#under most circumstances I'd cave

[pine-needle-scuffle]

old habits die hard

been drawing humans for how long now and i still have the urge to draw them with tails

[farshootergotme]

Alright, I'm back to this.

I already addressed in my reblog why Dick is considered to be an emotional support pillar in the Batfamily, not only for Bruce. Now I want to talk about this part in the og post, specifically:

"but. there have been instances where - like alfred - he enables bruce's behaviour and/or makes excuses for it."

I want to say that I agree. However, I want to elaborate on why I agree and why Dick could be considered an enabler.

Let's first define what enabling means to have that out of the way:

“The term "enabling" refers to the act of allowing or permitting someone to continue a behavior, habit, or addiction, often by providing support, resources, or excuses. Enabling can be both intentional and unintentional, and it can have a significant impact on the individual's life and relationships.”

So, at first, I didn't think Dick should be classified as an enabler since it isn't his responsibility to control what Bruce does. However, reading more about the subject, enabling includes taking on responsibilities for the other person and avoiding conflict by ignoring someone's harmful behavior or not putting any boundaries, which gives the other person the go-ahead to keep crossing those unspoken boundaries that you never really settled.

Although I would like to argue Dick does try to have some boundaries with Bruce, most of the time he lets him get away with lots of things he does to him. I mean, we know of the long history of abuse there is from Bruce to Dick, even if his actions are not always his fault/intentional. (See: mind-control, hypnosis, accidents, etc.)

I'd like to be corrected if I'm wrong, but I don't think there's a time in which Dick has directly addressed Bruce's not-so-great parental skills. Lack of safe environment for emotional vulnerability? Poor communication? Putting so much responsibility in the hands of a child? And I wouldn't say it is for not trying to make Bruce responsible. But when he was a child, confronting him about these things… Dick just wasn't suited for it. No matter how much insistence there might be from his part about them being equals, Bruce is and always was an authority figure. He was the owner of the manor, he was who had right over their equipment and the cave, he was the oldest—the parent, and Dick had no way to go against that without feeling like he was going to war in his underwear with a stick for weapon against a fully-armored warrior with shield and sword to attack.

And as an adult, having a discussion about any of this might be even harder because he's been since childhood rationalizing and excusing Bruce's behavior just so he could justify to himself why he couldn't say anything about it. Why he was letting himself get hurt without fighting back.

In his mind, Bruce always has some kind of reason. “He was traumatized”, “he was grieving”, “his parents had died when he was much too young, how could've he known better?”, “he tried his best”, “Dick understood Bruce better than anyone else, why would he need to communicate or show him affection when it's all hidden under the small gestures?” and it could go on and on.

That's where the excusing Bruce's behavior, thus enabling him, comes. This is where Bruce gets a pass because hey! He can't be blamed when it was a result of the circumstances! (But it does become a fault when he keeps going with the flow instead of trying to change the direction. “The circumstances” stops being an excuse when you're the one who contributed to them.)

And as the family grew, Dick started taking on more responsibilities for Bruce because Dick knows Bruce isn't apt to be everything the others would need. That lack of communication? Dick compensates by explaining for Bruce. The affection? Dick will give it to them. All the parentification? Brushed under the rug. Nobody notices (or ignores it) and it's a cycle of enabling Dick to be codependent and Bruce to be emotionally immature.

But despite all my previous points, Dick isn't always like this. He isn't letting things go everytime something happens. He isn't looking the other way to all the things Bruce does for his sake. In fact, out of all the kids, I'd say Dick is the one who's confronted Bruce the most.

Batman #416

The New Titans #55

Batman #600

Nightwing (1996) #99

Outsiders vol.3 #21

And although he excuses Bruce to himself, he does let others know about Bruce's harmful behavior and encourages them to set boundaries.

Batman: Urban Legends #10

Batman #416

So, in conclusion, Dick both is and isn't an enabler. He excuses Bruce as much as he doesn't. He ignores his faults but also confronts him about it. He allows him his flaws and he points them out.

What I'll say is that Dick isn't like Alfred in this aspect, but he does on occasion unintentionally enable Bruce, even if not always.

Now, Bruce and Dick aside, I want to have a section to talk about why I dislike using the term ‘enable’ when it comes to a parent-child relationship. (You can skip over this, just a personal opinion that I felt the need to share. But it isn't needed for my argument, so is just an extra to my post)

When a child ‘enables’ a parent it can mean a few different things:

Making excuses for their parent's behavior.

Taking on responsibilities.

Providing emotional support.

Ignoring the issue.

Accommodating the parent's needs.

These all cause the parent to avoid responsibility, have no consequences for their actions and have their own scapegoat and emotional support that will make it easier for them to avoid seeking help or attempting to become better due to the lack of repercussions to their actions.

However, it really isn't the child's responsibility to make the parent see where they're going wrong. It isn't their job to go “Hey, actually, you should get help because you aren't treating me like your child”. They aren't the ones who have to constantly communicate their needs and point out the shortcomings of the adult, so it always gives me this sense of wrongness when I use this word for these cases because, really, it's more about the parent enabling the child by permitting and encouraging the parentification of said child than the child enabling the parent to be an awful guardian.

Yet again, that's just my opinion. I can change what the word means and what it includes in its definition. But I can have and voice my thoughts about it and believe there should be a different way of calling it that doesn't make it sound like the child is the one at fault for their parents behavior.

[the-elder-polls]

Response to the formal invitation :'3 *throws my stupid TES children at you*

(P.S. his story is everchanging as I figure out what the heck is happening in TES lore, but all of the core elements will likely stay the same) SO, his name is Djai. Djai the Curious, to be exact. Djai is a khajiit, more specifically Cathay. I'd like to split the information of him in two parts because his story is very much "before all of that shit happened" and "after all of that shit happened". His story is also very much based on the saying "curiousity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back". He lived in Elsweyr for his first years of life, before his parents sold him along with a familial artifact for many reasons. Luckily, through black market slave trading he actually was "bought" by some rich people, but luckily they had some common sense(Crazy for people in TES, I know) , and they raised him pretty much like their own child. They brought him to skyrim, where he would grow up. When he was a young adult, he "moved out", so to say. He actually just said "fuck all of this shit" and went adventuring. He traveled for a long time, met some people, made some important connections - which led to him joining the collegue of winterhold under a fake/pen name, and eventually becoming the archmage, before he resigned because he wanted to adventure more. Later, he met an argonian woman Wonders-About-Stars, who had grown up in morrowind [Most likely in solstheim.] and only recently arrived in skyrim. They became rivals for a long time, but eventually they became friends and got married. Bought a house in riften and,, happy ending for them both, right?

. . . But something wasn't quite right. Djai wasn't satisfied with this, like, at all. Sure, for some people maybe his life would be perfect but he - he craved new adventures. To do something, rather than settle down and live comfortably. And so, instead of doing that, he started going out almost every day to a cave, or a place he deemed interesting, and also started a collection. . . He also became a lot more paranoid than before, almost always feeling that he was being watched. First it was just random artifacts. Anything that was sort of unique, or appeared unique enough to him was added to this collection. But it soon appeared that this would be quite a big collection if he continued that. So he moved on to rarer artifacts: he only considered items that were very rare, or even legendary worthy of adding to it. Until one day, he came across an artifact that would change his life. Forever. A certain book. . .

From his wife's POV, Wonders-About-Stars woke up one day, just to find her husband gone. Didn't think much of it; He's gone all the time, not a big deal probably forgot to tell he was going on one of his adventures again. But the circumstances of his disappearance was getting stranger and stranger the more she discovered. And the more time had passed. One day of him being gone turned into days, then weeks, and when it was a couple of months - she's had enough, and she left their house. No, she wasn't coming back without him. Or, at very worst, without knowing what happened to him.

Meanwhile, Djai's out there living his best life. He got a patron in the face of Hermaeus Mora. Pros; Acess to funky library dimension, gets to satisfy his curiosity and do a bunch of chores for Mora that are centered around knowledge and books. Oh, also, he now has tentacles, so that's a plus. Cons; he now has quite a monstrous appearance. Being that long in apochrypha + under Hermy's influence doesn't do any good for your sanity or appearance. Another con is that he now has Mora in his head permanently and that's annoying hearing that guy go "ERM, actually" every time you think about something the wrong way. Also some side effects from his time in apochrypha for him are really similiar [I based them on it soo] to the symptoms of rabies in cats. He's also friends with my Dragonborn, Isabella/Abdulamassu [She's a dunmer who lived in morrowind until going to skyrim. No, she didn't live in solstheim. Yes, she did go to skyrim because life was absolutely shit] and her "brother" [Not by blood. Or, to be fair, very very distant relatives by blood, but it's complicated to explain. They've just decided that they're so close that they're going to be brother and sister] Ziikreh, my dragon priest OC who's pretty much a TES version of a boomer complaining about "back in MY DAY!!" because he was dead for, like, a LOT of time and got fully resurrected when the dragons got resurrected [Again, it's complicated, but his soul is connected to the soul of a dragon so when the dragon "woke up" he also did]

They are all my Skyrim OCs!! I have a bit more, but it's already getting long, so I'll wrap it up here.

I also have OCs for Oblivion and Morrowind, but since i'm in the process of playing both games rn I don't know the lore fully, so they're underdeveloped at the current moment!

Just going to spoil it by sayin my Morrowind OC, Ma'eric, is based on my friend's cat. That all started as a stupid joke about how her cat is very similiar to a khajiit, and now I made it real lmao. Ma'eric is a necromancer who isn't sure who he is quite yet, he can't help but feels like someone trapped in the wrong body. Always having to pretend that the body fits him by acting like a different person, when in actuality, it does not. Hm, I wonder what that could be foreshadowing. . .

OH THAT'S ALL SO COOL. hermy mory hitchhiking a ride in my head would also drive me a bit cuckoo bonkers. also the dragon priest's soul being tied to their dragon is SO COOL i love it

fact for a fact: my oc version of konahrik was pledged to vulthuryol, the dragon you find in blackreach

[ineed-to-sleep]

7 + 12 + 26!

7. What circumstances led to your tav becoming their class/subclass?

Her entire life has led up to being a rogue/thief, basically! She was a little kleptomaniac and had a knack for being a menace from a very young age. She just *had* to get her grubby little hands on everything and if something of yours caught her eye, it was no longer yours.

As a kid she spent a lot of time on her own, mostly because her caretaker(her uncle) wasn't... *around* that much. He would often leave her with enough to fulfill her basic needs and go out on hunting trips for several days. She was scared at first to be all alone, but after some time getting used to it, the boredom started settling in. Walking around the house and playing with old trinkets in her uncle's attic wasn't cutting it anymore, she needed some action in her life, and she decided to make that everyone else's problem 👍🏻 She went out into the nearby town, made some friends, made some enemies, and discovered her passion for taking things that don't belong to her, invading spaces where she's not supposed to be, and telling people the most dogshit lies to get herself out of trouble. She was a natural.

The town she lived by was West Harbor, in Merdelain, and she ended up expanding on her skillset by doing the most insane thing a child growing up in the Mere can do- she went out into the swamp. By herself. Several times. She explored nasty lizardfolk caves and Illefarnian ruins alike. How she survived is honestly a wonder, but she did, and learned to handle herself in difficult terrain and both create and disarm mechanical and magical traps, as well as learned a few magic tricks on her own. This was of course only the start of her rogueing career- she had another 40 years ahead of her to develop that skillset- but I'd say she was off to a pretty good start.

Putting the rest under a readmore bc this is getting a little long snjsjsjdk

12. What opinion does your tav have about the Gods?

She would like to have a word with them. She's not mad ok she just wants to talk.

So, you know how I mentioned it's a wonder she survived in the swamp? It was mostly a little bit of skill and a whole lot of luck, but in the beginning, she had a little leg up because of the blessing of a certain goddess.

You see, most wilderness is protected by Mielikki, primarily goddess of the forest but patron of all rangers, regardless of the terrain they choose to traverse. Nawen's uncle was a favored of Mielikki and she was both confused and fascinated by his religious practices. She would watch him pray, mimick him and learn the words to the prayer like a song. She took one of the symbols of the goddess he had in his altar, tied it to a cord and wore it like an amulet, just like he did. Traversing the swamp, there were times where she felt magic emanating from it, and a sudden streak of luck whenever she prayed. She believed it was the goddess, somehow, choosing to help her. And for that she was grateful, she had a positive view of the Gods.

That didn't last long though, because as she grew up and moved into the city, delving into its criminal underground, she felt the magic slip and the presence of the goddess fade. It's been over 20 years since she hasn't felt any sort of divine intervention and hasn't been able to rely on another God since. She felt abandoned by her, loved and then cast out like an old toy, and she knows it's probably because of her life choices, but she still feels bitter about it. She believes the Gods don't truly care for anyone and are only concerned with whatever suits their whims- and sure, she can see how that sounds awfully similar to her own attitude and it would be hypocritical to judge them based on that, but she still thinks it's stupid to idolize, follow and dedicate your life to someone like that.

26. Does your tav have a treasured item with them? If yes, what is it and why is it special?

Yeah, she still carries that symbol of Mielikki around ajajdjksk for all of her cynicism towards the Gods, she still feels wrong about throwing it away and in some little part of herself deeeeep deep inside, hopes that Mielikki will look at her again and show her that she cares. She doesn't wear it as an amulet anymore though and just has it usually in a pocket or kept among her things in her camp chest.

[windcarvedlyre]

Directors commentary, this segment!

Ty!! Sorry for taking a bit to respond, my brain hasn't been cooperating. This spiraled into commentary on the overall scene, haha.

(the ask game) (the fic)

I went back and forth a lot on what to show and not show and what POVs to have them from, in this chapter, ultimately deciding to make things concise and highly focused on the dynamic between NB and Venti instead of going on tangents into anything else. That scene is the most reflective of that.

I'd considered writing NB's first actual day post-capture, from his POV, and also having a Venti POV scene or two showing him going to the village and actually experiencing NB's life himself. But the former would have thrown off the alternating POV pattern I wanted for the rest of the chapter, and I felt like the latter would be more fitting for a much longer fic where setting up other Old Mond characters early would be much more important. Keeping things to NB and Venti's interactions also keeps us more in NB's shoes; he's stuck in the cave and so are we.

I needed to establish NB's life was kind of lonely and aimless anyway- I also headcanon him as being a bit of a loner orphan until something lights a fire under his ass in canon- so I ended up making scene 2 a Venti POV days after NB's capture to give him time to learn things, and started the scene with this:

and then had the exchange that leads into your screenshot later in the scene to hammer it in more.

So! The actual screenshotted part!

Each block in the fic advanced the dynamic between NB and Venti in a specific way. This one has the power imbalance between them sink in for NB, but also establishes Venti's treatment of him stemmed from genuinely inhuman apathy instead of sadism. And even if NB's sinking into despair, he's still pragmatic and worked out how to get something out of Venti by approaching it on Venti's terms.

This scene being Venti POV is also very intentional. His reasoning for allowing NB to have the lyre had to be shown because it would easily be misinterpreted as an empathetic gesture otherwise. NB's internal state, on the other hand, is easily inferrable between his circumstances, the things we learn about his backstory, and his body language, and having the reader piece those external cues together is more engaging than just spelling it out.

Finally, 'it wouldn't harm either of them' from Venti is meant to be ironic on a reread. You fool. You imbecile.

[jenkys-hoard]

No hate to Della but I wish their was an angsty/fluffy/funny/family drama filled custody battle for the triplets between Donald and Della fic. Mainly because Della gets too arrogant and wants fully custody of the boys. And like all I want for this type of fic is angst for Donald and the boys, but ultimately all of Donald's friends standing up for him and saying he deserves to keep custody of the boys in court. All the people in Donalds life and the boys saying he's a good dad. Like emotionally and legally everyone shutting Della down because Donald is the very best for the boys and he's their dad. Like how dare she even attempts this. And the climax of the fic is Scrooge being 100% on Donald's side saying the boys deserve to be with Donald on the stand. Like at first he's on Della's side(gets her a very expensive lawyer and everything). But than he steps back and thinks about it. Like this could take place somewhere after Donald comes back from the island or season 3. Either way I really would love a fic like this. Especially that emphasize that Della choice to leave the boys on a rocket, and Donald made a commitment to rase the boys as his babies. For fun in this Uno/Odin can be his lawyer.

I'm not gonna lie hun, if you caught me like maybe a year ago I woulda jumped on this 😔

I will tell you that if you look hard enough on AO3, this EXACT premise exists (and a good couple very similar)

However I'm kinda picky with my Della content now because like- I don't like writing assholes. So when I think of Della I see her as exceedingly impulsive. She would not give a FUCK what the law says, those are her kids and Donald is the one who raised em. Because he would NEVER deny her access to the kids and she LOVES her brother. She's short sighted, brash, and definitely doesn't think things through fully even if she *thinks* she did. (Tbh I cannot fucking FATHOM that DuckTales17 decided ms.'shot myself into space in an experimental rocket alone' should be known as the twin that could "sEe AlL tHe AnGlEs") but she loves her family dearly.

Plus you cannot tell me that Della 'sleep is wasting time here I made the most sugary inedible cake ever' Duck remembered to legally alive herself again (and tbh I don't think Scrooge remembered either but he's old and sad so we forgive him for it). This woman is legally Dead to the US government.

Also I like watching crazy irl court stuff enough to know that, unless Della *lies*, a Judge would not fucking entertain that case, plus the friends can help socially and probably write letters to the judge, but family court is just set up differently from what I've seen and it would take some crazy extenuating circumstances to get like a full jury and witnesses.

If I DID do something like this, I'd use someone else as an outside force to influence Della (she's the type to not stop once an idea is in her head and that's canonically been taken advantage of) and it would more be around the DRAMA of her serving her brother papers. Like- my Donald angst usually involves all of his friends either being out of touch or unavailable. Parenthood takes a lot of time and personal social circles are the first to go under the stress most of the time.

So really focus on Della's shortsightedness and Donald's lack of support.

Honestly I think Scrooge would just be confused. They're siblings and they love each other and they fight about petty shit, sure, but this?

Also the kids would be stressed as hell and probably start fighting amongst themselves over it which would make Donald cave pretty fast, I think.

Anyways this has been Jenky's rambles, don't mind me and go have fun uwu

[seventeenlovesthree]

you say that Matt and Sora are not right for each other so who would you say is the best fit for Sora? since her and Tai arent very compatible in your post either.

Weeeeell, the thing with Sora is that she is one of the few characters who has interactions with the majority of the cast AND also chemistry with most of them. So my personal impression is that, whether or not she is compatible with someone, really depends on the time frame we are talking about! In other cases, it's very, VERY situational... I'll try to give everyone a ranking here if possible...

Taichi: He's probably my favourite example here, because yes, you are only half correct: As I've outlined in my analysis post before, I feel like the bond they share is meaningful, familiar and mutually protective enough for them to actually be compatible - but NOT as teenagers/young adults, but as adults who have yet to find themselves and their goals and after going through therapy. There simply has to be the right time and place for them and they were absolutely not ready to cross the line of friendship for a romantic bond for a long time thanks to ongoing miscommunication. They are on each other's minds and that has never truly vanished, so... Give them a few more years. 8/10.

Yamato: As already pointed out in the previous analysis post, I support the idea of them figuring each other out as teenagers, dating each other for a while at least! But due to us not even knowing what they mean to each other at this point (particularly what Sora means to Yamato), I can't see them working through their tendencies to self-isolate, breaking through generational trauma and giving each other the validation they need. They have so much potential and yet they're both just... Too focused on Taichi to really notice each other. 5/10.

Koushirou: Look, when it comes to him, I am biased, since I am endlessly frustrated with how well they were paralleled throughout the entirety of the series, portrayed as Taichi's (and Yamato's) knights and aerial fighting duo (that may or may not be able to break through gender stereotypes...). And even though there is a foundation of friendship there, it isn't a focus for either of them. Thus I know a relationship between them would only be possible under very specific circumstances and with a lot of people out of the picture for them to notice each other romantically, so... They complement each other in several areas, but not necessarily in a romantic sense (as much as I'd personally love that). 5.5/10

Mimi: I'll be honest with you, technically, we could end the post right here, because I think, among all Chosen Children, Mimi is the most compatible with Sora, as I have already pointed out here; due to Sora's protective and supportive attitude towards Mimi throughout the first season, Mimi grew into a person who can give Sora the love and validation she needs and deserves - she just needs to be willing to take and accept it! They just complement each other so beautifully and I just believe that Mimi understands Sora on a very, very deep level and ever since Tri onwards, I could definitely see them discovering each other's romantic potential. 9/10.

Jyou: You know, it's actually a shame that we basically only got one episode (+ the dark cave moment) of them - and then the majority of their interactions is mostly comic relief with Mimi or the most blatant "mom is texting dad to let him know the children are alright" scene you could think of. There's a reason why the fandom likes to refer to them as mom and dad, they are mutually supportive whenever they get the chance, it just... Doesn't happen a lot. They also both have a high sense of responsibility and once they can combine that with getting a little more chill as they get older (Kizuna onwards for sure), I believe they could give each other a lot of stability and support, so the potential is there. 7/10.

Takeru: I'll try not to get into too much detail here, but I personally really believe that Takeru's and Sora's mutual wish to get validated would really get fulfilled if they were in a relationship. As outlined here, Takeru is incredibly vocal towards Sora and once they're both consenting adults, I don't see why they couldn't give it a try. 7/10.

Hikari: Both of them are incredibly caring and nurturing and in a universe in which Sora's fully capable of embracing her sapphic side while simultaneously realizing that she just has a thing for Yagamis, it may work out romantically! Any other time, I would insist their bond is purely sisterly, seeing how protective Sora is towards Hikari. 4/10.

Daisuke: Even if these two share VERY little screentime with each other, I would say there is at least the potential for a similar situation as in Takeru's case. Once again, it is all very theoretical, but as soon as they've matured enough to know their boundaries and preferences (definitely after The Beginning), Daisuke's vocal attitude could be very good for Sora - even if we have no idea how they perceive each other at this point. 4/10.

Ken: As far as I can remember, they haven't actually interacted on screen with each other, so while I am sure there is no hostility between them, I can't give them a genuine rating. 1/10.

Miyako: Similarly if not even more elaborated than with Hikari, it is pretty clear to me that Miyako is looking up to Sora, but that there is a strictly sisterly bond going on between them. 2/10.

Iori: A very similar case as Miyako's, combined with the fact that, just like with Daisuke, Sora rarely got the chance to interact with him and it'd feel more like a sibling relationship than anything else at this point. 2/10.

Honorable mention: Meiko: Now, hear me out, I personally maintain that, around Tri, Sora's basically embracing that a part of her may or may not be attracted to the same gender as well - and Meiko gave her a reason to let out her most caring attitude on a regular basis, she could basically pamper and spoil her to her heart's content... The question here is if they'd be able to develop their bond beyond that, enabling Meiko to give it back to Sora - in the same way Mimi could, as mentioned above. 5/10.

[frozen-fountain]

It's ten years today since I made a pilgrimage down to Brighton to see Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds live in concert. My purpose today isn't to get into the circumstances that preceded this or the specific reasons why being there meant so very much to me; maybe some day I'll do that under this name as well. For now, suffice to say it was the best show I've been to, and one I doubt will ever be surpassed. I think the Bad Seeds were on stage for the better part of three hours, with two encores and everyone clearly having a great time, reflected just as strongly in the audience. I really hope I get to go again eventually, though it'll be a more sombre affair now. And that's fine. I've always looked on his music as a big congregation that plumbs the depths of human existence without ever denying or shutting out the light, and it's this that's struck such a resonant chord with me across the years and made him one of the most key pillars in my musical journey.

One of my most vivid memories of the night doesn't even concern what was happening on stage. The whole time, I was fascinated by the two ageing punks sitting in front of us. I love ageing punks; I was raised by one, and they're my favourite people at shows because of their sheer enthusiasm for the music and utter disregard for what's generally considered age-appropriate dress and behaviour. Deeply inspiring stuff. But I remember one of them lifting both fists in a cheer when this song (from 1986) started playing – and he did the same for Higgs Boson Blues, a track from the contemporaneous album. And I was struck by what a gift it must have been to watch this wonderful group evolve and shift over the years, to meet new songs at different stages in life, and to remain no less excited for their new creations even decades later.

It was many things, but to me, it was a thick, bold line under what I'd spent the previous year working to convince myself of as I left my youth behind me, and that this band's congregational music helped so much in drilling through my obstinate, oblivion-seeking skull: there are and always will be things worth sticking around for.

I don't know anything about this man besides what the back of his head looks like and his enthusiasm for Bad Seeds old and new. He never even turned around to look at me in turn. I highly doubt we'll ever meet again, and if we do, I'll have no way of knowing it. But I still smile every now and then when I listen to Sad Waters, or simply when my mind wanders back to the show from time to time. When I need to remember the future is unwritten and the world has a capacity for many things, and one is endless surprise. Regular readers of whatever it is I'm doing here will know my young life was not the happiest, and I expended a lot of time and energy wrestling with the desire to end it. As I write this I'm closing in on the eight-year anniversary of the last time I seriously contemplated suicide – which is something I couldn't have even dreamed about saying back in 2013. It's these experiences, these moments of connection between strangers through the shared appreciation of another stranger's artistic expression, that go along way to making this so, and I'll never forget it.

This last decade has intensified a cultural shift that was gathering steam around the time of the concert. And one of many reasons I feel conversation can be so divisive and contentious is that we're rapidly becoming more aware to how badly we can hurt one another through simply existing as we are. Whether it's the descendants of colonisers reckoning with the ways we continue to benefit from that bloody history, or men being pushed to evaluate the allowances they are granted to take up space persistently denied women, or any of us learning the benefits of initiating awkward conversations about boundaries in our interpersonal lives, what is bit by bit rising to the surface of our awareness is how easy it is to become a bad story in someone's life just by being people. It's a very difficult thing to come to terms with no matter who you are.

And I wanted to write this memory down and share it because, at least to me, it's a reminder that we can help one another, too, and often without trying or knowing. You don't know what you might have done for a stranger you had no idea was watching. A simple, unguarded gesture that I doubt this man thought about for so much of a second has stayed with me, cheered me, and reminded me of several crucial lessons when I most needed them. If I've learned anything in the years since it's that, simply by being you and being open with your joys, I can guarantee you're someone's good story, too. Even if you'll never know about it.

In the meantime, if you're so inclined... maybe tell me a story about a time a stranger helped you in a similar way?

[zdbztumble]

Yet Another Kingdom Hearts Revisit, Part V

This playthrough has been a blow to my pretensions of having a good memory. I'd completely forgotten that King Triton isn't the only good Disney character from outside Disney Castle who knows something about Keyblades and Keyholes. It makes perfect sense for the Genie to have some insight into them, but I really like that he knows less than Triton does. It's better for pacing reasons that he doesn't, but it also fits his character - I can't imagine that a magical being who spends so much time contemplating mid-20th century American pop culture while stuck in his lamp would keep his ancient legends straight.

Of all the Disney worlds in the series that try to condense their source films into the game, KH I's Agrabah is the most successful IMO. It's really the only level in the game that did so. Olympus Coliseum, Halloweentown, Monstro, and Neverland feature original stories, and Wonderland, Deep Jungle, and Atlantica use only pieces of their films (to greater and lesser degrees) in their stories. Agrabah has almost all the major elements of Aladdin in it: Aladdin's street rat origins, Jasmine's escape from the palace (albeit under entirely different circumstances) and her love affair with Aladdin, Jafar's scheming to take over Agrabah, the quest for the lamp in the Cave of Wonders, Genie's comedy, his freedom, and the three wishes. Even "Prince Ali" gets worked in. The only thing left out from the film is the finale where Aladdin and Jasmine get together.

Why it works here compared to later worlds in the series is that, despite using so much of the film, all of those elements are re-contextualized to fit the time frame that KH I had to work with and, more importantly, were modified to fit the needs of KH I's larger story. There's no room to fit the "Prince Ali" element proper into the plot, and if the attempt had been made, it would've been an abridged version lacking the comedic texture that makes it work in the movie, and it would have distracted from Sora's story and the plot of the League of Disney Villains. It was much better to make that a brief mention and have the three wishes applied to the battle with the Heartless.

And speaking of battling Heartless - Aladdin's in my Top 3 for Disney world battle partners in the entire series. The dude rocks. And Jafar makes for one of the more challenging two-part bosses in the game. Kurt Zisa is, for my money, the most difficult secret boss in the game, Sephiroth very much included. And that's (usually) a good thing! I like having to shift between physical and magical strategies, and I like that he's a boss that let you get good value out of the Summons (sadly, I wasn't able to duplicate my last playthrough, where I beat him with multiple Summons instead of just Tinkerbell and dumb luck at dodging his vertical spin after she bought me a free life).

Part of me wonders if Monstro and Agrabah shouldn't have been reversed in order. On the one hand, Riku nabbing Jasmine makes for a good shock and a sense of foreboding; the player knows how far gone he is at that point, but Sora doesn't. But why does Riku need the quest for the seven princesses explained at the end of Monstro when he's already captured one of them?

And I might as well cover Monstro in this post, as I don't have too much to say about him. This is one world where I agree with the complaints about KH I's platforming. I appreciate that the bowels of a space-whale should be a claustrophobic place, but the chambers are too small and too packed with crap to make the concept work in an enjoyably challenging way. Instead, it's just tedious.

Storywise, however, Monstro is a great turning point for Sora and Riku. Taking a cute Disney character hostage might be an easy way to sell moral decline, but it's so much more effective than three minutes of lore gibber-gabber by one-note pricks in black coats. And whichever executives at Square and Disney are responsible for giving the final OK to these games' plots should have made the staff re-watch this scene ahead of every scripting session since KH I. The first game as a whole works against later characterizations of Responsible Riku being the one to clean up after lazy, do-as-he-pleases Sora, but that scene and this world demonstrate most clearly how big a retcon that change was.

[animeguy-159]

MONSTER FILES: GRIMM

Art is not mine

Threat level: Omega

Specimen: Scalarvae

This grimm is extremely dangerous due to how easily it is able tp conceal itself once it obtains a viable living human host. If encountered in the wild, leave the immediate area immediately. Under no circumstances should anyone attempt to approach it. Do not allow it to see you. If you are in fact spotted by one your only option is to run. Despite its relatively small size compared to the average human, only being the size of a house cat, it is incredibly fast and agile, making it a difficult target. Where there is one there are most likely many more within the nearby area. Scalarvae will use swarm tactics to overwhelm their target and are incredibly intelligent. The beginning of the Scalarvae life cycle first begins within an egg. These eggs are kept within secluded locations such as caves or any dark and damp places that can be found. However nests can also be located within large underground burrows or dens. If a Scalarvae is spotted in your immediate area, contact your local law enforcement immediately and leave the area. A military quarantine will be enacted and all entry to the area will be cut off indefinitely. All who are still within the area during the quarantine are to be considered lost and will be terminated on sight along with any specimens of Scalarvae that are sighted within the area. If the Scalarvae have existed attached to a host for long enough it will cause them to mutate into a much more powerful and dangerous being. I'd one is sighted, the Atlesian military is to take any and all measures to ensure the complete and total annihilation of the Scalarvae and the host that it is controlling, by any means necessary. If mass infestations of Scalarvae have been sighted, termination of all life within the sight is authorized and will be carried out. Civilians will be considered lost or expendable. The surrounding are will be targeted and no one within the zone will be allowed to leave under any circumstances. Complete termination is fully authorized.

[jestiamy]

🤥 😨 💤🍟✨

your. favourite oc + venera if. they're not your favourite oc

there were. a lot of questions but i didnt wanna bombard you/hj

oh no I love. answering oc questions actually. do bombard next time there was a lot of good ones on this list I would not mind answering

🤥 LYING - are they good liars? do they have tells to show they're lying?

venera has the capacity to be a good liar, but would not have a reason to utilize this ability under typical circumstance. antag!venera (I really need to get a better shorthand to refer to her) does frequently have to utilize this ability for various differing reasons including, but not at all limited to, their general knowledge of the world, their general identity, their past, their relation to somewhat antagonistic celestial primates, how they came into existence, what they even are, who they even are, and what they know. they don't really have any avert tells to the fact they are lying, but I'd imagine venera would pull it off better then antag!venera purely by the fact she has a much better resting face (antag!venera looks suspicious always. it's the macaque in her. it makes her seem very untrustworthy, unfortunately. even when not lying) 😨 FEARFUL - when scared, do they go into "flight" or "fight"? it depends the context. antagonist venera's entire thing is that they flight-ed so hard they lived in a cave underground disconnected from society for a thousand or so years. but I'd imagine if sufficiently freaked out, and not given time to rationally think out their actions, they'd both resort to fight on pure reflex.

💤 SLEEPING - do they fall asleep easily? what helps them sleep? I think venera hypothetically sleeps easily when they remember to do it, but they often forget that's something they need to do on any level because of shapeshifter and celestial primate biology coming together in a weird mix that makes it so while venera doesn't need to sleep to stay alive, they still will be very negatively affected by not doing it after a week or so. they sleep easier when not on beds. they tend to not like the lack of comfort that comes from a bed vs something like a tree that's infinitely more comfortable and occasionally comes pre-equipped with food to eat upon waking. antagonist v does not sleep well. or often. though unlike venera they did not, in fact, luck out on the transformation process, and so they do in fact need to do it semi-often in order to stay alive. they sleep best when in dark, somewhat loud, soft environments, ideally a nice bush in a forest but they also can settle for just a normal dark bed room with some white noise or something. 🍟 FRIES - do they order food often? or they prefer to cook their own food?

antagonist venera survived several hundred years eating nothing but moss and the occasional bug. they are somehow still very picky. they don't like the kind of processed food that's in favour these days since they have had no way to adjust to the change of culture over time. even the fruit tastes different now. antagonist venera does not like 90% of all food available and trusts no ones judgement on what they should be able to eat that isn't their own, including macaques. macaque also does not favour processed foods, but he's still able to eat it without throwing it up - so antagonist venera cannot in good faith trust his judgement on food related things. they prefer cooking their own. venera prefers ordering out. they've been pretending for years now they don't know what an oven is and they aren't about to back down now. though they get sick of it sometimes and occasionally lack the funds, so they'll just go around and steal things from fruit trees every so often.

on the last one - I think you meant ❇️ SPARKLE - what is their most prized possession? what do they value? ?? but not sure

antagonist venera actually owns very little. the clothes on his back is basically it. he loves those clothes. he is very protective of said clothing. it does not help that they were technically a gift from a friend, so he feels even more emotionally connected to them then he would have otherwise. venera collects things from different eras that they like the shape of, or general energy of. right now their most prized possession is a book of sorts that they 'collected' (read; stole) from ancient greece during the dark ages. they can't read ancient greek. they have no idea what the book says or even is. for all they know it's some random guy's diary. they refuse to let anyone else read it all the same.

[lathalea]

Lovely fellow writers, let's play an ask game, but this time, let's shake things up! Pick a character from one of your fics (it can be an Original Character or a Canon Character, whatever you prefer) and give us the answer to the questions above! ⬆️⬆️⬆️

Tagging @legolasbadass @linasofia @xxbyimm @shiinata-library @enchantzz @i-did-not-mean-to @middleearthpixie @fizzyxcustard @sotwk @heilith @glassgulls @asgardianhobbit98 @frosticenow @laurfilijames @guardianofrivendell @lordoftherazzles and everyone who'd like to join! (If I haven't tagged you, I'm sorry for my Swiss cheese brain in advance, but I'd love you to join this game anyway!) 💖

💎Here's my character - Yrsa, Thorin's stubbornly chaotic love interest from Blame It on Cider:

What is the character’s go-to drink order? You know it already, it's ... cider (obviously and infamously 🤣🤣🤣). That's the drink that put Yrsa and Thorin into that crazy mess in the first place. She can't just say no to it and then things just happen...

What is their grooming routine? When on the road, Yrsa loves to bathe in mountain streams and takes special care of her hair, using herbal oils and her mountain goat bristle brush before rebraiding it.

What was their most expensive purchase/where does their disposable income go? She doesn't have much money and whatever she earns, she spends during her travels for food and other necessities. She is not a big spender and does not feel the need to buy extravagant stuff for herself. Instead, she has been saving her money for a while now, wanting to open her own herbalist's shop at some point. Since her little "gem" appeared in her life, she spends the money on the pebble's needs.

Do they have any scars or tattoos? No visible scars besides the usual cuts on her fingers from gathering and processing the herbs she needs for her work. As for tattoos, she has a few of them - some of them show her dwarf clan affiliation and her craft.  

What was the last time they cried, and under what circumstances? The last time she cried happened just before meeting Thorin in winter. It was totally not because of the fact she had a dream of him dancing with her, and definitely not because she might have missed him nor because she understood their relationship did not have any chances to actually happen. She REALLY wasn't. Really. She was so over him!!!  

Are they an oldest, middle, youngest or only child? She is the youngest child, the only daughter (she has two older brothers) and therefore everyone in the family dotes on her. Plus, the brothers are really, really OVERPROTECTIVE, and her parents can't wait until she finally settles down and finds a proper and respectable dwarf to marry.

Describe the shoes they’re wearing. She wears sturdy, fur-lined dwarven boots that are perfect for walking on mountain trails, and very comfortable.

Describe the place where they sleep. As she's constantly on the road, she sleeps wherever she can - on a patch of moss in a forest, in a cave, under a spruce, in a tavern or guesthouse along the road - wherever she happens to find herself at the end of the day.

What is their favorite holiday? Winter solstice celebrations! In winter, she is usually back at home with her overbearing loving family, and there's lots of laughter, music, good food, fun... and cider.

What objects do they always carry around with them? Her backpack filled with all she needs to survive in the wilderness (a flint striker, a knife, some food, warm clothes, and so on), there are pouches with different kinds of herbs, herb remedies and any tools she may need for healing, her herbalist's diary, some coins... and Thorin's ring (around her neck).

So my problem with most ‘get to know your character’ questioneers is that they’re full of questions that just aren’t that important (what color eyes do they have) too hard to answer right away (what is their greatest fear) or are just impossible to answer (what is their favorite movie.)  Like no one has one single favorite movie. And even if they do the answer changes.

If I’m doing this exercise, I want 7-10 questions to get the character feeling real in my head. So I thought I’d share the ones that get me (and my students) good results: 

What is the character’s go-to drink order? (this one gets into how do they like to be publicly perceived, because there is always some level of theatricality to ordering drinks at a bar/resturant)

What is their grooming routine? (how do they treat themselves in private)

What was their most expensive purchase/where does their disposable income go? (Gets you thinking about socio-economic class, values, and how they spend their leisure time)

Do they have any scars or tattoos? (good way to get into literal backstory) 

What was the last time they cried, and under what circumstances? (Good way to get some *emotional* backstory in.) 

Are they an oldest, middle, youngest or only child? (This one might be a me thing, because I LOVE writing/reading about family dynamics, but knowing what kinds of things were ‘normal’ for them growing up is important.)

Describe the shoes they’re wearing. (This is a big catch all, gets into money, taste, practicality, level of wear, level of repair, literally what kind of shoes they require to live their life.)

Describe the place where they sleep. (ie what does their safe space look like. How much (or how little) care / decoration / personal touch goes into it.)

What is their favorite holiday? (How do they relate to their culture/outside world. Also fun is least favorite holiday.) 

What objects do they always carry around with them? (What do they need for their normal, day-to-day routine? What does ‘normal’ even look like for them.) 

[sofiiel]

There & Back Again : xreader addition (fem/afab)

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎: 8000+ words: (CW: angst. nightmares. strained family dynamic. mentions of blood. depictions of bullying)

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Soft knocks shook the bathroom door, causing you to jump.

"Sorry! It's just me....um I've got a box of stuff, alcohol wipes, band-aids, I dunno, cotton and shit. Might be helpful." Eddie said, looking up at the door.

He waited for a response, but you remained quiet.

You watched the door with caution, a damp wad of tissue turned a soft pink in one hand.

"Um... I'm just gonna leave it at the door, and I'll be....up front if you need anything." Eddie offered.

You could hear items rattle just outside.

Throwing the tissue into the toilet and flushing, you crept to the door. Opening it slightly, you pulled the box inside before closing the door.

Hearing the toilet flush several times, Eddie turned on his stereo fairly loud before taking a seat on the sofa.

"This shit is fucking insane," he thought, pressing his knuckles to his mouth.

If there had been a time when he needed his Uncle to return home early, it was now.  Bouncing one leg up and down nervously, Eddie sighed.

"You don't end up like that with some simple nodding off and rolling off the road." Eddie thought, recalling the welts on your arms and exposed across your chest where the dress looked to have been ripped open.

Eddie gave his head a hard shake, hoping to knock the image of little rivers of blood trickling down your legs, and the discoloration that was forming.

Hearing the door open, Eddie glanced up, "you ok?" He asked cautiously.

You stood in the hall before the bathroom door, you didn't know how to answer as he watched you like you would collapse at any given moment.

Chewing your lip, you side glanced, the box of medical aid in hand.

"Um... I-I'm ok." you said quietly. 

Pushing off the sofa Eddie headed towards you and you were quick to take a few steps back. 

With a tilt of his head, Eddie looked down at your trembling arms.

He then spoke softly, "Ok, it's ok. You're ok."

Holding a hand out in front of himself as if calming a frightened stray.

"I'm just gonna get the box." He said, taking timid timed steps towards you.

"You look like you really went through it, would you like some water before I take you to that payphone?" He asked.

you watched Eddie's Chameleon-like steps and relaxed slightly, under different circumstances you might have laughed, but rather all you could think was-

"I must look a terrified mess"

And your mind answered, "you are."

"Or you can use the phone here to call-"

you cut off his words quickly, "No!"

Eddie held his hands up and stopped walking. 

His tongue stuck out from his lips a bit as he side glanced.

"That isn't good, is it?" He thought.

"Ok, we'll go to the payphone" he reassured, slowly taking the box from your hands. 

As his fingertips lightly grazed over your own, you felt the first bit of warmth you'd felt all night, for a fleeting second.

"I'm going to put this back," Eddie said, he waited for an answer and received a small nod before heading back into the kitchen. 

"So water?" He asked reaching up towards the cabinet containing glasses.

"Please," you said.

"Coming, right up." Eddie sang slightly under his breath, opening the freezer and cracking three ice cubes free from the tray.

You watched him intently as he filled the glass with Ice and turned on the faucet. You lick your bottom lip as your throat suddenly felt scratchy and burned slightly. The kind of feeling one gets when you've run until your lungs are caving in. 

"Here you go," Eddie said. Turning to you he handed you the cool glass of water. 

you held it up to the light and examined it causing Eddie to arch a brow.

"Heh, I know most people don't have nice things to say about me but...." Eddie murmured, suddenly feeling awkward as he twirled his hair around his finger.

"I'd like to think I wouldn't lace an injured girl's water." He said.

Startled, you lowered the glass, "I-I'm sorry it's just a habit....really." you said quickly.

"I just...." you stopped yourself.

Your gaze lowered regretfully, "I can't explain to him why." you thought, quietly taking a sip.

You could feel him looking at you, awaiting the full explanation.  So quickly you downed the water and passed back the glass. 

"Thank you." you murmured.

"Anytime? Though hopefully not like this again." Eddie sighed.

"You ready?" he asked, gathering his car keys.

You gave a feeble nod and went to take off Eddie's jacket.

"You can keep that until we get you to a phone, or longer. You can just give it back to me at school." Eddie said holding the door open.

You zipped the jacket and stepped outside, you watched Eddie close and locked up his house before heading for his van.

"Do you always help random strangers?" you asked while Eddie held open the passenger side door.

He shrugged, "not always, most people are terrible, so no." He said.

"And I'm not terrible?" you asked.

Eddie closed the door for you once you had taken a seat.

"Not when you come out of the woods looking like road pizza warmed over." Eddie hummed, walking around the car and getting in himself.

You sat looking at your hands while Eddie was driving.

The roads this late in the night were virtually void of life and Hawkins felt like another world.

"So...was that you out in the woods the other day?" you mind kept asking over and over, but you could not seem to get the words to come out of your mouth.

"So um.... I saw you in the woods with Buckley the other day." Eddie said.

your head snapped up, and you turned to look at him, wide-eyed.

"I think I spooked you, so I did the less sensible thing to do, and hid." Eddie said playfully, carefully gauging your reaction.

"I would have never thought the sister of laundry ball jock, Patrick McKinney, could-"

"Hang out with someone like Robin?" you shot sharply. 

"No" Eddie breathed glancing your way, "well a little bit, but not what I was going to say." He said.

"Oh...sorry" you murmured, looking back down at your hands. your mind screaming at you as you sank into your own embarrassment.

"I can't keep offending this guy." you thought.

"I meant, that Pat's sister could dance like that. It's like you were the girl version of Mister Fantastic." Eddie said animatedly.

Had you not been exhausted, it would have been hilarious, the expression on his face.

"T-the...comic book character?" you asked him.

"You know him?" Eddie asked.

You sucked in your lips, you knew Patrick wouldn't be happy about it. divulging a secret such as this. But something about Eddie made you want to talk.

A feeling you hadn't felt in a long time.

"No, but..." you paused.

Your words stuck again in her head, "My brother used to have The Fantastic Four comic books" her mind said.

Eddie glanced at you once more and raised a brow, waiting patiently.

"Um....my brother used to love The Fantastic Four comics." the words finally tumbled out in an uneasy stumble.

"No way, McKinney." Eddie sang.

Getting words from you was like pulling teeth, but he could hear an underlying relief in your tone the moment you finally spoke, and that made him want to keep plucking away.

"Hard to believe, I know." you sighed.

Eddie could hear a sadness falling back into your words.

"You two close?" He asked.

"Not anymore," you answered something in your voice wistful.

"Thank you for helping me." you said, seeing the payphone come into view as they neared the Big Buy parking lot.

"No problem, but you should be more careful, don't party so hard you nod off behind the wheel." Eddie joked.

You flashed him a struggling smile.

"Ah,"  Eddie hummed, digging around in the middle portion of his van. 

You could hear change clinking around.

Eddie held out two quarters towards you, "Here, on me." He said with a smile.

"I can't," you said quickly.

Eddie shrugged, "It's fifty cents, and no offense, but you don't have a purse or pockets." Eddie said with a sheepish smile as you checked over yourself. 

"Oh....right." you breathed.

"Come on, a quarter for the call and one in case, like most sane people, your dad is sleeping by now," said Eddie.

You took the change and hopped out of the car, Eddie rolled down his window and glanced around them watchfully.

"I'll stay until you say someone is coming for you." He called to you.

You gave a nod and entered the phone booth, slipping a quarter in you picked up and dialed. Your nerves stood on edge while you awaited an answer.

"Hello this is the household of Gregory McKinney, We are sorry to have missed your call, but if you would leave your name and number, we will get back to you at our earliest convenience. Have a blessed day."

The overly pleasant tone of your Mother's office voice chimed before the beep.

"Um... Sir, something happened. I'm at the payphone near the market. I need someone to get me. Please. I'm- I'm sorry. I'll be calling back." you spoke quietly into the phone before hanging up. 

You looked down at the second quarter, it might not be wise to use it directly after not getting an answer.

You looked towards Eddie and the van.

"It is late, I can't keep him out here - he's got school tomorrow just as much as I do." You thought to yourself, turning to the phone and trying again.

This time someone picked up, yet without so much as a hello they hung up loudly.

Your mouth tumbled open as you drew the phone away from her ear.

"What?" you asked.

"Do they know what happened?" your mind panicked.

"And do they blame me for it? I'm just as clueless as they are..." you thought.

There was a light knock on the glass of the booth, you jumped and hung up the phone, whirling around to see Eddie waving as he opened the door.

"Any luck? I've got a few more quarters." He offered.

You bit your lip and gave him a guilty glance.

"I'm sorry they aren't picking up right now." you said.

"I don't want to hold you up, you can head on back home. I'm fine." you said quickly.

Eddie laughed, "if you think this is late for me, you're adorable." He snickered, leaning his back against the booth.

With his arms folded across his chest, Eddie looked at the sky.

"I don't get to sleep until around five a.m on Tuesdays after we play a set, granted, I don't exactly make it to school on time." He chuckled, almost fondly.

"You say out until five?" you asked with wide eyes.

Eddie laughed, "You've never done it?" he asked.

"No, my dad would probably murder me." you murmured and while Eddie laughed, you wished you were more than halfway kidding.

"Aw come on Tinúviel, you're the daughter of the twilight, you're made for the night." He said with a cheeky smile.

Your mouth tumbled open and Eddie's face paled as he stood up straight.

"Oh shit" he cursed covering his mouth, "you don't ?" He asked muffled behind his hands.

Your expression while your cheeks flared up with heat under the streetlight answered any question he had.

"I wouldn't have...said anything if you had. I, well....shit." Eddie rambled.

"R-robin Buckley bought it for me because I... I like the Hobbit cartoon." you stammered, timidly glancing up at Eddie.

"Y-you think I remind you of...." you couldn't finish your question.

Eddie shrugged almost bashfully and cleared his throat.

"Ah, you gonna try to call again, or do you want me to just give you a lift back home?" He asked.

"Oh...I can try again..." you said, turning to the phone.

Eddie reached into his pocket, pulling a quarter out, he entered the booth and dropped it into the phone for you while you dialed. 

After three more failed attempts you hung up the payphone and exhaled.

"I am in so much trouble." you thought quickly becoming fidgety.

"Boy, and I thought my old man was king of the assholes." Eddie murmured.

You watched your feet.

"I'll take you home," Eddie said.

"I don't think that's a good idea," you murmured.

Eddie lowered his head to your eye level and grinned wide. "

That's why it's a great idea, no more than he deserves, right?" Eddie sang, heading toward his van.

"Had he been concerned, and didn't want the lady of the forest returning with someone like me, not that he knows who me is." Eddie went on with his great playful speech.

"He would have picked up the phone when it's the middle of the night and his little girl is out of the house." Eddie said.

Turning to you as you very slowly followed behind him, he dipped a brow at you.

"Your dad does know you left the house, right?" He asked.

You nodded and quietly walked around the Van to climb in.

"You can just drop me off down the street when we get close," you said.

Eddie could hear your voice tremble.

"If you're going to be in that much trouble, look, I'm pretty used to getting blamed for shit if you need a scapegoat." He offered his eyes to the road.

With eyes slightly narrowed, you watched Eddie carefully.

"You know, you're not at all like people say around school." you said.

"He's less menacing than my folks and their friends." you thought.

"I'm more of a lizard than a dragon," He said.

"You can laugh at live lizards" He chuckled.

You cracked a smile, struggling with the thought in your head that you would like to tell him you found him very nice.

But again the words would not leave the cage in your head.

Eddie carried the conversation on the way to bring you home, but you quickly noticed he was making a game out of drawing you out to talk or answer him.

Before either of you realized, you'd hit your block, and Eddie pulled his van to a stop.

His eyes were stuck to the street ahead of them, as were yours.

You could spot your house at the end of the block, and as your mood changed, it seemed the air around the two of you fell heavier.

"Are you sure, you're ok?" Eddie asked.

You gave a nod and exhaled unsteadily as you unbuckled your seatbelt and climbed out of the car. Your feet hitting the sidewalk made your legs feel weaker than they had at the payphone.

Eddie could see your hands slightly tremble in the dark.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school?" Eddie asked, he didn't know why it was well known that the McKinneys never skipped school.

"Y-yeah, thank you again, Eddie." you called out, unzipping his jacket you laid it in the seat of his car and closed the door behind you.

"Don't mention it, you be more careful out there." He said, watching you walk up the block.

He wouldn't move until he saw you go through the front door, and you were taking your time getting there.

A disquiet settled in his core as he watched you, and the closer you got to the front door, the worse it became.

Eddie found himself leaning forward against the steering wheel to get a bitter look as you walked up to your door.

The front door swung open, startling you and before Eddie could blink, someone snatched you inside by the arm.

Eddie continued to watch the door as if something more was going to happen after it closed. But the block lingered in silence, and his jaw ached from being clenched shut. 

"It's probably just a real pissed parent." He muttered to himself, "or her brother, it's late." Eddie said starting the car.

"Uncle Wayne works with McKinney around the plant...maybe I can ask him what kind of dude he is?" Eddie thought, backing away and heading back home.

Inside the McKinney home, you sat in the middle of the sofa before the scowls of your parents.

"What happened." your father seethed quietly.

"I don't know, I was doing what I was told, there was another girl there and...after I drank the wine I...faded out." you spoke quietly.

"I don't believe her, there's no way one girl overpowered Jeremy." your mother said.

"He played college ball for two years." She added.

Out of the corner of your eye, could see your brother exiting the kitchen and up the stairwell, an ice pack held to his shoulder.

You grimaced, he must have taken your father's ire again. You exhaled and returned your gaze to your parents.

"I don't know what she did or how she did it. I heard him scream when I fled. I-I didn't know what she was capable of, so while she was busy... I got out." You explained.

The lie coming far easier than you thought it would have. Still, you couldn't help but picture Amy's face.

"I left before she could call the cops or the Fords could call, that way no one could ask me questions," you said quietly.

"They would have wanted to know what I was doing there, no answer anyone could give would have seemed good, I mean...look at me." You spoke softly, gesturing to your dress.

Her mother's scowl grew, "watch your tone, you might have jeopardized your father's deal!" she barked. 

You shrunk back, "I didn't mean to," you said quietly.

"I thought it was the best thing to do. Next time...if there is a next time, I'll just stay and answer questions," you murmured.

"If you want to be snarky, go to your room!" her mother shouted.

You sighed inwardly, "gladly." you thought, wincing as you pushed your body off the couch and walked towards the stairs.

As the night went on, new things hurt within your body, and walking didn't get any easier.

With the door closed behind you, you just couldn't get out of that awful dress fast enough. Nearly tearing it from your body as tears fell.

"I hate the color red." you screamed in your mind.

Shelob sat near the glass of her tank, watching her human with her many eyes.

"Another night survived, Shelly....and this one wasn't anything like the others," you spoke below a whisper, walking to your pet.

"I think I met a friend," you said, and thinking back on it all.

You tilted your head, "actually.... I think I made two."

The next morning you arrived at school early. Your father had retrieved your car from the Ford's neighborhood sometime the night before.

Watching the students slowly file in, in droves, you could hardly keep your eyes open. 

With the same nightmares of the spider pit and the events of the night before, what little sleep you'd had gotten was miserable.

Even the two-hour-long shower had done little to soothe your body.

"Speaking of miserable," you said in a sigh, It was nearing summer and here you were, clad in a long sleeve shirt and pants.

"I always wear dresses..." you murmured.

"Hopefully Robin won't think too much of it. People change their style all the time. You just tell her you're experimenting if she asks." you thought to yourself, getting out of the car.

Walking was still painful, but there was little option than to try and walk as normally as possible.

"What'd they do to me last night?" you asked yourself.

"Hey, you ok, you look a bit like a zombie?" asked Robin.

"Fine, just a long night, and I ate too much, had nightmares, and rolled out of the bed." you said quickly.

Robin laughed, "Oh no! I thought I was the only one that happened to." she said.

"Was it red sauce...red sauce always get me, and candy." said Robin.

You nodded, "yep...yep, it was the pasta sauce." you said. Desperately trying to change the subject.

"Did you hear that someone robbed the Fords?" asked Robin.

You sucked in your lips nervously, "n-no, robbed?" you asked.

"Well, not really, they didn't get away with anything, but they bashed them up pretty good. I don't know what's happening to Hawkins anymore."  said Robin.

You shook your head, "who knows, maybe Hawkins hasn't changed, maybe its colors are just rising to the surface." you said.

"That...that got dark." Robin peeped. 

"I spent all night watching horror movies, I can't take that right now." she added.

"Sorry" you said. 

Further up the hall, a group of the usual misfits gathered around Eddie's locker.

"What kind of luck do you even have?" Scott asked him.

"I wouldn't call it lucky, she was in...bad shape," said Eddie.

"A crash is never nice, no matter how slow it was." Jeff reasoned.

"I guess. Something felt off." said Eddie.

"I was going to ask my Uncle about her family, He and her father have been working at that eerie plant for the same amount of time." He added.

Gareth frowned, "I've got gym with Carver's airhead lacky Chance. I hear Mr. McKinney's super strict." Garth spoke lowly.

"That ain't good, my friends. She didn't get home til around one or so." Eddie said.

Gareth winced, "well... Dads favor the daughter, right? I'm sure she got off easier than Patrick would have." he reasoned.

Eddie shrugged, "hell if I know, family dynamics are beyond me." He muttered.

"She's cool people, I'd hate to see her in trouble for something that isn't her fault," he added.

You found yourself wandering the halls alone, heading back to your locker before lunch to drop off some books. Lost in her thoughts about the night before, you had little time to react as a girl's shoulder smacked into your own.

The impact nearly spun you around, causing your arm and spine to protest as you stumbled, dropping your books and papers.

"Hey, watch where you're going, clutzy-McGee!" the girl called, stopping to laugh.

You gritted your teeth and silently started to gather your papers. Unfortunately, one happened to be under the girl's feet.

"Um...would you mind moving your foot please?" you asked quietly.

The girl held a hand to her ear, "I'm sorry what?" she asked cheekily.

"I just need you to move your foot," you said.

With a smirk, the girl slid her foot onto the paper more, turning her foot from side to side, rubbing the paper into the floor.

You exhaled and waited patiently, hoping that she would get bored and eventually continue up the hall.

"Honestly, how is this rag even related to Patrick." giggled another girl.

You frowned, "She's not, she's adopted." Patrick's voice echoed as he strolled by with Chance.

"Hi, Chance, Patrick." the girls greeted with overly sweet voices.

You rolled your eyes and tried to pull the paper out from under the girl, only to have her shift more weight onto it.

"Can't you just step off to the side?" you asked bitterly, your eyes narrowing slightly.

The sunlight pouring into the hall from the large windowed exits clouded over little by little.

"Oh, look, the mouse has a spine." the girl chuckled, stamping the paper even more.

You yelped as the paper ripped.

"What the hell!" You shouted.

"Oops." the girl said dryly.

"Hey, cut it out!"

You heard someone shout, the sound of little quick steps heading their way.

"Leave her alone, Chelsea," Nancy said with a stern glare.

Steve followed closely behind her. "What's going on here?" He asked casually. 

Your heart raced, "oh come on." you groaned inwardly.

"Chelsea is being a jerk, big surprise." Nancy snapped.

"R-really I'm fine," you murmured softly.

Steve looked down at the ripped paper and books lying about the floor.

"I was just helping her, she fell down. She's just so clumsy." Chelsea said, she flashed big green eyes and batted her eyelashes at Steve.

"Get real, I know how you are, Tommy used to date you." Steve scowled.

"Get off her paper." He ordered.

Chelsea rolled her eyes, "and help her pick up her things." He added.

But Chelsea scoffed, "as if, later much - loser." she called down to you.

"That girl is like catching athlete's foot," Steve murmured before helping Nancy pick up your books.

"Thank you both," you said softly.

"No problem, she really shouldn't have done all that," Nancy said with an apologetic smile.

"Really, hey, aren't you Patrick's older sister?" Steve asked.

"Uh...yeah." you murmured.

"Didn't he just pass?" Nancy asked, looking up the hall. 

You looked off uncomfortably and got back to your feet.

"He's going through some things at hte moment." You explained.

Again your body protested at the movement. Swaying a little as your legs felt weak.

"Are you feeling ok? You don't look so good?" Nancy asked with concern.

"I'm ok, just a little under the weather," you answered quickly.

The couple passed back your books, "Alright, well see you and hope you feel better!" Nancy called, following Steve towards the lunchroom.

On the inside, you didn't know if you were giddy or horribly humiliated by having to get help from Steve & Nancy that way.

You made your way to your locker at a snail's pace. Rounding a corner, you hugged your books to your chest. You were not going to drop them again.

"Whoa!" Eddie called, stepping back fast enough to stop the collision.

"Sorry about that." He said.

"You" you gasped.

Eddie smiled wide, "hey McKinney." he said with a playful wave.

"How're you feeling?" He asked, creating distance between you.

"Awful and it keeps getting worse," your mind said.

Instead, you smiled faintly "better" you lied.

Eddie gave you a skeptical gaze, "really?" he asked.

"Because no offense, but you don't look it." He said slowly.

Eddie's eyes fell on the many books in your arms, and so he held out his own.

"Here pass those over, I can carry them for you." He offered.

"No I- I'm fine, honestly," you said quickly, trying to walk around him.

When Eddie blocked your way by instinct, you flinched.

Eddie backed away carefully, "sorry," he said, though clearly confused by her reaction.

"Your arms are shaking, I don't mind." He said, holding out his arms again.

You caved in and passed him your books.

"Why are you being so nice?" you asked, eying him with caution.

Eddie shrugged, "people need reasons to do a good thing?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's how people work." you murmured.

"Yeah, well, as I'm sure you've heard - the jury is still out on me being considered people." Eddie joked, following you to your locker.

Side glancing at Eddie, you shook your head.

At your locker, you took the books from Eddie and stuffed them on a shelf. Pulling your purse out of your backpack, you started to collect change.

"Here, what I owe you from last night." you said, holding it out to him in your palm.

"I didn't say you had to pay me back, it was just a few quarters." Eddie said.

"It was the nicest thing anyone's done for me in a long time." the words flew from your mouth before the cage in your mind could close them in.

You stood there, shocked at yourself, and could feel the heat bubbling up to your face.

Eddie gave a tiny smile, "as I said, it was no problem."

With careful movements, he closed your hand around the change.

"Look keep it, and you can thank me by coming to a show - it'll be the fourth Tuesday of the month, so it's Dollar Day at The Hideout."  he said. 

You didn't know how to tell him you likely couldn't. You'd never get your father's approval to go to a concert, let alone on a weekday.

"Um... I can try, but I'd really rather you just take this." you said.

"And give you a reason not to? Not a chance." Eddie chuckled, walking off.

You exhaled and looked down at the change in your hand. "So maybe he is a little odd." you thought.

Amy wandered the back roads of Hawkins, down to the woods, she needed to find shelter and clean herself up before someone could spot her, It was now closing in around noon and the woods would fill with high schoolers who left early and couples looking for secluded places to make out.

Looking up at the sky, Amy could see the clouds forming unnaturally in the distance and wished they'd been over her.

"A rain shower would make my life easier right now," she uttered to herself.

Amy sighed, She couldn't stop thinking about what happened to the girl at the Ford's house. She couldn't mark why, but she felt responsible for her.

"She had to have gotten away." Amy thought to herself. "Though they did far worse to her." 

Paniced eyes bore holes into Amy's memory. She couldn't quite explain it well, but she felt as if she'd been looking through a gateway, looking through those eyes. 

A sudden wave of pain rushed through Amy's temples, "n-not again!" Amy gasped, clutching her head. 

Making a fist, she started to beat the side of her head, "stop it! Stop it!" she yelled, collapsing in the trees.

A trickle of blood rolled down from her left eye and out of her nose.

"They're hunting even still." She whispered, opening her backpack. Reaching in, she pulled out a half-filled bottle of water.

"Great, this is the last one, I'll need to pinch another one from somewhere." she murmured.

A loud crack of thunder shook the skies, Amy looked up in a panic, it was still far off, but it was odd.

"It's supposed to be scorching this week." Amy thought, as the air felt fairly chilly.

"Leave him alone!" You shouted, standing over your brother in the school parking lot.

This wasn't how you foresaw the day carrying on.

Finding yourself surrounded by two larger guys, who hardly even looked like they were in high school, you tried to hold your ground. 

Patrick sat on the floor, trying to stop his nose from bleeding.

"This is a warning from Mr. J you speak to anyone about, you know what, and it's your family." said one of the attackers.

Patrick spat out the blood in his mouth, "Man, I don't know what the 'you know what' even is!" He argued.

"Oh, I think you do, you see Mr. J says the McKinney's are a real tight family." said the other boy, taking a step closer.

"You stay right there." You growled, though inside you was quaking.

"I can't take on these guys, and neither can Patrick." you thought.

Most of the students had left the parking lot and had gone home. A few stayed for various clubs and after-school meet-ups inside the building, but that wasn't going to do either of you any good now.

Clouds rumbled as your anxiety grew.

"Look Pat doesn't know anything I promise, alright. And My lips are sealed." you sputtered.

"Just leave him alone. You can tell Ford he's got nothing to worry about." you added, "I'm good with secrets." 

If you could talk any faster, you would have won a world record.

The two overgrown boys smirked and seemed satisfied.

"You'd better, or you'll be getting a visit from someone not as nice as we are." One boasted.

The other spat down at Patrick's feet and turned to follow the other as they headed towards a rusted red pickup truck.

Seeing them head up the road, you relaxed and stumbled, a new wave of exhaustion taking over.

You lightly touched your chest as a dull pain lingered deep.

The helplessness you had mashed down finally bubbled to the surface as a light shower of rain started to fall.

"Are you ok, Pat?" you asked, turning to your brother.

Patrick got up quickly pulling a mask over the hint of fear in his eyes and pushed you away from him.

"I'm fine, why'd you do that!?" He shouted.

Your brows knitted together as you shook your head, "they would have beaten you into a hospital bed. You couldn't take them both. I was trying to help." you reasoned.

"Yeah, well, no thanks." He barked.

"Now everyone is going to think that I need my sister to fight for me." Patrick snapped, snatching his bag off the ground.

"You're the cause of half my problems, kindly don't try to help now," he added walking off down the road, leaving you speechless.

With a heavy sigh, you held out your hand to catch the soft drops of rain.

Then to your surprise, instead you caught a spider. Another baby widow at that. With another splash of a raindrop on your skin, landed another spider.

Confused, you turned your face up towards the falling rain, holding out your hand again, you could feel lots of tiny legs crawling about in your palm. 

"Please tell me you are not practicing being a turkey," called Robin, exiting the school with her Band uniform in tow.

You turned to look at Robin and held out your hand, but as you did so, you noticed the little critters you had wished to show her had vanished.

"What?" you asked herself quietly.

"When did it start raining?" Robin asked looking around, the drizzle soon came to an instant stop, and the dark clouds above them started to thin and brighten.

You looked back up to the sky and then to the palm of your hand.

"I'm losing it." you thought.

"I dunno blame it on lack of sleep," you said to Robin. 

Robin gave a faint smile, "probably. Let's go to my place, and you can nap while I practice my presentation for Biology." she said.

"....but if I'm sleeping, how are you practicing?" you asked.

Robin chuckled as the two of you headed for your car.

"Please, everyone will be asleep the moment I get up there anyway." said Robin, "how thrilling can frog blader function be anyway?"

Robin set her notes down on the coffee table and walked to where you rested on the couch, she pulled the knitted yarn blanket over you and sighed.

"Must you be so cute." Robin thought, smoothing out the bumps in the blanket. As you stirred, Robin quickly drew back her hand. 

your arm slipped, dangling now from the edge of the couch.

Robin tiled her head to get a better look at the oddly colored patch of skin peeking out from your sleeves. But as she reached out, she noticed your eyes moving rapidly behind your eyelids. 

"Oh no, another nightmare?" Robin asked quietly, kneeling on the ground, she rested a hand on your shoulder, giving you a light shake.

"Hey, hey, wake up." Robin called gently.

You however were far off into the dream, the ground beneath your feet rotating slowly.

The Ford's house flickered with bright, blinding lights before everything went black.

"Is it snowing?" you asked, your voice bouncing off of the world around you like an echo. Reaching out, you grasped a fist full of the strange snow, but rather than melt or feel wet it dissolved into your hands, like ashes or fungi spores.

"Something about this stuff feels familiar." you shuddered, wiping your hands clean on your jeans.

Taking a step forward, a sickening squelch was enough to make you stomach flip over. Down at your feet, thick, slippery vines slithered and inched about.

"Why is everything always red." you questioned eying the vines which oddly enough looked the color of blood.

Trying to avoid the odd plant life, you slipped.

Landing on your back, even the floor felt wet and it was making you ill. The whole place was making you ill. It was getting harder to breathe by the second, like your lungs were filling up. 

You tried your best to get to your feet, though the vines would not let go.

"Don't be afraid, let it take you." called someone softly. 

"W-who's there?" you asked, "Can you help me out?!" you called into the darkness.

"But I am." the voice answered.

Then like a blanket, you found yourself being covered slowly in spiders, spiders of all sorts.

Legs tickling your skin and getting lost in your clothing.

"What's happening?" you wondered quietly, daring not to make a sound so as not to frighten the arachnids.

Closing you eyes, you exhaled.

"You're dreaming again, that's all, it's another nightmare, relax...you can wake up." you told yourself quietly.

"Focus." you said, taking a deep breath in.

As you exhaled and opened your eyes, you found yourself not in Robin's living room, but looking through another's eyes, and you were running, wildly through the woods.

"Holy shit! ____!" Robin shouted.

You felt a stinging on your cheek as you sat up.

In a daze you looked at Robin with tear-filled eyes.

"I-I didn't want to hit you, I swear you...you were just sitting there staring into - into nothing and I..." Robin stammered as you started gathering your bag.

"I should go home..." you whispered

"No wait, come on, I really didn't mean to-" As Robin reached out to you, you recoiled, and Robin's hand fell to her sides.

"Honest, you didn't see yourself, what else could I have done... I tried water, ice.." Robin explained, quietly distraught, as she watched you flee for the door.

"I'll um... I'll see you later, Robin,"  you whispered, closing the door behind you.

"Oh!" you gasped, face with darkness.

For a moment, you thought you were back, that the dream had never stopped.

"But that was real for sure, Dreams don't hurt." you murmured, holding a hand to your cheek.

"Did I sleep that long?"  you asked yourself, rushing to your car.

Driving down the road, you reflected on the vision you had of the woods.

How strange the feeling of being within the body of another....

"Person?" you questioned, though oddly enough, "it hardly felt human, and worse....it was hungry." you thought.

Headlights appeared behind you, the car nearly nose to bumper with your own.

"Who could that be?" you murmured.

Trying to stay calm, you flicked on the car radio, turning it down low.

"Welcome denizens of Hawkins! Dodo's hit list on HN 106.9! We've got a chance to win a couple of tickets to Motörhead's No Remorse tour, ticket dates may vary! If you haven't snagged yours yet don't fret my pretties, We'll have more after the break and remember to tune into HN 106.9 for your heaviest metal set list around! Take it to Neck!"

Dodo the radio personality cheered before a string of commercials started to play.

You eyes glanced up at the rearview mirror, the car was still tailing you, light blaring.

Biting your lip, you tried not to panic. "It might just be Ford trying to freak me out like he did Patrick." you reasoned.

Yet, somehow that didn't quite fit, did it?

"But isn't that overkill?" you wondered.

At the street sign up ahead, you took a left, turning down the commercial district.

"I can stop and get something to eat, get into the public eye, and then I won't have to worry much."  you thought. 

Parking close to the door at the Arcade, you watched as the car stopped at the stop sign.

The windows were heavily tented, and she could not make out who was inside or how many there were.

Even still, you could feel them watching you.

"They're trying to see if I'm bluffing." you murmured.

You stepped out of your car and walked to the Arcade.

"Don't look back at them." you told yourself, walking inside. 

Instantly your ears were filled with all sorts of chimes, dings, bings, and high-pitched musical sound effects.

You relaxed slightly and looked around.

"Patrick used to beg me to walk here with him." you thought fondly.

Spotting his favorite game in the back of the room, you could remember an eleven-year-old Patrick running towards the SOS shoot'em up machine. Begging you for more quarters when he finally ran out.

"Well, well, I haven't seen you in here for ages. Long time no see." Keith said, munching away with a box of Giggles Cookies.

"Keith!" you gasped, "that you?" you asked wide-eyed. 

You remembered the bumpy-faced child from middle school who you sat to sit with as he cried all day his first year there, and he hadn't changed up at all.

"You got giant." you said.

Keith laughed, "Yeah, I got tall," he said with pride.

"What happened to you that year? Patrick said you weren't there the year after?" You asked.

You didn't know what made him easy to talk to. Maybe it was because even back then, Keith wasn't the kind of person who never took anything seriously and never really had expectations of anyone or anything.

"Maybe it's because you desperately need whoever is following you to believe you aren't aware of them." you thought.

"My mom pulled me out to home school me. After you left, It got rough for the chunky, pimple faced kid." He said with a shrug.

"Oh." you breathed, "I'm sorry."

"It's ok, the baby fat fell away for the most part, and I'm seeing a good dermatologist." He said with a smile, and you returned it.

"It's good to see you." you said.

Taking a good look around the rows of games, you felt lost, "this place has changed a lot." you said. 

"Look at all these new games." you mused.

"Come check this one out," Keith said, leading you down a separate aisle.

You followed him, "Spy Hunter?" you questioned.

"I remember you used to love cars." He replied.

"What's it about?" you asked.

"Well, you see, you're a spy using this sports call loaded with weapons to take out enemies," He said.

"Huh, sounds fun," you said, stepping up to the machine.

"It's been so long since I've used one of these," you thought, slipping your change into the coin slot.

"Nice keep going!"

"No way, I bet she tanks this round!" 

"Shut up, you'll break her concentration!" 

You giggled as you found yourself surrounded by a bunch of kids, It had been well over an hour, and you were very sure whoever had been following you had left long ago.

Still, you couldn't stop, not only because you had gotten pulled into the need to get more points, but because you were hemmed in by a pack of preteens.

"Look out!" A small girl with vivid red hair called, leaning closer to the screen from beside you.

Unfortunately, you didn't react fast enough and your player was destroyed.

The crowd awwed.

"Alright kids, that's enough," Keith called out, breaking them up.

"Will you try again?" the little redhead asked you.

You gave the girl a smile, "I might."

"I'm gonna try to beat you while I'm in town." the girl said with a smirk, her eyes wandering over every game in the aisle.

"I'm trying to beat everybody's high score." she said smugly.

you giggled, "oh is that so, then I'll have to check back and reclaim the leader board." you said.

The girl beamed. "Yeah, you can try." she said. 

"I'm ____" You said introducing yourself timidly holding out her hand.

The little girl shook it but squinted, "You're shy huh? My mom's kinda like that. Anyone ever tell you kinda draw into yourself like Turtle?" She asked.

You gave a sheepish smile, "I might have been called ____ the Turtle when I was your age.," You admitted.

The girl laughed, "oh no!" she said.

"Yeaaah." you sang.

"I'm Max." the girl said coolly.

You wanted to laugh, it seemed like she was trying hard to be like the older teens.

"Well it's good to meet you Max." you said, as you placed the rest of your quarters down on the machine.

"There...good luck trying to beat my high score." you said.

"Sweet! Thanks!" Max cheered.

"It was good seeing you, McKinney." Keith said in passing, "maybe I'll see you around?" he asked.

You paused, "Maybe, it was fun here, and I've got a feeling I'm gonna need to put a lot of work in to reclaim my spot on Spy Hunter" you laughed, stepping outside and letting the door swing closed behind you.

Looking around in the darkness, you no longer saw the strange car and breathed a big sigh of relief.

"Thank you, I wonder if I should tell dad or just not mention this." you pondered.

"It might very well be a trap or a test." you thought, walking to your car.

Across the street, you spotted a scrawny girl running down the street.

Police sirens sounded a few blocks down.

"It's you!" you gasped.

Hopping in your car, you quickly peeled out of the parking lot.

Slamming on the brakes, you reached over and rolled down the passenger window, your eyes locked onto a startled Amy.

"Get in!" you called.

Looking back at the approaching police lights, Amy tossed her backpack into the car and hopped in.

You sped off as fast as you could up the rural tree-lined road, keeping the distance between the police, slowing down to a steady speed, you took a right.

"Thanks for that." Amy panted.

"I owed you, this is hardly enough," you said, glancing at Amy and then taking another turn.

"Where are we going?" Amy asked.

"Just for a drive, if they see me riding around, they won't know you might be in the car, right?" you replied.

"Oh...yeah, I guess that works." Amy said, digging into her backpack.

"Did they see your face?" you asked.

Amy gave a deep goofy giggle, "nope, much too fast for that," she said.

Silence fell between the two of you, you focused on the road as you continued making random turns.

"Well, this is awkward," Amy whistled from her seat.

"Sorry, I've never been good at keeping conversations," you murmured.

"Yeah well....back when I had people to be around, people said I talk too much so." Amy said with a shrug.

"Why were...are, the police chasing you? Was it about last night?" you asked.

"What happened last night?" Amy asked, in mock confusion.

You looked at her in disbelief and Amy pointed at her.

"Exactly that. If you don't want to be in shit up to your eyeballs, you play dumb and blind." Amy warned.

You gulped and turned your eyes back to the road.

"I was looking to get revenge for my sister last night. That's all. But I was one person short. So I couldn't do it and unfortunately... Ford called for help. You see, the police chief hasn't realized yet that Loxion has half his officers in their pocket." Amy said in a bitter chuckle.

"Loxion does? That's the company my Dad's trying to sweet talk into some deal with the power plant." you said.

"And I officially unofficially did not hear that either." Amy said, glancing up at you.

"Maybe there's a reason we met after all." she murmured.

"What are you talking about?" you asked.

Amy shook her head and looked out the window.

"Doesn't matter....it's not like I know if I can actually trust you or not." Amy said.

You sighed, "I know that feeling," you said.

Amy frowned, "yeah...yeah, I bet you do. Probably more than any person should." she murmured, leaning back into the seat.

"I got caught stealing some things from the gas station," Amy confessed.

"Oh..." you couldn't find anything else to say. Raised by your very religious father to be a "proper lady" you were lucky to get away with cursing without being sent to see Pastor Alvin.

"So where am I taking you?" you asked.

"I dunno pick a roadside, any roadside." Amy said.

".....you?" you asked.

"I wander, for good reason, too," said Amy.

"I can't leave you on the side of the road, surely." you said.

"Any better ideas? Trust me when I say I can't stay anywhere public long." Amy muttered.

"Actually..." you said with a small smile, "I think I might."

You pulled to a stop in front of a sparsely occupied neighborhood, large lots were completely empty now or contain old big houses that had seen better days.

"You're kidding me, right?" Amy asked as the two of you peered out the windows at the towering Blue Victorian home.  

"Nope" you breathed opening her car door, Amy grabbed her backpack and quickly followed after you. 

"I used to be obsessed with this place," you murmured, a glassy haze filling your eyes as you focused on the stained-glass rose window. Heading carefully up the long steps to the walkway.

"It's boarded up." Amy pointed out. 

"There's another way in, I followed a trail of spiders once, nobody knows it, but there's a board loose on a broken basement window," you said.

You led Amy around the back of the home, stooping down to the daylight basement windows.

"It looks nailed shut to me." Amy said stooping as well.

You smiled and effortlessly lifted away the board. Flipping the wood over, you let Amy get a good look at the backside.

"Everything but the nail head rusted off...." Amy murmured, looking at you confused. 

"How does that even happen? What kind of shit nails did they use?" Amy asked.

"Be glad for shit nails, they gave you the key to your new hotel." you said.

"I mean it's better than sleeping in the dirt I guess... but how do you know no one will come here?" Amy asked.

"Most people think it's cursed. I never believe in such things." you said, "but you know,"

"Hawkins is a shithole that will believe anything it's bottle-fed?" Amy asked.

"That's your favorite word, isn't it?" you asked.

Amy tossed her a wide cheesy smile, "shiiiit yeah!" she said.

Causing you to laugh, before crawling into the busted window and into the basement.

Dusty was an understatement when it came to the inside of the place. Many of the old boxes and furniture stored there remained.

"Jesus, this shit's gotta be older than me." Amy said dusting off a box.

"I mean, it could use a clean...but you should be safe here," you said looking around.

"I'm going to earn your trust," you said, turning to Amy. 

Amy looked at you, "to be honest, I don't think we have a choice. You know the Fords have a whole file on your family?" Amy asked.

"Why would they have a file on my family?" you questioned back.

"Well, I guess it's more like a file...on you." Amy said.

"I didn't have time to take it with me, Ford had a room full of filing cabinets and videotapes. I had to leave before I could get a solid look at everything." Amy explained.

"Haven't you heard the rumors about the Loxion corp?" Amy asked.

You shook your head, "no, my dad said that he wanted to impress Ford for work purposes. That's the first time I've heard of them." you said.

"Pull up a dusty chair, then, because I've got a good campfire tale for you," Amy spoke dryly.

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[enchantedquill-40]

Part 3

In the wake of that pivotal night in the jungle, a subtle transformation began within Sawyer. The vulnerability he had exposed, and the solace found in Jack's embrace, sparked an unexpected shift. No longer burdened solely by fear and isolation, Sawyer became increasingly reliant on the connection he had discovered.

Days turned into nights, and Sawyer, once hesitant to reach out, now sought Jack's presence with an unspoken urgency. The cave, once a place of shadows and turmoil, became a sanctuary where Sawyer gravitated toward Jack's calming aura. His dependency on Jack grew, a testament to the healing power of human connection in the face of profound trauma.

Jack, initially driven by a sense of duty and empathy, found himself drawn to Sawyer in ways he hadn't anticipated. The lines between caregiver and confidant blurred, and an unspoken understanding blossomed between them. As the island's mysteries continued to unfold, so did the intricate dance of emotions within the cave's confines.

One evening, under the soft glow of the campfire, Sawyer sat closer to Jack than ever before. The flickering flames cast a warm glow on their faces, highlighting the shared journey of healing that had brought them to this moment. Sawyer, still grappling with the aftermath of his trauma, turned to Jack with a vulnerability that transcended words.

"I never thought I'd find something like this here," Sawyer confessed, his voice a whisper that echoed through the cave. Jack, meeting his gaze with a depth of understanding, replied, "Sometimes, healing comes from the most unexpected places."

The island, with its ancient secrets and untamed beauty, seemed to weave a tapestry of redemption around the evolving relationship between Jack and Sawyer. Their connection, forged in the crucible of shared pain, became a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

As the weeks passed, Sawyer's reliance on Jack deepened. The island, indifferent to the nuances of human emotions, provided a backdrop to their shared moments of solace and understanding. The jungle's whispers seemed to carry echoes of a love that dared to blossom amidst the challenges of survival.

One moonlit night, as the stars painted the sky with their celestial glow, Sawyer, emboldened by a newfound sense of trust, leaned in closer to Jack. Their lips met in a tentative yet passionate kiss, sealing a connection that transcended the boundaries of their past traumas.

In the quiet aftermath, Sawyer's eyes, clouded by blindness, held a depth of emotion that Jack could feel without words. The cave, with its stalactites hanging like silent witnesses, bore witness to a love that had bloomed amidst the shadows of fear and pain.

Their relationship continued to evolve, a complex dance between vulnerability and strength. Jack, once the healer, found solace in being a source of comfort for Sawyer. Sawyer, in turn, discovered a reservoir of resilience within himself, nurtured by the love he had found in the unlikeliest of places.

As their connection deepened, the survivors noticed the subtle shifts in dynamics within the group. The island, with its enigmatic presence, seemed to acknowledge the delicate threads of love that intertwined with the shared pursuit of redemption. The jungle's mysteries became a backdrop to the evolving romance that blossomed in the midst of challenges.

Months passed, and Jack and Sawyer's relationship continued to flourish. The cave, now a witness to their shared intimacy and unspoken understanding, carried the echoes of their journey. Sawyer, once lost in the darkness, had found not only solace but also love in the most unexpected of circumstances.

Their first night together, marked by tenderness and a shared vulnerability, became a cornerstone in the complex narrative of the survivors' lives on the island. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a soft glow over the intertwined figures in the cave, as the jungle's symphony of sounds serenaded the island's newest chapter.

In the dance between love and healing, Sawyer and Jack navigated the uncharted waters of their evolving relationship. The island, with its timeless wisdom, embraced the complexity of human connection amidst the ever-changing tapestry of shadows and light. And as the survivors faced the unknown challenges ahead, the enduring flame of love flickered in the heart of the cave, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst the mysteries of the island. In the glow of the moonlight, Sawyer's carefree spirit resonated with an infectious energy that seemed to permeate the very fabric of their secluded haven. The laughter and splashing in the pool created an atmosphere of uninhibited joy, a stark contrast to the shadows that had haunted Sawyer's past.

As they retreated to the comfort of the cave, the air carried with it a sense of renewal. The playfulness persisted, and Sawyer, still basking in the afterglow of their moonlit escapade, turned to Jack with a genuine smile that illuminated the darkness within him.

"Doc, I've gotta admit, even blind, this was the most fun I've had in a long time," Sawyer confessed, his voice carrying the echoes of a newfound liberation.

Jack, equally moved by the experience, couldn't help but reciprocate the sentiment. "I'm glad you found joy in the moment, Sawyer. You deserve it."

Their shared laughter lingered in the air, a testament to the transformative power of embracing vulnerability and seizing moments of genuine connection. The island, with its enigmatic allure, seemed to cradle their shared memories as they settled into the quietude of the cave.

In the intimate glow of the cave, Sawyer, his guard momentarily down, turned to Jack with a vulnerability that transcended the physical and emotional scars of their shared past. "Jack, there's something I need to say," he began, his blind eyes reflecting sincerity.

Jack, attuned to the shifting dynamics between them, met Sawyer's gaze with an encouraging nod. "You can always talk to me, Sawyer. What's on your mind?"

Sawyer took a deep breath, as if gathering the courage to unveil the depths of his emotions. "I love you, Jack. More than I ever thought I could."

The words hung in the air, their weight palpable amidst the echoes of the cave. Jack, caught off guard by the unexpected confession, felt a warmth spread through his chest. It was a revelation that surpassed the boundaries of their shared history, transcending the confines of the island and the trials they had faced together.

A genuine smile tugged at the corners of Jack's lips. "I love you too, Sawyer. More than I could have imagined."

In that quiet exchange, beneath the stalactites that hung like silent witnesses, a profound connection blossomed—a connection that went beyond the island's mysteries and the scars of their past. The cave, with its walls that had borne witness to pain and healing alike, now cradled the authenticity of their shared moment.

As they lingered in the quiet aftermath, Sawyer's gaze held a depth of emotion that transcended his blindness. "Jack, I'm sorry for everything. For the mistakes, the pain I caused. I never thought I'd find someone like you here."

Jack, moved by Sawyer's sincerity, reached out and gently placed a hand on Sawyer's shoulder. "Sawyer, we've all made mistakes. We're navigating uncharted territory here, and it's okay. What matters is that we're finding a way to heal together."

Sawyer nodded, a mixture of gratitude and remorse etched on his features. The island, with its ancient mysteries, seemed to offer a backdrop to this shared moment of vulnerability and redemption.

In the ensuing days, their relationship deepened, fortified by a newfound understanding and the shared acknowledgment of love. The cave, once a place of shadows and isolation, became a haven where the complexities of their past were gradually replaced by the simplicity of shared moments.

The survivors, unaware of the intricacies of Sawyer and Jack's evolving connection, carried on with the routines of survival. The jungle, with its mysterious whispers and untamed beauty, held its secrets close, indifferent to the human drama that unfolded in its midst.

Sawyer's newfound sense of security within their relationship manifested in a willingness to be unabashedly himself. In their secluded haven, he embraced the freedom to be silly, to express his love openly, and to navigate the complexities of intimacy with Jack.

One evening, as the cave echoed with their shared laughter, Sawyer turned to Jack with a playful grin. "You know, Doc, I never thought I'd find love in a place like this. Blind as a bat, but I can feel it. Feel you."

Jack, captivated by the authenticity of Sawyer's words, chuckled. "Love has a way of finding us when we least expect it. And Sawyer, blindness doesn't define the depth of what we share."

Their relationship unfolded with a natural ease, each shared moment a testament to the transformative power of love amidst the challenges of the island. The cave, once a witness to pain and solitude, became a sacred space where vulnerability was celebrated, and healing embraced the nuances of the human heart.

As the survivors faced the unknown challenges that lay ahead, Sawyer and Jack navigated the enigmatic terrain of their evolving connection. In the heart of the jungle, amidst the whispers of ancient trees and the dance of shadows, love blossomed—a resilient force that defied the odds and found solace in the untamed beauty of the island. In the final days on the island, Sawyer's resilience and adaptability were put to the test. With dwindling resources and the challenges of survival intensifying, he faced the reality of navigating a world without sight. The jungle, once a place of shadows and mystery, became a tangible obstacle, and yet Sawyer's determination to adapt flourished.

Guided by the subtle sounds of the island, the rustling leaves, the distant calls of wildlife, and the rhythmic sounds of the waves, Sawyer learned to trust his remaining senses. His fingertips traced the terrain, mapping the world around him through touch. Jack, witnessing Sawyer's journey of adaptation, became a supportive presence, offering guidance and encouragement.

As the survivors faced the unknown, Sawyer's newfound abilities became a testament to the indomitable human spirit. He navigated the jungle with a resilience that defied the constraints of his blindness, an inspiration to those who witnessed the evolution of his capabilities.

The island, indifferent to their struggles, revealed its final challenges as the survivors embarked on their journey to leave its enigmatic embrace. The makeshift raft, constructed with meticulous care, became their vessel of hope, carrying them toward the uncertain horizon.

Upon their return to civilization, Sawyer's journey of adaptation continued. The bustling sounds of city life replaced the serenity of the island, and yet, Sawyer faced this new environment with a courage born from his island experiences. The world without sight became a canvas for him to explore, and he relied on his sharpened senses to navigate the complexities of the urban landscape.

Jack, deeply moved by Sawyer's resilience, stood by his side as a pillar of support. Their connection, forged amidst the challenges of survival, transcended the boundaries of the island. Sawyer's journey became a testament to the transformative power of adapting to the unknown and finding strength in vulnerability.

In the weeks that followed, Sawyer and Jack's relationship continued to evolve. The challenges they faced together on the island had forged a bond that withstood the tests of time and transition. Their love, once celebrated in the quiet moments of the cave, now flourished in the vibrancy of the world beyond the island.

One day, amidst the bustling cityscape, Jack turned to Sawyer with a question that carried the weight of a shared journey. "Sawyer, will you marry me?" he asked, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.

Sawyer, touched by the sincerity of the proposal, nodded with a smile that transcended the visual limitations of his blindness. "Yeah, Jack. I'd be honored."

Their decision to marry became a celebration of love and resilience—a union that echoed the complexities of their past and the shared commitment to a future filled with the possibilities of adaptation and growth.

The wedding, a quiet ceremony surrounded by a select few who had shared their island journey, became a poignant celebration of love's triumph over adversity. As Jack and Sawyer exchanged vows, their words carried the echoes of survival, resilience, and the enduring strength of their connection.

In the years that followed, Sawyer's journey continued to inspire those around him. With the support of Jack and their close-knit community, he embraced opportunities for personal and professional growth. Sawyer's adaptability, once honed in the crucible of the island, became a beacon of inspiration for others facing challenges in their own lives.

As Jack and Sawyer navigated the complexities of marriage, their relationship became a testament to the transformative power of love. They faced life's joys and tribulations together, their shared resilience strengthening the bonds that had been forged amidst the mysteries of the island.

Through Sawyer's journey, blindness became not a limitation, but a unique lens through which he experienced the world. His adaptability, once tested on the island, continued to evolve, opening doors to new opportunities and perspectives.

In the quiet moments of their life together, Sawyer and Jack reflected on the island that had shaped them. The memories of laughter in the cave, moonlit swims, and moments of vulnerability became the foundation upon which their enduring love was built.

As they faced the uncertainties of the future, Sawyer's journey of adaptation served as a reminder that resilience, love, and the willingness to embrace the unknown could transform the challenges of survival into a canvas for a vibrant and fulfilling life. The island, with its mysteries and shadows, had become a distant memory, but its lessons lived on in the resilient spirit of those who had navigated its enigmatic terrain and emerged on the other side, ready to face the limitless possibilities that lay ahead.

[pesterloglog]

John Egbert, Roxy Lalonde, Kanaya Maryam, Rose Lalonde, Dave Strider, Terezi Pyrope

Act 6, page 7929-7936

JOHN: hey, they're back!

JOHN: how'd it go?

ROXY: went cool

ROXY: dropped callie off with jade + mayor

ROXY: gave kanaya space egg

ROXY: shit is shaping the heck up

JOHN: nice!

JOHN: hehe.

JOHN: hello, hummingbird.

ROXY: :)

ROXY: hay whats happening to skaia

KANAYA: It Looks Like Someone Has Finally Released The Grist

KANAYA: Its Ready To Receive Echidnas Offering Now

KANAYA: If Someone Is Able To Light The Forge That Is

ROXY: oh

ROXY: soo...

ROXY: how do we do that again?

KANAYA: In Our Session By This Time It Was Trivial

KANAYA: Under Present Circumstances I Think It Will Be

KANAYA: Tricky

JOHN: huh?

KANAYA: Every Magic Ring I Am Aware Of Is Currently In Use

KANAYA: Some By Friends And Some By Foes

JOHN: oh.

JOHN: well, i wouldn't worry about it right now.

JOHN: there are more pressing things to think about, like fighting a lot of bad guys.

JOHN: by the way... where's karkat?

ROXY: hes meditating

JOHN: what? meditating??

KANAYA: Yes

KANAYA: Inside A Pretty And Spiritual Cave

ROXY: echidna really blitzed his chakras apparently

JOHN: what the fuck is a chakra.

ROXY: shrug

ROXY: some soul junk that gets blitzed in the presence of a snake goddess??

JOHN: um.

JOHN: this doesn't sound like something karkat would do.

JOHN: are you sure this isn't some sort of bullshit?

KANAYA: Its Definitely True And Not Bullshit Lets Change The Topic

ROSE: Agreed.

ROSE: I think I speak for all of us when I say we've indulged in entirely enough bullshit already.

ROSE: Let's get on with this.

ROSE: John, you're our leader. And if you try to deny that one more time, so help me god, I will acrobatically pirouette so hard off this lilypad, I'll perform a supersonic swan dive through Skaia and impregnate the battlefield with my own incredulous torso.

ROSE: Now please tell us what to do.

JOHN: wow, ok! i won't say i'm not your leader anymore, jeez.

JOHN: i think it's about time to get going!

JOHN: by my estimation, all the bad guys should be getting here any minute.

JOHN: so we should go find the condesce and ambush her.

JOHN: she's supposed to be on derse, right?

ROXY: yup

JOHN: alright, then let's go.

JOHN: i think we are as ready as we are going to get.

JOHN: we all have weapons, cool powers, a plan of attack, and most importantly of all, each other.

JOHN: never forget, team work is our secret weapon here.

JOHN: probably the most powerful weapon we have!

JOHN: second ONLY, perhaps, to the power of friendship itself.

JOHN: remember that, guys.

JOHN: as long as we have team work, friendship, and cool powers on our side, we can't lose.

JOHN: you are my best friends ever... rose and roxy, and kanaya and terezi, and dave and jade and karkat, and also jane and dirk and jake, and...

ROSE: John.

JOHN: hold on, rose, i'm almost done...

JOHN: and callie, and tavros, and cat rose, and um, the sweaty guy, uh, PROBABLY not the clown in the fridge though... oh, yeah, and even probably vriska.

JOHN: oh, and the mayor! he's great too.

JOHN: did i miss anybody? i think that's it.

JOHN: anyway, i believe in you all, and i know we can do this together.

JOHN: now let's go kick some ass!

ROXY: mmm thas good shit

ROXY: very leadery :)

ROSE: ...

JOHN: how was that, rose?

ROSE: I don't know what I expected.

JOHN: huh?

JOHN: wait, did i say something dumb?

ROSE: No, it was fine.

ROSE: Roxy's right. It was very leadery. Very... "John".

ROSE: I'm just wondering now, if you're really going to embrace this business of leadership,

ROSE: Maybe you'd consider hiring a speech writer?

JOHN: a speech writer??

JOHN: i dunno, rose. i think i'd be pretty bad at memorizing speeches.

JOHN: especially ones YOU wrote. :p

ROSE: Touché.

TEREZI: WH4T?

TEREZI: D4V3

TEREZI: 4R3 YOU T4LK1NG THROUGH TH3 L1TTL3 FO4M 4SS 4G41N

TEREZI: UGH!

TEREZI: N3V3R M1ND

TEREZI: 1 W1LL B3 R1GHT TH3R3

TEREZI: OK 3V3RYBODY

TEREZI: SOUNDS L1K3 D4V3 4ND H1S BRO 4R3 R34DY

TEREZI: 1'M GO1NG TO FLY OV3R TH3R3 NOW

TEREZI: 1 HOP3 YOU 4LL H4V3 FUN MURD3R1NG YOUR D3S1GN4T3D V1LL41N

TEREZI: C4TCH YOU L4T3R >:]

JOHN: BYE, IDIOT!!!!!!!

ROXY: ......

ROSE: ......

TEREZI: WOW JOHN, CH1LL OUT

JOHN: heh.

JOHN: sorry, i guess i got carried away.

JOHN: no offense.

TEREZI: SOM3 T4K3N >;]

[countlessrealities]

My Little Pony crap. Now, that's a new one.

Rick rolls his eyes as he half listens to the two mutants' babbling. He really shouldn't be surprised, considering that the comment is coming from the same guys who have just gotten their asses handed to them and who are now talking about roasting him on a stick. If someone is ending up cooked, it's the boar.

Under other circumstances he might have inserted himself in the conversation and beat them up verbally too, but he can't really be bothered. Even for someone as petty and childish as he can be there are things that are just too easy. There would be no pleasure in engaging a debate with someone who didn't understand half of the stuff he said.

So, he merely ends up tuning the chattering out, not before having turned on one of the small microphones his lab coat was equipped with. As random and weird their way of talking was, the two were still dropping bits of potentially useful information, and he didn't want to lose it when it might have come in handy.

The moment the trio appears in sight, Morty spots them. After the extenuating walk he and and Krang had shared, more because of the constant arguing than for the walking in itself, he has been content to retreat a few steps away and let the alien argue with the ninja guy they have run into by the entrance of the cave. From what he has gathered, the man is supposed to be Krang's second-in-command, even if the two don't seem to share too much respect for each other.

Not that the boy cares. The more focused the two are on each other, the less attention they pay to him. And he also gets to ogle the guy's cool armour in peace.

Being called a "pubescent corncob" doesn't exactly make Morty happy, but less than a minute later Rick and the two...aliens? animals...who are with him make their appearance and everything is forgotten. Shredder hardly has the time to ask his question before the boy is dashing away to meet the newcomers halfway.

"O-Oh geez, Rick, I-I told you that splitting up wasn't a good idea!" The teen instantly claims, but his tone is more relieved than angry. He has been handling himself well enough, but he was still feeling a little out of his depth, especially after they joined the master ninja. "I-I didn't know...K-Krang, uh, the brain said that..."

"Y-Yeah, yeah, shut it, Morty," Rick cuts him off, waving a dismissive hand. "I-I got all the story from those two." He points Bebop and Rocksteady with his thumb. "B-Big ass alien fortress, w-with a big ass portal system, b-but they ran out of juice an-and are stuck...w-whatever. W-We help them fix their shit, t-they hand over some of the 'fluid' o-or a lift back to our dimension."

Morty glares a little at that, but he still nods his head in confirmation. All considered, it's a good thing that his grandfather already knows everything. He would have hated having Krang jumping in every five seconds while he tried to explain the whole ordeal.

So, he lets the scientist brush past him and turns to have a better look at the two mutants instead.

"Uh...Hi? S-So, who's Bebop an-and who's Rocksteady?" He asks awkwardly with a forced chuckle. They might be big and and not exactly good-looking, but they seem more approachable than Krang and Shredder. "I-I'm Morty an-and Rick is...I-I'm with him. Yeah...N-Nice to meet you?"

In the meanwhile, Rick has joined the bickering duo, brows raised as he glanced from one to the other, as if he couldn't decide who is the most ridiculous.

"D-Damn, aren't capes a little overdone?" Is the first thing he eventually asks, deciding to address Shredder. "Y-You're lucky it looks hot on you o-or I'd be laughing in your face."

He can't tell what the guy looks like, with most of his face covered by that stupid mask, but if the curve of the metal is to be taken as a clue, that Shredder must have one hell of a fine jaw.

"S-So, you're the boss here, Metal Face? S-Since those are your mutants and all..." He glances over his shoulder, towards the other trio. Of course he knows that the other human isn't the one in charge, or well, he shouldn't be, but no way he's wasting such a good chance to get under his new forced companions' skin.

"L-Little word of advice. M-Maybe next time you choose to...mutate someone or-or whatever, check their IQ first."

{ @technodromes }

[ 🎸 ] What the 'Back to the Future'-looking guy says, does make sense, even to these bean-brains. Even though Rocksteady clearly isn't a big fan of him and the insults thrown their ways. The rhino mutant snorts, and there's clearly anger behind it. But Bebop puts a hand on his pal's shoulder. "Easy Rock. If grampster can really help us get outta this shit-show, we should let him have half of that messed-up 'My Little Pony' crap, yeah? No big deal." Not like he's the one to decide that, but the actual protest would follow later.

"Once we're back in New York, we knock back a beer! An' if he screws with us, we just- beat him up an' gonna roast him on a stick or something!" That would be a whole different can of worms, of course. But either way, Rocksteady seems to like the sound of that and lightens up again.

"Okay fine. Let's find that crap and get the Technoball rollin' again." He then lowers his voice and shuffles closer to Bebop. "But if we ain't finding the juice, Beedeedledee? I ain't the one dealing with this Sub-guy when we get back without the others. He's intense." Bebop shrugs first before he whispers back. "Eh. We just let gramps deal with him. Come on now dude, we can't stand around here an' keep whispering like two schoolgirls."

The unlikely trio then heads off. And while Rick has to endure a lot of stupid yacking from the mutants along the way, he also learns a fair deal about the Technodrome's crew. Krang, Shredder and Subprime, though it appears they don't seem to know much about the latter. It becomes also evident that their loyalty lies mostly with Shredder, though they also mention a 'Karai' a few times. They also bring up that everything is a lot different since they used these magic sticks from that horned guy. Needless to say, they are open books. But it's such a barrage of random, oddly described information that it is like deciphering a riddle without any further content being given.

Rick, who ignores most of their incoherent pointless rambling by now to focus on his scanner, leads the three eventually to the entrance of a cave. And they wouldn't be the only ones to arrive there...

"A bunch of incompetent cretins, that's what YOU and your mutants are, Shhhredderrr!" Krang's mood has not much improved since his run-in with Morty. In fact, he was constantly bickering and arguing with the teenager on their way to make sure he has the last word in all of their little conversations. Shredder isn't going to have any of that.

"Yet I found this cave before you, Krang. While you wasted time dragging a pubescent corncob around." Krang burbles and croaks angrily, uttering insults in his native tongue before actually managing to talk English again. "But you lost Bebop and Rocksteady! We need these blathering idiots to carry the energy SOURCE to the Technodrome!" He ends his sentence with an inhuman croaking noise that forced its way out of him as so often.

Shredder shrugs, arms still tightly crossed. While Krang is facing towards the cave, the Ninja Master actually sees the mutants coming their way already. And like in Krang's case, they accompany someone he doesn't know. "Oh look, speak of the devil. They are here now. And is that the guy you talked about, kid?"