#redcrackle angst

[redxcrackle]

imagine if there was an episode post himalayan rescue caper but pre viennese waltz caper where gray is officially a part of vile but carmen has to steal back the stolen good which makes gray and carmen enemies now (not willingly) LIKE IMAGINE THE ANGSTTTTT

Hi! (Sorry I haven’t responded, I have been traveling :P )

Ughbdjsbsbs the angst would be crazzyy!!!

It would come up in every convo/arguement! Carmen and Gray would be like mid-chase/fight like

stop trying to stop us, you know I don’t wanna hurt you. THEN WHY DO YOU GO BACK YOUR LIFE WAS PERFECT GRAY, I don’t wanna be doing this either.

But the pouty eyes and touches and maybe flirty teasing and snarky remarks. Ahhh but overall they would be like so sad that they are on the other side. Gray would feel guilty when he sees her, almost like a lingering thought. Carmen would get smitten and become very persuasive to get him back.

~ tysm for the ask ~

[trolls-poppy-specialist]

so, I was working on a RedCrackle fic and i wrote a reunion scene coz it was in my to-dos

@grahamcarmen

@redxcrackle

@redcracklestan

@redcxackles-backup

@redcxackle

@redxcrackle

(from gray’s pov)

“GRAY!”

I’m fiddling with the electricity supply, barely managing to place the final touches before I get wrapped up in a bear hug. My heart skips a beat at the familiar voice, and from the corner of my eye, I see the familiar lump of curly auburn hair and register the scent of rose-scented perfume I know all too well. The wetness on my coat is surprising.

“Carmen?” I break the hug, staring into her blue-grey eyes, and they are slightly swollen and red, “you’re crying.”

Oh gosh. I messed up. 

“I know… I just… I thought you were gone…” the last of her sentence becomes an inaudible murmur as she sobs and lets out a soft hiccup.

“Why are you here?” I try not to sound too condescending, and the straight look of Shadowsan appears in my head. I instantly feel scared.

Her face falls in five seconds, and I’d feel guilty if I didn’t hear what she says next, “My team dragged me here.” I grip onto her bare hand as she buries her face into my chest, and my heart flutters to seventh heaven. But at the same time, I can tell that she’s more closed off than usual, and I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Zack and Ivy are probably whispering somewhere, Shadowsan is probably judging me, and Player is probably on video call listening in to this conversation.

So I better not screw anything up.

“You seem quiet. What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I don’t know how to say this but I… I… I love you.” the confession nearly goes unheard, but I manage to catch it amidst the whir of the air-conditioning, and it’s then I realise that most of the men who work here have stopped in their tracks, staring at us, and the chatting crowd outside has partially gone silent. I try my best to ignore it.

Did she just…?

Oh god, she just did. What do I say back? How’ll she react? Will it be bad or good? Somewhere in the back of my mind, I hear the two Boston siblings giggling, and I do my best to shake the thought out of my head.

“I love you too, and–” I manage the best and most reassuring smile I can, only to have the remaining words die on my tongue when I feel a tug on my coat, followed by her lips on mine. I don’t know what to do for a second as I hear my heart pound in my chest and feel the blood rushing through my ears.

She’s kissing me.

My first kiss with the most beautiful girl in the world is great.

I can’t think straight, and I’m left stunned.

But it is kind of nice, actually.

I let my eyes slip shut, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her closer as I run a hand through her auburn locks. The world seemingly stops rotating as if frozen in time. It’s not like the kissing scenes in movies, but just something new, something that I haven’t gone through, even with my first girlfriend.

Heaven. Sheer heaven.

Heaven is what it is.

As we pull away, my hands moving to grip hers, I open my eyes, and it’s then that I register what’s going on in the real world. My male colleagues are standing, frozen in shock, one of them yelling, “YOU GO, GRAY!” while the rest blend in with the ocean of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’, some staring at me with what I perceive as envy in their eyes. Carmen’s crew has moved forward– Zack and Ivy are filming the entire thing and snickering, Player has his jaw slack from what I see on Carmen’s phone, and Shadowsan has his eyes widened as he’s chewing on something that looks like a Snickers bar.

I can hear whispers washing through the crowd, like ‘have you seen the look in his eyes whenever he mentions her? You should’ve seen the sparkle in them. That’s true love there’ and ‘this is Grammy-class romance here. I’m filming this for my Instagram’. Shadowsan is now uttering something that sounds like ‘Carmen is officially not single anymore.’, the last of his Snickers bar gone; and Zack is literally screaming at a volume so loud the security guards at the other end of the country could probably hear him, “OH MY GOSH! THEY KISSED! THIS WILL MAKE GOOD CONTENT FOR THE KIDS!”

Shadowsan, please, PLEASE don’t kill me. The last thing I want is to be at the hands of a sharp knife as he hurls profanities at me.

“Well done, Carm,” Ivy walks over, putting her hand on her shoulder, “you two are officially a couple now.”

Her cheeks turn crimson, and I can’t help but make the association.

La femme rouge.

“So…” I speak up, “you want to… go out on a date with me?”

[grahamcracklewho]

00. RED ROGUE.

a Carmen Sandiego (2019) rewrite.

tw (for the entire series): murder, death, mild gore, angst, obsession, ableism. i will add onto this as i go on. this series is DEEPLY redcrackle but includes ocs and reworked versions of characters, canon events, and etc.

my version of Black Sheep is deeply inspired by this beautiful art piece :)

posted this bc I want this fandom to be alive again. i love cs and hopefully this’ll make others love it too.

this is the prologue. ask/comment to be tagged for ch1 and more.

YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW CARMEN SANDIEGO TO READ THIS.

(I made this as understandable as possible to newcomers).

current (prolouge). next.

The smell of sea salt made Black Sheep scrunch up her nose as she took her hiding place crouched behind a large rock positioned by the island’s only dock, occasionally peering around it to check on incoming visitors. Though the golden sands and crystalline waters of the isle of VILE would’ve charmed any other, the sense of wonder it had brought her had long since faded, replaced by a perpetual sense of boredom.

The faint whirring of the engine of a boar caught her attention, and she cast the dock another glance. Black Sheep could just barely make out the silhouette of a boat on the horizon, the riding sun casting an orange glow onto VILE’s trademark black and green color scheme.

She grinned, glancing down at what she held in her hand: a red water balloon, filled to the brim. Someone was in for a nasty surprise, with that someone being VILE’s very own bookkeeper and number-cruncher: Cookie Booker. Black Sheep had gotten well-acquainted with her fury over the last couple years.

The sharp click of Cookie’s heels against the wooden dock made Black Sheep snap out of her reminiscing. She reared her arm back, taking aim. This was the only enjoyable part of her year, and she wasn’t about to mess it up.

Wait. Cookie was getting closer. Wait…

Now!

Black Sheep swung her arm forward, grinning widely as she watched it soar through the air and meet its target with quite the splash—Cookie’s luxury-brand coat, now soaking wet. Cookie took one look at her coat and her face grew as red as the water balloon.

“Black Sheep!”

Black Sheep giggled as she ran away from the docks (and the victim of her unruly prank), only to suddenly collide into a heavy figure. “Ow!” She cried, rubbing her face, though as she looked up, a smile quickly formed. “Coach Brunt!” The woman was large and tall, with cropped green hair and fists that could’ve very well been made of iron. The coach was like a mother to her.

Coach Brunt didn’t waste a second, immediately enveloping Black Sheep in a sturdy hug.

“Morning, lambkins,” Coach Brunt said as she squeezed Black Sheep tightly, to the point of making her both smile and gasp for sir. “What’d you do this time, hm?” I can see that look of mischief on your face.”

Black Sheep managed a sheepish smile and glanced off to the side, seeing Cookie in her peripheral. Coach Brunt followed her line of sight and laughed when she saw the bookkeeper in wet garments.

“Ah, soaked Cookie again, did you?” Coach Brunt mused. “Well, I’d tell you to stop, but you’re just too darn cute to say no to. And, Cookie’s got it coming, anyways. She’s so damn snobbish.”

The coach rolled her eyes before grinning down at Black Sheep. “Up for a game of dodgeball? I’ve got a fresh batch of kiddos to break in this year.” She released Black Sheep, who wheezed as she was set back down. “You wanna help your mama out, lambkins?”

Black Sheep clutched her chest, rubbing a sore spot, but smiled. “Are you kidding me? Let’s do it!”

Aside from pulling pranks on Cookie, her other favorite pastime was watching VILE’s students train. They were taught to be master thieves, the very best of the best, able to simply take whatever shiny trinkets caught their attention. Black Sheep wanted to be just like them. But also?

She wanted to make Coach Brunt proud.

“Damn.” Black Sheep looked around the vast gymnasium, currently filled with people that were a mess of flailing limbs and stumbling feet. “They’re not very good at this.”

Coach Brunt patted her back. “This is what most newbies are like, hon. They’ll have improved by the end of the year, and any who don’t get booted out. But, you’re not fully wrong, either. I think Bellum is accepting whatever idiots sign up at this point, because she wants more lab rats for those wacky experiments of hers.”

Black Sheep hummed noncommittally in response, thinking about how she was already so much better than the fumbling fools that VILE had taken in.

If only she could learn to be a thief already… but VILE only accepted students at a minimum age of eighteen. She was sixteen. Could she even last two more years without dying of boredom? Or… worse yet, being forgotten, if more skilled and experienced students came?

She gave the gymnasium another look over. It was no more impressive than it was before, and she felt a little sick this time.

“I’m gonna go real quick,” she said quietly. “Be right back.”

Coach Brunt gave her a quizzical look but didn’t question her as she ran off.

Black Sheep slowed down to a stop once she could no longer hear the chatter in the gym, but scowled to herself as silence flooded in instead.

VILE’s halls were cold, hard and empty. Its students were what breathed life into it. She hoped to be one of those students one day, but with each passing hour, her patience was slowly being whittled away. She wasn’t sure she could wait anymore.

As she dragged herself down another long, white corridor, she noticed how shiny the floors were. That was a clear sign that Vlad and Boris, VILE’s janitors, were nearby. Her face lit up. They were always fun to talk to, mainly because they were too exhausted to get annoyed at the pranks she tended to pull on them.

“Vlad? Boris?” She called as she rounded a corner.

Instead of seeing the familiar pale-skinned, dark-haired janitors, however, Black Sheep came face-to-face with a stranger. It was a young boy, around her age, with ghastly pale skin and stark white hair.

Startled, she jumped back, frowning as she scrutinized him. “Who are you?” She demanded, eyes fixed on this odd new person. A piece of cloth was tied around his eyes, acting as a blindfold. He held his hands up, the motion stiff and defensive.

“My name is Zircon,” he said carefully. “My uncles work here. Please, don’t be rash. You can identify me with staff. I have clearance.”

She squinted at this so-called Zicron. “Are you a student here?”

“No.” Slowly, he lowered his hands. “But I hope to be. I’m applying next year.”

“How old are you?” She pushed.

“I—“ he looked slightly offended, but caved. “Sixteen.” Holy cow, he was the same age as her! “Like I said, my uncles work here. I have a good word in with the faculty.”

Black Sheep suddenly had a lightbulb moment. Surely, if the faculty was considering having this random as a student, they’d also consider her, right? After all, she had lived on this island all her life, and had proven to be a skilled pickpocket already. She had the right to cultivate her talent.

“Hey,” she said. “How’re you gonna, like, convince them that you’re a good pick for next year’s class?”

“…Well, I’ve already pitched my case to faculty. It’s in their hands, now.” Zicron shifted a little, looking uncomfortable. “Is that enough information for you? Frankly, I don’t appreciate being interrogated.”

Slowly, she straightened herself. “Yeah,” she said slowly. “Yeah, it is.”

Zicron relaxed. “Alright, then. Nice meeting you, uh…?”

“Black Sheep,” she supplied. “That’s my name. Coach Brunt gave it to me. You know, the faculty member.” She probably didn’t need to boast, but she was in a good mood. “You’ve heard of her?”

“Oh, yes, of course,” he said. “You’re the one that was found as a baby on the side of a road in Argentina. You’re practically famous in these halls.”

Doesn’t ever feel like it. Still, she managed a smile. “Thanks. Guess I’ll see you some other time, then.”

“Guess so. Bye, Black Sheep.”

She smiled to herself, brushing past him as she walked away. “Bye-bye, Zicron.”

Black Sheep strolled to the library and made sure that no one was in the vicinity before she raised her hand, glancing at the stolen ID she held between her fingers, Zicron’s name glimmering in silver letters. She brought it up to the light, peering at it closely.

“Vlad and Boris’s nephew, huh?” She murmured. “Interesting.” Another word caught her attention.

Medical Issues: albinism; blind.

Blind.

She scoffed under her breath. How would anyone disabled, much less blind, ever make for a good thief?

A shame. She slid the ID into her pocket. I won’t be seeing him again next year.

[carmenscarnations]

redcrackle are so batcat-core if you get it you get it, I just love thieves x heroes who would die and drop everything for each other with a huge helping of angst

[callowayrat]

in the writing mood but i dont wanna write hm rn Ummmm help

[cs-blank-au-official]

CS-BLANK-AU ARCHIVE

NOTE ⚠️: SOME THINGS I'VE POSTED IN THE PAST MAY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. REMEMBER THAT NOTHING'S YET SET IN STONE FOR MY AU!!!

CS BLANK AU - OFFICIAL BLOG INTRO-POST - OC posters - 回到历史/Huí dào lìshǐ Caper - Jolly Good Show Caper - Beijing Bullion Caper - Big Bad Ivy Caper CS-BLANK-AU-CONCEPT ART - Paperstar - Julia Argent - Countess Cleo

CARMEN SANDIEGO OC WEEK (CSOW) DAY 1: INTRODUCTION - BLANK DAY 2: MISSION - CHANGE DAY 3: RELATIONSHIP - CONNECTIONS DAY 4: TRAGEDY - UPBRINGING DAY 5: DAY 6: DAY 7:

CARMEN SANDIEGO WEEK (CSW) DAY 1: FAVORITE CHARACTER DAY 2: FAVORITE SHIP DAY 3: N/A DAY 4: VILESONA/OC DAY 5: AU DAY 6: DRESS UP DAY 7: N/A DAY 8: N/A CS-BLANK-AU TESTING/PILOT/SHITPOSTING?? (idk what to call it) - "Introducing a new oc" - "Slight redesign" - "what would happen if you guys had an argument?" - "have some of my CS-AU doodles and drawings cuz y not" - "Wish you were sober Animatic" - "wip game" - "Thoughts on Redcrackle?" - "Philippine history x CS-BLANK-AU?" - "CS-BLANK-AU Anon Critique" - "i was just... goofing around? :3"

CS-BLANK-AU HISTORY - OLD Meet the artist - dec 2023 - OLD Blank character design lineup - OLD CS artstyle guide - OLD Blank voice claim - OLD cs-blank-au oc trailer - HOW DEEP MY CS-AU IS - Concept art Blank - "1st Blank and Shadowsan angst" - "(1st oc intro) ABOUT MY SELF-INSERT OC IN CARMEN SANDIEGO :D"

just something for me to look back at

[silkoodles]

HIII I saw your part in the free Carmen fanzine and I’ve got to say, I loved it 😭 are you planning to do more / continue it?

a confrontation from Carmen or Carmen following him around to scope him out would be funny (and depressing) af LMAO and I do love my angst 🤧

oh also, I was wondering if you shipped redcrackle / carjulia or whatnot? I feel like I’ve heard you say something about either but can’t find it anywhere !!

anyways, either way, I love your art and hope you have a nice day :3

thank you! Im glad you liked it! I'll probably post the comic here after some time has passed since the zines available

I do want to continue it. I actually have had a fic idea about what happens after the Carmen Sandiego ending, involving her mother, and this comic was an introduction to that idea. But I have fog brain and as a beginner writer I'm not used to writing regularly so im very slow. I'm working on that though so I thank people’s patience.

And i try and tag everything, including asks, as #carmen sandiego fyi.

I do ship redcrackle and I do like carjulia but i dont actively ship it. I see Carmen as bi, so. My whole thing here is drawing random ships that may be out of pocket for some people but ship a lot of ships ive drawn at least once and some ive havent drawn yet

[grahamcarmen]

SO LIKE IT WAS AN ACCIDENT BUT I WAS LISTENING TO SONGS ON THE LIST AND THEN-youtube popped up with something relevant i guess lol

Titular song and so far one other made me go oooh but well done songs aside I was like. Hmmmm . Because I am fluff at heart im like...where is the angst PROGRESSION TOWARDS (still have a couple songs to go through tho) They have a very neat sound tho and ofcourse i went .pfaa like the redcrackle fic? 😆 I kinda feel like asking which one 🤔 if it any...feels like its not a coincidence...

Cs really did a good job with so much in so little it was great.

And always and forever the SELFISH and SELFLESS ways they love each other soooo much

(Thought I never put down is that while she obviously calls him out for bs. He also makes sure she doesn't run away with the end result she WANTS. Sooooo bad . Without centering it in the truth of the matter.

I think my thing is that they personally have never had a parting that satisfies me with the idea that they should stay apart.

Like ESPECIALLY last one. Like yes. Beautiful. Spellbinding. Never gonna leave me. Selfish gray threw it all away for someone.

You're really gonna tell me like. (It doesn't even have to be shippy. But like comeon they're in love ) You really telling me carmen should be ok with her friend thinking she hates him so much she wants him DEAD DEAD. When what she wanted (him to choose the right thing) finally happened. Nah.nope.nooo

And like.shsjdjbthey always looks so 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

My. Internet. Qs not.

Drew this tho

Because the pose was too cute lol

And art insp Also if your Isabella puts crabs in a bucket with carmen...or idk

hello. i have come here to inform you that. redcrackle

~ guess

...rys? Or rxc...

@rys-redcrackle ...

Or @redxcrackle ...(calender...)

Sorry if I got it wrong...

....yes. thank you them ☆.☆

Been rotating them on the brain...like the whole Himalayas scene is like basically one minute?? And it did all that?? Uhhh grays face drenched in red lighting and 🥺 while she says goodbye to his face and then him glaring at her back?? When she cant see ?? And she's like 🥺 as she's flying away like?? >:( he said enemies i can do this i-...glad you failed buddy

But also forever the way she just was like here to say sorry I couldn't attend my date with gray 🥰 and dgjdkdkd he's like slow your roll graham asked you out... and then she just goes :3 gonna go to the heart of this VILE building and just pick him up 😊 and dbndjdkdkd Iloveyou but youre skipping steps im in crackle mode

There's something so interesting how they're both on cloud 9 and the others grounding force. Do good and see truth.

And uuuuggggh like never gonna agree that the downward spiral to her learning to lose her trust just as he'd become trustworthy is a button for that AT ALL . I'm glad gray will be happy as long as she's ok but leaving it like that is ...no.

But I always LOVE! how happy! She is that he existed in her life! And when it gets dangled in her face that maybe again! Even if in a slightly different way! Shes like yes.

And he's such a little dude . He's so neat. Like he's very straightforward. He just. Uhhh today I think it is about how wholeheartedly he reaches for VILE and power and then just slips up and does this 🥺 at carmen. He owns all his bad choices . Gladly. Pragmatically. but OBVIOUSLY can't hide that loving carmen means something to him. Like actually him. * I was there * to 🎬 action

[And also lowkey how that relates to dark! Carmen b/c- stopping here thats a different thoughtprocess]

[its still...interesting to say the least to see gray casually use the fact that he's an orphan to shut chase's theory down]

And she's so ! Good. Like she loves the world a lot its nice to follow her for it.

And like operacaper is just so...soft to the possibility of him being more flirty and specifically that he would make sure he wouldn't forget her 😉 and she just // carmen vs what she wants and ONLY giving it up if she can conceptually see it as the noble choice rather than what she should do (player bff king looking out) and I think ? One of the few times she seems bummed that the noble/right choice IS the answer at this point in time. She goes [not seeking my mom rn is ok because I chose to do the right thing and she supplements it with she loves being with team red . Duh. They're great.and eventually she does get to do this :D] But she like flat out sighs when she's like . "It's the right thing to do...I guess. But because I'm protecting him ok don't twist it. I want it to be because protecting. "

And I think gray in his protectiveness is literally so funny. But also just in his straightforward. Means for my goal. Mindset.

1) he literally got told dont tell any one which he went well no one would believe me so thats easy. And then he's like ACME ☆.☆ might know where she is and SPILLS (dude like graham is gray is crackle he still has soooo much of his tendencies he just actually does the. Oh wait yeah we're not doing bad stuff right as graham. But only like after everything is done so dbfndjdkdk) because chance for carmen info? Say less. *opens his mouth*🤣

Chief: less

Never crossed his mind that they didn't think she was the greatest thing ever

2) AND WHEN I SAY CARMEN WAS RIGHT THAT HE IS LIKE HER I MEAN IN THE HE GIVES IT AAAAALL UP. ALL HIS CARDS. anything he can when he knows that freeing carmen is it. The right thing. And ugggh the line. Very baby steps but like when?? The rod?? How long?? But he's got a goal. Straight to it.

Sndjsk like he needs to solidify his moral compass by a lot but when he does he's just as active for it

Please come back...*flips a table*

😞dark! RC kinda pretty co captains couple tho...

Look at this ballet au pick rose gave me for them...

I DID HAVE AN AU DAY (NOT BALLET) BUT I DIDNT KNOW HOW TO SUBTITLE IT WITHOUT GOING?? I NEED TO ELABORATE? THE SPECIFIC ASPECT I WANTED FROM IT??

And this isn't it either but I wondered if Anastasia had a ballet and It DOES but not n..ntotheversionofthestoryiwant. I was wondering if it even lends itself to that format but eh. Like even musical version had some trouble getting accepted? I hear?

Problems by mm for them but only if I can balance it with something sappy and happy af so hot tea by half alive for them being together (finally!) Has been it(tm)..but also someone who loves you by Betty who.

RYS IF ITS YOU DID YOU KNOW BENEATH THE BRINE IS AN ALBUM?? LIKE A WHOLE MUSIC ALBUM. ON TH E TO DO LIST BUT -

🥰think they should kiss and stay together forever /

[rys-redcrackle]

i should post... perhaps an art piece

[fuckyeahmiraculous]

Writing Prompt!

@bisexually-finger-guns thanks for the writing prompt so this is for you!!

(either carmivy or redcrackle, or they just both have a crush on her at the same time)

after a villian hurt carmen, they have to take care of her! she’s really hurt/ knocked out, but can engage in some conversation (so far)! comfort, fluff but mostly gimme that ANGST.

[grahamcracklewho]

02. RED ROGUE

a Carmen Sandiego (2019) rewrite.

tw (for the entire series): murder, death, mild gore, angst, obsession, ableism. i will add onto this as i go on. this series is DEEPLY redcrackle but includes ocs and reworked versions of characters, canon events, and etc.

this is ch2. ask/comment to be tagged for ch3 and more.

YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW CARMEN SANDIEGO TO READ THIS.

(I made this as understandable as possible to newcomers).

prev. current (ch3). next.

Soft chatter emanated through the auditorium as VILE’s newest batch of students got themselves seated, waiting for orientation to begin. It didn’t take long for Coach Brunt to stroll onto the stage, approaching the podium that sat in the middle. She fiddled with the microphone attached to it, frowning slightly before rolling her eyes.

“Ahem!” Coach Brunt glanced around expectantly, waiting for the students to quiet down. “…Welcome to VILE’s school for thieves,” she said. “That’s V-I-L-E. Valuable imports, lavish exports. We ship goods to the four corners of the world.” The coach grinned down at the auditorium full of students. “You’ve all been hand-picked for our one-year program, thanks to your unique talents and exponential potential, so we’re expecting big results from all of you. But, that aside—my name is Coach Brunt, and I’m one of the head honchos around here, so you gotta play by my house rules.”

She held up a cell phone, the familiar object drawing the attention of the students. “Rule one: no communication devices.” She suddenly crushed it, bits of glass and metal crumbling to the ground, getting shocked gasps and concerned glances from everyone but Black Sheep. “And, rule two: first names only, until y’all get your code names.” Coach Brunt’s gaze slid over, meeting Black Sheep’s amongst the crowd. “Ain’t that right, lambkins?”

Black Sheep blinked in surprise before managing a nervous smile and shrinking back slightly, feeling the gazes of all the other students on her. Directly in front of her, someone barked out a laugh, making her flinch.

“Lambkins?” The person snorted. “Who knew VILE had a mascot?”

She was suddenly faced with a decision: allow herself to be made fun of on orientation day, of all things, or fight back.

Well, she never was one to back down.

Without a second to give room for hesitation, she grabbed the shirt collar of the person that had just laughed and yanked on it, hard, pulling their head back so that she could stare them down, ignoring the startled yelp they let out as she did so. It was a brunet male, his expression strewn with surprise. She bit back the urge to shake the wits out of him and instead managed a forced smile.

“The name’s Black Sheep,” she gritted out. “Only my friends call me lambkins.” Her grip on his collar tightened, giving it a slight tug. “Do you understand? Nod if you understand.”

He nodded hurriedly. “Uh-huh.”

Reluctantly, she released him, and didn’t hear another peep from him for the rest of the orientation. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the last of him that she saw. After orientation, students were directed to their respective dorms, with a handful of people in each one.

Black Sheep was the first one to arrive and settle into her dorm room (aside from that freaky quiet kid), only having to move a few maps and the set of Russian nesting dolls from her room to feel homely. She looked around the area and eventually decided on a bed by a window, so she could look out into the island, but still close by the doorway so she could watch as her new roommates filed in.

The first two that entered followed each other closely; a tall, lean man and his friend, who was much shorter and broader in comparison.

“Jean Paul,” the tall man said, nodding at her in greeting.

“And I’m Antonio,” the shorter man added.

Black Sheep smiled at them both. They seemed friendly enough.

Trailing behind them was a platinum blond woman. For a moment, Black Sheep’s mind flashed to Zicron and how she didn’t see him at orientation, but pushed the thought away, instead watching as said blond woman brushed her hair back and barely spared Black Sheep a glance as she entered. “I’m Sheena,” the woman said, sounding bored. Black Sheep already didn’t like her, but didn’t have very long to stew in hatred because the next person that came in was the brunet from earlier. Black Sheep’s eyes narrowed at him, and when his gaze met hers, he managed a sheepish smile.

“You,” she scowled, standing up. He glanced off to the side, rubbing his neck.

“Er… Black Sheep, right?” He asked, a hint of an accent in his voice. It didn’t take her long to identify it as Australian. “The name’s Graham.” He extended a hand out for her to shake. “Sorry about earlier.”

Black Sheep quirked a brow, scanning his face for any sign of deception. When she found none, she accepted his offer and gave his hand a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, Graham,” she said carefully. As much as she would’ve liked to acknowledge his apology, she wasn’t quite sure she was ready to let go of it yet.

Graham seemed to pick up on what she was thinking and a look of faint guilt appeared on his face. He started to say something else, but the shrill voice of one of her new roommates cut through it.

“These your toys, little girl?” Sheena had wandered over to Black Sheep’s bed without her noticing, and she took the opportunity to poke at the Russian nesting dolls sitting by the windowsill.

Immediately, Black Sheep scowled. “Hands off,” she warned as she walked over to her with brisk strides.

Sheena laughed and moved to stand in front of the nesting dolls. “Ooh, protective, are you?” She sneered. “I wonder what you’re keeping in these dolls. I guess I could find out.” Her hand inched closer to the dolls. Red filled Black Sheep’s vision, and she dove at Sheena, trying to get in a punch or two when Graham suddenly grabbed her, locking his arms underneath her.

“Whoa!” He shouted. “Let’s play nice, ladies.” He dragged Black Sheep away from Sheena, though not without some difficulties since she wouldn’t stop flailing.

“Taking sides with the little girl, Graham?” Sheena shot him an unimpressed look.

Graham only rolled his eyes. “What’d Black Sheep even do to you? Just don’t touch people’s things without permission.”

Sheena looked offended by the scolding, but only managed to let out a splutter before turning on her heel and sauntering off. “Probably cheap costume jewelry, anyways,” she muttered. Graham chuckled before helping Black Sheep back up to her feet.

“You okay?” He asked, glancing at her. She looked at him, surprised, before managing a small smile and nod.

“Yeah,” she said, looking down at the floor. That went better than she had expected it to. Usually, her shuffles ended up with her winning, but just barely, and with a heap of injuries to go along with it. “Thanks.“

He grinned. “No problem.”

Black Sheep was already making friends—and enemies.

The next day, classes started.

Black Sheep got up earlier than everyone else, with the exception of Graham, who was playing chess with himself on the coffee table in the dormitory. She hadn’t been able to sleep very well last night, but woke up feeling more energized than ever, practically bouncing with excitement. This was it—what she had been waiting for, all her life. She had even gotten new clothes, commemorating her officially becoming a student. It was a sleek black stealth suit, with VILE’s signature green V in the front. 

“You’re really raring to go, aren’t you, Black Sheep?” Graham smiled at her from where he sat cross-legged on the floor. He, too, was dressed in new clothes: a dark blue jacket, over a black shirt. “You’ve been up for the past hour or so, just sitting there grinning.”

“Honestly? I can’t wait.” She managed a sheepish smile. As much as she didn’t want to come across as overeager (and remind a certain someone how “immature” she was) she couldn’t exactly hide it. Besides, Graham probably wouldn’t judge her. “How’re you so calm?”

“Trade secret.” He grinned before gesturing to the chess board he had set up. “Wanna play a round?”

Black Sheep glanced at it. “Sure, but no promises that I won’t win.” She took a seat across from him. “I’ve played chess with Coach Brunt a million times.”

“Fond of her, are you?” He hummed. “Well, I’m sorry to say that I am definitively better at chess than Coach Brunt is. Prepare to lose.” He paused. “You sure you want black? You can take white if you want.”

She shot him a look. “White is fine. I’ll destroy you either way.”

“Hey, hey, the match hasn’t even started yet. Let’s remain civil for just one more second.” His grin widened. “But game on.”

“I can’t believe you won!” Black Sheep groaned as she clutched her head. “I was so sure…”

Graham shrugged, hiding his smile. “What can I say? I play a lot of chess.”

“Ugh, unfair.” She punched his arm jokingly. “Whatever. At least it’s time for classes now.” He nodded, following her out of the dormitory.

“So, what’s your story, Graham?” Black Sheep glanced at her new classmate as they walked side-by-side down a corridor, heading to their first class: Stealth 101, with Shadowsan. She was trying to distract herself from the thought of having to take a class with the faculty member that hated her, all year long. That, and she knew the halls of V.I.L.E. academy much better than Graham did, so she thought she could spare him some time.

Graham grinned at her, folding his arms behind his neck. “I worked as a junior electrician in the Sydney opera house,” he began.

“Australia! I knew it.” She fist-pumped, making him chuckle. “Have you ever seen a koala there? Or sharks? Or, ooh, Ayers Rock?”

He cast her an amused glance. “I’ll, uh, get back to you on that,” he grinned. “Anyways, one day, a light went out. I realized I could make a far better living turning off the lights than I could keeping them on.”

Her brows rose, secretly impressed. “Cool. So now you’re here, huh?”

“Yeah. What about you, Black Sheep?”

Black Sheep looked down at the floor, thinking. “I was found as a baby on the side of a road in Bueno Aires, Argentina,” she said. “VILE’s faculty took me in and their own and raised me here, on the island. Being a professional thief is what my entire life has been leading up to.”

“Dedicated, huh? Respectable.” He nodded. “Growing up with a tropical paradise as a home must’ve been nice.”

“I guess.” She sometimes forgot that, to others, the isle of VILE was desirable. She couldn’t see it. It was empty and lonely; cold and stark, and her supposed family was too busy to ever spend time with her. “I’m just glad that VILE academy is a thing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have met you, or anyone else.” She smiled up at him, and he gave her an easy smile in return.

“I agree,” Graham said. “VILE’s more welcoming than the real world, anyways. When you grow up alone, it’s hard to make others part of your life. VILE helps people like us have a home.”

Her smile widened. “Exactly.” They walked for a little longer before she added, “are you really going to go by Graham while you’re here?”

He looked at her curiously. “I mean, I wasn’t planning to go by anything else. Why?”

Black Sheep made a face. “I just…” she shrugged. “It’s not very cool, you know. Or threatening.”

“What would you suggest, then, Miss Genius?”

She rolled her eyes, smiling. “Gray,” she said pointedly. “I think that’s much better than Graham, at least until you get your code name.”

He considered that, brows rising. “That’s not bad,” he admitted. “Alright, then. Gray it is, courtesy of you.” He paused, and a grin touched his lips. “Still not better than lambkins, though.”

She laughed. “As it should.”

They eventually came to a stop in front of the doors to Shadowsan’s classroom. The two exchanged a glance before Gray gestured politely for her to go first, pushing the door open for her.

She grinned. “Thanks,” she whispered as they walked inside. Gray winked, trailing closely behind her.

The room was decorated minimally, with thin, transparent, Japanese-styled windows—which, Black Sheep knew were known as shoji—concealing the room, and a large bonsai plant growing from a pot in the corner. Straw mats were placed on the wooden floor, one for each student. She and Gray took a seat near the front, next to each other.

When Shadowsan strolled to the front of the classroom and looked her way, she met his gaze, refusing to back down. She wasn’t going to let him bully her into submission. She knew her worth.

Once all of the students filed in and settled down, Shadowsan sat down, crossing his legs, and held up a square piece of paper for the class to see. “Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding,” he said. In a flurry of motions, the simple sheet of paper was transformed into an elegant swan. “There is no better way to practice having the delicate touch of a thief than origami.”

Black Sheep and Gray exchanged an unimpressed glance, which quickly turned into matching expressions of dismay when they were handed some paper and were told to fold them into animals.

Despite Shadowsan watching her like a hawk, she actually was able to enjoy the activity. She made sure that each fold was neat and precise, and eventually ended up with an impressive unicorn. She held it up, admiring how cleanly done it was. For her first time, it was actually pretty good.

Shadowsan walked around the room, examining different creations. When he complimented the sheep Tigress had made, she raised up her unicorn, hoping he’d admit that she had done well, but he barely cast her a glance before strolling away, arms folded behind his back. Black Sheep’s brows drew together and she grumbled to herself, though Gray patting her shoulder comfortingly helped soothe her.

Once they were done, they showed each other what they had made.

“Nice rhino.” Gray squinted at her unicorn. She laughed.

“Hello? It’s a unicorn?” She waved it in his face, making him arch a brow.

“Unicorns aren’t real, you know,” he said. “Shadowsan said to make an animal.”

Black Sheep snorted. “Unicorns are fictional animals. Still an animal. And what’s yours supposed even to be?” She gave his creation an odd glance. It was scrunched up and creased all over, to the point it was indiscernible. “An… amoeba?” She joked.

This time, Gray was the one giving her an odd glance. “No, it’s a kangaroo.”

She gave the supposed kangaroo a few more looks. “Oh…” she said slowly. “I… see it now. I think.”

Gray sighed, setting his disfigured kangaroo off to the side. “Well, origami may not be my calling, but at least I gave it a shot.”

“Eh… yeah, honestly, you tried your best.” She gave him a fist bump. “Not too shabby for a pair of first-timers.”

“No kidding.” He grinned. “I didn’t come here to learn origami, but at least I can cross it off my bucket list now.” His eyes wandered around the classroom, eventually landing on a sword kept in a glass case in the front of the classroom. “Crikey! Look at that sword. It’s huge.”

She followed his gaze. “Geez, yeah. Kinda seems like overkill,” she mumbled. “I mean, I’m a thief. I don’t know why I’d need to lug around a gigantic sword like that.”

“Heh. Think Instructor Shadowsan ever uses it?” He raised a brow. “No, right? He probably cleans it three times a day.”

“Sounds like him,” she said. “Hopefully, in our next class we can actually do something exciting.”

Just as she said that, she felt a shadow loom over her, the silence suffocating. She froze, a chill crawling up her spine.

“My class is not entertaining enough for you, is it, Black Sheep?” Shadowsan glared down at her, and all she could do was manage a sheepish smile.

“I—I’m sorry, Instructor Shadowsan, I was just saying that because I expected—“

“It does not matter what you expect,” he interrupted. “Regardless of it, you should be grateful. I am sorry I could not live to your expectations, Black Sheep. Perhaps you could teach yourself some discipline helping Vlad and Boris scrub down the academy walls. Does that sound enjoyable?”

Her eyes widened. “N…no, Instructor.”

“Then do not let me catch you being so disrespectful again.” He turned his back to her, and the class started to snicker quietly, the loudest of all being Sheena. 

Black Sheep’s face flushed with shame, and she looked down at her lap, biting her lip. This… wasn’t how she wanted her first class to go.

Far from it.

a/n:

is black sheep suffering rn? yeah! do i care? ehh…

more importantly, we finally have gray’s introduction !! i don’t ship black sheep n gray (they give bro n sis) but stay w me y’all 😔 lmk ur thoughts :)

[callowayrat]

Are gray and carmen not actually gonna get together in your fic :(?

everything works out in the end, don’t worry!! unless..

i warn you tho, it’s gonna take a while lol :3 me and mlmebomb have like.. at LEAST 10+ more chapters of angst planned out 😭 there’s gonna be a LOT of plot haha, buckle up!

i might write a fluffy little one shot before i finish this fic/before writing my next redcrackle one tho

[redxcrackle]

Carmen Sandiego x Graham Calloway

Song Recommendation:

Arcade - Duncan Lawrence

———————————————————————

This song is the fluff and the angst of them. It shows the complication of relationship but also the longing of being together again. This song is one of my top songs for RedCrackle, because the power of how the artist sang it and how the lyrics hit me so hard every time I listen to it. I strongly recommend it to you and this ship.

[invnciblesummer]

Okay so I think we’re supposed to believe that Carm and Gray never see each other again but I refuse to believe it so I’m gonna ask you how you imagine RedCrackle eventually happening.

Aww, Nora, no!! 😭 Duane Capizzi apparently confirmed in an interview that Gray and Carmen will see each other again!! But even if he said otherwise, honestly I’d refuse to believe it too lol.

As for how I imagine Red Crackle happening, I like to imagine many different versions!

When I’m in the mood for angst, sometimes I imagine a Red Crackle equivalent to the Zutara fic Clothe Me in Seasons, where basically Carmen and Gray stay in touch, but never let themselves get too close to each other, and never let themselves get together, for fear of bringing harm or hurt to the other person. Maybe they find different partners, maybe they don’t, but they loved each other through it all. Eventually, one of the two dies when they’re both old, and it lets the other reflect.

But I usually like to think about a more likely (and not as depressing lol) post-canon continuation. And the one that I found, that I think is the perfect post-canon continuation, is the fic Where Destiny Lies by @redcxackles-backup!

In the story, Carmen stayed with her mom— and her adopted teenage younger sister, Elena— at the orphanage in Buenos Aires for two years after she reunited with her family, and things were overall quiet for those two years. Throughout those two years, Carmen was in close contact with Player (as always). She also stayed in touch with the ACME agents and Shadowsan, checking in with them when she could on the topic of the takedown of V.I.L.E agents still out there. She didn’t stay in touch with Gray, however, but the thoughts of him and the night she would have killed him still haunt her.

Two years after V.I.L.E was taken down, the V.I.L.E breakouts start happening more and more, and Carmen starts getting back in on the action, taking down escaped V.I.L.E thieves where she can (like at the the end of the last episode, in the 2-year-later epilogue tidbit), while also trying to protect her family and the rest of the orphanage from any harm that might come their way.

And V.I.L.E is very angry at what happened to them. Do they blame Carmen and ACME? Absolutely. But you know who else they blame?

The traitor who chose Carmen over V.I.L.E, and triggered the takedown of V.I.L.E by ACME: Graham Calloway.

And boy do they have it out for both Gray and Carmen.

So, around the time that the breakouts are on the rise, Carmen is walking in town in Buenos Aires after dropping her sister off at school. She then sees Gray just standing there, and she can’t believe her eyes at first. He doesn’t see her, and keeps walking onwards, but Carmen doesn’t want to let him go, not again. She chases after him, screaming his name, and he finally turns around and sees her.

And that’s where I’m going to stop my summary of the first part of the fic! 😁 If you want to read a Red Crackle post-canon continuation with a hooking plot, the same kind of awesome action as the show, and interesting explorations into the characters and their relationships with one another, I think that this fic is for you!! Elena reminds me a lot of Toph, and we both know that Carmen and Gray are a lot like Zuko and Katara, so you can imagine how fun interactions between the three of them would be lol (hint, it’s just as fun as the interactions between Toph and Zutara in zk fics).

Here’s a link to the fic Where Destiny Lies, if you would like to read it! It’s not completed yet, but it’s still being updated. I would definitely recommend it as a post-canon continuation after the show :D

[carmensbroom]

okay SO I've had 6 hours to calm down and gather my thoughts after the trailer so hold onto your fedoras (see what I did there?)

I know there's bigger things to worry about right now but where the fuck is zari that is my emotional support acme agent GIVE HER BACK

my baby julesssss I love you so much queen but let's face it you're screwed

for once I'm actually excited about chase's arc he's been drinking his respect women juice I see

tigress vs chase is a fight I never thought I'd get to see but I'm not complaining

countess cleo is so HOT in that new outfit holy shit did somebody say milf rights

I'm really not expecting carulia to be "canon" but there's at least one episode where they interact so that's enough for me (they better talk about stockholm or I SWEAR TO GOD-)

gray looks like he's going through some shit I'm so sorry babe

the lack of zack and ivy concerns me I need at least some comic relief after all this angst

I feel like I'm the only person who isn't freaking out about player but his arc looks... entertaining to say the least sjsjsjs

I assume gray's memories are slowly coming back and it looks like he's with vile as well as acme so he's probably gonna have to pick a side at some point

jules please join team red I don't even care about ships at this point I just want her to join lmao

I REALLY hope they don't do an unnecessary last minute redemption arc for coach brunt

chief wasn't in it as much as I thought she would be I wanna see her lose her shit tbh

omg gray you can't just go around tackling children to the ground we've talked about this

I've been too busy freaking out about what's happening to everyone else to even think about carmen herself but it looks like she's gonna reach her lowest point (please let her cry I wanna see it so bad)

PLATONIC REDCRACKLE HUG PLEASE

I was initially worried about shadowsan but he looks like he's doing great I just hope they don't kill him off

it doesn't look like carmen is gonna find her mom after all but hopefully she'll realise that family isn't just about blood

and finally: carmen really said "release my girlfriend or I'll drop this priceless artefact into the big no no hole"

[patchworkofravens]

Guys ples.....the redheads only friends.... were those two brunette boys respevtively....they both......hated each other at first sight...ples.....redcrackle skk the angsts that u are