#silver be like: surprised pikachu face

[cyanocoraxx]

isopraxis (ao3 link)

(aka silver sonic II & mecha sonic are neurodivergent and minors)

"morning, mecha. uh, i think there's something wrong with me."

mecha turned their head to look at silver - taking their words as a cue to scan him - and sat back in their chair, a gesture learned from their organic companions. as they did, the blanket over their ears (to block out noise, although they could easily just tune down their auditory sensors) fell to the ground in a heap beside them.

“please elaborate.” mecha responded flatly.

“something’s wrong with my head. i don’t know how to explain it.” silver tried again, sounding more urgent - frustrated, even - this time.

mecha scanned over silver’s frame one more time. the exact same results pinged back, with the differences only ranging from 0.01% to 0.02%. nothing abnormal. "please elaborate. i do not understand. your system status is fully functional. your CPU is clocking at 59% usage and your memory is running at 83% capacity. these are typical readings for you. have you run a diagnostic? perhaps it is an issue that i cannot pinpoint externally."

silver shook his head and pulled up a chair to join his sibling. "no no, it's not that, M. well, it kind of is - i don't know. the diagnostics don’t tell me shit." within seconds of taking his seat, silver's left leg was already bouncing up and down with nervous energy. he fidgeted with his hands. he had been doing that a lot lately, mecha had noticed.

"you can cease those behaviors at any time. why do you not?" mecha queried, shifting forward a little to show their interest. another cue picked up from the organics around them that they otherwise would have never learned.

"that's the thing! it feels like i can't. if i don't, i feel like i'm gonna go crazy." silver explained hurriedly. he added slight rocking to the mix as well. "it seems to help, but... why? i hate saying it but... i’m a robot. what does a robot get out of this?”

mecha took pause, tilting her head in thought. "in the nonverbal dictionary by david givens, a rocking action such as the one you currently display stimulates the vestibular senses and is therefore soothing. it is primitive but effective. you possess a vestibular system that keeps you oriented in combat, thus you benefit from it despite lacking an organic frame."

silver nodded slowly. "uh huh. so...it makes me feel something, and that's why it helps me." he too took pause for a second. "but... when i feel like this, i can't work. i can't do anything. i can't play my favourite games or watch my favourite shows because i just, like, zone out. i can't pick up a single word in a book. i interrupt everyone else when they talk and it annoys them. it makes me feel useless, M. everyone else is working so hard to keep this place nice for us all and i'm just... sitting here, being crazy. i feel crazy."

to silver, his CPU felt like a machine constantly making white noise. it was as if someone had placed static in his mind and let it sit there for hours. he wanted to make the noise stop. then he could be useful again. he hated to let his family down like this over and over. it felt wrong. he felt wrong. like something was wrong with his programming, or processing unit, or something. it drove him mad not knowing what to do with it.

mecha considered this thoughtfully. "i too display some of the behaviors you are currently showing. does that make me useless, brother?"

"no, of course not! you're smart, you always know what to do- wait, you do? i mean, i've seen you do it, but i don't know how much you do it when you're alone." silver replied curiously, tilting his head ever so slightly in interest.

mecha nodded. "i gain very little from stimulating my own version of tactile receptors, if you will, for i have none. i cannot feel pressure, heat, cold, or pain. however, i am able to detect vibration, like many predatory species can. i depend on this ability to re-centre myself in combat as well as to navigate my newfound emotional catalogue. do not forget, all beings unconsciously touch their own frames in times of heightened emotion in order to comfort, relieve, or release stress. it is a natural response, but primarily an organic one. i suppose this gives both of us some organic qualities, psychologically."

"huh..." silver moved to sit on the floor, finding it more comfortable - and feeling much less like he had to mask his behaviours in front of his older brother. "is that why i see you pacing sometimes? or why i see neo tapping his fingers on his arms when he's annoyed?"

"precisely." mecha replied, a small glow coming to their visor in affirmation. "due to the nature of our programming, each of us reflects the nature of our organic counterpart in some way. this does not make us useless. it makes us flawed, and flaws make us more alive - if you wish to deem it as such."

"is there a name for this, then?" silver asked, curious. he gestured to his entire frame, and then his brother's in turn. "you know. this... whatever it is. or do we name it ourselves? i think the-blue-hedgehog-itis sounds quaint."

"your current status could be framed as something called executive dysfunction. there is no outer stimulus that is stopping you from making progress in what you wish to do. the stimulus is internal. think of it as a blockade caused by your psychological state. it is passive. you cannot consciously decide to execute that function - hence, why it is named executive dysfunction." mecha replied matter-of-factly. "it can be likened to a form of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, if you wish to name it."

"robot adhd." silver fidgeted with his fingers as he mulled on that label. "i mean, it works...”

mecha nodded in agreement. "indeed. likewise, by organic standards, i display neurodivergent behaviours of my own. for example, i am merely adopting this position in speaking to you because i have learned that it is socially appropriate. the degree of orientation between a speaker and the listener is measured in the coronal plane. we show agreement by aligning our upper bodies with the second party. in a group setting, most people will stand with their bodies oriented towards the individual they most respect. if i did not know this, and did not know that it matters to you, i would not display this behaviour voluntarily. i would be more comfortable standing away from the other person to avoid visual contact. i find close proximity... overwhelming. i only truly accept close proximity to two other units - yourself and neo. otherwise, i am merely mirroring what i have observed in others to adhere to social norms."

"you're not a people person, is what you're saying," silver replied with a small smile, "and we all know that. but we all know you try, and that's what matters."

"i suppose it can be taken as such. however, i do not mean disrespect or harm by my mannerisms. they are simply behaviours that are ingrained into my processor specifically." mecha noted, moving to sit in front of his brother on the floor - and silver noticed the slight tremor in his brother's hand as he moved it to lever himself out of his seat. "with sentience comes room for flaws. look around you, silver. the other machines in our home likely display their own variations of neurodivergent behaviour. we are not made to emulate the perfect mind. we were created to fulfill a task, which was to end a life. we are bound to experience mis-wirings, glitches, and divergences along the way as we fail to fulfill that task. we are adapting to a world that we were not designed to exist in."

"right... but, uh, what do i do then?" silver asked, frowning a little in thought. "am i supposed to want it to go away? why me, anyway? is my wiring just fucked up or something?”

"take it as it comes." mecha advised, reaching over to place a shaky hand on her brother's shoulder. "you are flawed, as am i. it is not the end of the world. and, much akin to how the world is ever-changing, your psychological state changes along with it. this conversation, however, has renewed my interest in your condition. i shall endeavour to research how you can best adapt to it."

"adapt? and not overcome?" silver asked, sounding worried. his optics fixed on mecha's gaze as if to look for any sign that she was joking.

"affirmative. adapt." mecha repeated themselves. "this is not something that you should attempt to destroy. rather, it is a state of being that you will carry with you - and to destroy your own state of being is violence against yourself." in line with its words, mecha leaned forward and pressed its forehead to silver's affectionately. "you are performing optimally despite this. do not doubt yourself."

silver's smile returned instantly. noticing this, mecha's visor brightened to a warm glow, smiling back at him. one of the few things that made mecha "happy" was seeing their brother happy. they wanted silver to be happy all the time, if the world would allow it. with a small, subtle purr of their engine, mecha gathered silver into their arms and let him sprawl in their lap. silver reached up and playfully batted mecha's nose with a little laugh.

"you're a weirdo, M." silver told his brother with a grin.

"as are you." mecha agreed, replying with a scrub of their brother's head with their knuckles. oops, that left a few superficial scratches in his paint. no matter, he would repair those later. but rather than worry about that, mecha leaned back against the wall and let their brother act as a sort of weird little weighted blanket. no, they couldn't feel the pressure, but the subtle vibration of silver's own engine was enough to keep them sated. "are your concerns adequately addressed?"

"yeah. thank you, you're the best."

[woodland-gremlin]

Ancestor's Fury AU

( Inspired by @glow-in-the-dark-death and @vixen-uchiha )

The Infinite Realms are, well, Infinite. They are the doorway between dimensions and contain every after life. This includes the Krypton one.

When Danny learned that the Infinite realms contained the afterlife for aliens he didn’t stop gushing about it to Jazz for days. He was awestruck. Not everyone would stop to talk to this excited child, especially when they don’t know that he is the King, but some would, like the Kryptons. They were quite happy to talk to the boy king, especially when they could get updates on the last of their kind in the Living Realm. When they learned about the Anti-Ecto Acts and the role the Justice league and the last of their living had in it they were angry and confused. To learn about why the Justice League didn't do anything about the Acts they traveled into the Living Realm to find out. This is how they found out about how Superman treats Superboy.

When Danny first told them about Superboy they threw a party, after all they gained a new family member. Look at the baby, isn’t he adorable?! Traveling to the Living Realm and finding out he was a clone didn’t change that fact. Learning how Superman treats him for being a clone however opens the floodgates of their fury. They were already weary because of the inaction with the Anti-Ecto Acts and now he is calling the baby an “it”! Not happening on their watch.

Then they remember the boy king. The one who brought this to their attention in the first place and who has a clone he treats as family. So they decided to bring this to his attention.

Danny, when he learns of this, is furious. He knows what it is like to be cloned by your worst enemy in an attempt to replace you, but that is on the fruitloop who cloned you not the child who was dragged into their scheme and is as much of a victim as you are. He could never treat Ellie the way Superdouche does. For Ancients sake he was barely a teenager when it happened and yet he handled it better than a full grown adult superhero (not that he should be called that after what he has done).

In conclusion no one is happy with the news, especially Ellie. She is furious with how her fellow clone is treated and is definitely planning Superasses demise, though silver lining, clone buddy!

All of this leads to Danny putting a blacklist on Superman. No one from the realms can help him and are welcome to beat him up as long as no one else gets hurt. So when the JL Dark gets called to help because Superman keeps getting targeted by supernatural beings they refuse and explain the black listing. The JL then bullies John Constintine into summoning the Ghost King, who is his nephew, not that they know that, to retract the blacklisting.

Danny: Yeah no, can’t help you there. The ghosts hunting you down are not very happy with your parenting, and neither am I for that matter.

Superman: ??? I don’t have a son.

Danny: *sarcastically* So the kid running around with the moniker Superboy is someone else’s Krypton kid? Sorry, didn’t know there was another Krypton that survived the destruction of their planet.

Superman: It’s a clone, not my son.

Danny: *pissed* He is not an it! You may not consider him your son but the ghosts of Krypton do. Your parents thought the Kents raised you better than that.

Meanwhile, elsewhere:

Ellie: *tackles Superboy* Clone Buddy!!

Superboy: *surprised Pikachu face*

[okiroash]

Obsessed with post-mt. silver red... the champion you hailed as a legend, a concept of what strength is, right now- is having trouble finding where he put his wallet because he didn't need to use money for three years (the cashier watches as red rummages through his bag, the sounds of various items clanking can be heard through the room...) anyway,, some fun headcanons for him that I first wanted to tell along with illustrations but,, I don't have the energy to do that rn,, -> He knows how to mimic a pokemon's cry to such accuracy,, esp those of wild strong pokemon that lives in mountain silver, this is so that- with just himself he can terrify the weaker pokemon and make them scamper away.. it's important that his team stay at top condition and not make them waste necessary energy in case something bad would happen -> Though this doesn't mean he uses his voice more, having no one to talk to (or even the need to-) for an extended period of time, makes it easier to get into a coughing fit if he were to talk too much, leading to him talking slower, softer, and always in short chopped sentences after coming down (but still have that polite way of talking, judging from the dialogue in FRLG with the pokedoll girl compared to ethan's.... who even uses "pardon me" these days? red apparently) -> He learned how to run on all four.. when there's literally just you and your animal friends in some mountain you're bound to be a weirder guy, sorry man (and he actually moves faster this way.. but red's aware that this is something he could only do in the wild) -> Red moves like a ghost, it's good when you don't want to alarm the wild pokemon around you (and now it's people to avoid getting recognized), but this makes it hard for him to announce his presence which always end up surprising people.. -> Whenever he doesn't know how to react to a joke or what it means, he will tilt his head and stare at them with the biggest autism eyes ever.... -> Post-mt silver red gets put into a lot of socially awkward situations, it can't be helped 💔 -> Because he spent so long in a dangerous environment, red is very vigilant and cautious, though.. sometimes overly that it's not healthy, it took a while for him to start relaxing a bit more after going back to "normalcy" -> Red tried to keep track of time by writing in his diary.. one day he flipped the paper and found that he had run out of them.. he started writing on the cave's wall instead -> talking about diary, it's one of his few emotional outputs, on really bad days it's full of scribbles, messy writing, repeating words and rarely, tear stains -> being far from a talkative person, he can't just vent out his emotions through talking.. and because he has such an unexpressive face, people often think there's nothing wrong with him, simply a hero you can always depend on. red developed a slight anger issue from not being able to properly express his emotions, sometimes he would bent and smash things to let off some steam (dw.. nothing valuable, probably trashes or rocks..)

-> He finds a lot of comfort in his pokemon, rubbing circles on pikachu's fur, sleeping on top of snorlax, feeling charizard's warmth... (yeah you get what I mean,,) He also likes getting carried by them, it's a feeling of comfort that something is guiding him, just like the old days with his mom

[peachdues]

VOW BETWEEN MAN AND STAR

A/N: not me starting a new WIP. All my current works are staring at me with the surprised Pikachu face rn. As you all know, I do most of my fic planning in the shower, and last night, I was wondering whether I'd ever write anything as angsty as Phantasmagoria. My brain said "bet," and lo and behold, Vow Between Man and Star was born.

CW: This story will be extremely NSFW/18+. It will be incredibly violent, angsty, tragic, (but funny), and of course, smutty.

I will upload a synopsis later today, but I don't want to dull the impact of the prologue, included below.

Without further ado!

Tokyo

July 1, 1995

The early morning air was already thick with summer's humidity when he felt the mark form.

Giyuu shot up in his bed with a gasp, blankets sticking to his sweat-slickened body. His good hand instantly seized around his right forearm as he felt a phantom blade carve a single mark into his skin, right beside the others.

Though covered by his rigid grip, the mark burned a bright blue, its glow seeping through his fingers like a siren light on a police cruiser; a warning.

All of his marks had emitted the same, blue light when they'd first appeared, though the tally's nine siblings had long since faded to silver, nearly blending in with the pale skin of his arm. But they'd scarred nonetheless.

Scarred to remind him of the nine times he'd failed his comrades; failed humanity.

Failed her.

In making that vow, he'd doomed not only himself and his seven fellow Pillars to walk the years of the earth alone, never changing or aging, but he'd doomed her as well. He'd damned her to a repetitive loop of birth and death, fated never to age past twenty-five -- the same age she'd been that first time, when, on the precipice of death, he'd begged for the life she'd already lost. And his desperate wish had been granted; he'd secured her ten lives for them to try again -- to try and find the King of the Demons and rid the world of his and his monstrous creations.

Ten lives, the disembodied voice of a star had told him as his heart slowed, all those centuries ago, when he'd cast that last, feeble plea out into the ethos. Ten lives, in exchange for ten Moons.

Nine had been wasted; in nearly every life, he'd found her, and he'd loved her, and he'd lost her; always too late to save her before some calamity, or from Kibutsuji cornering her, this woman who possessed the knowledge to destroy him, and tearing her limb from limb.

The closest they had come to defeating him had been some seventy-odd years prior. They'd been at the pinnacle of their strength, and they'd just managed to breach the gates of victory when Muzan Kibutsuji pulled one final trick; he'd merged with the young Sun Breather -- Tanjiro -- and managed to rip her head clean from her body right before she'd been able to excise him once and for all.

Giyuu's eardrums had burst from how hard he'd been screaming as he watched his beloved's head thud uselessly to the ground, while his former friend licked her blood from his fingers.

He wondered when he was finally permitted to die, if he would even be allowed into heaven, for having damned the woman he loved to suffer, time and again, each death more violent than the last.

Giyuu spied the early hour of the morning displayed on the small alarm clock resting on his bedside table -- 4:07 AM.

Time had begun for her once more, somewhere in the world, where she'd arrived with a mighty cry, only to be quickly bundled in soft, standard hospital blankets and handed to a relieved and exhausted new mother.

He would have to alert the others; as he'd come to learn over the previous nine cycles, she wasn't even guaranteed to reach adulthood, let alone the level of power she'd need to take on Kibutsuji. She would need her watchers.

So, as the hot, relentless burn of the newest mark faded to a sharp sting, the blue glow winking out beneath the press of his hand, Giyuu found himself kicking the covers off his trembling, clammy form, as he prepared to dress for the day.

Because that tenth mark signaled his last chance had arrived.

His last chance to destroy Kibutsuji.

His last chance to help save humanity.

His last chance to save her.

The sand in the final hourglass was already pouring; and they had work to do.

Someone ask me how I decided to make Giyuu the love interest bc I find it hilarious.

LIKES / REBLOGS/ COMMETS ALWAYS APPRECIATED!

[lumenflowered]

[The video begins with Maria crouching before the camera, presumably hitting start on the recording, before—in a burst of silver quickening fog—she darts over to take her own place on the battlefield, and sends out her own first Pokémon against Red's Pikachu.

"Rakuyo. Let's begin, whenever you're ready."

Red whistles something. Whatever it is, it clearly means something to his Pikachu, whose cheeks spark even more dangerously before calling down a Thunderbolt out of the sky that is... if not clear, at least not actively storming.

Yet.

"Light Screen," Maria calls out, and while the first attack connects before Rakuyo can set that up, future ones will certainly be far less effective, if the faint shimmer upon the Meganium's skin is any indication. "Then, Synthesis."

Rakuyo doesn't look entirely unscathed, after that, but they didn't look all that bad even after Red's opening attack.

The whistle Red lets out this time is a different one. His Pikachu nods in acknowledgment and barrels in without hesitation, furry tail gleaming now with a metallic sheen.

...Considering how tiny the Pikachu is compared to Rakuyo, the fact that what seems to be an Iron Tail hurts them more than the Thunderbolt did is a little surprising. But from how visibly Rakuyo recoils away from the hit, it certainly does.

"Magical Leaf," Maria decides, after a bit of consideration. Not a bad idea at all, considering that Pikachu is fast and Pikachu is agile, and Magical Leaf can't miss.

A third new whistle, from Red. The Pikachu charges in again. Something shatters. The pink sheen of Rakuyo's Light Screen vanishes in an instant, breaking under what can only be Brick Break.

"Ah," Maria says. "In that case—AncientPower!"

With a determined look in their eyes, Rakuyo summons several massive rocks into being, throwing them all at Red's Pikachu.

None of it's quite enough to stop the Pikachu from one last Thunderbolt, bringing Rakuyo down.

Maria breathes out softly as her first Pokémon, perhaps her strongest, goes down. She thinks about it for a moment, then goes for another Pokéball.

Red doesn't take his eyes off of her. Neither does his Pikachu.

"...Hunter, your turn," Maria decides. "Dig."

The Furret in question visibly makes a face at the snow-covered ground, but dig she indeed does, making it underground just in time for the incoming Thunderbolt to miss.

For a trainer with a good deal of experience on Maria, Red looks legitimately alarmed when Hunter's attack knocks his Pikachu out. He holds up a hand, darts out to scoop up his fainted Pokémon, and only then sends out his next battler: a Blastoise.

(He does not, during any of this, turn his back to Maria.)

The battle rages on, even as the weather worsens. Even as the clouds above the mountain grow darker, as snow begins to fall, as it becomes what looks more like hail. But the battle continues nevertheless, both trainers trading knockout for knockout—the weather worsening seems to benefit Red more than anything else, considering how devastating the Blizzards from no less than three of his Pokémon are, so after Maria's third Pokémon has gone down she stops looking to him like she's expecting him to call the battle.

It isn't a short battle, either—full battles rarely are. But there seems to be a difference in the way that Maria is fighting, and the way that Red is fighting. Maria is putting her all into it, certainly, but not in the way that Red is.

Red seems... desperate, almost, to win, silent and largely stoic though he is, enough to rival even Maria. It's this desperation that leads him to make mistakes, that leads to the final matchup being between his Venusaur and Maria's Arcanine.

A whistle from Red prompts the Venusaur to use an attack recognizable, by those who saw Ade use it earlier in the fight, as a Sludge Bomb. Molotov shakes off the resulting sludge before Maria can direct him to strike back.

Before she can call out, "Flare Blitz!"

Fur cloaked in fire, Molotov lunges, barreling headlong into Red's Venusaur with a triumphant bark. Maybe it's what is known in some circles as a critical hit, or maybe Molotov is simply just that good—whatever the cause, the significantly more singed Venusaur stumbles and falls.

But so too does Molotov, poisoned and unable to remain standing—let alone battling—for even a moment longer.

For a few long moments, even once all parties have recalled their Pokémon, both Maria and Red can only stare.

"I... cannot say I anticipated that," Maria admits. She almost smiles. "Very well fought. Thank you, very much, for the battle."

She takes a step towards Red, extending a hand, presumably to shake.

Red, however, takes a step back, cradling the barely-conscious Pikachu in his arms protectively. And then another, and then several more, back towards a long drop-off.

Maria, seeing this, stops advancing. Her brow visibly furrows. "I'm... sorry, is there something I've done to... are you—"

Whatever she might have asked is cut off, rather suddenly, by the ground shuddering. By what sounds suspiciously like an explosion.

And by a good deal of the mountain peak—including the part that Red is standing on, and the part that Maria's Pokégear is propped upon—beginning to collapse into the chasm below.

It's not entirely clear from the video what happens next, considering how much the camera is shaking—and then falling. But against a backdrop of ice and snow, it's not too hard to discern that something reddish falls—and that something black lunges after him.

The video ends. It doesn't seem to have been posted on purpose.]

[jaynovz]

John Silver Recovery and Hurt/Comfort Rec List

Hi there! Another rec list? -surprised Pikachu face-

These deal specifically with Silver’s post-amputation struggles and recovery. Often deep character study, heavy on hurt/comfort, wound care/medical discussion, wrestling with his disability and body image type stuff, so mind the tags on individual works. 

These are all Silverflint because, well, you know why you follow this blog.

--

What It Feels Like Not To Hurt by robotboy

Summary: So. This is a 9k slow burn watersports fic. That's a thing that now exists in this fandom. But it's mostly about Silver recovering in the warship cabin and working out how much of his humanity is tied to humiliation. To echo my esteemed colleague purplecelery: 'I'm gonna gently suggest that anyone who's not usually into this take a gander anyway because you might be surprised.'

The Salt and the Sea by x_etoile_x

Summary: John Silver was always able to make the best of a situation. If this particular situation had started to feel complicated, well, a vast fortune ought to prove clarifying. Whatever he might have imagined he'd seen in Flint, the reality was they had used each other. And he had been set to walk away on top.

Except now he couldn't. Now he was trapped.

_______

The gap between the end of s2 and the start of the raids - Silver's early recovery and eventual decision to stay.

i’m discarding pieces of myself in the dark by coffeeandchemicals

Summary: Silver swallows and fights the urge to run his tongue along his dry, chapped lips. It’s been awhile since they were in the Doldrums, but they were in cages after that, and Silver still feels stretched too thin over his bones. He knows his eyes are shadowed and cheeks are hollow; he can see the same in Flint’s visage, and on the faces of the remaining crew – he can’t let himself think of the ones they’d lost. They all bear more than just the physical scars of their most recent misfortunes. Silver’s are just the most evident.

Or: Flint tries to help Silver during the events of 3x07

His Heart Is Already Mine by queerpyrate

Summary: When Silver collapses aboard the deck of the Walrus, overcome with fever from an infection in his leg, Flint immediately alters their course to return to Maroon Island.

after the winnowing by princesskay

Summary: After Charles Town, Silver convalesces at the governor's mansion in Nassau while Flint chooses what happens to the gold - and their futures. Flint tries to take care of him, but are the kind gestures what they seem?

The Soft Animal of Your Body by x_etoile_x

Summary: Silver has a problem. Flint has an interest, as it turns out, and tells a story.

no daylight between you and i by inwardphae

Summary: What’s it all for, anyway? They’ll take and take and take until there’s nothing left of him. Not his leg, not his name, not his life. And there’s nothing he can do about it.

But then, something happens that surprises him, even in his frantic state, even as he feels his grip on himself slide away. And as it always happens as of late, he finds that the edges of his world begin and end with James Flint.

missing moments during and after charles town

Taut by Thiebes

Summary: Silver did not make it to dinner.

He awoke with a jolt to a dark room. How did he get on the floor? He didn't remember sinking down any more than he remembers falling asleep. The noise outside his door had faded, only a few distant laughs punctuated the sound of crickets in the night.

Let me try to pull you free by ember_firedrake

Summary: Following the loss of his leg, Silver can't stop thinking about the last night he spent with Flint before Charlestown, and what will happen when Flint learns the truth of the gold.

Follows "My heart is under arrest again." 

Set between 2x10 and 3x01.

Forestay by Farasha

Summary: Forestay: A line of rigging which keeps the mast from falling backward.

After Charleston, certain truths come to light that have Flint and Silver's relationship hanging by a thread.

Truce by lostinafictionalworld

Summary: “Would you like me to do it?” Flint offered quietly.

Silver’s head snapped up to glare at him, his usually warm eyes icy. He would have been shocked by the offer if he weren’t so busy being furious.

“I am painfully aware that I can scarcely take a piss without assistance,” he snarled, “but I am perfectly capable of brushing my own hair.”

After returning to Nassau following the events of Charlestown, Silver and Flint manage to set aside their differences for an evening.

vigia by doomcountry

Summary: That’s his talent. That’s what he offers him. That’s what he is, before he is quartermaster or lover or friend: the tempering flame, the relief.

A Holier Thing Than Hell or Highwater by swampslip

Summary: “This is… A difficult thing,” Flint says slowly.

“I’m not saying this to be-”

“I know.”

“I just can’t seem to… Move on.”

“Why should you?”

“What?”

“Why should you move on?” Flint asks quietly, gestures at the pinking, slowly healing end of Silver’s thigh, “This isn’t a moment that will fade into the oblivion of living. You won’t forget this, nor should you.”

--

As always, hit me up if you feel I’ve missed a vital inclusion, and I will give it a read. Mwah.

[crystal-moon-101]

It's probably no surprise that I have more next gens beyond what I have already shown, so here I present the main cast of another next gen series I have cooking up in the background. Pokemon! Now, like most things I watch, a lot of this is influenced by a rewrite I have of the series in the background, so there are things that may not make sense to most, lol. Things like mixing the pokemon game characters into the anime series, and stuff like making Giovanni both Silver and Ash's father, not because I believe it to be real, but because I like the drama. But I hope you enjoy the main cast!

-Rachel Ketchum- The 13-year-old daughter of Ash and Serena. Rachel is a very sweet, kind and soft spoken girl, who sadly was born with many health complications. She gets easily sick, deals with nasty asthma, and overall has a weak body. It's not as bad as it once was when she was a baby, but she still has to deal with a lot of problems. But this has made her a very sympathetic person at heart, especially towards pokemon, having her father's natural love and appreciation for them.

Her starter pokemon was an Eevee gifted to her by uncle Gary on her 8th birthday party, much to Ash's dismay. Unlike her trainer, Eevee is bold, out there and always ready for a fight, being highly protective of Rachel. Eventually she evolves to become a Vaporeon, wanting to use her water powers in both combat, and to help Rachel when she can.

Rachel also has a younger brother called Percy, who is a little rascal, but adores his big sister. He may or may not have cried when she finally went on her first pokemon journey, leaving home to go to the region of Horae.

-Theo Oak- The 13-year-old son of Gary and Misty. Theo is a charming young boy who has a very buddy buddy relationship with people, and very expressive in himself. As a kid he was rather danger prone due to seeking out adventure everywhere, but has thankfully mellowed out a lot, even if he still enjoys the extreme side of life. With his father's side having a lot of pokemon knowledge, and mother's side of loving water pokemon, Theo is packed with information about water types, and shares Misty's love of them.

His starter pokemon was an Pichu gifted to him by uncle Ash, as revenge for Gary giving Rachel Eevee. As a Pichu, she had been so full of energy she was bouncing off the walls, but as she evolves into Pikachu and eventually Alolan Raichu, she calms down quite a bit and becomes more of a fun motherly pokemon, always eager to put an smile on people's faces. Having fun with her trainer at any chance they get.

-Sterling Kris- The 15-year-old son of Lyra and Silver. Sterling is the most mature out of the gang, and is very hard to phase, often calm and collected, which helps when dealing with a group like this. He mostly came on the pokemon journey to keep his cousin Rachel safe, but still enjoys what the trip offers him. He also has an odd quirk in that all his pokemon are female, and seems to have an easy time bonding with pokemon that are girls. People theories that he just has a pleasant aura around him that makes him feel safe for them.

His starter was a Togepi, having raised her from an egg that his father found during a police raid on illegal pokemon poaching. No matter how much she grows, even once she becomes a Togekiss, she is a diva of a pokemon, wanting to look her best and has a habit of taking anything that interests her, especially shiny things. But she is a sweet lady, often cuddly in nature and adores Sterling, being the vocal one for the both of them.

-Zee Gropius- The 14-year-old daughter of N and Hilda. Zee is kind spirit, having her father's ability to talk to pokemon, and is an outdoor girl at heart. Though she is a little ditzy and naive, having been a last minute addition to this traveling group of friends when N and Hilda feared she wouldn't do well alone. She has a lot of love to give, always wanting to make friends with people and pokemon, and always takes in everything around her.

Her starter was a Deino she found when he was just a baby, having lost his mother in the middle of the night, Zee hearing him cry in fear. Despite the reputation of this pokemon and it's evolutions, Deino is a chonky lovable big baby that always wants treats and snuggles. Even as he gets bigger and becomes a Hydreigon. Zee is his family, and he will never see it any other way.

[ageless-aislynn]

As mentioned in my last post, welcome to Aislynn's 1 Word For Each WIP November Extravaganza! (It was too long to fit all of that in the banner, so hence the number 4 coming in clutch, lol!)

Here's what I'm GOING TO write at least one word for in the month of November:

Halo the series

"15 Minutes" - (John/Female Reader) Chapter 12 is in progress and will get progressiver (word of the day) by at least 1 more word! *nodnods*

"Recreation" - (Kai/Male Reader) The final chapter will be slotting in between its sibling fic's *points up at "15M"* second to last and final chapter. I have notes on chapter 5 but no draft started... yet.

"Untitled Fluffy Vannak fic" - (Vannak/Female Reader) Just a one-shot that I wanted to do for the big guy, something sweet and fun because he got VERY LITTLE of either in season 2. 😭The draft is already in progress.

I also would like to write a Reader fic for Riz since the entire rest of Silver Team is getting something 👀but have nothing on tap just yet.🤞😣🤞 One day, I hope, but I'm not counting this as part of my WIPs to be finished in November... unless I should get a heck of a lot of work done on everything else. 😉

Halo: Reach

"Choices: A Choose Your Own Spartan Adventure" - (Noble Team/Female Reader) One of the most personally ambitious things I've attempted in a while, the first chapter that sets up the adventure is almost done. Next to go are each of the chapters where you choose which Noble Team member you'll continue the adventure with. I have the plot for all of them but only Emile's has something written. We'll also be getting a separate chapters for female and male Noble Six, since we're all about, you know, choosing who you want to adventure with and Six can be either in the game. 😎👍

The Flash

"The Price" (NSFW) - (Caitlin Frost/Hunter Zolomon) I've known what's going to happen in chapter 2 for a quite a while now. Just got to write it... one word at a time, right?

"Guardian Angel" - (Time Wraith!Caitlin Snow/Eobard Thawne) About 1/3 of chapter 3 has been done for, umm, years now. Just need to push it on through a little bit more! I'm not sure how many chapters in all it will be, at least this one and a 4th but that may be enough to finish it. We'll see!

"Split" - (Caitlin Snow/Eobard Thawne) The third and final fic in the Ghost of Eobard Thawne series turned out, to my surprise, to have 3 very ragged first drafts and part of a 4th chapter just hanging out in my Word docs after all of these years. I still have my *surprised Pikachu face* on for this one, what can I say? 🤷‍♀️😂

"Try" (NSFW) - (TomCav!Eobard Thawne/Caitlin Snow/Mattobard!Eobard Thawne) Oh yeah, I went there. After all of the versions of them that I've written, the only really surprising thing is that I didn't do this a lot sooner, lol! This one has 3 chapters of almost 8k words done that nobody has ever read. It's weirdly one of the few times I did world-building, too. It's projected to be pretty big, 20-25 chapters, so maybe 50k words? 😱 It's a really big undertaking for something that's honestly just for me but... I'd really like to be able to read the entire thing one day, lol! And there's only one way to do that: I've got to write it, one word at a time. 🤷‍♀️😉

I may have totally forgotten something but this was all that showed up in my WIPs folder. Of course, that folder was imperfectly copied from my previous computer and I had to go looking for several of these, so who knows. If I missed something, feel free to let me know.

So wish me luck, frens! This is a challenge I KNOW I can do and I'm so excited about it! 🥳🎉🎊💖

All of my masterlists are here.

[goj68]

Discotek: announces that ginga densetsu weed is getting a blu ray release with an English dub.

Arika koski: “YaY, It’S GoNnA Be DuBbDeD wItH PrOpEr VoIcE AcToRS InStEaD oF ThAt DuB oN YoUTUbE I hAtE!

Discotek: reveals that the English dub is the one by silver fang fandubs.

Arika Koski: does a surprised pikachu face, then throws a huge toddler level tantrum that would make a seven year old child blush while screeching her delusional fantasy of her fictional boyfriend roxas to beat them up and yelling at discotek to die of coronavirus so much that she dies of a heart attack and no one turns up to her funeral while her “fans” cry like the immature, manipulated kids they are.

[reds-fluff-extravaganza]

Mount Silver Red x reader

Based on some headcanons I wrote where reader is trapped on Mount Silver before Red! If I need to tag anything, please be sure to let me know!

You’ve been trapped on Mt. Silver for quite some time now, you’ve lost track of the days. You didn’t bring enough Pokemon with you, let alone one that could fly you down to the bottom. You had brought a fire type with you since you knew it was going to be cold, but even that wasn’t enough.

You have attempted to climb down the mountain yourself, but without much luck. You had kept your pokemon in their pokeballs as much as possible, to prevent them from falling into the same fate as yourself, though it was only delaying the inevitable.

“Why did I ever think this was a good idea?” You would often ask yourself, staring out into the distance, yet the only thing you could ever see was snow and hail being blown around by the wind. You were brought from your thoughts as you heard something you never thought you would ever hear: footsteps crunching in the snow. You slowly turned around, as if making sure you weren’t going crazy, only to find that there was someone standing there. A lone male, with a pikachu on his shoulder, who didn’t seem too bothered by the cold.

“H..Hello?” You managed to say, not having talked for a while. The raven haired male looked at you, red eyes staring back at you… before he gave you a nod of acknowledgment. Though you could tell that he was also surprised to find someone else here on this mountain.

“What are you doing here..?” You walked down the steps, stopping down at the bottom step of the platform. While you were happy to see another person after so long, you were also sad and concerned that he was going to end up sharing the same fate as you. “Please, leave… I don’t want you to share the same fate as me and my Pokemon…” Red silently looked at you with concern, seeing you look so sad, cold and lonely. He shook his head, taking a step closer.

“I’m afraid I can’t leave.. I don’t have a pokemon to get me down from here, and my Arcanine isn’t doing so well…”

“I will stay… with you.” You managed to hear him say.

“What..? But I don’t want you to die with me..! We… don’t even know each other.” You rubbed your arm.

“…Red.”

“Huh?” You looked back at him.

“My name… is Red.”

“Red… it’s nice to meet you. My name is Y/n.” You held out your hand for him to take, which he did, flinching a bit from how cold it was, making you chuckle in response.

“It’s nice… to meet you too.” He gently tugged on your hand, as if asking you to come with him. Confused, you followed after him into the cave.

“…I’m going to get you out of here.” He said, loud enough for you to hear, which shocked you, but made you smile a bit. You didn’t think this would be happening, but here you are, being brought down the mountain by this trainer you had never met before now. You two silently made your way down, his Pokemon clearing a path for you two, however, it seemed to be like a never ending walk and you both were getting tired, especially you.

“What is this..? Why does it feel like a never ending walk..?” You mumbled, which Red shrugged in response. As you were walking, it clicked in your mind: this happened before. You had tried to get down before, but it was like something was keeping you from leaving, but you weren’t sure what.

“Red…” you said as you stopped walking. He turned to face you, curious.

“I don’t… think we’re getting anywhere.” You told him, a nervous look on your face.

“I… think you may be right…” Red sighed softly and went over to you. “We’ve been walking… for a while now.” You nodded and leaned against the cave wall.

“I’m sorry to have dragged you into this mess…” you sat down on the ground, him sitting beside you.

“You didn’t… I did this to myself. I didn’t even know there was anyone else here.” Red looked back at you, his pikachu moved from his shoulder to yours, as if wanting to make sure you were okay.

“Well… at least now I’m not alone..” you said, trying to make the situation a little better.

“That is true.” You could see a faint smile on his face, which made you smile in return.

It has been a few months since Red had been trapped alongside you, and had met you that day. His pokemon had already met the same fate as yours, except for his Pikachu, but he didn’t look too good. To be fair, you two weren’t looking very great either. You were both frostbitten, freezing, surprised to still be alive at this point.

Despite this, you both kept each other company and keeping each other warm. Red had told you about all of his adventures, taking down Team Rocket, and becoming the champion, and the reason he had come up to this mountain in the first place. You, in return, told him about your own adventures, about the friends and Pokemon you had met, and the places you’ve been.

Over the course of time, you two had surprisingly gained feelings for each other. This was the last place you ever expected to fall in love at: the top of a freezing mountain that you can’t escape from. You knew you were going to have to tell him, even if you didn’t have much time left, though it was because of that, you had to tell him.

“Red…” you looked over at the raven haired trainer that sat across from you, his pikachu sat on his lap as he gently pet its head. He looked up and over at you, as if telling you to continue what you were going to say.

“I know we’ve only known each other for a few months, but there’s something I need to tell you.” You scoot closer to him. Curious, he nodded, a sign for you to tell him what’s on your mind.

“I’m not sure how much time we have left, considering… you know.” You sighed softly, and took his hand into your own. Despite being in the cold like you, his hands were warmer than yours somehow.

“I… love you, Red.” Your words caught Red off guard, as you saw the look of surprise on his face, but he smiled softly and kissed your cheek.

“I… love you too.” You barely heard him say, but you heard him. You smiled faintly and rest your head on his shoulder, still holding his hand, while his pikachu looked happy for you both.

You may not be able to leave this frozen place, but at least you weren’t alone. You had Red, who would be staying by your side from now on.

[argent-rex]

N Harmonia had underestimated his whole journey. It wasn't the vicious blizzard that obscured his vision or the rugged climb that had him worried, no- it was coming face to face with the most powerful opponent he had ever met. Zekrom reflected his feelings, peering at its trainer with a steady determination. This Pokémon trainer that stood before him, the one named Red had garnered such a reputation that made N shiver. Mr. Fuji's reluctance of revealing the trainers location should have been striking tower bells in his head, but N had pressed on past Indigo Plateua and to the summit of Mt. Silver. The locals who were nestled in the lower footholds of the mountain had simply looked at him blankly when he had stopped to ask for directions- a few sideways glances at Zekrom and mutterings of trainers before him clouded his mind. Zekrom's desire to battle was becoming more urgent and wild as N approached the carved steps covered in snow.

"Be still, my friend." N whispered warmly as he strode forward, holding a hand over his brow, shielding his eyes from the snow storm. As he walked forward, another person came into view, standing at the very end of what looked like a roughly carved battle court. If this trainer was here now, waiting ahead for challengers... had there been someone like them before? N pondered as he took in the battle court. It had initially been made by hand, but the markings of battle marked the chipped and weathered rock. Many, many battles had taken place here and N was just another challenger- or so he thought.

As soon as his foot hit the court, the other trainer tilted his head to the right. Turning in the harsh blizzard the young man faced N. A red and white hat capped his dark hair and he wore a simple red vest that covered a white shirt, accompanied by a pair of faded blue jeans. The ensemble was completed by a pair of sturdy snow boots. His eyes, grey and weary, came alive with fire as he saw N approaching- and to N's surprise, a Pikachu leaped off the trainer's shoulder and onto the battle court, smirking as sparks crackled from its cheeks. The other trainer didn't take his eyes away from N. The tension was palpable as Zekrom stepped forward, eager and willing. The Pikachu cried an excited exclamation.

"My name is N. You must be Red." N shouted into the blizzard. The trainer continued to look at him, then smiled.

"..."

[jils-things]

hyping up the appleshipping week 🍎🍏 + silly fun facts abt them

- during their early dating weeks they always forget that kissing each other is a bit awkward if they both wear a hat

- jaide started removing her hat lately just so that she can sneak mwamwas undisturbed by the hat >:]]

- she gets excited whenever he removes his hat tho (she loves his hair) (will make it so messy it looks like bed hair)

- red's love language is acts of service and physical touch.

- he is never good with words. he's not the best at compliments even if he wanted to tell her how lovely she is.

- he's very (shyly and awkwardly) clingy because he's never gotten this close to be sooo physical with someone 🥺 he feels so lucky. he likes holding her waist because its like a pillow frfrfr (and she's SMALL anyways his arms are naturally there)

- he likes doing things for her because it always earns a lovely smile on her face which is what prompted his acts of service love language

- he would toss her her favorite drink or snack if he had an extra, look after pipino while she's away, or restock her bag with pokeballs because she tends to forget to check it. its the small things that speaks volumes for him

- jealous red?!?!??? that's possible?!???? (yes) he doesn't get aggressive but hes sure to . scoot closer to her and maybe hold her hand and then pray he'll get over it (jaide is just a social butterfly its natural she might run into those types of people who might try to flirt at her...)

- red can talk in full sentences at her when he wants to but sometimes he just nods and smiles. he switches between the two

- jaide is obviously a words of affirmations and physical affection kinda girl (shes better at the physical part tho) theres never a time she doesn't tell him he looks so cute (me irl btw)

- she randomly blurts out ily just because she can (mostly to catch him off guard because she likes his reaction) (his reaction being - he stares at her with a furrowed, surprised look for 3 seconds and then looks down embarrassed) (he nods his head in reply teehee)

- ALWAYS FINDS A WAY TO HUG HIM red is a tree and shes a koala end of story she wants her favorite tree back

- she likes squeezing him. hes beefy ofc. she likes his arms

- funnily enough jaide is the big spoon but that's because i said shes a koala

- red became more invested in pokemon biology and learning their nature because jaide is always infodumping him about it

- ever since they got together, they've been exploring regions together! unova is jaide's favorite trip so far because she liked the subway station battles (double battling with red against ingo and emmet has never been so fun)

- aside from pipino, pikachu is very close to remy (gallade) (partner pokemon besties!!!)

- stepping down from mt. silver was the best thing he ever done and he doesn't regret it. he's glad blue tried to bring everyone together.

[nautiscarader]

Azure reunion - ch. 1

Disclaimer: All characters are aged-up,to match the theme of the story, and make Ash's endless journey a little more realistic. I haven;t seen anipoke for ages, so Bulbapedia, you are my only hope. Vulpix is the cutest Pokémon. The last thing has nothing to do with the story, it is just true, fight me irl.

(Ao3)

It was good to back on the road. Or rather, above it. Feeling wind in his hair, as he sat on his trusty old Pidgeot, Ash Ketchum felt as if he was 10 years old again, starting his great journey…

It hasn't been that long since he arrived back from Galar, with dozens of new Pokémon at his side and shiny trophy with his name. His mom thought he'd stay home longer, but deep down she knew he wasn't made to sit down and bask in glory, his relentless spirit could only have been contained for so long…

He watched as clouds moved next to, underneath and around him, obscuring the many roads and landmarks he has visited over the last decade or so. Flocks of wild Starlys and Pidgeys surrounded them as they flew over the mountain ridge separating Kanto and Johto, with the peak of the majestic Mount Silver being the only higher point visible.

"Pika!"

His partner tugged Ash's collar, prompting him to ask Pidgeot to lower the altitude and let Pikachu choose where to land. As the clouds dispersed, they were presented with vast, lush forests and dozens of lakes that dotted northern Johto, with its most recognisable one shining with the glow of the red, afternoon sun.

"Do you want go for a swim in a lake, bud?"

"Pika!", Pikachu replied.

"Okay then, looks like we'll be landing there."

Ash leaned forward and hugged his beloved starter as Pidgeot dived down, looking for a place to land. In the distance, far beyond the tree line, they could spot a few rustic buildings, with the only larger, more noticeable one being the Pokémon Center.

The large wings of Pidgeot flapped one more time before his claws touched the ground, allowing its passengers to safely unboard.

"Thanks, buddy", Ash nuzzled against Pidgeot's feathers. "Here, you deserve this, you flew half the continent."

He reached into his backpack, procuring a huge pile of choped berries, which Pidgeot began munching on immediately. Ash stretched his arms and walked towards the lake, marvelling at the colours of the sky reflecting in its surface.

…at least until a splash of water hit his face, nearly causing him to trip and fall.

"What the heck?", Ash looked around spotting the creature that splashed him. A rather bulky Azumarill puffed its cheeks, ready to hit the human again, but Ash's Pikachu was already on the case, jumping to protect him.

Azumarill evidently did not expect to find an electric mouse there, but it didn't give up, throwing mud at its foe to shield itself from its electricity.

"Oh, you think this will slow him down?", Ash smirked, "Use Electro Ball!"

Pikachu curved its tail and leaned forward, ready to tirn into a ball of lightning, his agile moves tossing any bit of ground and dirt sticking to its face. It rushed towards the mouse, but deliberately dodged its punch, surrounding it from the back in a swift distraction. With an upper paw, he began glowing and charged at the frightened Pokémon, watching as its fear-filled eyes got bigger and bigger until… they disappeared in a flash of light.

"Pika?!"

"No, return!"

A new voice caught their attention as Azumarill was returned to its owner's Pokéball, vcausing Pikachu to collide with Ash with tremendous force, making the two fall into lake with a far greater splash.

For quite a moment, Ash was confused as to what has happened, until the same voice brought him back to reality… but only just, as the familiar tone nearly made him fall again.

"Ash?!"

As his vision cleared up, he was greeted with wide-open,surprised blue eyes, and the red hair, matching the tone of the late afternoon sky.

"Misty?!"

"Pikachu-Pi!", Pikachu joined him, as the young woman reached her hand to help him get up.

For quite a while, Ash was rendered speechless, unable to gather thoughts racing his mind. She was quite possibly the last person he expected to find, and now she was towering over him, he could see how much-and how little at the same time has changed.

Her hair style was different; gone was the single ponytail, in favour of more symmetric haircut, though still far from the lush, opulent hairdos of her sisters. Her suspenders were gone too, though she kept her yellow-and-blue attire, complemented by a fisherman's jacket with dozen of pockets, one of which housed her Mega Ring, as well as other Pokéballs.

But Misty was in for far bigger surprise when she finally helped him get up and found out she could no longer stare down at him, her eyes levelled at his far more pronounced jawline, covered in subtlest of stubbles. And when she finally looked at him, words were stuck in her throat as well, when she realised how much her friend has grown, and how he differed from the image she has seen on TV.

With their eyes fixated at each other, the two youngsters were left in a silent stalemate, gathering words that could express their feelings and thoughts that have accumulated over the years.

"Misty…"

"Ash…"

Their lips came within inches from each other, their breaths mixing, as the two came closer and closer….

At least until Misty delivered a solid punch to his head.

"WHY DID YOU ATTACK MY AZUMARILL?"

"Me?", Ash countered, assuming hi own fighting stance "Why did he splash us?!"

"Pika!", Pikachu chimed in.

"Cos he was securing my fishing spot!", she pointed back, at the slightly obscured blanket and tent, togther with fishing supplies left on the ground.

"Oh, I guess that-that does make sense…"

The two stared at each other in disbelief before bursting into laughter, interrupted only by Misty welcoming back Pikachu that leapt into her arms.

"Hey there! Long time no see…"

"Yeah, it's been a while since Alola…", he scratched his head. "You-you look great…"

"Well you do not", she countered sternly, catching his attention, "You are soaked!".

"Yeah, you are right, we should…"

[luimagines]

I guess you saw my first ask! Oh man, I hope that didn't bother you about my other asks that is related to my first ;v;

Now about Pokémon Trainer!reader's Eevee, I'm thinking how the Chain would react to this little Evolution Pokémon's Pokedex entries like the first ask

and this entry that basically kinda scare me thinking about it:

Ultra Moon: Its genes are easily influenced by its surroundings. Even its face starts to look like that of its Trainer.

And also seeing a silver colored version of Eevee, a Shiny Eevee! Probably is scared of them cause the little guy has a traumatic backstory(that will be revealed soon enough), while the normal Eevee is surprised to see the Chain, even excited to meet them all, even the Fierce Deity himself! Eevee and the Shiny Eevee are both males, cause of their tail pattern(if you know about the gender difference), all the Eeveelution that Pokémon Trainer!reader had are all siblings to each other

The two Eevee's personalities and names(yep, they have a name! All the Eeveelution does!):

Aaron, the Eevee: Joyful and Outgoing

Star, the Shiny Eevee: Shy and Aware

The other Eeveelutions info will be revealed soon >v•

Ask from: "Pika" the Pikachu(Itzcrystal1006)

I am listening Pika o.o

I do not know the gender difference ^.^*

So I can imagine that neither do the boys so there might be some surprises down the road, lol.

Did I say Legend would have had to normal Eevee? I've already forgotten what got assigned to who with the exception of Wind, Time, Twilight and Warrior.

Go figure. I might have to track down that post. ^.^*

[mxstball]

Mt. Silver's Peak, Johto.

"..." Red looked out into the distance. He was deep in thought as the snowfall touched his cheek.

That's when Leaf appeared.

"...Red."

"...." One look at her was enough to know that she didn't come here just for a checkup.

"...I'm sure you can tell why I'm here, right?"

"...." Red nodded. He was surprised. Challenging him outright never really seemed like Leaf's style. He wondered why--

"...Fifteen years. I've waited for this day to come for fifteen years."

"....!"

"Do... do you remember what you did to me fifteen years ago, Red?"

"..." Red didn't move.

"That day fifteen years ago.... You took it away from me. You sped along and, in your haste, took my childhood friend away from me, Red! Do you remember that!?"

"...." He did, but he wished not start anything.

"....Mewtwo.... It--it was my friend. We were raised together in that Team Rocket hellhole in Cinnabar Island. It was the only thing that I could talk to... the only thing that I could CONNECT with through all of the experimentation and abuse from Team Rocket -- it... spared my life that day when it went berserk! I owe EVERYTHING to it.... AND YOU TOOK IT ALL FROM ME!"

"..." Red had a feeling that this was about Mewtwo. She never quite forgave him for this.

"Ever since Professor Oak adopted me, you, me, and Blue have all acted like the best of friends... and yet I was constantly left behind and forgotten our entire journey. I've had to fight Team Rocket during my entire trip because they were scared of you tearing through their defenses. I've had to track down Giovanni under a fucking waterfall just to earn my badge all because he was so damn BUTTHURT that you kept beating him. Then, when I heard that both Blue and you reached the Champion spot, I knew that it was only a matter of time before you would find Mewtwo before me."

Red nodded. He heard some of this before, of course, but not laid out like this.

"I searched far and wide throughout Kanto for Mewtwo, you know? I encountered and fought the Legendary Birds in my search for it. I had to go through TRAUMA to return to the Pokémon mansion to get hints -- ANY HINTS -- of his arrival. I've stormed through the Seviii Islands and even some of the Johto Region just to see if it was there and YET NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED -- I came up short. And yet, even despite ALL OF THIS, I finally found my lead to find it in the deepest parts of Cerulean Cave. And what was it that I found?"

"..." He can hear her voice start to break.

"YOU-- YOU BEAT ME TO MEWTWO!" Leaf was bawling her eyes out. "I worked SO FUCKING HARD to prove myself to it and THERE YOU WERE, making a MOCKERY of me and EVERYTHING that I worked so hard for! I fucking HATED this! I fucking HATED you! I wanted it back! I challenged you because I wanted my friend back -- and YOU FUCKING BEAT ME! YOU AND YOUR FUCKING PIKACHU AND CHARIZARD BEAT ME!" She was sobbing, but she refused to stop ranting. "It was MINE! I was supposed to catch it so we could FINALLY be a FAMILY! I loved it more than ANYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD and you went and TOOK IT FROM ME!" Leaf started breaking down crying.

"..." Red took a step towards Leaf. He wanted to hug her. He couldn't see her like this.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE MOVE!"

"..."

"I... I fled KANTO because I couldn't be FUCKED to show my face after all of that. I did so much to feel something -- anything but the anger and pain of losing it again... and the ONLY REASON why I even FUCKING returned thirteen years ago was because of that GODDAMN Team Rocket!"

"..."

The chilling air was silent, sparing from Leaf's wild crying. She's pent up so much sadness and anger that she couldn't control herself for several minutes. Red wanted to do something -- anything that would be able to help her, but he knew that doing anything would only make the situation worse.

Leaf eventually started to calm down. She got up and wiped her face. She had her Pokéball out. "B--but that's okay. I've-- I've trained for fifteen years, Red. I've challenged some of the strongest trainers and encountered even tougher foes.... I've researched and challenged Legendary Pokémon, bonded with my Pokémon as best as I could.... Researched the best strategies.... I've stayed determined, even when I was on the brink of death, all for this very moment, Red."

"And today-- TODAY is the day where everything comes together -- today is the day where all of that pain finally goes away. Even if my friend is no longer here.... even if it moved to live with Arceus, today is the day where I still show it and you how much I've grown. TODAY is the day of my REVENGE for that day in Cerulean Cave."

Leaf sent out Eevee!

"Red! I challenge you to a Pokémon Battle! I'll show you just how strong I've become!"

"...."

"...."

"...."

You are challenged by Pokémon Trainer Red!

[lumenflowered]

[A video is attached. Maria is close to the summit of Mt. Silver, trudging through ice and snow. It's difficult to tell, given that the cameramon is behind her, but she doesn't seem particularly pleased about how cold it is.

(If the barely-perceptible shaking of the camera is any indication, Ade isn't enjoying the cold either.)

But they're there, at last—and for all that the weather is visibly very cold by Johto standards, it's at least a fairly clear day. It's clear enough that a figure can be seen, standing at the summit, waiting for them.

At a glance, Red appears to be a traveling trainer like any other. Red hat, red vest zipped up against the cold, though if his bare arms are any indication it bothers him far less than it does anyone else. Well-worn jeans.

The Pikachu perched upon one shoulder, watching them as well, doesn't seem all that bothered by the cold either.

"You must be Red," Maria calls, coming to a stop before him. "Hello. My name is Maria. It's nice to meet you at last."

Red says nothing. The look on his face is unreadable. But, slowly—not taking his eyes off of her—he gives her the very smallest of nods.

"I'm, well... I currently hold your old position," Maria continues, when it becomes clear that Red is in fact quieter than her. "I don't know how much you've heard about me from Blue, but I wouldn't be... particularly surprised if he had complained about me at some point?"

There's a hummed acknowledgment, and a raised eyebrow.

"Blue sends his best," Maria says. "There was an accident at the Viridian Gym—he is recovering, but he isn't in any state to climb a mountain at the moment. Which is why I was sent instead. I, ah... did my best to locate everything he normally brings you?"

Maria does not normally carry a particularly large bag. The backpack she is wearing does not look to be her style, but she takes it off, opening it and withdrawing a reasonably bulky package.

"This is for you," she says, holding the package out.

Red makes no move to take it, and so Maria eventually sets it down, shrugging off her backpack as well.

"If you'd like me to simply go," Maria continues, "I can do so. But I'll admit some curiosity with regard to you. I don't suppose you would be open to a battle?"

The boy on the mountain... hesitates. There's something strange in his eyes now, something that looks almost like fear for the very briefest of moments. But surely that isn't right?

Whatever it is, it disappears as Red reaches up a hand to scratch his Pikachu behind the ears, as trainer and Pokémon exchange a long, wordless look.

Red nods. His Pikachu rubs up against the side of his trainer's face affectionately, then leaps down into the snow, taking up a remarkably intimidating battling stance for what is otherwise a very small yellow rodent.

"...I will take that as a yes," Maria says. "I assume you'd rather not do a full battle, considering how remote a location this is—"

There's an emphatic headshake to that, as Red clears his throat.

"Full battle, then?" Maria seems surprised. "If you're certain... I suppose Blue did likely tell me to be well-supplied on Pokémon medicine for good reason."

Red nods. The Pikachu lets out an impatient little squeak, cheeks already sparking a little.

"Very well." Maria turns toward the camera, withdrawing a Pokéball. "Before we begin, do you particularly mind if I record our battle?"

What she gets in return is a very noncommittal shrug. Seems Red doesn't mind, though he hasn't taken his eyes off of her since she arrived—and neither, for that matter, has his Pikachu.

"Excellent. Ade, would you mind propping the Pokégear up over there? I'm afraid I will be needing you for a full battle."

Ade giggles, and the video cuts out.]