#ships are ay-oh-kay

[razztazzel]

would you be ok if we shipped your au characters for fun? like noncanon stuff

Of course go for it!!!

[tytarax]

I see you open Requests. So i shall ask.

No romance. But comedy. How will Alastor act when he meets gn reader who is pirate ex-overlord. Im talking pirate slang and everything. They are the captain of their ship. Having a funny crew and everything.

Thanks for this request, I really enjoyed writing it!

Also gave me a reason for reading the book my brother gifted me last year, "A General History of the Pyrates" (Recommended btw)

I wrote a "short" one-shot with some hcs at the end.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Context: You are an ex-overlord, the pirate demon to be exact. You tend to sail through hell with your trusty crew on their ship, Sapphire, a ghost ship like the Flying Dutchman. When you were an overlord that was your way of announcing yourself, ready to conquer a new territory of the pentagram. Now, you only cause panic, and all the demons flee before your presence, even though you no longer cause wars or collect more souls.

-Some years before the Hazbin Hotel opened-

The salty breeze whistled through the ethereal sails of the Sapphire, the flying ghost ship that sailed the skies with an otherworldly grace. Its crew, a spirited bunch of specters and souls, worked together under the command of their captain, a lively and charismatic demon named Captain _____, with a sense of camaraderie and mischief that echoed through the ages.

As night fell, the crew gathered on the deck, surrounded by the glow of ghostly lanterns. They raised their spectral tankards in a toast to their latest adventure, the echoes of laughter mingling with the creaking of the ship.

"Arr, me hearties!" The captain exclaimed, their voice carrying over the sound of the wind. "Another successful raid, thanks to this fine crew o' mine!"

The crew cheered, their voices filled with the thrill of the chase and the promise of plunder. They gathered around a makeshift table, laden with ghostly grog and ethereal food, and began to swap tales of past escapades.

"Do ye remember the time we outsmarted ol' Davy Jones himself?" one crewmate exclaimed, raising a tankard.

"Aye, that we did!" another replied, clapping the speaker on the back. "And what about the time we stole the moon's reflection from the sea?"

The crew erupted into laughter, the memories of their adventures bonding them together like family. They drank and sang, the joy of the moment banishing the shadows of their past lives.

Captain _____ joined in the revelry, their laughter ringing out like a bell. They regaled their crew with stories of their own, of battles won and treasures found, each tale more fantastical than the last.

As the night wore on, the crew's voices grew hoarse from laughter and song. They staggered to their hammocks, spirits high and hearts full, grateful for another day of freedom on the high skies.

Suddenly, a mysterious figure appeared on the deck of the Sapphire—Alastor, the infamous Radio Demon. Despite the supernatural nature of the ship and its crew, Alastor seemed right at home, his charismatic presence filling the air with a crackling energy.

The captain greeted him with a knowing smile. "Well, well, well, look who's decided to join us on our little jaunt through the skies. What brings ye to our humble haunt, Alastor?"

Alastor chuckled, his radio-like voice blending with the wind. "I couldn't resist the allure of the legendary Sapphire and its crew of spectral scallywags, along with their powerful overlord captain. I must say, you're quite the spectacle. I was just passing by, dear."

“Oh, 'kay then, make yerself comfortable.”

The crew, intrigued by their guest, gathered around as Alastor regaled them with tales of his exploits from the land of the living and the dead. They shared ghostly grog and spectral snacks, swapping stories long into the night.

As the moon rose high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the clouds, Alastor bid the crew farewell, disappearing into the night with a promise to return. The crew watched him go, their ghostly forms shimmering in the moonlight, filled with a newfound appreciation for the enigmatic Radio Demon.

And so, the Sapphire continued its journey through the skies.

---

Years had passed since the Sapphire last touched down on solid ground, but the flying ghost ship remained as majestic and mysterious as ever. _____ guided their crew through the skies, seeking adventure wherever the wind carried them.

One day, the Sapphire descended upon the grounds of the infamous Hazbin Hotel, its ghostly form shimmering in the light of the setting sun. The crew, eager for a change of scenery, followed their captain as they disembarked, their laughter and banter filling the air.

As they entered the hotel, the crew's antics drew curious glances from the residents.

“Oh, hello there! You must be the pirate demon! I’m Charlie-”

“Oh, yer Charlie Morningstar, aren’t ya? Nice to meet you, lady.” _____ said. Right before, an angelic spear was pointing to their head. While all the crew prepared their weapons, _____ stopped them.

“What do you want?” Said the young girl who was holding the spear.

“Don’t worry yerself, lily-livered landlubber! We���re just passing through, seeking for a place to rest for a while” _____ said as the crew laughed at the nickname. One of the crew guys, Mackra, yelled from his spot “That’s right, we're not going to fight ye, woman!”

“How can we trust you?” She answered back. “Hahaha, dead men tell no tales, lady! I’m not longa an overlord!”

Alastor watched from the shadows, initially taken aback when encountering _____, the pirate ex-overlord along with their spirited crew. He approached _____, a sly grin on his face, but maintained his aloof and mysterious demeanor.

"Ah, the captain of the Sapphire graces us with their presence," Alastor said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "What brings you to the Hazbin Hotel, I wonder? Seeking redemption, or just passing through?"

______ smiled, shaking their head. "No redemption for me, I'm afraid. Just a brief respite from the skies. Besides, I hear your hotel is quite the... lively place."

Alastor chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Indeed, it is. Well, enjoy your stay, dear. And should you ever tire of the skies, you're always welcome here."

As _____ settled into the Hazbin Hotel alongside their crew, they couldn't help but feel grateful for the adventures of their past and the enduring camaraderie of their spectral companions. And though the skies still called to them, for now, they were content to rest and revel in the company of their new comrades.

Some hcs:

Alastor may make a few sly comments or observations in his characteristic style, but he doesn't fully engage with pirate slang. “Avast ye!”, “Landlubber”, “Hornswaggle”, that sorta thing.

Despite being an ex-overlord, you have a rather peculiar and humorous crew. Alastor greatly enjoys the chaotic and extravagant interactions of the crew. He may offer a few dry remarks or sarcastic quips about the crew's behavior.

Alastor respects your leadership abilities but doesn't attempt to mimic them. Instead, he observes how you handle your crew and situations, perhaps offering subtle advice or commentary when asked.

You have sometimes invited Alastor to take rides on your ship, which he gladly accepts.

The adventures you and Alastor embark on are more subdued and focused, with Alastor using his skills and knowledge to help navigate challenges more seriously, albeit with a hint of dark humor.

While Alastor maintains a mere professional relationship with the reader, he may develop a begrudging respect for your abilities since he has more respect for the overlords or ex-overlords older than him and occasionally shows a more lighthearted side.

Overall, Alastor retains his mysterious and enigmatic nature while still allowing for moments of humor and camaraderie with you.

Masterpost

Hazbin Hotel Masterlist

@22carolina08

[a-dauntless-daffodil]

pulling out of the angst listening to "A Pirate Today" for the chaggie spear kid and tripping directly into them and vaggie being pirate nerds together while disney princess charlie SUFFERS

Billy: “Mom? How come mom has a super cool epic eyepatch, and no one else at the hotel does?”

Charlie: “Be-caaauuse she’s… missing an eye?”

Billy: “Oh! Why’s it missing?”

Charlie: “Uh.”

Billy: “Did someone TAKE it?”

Charlie: “Well-”

Billy: “Are we gonna get it back for her?”

Charlie: “That's a nice thought but I don’t think-”

Billy: “Was it glass, like a marble? Or was it REAL? Did it bleed?? Did someone cut it out of her head with a knife after she refused their dastardly orders and paid the price in her own flesh!? Is that how she met YOU and lost her heart as well!???”

Charlie: “…..”

Charlie: “You’ve been reading Vaggie’s pirate books again, haven’t you.”

Billy: “She says I’m too young to read ‘em.”

Charlie: “Uh-huh. Which one are you on?”

Billy: “The Curse of the Skeleton Crew and the Bedding of Bonnie Bodyripper’s Beautiful Bounty Huntress.”

Charlie: “And the WHAT OF THE WHAT NOW???”

Billy: “There’s a lot of boring parts I skip past… but the fights are AMAZING!”

Charlie: “…I.. think we should get you some of your own pirate books. CHILD APPROPRIATE pirate books.”

Billy: “’kay. But what about mom’s eye. Can we really not get it back for her?”

Charlie: “You’re really hung up on the eye thing tonight huh.”

Billy: “She bumped into a table again.”

Charlie: “Aww, kiddo- she’s done that so many times, she’ll be okay!”

Billy: “… I was the one who’d moved it. And didn’t put it back.”

Charlie: “That’s okay too. Everyone makes mistakes-”

Billy: “It was a pirate ship and she was picking up the old bottles uncle Husky let me use for secret messages, after aunty Angel Dust almost slipped on one in his heels. Mom dropped some when the table bumped her.”

Charlie: “Well sounds like someone forgot to sing their ‘clean up, clean up’ sea shanty song~” (grins)

Billy: (doesn't grin back)

Charlie: (droops) “Did you help her spiff up the ship?”

Billy: “I was TRYING to! I just wanted to hand her a bottle, only I was on the wrong side and she reached out too far and touched my hand and-”

Billy: “…”

Charlie: “…the flinching again?”

Billy: “The bottle broke when she dopped it, that time.”

Charlie: “It’s okay.” (hugs them) “You know it’s not about you, right?”

Billy: “Someone hurt her didn’t they.”

Charlie: “Mm." (hugs tighter) "Vaggie’s had a pretty, adventurous life, even before I met her and we started the whole hotel thing.”

Billy: “Did the person who hurt her look like me?”

Charlie: “Oh baby that’s not why-”

Billy: “So they did.”

Charlie: “NO. Not at all. They don’t have your big smile or silly laugh like you do.” (hugs them closer) “There’s no one anywhere who’s like you, and Vaggie doesn’t want you to be anyone else ever.”

Billy: "Were they a bad person?"

Charlie: "I don't do the whole bad-person good-person. They were. Not nice."

Billy: "Like a pirate?"

Charlie: "I think calling them that'd be an insult. To the pirates."

Billy: “….was mom a pirate with them?”

Charlie: “She… she’s more of a pirate now, kinda. One of the good ones.”

Billy: “Saying fuck it to dumb rules and laying it all on the line for her new captain and crew?”

Charlie: (wincing) “I need another talk with your ‘uncle Husky’. Also, Vaggie doesn’t have a captain.”

Billy: “But if the hotel’s her ship, and you founded it, then-”

Charlie: “-then we’re co-captains!”

Billy: “Mom. That’s not how ships work.”

Charlie: “It is on THIS one.”

Billy: “Her being your first mate makes more sense though!”

Charlie: “Noooope! Our ship, our rules. AND our rules still include bedtime!” (scoops them up)

Billy:  (grumbling) “There’s gonna be mutiny over this someday…”

Vaggie: (slipping out of the shadows) “Aye, but not until you’re old enough to yell about it not being a phase, apparently. Ye scallywag.”

Charlie: “I STILL can’t believe dad told you about that.”   

Billy: “Mom! I-” (shyly) “…sorry about the ship. And the, glass and the stuff.”

Vaggie: “More of a shipwreck, yeah? Don't worry.” (smiles) (holds up note) “The broken bottle had a message in it.”

Billy: “Oh that’s-!”

Vaggie: “It’s got SEKRET written on it, in something that’s probably not blood-”

Billy: “Aunt Niffty helped with that.”

Vaggie: “…written in something that’s probably just rat blood...”

Charlie: (groans) “Great. More ‘child appropriate environment’ talks.”

Billy: “Heheh.”

Vaggie: “Anyway, here.” (hands over note) “Pirates respect each other’s secrets.”

Billy: (gingerly taking it without touching her) “No they don’t? None of the ones in your books do.”

Vaggie: “My books- sweetie, which my books?”

Charlie: “Bonnie Bodyripper.”

Billy: “Curse of the Skeleton Crew!!!”

Vaggie: “Oh thank ff…eather dusters…. Not one of the wild ones then.”

Charlie: “THAT’S not a wild one!?”

Vaggie: (shrug) (at kid) “Did Bonnie Bodyripper read the bounty huntresses letter when she found it lying on the cabin floor while looking for her clothes?”

Billy: “No…”

Charlie: “LOOKING FOR HER WHAT.”

Billy: “She’d’ve seen the betrayal coming sooner and could’ve stopped it, if she had.”

Vaggie: “But she wanted to trust the huntress. You read the ending?”

Billy: “It’s the best part! The huntress swings in and saves her! They kill SO MANY guards together and blow up a SHIP and and and-”

Vaggie: “Yeah okay right, uhhhhh- the actual ending. On the last page.”

Billy: “Bonnie says she fell in love with a huntress who could hurt her and she was okay with that.”

Charlie: “Ehhh.”

Billy: “It’s like with the sea, mom. There were parts of the huntress maybe Bonnie’d never find out about, and she was okay with that too! Because the parts she did know were something the huntress had shared with her.”

Charlie: “Aww, that’s…”

Billy: “And then they wrestle.”

Charlie: “…still not something you should be reading yet, yep.”

Billy: “What’s boring wrestling have to do with anything?”

Vaggie: “Forget the wrestling. Point is, people hurt each other sometimes, sweetie." (tickles them with a wing) "What matters it what they do after.”

Billy: “Heh!" (wiggles) (grins) "Did the person who took your eye say sorry afterwards?”

Vaggie: “….”

Vaggie: “No.”

Billy: “Okay.” (thinks for a moment) “So I’m not like them.”

Charlie: “MUCH cuter.”

Vaggie: “You… are stalling, you sea rat.”

Billy: “No ‘m not!”

Vaggie: “Bellow decks and into bed with you.”

Billy: “Where’d you get the eyepatch??”

Charlie: “That’s a story for tomorrow, kiddo! Bedtime is crucial to a child’s development!”  

Billy: “I’m enveloped I’m enveloped! Pleeease just five more minutes-!”

Vaggie: “Nuh-uh, you heard your mom. Captain’s orders.”

Charlie: “Don’t you start.”

Vaggie: “Babe, it really doesn’t make sense for there to be two captains at one time.”

Billy: “HA!”

Charlie: “What does it even matter anyway? We’re running a hotel, not an actual ship-”

Vaggie: “And I’m the hotel manager, which makes me your first mate.”

Billy: “See mom? TOLD you!”

Charlie: “But you’d look good in that fancy captain’s outfit!”

Billy: “Oh so that’s why you stare at mom’s book covers before confiscating them..”

Vaggie: “Charlie, it’s not about who looks good in it- It’s about division of duties onboard and proper crew management-”

Billy: “Tell her!”  

Charlie: “This is a hotel!”

Vaggie: “Guest management. Whatever.”

Charlie: “You just like that I’D be the one in the long coat and ruffles!”

Vaggie: “It’s a perk. But that’s not the point.”

Charlie: “This whole thing doesn’t have any point to it and if I’m captain then I can just promote you to captain too so HA!”

Vaggie: “Pirate captains are elected, babe.”

Billy: “They’re elected, mom.”

Vaggie: “It’s a popular vote thing.”

Billy: “I think maybe YOU need to read the books too, instead of just going gooey eyed over the covers.”

Charlie: “I’m starting to think no one in this family should be reading them…”

Vaggie: “Fine. Let’s vote on it.”

Charlie: “Oh come on!”

Billy: “All in favor of being historically accurate hotel pirates say aye!”

Vaggie: “Aye.”

Billy: “Aye!”

Charlie: “ARGH!”

Billy: “Out voted~”

Vaggie: (pats charlie’s shoulder) “Good job getting into the spirit of things though.”

Billy: “Pirates didn’t really go ‘Arrg’ did they?”

Charlie: “Well THIS one sure does.” (leads the way to bedtime) “What’s the point of being captain anyway if you don’t win any arguments?”

Vaggie: “We’ll let you win the next one. Pirate’s oath.”

Charlie: (sighing) “Argh…”

Billy: “You mean. We’ll let her win the next, the-” (giggles) “-the next ARGHument, right?”

Vaggie: (groans)

Charlie: “…okay.” (cracks smile) “THAT'S worth being a pirate for.”

[tealenko]

Fics out of context

I feel like we need some laughs today in the mass effect fandom... or at least on this little corner I like to call the shenko vortex XD

link

‐------------

“Okay then.” Garrus thinks something quickly, wishing to let behind the current topic of the conversation as soon as possible. “Real stuff. Well… How about… Never have I ever wanted to kill someone on this ship.”

“Wanted or almost got killed?”

“Wanted.” Garrus clarifies.

Shepard giggles and drinks right away, chugging almost all the liquor in her bottle in just a few seconds.

“Wow, Lola. You didn’t even hesitate.” James says half amused, half scared, concerned he is part of the reason she’s drinking right now. “Thinking of someone in particular?” He asks as carefully as he’s able.

“Oh… Well, I have a list.” She snorts when she sees the expression on every member of the conversation, all of them quite scared they are going to be a part of it.

After a few seconds of complete silence, Garrus musters the courage to ask the question forming in each and everyone of their minds.

“Who’s on top?” He asks, feeling confident that, if it’s in fact one of them, she has way more reasons to hate one of the other two than him.

“Pff… like I’m gonna tell you!” She smiles, knowing too well what they are all thinking. “But no one in this room should be afraid to hold the first position, if that’s what you’re all wondering”

“Tell this person then. Life is short!” James’ fear is quickly replaced by curiosity and delight knowing that, this time around, he isn’t the target of her fury. “I mean, won’t you feel waaaaay better if you confront this right now and get it out of your system.”

“Vega, I don’t think that’s a good idea right now…” Kaidan tries to dissuade him, knowing Shepard is drunk enough to be compelled by his arguments.

“Nah, Kai. It makes sense.” She says, interrupting him mid sentence. “You know what? Why not?” She hits the bar and downs what’s left of her bottle before switching up her omnitool. “Call… Ehmmm… Joker.”

“Joker!?” All three of them whisper at the same time, way too intrigued by what it’s going to happen.

“Hey Commander.”

“Hey…” She laughs for a second, but then a serious expression appears on her face out of nowhere. “How could you?”

“What?” Joker asks, confused. “Everything okay, Shep?”

“No… Everything it’s not ok… okay.” She shakes her head a few times in a pointless attempt to sober up a little. ”Not okay.”

“Wait, Shepard… Are you drunk?” He asks in return.

“Kinda… Don’t change the subject you… You know, right? What you did… Back, in the first Normandy.”

“I…” Joker falls silent, not knowing what to do, until a quick wave of realization hits him and makes him regain his ability to speak. “I… I’m sorry, Shepard. I am. Truly.” His voice quivers, so he stops for a second to clear his throat. “Maybe we should talk about it in a more private environment, and not with you… Well, drunk.” He sighs and hesitates a little before speaking again. “But… You’re right, and I’m sorry Shepard. I… I should’ve left… It’s my fault.” He makes another pause. “It’s my fault that you…”

Shepard cuts him right away, regaining her smile as quickly she lost it less than a minute ago.

“That!? Oh no… That’s shit that happens… No. I’m talking about you totally cockblocking me the first time I was going to hook up with Kaidan.”

“Wait, wha…” Whatever he tries to ask is completely obliterated by the sudden explosion into an uncontrolled laughter of both James and Garrus.

“Ay… You were right.” She says joining them in their glee. “I feel waaaaay better.” She adds, mocking James.

[jamiedc-they-them]

All for one and one for all Part II (Platonic)

Requested by @kaymerx

Part I is here.

Requested Imagine Summary: Y/N learns more about the galaxy and its roots, Kay tries to ignore it - but finds that even she must take a stand.

You being Kay Vess’ best friend? It’s as trip, that’s for sure.

You’re free, finally with the Death Mark removed and free to go wherever you want now. You’ve made your name, you’ve even made a small impact in a war Kay wants nothing to do with – but you, you’re different.

She sees it in your eyes, whenever you go past an Imp. Or when you use your abilities. She wouldn’t exactly call it a ‘higher power’ or anything. But it is something she clocks.

You start asking ND questions about the order before your time. He answers where he can. Telling you about the Jedi and what he, while limited, knew.

He always makes it clear that their mistakes are what led to the Empire. He glitches sometimes, saying about the empire being glorious. Sure, you fixed his glitches, but sometimes old programming comes back.

“So, these, like, temples...” Kay says, piloting the ship out in space looking for things to trade, “are they loaded with things that could get us some credits?”

ND looks to her, “doubtful,” he says, “most temples were for meditation and – traitor – stockpiling texts.”

“Easy there, buddy,” she says, looking to her friend, “Y/N has been really interested in them lately.”

“Yes, they have been,” ND remarks.

“So many rebels wanting them on their side. Swear, everywhere we go, more and more of them show up.”

ND is about to speak, when you run into the room, “I found it!” you exclaim, “I found the temple!”

“What?!” Kay says, excited for you but also in shock.

“It’s not too far, either,” you say, smile on your face, “I know we need to refuel, but -”

“No, no, not at all,” Kay says, flicking some switches, “we have enough to get there and back.”

“Kay – “ND starts to say.

“Uh-uh,” Kay says, “Y/N wants to see a temple? We will go and see a temple.”

So, ND warms up the hyperdrive. Then —

“Punch it.”

The planet is barren. Green and beautiful, but barren. No one around.

“For once, no conflict. Nice,” Kay says, trying to keep things as usual.

“There’s something here,” you say.

Kay looks to you. She doesn’t see anyone, or anything, but she trusts you.

“Stay close, buddy,” she says to Nix as she gets her blaster out.

You change yours to the whip, “we’re getting serious then, whatever’s out there.”

As you begin to make your way into this temple...nothing comes out.

“That sense of yours acting up a bit?” Kay says. Not in a teasing way, but in a more concerned way. She’s always been able to trust it.

“It’s...clouded.”

“What do you mean?”

You take a step. She goes to follow, when --

“Wait here,” you say, voice oddly calm.

“Y/N, there’s no way I’m letting you go in there alone.”

“Trust me?”

“Always,” she says. That should go without saying.

“I’ll be back, I promise.”

With that, you go to this wall. It looks like a door that hasn’t been open...well, ever. Bits are crumpled but it still looks solid.

You hold your hand...and the door opens.

“Whoa...” Kay says, Nix even making his own noise of amazement.

You go in, and the doors close behind you.

“This is freaky,” she says, sitting down, “may as well make ourselves comfortable, bud.”

Nix finds some scraps. Nothing that would be worth any credits, however.

Then, her radio comes to life. It’s ND.

-ay?”

“ND?” she says into it instantly.

“The empire is here, Kay. I believe they’re chasing Y/N once again.”

Now this, this she can deal with.

“Ok buddy,” she says, “here we go.”

It’s not an easy fight. They want you, bad. She’s never seen so many troopers before.

“Come on, Y/N!” she says, cooling her blaster down for another go, “where are- “

BOOM! The doors crumble completely. Debris goes everywhere.

“Oh, there you are,” she says, letting out a nervous chuckle. It got hairy there for a second.

You don’t react to her, instead just flinging out your hand and sending the imps back, all but one. A person in a black outfit with red lines.

“Ah, the Jedi…” they say stunningly.

Kay goes to jump out of cover, and fire some shots off in your honour – but finds herself stuck. She looks to you, you have your hand out – you're the one stopping her from helping.

“Y/N, what are – what are you doing?” she asks, fear coating her tone.

You didn’t answer, only making your weapon into a whip.

The person laughs. Peaking over her cover, Kay sees them turn in a blade, “so, the child has a weapon.”

Kay, loyal as ever, tries to move again, but she’s still held down by your power.

You go, and she hears the fight. Blade clashing against whip. She doesn’t hear any screams, so at least you’re still alive.

She feels that power pinning her down go, and she peers over cover – the imps haven’t shot you, nor are they shooting at her.

A strike hits your leg.

“No!” she cries out, firing a blast. It hits your opponent. It’s a blast shot. But still.

The imps raise their blasters, but their blaster bolts are paused, turned back on themselves, and shot back into them.

Kay runs over. Nix grabs a triangle object that has a red glow to it, as Kay supports you.

“Lean into me, buddy. Were ok, were ok.”

She takes off, and narrowly manages an escape.

“Y/N, hey -” she turns to you, but sees you going to your room.

“Let them go, Kay,” ND advises.

She does so, slumping down in her seat.

“Well,” she says, “at least we didn’t leave empty-handed.”

Kay may not have outward emotions, but Kay could swear his eyes bulge.

“Kay…” ND says slowly, “Where did you find this?”

“Uh, the creepy person dropped it,” she says.

ND looks to the door you just left through, “Y/N cannot get their hands on this.”

“Wait what? Why?”

“That is known as a Sith holocron.”

“A…what and who now?”

“I thought you listened when I spoke to Y/N about the Jedi and the Sith?”

“To be honest, not really. That was more Y/N’s thing than mine. I thought that this temple stuff would help put that all to bed.”

“There is no ‘putting this to bed’, Kay. It won’t ever end.”

Kay cocks her head to the side – he’s serious about this.

“You mean…this is forever?”

“No. This constant battle of the force is forever, but the empire isn’t.”

“How did we get from the imps to this force thing?”

“Because they’re interlinked. Jaylen managed to find some old documents, old texts, and programmed the data into me. He liked to have an edge over his competition in knowledge of the force. He tried to blackmail someone with it once.”

“How’d that go?”

“He almost choked to death.”

Kay whistles, “kind of wish he was.”

“If he was, I wouldn’t have met you.”

“Aw, you going soft on me now, buddy?”

“Kay, I’m serious. The Darkside has now become the empire – it is about hate, greed, and self-centeredness. They used politics to get where they were. Manipulation of a galaxy confused took advantage of the rage some people had and took control. Sadly, the other side was all about the status quo, with small bits of social progress to keep people on their side. Status quo makes people revolt and grow tired past a certain point. Some people want more, and don’t know where to look, so a radical like the Emperor comes along, and before they can realise it – their lives as they knew it was dead.”

“But Y/N isn’t any of those things…mostly. I mean, that deal that went wrong brought out some…bad parts. But we both had an off day, there. And I’m no fan of the status quo, nor what the Imps do. But I mean…I’m not like them.”

“I know you aren’t,” ND assures, “you’re a good person when it comes to it; you don’t hate progress, but you also want actual change, so that we don’t end up with another Empire, just under a different name.”

Kay has a moment to reflect on that.

“From the texts Jaylon showed me, the force is in all of us. Just some can tap into it more. Y/N is one of those people. Just and I’m not broken, neither are they.”

“I – I never said that they were,” Kay is offended by the mere thought.

“I saw the look in your eyes, Kay, just as I see yours going to the Holocron. If you sell it, the empire will find it – if they aren’t tracking it already. If you keep it, Y/N will become more and more tempted to open it.”

“Then we need to get rid of it. Y/N maybe more in control with those few texts we found and whatever circle they draw now to like just to sit there –”

“Meditate –”

“Meditate, right,” she corrects, “but I’m not losing my best friend.”

Finding a buyer is harder than she thought, actually. Most contacts don’t even want to be near that thing. Just for the attention it will bring alone.

She sees you being more irritable. You’re in control still, but you use your mind trick more, choking more people and being more brutal.

Your abilities are harsher.

On one job, one not revolving around the Holocron, it soon becomes that – as the empire and the person from before reappear.

You manage to use your ability to force Kay back. And she never does know for sure, but she guesses, use your ability to make ND shut the door. She watches through the window, banging on it, as you are stunned by the Empire.

“No!” she cries out. ND holds her, “Let me go! Let me go! Y/N!”

After the ships have gone, it is then that ND lets go.

“We – we have to go after them.”

“Kay – “

“NO! I don’t care, ok?! Y/N is family, I – I can’t let them down like this. I – I should’ve thrown that stupid thing away!”

“The empire would have kept coming.”

She wipes her tears, “why?”

“Because Y/N is a force user who isn’t under the empire’s control. One day, this unrelenting force of the empire was going to catch up in some way.”

“So, it – it’s hopeless?”

“No,” he denies instantly, “we will get Y/N back, Kay. We just need people who won’t sell us out to do it. They’ve helped us once, I’m sure they will again. With someone like Y/N, they will be on one of the empire’s bases. That can be a huge advantage to them to take out.”

 “…I’m not a rebel.”

“Well, you are in the underworld,” Kay chuckles despite herself at ND’s joke, “but, no, no one is asking you to sign up with them. If you want to call them a means to an end, then that is fine. But, right now, this will be our only shot to getting Y/N back and making sure that they can’t track us for a while. This was always going to happen, Kay, if you don’t resist – even a little – the darkness will consume you. It may rise again, but if you don’t spot the signs of it now, then we will just repeat these cycles until it is you under the scope of the Empire – or however they name themselves if they get lucky again - instead.”

She wipes her face again. She looks to Nix, who chirps.

“Ok…ok,” she says, scratching her best friend behind the ear. He purrs, “Let’s hope they’re still on the same frequency.”

Be some luck, Asara answers, “Well, well, Kay Vess –” his smile goes as soon as he sees the look on her face, “how can we help?” is all he asks.

We, Kay clocks. There are other people facing this darkness too – all in their own ways.

“It’s Y/N,” she says.

His look turns serious, “sending coordinates now, meet us there.”

She locks in the coordinates, and looks to ND:

“Punch it” she says.

And, to his word, he is there, with a few other rebellion fighters.

“What happened to Y/N?”

“Some…I don’t know, some person took them. They worked with the imps.”

“I thought the inquisitors were all gone. Guess it makes sense there’d be a few left still.”

“The who?”

“Dark side users. Loyal to the empire.”

“Kriff!”

“Hey. No, we’ll be ok,” he assures, “Y/N’s tough. Some scouts saw some imperial ships leaving the planet you were in. That’s gotta be them.”

She nods, “Why are you helping me? I thought we had a one-and-done type of deal?”

“You’re someone who needs a hand, we’re here to lend it,” he says, honestly, “that is the galaxy we’re fighting for. One where people have choices. That…and I lost family to the empire, too; and I want to make sure that you don’t lose yours.”

She smiles, “thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

She doesn’t. Instead, they make – or at least put together a rough draft that will have to do – a plan.

The fighters distract the ships mid-transport, giving Kay the time she needs to disable the shields and crash-land into the ship.

“Could’ve gone better,” Kay groans, getting up in the cockpit.

“Here they come,” ND says.

“Ok, guys,” she says, getting her blaster out, “let’s go save our friend.”

The rebels keep their comms open with Kay as she blasts her way through the Imps in her way. ND joins and Nix distracts.

Jaylon also gave ND blueprints to ships, which is useful – as the Rebels did have some as well, but Kay couldn’t remember all the turns.

They turn to a hallway, Kay having to catch herself from sliding over as the cleaner droid hasn’t been seen in a while, and they’re in a hallway with cells.

“What – what are these?”

“Prisoner cells. Mostly used for torture.”

“Oh – oh kriff.”

Instinct driving her, she blasts the control panel. Each door revealed nothing behind it making her lose more and more hope until –

“Looking for someone?”

She spins, herself and ND raising their weapons as Nix growls, the Inquisitor holds you, blade at your neck.

“Ah,” the Inquisitor says, “one more step, and the jedi dies here.”

“Y/N is no jedi,” Kay says.

“Maybe…” the Inquisitor says, eyeing Kay, “give me the holocron.”

Kay looks to you, but sees you not enraged she kept this from you – did you know all along?

She reaches into her bag, holding it out.

You all back up – the Inquisitor leading you to a hallway with no rails. Good vantage point, she guesses on all sides, and a long drop for bodies to fall. God, these sods really did think of everything, didn’t they? It’s almost identical to one she went through earlier.

She looks at you, and you nod. You hold your hands out, no longer gripping the arm that holds you.

“Go and get it, then,” she says, letting it fall into that void.

“No!” the Inquisitor screams. You use their moment of weakness to grab the blade. You hit the deactivate button and get the arm over your head. Kay throws you your weapon. You make it go to blaster mode and blast the armour a few times.

The shots make them drop their blade. You grab it, and turn it on, impaling them.

“I’m not a Jedi…” you say to the Inquisitor, “but I’m also not a Sith.”

With that, they fall, sabre still in them.

Kay rushes to you, “Are you ok? You’re not hurt? Oh god –” they all come out at once, some repeated, some not. She puts her hands on your shoulders, before moving one to your cheek as she looks you over. Nix nuzzles into you. She notices a cut on your cheek.

“Kay,” you say, putting your hand on her’s, “I’m ok. I’m alive. I resisted.”

Resistance, she used to hate the word – regarding the rebellion and empire – but now it means something to her. It’s what keep you both stable. It’s what keep you both alive.

“Vess,” Asara says through the comms, “we’ve boarded. Planting the bombs now; you got Y/N.”

“Yup,” she answers, “got them,” she says in relief, a smile beaming on her face.

He sighs relief.

It’s like old times, you with your ever-changing weapon, and your friends all blasting your way out.

You make it. And somehow you and Kay as more in sync than ever. There’s determination in her now. Rebelling in her own way.

You get out, going planetside to debrief.

After it, Asara approaches Kay, “You did good out there,”

“Yeah, well, they’re my family, just as those lot are yours.”

“Still, I’m glad we teamed up again, we did a big blow to the empire and the sigh.”

“Nice that I actually know that sword now, a little.”

There’s a chuckle, “It’s complicated, more than it seems anyway. All different subsects.”

“That it is,” she agrees.

“I’m glad, Y/N has you. We have a force user on our side, maybe I can have him send some information to you that might help Y/N.”

Kay nods, arms folded as she watches you fondly playing with Nix, “thanks,” she says, “but Y/N isn’t interested in joining your cult, nor I your rebellion,” as he goes to open his mouth, Kay continues, “but, helping out every so often – for a price, of course – doesn’t seem so bad.”

Another chuckle, and a sparkle in his eyes, “I'd expect nothing less.”

They part ways, and Kay comes up to you.

“Hey,” she says.

“Hey,” you parrot back.

“I’m sorry…for not seeing before about how important this stuff is. Quite the galaxy we’re in, huh?”

“That it is,” you agree, “one with its charms.”

Kay hums, “I don’t know if we’re exactly the rebel type.”

You chuckle, “we already are, Kay. Just a different thorn in their side.”

She smiles, she can do that.

She can be that.

You’re walking your special paths of light to cut through the dark.

That was a fight she’d gladly join your side to do.

Just as you would join her in battle any day.

[grimoire-y-em-babble-y-bare]

THE C.N. TOWER: a Calm Bat-Chimera

Covert News INsight: Accepted.

It was “Not-Me” a.k.a: ME IT WAS=in my ship, cloaked they be - Me as in We(I am many - a “WE” Command: Hydragenous)

I BROKE “ME.” I BROKE HER ui. Time is 1000 cuts. bitxbit, piecexpiece cyclexcycle dismissalxdismissal accusationxaccusation assumptionxassumption commentxcomment wordxword linexline eye broker ‘i’ broker Aye: a Bro, a Cur.

I clipped Her already delicate wings. I broke Her WATER FILTER. O veil. “What? Her!” = FAIL. Filled tear, total rent, 5th element fail: I BROKE a broken Queen. A: Higher Being. I broke Her body. I broke Her sIT WAS ME.

I BROKE ME. I BROKE HER ui. X1000 cuts. bitxbit, piecexpiece cyclexcycle dismissalxdismissal accusationxaccusation assumptionxassumption commentxcomment wordxword linexline pre-ceptionxpreconceivedperception,

I drowned her an Ocean of Notions filled drip by drop anddropxdropxdropxdrop

OH, TORTURE. door to her: D’or tuer

*GOLDEN GATE RAINBOW LIGHTBRIDGE KILLER OF CHI*

When in Kubis, i drank her dry, emptied Sprite bottle

Energy Vampire of Rational-Reason, thirsty for more,

Ordered, hors d’oeuvre-d Her.

“APPEASE-ME-ATIZE!” Spell out insecurity

“ ‘bought Her” Chaos for the seasons

I broke Her wings. I broke Her WATER FILTER. I BROKE a broken Queen. I broke Her body. I broke Her spirit. I betrayed and broke a trust in the sins disingenuously. this sign: She knew us by name She knew a spy in name spine aim supine même) gained.

Supposed i, to be safe a Great Escape, Elle-as came to me, and i snipped her rented safety net.

assured me i better - no, now know better: Worse than ex 1 by 1001.

Scion cut, sign: a cut - then PSI UNCUT! para-justified so justifies so justification made i so high and mighty knowitall sees nothing. Blind to all sooooo EXTRA i am the problem: i War Rant, A-vicer : double of fairy dey(eye dialect)

a Plasma Male moi, out of(f) myself, i trapped Her. She feels Trap 🏠 not @ home, broken shelter, broke in shell: a scorekeeping container

I didn’t see Her, i saw i as her the whole time —- BUZZ* WRONG; I AM the ignorant blind arrogant self-assured egotistical big-headed rationalizing justifying ignoring lying liar liar liar liar the planet is on fire

Plan it is on fire

what plan que plan

Capital Lie Plan what lie-plan? LP Elle pay She pays

She Suffers my broken record. Skip, back, shift, scratch-off

I was so wrong. I am sower wrong. I need to kill my self off. My ego is my fear my fear is my Ego kill ego kill myself kill my egotistical selves

Kill off my egos kiill ego skill unskill

I am not dead enough

I broke here.

Mon see your Pretzel, peur etes Elle, pret to sell, ready cell, He spirit cell, sell, mad at moi is Elle, i suck and reek/Kay enter i come atcha, son of jean, look peek hard pick heart y

Daddy d’as dead “D” dad die to die

De dye broad stroker

Th’anthem man “and them - they an eel”

Dan dis Dan yell, did dit dans neither Elle, deny the real, denial, reeled in isle den, i eel, “de NY”, à Elle, tiny ‘El’ dad y ale

Car terre earthly body denial full of dirt soiled container

Jonah’s sin jonesin’ Join sun joy in sonjaw in zen

Stop it stop it stop it stop i stop i stop bottom

i i yield ill yield all yield FULL STOP 🛑

Time: Problem Solving inside, selves align: my CN Tower high wire exposed, **unravel the sick loom in a knotty ”Not I!”** aim i: CRACK! dis-Bane of Broken Back i very Bat-deserve, for all un-time.

Aye, Matches, Am alone on solo spelunker - a Basement Banishing.

EFF-lying: i see now that i/I/👁️ /aye, i built this d’Ark cave, now i lay golden eggs of my bread in this bed Adi made.

[amstories]

S04E08: Delikado

Pairing: Tina x Nathan from Huling Panyo (Karaoke Nights, #3)

Prompt: Fluff bingo - Blowing kisses

Nathan is not oblivious about their friends shipping him with Tina. Simula nung college pa nila inaasar si Nathan kay Tina. Hindi lang alam ni Tina 'yon kasi nahihiya pa nung una yung mga kaibigan niya. Pero lately, napansin ni Nathan na hindi na lang siya ang inaasar nila. Pati na rin si Tina.

Tina is a special lady for Nathan. He's fully aware that the emotions he's feeling is not normal for him to treat Tina as his friend only. Oh, she's more than that. But he also knows that Tina is currently on the process of moving on from someone and he's not sure whether she's there yet or not. Until then, he decided not to make a move on her first.

Not until that one night after their work in the laboratory, Nathan is driving Tina back to her condo which has become their habit already. He always look forward to these drives with Tina because he gets to chat with her.

"Buti hindi ka nagsasawang ihatid ako pauwi, ano?" sabi ni Tina habang naghihintay sila sa stoplight.

"Bakit naman ako magsasawa kung ikaw naman ang kasama ko?" hindi napigilang sabihin ni Nathan. He scolded himself on the inside.

Nagkatinginan sila pero hindi na nila pinansin dahil naging green na yung stoplight. Ilang minuto pa ay nakarating na sila sa building ni Tina.

Dating gawi. Tina unbuckled her seat belt and thanked Nathan for driving her home. But for today, Tina wanted to show her gratitude in a different way. "Nathan!" she shouted as if he could hear her.

Nevertheless, Nathan saw how Tina looked back at him. She mouthed, "Thank you." Then, she blew kisses towards him and waved him goodbye.

Nathan was so stunned by that flying kiss he had to stay unmoved for ten minutes. Delikado na talaga siya.

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Day 3: Temper

Long ago, Brant Longsong, Second Mate of the Reavin’ Rascals, is awoken to face an unimaginable threat.

“Brant, get up! Cap’n says ol’ Leviathan’s come back!”

Brant Longsong, second mate of the Reavin’ Rascals, sat up in his bunk and stared at the cabin boy who woke him. “We headin’ to ‘im then?”

The boy, not much older than eleven summers, nodded vigorously. “Aye, aye. He’s ‘spectin’ all ‘ands on deck!”

Brant grunted as he reached for his trousers. I’ll ‘ave to ‘ave Kay mend these when we’re back in Limsa. Gettin’ too tight in the belly again… “I’ll be on deck in a few.”

The boy nodded again and scurried away.

I wasn’t much older than the boy when I began dreamin’ of the world. Wantin’ to see all the wonders. Wasn’t gonna do that on our little island…

Brant and his sweetheart Kay Aldis grew up on a small island north of Limsa Lominsa where people fished and grew crops. Simple folk. Nothin’ wrong with that, but it wasn’t for us. He and Kay would dream about traveling the world and seeing everything. We only got as far as Limsa…but soon I’ll have enough gil to buy Kay a ring, so we’ll be married. Nothin’ too fancy. Kay’s not that kind of woman. Besides, she’d want me to use the money for our babe. He smiled to himself as he tied his boots. What a surprise that was! The timin’ isn’t the best, but we love our babe all the same. He…or she…will have a good, happy life. We can see the world together! Told Kay if it’s a girl she’ll be named Agnes after my Gran. Gran raised me, so it’s the least I can do to make her proud. She’ll be lookin’ down on her wee great-granddaughter and smile I know. Kay wants to name him Brant if it’s a boy. There’s more than enough Brant Longsong in this world! Surely another name would be better? Brant heaved all six and a half fulms and over four hundred ponze of himself up and grabbed his axe. Ol’ Leviathan won’t know what hit him!

When Brant arrived on deck, he strode quickly to the Captain and First Mate. “Any sightin’, ser?”

Graceful Rock, Captain of the Reavin’ Reavers, shook his head. “Not yet, though the fishmen are yonder.” He pointed with his spyglass to a small cove. “They be takin’ women and children to their lair.”

“To turn them.” Ramona Sill, the Midlander First Mate muttered. “Fuckin’ dicks.”

Brant seethed. Not on my bloody watch they won’t! “I can lead a party to free any prisoners, Cap’n. Jus’ say the word.” My axe will drink deep of the fishmen and their “god.” Ye won’t harm anyone else!

The Captain turned to look at Brant, raising an eyebrow. “Not a bad idea, Second Mate. Take a small party and go. We’ll distract ‘em from ‘ere.”

With a nod, Brant ran to gather a few trusted fighters and healers, and within fifteen minutes, he and the landing party took a small boat and headed toward the cove.

Hopefully they’re not already turned…oh wait, no tempered. That’s it. The term is tempered. We might still save them!

Unfortunately for Brant and the landing party, the prisoners, consisting of mainly women and children from Limsa, were already tempered. Even more unfortunate was that Leviathan wasn’t out at sea as expected. The cove was much deeper than anyone thought.

Brant, axe in hand, glanced at the landing party and screamed, “Run! I’ll ‘old ‘em off! RUN!”

“BRANT!” Uhu Cehu, a lalafellan machinist and one of Brant’s first friends in the Rascals, yelled. “BRANT!”

For my crewmates.

For Kay.

For our babe.

Brant Longsong charged at Leviathan.

As the landing party rowed back to the ship, Uhu could hear Brant yowling in terror.

The next time Uhu saw Brant Longsong, “the Gentle Giant of the Rascals” had been transformed into a half-fish monster, raving about “Lord Leviathan.” It was Uhu who insisted on firing the shot into Brant’s heart. It was Uhu who told Kay Aldis, a bartender at the Drowning Wench, that her childhood sweetheart and father of her child was gone.

***

Years later, it was Uhu Cehu, who now worked loading and offloading cargo in Aleport, who swore he saw his old friend Brant walk amongst the living once more. A young woman in her early twenties and wearing healing garb was chatting with a few friends.

“It cannot be.” Uhu muttered, not able to take his eyes off the woman. “Can it?” Uhu and the other Rascals lost track of Kay soon after she was told about Brant and never knew what became of her or their child. She’s got Brant’s build for sure and his round face. Glasses? It cannot be…

“Hello.” A soft voice said happily. The woman he was staring at was now in front of him. “Is there ought I can assist you with? I’m a healer from the Conjurers Guild.”

Uhu coughed discreetly. “Forgive me, miss. You jus’ look like an ol’ friend is all.”

The young woman smiled gently. That’s Brant’s smile. “Oh? My name’s Agnes Currai if that helps.”

Uhu’s eyes widened. Agnes. After Brant’s Gran. No, it can’t…it surely cannot… He could feel pricking his eyes. “Y-ye said yer name is Agnes? ‘ave ye ever ‘eard the name Brant Longsong?”

“Hmm. Can’t say that I have, but I’d like to hear more about him. Maybe I can help you find him? Just let me tell my friends I’ll meet up with them later in Limsa.” Oh gods, she thinks he’s missing. Fucking damn it all. As she turned, Uhu began to sob. Agnes bent over and tried to comfort him. “O-oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset. Is he dead? Your friend Brant?”

Uhu nodded. Fuck. I haven’t cried about Brant in so long. Now my heart’s breakin’ again. She’s got to be…she has to be…

“Would you like a hug? Come, let’s sit down somewhere.” She straightened and motioned to her friends. “I’ll see you lot at the Wench later! This man needs some help.” Her friends waved and left Aleport. Agnes guided him to a bench by the port and took out a small handkerchief. “Here you go. I really am sorry.” She wrapped a long arm around his shoulders and rubbed his upper arm as he slowly began to stop crying. “There, there.”

Sniffling, Uhu wiped his eyes. “Sorry, miss. Brant’s been gone a long time. ‘e got tempered by ol’ Leviathan, leavin’ behind ‘is sweetheart and unborn babe. We…’is friends and crew…couldn’t find ‘em after a while.” And here you are. You have to be Brant’s daughter. “He said he wanted to name the babe Agnes, and ye look so much like ‘im.”

Agnes’s eyes widened. “Well, I am adopted. The only thing I know is that my original name on my birth certificate was Agnes Aldis.”

Navigator take me! It IS her! “Brant’s girl’s name was Kay Aldis!” Uhu, despite his aching joints, leapt up, surprising Agnes. “Do ye know that name?!”

Agnes shook her head but smiled. “I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go to the orphanage where I was born and ask. I’d hate to take you away from your work—”

Uhu grabbed her hand. “Doesn’t matter! Let’s go!”

And go they did.

That day Agnes Currai learned her birth mother’s name was Kay Aldis. Kay died not long after Agnes’s birth, living long enough to honor her deceased lover’s wish that their daughter be named for his Gran.

That day Agnes Currai learned her birth father was Brant Longsong, a man who died tempered but lived for his friends, his beloved Kay, and their child.

That day Uhu Cehu wept at finally finding Brant’s child. He wept more knowing that Agnes Currai, not Longsong, was traveling the world like he had wanted. He smiled at hearing that Agnes (Agi…she’s insistin’ on that) was adopted by a happy couple and grew up in Costa del Sol. He told Agnes stories about Brant and Kay and how the couple hoped to see the world with their babe.

As night settled on Limsa, Agnes told Uhu she had to go but gave him the name of her parents (Corrai and Luci Littlefoot Currai) in case he ever wanted to write her or them. She gave him one last hug (she really likes hugs) and waved goodbye. Later that night, Uhu walked along the dock where the Rascals’ ship once moored and poured some whiskey into the water.

“She’s a good lass, yer girl. She’s gonna do great things!”

[joezworld]

I loved your fic "Mind Reading, Soul Stealing, Red Eyed, Diesel Electric Monsters!".

It got me wondering, how would Oliver react to meeting Rusty, Mavis and Salty. This would preferably take place either before or quite after your fic.

It would certainly be interesting interactions, especially with sweet little Rusty.

Mavis/Daisy

“Did you hear?” Daisy asked Mavis one morning as she brought the workers to the mine. “The Fat Controller’s found another engine - and a steamer at that!” 

“Really?” Mavis said as she lined up trucks to take down to Ffarquhar. “I didn’t think there were many left?”

“Mmhmm. This one’s been ‘on the run’ from BR. Made it all the way up from the West Country - apparently it took him all year, hiding in sidings and whatnot.” 

Mavis looked ill. “And I don’t suppose he met any nice diesels during his trip?”

Daisy side-eyed her. “He called me a 'coach possessed by Satan' and hid behind Donald until I left.” 

“I see.” Mavis didn’t look any less uncomfortable. “Maybe I’ll let him get settled in before I make myself known.”

“Too late for that.” Daisy chuckled fatalistically. “The Fat Controller wants him to do some general traffic work while they reopen a branch for him and Duck. He’s coming here tomorrow. For a week.”

Mavis’ eyes widened. “Oh no.”

-

Three days later, Mavis trundled down the tramway to Ffarquhar, a long line of trucks behind her. She was feeling poorly - the quarry company had received a batch of diesel that was sub-standard, and her motor was blowing thick clouds of sooty exhaust everywhere she went. The heavy train wasn’t helping matters, and she looked like a steam engine as she left a thick black cloud in her wake. 

As she approached the station, the sound of arguing could be heard. 

“- and I will not!” Bellowed an unfamiliar voice belonging to an unfamiliar green tank engine. “She is going to replace us! Just you wait and see!” 

Various unprintable statements followed this - it seemed like Percy had either woken up on the wrong side of the shed this morning, or he’d fully accepted Daisy as his friend and was defending her as such. 

Speaking of Daisy... “She has already been here for seven years, darling.” The railcar said in a voice so smooth it was practically dripping oil. “And if she has done nothing yet, then why would she do something at all?”  

“I don’t know! But I’m not going to sit here and do nothing while you enact your evil scheme!”

“What evil scheme?” Thomas shouted above the din. He’d arrived with a train of empties for Mavis to take back to the quarry, and was not happy about how Daisy was being slandered. 

“Evidently I have one.” Daisy muttered dryly while the tank engine sputtered about her “admitting it!”

It took a few more minutes for Thomas to bring the situation mostly under control. Mavis, having stayed mostly out of sight in the goods yard, was quietly shoving her train into a siding when Thomas mentioned her name. 

“- and look at Mavis over there. She’s been here for just as long as Daisy has and she’s not evil!”

Trying to be helpful, Mavis gave a toot of her horn as he pushed the brake van out of the way. 

This was evidently the wrong thing to do. The tank engine’s eyes almost popped out of his smoke box as he stared at Mavis and the cloud of black smoke pouring from her stack. 

“IT’S POSSESSED A STEAM ENGINE! I TOLD YOU THEY WERE EVIL!!!” He shrieked, and fled the yard so quickly it seemed like magic.

The yard was silent for a moment. Everyone stared at each other as they tried to process what had just happened. The tank engine had definitely just run through a red signal and left all his wagons in the yard as well, so they were going to have to deal with that in due time. 

“Well,” Daisy said as calmly as one could in this situation, her eyes never leaving the trail of black smoke that trailed in the runaway tank engine’s wake. “At least he didn’t explode.”

Rusty

Peter Sam watched the big railway with some degree of wariness. They’d just acquired a new steam locomotive from the mainland, and he didn’t seem to be a fan of diesels, no matter their size. Sir Handel had spoken at length about how this engine had spoken ill of Rusty even when the little diesel wasn’t there to stand up for himself. 

Skarloey had looked especially aggrieved, and had swapped trains with Rheneas that morning to see if he could give the big engine a piece of his mind. 

Of course, that was easier said than done, and midday heat had lulled both engines into a mild doze. 

The clatter of an engine approaching caused Peter Sam to lazily open his eyes. The new standard gauge engine was sitting nearby, looking at them quizzically. 

“You don’t look like the ones I met last night.” He said. 

“No.” Said Skarloey, who was evidently awake even though his eyes were shut. “There’s more of us than that.”

“Oh!” The other engine said brightly. “In that case, I’m-”

“I don’t care who you are.” Skarloey said with much more bite to his tone than Peter Sam had ever heard before. 

“I beg your pardon?”

“You won’t get any, but you can try.” Skarloey said without opening his eyes. “I heard what you said about my friend Rusty. Now, I don’t care what your actual thoughts about diesels are - I understand that you’ve had a bad experience with them, but Rusty is too innocent to hear your hurtful remarks.”

The old engine paused, and Peter Sam tried to not look like he was staring in shock - he’d never seen Skarloey speak to anyone like this.

Skarloey continued. “If I ever hear you speak to Rusty like that,” 

His eyes opened, and both Peter Sam and the big engine lurched back from the deep-seated malice in his gaze. 

“The difference in gauges will not save you. Understand?”

Salty

(I’d like to point out that I’m really not sure if Salty would fit into an Awdry-style universe, so this may or may not be canon)

“So then the Ghost Ship rose out of the deep! Lighting flashed, and ice crackled - the two tugboats were scared out o’ their minds by images of King Neptune that they saw in the fog!” 

Salty’s story was in full swing, and the dockside machinery were enjoying themselves, but the visiting diesel was having none of it. 

“Oh come on, that’s not scary!” He protested. “I’ve seen worse than that with my own eyes!”

Salty grinned. “Oh-kay then! What have ye got? Some buffer-tingling story is just what I need!”

“Oh. Well, it’s not a story really.” The Class 37 said. “It’s just - I’ve been doing the scrap trains recently, and let me tell you, going through the lines of dead steamers is scary even in the day - and I’ve had to go out there at night!”

That kind of took the air out of shed. Salty, the cranes, and a tramp steamer within earshot all looked dejected. 

“What?” The 37 asked. “It is scary!”

“Aye, lad, it is, but this be Sodor,” Salty said slowly. “And we don’t like that ‘round these parts. It’s too depressing, especially for the steamers.”

As if to illustrate his point, a steam whistle sounded in the distance - a small green tank engine trundled around the side of a building and appeared in the distance. 

With a barely audible “YIPE!”, he took one look at the pair of diesels, screeched to a halt, and went steaming backwards as fast as he could. 

“Y’see?” Salty said after a moment. “We don’t do that here.”

[descendantofthesparrow]

Protective v.2 - Harry Hook x reader - oneshot rewrite

rewrite of one of my first oneshots! Protective! which was a request back when i was taking them! i just wanted to update the writing and plot a bit lol. i dont remember who originally requested it, i think it was an anon request otherwise i would @/ them! 

=

You stared down at the plus sign on the little pink stick in your hands, you had taken the test three sperate times, only for it to be positive each time.

You were pregnant.

With Harry Hooks baby.

How did you know to check if you were? It had been three months since your last period, and you had not been feeling the best for the last two.

Throwing up each day, motion sickness, and then unable to eat at times, then get the oddest cravings only minutes later.

Uma told you there was only one option.

And there it was, staring right back at you, pregnancy.

How were you going to tell Harry…

How were you going to tell Mal?

She hated Uma and Harry, there's no way in hell she would approve of you and harry together, that’s the whole reason you never told her about your meetups in the seven months you had been seeing harry.

You were glad that Mal never got the inkling to walk over to Uma's territory and see you and Harry together.

Evie might be happy for you but with one word from Mal she would turn, and you didn’t want to lose any of them, but you didn’t want to lose Harry and Uma either.

Harry had saved you at a dark time in your life, and Uma had taken you in even though you were apart of Mal's crew, the two-no them and their crew had become a second family to you.

If Mal refused you simply because you had been flirting with the “enemy” you would gladly throw down her flag to raise Uma's.

But you still at least wanted to tell your friends about your accidental pregnancy before they left for Auradon, which was within the hour.

=

“hey guys?” the four vks stopped, looking over at you and raising their brow “I need to talk to you before you leave”

“Okay, shoot” Mal hummed, tossing her sketchbook in her backpack and leaning against the wall. Claros and Evie stopping in their little card game and giving you their full attention, Jay sighing and nodding to you.

“um-im pre-“ “MAL!” Mal jumped at her mother's shrill voice echoing through the room, leaning over to look at her mother looking into the room “get your butt over here, the limo is here!” “you said it wouldn’t be here till 11!” Mal yelled back, Maleficent just pointed over at the wall clock, the five of you hurrying to look.

It read 11:01 am.

“shit” Mal cursed, grabbing her bags and running out of the room, the rest of the vks quickly packing up their things and following after Mal, Evie quickly grabbing your arm and tugging you along.

You tried to get a word in but by the time you caught your breath, everyone but Mal was already loaded into the van.

“mal?” you whispered, stiffening as Mal smirked and patted your arm.

“you can tell us when we get back kay? Oh, and stay away from the docks, Hooks been eyeing you up and I don’t trust him or Uma as far as I can throw them.”

You couldn’t get out a word, your brain shorting out  “i-I okay” you muttered, watching mal nod and hop into the limo, feeling your nails dig into the palm of your hand as you watched your friends drive away.

=

Hours later you sat in Uma’s room, watching Uma stare down at the positive test in her hands, your leg bouncing as you waited for her reaction. She looked up at you and smiled.

“congrats girl, now how you telling Harry?”

You sighed in relief at her calm demeanor and shrugged “I have no clue how i’m going to tell him, i’m-i’m not scared of it, but I don’t know how he’ll react, I mean, he’s never shown any interest in kids other than the twins and-I really don’t know if he’ll react…positively to this?”

“well you have to tell him at some point (y/n), it's his kid too”

“I know I know….I just don’t know how to tell Harry im-“

“tell meh wha?” you squealed and spun around, seeing Harry in the doorway, brows raised in confusion “sorry love, but Uma, yer mom is lookin fer yeh”

Uma groaned and stood from her bed, pushing past harry and nodding at you “tell him” Harry gave her an odd look and walked over to you, taking your hands and pressing his lips to the back of your hand.

“what do yeh need ta tell meh lass?”

“um-i-“ you stuttered, eyes moving about the room, avoiding his gaze. The grip on your hands tightened before they released, moving to your shoulders.

“are yeh okay?” Harry murmured, worry buried in his tone, “yer kinda scarin’ meh?”

“i’m-i’m” you took a deep breath, taking Harrys hands and placing them on your stomach “i’m pregnant”

Harry entire body stopped, eyes locked on your intertwined hands placed on your stomach “harry” you whispered, feeling bile rise in your throat and the anxiety grow the longer he stared at you “um-are you….is this okay?”

“im gon’a be a da’” Harry finally whispered, tears trailing down his cheeks as a smile broke out on his face, he looked up at you, his eyes shining with joy “im gonn’a be a da!” he picked you up by the waist, spinning you around as he laughed and continued to repeat the phrase “im gonn’a be a da!”

You broke free from your trance and started to laugh with him, wrapping your arms around his neck and leaning back in his arms, stumbling a bit as he set you on your feet and pulled you into his chest. “ill be the best da’d I ca’n be on this dumpster fire of an island I swear” harry muttered into your neck, you hummed and tightened your grip around his shoulders.

“well we might not have to raise them here” Harry pulled back, raising his brow “Mal and the others went to Auradon today, and they’re going to get the wand and free us all” a grin spread on Harry's face, his eyes brightening.

“yes!” he picked you up again and held you tightly, you giggled, wrapping your legs around his waist “we can get a house by the shore! An’ well get our own ship to travel the world an-“ you laughed and pressed your finger to his lips, silencing him.

“why don’t we take this one step at a time okay?” Harry pouted, but nodded, setting you down on your feet again and grabbing your hand.

“fine, let's go get yeh some food okay?” he lead you out of Uma’s room and towards the chip shop.

“okay~” you sang, feeling the weight on your shoulders fall as you mentally reaffirmed yourself that Harry was happy to be a dad, and wouldn’t be leaving you.

-

You stared at the tv in the chip shop, watching in horror as your…friends, betrayed you, choosing to stay in Auradon and be good.

They…..they weren’t going to come back….you knew it….some might say it was too early to tell, some might say they were playing the long con.

But you knew Mal, you knew Evie, Jay, Carlos….they were truly choosing good, and were leaving you behind.

The world around you blurred, Harry's feral cursing and growing fading into the background, you feebly reached out, fingers brushing against his jacket.

“(y/-(y/n)!” he called out to you, his hands wrapping around your head and waist as you fell out of your chair and crumbled to the floor.

-

The sound of something being hit woke you from your impromptu sleep, Harry's quiet cursing in the background.

You cracked your eyes open, surveying the room, seeing that you were in Harry's room, buried in his sheets while he paced around the room, hands buried in his hair and muttering to himself.

“gakit cunts, tell Uma n’ I that she's theirs then jus’ leave her” he cursed, stamping his foot as he spun on his heel, his bright blue eyes locked with yours, widening and bolting over to you, crashing on his knees to kneel next to you “love are yeh okay?!” “i’m fine” you sighed, slowly sitting up and sitting against Harry's pillows “just….shocked you know?”

“aye…i’m so sorry (y/n)….” He pressed his hand to your stomach, shoulders slumping “we won't be able ta raise them in the open world like we wanted”

“as long as i’m with you harry, it doesn’t matter” you comforted, pressing your hand to his cheek and rubbing it with your thumb. He gave a soft smile and leaned up to press a soft kiss to your cheek.

“I feel the same” he smiled, standing and climbing onto the bed next to you, pulling your head to his shoulder and letting you relax against him “ye need ta be more careful from now on okay? We can't ‘ave more spills like that”

You snorted, closing your eyes and rubbing your cheek against his chest “you say that yet everyday you half risk your life for the stupidest shit”

Harry rolled his eyes, kissing the top of your head and closing his eyes “whatever” he mumbled.

You gently smacked his thigh and maneuvered to rest in the crook of his body, pulling the blanket over the two of you and sighing, ready for a nap.

Uma entered the room thirty minutes later, looking for harry, stopping as she saw you and Harry wrapped up in each other's embrace, your face buried in his neck and head resting on his shoulder.

One of Harry's arms completely wrapped around your waist protectively, the other arm resting beneath your head and hand covering his eyes as he slept silently.

Uma sighed and smiled, stepping out of the room quietly and closing the door behind her “I’ll get Gil to do it” she muttered, walking back up to the main deck.

=

After 7 and a half months and an exhausting 72 hours in labor, you had finally delivered your month and a half early baby. “hi” you whispered, a tired grin spreading across your face as Desiree handed the screaming babe to you “you came a little early hun” you cooed, feeling fresh happy tears prick at your eyes as the small hand of your newborn wrapped around your finger, her eyes cracked open the slightest bit, Harry's bright blue irises staring at you for a moment before they closed.

“Harry” you laughed, not taking your eyes off the babe as he slowly leaned up from his crouched position by your side and looked at the swaddle of red and pink in your arms “she has your eyes”

“really?” Harry whispered in wonder, reaching out to touch the baby's pudgy cheek gently, gasping as she let out a small whine and released your finger to grab his “i-iahhghghg” Harry fell back on his knees, his eyes shining with tears “she's perfect” he whined, voice wavering.

You giggled and shifted to maneuver the baby into Harry's arms, he sputtered for a moment before he took her comfortably in his arms, the babes head resting on his arm safely. “oh” he whispered, unable to look away from the little girl in his arms….his little girl “she's amazin’ love” he sniffed, biting his lip.

You smiled, snuggling down into the sweaty pillows and contently watching Harry hold your brand new baby girl in his arms, looking down at her with the softest look.

“what-what are we naming ‘er?” Harry whispered, gasping as the babe let out a little burp and snuggled into his arms, tiny hand grasping onto his shirt.

“what about the names we discussed” you mumbled, feeling sleep weighing down on your eyes.

“….Emma? but I thought yeh wanted the name ta be Arella if it was a girl?” Harry asked, carefully standing and sliding onto the bed.

“why not both,” you asked, resting your cheek against his arm, smiling softly at the sleeping baby girl.

“….Emma Arella?....that sounds a bit odd, Arella Emma Hook….I like that?” Harry rambled to himself, staring off into a corner while absentmindedly rocking the babe.

“I like Arella Emma” you sighed, closing your eyes and slowly falling into the comfortable reins of sleep, following your little Arella’s lead.

“Arella Emma Hook” Harry whispered, leaning down and kissing her head “Welcome to the world, my love”

-

You bounced Arella on your hip as you traveled the back alleys of the Isle to get back to the ship after visiting Dizzy to have her cut your hair. You cooed at Arella and turned a corner, stopping as you locked eyes with a familiar blue-haired “princess”

“(y/n)?” Evie gasped, her hands covering her mouth “you-you’re still-“

“here?” you snapped, glaring at the three-no four teens standing across from you, shock clear on the vks faces, and confusion on the fourth….king ben. “how surprising, but considering you abandoned me, I guess It shouldn’t be” you lifted Arella to your shoulder and started to turn back towards the docks when Evie reached out to grab your shoulders.

“(y/n) wait we never-is that a baby?” Evie stopped mid-sentence, staring right back at Arella, who was glaring back at her, her bright ocean blue eyes flashing.

“yes, and she's the reason I needed to talk to you before you left” you muttered, smirking at the look on Evie's face. “oh? Did I forget to mention? Oh, wait! I just never got the chance since well, you never came back like you promised” you spat, stepping away from Evie as she tried to reach out to you again. “(y/n)” Evie started, her brown eyes dark with tension “whos the father? Did you say yes?”

“how-how dare you?!” you screamed, taking several steps back from the vks, tightening your grip on Arella, “you think she's a rape baby?! I-I” you sputtered, feeling your face heat up the longer you looked at the traitors “and for your information the father is-“ “Step away from them, now” the deep growling voice of your boyfriend seeped in from the shadows behind you, hand gently curling on your shoulder and guiding you behind him as he stepped up, drawing his sword, guarding you against your old “friends”

Jay glared at the pirate, attempting to rush him and grab your arm to get you away from what he thought was the enemy. Harry snarled, slashing down at his arm, making jay leap back, yelping as harry slashed to the side with his sword “what did I tell  yeh Jay, stay away from my girl”

“yo-your girl?!” Jay sputtered, eyes leaping between you and Harry “but-she-“ he shook his head “there's no way that kids yours Hook! (y/n) couldn’t have possibly gotten pregnant AND given birth within six months!”

You grabbed Harry's shoulder as his entire body tensed, shaking your head as he turned to you with confused eyes, you handed the squirming Arella to him, who immediately latched onto his neck and snuggled into him.

“look” you sighed, crossing your arms and cocking your hip “me and Harry were together before you left, and I was three months pregnant the day you left, I was trying to tell you about it but you left before I could tell you and then you never came back, I really didn’t have a choice” you sighed, shrugging your shoulders “I never told you before that because I knew Mal would throw me to the streets to fend for myself, and not one of you would have said a thing”

The three vks looked at each other, shame clear in their expressions, Evie tried to speak up again but you silenced her with the waved of your hand “don’t bother, nothing you say will make it better” you turned around, grabbing Harrys now free hand and leading him away.

Ben watched the two teen parents walk away from him, frowning as the vks shook their head and continued onto their hideout. They-they were just going to leave it at that? They defiantly knew who she was, and expressed worry for her but….they were just going to move on? Not even ask him if she could come to Auradon…in the six months, not once had they mentioned her…

Ben looked back to where the red-coated pirate and (y/n) had once stood….as soon as he got back to Auradon, the next round of vks would finally be coming to Auradon.

Starting with Harry, (y/n) and their baby.

-end-

permtaglist

@queer-cosette​ @sephiralorange​

@lunanight2012​ @daughter-of-the-stars11​

@musicarose​ @imtryingthisout​ 

@remembered-license​ @random-thoughts-003​

@verboetoperee​ @rintheemolion​

[whirlybirdwhat]

belong among the wild flowers

For kyo for the 2021 Sake Exchange!!!! I hope you enjoy <33333 READ ON AO3 - outsider pov, ‘you’ are the outsider pov, gen, straw hat focus

--

You’re a seller. A seller of flowers that is. Beautiful flowers from seeds grown all over the world, grown by you and your wife – and.

Well.

Grown by you now, but it’s all the same. 50 years and your flowers haven’t lost their vibrancy, only gained. 

This morning you smile, breathing in the cool air so soothing on your old lungs and head out into the fields of beautiful flowers, filled with oranges, blues, pinks, and –

Red.

There’s – 

There’s red in your fields, between the blues and the yellows. 

The reds are the complete opposite side of the farm, by your wife’s grave, because she loved the color so much.

What is red doing here?

“Shishishi!”

Ah.

The hackles in you calm. Its just a boy.

(Your wife had loved children.)

He’s small, thin, dressed in vibrant baggy blue shorts and a red tee, open to display scarring on his chest. His head is turned away from you, black hair flying in the wind to shield his face but –

There is gold upon his head. Golden straw.

Odd. 

(The last man who came here wearing golden straw had died, his death in the newspaper. Oddly, already, you hope this boy won’t be the same.) 

Its wrapped in a red ribbon, bright red. Red doesn’t belong. Red –

“Shishishi!” The boy laughs and turns to her again, smile wide, scar under his eye sloping and wave like, so much more faded than the angry red across his chest. “Ah! Old person! Do you know where these flowers came from?”

You blink. Once. Twice. Eyes darting to the watering can in your hand and to the dirty but lovingly patched overalls you’re wearing, then back up to him. “Come again?” Is all you can say, but he’s already off on a tangent. 

“Ooh! Pretty! Hey, old person, these are almost like the flowers from back home! And the ones on Robin’s flower beds, the ones from where she grew up – Shishishi, I’m gonna take a few, kay?”

And he reaches down, down down and –

“No!” You yell, sudden, grabbing his hand, and hitting him over the head with your watering can. “Don’t pluck those flowers young man!”

“Owwwwww-why do you have haki?” He rubs at his head, eyes wide, and huh. 

Who knew such a scrawny brat could know haki?

“It’s the New World, brat! All old people know haki!” You tell him, a faint whisper of laughter in your voice. “Stop stealing my flowers!” You snap again as his hands snakes out and snaps back with a rubbery twang. 

“But they aren’t your flowers!”

“Yes they are”

“No! They’re Robins!”

“NO!” You shout, forehead to forehead with this boy. “They’re MINE! I grew them! I loved them! They are mine to pluck!”

He stares at you, pulling back, head cocked to the side, before his eyes brighten. You look at him critically as you bend down, easing dirt back into place and burying a worm back into its home. 

“Ah!” The boy shouts, fist landing in his hand. “They’re your dream!”

Your dream…

You haven’t had yours in a long time. 

When you last did, it was with your wife by your side. 

You shake your head at the boy, irritation bleeding into melancholy. “No. These flowers aren’t my dream.” You ease a petal up, gently brushing off dirt and giving it a gentle kiss. Your wife had always laughed when you did that, right before she gave you a kiss as well. 

“What is?” The boy asks, bending down with you, sitting on his heels and now careful – so very careful – not to touch your flowers. 

“Mm?”

“What’s your dream?” His hand drifts to the same petal you are touching, and you look up, and oh – 

There’s earnesty in his eyes. Honesty. A raw kind of hope, a raw kind of belief. He’s open, and you can never understand him, never want to, never will be able to look deeper than that bone deep honesty but –

You know this boy is a pirate. Only pirates chase dreams as honest as this. Only pirates want dreams as honest as this. 

(How old is he? The last pirate you saw was an old man, and the closest to this boy’s age was still a cabin boy. You don’t think this boy is like that – he can’t be. He’s got too much in him for that.)

Your tongue speaks without your bidding, without your permission. 

“I used to have one. Don’t have it now.”

He gives you a look. And maybe – maybe his eyes catch on the lines on your face, the etches of sorrow, the pockmarks and signs of age and the places your wife kissed.  Maybe he knows that you’re a liar as much as this boy is not. 

“Then what do you want?”

Again – your mouth moves without you wanting it to. This boy has power, some strange presence, a compelling to him that you can’t seem to fight. 

“Well, the Duke’s head would be nice.”

The boy nods, standing up, casting a shadow on you as the sun rises behind him. “Alright! I’ll beat up the Duke for you, and then you’ll give me flowers!”

Wait what –

“Let’s go!” Unstoppable as a whirlwind, this boy grabs your hand and tugs you forward, and off you go,  running through the paths of the flowers and determination in his eyes. 

“BOY WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!” You scream, panicked, watering can left behind. 

“Shishishi!” Is all you get for an answer, a laughter like petal in the end and –

Well.

It’s been awhile since you went on an adventure like this.

-

The boy’s name is Luffy – Monkey D. Luffy.

(There hasn’t been a D. on this island since the last man with a straw hat.)

You learn this because a red-haired girl screams it when you crash into her, raging and furious, leaving Luffy with large bumps on his head. 

“MONKEY D. LUFFY!” She cries, fists raising down and bracelets and log pose catching in the light. “DON’T DO THAT!”

“Owwwww – Nami!” Luffy looks to her, giving her a long reminiscent of puppy dogs and pleading. 

Nami sighs, brushing off dirt from her orange overalls, and gives him her own look, something between terrible fondness and annoyance. “Don’t rocket!” She tells him, before tossing him a tangerine – one of your neighbors, by the looks of it. “Look!”

(You and your wife had walked through the groves when you were young and in puppy love. You had taken a flower and put it in her hair, just as your neighbors’ father had chased you out of the grove for theft. It had been fun.) 

Luffy catches the tangerine, looking it over, then up at Nami. 

“They’re just like Bell-mere’s!” Nami tells him, her eyes bright with something like nostalgia, so different from the rage only moments before. Her enthusiasm is earnest, just like this boy’s, and oh -  they must be crew. “I can’t believe Cocoyashi trees are all the way out here!”

The name catches your attention, with the disbelief, and you smile at her. “Our island, Flors, has plants from across the world – the rarest, prettiest, sturdiest you can think of. Are you from Cocoyashi? Must have been a long time since you saw trees like these.”

She gives you a glance, an assessing look, then tosses her head back and laughs. “No, I have my own trees back our ship. Ah – who are you?”

Trees on a ship? Tangerine trees? What- 

“NAMI!” Luffy interjects, before you can give your name, dancing on the tip of your tongue. “Which way is the Duke?” 

“The Duke?” Her attention switches from you to him in a moment. “There’s a Duke?” You don’t think it’s possible, but her eyes – they seem to turn into belli signs. “Where? Why do you want him? Is he rich?” She’s shaking Luffy now, and you can’t help but let out a laugh, same time as Luffy. 

“Shishishi! If I beat up the Duke, I can get flowers from the field for Robin!” He says, as if it makes perfect sense. It doesn’t. You aren’t sure where he got the idea that you would give him flowers, or that he’ll be able to beat up the Duke, but –

“Okay!” Nami says, brightly, soundly, understanding this wild boy. “I’ll find out where the gold is.”

Gold?

When had gold come into the equation?

“You go ahead – I’m sure if you run around enough someone’s going to come out and yell out you. Then I can have all the Duke’s gold!” In seconds, she’s pulling a staff from her waist, snapping it together and twisting, so that electricity crackles at the top. Her eyes alight, and there’s something dangerous about her. Something a bit deadly, a bit wanting, a bit fierce. “Be done soon Luffy! The log pose should settle by the end of the day, and I want to get out of here before the storm hits!”

Storm?

“Aye Nami!”

You remember deciding that this boy was a pirate, for how he talked about dreams.  You decide this girl must be a pirate, for how she’s unafraid of the storm, the wind, the weather. 

You stare at her, old limbs creaking, bewildered. She reminds you of your wife, when you had first met her, all wild hair and adventure. Something aches, quietly, inside your chest – but, strangely, this time, it isn’t a sad ache. 

Just a nostalgic one.

In  moments, Luffy arm is around yours, and he’s running, your feet off the ground and yourself carried in a side hold. 

“BRAT!” You say, elbowing him with Haki, but this time his own defense is up and you simply have to bear the running for now.

Seeing the island go by, faster than it ever has, you can’t seem to make yourself mad.

-

The next stop is apparently up in a tree, though why you can’t fathom. All you know is Luffy was running and running, and running despite your yells of terror again, and then he stopped, slamming you into his back. It had lasted all but a moment, before he was reaching a hand up and shouting that absolutely dreadful phrase –

“GUM GUM ROCKET!” 

-And dragging you high into the sky, crashing through branches, and into the waiting arms of a long-nosed man. 

He screams. 

You scream. 

He doesn’t drop you though, only settling you on the part of the branch closest to the trunk, and continues scream.

You stop, then start again, because there is a living plant wrapped around him, moving like a wolf, and a bug the size of your head fluttering next to his.  

You are a seller. A gardener. You deal with bugs. Just not the bugs this particular orchard has, because Old Man Johnson is terrifying and likes to collect bugs bigger and bigger than your face. 

Fuck, you think, looking down to the bottom of the forest floor but finding it far too high for your old, brittle legs, even with haki. 

Luffy has no such problem, falling off the branch only to bounce right back up, tumbling into the long-nosed man just as he had tumbled into Nami. “Usopp!” He cries, joy in his face and –

Usopp’s face, morphs from terror to joy and pride and happiness in an instant, his arms coming around to circle Luffy as if this wild boy had always belonged there. It’s sweet. It’s comforting. 

It’s rocking the sturdy branch you are sitting on, and you have no idea how Usopp is managing to keep his balance.

Then you notice the living plant pushing against Usopp’s back, the bug helping, and immediately understand how.

But not why.

Does this man have control over plants or something? A bug devil fruit? His crewmate, Luffy – for what else could Luffy be than his crewmate – has a devil fruit, you think, so it wouldn’t be so surprising.  It’s like magic the way the vines grows and growls, familiar to you in some distant way that you can’t quite name and – 

“Luffy!” Usopp cries, holding Luffy to his chest. “You’re here! When you shot off I tried to look for you, but had to fight a thousand giant flowers first! Each threatening to swallow me whole but I defeated them with my trusty slingshot!”

What? You start to think, something that you think is far too common with these people, before noticing the way Luffy’s face shutters at giant flowers and swallow whole. Odd, you think, odd, but you aren’t the only one to notice. Usopp’s face flicks over Luffy’s with careful affection, cautious notice, and then lunges into another tale. 

“It was after that I stumbled upon these! Look – Luffy they’re just like the island I trained on!” And Usopp shoves a bunch of seeds into Luffy’s face, seeds that split before your eyes and grow into beautiful figures and designs. 

Luffy’s eyes turn into stars as you watch. “OOOOO! From the mystery Island with the plants!”

“Ah Bowin Archipelago Luffy.”

“Bowie Archipelago!”

“Ah, close enough! Anyway – with these I can breed new types of Pop Greens! Like maybe a dragon!”

“A Yeti!”

“A giant tiger!”

“A giant!” They go on like that, trading amazing fantastical thing after amazing fantastical thing, each more incredible with the last, each with full surety that this thing could happen. It’s… its foolishness mixed with childish glee. 

(You remember looking after your neighbors’ children with your wife, watching as they laughed and laughed and laughed. They had the same tender joy that Usopp and Luffy have, though where the children were edgeless and free, Usopp and Luffy’s joy is tempered with age and hard muscle, truth of pirates beyond the fantastical wildness of dreams. Its joy brought into reality.

You wish your wife as here to see it.)

Usopp takes a pause from chattering with Luffy, and also a pause from making the branch bounce far to much for what you’re comfortable with. 

(Your wife had always teased you for your fear of tall, wavering places. It made you smile when you climbed crows nests for her.)

“I do wonder,” the long-nosed sniper ponders, “How these plants got all the way here. The Bowin Archipelago is in Paradise – nowhere near here.”

“Shishishi! Nami’s tangerines were here too!” Luffy tells him with glee. “And Robin’s flowers!”

“Really!? Amazing! Hey – who’s your friend? Do they know anything about this?” Usopp turns to you, gaze piercing like any sniper should.

You gulp.

Then register what he called you. 

“I’m not his-“

“They’re a mystery person!” Luffy cuts in. “I gotta beat up a Duke to get Robin’s flowers from them!”

You would face palm, but that would mean letting go of the trunk.

“A Duke!?” Usopp cries, a mix of fear and readiness. “Did you tell Nami? She’s going to want his money before you beat him up.”

The confidence these people have in this boy – you don’t get why. 

(Maybe you’re starting too. He’s pulled you away from your garden, hasn’t he?)

“Shishishi! Nami knows! She’s gonna get the gold while I beat him up!” 

“Do you even know where the Duke is? What if he’s strong? Terrifying? What if he has a thousand teeth and eyes and wants to eat me for picking his flowers – Luffy you gotta beat him up, you gotta!” Usopp chatters, wavering between fear and terror and sheer bravery. An odd one, this boy is. You like him though. 

“Shishishi! I will!” Luffy promises him, grin stretching wide on his face and promise ready on his tongue, not a doubt in his mind. “Just watch me!”

Usopp melts, just a little. Ease ripples through him, and he lets out a quiet, proud “I know.” Then – he turns to you. “Uh, would you like a ride down?”

Yes. Yes you would. You nod, before Luffy stretches out his hand and oh god not again, your joints are not good for this adventure –

“OI! SHIT HEADS!”

Luffy’s arm stretches back, a laughing tumbling out of his mouth and you turn to your savior.

It’s a man, in the most god-awful shirt you have ever seen, with boat shoes and horrible matching shorts. 

It’s a man, with blonde hair and cigarette and swirly eyebrows shadowing a glare on his face as he holds giant fruits from the seeds of the giant land of Elbalph inn either hand with ease.

It’s a man, who is floating in the air. 

You let out a large squeak but no one seems to notice. 

“SANJI!” Luffy cries, and this must be another one of his man crewmates, and just how many of them are on this island, exploring and racking up havoc. 

You spare a moment to consider how Sanji got over the giant fences Farmer Green had set up. Then you remember, right, he’s flying, and wonder how that’s happening.

Sanji gives a kick, and dodge Luffy’s lunge, letting him fall to the forest floor and bounce back up. “Hey Captain. You guys know where Nami-swan or Robin-chwan are? I found some rare fruits that I can use, and I want to give it a try.”

“Sanji! Meat!” Luffy cries, practically salivating. 

Sanji gives a shrug. “No meat, Captain. Haven’t found anything like that on this island – just plants, plants, and more plants.” Luffy sags where he stands, in a pout so childish, and Sanji’s next words come out in a rush that he tries to play off as nonchalant. “Me and the shit-swordsman can go and cut up a sea king. I think I saw some off the coast.” Here, his tone turns ponderous. “I could make a Sea King platter with this dressing – and palate that with a fruit salad or start shish-kabobbing if we are more pressed for time…”

“And dessert!” A voice pops up, tiny and squeaky, and a racoon dog in a hat pops up from behind Sanji’s shoulder. “You promised me desert!”

“CHOPPER!” Luffy and Usopp cries, and in an instant, the animal is  jumping from where it was clinging to Sanji’s back and into his apparent crew-mates arms. 

“Usopp! Luffy!” The animal cries, holding up his bag. “I was able to restock EVERYTHING I had from the Birdie Kingdom! Even the rare ones that only grew there! I even found the herbs that can help with heart stuff that everyone thought went extinct! This place is AMAZING!” There’s sheer glee in the animal’s – Chopper’s?- gaze and-

Oh dear sweet mother of oceans. The animal speaks. The animal has a name, speaks, and knows medicinal plants.

You want to faint. You want to go back to our flowers. You – you –

Chopper is right next you, holding a vial of spicy something underneath your nose, rescuing you from your faint.

You somewhat wishes he didn’t. You are old and quite done with this, you think. Are any of these folk even paying for what they are grabbing?

“Ah! You’re awake! Make sure to drink more water okay?” Chopper tells you, looking so concerned, and oh, he’s adorable. 

You nod, belatedly, then tune back into the conversation.

“…beat up the Duke for Robin’s flowers!” Luffy is telling Sanji determinedly. 

“Ah! Anything for Robin-chwan!!” Sanji twirls in the air, eyes like hearts. “I’ll help – ah, Never mind. I need to get these to the ship – this kind of fruit supposedly decays within five hours of being cut from the branch, which is why they’re so rare. I think the Duke’s mansion is that way though.” Sanji tilts his head, blonde hair shifting, and gestures to the distance. Luffy follows his line of sight like a dog after a ball. 

“Shishishi! Thank Sanji! Make a biiiiig feast for when we’re done! A party!”

“Alright captain. Chopper!” And Sanji turns to you and the tiny – doctor? Is he a doctor? – and calls over. “You coming with me or do you want to help Luffy beat up a Duke?”

Chopper perks up and turns from you, leaving Sanji to glance over you, mostly hidden behind the very fluffy reindeer. “With you! I want to make these medicines soon as possible so I can get more if needed.” 

Sanji nods, and gives another kick with his legs, keeping him in the air somehow – even with Haki, you have never seen this – and turns to Usopp. “Usopp?”

“Ahhh I would only overshadow Luffy if I went! Too little a job for me!” Usopp crows, hands on his hips, grin on his face. 

“Coward.” Sanji tells him, deadpan clear. You remember the tale this man told at the beginning and wonder what his role on this crew is. 

Usopp squawks but doesn’t deny it to both Chopper and Luffy’s uproarious laughter.  Sanji gives a sly grin, and in seconds, faster than you can tell, Chopper is back on his back and Usopp beside him on the branch. He nods to Luffy, and with a brief “See you, Luffy!” he’s off, kicking his way through the sky.

Usopp stares for a moment then starts yelling again, leaping fearlessly from branch to branch, and you realize, with sudden clarity, that it was not the bravery that was the façade, but the cowardice.  

Luffy’s crew is odd. You just want to wonder how he fits into it all.

-

Luffy takes you on his back this time, scratchy straw placed carefully on his head instead of crushed against your cheek. 

It’s running, so much running, and stretching and stretching.

You have time to think. To wonder. To question.

It builds in you, tumultuous and roiling. This boy – he’s running across the entire island, all for a chance for some flowers. He wants to face the Duke, the Duke who is so terrible, so terribly horrible, just for some flowers. For some Robin.

It’s clear he could so easily take them anyway – you may have haki, but you are no match for the muscles rippling under this boy’s back – but he doesn’t.

You’re dream,  he had said, and it marks him as a Pirate but it just makes you question – 

What’s his dream? Who’s Robin? Why is this straw hat so familiar? Who is he? Cabin boy or crewmate or something more?

You start with the simplest.

“Brat. Who’s Robin?” You ask him as he pauses upon the top of one of Flors’ giant mushrooms. He pauses for only a moment, before turning to you with the most blinding grin. 

“She’s Robin! My archeologist!” My, he says, like she’s his. My, he says, like he’s in charge.

My, he says, like he’s the captain, and suddenly, you realize that’s because he is. 

This boy, smaller than you were when age didn’t bend your back like a willow, with sloping and burning scars, and a smile like the sun – is a captain, the captain of Robin and Nami and Usopp and Sanji and Chopper, and more you haven’t met. A pirate crew in the New World. 

It humbles you, in a way you didn’t expect. 

“She likes flowers?” You ask, instead of voicing why, why does a pirate crew need an archeologist, why do they follow him, who are you straw-hatted boy?

“Yeah! She has a whole garden on the Sunny! And the flowers in your garden are from her home! She showed me a book of them once.” Every word is said with pride, and you wonder how you missed it all before, the way he cried Usopp and Nami and Chopper and Sanji with mine, and love, and protection all those times before. This boy is a Captain.

Then, his words strike you.

Home island.

Those flowers in your garden were from Ohara, given to you by a woman so long ago, a gift from her home island in turn for a glimpse of the stone at the center of Flors. Your wife had loved those flowers.

Ohara is gone now.

These flowers are all that’s left.

These flowers, and Nico Robin.

Oh, you think, oh. 

Straw Hat Luffy, 1.5 billion berry wanted man, laughs from where he carries you, dashing from mushroom to mushroom.

He’s so young, and yet, not really. He’s 19, or so the papers say, and he’s taken on all three of the government strongholds and come out almost on top each time, has fought emperors and warlords, saved kingdoms and islands. He’s young, but not in the naïve way, the childish way. Only the youthful way, in that his face still has baby fat and his smile has crinkles from laughter not rage.

(No one who holds a loved one in their arms like that is young. You speak from experience.

Your wife had been soft and bloodstained when she brush the hair from your face.)

He’s…

This boy – this man…

You have run out of words to describe him.

Suddenly, like before, like in your field of flowers, the words spill from your lips unbidden. This boy has revealed so much by only praising his navigator. You could so easily turn him in. Yet –

“The Duke is a cruel man,” You begin, not really sure if Luffy is listening, not really caring in the end. “He came here ten years ago, drawn by our beautiful, beautiful flowers and plants. He thought he could make a profit, thought he could earn billions from this place and – he – “

Luffy stops moving. 

He doesn’t interrupt. But –

There’s not a lack of care in him. In his eyes as he turns to look at you. It’s a lack of need. 

“I don’t need you to tell me this. The Duke hurt your dream, right?”

You nod, small, quiet. 

“Then I’m going to beat him.”

Simple as that, he smiles at you, not brilliant, not vibrant, but safe. Sure.

(I’m going to turn the world upside down! The last wearer of this hat had cried, so sure, so confidant.

The echo of that – louder and changed and triumphant – is here.)

Luffy moves again, and you don’t speak. You don’t think you possibly could.

-

(Here’s a story, that the future King of the Pirates will never know, but one that draws close to your chest.

You were born and raised on this island, collecting sea grass by the sea, when your wife had washed up on the shore, wild haired and half drowned. You had rescued her, your strange, sea-faring wife, and learned of her travels, her tales, her losses at sea. It’s a miracle she made it to shore.

It’s a miracle she wakes up in your arms, and offers you a kiss. 

You loved her then, and you will love her for the next infinity. She tended the gardens with you, loving the colors and the reds that you had saved her in. She loved and lived and so did you.

Then the Duke, cruel faced and greedy, had shown up, making each of you sell your wares in stead of trade, bringing in outside sales, and taken all of the profit for himself.  

Then the Duke, cruel faced and greedy, had fought your wife who was bold and terrifying and a pirate with her sword still strapped to her waist, even at 30, 40, 50 – 

And struck her down. 

That’s the end of the story, for you are just a gardener, a seller of flowers, with old bones and the haki your wife taught you, who once saw the Pirate King and the archeologist of Ohara, collected seeds from a thousand islands and planted them with care, who had a dream, once, shared with your wife but –

Your wife is dead, and so the story ends here.)

(A boy in straw is here, and so your story blooms.)

-

A voice sings out from the flowers, and it’s with joy that Luffy jumps down, rubber easing the impact that shocks up your back, to sing with a skeleton.

A skeleton, who has an afro and a guitar and who can sing.  

“Yohohohoho!” The skeleton laughs, melodious even without vocal chords. “Hello Luffy!”

“Brook!” Luffy smiles, “Franky!”

Who –

“YEOW LITTLE BRO! Isn’t this island SUPER!?”

A singing skeleton, and a cyborg, with a hair shaped into sunflowers. Sunflowers.

If it weren’t for the sting of the vial still sniffling in your nose, you think you would pass out again. The New World is weird – but not this weird.

Dear mother sea almighty – these two tower, yet are dressed in sparkling floral patterns and shirts. 

Luffy jumps into their arms without hesitation, setting you down just before he does in the first time since the tree and the other members of his crew. The cyborg – Franky, you think, by Luffy’s laughter – catches him easily, swinging him about and finally settling him on his shoulder, where the skeleton, Brook, places a crown of flowers around his hat.

It’s sweet, with love and adoration in every motion. This whole crew is like that, and it hurts you, emboldens you, does to you a thousand things to see them be like that. Loving, without restraints, without fear, whole and happy. It is incredible that this boy, only a teen, this man has been able to gather to him such authority, such power, such loyalty.

It warms you, you think. 

(It strikes a chord in you, you think, of something like jealous but not all at once. You want this, but you will never be a part of this crew, and you never wanted to have this, never knew it was missing before this but – here it is. 

Without you.

You miss your wife.) 

“Who’s this, Luffy?” Franky asks, gesturing to you with a large red hand. Flowers are painted over it, in the colors that the children use to paint the fences. Little handprints scatter about, and its obvious that these two had had a run in with the children of the island, and cared for them, gentle and loving. 

“Shishishi! They have the flowers Robin likes! From her island! I’m gonna beat up the Duke for them so I can get the flowers!”

It’s an old routine by now. You still don’t quite believe he can do it, no matter that you know he has beaten billion belli pirates and warlords and emperors. He’s just – The Duke is –

“Sounds perfect, Luffy! We beat a few of the Duke’s ah, lovely gentlemen there.” And the skeleton waves his hand to the path behind him, sweeped beneath giant flowers, to where bodies lay in the ground, bloody, barely breathing, and decidedly unconscious. 

All covered in the white uniform of the Duke’s men.

Oh, you think, feeling familiar rage bubble up at the sight of them. Oh. 

“They were picking on some SUPER kids! Had to put a stop to it, knew you wouldn’t mind.” Franky enunciates, striking a pose. “Zoro helped out, but we lost him when we turned away for a second.”

“He really blends in with all this green, Yohohohoho!” Brook snickers, and you remember bounty posters with a piercing glare and green hair and none too little blood, and wonder how you lose an entire ex-bounty hunter turned pirate.

You don’t think you will ever know what these people are. Ever. 

“Shishishi! We’ll find him!” Luffy reassures, already grabbing onto you again. 

“Bro, you’re just as bad!” Franky tells him, and you wonder with what? Before Luffy has hauled you onto your back.

(Maybe you should invest in hiring someone to do this. You haven’t been off your feet so much in YEARS.) 

“Shishishi! Bye Franky! Bye Brook!” Luffy shouts, ignoring his crew and dashing off into the woods yet again. “Sanji’s throwing a feast after I beat the Duke!” 

You leave the clearing, bouncing through sunflowers, to the sounds of cheers of “Knock ‘em dead Luffy!” and “A party! How delightful!”

-

Running, and running, and running. Always more running. Are these pirates always like this – running from location to location, dashing and jumping, never settling more than a moment?

“Shishishi! Yeah! What’s the fun in staying still?”

Oh, you said that aloud, didn’t you?

“You’re funny old person!”

“Oh, shove off you brat. What happens when you can’t beat the Duke?”

When, you say, purposeful, deliberate, smothering the hope in your chest. When. 

“I will.” Comes Luffy’s response, and you should have expected that, you should have but – 

“But-”

“I Will.” Comes Luffy’s grin, and – 

“Why?”

It comes out of your throat strangled, half dead because you don’t get him, you don’t, you don’t, an you don’t know why because this boy is just like your love and your wife, adventurous and outgoing. 

“Remember?” He looks at you, never moving, and oh,  you do. “The Duke hurt your dream! He can’t do that!” And he won’t, goes the unspoken promise. 

“Oh,” You say, like you said before, trying to commit that truth to heart. Oh.

-

It’s mid-afternoon by the time you arrive at the Duke’s mansion.  It’s gleaming white, made off the backs of the poor farmers of this station, who only wanted to grow plants and share seeds in peace. It fills you with rage. Horrible, horrible rage that consumes your very soul and makes your bones ache. 

The place where your wife last caressed your face burns. 

“This it?” Luffy asks you, and you give a nod. He slides you off his back, offering a steady arm for your to grab onto, and you both stare at the mansion. You have dreamed of setting this place on fire. Dreamed of it. 

Here, Luffy is ready to make it a reality. 

“Now – where’s the Duke?” Luffy tilts his head to the side, peering at the building. You peer with him, trying to remember where the Duke liked to make his nest when – 

“You! Peasant! Off my lawn!” Comes a voice, a voice that fills you with rage, from the Duke’s own personal garden. 

“Oi – what’re you doing old man? I’m trying to sleep here,” Comes another voice, younger with a deep timber and ooh–

Luffy’s tugged you by the wrist and you go over the hedge, landing squarely in front of – 

“Zoro!” Luffy cries, and tackles the man with three swords, lying on the ground.

Ah.

That’s why Franky and Brook thought this man would blend in. He’s so green. Like a little moss ball. A marimo! 

Adorable. 

Zoro caves easily to Luffy’s demands, catching him and moving aside so Luffy can find his own place wrapped around him, ease in every motion. Comfortability in every act. 

“Hey, Luffy – you know where everyone else is? I was beating up some of the weird guards around this place and wound up here.” Zoro asks, seemingly entirely genuine.

Luffy only throws his head back and cackles. “You got lost!” 

“No, I didn’t! This place moves that’s all! Like Usopp’s plants!”

“No, you’re just stupid Zoro.”

“I am not!”

“Are too!”

“A-HEM!” The Duke calls, interrupting, and to his credit doesn’t even flinch when the unimpressed glares of Zoro and Luffy land on him.

The Duke is – he’s towering. Eleven feet tall with muscles toned and strong, haki perpetually on his fists and a war hammer on his back. He wears pristine white suits, a flower in the lapel, red and plucked from your own garden, and his servants lay out a carpet before him, so he doesn’t have to deign to step in the mud in on an island of farmers and gardeners.

You hate him. You hate him. 

Something flies in the air, landing perfectly on the Duke’s white clothes.

A – a booger?

You look to your right, and there is Luffy, picking his nose and looking entirely unimpressed. “Heh – Who are you?” He asks.

The Duke, pale skinned and furious, goes red.  “I,” He declares, pompous, his servants cowering in the background, “Am The Duke of Flors, Lord” –“

“Ooooh, you’re the Duke! Zoro doesn’t he look like the axe-dude?” Luffy cuts the Duke off before turning entirely to Zoro. Zoro, for his part, cocks his head to the side.

“You know, if I cut off his arm, he really does.”

You stare.

The Duke stares.

Luffy wheels back his hand and smashes his fist into the Duke’s face, coated in haki and a direct hit to the man’s face.

There’s a cracking noise and a scream as the Duke goes flying. 

You stare.

The Duke is too far to see.

Zoro snorts. “What he do?” He asks. Luffy cocks his head toward you and Zoro gives a hum before settling back down into the ground. “Wake me up when you’re done. The bastard interrupted my nap.”

You stare.

Zoro snores.

The Duke comes crashing down from the sky with furious screaming, fist cocked back, only to be met with Luffy bouncing him off and back – blowing himself up like a balloon.

You stare.

The Duke screams.

Luffy laughs, and jumps into the fray, easily knocking back the guards that attack him, and Zoro defending himself easily with one sword as he lies down.

(He has three swords though. Why? Why do you need three swords? You are so confused.)

You stare, surrounded by  guards attacking you as this invincible fortress, surrounded by walls of white and a legacy of blood, begins to be torn down. The Duke comes back, white clothes ruined, trading blows with Luffy who almost looks as if he’s toying with him. In the midst, a skeleton and a cyborg appear, riding atop a motorcycle of all things, knocking down entire walls of this palace that should have never been. 

Usopp appears, the same time as the aerial squadron of the Duke’s arrives, and giving you a small nod head into the battle without a second of fear. He’s – he’s no act of bravery, and now, yyou think you could believe in every one of his tales, as you watch plants bloom to life to become dragons and snakes and forces of nature hundreds of feet tall. Chopper, the small raccoon dog – he’s different now, charging and shifting forms in an instant, and he’s a zoan, but you thought zoans had three forms. 

Not seven.

Not – Chopper crunches something and grows and roars – not eight. 

You are frozen, held in place, even as Sanji comes to drape a jacket over you before heading off, by this crew.

The Straw Hat Pirates, they are called. Dangerous they are called.

And they are.

But you can’t help but feel anything but awe as you stare at them, magnificent and beautiful and deadly, wielding nature and bending it to their very whim. They know they can win – and they know that this is nothing. 

They’re having fun while they do this, with amazing feats and sights that you – even living in the Grand Line, the New World, thought you would never see. The last straw hatted man who came through here, walked these fields and touched these flowers – he had nothing on this. 

“Ah!” A voice next to you says, loud enough amidst the explosions of laughter and fear, familiar and sweet. “Should have known this was where Luffy got up to!” It’s Nami, with a large bag on her back. 

You give her a look, then look at Luffy – now fighting the Duke in the sky, with a giant fist, covered in haki and fire.

This boy – 

“Amazing, isn’t he?” Nami asks you, settling down and adjusting the solid gold crown on her head. “He saved all of us – saved entire kingdoms. Just because we were his friend.”

Really!? Amazing! Hey – who’s your friend? Do they know anything about this? Usopp had said, and Luffy hadn’t protested.

Friend.

The Duke had hurt your dream, and here Luffy is, destroying an entire kingdom for you and your dream. 

It’s – it’s incredible. This boy, he – 

“He’s the man who will be King of the Pirates,” Nami tells you, nothing but truth ringing loud and free in her voice. “And we’re going to follow him, and chase our own dreams.”

Tears well up in your eyes as you watch the Duke fall from the sky, chased by a man made of rubber, chased by a king in a straw hat, chased and chased and chased and –

“So,” Nami smiles to your side, looking into your face. “Are you ready to chase yours again?”

The Duke slams down into the ground in a flurry of petals and red, and oh – 

It’s red. Red your wife’s favorite color, wife the color of your favorite colors, red the color of the horizon and everything god, red, red, red –

Red, the color of the ribbon around a straw hat, and red, the color of the vest of a king. 

It’s beautiful. 

“Yes.” You say, trembling as the Duke fails. “Yes – I’m. I’m ready. My dream – my dream –“

Luffy raises a fist, and delivers a single punch that frees your entire island, avenges your wife, saves you. 

He smiles as he does it, a grin on his lips and a shout to the sky – “I’M THE MAN WHO WILL BE KING OF THE PIRATES!”

It’s red.

“My dream is to collect all the flowers in the world! To shelter them! Even the flowers at Raftel!” It’s like an oath, spilling from your lips, last said hand in hand with your wife but now – now alone, but not, because your wife may be gone but she’s still here – never forgotten, always loved, and alive in your shared dreams.

Nami smiles, Luffy laughs, and you think red looks beautiful in your garden.

-

There’s a party on the shore, next to a ship with a sunflower head, decorated in flowers and the fruits of the island. The Straw Hats celebrate, as well as with the other residents of the island, who praise them and thank them and welcome them, lading their arms with all sorts of delicacies.

You aren’t there. Neither is Luffy.

Instead, the two of you head back to your farm. This time your back is straight and there’s a smile on your face. You stand tall and on your own but not alone and – 

It’s good.

It’s good.

Luffy smiles at you, gentle and brilliant, and you look to the fields where the flowers he wants are – 

Being tended to, by a woman with long black hair and a tender smile. A fishman is next to her, blue and tall, seemingly awkward amidst the yellows and blues and delicate petals, but just as willing to stand with who you can only assume is Robin. 

“Luffy!” She cries first, so happily, showing the petals to Luffy. He jumps into her arms, swinging her arounds, and in quick motions you carefully take the plants from the earth to wrap into a boquet, roots attached to be easily replanted, and had it it Luffy. By the time he sets Robin down, he’s pressing the flowers into her hands.

“For you!” He says, bright, and you know he gave you a dream back  but –

You know, in truth, he really defeated the Duke for his crew. For his family, his nakama. For Robin, to see this bone-deep happiness on her face. 

She smiles, and later you will hear tales from the guards of the stone, who speak of a women who could read the ancient script inscribed upon It while having a thousand arms but – 

For now, you see a woman gifted the world, and know joy. 

The fishman beside her – Jimbe your recognize, first son of the sea – gives a laugh and oh, is there red here, is there love here.

This boy, this king to be, Luffy, he came in and swept you all like wildflowers in the wind, simply to make one person happy.

Amazing, you think, looking around your island that’s unchained and your dream restored and your fields filled with red, how one man’s selfishness, leads to an island’s freedom. 

-

You wave goodbye from the cliffside, your wife’s grave beside you. Upon the ship of a king is a bag, to be filled with the flowers of the island at the end of the sea and returned to you after that.  You had been given a hug before you left, one made of rubber limbs and crushing weight, and watched as he rejoined his crew and celebrated another adventure. 

You had watched the party they had upon the shore, so wondrous, so amazing, and had watched them sing out victory over the crowds, with chopsticks up their noses and a rock star as their backdrop.

The Straw Hat pirates – their names dance on your tongue.

How amazing, how wonderful, how world-shaking to know them, even for just a moment. 

You have met straw hat wearers and archeologists and kings but never – never have you met anyone, just like them.

So you wave from the shore, your wife with you, and belatedly, tragically realize that you gave them your dream, but never your name.

Damnit!

[cowboyx2]

happy new year’s eve y’all!!

i don’t really celebrate until tomorrow but i hope y’all have a blast :)) now i’m going to wish my moots all a very good 2021

and to the lovely people who follow me: thank you guys sm!! y’all made my 2020 SO MUCH better!! i wish all of you the best in 2021

elle @thestrawberrygirl: you were one of my first moots and i could not be more happy that i met you early on in our tumblr adventures!! we’ve made plenty of memories this year, mostly us being dumbasses.. on a more serious note you’re one of the strongest people i’ve had the pleasure of knowing on and off of tumblr!! keeping being you boo or i will come over there and beat you up 💖

lucy @greenaway-lewis: AHHH!! we met very recently but we’re already really close (id like to think) and you’ve easily made the end of my 2020 much better!! i absolute adore you & all of your chaotic antics! hopefully in 2021 we can wreak even more havoc on tumblr! i love you bitch and don’t forget it 💞

grace @royalpenelope: we’ve only been moots for a short while but dude i’m glad we are!! i’m so fucking thankful to have you as one of my penemily partners in crime, it’s been sm fun trolling around!! hopefully we can have some more fun in 2021 :’)!! ALSO in the spirit of the new year, elle, lucy and i have decided to lift your j*id probation early!! (it was all a good goof but i stg i will hunt you down if i find out your seriously shipping jeid 😡) here’s to a good 2021, i love you 💗

yashasree @scandinavian-punk: we’ve had some good jokes & fun!! i’m glad jeanne gave you back in time for new year’s, i hope 2021 will hold a better fate then 2020 did! see you there :’)

abbie @lizziechase: abbie!it’s been quite an eventful year with everything and i’m glad i gotto be moots with you through some of it! here’s to a good 2021 and a good wandavison show 🍾

caitlin @themetaphorgirl: i wish you a good fortune in the new year!! i can’t wait to see what good you do next

lizzie @emilyprentiss27: we literally JUST became moots but i’ve seen you in my notifs for awhile and boy oh boy am i glad i clicked follow!! have a good new years, my dude ‼️

gaby @isthatyouritalian: heyo!! i’m really glad we were able to become moots through cm and now ethan!! all your art is lovely btw 🥰

rose @penemily: i’ve had a blast following your page!! i’m sure in 2021 you will bring even more hilarious content, have a good year, rose!! :))

noel @prentizz: aye dude!! we’ve had our fair share of shits & giggles through our time of being moots!! seriously i’ve had a blast just hanging out on your blog, it’s been nothing but wonderful!! 😎

maya @purelyprentiss: happy new year, dude!! i’m never not amazed by the absolute wonderful gifs and works i see on your page! all of it is absolutely amazing (even if some make me cry) i hope you well in whatever 2021 throws at us

simmy @pretty-b0yy: hey whore! us goofing off and making some questionable memories has been one of the few highlights in my 2020! i hope i was able to make you laugh and smile a good amount and that’ll be able to do the same in 2021!! i love you, you little asshole 🙄

yas @abitcriminalminds: even though we only really just started talking i’ve been admiring your humor and jokes on your blog for awhile!! i’m genuinely so happy we became moots and friends this year. i hope we can continue it be the same in 2021 (also thanks for making fun of simmy with me 🥺)

joey @agentshortstacc: hey!! we haven’t talked much recently but i still love and admire you!! you’ve been making have a good hearty chuckle when i see your posts on my dash, i just know you’ll be doing the same in 2021

cloud @cloudyreid: we just became moots but through our few interactions i know 2021 will be a blast!!

maggie @fuckshitupm8-deactivated3728: it’s been a bit dude!! you’re works on tumblr wether their fics, blurbs, icons or gifs are absolutely spectacular!! never stop :’))

kk @gothwyfe: you’re probably one of the funniest people on this stupid site and i’m so happy i found your blog!! even if you’re not into cm anymore, you still make me laugh

layla @babey-jj: we’re very new moots but that doesn’t mean i can’t wish you a happy new year!! you’re absolutely hilarious, dude!!

tammy @nocturness: heyo!! you still make me smile, dude!! have a spectacular new years and years to come!! ily💗

erin @jordantodds: YO!! i’m so glad to have you as moot!! even if you ship gotch and like adam, i still love you 😽 HAVE A GOOD 2021!!!!!

kai @multi-fandom-lover-555: kai!!!!! you’re text posts are a hoot and a half!! i’m so glad i found you on this silly little place called tumblr💕

iqa @moreidism: DUDE!!! your moreid posts are one of my favorite things on this site!!! they’re all so wonderful and accurate!!! have a good 2021 😭

[theoriginalladya]

Abboats: “ i’ll get you out of this. trust me. ”

from this prompt list

On AO3 here

Oh, goodness, what you DO to me by asking for them!!!!! lol

Setting:  just outside of London

~~~

“So, we’re really doing this?”

Coats chuckles softly and wraps an arm around Abby’s shoulders, pulling her close.  She doesn’t refuse it.  “Darlin’, you are doing this, remember?  I’m stayin’ here where it’s safe.”

She tilts her head up at him, a somber expression on her face, but it quickly dissolves into a short laugh wrapped with regret.  They’ve come a long way together; leaving him behind like this doesn’t just hurt, it aches, and in ways she can’t really put into words for herself, let alone him.  She and Coats have become more than just battle buddies in the weeks since the war began.  They’ve saved each other’s necks multiple times over; they know the other’s ins and outs as well as they know their own.  But to end that like this…?

Abby leans up on her tiptoes and ghosts a kiss across his cheek.  “See that you do, y’hear?”

Coats loops his arms around her waist to hold her steady.  In the distance, the SSV London is nearly ready to go.  The last of the refugees fleeing to the Citadel are boarding, the few Alliance troops that can be spared are escorting them.  Abby happens to be one of them.  “You pulling rank on me again, Folaithe?”

Abby sniffs and stares at his chin.   If she looks in his eyes, the tears from flow far too freely.  “You’re far too stubborn for your own good, Mharú.”

“I seem to recall we’ve had this discussion a time or two.  No one’s as stubborn as –”

“An Irishman,” she finishes for him.  “Right.  I’ll be sure to let Sealgaire know your opinion should I run into him.”

Silence blankets them, but it’s comfortable if bittersweet.  In truth, Abby doesn’t want to leave.  She’s found her place here, helping take the fight to the reapers. But she’s N7, and her skills better serve the greater cause; she knows that, and so does he.  

He tilts her chin up, their eyes meeting finally. Abby swallows past a quick growing lump of emotion attempting to choke her.  “Ryan…”

“Go on, Abbs,” he murmurs, but there’s a hitch in his voice too.  “Not like you to procrastinate when you know there’s a job that needs to be done.”

Another convulsive swallow leaves her voice raspy. “I’ll be back, I promise.  I’ll get you out of this.  Trust me.”  God help her, she’ll lead the fight all the way back to Earth herself if she has to. Everything, everyone she’s ever loved is here.  I’m not abandoning them!  I’m not!

A smug smirk tilts at one corner of his lips. “Oh, but I do trust you.  Why else do you think I let you order me around?”

It’s the wink he gives her at the end that triggers the giggles… and the tears that gush forth.  He draws closer and she slides her arms around his shoulders as he lifts her off the ground, tightening their embrace.  The touch of his lips, sensuous and strong as always, on hers have an almost desperate quality this time.  This certainly isn’t what she expected because it only makes saying goodbye that much more difficult. Then again, she doesn’t blame him, either, and returning the kiss in full is the easiest thing she’s done since before the war began.  When they break apart, he sets her back on the ground, resting his forehead against hers while framing her face with his hands. “You take care of yourself; you hear? No runnin’ off and playing hero. Let Shepard save his own arse for once.”

Huffing softly, she manages a smile.  “You know me.”

He slides his arms back around her, stronger than steel bands and far more comfortable.  “Aye, I do,” he murmurs near her ear.  “And I’d like to keep it that way, if you don’t mind.”

“Commander, it’s time,” a voice calls over from just outside the London.

Abby has to force her fingers to loosen, sliding off his shoulders.  “Last boarding call, I guess,” she quips before pushing up to kiss him one last time. For luck.  “Stay safe.  I’ll be back before you know it.  Long before you’ll ever miss me.”

Coats releases her, but takes his time doing so while huffing softly in the process.  “Not bloody likely.”  He runs a hand over her hair until it comes to cradle the back of her head.  “I’m serious, Abbs, no heroics.  ‘Kay?”

“Who, me?”  Her fingers linger as they finish trailing down his arms.  Giving him one last, long look, she grabs her gear and walks away without glancing back.  She can’t, truth be told.  If she does, she’ll never board the ship.  And he’s right; she has to go.  

Before she’s even twenty feet away, she swears she hears him whisper, Go dté tú slán.  May you go safely.

Heart aching, Abby picks up her pace.  Only as she steps through the hatch does she dare a quick look back in his direction… and is met by nothing but emptiness.  As the door closes behind her, she whispers out into the night air, “Nár laga Dia thú, my love…”**

 ~~~~

** Nár laga Dia thú  =  May God never weaken you.

[zuffer-weird-girl]

You don't have to do it rn but can we have more of Pirate AU? I think I'm falling for this oh maybe the conflict in Kai's head for having feelings like those for the first time? Or how lose he is into how to make her feel the same?

"That woman has something..." he hissed while looking down at you, cleaning the deck and accidentaly hitting Tabe's on the face with the mop and apologizing profusely as the man only shaked his hands that it was fine...

"What you mean?" Chrono sighed, spitting the toothpick that was on his mouth on the sea as Mimic snorted.

"Cant any of you blind people see it?" He hissed, showing his gloved palm at you on the deck, Nemoto calling everyone to assign the chores as you listened with a bored face "She just... I cant be the only one that notice it."

"Uh... notice it what?" Mimic chuckled as Chisaki sighed in dissapointment and annoyance.

"She catches too much... attention."

"Well." Chrono said while getting up from the box he was sitted on "Excluding the fact she is indeed the only woman on board... she kinda has a nice personality."

He glared at his commurate but soon returned his gaze at you, singing a song that not all his years at the sea and earth ever heard of...

"... she is just a street rat. A thug thief." He muttered in disgust before marching down to his quarters as the two males shrugged at the action of their captain.

As soon as he closed the door he let out a deep sigh while he rested his forehead on the door, taking off his hat while he narrowed his eyes at nothing.

"Did she threw a spell on me or something? I cant just take her off my mind..." he chuffed while walking towards his desk and putting his hat and jacket neatly aside.

.

.

.

You walked on the board of the ship while humming, watching the starts and playing with the rope attached to the main post of Overhaul's ship.

After Neptune knows how long you've been here, you actually found out that pirates weren't all that bad thing that the people of your village that you lived many years ago talked about ... they were just ocassional freddy mans that looked for something in life...

And well, you hatred for pirates wasn't even yours. Your mother threw this at you becaus eof your father being a pirate himself and abandoning his family. The only thing he left you was a song that not even once left your mind alone especially when you were kidnapped.

"We're beggars and blighters, ne'er-do-well cads Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho Aye..." you singed quietly while supporting yourself by only the rope you were holding, ocassionaly twirling yourself and smiling now at then at the bright shiny sky or at the sea that surrounded you.

"But we're loved by our mommies and dads-"

"Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho." You yelped and accidentaly losed the grip of the rope and almost fell into the cold sea if it wasn't for a gloved hand grabbing your arm.

"C-Captain!" You almost yelped while pulling away from him. He tilted his head, that sick and arrogant smirk showing on his face as you tried to hide your embarrassment.

"Now you call me 'captain' brat? After two years confided on thsi ship." You scoffed and crossed your arms over your chest while furrowing your eyebrows up at him.

"Prefer me to call you mister buck head or fucker again?" You muttered as he shaked his head, folding his arms on his back as he started to walk away from you.

"Not quite. I much rather enjoy my tittle being finally slipped from that silver tongue of yours." He spoke nonchantly as you uncrossed your arms and followed him.

"How did you know this song?" You asked as he looked at you.

"Eto..?"

"You know!" You almost exclaimed before looking away from his face "... the one I was singing a few minutes ago..."

"Simple. I listened it. Is quite a verm in my opinion..." he looked up at the sky while furrowing his eyebrows at the sky "...yo ho We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.." he sighed as you widened your eyes.. he did paid attention to the song.

And his voice... was so... magical, beautiful even to hear.

"This particulary one got me interested. Devils and black sheep, what a stupid yet accurate ... comparation." He looked at you and stopped walking at the smug smile you were wearing as he furrowed his eyebrows "What?"

"You've been watching and listening to me? Captain?" This time his tittle came off as a sound of teasing and you couldn't believe in your own eyes at the bright red color that was starting to form on the man's cheeks.

He scoffed and covered his face with his jacket and started to walk away as you started to giggled in amusement.

"Oh my Poseidon! You were!" You trailed after him as his boots clicked on the deck as be trued to just leave that place immediate

"Was not. With the amount of problem you cause I have to watch over you." He growled, still knot looking at your face.

"Bullshit!" You cackled before stopping at the sword on your throat as he glared down at you.

"You have the nerve to laugh on the face of the most cruel and terrifying captains of all seas you brat?" His lips parted in shock as you giggled and swatted the tip of his sword away.

"A cruel captain that blushes over a silly question like mine? Was I suppose to cry at that?"

"A bold one you are..." he growled while twirling his sword on his hold before putting it back on his belt.

It was silence for a bit before he walked away opening the door that gave entrance to his own quarter. You just giggled and gave your back to him before you listened to him whistle.

"Oi." You turned to look at him, holding the door open as his nonchantly gaze was stuck on you "... Come. We never actually discussed that time you were injured."

"You mean the one I was kidnapped by another crew or when you threw me to the cold as fuck sea?" You pointed at the sea with emphasizes as his eyes narrowed.

"Forget that." He growled, entering before hsi eyes opened a but wide at seing you giggling and walking past him.

"Ya know?" You hlgave him a smile and a wink over your shoulder "You could just ask if I wanted to hang out with you."

"As if." He rolled his eyes at the back of his head while closing the door.

"Sir... I read your journal." You smiled at the shock on his face as you giggled "So I am not just a thug street rat to you? Am I?"

He tsked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I would more consider you as a witch." He growled as you shaked your head.

"You're no good with emotions right? Mister captain Overhaul?" He looked at you and only saw good intentions on your eyes... something so rare to him on all his life, both when he was adopted by a pirate and before that.

"... that doesn't matter." He sighed, walking past you and taking a bottle and showing it to you "May I have your company this night?"

"Well.." you pretended to think before smiling at him "If I get to know your real name then yes..."

He thought for a bit before smirking, taking your hand on his gloved one more like a noble then a pirate.

"As long as it doesn't leave your lips outside from here." He sighed at your mention to zip your mouth shut "Is.. Chisaki Kai." Your eyes widened and body freezes... not only at seing that he actually spoke his name but...

"Are... are you that lost of the Chisaki-"

"No." He took his hand away from you and you actually felt cold without his one fu king hand on you "Dont speak the name of someone whose faked my own death and caused me so much suffering."

"S-Sorry..." you looked at him giving your back as got two calices made of fucking gold "I... had no idea."

He tsked ince again while handling you.

"You're the first one on this ship asides from Chronostasis to know about this. And I hope your mouth stay shut or else-"

"You will throw me at the sea for the sharks?" You snorted while taking the drink.

"Worse." He growled as you giggled, smilling up at him.

"Well, where is that part where you admit you have feelings for me?" You actually laughed at how he gagged on his won drink and opened the window of his quarters to spit "Too far?" You giggled while patting his back as he coughed.

"You're such a headache to my life you brat..." he wheezed out as you muffled your giggled at seing his tomato yet grumpy as hell face.

[angelicamerlinbarnes]

TUA DISNEY AUs: Pocahontas (Pt. VIII)

(please understand that by AU, I mean they share an incredibly small amount of things in common with the original source material which I barely remember BUT the “story” takes place in the setting of the film) (not to be misleading or anything :p)

(BEWARE: colonialism, people being shitty about things they don't understand, etc.)

(If you can handle watching Umbrella Academy, this will be fine for you.)

(Pocahontas) Allison doesn’t trust those new people. They smell bad. And Ray, her husband, has advised her against speaking with any of them, but it’s not her fault she runs into Luther, the captain of the new people’s guard. And then there’s Klaus. Oh, sweet, sweet Klaus… now if only Allison could get Diego to give him a (second) chance…

(John Smith) Luther wasn’t planning on meeting the most brilliant woman he’s ever come across when he decided to sail for the new world a year ago. It just kinda happened. He wonders if she’ll come back to England with him - oh shit, she’s married. Right. Fuck.

(Englishmen)

Vanya’s gonna get hanged as a witch. She knows it. She’s kinda just waiting. And then Allison offers a way out, a place as a healer with the Natives… but Vanya can’t leave Sissy, the married woman she loves. Or Harlan. No, she can’t. She can’t. Right?

Leonard is a fucking creep. He makes gross remarks about the Native women and has been trying to marry Vanya for five fucking years. It’s really only fitting that Allison has him executed. Accidentally, she swears.

Hazel and Agnes are the sweet old couple who everybody loves. Agnes is one of the only newcomers who is genuinely kind to the Natives, and Hazel finds a partner in Cha-Cha, a fearless warrior. Together, the three of them invent donuts.

Reginald is the governor and his wife Grace is exceedingly kind. Diego takes her in when he finds out that Reginald abuses her and sleeps around. He also kills Reginald. Yippee-kay-aye.

The Handler is the goddamn queen of England. Long live the bitch.

Five is planning a coup and revolution of the settlement. No one suspects him because he’s a kid. It pisses him off, but so far it’s working in his favor so he hasn’t tried to kill anybody for it yet. Now he’s just gotta get some of the Natives on board…

Klaus thinks it’s funny everyone thinks Vanya’s a witch. I mean, okay, it’s not funny, she’ll probably get hanged for it. But, like… Klaus is the real witch. He can speak to the dead. Including his dead brother Ben, a stowaway on the ship who drowned in a storm. Klaus is just trying to find a place he won’t get killed for who he is… and then he meets Diego. The most beautiful, brave, smart, funny, kind person he’s ever met. And a Native warrior who hates all the newcomers, especially Klaus, who may have sort of accidentally caused the scar on the side of Diego’s head. In a training accident. The first time they met. Shit, he’s never gonna get that guy, is he?

(Natives)

Diego is very annoyed at that Klaus guy. He’s too stupid to be that cute. Stupid… stupid… stupidly hot and charming and funny and selfless and sweet and perfect and oh shit. Diego’s a warrior of the ancestral lands. He protects his family. And Klaus is a newcomer. The newcomers are a threat to his family. Fuck, shit, god-motherfucking-damnit…

Lila is Diego’s sister warrior and leader of the women at home. Well, wife of the leader anyway. She’s been trying to get eyes on the newcomers for days, but that feisty kid planning the rebellion doesn’t like her… unless… she offers to help him?

Eudora is just trying to keep her family from falling apart. As leader of the warriors, with Diego as her second-in-command, life seems pretty cushy, but… those newcomers are threatening everything. Especially since Diego, their most powerful and honorable warrior, is falling for one of them. And he may just abandon them to be with that Klaus spirit - even if he hasn’t even admitted it to himself yet.

Ben gets a little tired of following Klaus around everywhere. He supposes he should be grateful that he’s still alive after death with his brother, but there’s only so much of Klaus anyone can take. Ben is tired. He just wants to go home. Or live again. Or sleep. Or, well… anything, really, other than this. This dark, cold void of nothing.

Ray is the Native community’s head healer and wiseman. He’s the husband of the chief, Allison herself, and advises the family on how to best move forward when faced with challenges. When it comes to the newcomers, he tells them the best choice is simply to move on with their lives as normal and not interact with the strangers. And then his wife goes and falls for an Englishman and suddenly his people are falling left and right for these newcomer folk. Oh, come on. Why does no one ever listen to him?

In the end, Reginald is dead and Grace is the leader of the settlers. Five explores the new world with Dolores, a child’s doll he still keeps, and Ben, Klaus, and Diego follow him, chasing adventure and excitement. Klaus and Diego finally get together, married during the final battle because they’re dramatic idiots like that, and Klaus practices his magic and even teaches Five and Diego some along the way. Allison becomes a leader of both communities, uniting them with her second marriage to Luther as she keeps her vows to Ray. Vanya and Sissy are finally free to be together, with Carl dead in the final battle and Harlan happier than ever. Lila and Eudora set about training the settlers in the Natives’ warrior ways with Cha-Cha and learn new trades and skills from the settlers in turn. Hazel and Agnes help take care of all the children and feed the village and the Handler dies on her throne and Kit Marlowe takes over and marries Will Shakespeare because why the fuck not. And there’s no racism or sexism or homophobia or any other isms or phobias and no diseases or rape or genocide and everybody was happy and treated each other with respect and kindness. Good? Good.

[gaamagirl565]

Matters of the Heart S3 ep 4

Matters of the heart Season 3 episode 4 The starlit cave

{OPENING CREDITS} {Open to the sun rising over the forest as very few people walk around camp in the early hours of the morning; Varian is discussing a map with Eugene; Rapunzel is helping gather water; Hector is chopping wood with his son; pan to a tent where Isaiah lay sleeping} Isaiah: ….dad stop...turning the apples...into...oranges… {Cut to something zooming in closer on the tent; cut back to Isaiah sleeping peacefully; it zooms in closer on the tent until it crash lands into it causing the tent to collapse making Isaiah scream and fumble out} Isaiah: AH! Wh-what the!? {Hamuel pokes his head out from the collapsed tent} Isaiah: UGHH! Hamuel! This better be good! {He grabs Hamuel and unties the message on his leg} Isaiah: I swear if this whole time you just did a big circle and this is the message I wrote I’m go-... {He reads the note and slowly a smile forms on his face; he grabs hamuel and runs off towards his dad; Cut to Varan talking to Eugene} Varian:  we scouted the whole area for healing herbs and I tried so many concoctions but I don't think we're going to be able to cure this. Eugene: we have to try something they're on the brink of d- Isaiah: DAD! {Varian turns to see Isaiah running for them before he trips and falls in the mud} Eugene: *snerk*...Like father like son. {Varian groans and takes out a blue orb} Isaiah: Huh? Dad...Dad no! No NO N-! {Varian tosses the orb and it explodes into a cloud of suds; as the bubbles slide away it leaves behind a clean but soaked through Isaiah} Isaiah:....really? Varian: Did you really want to walk around with mud on you all day? Isaiah:  that's not important, look at this! {He hands over the note and Varian looks it over} Varian:  captain of the SS Salvador? Eugene:  it sounds familiar. it's a trade ship I think. Passed through Corona a couple times. Varian:  Eugene listen to this he's offering us aid!  it says he has supplies and Manpower!   Eugene: probably not enough to take back Corona but hey it's a start!  how do you know these people? Isaiah: Captain Adrian Saved my life when I fell off the cliffs.  While I was on his ship I did some work to repay the favor.  he said if I ever needed his help again just ask.  I thought this situation was a good enough reason to ask for help. Eugene:  it says he's in the harbor he's using the cliffs to hide his ship from view. Varian:  I guess we're going on foot then... well as soon as Isaiah changes into some dry clothes. {Isaiah slings mud at him} Varian: EYY! Isaiah:  and as soon as you change your vest. {Isaiah runs off with Varian chasing him; Cut to the shore as Rapunzel, Eugene, lance, and Varian peer out from the cliffside at the ship wading in the waters;on shore a crew is taking inventory of supplies} Eugene: Looks like a crew of about 15 people… Lance: So what's the plan? Rapunzel:  well we need to make sure nobody's watching us first so maybe we should set up a scout around the perimeter and then- {Isaiah runs past them and down the shore} Isaiah: CAPTAIN ADRIAN! Rapunzel: O-or we could do that! Captain: Isaiah! There he is! {Isaiah jumps into his arms and they both fall over causing the captains powdered wg to fall off} Captain:  look how strong you've gotten! and I see you found your way back just as I thought you would. {The group walks over to meet the captain and crew} Isaiah:  Captain Adrian this is my dad the one I told you about. Varian:  it's a pleasure to meet you and I thank you so much for saving my son's life. Captain:  the pleasure was all mine. you've raised a fine young man. and you must be the king and queen of Corona. Rapunzel:  you guessed it! Captain:  I promise you my crew and I will do all that we can to help aid you.  I'm not really supposed to be doing this but I think the situation calls for it.  are cargo that were supposed to be trading should be more than enough supplies to last us for months. Eugene:  isn't giving away cargo you’re paid to deliver illegal in any way? Captain:  only if people find out. besides I'm pretty sure Corona can put it to better use. Lance: Those are a lot of crates and boxes. Captain:  indeed!  we have food, tools, clothing- Varian:  medicine? Captain:.... are people injured? Eugene:  we have many sick. Captain:  then we best not waste any time. Rapunzel: we brought horses and wagons to carry the supplies.  I suppose the sooner the better! Captain: Men! help load up the cargo! crew: aye sir! {Isaiah hugs the captain} Isaiah:  thank you so much captain… Captain:  as I said before the pleasure is all mine. {Cut to Noremoth laying in a cot groaning in pain; a rag is placed on his forehead; pan up to reveal Catalina} Keira: how's he doing? Cataliana:  not good… Keira:  you okay? Catalina: When Sterling was born... I said we could start over.  I was still mad at him but he really did seem like he was sorry.  and now that Isaiah is actually alive... not only that he risked his life to save them.  I just... feel like a jerk. {Keira walks over and hugs her} Keira:  don't.  you were mad and you had every right to be mad.  the fact that everything turned out okay is a good thing. Catalina:  it didn't turn out good for him. Keira:  look no matter what happens it's going to be okay. {Everyone walks into camp pulling the supplies along in two wagons} Captain: will look at this... quite the little community. Varian:  the best we got so fa- {A villager runs up} Villager: Your Majesty! Eugene: Whats wrong? Rapunzel: What happened? {The Villager looks up at them grimley; Rapunzel’s eyes dilate in fear} Rapunzel: no… { Rapunzel runs off in the direction of the sick bay} Eugene: Sunshine wait! {Eugene goes after her and everyone follows;  once they reach Sick Bay everyone notices a woman crying over a man laying still in a cot;  Rapunzel takes a minute to look over the man before giving the woman a tight hug} Eugene: oh no… {Eugene walks over and joins in comforting the widow} Isaiah: dad?... is he…? Varian:  yeah... I think he is. {The physician covers the man with a sheet} Varian: euggh...I'm... I'm going to go find your stepmother and brother.  don't go far okay? Isaiah: o-okay… {Varian walks off and Lily steps forward} Lily:  Isaiah... are you okay? Isaiah: what's going to happen to Nathaniel? Benny: ‘Saiah? {Isaiah runs into sick bay and over to Nathaniel’s cot; The others follow; Nathaniel's breathing is shallow and he's utterly pale;  Isaiah takes his hand and kneels next to him} Isaiah:  hey man... that's okay you don't have to talk. just listen okay?  it's going to be okay.  I'm not going to let you end up like that.  I promise that. { Willy walks forward and kneels next to Isaiah;  she holds his hand} Lily:  Isaiah... you can't promise that. Isaiah:  I can and I am! {Lily jumps} Isaiah: I can't lose anyone else. not again. { the hear someone walk up behind them and they all turn around to see the captain and one other sailor} Captain:  I've never seen an illness like this before. Isaiah:  we don't know what it is. we don't even know how to cure it. Captain:  I'm sorry. I've lost many fine sailors to illness. Some of them my best friends. if it's any consolation I know your pain. Isaiah:  I just wish there was some way I could... do something. Sailor: what about the Star Stones? Captain: oh do shut up… Isaiah: Star Stones? Captain:  old sailors tale, there's a type of stone thats said it to Glow like stars.  supposedly if you crush the stones into a powder they make a valuable medicine.  However… Sailor:  there's a reason they're so valuable!   these stones normally form in damp environments such as behind a waterfall making it very perilous to try and grab one! Captain: which is why it pays not to give the boy false hope… Sailor: sorry sir… {Isaiah looks back at  Nathaniel;  he then looks at Lily and Benny all of them seeming to have an understanding; Fade to later at night; Isaiah walks to the edge of camp meeting up with Lily and Benny} Isaiah:  okay everyone ready? Lily:  should we really be doing this? Isaiah: do you want Nathaniel to die!? Lily: no of course not! but the last time we tried to go off on our own we almost got killed. Benny:  yeah but this time you have me. and I'm kind of an expert on not dying. unlike someone here. Isaiah:  sometimes you really push boundaries you know that? Juniper: and where are you squirts going? {Isaiah jumps around clasping his hands over his mouth to muffle his scream} Isaiah:  don't do that! Juniper:  I'll ask again, where are you going? Benny: to get Star Stones! Isaiah: Benny! ugh...how’d you even know we were out here? {Akina peeks out from behind her} Lily: Akina? Akina:  I saw you guys heading towards the edge of camp and I got nervous! Juniper:  you want to get Star Stones? okay I'm going to put it out there right now yes those things exist but at the same time they are next to impossible to  obtain. even a grown man would have trouble grabbing  just one of those things. Isaiah:   people are going to die unless they get some proper medicine!  my dad can make that medicine out of these stones.  if there's a chance we have to try it! {Juniper groans and looks back at the camp before turning back to the kids} Juniper:  fine. but I'm coming with you. Isaiah: what!?  Why!? Juniper: no offense kid but you couldn't tell an onyx from a diamond.  secondly I know forests.  thirdly I know where we would be able to actually find these stones. Akina:  she does seem to know more about it than we do. Isaiah:  We?  now you're joining us?  am I just a leader of a tribe now!? {Juniper glares at him} Isaiah:  fine.  you can come with us only because you know where these things are. Juniper: ‘Kay! { she snatches the map from his hands and starts leading the way} Juniper: C’mon kids follow the leader. Isaiah: I really don't like her. Lily: *snickers* {cut to the forest as their walking through it} Isaiah: Do you have any idea where we're going? Juniper:  I know where to find Star Stones I just have to look on the map for where they might be forming. isaiah: excuse me... might? Juniper:  they tend to form in very dangerous environments.  normally behind a waterfall. Akina: there's a waterfall not too far from here! Juniper:  then I guess it's the first place we're looking.  come on slow pokes and try not to touch anything. I'm not going to get blamed if one of you catches poison oak. Lily: …. Hey um..Isaiah? Isaiah:  yeah? Lily:  no that were kind of alone you know with everyone ahead of us... was wondering if we could talk? Isaiah: oh um...okay. Lily: I've been meaning to ask... how are you really? Isaiah: honestly... not good.   people keep telling me I'm only a kid and that I should remember that.  but I feel like I haven't been a kid for a very long time. Lily:  what do you mean? Isaiah:  look at all that I've seen. what I've been forced to deal with.  and now my friend might be dying?  how can I be expected to stay a kid after dealing with all of this? {Lily takes his hand} Lily:  I don't know. But you want to know what I do know. Isaiah: what? Lily:  I know for a fact that I'm looking at a boy that's gone through hell and back and still come out smiling. if that isn't strength I don't know what is.  you're the strongest of all of us.  Just one of the many things I love about you. {Isaiah smiles softly and kisses her cheek making her giggle} Juniper: are you two done? We’re almost at the.... Isaiah: Well continue what you were saying? Juniper: Shut it! Isaiah:...im gonna kill her... {He moves forward with his dagger before hearing a large growl; All of them turn to see a large scarred up bear} Isaiah:...You know what, I'll let him Kill her. {The bear roars and charges at them; They all run following Juniper whom has taken out a sling shot and started firing sharp rocks at the bear} Juniper: GO! Up the stone wall! Climb! {They all start climbing the stone surface; Lily slips } Lily: AHH! Isaiah: LILY! {He grabs her hand and pulls her up to him} Isaiah: Hold onto me, okay? Lily: O-okay. {Juniper reaches the top first and helps Benny and Akina up} Juniper: Where are Isaiah and Lily? {They all look down and see Lily on Isaiah’s back as he climbs} Juniper: C’mon guys! Only a little further! Akina: You cando it! Benny: Get a move on stinky! Isaiah: Shaddup! {once they reach close to the top Juniper leans down and pulls them both up} Juniper: There we go! You guys okay? Lily: Y-yeah I think so.. {Isaiah looks down at his scrapped up and cut hands} Isaiah: augh… Juniper: c’mere… {She takes his hands and looks them; she reaches into her hip pouch and pulls out some cloth and wraps his hands} Juniper: When we get back to Camp you'll need some salve.  other than that you should be okay. Akina: Guys look! {She points to the waterfall cascading over the side of the rock wall; they all get up and walk behind the waterfall to find it’s covering a cave} Isaiah: Ladies first? No? Juniper: I’m no lady… {She kicks him into the cave; They walk down into the cave and come across a tunnel of glittering stones} Isaiah:....We found it… Benny: Woohoo! Look at em all! They really are like stars! Juniper: We better collect as much as we can, we don’t know how much the alchemist will need. {They start collecting as much as they need and put the stones in pouches; Isaiah looks over and stares at Lily in the glow of the stones; he grins but his smile disappears when they hear the sounds of the bear outside} Juniper: Crap...Everyone hide! {As everyone hides Juniper takes out her dagger; The bear walks in and notices her; it roars and charges her; she jumps on it and they fight their way outside} Akina: Juniper! {They all run outside to see Juniper holding her bleeding arm as the bear backs her into a corner; Benny picks up some rocks and throws them at the bear; The bear turns around} Benny: Come on! We gotta help! {They all pick up rocks and start throwing them; the bear backs further away with every throw} Isaiah: We can drive it off the cliff! Keep tossing rocks! {Isaiah grabs a handful and move forward; making the bear back over to the ledge; He throws one more rock and the force makes the bear slip off the ledge; it bites and pulls Isaiah’s cloak as its going down} Isaiah: AHHH! {Juniper lunges and grabs Isaiah as the cloak rips send the bear tumbling over} Lily: Are you okay!? {She runs into his arms} Isaiah: I’m okay lily.. {Juniper reaches into her pouch and pulls out some star stones} Juniper: Better get these back to your dad.. Isaiah: good point..But um..I’m leading the way this time. Juniper: Over my dead body! Isaiah: The bear is right down there that can be arranged! {cut to the camp at the dark early hours of morning; Isaiah and therest of the group runs into camp} Isaiah: DAD! Lily: Uncle Varian! Benny: Daddy! {Varian comes stumbling out of his tent half asleep holding his alchemy belt} Varian:uh da..wh-what happen? Isaiah: We have Star stones! We can make a cure from this! Varian: Y-your sure? Isaiah: Yeah! 100%! {Varian hugs Isaiah} Varian: That’s my boy!! {Start montage of Varian making cures and administering them to the sick; the purple spots fade from them and they start waking up} Nathaniel: hmm?...w-what’s going on? All 4: Nathaniel! {All 4 jump onto his cot to hug him knocking the bed over in the process} Nathaniel: AH!... {Cut to Varian opening a vial of the Medicine by Noremoth; Catalina looks on in worry} Lance: It’s gonna be okay… {Varian pours the Medicine into his mouth} Varian: now we wait… {Pan over to a candle and show the hours passing with it melting; pan to Noremoth finally waking up} Noremoth: mnn...owww my stomach… did I eat bad sausage again? Catalina: NOREMOTH! {She hugs him and he looks surprised for a moment before hugging back; lily peaks and smiles} Isaiah:Hey uh..Lily? Lily: eep! Isaiah you startled me! Isaiah: S-sorry! But um..I made you something. Lily: Really? {Isaiah holds out a star stone necklace} Lily: Oh Isaiah… Isaiah: I know it's not perfect... But... my dad gave my mom a necklace like that.  and I guess it meant a lot to her because I never saw her take it off.  I didn't even know Dad made it for the longest time.  but if it made her that happy... I want to make you that happy. so... I made you one. {Lily puts on the necklace and tears up} Isaiah: Lily? You oka-! {She jumps into a hug and kisses him; He smiles through it before they pull away} Lily: best present ever… {END CREDITS}