#kamkong

[suzukiblu]

More Kara and Kal "two-for-one special" kids for the Kents, this time for @qwertynerd97 and @kamkong.

Ma and Pa help Kara pick out clothes for herself and Kal, and a strange child-sized seat with straps and fasteners on it, and something she thinks is a crib, and more little toys that she has to not cry over, and then a pretty bracelet made of colored glass beads all in all the shades of a prism. Kara isn't sure what it's for–she still hasn't figured out where the aliens wear their house signifiers–but Ma puts it on her, so she chocks up another point towards jewelry having more signifiers than clothing on this planet. 

It's pretty, so even though she doesn't know what it means, she doesn't mind wearing it. And–she thinks she can trust Ma and Pa. Or hopes she can, anyway. So letting them pick signifiers for her is something she thinks she can do. 

They don't pick out any jewelry for Kal, but she supposes he is a little young to wear it. And maybe the aliens don't bother with house signifiers for children anyway. She's seen a few more people with various styles of rings and necklaces and bracelets in the settlement so far, but mostly just adults and teenagers; not too many children. 

She does glimpse a girl(?) on the sidewalk with shiny pink and gold beads in her hair, but no one else seems to be wearing that particular style. Maybe she's not from around here either, Kara thinks. That might be what beads mean in general. 

The girl's are pretty too, either way. 

Ma pays the shop clerk with what Kara thinks might actually be paper money, of all things, and gets a small handful of metal tokens back. Pa straps the little chair into the back of his and Ma's transport, and Kara realizes it must be a safety seat of some kind for Kal, and her heart hurts as Ma shows her how to buckle him into it. 

They really don't need to be this kind, but she doesn't know how to tell them that.

Ma and Pa take them to another, bigger store, and Ma takes a metal cart from a stall, directs Kara to put Kal inside it, and then leads them to an aisle with a section of packages covered in pictures of alien infants. It takes Kara a moment to figure it out, but it looks like boxes of diapers and very small containers of baby food and cans of . . . some kind of nutritional powders, maybe? Kal is uninterested and only cares about his soft little dog, but Kara is relieved. She needs to be able to care for him, so she needs these things. If Ma and Pa are willing to help her get them . . . 

Well, she really doesn't know how she'll be able to pay that back, but she'll do her best to. 

Ma fills the metal cart with several different packages, and Pa walks off again. Kara tries not to worry about it and pays very close attention to the packages Ma is carefully picking out. She seems to know what she's doing, and if nothing else seems to be able to read the labels, which Kara herself definitely can't and Kal definitely can't–he can't even read Kryptonian yet. 

He'll maybe never be able to read Kryptonian, she realizes distantly. 

He'll . . . 

Ma picks up a sturdy-looking little drinking cup made of an odd, clear material that looks a bit like glass but definitely isn't. There's a lid with a small spout on it, and a handle on either side. It has funny little shapes stamped on it in bright colors. Ma makes sure Kal can hold the handles, then puts the cup and a couple more like it in the cart with him. 

Kal chirps in bright approval and pats at the cups, then returns his attention to petting and cuddling the soft dog in his arms, purring happily to himself. Kara croons back to him in acknowledgment. Ma looks briefly puzzled, for some reason, but goes back to carefully picking out packages of little cloths. 

Pa comes back with a cart of his own stocked with cans and jars and packages of food, and Ma says something approving-sounding to him and then points towards the other side of the store. He says something back with a nod, then heads off again. It still makes Kara nervous when he leaves, but it's . . . it's fine, she tells herself. Pa keeps coming back. So it's fine. 

She still isn't sure when Kal is going to start missing Aunt Lara and Uncle Jor. He's an independent baby, and usually confident in new situations, but he's still a baby. And they're still his parents. And . . . and . . . 

She wants hers so badly, but she's the one who knows they'll never be seeing their family again. 

Kal . . . doesn't know that yet. 

It might be a long, long time before Kal knows that. 

She can't decide what's worse; the idea of him crying and crying for them, or the idea of him finally deciding that they've abandoned him and then not crying for them ever again. 

Kal’s still just a baby, after all. He won't understand why Aunt Lara and Uncle Jor won't come when he cries for them. Won't understand why they'd leave him. Won't understand . . . 

He won't even remember them. Or her parents, or Krypto, or even Krypton itself. He won't remember a single thing about any of it or any of them or . . . or . . . 

Kara swallows. Steels herself. 

Doesn't cry. 

Ma puts a few more packages in the cart. Kal baps his dog against them, then hugs it again. 

"Is that Krypto's puppy, Kal?" Kara asks him as lightly as she can, trying to sound anything less than brokenhearted, and Ma glances over at her. She looks concerned, but maybe Kara's reading her wrong. The people of this planet all seem to be unusually expressive, but that doesn't mean their expressions mean the same things that Kryptonian ones do. 

Kal squeals happily and hugs his dog again, burying his face against its soft synthetic fur for a moment before beaming up at Kara. She shouldn't have mentioned Krypto to him, maybe–shouldn't have reminded him of him–but . . . 

Well. She's going to make worse mistakes than that, she knows. She has to take care of him now. Has to make sure he's safe above all else, and then as healthy and happy as she can make him. Has to do right by him, and not let down their family. 

She's here to take care of him. Here to protect him. Here to make sure he grows up and lives a good life and–and just lives. 

No matter what. 

Kal trills for attention, and Ma looks down at him curiously. She says something. The aliens' voices have an odd flatness to them, compared to the rich resonance of Kryptonian voices, but Ma and Pa both still just sound so kind. 

Kara doesn't understand why they're being so kind. 

They really don't have to be so kind. 

Pa comes back again, a few more little boxes and bottles in his cart. Kara doesn't know what any of them are, though they don't look like food this time. The decorations on the boxes are mostly abstract and aren't proving helpful. 

Ma says something to her and pats her arm. Kara tries to smile at her. She and Pa are being very kind, so Kara should smile at her. 

It's just . . . getting harder and harder to smile. 

If she weren't making herself do it now, though, she'd never do it again. 

Maybe she wouldn't ever do it again, if she were a better daughter. A better Kryptonian. But Kal should see her smiling, if nothing else, so–so. 

So she's smiling. 

They're refugees from an apocalypse, from a world-ending tragedy, from a kind of grief that only the tiniest, tiniest fraction of people could ever feel, and Kal won't even remember what they've lost. 

So yes. He should see her smiling. 

Ma and Pa pay with paper money again, and the shop clerk talks to them. They respond with pleasant smiles to–her? Kara thinks the clerk is a woman. So was the clerk at the first store, come to think, so she wonders if that's a coincidence or just the cultural standard on this planet. Or if she's just still confused about this species' sexual characteristics, maybe. 

For all she knows their species has dozens of sexes and genders and she's just oblivious to whatever way they display or communicate them, of course. Krypton is–was–very insular and isolated, and its people almost never traveled or traded or even communicated between planets, so she doesn't know much about aliens. 

More of Krypton probably would've survived, if they'd ever done that. 

The clerk says something to her. She attempts to smile again. Ma and Pa redirect the woman and Kara is very, very grateful to not have to try and figure out how to communicate with her right now.

[pokebreeder]

Roaming Larvitar are timid Pokémon who prefer to gather coins and other trinkets in peace, storing them in caves where they reside. Chest Pupitar are often disturbed by adventurers who mistake them for ancient chests of treasure deep in caverns, whom they irritably attack.

Aurelian Tyranitar aren't as fearsome as their purebred relatives, but they are known to trick trainers into befriending them only to steal any treasure for their hoard.

When mega evolved, Aurelian Tyranitar become consumed by their greed and obsession with treasure, and will stop at nothing to amass as much gold and valuables as they can.

Commission for @kamkong!

[alexanders-pokemon-adventure]

Magnatrion is a possible evolution of Magneton, discovered when a Magneton accidentally wandered into A download machine prepped with a dubious dice it’s a unique magnetic properties triggered the machine and produced this evolution .  An electric/steel , and generally possessing the ability Trace . The unique information integrated into their biology has rendered them able to uses a variety of elemental Tm’s their Standard counterparts aren’t usually unable to use .

 suggested by @kamkong 

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

@wallycaine

So obvious follow up: who's the worst case for developing this as a condition? My votes for Jake, as it gives the tantalizing option of morphing Tom to get something close to his old life back, but at a horrifying distance.

@kamkong

I agree, Jake would likely take it the worst, losing his original body forever.  I could see him trying desperately to do the DNA blending thing Ax does with both his parents, trying to land that lucky dice roll of combining their genetics in the way his body originally was, getting close but never quite hitting it, his human life a constant dysphoria.

@wolfziedraws

There's an argument to made for Ax too, since that whole andalite pride would mean that not only does he lose *his* form, but what he thinks is objectively the *best* form to be in. He'd lose a symbol of his culture. And he'd have to grapple with so much internalized shame around nothlits and morphing disabilities and losing his tail etc

What if there was another morphing "condition" (like Rachel's crocodile allergy) wherein the morpher can only morph "forward," with all forms being able to acquire DNA and morph. So you can go from human to hawk, but you can't go back to human unless you acquire fresh DNA as a hawk. Benefits, can't become a nothlit. Negatives, no stored forms, and unless you shave off some hair beforehand, you may lose your original shape.

I love this fairy-tale-body-horror-Tam-Lin idea. It fits so well with the original series' emphasis on your "real body" being whatevertheheck you say it is, but with this permanent sense of loss to accompany it.

Because even shaving hair wouldn't work; you have to acquire DNA from living cells. You only get to be your original human self once, and then your body will change forever. You can be that one hawk, but you'll never be that particular hawk again. You're a koala, for as long as you choose to be, you eat and sleep and live as a koala, until you rest your koala hand upon a marmoset and now that marmoset is your entire life. So on, infinitely. No going back, no recovery, no reset button.

We live in bodes that change permanently from the moment we're born to the moment we die, bones stretching and then skin wrinkling and then telomeres shortening. If Animorphs makes that literal, then it's got the most unforgiving metaphor for growing up that I've yet seen.

[klonoadreams]

Just read through all the posts on Into The Wild and the first chapter and I am so thrilled I did. I am a huge fan of Also-Ran and This story looks like it will also be super fun. Considering just how feral Akari is, and how her two Zorua brothers can likely do a perfect "Akari" illusion since they've known her since birth, how hard would it be to determine whether you've been traveling with Akari, or that one of her brothers has taken her place while she's gone off to reassure Mama?

Aww shucks!! I'm glad to hear that!! :D

lol it'd be pretty difficult, tbh. The only way you can likely figure it out is if you break the illusion...

Or see who can use Aura Sphere. Otherwise, you might be talking to a wall while she's off with Mama lmao

[cooliogirl101]

I absolutely love the lonely ghost Sayuri AU. Captures several of the things I loved about the Sakumo/Sayuri snippets with just the scale of Sayuri's sorrow over her loss and this loving family adopting her (to her utter confusion). I picture her as fanatically protective of the twins (as Sayuri does) so there's absolutely no way in hell that Fishbone Hollow is getting anywhere near the clinic. And if Rukia tries to restrain Ichigo with Kido? Be afraid Rukia. Be very afraid.

Thank you, I’m so glad you liked it! (And I was actually trying to come up with a name for it but ‘lonely ghost au’ fits pretty well so thank you for that as well haha). Yes, Sayuri is definitely intensely protective of all three Kurosaki kids-- and to her utter bemusement, they appear to be just as protective of her (which she still doesn’t get. If an opponent is strong enough that even she can’t defeat them, what the hell are two 6 year-olds and a 10 year-old gonna do?). 

She does believe in preparing them for the world though, which includes telling them everything they need to know about the shinigami (and after what happened with Grand Fisher, Masaki is inclined to agree. And Masaki’s agreement = Isshin’s agreement, so that’s that.) However, unlike the other adults in Bleach, her version of ‘preparing someone for the world’ doesn’t involve throwing them off the deep end and hoping they survive. All three Kurosaki kids know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she has their back and will step in if they can’t handle something. Sure, she may bring back the occasional hollow for them to practice on-- but she’s always there watching, a constant silent presence, ready to intervene if necessary. 

As for Rukia restraining Ichigo with kido-- she’d actually be fine with that lol. She knows Rukia has no intention of hurting Ichigo and so if Ichigo is careless enough to get hit by a simple binding spell after the training she’s put him through? Well then, that’s his own damn fault. 

[swan2swan]

@kamkong

That was twenty years ago...............................

Quick, folks, I need cartoons from the past ten years that got axed far too soon!

[rayshippouuchiha]

A BNHA AU idea I came up with. When Izuku first pulls on OFA and smashes the Zero-pointer, he completely cuts off All Might's access to the power, reverting him permanently to Toshinori. Since he doesn't have the sympathy of defeating AFO and can't claim that he is All Might without severe public backlash, he has to announce that All Might is dead. Lot of consequences since All Might can't defend the students and the reaction of the hero and villain communities to the news.

Ooohhh now this would be something interesting to see play out!!

[kika-ila]

Commission made for @kamkong

Commissions info here

[scribblestatic]

Yay! Return of the Hacker AU. Ohhh, I do not like that view of Bakugou's mindset at the end, that does not bode well for our green darling. Also, who is Shuriken Hair? My first guess was Pony, but I reread how Ibara faced off against Katsuki in the Sports Festival so I'm not sure (I'd guess his nickname for her would be Weed Head).

I forgot what his nickname for Momo was, so I thought of something easy to spot that isn’t tiddy, and was like “Eh her ponytail could maybe pass as a shuriken,” so I went with that.

[suzukiblu]

The "Kents get a Two-For-One Special on Free Kids" if you please?

Pa comes back from feeding the “kuh-ows” and “chee-kens”, and Ma finishes making “brekk-fist”, and Kara sits at the table in the kitchen with the warm brown drink and tries not to cry, and drinks almost none of it. Mostly she gives it to Kal in tiny little sips, and he gets it all over his mouth and shirt and she just keeps trying not to cry. 

He could've died. 

He could've died, and she would've been all alone. 

As if she has the right to care about that, when it'd only be what she deserved for letting him die to begin with. Letting him be hurt at all. 

Taking her eyes off him. 

How could she have done that? 

How could she ever?

[pokebreeder]

An evolution swap commission for @kamkong! Conkeldurr becomes Claydurr, Timburr becomes Lumburr, & Gurdurr becomes Riveturr!

Commissions are open!

[alexanders-pokemon-adventure]

Polypotile is a possible evolution of Sceptile , achieved when a significant level of friendship and holding a Prism scale . A grass/fairy type generally possessing the abilities, Overgrow or Multiscale .

Suggested by @kamkong 

[lisosa]

So of the new pokemon released for Sword and Shield, which would you say do you like the most?

My favourite are Wooloo, Nickit (foxes are my favourite animal, I go nuts everytime they made a new fox Pokémon XD), Galarian Corsola, Cursola and Sinistea!

Honorable mention also to Snom, Frosmoth, Ponyta and Rapidash, although for Rapidash I continue to find a missed opportunity that it’s not a pegasus…! :T

[ooops-i-arted]

For your Christmas song prompt, could I see "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer"? I'm super interested to see your take on it.

Merry Christmas from Mustafar!

[pocketramblr]

5+ Headcanons for an AU where OFA can only be used by one person at a time. So when Izuku punches the zero-pointer, All Might loses all access to OFA and permanently deflates. Someone (UA? Hero Commission? The government? etc?) has to announce to Japan and the World that All Might is dead because no one would believe that Yagi is All Might without the video proof (like in canon.)

Ok now this is an interesting premise, because,

1- Since All Might knew that he wouldn't be able to use OfA after the entrance exam, he would have to announce his own retirement beforehand. Which means the world is in chaos as Izuku just goes to the exam, some people probably drop out at the last minute, some people hope UA has answers, but Izuku's just straight vibing.

2- a now retried Yagi gets a job at UA teaching physics, powerless, and offers izuku advice as he watches hero class training with Nedzu's permission. 1A does not have a battle trial the first week. Izuku is still breaking bones. The kids are all wondering about All Might's retirement and if it's legit, and Izuku clumsily avoids the conversation with it comes up. (Which is often.)

3- There's no attack on USJ, because there's no word of All Might working on campus. Which is good, because izuku totally would have died if there had been. Instead, people whisper about All Might not having been seen since the retirement announcement, how it makes no sense there isn't even media or what he's doing now, no explanation of why he abandoned them. By the SF, people think he's just dead, actually, and it's a coverup that he retired instead.

4- Izuku's class lineup looks different- Inasa is there, Shoto isn't, because after the announcement and his father's promotion, there wasn't a need for Shoto to continue, and he didn't want to keep boosting his father's ego or be forced into the same path, so he just didn't go to UA. Plus, Mineta, Jiro, and Kouda didn't bother going to the exam at all. 1B probably looks different too.

5- Izuku frets because of all the rumors, even as Toshi waves it off as they walk home together. The levity stops when he gets a call from Tsukauchi- former employees of Might Tower are being targeted, and secretary Yagi Toshinori is probably next. Because while AfO would be happy with the idea that his enemy is just dead instead of training a successor or plotting an attack on him, he isn't going to accept it without proof.