father was nowhere around. It wasn't until he read an old article of the Daily Prophet when he learned of his father's passing. He felt guilty about it ever since. To see his father for the first time in years... he could've sworn he was dreaming.

"I am dead. Make no mistake son," Kendrick said as Jamal winced at his bluntness. Definitively a trait his sister got from him.

"But when I died, I left my magic imprint on my old necklace and gave it to your sister. That's how I met Talbott again many years ago." Jamal's brows furrowed.

"What do you mean by again," he asked. The older Harris smirked.

"Do you remember Ava and Trent?" Jamal still looked lost until his father motioned to a mirror. Which was replaying a memory from when he was a little boy. A couple walked up to him and his father while they were at Honeydukes. The woman had Talbott's hair and skin color and the man looked like an older version him. Jamal's eyes went wide.

"Those are..."

"My parents," Talbott finally spoke up. Jamal looked at him and back at the memory.

"They were my old friends back in my Hogwarts days. We stayed in touch over the years, even after Talbott and your sister were born. We managed to arranged for them to meet twice before our deaths," Kendrick summarized as he watched his son look at the memory of Talbott and Judith as toddlers and then as little kids.

"Ava always wanted to bring these two together but we couldn't make it make before we died. Luckily, they found each other again on their own," Kendrick said with a fond smile in Talbott's direction. Jamal turned to his father.

"But Dad, how can you trust him after he-OW!" Kendrick smack Jamal upside his head. Kendrick's eyes were steely.

"I know of their son, Bakari. Things happen Jamal. I don't hold against Talbott for getting Judith pregnant. It was her choice to keep Bakari. Just like it was his choice to willingly abandon Hogwarts to be with her and their son. You will not fault him on a situation that happened years ago and he's done his best to make the most of it," Kendrick said coldly. Jamal rubbed the back of his head, he felt like he was a child being chided for doing something stupid...

"Bloody hell, you hit like Judith," he grumbled. Kendrick let out a dark chuckle.

"Good. I expect nothing less from my little girl. If I can't be around to strike fear into the hearts of the men around her, I want her to do it herself." Talbott and Jamal both shuddered, seeing a variations of her rage and strength.

"But I trust Talbott here with Judith’s heart. Which is why he already has my blessing," Kendrick said. Talbott gave the older Harris a grateful smile, fiddling with the ring Judith gave him years ago. 

Kendrick saw this and smirked.

"And I'm sure my mother would've said the same thing..." Jamal's eyes went wide, recognizing the ring.

"I always wondered why that ring looked so familiar. That's the same ring that Judith always wore around her neck..." Talbott blushed and nodded.

"Mercy gifted it to her before she died. That ring is only able to fit the person Judith loves wholeheartedly. If not, the ring will immediately reject the person. I'd like to think my mother would've loved you Talbott..." Talbot felt his blush grew worse. 

Now he didn't know that part...

Jamal studied the Auror in silence before cracking a small smile.

"If my grandmother and dad are able to trust you, Wi- Talbott... then I have no reason to stand your way. Especially since you help me after I've been such a hardass... you have my blessing to marry my sister." Talbott gave the Harris men a smile.

"Thank you, both of you. I'll take good care of her, I promise..."

---------------------

"This is lovely," Judith breathed out a gentle sigh as she leaned against Talbott's chest. They were able to moved into an apartment, slightly bigger than the previous home they resided in their 7th year.

It was New Year's Eve. Bakari was sound asleep and the couple were watching the night time sky from the couch outside on the balcony, awaiting the fireworks. Talbott gave a small nod, willing his heart not to pound out of his chest. He had the small black box in his pocket and as the moment grew closer, he felt himself grow more nervous.

"Something wrong, love?" He heard Judith ask before she planted those soft lips against his cheek. The young man bit lip as he glanced at his watch to check the time. 11:55 PM.

"There's nothing wrong, darling. But there is something I would like to say," he said softly. Judith leaned off his chest and turned to face him properly.

"What is it?" Talbott took a deep breath.

Now or never...

"I honestly would've never thought I would see myself in this the position. I never thought I would feel a bond so indescribable as the one we share ever since we were children. I never thought I would lose my parents at such a young age. I never thought I would ever find the same happiness I felt from we met when we were 7 years old. Until I met you again. Neither of us fully realized who the other was until we met the others’ parents again. It was hard to express how I felt when I saw you through your father's memories. You looked so happy and carefree before you came to Britain. Even more so when we met again... But your smile dimmed when your brother disappeared... and you lost the same glow when Kendrick died. And I wanted nothing more but to bring that back. To make you feel like you were never alone. Like you never lost your smile. To make you feel loved. You're precious and dear to me, Judith. I've loved you for a long time, even before I could truly realize the depth of my feelings. You gave me something worth living for. You gave me you and Bakari... and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to either of you..." Talbott watched as a cute blush colored his beloved's adorable confused face.

"W-Why are you telling me all this," she asked softly. She watched as her boyfriend slid off the couch to kneel before her on one knee. Those who were out enjoying the holiday began chanting the countdown.

"I'm telling you this because I love you, Judith Harris. And I wish to spend the rest of my life with you..." Judith gasped as she watched Talbott reach into his pocket to pull out a small box. Her vision grew misty and she rapidly blinked away any tears, wanting to make sure this was real.

That she wasn't dreaming.

That Talbott was-

"Judith Harris, my sweet little bird and queen of my heart, will you marry me," Talbott softly asked as he displayed the ring he picked out.

Judith smiled at Talbott, a single tear sliding down her face. In the distance, they could hear the people approaching the T minus 10 countdown.

"Yes... yes I will marry you," Judith whispered. Talbott smiled at her, the brilliance of his smile rivaled the stars twinkling above them. He held her left hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. Judith leaned in and kissed him just as the fireworks went off.

"I love you, Talbott," she whispered against her fiancé's lips. Talbott chuckled, looking at her with an adoring gaze.

"I love you too, my future wife..."

[imaginesmai]

Peter Parker - See the light (1)

Here is the first part of the Tangled series! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, here is a small sneak peek . Let me know if you want to be tagged! 

This doesn’t follow exactly the story, but I’m trying to be as accurate as possible. If you haven’t seen the film, you can still understand the story, but it will be easier if you have seen it since it follows the main plot. Just a reminder; reader is not as neutral as in other fics, since the story requires a specific characteristics and I didn’t want to change Peter.

Now, I hope you enjoy it!

Plot: Peter Parker has changed over the past few years. From the sweet boy that helped in town, to a thief running away from the guards with the missing princess’ crown. While doing so, he comes across a tower with a girl with a  ridiculously amount of hair. First encounters had never been so agressive for him.

The forest was nothing more than a blur as Peter dashed through the overgrowth. The mossy ground was spongy under the soles of his feet, as he practically bounded around the trees and danced around roots and barbs. His lungs burned, his legs pleading with him to slow down, but he couldn’t. The soldiers were hot on his heels, and as long as the crown was still in his possession, he couldn’t slow his sprint.

“Parker!” one of the brother shouted over his shoulder. “Keep up!”

Peter just huffed in response. The other two men were already far ahead of him; both keeping stronger stride and pace. He leaped over a fallen log and narrowly missed getting clipped by a low hanging branch. Behind him, the could hear the pounding of horses and shouting from the commander of the guard.

Suddenly, the back of Peter’s vest was being grabbed, and he was pulled into the cool brush by a strong hand. He struggled for only a second before realizing that is the other Stabbington brother who pulled him in.

“Shut up and stay still” the one with the patch scolded, and Peter’s shoulders slumped.

The theft of the crown had been nothing but improvising. Even though Peter had been dreaming with having it for months, lately he had been more focused on other things. Like the death of his uncle, murdered by the guards in a misunderstanding, or the death of his aunt, killed by an illness that Peter couldn’t afford. When the Stabbington brothers had suggested him the job, he almost said no; but he had to do something apart from hurting.

And hurting the king wasn’t such a bad option.

The ground thundered with the thumping of hoof steps, and Peter bit his tongue. The other two men were already running, caring little about the ‘team’. Peter fell into pace behind them, his lungs aching again. They didn’t run for long thought, as the trees seemed to end and they were cut off by a tall cliffside.

The three of them stared at it, until Peter broke the silence.

“Alright, help me up” Peter clapped his hands. His colleagues just stared at him in shock. “I’ll pull you up after. I’m the smallest and the lightest.”

“Give us the bag” the first one growled, holding out his hand.

“And I thought I had earned your trust” Peter said, arching a brow. There was no trust between them, and they all knew they would kill each other; even the brothers between.

The brothers just gave him narrowed eyes, so Peter gave them the bag. The crown made a tingling noise, and Peter thought of all the things that could go better if he had it.

Less than a minute later, Peter was climbing up their back like a human ladder. He had always been a skinny boy, that had grown muscles with the years, and he was used to climb into the trees for fun; so it was easy to get to the top. At the last second, he slipped the satchel right off one of them and then scampered up onto the higher ground.

“Parker, your hand” Peter should really know their names, but he couldn’t quite differentiate them.

“Sorry, but I don’t think I have one to spare. See you later!”

The brothers caught sight of the satchel in Peter’s hand, but Peter was already running before he could steal it back. The last thing he heard was his colleague’s cries of anger.

That time, sprinting didn’t feel as tiring as it did before. The horses were still behind him, but it was less threatening that earlier. Peter assumed that most of the guards had stopped over the brothers, so he had a few minutes.

As he let the wind hit his skin, Peter thought how a few years ago he wouldn’t have been able to steal, or to cheat. He was a simple boy who lived with his aunt and uncle; not with too much money, but happy enough. He had a best friend – Ned –, a girl who he considered his girlfriend – MJ – and even a man who he was learning from – Mr. Stark, the inventor –. Everything had been perfect, until they all left him, one by one, and he found himself stealing for a living. It wasn’t fun, and sometimes he allowed himself to share a few tears over the night, but it was necessary.

Peter didn’t let the emotions much room, and kept running, until he found a tower to hide.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was someone in the valley.

You knew it wasn’t your mother. For one, the person didn’t call for you to let down your hair, and secondly, the person was then climbing the body of the tower to get inside. Years of being hidden in that tower, without getting out, let you know that whoever was there didn’t have friendly intentions. Your mother had warned you from them, men that wanted to kidnap you, armies that would drag you away. And thirdly, you had a too silent chameleon looking at the window.

You had hidden yourself from sight, the heaviest and most deadly pan you owned then secured in your grasp. It was slightly rusty, but that wouldn’t stop it from being able to be swung at the intruder.

The person was breathing heavily as they scaled the tower, and moments later, you observed in freight as they crawled through the window and into the living space. It was a man, and fortunately enough, he had his back turned to you.

The man reached for the bag he had slung around his torso and looked inside. He sighed.

“You arrived a few months late, my friend”

There was a slight sad tone on his voice, but he didn’t get to say much more before you had clobbered him in the back of the head with the pan. The hit wasn’t hard, just enough to have him fall to the ground, unconscious.

You stared at him for a second. For the first time, you were looking at someone other than your mother. Pascal scampered up your back and then rested on your shoulder, the little chameleon blinking confused. You ignored your friend and took a tentative step towards the stranger, curious; Pascal only shuffled backward.

The man, or boy, had chestnut hair, full of messy curls, and a clean jaw that didn’t seem like the ruthless beards of the vikings you were waiting. His long eyelashes rested peacefully in a face that seemed full of worries, although he could be sleeping. Lips parted and breathing, the stranger was beautiful.

He wore a bright blue vest without sleeves, an underneath white shirt and pants that had seen better days, brown boots scuffed and well worn. Something that seemed a small spider was drawn on the bottom of the vest.

“What do you think he is, Pascal? A ruffian or a thug? He doesn’t seem the bogeyman to me” you asked, feeling intrigued. “That’s not what the plague looks like, is it?”

Pascal seemed to roll his eyes on your shoulder, turning around and looking out of the window.

“You’re very helpful, Pascal” you sighed, and the animal just stuck his tongue.

The boy – he couldn’t be older than you – seemed out cold, so you stepped away for a second, walking towards the abandoned satchel. Keeping a cautious eye on him, you picked up the bag and opened it. A large, golden hoop, covered in what looked like shard of glass, and ornately designed stones, laid on your hand. It was gorgeous, and shimmered in the sunlight.

You turned the thing over in your hand a few times, and walked over to the nearby mirror and stared at yourself, then down at the hoop. You placed it on your wrist, but Pascal, who was back on the ground, shook his head, obviously not convinced. You spun it around your finger next, but the hoop quickly lost balance and you had to catch it before it clattered to the ground.

Finally, you brought the object to the top of your head, and stared at yourself in the mirror. Long, and hard. Pascal’s eyes seemed to widen for a moment, until he shook his head again. Defeated, you placed it back in its bag and went back to the knocked out stranger.

“What should we do with him?”

The only place you could think to hide him was in the closet nearby. Something about throwing him out of the tower didn’t seem right, so you decided to wait until he woke up and kindly show him the way off. And, maybe, you felt a little curious about the stranger.

With a grunt, you picked up the boy and dragged him over to the wardrobe from his shoulders. He was pretty heavy and you knocked a few things over, but finally managed to shove the man in; not without two or three bangs that probably had made him even more unconscious.

“There is a man in the tower” you said, crossing your arms and looking at the closet. Was it a finger what stuck from the opening? “There is a man… in my closet. In my – ha! How you like that, mother? Who’s the sapling now?”

The little dance-off you were having against the unconscious man and out of happiness ended quickly when a new voice rang up from the valley.

“Y/N! Let down your hair!”

You tumbled to the window, and looked down to see your mother smiling at you. She was carrying a basket with some fruits, and you squealed in excitement; the unconscious man would be enough proof to let you go outside. You let your hair fall towards the ground, and your mother stepped into the tower.

“I have a huge surprise” she said cheerfully.

You reeled the rest of your hair back into the tower, and singed back a happy ‘so do I’, staring at her back as the older woman removed her cloak.

“Mine first, I’m sure you’ll love it. I bought mangos!” your mother chuckled, placing his back full of fruit on the table. “Thought we could make some special dessert, it’s been a while since we did so. How’s that for a surprise?”

“It’s great, mother” you replayed, kissing her cheek when she gave you a pointed look. “I wanted to talk to you about something, though”

“Treasure, you know I hate leaving after an argument, but-“

“No, mother, you don’t-“

“Don’t interrupt me” her voice was hard, and you casted your eyes down..

“Sorry. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, mother”

“When are you not?” your mother laughed.

You looked around the walls of the tower, where a lot of drawings and books were kept. There were pieces from all over the world that your mother had given you, and some of them done by you. There wasn’t much to do when you spent your whole life up there.

“But I have –“

“I hope it’s not about the flying lanterns”

You inched closer to the wardrobe, looking for an emotional support on any of the habitants of the tower. Pascal was too busy, chasing a fly on the window, and your mother only had disapproval on her eyes. You sighed, hand shaking.

“Mother, just – earlier, you said I wasn’t ready for the outside. But I just think you were wrong –“

“Don’t tell me what’s right or wrong” you mother corrected you quickly.

“But, if you just trust me, mother, I know –“

“Y/N, we’re done talking about this.”

“I know, mother, but I just wanted to –“

“Y/N”

“Please, mother, just listen to –“

“Enough with the lights, Y/N! You’re not leaving this tower, you’re not leaving me, and you’re stopping right now if you don’t want consequences!” your mother all but screamed, eyes blowing side open and voice louder than you had ever heard it. You immediately removed your hand from the wardrobe’s handle out of shook.

It took her a second, but eventually your mother regained some form of composure and fell into a chair like the victim.

“Oh, perfect” she sighed. “You’ve made me the villain”

You watched your mother, your heart rate decreasing slowly, with your enthusiasm and happiness along. After a long moment where you fight to keep the tears at bay, out of frustration and sadness, you stepped towards her tentatively, until you could kneel by her side.

“Before… I just – I just wanted to say I know what I want for my birthday”

“What do you want?” your mother eyed you with a critical eye.

“New paints. Like the one you bought me last year, that had a special bright red glow, or the thick blue one”

Your mother narrowed her eyes at you, and leaned forward against the chair.

“That man doesn’t live close, treasure. The trip will be long. Almost three days.”

“I just thought it would be better than the lights”

Your mother let out a long sigh and stood up. She walked around for a bit, until finally stopped in front of you with a too kind smile, that only showed when she got what she wanted, and knew she had won. Leaning down, she took your head in her hands and brought it forward, so she could plant a kiss to the top of your hair.

“You sure you’ll be okay on your own?”

“I’ve done it before” you smiled shakily at her.

“Alright” your mother’s mouth was pressed in a grim line, yet she still nodded. “I’ll be back in three days. No more. I love you very much, treasure”

“I love you more, mother”

You helped your mother with the bags and wished her a safe journey under the promise of being careful in the tower. As you watched her walk away, you thought about how three days was enough time to coax the boy to take you to the flying lights and be back before she noticed.

Now you only had to wait for him to wake up.

If you want to be on the taglist, let me know!

Peter Parker taglist:

@delicately-important-trash​

@lexxxistrips​

@smilexcaptainx​

@aikaterrina​

Tangled AU taglists:

@ohmygoditsanthonyedwardstark​

@tomsirishgirl​

@imjuliabtw​

Want to know more about me? Here is my Masterlist! Feedback is always appreciated!!

[cutegirlmayra]

That Neo Metal x Amy piece you did was fanTASTIC. If you have time, could you write a follow-up piece of when Team Sonic returns? It doesn’t even have to be SonAmy or shippy, I really just think it needs a part 2.

https://cutegirlmayra.tumblr.com/post/177704806930/hi-rezfrosting-here-3-may-i-please-request-some 

Oh, you mean this DARK, HORRIFIC version of Metal Sonic vs. the ever unstoppable force that is known as Amy Rose? …I’d love too :3b

REMEMBER: PROMPTS ARE ON SHUTDOWN! Please, pretty please, don’t send me more prompts until I’ve reopened them again! :Db okay?

I have a countdown now so you will known when they come back ;)b

Now, on with the show!

Prompt:

It wasn’t long before Sonic and the team returned to the stricken planet, barely surviving from the pollution and decimation of Metal Sonic’s reign…

But as they returned, the severed head of Metal Sonic reconnected itself with Metal Overlord’s form, slightly zombied by the sparking of electrical wires all out of place, the metal torn, and the battle-damage fierce.

“What’s going on?” Tails asked, stepping out of the X-Tornado which had sent them through the pocket dimension.

“Looks like they haven’t stopped fighting, but look at this place!” Knuckles also flipped the protective, clear shielding of the plane off to get out and jumped off to step into the sewage mud. “It’s like he’s been trashing the entire planet!”

Sonic homing attacked quickly out of the plane before the shielding could even properly flip off, landing and looking up into the sky at the battle before him. There was a sense of urgency in his eyes, but then a confident smile.

“I’ll flank him from the rear… he would see us coming. Tails?” He turned to look over his shoulder, Tails also smiling with determination and leaning over the cockpit to hear every word. “You check on the teams.”

“Got it!” Tails pulled the shielding down, revving up the engine.

“Knuckles,” Sonic fully turned around to face him, seeing him bent down on knee, sampling the sludge in his hand and looking heartbroken at the state his planet was in. He crushed the mud in his hands and let it squirt out either side, shaking his fist as he turned his head away. “…You take back the Master Emerald.”

“I’m gonna clobber him.” he rose up, a true guardian as he briskly walked to take his place beside Sonic, eyes fixated on Metal Overlord. “No one messes with my friends, my planet, and my emerald!” he smacked his fists together and nodded indirectly for Sonic to see his convictions.

“Right.” Sonic nodded in agreement and turned to Metal Overlord. “Guess this is round 2.” he smirked, charging off as Knuckles followed in pursuit.

“I’ll distract him.” Knuckles stated before both of them heard Metal Overlord ring out a cry.

“AMMMMYYYY!!!!” The dragon-like metal creation reared his head back, as suddenly Eggman’s forces pelted it with drones and missiles from the sky.

Cream, Big, and–There she was. In their usual heroes’ formations, they were fighting with everything they had.

“How many times do I gotta take you down, Metal, before you realize you’re never gonna win!?” Amy cried out, getting swung from the formation and spinning her hammer out to jab another piece of his metallic hide off. “Now, Big!”

“Ooookay!” Big slowly responded as he swung his fishing pole back and hooked the inside matrix of Metal Overlord, tugging on the line to leave it straight.

“Cream!” Amy called, as Cream tight-roped the line and ran towards the inside, dodging some claw strikes as Metal Overlord tried to identify the tiny fishing line.

“YOU WILL ALL FALL!” he roared, “TO ME!”

“Heard that spiel before,” Amy mused, rolling her eyes, “Doesn’t scare me! All bark and no-!”

That’s when Cream threw Amy back inside the robot, as she hooked the steel beam that connected Metal Sonic’s old severed head to Metal Overlord and let herself slide down all the way till his face bent with the action.

Now, they were staring at one another again, “Bite.” she chomped down on her teeth, before grinning at seeing Big being hoisted by Cream’s flying bunny ears and his fishing line slinging around his head.

“No…” Metal’s eyes dimmed, “Not again…”

“You really should think about wearing a neck brace.” she saluted, and then let go. “Cause you choke on your own words all the time, buddy!”

“NOOO!!!” he reached a clawed hand to her, and for a moment, he finally saw her confident wane.

“Miss Amy!” Cream called out, but she had already let Big go as the fishing line was as strong as anything, and severed through the steel beam with Big’s falling, massive weight like a wrecking ball.

When the head was detached, the rest of the body froze… but Metal Overlord’s misshapen claw still dug a talon into her falling form, as she fell into it, then rolled off…

“I’ve… got’cha… Amy…” Big spoke slowly, but as he fell, he hooked a line around Froggy and tied it like a fishing lure, throwing him to Amy.

“Ribbit!” Froggy jumped to Amy’s back, then bit down on her white collar.

“Amy!” Sonic cried out, skidding to a halt as they got there… too late?

Metal Overlord was falling apart now, with nothing holding it together, it began to tumble and collapse in pieces.

As its frame came down, Froggy croaked and let go of her, as another large metal plate slammed into her body, making her fall even faster.

Cream grabbed Big, who reeled in Froggy and was careful not to hurt him in the process. “Is that..?” Cream began, seeing something blue below. “It’s Mr. Sonic!” she cheered, “Quick! Save Miss Amy!” she dived down, hoping to help too.

Cheese finally revealed himself, having wires in his hands, it appears he was doing an ‘inside job’ while the others fought on the outside.

“It can’t be…” Tails saw the flying mass with Amy’s unconscious body underneath it and knew Sonic couldn’t reach her if he, himself, was crushed as well. “Don’t worry, Cream! I’m on it!” Tails dived passed her, shocking her.

“Oh, Mr. Tails is back too!”

“Isn’t that nice?” Big closed his eyes, relieved with a happy, relaxed smile on his face. “I’m sure they’ll save Amy…” he stated with a lull.

Tails fired at different sections of the falling metal, burning it as it highlighted the beams of heated energy with yellow and red, before breaking off and leaving Amy’s body twirling out through the wind pressure. The other pieces were smaller now and began to twirl as well.

“I’ve got it!” Knuckles jumped up, throwing his arm back to smash and punch the metal into each other, leaving Amy wide open as the metal crashed down, spiking the soft, muddy earth and sinking slightly into it. Other pieces slammed down and left a splash, causing Sonic to not only dodge the falling debris but also avoid slipping or being blinded by the whiplashing splashes.

He raced through with a wake of water and wind at his heels, before looking up and jumped to break Amy’s fall.

“Got’cha.” he lightly stated but the intensity of his eyes said everything else.

“Did she die?” Eggman’s voice boomed from his large ship, barely holding itself in the air from previous damages.

Cream placed Big down, then embraced Cheese nodded, “No, Mr. Eggman!”

“Hmph, didn’t think so. After defeating Metal Sonic the first time, I wouldn’t put it passed her to survive certain calamity again!”

“Beat him the first time?” Sonic looked up at the sky, towards Eggman, before back at Amy.

His eyes shook.

“Tails! She’s down!” He cried out, as everyone’s attention turned from celebrating to worry once again.

“Down?” Knuckles came over, bending to examine her himself. “Let me see…”

He saw the hole in her stomach… and turned away, getting up and moving to cover his mouth with the backend of his glove.

“No…” He stifled himself, before double-taking as Cream and Big tried to come over. He shook his head, forcing himself to grab Cream and duck her head into his chest. “No, Cream. You stay here. With me.” he felt her struggle, and once again, he couldn’t manage to look back…

“But Mr. Knuckles! I saw Miss Amy get hurt. I have to check on her, please! Why are you keeping me back..?” As Cream pleaded, Big was free to wander over…

He took a few steps, before gasping lightly and lowering his stealthy arms and gloomily… his ears bent back. “Oh, dear…”

Froggy also lowered himself on Big’s head… sorrowful.

Tails threw down the Emeralds, “Sonic… it’s up to you!”

The Metal Overlord began to reform, this time, an even greater fusion of the fallen Eggman robots and a Frankenstein’d abomination.

 “I can never fall… You will all suffer… The last of your cries… will be her own!” With that stated, Metal Overlord Reborn began to fire beams out of his body, crashing into Eggman’s already exhausted fleets.

“I-EEE!!! Retreat!” he cried out, “It’s up to you now, Sonic!”

Sonic’s hands were shaking… Amy’s body didn’t appear to move, did the spike truly take her out?

Was he really too late?

All within that pocket dimension, something inside him–a gut feeling, if you will–convinced him that Amy was holding her own, that everyone was.

Holding her now… hearing that she had not only defeated Metal Sonic once but twice? Him not being there to aid and defend the planet with her?

It was more than he could bear.

The Chaos Emeralds floated and glowed around him, feeling the intensity of his emotion as his head sank down and his body trembled.

“No… no, no… How long..?” his voice also broke, his arms losing their grip on her body, lowering her into the mud. “How long… did you make her suffer?!”

Cream peeked out over Knuckles’s shoulder, as he too squinted back in his own emotion.

“How long did you leave her in pain!?” Sonic flung up, shining a brilliant yellow gold as Metal Overlord stared him down.

“What did you do to them!? To my friends!?”

Metal Overlord Reborn’s one eye began to scan the details of Sonic… his power level… his heart rate… and then…

His tears.

He gave off a low, rumbling chuckle from his now, thicker throat. “I’ve always wondered…” he began, “What you see in her…” he opened his enormous mouth, shredders circling it as fire fumed from different sections of his throat.

He swallowed Sonic whole, as Sonic remained floating in place, his eyes remaining steadfast, though his breathing rapidly becoming more and more intense.

When Sonic’s light dipped into the mouth, everyone grew silent.

“Soooonniiicc!” Tails cried out.

Then there was a burst of light.

From within Metal’s now imploding throat, a voice ripped through the eerie silence while the recoiling throat seemed ripe to explode.

“I see hope in her eyes, love in her heart, and goodwill for all mankind… I see-

–no fear!!!”

Then the explosion ricochetted through the space of air like a comet crashing to earth. Fire spewed out from the mechanical nightmare as Sonic speedily, with rage in every blast of Chaos Energy, laid waste and melted the magnetic power that kept Metal Sonic resurrecting time and time again.

He darted here and there– ‘Amy…’

There and back again, melting with his powerful swings of his arms and letting the immense heat melt the tyrannical, metal counterpart to himself– ‘Amy..!’

He flew up from the husk and put every amount of his power into a ball of light, “AMMMMYYYY!!!!” he dunked the ball right through the still standing contraption of Metal Sonic’s Overlord Reborn hide and in flakes of grey the entirety of the reign of Metal Sonic disintegrated into nothing more than burnt ashes…

Not a thing remained… even the mud had dried from the hot air spraying back from its epicenter.

Sonic lay at the center, his hands and legs on the ground, his mouth dry and panting, his tears dried by the magnitude of his power.

He just kept staring at the ground… the red from his eyes still apparent as he hit the earth again, his super form fading. “Amy… You held on… Just a bit more… I’m here now… I’m…” he let himself fall to the dry ground, indented in from his blast.

Eggman slowly turned his fleet around, he even had his lasers pointed at Sonic…

They honed in and targeted, ready to fire…

His glasses shone with their targeting systems green light flashing as a stylized icon showed Sonic’s limp body in range.

But…

He saw Tails and Knuckles, retrieving Sonic.

He saw them huddle around Amy’s form and try and summon the power of the Chaos Emeralds.

He hovered his hand over the button, but sighed and flipped the switches down to deactivate the gunfire.

He then picked up a phone, “Shadow? Rouge? Yes, even that useless Omega… Forget your scheming. Sonic’s done it, but not without some sacrifices… they need you. Stat.”

With the combined efforts, the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds revived Amy.

She awoke, a little dizzy, but gasped and grabbed her stomach… intact?

“What… happened?” she pulled the covers off her bed. …Her bed?

She hadn’t stepped foot in her home in a long time, just what had happened?

She pushed the door open, hearing laughter and drinks clinging together.

“Another! Keep it coming!” Knuckles’s booming voice caught her attention, as she slowly made her way down the stairs and into the living room.

“So, you’re saying Amy not only fought Metal twice but thrice?” Sonic leaned over the table, showing the number with his hands.

Eggman chuckled, slapping his stomach a moment as he rocked back in his chair and let Tails fill his glass up with more juice. “I was there! I nursed her back to health, he came back, she thumped him. He magnetized back into Overlord and what does she do? Thump him!” he lifted the filled glass up but made Tails spill the container in his hand as he wasn’t done filling it yet.

“Hey!”

“Amazing!” Sonic cheered.

“She really is quite a girl, you know.” Eggman chugged the drink down, as Big wiggled his ears.

“I’ve always found Amy… to be a girl.” He smiled wholesomely.

“What Big means is-” Cream paused a moment as Cheese, now with Chocola, tugged on her clothes and pointed to Amy’s presence. “Ah! Miss Amy’s awake!” she jumped off her little chair and raced to Amy, arms out wide. “Oh, Amy! My hero!” she gripped her around the legs and wouldn’t let go. “You’re awake again, Miss Amy! The boys told me you would be, but I’m so glad to see you again!” there were small tears forming in her eyes, but she was too happy to let them drop. “Are you feeling well, Miss Amy? You’re not in any pain, are you?”

The boys all turned, smiling.

“Um…” Amy was just too overwhelmed to comprehend it all. “Was I asleep?” she smiled down to Cream, before looking back up at everyone.

“Knuckles…” she breathed out, as he raised his glass to her. “Tails…” she stepped forward, as Tails beamed a little with his shoulders coming up, his eyes twinkling with glee. “….Sonic.” 

The two just stared at one another a moment. An immortalizing feeling gripped them into the other’s eyes…

He finally moved and sped over to her, but for Amy, the brief second didn’t cut off the connection and feeling that was still relevant… it was like he hadn’t moved his eyes from her, and she barely noticed the distance breached.

“Thanks for not waiting around for me… Amy.” he smiled, “Without you, it sounds like Metal Sonic would have just taken over the whole planet by now.”

Amy felt her breath grow weak.

“I… I did wait.” she barely had the strength anymore to speak, but she did.

Cream saw the two’s stances and body-language, smiling giddily, she removed herself from Amy’s legs.

“…Heh.” he let some of his emotion out, but quickly tried to recover his previous look. “What I meant was… you acted. You didn’t just sit around and let everything go to ruin.” he spoke with his arm flinging out to the side fo him, a typical thing for Sonic to do while he spoke.

“Pretty impressive,… Amy.”

“Oh, just kiss already.” Eggman groaned, looking away from the scene and sipping his juice.

He was nudged by Tails, as though to quit his muttering.

Sonic and Amy seemed to not have heard him, but Knuckles glared a warning at Eggman to remain silent while they had their moment.

“Sonic…” her hands reached out to him. “This isn’t a dream… right?”

He immediately took her hands, stepping forward. “I never doubted you, Amy… Even away, I had this feeling that everyone was alright–or at least–going to be alright. I promise, from now on, you’ll never have to fight alone… never again.”

“Oh, Sonic..!” she jumped into his arms, and they embraced one another, tightly. “I knew you’d come back! I knew it with all my heart! I knew if I just kept believing, if I never gave up hope, no matter how much Metal Sonic taunted me or tried to crush my hope–I never stopped believing you’d come back!”

The gang all smiled, touched by the scene.

Sonic… gently took her back quill and stroked it comfortingly… She continued to speak.

“I never doubted you either… not once. I looked to the skies, no matter how many times fighting seemed futile… no matter how much Metal Sonic tried to make me give up… I just knew in my heart… that you were coming back to me. That you’d never leave us utterly alone…”

��I’m back, Amy.” He was too overwhelmed with emotion to say anything else. He just held her, hearing her words, glad she was alright.

“I… I love you, Sonic The Hedgehog.”

It was a plea that left everyone’s heart speechless at the desperate tone it took to convey that message.

All but Eggman’s, who instead of taking another sip of his juice, let it smack back down on the table, unable to handle the ‘feelies’ anymore. “Ugh…” he began to get up to leave.

“Thank you.” Sonic pulled her closer, “Thank you for surviving. For taking care of business for me. I… I appreciate it, Amy.”

“Hmph.” Eggman adjusted his coat and then walked by them, opening the door. “She did more than that.” He grumbled, “Honestly,… if you’re not gonna acknowledge that she’s the sole reason for why you were able to succeed in that last half, I don’t know what I ever thought of you.” Eggman mimed picking up a ghost hat from the coat rack stick and began to leave, but stuck his head out one last time to say a final word, “By the way, you died, Sonic cried, and everyone brought you back. Just filling you in.”

Sonic’s eyelids lowered and his hands fell to his sides as Amy released him and spun around to Eggman, shocked. “WHAT!?”

“Eggman…” Sonic growled out.

“By the way, the real monster is the one who won’t say I love you back, toodaloo!” Eggman closed the door.

“I died!?” Amy flung herself around. “Was I really dead!?”

“Almost.” Tails rolled his body into a lean, gesturing his arm to Amy, exasperated by Eggman’s cruel slip. “…Kinda..?” he squinted his eyes, “Sonic?” he looked for reassurance.

Sonic ran his hand down his face and turned around, “Everyone, calm down. We’re all happy that everyone’s here and-”

Amy spun back to Sonic, “You cried?” she seemed earnestly looking into his eyes for a response.

A split-second of fear rose in Sonic’s eyes as he closed his eyes and shook his head, looking up to avoid eye-contact with her. “A-A-Anyway, Tails? What was that about a cake you and Cream were making?”

“A cake? Oh! I almost forgot!” but the second they said that the fire alarm went off and the place was drench in water.

“…I still call Metal Sonic’s demise.” Amy loudly boasted, and the gang all half-laughed a bit at that before cleaning up the place…

Amy had the last laugh in the end… still, she had no weaknesses. Only one hope, and one love.

[geejaysmith]

so Kat and I were talking on Discord again and you know what that means

Kat [Yesterday at 6:49 PM] bad end where Hilbert subdues Eiffel leaving Minkowski out to die and she either drifts into the star or gets flared before she suffocates and Hilbert gets clobbered by a really pissed off Minkowski 2 possibly accompanied by Lovelace if the DL wanted to indicate how peeved they were that he messed with Their Boy Eiffel: Commander I thought you were dead. And who's that? Minkowski: I have no idea but she also wants to kill Hilbert and right now that's good enough for me.

Gill [Yesterday at 6:53 PM] ...angry alien gfs. I might just have to write that AU.

And so, like most things inevitably do with me, this got out of hand, so:

WOLF 359 SPEEDRUN/FUNHOUSE MIRROR UNIVERSE/ALIEN MINKOWSKI AU:

Eiffel can’t get to his oxygen mask in time and gets KO’d; Hera might be able to cause an electrical fire on her own to activate the loophole in her programming, but not fast enough to let Minkowski back into the station in time. 

Kat [Yesterday at 6:58 PM] Dear Listeners: he's hurting our boy!!!! D : Dear Listeners: unleash the hounds

Minkowski comes to aboard Lovelace’s shuttle while Lovelace is waking up from cryo and getting her bearings. Since she’s understandably disorientated, Minkowski assumes Lovelace must’ve pulled her onboard just in time to save her life - Lovelace knows this isn’t the case, but for now, doesn’t correct her.

Having no idea who each other are, they’re obviously suspicious about one another, but both know the command authentication codes so that at least checks out. Radioing the Hephaestus itself gives the two more evidence to back up their respective stories; Minkowski takes some satisfaction in Hilbert’s shock when he picks up and hears her voice on the line, only to look over at Lovelace and see her expression darken with white hot fury. 

Gill [Yesterday at 7:20 PM] "Minkowski, how the hell did you-" "Selberg. I hope killing off your crew didn't turn into a habit while I was away." And like, as much as Minkowski can just about feel the rage radiating off of the alleged captain, Lovelace is using her calm, measured Menacing Voice, and that plus the way Hilbert's stunned silence turns into disbelieving terror lifts a few of Minkowski's doubts about Lovelace being who she says she is. Kat [Yesterday at 7:20 PM] ofc a wrinkle is that hilbert would've had plenty of time to get in touch with cutter by now

Okay, schadenfreude aside, now they have a problem: there’s no way Hilbert’s about to let the shuttle dock with the station, yet alone open the airlocks for them. 

This might be where Lovelace tells Minkowski “so is now a good time to mention the bomb I have wired to my heart rate?” The details on that plot point are foggy still.  Kat [Yesterday at 7:46 PM] Maybe hilbert overrode Minkowski's command authentication but 'hey Hera if Lovelace is the Hephaestus' commanding officer shouldn't you do what she says' or something

(Personally I’m a fan of this working to get the shuttle docked but not to get the doors open and that’s when Minkowski goes the full Carol Danvers. Doesn’t even realize anything Weird is going on, she’s far too focused on stopping Hilbert and saving Eiffel and Hera to notice she just blasted that door open)

(let me have my superpowered alien space commando chicks ok)

(It is very badass and Lovelace finds herself quite taken with the Commander.)

(I’m gay and I ship it)

Hilbert still wrecks Hera’s hardware but Minkowski has control of the station back, Eiffel is still loopy on laughing gas but largely unharmed, and they have a new potential ally in Lovelace (and the audio files she left on the station plus Hilbert both confirm her story) except tension still rises between them because Minkowski and Eiffel need Hilbert alive to fix Hera (and because Decima virus but they don’t know that yet) and Lovelace is in favor of killing him because he’s too dangerous to leave alive. Once she’s back online, Hera sides with Lovelace.

Hilbert got a message thru to Cutter about the alien transmissions, but may not be able to establish a connection to talk to the crew directly due to stellar interference. Either way, the crew gets to speedrun season 2 because they have every reason to assume a Goddard Futuristics Kill Squad is on it’s way.  

Nobody knows about Minkowski and anything strange about her since getting space-marooned has some reasonable explanation. Lovelace and the rest roll with the explanation that she got the Commander onto the shuttle; Hera might know Minkowski’s vitals flatlined and stayed that way for hours but Minkowski is the only one she tells about it. With no reasonable alternatives, they chalk it up to stellar interference disrupting the signals from her spacesuit. When SI-5 arrives Kepler knows right off the bat that there’s Something Up with Lovelace, but given Hilbert jumped the gun in pronouncing Minkowski and Eiffel dead, he doesn’t suspect Minkowski. 

Maxwell and Jacobi swap a few plot-beats; Maxwell is the one who meets her double in Time to Kill and Jacobi is the one taken hostage by the crew in Desperate Measures, the fallout of which leads to  D a r k   V e n g e a n c e   M a x w e l l . 

However, because Maxwell is smart and figured a few things out, her real aim with her countercoup is yeeting Jacobi’s body into the star to get him back, and shaking sense into Kepler so he doesn’t shoot him once they do. 

She probably also figured out Minkowski’s a duplicate too and so shocks her out of her denial. Probably by spacing her. 

She’ll be fine, don’t give me that look. 

Full chat transcript below ft. WAY more details that haven’t shaken out into something coherent just yet, nonsequitor Adventure Zone jokes, and at least one Spider-Verse reference:

Kat [Yesterday at 6:58 PM] Dear Listeners: he's hurting our boy!!!! D : unleash the hounds

Gill [Yesterday at 6:58 PM] "send in the most competent of More Competent Women we have" my brain is taking this idea and running with it, I'm picturing Minkowski hazily slipping into unconsciousness as her air supply runs out only to very suddenly come to, realizing after a few good deep breaths that she's not back in the station. This craft looks like something somebody put together in their garage, it's too much of a mess even for the Hephaestus. meanwhile Lovelace steps out of cryo to find there is suddenly a stranger in a spacesuit aboard her ship, hyperventilating her way back to proper consciousness. Out the front window is a station that looks kind of like the Hephaestus, but she's probably just been out here too- you're the commander of the USS what now, ma'am

Kat [Yesterday at 7:08 PM] bonus points since Hera monitors their suits so Minkowski gets back on structure and is like I lived?? somehow? and Hera's like Commander your vitals flatlined hours ago

Gill [Yesterday at 7:08 PM] after taking a moment to sort out exactly how impossible the situation they've found themselves in is, back on the station, Hilbert gets an unexpected comms hail from Minkowski, who should've been dead more than an hour ago, and she wishes she could see the look on his face when he hears her voice. Though she does get to see how Lovelace reacts when she hears Hilbert, and if hearing from one dead commanding officer gives Hilbert pause, it's a whole different ball game when Lovelace gets on the receiver.

Gill [Yesterday at 7:20 PM] "Minkowski, how the hell did you-" "Selberg. I hope killing off your crew didn't turn into a habit while I was away." And like, as much as Minkowski can just about feel the rage radiating off of the alleged captain, Lovelace is using her calm, measured Menacing Voice, and that plus the way Hilbert's stunned silence turns into disbelieving terror lifts a few of Minkowski's doubts about Lovelace being who she says she is.

Kat [Yesterday at 7:20 PM] ofc a wrinkle is that hilbert would've had plenty of time to get in touch with cutter by now

Gill [Yesterday at 7:21 PM] hm, maybe the Dear Listeners run interference so the signal doesn't get back to Earth, or at least Cutter can't get a response in which ofc might just make him send a goon squad up there anyway, so Wolf 359 Speedrun My other concern would be "there's no way Hilbert's letting those two onto the station" which may require DL Godmodding anyway

Kat [Yesterday at 7:23 PM] eiffel just strapped to a table the whole time like the damsel in distress he is maybe he can still talk hera through some sort of hack if hilbert didn't bother to gag him

Gill [Yesterday at 7:24 PM] Dear Listeners: /metaphorically playing rock paper scissors to see which duplicate gets to go full Captain Marvel and BAMF her way back onto the station also Minkowski going full Commander Mama Bear and blasting a door or three open is a wonderful mental image Eiffel, half-conscious, strapped to a lab table, extremely sure Minkowski is dead by now and Hilbert is going to dissect him- and then the door is kicked open and there she is, so full of Righteous Fury she's literally glowing. also: Eiffel blabbering something about "oh my god Commander they made you my guardian angel, I am SO sorry, you didn't do anything that warranted being stuck with that job in this life or the next but if it's any consolation it's probably not gonna be a problem much longer" "Eiffel. Eiffel I'm not dead, Hilbert's been deposed, you can stop crying now."

Kat [Yesterday at 7:37 PM] Hera like Commander but you should be dead though.

Gill [Yesterday at 7:42 PM] Minkowski headed up to the bridge, carrying Eiffel over her shoulder (he is still slightly convinced this is his dying dream and now Hera is with them here in whatever afterlife this is, so perhaps he is not, in fact, in Hell) : Well radio transmissions shouldn't come from deep space and my second-in-command shouldn't try to kill me, a lot of very strange things are happening today. "also please tell me Captain Lovelace didn't kill Hilbert while they were alone, I have questions for him." (Hera: no but I wouldn't drag your feet, also who the hell is she and how did she get on this station.)

Kat [Yesterday at 7:46 PM] to preserve elements of using Hera's loopholes to outwit Hilbert though I do like the idea of them finding some hack to let the ship dock. Maybe hilbert overrode Minkowski's command authentication but 'hey Hera if Lovelace is the Hephaestus' commanding officer shouldn't you do what she says' or something Eiffel like you forgot to disarm my only weapon doc and that's my mouth

Gill [Yesterday at 7:51 PM] makes sense, also maybe Lovelace overriding Hilbert's override buys them enough time to cook up an emergency that activates Hera's emergency protocols, since that strikes me as a more secure foothold (Lovelace: I'm overriding your override! Hilbert: Well, I'm overriding you overriding my override!) (meanwhile, Eiffel starts a fire while strapped to a table, somehow)

Kat [Yesterday at 7:53 PM] Eiffel: Hey Hera remember when you ran a cleaning cycle on the something or other on the aft deck to try to be helpful and started an electrical fire? Hera: Yeah? Eiffel: This would be a great time to be helpful

Gill [Yesterday at 7:56 PM] Hera: oops, there's a fire! looks like we gotta open all the airlocks to vent the fire, including the one to the docking bay! He's locked himself into the bridge, Commander. (Lovelace: dibs on punching him first. Minkowski: not if I get there before you do.)

Kat [Yesterday at 8:00 PM] SI 5 gets there at some later point and Kepler is like ah yes, captain lovelace, definitely an alien. surprise bitch. there's 2 ofc hilbert lied in his message and said he'd terminated both Eiffel AND minkowski so maybe Kepler's like... a whole crew... all aliens

Gill [Yesterday at 8:02 PM] Kepler: okay, so what're the odds Hilbert jumped the gun vs I am now walking into a station full of aliens. shitpost brain chiming in with: Kepler: ok, is anyone in this crew not an alien? Hera: Me.

Kat [Yesterday at 8:03 PM] Eiffel's like an honorary adopted alien

Gill [Yesterday at 8:04 PM] alt version that could potentially be serious: Kepler: ok, fess up, I know there's at least one alien onboard. Eiffel: It's me extra meme'd version: Jacobi: She's an alien, she's an alien, he's an alien - I'm an alien! Are there any other aliens I should know about??? duplicate!Maxwell: (^:

Kat [Yesterday at 8:05 PM] Minkowski: Ok, we need to take out Hilbert. We have the element of surprise, but what other assets do we have? Lovelace: Is this a bad time to mention the bomb strapped to my heartrate.

Gill [Yesterday at 8:06 PM] Minkowski: The bomb. Lovelace: Yup. Minkowski: The bomb that is presumably armed. Lovelace: Yup. Minkowski: ...and where in this small, enclosed shoebox of a deep space vessel is this device? Lovelace: Wired into the shoebox's engine. Minkowski: Of course it is.

Kat [Yesterday at 8:09 PM] minkowski: I get launched off the good ship crazy and find the only person crazier within the next 8 light years. Lovelace: That's because I'm the only bitch that can handle it.

Gill [Yesterday at 8:12 PM] also, Minkowski: Could this day get any weirder. Lovelace: Uh ...as a matter of fact, it can. Minkowski: Please don't tell me you have superpowers or anything like that. Lovelace: Well, I don't, but tell me Minkowski, do your hands... normally glow? alternatively Minkowski is just too Righteous Fury to even notice the Dear Listeners trying to get a word in and now Eiffel is convinced she's secretly been an X-Man the whole time

Kat [Yesterday at 8:19 PM] Lovelace like so... cons? woke up back at the Hephaestus. pros? got a hot girl airdropped

Gill [Yesterday at 8:23 PM] Lovelace, initially: who the hell are you and how did you get on my ship and what the hell is happening, explain before my escalating heartrate kills us both Lovelace, watching Minkowski go full Captain Marvel after teaming up with her and the rest of The New Gang to stop her mutinous ex-friend: potential enemies to potential lovers inside of 20 minutes, that must be some kind of land speed record

Kat [Yesterday at 8:25 PM] heart rate is still a problem

Gill [Yesterday at 8:25 PM] better get a handle on those feelings or else my escalating heartrate will kill us both they could keep that ace up their sleeve for when SI-5 turns up early, if only for the irony of having an explosive device that can be potentially triggered by Gay Feelings and Daniel Jacobi in the same space station

Kat [Yesterday at 8:29 PM] gay bomb chicken Jacobi: my bomb was fake Minkowski: My gun was empty Lovelace: My bomb is very real

Gill [Yesterday at 8:33 PM] a concept: Jacobi figuring out Lovelace has a crush because combination of explosives expertise and gaydar, his reaction is something along the lines of "no, no, NO!! Nobody told me there was gonna be relationship drama on this boat ride, what the hell" also, Lovelace: in my defense my gun was also empty but my bomb is still very real

Kat [Yesterday at 8:35 PM] Jacobi you have no room to talk Jacobi like ok we've got the human/alien or maybe alien/alien going on but I misread the human/AI deal so that's one scifi trope we've avoided so far.

Gill [Yesterday at 8:36 PM] Jacobi, probably: I keep my workplace drama and my relationship drama separate, like a professional ought to. Minkowski: why do you people keep saying I'm an alien Eiffel: Honestly Commander I'm still holding out hope for the "mutant" route, do you perchance know a Charles Xavier?

Kat [Yesterday at 8:37 PM] re: your last I'm imagining Jacobi being like 'I'm upset about this for personal reasons but i'm going to be professional about it.' *clocks out* *screams*

Gill [Yesterday at 8:39 PM] (1) I'm laughing and (2) I mean Hera's the one that clocked out for break but that is technically still what happened in Dirty Work

Kat [Yesterday at 8:42 PM] My union contract says when I'm not clocked in I can be as dramatic as I want Kepler: remember rule # 8. No complaints. Jacobi: My shift ends in 30 seconds. They both watch the clock. 30 seconds later Jacobi: Son of a biTCH

Gill [Yesterday at 8:43 PM] Kepler: what union Jacobi: I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you before you could get Cutter's anti-union hitsquad involved

Kat [Yesterday at 8:43 PM] The Jacobi Union

Gill [Yesterday at 8:44 PM] "help my Jacobis have unionized" though Gay Bomb Chicken + Lovelace almost puts me in mind that this AU is like an almost-mirror of canon and so Lovelace is the one who ends up talking Jacobi down somehow and it's Maxwell who does get Xerox'd in Time To Kill

Kat [Yesterday at 8:49 PM] this does raise. Questions about Cutter vs Minkowski and Lovelace can he only control 1 at a time

Gill [Yesterday at 8:51 PM] or they just actually succeed at covering up that one of them (Minkowski, probably) is a duplicate

Kat [Yesterday at 8:51 PM] also if you're saying everything's switched is Maxwell still the one who gets shot in desperate measures

Gill [Yesterday at 8:53 PM] Lovelace: I'll take one for the team, I'll be the alien. Minkowski: you really think they'll buy it /cue season 3 finale

Kat [Yesterday at 8:53 PM] honestly if jacobi got shot and maxwell went feral she'd probably win tbh

Gill [Yesterday at 8:55 PM] hm... Maxwell going full Rage Mode, getting to deal with the tasty dramatic emotions of Genuine Loss AND the consequences of turning on Hera, or Maxwell does still get shot but then a few hours later they find her walking around like nothing happened with no memory of the past two weeks both are delicious

Kat [Yesterday at 8:57 PM] I feel like instead of goading the others into it dark!Maxwell would either take out kepler herself or force Hera to do it Hera like, I'm not particularly morally distressed about this I would've killed him if you'd asked but you're making me so I'm mad

Gill [Yesterday at 9:00 PM] Alternatively Maxwell looks at the situation, remembers the Implications Hera might've let slip that, as far as appearances go, Minkowski came back from the dead to stop Hilbert and protect her crew, and says "okay, no. Not when it's her finger on the trigger and Jacobi's life on the line, let's back off and regroup." Kepler is not pleased with this decision of hers.

Kat [Yesterday at 9:02 PM] alternatively alternatively Minkowski: I'm sorry I killed your friend I guess? Maxwell: Actions speak louder than words. Help me yeet his body into the star. I think I've figured this out.

Gill [Yesterday at 9:04 PM] Lovelace comes back but the Dear Listeners decide it's more energy efficient if they drop off the new Jacobi while they hold their Contact Event so in this timeline it's Jacobi who's had enough of Kepler's whamma-jamma. Lovelace: doesn't it freak you out that they can just puppet you around?? Jacobi: yes but I'm very good at compartmentalizing. Also blowing off Kepler's hand? Strangely satisfying.

Kat [Yesterday at 9:08 PM] given the symbolism in play in canon there that's some sort of mobius double metaphor reacharound

Gill [Yesterday at 9:12 PM] canon timeline: "Disarming" = removing Kepler's right hand, foreshadowing his right hand man turning against him and no longer being a weapon in his arsenal Funhouse-Mirror timeline: Jacobi, Kepler's right hand man, can now be controlled by the Dear Listeners, so maybe Kepler gets a Replacement Alien Hand that the Dear Listeners can communicate through via sign language or writing wasn't sure where trying to work out THAT tangle of thought was gonna go but "help my right hand is possessed" is an a-okay destination by me

Kat [Yesterday at 9:13 PM] tbf many ASL signs are two handed, albeit often a doubled similar sign idk about other languages

Gill [Yesterday at 9:14 PM] hey my first thought was "the animatic with the sockpuppets is now a PROPHECY" I'm in full Insane Troll Logic mode

Kat [Yesterday at 9:14 PM] pryce is gonna have a hell of a time lobotomizing everyone depending on how far you want to take this but yeah the robot hand = getting ur robot lobotomy second in command so idk where u go there

Gill [Yesterday at 9:18 PM] hey, you've got so many duplicates walking around now, why save the psi-wave regulator trick for the finale? I mean there might not be enough if the star isn't blue but... I mean they had to test that thing somehow, right do they have a psi-wave generator lying around somewhere?

Kat [Yesterday at 9:20 PM] I assume it goes both ways, since it seems to be an increase that causes the possession, and cutter was essentially doing that to lovelace

Gill [Yesterday at 9:21 PM] or: Cutter challenges the known aliens (Jacobi and Lovelace, if they do successfully keep Minkowski on the down-lo) to a board game, and whoever comes in last place is gonna be the first one to get dissected!

Kat [Yesterday at 9:22 PM] Lovelace: What if you lose

Gill [Yesterday at 9:23 PM] Cutter: Then I throw one of your friends out the airlock while you watch! maybe they still tried to put Jacobi thru Processing first while unaware he'd been alien'd so he broke the neural scanner, and they just restraining bolted Eiffel, Maxwell, and Minkowski. Minkowski's restraining bolt is running but doesn't do shit, and she's stuck putting on the performance of a lifetime while she comes up with a Plan

Kat [Yesterday at 9:28 PM] time to use your acting chops I have another long day tomorrow, I should probably go to bed. Enjoy figuring out which of the like 500 strands of spaghetti we flung at the wall is the one that sticks.

Gill [Yesterday at 9:31 PM] o/ night night, I'll probably be typing at you to get some coherent Ideas out so enjoy THAT wall of text in the morning

Kat [Yesterday at 9:32 PM] I Will

Gill [Yesterday at 9:36 PM] shaking up the Contact Event aside I kinda like the idea of Maxwell's Rampage Of Revenge ending up being just one big gambit to get somebody to chuck Jacobi's body into the star... and then I thought "what if Minkowski has been stubbornly dodging that she got alien-resurrected this entire time and can keep finding explanations around the weird shit happening to her, and Maxwell's plan ALSO has her forcing Minkowski to face the truth?"

Gill [Yesterday at 9:45 PM] "Yes, all of this was a ploy to trap you in the decompression chamber, but it was also a ploy to get you to throw Jacobi's body into the star. I just thought to myself, hey, if I'm gonna go to the trouble of going Dark Vengeance Maxwell, I might as well multitask."

Gill [Yesterday at 9:52 PM] Minkowski: Did we NOT just agree that killing me or Kepler isn't gonna solve anything?? Maxwell: Oh you're right, it won't! Don't worry Commander, you've gotten lucky with airlocks in the past, right? Like how the Captain found you just in time? And that hour you spent with your vitals all flatlined was just a glitch, caused by "stellar interference"? I have a funny feeling your luck hasn't run out just yet.

Gill [Yesterday at 10:00 PM] so Minkowski gets to process that she was An Alien The Whole Time while Eiffel is probably off on his visionquest, Jacobi is Back and having a similar Bad Time, and Maxwell's escaped into the vents to keep Hera from killing her as violently as possible. Kepler and Lovelace are having the least amount of Crisis. slight alteration to this: by some Process Of Events, Eiffel gets to play out the Dramatic Rescue that happened offscreen in Box 953 and that's how he ends up outside and decides to jump into the star, or Minkowski goes on his adventure with him (though not as a frozen corpse the whole time if I can find a way to wrangle it even if I do have to invoke my right as a fanfic writer to jump this shark and say Fuck It, Alien Clones Can Breathe In Space Sometimes)

Gill [Yesterday at 10:26 PM] Minkowski, totally not freaking out herself: Eiffel, you still need to worry about conserving your oxygen supply, so I am giving you a direct order to not freak out. Eiffel, who I must note has not seen The Last Jedi: ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! THIS IS LIKE IF PRINCESS LEIA KILLED JABBA THE HUTT BY FORCE-LIFTING HIM INTO THE SARLACC PITT FROM STRAIGHT OUTTA THE WILD BLUE NOWHERE! yes it did take me getting ready for bed to realize that sound can't travel in space if no air so Minkowski would have to Dear Listener-commandeer his comms channel to talk to him, unless we want to get into my Found Family Psychic Link conspiracy theories additionally a TAZ joke popped into my head and it's not gonna leave til I say it no matter how little sense it makes without twisting the narrative into a logic-pretzel Bob, after witnessing Minkowski just out-stubborn physics: how... what in the world are you? Minkowski: I'm bisexual. Bob: And do all... bisexuals have this power? Minkowski: /glances at Eiffel, raises an eyebrow Eiffel: ...I'm personally partial to the pansexual label myself, sooooo... Minkowski, @ Bob: Yes.

Gill [Yesterday at 10:47 PM] alternatively after a brief and entirely physically impossible conversation about what he's about to do, Eiffel's like, okay, I'm gonna cut my tether while you keep ahold of it, then you push off from me, I push off from you, I go see what our friends want while you go take command of your station. bc then that lets me do this: Minkowski: Okay, on three. You ready? Eiffel: ...no. You? Minkowski: ...not really. But maybe that's all it is, a- Eiffel: A leap of faith, right. Okay, on three. [muffled What's Up Danger playing from the Dorado constellation in the distance]

Gill [Yesterday at 11:01 PM] I still don't know what happens to Hilbert, sorry m'dude

Gill [Yesterday at 11:12 PM] Last thought before I succumb to unconsciousness for the night: I'm just gonna drive a monkey wrench right into those gears and toss out "instead of Hera manifesting a humansona in mental space she gets herself a custom meatsuit 3D printed, made from the DNA of her friends" and then just not think through the implications of that at all right now

Kat [Today at 6:21 AM] "brief and entirely physically impossible conversation" yknow you can't talk in space but you could sign in space I was also thinkin maybe the Lovelace/crew tension is that Hilbert still rips Hera's personality out and they want to keep him around to fix her and Lovelace wants to kill him bc he's too dangerous

Kat [Today at 6:42 AM] Maybe and/or instead of trying to kill him Maxwell's rampage involves trying to convince Kepler that the duplicates still count as people since she's going to all the trouble of getting Jacobi back and he better not just fucking shoot him again. and instead of his heel-face turn getting kicked off by a betrayal making him rethink his entire life it's Maxwell reading him the riot act like 'maybe you've told yourself these aren't real people so you can do more terrible shit to them but I'm getting my best friend back and you're going to like it' Maxwell: Repeat after me: I will not rekill Jacobi. Kepler, droning at gunpoint: I will not rekill Jacobi. Maxwell: And if I'm an asshole Lovelace takes another limb. Lovelace: Oh, I like Dark Maxwell.

Kat [Today at 7:06 AM] Kepler like, You want to invite one of these monsters on board just because it has a face you know. Maxwell: for god's sake, you've been living with the captain for months and you're telling me you really still believe that? (Idk how they'd actually make the delivery once maxwell asks for it, maybe they'd send him back as a peace offering when spitting Eiffel out?) Jacobi, recently returned from the dead in space: what the fuck upon getting back to the Hephaestus and immediately being apprehended by Cutter and co: what the fuck

Kat [Today at 7:14 AM] like Maxwell's real pissed and upset until the funeral and then once she sees Lovelace resurrect she's like Hey she starts off ranting @ Kepler for keeping secrets the same way as Jacobi did but then she's like "don't you get it, that's how we can get him back" Kepler, about 2 exits behind on the freeway: wait what

Gill [Today at 7:15 AM] Maxwell: I'm gonna need some help to get rid of a body Kepler: I mean I'm not following but ok Maybe the Dear Listeners have the presence of mind to just put Jacobi back on the Hephaestus directly He has a few minutes to reboot in peace before Maxwell leaps on him from the vents for Happy Reunion Time