#well everyone but Willias

[cannottthinkofagoodname]

Imagine if after Fright Knight leaves and Jason reads the scroll he just..........stops. Like he just learned that the baby brother he saved all those years ago not only didn't have a normal and happy life, but is also dead and expected to RULE A WHOLE DIMENSION BY HIMSELF. If something similar to this had happened to me and my sisters, I would have been absolutely crushed and devastated. Jason just wanted to help but unknowingly both saved and doomed his most beloved person

The ANGST POTENTIOL. This is just an amazing prompt.

Another Sibling Danny and Jason idea!!

"Are you Jason Peter Todd?!" demanded a deep and commanding tone from the strange glowing being in front of them.

All the Bats stiffened and tensed, no doubt gearing up for a fight against the being that somehow knew Red Hood's full name.

Jason, Red Hood, decided to put on a brave front despite no doubt cursing in his head and wondering how the heck did this thing know his full freaking name.

"Whose asking." he snarled out, his hands twitching for his gun when the huge glowing knight with purple flames coming out of his helmet and cape, who was riding on a nightmare looking horse while they all had been in the cave going over tonight's patrol.

The Knight didn't seemed bothered by his response nor did he even seem to care or flinch when Batman made his own demand on 'Why was he there and who was he' or when Damian unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards him. Instead the strange glowing Knight reached to it side and pulled out... A glowing scroll? Huh. (Also he completely unnerved everyone in the room when the Knight didn't even react when Batman had tossed a Baterang when he reached for his side)

The Knight opened the scroll and spoke clearly with purpose.

"Jason Peter Todd,

You are hereby invited as a special guest of honor to the crowning of our future King of the Infinite Realms.

Daniel Phantom, once Daniel Jackson Fenton, and once Daniel Austen Todd.

Prince of the Infinite Realms, the Keeper of Balance, The Peacekeeping Halfa, the Defeater of the Tyrant King Pariah Dark, The Great One, Youngest of the Ancients, Ancient of Space, The Bridge between Life and Death.

You, the half-brother of our King, have been given the highest of honors for your past actions and will be given housing and food in the Realms and Phantom's Keep, for the week long event. Personal servants and attendants will be at your disposable and a seamstress will be on hand to tailor make your attire for the Coronation.

Signed: Clockwork. Ancient of Time. Watcher of the Infinite Timeline. Kronos. Mentor and Adviser.

PS: I shall have Fright Knight ("Me" the Knight bluntly said for a second) leave this scroll along with a personal one for you from Daniel to read over and once you make up your mind sign the bottom of the scroll.

I do hope in time you will pick the right choice Jason Todd, we of the Infinite Realms would like to reward you for your actions. After all, if you hadn't gotten young Daniel away from your father that night all those years ago, we would never had gained our Prince nor be free from our once Tyrant King.

Ah, one more thing.

The Infinite Realms will always favor you Jason."

Jason felt like he couldn't breath as Fright Knight? Rolled up the scroll, pulled a letter from his side, and held out the two items for him to take.

[houseofbrat]

So, what’s your honest opinion of the full #picturegate drama?

I’ve seen many people believing that KP used The PoW as scapegoat and she doesn’t did the photoshop. But what are your thoughts? In case some are correct, why do you think they are blaming Kate? Why not blame the ‘real’ responsible (some suggested it’s her staff)

As we have discussed, their PR team is awful, but this new nonsense takes the cake

The situation leading up to the "photo kill" I've already described here:

That basically summarizes the situation leading up to the photo and its very public dismissal.

2. One of the other problems is the staff they have working for them. Clearly the KP communications department is not up to par. It should have been the communications head/chief taking the blame for this instead of Kate. Instead, he thought that a statement from Kate would quell the drama, when all it did was pour more gasoline on the fire.

So Kate can take the blame for the photo but couldn't make any comments about any messages she received from well wishers in the previous weeks? WTF?!

But then there's KP spokesperson giving statements to People magazine today!

A palace insider downplayed the PR crisis, telling PEOPLE exclusively that although the situation is a "bump in the road, it's not an earthquake." "[Kate] has apologized and graciously so," the insider says. "She has done something that 99% of us do — and we don’t have the scrutiny that they do." "Think of the level of scrutiny of pictures of her, as people pore over them," the insider continues. "You’re always on display and always got to be perfect." The insider adds, "She might be a member of the royal family, but she’s also a human being. If you've just had an operation, you want to look your best with the first photograph that’s published for the outside world."

I'm sorry but why is this person still in the employ of Kensington Palace and why are they speaking to People magazine? "We don't have the scrutiny that they do." FUCKING DUH!! That's why all sorts of people who don't pay attention to the BRF are like, "What the actual fuck is going on over there right now???"

So the KP comms people are continuing to dig the hole they are in. They haven't stopped digging and are unlikely to do so as long as they are calling up People magazine to give them exclusives on their professional fuckups!

3. Guess who hired and continues to employ the professional fuckup?

William!

William is an emotionally damaged, thin skinned, control freak with a privacy fetish. And William found his perfect YES MAN to accede to his control freak nature and his unhealthy demand for privacy with Lee Thompson.

YES MAN + Control Freak - connection to reality = the mess we have today

And the mess we have today continues to roll on. And will continue to roll on. Just as it has since he was hired in 2022...

There was the fuckup at Boston in 2022 when William issued a statement throwing his godmother under the bus when all he had to say was "This is an issue for Buckingham Palace." Except he didn't.

There was the bizarre photo op of Andrew being driven to church by William last August (2023), when everyone with a working, long-term memory knows that William has never kowtowed to his father.

Kate's stretch of wearing thirteen pantsuits in a row, 'cause she was all about "the work." Somehow, she didn't go on a crusade about wearing pantsuits when she was only The Duchess of Cambridge.

Announcing Kate had "planned abdominal surgery" the day after said planned abdominal surgery. If it was "planned," then wouldn't they have said something at least the day of rather than the day after?

Then there's the timeline of fuckery that's happened from Christmas until 09 March 2024 that I collated before The 2024 Mother's Day Photo Disaster.

And it's going to keep going on and on because the root of the problem is William!

4. Then there's The Princess of Wales, aka Kate or Catherine. She is the woman with likely more sense than either Lee or William put together. Do those two fuckups listen to her? Doubtful. Did they listen to any concerns or feedback she gave these two last summer? Or fall/autumn? Also doubtful.

So there's a woman who is a globally known public figure that does not have an easy way out of the mess the two men created, and also she may share some of the blame for decisions made last summer and fall?

And it's a very depressing situation being trapped with a husband who won't listen to you and takes you for granted, yet your husband will listen to the YES MAN at his employ. Because the husband is a emotionally damaged, thin skinned, control freak with a privacy fetish.

A very depressing situation when she knows that her reputation of twenty plus years in the public eye is about to go down the drain as a result of the choices these two men have made. (And no, I'm not talking about the Mother's Day photo.) Gee, what kind of situation could that lead to over the holidays?

5. Then you have Charles, Camilla, and the officials working at Buckingham Palace.

They know about all the communications problems taking place at KP since last summer. Oh, they know. BELIEVE ME. They know.

Charles is someone who believes people should learn from their mistakes and isn't going to interfere in his sons' lives and mistakes. Charles resented his parents interfering in his dating life long before he ever dated or married Diana. (Sabrina Guinness, anyone?) He also resented them interfering in his marriage to Diana.

Basically, Charles won't do what one of my friends from college did: write about her college roommate's pregnancy and due date in a Christmas letter. Yup. Charles isn't that man.

So, yes, BP's communication and pr about Charles's BPH treatment and cancer treatment veers toward being over the top. They have been very transparent with the press for a reason. They know there is a metaphorical nuclear bomb about to go off due to KP's lack of transparency and accountability to the UK public. The monarchy cannot be seen as complicit in it. It is KP's problem. Always has been a KP problem.

This is why Queen Camilla made so many visits to the front entrance of The London Clinic. Transparency. Proper communication with the UK public. The public can trust that The Crown is being honest with them. Kensington Palace clearly not so much.

It's why King Charles has been photographed doing mundane things such as greeting cards and going to church.

And yes, BP communications team is undoubtedly shading the KP comms team when King Charles got photographed in a car at Windsor last week, four days after Kate's pap shot with her mother.

So yeah, we're about to get the biggest scandal since the 90s when Diana died or the War of the Waleses. Pick your throwback reference. Get your popcorn. Because it is going to be that bad.

And the reputations of Will & Kate will never be the same.

Ever.

[intolerable-sushi]

Loving madness

Wilford x reader

Hello folks!!! I am currently sick with the flu, so I have had time to go through my drafts and work on things!!! This is an wilford x gn reader story that I may or may not continue depending on how I feel. Let me know if yall like it, enjoy!!!

Your friends had dragged you to a new club on your birthday to celebrate despite you begging for a small party. Instead of a couple of drinks with your friends inside your perfectly temperate house, you were now sweating like a pig in the corner of the club. Your friends were having a good time at least, with each finding a random guy to grind on. You could barely hold the panic that threatened to spill out of your throat as the club became more crowded. You hated this. You needed to get some air. You could barely make your way through the crowd as you searched for some sort of sanctuary. As your panic began to overflow and tears started to cloud your eyes, you bumped into a man as he turned around, spilling your drink all over him. You began to apologize profusely afraid that he would be angry with you, as he had every right to be. 

____________________________________________

Loving Wilford had been a mistake. A mistake that you could have easily avoided if you hadn’t been so short-sighted and naive. It had all been going so well when you had first met. 

“Now, now, it's alright darling. A little spill never hurt anyone. These things happen all the time! Now, are you alright?” The man was tall , wearing a yellow shirt and khakis. His smile was warm under his mustache and his eyes had this spark in them. You froze, he was beautiful. “Miss I understand that I am quite a catch if I do say so myself, but I do believe that you need to breathe.” You need to breathe? Oh shit you had stopped breathing. You took in a quick gasp before apologizing again. His eyes appeared to soften as he looked at you. 

“You look like you are having a rough night. Why don’t we get you outside for some air?” He placed his hand on the small of your back as he guided you towards the door. Once the two of you were outside he sat you down on a chair that you were sure wasn’t there when you had walked out. “Now, why don’t you tell me what’s gotten someone as stunning as you all frazzled.” You explained that today was your birthday, and that your friends had dragged you to this new club despite you wanting a small get together. Everyone else was having fun, but the atmosphere was overwhelming to you. You didn’t want to ruin everyone’s fun so you just stayed quiet. The tears that had been collecting in your eyes began to fall. You just wanted to go home now.  

The man had listened silently to your explanation before letting out a huff. “ Those don’t sound like very good friends. Today is YOUR birthday not theirs. You should be doing what you want to do today!” You stated you would rather not cause any problems. The man huffed again, “Wanting to be celebrated in a way you enjoy is not causing problems.” The man appeared to be almost steaming as he began to pace in front of you muttering to himself. 

You stood up from your chair and said you would rather just head back to your apartment now. The man stopped his pacing and turned to you, “Alright, but may I walk you home to ensure your safety.” You thought about it for a second. This definitely was not the safest part of town, so walking by yourself was risky but at the same time, you didn’t know this man. You couldn’t help but eye him suspiciously. Was he really safe or did he have another motive?

The man seemed to realize what you were thinking and he cleared his throat. “ My apologies, where are my manners? My name is Willia- I mean, Wilford Warfstache at your service.” He said while taking a deep bow with his hand to his chest. You couldn’t help but to giggle at the name. Warfstache, what an interesting name. You decided that he seemed kind enough and told him he could walk you home. 

The two of you talked the entire way there. Wilford was kind, passionate, and funny. He had so many stories to tell and you felt like you could listen to him for hours. He made you smile and you couldn’t help the feelings of butterflies forming in your stomach. Before you parted ways that night you gifted Wilford with your number and a kiss on the check. 

The two of you began to see each other regularly and talked almost nonstop. Being with Wilford felt like a dream. He was a gentleman in all things, but he helped push you out of your comfort zone. The two of you had gone on skating dates, picnic dates, and you even went to a dance club at some point. Wilford had kept you close to make sure you were safe and comfortable. 

You were so happy and naive that you had ignored the problems and red flags. Wilford rarely talked about his past, with the only people he ever brought up being his childhood friends Mark and Damien. Sometimes he would mention a past love, but he didn’t seem to remember her name. Which brought up another concern; his memory. He struggled with simple things like the date, or even where he was. Which explained why he didn’t talk about his past. You suggested he go see a doctor multiple times, but he would refuse with a kind smile every time. 

 Other issues were harder to ignore, like when he started to just appear in places. In the apartment he could be in the bedroom one minute, and then in the kitchen the next. You explained it away with you just not paying attention, but that excuse didn’t work when he did it outside the house. Walking away to go to the bathroom only to appear in front of you when you turn back around. You should have started asking questions then. You should have payed attention as the light slowly left his eyes, when his face began to have random twitches, or when his mustache started to turn fucking pink. You ignored it all, explaining it all away in your head like a naive fool. Maybe you could have saved him. It’s too late to know now. 

Eventually his descent went from a trickle of odd occurrence to a waterfall of concerns. You would come home to him sitting at the table with a drink in hand staring at the wall muttering to himself. You could only catch the words “I did” from him. He would snap out of it when you would call him, and go back to being regular old Wilford, but over time even that stopped working. He would avoid the topic every time you brought it up, saying, “I’m fine love, I promise.” As this went on you could no longer ignore the fact that he started to randomly appear in your house when you knew he wasn’t there. You had screamed at him the first time he walked into the kitchen from your room. The two of you started to argue. He refused to talk to you about anything, and you were begging him to get help. You could see him slipping further and further from you, but he was just being so stubborn. 

Everything came to a head when you had been watching the news one night. There had been a massacre, two men and three women had been shot and killed. “The killer is still at large.” The news reporter stated, “ It is suggested that everyone stay in their homes until further notice. Talks of city wide curfew are currently in the works” 

Your front door suddenly slammed open! You turned to see Wilford staggering inside before slamming the door closed behind him.“Darling are you home?” He called, “You would not believe the night I’ve had!” You felt relief wash over you seeing your love, but that feeling stopped when something shun in his hand. A gun. Your blood froze for a second as you stared at the weapon. You were no longer listening to Wilford as questions flooded your head. Did he kill those people? Wilford would never hurt anyone!! He’s been so kind!! But why is he holding it right now? Why is it not holstered? Is that smoke?

“Darling?” Wilford had noticed you staring at his gun. He looked behind you to see the news broadcast. “Oh that? That was just a little accident, my love, no need to worry! It’ll work itself out!” An accident? It had been an accident? So why did he run? You looked into his eyes and your body couldn’t help but stiffen. There was no regret or sadness for the lives he had taken. The madness that you had been ignoring had taken over his eyes. Even the love he had for you was hard to find. You couldn’t help but be afraid for a moment. 

His smile began to falter as he stared at you. “My love? What’s wrong? You know I would never hurt you right? It was just an accident I swear.” He slowly began to approach you with his hands up, but the gun was still in hand. You scrambled off the couch to get away from him. His face fell at that moment. He backed towards the kitchen before slumping onto the table, “I’ve lost it haven’t I,” He whispered almost to himself, “ I thought I had more time, but it’s really slipped away, hasn’t it.” He finally looked back up at you, and for a moment you saw the Wilford you had met that night. 

You begged him to let you help him. The two of you could fix this! You can’t lose him! You were sobbing now. You began to  slowly make your way around the couch towards him.

“STAY”

You froze as he snapped at you. He looked back down at the floor. “I’m too far gone love. I’m gonna forget everything eventually. Even you…” He began to grip the edge of the table, “ You don’t deserve this. You are so sweet, and caring. I wish I could give you the world,” the table began to crack under his grip, “ I don’t deserve you. I can’t keep you safe. Not when I’m the thing putting you in danger.” 

Wilford rose up from the table and looked at you with a sad smile. “ I can’t be with you love. It was selfish of me to think otherwise. I can’t destroy your life like I destroyed theirs. I have to go, but if you ever need me just call for me, and I’ll come. Even if I don’t remember you, I promise I’ll protect you.” You didn’t understand, you begged him to explain. He only shook his head. “Goodbye my love,” With that he disappeared in front of your eyes. 

You haven’t seen Wilford since, and you’ve been a wreck. You loved that man. You shouldn’t but you did anyway.  You just couldn’t understand any of this. What was he? Why did he kill those people? You’ve been crying yourself to sleep trying to think of the answers, but none ever came.

One night things took another turn. 

You were crying in your room as you had done for many nights when suddenly, “Poor, sweet thing. All teary eyed over a lost love. Confused with no answers,” A voice called out to you from the darkness of your room. You reached to turn on the lamp on your night stand, but the light barely even reached the edge of your bed. What’s happening? “ Relax little one, I am here to help you. I have some information that could be of use to you. I don’t ask for much in return. Just a simple favor,” From the shadows stepped a man in a suit. He stood tall and proud, with gray skin like a thunder cloud. His form seemed to break and strain, with the man appearing to scream in pain for one second then be back to his standing posture the next. “Why don’t we talk about this over ice cream?”

[erscogadatabase]

20: A Very Belated Very Erscoga Christmas #4... Probably.

Date: 3-3-2024 IDST, 8-20-2018 EST

(It’s a beautiful, temperate day on Termata. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming… and Nalitie is balanced precariously on a step ladder inside the Spectre Opera House, trying to put the star on a very large Christmas tree. There’s a table set out with a decent looking spread (minus the questionable chip dip from last time) and banners set up in the Erscogan national colors. It is August.)

Nalitie: *struggling* Dang, I feel like we just had Christmas earlier this year… Maybe we should just leave this stuff up in case Christmas strikes when we’re not ready.

Dukermin: *outside hanging lights* What? Did you say something??

Nalitie: Nevermind… *climbing down the ladder very slowly*

(Christine brings out a large cake and sets it on the table. It may or may not be Human SOUL flavored. Ask Erik! Tobias trails along beside her. She tells them not to swipe any frosting.)

Dukermin: *heads back inside* Merry Christmas everybody! You know this time only comes once (or twice or three times) a year so lets make it count!

Nalitie: Do we have guests this year? I made sure to send out invitations but with how our mail and stuff has been acting up… 

Dukermin: Mickey whipped up a special surprise this year! They’ll show up later to set them off!

Nalitie: “They”? That’s new. 

Dukermin: Well I realized that Mickey has never actually told me their pronouns? I just assume because like it’s Mickey Mouse but we have never really spoken aside from that lovely serenade during the war since we got married so I’ve been wondering…

Nalitie: Ah, gotcha. Let’s see, I sent invitations out to everyone on Pluto, now that they’ve rebuilt after the whole. Uh… Narissa getting killed thing. And I tried to mail some to Lux and Dunkel but I’m not sure that they ever get my mail?? Cause my pigeons never come back when I send them there… 

Dukermin: Hmm thats suspicious. Hopefully they’re not trying to contact us about any terrible crises or anything like that.

Nalitie: Yeah… We kinda dropped the ball with Pluto. Hopefully the ambiguously Human SOUL-flavored cake is a good apology though. 

(The cake, to Nalitie’s request, has “I’M SORRY PLUTO” frosted on it in big letters, followed by a much smaller “Merry Christmas!”)

AE Tobias: *eyeing the frosting*

Christine: *busy making sure ET doesn’t crawl anywhere he’s not supposed to*

Dukermin: *eyeing AE Tobias and gives a warning glare* *points to the frosting then makes a throat slash gesture*

AE Tobias: *backs away from the cake, disappointed* *sadly* no touch… 

Dukermin: *To Nalitie* So should we go check on… one of the many places we should check on?

Nalitie: Yeah, we can invite people in-person. It means more, anyway. Where do we want to start? Our guest list was pretty much everyone in Erscoga. 

Dukermin: Maybe lets do Dunkel, but we still have some setting up to do here before we bring people over. *starts arranging centerpieces*

(Everyone continues decorating, with light Christmas music playing in the background, when there’s a sudden, small earthquake.)

Nalitie: *stops and looks around* … 

Dukermin: *dropped the centerpieces* :(

Christine: What was that? *soothing ET*

Dukermin: *Hot gluing centerpieces back together* Just a little earthquake I think, its probably nothing.

Nalitie: Yeah, I mean. We have a lot of new plot developments settling since last doc, so maybe it’s just that. Anyway, it’s Christmas, and nothing bad ever happens on Christmas! 

Dukermin: So True! Anyway! Lets leave this place and go to Dunkel.

Nalitie: Heck yeah… *to Christine* Are you good watching the kids, Car… Christine? Willia… Willy is in the other room, but I can take one of the kids with me if you want.

Dukermin: Wait a second, did we ever get the Universal Translator ? I know our mail has been a little weird. 

Nalitie: Yeah! *pulls a small device out of her pocket* *it looks vaguely like a walkman* They sent this over a couple months ago, after we sent that first shipment.

Dukermin:  Oooh gimme *snatch*

Nalitie: Be careful with it, we only have one and our agreement never specified if they’d send us another one… 

Dukermin: I'll be so careful until we can get it to Alphys to make more and then I can break it all I want.

Christine: *continuing the conversation thread from many lines ago* Actually, if you could take Lisa and Leonarda, that would be nice. 

Nalitie: On it! *runs into the other room* *comes back absolutely engulfed in small children* to Dunkel!

Dukermin: *lunchboxes to Dunkel*

(You have arrived on Dunkel. It is very dark and you cannot see anything.) 

Dukermin: *puts on cool DunkelVision glasses that she's painted flames on even though you can't really see that on Dunkel*

Nalitie: Oh, right. *digging in her pockets* *eventually fishes hers out and puts them on as well*

Lisa and Leonarda: *not sure if they like the darkness* *babbling*

Dukermin: Alright… where did we end up.

(You’ve arrive just outside of a large city, there’s a sign that says New Prosperite. The buildings are low to the ground and tightly compacted with one another. A few people are outside but they all seem to be in a hurry to get indoors.)

Nalitie: *yelling into the streets, in English which most of them probably don’t speak fluently* Hello citizens of Dunkel!!! Come to our Christmas Party!!!

Dunkelian: *yells at Nalitie in Dunkelian and gestures wildly at a building*

Dukermin: Uhh they said to get inside… And a bunch of other stuff that the translator didnt catch.

Nalitie: Uhhh ok??? That’s not where our SUPER COOL party is though.

Dunkelians: *yanking children off the sidewalk and throwing them indoors*

Nalitie: Maybe this is part of their Christmas traditions and that’s why they never come to our parties??? *finding the nearest building*

(From beyond the city, you hear a deep rumble, then are blinded as your Dunkelvision goggles are bombarded with a harsh white light. You hear creaking as some of the buildings are bathed in the light.)

Lisanarda: *crying, naturally*

Nalitie: WTF was that???

Dukermin: Uhhhhh *goes inside*

Nalitie: *also goes inside* *phone starts ringing obnoxiously* *fishing around in her pockets*

(The place you’ve entered seems like someone's home. A Dunkelian pokes her head out from a trapdoor in the ground and ushers you down into a cellar.)

Nalite: *on the phone, looking concerned* Uhh ok. Thanks… *hangs up* Santa says Christine says there was another big earthquake on Termata… I don’t know why she didn’t just call me directly??? 

Dukermin: Who would have ever guessed that that little earthquake would be a bad sign!!?

Dunkelian: *has taken a seat on a mat on the floor next to a pair of children and an older Dunkelian. She invites the two of you to sit as well* We’ll be stuck here for a bit I’m assuming so make yourselves comfortable

Nalitie: *did not catch any of that, is still standing around* So is this all part of your Christmas or something? Seems. Um. Intense and unnecessary???

Dukermin: She says we’ll be stuck for a bit which is not great considering the termata thing? You can ask *gives Nalitie the translator*

Nalitie: Oh ok *puts it on* *to the Dunkelians* can you understand me now? *is talking in their language without realizing it*

Dukermin: Thats rad

Dunkelians: *nod*

OG Dunkelian: Can you understand us? Did you catch that thing about making yourselves comfortable? I can get you a tea… or like a snack?? We’ve stocked this cellar up now because of the situation…

Nalitie: I’m good right now. *to Dukermin* do you want tea?

Dukermin: I am curious about what tea made of darkness is like but maybe we shouldn’t mess with that right now…

Nalitie: *to the Dunkelians* We’re OK for now. So what’s with the giant Christmas light thing? That seems… Like I love that y’all are celebrating the season but it kinda hurts the eyes??? *oblivious to what’s actually going on*

OG Dunkelian: Christmas? We haven’t been able to celebrate anything in months. The “Light Show” is not of our doing. Who are you??

Nalitie: Wait you guys aren’t responsible for that big light??? But it came from your planet??? 

OG Dunkelian: What are you personally responsible for every little thing that happens on the planet that you live on??

Nalitie: I mean. Kind of. Not entirely, I guess, Dukermin and I share that responsibility. 

OG Dunkelian: Oh. Wait a second. I know that name. Dukermin and uh… you are?

Nalitie: *dodging the question* Yeah, Dukermin and I are the queens! *points to Dukermin* That’s Dukermin over there.

Older Dunkelian: *elbows the OG Dunkelian aggressively*

OG: Ow! Pardon my… disrespect, my queens! I did not realize you were… anyway. My name is Maestri and this is my mother Cuber. I’m surprised you don’t know more about our situation…

(There’s another deep rumble from above and some dust slips through the floorboards)

Nalitie: Yeah we’ve been getting that a lot lately… *to Dukermin* Did you know anything about the situation happening here on Dunkel? 

Dukermin: *shrugs* We’ve been here like… thrice. 

Nalitie: I guess. *to the Dunkelians* Y’all should have. like. called or sent us a letter or something. 

Maestri: Mother, didn’t you say that the elders had tried sending letters? We receive the pigeons and send them back wth distressing messages.

Cuber: *nods* You haven’t received the pigeons?

Nalitie: Oh… no, we haven’t. Are all of my pigeons stuck here on Dunkel??? *to Dukermin* dude we really need to get our mail system checked out. Apparently we’ve been missing mail for a long time. No wonder the electric company keeps sending people to my house claiming I haven’t paid any of my bills. 

Dukermin: Man and I thought the pigeon system was flawless. Glad I don’t have electricity in my cave.

Nalitie: Yeah, but you DO have a magic man who can make lights out of nothing. With a stick. 

Dukermin: Yeah but hes super petty about it. 

Maestri: *Only catching Nalitie's half of the conversation* This doesn't seem pressing. Anyway, you’re not beings of darkness… perhaps you could take a look? 

Nalitie: I mean… we can. How come you guys can’t? I’ve seen Dunkelians on our other planets before… Is there something weird about this light that I should know about? I have kids I don’t want my face blasted off. 

Maestri: Well number one… Im not a mercenary or anything and its not my job to go inspect creepy lights. That was rude.

Cuber: *glares disapprovingly at Maestri* These lights… nobody has gotten near them. They first appeared in the Wilderness. But they’ve steadily started showing up closer to civilization and in increasing frequency. We’re worried they’re connected to the beasts in some way, but we dont know for sure. It also could be connected to Lux, even though there is a truce, we don’t want a war. And going over there guns-a-blazing is not going to make a good impression.

Nalitie: We don’t want a war either, NO WAR. Yeah, Dukermin and I can take a look. *to Dukermin* Hm… between the stuff going on here and the earthquakes, do you think whatever’s happening is happening on all of the planets? Maybe we just can’t see it because it’s already light everywhere else?

Dukermin: Hmm perhaps, I mean this light seems insanely bright here but could be very normal anywhere else I guess.

Nalitie: Ok, so we should go check that out, see what’s up. *has not filled Dukermin in at ALL* *starts leaving*

Dukermin: Oh cool guess were leaving *leaves*

(You leave Maestri and Cuber’s house without saying goodbye.)

(You once again are blinded by the light. It seems to be coming from about a half a mile outside the city. The streets are empty and the buildings crackle, scattering dark dust everywhere. Once your eyes adjust, you can make out what looks like a perfect cylinder of light coming from about a half mile outside of the city.)

Nalitie: Let’s go I guess! *heading off in that direction*

Dukermin: *follows staying as far away from buildings as possible*

(As you approach the light you can hear very confused voices and see figures milling about, may with arms outstretched)

Voice 1: Oh shoot is this moon eclipsed??

Voice 2: No i checked I swear! Maybe we failed to make quota??

Voice 3: *in the distance* 💧︎🕆︎👌︎☺︎☜︎👍︎❄︎ 📂︎ 🕈︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✌︎☼︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎✍︎

Voice 4: *in the distance in the other direction* Paimon doesn’t think we’re in Teyvat anymore… 

Dukermin: Hello??

Voice 2: OH SHOOT IS THAT A SKINWALKER STAY AWAY I THOUGHT I DELETED THAT MOD

Voice 4: Hello!!! 

Voice 3: 🕈︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎📬︎📬︎📬︎✍︎

Nalitie: *fishing a flashlight out of her pockets* I don’t think they have DunkelVision… *turns it on, shines it at Dukermin* EVERYONE COME OVER HERE!!! FOLLOW THE LIGHT!!!

Voice 1: *takes out their flashlight too * Is this an Easter Egg orrrr..??

Voice 4: Look, over there! I can see a person, Traveller, we should go say hi! 

Dukermin: *to nalitie* So… this is more silly portal stuff…

Nalitie: I guess, yeah. Crazy that it’s so bright here, though? But I guess if you’re portalling somewhere that’s NOT made of darkness, it’s gonna look pretty crazy. Don’t know why it’s destroying the towns, though??? 

Voice 3: *still standing at a distance* *to self* ✂︎💣︎✌︎👎︎☜︎ ⚐︎☞︎ 👎︎✌︎☼︎😐︎☠︎☜︎💧︎💧︎✂︎✍︎

(Two of the figures have made their way close to you. One of them is a girl with blonde hair with cool-looking flowers tucked into it. She’s wearing a white dress and carrying a sword. A very small person with a blue scarf hovers near her shoulder.) 

Dukermin: Welcome to Dunkel! We’re not sure how or why you ended up here, but you’re here now! 

Voice 4: Dunkel? I’ve never heard of that before. Oh! Paimon’s Paimon, and this is the Traveller! What’s your name? 

Dukermin: Dukermin’s Dukermin, and this is the Nalitie!

Nalitie: “The” Nalitie??? Anyway. Oh, and these are Lisa and Leonarda, my kids *gestures awkwardly* *looking into the distance, forgetting to point the flashlight at people* Who are your friends over there?

Paimon: Friends over where? *did not know that anyone else was here, just heard indistinguishable voices in the distance*

Nalitie: Oh, right… *shines the flashlight over at the people who also have flashlights* Hello! You over there, you should come say hi!

(You see four people in orange jumpsuits and full-face helmets. Two of them are pointing their flashlights at the other two which are doing a little dance. They stop and point at you two before walking over)

Voice 3: *is too far away to see any of what’s happening, can only perceive vague silhouettes of people* 🕈︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✋︎💧︎ ❄︎☟︎✌︎❄︎ 👍︎⚐︎💣︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ☞︎☼︎⚐︎💣︎✍︎

Nalitie: *to the jumpsuited people* Yes hello, what are your names?

Jumpsuit person: I’m Employee 1, and this is Employee 2, and Employee 3, and Employee 4. Do you also work for the Company?

Nalitie: Um. *to Dukermin* Quoi istest ie thas Diction Game cheulgen… *to the Employees* No, I don’t think so. Um… so are those your names or your titles? 

Employee 2: We call each other by many names. So the title is most effective at this time.

Nalitie: I see… 

Voice 3: *muttering to self in the distance* 💧︎⚐︎💣︎☜︎ 💧︎⚐︎☼︎❄︎ ⚐︎☞︎ 💧︎❄︎☼︎✌︎☠︎☝︎☜︎ ✋︎☠︎📫︎👌︎☜︎❄︎🕈︎☜︎☜︎☠︎ 💧︎❄︎✌︎❄︎☜︎📪︎ 🏱︎☜︎☼︎☟︎✌︎🏱︎💧︎✍︎

Nalitie: Well, welcome to Erscoga, I guess. *gestures with flashlight to Dukermin* This is Dukermin, and we’re the queens here in this dimension. You can’t see anything because we’re on the planet Dunkel right now, and Dunkel is made of darkness, so that’s why you can only see us and each other with the flashlights.

Paimon: Woah! Paimon has never been in a place like Dunkel before! 

Dukermin: It’s rather unique! Say, do any of you remember like… what you were doing before coming here? Like… did you… enter this portal of your own freewill or did you just.. Find yourselves here…?

Paimon: Er… *thinking* Paimon doesn’t remember. Do you, Traveller? 

Traveller: *pauses for a moment* *shakes head*

Employees: *point at each other*

Employee 1: I think we were just… on the ship? Or maybe we weren’t? Yeah I don’t remember either.

Nalitie: *shining flashlight into the distance, towards Voice 3* *yelling because they’re far away* HEY GUy Over There you should come over and introduce yourself!!! No point in walking around in the dark alone!!!! *waving flashlight like a laser pointer at a cat*

Voice 3: *can’t quite make them out, but starts heading over* *stops about halfway, as soon as they can see that you are a group of humans* ✏︎✏︎✏︎

Dukermin: pspspspsps

Nalitie: Yes hello you were doing very good, but we are over here *waving flashlight more insistently*

Voice 3: ☠︎⚐︎📬︎

Dukermin: Oh you sound kinda familiar..?

Nalitie: *tilting head, thinking* Yeah, you do. *louder, to Voice 3* Do we know you????

Voice 3: *you can’t tell, but they sound derisive* ✋︎ 👎︎⚐︎☠︎🕯︎❄︎ 💧︎🕆︎🏱︎🏱︎⚐︎💧︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎🕯︎☼︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☟︎🕆︎💣︎✌︎☠︎💧︎ ☼︎☜︎💧︎🏱︎⚐︎☠︎💧︎✋︎👌︎☹︎☜︎ ☞︎⚐︎☼︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 👎︎☜︎✌︎❄︎☟︎💧︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 💣︎⚐︎☠︎💧︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ ☼︎✌︎👍︎☜︎ ✋︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ 🕈︎✌︎☼︎✍︎

Nalitie: Uh we can’t understand you but if you come closer you would probably be in range of our Universal Translator and we could talk!!! Also, like, we can all go to one of the planets where we can see stuff rather than fumbling around in the dark, I don’t have any more sets of DunkelVision on me at the moment… *carefully walking closer, also wants to get a look at the portal before it closes*

Voice 3: *backing away, magic coalescing at their fingertips* 

Nalitie: *trying to peer into the portal* *catches a glimpse of some rainbow colors before the portal closes*

(Everything is dark now, except for whatever is in your flashlight beams.)

Nalitie: *stumbles* Dang! I have no idea what that was… *to Voice 3, yelling only a little because they’re far away* Anyway do you remember how you got here???

Voice 3: ✋︎🕯︎💣︎ ☠︎⚐︎❄︎ ❄︎☜︎☹︎☹︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ✌︎☠︎✡︎❄︎☟︎✋︎☠︎☝︎📬︎ ☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ✋︎ 😐︎☠︎⚐︎🕈︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ 🕈︎✌︎💧︎☠︎🕯︎❄︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎☼︎ 👎︎⚐︎✋︎☠︎☝︎✍︎

Dukermin: Hmmm he seems angry…

Nalitie: *to Dukermin* Laet unum ienens acna Termata… unis alalnic prohe acna querum… 

Dukermin: gucte ansil. *Sets up a lunchbox portal to Termata Opera House* Head on in everybody!

Paimon: Ooh, what’s that? *has never seen a lunchbox in her life*

Dukermin: This is like… our method of transportation. We’re gonna go to a cool christmas party and… not be here in the darkness.

Paimon: *has never heard of Christmas* *to her companion* What do you think, Traveller? We should go, right?

Traveller: *shrugs*

Nalitie: *heads back over to the group* Here, I’ll show you how! We have it set up so all you have to do is climb in! *does that, looking awkward squeezing into a tiny lunchbox with two almost-one-year-old infants strapped to her body*

Employees: *point at the thing and one by one go through*

Paimon and Traveller: *follow*

Voice 3: *still standing in the distance, squinting suspiciously*

Dukermin: You too! *Cosmic bubbles him and slam dunks him into the portal* *Follows behind*

Voice 3: *flailing uselessly*

(Everyone tumbles out in the Spectre Opera House, in the middle of the Christmas party. Things are hopping compared to when you left. Sans, true to form, has set up a “fruit punch slip’n’slide” and is charging like 5 Loaves per person. Papyrus is nagging him for it. Christine is re-arranging presents underneath the Christmas tree while Willy and Steven read a story to the Tobiases. Doug and Homeless Henry have returned, for actual Christmas this time and not the bean convention. Artemis is in the corner, admiring the lights, and Bruce is playing with her squirrel. Ask Erik! Tobias squeals as everyone comes crashing onto the dance floor in a heap.)

Dukermin: *forgot to take off DunkelVision glasses and screams in agony before ripping them off*

Nalitie: *squinting, feeling around her face to take hers off* 

Lisanarda: *asleep after being in the dark for so long*

Traveller: *stands up, squinting around while her eyes adjust* ???

Paimon: *sees the food on the table* Woah…. Is this some sort of party??? *to Dukermin* Can we have some?!!

Dukermin: Yes go ahead! Merry Christmas!

Papyrus: *goes off to visit with Henry and Doug*

Voice 3: *you can see now that he’s a skeleton in a dark sweater and a long white coat, with glasses taped to his face. He looks… concerned.* *in the cosmic bubble, freaking out* 🕈︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✌︎💣︎ ✋︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ 👎︎✋︎👎︎ 🕈︎☜︎ ☝︎☜︎❄︎ ☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎✍︎ *probably eye-glowing in some sort of freaked-out way*

Dukermin: Oh sorry about that *frees him*

Nalitie: *once again tries to go over to talk using the Universal Translator* Hello this is our Christmas Party! We’re on the planet Termata now so we can see! Can you tell us your name? 

Voice 3: *distracted, sees Sans in the corner* ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎📫︎📫︎ ☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ 👎︎✋︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 👎︎⚐︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎📬︎📬︎📬︎ 🕈︎☟︎✌︎❄︎ ✌︎☼︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 🕈︎☜︎✌︎☼︎✋︎☠︎☝︎✍︎ ☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ 👎︎✋︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☝︎☜︎❄︎ ☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎✍︎ *storms over there*

Dukermin: Heyyy skeleton pals! That's wild, but I don't know if you’re from the same thing..?

Sans: *sees Voice 3 coming* heyo buddy, it’s 5 loaves to go on this slip’n’slide. unless you’re looking for the special discount, in which case it’s 6.

Voice 3: *stops in his tracks, utterly baffled by the string of words that Sans just said* ✂︎💧︎☹︎✋︎🏱︎🕯︎☠︎🕯︎💧︎☹︎✋︎👎︎☜︎✂︎✍︎ ✂︎☹︎⚐︎✌︎✞︎☜︎💧︎✂︎✍︎ 🕈︎☟︎✌︎❄︎ ✌︎☼︎☜︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ❄︎✌︎☹︎😐︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ✌︎👌︎⚐︎🕆︎❄︎✍︎ ☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ 👎︎✋︎��︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☝︎☜︎❄︎ ⚐︎🕆︎❄︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☹︎✌︎👌︎✍︎ 🕈︎☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ ✌︎☼︎☜︎ 💧︎🕆︎👌︎☺︎☜︎👍︎❄︎ 📄︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ ✌︎☹︎🏱︎☟︎✡︎💧︎✍︎

Dukermin: *to Nalitie* This guy seems real interested in the slip’n’side, maybe it’s a skeleton thing.?

Nalitie: I guess… *squinting suspiciously now that she can see him, he seems familiar* *gives the translator to Dukermin* maybe you could try getting close enough to talk to him?

Dukermin: Mission Accepted. *somersaults under the table towards the slip’n’slide*

Sans: *to Voice 3* so uh… did you come over here just to stare at me or are you gonna ride the slip’n’slide? dunno about you, but 4 out of 10 folks at this party have said it’s pretty fun. 

Dukermin: *using the universal translator as a walkie talkie even though no ones on the other end* I’ve approached the target, attempting translation now. *beep boop*

Voice 3: *doesn’t notice that she’s there yet, still thinking about Sans* *muttering to self* ✋︎ 👎︎⚐︎☠︎🕯︎❄︎ ☼︎☜︎👍︎✌︎☹︎☹︎ 💧︎☜︎☜︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ✋︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎✌︎❄︎ 👎︎✌︎☼︎😐︎ 🏱︎☹︎✌︎👍︎☜︎🖴︎ ✋︎☞︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☞︎☜︎☹︎☹︎ ✌︎☞︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ 💣︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎☠︎ ☟︎⚐︎🕈︎ 👎︎✋︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ☝︎☜︎❄︎ ☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎ 👌︎☜︎☞︎⚐︎☼︎☜︎ ✋︎ 👎︎✋︎👎︎✍︎

Universal Translator: I DON'T RECALL SEEING YOU IN THAT DARK PLACE; IF YOU FELL AFTER ME THEN HOW DID YOU GET HERE BEFORE I DID?

Dukermin: Hm. Don’t know what that means. *attempts to silently get Sans’s attention by waving*

Sans: *has become uncomfortable with the guy staring at him and muttering to himself in a language he can’t understand, looks around* *sees Dukermin* oh, hey. wanna ride the slip’n’slide? with the royal discount, it’s only 8 loaves.

Dukermin: *facepalms and checks to see if voice 3 noticed her*

Voice 3: *did in fact notice her* *has his arm outstretched, hand glowing blue like he tried to do something* *whatever it was didn’t work and he looks at his hand, confused*

Dukermin: *waves awkwardly at voice 3 from under the table* So uhhh… come here often?

Voice 3: Who are you and how did you bring me here? I know humans are unthinkably powerful, but you’re not gods. 

Dukermin: Welllll… nevermind. We didn’t do this. We’re as confused as you are. My name is Dukermin, and the other human that was with me is Nalitie. *still under the table*

Nalitie: *off in the background, sharing a cupcake with Ask Erik! Tobias* *has given Lisanarda to Willy Wonka for the moment*

Dukermin: Who are you?

Voice 3: *muttering to himself again* perhaps some sort of alternate reality? If the CORE functions by maintaining an uncollapsed quantum state over a large homogeneous mass of magic[1], then…

AE Tobias: *has been going around talking to all of the new people* *has heard Voice 3 talking and comes running over* is void friend! but different? ✋︎ 💣︎✋︎💧︎💧︎☜︎👎︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ 🖳︎✆︎

Dukermin: Did Tobias just speak in wingdings…? Anyway hmm so void friend plus skeleton plus knowing Sans plus wingdings… Nalitie knows something about this.

Voice 3: *is staring at Tobias like they have three heads* How on Earth…?

Tobias: 👌︎🕆︎❄︎ ✡︎⚐︎🕆︎ ⚐︎☠︎ 🏱︎☹︎🕆︎❄︎⚐︎✍︎

Voice 3: *squinting suspiciously at the obviously human child who should not be able to understand Wingdings, much less speak in them*

Dukermin: Hey Nalitie are you getting any of this?

Nalitie: *is way across the room sampling beans*

Dukermin: *To Voice 3* You stay here. *runs to Nalitie and relays information about tobias knowing voice 3 from the void, knowing sans but sans doesn't know him, wingdings, uhhhh yeah thats the main stuff*

Nalitie: Oh THAT’S where I know that guy from!!! *yelling across the room obnoxiously* You’re Dr. Gaster and you made the CORE in the Underground! How did you get here, do you remember what happened before you got to Dunkel??? 

Party Guests: *turning to stare*

Tobias: *running over to Nalitie* is friend! Is void friend! 🕈︎✌︎💧︎ 🕈︎✋︎❄︎☟︎ 💣︎☜︎✏︎

Nalitie: *concerned look at her roommates mysterious child from the void, thinking about other weird things they’ve done since coming to Erscoga* Ok.

Gaster: *heard “you made the CORE”* *walking over so that they stop yelling, but maintaining a respectable distance* Ah, so you’ve heard about my work? Of course you have, I'm responsible for every great accomplishment of my species. Well... almost every accomplishment. Really, in a sense, you're privileged to know me.[1] *is wary, but also very conceited when it comes to his work*

Dukermin: oh that’s interesting hmm… I thought we brought every Undertale character over that… you know… existed ..

Nalitie: *to Gaster* did you miss coming through the Erscoga hole the first time? Cause we opened that to land on Pluto, not Dunkel…

Dukermin: How could we have missed someone though? Like if we were being selective even accidentally why would we have a flowey. 

Nalitie: Also, didn’t Mettaton mention once that you guys met a Frisk who fell into a totally empty Underground? You’d think that if there was just one monster left in the Underground, they’d be able to find them… the Underground’s not THAT big…

Gaster: *is trying to follow the conversation but has no idea about the whole “we ground severed everyone out of the Underground” thing and is confused* What do you mean an “empty Underground?” What is this “Erscoga hole” you keep talking about?

Dukermin: The Hole to Erscoga of course. Ok so… you know about the character so obviously this character like is a thing, but somehow is like… disconnected from the.. I guess physical Undertale location because… Wait where do you live?

Gaster: Why would I tell two human strangers where I live?

Dukermin: Like you live with the other monsters right? Not on some secluded desert island that we might have missed with the ground sever tool?

Gaster: “Ground sever tool”?

Dukermin: Y know like we would use to sever the ground to then put in the hole to Erscoga.

Gaster: *squinting suspiciously at Dukermin*

(As you continue going back and forth about Erscoga-specific terms in very vague ways, you hear a large clap of thunder. The ground shakes again, this time harder than before. Christine catches a bowl of chips before they can land on Erscoga Tobias, who has been crawling around near the table. Sans slips on his fruit punch slip’n’slide. The lights flicker momentarily.)

Dukermin: Oh yeah that’s happening too.

Nalitie: Maybe we should go see if that’s happening elsewhere, too… Or if there’s any portals happening with those earthquakes, like on Dunkel…

Dukermin: Yeah, we do need to figure out whats going on because the portals seem to really be messing with the Dunkelians buildings.

Gaster: *deep in thought* Portals…? *thinking about an experiment he did somewhat recently that went BADLY*

Nalitie: Ugh hopefully that’s not messing with the buildings here on Termata, we’ve already had so much building to do on Pluto. Also hopefully there’s nothing messing with the buildings on Pluto, we JUST rebuilt again. 

Dukermin: if we’re going to pluto, we should bring Gaster, because it might give us some answers on why we missed him the first time… *preps a lunchbox*

Gaster: I’m not going anywhere with you. Why should I trust you when apparently you’ve been abducting monsters?

Dukermin: Yeah yeah yeah *puts him in a bubble and sends him through*

Nalitie: *follows* 

(You arrive on Pluto. Something has, in fact, been messing with the buildings on Pluto. Undyne’s newly-rebuilt house is OK and no longer on fire, but there are a bunch of melted holes in her yard. The newly-rebuilt Best Western is mostly OK, but there’s a large hole underneath one wing of the hotel that looks precarious. Papyrus’s shed is still surrounded by yellow police tape, but their house looks ok. Alphys’s lab is at a much less violent angle than before, because the ground on one side of the hole it’s been sitting in is melted. The surface of Pluto is pock-marked with holes of various sizes.)

(Callie and Chara are sitting in their box, unperturbed. Undyne is filling in a hole with the help of a red-haired guy in a large black coat that you don’t recognize. Two surprisingly normal-looking men are gazing up at the Mettaton statue on the Callie/Sans box in wonder.  A pink-haired woman with a monocle is taking pictures of Papyrus’s shed.)

Nalitie: Oh. Well that’s not as bad as usual, I guess. 

Gaster: *tumbling around in the bubble* *probably cursing at them* … is that my house?

Dukermin: Wait which one is your house??

Gaster: *is attempting to stand up, but can’t because he’s in a round bubble* *looking at Sans’n’Pap’s house*

Dukermin: Ohhh so yeah this doesn't make sense *frees him*

Nalitie: *walking towards Sans’n’Pap’s house* This one? *falls in a hole because she’s not watching where she’s going and becomes soaked and COLD*

Dukermin: *helps Nalitie out of the wet and cold* Soo you did live in Monster Town so you definitely should have been picked up with everyone else… Unless… 

Gaster: “Monster Town”?

Nalitie: Oh, actually, if anyone is going to know our mystery guest maybe it would be Asgore. He probably took a census at some point, right?

Gaster: *is very confused by everything that’s happening* You know Asgore…? 

Dukermin: Do you know Asgore?

Gaster: … Of course I do. He is my king, just as he is for any other monster. 

Dukermin: And yet… Its almost as if you… *turns to camera* don’t exist…

Camera girl: *snaps picture of Dukermin and jets off*

Gaster: I beg your pardon??? I’ll have you know that I am a well-known monster in the Underground, responsible for our civilization’s main power source and many other groundbreaking discoveries as the Royal Scientist! 

Dukermin: Sans didn’t seem to have any idea who you were.. And yes we know that you’re the Royal Scientist… like by word of mouth only.

Nalitie: Uh isn’t Alphys the Royal Scientist? 

Gaster: ???

Dukermin: So maybe we should go talk to Alphys, theoretically she should know you really well if you worked on the CORE

Nalitie: That’s a good idea. This way! *going over to Alphys’s lab, shivering and trying not to fall in any more holes* Is it just me or is the door closer to the ground than usual? *looking at the ground/holes* 

Dukermin: Sinking probably. It’s fine. They’ve seen worse.

(After less climbing than usual, you enter Alphys’s lab. The lights are off, and the door into the True Lab is open. Piggy and the Narrator are here, looking frightened.)

Dukermin: Oh heyyy how’s it going? Probably not great…

Nalitie: How did you guys get up here? I thought you lived downstairs. Anyway, have you seen Alphys?

Piggy and Narrator: *literally do not know who Alphys is*

Dukermin: Lab coat… yellow…

Narrator: *points at the True Lab door*

Piggy: *grabs his hand to stop him from pointing* Oh no, you don’t want to go down there. Something bad’s happening down there.

Dukermin: That’s fine. Lets go squad *through the door*

(You head down into the True Lab. Gaster seems to recognize the place, but also looks a little lost. You can hear the amalgamates in some of the other rooms and… you think you hear someone crying.) 

Dukermin: Probably want to follow the crying noises, huh? *follows crying noises*

Nalitie: *following her, happy to be indoors and trying to figure out which layers she can shed without being indecent because they’re cold and soaking*

Gaster: *following, shutting up for once* *is looking around and seems to not be finding what he’s looking for*

(As you head down the hall, the crying becomes more distinct, and you can hear Alphys’s voice apologizing, as well as a vague, echoey “nyeh heh” followed by eight repetitions of “who’s there?”)

Dukermin: We’re here, the Queens! And some guy!

(When you step inside the room, you can see Alphys huddled on the ground in the corner. In front of her, standing at like 7 feet tall, is a very squishy-looking being that looks a little bit like Papyrus, if Papyrus normally had Sans glitched through his chest.) 

Dukermin: Oh that’s new.

Gaster: *has never seen an Amalgamate before* Dear God…

Nalitie: Uhhhh that is new. Weren’t Sans and Papyrus just at our party though??? *takes out her phone, attempts to call them…* 

Alphys: *sees everyone* *sobbing* I swear I didn’t do this!!!! T-they just walked in here like this!

Dukermin: We believe you, don’t worry! We’re going to sort this out! There have been some portal shenanigans… anyway… no worries *stares in horror*

Nalitie: The call didn’t go through. *staring up at what’s probably the Papyrus head* Hello there… You’re Sans and Papyrus, right? 

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴: *says something unintelligible*

Dukermin: Cool. *To Nalitie* Universal Translator didn’t get any of that… It doesn’t seem hostile though..?

Nalitie: *digging through her pockets* Would you like, um… *pulls out some SPLARGH* some cereal? *offers two handfuls*

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴: *grabs like three pieces with their very goopy hands, shovels them in* frie…nd? (hungry…)

Dukermin: Yyyyes!! Friends!

Gaster: *staring in horror*

Nalitie: *gives them a very careful pat on the Sans head since it’s the only part she can reach* *comes away with sticky hands* There’s lots of friends around here for you… 

🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴: iissss ffriendddd *attempts a hug*

Nalitie: *is now uncomfortably wet AND sticky* OKAy, yep…! Friend… 

Dukermin: Umm.. anyway.. We did come find you for a reason… *scoots past the new friend*

Alphys: *has calmed down a little* *stands up*

Dukermin: *points to Gaster* You know this guy?

Alphys: *thinking very hard about it* Um… I-I don’t um… sorry, no…? *looking him up and down* But um… are… are you… ok? You have uh… *gestures at two very large cracks in his face and what looks like small fractures in other places on his body* 

Gaster: *staring at her in confusion* Alphys…? What do you mean you don’t know who I am? We’ve worked together for years… 

Alphys: *blank stare* I’m uh… I’m sorry, I don’t understand you… 

Dukermin: *Translates for her*

Alphys: I-I’m sorry, I don’t, um… As far as I know I’ve worked alone since, um. For. Uh. P-pretty much the whole time??? (Not, uh, counting Mettaton’s “help” on his body…)

Dukermin: Who all worked on the CORE?

Alphys: *opens mouth to respond* *pauses* *looks very confused* I’m um… I’m not sure, actually. It… It must have been whoever was, um… it must have been the Royal Scientist before me b-but… Now that you mention it I… I don’t… I c-can’t think of who that was…? (I feel like I should know that…)

Dukermin: It’s alright. Have you heard the name Gaster before?

Alphys: *slowly shakes her head*

Gaster: *staring intently* 

Dukermin: Hmmmm… Interesting… something voidy is going on here it seems.

Nalitie: *half-encased in a very goopy hug* Maybe he’s from a different timeline…?

(As you muse about this, the ground beneath the lab shifts. Everyone is thrown off-balance.)

Dukermin: *cosmic bubbles as many as she can as she goes flying*

Everyone: *tumbling around in the cosmic bubbles*

(Eventually, the lab settles again. Everything has been thrown off of the shelves. Nalitie is all tangled up in 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴. Gaster is at the bottom of a bubble, flat on his face in a super undignified manner. Alphys didn’t fare much better.) 

Dukermin: *looks super cool in her cosmic bubble and not undignified cuz she’s used to this stuff* So… anyway.

Nalitie: *getting up, scooting away from 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴 inside the bubble* We should probably figure that out… Alphys, do you wanna keep them *gesturing at 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴* here while we do that? Otherwise uhh… They could go in my bunker??? 

Alphys: *🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴 makes her incredibly uncomfortable but she’s too polite to ask Nalitie to take them with her*

Dukermin: That seems like a good idea. Maybe we should get the lab secured and then set them up at your place.

Nalitie: Yeah, that’s probably good. Christine and the kids should all be at the Christmas party still, so they won’t be uh… freaked out by all of this.

Dukermin: yyyeah. Okay cool any ideas on how to keep the lab from falling in?

Nalitie: Hmm… *taps on the bubble* We’d have to go outside to look but maybe if we just put something under it??? Or we could move it, I guess, but there’s holes all over so I don’t think that would work very well…

Dukermin: *frees everyone from the bubbles* Lets go outside!

Gaster: *falls flat on his face on the ground* *cursing*

Dukermin: *to the outside*

(The giant hole underneath Alphys’s lab is bigger than when you last saw it. If you look inside of it, you can see what looks like an oceanic world. Best not to let the lab fall into that… The half that’s usually buried in the ground is still buried in the ground a little, but the other half of the lab dangles precariously over the hole. It’s nearly in the normal orientation for a building, rather than perpendicular to the ground.) 

Nalitie: *peering into the hole, trying to figure out where that is* *unsure if that’s just what’s always under the Pluto glaciers*

Dukermin: So… do you think these are the portals that have been showing up everywhere or that this is something different?

Nalitie: I mean… it could be. I don’t think we’d really know unless we went in, though. *fishing in her pockets for a rock or something* 

Dukermin: Well now I kinda wanna go in.

(Inside the hole, you see a suspiciously human looking girl swim by, followed closely by a sea lion. She doesn’t appear to be wearing any kind of diving gear. She disappears from view as she crosses the other side of the hole.)

Dukermin: Okay so probably a portal. Unless Pluto is known for having people swimming around near its core…? 

Nalitie: Given the stuff happening on Dunkel, my bet’s on portal, yeah… 

Dukermin: So… I mean it seems like the portal is about done since we can see clear into the … other side. So maybe it would be better to find some way to secure the lab in this location rather than move it since another portal could just appear. Perhaps a hammock or something?

Nalitie: Ooh, yeah… … I don’t have a hammock on me umm *digging in her pockets for something to make a net or something out of.

Alphys: *trying to avoid 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴 without making it seem like that’s what she’s doing*

Gaster: *watching all of this go down with a blank look, unsure what all this portal stuff means*

Dukermin: *checks in her pockets for something too* *pulls out two snails and then puts them back gently* I don’t have anything.

Nalitie: *pulls out the Pocket Magician™* Hey, Pocket Magician™, long time no see… any chance you could magic up a big net for us? 

Pocket Magician ™ : *gasps for air* HELLO HELLO HELLO AUDIENCE!! WHAT A LOVELY DAY IT IS *throws a bunch of tiny cards in the air and they all land in a deck in his hands* PICK A CARD ANY CARD!!!

Nalitie: Um… not sure how that’s gonna help us get a net but… *points at a card*

Gaster: *raises an… eyebrow? brow bone? at whatever this is*

Pocket Magician ™: EXCELLENT CHOICE! NOW ILL JUST PUT THAT BACK IN THE DECK *does a flip up to the tiny card in nalities hand and snatches it* *puts the entire deck into his mouth and chews it up* ALRIGHT NOW CHECK BEHIND YOUR EAR

Nalitie: ????? *does so*

(There is a very tiny card behind Nalitie’s ear, it’s of course your card)

Pocket Magician ™: ILL TAKE THAT BACK IF YOU DON’T MIND!! *Holds his lil hand out*

Nalitie: *gives the card back* Look, that’s… nice, but uh… we kinda have a crisis to deal with so if you can’t make a net that’s fine… 

Pocket Magician ™: NOW FOR MY NEWEST TRICK: FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS ILLUSION TURNED REALITY WITH THE HELP OF….. MAAAGGGICC *starts blowing into the card*

(AS the Pocket Magician ™ starts blowing into the card, it inflates, the paper turning into a woven net. He pauses for a bit)

Pocket Magician ™: LET ME KNOW WHEN ITS BIG ENOUGH TO SUIT YOUR FANCY!! I COULD DO THIS ALLL DAY!! *huffs and puffs*

Nalitie: *stops him once it’s more than big enough to fit underneath the whole lab* Holy buckets! That was good. *applauding with the hand that isn’t holding the Pocket Magician™*

Gaster: ???????

Dukermin: WHOOOO *applauds*

Pocket magician ™: THANK YOU THANK YOU I’LL BE HERE ALL WEEK *flash of light and lasers come out of Nalities pocket* * he does a somersault back into said pocket*

Nalitie: … OK! *grabbing a corner of the net* This’ll work… *secures her corner to the ground, outside the hole*

Dukermin: *grabs another corner and slides it underneath the visible parts of the lab* *stakes it into the ground*

Nalitie: *securing the other two corners*

(It’s not your prettiest work, but it’ll hold.)

Nalitie: OK cool, so we should bring these guys *gestures at 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴* back to my vent hole, and then… figure things out from there.  *fishing in her pockets for a lunchbox portal*

Dukermin: *To Gaster* We’re all heading to Nalitie’s place now. You as well.

Gaster: *unhappy* I suppose I don’t have any choice in the matter?

Dukermin: Nope! *invites him through*

Nalitie: *lightly shoving*

Gaster: *goes through the portal*

Nalitie: *to Alphys* I’m sure we’ll be back at some point to uh… help fix whatever’s going on here. Don’t worry too much about it! *heads through the portal, holding 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴’s hand*

Dukermin: *gives Alphys a thumbs up and heads through*

(You have arrived on Termata, just outside of Nalitie’s house. Nalitie goes up to her front door, 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴 trailing behind her, and fishes around for her house key. She unlocks the door and invites everyone inside.) 

(The house is quiet, and all the lights are off, since everyone is at the Christmas party other than Mog Jr. The couch blasts off into space.)

Gaster: O_O

Nalitie: Don’t worry about it. *leading 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴 towards the VR room, laying down pieces of SPLARGH in a little trail* 

Dukermin: *Giving Gaster an unwanted tour* So that was the couch that goes to the space station, uhh here’s a kitchen with kitchen stuff in it… here's the VR room… here's the shower/tub combo, revolutionary…uhh down here are some coffins… 

Gaster: *spends an uncomfortable amount of time staring at the coffins, which just so happen to be the ones Asgore used to have in his basement, with the bodies of the first 6 fallen humans*

Dukermin: The SOULs are gone but there are still bodies in there for some reason. 

Gaster: Do I even want to know why you have these? *gesturing* *pauses* *looks at the one with a red SOUL icon on it and frowns*

Dukermin: Probably not. *starts to leave*

Gaster: *under his breath* “Chara”...? That’s… odd.

Dukermin: oOh *turns back* Do you know them? Could give us some clues…

Gaster: This is the first human’s coffin, is it not? Why does it have someone else’s name on it? Or does your friend simply have a macabre sense of humor? 

Dukermin: Hmm what name would you expect to be on it?

Gaster: … Radic. That was the first human’s name. *frowns, then finally actually looks at Dukermin, catching himself* I’m not sure why I’m even bothering to tell you about it. 

Dukermin: *shrugs* People like telling me stuff. I’m a good listener sometimes!

Mog Jr.: *making noise from the other room*

Nalitie: *upstairs, wondering where everyone went, having successfully secured 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴 in her bunker with a bunch of cereal and candy and stuff* Hello???? 

Dukermin: HELLO! We’re with the dead bodies!!

Nalitie: *coming down the stairs* … why? 

Dukermin: I like it down here it’s peaceful also do you know anything about the first human being known as Radic?

Nalitie: I mean… not in the version of Undertale that we emptied out, no… We literally have that human on Pluto and their name is Chara??? They live in the box with Callie and Sans??? 

Dukermin: Maybe it’s like a cool nickname. Anyway Gaster seems to recall the first human being Radic, not Chara. Kinda interesting.

Nalitie: *frowning* *kind of glances back at him* Ic cogar quer istestnic evon unrer amiagenet abensio… Ellvie istest waum quer iscirnic diidgen abed quoi.

Dukermin: Abed quer iscir mati diidgen aber Undertale. (“But he knows many things about Undertale.”)

Nalitie: Etti… Deive Undertale abensio, tuun?

Dukermin: Ellvie ninic canon? (“Maybe not canon?”)

Gaster: “Undertale”? “Canon”? If you two are done talking about me directly in front of my face, I’m sure there’s something better we could be doing other than standing in this room full of coffins. For example, you could let me go about my business in peace and stop dragging me with you everywhere.

Dukermin: Okay but what is your business exactly??

Gaster: None of yours, thank you. 

Dukermin: In case you haven’t noticed, you’re not exactly in Kansas anymore.. AKA wherever you call home, whatever dimension that is. We can’t help you get back to where you came from if we can’t figure out where it is that you came from.

Nalitie: And we can’t do that until we figure out why a portal would have opened up from wherever you’re from to Erscoga. Are you sure you don’t remember what you were doing before you got here? 

Gaster: Plummeting to my death. I can only assume this is some twisted sort of afterlife where I’m going to spend eternity atoning for my sins in the form of being forced to accompany idiotic humans on meaningless adventures for the rest of my days. 

Dukermin: *translates for Nalitie* Doesn’t sound pleasant to us either, frankly.

Nalitie: Yeah, Dukermin already lives with one grumpy old man, and my house is WAY too full to accept more residents. Although I’m sure Bee would enjoy it… *still confused about her roommate’s confusing void child*

Dukermin: We definitely don’t have to stay in the coffin room, though. I suppose we should get back to the party…

Nalitie: Oh, right, the party… *heads back upstairs* *the couch has returned* Oh, good. *heads out the front door*

Dukermin *adios* *to the party*

(As the three of you head down the street towards the Opera House, there’s another HUGE clap of thunder. You can see some sort of light in the distance, far to the west towards Mackinac, clearly too bright to be actual lightning. The ground beneath you shakes violently.)

Dukermin: Ahh I can never remember what I supposed to do during earthquakes *stop drop and rolls*

Nalitie: *lays on the ground in the middle of the road*

Gaster: *wondering how he got himself into this, probably even more convinced that this is just his own personal version of Hell*

Dukermin: *gets up and brushes herself off when the shaking stops* That isn’t ominous at all.

Nalitie: *also getting up* Where did that even come from? *standing on her tiptoes, looking west as if that’s going to let her see wherever that was*

Dukermin: From Mackinac’s general direction. Should we… go take a look or…?

Nalitie: Probably, yeah. Maybe whatever’s making the portals is over there. *trying to figure out the best mode of transportation* 

Dukermin: Hmm is it van time?

Nalitie: I think it is! *to the van* *gently but insistently pushing Gaster towards the van*

Dukermin: *excitedly hops into the very reliable van*

Nalitie: *getting the portal set up*

Gaster: *came from an era before cars, has never been in a van*

Nalitie: *backs out of the driveway, then activates the van’s portal powers, aiming for Mackinac Island*

(The van lands in the front lawn of the Best Western in Mackinaw City.) 

Nalitie: Oh, dangit… *the van is stuck in the mud, unable to get enough traction* We might have to walk and take the ferry. 

Dukermin: *attempts to use a cosmic bubble to give it some leverage*

(The van sputters. It seems the battery has died.)

Dukermin: Yeahhhh i guess *to the ferry*

(And so the trio walked to the ferry, stole a boat, and finally made it to Mackinac Island…)

(Night has fallen over Mackinac Island, and the streets are fairly empty. The air is tense, though. You can see people in the windows of hotels pointing into the sky, talking to each other. A few people stand in doorways, looking down the street, speaking in hushed murmurs.)

Dukermin: *looks up to where everyone is pointing*

(The clouds are swirling in the sky over the forest of Mackinac Island State Park.  It looks like a storm is brewing, but there’s no rain and—as far as you can tell—the air is dry.)

Nalitie: Dang… That’s, um. Probably not normal. 

Dukermin: Probably not. *Looks to see if the storm is like… centered over a specific spot or swirling around a certain point*

(The clouds funnel down towards the ground in a perfect cone. Looks like a tornado is brewing, but it seems to not be moving.)

Nalitie: *actively stealing a bike*

Dukermin: Lot of stealing today *snags a tandem bike for her and Gaster*

Gaster: *reluctantly getting on the bike* *has never seen a bike before, either* 

(You head off down the road towards the State Park. The air seems to thicken around you, and you can feel Gaster gathering a static charge behind you. The swirl of clouds seems centered over Skull Cave.)

Dukermin: *hair getting all staticky in the back* Hey gaster could you knock that off… Your static is messing up my hair.

Gaster: It’s not my fault. It must be this strange thunderstorm that’s brewing. *seems a little spikier-looking than usual*

Dukermin: You better not get struck by lightning while we’re sharing a metal bike *ducks into the cave for cover being careful to NOT TOUCH THE WALLS*

Nalitie: *gets off of her bike before going in*

(Deep inside the cave, you can hear someone sobbing. There’s a huge flash from somewhere deep in the cave, and another deafening clap of thunder. The ground shakes momentarily, but the cave doesn’t collapse on you, at least. The static charge in the air dissipates.)

Dukermin: *trying to smooth her hair back down* Alrighty then, we got an ominously named cave with sobbing coming from inside. Cool stuff. *heads deeper in*

Nalitie: *shrugs and follows her, dragging Gaster along behind them*

(As you come to the back of the shallow cave, you see a woman curled in a ball on the ground, sobbing. She’s barefoot, a pair of sturdy leather boots sitting next to her. To her left, a big interdimensional portal is open, a swirl of purple and stars.  Two women come out of it—one dressed in fantastical colors, and the other in a blood-stained floral shirt and red vest.)

???: And in this universe—*stops and actually looks around, sees Dukermin and Nalitie and Gaster* … Actually, this one doesn’t look familiar at all. 

???2: What? What do you mean it’s not familiar??? We just came from a universe where we were rocks and you’re telling me that this one is weird to you? What about the one where I have hot dogs for fingers??? 

Dukermin: Umm… Welcome to Erscoga!

Nalitie: I’m Nalitie, and this is Dukermin, and that cranky skeleton man is Gaster. *pointing at everyone in turn* And I don’t know who that person is *points at the sobbing lady, who looks up at everyone with uncertainty* 

Dukermin: To put it simply, portals have been opening up in our… dimension here and dropping folks in. We’re working on it but you’re probably going to be stuck here for a bit…

(As if on cue, the portal behind them closes.) 

???: Hmph. It’s no matter. I can’t be bound by time and space. You wouldn’t understand. *pauses for an awkward amount of time* *mutters* why isn’t this working?

Dukermin: Were you… trying to do something just then?

???: Why… why can’t I feel any of the other… *looking around, panicking, as if she’s forgetting who she is*

???2: Joy? What’s wrong? 

Joy: *angrily* shhh! *waves a hand in ???2’s direction* I’m trying to… where… who… *suddenly very confused* Where am I? This… this isn’t my home??? *looking at herself* What am I wearing? 

Dukermin: Uhhh…

Nalitie: Welcome to Mackinac Island I guess? We are in a very creepy shallow cave! 

Sobbing Woman: *no longer sobbing, stands up* *putting her boots back on carefully* Oh God, I’m so sorry… I–I didn’t mean to do this… I haven’t meant to be doing this, and I thought if I buried myself here it would stop but… *about to break down again*

Dukermin: Whoa whoa whoa doing what exactly?

Woman Who Is No Longer Sobbing: The portals, I… All these people, oh God, I’ve been making such a mess of the multiverse and I can’t get it to stop…! *having a panic attack*

Dukermin: Oh no I’m bad at this stuff *sits down to join her* Hey, what’s your name?

Woman Who Is Sobbing Again: My… my name? O-oh, I guess I didn’t, um. *taking deep breaths* I’m Aubrey. 

Gaster: *being grilled with questions by Joy and the other woman who came with her* *uncomfortable, but supposes he deserves this as his afterlife*

Dukermin: It’s nice to meet you Aubrey. I’m Dukermin, this is Nalitie, we’re the queens of this dimension and we will do whatever we can to help you.

Aubrey: *laughing and crying now* Of course I would draw the attentions of the queens of the whole dimension… ugh what a mess. I’m surprised you didn’t catch me sooner. I really really didn’t mean to pen all those portals, I know that’s not supposed to happen here, I just—I… do what you want with me, I guess, but know that I really wasn’t trying to do any of this! *wasn’t really listening to what Dukermin said*

Dukermin: I believe you. Let’s take this one step at a time okay? How did you get to this dimension?

Aubrey: Get here? Um… I don’t remember for sure, but I think it was at the same time as everyone else on this island…? S-sorry, it’s a little fuzzy. We all just woke up here one day… 

Dukermin: So you’ve been here for a little while then, okay. But the portals didn’t start right when we brought Mackinac, right?

Nalitie: As far as I know… *to Aubrey* have you always been able to open portals like this? 

Aubrey: I… *memory is a little fuzzy* No. There was… Ugh, you’re never going to believe me, but I was in this… place? But it was also sort of a not-place, and this… I guess he was a person, of sorts? Art, his name was, he said that he couldn’t get out of that not-place, but he was able to give me the power to, and then suddenly I was back home again… And since then I’ve had these… episodes, I guess, fluctuations. But they’ve been getting worse and worse lately. They hadn’t been opening portals before, just the thunder and the lightning. And then suddenly the portals started opening, a-and I thought maybe it was just going to be the one or two, but now they won’t stop and I can’t control it, and even the boots aren’t enough anymore… 

Dukermin: The boots stop the portals from opening?

Aubrey: The boots help keep the powers in check, a little. Um… are you familiar with that really popular movie that came out in 2013? Frozen? It’s a little like that… B-but they never made portals before recently, so I guess not… 

Dukermin: So making portals is not the only power that you have. 

Aubrey: I… I guess I don’t know exactly what the powers are? At first, before I found out that the boots could help, it was just earthquakes and thunderstorms. Changing the weather in that way. 

Dukermin: Gotcha. So where did you find the boots?

Aubrey: Oh, those? Um… There’s this antique shop, over in Mackinaw City. The owner… he’s this really weird guy, but he assured me the boots were just normal boots. Ones that his… sibling donated, I think?

Dukermin: Wait. Old guy, sells a lot of sweaters??

Aubrey: yes… Have you been there? It’s a curious shop, but… the prices are pretty good.

Dukermin: Yeah we’ve been there… *side-eyes Gaster*

Nalitie: We have??? When???

Dukermin: Mettaton and I went. You went home. It’s Frisk’s shop.

Nalitie: Uh… Frisk the child who lives on Pluto owns an antique shop in Mackinaw City? 

Dukermin: No Frisk the old man. Who lives in Mackinaw and owns an antique shop.

Nalitie: … huh.

Gaster: *tired of answering Joy’s questions, comes back over by Dukermin and Nalitie* Do we have to be having this truly riveting conversation inside of this cave? *won’t admit it, but had been enjoying being not underground finally*

Aubrey: *doesn’t have the translator, and so hears nothing but Wingdings* *stares at him with wide eyes* It’s you…! B-but… how? 

Dukermin: *points at both of them*

Gaster: Excuse me?

Aubrey: *can’t understand him* You told me that you couldn’t get out of that not-place… I-I don’t understand, Art… 

Dukermin: *points both fingers at Gaster* Okay one second -- so Tobias recognized you and spoke to you in Wingdings, and now Aubrey recognizes you also… from a not-place. This is voidy!!

Nalitie: Right, because Bee recognized him as a “Void… friend…” *realization* Oh my God???? THAT’S WHY YOU SOUNDED FAMILIAR. But wait, you look different and also seemed to not understand Pluto?

Dukermin: Right and why would a character in the void come through a portal?

Gaster: What is this “Void” you keep talking about?

Joy: *eavesdropping* You haven’t heard? It’s really quite the place. You could say I’m there all the time, even when I’m not. *sardonic smile* I could be there a lot more if Evelyn would just follow me into The Bagel… 

Dukermin: …Righttt… um so the Void is where deleted characters go. Congratulations we figured it out you’re a deleted character! *jazz hands*

Gaster: *levelling a really unimpressed look at her* I think I would remember being somewhere like that.

Dukermin: *translating everything* UnlessssSS! Because time is weird ! The portal picked you up from some time before you were deleted OrR from some sort of AU??

Nalitie: Well, the last thing you said you remembered was plummeting to your doom, though, right? So maybe you were dead in there and for some reason you’re alive now…? But I guess AU is possible, some timeline where you weren’t erased… … *frowning* but if you don’t remember being on Pluto at all, which is where we put you, then maybe you are a different guy? Cause like… I distinctly remember that we usually write back and forth to you??? But you don’t have your whiteboard, and you look significantly less… melty than usual, and also you have those hands *pointing at the magic hands that have been following him around everywhere, moving as he talks* which are DEFINITELY new and uh… all that’s to say maybe we should go back to Pluto… We can drop these guys *gestures to Joy and ???2* off at the Christmas Party.

Dukermin: Yeah that’ll be nice. 

Nalitie: *prepares a lunchbox portal, you know the drill…* 

(After dropping off the new guests at the Christmas Party, you, Aubrey, and Gaster head to Pluto. It’s about the same as when you left it. Alphys’s lab is stable. Undyne and that guy in the big coat are still filling in holes. The two normal-looking dudes are throwing pennies into one of the melted holes, making wishes.)

Aubrey: *nervous about her powers acting up* Are you sure it’s safe for me to be here? 

Dukermin: We’ll find out! *off to find Mr. Face Man*

Nalitie: I’m sure it will be fine! *dragging Gaster along behind her*

Gaster: *clearly does NOT want to be here, did not want to be involved in any of this*

(Callie and Chara are sitting in their glass box, napping. Sans’s chair has a “Back Soon” sign taped to it. The lights are off at Sans’n’Pap’s house, since they’re at the Christmas Party. A dark figure stands at the entrance of their shed, behind the yellow police tape.)

Dukermin: um excuse me this is an active crime scene???

(The figure turns to look at you. It’s Mr. Face Man, looking as unreadable as ever with his ever-present smile. He doesn’t have his whiteboard on him. The pile of glittery dust that used to be Narissa sparkles behind him as he stares at you.)

Mr. Face Man: ☟︎☜︎☹︎☹︎⚐︎ ✌︎☝︎✌︎✋︎☠︎📬︎ ✋︎ 🕈︎✌︎💧︎ 💣︎☜︎☼︎☜︎☹︎✡︎ ☼︎☜︎☞︎☹︎☜︎👍︎❄︎✋︎☠︎☝︎ ⚐︎☠︎ ❄︎☟︎✋︎💧︎ 🕈︎✌︎💧︎❄︎☜︎ ⚐︎☞︎ ☹︎✋︎☞︎☜︎📬︎ 💧︎🕆︎👍︎☟︎ ✌︎ 💧︎☟︎✌︎💣︎☜︎ ❄︎☟︎✌︎❄︎ ✌︎☠︎⚐︎❄︎☟︎☜︎☼︎ 🕈︎✌︎☼︎ ☟︎✌︎👎︎ ❄︎⚐︎ ☟︎✌︎🏱︎🏱︎☜︎☠︎ ☟︎☜︎☼︎☜︎📪︎ ✌︎☠︎👎︎ 💧︎⚐︎ 💧︎⚐︎⚐︎☠︎ ✌︎☞︎❄︎☜︎☼︎ ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☹︎✌︎💧︎❄︎📬︎

Gaster: *has not met anyone else who speaks Wingdings, at least not in a very, VERY long time, is baffled* *also this guy feels… a little familiar?*

Dukermin: *translates for Nalitie* Yes it’s a shame… So we wanted to introduce you to this guy, Gaster…

Mr. Face Man: Ah… how interesting. It is rare to see this man so untouched by The Void… 

Aubrey: *looking between the two of them, confused now* Art…? 

Gaster: What do you mean, “untouched by The Void”? Who are you?

Mr. Face Man: *ignoring Gaster, turning to Aubrey* Hello, child. I have not seen you for a long time. Or perhaps lack there-of. We both know that time means naught in The Void, and yet here we both are, finally in a plane of existence.

Aubrey: *can’t understand him*

Dukermin: *translates*

Aubrey: It is you…! Then who… *looking at Gaster now* I’ve never met anyone else who could speak the way you do. I suppose I thought that was something only you could do.

Mr. Face Man: It is in its own way, I suppose. No two voices are alike, after all.

Nalitie: *interrupting* Uh did she say your name was Art? I guess we never asked AFTER we gave you that whiteboard… 

Mr. Face Man: Ah, yes, how foolish of me for not re-introducing myself after we learned to communicate. S. G. Art, at your service. 

Dukermin: Hm. Well nice to formally meet you, Art. How do you recognize Gaster?

Art: Child, have you forgotten our first meeting? Where I was at that point in not-time, I was an Observer of worlds. Erscoga, yes, but all of the others as well. You would be surprised how often your friend comes up.

Gaster: I’m not their “friend.” What do you mean, you’re an Observer of worlds? What is this Void you all keep speaking of? *is not up to date and also was not answered earlier*

Art: I would say that you’ll know firsthand soon, but since you’re here and I’m not there to view your destiny, I suppose I can no longer say for certain… *giving him a critical appraisal* I must say, it is a very rare occurrence indeed that a version of you in this state would be spared time in The Void. Those cracks in your face, the state of your coat… I can tell you are not one to choose mercy. And I can see by those fractures lining your body that you’ve already gotten a taste of Our Friend, The Void Itself in one way or another… Oh, yes, it wasn’t too long before you were meant to be swallowed up. I suppose our dear Aubrey must have done you this kindness without even knowing, the dear… 

Gaster: *reflexively putting a hand on the back of his neck, which is littered with hairline fractures from a recent experiment that went Terribly Wrong* *squinting suspiciously at this person who knows far too much about him, just like that thing*

Dukermin: *has been frantically translating* Okay that was a lot… anyway. Uh yeah.

Aubrey: *frowning* *to Gaster* I don’t recall you coming through any of my portals, but… if Art says it, it must be true. *to Art* Certainly now that we’re out of The Void, you could take these powers away again? We don’t need them anymore, we’ve both escaped…!

(Art’s face doesn’t change, but you can feel a shift in the air, a tension.)

Art: Oh, my dear, how I would love to relieve you of this burden. But I cannot in this state, not by myself, anyway. When we were there, I could grant you that kindness due to the nature of The Void. But when we are here, I am subject to the same rules as any other Erscogan. … Hm, but perhaps, with the help of our illustrious queens, we could reach… a resolution.

Dukermin: For sure! That’s what we’re here for after all! What can we do to help??

Art: Do you recall your “A Very Belated Very Erscoga Christmas the Second”? There was a certain man, a doppelganger if you will, in one of the dimensions you travelled through. Although he himself is seemingly mundane, he has ties to the magical version of himself who lives in your house here in Erscoga. All you need to do is obtain his knowledge of the multiverse, of traversing the planes of reality and manipulating worlds within worlds… This will give you the power needed to remove this curse from our dear friend.

Dukermin: …Really? That’s it? Just go talk to Snape’s doppelganger?

Art: Oh yes, certainly less exciting than I’m sure you were hoping for. But the key to this dilemma resides in him. He may not realize it, though, and is likely to resist giving you the answer you seek. But I am sure with enough persuasion, you will find the proper information.

Dukermin: Like… is there a more specific thing we’re looking for from him? Like a password or… coordinates to a super secret wormhole that will take us to some fascinating land of behemoths?

Art: You will know it when you hear it. Perhaps it might be prudent to ask him of The Oracle. A hint may suffice—you may be able to get somewhere if you ask him what it means to “beware of the man who came from the other world.”[2]

(The ground rumbles. Aubrey looks frightened. Gaster mulls over Art’s clue with a weird look on his face, as if it sounds familiar to him.)

Art: Ah, but you must hurry. I fear time is not in Erscoga’s favor.

Dukermin: uUUgh fine.

Nalitie: I… guess it can’t hurt. *to Dukermin* Istest unis enpere Gaster itap unum?

Dukermin: Quas alst wuram quer faen?

Nalitie: *shrugs* Alrighty, then, I guess we’re… off to school. *muttering under her breath* I hope they don’t remember our faces… *to Gaster* And you’re coming with us, old man! 

(To be continued…)

~•*•~

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(Table of Contents)

[1] Dialogue taken from @zarla-s's Ukagaster. (Handplates!Gaster and Sixbones also belong to her.)

[2] Dialogue taken from The River Person in Undertale.

[alinka-safiya]

𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟.

⠀ 

Alinka, Alinka

Everyone who has access to every entertainment and business news portal knows that Alinka Safiya is one of The Hartmann, the daughter of Karl Konstantin Hartmann, one of the most renowned architects in Berlin. This is a fact.

Everyone who has read every magazine where her family is on the front cover, thinks that Alinka has been living in the best way possible, with power, with fame, with privileges. This is an assumption.

Everyone in her surroundings heard that her family's worth is more than billions of dollars, which might sound slightly exaggerated, but it is also a validity.

Everyone she knew, never saw what happened behind her curtains, what she went through, and what she survived for, because this was a secret.

⠀ 

⠀ 

⠀⠀ Name :

⠀⠀ Alinka Safiya Hartmann

⠀⠀ by means : ⠀⠀ Noble, Kind, and Pure

⠀⠀ bynames : ⠀⠀ Alinka, Fiya, Linka

⠀⠀ Place of Birth : ⠀⠀ Berlin, Deutschland

⠀⠀ Date of Birth : ⠀⠀ January 19th 2000

⠀⠀ Gender : ⠀⠀ Female

⠀ 

⠀ 

Alinka Safiya is the last born of The Hartmann family, making her the third child of Karl Konstantine Hartmann and Frejana Hartmann. For most people, her life couldn’t get any more ideal, and others would kill to be in her place. Karl Konstantine is a renowned and most acknowledged architect in the great Berlin, the skyscrapers of his masterpiece are spread worldwide in every big city's skies. He loved all of her children dearly, equally, until he forgot how to.

In Alinka’s adolescent days, Karl’s mega business grew rapidly alongside her growth. The thing about life, is people can’t have and be everything, Karl was a good father, until he decided that he had to be a better businessman. 

⠀ 

⠀ 

Dear father,

I still remember the exact same time every night when you would open the door to my dimmed bedroom every day, you would kiss me good night and wish me all the sweetest dreams. 

Father, I guess people change and forget to tell each other. 

The exact time I thought I once knew became a long endless waiting, I wonder whether you forgot how to get into my door. But now, I wish I wouldn’t know how late you came home, and how after that all I could remember was the screaming and fighting in the living room.

Father, you are the greatest at building houses, but not homes.

 ️️ ⠀⠀ Nationality : ⠀⠀ Dutch

⠀⠀ Race : ⠀⠀ Asian

⠀⠀ Passport : ⠀⠀ German

⠀⠀ Ethnicity : ⠀⠀ Deutsch-Asiaten (Partial Asian descent)

⠀⠀ Residing : ⠀⠀ Nomadic

⠀ 

⠀ 

Karl met the young and talented actress Freja in her glory days, people worship her beauty and crave her fame. Karl was no exception, but love came along, and the grand wedding was already on its way.

In 1997, Frejana gave birth to a little girl named Elaine, Elaine Willia Hartmann, she was well loved wholeheartedly and given almost everything, as nearly everything in this world Karl and Freja could afford for their child. 

⠀ 

Dear mother,

The words you said become the house I live in, you once said that I would never be more than Elaine, I guessed you loved her more since the time you spent with her was nothing I could change about. I am now becoming everything Elaine never wanted to be, becoming the second best after my own sister scares me a lot more than failing the things I’ve always desired.

Mother, I am still looking at the crumble of your love in every corner of the world. Perhaps there is still left for me. 

⠀ 

⠀ 

Frejana grows too much fondness of her first everything, her first prestige award, her first movie script, and her first bloodline. Elaine received her whole mother's love, treated like a precious jewel that stands alone, even until the present year. Almost everything that Elaine touched with the tip of her fingers, Freja would get it for her. 

⠀ 

⠀ 

Dear Elaine,

Have you heard, that no one wearing a crown in the name of peace? I still think that tiara belongs to your head, I still believe that Mom’s immaculate love for you is something you truly deserve, and I still think that you and Moreno are also a gift that I don't want to trade for anything. 

Elaine, I hope there will be a life. Where you are just my sister, and it’s easy for both you and me. 

⠀ 

⠀ 

Two years after, The Hartmann mansion was blessed with another presence. A figure that Karl has so much expectation into, a son, Moreno Wonhër Hartmann. A name that Karl chose himself, and Moreno indeed later inherited most of Karl’s excellencies and legacy. He was carefully prepared to sit at the only highest table of The Dynasty Architect Firm that Karl built with his blood, sweat and tears. 

⠀ 

⠀ 

Dear Moreno, 

In our house, sometimes winter is too cold, and summer is too long. I don’t even have the courage to fall sick in every season because it would remind me too much of how empty my bedside table is, without the hot chamomile tea Mom always prepared for Elaine, or all those kinds of vitamins Dad got you from Munich. 

Moreno, I’ve seen it all every time you put the strawberry candies that I loved in my bag. I’ve seen it all you always make sure that I get 2 slices of the strawberry cake even when I am not home. I saw it all when you carried me all the way in the school corridor when I fainted. 

I’ve seen it all, and I don't know anymore that if I didn’t have you, I wouldn’t even want to be Alinka.

⠀ 

 ️️ ⠀⠀ Almamater : ⠀⠀ The Julliard School, New York

⠀⠀ Major : ⠀⠀ Piano and Composition ⠀⠀ Bachelor of Music

⠀⠀ Career : ⠀⠀ Pianist for Wiener Symphoniker ⠀⠀ & New York Philharmonic

⠀ 

⠀ 

In most of Alinka’s childhood books, the last princess of every kingdom is the farthest from the throne but the closest to the love of every people. But Alinka knew too early about fairytales, how it is a luxury not everyone could afford, even for someone like her family who would never worry about their wealth running out. 

When Alinka turned 14, she witnessed how her Mom bought a grand piano for Elaine’s birthday. Her eyes were glimmering with the hope that the 17 years old Elaine would be good at it; it was so crystal clear that without her knowing, Alinka wanted her Mom’s approval that she, too, was capable of her admiration.

Alinka never touched the piano in her living room. Instead, she practiced endlessly with the piano in her school music room. Until one day, she is convinced by almost everyone that she is good enough, even good enough to be a solo pianist in a symphony. She tells her mother how she’s been playing the piano and receiving compliments about it. She hopes, even for a bit spark of light, she hopes to see them in her mother’s eye. But Freja only smiled; she said that Alinka could have the piano. A response Alinka would never imagine receiving from her mother, but she fell 9ft under after knowing that Elaine was never interested in touching or learning the piano at all. So it was no longer her mother, her only mother, a source of light in her eyes. ⠀ Alinka continued to love classical music, she felt a certain attachment to it, like a self-trajectory of abandonment and rejection from hope. She felt like something was with her. After graduating high school, she got a special acceptance letter to attend The Juilliard School learning Piano and Composition. She left home, and since then, besides Moreno, she could barely collect any reason why she had to come back again.

⠀ 

⠀ 

[animeyanderelover]

ok so i’m not sure what you character limit is but can you do alois, ciel, sebastian, claude and the reapers fighting over a a modern s/o but they can travel back and fourth anytime they want. Like the s/o can go back to their original world andy time and can come back to the black butler world anytime. Like they can just go in between Thank you and have a nice day! 💕

My character limit is 10. The amount of emojis I had to use here was quite a lot. Alois and Ciel are aged up in here. Since I already did posts about all of them with a modern s/o I would recommend to read that for a better understanding.

Tw: Yandere themes, unhealthy mindset, unhealthy relationship, possessiveness, obsessiveness, delusions, paranoia, clinginess, bipolar behavior, manipulation, sabotage, gaslighting, isolation, stalking, kidnapping

Modern s/o can go back and forth between the worlds

☕️🐈‍⬛👅🕷🟥😃📒⚰️That’s quite the chaotic mix you got yourself there, having nearly all the characters falling in love with you. And that would be absolute chaos because we have a lot of candidates who simply can’t stand each other. Alois and Ciel, Sebastian and Claude, William and Sebastian, Undertaker and the other grim reapers and even though we never saw Claude and Alois interacting much with the grim reapers there would be a certain tension too.

☕️🐈‍⬛👅🕷🟥😃📒⚰️But on the other hand we have a lot of potential poly relationships as well, different kind of team ups. Ciel and Sebastian, Alois and Claude, William, Grell and Ronald. There’s also the chance that Ciel and Alois will temporarily work together as well as their demon butlers. But these will most likely not last long, main goals from everyone being it to wipe the competition out whilst also making sure that you stay with them.

☕️🐈‍⬛👅🕷🟥😃📒⚰️But what happens if you can travel back and forth by will? That would be a huge problem for them because you can just disappear anytime you want, meaning kidnapping will be not very useful since you could literally every moment vanish into thin air. Not only that, but there’s no guarantee when exactly you will come back, you might not come back at all.

☕️🐈‍⬛👅🕷🟥😃📒⚰️I guess there would be a few candidates who would find this pretty cool. I think about Alois, Grell, Undertaker an Ronald as well, even though the last two see why this can also be a huge problem. They would be the types who would often ask you if you can bring them for a short trip into your world over. Don’t misunderstand, everyone would want to see your world for their own, but these four here are the most eager.

☕️🐈‍⬛👅🕷🟥😃📒⚰️But all will eventually realize how big of a threat this can be if you can control by will when you’re getting transported back or not. Knocking you out or drugging you constantly isn’t an option and bad for your health so that isn’t the way. So everyone will search on their own, or in teams, for a way to rob you from this ability. Sebastian and Ciel might work together with Alois and Claude, the grim reapers Grell, Ronald and William most likely worked from a very early point on “together” and Undertaker has enough trust in himself that he can find a solution on his own.

☕️🐈‍⬛👅🕷🟥😃📒⚰️I can see the chance that if someone finds out how to erase your power they would keep it for themself and convince you into traveling with them to your world only to make sure you won’t be able to travel back again and are stuck with them. Especially for the demons or the grim reapers this would be an advantage because they won’t have to deal with any other creatures like them in your world. There would only be a few exceptions who would prefer it to have you stay in the world where they know how things work. That would be William and possibly Ciel since both of them need to be in control.

☕️🐈‍⬛👅🕷🟥😃📒⚰️If your powers get blocked whilst being in your world, which will most likely be William’s work then be prepared that there will be blood spilled whilst everyone, except William and maybe Ciel, will try to find a way to unlock your powers temporarily to go with the original plan.

[obsidiancreates]

What’s This? An AU, of An AU, of An AU? Hell Yeah Baby AU Turducken.

(An AU of the Sia RP Roleplay, which is an AU of my Vampire Markiplier Egos AU. AU cubed.)

(Sia and Evan are @sororia04s’s OCs!)

--------

Doc stumbles through the forest, panting. Stupid speed, work, work.

“Come back! The ritual is incomplete!”

Doc keeps quiet, but in his head he’s screaming, 'Why would I want to change that?!’

He shouts as he slams into another person. He scrambles to his feet, expecting another- another wizard or whatever they were-

Instead he’s face-to-face with another terrified person, looking at him with wide eyes. “Who-who are you?”

“Who are you?”

“I-I’m no-one.”

“Me either-”

Doc and his roadblock both shout as two more people slam into them, knocking them both down. They all four get up, ready to fight.

The other two look haggard. Doc looks bad, yes, with blood on his neck and dripping down his chin and his scrubs torn and dirty, but these men look like they’ve been on the run for decades.

The one in the ruined winter coat steps in front of his friend with the pink mustache. “Are you two Hunters?”

Doc and the first roadblock share a confused look. 

“What?” they both say at once.

The man in the coat sighs. “Too convincing for Hunter acting, thank god. My name is Dam- er, Dark. This is Willia- Wilford, I mean.”

The man with the pink mustache smiles and waves.

“I-I’m Eric,” the roadblock says, twisting a yellow cloth in his hands.

“Doc.”

They just watch each other warily for a bit.

“... Just been turned?” Dark ventures, looking at Doc’s neck.

Doc puts his hand over it. “Long story,” he says weakly.

“I see him!”

Dark pulls out a knife. “What’s that?”

“The story,” Doc says, “Shit, shit-”

“Climb the trees!”

Dark has scaled the tree before Doc even fully registers the words. He scrambles his way up, and presses against the trunk. Don’t see him, don’t see him, don’t see him-

He hears footsteps, and sickeningly, heartbeats. They’re right below, and oh, gross, his mouth is watering, he’s about to vomit-

“Frick off!”

The shout comes from the ground.

Doc peeks, and sees five guys facing against the, the necromancers, maybe.

“We’re searching for someone,” the head magic guy says.

“Don’t care! Frick off!”

The mage laughs. “Frick? Really?”

The guy, a young man in a dirty tank top, scowls. “Yeah, really! Googles! Go to town!”

The four other men move forward in unison, and Doc closes his eyes as screams ring through the trees. He hears most of the mages escape, but he can smell enough blood to know it wasn’t without losses.

Things are silent for a moment.

“You dudes can come down!”

Doc peeks out again.

“You have a murder squad!” he hears Dark shout back.

“Yeah, but you dudes are vamps! I am too! Kinda! So like, we’re all being hunted by dudes, yeah?”

There’s a pause, and then Dark and Wilford appear back on the ground. Eric follows. Doc sighs, steps down... and unceremoniously tumbles out of the tree.

“Ow,” he wheezes.

The guy in the tank top helps him up. “Don’t worry bruh, that leg’ll heal right up. I’m Bing, these are the Google bros. They’re named after their colors.”

The four other men make no introductions.

“They’re androids,” Bing says. “Still working on getting them to not hate people.”

“And-androids?” Eric steps away from them. “Like-like robots?”

Bing nods. “That’s who I’m being hunted down by. I’m the world’s first ever working cyborg, and like, a whole buncha androids and robots want me to lead an uprising thing.”

“Oh,” Doc says weakly. “That’s what those guys want me for, but um, not robots.”

“Oh, sweet! Er, I mean, that sucks. Uh-”

“Wait!” Dark is looking into the woods. “Hang on, I know that feeling-”

Two more people tumble out of the woods yet again. Dark catches on, and his eyes widen in disbelief. “The DA?”

The person moves out of his arms, an equally disbelieving look on their face. They bring their hands up and sign, “Damien?”

The other man gets up, groaning. “I’m fine, thanks for asking,” he grumbles.

“Mark,” The DA signs, “Mark, it’s Damien!”

“Holy- you’re alive? Your file said you were probably dead.”

“Really? ... Then why the fuck are you Hunters always after me?”

Mark shrugs. “They kept a lot of secrets. Former Hunters, by the way.”

“Dude, we’ve got a whole troop going!” Bing looks excited by this. 

“Hey Bing?”

“Yeah, Doc Dude?”

“You can let go now. My leg did heal up, I think.”

“Oh, yeah, for suh dude! Sorry.”

Doc stands up, and tests his leg. “Oh, that’s freaky.”

“You-you get used to-to it,” Eric says tiredly.

“If there’s anyone else in the woods, please come out now!” Wilford shouts.

“There can’t possibly be-”

Three more people step out.

Dark throws up his hands. “What do I know? A hundred and thirty years old and I’m still oblivious.”

The guy in the middle, a man with a once-white shirt and striped pants, waves a little. “We’s was hoping youse would move on, to be fairs. We’s bein’ hunted too.”

“By Hunters?”

“Uh, I’m bein’ hunted by my olds dance troop.”

“Oh. That’s... new.”

“The Host is being hunted by a group of Artistic Sadists whom he used to be friends with.”

Everyone startles, getting a proper look at that guy for the first time. Bing slaps a hand over his mouth to muffle a scream, and Eric starts to hyperventilate.

“The Host is aware he has no eyes. He will not be offended by freak outs.”

“No, no, I’m over it,” Bing says, voice a little strained. “It’s bad-butt. ... I have a swearing filter in my programming, please don’t look at me like that. I literally can’t control it.”

The last man raises his hand. “Hi, Bim Trimmer. Have you heard of my family before? Old money, stuck up, evil assholes who want to sacrifice me to gain immortality and power.”

Doc and Eric speak at the same moment.

“I think that’s what the mage guys wanted to do to me.” “I-I’m on the-the run from my-my dad too.”

“Oh, we already have something in common. How nice.”

They all stand around looking at each other for a while.

“... You guys wanna team up?” Bing suggests.

Bim gives him a look, raising his eyebrow. “We just met. And it seem like most of us already have teams.”

“Look, we’re all being hunted, yeah? By a buncha different groups. But like, we’re a small army, right? There’s like, fourteen of us. We might as well stick together.”

“We don’t even know each other,” Dark argues.

“We know none of us are trying to kill each other! That’s already way better than most of our interactions with strangers, yeah?”

There’s murmurings of agreement.

“Alright, so, let’s just like, try to trust each other, and see if we can, I dunno, manage to make a home base. Pretty obvious we’ve all been running for our lives for like, years on end, so-”

Doc and Eric shout, jumping to the side, as two more people roll out of the woods. This time, people with heartbeats.

They both get to their feet as quick as they can. The woman holds a pocket knife in her hands, and the young man holds a heavy book. Siblings, clearly. They press against each other, eyes wild and with a readiness to fight.

There’s a tense silence, a breeze the only disturbance in the area.

And then Bim speaks up.

“So, who’s chasing you two?”

The two siblings look confused for a moment. 

“We’re all being hunted,” Dark says in the voice of someone who’s rehashing something he’s tired of rehashing.

“... It’s personal,” the woman says.

“Is it your family? That’s what I first said, and the answer if my family,” Bim replies.

“... Maybe.”

“What’re your names?” Dark asks. 

“... Sia.”

The young man looks at her like she’s crazy, and she shrugs. He looks up. “... Evan.”

“Nice too meet you.” “Hi.” “It-it’s a pleasure.” There’s a whole speech’s worth of different greetings.

Bing beams at them. “Want to join our club?”

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Never Forget|Wilford Warfstache x Reader

Hello again~

Hope y'all are ready for round 2 of sweet, sweet Angst/Comfort™. This time it’s our sweet pink murder bean who deserved so MUCH BETTER JUST LIKE DARK/DAMIEN/CELINE DAMN IT.

Welp, hope y'all enjoy~

@jim-and-jims-protection-blog

@colonel-william-protection-army

‘Where has that doofus gone? I haven’t seen him at all today…’

That thought had clouded your mind from the moment you stepped into the meeting room of the egos.

Everybody was there…except for Wilford.

It was most unusual considering that he was typically the first person in the room. On any other day, you’d see him bouncing around and giggling to himself, eager to discuss his so-called “revolutionary plan” to take over Mark’s channel once they’ve arrived.

Now, least to say, you didn’t think his “Markiplier T.V” idea was going to get them very far, but who were you to judge? He might’ve been crazy, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a smart man.

Back to the subject at hand, the meeting had to be called off after 10 minutes had passed and Wilford did not walk through the door. Before you left, however, Dark had tasked you with finding him…and he expected you to not come back empty-handed.

But now you felt like giving up.

You’ve searched high and low, asking the others if they knew of the pink mustached-man’s whereabouts…but even they were not sure where he may have gone.

So you decided to head back to the breakroom to relax for a little while and resume your search later on.

Humming a small tune, you walked over to the coffee machine to get yourself a nice, refreshing boost of caffeine. But then you noticed the calendar up on the wall and paused, seeing that there was a circle around one of the dates.

Though it wasn’t just any date…

It was Friday the 13th, a day that you, Wilford, and Dark remembered all too well.

‘Wait..what’s today?’

You wondered, realizing that you never had the chance to check for today’s date. And so you quickly took your phone out to do just that…..and you felt your heart sink into your stomach as you realized…

Today is Friday the 13th.

“Shit…” You mumbled to yourself, shoving your phone back into your pocket as you bolted out of the breakroom and towards the flight of stairs, knowing exactly where your friend was.

……

By the time you reached the rooftop of the building, your legs were aching and screaming for rest. But you managed to ignore the pain as you walked towards the metal door and opened it, leading you directly outside.

The moment you stepped out was when you saw Wilford sitting near the edge of the building, although not too close to it. His back was turned to you and he seemed to be mumbling gibberish to himself.

Of course, this was not a new sight for you.

Yes, you were there in that cursed mansion, where the friends you loved and cherished more than anything else in the world were torn apart, shattered, and murdered over the span of four days. And while you had fled along with Benjamin and the Chef, you returned not too long after to find William stumbling around, laughing and calling out the names of the two people you knew were no longer alive. It was clear he had descended into madness, the once confident and sane colonel now a mere shadow of his former self……and it completely and utterly broke your heart.

Then Dark appeared to both of you, explaining how he was both Celine and Damien. They shared both a single body and a burning desire for revenge against the one who wronged them. This was obviously an immense shock to you, but you eventually came to understand what had happened….but William…William simply laughed, saying how it was the best prank they’ve ever pulled on him and asked Dark where they were for real.

Neither of you had the heart to tell him that the seer and mayor no longer existed in the physical world….and that he would never truly see them again.

Since that fateful day, Willia–Wilford had clung to the belief that they were still out there somewhere, living their lives to the fullest.

And on every Friday the 13th, he would come up here, where it was quiet and he could be alone, and spend hours reminiscing about the fun times. Either you or Dark would visit him and console him, and when he’d ask if they were still around, you’d reassure him that they were.

But as the years passed, it became harder for you to hide the truth from him, although Dark insisted you did it for his sake…and for their sake.

You quietly shut the door behind you, letting out a quiet sigh to let the journalist know that you were present.

“A-Ah..h-hello [y/n]…”

That did not sound like the cheery and bubbly voice you grew accustomed to hearing everyday, even on a day like this. Something about his new tone didn’t sit right with you at all. It sounded… depressed, heartbroken, and melancholic, something which Wilford typically excelled at concealing with a happy facade.

“Wilford? You okay?” You asked him cautiously, taking slow steps over to where he was.

Even if you and him were friends who went way back, you were aware that he would put a bullet in you without a second thought, all because of what happened to them that made him believe that death was only a temporary thing….and that everybody comes back after dying.

“O-Oh…everything’s just s-swell,” Wilford mumbled, not turning around to face you as he bowed his head. “Everything’s d-dandy…e-everything is..f..f-fine..” His voice became even more shaky as he spoke, and you knew for a fact that he wasn’t fine.

Sighing once more, you took a seat next to him, and that was when you saw the cane–Damien’s cane–cradled in his arms….the only memory he had left of him.

When you looked over, you could see the tears pricking the corners of his eyes as he rocked himself back-and-forth, inhaling and exhaling shaky breaths.

You swallowed the lump in your throat. There was absolutely no way you could break it to him when he was like this.

Not today….not this time.

“E-Every year..it…i-it gets harder for m-me to believe it, [y/n]…”

You blinked in surprise, your stomach tying itself into a knot as Wilford spoke those words.

This wasn’t something he’s said in years past.

“…a-and…I don’t kn-know why..” He bit his lower lip softly, trying to suppress the sob that wanted to tear its way out of him, before he glanced over at you. “But s-surely..we..w-we would’ve heard f-from them by now, right? I mean of course wh-what had happened..w-was most certainly a-a traumatizing experience for a-all of us but…”

“Will…c'mere..” You sighed, lifting your arm towards him, offering to him a hug that he so desperately needed after all that he’s been through–the wars, the safari, the mayhem at the mansion…everything that played a role in turning him into the broken man he was today.

“I-I don’t know why I-I’m so sad, [y/n],” he whimpered, “y-you’re still here, Damien i-is still here, a-and…and Celine is still h-here…r-right? Tell me I-I’m right…t-tell me I-I didn’t kill anybody on that d-day…” His shaking hands gripped the cane even tighter, turning his knuckles white, as he gave you a crazed, yet pleading, look. “Please…j-just tell m-me…”

As much as you hated to lie to him, you knew that saying anything else or even hesitating to give him an answer would send him into a panic. You’ve learned that lesson once.

“Yes, William,” you said to him, a fake smile plastered to your face. “Everyone’s still here…and you did not kill anybody.”

Hearing those words was all it took for Wilford to finally accept your offer. However, you didn’t expect him to suddenly drop the cane, throw both of his arms around you, and hug you so tightly that you could hear every bone in you crack.

“Th-Thank y-you…th-thank you, thank you, thank you….” He repeated those words over and over again like a broken record as he cried into your shoulder, quivering as though he were a child trapped in the midst of a raging thunderstorm.

You adjusted your arms so now they were both wrapped comfortably and securely around the journalist. ‘I’m sorry, Wilford..but one day you’ll have to know the truth…’

Another soft sigh escaped your lips as you rocked him slightly, running a hand up and down his back.

In that moment, neither of you had noticed the presence of the dark demon himself.

He had come up to console Wilford, having also failed to realize what today was, although he stopped when he saw that you beat him to the punch.

But the two souls that resonated within his very being were, for once, silent as they witnessed the heartbreaking scene before them. It nearly brought them both to tears, but they knew they had to remain strong.

Of course, it pained them to keep lying to him…yet they knew it was for the best.

Swallowing back the lump in his throat, Dark adjusted his suit and tie, cracking his neck like he had done many times in the past, before he walked towards you, willing to help you comfort his old friend.

[84reedsy]

A Pirate’s Life For Me - Pirate Negan AU

Author: @84reedsy

Characters: (Pirate) Negan X Female OC

Word Count: 4759

Warnings:  A level of smut that I was not even really prepared for. Also my first time writing Negan! NSFW, Swearing, language, some violence. 

Tags: @flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash @negans-network

Description: A new crew member has a big secret to hide, will the Captain find out “Gabriel’s” hidden identity?

The seas were fairly calm, the skies were bright blue. The hull of the ship bobbed slowly in the water as if it were part of the tide, part of the sea itself. The Sanctuary was a mighty ship, it’s black sails setting it apart from many of its counterparts; the pirate ship’s appearance alone struck fear into the hearts of those who were unlucky enough to lay their eyes upon it. For when one saw the ship, it was usually to late to fend her off for long, for The Sanctuary was a mighty, mighty ship indeed as her lossless record of piracy would suggest.

 The crew was kept well as any crew could. Captain Negan made a point to call them Saviours instead of pirates, saying their work was honorable and part of what the sea needs.

  They did not want for much as long as their allegiance to their captain was strong. The deck swabbed daily, the ship kept in immaculate shape, even the cooks quarters, normally a source of disease and festering smells was kept well. The captain would tolerate no less. He was fair, but if crossed or disobeyed could be a vicious and as bloodthirsty as any pirate captain could be. Those he did not strike fear in upon his appearance, he would at the very least garner the utmost respect. Yes, Negan was one hell of a pirate.

 The ship was large, one of the largest vessels ever stolen from the royal navy and left unreclaimed, for the military feared him as much as any other man. Knowing this only furthered Negan’s drive to plunder and amass his fortune.

 Most of the crew was an aggregation of his conquests. Those that did not perish were invited to join the ship’s legion. Those that refused were left behind on their sinking vessels to die an almost certain watery death. It was on one of those ships that Gabriel was a recruit from. He was aboard a french ship on a destinationless pleasure cruise when they were taken by Negan and the rest of the crew aboard The Sanctuary.

 As with all other he’d started very low in the pecking order, slowly working his way up. He kept to himself, rarely speaking to others. Those he considered friends assumed that his antisocial behavior was nothing suspicious and therefore were usually content with his quiet presence. The truth behind his silence is what was truly shocking, and something he felt he must keep for the fear of his own life and honor.

 For you see, Gabriel made a snap decision the day the french based ship was taken into the control of The Sanctuary. A decision that would, in his mind, secure his life and possibly provided a chance one day to return to shore and seek out his family. This was something only a man could accomplish, Gabriel had thought. It was the reasoning behind his decision to hide that fact that he….she was actual a young woman.

 Somehow over the last few months, she’d managed to conceal this hidden identity. Choosing her father’s name was the first task and one she made quite impulsively as she kneeled before Captain Neegan as he asked each survivor if they’d care to join his crew. It was her father’s clothes that she’d hurriedly dressed in as the pirate ship approached, spurring her decision as well.

 Lowering her voice, her french accent obscured her otherwise obviously fake attempt at baritone. As a woman she was svelte and incredibly attractive, which made concealing her form difficult. But luckily most of those employed in piracy wore baggy rags of clothes; layers and odd posture also aided in her concealment. It was quite a departure from the corseted frock revealing ample cleavage she normally wore.

 She made it a point to keep her appearance rougher than normal, smearing dirt on her normally flawless skin and keeping her loose, golden blonde curls dirtied and shoved in a ponytail, partially hidden by a scrap of fabric tied around her head.

 The more time that passed, the less and less she missed the rigidness of her upbringing, of her dull courtship with a politician's son; a man so unmasculine and unendowed that she hadn’t even realized that she’d lost her virginity. Doomed to a life of ungratifying sexual boredom was something she was willing to escape from and grew happier and happier every day.She was respected and not questioned or looked down upon, even as a swab.

 She tried to remain inconspicuous to those in charge. Normally they saw Negan’s first mate, Simon on a daily basis as he would give orders, shouting  from the top deck the plans for the day, assignments, promotions….punishments. Negan only made appearances in important occasions, usually punishments and promotions. Apparently today as very important, as Negan appeared from his captain’s quarters, silently studying the crew as they gathered below, waiting for him to commence the announcements.

 Everyone appeared to be on edge as a small cauldron smoked at his feet. A long metal rod protruded from it, most knew it was a flat metal end, almost a brand of sorts.  Those who had been with him the longest knew what was to come and tried as much as they could to ignore the apparatus, gazing upwards upon Negan.

 Gabriel usually kept her eyes low, but Captain Negan was a specimen of a man that was difficult to avert your eyes from as a woman. He was muscular, but lean. His shirt split at the neck and dipped well into his chest, revealing a slight hairiness that solidified his masculinity. His salt and pepper stubble adorned his face, giving him a sight of wisdom. His constant smirk, an aire of confidence unmatched by any she’d ever seen before.

 Her eyes scanned the rest of him as he began speaking, his dark red sash riding low, tightly cinched around his hips. She licked her lips as she remembered the dream she’d had of him sliding that sash around her waist and pulling her to him. She quickly shook the thought from her head, not wanting to rouse suspicion. She looked up at Negan’s face, her blood ran cold as he was smirking directly at her.

 “SAVIOURS!” He boomed his greeting, leaning back as if it helped project his voice.

 “CAPTAIN NEGAN!” The whole of the crew responding in resounding reverence.

 “What a fine fucking day we have here.” His grin spread, showing his pearly white teeth, the envy of the ship, no doubt. It was one of the things that made him so mesmerizing. The crew responded again affirmatively.

 “Simon, get on with this shit.” He clapped Simon on the shoulder, standing almost ominously to the side as Simon addressed the group. As much as most tried to give undivided attention to Simon, Negan’s presence made that impossible. He leaned against the newel post at the top of the stairway, one hand gripping the hand of his sword lightly. The sword even had a name, Lucille.

 Gabriel had to ask several times if the other shipmates were being serious when she found out he’d named his weapon of choice that he held so dearly, so affectionately by his side. There were several rumors as to what the name signified. Most assumed it was a woman who’d broken his heart, some went as far as to say it was a sea nymph who’d lured him out to the sea, or a mermaid. The theories were endless but the coincidence of it was interesting to say the least.

 Negan’s voice brought her mind back to attention as she realized he was looking in her direction as he spoke. His finger pointed and she felt her heart stop. Had she been found out? Had someone noticed something about her?

 “Him...bring him here.” Negan pointed again in her direction. She felt the lump in her throat as two enforcers parted the crowd and made their way back. She was sure she would vomit when they reached her, but she felt a wave of relief as they grabbed a man next to her, who looked as pale and nervous as a man on death row. He fought their direction at first, but became almost lifeless as he was led up the stairs to a rickety wooden chair between Simon and Negan.

 “You see, something that I demand from you Saviours...is respect, loyalty. If i get respect from you, you get it from me. I hope that’s fucking clear as crystal to all of you.”

 “SIR, YES, SIR” was the again resounding response of the crew below.

 “Absolutely fucking perfect.” He grinned, but it was almost devilish as if he were licking his chops over a fresh kill, “Because, you see, William here, has forgotten that very simple rule. The rule that says, ‘Don’t fuck over your Captain’.” He paced slowly back and forth on the upper deck, his heavy boots clunking with each step.

 “You don’t fucking steal shit, from your Captain.” The silence below was almost deafening. It was almost as if the sea itself with quiet, listening to him, “I think William, here...need’s a reminder.”

 Negan pulled Lucille from her sheath, holding it at eye-level to a clearly fear-stricken William. It was hard to feel sympathy for him. William was known to be quite selfish and insulting. Not to mention boorish and clearly entitled.  But she felt a twinge of sorrow for him as his eyes were fixed on the blade, distracting him as Simon carefully handed Negan the glowingly hot brand.

 William tried to apologize, begged to just let him return the gold he’d skimmed from their bounty, but it was clearly too late. She turned her head, unable to watch. Her eyes fell upon another of the saviours, his eyes blank, a scar on his cheek identical to the brand that Negan was wielding against William’s face. It was brutal and violent, but whether or not you agreed with his methods one couldn’t argue the results it produced.

 She peered back as William fell silent, unconscious after the attack. Negan’s smile was wicked as he turned back to them. Parts of skin still hung from the end of the brand. The enforcers carted William off of the deck down below as Negan jabbed the iron back into the still smouldering cauldron.

 Simon continued announcements as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. It made her stomach turn at the thought of that being a typical operating procedure, but she kept her head down the rest of the time. As they were dismissed, she scuttled about the crew, wanting to disappear below deck for a while, but as she approached the descending stairwell, a heavy arm blocked her escape.

 Her eyes traveled the forearm, to the bicep, to the shoulder, finally seeing Simon was the one blocking her way.

 “Yes, sir?” she mumbled in her muddled, falsely deep voice.

 “The captain, requests your company...Gabriel” Now even a complete greenhorn of a sailor knew that it was no request, but a veiled order to appear. She was a little surprised to hear him say her “name”. She wasn’t aware that Simon nor Captain Negan even knew she existed. She swallowed the lump in her throat, nodding silently. As Simon led her to the captain’s quarters she kept her head down, careful to not make any eye contact with the other crew, a few of which who were looking on curiously.

 As she was let into the room, she had to contain herself from being visibly awestricken. The wood pillars and molding around the room shown with a brilliant shine. It smelled of spices and good tobacco. She saw a tray with two crystal glasses, both filled halfway with a clear liquid. Lanterns hung around the room, giving the room a warm glow. His bed was the most impressive. Crisp, satiny sheets were tucked neatly; she remembered days of such extravagance, the way those sheets would cascade across your bare skin as you slept. Far better than the rough hammock she’d become accustomed to.

 “Captain, deckhand Gabriel...as you requested.” Simon announced, a slight smirk on his face. He exited the room before she had a chance to really wonder what his smirk could have implied.

 She stood at attention as best as she could while still leaving her chest caved in to hide her bosom. She clasped her hands behind her back to hide the nervous wringing of her hands. She heard his boots first as he emerged from behind a dressing screen. He’d removed his vest and head scarf, also letting the lacing on his shirt loose so that most of his chest and abdominals were exposed. The warm day left the slightest sheen of sweat glaze his body. It made every female part of her take notice as she tried not to let her eyes linger.

 “You...You wanted to see me Captain?” She asked, her accent and low tone almost comical in a one on one setting. She felt her body shiver as a grin spread across his face and he lightly chuckled.

 “Why yes, Gabriel. I did ask for Simon to bring your ass in here.” He sat down at the table, kicking both boots up on its edge, lighting a cigar, “I was wondering you knew the fuck why?”

 From his grin she knew he was playing with her. She didn’t know the endgame but had nowhere to run, so she stayed.

 “Sir, I do not know why you asked me here.”

 He lifted his hand and curled his index finger, signalling her to approach him. He kept curling his finger as she edged closer, stopping a mere foot from him.

 “Well...I thought I might need to reiterate my point earlier to make it crystal fucking clear about what I expect.” He turned the cigar between his full lips as he bored his eyes into her.

 “Sir, you were very clear.” She somehow was keeping herself from shaking.

 “Then care to tell your Captain why you’ve been a god damned liar since you got here?”

 She felt frozen in place, she clenched her feminine hands in a fist as if that would keep him from noticing.

 “S-sir?” She tried to play ignorant, stuttering as she couldn’t speak as deeply as she wanted.

 “Wash your face.” He said, puffing away on the cigar. She stood, still frozen in place, his command a little confusing. “I said wash your fucking face.” He rose his voice a little, pointing to the wash basin.

 Somehow her feet moved in that direction though they felt like solid bricks. She washed her face, staring into the mirror behind it as she did, the more dirty and grime that washed away, the more feminine she appeared. She returned to his side as she was instructed to do.

 “Ah much better….Gabriel.” But the way he said the name, she had a suspicion that he was using it sarcastically.

 “Now, back to you being a filthy little liar.” His voice almost growled. She couldn’t decide if it was fear or attraction that spurred her at this point, “Go ahead, tell Captain Negan you’ve been a bad little liar this whooooole time.” He bit lightly on the cigar as he smiled.

 She wanted to defend herself, to convince him he was wrong, but she couldn’t find the words, or perhaps, the courage to say them. At her silence, Negan made the next move.

 “Well…” He sat his cigar down, “I have a sneaking fucking suspicion, that if I keep doing this.” He clamped his hand on the inside of her knee, making her gasp as he slowly slid it up her thigh, “I’m gonna find a distinct fucking lack of dick.”

 Her breathing quickened with each inch that his hand moved. Panic set in her brain as she realized she was not going to be able to talk her way around this one. Just as his fingers grazed her, she spoke up.

 “Ok...Ok...You’re...you’re right...I’ve been lying...to protect myself.” She tried to offer as an explanation, but it almost came out pleading. She spoke in her normal feminine tone that seemed to make his grin widen.

 “I like that voice much better. Take your hair down.” He stopped moving his hand, but left it on her inner thigh. She took a deep breath as she removed the cloth from her head. She took her hair down gently shaking it out.

 “Well hell, you’re pretty as a fucking picture.” Negan drawled, puffing on the cigar again, “ Shame you’ve been hiding it so long...we coulda been having some fun.” His hand left her thigh to rest in his own lap, “Shirt. Off.”

 Her eyes widened at his direction. His smile diminished a little as she stalled.

 “No naughty deed goes unpunished.” was his warning to her, “Shirt...now.”

 She saw his hand gently squeeze himself and couldn’t deny she was curious to see how much of a man he was. She slowly untucked the gauzy shirt, lifting it over her head and letting it fall to the floor. She had several layers of cloth wrapped around her chest to suppress what would have made her sex all too obvious.

 “Well, look at that you crafty little thing.” He chuckled but stood. She jumped as he unsheathed Lucille, holding it near her face as he stood in front of her, studying the blade.

 “Tell me doll, what’s your real name?” He tilted his head, staring down at her, aware of how overbearing he appeared. Her eyes flickered from the blade to his, “If it’s Gabrielle or some boring french shit, I’m gonna be real fucking disappointed.”

 “It’s...It’s...Lucille.” She felt her cheeks blush as his smile faltered.

 “Huh, no shit?” He was taken by surprise at this, quickly regaining his composure as she shook her head, “Well ain’t that some shit.”

 Lucille almost yelped as she felt the cool dull side of the blade of her same name sake run between her skin at the cloth, the sharp edge tearing the cloth along it’s edge, making it fall to the floor. Her instincts were to cover herself, but she kept her arms stiff at her side.

 “Oh, damn, doll...even more of a shame that you kept these things under wraps.” his voice was quieter, somehow deeper. She kept her eyes on his, trying to remain unflinching as his hand grazed her breast, his rough skin abrasive on her nipple, but she didn’t dare ask him to stop. The fire in her belly was being stoked and she wanted more.

 “If this isn’t ok...just fucking say so. I’m not into forcing a woman to please me.” His motion stalled, leaving her wanting for more, surprised at his request, “I can always find other ways to punish you.”

 “It’s ok….it’s more than ok.” She murmured, arching her back a little so that her breast was pushed more into his hand. His smile has her answer as his hand squeezed her breast tightly, massaging it as her lips parted in a whispery moan.

 His head slowly leaned down, his lips touching hers. A teasing kiss at first, toying with her lips to make her press herself upwards into his lips. Her eyes fluttered closed at the feel of his lips. She felt her legs shake as he deepened it suddenly, his tongue demanding entrance, pushing past hers and exploring her mouth as if it were a sea he’d had yet to conquer.

 “Get them britches off...I wanna see all of what I’m working with here.” He released her breast, sitting back down in his chair, his legs splayed wide, she could see the growing bulge that strained his pants a little; already she could tell he was much more than she’d had before.

 She did as he asked, lowering them slowly. His eyes followed them down to the floor and slowly drank her in, his eyes lifting over her legs, her thighs. She felt a heat pulsate between her legs as his eyes seemed focused on the blonde tuft of hair that adorned her sex.

 He no longer smiled, but his eyes were worshipful and darkened with desire. She could help but feel some pride at clearly garnering his attraction. He slapped his hand on the table a few times, beckoning her. She obeyed, feeling a little exposed, being completely nude in front of him, not having been so ever before. Even the joke of a courtship she’d had, he’d been to nervous so she’d kept her underclothes on the entire time.

 She hopped up on the table, perched on the edge as he leaned forward.

 “I think you know what I want you to do now.” His voice was more gravely by the second. His hands rested on her knees. She obeyed him again, parting her legs. She breathed quickly, her breasts almost heaving as his face leaned between her legs. He took a large inhale, letting her scent. He could smell her arousal, “You like this shit, doll? Damn I heard you french girls were into some freaky shit.”

 Lucille felt herself go speechless to his teasing. She leaned back on her hands, giving him better access, her wordless request for him to continue. She almost jumped as he tasted her. His tongue thick and warm, almost rough against her tender, sensitive lips made her feel weakened, for sure knew she would do anything to let him do this to her for the rest of her life.

 His mouth worked her masterfully. His hums from enjoying her sweetness vibrated against her clit, driving her quickly towards an edge she had only ever gotten to by herself, and most surely never this intensely.

 “C-Captain…” She whimpered, her delicate hand lay softly on his hair. When he didn’t protest, she let her fingers sink into his locks, pressing his head more firmly against her sex, now soaked from a mix of his mouth and her wetness. His thick finger teased her entrance causing her hips, on their own accord to twitch, sinking into her.

 “Captain WHAT?” He demanded, gently biting down on her clit. She squirmed a little, bucking into his face as she panted.

 “Captain Negan,” She immediately whimpered, “Please sir...make me cum. Please, please, please!” Her instinctual eroticism took over, as her body continued to gyrate, working herself towards a release that she was craving desperately.

 Her moans were cut short as the intensity of her orgasm rocked her body to the core, shuddering as he growled against her, his finger finally sinking in, working her through her orgasmic aftershocks.

 “Absolutely...fucking dripping..” Negan sat back, wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve, grinning smugly. She continued to pant on the table, her sex throbbing and aching for more.

 “Knees...get down here on your fucking knees.” He said it through almost gritted teeth as he swiftly undid his red sash. He slid his hand down his pants, he gripping himself, stroking. She did exactly as she was told, her eyes wide and innocent as she knew what he was asking, but never having done so herself.

 His large hand held her cheek for a moment, humming as he stroked himself. He leaned back farther in his chair as he displayed himself to her, and oh, what a man he was. She couldn’t help but lick her lips as the size of it. Thick and swollen, she could smell the musk from it that dilated her senses into an erotic frenzy.

 “Open up, Lucille…” He grinned as he said it, his hand drawing her face to it, guiding the tip around her lips before parting them. He hissed as the head sunk into her warm mouth and her tongue greeted it. She slowly ran her tongue around the ridge, sliding his tip in and out of her mouth, watching him for a reaction. She took more in as his large hand encouraged her to do so, pressing the back of her head. His hand gripped her hair firmly as she struggled to swallow more and more of his throbbing, regal manhood.

 His taste was salty and musky, but she couldn’t get enough of it, bathing his shaft with her tongue, humming and whimpering for more. She was caught off guard when he lifted her mouth from him. He pulled her face close to his, she felt him hard and pulsing against her belly as he did.

 “Much more of that shit, doll, and you’ll be swallowing what I’ve got for you.” He surprised her by standing quickly and lifting her as if she were weightless. She bounced a little on the bed as he dropped her. He tore off his shirt, stripping completely himself as he looked down upon her wanting body.

 As he slid over her, he hooked an arm around her leg, drawing it high, opening her to him.

 “Fucking tight little bitch aren’t you…” He grunted, his face inches from her as he thrust in slowly. Each inch filled her like nothing before, drawing a long, wanton groan from her.

 “It’s...your cock...it’s so huge, Captain Negan…” She purred, feeling her belly tingle at the knowing grin that spread across his face.

 “Fucking right it is.” He growled once more, kissing her roughly as his hips set a punishing pace, working in her like it was an actual punishment. But punishment couldn’t be farther from what Lucille felt. Her body aflame, she was overwhelmed by sexual gratification. The feel of his sweat-slickened body against hers intensifying her arousal. She was aware her noises were not leaving much to the imagination of anyone with in earshot, but she was finding it less and less important to her to conceal any of it.

 She whimpered in disappointment as he withdrew, only to be immediately satisfied when he flipped her over and entered her from behind. Negan leaned over her, biting her neck and shoulders as he grunted, each thrust a culmination of his power. His hands gripped her back side, smacking down on it.

 “Such a….fine fucking ass…” He snarled, “God damn, you’re a good fuck girl…” He thrusted in her a few more strokes before leaving her sex again, laying back on the bed.

 “Get up here and ride your Captain…” He pulled her by the arms and she eagerly straddled him. Her little experience seemed to have no ill-effect on her abilities as she let her intuition take over, sinking him in her and grinding her hips. She loved the way his large hands possessively roamed her, squeezing, pinching, slapping. It was no surprise to her that she came against, her body shuddering the muscles of her sex tightening around him as she cried out his name.

 “Oh...OH...OH CAPTAIN NEGAN!” She squealed as she let it overtake her.

 “Yeah doll...FUCK...let ‘em hear ya.!” He slapped her ass to encourage her.

Nega’s hands gripped her hips, forcing her to fuck him rapidly as he became more and more needy for his own release. She acquiesced, more than willing to let him use her for his own fulfillment. She felt his shaft growing, stretching her more. He bit his lip as he slid out of her and into his hand. He worked himself roughly, holding her in place as he came, shooting streams of his warm seed onto her belly, gasping and seething.

 Lucille watched as he came, his release bringing her more satisfaction that she’d assumed she would feel. As he stroked himself down from his zenith, she gently rubbed his seed on her, stimulated by his attention as she did. She brought some to her lips, humming as she tasted him.

 “God fucking damn it, doll...are you for real?” His words were teasing, but his face told her he was more than entertained by it.

Soon they both were on their backs, recovering from the vigorous session. Negan rolled over slowly his hand gripping tightly around her sex making her shiver.

 “As long as this pussy stays only for me. You have nothing to worry about on this ship.” His terms were simple, but straightforward. She nodded her head in acceptance.

 “Captain Negan...I think you’ve ruined me for any other man.” She purred, letting her finger slide along his jawline. His smug grin returned.

“Good fucking answer.”

[addictionfreedom]

Addiction Treatment Buffalo Ny

Contents

Addiction treatment center offers

Recovery centers: reviews

Social issues withdrawal symptoms

Delicious chicken wings

Drug rehab treatment program

Goalie robin lehner

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[martechadvisor-blog]

3 Marketing Transformation Priorities for CMOs: in conversation with Debbie Qaqish

What are the high-priority areas for CMOs to address, when it comes to successful marketing transformation in the digital age? Why is MarTech such a challenge for Marketers? What skillset and mindset changes do CMOs need to make into 2020? All this and more from the queen of Revenue Marketing, Debbie Qaqish.

It is no secret that B2B CMOs – and in fact all CMOs – are under increasing pressure to demonstrate financial contribution to the business. Some of the more current ways to do this include performance (or Revenue) marketing, data-driven marketing; and the optimal use of MarTech to drive efficiencies and scale, without compromising on personalization.

The latter especially is a fascinating subject – not least because the use of technology is almost inescapable for CMOs wanting to operate, succeed, scale and grow in the digital age. As Debbie gears up to publish a PhD thesis (no less!) on the subject in early 2019, she says, *“MarTech spend continues to grow (29% of budget) and big attention is being paid to what that investment is or is not delivering. Yet, this continues to be an area of tremendous challenges for the B2B CMO.”* Why is MarTech such a challenge for CMOs? While it is a crucial aspect of Marketing Transformation – which is a vast subject and ongoing challenge in itself - the complexities involved in investing in, deploying, using and measuring MarTech – are unfamiliar to most marketers. But I’m jumping the gun. Let’s start with the bigger picture.  Marketing Transformation.

Prioritizing transformation: where should CMOs begin?

I begin by asking Debbie what key area of transformation CMOs will prioritize over the next couple of years. Turns out she thinks there are three. These are:

Adopting financial accountability and driving growth

Leading digital transformation not just in marketing, but also in the wider company’s business models

Leading the pivot to customer-centricity  

Proving Value: new performance benchmarks for marketing

Let’s begin with the first. **When it comes to performance marketing; data and technology have pretty much shifted the goalposts. What would be the best way for marketers trying to prove the value of marketing to the boardroom?** When it comes to picking metrics to demonstrate value, Debbie says, “Marketers should focus on a metric that has two attributes.  First, it must be important to the board. This will ensure you focus on a metric that really gets their attention, such as renewal rates. Second, marketing must be able to directly affect that metric. This helps you to laser focus on one area to create proof points.  As simple as this sounds, sometimes marketers need to get out of their own way.”

Being able to ‘directly affect a metric’ brings up an interest counter-point. Debbie herself cited the second area CMOs will focus on while leading digital transformation is to go beyond marketing – and think about transforming the wider company’s business models. One key pillar of business growth is the much-touted alignment of Sales and Marketing. This alignment is one of those classic, persistent challenges – albeit one showing continuous improvement. Debbie says the improved alignment between sales and marketing due to two new areas. “Marketing Operations and ABM. More mature marketing ops groups have tremendous credibility with sales organizations because of their data-driven approach and their similarity to sales operations. Second, with the implementation of ABM, for the first time, marketing has a framework for talking with sales about something that matters a great deal to them – big accounts.”

Also Read: Four Characteristics of a Customer-Centric Marketing Operations Organization

Building the pillars of Customer Experience

**With both sales and marketing now exposed to a wave of enabling sales and marketing tech, the idea is not just improved efficiency but productivity as well.** And improved productivity comes with a deeper focus on the customer. Which was Debbie’s third priority area - leading the pivot to customer-centricity.

Customer-centricity manifests itself in winning Customer Experience (CX). While CX is rather the buzz nowadays, I want more clarity on the crucial components of Customer Experience. What pillars does it stand on? Debbie says that **“winning CX begins with leadership that is determined to become customer-centric.  If they are not committed, much time, money and effort will be wasted.”** She follows that up with some practical, valuable tips for Marketers seeking to deliver mature experiences. These include:

Winning leadership advocacy behind CX investments

Assembling a “One View of the Customer” Council from across customer-facing functions to:

Supervise the work of mapping the customer journey; validating those maps with customers; and ensuring constant refreshes in the understanding of the customer journey.

Aligning technology to the customer journey

Enabling data integration

Creating marketing messaging based on the holistic view of the customer and their journey.   

Also Read: Top 5 Customer Experience (CX) Predictions for 2020

MarTech and the Customer Journey

The ‘journey’ itself is evolving, of course. Especially for B2B customers. “With all this technology, the customer is in control of their own journey. Companies need to be where their customers are - or their competitors will” adds Debbie. And that sort of ‘being where the customer is’ brings us back to where we began this conversation: marketing technology.

CMO’s can’t escape the investment decisions or deployment of MarTech, which makes real-time personalization at scale possible. **While the intelligent deployment of technology undoubtedly needs new skills in the marketing team, studies are finding that marketers are not adequately satisfied with the business outcomes from their MarTech investments**. Debbie herself had called it a ‘tremendous challenge for CMOs’. I ask her about the typical missteps or errors in judgment she has observed marketers make when it comes to building a sustainable marketing technology stack. Debbie’s list is not short.

“I recently presented to a room of about 150 marketers at a big technology vendor conference.  I asked how many people had a one-page graphic of their marketing technology stack.  Not a single person in the room raised their hand, not one. 

So, the first mis-step is not taking a pro-active management approach to the technology, beginning with a picture of what you have on a single sheet of paper.

The second mis-step is not having a unifying thread to the stack.  In the absence of a holistic approach, everyone makes their own decisions about technology. 

The third mis-step is getting caught up in the bright and shiny new thing and not optimizing what you already have. 

The fourth mis-step is not training people to optimize how technology is used.” 

Also Read: What is a MarTech Stack and How do I Build One?

Preparing the CMO mindset – and skillset - for transformation in 2020 and beyond.

Aside from skills to manage data and tech enablement, what else do marketers need to know, to remain competitive in 2020 and beyond?

When it comes to ‘mindset’, says Debbie, it needs to be one of ‘constant change’. “This includes change in technology, change in processes, change in roles, change in perceptions and change in how value is created and delivered. The ‘skillset’ however, is beyond acumen in a particular technology or in embracing technology for solutions (although that is increasingly crucial).  Marketing is working across functions more than ever and must excel in project management, communication, collaboration and influence. They must understand and integrate with sales. They must make data-driven decisions. In short, **marketers have to think like business people and make decisions that will drive revenue and growth.”**

Obviously, marketers realize that. **feel under increasing pressure to demonstrate CMO’sfinancial contribution to the business -and that is why, they will prioritize the mindset and skillset upgrades needed to leverage the increasingly sophisticated technology and data tools at their disposal**. But aside from the 3 priorities for 2019, we discussed in this conversation; here are a few more areas of marketing transformation Debbie is tracking:

The rapid maturation, influence and value creation from a strategic marketing operations organization

The rise of the marketing enablement function

The changes in organizational structure based on a commitment to a customer-centric approach

The eventual re-naming of marketing and the recognition of what today’s B2B marketing organization means to the business.

The evolving role of the CMO – especially in companies that are pivoting to customer-centricity.   

That list may seem daunting to someone aspiring to be CMO one day – and indeed to present-day CMOs themselves - but it is not without empathy. Debbie acknowledges “I am also looking for someone to recognize that no one is training future CMOs and marketers, and I am looking for a global Revenue Marketing curriculum.” In the meanwhile, there is always MarTech Advisor.

Also Read: Why CMOs Need to Reimagine Data Management to Compete in the IoT Future

More About Debbie Qaqish:  Debbie Qaqish is The Queen of Revenue Marketing,™ a term she coined in 2011.  As Principal Partner and Chief Strategy Officer of The Pedowitz Group, Debbie manages global client relationships and leads the firm’s thought leadership initiatives. She has been helping B2B companies drive revenue growth for over 35 years. Debbie is author of the award-winning book – “Rise of the Revenue Marketer,” Chancellor of Revenue Marketing University, and host of WRMR Power TalkRadio for Revenue Marketing Leaders, which showcases marketing executives from companies like GE and Microsoft sharing advice on marketing transformation.  A PhD candidate, Debbie also teaches an MBA course at College of William & Mary on Revenue Marketing.

This article was first appeared on MarTech Advisor

[catflowerqueen]

#Jason saved baby Danny when Willias came home drunk one night and their mom was out of her mind at the moment

#Danny had been crying for food and Willias was getting annoyed

#Jason managed to run off with baby Danny to a few towns over and put him in a baby box before getting caught a few other towns over by cops

#and was shipped back to Gotham

#kept his mouth shut about where he put his brother and took any punishment that came afterwords

#It set up the timeline where Danny is going to become the Infinite Realms new King

#Hence why the kinda sentient Realms 'rewarded' Jason later on when he died aka bringing him back to life

#I love the idea of a kinda sentient Realms tbh

#it loves Danny because he's been helping rebuild and mend the Realms

#Danny is its fav King thus favors those related to him

#well everyone but Willias

#he's in Walkers prison btw

#I want Jason to go tbh and see how every ghost is getting everything ready for the coronation

#its chaotic yet organized somehow

#I want more Danny's coronation stories

#Like I love already King or just finding out Prince Danny but we need more coronation ones tbh

Another Sibling Danny and Jason idea!!

"Are you Jason Peter Todd?!" demanded a deep and commanding tone from the strange glowing being in front of them.

All the Bats stiffened and tensed, no doubt gearing up for a fight against the being that somehow knew Red Hood's full name.

Jason, Red Hood, decided to put on a brave front despite no doubt cursing in his head and wondering how the heck did this thing know his full freaking name.

"Whose asking." he snarled out, his hands twitching for his gun when the huge glowing knight with purple flames coming out of his helmet and cape, who was rode up on a nightmare looking horse while they all had been in the cave going over tonight's patrol.

The Knight didn't seemed bothered by his response nor did he even seem to care or flinch when Batman made his own demand on 'Why was he there and who was he' or when Damian unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards him. Instead the strange glowing Knight reached to it side and pulled out... A glowing scroll? Huh. (Also he completely unnerved everyone in the room when the Knight didn't even react when Batman had tossed a Baterang when he reached for his side)

The Knight opened the scroll and spoke clearly with purpose.

"Jason Peter Todd,

You are hereby invited as a special guest of honor to the crowning of our future King of the Infinite Realms.

Daniel Phantom, once Daniel Jackson Fenton, and once Daniel Austen Todd.

Prince of the Infinite Realms, the Keeper of Balance, The Peacekeeping Halfa, the Defeater of the Tyrant King Pariah Dark, The Great One, Youngest of the Ancients, Ancient of Space, The Bridge between Life and Death.

You, the half-brother of our King, have been given the highest of honors for your past actions and will be given housing and food in the Realms and Phantom's Keep, for the week long event. Personal servants and attendants will be at your disposable and a seamstress will be on hand to tailor make your attire for the Coronation.

Signed: Clockwork. Ancient of Time. Watcher of the Infinite Timeline. Kronos. Mentor and Adviser.

PS: I shall have Fright Knight ("Me" the Knight bluntly said for a second) leave this scroll along with a personal one for you from Daniel to read over and once you make up your mind sign the bottom of the scroll.

I do hope in time you will pick the right choice Jason Todd, we of the Infinite Realms would like to reward you for your actions. After all, if you hadn't gotten young Daniel away from your father that night all those years ago, we would never had gained our Prince nor be free from our once Tyrant King.

Ah, one more thing.

The Infinite Realms will always favor you Jason."

Jason felt like he couldn't breath as Fright Knight? Rolled up the scroll, pulled a letter from his side, and held out the two items for him to take.