#not the old man of the lake part. just the clown part

[millenianthemums]

i think Mabel sometimes just gets the giggles and her friends like to egg her on. i also think she’d find Bill’s weird stories funny in general

also using this to announce that the next fic chapter is basically ready, i’m just trying to decide if it’s too long or not. nobody’s bugged me about it or anything, i just wanna make sure people know the fic’s not dead.

[lala1267]

Trapped in his world

Summary: you had a bad bf but Elvis was there to look after u.

Warnings: domestic violence, blood, abuse, reader is powerless, reader basically got kidnapped.

Note: This is a very sensitive piece of writing, so this is meant for mature audiences. If u don't like it or don't feel comfortable, DON'T READ. Oh, and lmk if u want a part 2.

I was a happy seventeen year old girl called Briella. But everyone knew me as 'Bree'. I played and laughed every day. I swam in lakes and jumped in puddles. I always had a big smile on my face. But that smile faded when I met John. He was in his early thirties. He was a manipulative and obsessive dick. I never wanted to be with him in the first place. There were roses in my hair. I was in trouble. I was running through the parking lot, he chased me, and he wouldn't stop.His words echoed through my head.

"Tag, you're it." He grabbed my hair and took the words right out of my mouth, I was silenced and. My laughter turned into crying. That was how I met this crazy man. From that day, I would never see my friends or family again. I was trapped in his house unless he was outside with me. He always had eyes on me. He was always watching. He would chew me up and spit me on the sidewalk like I was worthless. If I set my eyes on another man, I would endure a painful beating. But if I wanted to leave, he would say,

"Sweetie, I'm just teaching you a lesson." He manipulated me into staying in his corrupted world, not that I had a choice anyway. It was like I was a corpse to a psychopathic clown. I just wished that I could turn him back into a stranger.

It was a Saturday afternoon. The sun was shining. I was waiting for John to finish getting ready. We had to go to an event for the rich. Celebrities and rich people would be there. I had no idea why John would have an invitation to the event, but he always had stacks of cash hidden everywhere. I was dressed in a pink dress that he had brought me, and he was in a black suit. He walked into the living room, I was sat on the sofa patiently.

"Let's go, sweetie." I hated his disgusting voice. I got up and followed him out of the door and into his car. I sat in the passenger seat as he got into the drivers seat. He paused before starting the car. He turned his head to look at me in my blue eyes.

"Don't you dare lay your eyes on another man, you hear me?" He grunted as his brows furrowed. I nodded as I tried to look away from his cold gaze. He turned back to the steering wheel and started the car.

Paparazzi mobed around the entrance of the building. We had arrived. He gripped my hand as I exited the car. His grip was harsh and aggressive. He was hurting me. He dragged me into the building that was crowded with celebrities and rich people. There were some big names in the place, even Elvis Presley was there. The place was full of people dancing and singing. It was like a club or a party. As his fingernails dug into my soft skin, he led me to a group of men, who were his friends. They looked to be in their thirties, like John. He began to talk and laugh with them, all while keeping a harsh grip on my small hand. The one and only Elvis Presley walked over to join the conversation. He was smiling and looked cheerfull.

"Hello John! Oh, and hello.." He said as he looked at my shy figure, my head was towards the floor and my fingers were playing with my dress. John was quick to finish his sentence for him.

"Her name's Briella." Elvis just smiled awkwardly before speaking again.

"Oh, well hi Briella. Are ya ok? Ya seem a bit sad." He said as his hand lifted my chin up to see my bruised face. Once he saw the bruise on my cheek, his face seemed to drop slightly. John quickly pulled me into a hug, shielding my face with his hand.

"Yeah, she's fine." He said as he quickly stepped back. He walked away with me, his hands were now gripping my wrist. He walked me over to the bar area. He sat me down and held my thighs tightly.

"Listen, keep ya head down." He said through his teeth. I nodded.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Make sure that I don't see that Elvis guy near ya." He said as he looked me dead in the eye. I simply replied with,

"Mhmm." He got up and walked over to the bathroom. Not even seconds later, Elvis was making his way towards me. My heart began to race as he stepped closer. This wasn't good, what If John sees him near me. He sat himself down in the stool next to me.

"What's that bruise on ya face, hun? You don't look too good." I raised my hand up to my bruise in an attempt to hide it.

"Uhm, it's nothing. I just fell, I-I get clumsy sometimes." I said quietly as I looked to the floor. He tucked a stray hair behind my ear as he tried to get a look at the bruise. My heart sank to a pit in my stomach as I saw John rushing over to me. I knew what was going to happen. I looked at Elvis with desperate eyes.

"Stop it, now." I said quietly. My hands were already shaking, and my heart was racing. It was too late. John aggressively gripped my upper arm and dragged me away. Elvis's face was both confused and worried as he watched me get dragged into the bathroom. He threw me onto the marble floor before locking the door behind him. I just closed my eyes as I awaited my beating. He grabbed my long hair, lifting me up off the ground slightly. He punched me across the face, leaving a red mark.

"How dare you flirt with other men!" He shouted as he continued to beat me.

"After all that I do for you!" He lifted me up so that I was standing. He sent another heavy blow across my face, this time making my nose bleed. I felt into the bathtub and banged my head on the tile wall.

"I feed you, I look after you, I do everything for you!" He shouted as he grabbed my hair. He made me face him.

"But I didn't ask for anything that you give me, I never wanted to be with yo-" I said as another string blow landed on my already bruised cheek. He pulled me out of the bathtub by my messy hair. He pushed me onto the wall. I looked at his face that was inflamed with anger and hate as tears streamed down my face. He said that he cares for me, but he didn't, and he never will. He pointed his long finger at my battered up face.

"You are going to fix yourself up and walk out of here like a lady!" He said as he grunted. I just nodded before he let me go. He walked out of the door like nothing happened. I quickly ran to the door to lock it so that no one could see me like this. I walked over to the vanity. I looked up at my reflection. I had a bloody nose, bruised face, messy hair, and mascara ran down my cheeks. I was a mess. I just wondered how I managed to end up in this place where I couldn't get away. Mabey, it was just a dream that I couldn't seem to wake up from. After all of his punches and kicks, I still loved him, I was dependent on him. I needed saving, but I didn't want to be saved. A boy is a gun, he shot me down when i got to high. I looked up into the mirror for a few more seconds, contemplating the point of life. I opened the cabinet to find a cloth. I damped it with water and began to scrub my face. The sting made me yelp slightly. As I removed the makeup, all of my bruises became more noticeable. My heart shattered into a million pieces as I wiped away the blood and mascara. I sighed before I began to re-apply my makeup. I was good at hiding hiding my bruises and cuts, but this was too much to hide. Once my makeup was done, I moved onto my hair, which was all tangled. I needed to rush since I didn't want John to get worried. I brushed it slightly. But it was still messy. I looked up to the mirror. My bruises were still visible, and my eyes were red. I just had to remind myself,

"He didn't mean it. He just gets angry sometimes." I said to myself as I held back the ocean of tears. My dress had blood stains on it. I couldn't do anything anymore, I had to walk out looking like this. I pulled myself together as I took deep breaths. I closed my eyes as my hand reached the handle. I open it. As I walked through the door, all eyes were on me. This was weird. My face turned red as I saw how many people were staring. Just then, I saw Elvis run over to me. He held my hand as he looked at my bruised face.

"Oh shit." He said under his breath as he led me into a VIP backroom. A million thoughts rushed through my head. What's happening? Why is everyone looking at me?. He closed the door behind him before he sat me down on the bed. I just assumed that this was his room or something. He got on his knees in front of me. He looked up to me as he held my small hands.

"What, why did you take me here?" I said quietly.

"What did he do to you?" My face dropped as I looked away from his watery eyes.

"N-nothing, what are you talking about?" I said as I looked to the floor.

"We all heard what happened in the bathroom, and it's pretty obvious since your face is all bruised." Tears ran down my face as I brought my hand up to my head. I pulled on my hair aggressively as I sobbed. Elvis pulled me from the bed and into his lap, on the floor.

"You weren't meant to hear that." I said through my shaky breath.

"You will never see him again, i can promise you that. I will look after you from now on." He said as he ran his hands through my messy hair.

"B-but I love him." I said quietly.

"But he doesn't love you." He said. He held into me tightly.

It could all get a little crazy unless there was something to hold onto. For me, that was true love.

[springlock-suits]

Some fun little tidbits that didn't really fit with the longer lore rambles about my version, but felt too short to get their own posts

.

William Afton: ADORES the circus and clowns. Absolutely collects those clown porcelain dolls you always see at thrift stores. If he never met Henry he probably would've just been a professional clown or something

I don't mean this in a rude way at all and I will not be accepting clownslander at this time

Phone Dude: there are SO many I could give to him but Furby Customizer speaks the most to me right now

Henry Emily: ignoring his love for animatronics, he also really liked arcades! Arcade cabinets and games of all of sorts. I do not know his opinions on pinball however

Also liked murder mystery games n movies. But ah. I think he might have stopped liking those

He would enjoy camping I think. I can imagine him being good at survival in the woods and such, but hm can he fish?

Michael Afton: Would love animal jam. And of course loves those TV drama shows. Actually just for that I'm gonna give him a hc based on my great grandma who loved tv operas, he collects fancy dishes and likes apple themed things. Would have a tiny dog if he trusted himself to take care of it properly, Helpy is a good tiny dog substitute

Mrs Afton: Very much enjoyed dancing and ballerinas. When William was buying clown dolls he would also be on the lookout for ballerina dolls or figures to give her. She definitely owned like at least one ballerina music box

.

Fun fact! In my lore Springtrap named himself that, and wasn't given an "official" name by Fazbear Fright's staff. However Peter (phone dude) liked to call him Wallace

.

I'm thinking that Evan witnessing William's springlock failure definitely played a part in his fear of animatronics. Because I've already put that before the bite in my lore's timelime

.

I know it wasn't really meant to be seen as this but-

I take the fnaf 2 phone calls (first night specifically) as implying the 87 location is the first to have walking/freeroam animatronics, at the very least the first to let them leave stage while open

Foxy go go go is generally seen as before that, being in '85 location most likely. So it's fun to imagine that the foxy running is just a guy in a suit who's about to have a terrible day

.

It's not strictly important when or why. but Elizabeth and Mrs. Afton died at the same time in my au, and it was at least before the baby animatronic could even be considered

This is because I removed Sister Location from my lore. And I'm not sure what to do with Elizabeth now. If anyone helps me come up with a good idea, though, I'd definitely consider bringing her back! I miss her </3

She'll still have to die around the time she did in canon though, so yknow

.

Evan and Elizabeth collected My Little Pony together, and later would've collected Ips too

.

"Tell us about Vanessa!"

Right off the bat I can tell you my Vanny and Vanessa are the same person! No weird secret double confusion like what sb did, they're the same!

While I'm still not sure if Security Breach exists in my au, Vanessa is definitely staying anyway! I'm determined to squeeze her in somehow, she's so much fun to work with ^v^

(I wonder if I can work Glamrock Springbonnie into my version's Security Breach somehow. I'm definitely gonna try >:)

The hardest part about adding vanny (and security breach as a whole) is that my version of William isn't nearly as determined to kill kids as canon, I think the first dip in old man consequences' lake wouldve stopped him. BUT! He STILL hates fazbear ent, so now I'm imagining that instead of possessing Vanny to kill kids, his ghost(?) just tries to convince her to try and close the place down. Causing mechanical failures and breakdowns and such. I think that'd be fun ^v^!!

Less of murder and more of shenanigans

Also also, bonus fact. William is definitely bothering Vanessa specifically because she looks like Elizabeth. Vanny and Jeremy are both characters he sorta mentally adopts because they remind him of his dead children

[scorpiussage]

To Catch Nothing At All - Chapter 1/?

Summary:

Tommy Shelby wakes up in the pokemon universe and proceeds to live his best Horse Girl life while also kicking the asses of every 10 year old he encounters. (this is a crack treated seriously)

The first thing Tommy thinks is that he’s had a mental break. That he’s gone the way of Barney and will soon find himself in a padded cell. So he just… sits there, staring into the hauntingly blank stare of this weird pink thing in front of him. It’s large, and would stand nearly at his shoulder if he were to stand up, and it is so very oddly shaped. Sort of like an otter and a deformed lizard had a monstrous baby. 

The thing opens its mouth in a yawn, flashing surprisingly blunt teeth. The end of the yawn is accompanied by the thing making a noise that sort of sounds like it’s saying “sloooowwww”. 

Apparently determining that there’s nothing of interest to look at on Tommy any longer, it ambles away, revealing some type of shellfish attached to where its tail should be. The shell even has eyes and jagged teeth but the pink creature doesn’t pay it any mind. 

“What the fuck,” Tommy breathes, watching the pink monster slowly trek down an embankment to join other pink things that Tommy hadn’t (due to his horror and shock) noticed. 

Tommy holds out his hands and looks at them real hard, trying to determine if this is perhaps the result of a drug induced hallucination. Nothing appears to be amiss with his hands, nor the rest of his body, but when he looks back up, he can still see the herd of pink otter-lizards. 

A big part of him wants to just curl up and return to the state of unconsciousness he was in before – perhaps in an effort to just let nature deal with him however it should choose. He doesn’t, though, because he’s never been one to just relent but it’s a close call. 

He climbs to his feet and dusts stray blades of grass off of himself, trying to comfort himself with the knowledge that he’s at least fully clothed and still wearing his pistol. 

A distant chorus of “sloowwwwww!” makes him flinch quite violently but he bravely turns away from the hallucination and tries to take in his surroundings. 

He has no idea where the fuck he is. 

It’s admittedly beautiful here. He’s in some picturesque mountain meadow surrounded by evergreens and wildflowers. In the distance, where the pink things are, is a crystal clear lake that sparkles invitingly in the sunlight. 

The traveler part of him wants to rejoice at all the unexplored wonder around him, but one glance over his shoulder at the hallucinations makes him want to lock himself in the nearest basement. 

He contemplates his options, knowing that he should stick near a water source. It’s survival 101 and he’d be a fool to enter the wilderness away from this very abundant and clean looking lake. 

Another chorus of “Sloooowwww!” has him walking right into the forest without looking back. 

His day just sort of goes downhill from there. 

Even the woods here are weird, Tommy thinks as he tromps through the beautiful but distinctly off forest. And it’s not even really something he can put his finger on– it just feels wrong . Every once in a while he sees more bizarre mutant animals. Everything ranging from a dog sized purple rat to a wasp that was easily as tall as him. He did not run away at the sight of that, he simply decided to veer off in another direction very quickly. 

As the day wears on and he finds himself more and more lost, Tommy allows himself to panic a bit. He survived the trenches of the Great War and then getting the shit beat out of him by Sabini’s lackeys; he absolutely cannot die out here. 

It’s right about then that things change– not necessarily for the better. 

The first thing he notices is that it looks like a clown. Its sickeningly bulbous eyes sparkle with interest as it looks at Tommy. Perhaps to eat? He’s not entirely sure. Said man is more focused on trying not to gag at how freaky this monster clown thing looks. 

Wasting no time, Tommy draws his gun and points it at the thing’s balding head, “Get the fuck away from me.” 

It replies with an obnoxiously cheery, “Mime!” 

That startles Tommy into pulling the trigger. 

The sound of the gunshot echoes around the forest and Tommy braces himself for the splatter of blood that should accompany it. Nothing happens, though, and when he opens his eyes, the weird clown is still standing there, unharmed, and grinning stupidly. He looks at the colorful creature and then looks at his gun, bewildered beyond all belief. 

Curious, he cocks the hammer back and fires another round right into the thing’s forehead. Again, nothing happens – only this time Tommy is able to see that his bullet bounced harmlessly off of the thing’s skull like it was rubber. 

He officially hates this hallucination and he’d like it to end now, please. 

“Mime!” the thing cheers happily at Tommy, waving its gloved hands in apparent joy. 

Maybe if he beats it over the head with a big rock…

…

A full week passes much the same way as it began. A lot of Tommy stumbling blindly through the wilderness, avoiding the horrifying creatures that lurk in it and trying not to poison himself on the absolutely unrecognizable fruit he’s encountered. 

Desperate, hungry, and fed up that no matter what he does, that clown thing won’t leave him alone, Tommy tries to decide what weird animal looks the most edible. He draws the line at eating the purple rats– he’d quite literally rather starve than eat those. He has a brief moment of weakness and contemplates eating a giant caterpillar that he finds but ultimately is too squeamish to deal with how chewy it would certainly be. 

Now, though, now he’s found something that resembles food he’s familiar with. 

“Fuck!” Tommy curses, stumbling after the ugly pigeon/hawk through the underbrush. It’s the first normal-ish looking bird he’s seen in a week and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t catch it and eat it. 

Behind him and following, is a regular cheerful stream of “Mime!” from the clown that he’s trying diligently to ignore. 

Up ahead is a break in the trees and he thinks he’ll be victorious in catching himself some lunch. Bursting through the trees, he’s preparing to aim his gun only to come to a screeching halt. Standing before him with her hands on her hips is a woman with blue hair. 

“-the fuck?” he gets out, panting far more than he’d like to admit from that brief chase. 

“Were you trying to shoot my pokemon just now?” she demands and perched on her shoulder with ruffled feathers is his would-be-lunch.

“Your what?” he drops the arm holding the gun and runs his free hand through his hair. Something collides with his back at that moment, pitching him forward into the grass face first. 

“Owning and firing a gun is strictly prohibited in the Kanto region,” the woman says from above him, “I’m placing you under arrest!” 

Tommy drags himself up and he is sure he looks deranged at that moment. His eyes are wide, his hair is unkempt and overgrown, and his suit is dirty and crumpled. The fucking clown that won’t leave him alone fusses about him anxiously, muttering, “Mime!” under its breath. 

“You are not arresting me,” Tommy states simply. He’s had to abandon his pride quite a few times this past week but he draws the line at being arrested by a woman with blue hair. 

And yet…

There are very few moments in Tommy’s life where he’s been truly humiliated and this is one of those moments. The blue haired woman is surprisingly strong as she wrenches Tommy’s arms behind his back and slaps on a pair of handcuffs. 

“What’s your name and trainer number?” she demands while frog marching him away from the woods and towards the first piece of civilization he’s seen since he woke up here. He could kiss the ground he’s so relieved to see buildings and streets. 

“Thomas Shelby,” and he doesn’t know what a ‘trainer’ number is, so he just rattles off his military ID number instead. 

The woman stops their journey, spinning him around to face her, “That’s not a trainer number.” 

Tommy nods, “I know. It’s my military ID number.” 

The blood drains from the woman’s face and she immediately spins Tommy back around to undo his handcuffs. 

“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry… er–?”

“Sargent,” Tommy supplies helpfully while rubbing his wrists now that they’re free. 

Somehow the woman looks even more mortified, “Er– right, Sargent Shelby. The lack of uniform made me automatically assume you were a civilian .” 

He waves off her frantic apologies and shoves the cheering clown away when it gets too close to him. 

“It’s fine. I’ve had a bit of a mishap but if I can just phone my brothers, I’ll be on my way.” 

The woman nods, “Of course! You can use our phone at the station; please follow me.” 

Tommy tries to use the walk there to put himself in order. He’s mostly a lost cause he’s sure, but he loathes the thought of being anything other than professional in front of others. 

However, when they get closer to the town, he pauses in surprise. The town doesn’t look like anything he’s ever seen before. He’s never seen streets paved so perfectly and everyone walking around is dressed so oddly. The buildings are all glass, not a hint of concrete or brick anywhere. Suddenly, he doesn’t think he’ll be able to contact his brothers. 

Realizing he’s stopped, the woman turns around to look at him, “Is everything okay, sir?”

Swallowing back whatever dread and panic is trying to bubble up out of him he gives a shaky nod and says, “Actually, I’m very hungry.” 

…

Tommy is embarrassingly ravenous as he devours the first real meal he’s had in over a week. 

“So where are you from, anyways?” Officer Jenny asks between sips of her milkshake. He doesn’t really want to unpack waking up in an unfamiliar world nor explore the theories of how he got here. So, instead, he just grunts around a mouthful of food rudely. 

The woman makes a face, “Charming.” 

She changes the subject then, “Wow, you’re pokemon spends so much time outside its pokeball and its so well behaved.” 

Tommy glaces at his clown shadow. He doesn’t know what a “pokeball” is, but any thoughts of having this thing charged with stalking and harassment go out the window. He points to it, “What is this thing?”

Officer Jenny looks surprised and concerned, “Uh, it’s a Mr. Mime. Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?”

The thought of a hospital is more horrifying than fielding questions about where he’s from, so he just mumbles, “‘M’fine. We just don’t have those where I’m from.” and goes back to eating. 

He doesn’t know what to think of his situation anymore. 

to be continued...

[slashingdisneypasta]

Ive been bored out of my mind 😩 any movie or book recomendations?

You opened up the can. Do you want the worms? XD

YES!! I DO HAVE RECCOMENDATIONS!! XD And I'm so glad you asked ^^ Obviously you're not required to take any of these, but if you do- let me know what you think! ^^

If you're here, I assume you like fun, sinister and exciting villains. So I'll give you a little info on the villains in each source 😅😆

Movies:

First of all- a n y m o v i e (or episode in a TV show) with Robert Englund playing the bad guy. You can't go wrong. Even if the rest of the source is... not-so-great... the man never misses.

(In particular: The Last Showing, Inkubus, and Good Day For It are really good! Especially the first 2.

The Last Showing (free on Plex): Villain is a weaselly, geeky loser with a with dreams of sinister grandeur.

Inkubus (free on Tubi): Villain is a sexy, sinister, cunning, smug old demon.

Good Day For It (free on YouTube): just... just have a peak at what I've been posting non-stop the whole weekend 😅🫠🫠🫠)

The Rescuers and the Rescuers Down Under. If you haven't seen these and you like Disney Villains, you must!! You get both!; a nasty woman with scary eyes and no code of ethics, and a big, sinister, crooked-grin bush man.

The Lake Placid Series. I KNOW, I KNOW- you probably read that and think 'ughh why' but LOOK- TRUST ME- The Bickerman's are a riot. A hoot, even XD From a sweet old lady who swears and feeds whole cows to the crocodiles played by Betty White to her son who's a greedy old poacher who is equal parts creepy and loony tune- they're so much fun XD The only movie in which they aren't antagonists is 3, but then you get Reba who is a grumpy, bad ass milf and is that really a miss? No, I don't think so.

Going back to kids animation- Happily N'Ever After (free on Vimeo) You got a myriad of villainous suitors to choose from in this one XD You got the Big Bad Wolves (💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️), witches, Rumplestilstkin, and Cinderella's Evil Stepmother who is- just- so hot XD A wicked lady with a slit in her dress.

... are you into creepy nasty old men? Because I think Judge Turpin played by Alan Rickman in Sweeney Todd; The Demon Barber of Fleet Street takes the cake in that department.

Little Shop of Horrors. Yes- Audrey II is plant, but he's smooth motherfucker, and some of us are into that 😆😅 And maybe so are you. And if you aren't into Audrey II, there's always Orin; a leather jacket wearing, motorbike riding, sadistic jackass.

Oh!! The Funhouse Massacre!!! Another fun one with a myriad of scary boyfriends XD (and one scary girlfriend XD). It's a cheesy gore fest but of you like that or can get past it- your villains here include a Wrestler Murder-Clown, a Psychotic, Silent Harlequinn, a Sinister and Charismatic Cult Leader, a Sexy Sadistic Dentist, a Cute Cannibalitic Chef, and a Creepy Old Taxidermist.

Disney's Once Upon A Halloween (free in parts on YouTube). It's all your favourite Disney Villains (before Dr Facilier I think) in one place- what else could you want? XD

Books:

If you like hot demons and you have a teacher kink-- then The Evil Librarian Trilogy (Michelle Knudsen) are definitely for you XD You got the evil librarian (Mr Gabriel), who is basically evil incarnate with a sexy goatee. Then you also Principal Kingston who is an older dilf wearing cargo pants and is slightly silly (my favourite, and also the reason i named my kangaroo oc kingston)-- and then Ms Kralovna; the language teacher and an absolute Queen.

Dorothy Must Die (Danielle Paige) pretty much makes Dorothy (years later) a wicked slutty dictator, the scarecrow a creepy mad scientist, the tinman a besotted obsessed guardsman, and the cowardly lion a monster. Plus there's the Nome King in the last 2 books who is describes as the 'most sinister senior citizen' which is the perfect descriptor for him XD

If you like Slasher movies, you will d e f I n e t l y love The Final Girls Support Group (Grady Hendrix). It's just so cool and interesting how Hendrix puts the actual Slashers into the book without saying their names.

Hellhole (Gina Damico). Okay this is another demon XD Except this one works in... the greasy food office in hell XD (I think XD ) Don't get me wrong, he's bad; he's powerful, and he'll kill your whole family, and he has unreasonable demands if you refuse. But he's mostly happy to sit in your basement with no pants eating tostitos and whole sticks of butter while watching project runway and playing cod for now XD And his name is Burg (as in Burgundy Cluttermuck)- isn't that cute? XD

Karen M. McManus books. Any of them. (Though, I do recommend The Cousins and Two Can Keep a Secret in particular. I cant tell you much cuz they're mysteries but they are definitely my kinda bastards. If you like the characters I write for you'll probably like them too XD The only misfortune is that, since they are mysteries, they aren't acting all villainous until the end. )

Alice and Red Queen (Christina Henry). If you have a strong stomach and you like gory, sometimes unpleasant horror- these are for you! The characters of Alice in Wonderland are n e v e r going to be the same 😅😅😅 Especially the Rabbit, who is... I think, a trafficker? Meanwhile the Walrus, um- nope, i'm not going there. Moving on!

DANCING JAX DANCING JAX DANCING JAX. These are my f a v o u r i t e books. Ever. They will always be my favourite books. And let me tell you why!!- They are o v e r f l o w i n g with vastly different, interesting, flawed characters who totally stick with you forever XD And a good lot of them are bad guys. You got:

- Austerly Fellows; a creepy charismatic cult leader type who may not actually be Austerly Fellows?? Their could be a swapped at birth/changeling sorta thing going on here?? (The 'original' Austerly had a mark on his foot and the one that his mother got back from the baby farm didn't).

- The Jockey; the kind of bad guy who ain't loyal to anyone. Not even the other bad guys. He must play everyone one way or another (its the way he was written, and he follows through), at some point. He's tricky, and weaselly, and gross. I love him.

- Jangler; Austerly's right hand man. He's a stern, crotchety and nasty old codger. His heart is as cold as ice, he's calculated, and he definitely takes joy in some of the terrible things its his job to do.

- etc. There's more but I cant give more away 😅

Thats what i can think of right now! ^^ I'd be so so jazzed if you took any of these recc's but don't worry about feeling obligated too! ^^ It was fun to talk about them XD

[confrontthefamiliar]

A blessed new moon Scorpio

I have no god I thought

But I meant I have no man

And I’ve still yet to find out how I can

Still just be not a fraud

I learned 3 old friends started working for the state

What the fuck

When we gonna get some fucking allegiance

My life’s a whole pledge of allegiance now

To humanity I guess

Sometimes I pledge nothing

I just try to stay alive

Time is shrinking again and I start to feel a fondness for this year

Like oh I love myself

She did such a good job

Climbing all day then meeting a boy at the lake

Beautiful tahoe summer

I commemorate the beauty

And memorialize the fun

And try to let go of all the sadness

All that snow

And I try to think about the gold in the rocks

The orange powder of rock

The sweat of the rock and your hand

The ropes holding your life

The way you hold onto your life

And then let it go like sand

Alpine towns are so trendy this funny girl tells me

I thought she was going to be more like this other girl who I think hated me but I could never tell

But then she was actually more like a hilarious clown

This other girl says

Truckee is so bro-y

I like Nevada City more

Me too I agree

The best part of this town is how much we all hate it

I gotta really hang out more I thought

I get so worn out

Like old clothes

I watch my body age like old clothes

Do I really need a new place or am I freaking out

If I’m a freak isn’t that what I’m supposed to do anyways

Wouldn’t that be better if people freaked out more

Like in the office

Or on an escalator in a suburban mall

Or waiting in line for coffee

Or on the subway

But I guess that happens all the time on the subway now

People freaking out

It’s quite funny

When you’re happy

To think about freaking out

But when you’re sad it’s so scary

Mac Miller was on the play list

So I played him until I cried

I’m still happy

I’m only crying because he’s dead

For that sheer loss of genius so young

That effort in a boy

I’m so grateful for his music

and I probably needed to cry

Like Julian at the smoke shop said

I gotta soften up

My will is so strong

It’s true

I get everything i want

Don’t you

But what about the money

Two sides every time it’s so funny

Maybe why u always catch me running

I like to see a million sides

And live a million lives

Scorpio season starts and I immediately feel strong

Like all the cells in my body regenerated

All my breath is squeaky clean

I trust myself

And I also don’t care so much about myself

I just know I gotta do what I gotta do

Doesn’t matter if the worlds going to shit

We all have our own worlds anyways

I trip in the city

City people are just like townspeople

No different really at all

Still carrying community

We’re all family

But I get worried the new guy can’t build houses like the old guy can

What good would he be in a disaster

Hard to tell what he could do with all his money

But at least he’s not depressed and he’s very funny

[italoniponic]

Just the Two of Salmon(us) | Sebek Zigvolt

Synopsis: You invite Sebek for a small lunch date on the weekend over this restaurant that you came to know that serves the best salmon of the region. And, with Sebek being Sebek, hilarity obviously ensues.

Sebek Zigvolt x gender neutral reader / small scenario / fluff, hc/canon lore and silly crack / reader has the most difficult love rivals / 1090 words / use of “you” pronouns

Notes: I dedicate this for all Sebek stans and simps, inspired by @estcaligo ’s awesome art about the biggest rival against sebyuu: salmon! this man is a clown m-maybe i love him??? idk It’s a bit shorter than my usual scenarios but considering that it’s a simple idea and I was writing more for fun, I couldn’t extend much. I could. Believe me. You maybe had read my latest Sebek scenario, it was loooong. But I have other fics and things I need to write before my guilt hunt me down~ hope this is good enough for at least make someone smile a bit <3

Just the Two of Salmon(us)

You didn’t know how to react to that scene. While you were still on your first plate, Sebek was finishing cleaning the fifth grilled salmon dish he had ordered. You glanced at the restaurant owner who stared back at you, the two of you connecting your souls in only two thoughts:

“How could Sebek eat so much and would he have enough money to pay?”

Not that you were ignorant about this fact when you invited your boyfriend to lunch on the weekend. You just assumed that he wouldn’t ask for five plates at once. But, then again, you should have seen that coming. 

All you wanted was to spend time with Sebek and rescue him from whatever meal Lilia would be making — or trying to make — at that moment in Diasomnia.

Sebek has never been more grateful. Of all humans, you were the most formidable for being able to help him in these moments of despair. When all seemed lost, you would emerge in your mortal littleness to reach out to him. 

The only guilt Sebek felt was that he needed to leave Malleus in Lilia’s culinary inept hands — but even if it  would cost him to say it out loud, he trusted Silver to take care of everything. 

Anyway, Sebek’s mind was quickly distracted when he saw the large sign of the seafood restaurant you were taking him to. That fisherman’s restaurant had the best fish in the area, among other sea species. You chose the place precisely because you heard so many good things about their salmon.

Sebek felt a little embarrassed at first when you commented that you realized how obsessed he was with salmon — your words, precisely. 

It was indeed an interesting discovery.

While you were waiting for your requests, Sebek talked about how the fishing culture in the Valley of Thorns wasn’t as strong as the human's but fishes could constitute some parts of the fae cuisine, especially in surviving training.

As a complete territory, the extension of the Fairy Briar Valley was isolated by the sea, and the Flower faes’s region had more freshwater lakes and rivers with small fish.

However, Sebek’s grandfather sometimes personally went fishing for salmon in the sea and would bring it when he returned from these kinds of occasional trips.

Old Baul Zigvolt used to only bring salmon for his daughter, in a way to get a little closer to her — though he was still stubborn about not approving of her marrying a human. But when little Sebek was delighted to taste a grilled salmon dish made from the fish caught by his grandfather, he started doing it for the bright smile his grandson would give him.

Since then, both Baul and Sebek’s older siblings started taking him to salmon fishing. On the occasions when the grandfather couldn’t go, Osiris and Serket went to explore the shores of the sea and some nearby rivers with their little brother. 

So much so that salmon carpaccio became his favorite food.

“It reminds me of home,” was Sebek’s usual comment on the subject.

These words were finished by a big smile, whose white teeth shone like lightning in the dark night. It was the same smile Sebek had on his face as he wiped his lips with the napkin. More than satisfied, he was completely, genuinely happy.

You put your fork aside for a moment, sighing but smiling too. He was so adorable. 

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have any crumbs on my face?,” Sebek asked, passing the napkin in his mouth once again.

“No. It’s just... I'm glad to see you seem to be having fun.”

“And how could I not? Salmon is such a wonderful fish and the chef here is to be congratulated. The cooking point, the seasoning, the preparation, the presentation... I would not be ashamed to invite the Young Master to come and feast on such good food. And that’s a lot considering they’re humans and the Young Master is used to the finest cuisine in the royal palace. However! These salmon are tender, practically melt in the mouth. My taste buds feel blessed!”

“I’m happy to hear that, really,” you laughed. “Is it okay if we go now? We still have a few more things to do.”

Sebek nodded and you called the waiter to ask for the bill. To your surprise — and all the employees’ too — your boyfriend had enough money to cover his share.

But Sebek still went on to talk about how nutritious salmon was, the quality of the fish was second to none and that next time they should invite Malleus to lunch there.

“But then it wouldn’t be a date,” you tried to argue. “Like... you know, a date between the two of us.”

“I understand. But after you have revealed to me this restaurant that serves the best salmon on the island, it is my duty to ensure that the Young Master is also graced with this knowledge and... w-why are you looking at me like this now?”

You stared deadpan at Sebek. 

“Can I ask you a question and you will answer it sincerely?”

The half-fae didn’t understand at first, however, given your gaze, he agreed in the same way.

“Imagine a hypothetical scenario: near a strong river stream, someone is burning salmon on the grill while me and Malleus are drowning in the river. Who will you save first?,” you launched the challenge.

“Well, of course I save…”

Sebek stopped in mid-sentence. He held his chin for a moment, thinking about the possibilities and scenarios. As the minutes ticked by, Sebek grew increasingly desperate in his internal questioning, reassessing priorities and urgencies. His expression went into such agony that your brief impatience turned to pity.

And pity, inevitably, turned out to be amusement. You laughed softly and touched Sebek’s shoulder affectionately to relieve his stress — you could see the storm that was his thoughts.

“Nevermind. Part of me knows it would be even harder if I included your mom and Lilia in the middle of it,” you said, taking his hand and continuing on the walk back to school.

“I'm sorry I failed your test, dear. I must get stronger to make better decisions in less time!,” Sebek proclaimed, determination in his eyes.

You smiled, always charmed by his inexhaustible energy. One thing quite clear was that Sebek had only three things he valued more than anything in life: you, Malleus, and salmon.

You just gave up asking in what order.

Special notes: Sebek's heart is big enough to squish the three of them inside, that's my theory.

Edit 05/11/2024: Sebek's granpa name is officialized in canon as Baul/Baur Zigvolt. And I corrected some mispelling errors such as "Do you have crumbs in my face?" 💀 I'M SO SORRY

[heyheyheyitshay999]

Ight, Imma write a fanfic— part one, right now, considering how LONG it is. And, this is my very first published fanfic! So please, keep that in mind when reading this.

(Caesar Clown X Fem! SO)

“A Perfect Match”

Genre: SFW

Warnings: The reader is a villain, not a hero.

PART 1

And there you were, finding yourself on Punk Hazard, working under Caesar Clown himself. How did it come to this? Well, you wanted to be a pirate. And so, you began to explore, soon coming to the New World. The first island you found was Punk Hazard— you had arrived on its fiery shores, and fought through the flames as you tried to find a place to cool off. And then you came upon the lake, and saw the island’s icy other half, and Caesar’s lab.

Now, you had no idea he lived here. All you knew was that this place belonged to Dr. Vegapunk, and was abandoned after the incident four years ago, when the nuclear explosion happened due to unknown circumstances, and then Admiral Aokiji and Admiral Akainu came to fight over the position of Fleet Admiral of the Navy.

And although it was abandoned, you thought that, perhaps, there were some resources there you could get. Perhaps some food.

And so, you began trying to find a way across— you tried going around, but that didn’t work, so you jumped on a piece of driftwood and began trying to paddle yourself over there, although the water was boiling hot. And then it was freezing cold. It felt good on your hands, but soon they became stiff, and soon, you got cold. You cursed to yourself a bit, before finally coming to the snowy half of the island, and getting off, laying in the snow for a second before you slowly stood, and waddled to the laboratory.

And then you met Monet, and, having no idea who she was, you just went along with whatever she said. How naive. She eventually convinced you to get into one of Vegapunk’s insulation suits, and she asked you to start working for her and Caesar. And you had no idea who he was, either.

It didn’t take long, before you caved in and began to work for them, and it took an even shorter amount of time before you found out what they were doing to all of those children. At first, you despised it all. But you grew to accept it. And now, you just hung out in the Biscuit room with the children a lot, playing with them, trying to at least make sure that the last years of their lives were good ones. And then, you realized: pure science does not care about societal morals. You thought about Caesar, and how he appeared insane— and realized, he wasn’t insane, he was just so unbiased. And therefore, you stopped caring that they’d die.

Over time, you’d met with Caesar Clown himself a few times (normally it was just so you could praise him, or so that he could give you orders), but soon, you began to grow a fondness towards him. You thought he looked pretty— he was kinda old, but with his wrinkles, he looked realistic. He didn’t look plastic like a lot of people. And you liked that about him. You also found his voice rather soothing (pardon me, but throughout 85% of OP, I’ve only listened to Caesar’s English voice, and I have to admit, his voice is amazing).

At first, you criticized his fashion sense— that tacky orange suit, specifically, but eventually you realized it went very well with his bright, orange eyes. His lipstick also went well with his hair, and so did his coat. And the facial expressions he made! You could easily tell that he was acting (much to the oblivion of the others), but you didn’t care. He was so expressive, although it was all fake, so good at putting on the act of having a mental breakdown.

But Caesar had never seen you before. He thought you were a man, just another one of his oblivious henchmen. He didn’t know that you knew. And therefore, he paid no attention to you. And you used that to your advantage— you hid your knowledge from him.

And then came the Strawhat Pirates.

They came, and were imprisoned, so easily. You thought for a moment. A pirate crew with a combined bounty of over 500mil wouldn’t be imprisoned THAT easily. So, you ran to Caesar to warn him.

You knocked.

“What is it?!”

“Sir, it’s me, one of your men. I’d like to have a word.”

There was a long silence, and then a sigh.

“Come in, but make it quick.”

You opened the door, and stepped in, closing it behind you. Inside the lab sat Caesar on the couch, drinking some wine, and Monet, sitting at the bar. You carefully approached Caesar.

“I have some concerns, sir.” You did your best to keep your voice deep.

“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow. “Spit it out, then.”

“..Sir, it’s about the Strawhats. You imprisoned them, correct?”

“Yes, I did. Are you doubting me?”

“Um— no, sir, not at all, but I’ve been thinking— they’re a pirate crew with a combined bounty of over 500 million beri. I don’t think that little prison cell will hold them for long.”

“….oh? Well then, I’ll have to just tighten the security around there.” He stood, and began to walk towards the door, his arm lightly brushing past yours as he did, making your heart begin to flutter. You turned around, and began to follow him— after all, you had to get back to your post.

Not long after, you heard that Strawhat Luffy was outside in a fight with Caesar, so you and several other men rushed outside to watch the fight. And it was over in just a moment, with Luffy having fainted from Caesar suffocating him, with the power of his Gas-Gas Fruit.

“Praise me!” Caesar cried, and in response, you all surrounded him and began to praise him excitedly. But you were the most excited, and it didn’t take you long to wonder why— before figuring out that you had developed an unquestionable loyalty to him.

And then, of course, the whole thing happened— the Strawhats took the kids, Caesar brought them back, there was a rebel child who kept the drugs away from the others before proceeding to almost die from consuming it all. Meanwhile, Smiley was unleashed, eating a giant drug before solidifying the entire island with its poisonous gases. The Strawhats found a way in, Luffy found Caesar, and then they fought, and Caesar passed out.

A large portion of the lab had been solidified. Every man on the island. Then, Monet died, and the Strawhats escaped, taking Caesar with them, leaving you all alone.

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers LUNATIC PARADE ;; Subaru Route ー Chapter 3

ー The scene starts on Glimmer Main Street

Subaru: Haah...What will that old geezer make us do next?

Yui: Based on what we had to do yesterday...I’m fairly sure today’s task will be a challenge as well.

ー An old lady walks past them

Yui: ( Hm...? )

Female Vampire E: Haah...This is bad...

Yui: ( That old lady looks troubled by something...? I wonder what happened? )

Selection

→ Reach out (☾)

Yui: Um, excuーー 

Subaru: Oi.

Yui: Subaru-kun...

Subaru: You’re not gonna talk to her, are you?

Yui: Eh? ...That was the plan though...

Subaru: You know the situation we’re in, right? We have somewhere to go, remember.

Yui: That’s true, but...I can’t just ignore it when there’s someone in need right before me...

Subaru: A person in need, you say...?

...

...Haah, fine. Be my guest.

...Seems like you’re still the literal definition of a kind soul.

→ Walk past her

Yui: ( I’d love to help but...We don’t really have the time for that right now... )

Subaru: Hm? Oi, what’s wrong? Let’s get going already.

Yui: Y-Yeah...

Female Vampire E: Haah...What am I going to do?

Yui: ( ...Uu... )

( I can’t just turn a blind eye to someone in need after all...! ) 

ー Yui runs over to the lady

Yui: Um...Is something the matter, Ma’am?

Female Vampire E: Aah...Miss. Well, I seem to have dropped my dear handkerchief...

Yui: I see. I’ll help you look for it!

Subaru: Geez...Guess I have no other choice...

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: ( Looking for a handkerchief might be more tricky than I thought... )

Subaru: Oi, it’s not over here.

Yui: Yeah...I haven’t found it yet either.

( I wonder if it got blown away by the wind...? ーー Ah! )

Couldn’t it be the thing stuck on that bench over there!?

Female Vampire E: Oh dear! It is!

Subaru: Haah...You finally found it? Then hurry up and graーー 

*Flap flap flap*

Yui: Ah...!

( A bird...! )

Subaru: Hey! Wait!

*Flap flap flap*

Yui: ( It flew away with the handkerchief in its beak... )

Subaru: Che...It’s sittin’ on a rooftop... 

Yui: ...I’ll go look for a ladder...!

Subaru: Aah, wait. The idea of you using a ladder is way too risky, I don’t think I could handle it.

...Haah. I’ll go grab it, so just stay put here, ‘kay?

I don’t need a ladder to reach that high...It literally takes one second if I fly.

...There...

ー Subaru leaps up into the air

Yui: ...Ah, Subaru-kun...

*TIMESKIP*

*Thud*

Subaru: ...Here you go. This’ll do, right?

Yui: ( Ah, in Subaru-kun’s hand is...! )

Female Vampire E: Yes, this is it! Thank you so much, you two. 

This handkerchief truly means a lot to me...So you helped me out immensely. Thank you so much. 

Yui: ( She seems very happy. I’m glad I reached out for her! )

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: Ah...Sorry we got a bit sidetracked, Subaru-kun...But still, thanks.

Subaru: ...Haah. You baffle me every time with how much of a goodie-two-shoes you are...

...But well...If you don’t mind that, I won’t stop you either.

Yui: Sure...?

( Usually he’d call me out on that kind of behavior...I wonder what has gotten into him today? )

Subaru: Anyway, we’re done now, right? Let’s go.

ー The scene shifts to Rubien canal

Gondolier A: ーー Off we go!

Yui: ( ...Today’s task involves retrieving a certain crystal from an abandoned mine inside a volcano. )

( ...Sounds like quite the struggle... )

Subaru: Oi, what was your problem earlier?

Yui: Eh? What do you mean?

Subaru: You seemed surprised after I said ‘let’s go’, remember? I’m referrin’ to that.

Yui: Ah...

( When we were told we have to head to a volcano today... )

( I was sure Subaru-kun would protest, but he just immediately responded with ‘let’s go’... )

Ah...Right. Please don’t get mad when I say this but...

I figured you wouldn’t like the idea of having to go all the way to a volcano.

However, you immediately rolled with it, hence why I was a little surprised...

Subaru: ...Hmph.

...Everyone has different things they consider valuable, regardless of whether others feel the same way, right? 

I finally understood that.

Yui: ...?

Subaru: Take that clown mask the old geezer wanted, for example. 

Or the handkerchief that old lady was lookin’ for.

Yui: Subaru-kun...

Subaru: Also...I’m sure that from an outsider’s perspective...What you mean to me...

Would fall under that same category as well, right?

Yui: ...

( How sneaky of him to suddenly say such things... )

( It’s embarrassing but...I feel as if my love for him has only grown. )

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the lake

Gondolier A: We’ve arrived at Tilkeys lake!

Yui: ( Phew...Seems like we’ve reached our destination. )

( Now we just have to head towards the volcano up ahead. )

Subaru: Haah...We’re finally here, huh...?

Yui: I thought you’d suggest we’d fly here instead of taking the gondola.

Subaru: Yeah...That thought crossed my mind as well, but I might need to save my energy for later, no?

Yui: ( Fufu...Seems like Subaru-kun is taking these tasks much more serious now. )

ー The two of them start walking

Yui: If I recall correctly, there should be a volcano on the other side of the water, right?

Subaru: That’s what the old geezer told us.

Yui: In that case, let’s just keep on walking straight aheaーー

ー The people around them grow restless

Yui: ...

Subaru: ...

Yui: ( It caught my attention earlier but there sure are a lot of couples around this lake... )

( I guess it can’t be helped since it seems to be a tourist attraction... )

T-There’s quite a few couples, huh...?

Subaru: Che...They’re annoyin’...

Yui: ( However, we can’t get to the volcano if we don’t go past them... )

Subaru: Oi, Yui.

ー Subaru suddenly pulls her close

*Rustle*

Yui: Wah...!

( He pulled me close...!? )

Subaru: We won’t stand out if we walk like this, right?

Yui: P-Probably not but...It’s embarrassing...!

Subaru: From their point of view, we’re...no different from them, you know.

Don’t let it bother you. Let’s go.

Yui: Y-Yeah...

ー The scene shifts to the entrance of the mine

Yui: Ah, seems like we can get inside through there.

Street vendor: ーー One second, you two.

Subaru: Ah?

Street vendor: You’re going inside?

Subaru: What if we are?

Street vendor: Oh no...But if you do, you better take one of these with you.

Yui: Are those...marshmallows...?

Um...Why do we need marshmallows to enter the volcano?

Street vendor: ...You see, there’s a certain tale being told around these parts...

Yui: A tale...

Monologue

ーー What we were told afterwards,

was the sad tale,

regarding this Smaragd volcano.

In the past...Due to the many mining resources,

available in this area,

mining for minerals flourished. 

On a fateful day, one of the miners,

fell in love with a Wraith (2),

who lived in the underground lake.

A Wraith and a Vampire,

made somewhat of an odd duo,

but to be able to live alongside her,

the man tricked a female Vampire,

and offered her body to the Wraith.

Why, you might ask? ...Per tradition,

Wraiths are not allowed to leave the place they were born,

unless they take control of the body of another being.

If they try and leave,

they will simply fade away.

Despite the many unfamiliarities which came with it,

 the two of them lived happily.

While living amongst Vampires,

the only thing the Wraith grew fond of...

were marshmallows. 

...However, 

their happiness was short-lived.

One day,

the original owner of the body she had possessed,

regained her consciousnessーー 

And killed the man.

Shaking with anger,

the Wraith killed the woman, who had been her vessel,

before vanishing herself.

To this day, the man’s spirit,

continues to look for the Wraith they once loved,

wandering around inside this volcano...

The fellow Wraiths,

as if they chose to carry on their lost comrade’s legacy,

have also taken a liking to marshmallows...

Yui: ...

( I had no idea this volcano is linked to such a sad story... )

Subaru: Hmph. In other words, if we run into one of those Wraiths, we just have to give them these as a snack?

I bet it’s just some urban legend, right? Ridiculous...

ー Subaru walks away

Yui: Ah, Subaru-kun, wait...!

( It might just be a made-up story but... )

Um...Excuse me? Could I get some marshmallows while I’m here, please?

Street vendor: Of course. I’ll pray you don’t run into any Wraiths. 

Yui: Thank you very much.

( Okay. I have to go after Subaru-kun...! )

ー The scene shifts to the inside of the mine

Yui: ( Where did he run off to...? )

( I don’t think he could be that far ahead... )

Subaru: ーー I knew it.

Yui: Wah! Subaru-kun!?

Geez...It gives me a heart attack when you appear out of nowhere like that...

Subaru: Knowing you, I bet you bought some marshmallows first before coming inside of here?

I figured that might be the case, so I waited for you here.

Yui: I-I see...

Subaru: You actually believe that story from earlier?

It’s just some obvious sales trick (3) to try and get us to buy his marshmallows, no?

Yui: It might be but...You know, better be safe than sorry...Right?

Subaru: ...Haah.

Whatever. Let’s just look for that crystal now.

Yui: He told us it glimmers and lights up, right?

Subaru: Yeah...According to the old geezer, we might find it by searching this rock surface.

Seems like they’ve conveniently got the mining tools all laid out for us.

*Rustle*

*Cling*

Subaru: I’ll use this to chip away at the wall so you look for the crystal.

Yui: Yeah, I’ll try my best!

*TIMESKIP*

*CLING*

Subaru: Haah...haah...

Yui: ( Hm...We’ve been searching for quite some time now... )

( But it doesn’t seem like we’ll find it any time soon... )

( On top of that... )

...Uu...

( Perhaps I’m paranoid after listening to that story from earlier but...For some reason, this place really gives me the creeps. )

*Rustle*

???: Fufu...Ufufufu...

Yui: ...Who’s there...?

*Rustle*

ー A strong gust of wind blows

Yui: ( There’s nobody... )

( Am I just hearing things...? But I could have sworn someone was there... )

Subaru: Oi, what’s wrong?

Ah...Subaru-kun...For some reason, this place has been creeping me out...

Subaru: ...Well, this isn’t the most fun place to be at.

Yui: Yeah...

Subaru: ...Let’s take a small break. You brought some food with you, right?

Yui: Ah...Yes! I got us some sandwiches on the way.

*Rustle rustle*

Yui: ...Here, this one’s yours!

Subaru: Yeah...Thanks.

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: Phew...That hit the spot.

( While the location is somewhat unsettling, this feels like we’re having a picnic together, it’s honestly kind of fun...! )

...I should have brought dessert with me as well.

Subaru: Ah? But we do, don’t we?

Yui: Eh?

Subaru: You got them at the entrance earlier, didn’t you? ...Those marshmallows.

Yui: You’re going to eat those!? I think it’d be better if we have those on hand just in case a Wraith shows up...

Subaru: Oh come on, I’ve been tellin’ you that crap is just some urban legend, haven’t I?

Yui: You think so...?

( But well...I guess it’s better to eat them than to have to end up throwing them away... )

Hold on...

*Rustle rustle*

Huh...?

Subaru: Oi, what’s wrong?

Yui: I can’t seem to find them...

Subaru: Hm...Didn’t you drop them somewhere?

Yui: ...

( Don’t tell me...Did a Wraith actually take them...? )

( In that case, I’m glad I bought some just like that person advised us to... )

Subaru: ...What’s wrong? Did you want to eat marshmallows that badly?

Yui: Ah...No. That’s not it, but...

( I’ll just keep this to myself... )

( It’s not like I have concrete proof that they were taken by a Wraith... )

( If the story we were told is true, it might be best to just quietly let it pass. )

Subaru: ...? You weirdo. Whatever. We should get back to work soon.

*TIMESKIP*

*Cling*

Subaru: ...Haah...!

Yui: Subaru-kun, how are things looking on your end...?

Subaru: No luck...I did find this rare-looking gem instead though.

But it’s not the one that old geezer wants...

Here, it’s this one.

Yui: Waah, it’s so pretty.

( It changes color depending on the angle! Wow...! )

( But this isn’t what we’re looking for... )

Subaru: ...

Yui: ( Subaru-kun has been staring at the gem in his hand this whole time, it seems. )

...Fufu, I see no harm in taking it home with us to remember this day?

It doesn’t look like the type of gemstone you’d find every day!

Subaru: Y-Yeah...Good point.

*Rustle*

Yui: So...What are we going to do now...?

( We can’t just keep on aimlessly searching around forever... )

???: Fufu...Ufufufu...

Yui: ...!

( That voice just now...It’s the same one I heard earlier...! )

( Are there really Wraiths living here...? Oh no, we’re all out of marshmallows too... )

Subaru: ...What was that voice just now?

Yui: You noticed as well...?

Subaru: Yeah. I could hear it from behind us.

Yui: Yeah...Let’s try heading into that direction.

ー They follow the voice

Subaru: ...Around here, maybe...?

Now that you mention it, I did read this one fairytale from the Demon World when I was a kid...

In one of those stories, their dog barked to mark a location and they found a treasure buried underneath.

Does that ring a bell?

Yui: Eh? Y-Yeah...It’s a famous story after all... (4)

Subaru: This might just be...a similar case...!

...Let’s try diggin’ here.

*Cling*

Subaru: ...Ugh...!

*Cling*

*Crumble*

*THUD*

Yui: Ah! Subaru-kun, look!! Couldn’t it be that one over there...!?

Subaru: You’re right..It’s blue in color just like that old geezer said...

Yui: Waah! Thank god we were able to find it!

Subaru: Haah...Geez, finally...

But...Well, I guess it was worth goin’ through all the trouble...

Yui: Yes.

( Hm...? Then the Wraith’s voice from earlier...? Could she have been trying to thank us for the marshmallows...? )

Subaru: We were able to find the crystal, so I guess we should leave now.

Yui: Good idーー

*Flap flap*

Subaru: Aah...?

Yui: What was...that sound...?

*CAW*

*Flap flap*

Yui: Eh...An eagle...!?

Subaru: Haah!? Where did it come from!? ...Wait, fuck...It’s comin’ our way...!

*CAW*

Subaru: ...! Watch out...!!

*Thud*

Yui: Are you okay!?

( ...Did it target the gem in Subaru-kun’s hand just now...? )

Subaru: Oi oi...Are you after this gemstone perhaps...?

We went through hell and back to find it, so no way I’m handin’ it over!

Let’s make a run for it!

ー The two of them start running

*Flap flap*

*CAW*

Subaru: Che...It’s comin’ after us again!

Yui: Ah, Subaru-kun! There’s a rail cart over there...!

Subaru: Guess we have to use that to get out of here...!

ー They head towards the rail cart.

Subaru: Oi, hold onto this crystal.

*Thud*

Yui: Yeah...!

( I’ll put it in my pocket so I don’t drop it... )

Subaru: Kuh...

Get...movin’...!

*Rattle rattle*

*Thud*

Subaru: Awesome, it’s runnin’!

Is that eagle still comin’ after us?

*Flap flap*

*CAW*

Yui: Yeah...Seems like it set its sights on this gem after all...

*Flap flap*

Subaru: Che...That fuckin’ geezer! He didn’t mention this...!

*Flap flap*

Yui: Ah...! Subaru-kun, watch out...!

Subaru: Fuck...! Oi, you stay down. Don’t you dare raise your head!

*Rustle*

Yui: Y-Yeah...

*Flap flap*

*CAW*

Subaru: Che...You persistent pest! Buzz off!

*Cling*

Yui: Subaru-kun! Don’t push yourself too much...!

Subaru: Yeah, I know...! ...Uwoh...!? 

*Thud*

Yui: Eh...!?

( The eagle...Grabbed hold of him...!? )

Subaru: ...Kuh...Oi...Let go of me...!!

*CAW*

Subaru: ...Ugh!!

Yui: Ah...!!

Subaru: Yui...!!

Yui: No way...Subaru-kun!?

( Subaru-kun fell inside the ravine...!! I have to go save him...But what can I...? )

*Rumble rumble*

Yui: W-What now...!? The ground’s rumbling...?

*Creaaak*

Yui: Eh...!?

( The wagon’s tilted to the side...At this rate it’ll fall...!? )

...Kyaah...!?

ー She falls down

Yui: ( Oh no...At this rate, I won’t even live to get my heart back... )

( ... )

Subaru: ーー Yui!

Yui: ( Eh...? )

*Rustle*

Yui: ( My body is...floating...? )

Subaru...kun...?

Subaru: You’re fine now! Hang on tight!

Yui: Yeah...!

*Thud*

ー The scene shifts to a cave

Yui: Haah, haah...

We made it out...unharmed somehow...?

Subaru: Yeah...Seems like it.

Yui: ( But...Where are we? It looks like a cave of some sorts... )

...

( What’s happening...!? I can barely...breathe...!? ) 

Subaru: Che...Seems like we fell pretty far down...

We have to get out of here before you suffocate to death...!

ー The scene shifts to the underground lake

Subaru: Haah...Oi, are you okay...?

Yui: Just barely...!

( So there’s a lake underground... )

Subaru: Oi, you still have the gem on you, right?

*Rustle*

Yui: Yeah, don’t worry. I’ve got it.

Subaru: Perfect...Let’s get out of here at once then.

I don’t want to stay here any longer and run into trouble again.

Then afterwards...

...Don’t ever leave my side again, ‘kay? Who knows what waits ahead of us.

Yui: Yeah...!

*Rumble rumble*

Subaru: ...Hold up. Something’s...comin’...

Yui: ( This sound...Could it be the rumbling of the ground again...!? )

*SPLASH*

Subaru: ...Water...!?

Yui: Ah...The quakes from earlier might be what is causing the lake to flood...

Subaru: Che...It’s just one problem after the other...!

ー The water flows their way

Yui: Kyaah!?

( We’re being swept away..!? )

Subaru: Oi, hold onto me!!

*Rustle*

Subaru: Don’t you dare let go of my hand!

*Splash*

Yui: ( We...made it out alive...? )

Yui: Cough...cough...

Subaru: Oi...Are you alright?

Yui: Ah...Yes. I swallowed a little water, but I don’t seem to have any injuries.

I’m sure it’s because you protected me.

Subaru: H-Haah!? The fuck are you sayin’...!?

Yui: Eh? ...What do you mean? You proteーー

Subaru: Aah, shut up! Not another word!

Fuck...

Yui: ( Ah...Subaru-kun looked away... )

But it’s really all thanks to you that I was able to safely make it back out.

Thank you for saving me.

Subaru: ...

...Hmph.

Yui: ...We ran into several problems but...

It’s good we got out safe and sound, right?

Subaru: There’s nothin’ good ‘bout this shit. Honestly...We went through hell and back.

I don’t wanna go through that ever again.

Yui: Fufu...I agree.

*Thud*

Subaru: Anyway...Let’s go to the old geezer’s place already.

I’m gonna snap if he calls us out on takin’ too long again.

ー Subaru nearly trips

Subaru: ...

Yui: Ah, Subaru-kun, are you okay...!?

Subaru: I just felt a little shaky in my step. Don’t worry ‘bout it.

Don’t be worryin’ ‘bout someone else when you’re totally worn out yourself.

Yui: Y-Yeah...

( Even if he says that, I can’t help but be concerned... )

*TIMESKIP*

*Rustle*

Yui: ( Nn... )

ー Yui wakes up in the hotel room

Yui: ( Huh...? Where am I...? This isn’t...the anitque shop, right...? The hotel room...? )

( I remember heading from the lake towards the antique shop together with Subaru-kun... )

*Rustle*

Subaru: Nn...Ahー Fuck...My muscles sore...

Wait...Hah? Why are we at the hotel...!?

Yui: ( Thank god...Seems like Subaru-kun has woken up as well. )

Say, I wonder how we made it back here?

Subaru: Who knows...I can only remember up until the point we left for the old geezer’s place.

Yui: ( I guess Subaru-kun’s in the same boat, huh...? ...Hm? )

*Flip*

Yui: ( Oh? There’s a note on the bedside table... )

Subaru: What’s that? A note? Give me that for a sec.

ーー The requested gemstone has been successfully retrieved. 

Make sure to get plenty of rest today so you’re ready for the final task tomorrow.

...Furthermore, next time I find you two passed out in front of my store, I’m throwing you out on the sidewalk like that so you have been warned. 

...That’s what it says.

Yui: Ah...I see...We must have collapsed in front of the store.

Subaru: Geez...Who’s fault does he think that is!?

Fuck...! That older geezer needs to watch his words...!

Haah...I’m gonna sleep. You should rest up soon as well. Tomorrow’s the last day after all.

*Creaak*

Yui: Yeah, I will.

( Today sure was something else but...I had fun. )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) 話 or ‘hanashi’ is more of a general term which simply means ‘talk’ or ‘story’. However, given the contents of the story, I thought ‘tale’ was a fitting term in English. 

(2) A Wraith is a type of ghost or spirit, originally from Scottish Folklore. They are said to be the embodiment of souls who are either on the verge of death, or who have recently passed on.

(3) 子供騙し or ‘kodomo-damashi’ literally means a trick/trap only children would fall for.

(4) I did a quick google search and Subaru is mostly referring to the Japanese folklore tale: Hanasaka Jiji. 

← RETURN TO CHAPTER 2

→ PROCEED WITH MAIN STORY [CHAPTER 4]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #1 [W/ KANATO]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #2 [W/ RUKI]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #3 [W/SHIN]

[boognish-worshipper]

Midnight City AU

it took me forever to decide where to go with this chapter and i was literally getting fed up editing it 😭 i’ve been so busy with all the chaos goin on in my life rn too so yeah writing’s been feeling delayed over all but i decided to just finalize this one for rn and uhhh sorry if it seems funky or shortttt

//Chapter 3: Vanished

The next day, Trevor went back to Sterling Lake Park, after spending the night at Wade’s. He agreed to meet up with him there later, walking around the park with his earbuds in. As he threw himself down on his usual bench, he settled on listening to his usual playlist of his favorite songs. He scrolled through nosedivr once again, taking a photo of the lake. It was foggy, and the thick air sat atop the water. He liked when it was like that. A sturdy drumbeat thumped in his ears, making him feel whole. He paused it briefly, just to change it to a different song that was even louder, but with the lack of music he could now hear the crunch of gravel not too far away. He thought he told Wade to come later on? He looked up from his phone, pulling out an earbud. It was the guy from yesterday.

“Hey.”

“Hello.”

“Where’s Amanda?” He asked, glancing around.

“Uhh she’s.. not here today. I kinda came to see if you were here. I wanna get to know more people at this park if I’m gonna hang ‘round here more I guess.”

“But she doesn’t like me?”

“She don’t gotta know.”

“Well aren’t you Boyfriend of the Year.”

“Oh uh, we aren’t dating yet.”

“Thought she was your girl though.”

“She is, she is. But it’s nothing serious. Not yet. And I don’t know what happened between you guys but you don’t seem that bad, so if I wanna talk to you that’s more of a her problem than me.”

“Huh.”

Today Michael wore an eCola shirt, which was obviously made to resemble their old logo, with blue jeans. He had on a pair of red sneakers this time to match the color of the shirt. They looked slightly newer, compared to the pair he wore yesterday. He dressed nice for such a basic style. Trevor on the other hand, threw on an old, frayed Love Fist t-shirt, and messy jeans. He wore a different pair of boots, some kind of knockoff of a popular name brand. A pair of purple lensed circular glasses sat on his head, the nose pieces caught in his hair.

“So.. uh. Mind if I sit there?”

“Not like I own the bench or anything, go right ahead.”

He cautiously sat next to Trevor, hands in his lap. Trevor started one of his other playlists up again, settling on a mix of Paramore and Green Day. He left an earbud out, just so he wouldn’t be completely rude. He mindlessly scrolled, occasionally looking back at the lake or casting a sideways glance at Michael, who was looking at him funny. Sighing, he paused his music, putting his earbuds away.

“What.”

“I.. nothin’ man. I just, I dunno. What is the point of coming here?”

“It’s a public fuckin’ park man.”

“I know, but you said that you don’t even really like the people here, so what’s the point?”

“There is no ‘point’ to it. I just like time to myself is all. These guys don’t bother me, and I don’t bother them. They only start trouble when they see fit.”

“Ah… I see? What were you listening to by the way?”

Trevor stifled a groan, not really wanting to talk to the guy when he had time to freely plot his scheme.

“Pop punk shit. Ever heard of it?”

“Uh, no? I thought punk wasn’t supposed to be popular. Or fit in. Or whatever.”

“That’s merely the ideology, which I do follow, dear Michael. I just like the sound I guess. You know Paramore?”

“Not really. I don’t listen to that stuff much.”

“Then what the fuck do you listen to?”

“Not sure if it has a genre per say, but I like that song Radioactive goin’ around? Songs that sound like that I guess.”

“You like Imagine Dragons?”

“That’s what they’re called?”

Trevor could only stare at him. Was this guy living under a rock?

“Uh.. yeah. Y’know what- never mind, what else do you listen to?”

“80s music?”

No wonder this guy was unaware of who’s popular now.

“Amanda’s been trying to get me into groups like the 1975. I actually kinda like them.”

Trevor rolled his eyes.

“Of course she did.”

“They’re not that bad to be honest. She likes that weird alternative shit.”

“Yeah, I know. By the way, there is a name for that genre. Indie rock. Can’t stand the stuff.”

“How come?”

“You know, you ask a lotta fuckin’ questions.”

“I’m just tryna understand this shit here. I ain’t in the loop of all these trends.”

“Well, for your information I just find the style to be too slow and whiny for my taste. I like fast, upbeat, wild stuff.”

“Any recommendations then? I wanna impress Amanda by at least knowing one artist off that nosedivr thing she goes on.”

He raised a brow, not really wanting to share anything else knowing he would just repeat it back to her, but he shrugged and continued.

“Alright. Besides pop punk, I like experimental songs. Underground groups. Crystal Castles are my favorite.”

“Never heard of ‘em.”

“Wouldn’t expect you to.”

“Right.”

“If you want more indie rock shit though, I suggest listening to I don’t know, the Arctic Monkeys? That seems more like her taste.”

“These bands have such weird names.”

“I think bands have always been like that.”

“Hey wait a sec, I thought you didn’t like that stuff? How do you know the name of one of those groups?”

“Ugh… I guess I might as well say it if you’re gonna get with her, but we were friends at some point. She introduced me to those bands, but even then I didn’t really like it. We had a stupid falling out I’d rather not get into.”

“Oh.. sorry.”

“Eh, don’t be. Shit happens. You definitely seem like her type though, no wonder she got with you.”

“What’s her type?”

“Heh. As if I’d tell you.” He scoffed.

“C’mon man, please?”

“Nope.”

Michael frowned, slumping in his seat.

“Fine. Whatever. Not like I need to know.”

“You could at least pretend you don’t care.”

“I don’t.”

“You clearly do, bro.”

He sat arms crossed, turning a smidge away from Trevor. This was his opportunity to listen to his tunes again, but before he could Michael spoke up.

“Can I… can I listen to whatever you’re listening to?”

“Huh?”

“I wanna hear what you’re into.”

Trevor shot him a puzzled look.

“Uh.. okay.”

Wiping off an earbud, he handed one to Michael. He already had one in.

“Pick your poison cowboy.”

“Cowboy?”

“Just a nickname I give people.” He shrugged.

Michael settled on his experimental music, actually nodding along to the sound. They were closer than a minute ago, and it made Trevor uncomfortable for whatever reason. Maybe because he was never in such close proximity to strangers, but the other part of him didn’t care that much. Michael’s eyes were closed, smiling.

“You like it?”

“Yeah! Reminds me of synth stuff from the 80s, just more modern I guess.”

He smiled back at Michael, appreciating the fact there was someone else who liked the music he liked. The two listened to a couple different playlists he had, up until the moment Wade arrived at the park.

“Trevor! Hey!”

“Woah. Who’s your friend?”

“Hm?” He pulled out the single earbud, turning his head around. Wade had clown makeup on, making Trevor jump in his seat.

“Fucks sake. Hey Wade.”

“Ooh who’s this?”

He wasn’t sure if Wade freaked him out or not, seeing as the guy not only had matted locs, but many facial piercings as well. And the clown shit. He stood up to introduce them to one another.

“Wade, this is Michael. Michael, Wade.”

The way Michael looked at him was like a kid seeing a zoo animal for the first time. He looked bewildered, but not disgusted.

“Hi. What’s with the..?” He wavered a hand in Wade’s direction.

“Oh! It’s jus’ clown face. Not tryna scare ya or nothin’!”

“Uh huh… man. How have I never been around these parts? You guys are real different.”

“You got that right, Mike.”

“Seems like I’ve been missin’ out. I hangout with some dudes who would hate this place if I’m being honest.”

“I’ll have to meet ‘em sometime.” Trevor chuckled.

“They’re real cool guys. Didn’t expect our paths to cross, but anything’s possible in this fuckin’ city.”

“Oh yeah. Land of opportunities, for all types of wackjobs.”

“Ain’t that the truth.”

A hand tapped Trevor on the shoulder.

“Uh, excuse me, Trevor, but are we still gonna talk about the Merryweather thingy-”

“Wade! Shut it-”

“What Merryweather thing?”

“Nothing, nothing. Not important.” He said, gritting his teeth, glare strong on Wade.

“Okay..”

“But you said we’d talk about it over icecream!”

“Later, Wade. Not right now.”

“Fiiine. Can we still get icecream though?”

“Sure. Promise. I’ll let you know.”

“Okay! Bye Trevor, bye stranger!”

Michael lifted a hand to haphazardly to wave goodbye.

“What was that about?”

“I told ya man, nothin’. Just going over some plans we’re making.”

“Is it about that special event being held there?”

“How you know about that?”

“Mandy told me.”

“Mandy… yeah. Figures as much.”

“She got an invite, and wants me to go as her plus one. I don’t know if I really wanna go though, I’m still pretty unfamiliar with all this.”

“Trust me, you don’t.”

“Seriously, what is your beef with those guys?”

“I told you, they start shit when they want. Taught ‘em a lesson and that was it. Nearly got me banned from this place, but it was kinda worth the looks on their faces.”

“You are.. quite peculiar y’know. Anyway, you mind showing more of that music? I was honestly gettin’ a kick outta it.”

“Uh, yeah.”

He sat back down next to Michael, handing him the same earbud as before. He clicked on one of his favorite Crystal Castles songs, Vanished. As they were listening, Michael furrowed his eyebrows.

“Hey wait a minute.. I think I’ve heard this before.”

“You have? I thought you didn’t know them.”

“No, I mean yeah I haven’t, but that’s not it. The lyrics. Vocals. I’ve heard them in a different song.”

“Oh.”

“Lemme think, lemme think, ah… I got it! Pass me your phone real quick.”

His fingers typed in the song title fast, pressing play right away. It was an indie rock song, much to Trevor’s dismay. But something stopped him from complaining, seeing how Michael’s face lit up.

“Yeah! This is it, Sex City by Van She. Y’know, I honestly think that’s neat.”

“What is?”

“The fact that a song you like, samples a song I like! Who would’ve guessed?” He said, eyes sparkling. Trevor didn’t notice how bright they were until now. The eye contact, along with the lack of space between them, made him feel stuffy again. He averted his eyes back to his phone, trying to loosen up a bit. As the song played, he savored in the sound, shocking himself a bit. The rock sound was there, but had an 80s sort of feel to it. The song finished before he knew it.

“So.. What’d ya think?”

“You know my thoughts on indie shit. Wasn’t for me, sorry.”

“Oh c’mon, you know you liked it.”

“Nope. Prefer Vanished.”

“Yeah, okay. Keep telling yourself that, but I honestly think they’re both really good. You think that too, I can feel it.”

“Whatever you say bro.”

He switched the song over to that Grimes song he listened to yesterday, the two of them sitting silently. It was a pleasant afternoon they shared. Suddenly Michael’s phone went off, and he yanked the earbud out.

“Ah shit. I gotta take this. Mandy.”

“Gotcha.”

Trevor grabbed the other earbud, putting it back in. He saw Michael wave his free hand around, looking close to hurling his phone right into the lake. Trevor assumed he must’ve been shouting as well, from the way other people were looking at him. Hanging up not much later, he returned to the bench, as Trevor put his earbuds away.

“Fuckin’ Christ.”

“So.. how’d it go?”

“She’s finally not mad at me anymore, but demanded I go take her shopping now. I swear, she’s gonna clear out my bank account or something.”

“How? You guys aren’t even dating.”

“I know, but I just can’t say no to her.”

“Uh huh.”

“Look, I’m sorry to leave so suddenly, but I really gotta go before she goes back to being pissed at me. See ya around?”

“I’ll be here man.”

Michael stood up, storming away. Seemed like he had a short temper, huh? He wondered to himself how long he was gonna stick around, seeing how Amanda’s dating history was… an extensive list. He thought back to last night, when he had seen that post of them, remembering the fact that no guy stayed for longer than a week. It almost made him bummed, seeing as he only had Ron and Wade for friends. Lester too, but that was on rare occasion. Shit. The plans. What time was it?

“Ah, fuck me.” He muttered. How did he let the day go by so quick?

He shot a text to Wade, telling him to grab Ron and meet at some icecream place. He did promise Wade after all.

Ron ended up meeting them there a little bit later, apologizing profusely before Trevor told him to just sit down and shut up. He did just that, almost apologizing once more.

“Now, let’s get down to business. Who do we know that would help us sneak into that club to cause sheer utter mayhem?”

Ron raised his hand excitedly.

“I could get Floyd maybe-”

“Definite fuckin’ no. He would have a heart attack the minute he set foot in there.”

This was getting nowhere. He tossed his head back to look up at the sky. As he did, he saw a couple walking out of the icecream place.

“Oh fucking hell.”

Was this guy following him or something? He snapped his head forward, trying to be a little more hidden.

“What? Trevor what is it?”

“Shh! Keep your fucking voice down Ron!”

He made all three of them lower their heads as the couple walked away, peeking over his shoulder to make sure they were gone. As he did, he could’ve sworn he saw Michael looking back at him. The both of them turned away as quick as possible from the split second of eye contact.

“Trevor?” Ron repeated.

“It was nothing. Just thought I saw someone.”

“Ain’t that the Michael fella I met today?”

“Nope. Don’t think it is.”

“Are ya sure-”

“Pretty fucking positive. Now, back on topic.”

The next hour or so still went nowhere. Wade had gone through two servings of icecream, and Ron started to get restless. Trevor was just bored.

“Ughhh there has to be something we can do!”

“I don’t know what to tell you Trevor. We’ll find someone, soon. There’s enough time isn’t there?”

“Yeah, but I’m not waitin’ til the last possible fuckin’ second to get a guy to help us out here.”

“But we still have time.”

“If you fuckin’ say so Ron.”

The three of them called it a night, as Trevor tossed around the idea of possibly getting Michael involved in his head. On one hand he wanted to out of spite just to make Amanda and the other hipsters mad, and on the other he didn’t want to screw up whatever new friendship he had started with Michael. Ron did say they had time to find someone soon. They weren’t exactly in a rush, but he still wanted to make sure their plan was concrete. They all went back to Wade’s, Trevor deciding to take a walk along the beach. He threw on the same playlist from earlier, watching the sunset. As he walked, he didn’t pay much mind to where he was going, bumping into someone.

“Ah fuck, watch where you’re going-”

“Shit, sorry man-”

As they spun around from the collision, he realized exactly who he had run into.

“Trevor?”

What the fuck?

“What the fuck? Are you following me or something?”

“Huh?”

“This is the third time I’ve seen you today. What are you even doing here?”

“Uh, it’s a public fuckin’ beach man.” He said, mocking the comment Trevor had made earlier.

“Don’t get smart with me.”

“Hey, I’m just tellin’ you how it is. I didn’t purposely search for you, hell I didn’t even know you lived this way.”

“I do. So make like a tree and fuck off.” He said bitterly.

“Woah, chill the fuck out. What’s your deal? I thought we were cool man.”

“I don’t like being followed.”

“I just told you I wasn’t!”

“It doesn’t exactly seem like it. You just so happen to look for me this morning, and just happen to go to the same icecream place I went, and then I find you here? I mean Jesus-”

“I’m telling you, it’s all purely coincidence.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Fuckin’ hell man..” He mumbled.

“Y’know, you’re as fuckin’ stubborn as Amanda is. I already told you-”

Trevor balled his fists, before jabbing a finger into Michael’s chest.

“Don’t fucking compare me to her.”

Michael threw his hands up defensively, not realizing he touched a nerve.

“Woah woah, easy dude. I didn’t think it was that bad between you guys.”

He exhaled loudly, unclenching his hands.

“It wasn’t. Isn’t. Just.. don’t compare me to her.”

Michael pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling hard himself.

“Look, I think you’re cool and all but you can’t flip out on me like that. I mean we are just getting to know each other y’know. I can’t have you wanting to bite my head off like that if I just so happen to keep running into you. I really am just trying to navigate the area better, so forgive me if I came off as some sorta fuckin’ stalker. Amanda went home and I had nothing better to do so I chose to walk over this way.”

“Hmph. Fine. Whatever.”

“So we good?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Now, since we’re already here why don’t we just hangout or something?”

Trevor folded his arms, trying to look like he didn’t want to spend another minute with him. It didn’t really work though, because he actually did want to talk to him more.

“If you insist.”

“Alrighty.”

The two of them started to head in the direction of the boardwalk, neither one speaking yet. After finding a bench to sit on as the sun sunk below the horizon, the silence was still there. This sort of thing was bizarre for both of them in different ways. Michael never really frequented these parts of LS, and Trevor never really hit it off with any kind of stranger. Ron and Wade were exceptions if anything, and he had known Lester for a while now. Yet there was something about this guy that didn’t make him feel like he was spending time with a stranger, even though he knew jack shit about him. He might as well try to make small talk.

“So I-”

“So uhh-”

They spoke over each other while trying to start up a conversation, making things feel a little more awkward.

“Shit sorry, you go first.”

“Nah nah you go.”

“Um. Okay. So.. tell me about yourself? We haven’t really talked about much besides music.”

“Yeah.. right. What do ya wanna know?”

“I just asked you to tell me about yourself, so it’s your job to decide what to say.”

Michael gave him a sardonic smile in response to that, partly because he wasn’t sure what to bring up about himself. It seemed like they were gonna be here a while if they wanted to say the most basic shit you say when getting to know someone.

“Well, I ain’t that interesting if you really need to know. I’m guessing you already know about my whole ‘affinity for the 80s’ thing, like the culture n shit that came from it. Real sick stuff.”

“If you say so.”

“Yeah. Anyway, if you really want to know plain shit about me though, I will tell ya that my favorite color’s blue.”

Trevor snickered at that.

“Pfft, seriously? We’re talking favorite colors now?”

“Hey man, you said you wanted to know more about me.”

“Uh yeah, but that’s so fuckin’ silly.”

“Maybe it is, but what about you? You got one?”

“Favorite color? You kiddin’?”

“I’m waiting..”

“Uh huh… I’ll give. Always liked the color red I guess. Like, in variety. Not picky about something as childish as that.”

“What’s childish about that?”

“Cuz only kids exchange that whole ‘oh what’s your favorite color?’ thing. It’s like if I were to ask you what your favorite dinosaur is.”

“Hmm.. I’d probably say a T-Rex.”

“Oh now you’re just pulling my dick. And no, I’m not telling you what mine is just because you did.”

“Hey, I didn’t ask you though. That was all you.”

“Mm… shut it.”

“You got one though?”

“I’m not telling you!”

“Ah ah, I didn’t ask which one, I asked if you had one.”

“Well I don’t, so knock it off.”

“That’s fair. I won’t push.”

They grew silent for the second time that night, before Trevor mumbled something under his breath.

“It’s a pterodactyl..”

“What was that?”

He forced a breath through his nose, acting annoyed.

“It’s a fuckin’ pterodactyl. That’s mine. Okay?”

“Hah, okay. Any reason why?”

“You’re so nosy.”

“You’re the one who started this conversation about getting to know each other man.”

“Ugh, I know that.” He said, lightly shoving his shoulder.

“I think it’s cool that they could fly and shit. I like flying.”

“You like flying?”

“Loved it.”

“Wait, you tellin’ me you fly? Like, planes and shit?”

Trevor winced at the words, regretting what he just said.

“I did.. at some point. Air Force shit. They said I was one of the best they’d seen in a while but I.. left. Sort of.”

“Then why’d you leave?”

“I didn’t exactly leave on my own accord. More or less got kicked out.”

“How come-”

“I don’t like talking about it. I know we’re opening up or whatever the fuck but that.. that’s still too soon for me to want to bring up. Especially to someone I barely know.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He said, even though it really wasn’t. It’s not like Michael knew though, he really wasn’t trying to prod in a bad way.

It was almost pitch black by the time their conversation got to that point, only distant streetlight and the nearby pier lighting up their surroundings. The whole mood had shifted, and both of them decided to just break it off there.

“Hey uh, I’ll probably see you tomorrow man. If I’m with Amanda I think I’ll just send a wave or something your way.”

“Got it. See ya.”

“Bye.”

Trevor stayed put, watching Michael leave as he turned down a random one way street. This guy was tripping him out and he couldn’t pin point why. It was getting late though, and walked off himself back to Wade’s. He’ll save that vexed question for another night.

//ahhhhhh i rlly did not know what i wanted to do with this….,,., sorry if this wasn’t as good as the first two !! i alrdy know i repeated a bunch of stuff in there and i feel like it got kinda sloppy so again, soz (including typos or whtevr)

but uhhhh anyway yeah i cut it off here bc i wanted to continue some of this shit in the next chapter ig lol,, more stuff to come soon god willing

[tom-riddle-haunts-me]

Finally, the Reader has a little more space ✨

Hope you enjoy,

Abigail 🐍

Warnings: swearing.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

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

Not As Planned

Tom Riddle x Reader

The infamous Dark Lord begins to orchestrate his oh so dreaded return, but while trying to achieve a new, critical pawn's loyalty to him and his cause, things go not as planned.

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

4 - Absence

Getting her next day's lessons ready did no use to Y/n. The extra classes provided by her Family during the summer break still vividly played in her mind, and they had covered most of the year's schedule, reason why she had found herself sighing, interest killed by the reading on the potion they were to brew the day after.

Y/n had kept on reading though, just to make sure the words her grandfather had so gently engraved in her head a few months prior were still bleeding in her skull.

Well, they were.

But that was okay, it was perfect, actually.

An Addams could not afford the liberty to start a school year unprepared.

They had to be the best.

She had to be the best.

You had to be the best.

Not only that, you had to be the best of the best.

Hence why in the current time you were answering questions like there was no tomorrow. You'd always end up being almost the only one to participate in the lesson, professors had nothing against it (I mean, maybe Professor McGonagall did, but you still managed to get most of her questions) and your classmates gladly let you take control of the situation.

Well, almost everyone, actually.

There still was him.

Lazarus thatfuckingbitch Malfoy.

He just had to be an asshole and find every single possible way to get on your nerves, sometimes it felt like he simply enjoyed giving you a hard time. Did he want to die that badly? Weren't the Malfoys just cowards naturally inclined to submit to the strongest bidder?

<Yes, Mr Malfoy?>

To hell with him.

<The Venomous Tentacula is a deadly, sentient magical plant. It presents itself as green or brown in color, with spikes, teeth and mobile vines ready to grab any living prey they get the chance to.>

You would have liked to say you had no idea why he was looking at you like that while giving the right answer to Professor Sprout, head of the Hufflepuff House and your Herbology teacher, but you actually knew too well that kind of staring.

He was challenging you.

He was looking for a weak spot, a grain of uncertainty, maybe even fear for a possible defeat.

He had no idea who he was trying to mess with.

You smiled, as if encouraging his little, pathetic show, and apparently he gladly reciprocated the gesture with as much fake kindness as yours.

<The Venomous Tentacula diet consists essentially in Chizpurfles, Doxies and humans. Its juices are pois->

<FUCK FUCK FUCK>

Professor Sprout had granted the students the permission to swear only during that particular class. She had looked kind of excited while explaining them the plant they were to study that day was a very dangerous one, and honestly, after having the said study's subject in front of you, you had understood why. The greenhouse back at your home was actually guarded by Venomous Tentaculas, hence why you were particularly fond of those "little" monsters.

But now all you could hear were screams from Hufflepuffs and muffled snickering coming from your fellow Slytherins, all you could see a very panicked teacher trying to keep her cool and an unidentified student (probably a Slytherin) being tossed around by a green, spiky, excited vine.

High pitched voices kept bouncing loudly in your skull, picking at your brain like little annoying bites, the chaos was driving you out of your mind.

You had always preferred silence.

<Diffindo>

In a matter of seconds, everything was quiet once again. As if someone had casted a Full Body-Bind Curse on the entire class, the students were now frozen in their steps, some still gaping, others with their eyes shut so tight they threatened to pop into their skull.

Even the teacher was standing still, shock draining the color out of her gentle face.

Malfoy, though, stood there, unmoved, as motionless as a statue, but finally with something you were dying to see hide behind his placid eyes.

Defeat.

<Oh, oh Merlin! G great job Miss Addams, brilliant thinking! Ten, no, twenty points to Slytherin!>

At this point in time, while the trembling Slytherin boy was being accompanied to the Hospital Wing by Professor Sprout, a receded vine lied lifeless in front of the tall, young man you just morally slapped right across his stupid face.

You won.

And everyone knew.

________________________________

<Did you see his face? I would pay to watch that scene once again!>

<Yeah, hahahaha, stupid Malfoy! He has no idea what he got himself into! Right Y/n?>

<You're so talented, bloody hell! I couldn't cast a spell that fast for my own life!>

<Yeah Y/n, you're just too good!>

<One galleon you could defeat Dumbledore himself!>

There they were.

<Out.>

Your silky voice rang in the almost empty Slytherin Common Room, making the little group that had gathered around you vanish like smoke in air.

Flies.

Maybe that was the reason why the Malfoy brat intrigued you to that extent.

He was a challenge, not an easy bet.

The dark-haired Slytherin had stormed out the Greenhouse like a hurricane a couple of hours ago and you hadn't heard from him since then. Next class was canceled due to the teacher's "personal reasons", so the Slytherin and Ravenclaw students were left to themselves with a lot of free time. The clever ones retreated to the Library, to catch up whit the massive amount of work the professors had kindly drowned you all with, the stupid ones were out, bathing in the little sun October was blessing Hogwarts' grounds with. So, moral of the story, you were bored to death. Having reviewed today's lessons yesterday and Malfoy nowhere to be seen, you were left with nothing to do but read. Again. The same books you had already finished at home.

Ugh.

You shut the book close and sighed. It wouldn't work.

As soon as you stood up, you heard other students coming down from their dormitories, so you quickly turned to the Common Room's exit and made your way into the school's busy corridors. You had always been the silent type, the solitary one, and from a certain point of view, you had to. From a young age, your family had taught you to mistrust every person you were to get to know in your life, but honestly speaking it didn't bother you keeping a distance from others. Once alone, you could let your mind wander and go to a different place, far away from Hogwarts, from what you called home. You'd always wondered if a place like that was real, if somewhere in the world you would ever have the chance to allow yourself to relax a little bit, let your guard down and maybe laugh genuinely to the twins stupid pranks.

<Thinking about us, were you, gorgeous?>

Speaking of the devil.

<I'm always thinking about you, guys. What do you have for me today?>

As always, they each grabbed you by one of your arms and gently dragged you in a quiet place, unnoticed by curious eyes.

<Rumors say the first task has something to do with dragons>

Fred started, as excited as always.

<They'll probably end up protecting something that the participants will have to retrieve. Wicked, right?>

George finished, with a big grin on his face.

There was something special about them, you just couldn't let the thought of the two happy behavior out of your mind. You could say that interacting with them was your secret, little guilty pleasure, but no one had to know, right?

Their laughs and silliness were just contagious.

<Thank you guys, as always>

<Anything for you, Smalls!>

As the twins answered in unison, you shook your head smiling. A tiny, minuscule but luckily restrained part of yourself wanted to keep the money, just a little more, just to talk to them for a bit, but your Addams self immediately handed the brothers their two galleons with the simplest and most polite smile you had. Next thing you know they're hugging you before sprinting away full speed, as if scared you'd curse them, but giggling cheerfully, as their usual, jolly selves.

What a strange duo.

Your favorite one, though.

Carried by your feet, you headed to the Black Lake without a second thought. Knowing the path by heart meant you had to pay no attention to wherever you were going, therefore you could focus on the newly acquired information. Dragons, mh? Interesting.

Who in the Wizarding World had the magnificent idea of letting seventeen years old students deal with freaking dragons?

Guess your father was right about the Ministry being just an overrated, overly-powerful and overly-paid coven of incompetent clowns.

"What a huge waste of time"

The voice in your head sounded uninterested and almost soulless in your ears, a most accurate reflection of what was repeatedly going on in that beautiful mind of yours. Words echoed undefined in your brain, racing around like brooms gone mad. Nonetheless, they melted in a clear whisper, almost comforting your craved loneliness.

E/c eyes quickly glanced around, immediately spotting the still missing presence of the pale brat, now outstandingly deafening in an eerie, heavy way. Not once you had graced someone witch such attention, and even if in that case it was justified and most certainly not a good thing, it unnerved your usually calm self finding your mind wondering where the heck he was or what the bloody hell he was doing.

Was it something you could do better? Was it a place you knew better?

Whatever was going on between you two, though, did have a name.

It was a game.

The prize? Power.

<Come on, tell her!>

<No, you tell her!>

<It was your idea, not mine!>

First years. Sometimes you forgot you were a prefect, and moments like that made sure to rimind you of your duties. Your thoughts faded into an impending headache and you could do nothing but discreetly massage your temple with one hand, while patiently waiting for the three kids to take some courage and grow the guts to call you.

After ten more, long minutes of arguing, finally the little blonde girl in the middle stepped forward and grabbed you by your robe.

<M miss Addams!>

You gently swirled around, letting your uniform slide in a delicate way out of the little creature's hand.

<Yes, my dear?>

<I, uh->

<Peeves stole our books!>

<Yes, he did! We have Potions next, Snape will eat us alive!>

<Please help us!>

You could almost laugh at the expression the little slytherin girl had on her cute bronze face. Her amber eyes were trying to strangle the two boys with way too explicit effort, and her perfectly tamed hair bounced on her warm cheeks whenever she shook her head from side to side, disappointed in her friends' childish behavior.

Ah, younglings.

<Did you see where he went?>

<Yes miss, that way>

Your eyes followed her thin hand, which was now pointing to the stairs.

<Very well, wait here, I'll be back in a minute>

Not wasting any more time, you turned on your heels and reached the first floor in less than it should have taken. When Peeves locked eyes with you, his ever present grin contorted into pure horror, and in a moment of overwhelming panic he sprinted forward, even faster than usual. You had to follow the poltergeist to the second floor, chasing him through the corridors like a wolf after his bleeding prey.

He knew far too well that if you were to raise your voice, he would've been doomed.

<PEEVES.>

Well, shit.

<Miss Addams! Oh dear me, wh- >

<The books, Peeves.>

<Books? Peeves doesn't know wh- >

Oh, how you despised his stupid voice.

You straightened yourself and placed your hands behind your back. Taking a frighteningly stern aura, you rose your chin high, as if silently judging the being in front of you and already sentencing your prey's imminent end.

<As much as I would love to take my time and teach you your place, Peeves, I'm afraid there's not enough time for the lesson I have in mind. Now, I suggest you return the stolen books in this exact moment before I lose my cool again.>

Memories from the girl's first year flashed before the ghost's disembodied eyes and fear took over him, leading his jester self to drop the books to the ground and fly away as fast as his lifeless body could.

The three text books moved from the cold stone floor and neatly stacked themselves under your eyes' will, just to float up middle air and reach your arms, where they gently let their weight go and settled down.

While turning around, your brain managed to register someone's silhouette slide into the girl's bathroom and given your position, you were morally obligated to check, after all classes were just about to start.

And you would've fulfilled your role, if it weren't for the figure now standing in front of you, a black cloak blocking your vision.

<Addams.>

<Professor Snape.>

If it was possible, the corridors fell even more silent, and the man a few feet away from you, right beside the bathroom entrance, brought back to your mind the main reason you were spacing out in the middle of the hall. You locked eyes with the teacher for a never ending minute, a wordless exchange that ended up in the two of you parting your ways in complete silence.

___________________________________

After returning the books to the now little bundles of joy, you got back to your journey towards the Black Lake, brain still stuck in the second floor's corridor, on the semblance of a person entering the girls bathrooms.

First of all, Professor Snape had seemed to not notice anyone in there. He was standing right in front of the door but not once he looked that way, so whoever entered didn't want to be seen.

Addams shouldn't put their nose into others businesses.

But that definitely smelled like something suspicious.

Very suspicious.

Especially because the glimpse of a shadow you had taken was the one of a guy.

You had finally reached the lake without even realizing it. Sitting under what you had adopted as your own tree, you mindlessly took you Charms text book out of your robes. Your eyes, though, were full of the scene that kept on tormenting your restless mind and millions of questions started blossoming in your head. You began to make assumptions and plans to solve the question as soon as possible, to let your brain go of the itching sensation the odd coincidence had layed on it. Your eyes lost focus, and as the world around you melted into blurred colors, you fell in your little world, only to be suddenly brought back by a familiar, wheezy voice, almost an inaudible hiss.

<My dear...>

Your hand automatically shut the book it was holding closed, your mind now empty and focused only on the voice's source.

<Lord Voldemort, I was waiting for you>

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

@simp027

@reneuv

[letterboxd]

Siren Song.

Undine writer-director Christian Petzold talks to Reyzando Nawara about modern-day mermaids, Tinder culture and finding the magic in life.

“Love stories always change. A kiss in Berlin 1933, for example, is not gonna be the same kiss in Berlin today, right?” —Christian Petzold

“If you leave me, then I’ll have to kill you.” Undine’s threat to her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend Johannes, after he has told her that he has met someone else, seems at first like an over-the-top reaction to the breakup. But it is a curse that Undine must fulfill, for she will become human only when she falls in love with a man who is doomed to die if he is unfaithful to her.

From Splash to Ponyo to The Lure to Song of the Sea, mythical water spirits, usually female, sometimes horse, have powered many film plots. The sixteenth-century European myth of Undine, in particular, lies behind many screen adaptations of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, though the Danish writer was not the first to popularize the fairytale in his century. Decades earlier, around 1811, Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué of Germany had produced his romantic novella, Undine.

And it is to Germany—specifically modern-day Berlin—that writer-director (and fellow German) Christian Petzold transports Undine in his contemporary magical-realist take on the myth. There, she does not take the form of a mermaid or siren, but a beautiful young woman (played by Paula Beer), who works as a historian at a museum, where she guides tours of Berlin’s architecture and its reconstruction. The breathtaking cinematography, by regular Petzold collaborator Hans Fromm, crystallizes both the romance and the beauty of Berlin, while Petzold’s leads root every scene in reality, even as aquariums explode and giant catfish drift past.

Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski fire up the streets of Berlin in ‘Undine’.

Water may be the dominant element in Undine, but Beer and her co-star Franz Rogowski bring fire to their scenes together. Where Beer brings charisma and intensity to the titular role, Rogowski, as Undine’s new love interest, an industrial diver named Christoph, offers charm and sweetness.

In the frenzy of Parasite’s world domination, it is easy to forget that Petzold’s previous feature, Transit, appeared in two of our 2019 Year in Review lists—the 50 highest-rated films and the highest-rated international films—and was one of the top romance films of the 2010s. His riveting Phoenix is still his highest-rated film on the platform—one of many to center a complex female character in search of love at a time of personal and/or political crisis. In Undine, Petzold does it again, a welcome departure from other adaptations, including the Colin Farrell-starring Irish romantic drama Ondine (2009), that have mostly told the myth from the perspective of its male characters. Petzold also revises the fairytale, by giving Undine a chance to try to emancipate herself from her curse.

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Petzold about his fascination with water, the magic of Berlin history, modern dating and of course, his ongoing collaboration with Beer and Rogowski.

Spoiler warning: this conversation contains plot details regarding the ending of Petzold’s film ‘Transit’ (2018).

Your movie is inspired by the myth of Undine, but you reinvent it by giving it some modern twists. How did the main narrative for the film come about? Christian Petzold: I think the idea of the story first came to me around twenty years ago when I had a project in Germany. It was together with Claire Denis and also Kathryn Bigelow, and everybody had to make a ten-minute short film for a project based on the museum near the Rhine River. I had written a little dialogue—oh, by the way, Steve McQueen was also part of the project—and it was the scene that we can see in the movie in the first few minutes where Undine’s boyfriend, Johannes, said that he doesn’t love her anymore and that he wants to leave her and she said to him, “If you leave me, then I’ll have to kill you.” Then she goes back to work, and later when she comes back to try to find him again, he isn’t there—so she knows that she has to kill him now.

Then when I made Transit with Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski, I told them after a very lucky and happy time of shooting, that I had written a short story and wanted to make a 90-minute feature movie out of it together with them. I wanted to keep working and making movies with them because we’ve had an amazing experience together in Transit. This was basically the start of how the movie and my collaboration with these two actors came about.

Paula and Franz are actors who didn’t come from the basic German acting school; their backgrounds are dance and theater. But they both have so much curiosity about cinema—when I met Paula for the first time, for example, she told me that she had bought 50 movies by Alfred Hitchcock and wanted to see all of them, and to me, this is the best kind of school to learn about cinema.

So to some extent, Undine is a spiritual sequel to Transit? Yes, you’re right. It has so many things to do with Transit. Marie, Paula’s character in Transit, finds her own death in the sea—she’s drowned. And Franz’s character, he’s waiting at the land, hoping that she may come back from the land of the dead. So I said to them, “Okay, the next movie is gonna be about a woman coming out of the sea and going to the land to search for love and also about this young man who is a diver, who is going underwater, to find love as well.” So to some degree, it’s a sequel, you’re right.

Beer and Ragowski in ‘Transit’ (2018).

You mentioned earlier that you had a great experience working with Paula and Franz in Transit. Can you tell us what it was about these two actors that you thought would capture the story you wanted to tell in Undine? Paula is a very young actor—she was 23 when we started Transit, and she was around 24 when we made Undine—but when you’re filming her, she has this ability to make her characters much more mature beyond her real age. In one second, she’s 45 years old, with a whole experience of someone who’s had a hard life and has gone through so many bad things, then one second later, she’s thirteen and innocent. And to have that kind of ability—to go from one point to another—is just really fascinating to me. I’ve never seen other actors do this before in my life.

Franz was a dancer, and if I remember correctly, I think he was also in a clown school for a circus, so he can do everything with his body. It’s unbelievable what he can do. He has this amazing physicality that I admire and haven’t seen before in other German actors. When they’re together sharing a scene, they dance with each other. And this is the thing that I like so much about them and the thing I need in Undine, because I need actors who can float from one scene to another as if they’re dancing underwater.

In literature and pop culture, the myth of Undine has been mostly told from the male perspective. You reframe the narrative, to give Undine the opportunity to maybe emancipate herself from both the male figure in her life and the curse. Tell me more about that choice. Two or three years ago, I had a retrospective in New York, and I had the chance to see some of my previous movies again—[laughing] I’ve actually never done it before, revisiting my own movies. And at that time, I realized that I’ve always tried to rewrite the stories centering on women, which were made by men in the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, from another perspective: the perspective of the women.

When I was in Venice for the first time, Claude Chabrol [was] in the same hotel as me, and he had a Q&A. I wanted to say hi and tell him how great he was but I couldn’t do it because I was very young and too shy for those things. I heard what he said when asked why in his movies, the women are always the main characters. His answer was, “Men are living, women are surviving. And cinema is about surviving.” It was such a fantastic answer.

All the movies I [have] made, including Undine, are about surviving. Undine wanted to survive her curse—she tries to, every time, since centuries ago. In so many iterations of the myth, Undine always has to go back into the lake and to the life the curse has set for her. I really wanted to zoom in on that, to liberate the character of Undine from the myth and the curse.

In the movie, Undine works as an historian at a museum, and in her tours, she talks about Berlin’s architecture and its reconstruction throughout the years. How is this related to the romantic aspect of the movie? Everybody says you can take a love story and put it in the sixteenth century or the nineteenth century, and it’s always gonna be the same kind of love story. But I think that’s not entirely right. Love stories always change. A kiss in Berlin 1933, for example, is not gonna be the same kiss in Berlin today, right? Therefore I want to take the historical aspect of Berlin architecture and its reconstruction to tell the story of two young people in Berlin nowadays, to see the evolution of both this love story and the myth of Undine itself.

What’s the significance of all the buildings Undine mentions in the movie? The buildings serve a very important role in the movie because Berlin is between two rivers on an island, and the city is built on dried-out swamps, so the element that Undine is coming from, which is the water, is destroyed in Berlin. It doesn’t exist anymore. And therefore Undine doesn’t have any habitats, so she has no choice but to adapt and to live on the land.

In some way, I always think that the modernization in Berlin erases history, and when there’s no history, there’s no magic, which means magical creatures like Undine won’t exist. That was the main idea of the architectural elements in the movie.

Is that also the reason why there are two locations in the movie: Berlin, and the small town where Franz’s character, Christoph, works and lives, which is still full of swamps? To show that in this small town, magic still exists? That’s a good question. The romance and the myth of Undine is a part of German and European history. It’s a unique enchantment. But in Berlin, where modernization and civilization keep growing and changing, there’s no enchantment anymore. So I want to show how in this small town where everything is still kept as closely natural as possible, the enchantment and the charm of Germany are still there.

There’s a beautiful and romantic poem by Joseph Eichendorff that says, “You must find the right world, so everything can sync again.” To me, that line encourages us to find the magic of the world back. We live in this world surrounded by retro buildings and retro behavior and retro music, but it’s all actually just an illusion of magic. The real magic, that’s something that we have to find—either by movies or camera positions or poems or even by preserving the naturality of a city. And the Undine myth actually has a lot to do with this.

Another thing that fascinates me about the movie is how the dynamic between Undine and Johannes, in some way, reflects the state of modern dating. Is this something that you also wanted to capture when you wrote the script? [Laughing] Funny story, when Paula read the script for the first time, she told me that she liked it so much because the story reminded her of Tinder and modern dating. And on some level, it’s true; part of Undine is about modern dating. I always think that in the era of dating apps, everything gets much simpler—you meet someone, you have sex (or perhaps not), and if you feel like this someone is not handsome or beautiful enough for you, you can keep scrolling until you find someone new. So, dating right now is like going to the supermarket.

Johannes leaving Undine to be with another woman, who for him is better-looking than Undine, reflects the culture of Tinder. And the line I mentioned earlier, “If you leave me, then I’ll have to kill you,” is the opposite of that kind of dating life. And Paula, who hates Tinder, loves that line a lot. Some of the actors are on Tinder, I’m sure, and that’s understandable. Actors are sometimes very lonely because for six to eight weeks, they are deep inside of a character, and when they’re on break, they’re in some sort of “black hole of loneliness”.

Writer-director Christian Petzold.

Undine being a water nymph, of course, makes the water element very important in this movie. But water has actually been heavily featured in some of your previous features as well, like in Yella, Barbara and Transit. Can you tell us why you find water fascinating? I’ve seen a documentary by Agnès Varda, and in [it] she said, “The place where one element is touching one another is the place where cinema builds its stories.” That’s why she loved the beach, because on the beach, there’s water and there’s the earth and there’s also wind, and they’re touching each other. So to her, the beach is the perfect place where you can tell a story.

For me, however, the reason I like featuring water or the other elements in most of my movies is because it has something to do with seeing my characters coming from one element then going to the other elements; to see them act and react in a new and sometimes uncomfortable place. Also, when you see pictures or paintings, so many of them are about people looking deep into the sea. I always feel like that kind of painting is actually about a desire. And most of my movies, at [their] core, are about desire. That’s why water is so important to me. Deep under the water, there’s the place of desire.

What’s the first movie that made you want to become a filmmaker? The first movie I loved very much as a kid was The Jungle Book, but the first movie that made me want to become a filmmaker was by Alfred Hitchcock, The 39 Steps. I was fourteen or fifteen years old when I saw the movie for the first time, and I loved it from the first moment. The movie is about a man and a woman who are bound by handcuffs, and they don’t like each other, but because they’re on the run, they have to communicate and come to an understanding. And the love story starts because of that communication, not because of looks, and I love the movie so much for that reason.

If you could program a double feature with Undine, what movie would you pick? Good question. I would say The Night of the Hunter. Also maybe Creature from the Black Lagoon or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or The Son’s Room by Nanni Moretti. These are the movies that I would recommend for a double feature with Undine.

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‘Undine’ is in theaters and available on VOD in the US now.

[randomly-a-fan]

Father and Son-wise Camping Trip Finale

First Part: [Link]

Second Part: [Link]

Out on the storm, Archie was bawling his eyes out, he didn’t know where to go or want to have anything to do with his dad, since he now realize that his dad expected him to be menacing, but instead, he felt like a failure. Archie knew he can’t stay out in the rain, especially a storm, so he ran to Malon’s club house that her dad repaired to make it more safer and solid. Archie remembered a trunk that had old blankets in it, so he took some out and bundle himself with it. He had like almost ten blankets around him because the blankets were worn out and full of holes, so he needed that many in order to keep warm.

Meanwhile, Jason and Pennywise were still out searching for Archie, Pennywise tried sniffing him out, since it’s one of his powers; to smell prey and scents of his loved ones. But the rain is covering the scents so he couldn’t sniff out. Jason saw muddy footprints, so he followed them with Pennywise coming from behind. “You see Jason, that’s why I was too afraid to tell him about the new baby coming, I was afraid that he’ll think I’m replacing him, which I don’t.” Pennywise explained. Jason did heard him, but he needed to follow the tracks carefully. “You think Archie will somehow forgive me... Even though I don’t know what’s there that requires forgiveness?” Pennywise added and asked. Jason only shrugged to Pennywise’s question as he was trying to follow the tracks, but as the rain falls harder, the footprints in the mud disappears.

Meanwhile, while Archie tries to keep warm, he felt something wet beneath him. The club house was being flooded; the club house was located down the ditch so the wind and storm causing the lake to overflow and caused the flood down the ditches. Archie panicked and decided to get out of harms way, but the door got stuck and sticky from the mud and water that he can’t get out, and the windows were strong so it’s hard for a little boy like Archie to break open. He panicked and banged on the door hard as the water rises. “HELP.” Archie shouted from the top of his lungs. 

***

As Jason and Pennywise were about to turn around to walk back to the cabin, Pennywise heard the cry. “Archie!” Pennywise rushed over towards the sound of Archie’s cries, then he saw the flooded house. Pennywise was shocked. “Archie! are you in there?” Pennywise called. “Dad the door is stuck and the water is rising up to my upper-waist!” Archie yelled out. “Stand back son, I’ll get you out!” Pennywise responded. Pennywise uses all of his strength to break the door down, but to no avail. “DAD?” Archie called out. “Hang on son!” Pennywise said in a scared tone. 

Jason came down the ditch and into the water, even though he’s afraid of water, but he had to, or else Archie will end up like he did as a child. Not this time. Because of how strong Jason is, he bust through the door with ease. Pennywise shoved Jason out of the way to grab hold of his son. “I got you son!” Pennywise said as he pulled Archie into his grasp. “Let’s get the hell out of here!” Pennywise said in a mad tone.

On the way back to the cabin, Archie spoke. “Dad, I’m--” “NO... not a word!” Pennywise said in a stern tone. “I’m very disappointed with you; I could have lost you if Jason hadn’t faced his fear in going into the flooded water!” Pennywise added. Archie nodded as he deserved to be snapped at.

***

Back at the cabin, Jason brought Archie and Pennywise in. MJ and Malon were relieved that Archie was safe and sound. But MJ noticed that Pennywise was very angry with his son. “Penny, maybe you and Archie would like to have a private discussion in the bathroom as you dry yourselves off.” MJ suggested. Pennywise nodded in agreement and took his son over to the bathroom.   

In the bathroom, Pennywise was grabbing a towel and dried his son off, then he heard sniffles. “I knew you’re going to catch a cold, after running out in the rain and--” Then he saw Archie was crying. “Oooh... Now son...” Pennywise puts down the towel and wrapped his arms around his crying son. “You want to tell me why you’re so upset that made you run away?” Pennywise asked softly. “You and mommy are going to replace me... with a new baby on the way, you won’t want me anymore...” Archie sniffed. Pennywise chuckled. “Now son, that’s the most silliest thing I’ve ever heard; your mom and I didn’t want to replace you... We love you to bits...” Pennywise explained. “But you said to Jason that you’ve been longing for a child that actually has demon clown powers... since I’m more human...” Archie said. Pennywise looked away with shame before he turned back to face his son again. “That may be true about what I said; but it doesn’t mean I don’t love you, you mean the universe to me, power-less or not, you’ll always be my loving son.” Pennywise said before he wiped the tears off his son’s eyes. “You probably didn’t hear this part, but I mention to Jason that your mom and I thought that you needed someone to play with whenever you’re unable to go over to Malon’s place. We want you to have someone to look up to you as ITs big brother.” Pennywise added. “So... you and mom did all this trouble, just for me?” Archie asked. Pennywise smiled with a grin. “If you want to put it that way. We just want you to be happy son; don’t ever worry about not getting the same amount of love, we’ll love you and your little sibling the same... Promise.” Pennywise assured. Archie cling to his dad for the finale hug. “I love you dad...” Archie said with a sniffle. “I love you too son...” Pennywise replied with tears running up his eyes.

***

After the father and son discussion in the bathroom, Aquarius barged in without even knocking, she rushed over to her son and observed him. “Thank goodness you’re alright, MJ told me that you ran out in the storm and your father had to go out there looking for you... There will be some serious talking young man--” “Now now Star-babe, I’ve already settle this with my son, and he knows better than to do that stunt, *to Archie* right son?” Pennywise said. “Right... Because of the circumstances I have caused, you and I will go to the park and hunt for your prey and have a picnic. Sound good?” Archie replied. Pennywise was shocked. “You want to go on a hunt with me?” Pennywise asked in shock. “Well Father’s Day is the time for you to do whatever you want, so yes dad... I want to spend time with you, even if I have to lure children over to you.” Archie answered. Pennywise hugged his son again before they head to Cassandra’s car.

Pennywise first turned towards Malon to speak to her. “I want you to know that you’re spared from my grasp, since you’re friends with my son, that makes you my friend too... at least until my son gets tired of you, then I’ll have someone to target on...” Pennywise said with a wink before he exits. “Don’t worry Malon, you and I will be forever friends.” Archie said as he gave Malon a pinkie-swore.

*** 

The next day, Pennywise and Archie were at the park. Even though Archie isn’t looking forward into catching his dad’s prey, but his dad made a small exception to let his son play with the kids before he lures them to him.

Afterwards, the two decided to buy an ice cream cone at an ice cream stand. Archie ordered Wild-Blueberry, while Pennywise tries to order Tutti-Frutti. “Sorry sir, that flavor is too soft.” The man said. “The list clearly stated that you have Tutti-Frutti, and if you have Tutti-Frutti, I want Tutti-Frutti, so where’s my Tutti-Fu*kin-Frutti!?” Pennywise ordered with his sharp jaws showing. The man sighed. “...$4.95...” The man said as he gave Pennywise the soft Tutti-Frutti in a bowl. Pennywise turned to his son with a smile. “Best Father’s Day ever son... Thank you.” Pennywise said as he gave his son a rub on his back. “Anything to make you happy dad, Happy Father’s Day.” Archie said as the two of them walk home together.

The End

[valhahazred]

Cryptid Mythos bonus! Everything that appears on this sheet is an entity reported by real people. Why no Mythos this time? Because these encounters are so strange in appearance or behavior that they could slip right into the Sothic multiverse with little to no alteration or alternative explanation. Good luck Investigators!

All Colours Sam In 1973, in the town of Sandown, 7 year old “Fay” and an unnamed friend encountered a very strange individual as they explored the fringes of a golf course. They first became aware of something weird going on when they heard a sound like an ambulance siren in the distance. Following the sound to a footbridge over a creek, the two children were confronted by a three fingered hand wearing a blue glove that beckoned them from beneath the bridge. Awaiting them was a seven foot humanoid figure wearing strange clownish clothing, seemingly reinforced with wooden slats that protruded from his sleeves and pant-legs. The figure had a book in his hands, which he immediately fumbled and dropped in the water. He splashed around cartoonishly before recovering his book, leaping out of the creek and away from the children. He moved to a small metal shed with a high-kneed hopping gait and disappeared inside. The children went to leave, only for the mysterious entity to exit again with a microphone that appeared to be the source of the wailing that drew the children in the first place. It spoke into the microphone in a friendly, non-threatening tone. “Are you still here?” The children were curious and unafraid, so they moved towards him. He held up his book and pointed at the words in order to introduce himself. “Hello and I am all colours, Sam”. They asked if he was human and he said no and when asked if he was a ghost he replied, “well, not really but I am in an odd sort of way.” The children asked what he was then and he simply said, “You know.” During their conversation with the entity they learned that although he went by Sam, he didn’t really have a name, he claimed that there were others like him and that he was afraid of humans and that he was a pacifist, refusing to harm others even if they should attack him. He invited them into his hut, where he shared some wildberries and showed them a magic trick, where he placed a berry into his ear and seemingly teleported it to his mask’s eyehole and then to his mouth with quick jerks of his head. They continued to converse for almost an hour before the children decided to leave. Was he an alien in a make-do disguise? An animated scarecrow? A figment of childish imaginations? Or just a strange homeless man dressed like a clown? Whatever the truth, All Colours Sam, also known as the Sandown Ghost Clown, was never seen again. The Crazy Critter of Bald Mountain This weird looking creature was sighted by three people in the week following a fiery object that passed over the Bald Mountain near Newaukum Lake in Washington. When the local Sheriff began an investigation into the sighting he was visited by heavily armed and uniformed men who claimed to be from the Air Force and forced him to give up the case. Old Saybrook Blockheads Mary Starr was awoken in the early morning on December 16, 1957 by a bright light shining into her bedroom. She looked out the window to witness a 30 foot cigar shaped craft hovering over her yard, less than 10 feet from her house! Inside the apparent spaceship she witnessed a pair of small creatures with fleshy skirts and clear cubic “heads” containing a floating red bulb. They raised their right arms and as a third entity appeared in the portholes the ship brightened before shooting off into the sky. Space Brains of Palos Verdes As John Hodges and Pete Rodriguez were leaving a party at two in the morning they were not expecting to meet anything from out of this world but as the car turned on its headlights illuminated two bizarre entities! The men panicked and drove away, ending the story for Rodriguez as he made it home with no complications. However, in Hodges case he next became aware of himself two and a half hours later in the driveway of his home, sitting in the car as if in a trance. Troubled by the missing time, he eventually went for hypnosis in an attempt to recover his memories of the night. While under regression he claimed that while he got his friend home safely, when he returned to his own residence the disembodied brains were waiting for him! He asked them what they wanted and suddenly he was elsewhere, in a dark room with entities that looked like the classic Greys but very tall and with webbed six fingered hands and yellow eyes. They explained that the brains were “merely translators” used in order for these beings to interface telepathically with humans. He claimed they warned him that Earth had “too much power” and showed him a map of the planet covered in lights that indicated places where humans might destroy themselves. They showed him images of dead planets and made several inaccurate prophecies before he suddenly found himself back in his car. Unlike many other abductees with similar experiences Hodges did not try to make excuses for their bunk predictions or feel like it made him important in any way. He simply assumed the aliens were untrustworthy and were playing with him. The Casa Blanca Entities This is one of the strangest and most confusing accounts of a Close Encounter of the Fifth kind, as eight children ranging from the ages of four to fifteen were terrorized by a parade of extraterrestrial monsters one summer day in 1955. It started with an array of UFOs, sun-like, disk-shaped and semi-transparent, appearing and disappearing with musical pings. Then came the entities. First was a ghostly being bearing a shiny belt buckle that was so brilliant it could blind someone looking straight at it. It was followed by disembodied arms in riveted armor that seemed to beckon to the children, small strange men that used dual ray guns to paralyze and finally a many limbed creature. All through this strange arrival something spoke to the children telepathically, offering to take them away. The kids they spoke to often seemed to be entranced, moving to the dancing UFOs mindlessly and required physical force or even being hosed down to snap them out. One child even fell off a roof in an attempt to reach a UFO, only to be protected by a red force field. The weirdest part of all is that not only did adults not see anything, they couldn’t. Despite being present for the event a mother of one of the children was unaware of the paranormal happenings. Does this mean it was all in the children’s heads, as they were overtaken by some kind of playground hysteria? Or is there some alien force that not only wants our children but can make themselves invisible to undesirable observers. The Garson Invaders In 1954 three of these insectoid entities appeared to Canadian miner Ennio La Sarza. Their appearance was already exceptional by the usual standards of reported alien contact but in a particularly striking detail their faces appeared to glow in colours La Sarza had never seen before! The beings asked La Sarza to do something for them but he refused, not only to do it but to even speak of it. It was so awful and “outright apocalyptic” that he even considered asking the RCMP to lock him up in case the creatures he’d met had some way to enforce his cooperation. The Poole Pyramid This multi-hued metallic pyramid appeared in 1965 to seven year old Terrence Druce of Poole in Dorset when he awoke to it hovering over the foot of his bed. He shrieked in terror, waking his younger brother in time for him to also witness it as it faded into thin air. That encounter might have never been recorded if the brothers hadn’t seen it again the very next day, lurking in a parking lot. They said it seemed aware of their presence and turned to watch them but it did not follow them when they decided to flee the scene. Delta Dogs An anonymous woman was driving through a snowstorm on route 07 through Syracuse in January 1958. She came across what at first seemed to be a downed plane but as she approached her engine slowly ran itself down and the car stopped itself. As she desperately tried to restart the car the snowstorm calmed and more details became apparent. Projecting out of the large object she’d thought was a plane crash was a 50 foot illuminated pole. Two strange beings rose up along the pole, floating by it as it started to retract. When the pole finished sinking into the object the creatures disappeared and the craft took off so fast she couldn’t make out where it went. The Electric Serpent of Tacoma This is easily the most unusual sighting of a sea creature that I’ve ever heard of. Seven men camping on the shore of Black Fish Bay in 1893 encountered a sea monster that appeared to be cybernetic, if not entirely biomechanical! Disturbed by a horrible noise and blinding lights the men left their camp to find a huge, hairy walrus-like animal with steaming horns, bands of coppery metal and a revolving propeller-like tail! One of the men approached it to get a better look, only to be struck by an electric blast from its copper bands and fell to the ground as if dead. When one of his friends tried to pull him to safety, he was likewise shocked by the impossible animal. The other men fled into the woods after seeing two of their number seemingly killed and the Electric Serpent seemed to lose interest and swam out into Puget Sound. Once they were sure it was gone the remaining men returned to the beach and were elated to find their friends burned and stunned but still very much alive! So what happened? Was it just one of the sadly common newspaper hoaxes of the time? Or did a bunch of 19th century fishermen find a literal fucking pokemon? You decide! Stickmen The Stickmen are an extremely recent phenomenon, with reports starting within the last 10 years or so. They are described as being stick thin and roughly humanoid, sometimes with bubble heads, glowing eyespots or even top hats. They range in size from human-like to towering in excess of 20 feet. What is most interesting about them is their apparent two dimensionality, sometimes appearing the same no matter what angle they are viewed at and sometimes being able to turn to the side and vanish as though they were never there. They are also frequently reported as being accompanied by a feeling like static electricity and of aggression or hostility. Despite those impressions the Stickmen do not appear to be hostile, instead seeming surprised and immediately retreating from a witness.

[cherrypieships]

the amusement park: chapter two

A/N: whew omg it’s been a while since I posted! Anyway I’m back and better than ever with part two, the finale of the amusement park!! This chapter includes a trigger warning for fake blood and cult mentions. It's a haunted house, so it isn't a real cult, but I'd rather be safe than sorry <3

Ship: davey jacobs x pepper simmons (s/i), featuring my best friend V and my gf Khourey and their respective f/os, race higgins and jack kelly!

Summary: When the sun sets on Canobie Lake park, the amusement park turns into a Halloween extravaganza, where Pepper and Davey find themselves paired up once more.

Once the sun had dipped onto the horizon, the last dregs of color fading from the sky as the stars came out, the group found themselves heading towards the sides of the park, where the haunted houses were set up. Mickey looped their arm through Pepper’s, pulling her close and pointing out the performers walking past; a clown with a chainsaw, a long-haired girl in a tattered hospital gown, a man wearing a pig’s head as a mask.

“So they basically walk around the park and try to scare people.” She explained, and nudged V so they could listen in as well. “But little kids sometimes wear these little glow-y ball necklaces, see? And the performers can’t scare them.” She pointed out a pair of kids walking past, both of their t-shirts illuminated by spiked plastic spheres attached to long black cords. Sure enough, the actors walked right past them.

Vi pushed their bottom lip out, turning towards Mickey. “That’s so fucking cute.” They cried.

Pepper smiled. It was pretty cute, and a good idea on the park’s part. “Do they wear them into the houses?” She asked curiously.

“I fuckin’ hope not.” Jack scoffed. “I wanna get scared, I’m not here to miss a good haunted house cause of some kid.” He smiled when Mickey swatted him. “What? It’s true!”

Mickey’s eyes rolled. “Yeah, but don’t be a dick about it.” They chastised, going to swat him again, and as their hand made contact, Jack snatched it and brought her fingers to his lips for a kiss.

Averting her gaze, Pepper felt something cold swirl in the pit of her stomach at the casual intimacy. She focused on the gum wrapper on the ground beside her shoe instead of whatever that feeling was.

V’s knuckles rapped against Pepper’s forearm, a gentle knock for her attention. “Hey, I gotta hit the bathroom, you wanna be my buddy?” They asked, though the raise of their eyebrows gave the impression that the question was simply a formality; there was no option.

Making the journey to the restrooms a short one, Vi didn’t even pretend they had to pee, instead moving to stand in front of the mirror and check their eyeliner. “So are you gonna make a move tonight?” They asked, voice quieter than usual.

Pepper sighed, of course this was the reason she was in here. “Dude, I don’t fuckin’ know.” She said, exasperation travelling across her features at even the thought of confessing her feelings. She’d talked a big game about it before, about how she loved Davey, about how she’d confess her feelings for him the second she got the idea he liked her back, but truthfully she was… well, she was scared.

Vi barely looked up from the mirror, but their expression softened. “Obviously you don’t have to,” they reassured. “But I bet that if you don’t at least ask how he feels he’ll never tell.”

Pepper rolled her eyes. “That’s because there’s-“

The door to the bathroom flew open and Mickey blustered inside, annoyance clear on their face. “Okay, how dare you two leave me alone with those idiots.”

V grimaced. “Oh shit, sorry. I just wanted a minute to see what was up with Pepper and Davey.”

Mickey’s lips pursed, eyebrows raising onto her forehead. “Oh shit okay what’s the deal?” They asked, moving closer.

Against her better judgement, Pepper leaned her head against the bathroom wall. “There’s nothing to tell! I don’t have any plans to tell him, and there’s no way someone who talks as much as Davey would have a crush on someone and not say something.” She looked pointedly at her best friends.

“That… is an excellent point.” Mickey acquiesced.

Vi lifted a finger. “Or! Maybe that’s the way you can tell that he does like you.” They moved toward the sink to wash the eyeliner remnants from under their fingernails.

“What?”

Mickey nodded. “Oh, no, I totally get it.”

“Get what? What are you talking about?”

V smiled, turning to put their damp hands on Pepper’s shoulders. “You just said Davey never shuts up.” Pepper nodded slowly. “He’ll talk to you about anything, right?” Another nod.

“But he never talks about what’s up between the two of you.” Mickey finished. “Literally, even if Jack asks, he brushes him off.”

Brow furrowed, Pepper turned back to Vi, who was grinning. “If you don’t ask, he’ll never tell.” They clarified, an echo of their earlier statement. “Don’t fucking focus on what he says, bitch, you have to ask about what he’s not saying.”

Terrifyingly, that made it click. Something welled up hot and thick in Pepper’s throat, hope or fear she couldn’t tell. Whatever it was, she wasn’t budging at her friends’ optimism. “You two are reading too far into this.” She countered weakly.

Mickey grabbed her hand, squeezed it a few times. “Listen, we’re not pressuring you.” They explained, and Violet hummed in agreement. “You don’t have to ask him anything or tell him anything, if you just wanna vibe tonight, that’s totally cool.”

Just like that, the tension melted from Pepper’s body, her psyche apparently pleased at being left alone for the moment. She looked between her friends, Vi’s warm smile and Mickey’s kind eyes, took a deep breath, and went back out into the park.

Back where the boys were waiting, the curtain to the first haunted house had lifted, and the line began to move. Jack waved them down with a smile, and they gapped into the line. He pulled the park pamphlet from his back pocket and flipped to the back, where the haunted house attractions were listed. “Okay so we started next to the big spinn-y thing. Which is… the cult one, The Culling.” He announced.

“Yeah, Jack.” Race deadpanned. “It’s on the sign.” He pointed above the line, which, sure enough, boasted the name of the site.

Jack swatted his friend with the pamphlet before tucking it into his back pocket. “I knew that.” He grinned, throwing an arm around Mickey’s shoulders and pulling them closer.

Davey nudged Pepper’s side. “Partners?” He smiled, offering his elbow as their group stepped up to the banister blocking off the entryway.

She ignored the wink that Vi threw at her, and looped her arm through Davey’s with a blush and a simper. “Hope we don’t die in there.” She mused.

He patted the hand she’d placed on his bicep, warm in contrast to her poorly-circulated own ones. “If we do, we’ll die doing what we loved.”

Her head tilted. “What’s that?”

“Kicking and screaming.”

Pepper crumpled into a fit of laughs as the employee lifted the bannister. “Have fun.” The woman at the entryway smiled, her eyebrows raising mischievously.

Race and V went first, obviously, Race throwing his arm across their shoulders and pulling them close. Mickey and Jack went next, Jack’s hand curled protectively into the back of her shirt as they ducked through the curtain. A billow of dry-ice smoke kicked out at her and Davey as she gripped his arm tighter, moving through the curtain and into a room flooded with red light.

There was a man in the corner, a pair of bloodied goat horns protruding from his head, who growled lowly at them as they walked past. Davey cast a look in his direction, following in the footsteps of his friends, and they heard Race scream further up ahead. Pepper laughed a little at that, the adrenaline beginning to swirl hot in her veins.

The next room was full of actors, at least a dozen kneeling frozen in mock prayer, and the woman to Pepper’s right let out a broken wail, making her jump. Davey’s hand came to grab hers again, this time his fingers tangling with hers. He was laughing gently at her fright, something that might have pissed her off if it had been anyone else.

They passed through a hallway full of strobelights and white walls painted with bloody handprints, the thrum of electricity the only noise for a moment, and Pepper opened her mouth to ask when the Cult Stuff would start, when a man wearing a decaying goat’s skull for a mask barrelled around the corner, making both her and Davey scream.

She curled into his side, awkwardly stepping on his shoe as she did, and watched the man with enormous eyes as he tilted his mask curiously at them. Davey laughed a little, and whether he was trying to laugh off his fright or genuinely enjoying himself, Pepper couldn’t tell.

They rounded the corner, careful of the actor who’d popped out at them, and turned into a room seemingly devoid of anyone, except for Mickey and Jack, who were giggling as they shuffled into the next room. The walls were tall and painted white, a hidden projector playing a black and white video reminiscent of those old war propaganda commercials. It was too loud for Pepper to hear anything properly, but she could catch snippets of the voiceover, “Join us in… the great and powerful… be afraid…” as the video flicked between church services, goats on farms, hypnotic black and white spirals.

Davey tilted his head at the screen. “Christians, am I right?”

Swallowing a laugh, she jutted her elbow into his side. “This is not the time, David.” She snorted, coyly tugging him closer by the anchor his hands provided. Fuck it, why not get close to him while she had the chance?

The end was in sight, she could see the cool blue light of the outdoors pouring in from the other side of the final room; one that was lined with pews, with a goat-headed preacher at the front, holding a black leather-bound book and screaming about the end of days. The church (cult?) -goers were in various stages of worship, some with their arms in the air, some reading their scripture, some sobbing towards the sky. A shudder ran through Davey, one so intense that she felt it in her own skin, and she wondered, briefly, what was so freaky about this particular scene that he-

SLAM

The actor in the pew she’d just passed closed his book with a deafening bang. She jumped, screamed so loud it felt like the sound had been ripped from her teeth, and didn’t realize she was shaking until Davey’s arm encircled her, speeding past the latter half of the room and out of the first haunted house.

Pepper swallowed a mouthful of fresh air, held it for a few seconds, and released it with a pleased laugh. She turned her face up to Davey’s, ready to ask him if his heart was racing the way hers was, when he cut her off, gripping her shoulders like she’d disappear. “Are you okay?” He demanded.

Her eyebrows pinched together, her smile melting at the way his eyes were blown wide. “Yeah? I-I’m fine?” She said, reaching up to grip his wrists. “What’s wrong, are you okay?”

Every hint of expression faded from his face. The fire left his eyes, his hold on her softening, his jaw and browline going slack at the realization. “Yeah, I… I thought he-”

Race’s hands landed on either one of their shoulders. “Hey, Jack wants to know if you guys wanna do the hotel one or the factory one next, we’re at a tie.”

Pepper turned to him, blinking back the heat in her cheeks. “Oh fuck, okay, we’ll be right there.”

There were four more haunted houses, each of them with a bit of walking distance between them. Davey didn’t release her hand until they’d cleared the last attraction.

---

Still reeling from the adrenaline rush of the haunted houses, the group made their way toward the back of the park where the Ferris Wheel resided. Violet and Race were skipping down the lanes, their laughter fluttering in the cool autumn wind. Mickey and Jack were walking in front of them, their pinkies linked as they recounted their haunted house experiences.

Pepper tried to ignore that Davey was still so close to her.

His voice broke her out of her thoughts.

“Which one was your favorite?” He asked, the back of his hand brushing against Pepper’s as they walked. He was looking down at her, nose all rosy and cheeks flushed. He wore autumn so well.

She pursed her lips as she thought. “The cult one.” She settled after a moment.

Davey grinned. “Mine too. Or the hotel was really good.” He turned to her once they reached the line for the ferris wheel. “Y’know, when that guy back there slammed his bible closed I thought he hit you.” His fingers twitched, like he was waiting to reach for something.

There it was. The reason for his earlier freakout.

Laughing lightly, Pepper shook her head, curls falling in her face as she tried to dispel any of his remaining worry. “Oh God, no. Isn’t that illegal, anyway?” She focused on the ferris wheel ahead of them, the eighty feet of blinking lights and rocky baskets that they’d be shoved into; anything besides the bewildering look that was back on Davey’s face. Ahead of them, their friends were being ushered into passenger cars. Jack planted a kiss to the side of Mickey’s head and whispered something into their ear that made them grin.

Pepper tried not to be jealous, and failed.

Beside her, Davey was rambling again. She tuned in right in the middle of his spiel. “It’s some kinda torture house, basically. They just wail on you for like ten hours, and they film it, too. You have to sign a waiver and everything, and it’s like, forty pages or something. I watched a video of this one girl who went there and she said-”

“You two all set?” The ride operator asked, her smile bright as she cut into Davey’s rambling.

He blinked, like he hadn’t realized how close they were. “Oh, um. Yeah, I guess we are.” He resolved.

They clambered into the rocky car and belted themselves in, waited for the attendant to lock their door, and began their ascent.

Immediately, Pepper felt the wind chill. “Holy fuck, it’s freezing up here.” She barked. Davey’s cardigan was warm, sure, but the cold air cut through it like a knife.

Davey turned to her and readjusted the way he was sitting, opening up his arms. “I know, c’mere.” He wiggled his fingers and everything and, well, how was he supposed to say no to that?

She scooted closer until her leg was pressed right up against his, and her upper body curled into him. They’d done this before, a million times, when watching movies or at parties when it got crowded, or when she asked him to read to her, and Davey, ever the wonderful companion, never complained-

Oh.

Oh, no.

That was what her friends meant.

Davey’s arms wrapped around her tight. Without thinking, her arm did the same. “Better?” He asked, pulling back to look down at her.

Pepper smiled with her heart in her throat. “Always.” She said, and looked up at him.

And there he was. The same Davey as always, with his pale skin and round hazel eyes, now grinning down at her like she had hung all the stars in the sky just for him. Here he was, and he was so close that their noses were almost touching. Not correcting strangers who thought they were dating. Holding her hand and giving her his clothes and sharing drinks with her. Here he was- and she was confused.

His mouth twitched, the way it always did when he was worried. “You okay, Pep?” He asked, quieter now.

A slow nod. “Yeah… just, um, thinking.” She responded. He opened his mouth, eager to ask more, but she cut him off. “About us.” She said, feeling bold now.

Davey’s eyebrows just about skyrocketed off his face. “Us.”

“Yeah.” Pepper’s hands were shaking, but she didn’t think she could stand another minute of this. All of her affections bottled up like a powder keg while he played with them so nonchalantly. “Davey, what are we?” She hoped the question didn’t come out as raw as it felt, but she could almost taste the blood on her tongue.

“Oh.” His shoulders dropped, and he looked away. His arms didn’t move from around her, but his eyes were flicking back and forth. “We’re… you’re… m-my best friend and...” He scrunched his eyes closed and took a deep breath. “You’re my best friend and... I’m so stupidly in love with you.”

Pepper sat up as the Ferris wheel stopped. They were at the top now.

“I know that’s a lot to throw at you, I’m sorry, but all day I’ve just been thinking about you and about how much it feels like you’re this missing piece of me, you know? Like every time I need someone you’re there, and every time I talk about you to anyone I get this big grin on my face. And then earlier when that lady said what she said, it just felt so right.” He’d been gesturing wildly with his hands until she grabbed them.

She pulled his hands into her lap, encasing them with her own cold ones. “Davey.”

He sighed with a wry smile. “You can tell me no, Pep, it’s okay. You don’t owe me anything.”

“Davey.” She tried again.

“And it’s not gonna ruin anything, I promise. I love you but that’s not gonna make me turn into an asshole, I still care about you as a friend.”

“David.” She grabbed the sides of his face in her cold hands. His jaw was tense. “I love you.” She said, plainly, the way you would state any other fact. The sky was blue, the Earth was round, and Pepper Simmons loved Davey Jacobs.

And for once, Davey- sweet, lovely Davey- didn’t start talking about love, or about basic heteronormativity, or fucking haunted houses. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed her.

Any great novelist, or even just your average writer, always compared a great kiss to fireworks. But this, Pepper thought, was better than any fireworks she’d ever seen. It was coming home after a long night. It was sitting by a fire on a cold winter day. It was years of sharing beds and writing texts in secret languages, of sitting at each other’s family dinners, of shared secrets and pinkie promises, playful teasing and pathetic yearning, all wrapped up in a soft press of lip to lip. It was Davey. Of course it was. In retrospect, nobody else had ever stood a chance.

Pepper was giggling when she pulled away from his lips. “I love you.” She repeated.

The lights of the amusement park were glittering in his eyes. “And I love you.” He was beaming, their foreheads tipped together. Then he started laughing, soft and slow and bubbly, as though he were savoring it. “Oy, we’re so ridiculous.” He said as the ferris wheel began to turn again.

She could’ve stayed there for days, looking at each of the freckles on his face like little star clusters in her vision. If there were ever a photo she could keep framed on the walls of her memory, it would be this; his smile, the ivory skin around his eyes crinkled as he laughed. She was laughing too. “Yeah, we are.” Her head leaned against his shoulder, a sigh escaping before she could stop it. “How long?”

There was a beat, and she knew Davey was thinking. “Um, four years maybe? It was the summer before junior year of high school, I know that much.” The thumb of his right hand, still around her, began rubbing at her shoulder.

Pepper sat upright, aghast. “Oh my God, you’re fucking with me.”

“I’m not.” He grinned.

“Holy fuck.” She snorted. “We could’ve been doing this for years!”

Davey poked her side, making her laugh in turn. “How about you?” There was the look in his eyes again, and this time she recognized it. Dreamy, warm, a little vulnerable.

“Senior Prom. Remember we slow danced together?”

The ferris wheel stopped again, this time with them at the back. “Yeah, holy shit. I was so nervous that night.” Pepper laughed, head tossed back. “I’m serious! I was so sweaty, I’m surprised you didn’t comment on it.”

“Your hands were like holding clams.” Another poke, this one less playful. “It doesn’t matter. None of it matters. We’re here now.”

A kiss landed on her cheek, warm in stark contrast to the biting cold. “I can’t believe this.” He was laughing. “I can’t believe you liked me back.” He said.

Pepper nuzzled her nose into his neck. “I know. I can’t either.” She rested her chin on his shoulder, looked up at him and sighed.

He turned back to her. “You know they’re not gonna leave us alone, right?” He asked, tilting his chin towards the baskets below them that held their friends.

“I’m aware,” she mumbled. “I mean, they did call it.”

His lips curled up into a wry smile. “I know they did.” His fingers found the long strands of her hair, wrapped themselves in them. “Race and V haven’t left me alone about you for like, two years straight.” He shrugged. “And oh my God, if I have to hear Sarah and Les talk about it one more time I’m gonna explode.”

Pepper’s jaw dropped. “Sarah and Les were teasing you?”

He scoffed gently. “Are you kidding? They tell me to shut up every time I talk about how pretty you are.” And yeah, maybe she should have expected that, if he truly had been in love with her since junior year of high school, but Pepper’s body reacted quicker than she could recognize, her cheeks going hot and nose scrunching as a smile broke across her features.

“Well,” She said as the ferris wheel began to turn again. “Lucky for us, we probably have some time to kill before we have to face them again.” She bit at her lower lip, glancing up at him and hoping he would catch onto her proposition.

And, since Davey had always been smart, he did. “You’re right.” He breathed, and then leaned down to catch her in another kiss, one that went on, well… a little longer than the first.

Later, they had to face their friends, red-faced and smiling as they admitted what had happened. They had to endure a good hour’s worth of teasing, V and Mickey taking the opportunity to deliver a few well-intended pokes to Pepper’s sides, and Race and Jack offering high-fives to her- well, she supposed he was her boyfriend now.

The two of them climbed into the backseat of Race’s mom’s minivan again, this time hand-in-hand and sharing warm laughter. Davey stole another kiss from her, giggly and content, and promptly leaned his head on her shoulder to get some rest.

She supposed everything else could wait.

[goldgirl1239]

Stories put together from Facebook of all Red’s childhood memories: Either all these are lies or all these are true stories. I guess we will see!

Are we to believe these historical tellings from RED? Stories of when he was either pre-teen/teen and IF so then RED grew up in or near Michigan.

Meandering in Red's mind, or "Red, in his own words." Part 5: His stories

Over 7 seasons we have accumulated a lot of stories about Red, his personal experiences. True or not together they paint a picture of the character.

Some of them are about his childhood:

When I was young, I wanted to be able to dance just like Gary Goddard. I still remember going to the Snowflake Dance and watching him for the first time. That kid, man, he could move. Won the eighth-grade talent show. He was on the Yell Squad. Gary even danced his way into Helen Hummer’s pants, and let me tell you something, that was like breaking into Fort Knox. Then in the summer of ‘88, I saw Gary in the diaper aisle at Safeway. He looked like hell. Gray. Out of breath, fatigued. Turns out Gary had a bicuspid valve, needed a heart transplant. He was on the wait list until the day he died.

Funny. The janitor at my elementary school was called “Smokey.” No idea why. He never smoked a day in his life.

I was a lifeguard my junior year in high school. Had to give mouth-to-mouth to Mrs. Beerman. She belched up a lung full of corned beef and chlorine. I haven’t been in a pool since.

I spent two summers operating the Whack-the-Cats at the Emmet County Fair

You know, when I was 15, I had a summer job installing carpets for Albert Kodagolian on Lake Charlevoix. Horrible job hot, indoors, forced to listen to “The Gambler” on 8-track while the rest of the world was at the beach. Three days into the job, I knew I had to quit. I asked my father for adviceAll he wanted to know was whether I’d given my word to Mr.Kodagolian that I’d work the summer. I told him I had. My father suggested I stick it out. I’d given my word. Worst eight weeks of my life. Until the last day. Mr. Kodagolian shows up at the jobsite, pulls me aside, and tells me that in 27 years, no kid has ever made it through the summer, gives me a bonus $40. The most valuable money I’ve ever made. A priceless lesson about life. Value loyalty above all else.

Well, [I want] another spin of the bottle in Melanie Reichman’s basement

Your cummerbund. Pleats up! You look like Bob Yoshimura in 8th-grade swing choir. It’s upside down!

You know, BJ Simpson and I started a lawn-mowing business in the summer of ‘72– bagging, hedging, the whole ball of wax.One day, I’m out rototilling Pat Hunt’s garden. I go in for a bottle of pop– must have been 110– and there’s BJ in the sunken living room, shoes off, feet up on the couch, eating a fried-bologna sandwich, watching Mike Douglas. Mike Douglas! Can you imagine? I quit that day….. Point is, I haven’t had a partner since

Sacrifice the bishop. Reykjavík, '72. God, I can remember it like it was yesterday. I was in Steven Bash’s rec room down in the basement, eating fried egg and bologna sandwich when he did it.... Bobby Fischer. It was game 13, move 50– rook takes bishop, B5. He sacrificed his bishop. That’s when Russia lost the Cold War. It was staggering. Spassky had no answer because he had no endgame, and neither do you.

The first time I ever smoked a cigar was with Marnie Petersen in fifth grade. Funny, little, bat-faced girl. I adored her.

I remember the name of the baker I stole the strawberry bismark from when I was 11 years old and his wife– Trudy Svoboda.

You know, this artist got his start with puppets. What is it about puppets? It’s the same with clowns. I’ll never forget a puppet show I saw when I was 5, maybe 6. Hansel and Gretel. Scared me to death. But it wasn’t the witch. It was the oven. Imagine an oven puppet. I don’t think I set foot in our kitchen for a month.

I haven’t had a babysitter since Brenda Gilroy. My God, pot pies, Lawrence Welk, bath time with Brenda. Still my perfect Saturday night.

Like Bergita Olofson in her parents' rumpus room on a Saturday night.

When I was 17 and heading off to the Naval Academy, I sent the most extravagant love letter to Sarah Ellen Winstead. She never replied. To this day, I remain convinced that the post office failed to deliver it, and that if your colleagues had simply done their jobs, the entire arc of my life might have been different. I might have been thinner and living in Maine.

Rosie Cavendish had a bulldog. Franklin, named after her great-uncle. Poor guy had eczema, dermatitis, seborrhea one skin condition after the next. The dog, not the uncle

I sometimes feel as if I should pay more attention to pop culture. Then I see this "Star Wars," featuring this giant in a bear costume piloting an aircraft and a little green guy swordfighting. And I say a silent prayer of thanks for Tolstoy's moral crisis. This green fellow is considerably too short to be effective in a swordfight.

I have to say, I would've done exactly the same when I was a kid. It's a ghost story creepy woods, rumors of corpses walking around in the dead of night.

As Old Man Quimby, my fencing instructor used to say "If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, oh, what a Christmas we'd have." My God I loved the foil.... "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride." Ah, Quimby. The man was a walking aphorism.

This reminds me of our high-school production of "Guys and Dolls." A rousing rendition of "Fugue for Tinhorns.

I so wanted to be a scout– tying knots, the Pinewood Derby, and the campfire songs. Oh, those songs. I keep trying to explain to Dembe, but I’m no singer.