#queequeg isn't even the start of it

[silly-name-tourney]

update on the submissions: we have 190 unique characters, minus bias picks and guys i've kicked out either because their fandom is problematic in my eyes or their name isn't funny enough

automatic entry list is looking a bit... wacky also

we've also got 'every pokemon', 'every my little pony character', and potentially 'every bugsnax character' which is fun.

How many submits have you received so far and how many will you go to

225 individual submissions so far. it's been a day lmao

i will probably close the form in a day or two, because a) i have to sort through these and b) i have gcse mocks in like 3 weeks so maybe i should be revising instead of bracketing but alas

[bucket-puns]

Quick af doodles of Ishmael and queequeg because Everytime I happen to think about anything Abt the prequod MFS n Ishmael I start becoming a sickly widow.

[youthofpandas]

Call Her Ishmael (or: a trans reading of one of my favorite Limbus characters)

Hi, I have been thinking about writing something like this since Canto V first released and today I finally felt inspired to actually make this... A compilation of the parts of Ishmael's story that lead me to reading her as trans <3 and why I think that understanding her character though that lens works so well

We begin with a woman stuck in the mundane. No plans for the future, no dreams of a life beyond the one she is currently living in, and that life is one she has long grown tired of. And she decides she would rather quit living that life, even if it would kill her. Everyone told her not to do this, but she wanted (needed) to do something new with her life.

She finds Ahab here, when she is at this low where she is unsure of where to go from here now that she has cast her old life away. She looks at Ahab and sees a woman with goals, determination, serious plans for the future she is willing to commit to. And she wants to be just like that woman. She wants to be a woman who will choose what her destiny is, choose what life she has.

"I hoped to be like her one day. To be someone who will face the destiny of her own choosing. To have something I could give it my all with conviction and without a moment of hesitation."

And when she gets on that boat and starts this new chapter in her life, well. There she meets Queequeg, and is asked for her name...

Queequeg asking her name, something that surprises Ishmael, and complimenting her hair is a defining moment in Ishmael's life and in their relationship. And not only is it the first conversation they have, it is the also last thing Queequeg asks of her. To hear Ishmael's name one more time is something that will bring not only herself comfort, but she knows will stabilize Ishmael as well in this moment. That it will bring her back to when they had first met, to the fond memories of a good friend who had asked for her name. Ishmael's name, her identity, the one she forged on that boat even through great difficulty is what shaped her into being herself... That is how their relationship begins and ends...

There is also a recurring theme of being reborn, of happiness being found in another life that is kinder to them both. Ishmael dreams of a life where they can break out of their cocoons. She wants to bury her past and had no dreams of the future before joining the Pequod, before meeting Queequeg and finding someone she wants a future with. Through Queequeg, through the woman who thinks her hair is the brilliant color of sunset and asked for her name, Ishmael is capable of imagining a destiny of her own choosing just like she had wanted when she met Ahab. (She isn't able to chase after it, not yet, because of Ahab's influence over the Pequod, but she for the first time can at least dream of a future where she is happy)

When tragedy strikes, she is left as, in her mind, the sole survivor of the crew, she has lost Queequeg, lost Ahab, lost her chance at finding happiness and purpose. It's then that she takes Queequeg's rope (the thing that kept her alive! Queequeg throughout their time knowing each other is always there to save her and help her keep on living) and makes it into a headband, attaches cute bows to it, a bit of femininity that is intrinsically attached to the woman who helped save her. She grows out her hair, her beautiful sunset colored hair, and it is so heart warming. For a long time I assumed that her not cutting her hair was done out of mourning, out of an unwillingness to move on from the life she had on that ship, but instead it was because Queequeg had loved her and she had loved her friend in kind.

In conclusion I love Ishmael very much and I like to rotate her around. Everything from her metaphors of being stuck in a cocoon and wanting to break free, her envy of Ahab's ability to find purpose so easily, her relationship with Queequeg that helped inspire her to dream for more to dream of a future where she is happy,, it is all very good and to me reading her as trans strengthens the themes of her story. I've watched the final part of the Canto V dungeon several times over when my friends arrive at that part of the story, and the Call Me Ishmael line always makes me start tearing up.

Ishmael starts as an unhappy office worker with no future and it is a life she cannot continue living, she meets an older woman who has the drive and passion to chase after her goals and wants to be like her when she is older, she has a life defining moment where another woman asks for her name and wants to be good friends with her, that woman will save her in so many ways and she will love that woman so deeply for how she helped influence her life, she sees herself trapped in a cocoon and wants to break free, she dreams of her and that woman will persevere, how they will live out the rest of their days, countless mirror worlds of happiness spent at each other's side. She starts the game proper with her hair grown long, ribbons attached to a rope that helped save her that represents the woman who had saved her before. She ends her chapter finding a new adventure to go on, one will she get to explore the world she lives in, she has found a compass in Dante who will help her chart her path forward.

Also I know we all make jokes about how inconsistent the art is when it comes to her chest but like... Come on look at the difference here.... I'm correct about this. But I mostly wanted to make this post to point out that her narrative arc is also trans and it goes so much deeper than just art inconsistencies.

Okay that's all I can think of now, thank you for reading, I hope you all also love her <3

[shranstan]

Moby Dick Modern AU

Captain Ahab isn't actually a captain but instead a professor in the marine biology department. He does, however, answer to "captain" instead of "professor", and will never call the captain of the ship he is currently on the captain.

Ahab is obsessed with the white whale in that he's been trying to put a GPS tracker on it for years but it always fails someway. Moby Dick is such a distinctive whale, and he really really wants to study it, but it just keeps getting away or moving at the last moment so that the suction cup gps doesn't stick...

The Pequod is a research vessel owned by Ahab's university, Starbuck is the actual captain, but is called the first mate by Ahab because.. Ahab is Ahab. So, the others started calling him that, too.

Ishmael is also a marine biologist by trade however because of his controvertial opinion (whales are fish! most species we consider fish aren't that closely related anyways! it's a description of ecological, not genetic, importance! so whales should be considered fish, too!) he has been largely shunned/considered of no importance in the scientific community. He teaches biology at a highschool instead.

Ishmael is also a trans man. That is also canon to Herman's novel but I need to underline it here bc naming yourself basically "Is-male" is such a funny joke.

Ishmael signs himself up for a research cruise under the guise of not being a biologist but a simple sailor - this ruse is discovered incredibly quickly (it only takes one infodump).

Pip is one of those brilliant kids who skip 5 grades. He's 16 and in the final year of writing his bachelor's thesis. Ahab is his supervisor.

Queequeg is the ship's chief engineer, making him 3rd most important person on the ship (after the captain and first mate; source: my childhood bff's father was one) and also making him a lot of money. The university's usual chief engineer was unavailable and Ishmael was hyped to get his hubby on the same expedition as him.

Speaking of, Ishmael and Queequeg met at a motel in Vegas, got high, cuddled all night, and then got married the next day.

Queequeg usually works on all sort of ships, spending a couple months home with Ishmael and then doing engineering for the next couple months away on the sea.

Tashtego is working on his master's in marine biology and unfortunatelly Ahab's his supervisor same as Pip except Ahab loves Pip's ideas but hates Tashtego's

Daggoo is on a scientific exchange from a university from his home country, he's just a researcher (as in, doesn't study or teach)

Fedallah is there even though he's like. Completely unrelated to marine biology. He's like a professional olympic-level archer but Ahab forged his papers to bring him aboard so that he can finally put that tracker on the Moby Dick.

The rest of the crew are a combo of researchers and regular sailor folk who are, y'know, needed for the ship to function as a ship.

Pip falls into the ocean multiple times while trying to take samples but is saved quickly every time. They just force him to essentially wear buoy marker attached to him at all times in case he was submerged and unseen.

[ratlesshonret]

I've said this before but one of the things I don't like about Canto VI is how little involvement Ishmael has. And it's not just because I like her.

In Canto V, Heathcliff was so important to Ishmael and her story. He literally and metaphorically saves her. And they were even building the two up as a pair, with stuff like him getting the Queequeg ID, the person most important to Ishmael's past, and just generally having narrative parallels to her in the story.

In general, they seemed to be pushing Heathcliff and Ishmael as some kind of duo. And more broadly, Heathcliff + Ishmael + Don as some kind of trio who interact a lot.

And then we get to Canto VI. I was so excited to see how Ishmael would "return the favor" and reveal how much she actually does care about Heathcliff, just like Heathcliff did for her last Canto. Would she save his life? Would she snap him out of blind reverence for Catherine? Would she just straight up tell him that he isn't that bad during his moment of crisis?

Nope. Nothing. She's practically an irrelevant background character.

They do feed us a little. She has a couple lines during some of the more scary Heathcliff moments where she does seem concerned about him and his safety. But a few scattered lines does not a solid narrative make.

I honestly don't know if I would've preferred the mindless ship-bait approach to what we actually got. At least that one would provide some conclusion to what Canto V's ending started between the two.

And personally, I don't even ship them. I see them as close friends at most, maybe friends with benefits. But I also see the pair as a very important duo in the story, and their relationship as one of the most interesting and dynamic relationships between maybe any of the Sinners.

So it's a shame that they, at least for now, seem to have dropped it.

[dyke-quixote]

Got any ishdon headcannons? (Perhaps some relating to tentacle dick Ishmael headcannon, even)

I am madly in love with them ....

Don combs Ishmael's hair a lot. This is something left over from when Sancho used to comb Quixote's hair.

Some sinners are close enough to certain IDs that they retain a good amount of memories and feelings from them, for Don and Ishmael (and Heathcliff) the Shi identities are some of their closest so they have a lot of intact memories.

They're both plural and Ash (Ishmael's Ahab introject) and Sancho butt heads a lot and fight. It often ends up with them fucking.

The same goes for their bad end IDs to the point Dante doesn't like to take both Captain Ishmael and Manager Don into the same Mirror Dungeon because they will end up having sex in one of the break rooms. Although Ishmael and Don don't really keep memories of these IDs.

W Corp Don and R Corp Ishmael are also very close. Memories are kind of kept of these IDs but not nearly as well as Shi.

Ishmael isn't used to topping but her tentacles don't really give her a choice. They often want whatever warm orifice they can get.

Sinner Ishmael is the only one with tentacles. (Well besides the obvious EGO)

Don tops in most Mirror Worlds except Captain-Manager where they fight over it.

Shi and W-R have very sub/dom relationships.

Don is a super good and respectful dominant don't @ me

Don mostly tops from the bottom in the main Sinner world.

Sancho is wayyyyy more shy than Don in the bedroom unless Ash is also fronting. Don can handle Ash well but Sancho gets irritable.

They love each other but didn't start saying it until after Canto 7 after they both started to figure out the plurality stuff. Faust and Dante helped them with almost therapy and they did their own research.

Ishmael is one of the only ones who Sancho will drink blood from. She won't bite, but she lets Ishmael cut herself and then licks the wound. Sancho absolutely refuses most other Sinners even if they offer. She will sometimes give in if someone else is pushy (read: Ryōshū has been a freak about wanting to feed Sancho before) but Ishmael is special

Don was the first person Ishmael had sex with on the Bus and only her third partner ever. Before it was only Queequeg and some unhealthy stuff with Ahab.

Don is the only one Ishmael really trusts when it comes to her secondary cycle where her tentacles lay eggs.

Ishmael always tries to hold back in bed and is slightly scared or uncomfortable with her tentacles but Don is an absolute freak and loves them.

Ishmael's tentacles REALLY like Don and Sancho. It makes it very hard for them to have slow cute sex because her tentacles are clingy and needy. They WILL keep Don in bed for a long ass time.

Don is one of the few people who can take most of Ishmael's tentacles and the only one who's ever had her eggs.

Whenever Ishmael corrodes there's a very high likelihood she will end up fucking Don. Dante sighs heavily.

These girls are SO horny. Ishmael is at least restrained most of the time. Don is not.

Don eats Ishmael out when she's on her period sorry.

Ishmael has a very high natural body temperature that naturally cold Sancho loves.

Why do they both love to stick fingers in each others mouths. What is up with the mouth kink these two have. Girls please stop. Get your fingers out of there.

Um I think that's all maybe? That's a lot. I love them....

[asterdeer]

hi!! ramble to me about moby dick for the ask meme! i read it once but i don’t think i properly appreciated it….. maybe you can lead me to the light 🐋

!!!!!!! thank you for letting me use my degree a little bit as well as ramble about things, bless

okay. so. i don't like moby dick so much as i am haunted by moby dick and its ridiculous over-verbosity which, somehow, grows a compelling story over top it like bread grows mold. i'm obsessed with the structure of moby dick - the actual story is pretty short, pretty thin, at least compared to the page count. i never did the math but i assume the Digressions take up half or more of the book, or at least that's how it feels even if that's not true, which should be infuriating and terrible and annoying and actually is all that to a lot of people, for good reason. (i get it, i started to read les mis and got so incensed when he straight up started the book with 'hey what i'm about to tell you actually has nothing to do with the story that proceeds it' that i gave it up on page 1, digressions aren't for everyone and every author).

but there's this completely off-page story going on in the framing of moby dick, there's this unpictured picture of ishmael himself trying to put what he has been through into words -- trying to express the depths of what he has experienced, the good men he's seen killed for nothing more than one man's megalomania, the senseless waste and destruction over what, practically speaking, stripped of ahab's forced significance, amounts to a dumb beast in the water -- and it's not enough. there's not enough story. there's not enough words. a whaling voyage is, a huge percentage of the time, pretty dull. florence + the machine says that "it's hard to write about being happy because.... / happiness is an extremely uneventful subject" and that's what this voyage was to ishmael -- maybe not happiness, exactly, but he was at home with queequeg and the other whalers. he was depressed and searching for anything that might steady him, might give him a place to land, and he found queequeg, he found the pequod crew. there is nothing to tell but he needs to tell us about it. he needs to make us understand the gravity of it, the weight of what he lost, but this isn't the story of a conquering war band, it's not a fantasy of knights and lords. they're just whalers. whalers die every day. whaling is an uneventful subject.

so ishmael makes the book heavy -- physically, in your hands, the book is dense and weighty. it's packed with not only narrative and story but information (sometimes/frequently incorrect!), the science and theory and philosophy and theology of whales and their hunters. what happens on the pequod feels loaded not because the story is necessarily so very compelling but because ishmael is doing everything in his power to make us understand what about it compelled him. with every "cetology" "the whiteness of the whale" "ambergris" he is saying LOOK. LOOK. THIS IS THE PRICE OF LIGHTING YOUR HOMES. WHEN YOU WEAR PERFUME OF AMBERGRIS YOU ARE WEARING THE BLOOD OF MY FRIENDS AND BROTHERS.

(it's very modern in this way, i wonder if there was something of the jungle to it in the mid 1800s that we don't see as clearly now)

when it comes down to it i am incredibly compelled by moby dick because of its overwhelming desperation. there are passages and whole chapters where i could practically feel ishmael reaching through, grabbing my shoulders, begging me to understand. it's just so palpably..... tired. grief is written all through it, even in the most boring cetology chapters. you have to understand that we weren't just out here whaling for the hell of it, the chapters are saying -- their purpose isn't to impart knowledge, it's to impart history. dignity.

aahhhhhh shit i've gone on way too long and i could keep going for a dozen pages more but imagine if i had read the damn thing recently enough to have fresh feelings for it lmao. one day i'll dig up my old lit homework and see if i can find that essay i read for class about this exact thing, i could have sworn edgar allen poe wrote it but i could never find it again. none of these thoughts are original to me, i just got assigned the essay to do a presentation on and it rewired my brain

[autumn-mythos]

METATRON OF GEVURAH'S DIARY - 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE "POWER OF VIRTUE" INCIDENT.

Dear Diary,

I'm quite sorry for not updating you for a while.

It's been quite the slow day. I've not had much to do, since my terms expired.

I tried instant coffee this morning. Tastes like shit. Spilt it on my nice robes, too. Gods, I wish there was a fucking Queequegs™ around here. Well, one with people who actually run it, at least.

It's fucking Washington. How is there not a Queequegs™ in Washington?

Can't have shit in Oddsdale, I guess.

Didn't eat today. Can't bring myself to. I tried to eat some of that steak I bought in Seattle the other day, but the thought of putting just about anything down my throat sickened me.

Yet, I'm so hungry. Funny how that works. The irony isn't lost on me.

I've just spent the majority of my day trying to remove the coffee stain from earlier from my silk robes. I even tried one of those little soapy pen things. Still not working. Really annoying.

While doing so I was reflecting on the time I've been having lately. Recently, I've been feeling so spiteful about Judas. He is the one true overgod, is he not?

But why would an overgod refuse to let my people show any sort of weakness? Why must we only show wrath, why must we never cry?

Why must I stay in the middle of bumfuck nowhere to avoid his gaze?

I don't want to fall. My virtue is far too important to let it be taken away. But god, I don't want to be so alone anymore. Not even that wretched spirit Nemesis is bothering me anymore. Too busy conversing with that other angel girl.

Regardless, none of that is why I actually decided to write in you again.

I've been hearing a noise, lately. I can only describe it as a 'howling'. It's not the most pleasant noise. It only started a few days ago. It's making me wish to be, less alone. I want to hear anything else.

Anything else.

P.S. Please buy non-instant coffee. Maybe an espresso machine. The coffee looks really good in those videos.

---Metatron Of Gevurah

[deathsbestgirl]

quagmire part two

@waiting-for-the-day here be nonsense

she agrees with him and she's funny.

scully is crazy. she thinks there's some non-human creature out their eating people and she just takes her little dog for a walk. she's fine, she's got her gun.

and queequeg is even worse!! these two and their no fear. this tiny little pup who should be afraid of the world goes running into the woods for a second time and this time gets EATEN. poor scully lol

but now we're getting to the best scenes, my favorites.

like when scully comes back, no queequeg in tow, mulder is still fixated as she's sitting in shock.

this man says "i'm sorry about queequeg" then rambles on about the pictures as if scully didn't just watch her dog eaten lmao and she's trying to listen to him, they still have a case & a pile of dead bodies they don't want growing but she comprehended nothing.

"i kind of faded out"

"can you drive a boat?"

(he really hated queequeg lmao)

AND HERE WE GO. the boat.

okay i love this scene soooo much. the part on the boat is so underrated.

that little line about expectation & hope, seek and ye shall find. i think mikaela already said it best:

(read the whole post: https://www.tumblr.com/waiting-for-the-day/722583454298079232/in-quagmire-after-the-boat-crashes-when-theyre)

earlier, scully played along with him talking about other sea monsters. here she's showing off some sailing skills *and* telling him a nice little anecdote about "here be monsters" — right up his ally as he's pouring over the map trying to tell her where to go.

(literally these little moments of sharing her childhood & nerdery, being his (best) friend, giving him those moments he didn't get to have as a kid, using it to bond with him, to show how she listens & cares and she's just like him really)

the jokes they make are so nerdy and it's a core part of their relationship. they both just store information in their brains in the hope they'll be able to whip it out to impress the other, or make them laugh.

~too bad we're not fishing~ ~we are fishing~

~here be monsters~ ~i have a map of nyc just like that~

and one of my favorite things about scully: when she doesn't know something, mulder must have the answers! ~what is that? what is that mulder?~ ~here be monsters, scully~ (and he does know this time, he just doesn't know what kind of monster they're actually going to find)

making jokes when their boat is about to sink with them on it. i love them. so unserious.

scully yelling mayday and mulder stopping her like honey we have to get out of here now please put on your life jacket — NO FEAR which is extra funny because she's about to give a speech about ~respect nature because it has no respect for you~

(oh the quips. "there goes our $500 deposit" and ~i say we swim~ ~swim? ...in which direction?!~)

cotr really has so much. it becomes a little breaking point for scully. at the beginning she was annoyed with mulder and she didn't understand why he was even interested in the case, and then when she sees the big blue sign she's exasperated. it also isn't a typical case he goes for. so yes, he's interested in big blue, not entirely out of the realm of possibility. but she can't figure out why, because what does this really have to do with his sister? what everything usually goes back to for him. she's been mulling this over since the episode started.

and now!! they're stuck on a rock in the middle of the lake and they have no idea if anyone heard their call & is coming. and he's still all ~that's big blue!~

scully: mulder, sometimes i just can't figure them out.

like she really really wants to understand him. she's always trying to understand him. big blue has her stumped.

and then they're interrupted by the DUCK and the humor is back

she's like ~how dare you joke about cannabalism it's real to me~

and ugh my favorite thing. mulder was too focused earlier to give space for scully losing queequeg. but he gets another opening here,. he has no idea what to do (and he really hated that dog). however there's one thing he can do and it's let her talk.

he asks why the name queequeg and she talks about moby dick and her dad and starbuck and it's so sweet & relatable (i have one cat named newspaper because my dad was always reading the paper — we had piles of them & i still have one he kept when obama became president — and another cat named saturn because he had a saturn & he loved that car & ya know, because space lol) and it's another way they open up to each other & bond & they're just best friends. this is a best friends conversation for sure. (and maybe dipping into how deep their relationship goes)

and then !!! scully has a revelation.

[scully finishes the line with him and they are both trying to impress each other here idc what anyone says. scully has that book memorized and mulder probably read it once, maybe twice and has been *waiting* to share this little tidbit with her for years!!!]

anyway. this whole conversation has been simmering. scully has been confused & frustrated, but she believes in mulder & she cares about him & she's going to follow him until they find the truth he's seeking. she's there for the journey, with all its circle & endless lines & aberrations. they've been making jokes & quips, giving each other small moments of levity to ease the tension surrounding them. all of it so they can get to the crux of it and that's what's happening on this rock.

she compares him to ahab "everything takes on a warped significance to fit your megalomaniacal cosmology" and "scully are you coming onto me?" (the way she ignores his ~flirting 90% of the time kills me, she's ~so funny) and "trying to do so will only leave you dead along with everyone else you bring with you" and god he's so serious & unserious, he can't have this conversation (which i think is something he really fears after scully's abduction, before it was just him, only he could be hurt or killed. that's not how it is now) without humor, so he talks about wanting a peg leg. "i'm not being flippant" and "and that's not flippant?"

(and nobody believes he wouldn't be hobbling around on a peg leg still doing exactly what he's doing now. the delusion that he could be content just living.)

and then farraday comes to save (ruin) the day "hope i'm not interrupting anything" how much did this man hear 🤣

they tell him about the boat sinking and when he asks, scully claims "it was my fault" instead of trying to explain to this non-believer that it was possibly big blue. god i love her.

and then the sheriff finds them, tells them about search. mulder tells him they need to search striker's cove but he doesn't listen til scully in her very judicious way says "Sheriff, Agent Mulder and I would appreciate it if you could spare two or three of your men to assist us here." and he agrees. scully's face:

and then farraday is attacked and he didn't see it (surprise surprise) and mulder is the first person to see what's attacking people and he's so sad it's an alligator which he kills (like he's soooo cute. he wants it to be big blue so bad but if it was he would have had to kill it and then he would have cried!!!)

and another underrated scene:

scully can see he's disappointed. he didn't find the big white whale he wanted, but he solved the case and saved more people from dying/attacks. she thinks he should be proud of the work he did.

scully finally gets it now. mulder wants something tangible too. he wants to keep hoping, he wants to believe. and he found hope in big blue's existence and he just wanted to experience something being real, with evidence & proof. (go read mikaela's post!! she says it perfectly)

and scully will always do everything to keep his hope & belief alive, to protect it. because it's precious. it's one of the most beautiful & special things about him. and it's this wonderful, quiet moment between two best friends who don't always get each other but they always try. they always listen. they stay by each other's side. for better or worse. the new ahab & starbuck.

(the way mulder has a natural skepticism he fights with thome & the desire to believe. i think he's afraid not to. the way scully has an innate ability to believe but it frightens her and so she fights it with skepticism)

[gulfportofficial]

Moby Dick again.

Guys, one of my students is reading an abridged, age-appropriate, ESL learner-appropriate copy of Moby Dick and it is so interesting. A lot of things they simply spell out because that makes sense for the English level as a reader (some of which are weird choices, like for example explicitly stating Queequeg is from New Zealand, like specifically New Zealand the British colonial nation, not Aotearoa the indigenous name, but he isn't from there anyway, maori is just another word for indigenous, in Te Reo it's Māori and from description IMO Queequeg's Tahitian Mā'ohi. Other changes are more straightforward.) Like for example, this version starts, "Call me Ishmael. That is not my real name." Obviously OG you pick that up even though it's never said but it's interesting because it means we can talk about it together. Especially because I had such a great time explaining the concept of an unreliable narrator, and how some are lying to you on purpose, some are not in their right minds, some don't even have an inkling they're not seeing clearly, some have a view that is simply limited by being one human, and most are combinations.

Anyway, it was such a lovely chat to have and I am absolutely beyond touched that she literally started reading this because I like it so much. Also she has OPINIONS about Ahab and it's dope and also it's very fun to be in a super homophobic situation like my school and just casually say about a work of great literature, "Oh yes, they'll be sharing a bed for the rest of the book."

[afterthegreatunknown]

sbg friendship: widdershins and josephine

'that moment when you were about to reblog an old ask meme game you made a while back and realize since you were the creator of the ask meme you can just do it whenever at the moment it's yours you just need to change it a bit'

Who I think befriended the others first: Josephine. She reached out to him at lunch time the day after his introduction. They had a nice conversation about Lake Lachrymose, for Widdershins noticed her bag had a pin from one of the gift shops there.

(If you ask Widdershins under the very right circumstances, he would say he befriended Josephine first, offering her a snack inside a nook at City's Headquarters. Of course, he would quickly 'correct' himself, saying, "That was a lie, yes." But it's not a lie at all.)

Who I think would steal the food of(f) the other plate: Widdershins. He has an appetite that seemingly knows no bounds. Josephine isn't upset by this; she gives him the leftovers she can't finish anyway.

Which one would tell the other a secret first: Josephine. Widdershins doesn't look the sorts, but he can in fact keep a secret and will never share it, even in the most extremes of situations. Josephine thinks because no one really knows anything about him, it makes Widdershins so great at keeping secrets.

Ideal Hangout Locations: Lake Lachrymose (as a whole; they avoid the hell out of the Anxious Clown though), the Queequeg (when it's built), Widdershins' Flat (before the Queequeg was built), The City's Chinatown (they usually get food there), and Briny Beach (especially when it's an overcast day).

Which one would pretend to be their significant other if the situation ever calls for it: Widdershins does it more often than not due to his philosophy of not hesitating. When Josephine begin dating/gets married to Ike, Widdershins stops it, telling the unwanted party that Josephine's partner can kick their ass and pretends to start calling Ike in the nearest payphone.

What causes them to fight (seriously or jokingly): They fight in a weird in-the-middle grey area. They can get heated/very passionate of something they believe in, and they say silly comments at one another which at times gets the others who see said debate between the two worry. But it never escalate to more.

How they stop being friends (or not): Three words.

Gregor. Anwhistle. Death.

Josephine is smart. Not long after the Anwhistle Aquatic Fire, Josephine knew some of her associates knew something about it. She was quickly able to put the pieces together on the people responsible and/or involve in the Anwhistle Aquatic Fire to any degree. And Josephine when learning all their identities...

Josephine slowly began withdrawing herself from them all. She didn't do a 'NO CONTACT ASAP' for them, because here's the thing: she knows why they believe their cause. Josephine agrees what Gregor was doing was too extreme, too dangerous. But Gregor was her family, her brother. Brother-in-law, but that doesn't matter. And the people she was so close with almost like family betrayed her.

Widdershins was the last of the people Josephine stop being friends with, for two reasons. Reason one: He lost his wife in the same fire that killed Gregor, and Josephine in a moment of 'cruelty' thought of it as karma. Reason two: Widdershins 'apologize' for Gregor's death. Josephine knew now way in hell he would admit his involvement, but his words to her at Gregor's funeral were so close to one, Josephine couldn't help but cry into his arms when hearing them.

(Widdershins suspected Josephine knew he was involve. The way she was treating him at arm's length, being hesitate around him with words and actions, that's the only way to explain it. Widdershins will never apologize for Gregor's death. Never. But that day at the funeral, Widdershins felt he own Josephine words of ease.)

That was the last time they talk in person, and the penultimate time Josephine saw him (to Widdershins, it was in fact, the final time they saw one another). They wrote the occasional letter (Josephine learn how he was assign to patrol the lake in certain seasons), made a few phone calls (Ike answers phone and gave it to her), but nothing more. When Ike died, all of that stop.

Regarding the final time Josephine saw him...she was in her grammar library, sitting in Ike's armchair. She was looking out the library window, when she heard a loud knock at her door. Josephine cautiously walked to the door, and looked out the door hole.

And there she sees Widdershins in his coat over his uniform, looking around, with a newspaper underneath his arm. He stood there, set the newspaper on the front mat, and then walked away.

Josephine slowly opened the door, and looked down, understanding why he came to visit: the Baudelaire Mansion burned down, killing Beatrice and Bertrand and leaving their children orphans.

[unethicallypleistocene]

For the ask game: Halloween & hot chocolate?

Ahhh thanks! It's cold and rainy right now, so it felt like the perfect time to answer this! totally didn't get busy and have my executive function go down the drain

halloween - What is something you like that others around you don't like? If you've seen my recent and somewhat out of nowhere Moby-Dick-posting, you can probably guess that I've started reading it. Nobody that I know seems to like it as much as I'm liking it (I've been laughing out loud whilst reading, it's surprisingly HILARIOUS) and they kind of look at me strangely when I bring up how much fun I'm having with it. Sidenote: if anyone is even remotely interested in Big Whale Book, I highly recommend @pocketsizedquasar's webcomic adaptation! I just found it and I've been reading it along with the book, it's beautifully drawn, extremely funny, and perfect for people who also read the first few chapters and went "why isn't everyone absolutely obsessed with Ishmael and Queequeg??" I have to go back and leave comments on every page when I have the time, it's absolutely wonderful and I'm SO glad that it exists.

hot chocolate - What is the sweetest thing someone has said to you recently? I think the closest thing would have to be when my friend sent me a pictograph chart he saw because he knew I was really getting into linguistics! There's just something about someone sending me things related to my special interest that makes me ecstatic. (Thanks again @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog for tagging me in linguistics stuff!! It makes my autistic heart very happy)

[stain-glass]

Chapter 10 - A Bosom Friend

Ishmael finds Queequeg at the inn, having left early. He has a book but instead of reading is counting the pages and getting so excited when he gets to 50.

Ishmael once again wants on Queequeg's appearance, though mentions he isn't a man of the fave tattoos, his bald head is perfect and the George Washington of heads. (A direct quote. I don't....i dont understand)

As he watches him, Ishmael feels himself warming up to and being drawn to the man. Ishmael comes sit my him and tries talking but it is when Ishmael says that they are sharing a bed again that they start to xommect. Queequeg is happy at the decision. They then start talking and totally connect and they share smoke Queequeg's pipe.

Then...THEN!! Queenqueg grabs him around the waist and they forehead touch and says they are married!! And my boy! My Ishmael is literally like, "oh! He must mean we are bosom friends. We are best friends now, haha! Okay!"

Like Queequeg takes all his money (including the head as capital) and splits it in half (not the head) and gives half to Ishmael. This is a dorwy?dowry?!  He is sharing assets cause they are married!!!! Married!

ANYWAY

Ishmael calls the room their room and its cute. And when Queequeg goes to pray, Ishmael thinks that, even though it is a different religion and God, he would want people to partake in his religion so he will participate in the pray with Queequeg.  It is a very nuanced take on religion and worship.

They then lay down to go to bed and Ishmael calls it him and Queequeg friends but also say 'our hearts honeymoon' and calls them a cozy loving pair.

.... Ishmael are you taking this seriously or not? I don't know. I think as time goes on he is getting use to the idea.....either that or it is to convince the audience that it is not gay.

[art-i-generated]

Okay, I'm supposed to read this book for English class. What's it called again? Oh yeah, Moby Dick. Sounds like a stupid name for a book. But whatever, I'll give it a chance. Let's see... "Call me Ishmael." Who's Ishmael? Is he the whale? No, that can't be right. Wait, this is just talking about whales for like, a whole chapter? That's boring as hell. Why does my teacher think we need to read this? I don't even like the ocean. And who cares about some old-timey sailors? This is so stupid. I'm never going to finish this book. Maybe I can just find a summary online or something. Ugh, why do I have to do this?

Okay, I guess I gotta keep reading this stupid book. Let's see... "The Carpet-Bag." What kind of title is that? Whatever, let's just get this over with. Blah blah blah, Ishmael is going to Nantucket, blah blah blah, he's staying at an inn, blah blah blah, some weird guy named Queequeg shows up. Wait, what? Queequeg? Is that even a real name? And why does he have tattoos all over his face? This is so weird. And why is Ishmael sharing a bed with him? That's kind of creepy, isn't it? Oh great, now they're talking about a harpoon. This is so boring. Why do I care about harpoons? I don't even know what they're for. Ugh, I'm never going to finish this book. I'd rather be playing video games or something. Why did my teacher assign us this? It's not even modern English. This is torture.

Whoa, what's going on here? They're talking about this guy Ahab and how he's obsessed with this white whale. This is getting interesting. Wait, they're going on this big voyage to try and find the whale? And Ahab's going to kill it? That's crazy. But kind of cool. I mean, at least something's happening now. And they're talking about all these different types of whales and how they hunt them. I never knew this stuff. It's kind of fascinating. And now they're describing the crew and what they do on the ship. This is actually kind of cool. I can see why this book is famous. It's like a whole different world. But why is Ahab so obsessed with the whale? And why does he have a peg leg? Oh man, this is getting intense. I want to know what happens next. Maybe this book isn't so bad after all. I'll have to keep reading and see what happens to this Ahab guy and the whale.

What the heck? This whole chapter is just about cutting up a whale? Why do I care about this? I mean, I get that they caught a whale and now they have to do something with it, but this is so boring. Why do I need to know how to cut up a whale? And why does the author keep using all these weird words for the different parts? I'm so confused. I don't even know what a "case-knife" or a "monkey-rope" is. And why do they need to use so many different tools? Can't they just use a saw or something? This is so gross. I don't want to hear about blubber and guts and all that. Why did the author even include this chapter? It's not like it's advancing the plot or anything. This is so stupid. I don't even want to finish this book anymore. It's just a bunch of nonsense about whales and sailing and cutting things up. Maybe I can just read the SparkNotes and get the gist of it. Ugh, I hate this book.

Okay, I'm almost done with this stupid book. Let's see what happens in the end. Whoa, they finally found the whale! And Ahab's going after it with his harpoon. This is so intense. I can't believe he's doing this. And the way the author describes the whale, it's like it's some kind of monster or something. This is so cool. But wait, what's happening? The ship is starting to sink? Why is that happening? And now Ahab's tangled up in the ropes? This is not good. Oh my God, the whale just dragged him down with him. Ahab's dead? That's insane. And the way the author describes it, it's like it's this epic battle between good and evil or something. This is crazy. And now the rest of the crew is trying to survive on these little boats? That's so scary!

Wait, what? The book is over? That's it? That's the ending? I feel like there should be more. Like, what happened to Ishmael? Did he survive? And what about the rest of the crew? And the whale? Did they really kill it? I have so many questions. But I guess that's the end. And now the author is talking about how the whale represents something deeper, something symbolic. I don't really get it, but I guess it's kind of deep. And the way he ends it with that line, "And I only am escaped alone to tell thee," it's like he's saying that he's the only one who made it out alive to tell the story. That's kind of cool. But I still wish there was more. I feel like I need closure or something. This book was so intense, and now it's just over. I don't know how to feel about it. But I guess that's the point. This book was about the struggle between man and nature, and how sometimes nature wins. And maybe that's all there is to it. I'm glad I read this book. It was kind of weird and boring at times, but in the end, it was pretty cool.

Wait, what? The book is over? That's it? That's the ending? I feel like there should be more. Like, what happened to Ishmael? Did he survive? And what about the rest of the crew? And the whale? Did they really kill it? I have so many questions. But I guess that's the end. And now the author is talking about how the whale represents something deeper, something symbolic. I don't really get it, but I guess it's kind of deep. And the way he ends it with that line, "And I only am escaped alone to tell thee," it's like he's saying that he's the only one who made it out alive to tell the story. That's kind of cool. But I still wish there was more. I feel like I need closure or something. This book was so intense, and now it's just over. I don't know how to feel about it. But I guess that's the point. This book was about the struggle between man and nature, and how sometimes nature wins. And maybe that's all there is to it. I'm glad I read this book. It was kind of weird and boring at times, but in the end, it was pretty cool.

[iusedtoknowwhatawishwasfor]

Queequeg's Resurrection

For: Astrid // Berenbos

QUEEQUEG

Oh my glob. Oh my glob. Oh my glob. I think that's what my human, Mommy, says. There was a big thing like another doggie but with no hair and lots of teethies. I think it wanted to eat me! I got away but he ripped out some of my feathers. My feathers are little perfect fluffy hairs on the back of my legs. That's what they are called - look it up. I swears. 

My poor feathers. BUT - I runned away and now I'm hiding. It's very wet here and the grass is higher than me. This isn't like where Mommy and me live so’s I hope I find her. She has red hair like me and always smells nice and gives me treaties. She is nice and soft to lay on when she watches the glowy box. 

I don't hear the toothy dog anymore, so I am going to see if I can move from here. I poke my nose out and sniff the air. I don't smell its weird stinky smell so I think I might be OK to walk around. I want to see if I can sniff out Mommy. I start out with one my nose to ground but I keep checking with my eyes because that doggie was so quiet. I move real slow and then I catch it - a whiff of Mommy!! Oh my glob!!

I move faster but I'm still looking a lot. Mommy's fren Muldo thinks I'm dumb. I heard him call me 'dumb dog' but I am not dumb. I am a smart doggie and I will show him. I will find Mommy. 

Mommy... Mommy... Mommy... 

If I keep saying it in my head maybe I will find her quicker. OH! I hear her. MOMMY!!

I burst out from the grasses and there she is wrapped in a binky. She is all wet - no wonder it took me some time. She is standing next to Muldo - HE is the dumb one. I arf and arf and she spins to look at me. 

"Queequeg!!" Mommy yells bending down. I run so fast I almost fall. It's my Mommy! She picks me up and I gib her all the kissies. She holds me close and she starts to cry. No cry, Mommy - I am here. Be happy!

"Holy shit - maybe you're not such a dumb dog after all." Muldo says and I want to growl at him but I am just so happy to be safe with Mommy that I don't. She gibs me more cuddles and then says "I can't believe it! You're ok." I gib her more kissies. She buries her head in my fur and gives me one last huggie. 

That was a close one! I won't be leaving Mommy's side again!!

SCULLY

I get overwhelmed when I see that little tuft of red hair coming my way. I can't believe it - my little guy is OK. I don't think I realized just how much I love him until now. Tears are welling up in my eyes and I don't even care. I hear Mulder saying something about my "dumb dog" not being so dumb but it fades in the background as I give him more hugs. I think before he entered my life, I didn't realize how much love I had to give - now I have someone to give it to and I need this little ball of floof in my life. 

"You're ok - my little floof." I murmur as I hug him to my chest and begin walking back towards the motel. Mulder trails along behind me muttering more things I don't hear in my still-shocked state.  

I unlock the door to my room and, only then, do I release him to the floor. He proceeds to hop around excitedly at my feet. My smile beams and I bend over to scratch behind his ears. Mulder has followed me into my room and sits down in the chair near the small table. He has stopped talking, probably realizing that I wasn't listening anyway. 

"Want some food, little man? I bet you're starving!" I say as I move to open a bag of kibble. I was still in too much shock to throw anything of his away yesterday. I put down his bowl and smile as he happily stuffs himself on the dry food. 

I sit down on the chair opposite to Mulder and watch Quee eat. 

"Sorry, Scully - I guess I didn't realize how much you loved him." My brows furrow as I look at him. Am I that much of a robot in his eyes? That I couldn't even love my dog? I think he knows how I took it within a second. I watch idly as Quee hops up on the bed across from us. 

"He's my dog. Of course I love him." I say flatly. 

"Hey, Scully, I didn't mean anything by it... I just..." he trails off, looking embarrassed. 

"It's fine." 

"Clearly it's not - I didn't mean you're incapable of love or anything..." Oh, Mulder, shut the fuck up before you get yourself in more trouble. I roll my eyes to the ceiling then close them. "Of course you are capable of love... like with your mom and stuff...." Has his mind left the building? I give him a look that conveys this.

"I just... it makes me think of all the things you must want for your life but don't have because of this job." 

"Mulder, I have Quee *because* of this job, remember?" 

"Yeah... but he's just one step closer to a normal life. You're just missing the husband and 2.5 kids." 

"Mulder, where is this even coming from?" 

"I don't know - our conversation out there on that rock. Am I really the stubborn captain dragging you around on a fruitless quest? I don't want you to miss out on things that could make you happy."

"Mulder. First of all, I wouldn't be here if it didn't make me happy and leave me with a sense of fulfillment. Second, you are not dragging me anywhere. I wouldn't be going with you if I didn't want to be there. I'm not Ishmael or the rest of the doomed crew. I'm my own person and make my own career and life choices." I said, somewhat offended about the way he's making ME into the hapless puppy dog of this situation.

"I didn't mean to imply that you don't have agency here... just that... I want you to be happy," He said, it's his turn to be the puppy dog with the big sad eyes.

"I am happy. I know this job can be hard and challenging but it's one of the reasons I love it so much..." I am trying to convey my truth to him in my eyes. "I was never the kind of little girl who dreamed of her wedding day or had her children's names picked out. I wanted adventure and to make a difference and I'm living that life so I'm happy. I'm happy with... you."

He gives me a shy smile. "Are you with me?"

Shit... this has taken a turn. "I... could be... if that was something we both wanted."

"Is it something you want?" It is just me or has his voice gotten deeper? Also it's gotten about 10 degrees hotter in here. I open my mouth but nothing comes. He saves, and slays, me with his next comment. "I want it."

"You do?" I squeak out. Jesus, is that even my voice? 

"I'm not going to lie and say I haven't been thinking about you and I... for a long time. I never knew what I wanted out of life as a kid. I never knew where life would take me. I certainly didn't expect you." He says with a fond smile quirking his lips. "But maybe that's the best part of life - those things that come out of nowhere and surprise you. All of a sudden, you have everything you didn't know you wanted right in front of you."

"Is that what I am to you?" I can't even believe I got those words out - I'm so shocked. This has been the most bizarre few days. I need to hear him say it - say those words - what he wants,

"Yes - you came out of nowhere and turned my life upside down. I didn't know that I would ever, or could ever, feel this way about someone. So... yes... you're all I want."

"You're all I want, too." I whisper but he must hear it because suddenly his face is right in front of mine. He moved lightning fast from his seat to kneeling in front of mine. His hands are light on my knees as he looks me straight in the eye, asking for my permission. I give a small nod and then we're kissing. I can't believe it. How did this even happen? We're kissing and his hands are in my hair and my arms are linked around his neck.

QUEEQUEG

What is dis?! He looks like he's gibbing her kissies. Only I am allowed to kiss mommy!! I have to put a stop to dis!

I jump off the bed and run at them...

MULDER

I can't believe it. I'm finally kissing Scully and it's perfect... exactly what I thought it would be. I knew we would be so good together...

JESUS!!

QUEEQUEG

I pounce!!

MULDER

Her dog is attacking us! Well... not attacking but he jumped into her lap and is now barking incessantly.

"I knew your dog hated me," I say dejectedly until I look up at her face. There is so much love and joy in those baby blues. We grin at each other and then we're laughing hysterically. This whole thing is ridiculous but I can't believe I finally got to kiss her. I'm actually giddy with it and I don't think I have ever felt this way, at any point, in my life.

“Scully, I don’t think is going to work…” I start and her face drops. “If your dog is going to jump on us every time I kiss you because I plan on doing it a lot.”

Her face lights up. “Oh two men battling for my affections!” She puts on a fake southern drawl that makes me chuckle. “I mean, Queequag does share my bed at night…”

“We’ll see for how much longer…” I lean in and give her a soft, slow kiss until the damn dog jumps up between us again. “Think you can make room for a fox, as well as a hound?”

She groans and rolls her eyes. “That was bad, even for you. But yes, I have plenty of room for both of my boys.” She gently pushes the pup off her lap and places her hands on my cheeks, her nails lightly scratching the 5 o’clock shadow there. She leans in and I meet her halfway for a kiss that somehow feels more intimate than the others before it. “Mulder, you know I love you, right?”

“I hoped, Scully, I hoped you loved me as much as I love you,” I say, touching my forehead to hers. She captures my lips again and I do my best to push the furball back. “So… when we get back… think maybe your mom can watch the hellspawn for a weekend? I really want you all to myself.” 

“Mmm… that is definitely possible.” She makes me happier and happier by the minute. 

THAT WEEKEND…

QUEEQUEG

Mommy is acting weird. Ever since we got back from the swampy place she is jittery… as jittery as me. She is walking around moving our stuff and playing with her hair. It’s really weird.

There is a knock at the door! I love visitors!! 

Mommy lets them in and OH MY GLOB! It’s grandma!! I run toward her and leap into her arms. “Hello, my little fluffy one!” she says and I gib her all my kissies. “You’re coming to stay with me for the day! How about that?”

Sounds great, gram - you gib me lots more treaties than mommy. You say it’s our secret so’s I neber tell her. 

“Dana, don’t you look nice… expecting another visitor after me?” She winks her eye at mommy.

“Mooooom…”

“Just asking, dear!” she says and throw her hand that’s not holding me up. “Just… maybe you could give me some details when you come to get furry man tomorrow.”

“We’ll see…” she said, grabbing my baggie with all my stuffs and handing it to gram. “Thanks again for watching him, mom. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” She kisses gram on the cheek and ruffles my head fur. Then gram and I are off to the place with tons of treats. We pass Muldo  in the hall and after he says ‘hey’ to gram, he ruffles my head fur too. He smells like the woods, not the swamp. I guess he’s ok. I guess I can let mommy keep him.

END.

@xfilesfanficexchange here it is!! I hope it lives up to the expectations of the prompt writer (prompter? Is that even a word?)