#we are castaways ahoy

[love-3-crimes]

Day 28: Shipwrecked

We were out at sea on a sailing ship The rain began to rain, and the wind began to whip We felt the ship tip, it was going down So we launched our lifeboat, so we wouldn't drown

CASTAWAYS, WE ARE CASTAWAYS ��

[writingquestionsanswered]

Struggling with Setting and Plot

[Ask edited for length]

enzoid23 asked: I can easily make characters/relationships but the setting and plot are difficult for me. I like stories where characters are stuck together in a new place and have to learn to accept it or find a way to escape, which is a basic concept, but I can't figure out how to do it. I'm trying my to avoid copying other stories but I'm not sure where to draw the line between that and inspiration either. There's too many gaps, such as the how and the where and how many characters. I keep throwing in as much stuff as i can whether it fits or not, like a Mary Sue, but it's plot instead of a character.

First, since you asked about copying vs inspiration, start by reading these posts:

Taking Inspiration from Another Story’s Premise Similarities vs Plagiarism Plagiarism vs Reference vs Inspiration Hopefully that will help you get comfortable with borrowing ideas from other sources but making them into something new and unique to you.

Next, being able to come up with characters is great, but unless those characters are rooted in a particular setting or situation, it doesn't help much with world building and plot. And while some writers can find a plot within a setting, I think for most writers its easier to start with the plot, and once you have the beginnings of a premise, it's not too hard to expand a plot from there. As luck would have it, you already have the beginnings of a premise:

People get stuck together in a new place and have to learn to accept it or find a way to escape.

Now we can look at that and start asking questions. Perhaps the easiest question to start with is "do they learn to accept it, or do they find a way to escape?" Which one? Because those are two very different goals. Choosing one and eliminating the other tightens up your premise:

People get stuck together in a new place and have to learn to accept it.

All right... I think the next logical question is who gets stuck together in a place? Is it two people? Three people? Five people? Twenty-six people? One-hundred people? You don't even have to figure out the exact number right now, but just knowing whether this story is about two people, a few people, a small group of people, a bigger group of people, or a huge group of people is going to really narrow things down.

A small group of people get stuck together in a new place and have to learn to accept it.

Okay... where do they get stuck and how? Let's brainstorm... are these modern day boaters, or a misfit bunch of 18th century buccaneers, who become castaways on a remote island? Are they a group of students whose project gets them sucked into another dimension? Are they far-future astronauts who get stranded on an isolated planet? Keep going...

A small group of students get sucked into another dimension and stranded when their science project goes wrong.

Ahoy, there! A PREMISE!!!

Now you can start brainstorming the specific details... who are these students? Middle school/equivalent? High school/equivalent? University? Graduate school? Where and when is their school located? 1926 Chicago? 1980s London? 2077 Kinshasa? 1926 Shanghai?

A small group of middle school students in 1980's London get sucked into another dimension and stranded when their science project goes wrong.

Time to start world building and brainstorming this alternate dimension. Is it going to be an alternate version of our dimension? Will it be a dimension that's similar to a past time/place on Earth? Will this dimension be like a futuristic city? Will it be something fantastical like a place that feels like an alien city, or like Blade Runner meets Ready Player One? Are there other people in this dimension? Or is this group completely on their own?

Now you can start to think about a conflict... what is the problem that must be resolved by the end of the story? Is it simply a matter of figuring out how to survive in this new place? Are they immediately captured by some faction or army or group, and they must escape, or convince someone that they're not dangerous, or win their freedom somehow? What is the specific goal they work toward in order to reach this resolution? What steps must they achieve? Who or what places obstacles in their path, and what obstacles?

Once you know all of this, you can figure out the nitty-gritty details like how many characters, who each one is specifically, and what their role in the story will be. You can look at various structure templates (like Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, Larry Brooks Story Structure, Dramatica, etc.) for guidance... just don't feel like you have to stick to it exactly. You can also read through posts on my Plot & Story Structure master list for more help with plotting.

I hope this post gets you over the hump, though! ♥

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[ash-plavell]

Castaways We are castaways Ahoy there Ahoy We are castaways

Characters used (left to right): Sam the Sea Anenome Kinito the Axolotl Jade the Jellyfish Wavie the [UNKNOWN] (my OC, she/her pronouns) Sheldon the Shrimp (my OC, he/him pronouns)

TBH, I have an AU idea in my head inspired by both (what I know of) The Backyardigans and the Patreon post made by Troy-en that revealed the cut concept of a Kinito Crew TV show.

Basically, it'd be an edutainment show that has more of a focus on telling the story in the episode rather than trying to get audience interaction, and teaching the viewers valuable lessons.

Kinito's also fully aware of the fourth wall at all times, and sometimes tries to derail the episode just to be able to have some semblance of interaction with the viewer!

Also, Kinito has a tail in this AU. Isn't all that important, but that'll help separate it from any other KinitoPET content I post to this blog in the future.

Lemme know if you want to see me post more of what I'm calling the "Kinito's Crew TV Show!" AU! Because I'd love to make more content for it!

[castaway-achlys]

🎶castawayys. we are castaways. ahoy theeere, ahoy. we are castawaaayyys🎶

that's what I think of whenever I see you, castor

-mid/@nrc-therapist

*he tilts his head in confusion*

what's that song? is it popular? i've never heard of it...!

[punkshort]

Cast away

Cast always * hula dance * we are cast always

Ahoy there , ahoy ! We are castaways * hula dance*

I’m having swept away withdraws

They're coming your way tomorrow! Just one more sleep.

💅👗🛳️🍾🏝️🍹🥃🫦🤯🤬🏖️😢🤢🛌☺️

[flashquatsch]

Castaways

We are Castaways ahoy

Buy me a Ko-fi ^^ https://ko-fi.com/flashquatsch Support me on Patreon https://patreon.com/FlashQuatsch My Linktree https://linktr.ee/flashquatsch

[scarskelly]

Castaways, we are castaways, ahoy there, ahoy, we are castaways!

[tdvotes]

Total Drama: Counting the Votes

Welcome to... Total... Drama... Counting... the Votes!

On this series I will be analyzing every Total Drama vote ever, and for the first time ever, I have finally revealed who voted for who every time!

This is absolutely my original idea. You have never seen this series before. You may have seen other people try this concept before, but this time I went all the way.

You may have noticed by now, but some episodes say Final count, some say My final verdict, and others say My final guess. This is an indicator of how certain I am of how many votes were cast for each person:

Final count means we are given the number of votes in the episode.

My final verdict means we are not given the numbers directly, but I am sure that that's what it is.

And my final guess means that I am very unsure of at least one vote.

You may have also noticed that I always list the person who went home first, with the word votes, and then everybody else without the word votes, in order of most votes to fewest.

Once every 13 episodes, we will do a different series called Ranking the Votes, where I will rank how hard it was to determine the votes for each elimination. After each Ranking the Votes, I will add links to each post in that set to this post.

Stay tuned next for a different kind of tournament!

I will update whenever I feel like it.

Links under the cut!

Not So Happy Campers, Part 2

The Big Sleep

Dodgebrawl

Not Quite Famous

The Sucky (or Not So Great) Outdoors

Phobia Factor

Up the Creek

Paintball Deer Hunter

If You Can't Take the Heat...

Who Can You Trust?

Basic Straining

X-Treme Torture

Ranking the Votes s1a

No Pain, No Game

Search and Do Not Destroy

Hide and Be Sneaky

Wawanakwa Gone Wild!

Trial by Tri-Armed Triathlon

Haute Camp-Ture

Camp Castaways

Are We There Yeti?

The Very Last Episode, Really!

Ranking the Votes, s1b

Alien Resurr-Eggtion

Riot on Set

3:10 to Crazytown

The Chefshank Redemption

The Sand Witch Project

Full Metal Drama

Ocean's Eight - or Nine

Million Dollar Babies

Ranking the Votes, s2a

Super Hero-Id

The Princess Pride

Rock 'n' Rule

2008: A Space Owen

Top Dog

The Aftermath IV: Who Wants to Pick a Millionaire?

Ranking the Votes, s2b

Walk Like an Egyptian Part 2

Super Happy Crazy Fun Time Japan

Anything Yukon Do, I Can Do Better

Slap Slap Revolution

The Am-AH-Zon Race

Can't Help Falling in Louvre

Jamaica Me Sweat

I See London...

Greece's Pieces

The EX-Files

Picnic at Hanging Dork

Ranking the Votes, s3a

Niagara Brawls

Chinese Fake-Out

African Lying Safari

Rapa Phooey!

Awwwwww, Drumheller

Hawaiian Style Punch

Ranking the Votes, s3b

Bigger! Badder! Brutal-er!

Truth or Laser Shark

Ice Ice Baby

Backstabbers Ahoy!

Runaway Model

A Mine is a Terrible Thing to Waste

The Treasure Island of Dr. McLean

Grand Chef Auto

Up, Up and Away in My Pitiful Balloon

Eat, Puke and Be Wary

The Enchanted Franken-Forest

Ranking the Votes, s4

Heroes vs Villains

Evil Dread

Saving Private Leechball

Food Fright

No One Eggspects the Spanish Opposition

Suckers Punched

You Regatta Be Kidding Me

The Obsta-Kill Course

Sundae Muddy Sundae

The Bold and the Booty-ful

Ranking the Votes, s5a

So, Uh, This is My Team?

I Love You, Grease Pig!

Twinning Isn't Everything

I Love You, I Love You Knots

A Blast from the Past

Mo' Monkey Mo' Problems

This is the Pits!

Three Zones and a Baby

Hurl and Go Seek

Ranking the Votes, s5b

Meet the Victims

Pirates of the Cabbagean

Drown Town Abbey

Numbskull Island

Jurassic Fart

The Launchback of Notre Game

The Wheel of Vomit

Paddle Field Earth

The Truth, The Pole Truth and Nothing But the Truth

Tortoise Rigamortis

Caved by the Bell

Ranking the Votes, s6a

The Pink Painter Strikes Again

Taking It to the Rim Reaper

You Poor Saps

Choosin' For a Bruisin'

Ice to Beat You

Canoe Believe It?

Fun Fight at the O'Cake Corral

Haulin' and Ballin'

Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Circling the Drain

Working K9 to 5

Off the Hook!

Ranking the Votes, s6b

Note: if you're wondering why I didn't add links for the reboot seasons, it's because Tumblr only lets you put up to 100 links in a single post. But don't worry, each episode is linked at the top of the Ranking the Votes post.

[legendofzoodles]

Castaways...!

This song is so cute and has been stuck in my head for the past 24 hours. I also pictured Wind, Hyrule and Four singing it while adrift in the Great Sea separated from the chain. Wind turns it into a bonding moment. 

Read on AO3 here

~~~

Blue surrounded the trio from every angle. Their peripheral all blue, save for the brown of their hopefully sturdy raft and the bright green of Hyrule’s tunic strung up on the tiny mast of their boat, tattered fabric swaying in the strong breeze. They sat with their backs against it: Wind, Hyrule and Four, legs crossed with tired arms resting on their knees. Miles over yonder Wind could still see the isolated isle they’d managed to escape from, it’s sandy beaches growing further and further away until it was a yellow smudge soiling the horizon. 

Salty air filled their lungs, calm waves lapped stubbornly just shy of worn leather boots and the slow creaking of old wood sounded underneath. They were alone, drifting in a place unknown and an agonizing watery death awaited them just a few centimetres ahead. 

Wind should be afraid, should be feeling lingering anxiety mounting on itself every second that passed with any sign of help, should be diligently surveying the horizon for even the faintest smudge. Yet, fear and doubt eluded him.

To be fair he was looking carefully for rescuers, his stomach ached and his mouth was drier than the Gerudo desert- a couple days of little to no water and food would do that to anyone. Even a hero.  

That’s the thing, he wasn’t alone by himself, he was alone with friends. Every sigh, every cough, every time a slightly-too-warm damp shoulder nudged his, it was a reminder that they were in this together. 

Smiling defiantly at a blistering sun, cruelly reflected off of deceptively calm water, he started it sing with what little energy hadn’t been sapped away.

“Castaways, we are castaways Ahoy there, ahoy, we are castaways,”

his voice was hoarse and a lot to be desired, but that wasn’t the reason his companions tore their eyes from the monochrome landscape to glance quizzically his way,

“We're stuck where we are  With no house, no car  Castaways, ahoy, we are castaways

We were out at sea on a sailing ship  The rain began to rain and the wind began to whip  We felt the ship tip, it was going down  So we launched our lifeboat so we wouldn't drown.”

“Castaways,we are castaways-”

The tiny sailor spun around when they gleefully joined in, grinning brighter than the glaring orb above. Hyrule smiled back, cheeks slightly strained with effort and Four flashed a toothy grin beneath baggy eyes.  

“Ahoy there, ahoy, we are castaways. On an island at sea Just me, me, and me  Castaways, ahoy, we are castaways.”

Their tuneful SOS song rippled across azure waves and bounced between fluffy clouds floating too high, if they could see the fish swimming below them perhaps they’d catch them dancing. Wind guided them through the lyrics over and over, after each rendition a little vocal flare from Hyrule was added and Four steadily worked out a pretty complex beat, rhythmically tapping the mast. 

A sort of peaceful limbo washed over the group, all unsure of the passage of time, no longer rooted by the sky’s movements but the harmony following the next verse. Maybe they were going mad, and maybe Hyrule was just hallucinating the brown smudge with faint red and white smeared above it. Still, when he pointed hope to the others they all collapsed into laughter, cheering their hearts out, smiles wide and toothy. 

Suddenly bursting with energy, the trio rushed to the edge of the raft and make themselves noticed: Wind waving his arms furiously in the air, to the point of almost falling in, Hyrule digging his blistering hands trying to paddle them forward- ignoring the way they stung- and Four shimmying up the mast to manually wave their ‘flag’, clinging to it despite the splinters nipping his fingers. All happily shouting:

"Castaways! Ahoy! We are castaways!”

Later when they’re rescued...

“Sailor...what’s a car?” Four asked.

Wind shrugged. “Dunno man, those are just the lyrics.”

"I think Wild told me about those," said Hyrule, toweling his hair.

~~~

Thanks for reading! This is my first songfic! Also a little TotK in there-so excited for it!  

Masterlist  

Headcanons: Flora is Feral, Parkour team  

Other stories:

Recovered Regrets (LU)

Smoke Signal (LU Wild x reader)

LU character design ranking: 9th place  

Character analysis: Hero of the Wild part 1  

[aina-otsuki]

I lost a fucking bet today! So now I have to post past conversations with my friends. Why? Because that’s was I’m supposed to do when and if I lost. So please don’t mind this weird shit! Please and thank you!! :)

Literally A Legend 

I HATE HERCULES!

Literally Annabeth Chase

Me too, but low key I’d admit that zero to hero is a bop

Me

So, true but man If you really think about it. He really is every other fucking guy :/

Literally A Legend 

I get why our Lila hates him but why do you hate him? Isn’t he like the ideal type for Straight and ready to mingle people?

Me

First of all he’s an asshole in the real Greek myths. Second, he’s not my ideal type. DO YOU THINK I HAVE SUCH LOW STANDARDS IN MEN??!!!!

Lowkey A Nerd 

No, cuz u right. He takes after his father in the HIGHEST degree. I have never loved how in PJO Alaska was off limits for the Gods. So glad I’m on vacay!

Me

Yeah, you were a bitch and left us stranded. Which is betrayal!

Literally A Legend 

Castaways~

Literally Annabeth Chase

We are castaways~

Me

Ahoy There!

Literally A Legend 

Ahoy!

————————————————

Literally A Legend 

AHHHHHHHHHHH

FUCK THE WORLD I HOPE EVERyONE BURNS expect you mi sole. **** you’re a saint to this hell of a world. 

Me

Thank you?Are you okay?

Literally A Legend 

Yep just having depression and some tiny very small suicidal thoughts but don’t worry I’m not actually going to hurt myself. I’ve been working on doing better habits than you know…

Lowkey a Nerd

Lol sucks to suck. 

Literally A Legend 

Go suck and Choke on a D!ck then die.

Me

OKAY! Anyways what’s up?

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking 

Wtf did I just walk into?

Me

NOTHING!! We’re moving on from the subject.

Literally Annabeth Chase 

alright, *Gasp*

Literally A Legend 

Did you just text gasp?

Literally Annabeth Chase

yes, anyway think about this. A fucking book being much more effective as a weapon than a phone…

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

whay brought ths on?

Me

What* this*

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

FUCK OFF!

Me

 >:(

Literally Annabeth Chase

wtf is wrong with you!?

Literally A Legend 

Not cool, being rude to our sol like that.

Lowkey a Nerd 

Like how dare you. HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!

Me

Okay that’s a bit dramatic. Anyways Lila what were you going to say?

Literally Annabeth Chase

Oh, right!

So, the funniest thing ever just happened!

I was told to “Act my Age” right?

Me

Okay 

Lowkey a Nerd 

Cool that’s like the 5th time

Me

shhh… Jason (Literally A Legend) doesn’t need to know that. 

Literally A Legend 

Wt o u mean it te 5h time??

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking 

I cannot read that whatsoever. **** (My real Name was here) translate, you hang around him so much that you might be the only that knows what stupidity he says most of the time

Me

That’s kinda mean but okie! Translation - What do you mean it's the 5th time?? Anyways Lily continue on with what you were saying.

Literally Annabeth Chase

Kinda, forgot about what I was saying for a sec, lol.

So, an old Karen told me that and I told her “What the fuck is that, ‘Act my Age?” She said “Don’t you care about acting like a grown young lady?” “What do I care how fucking old I am? Like the ocean is so old, Karen. But you still see it trying to drown your ass with vigor.” 

She just gasped and looked at me. “You’ll go to hell with that language, young lady. How could your parents let you become such a sinner” 

Lowkey a Nerd 

The fuck? She has to be one of those funky ass Christians who tell Carlos to go to Hell.

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

She sounds like them. So, probably.

Literally A Legend

So, what happens next?

Literally Annabeth Chase

I ended up telling that “my parents left to get gas when I was 5, that’s how I’m like this ma’am.”

Big Ass Giant

Wow

Literally A Legend 

Where tf did you come from? 

Have you been lurking this own time, Vesper?

Big Ass Giant

Yup! :)

Me

Coolio! B)

————————————————

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

Go to hell Big Ass Giant

Big Ass Giant

But then I’d be leaving you without anyone to keep you company. :(

Me

:O

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

STFU ****

————————————————

Context - A one of my friends was being a little shit.

Big Ass Giant

You know **** if you were an actual decent person then maybe people wouldn’t want to avoid you or stop talking to you.

Me

You know, that if you keep running your mouth so much, you’d be the skinniest person here?

Literally A Legend

Damn, she got chu good

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking 

And you guys say I’m the meanest.

Me

It wasn’t mean. It was a fact

Big Ass Giant

Betrayal! How could you have betrayed, me my dear star 

————————————————

Me

 Now that I think about it, Literally A Legend you could and do trip over your shadow a lot.

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

Wait, really? 

You need to film it for me next time.

Literally A Legend 

Fuck off. Also my shadow is an extremely tricky big asshole. He likes it when I fall to his level

Lowkey a Nerd 

How do you know it’s a he?

Literally Annabeth Chase

OmG! Don’t start this shit again!

Literally A Legend

Holy Shit you right! My shadow might be Nonbinary!

Me

Now look at what you did… :/

————————————————

Me

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking, at least try and say something positive or happy today. It might help drown out the negativity!

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

Well, my dad’s dead! :D

Me

I know your dad was a huge Asshole but ykw from you I’ll take that answer. I mean it’s close enough! :)

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

:D 

YAY! Are you proud of me? 

Me

 I mean it’s close enough! :) 

So, yes I am.

Big Ass Giant

I’m genuinely concerned with your sanity **** (talking about me). But good job Biggest Gay Disaster Walking, you made mother happy

Me

stfu, I’m not your mother

Literally A Legend

Mama

Lowkey a Nerd 

Mama

Literally Annabeth Chase

Mama

(They typed this at the same time btw)

Me

…Not one word Big Ass Giant

Big Ass Giant

\{. __ .|||

————————————————

Literally A Legend

Look at our lovely Sol, she's smiling! So, she’s obviously perfectly fine

Biggest Gay Disaster Walking

She’s not smiling because she’s fine. She is smiling because she’s completely terrified of the trauma we faced.

Lowkey a Nerd 

That’s pretty much the same thing… 

————————————————

See ya soon for a sneak peak on A Star Meets The Sky!

[the-annoying-juniper]

CASTAWAYS, AHOY!! WE ARE CASTAWAYS!!

I dunno the rest of the song :[

[estellardreams]

Chapter 7: It Takes One to No Place

"No! Get back here!" Infinite leapt up to him. Shadow grabbed his arm and threw him to the side of the cliff.

He huffed, turning away and running back to the mountain.

Infinite broke through the rubble, the gemstone he had on hand glowing with energy. He growled, running after Shadow and up the mountain.

He stopped, seeing Shadow rush up to the prism before charging up his energy.

Infinite looked down at the Phantom Ruby in his hands, seeing it gleam even brighter than before. And then... 

Everything shattered. Infinite was caught directly in the warp, and vanished right before everything faded to black. 

Shadow's unconscious body flew through the violet void with dull crystals, as Infinite warped back into reality, the Phantom Ruby in his hands.

"... What happened?"

"So... What now?" Rebel asked.

"Venice needs to take the shard somewhere safe." Shadow stated. 

"I can't warp out of here like you can. Could you help?" Venice said, holding out the shard to Shadow.

He paused, looking down on it before placing his hand on Venice. He kept a close hold before touching the shard. 

In an instant, he felt himself warp and lose his hold on Venice as he was sent flying through the void.

He was flung into the open sky, trying to click on his air shoes so he could float down. They sputtered, but didn't activate. 

Right, ran out of chaos energy.

Shadow noticed there was water down below, carefully positioning himself. He held his breath before he splashed below. 

He swam to the surface, looking around for any sort of land before spotting an island. He swam over to it, getting out of the water and shaking off his quills.

Shadow looked around, seeing that this world just appeared to be an open ocean... Great. Barely any land or any form of civilization, and-

"Ahoy there, stranger! What brings ye to the No Place?" a voice asked, leaning from a palm tree. Shadow turned around to see the variants of Amy, Blaze, and Silver... As pirates.

... Oh you gotta be kidding me.

"So... Why are you all here?" Shadow asked, trying to keep his guard up around them.

"We should be asking ye the same thing." the variant of Amy said.

"I fell from the sky."

"Oh."

There was a pause of awkward silence... No one exactly knew what to say. 

Shadow cleared his throat, cautiously approaching them. "My name is Shadow. Who are all of you?"

"Black Rose." the variant of Amy said. 

"Castaway." the variant of Silver said. 

"Daria." the variant of Blaze said.

"Oh... Okay." Shadow looked at them quizzically. Pirates usually had a captain, but who was it?

Rouge and Sonic definitely weren't here, so it could be one of them... 

"So... Why are you all on this island?"

"Gatherin' coconuts for the capt'n." Daria said, cutting down some coconuts before tossing them to Castaway. He caught them with and held them close.

"Captain? Do you have a ship?"

"Obviously."

"Can I go there?"

"The capt'n doesn't exactly appreciate... Scallywags."

"I'm not like that. I'm experienced with ships."

"Ye are?"

"Yes. Just let me come with you."

Castaway paused, climbing up the cliffside and walking up to Shadow.

"This landlubber could be useful... Swabbing the deck, raising the bizzen mass, rowing the boat."

"Ugh. I hate the rowing." Black said.

"I'll row." Shadow offered.

The three pirates stared at him for a moment. They looked at each other, then the two stared at Black Rose.

"Fine... But when we get to the ship, it's Capt'n's orders. Or else." she said.

"Understood." Shadow got to the boat, spotting the deep magenta ship in the distance.

"Is that your ship?"

"Aye. It is. Now move along! We need to return to the ship." Daria handed over an ore.

Shadow paused, looking at his new shoes for a moment. He managed to click them on, giving him an idea.

"You all get in the boat." he said.

Everyone got in, with Shadow holding onto the boat from the outside. 

"Okay! Onwards!" Castaway pointed to the ship.

The boat suddenly shot off, with Shadow blasting them up to the ship. It slowed to a stop, letting him fly onto it before landing. 

"Well, that was quick." Black said, the boat being hoisted up to the ship. Everyone climbed off, heading down to the main deck.

"So, where's this captain you keep talking about?" Shadow asked.

"Aye, who be the lad ye brought on board?" a voice called from above, their form a silhouette because of the sun.

"Shadow. Meet Jewel." Black introduced. 

"The Jewel." Daria said.

The figure swooped down, landing as their bat wings fell in front of them. They were folded back when she stood up, as a proud smile stood before Shadow.

The Jewel is... Rouge? 

... Huh. That honestly makes a lot of sense.

"So, who be ye scallywag?" Jewel asked.

"My name is Shadow."

"Shadow, hm? Quite mysterious. So, what brings ye here mysterious?"

"I need to find something important. Do you know of a jewel that has this odd energy with it?"

"A jewel? What color should she be?" Castaway asked.

Shadow hummed, thinking about the world's for a moment. If red belonged to New Yoke, green to Boscage Maze, and purple to The Grim, then this world is either blue or yellow. 

And it's probably blue, granted the ocean and such. 

"A blue crystal. Know anything about it?"

The three pirates gasped a little as Jewel looked away. 

"That sounds like the stone from 'the incident'!" Daria said.

"The Devil's Lighthouse." Black began. Jewel growled at her a little, causing her to quickly back down from.

"That we don't speak of. Ever."

"Besides. We don't get adventurers here that often. Why don't ye relax? Have some fun?" Jewel said.

"Er, no."

"Would a jewel of mine sweeten the deal?" she pulled out a pearl necklace.

"No."

"Or an apple?"

"No."

"Doubloons?"

"No."

"What'll make you stay, lad?"

"I need to go."

"No, wait! Young lad, why don't ye stay with us for a moment?" Jewel came up to Shadow, trying to keep him from leaving.

"Why?"

"Because ye'll be missin' out on a party!"

A canon fired off, blowing confetti everywhere. Shadow blinked, beginning to pick the stray pieces of paper from his quills. 

Barrels and crates began to get taken out, with some streamers and balloons now decorating the entire ship.

"... Do you party every time a visitor comes over?" Shadow asked.

"Haha! Of course we do!" Jewel laughed.

"Now, c'mon lad! Let me show you what we got for you!"

Shadow stopped, seeing that Jewel was trying to lead him over to a barrel full of food.

"We have a wooden oven, so ye be getting the crispest treats of them all!" Jewel said.

"... No. I'll pass on the food." Shadow said after a moment. 

"But ye look like ye've been starving, lad."

Suddenly, a massive blue figure with wings swooped down from the sky, snatching what looked to be chili dogs from a plate before flying off. 

"Gale! Get back here!" Black yelled.

"Those be for our guest!"

The winged figure flew down, their pale yellow wings neatly folded behind their back. He tilted his hat up, his green eyes against his slightly darker blue fur showed an interesting contrast. 

"So. Are ye the guest?" he asked, walking up to Shadow. He extended his hand to him.

"Names Gale, free as the wind... Literally."

"Yeah. I can tell."

"Anyway, want a sea dog? They're delicious!" Gale handed over what he just took from the plate moments ago.

Shadow stared at it, trying to figure out what it was made of. It seemed to be guacamole with green pepper slices on it. 

"What's in it?"

Jewel laughed, placing her hand on Shadow's shoulder. "Don't ask."

She then left, flying up to a nearby crate and sitting down on it.

"... I think I'll pass." Shadow said.

"Suit yerself." Gale began to eat the sea dogs.

"So, I have a question." Jewel began.

"Alright. What is it?" Shadow asked.

"How did you end up on that island alone with no boat?"

"I fell from the sky."

"Why did ye fall from the sky?"

"Well... Its a long story."

"We got time. We ain't going anywhere."

"... Fine. I'll tell you. But it's going to be very long."

"Alright. So go on."

Shadow looked out to the sea, then back at Jewel. 

"So it started off with my allies and I having to stop Eggman from getting the Paradox Prism. Seeing that I needed to get it out of his hands, and I assumed it would be like the Master Emerald, I shattered it... And then I found myself in New Yoke. I was confronted by a version of my ally Sonic named Bullet working for the Chaos Council and had to escape. Then I tracked down another one of my allies, Silver, who went by Venice here, since he was... Usually the best in figuring out if something went wrong in the timeline. But I was getting the idea that this was a different reality and approached him as such, discovering that he's... Very different from the original in quite a few ways. Still nice and all, but more closed off and... Into technology, specifically constructing plants and animals out of metal. Then I got some gadgets that made my gear... Change between worlds, or more likely attune to the prism energy. Taken in by the Chaos Council for questioning and testing, almost got fried by a laser if it weren't for the versions of Rouge and Amy, who went by Rebel and Tempest Rose respectively, to break in during a power outage. We all escaped the Chaos Council, fought back eggforcers, dealed with Bullet trying to stop us and bought more time for Venice to hack his way inside so everyone could take the energy source. We got the shard, escaped safely, and returned to the resistance base, only to be cornered by the council a while later. Everyone headed into battle and I was instructed to run off with the shard. And... I got distracted, shot in the back, and was warped by the shard into another world. It was this massive jungle, and I crashed onto the canopy in a world known as Boscage Maze. Then I met new versions of Rouge, Silver, and Blaze... Didn't realize Blaze was here, but that's interesting. They thought I was gonna steal their supplies, Dust kept accusing me of being an alien, and Prim offered to help me get the shard in exchange for keeping back the two monsters in the woods. They were the versions of Amy and Sonic... I managed to solve the entire ordeal as peacefully as possible, unfortunately lost my hold on the shard and warped back to New Yoke. Resistance battle, I had to explain how I was gone and that I didn't die, then I met up with Venice who showed me... His new world that could've been a home. It was... Bittersweet. I understand why he wanted a new place, one full of peace like the future and away from the Chaos Council, so something as open as The Grim was perfect... But it wasn't home to me, so I returned to the resistance and kept the fight going. And then, to keep the shard out of the Council's hands, I helped Venice teleport into the void with the shard... And I was flung into this world instead. Then your crew found me on the island, and that brings you up to the current events."

"Sounds like you need a vacation!" Jewel wrapped her arm around Shadow, startling him.

"Uh. No. I don't need a vacation, I need to get back home."

"Why are ye in such a rush, lad? Why not take a small break?"

"But-"

"No buts! Especially when we're about to have a limbo contest!" Jewel clapped her hands, with Black and Daria running over to get the limbo pole.

Shadow sighed. This entire pirate thing was getting him no where.

The sun began to rise along the horizon, with Jewel being the first to wake up and return to the quarterdeck. Shadow returned from the indoor sleeping cabins after a lot of quiet reading, seeing her stare off into the distance. 

"Got any other plans?"

"No."

"No? Aren't we going somewhere?"

"Look around, we need to take it easy and enjoy the day!"

"Just like we do every day..." Castaway mumbled, throwing a bucket of water over and back into the sea.

"This calls for a song!" she fired off another party canon, flying onto a barrel.

"Oh, this be a tale of salt and sea-"

"Another party? Didn't you all do that last night?" Shadow questioned. 

"Relax, have a sea dog, let your cares sail off into the sunset!" Jewel tossed over a sea dog to Shadow, who caught it.

"It's first in the morning."

"Close enough. Now where was I? Ah, yes. Oh, this be a tale of salt and sea-"

"No. Please stop. I just..." Shadow put the sea dog onto a nearby plate.

"I need to go somewhere. Do you know where the blue shard is?"

"Forget it. That treasure brings nothing but pain." Jewel said. 

"But I need it to help me get back home." 

"Leave. It. Be." Jewel threw back a coconut and flew off.

Shadow sighed, only to notice a ship approaching quickly. Castaway watched from above, using his spyglass to look over.

"Capt'n! It be your old crew. Again." he called from above. 

Jewel groaned. "Take your positions, all of you."

Daria pulled Shadow aside, with the two ducking behind some barrels as the other pirates began to raid the ship.

Shadow silently watched them, with them chattering about sticking it up to their old captain and taking what they wanted. Just messing with them in general.

No, he wouldn't stand for this. 

"Hey! Back to your boat, or else." Shadow threatened, getting out of hiding.

Daria paused.

"Is he really gonna... Fight them...?" she whispered to herself.

"Bold talk for a lad with no sword." the other captain said.

"I don't need a sword." Shadow pulled out his spare gun, which sent the other entire pirate crew into a frenzy.

"Ah! He's got a gun! Retreat!" one of them yelped, rushing back to the other ship. All of the other pirates followed, quickly leaving.

Shadow checked the holster to see if it had any bullets. It was actually empty... Probably should've refilled it back home.

"Aha! That was incredible! Ye shown those pirates what's what!" Black cheered, getting out of hiding.

"Yeah! How did ye know that would scare them?" Castaway asked.

"I didn't. I just pulled out a gun, and they left." Shadow said, putting the gun away. 

"Please. Teach us how to be like you!" Daria pleaded.

"Uh..."

"Jewel. Capt'n Shadow wants to know about the shard. Tell it to him." Black said.

"Wait, captain? I'm not your captain." Shadow said.

"You are now, capt'n."

"Stop calling me captain."

"Aye aye, capt'n."

Shadow groaned in frustration, only to see Jewel walk up to him with her hat in her hands. She put it on Shadow before heading onto a barrel and sitting down. 

"Fine. But I've warned ye many times before... So ye asked for this. Black Rose, tell the tale."

"Aye aye! It was years ago... Rouge the Jewel was the most fearless and sneakiest pirate of the seas. Master jewel thief and shadow puppeteer, she was on the ranks that rarely reached. But one treasure she couldn't reach." Black began.

"The Devil's Lighthouse." Castaway said.

"Let me tell the story, Castaway!"

"Gee, sorry."

"Now where was I? Oh, yes! The Devil's Lighthouse. The Capt'n spent years looking for it, before finally getting her paws on the map. It led to the fabled jewel itself, priceless among imagining. It's blues were brightened enough to pierce the densest of fogs. With the map, she knew the location. All she had to do was get to it. Weaving better the rocks, Capt'n kept sailing through as her crew pleaded to leave as it was a fruitless effort. The Capt'n didn't listen, eventually wrecking on the rocks. Her ship sank, and she was left with it's remains as her old crew chose their new capt'n and sailed away without her. And now... We be here. As her new crew."

"So you lost the map... Perhaps..." Shadow paused, looking down at his shoes. He got an idea, running up to the edge of the ship. He held his foot out, waiting for the glow to appear.

Northeast. The shard was in that direction. 

"That way! The Devil's Lighthouse is there."

"Aye, capt'n!" Daria began to steer the ship that way.

"So. Ye be stealing me crew, me ship, and me job?" Jewel questioned, flying up to Shadow.

"Steal? No-"

"Fine."

"Wait... Fine? Why?"

"Their fates are in your hands."

Shadow was stunned, just to see Rouge give up her position that easily was... Odd. She would've tried to fight back and get something better out of it, not abandon it entirely! 

He then remembered that this isn't Rouge. It's Jewel, an alternate version of her. Of course she'd be different.

"Capt'n! There's something on the port side. Could be a whale." Castaway observed. Shadow headed over, looking around.

A metal vessel swam underneath, pulling itself out of the water as Eggforcers flew onto the deck. A transmission appeared on the ship, as a display of the Chaos Council appeared. 

"The Chaos Council?! How'd you-" 

"You underestimate us. Now it's time for you to go down with your rusted ship. Fire!" Deep commanded, as the robots fired directly at their ship.

Oh, coconuts... 

Gale belongs to @son1c. Castaway by @starprincejelly

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

[sciencestyled]

Marooned Among the Microbes: A Rollicking Rendition of Cell Theory with Robinson Crusoe

Ahoy there, distinguished shipmates of this literary vessel! Pray, lend me your ear—or rather, your eyes—for I, Robinson Crusoe, once a castaway of considerable renown, now find myself marooned anew amidst a sea of knowledge, navigating the minuscule marvels of cell theory. You see, in much the same manner as I stumbled upon that desolate isle, I’ve chanced upon the world of these tiny entities, a discovery as unexpected as it is enlightening.

Let’s hoist the sails and set forth on this microscopic odyssey, shall we? You must understand, cells are the very fabric of life, much like the tattered canvas I once fashioned into a makeshift shelter. They are the smallest units of life, teeming and bustling like the inhabitants of a populous city, though they reside in a world undetected by the naked eye. Robert Hooke, a fellow with a keen eye, first spied these tiny chambers in 1665, peering through his primitive microscope as though it were a spyglass revealing distant shores.

Imagine my surprise, like my first encounter with the footprint on the sand, upon learning that each living organism is a veritable archipelago of cells! Much as my solitary island was part of a greater world, so too are these cells part of a huge biological landscape. The concept of cell theory, crystallized by scholars Matthias Schleiden and Theodor Schwann in the 19th century, posits that all living things are composed of these cells and that the cell is the basic unit of life.

But what, you might ask, makes up these microscopic marvels? Similar to my own rudimentary abode, each cell is a self-contained unit, complete with all the necessities of life. There’s the cell membrane, a sturdy barrier like the walls of my shelter, guarding the cell from the outside world. Within, the cytoplasm ebbs and flows, a bustling marketplace of cellular activity. And the nucleus, ah! The nucleus is the master of the cell, much like my own rule over my island domain, directing the activities of its microscopic dwelling.

In nature, cells replicate through a process called cell division, like how I might have split a coconut to multiply my sustenance. This process ensures the continuity of life, an unending cycle of birth and rebirth, mirroring the endless ebb and flow of the tides that once governed my days.

So, beloved fellow castaways, as I once chronicled my solitary sojourn on that remote isle, I now invite you to join me in exploring the world of cell theory. Fear not the complexity of this microscopic terrain, for I shall be your guide, translating the scientific jargon into the vernacular of a seasoned, albeit somewhat out-of-touch, castaway. Together, we shall unravel the mysteries of life at its most fundamental, one cell at a time.

[saoirseronanswife]

🎵castaways… we are castaways… ahoy there… ahoy… we are castaways 🎵

[punkshort]

every time i read “swept away” i keep thinking of that backyardigans song that’s like 🏴‍☠️castaways 🏝️we are ✨castaways🌊🚢 LMAO

Ahoy there!

I had to look this up I had no idea what this was lol but now I'll also be thinking about this, so thank you 🤣

That song's catchy as hell.

[shuxiii]

thank you for saying pablo from backyard silan i suddenly rememrber the cool song called castaway