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a-sad-mage · 23 days ago

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Man-Down AU part 2 : Let's Do This!

Oh man here I go again, covering ep 4, 5, 7, and 8.

───✧★{Prolog/Part 1}★✧───

✧★✧ Coming Together In Crisis ✧★✧

Will Shane is rushed to a privet Hospital where he receives immediate treatment. this Hospital in particular is one Will actually went to when he got more seriously injured Missions, and couldn't handle the wounds himself.

the lead Doctor who normally deals with Will is an ass, but he's the best at his job, Will trusts him, and Pronto knows this, hence why he was brought here.

The Doctor, Dr. Dwelling (if you get the reference, high-five), informs them Will Shane is in a Deep Coma. That Grimmstone caused some serious Head Trauma, on top of that, what ever stuff was used to corrupt that Slug seems to have affected Will as well.

Not by a lot, but enough that its going to mess with recovery. Meaning the older Shane could fall into a vegetative state, and remain unconscious for who knows how long.

Eli is obviously very distressed by this

its been a week- A WEEK he's barley had any real experience, and his Dad was supposed to be there! How was he, a 15 year-old, supposed to be a protector? Better yet, DEAL WITH BLAKK!?

Lucky for him, Kord, Trixie, Mane and Pronto, are there for him.

promising they can all visit once a week(more or less depending on how Eli feels), and tell Will about their adventures, and keep the older Shane 'Updated' on everything. And take on what comes next together, as a Team.

Eli chokes back tears, saying they don't need to do that, let along get involved because they could get themselves killed if they do this, especially if they go up against Blakk.

But they (Kord, Trixie, Mane and Pronto) aren't having it, Will Shane, and the Shan's in general have stuck their necks out for just about everyone. And while not every decision is looked at, fondly, if not out right hated and ridiculed, didn't change the fact they owed the Shane's.

The group hug that follows leads to Eli crying

the Shane Gang is officially formed.

✧★✧ The Slugout ✧★✧

two days after Will was hospitalized, Eli's blaster starts falling apart.

his Slug's have gotten more powerful, and it probably doesn't help he's been slinging with his Dad's slug's during practice and on missions when one of the older Shane's slug's decide to come along.

All Eli wanted to do was make sure his Dad's slugs where taken care of :(

That's when Kord suggests they head to Quiet Lawn Cavern, to meet with Red Hook, a Master Class Blaster Forger all the best Slingers, including Will Shane, go to.

Everyone's a little hype about it, I mean, come one, its Red Hook, guy's a legend!

arriving to Quiet Lawn Cavern, it was rather... Quiet? I mean with the name that makes sense, but after they get, what one could considered 'violently shushed', they look up.

Grenuker slugs, like a whole colony of them, just, hanging out on top of the cavern.

Eli:[looking up] Well, I guess I can see why the neighborhood's quit. Mane: Yeah... I too value not being exploded Kord: I second that Pronto: Pronto is not afraid of some slugs-[Trixie's hand clamps over his mouth] Trixie: Shhhh!

They make it to Red Hooks, and knock on the door.

the voice of an old man tells them to get off his property cuz he ain't make'n anything for yeah Hooligang thugs!

The Gang clarifies they are not the Hooligang, but the Shane Gang.

several locks unlock, and they are let in.

Pronto was already on this ice with Red Hook from a previous visit with Will, so the Mole tries his best-

Eli ask's about Red Hook fixing his Blaster, and Red Hook flat out says no, and that there's no way the teen could be a Shane, since Will was still around.

Eli deflates

that's when Trixie pipes up that Will Shane is currently, indisposed,

"His dad's IN A COMA YOU PRICK!"

Pronto then knocks over a display case and they get kicked out.

The Hooligang shows up not long after, bosting how their part of this ' larger super elite gang, who are now totally in charge'

que teasing from Eli and the rest of the Shane Gang, and Billy getting challenged to a tick-shot contest by Eli for Quiet Lawn's safely.

Mane offers one of her two Blasters(dual wielders am I right?) as a temp for Eli but Billy shuts that down, giving Eli, Shorty's Blaster to use. Shane's gotta prove himself-

Mane: Okay E, remember what we practiced Eli: [loading one of his slugs] uh, trust my instincts? Mane: ... okay well yeah, but also, your slugs, and get creative! make it flashy! But not too flashy you feel? Trixie: say's the New Neoite Mane: And yet, not one of you have beat me in a trick-shot demo yet! Kord: *cough* Will Shane *cough* Eli: haha, he's got ya there Mane: shut up an aim Shane Pronto:... Pronto scenes danger... I shall head back and apologies to sir Red Hook! hopefully he helps...

Eli mops the floor with Billy, winning match after match. though he dose feel bad about filling those mail boxes with magma...

Billy, in his anger purposes one last challenge, seeing who can knock down the most Grenuker Slugs

obviously a bad thing, and the Gang shuts it down, Shorty getting her blaster back in the prosess thanks to Glasses as one of his Arachnet's,

leaving Eli with his busted Blaster, that immediately falls apart after he fires one slug that couldn't even reach Velocimorph without Kord's help, so Mane quickly tosses him one of hers to use.

Billy get's to his last slug, a one eyed, light green slug. one he calls useless, tosses to the ground and then tries to step on.

Eli intervenes, saving the Slug, and is like, ten seconds away from kicking Billy's teeth in. (but hey, + 1 new slug friend :) )

The Hooligang retreat, swearing they will be back.

And as much as Eli appreciated Mane letting him use one of her Twin Blaster's, he knows her dueling style well enough by now to know she was handicapping herself so he could fight. And that wasn't fair to Mane, so he gave the Blaster back despite his friends protest saying it was okay.

Eli needed a new Baster, like, now. Everything be damned, the young Shane was not going to take no as an answer from that hook handed old man!

While Trixie, Kord and Mane help clean up the damage and prep for the Hooligang's return, Eli heads back to Red Hooks.

Pronto is still there, apologizing on the names of his forefathers

The young Shane lays it all out, he dose not care what Red Hook thinks, he's got the slugs, and will pay almost anything to get a new Blaster so he can Protect Quiet Lawn, and every other Cavern he can.

The fire in Eli's eye's is undeniable, still a little smaller then the one Will had, flickering with self-doubt, but the kids conviction was unwavering.

Red Hook: [placing a container with the Shane symbol on the counter] you know, your a lot like your old man... Eli: ... Red Hook: stubborn, never knew when to quit, would do anything for those he cared about...[he opens the container the Defender Slipstream XVL is in it] Eli: whoa... Red Hook: Only ever made two of these, your father's got the first one. Eli: Red Hook- Red Hook: Save it, just take it and go. Go be the Shane you where meant to be... and Eli? Eli: [carefully picks up the Blaster] yeah? Red Hook:... I'm sorry about what happened to Will, I know it must be hard, having him so close, yet- *sigh* Eli: ... Thank you Pronto: Yes truly! Pronto could not be more grateful! Red Hook: [nod's], now, geT OUT! AND TELL YOUR BASTERED FATHER I DON'T CARE HE'S IN A COMA! IM GOING TO BEAT HIM TO A PULP THE MOMENT HE WAKES UP, FOR NOT TELLE'N ME HE HAD A KID! YOU HEAR ME!? [somewhere, while in his coma Will Shane gets the feeling he's going to get decked in the face]

all in all, that went well

and just in time too, the Hooligang are back, and this time, the leader of that Large Elite Gang, gave them Ghouls

three guesses on who the Leader is

at the apex of the Slug-Out, Billy is down to his last Ghoul, and Eli his last slug, the one he saved from Billy.

The Velocimorphed slug and Ghoul collide in a blinding flash of light. And when the slug and Ghoul return to Protoform, the Ghoul, isn't a Ghoul slug anymore.

Eli's new Slug is a healer! one of the rarest Slug's in the Caverns, and this one was able to cure Ghouls!

Welcome to the team Doc!

victory was secured after that. And Eli gets an idea.

The Gang would then head to the Hospital, and see if Doc could help speed up Will's recovery.

And while the Healer Slug can help heal the physical wounds, what's keeping Will in his coma is something psychological, given his minimal brain wave activity.

That being said, Doc did help speed up the older Shane's physical recovery. And that was better than nothing.

✧★✧ Club Slug ✧★✧

Mane was going to strangle Pronto

The Mole bought into an ad for a Slug training retreat the pervious evening and spent a good chunk of their gold- their gold for groceries, repairs and emergency's, to book a glorified spa day.

Club Slug, or whatever.

But since Pronto already paid, and there where no refunds... might as well make use of the facilities... [plus, Eli needs a distraction]

At least that's what Kord, Pronto and Trixie thought.

Mane and Eli where tagging along to one, no totally waist the gold spent and two, water slide and spa treatment. Their slugs? so not participating.

For Eli it was obvious, he's a Shane, and want's to do things the 'old fashion way'

as for Mane, she's an Entertainment Duelist, and Entertainment Duelist's don't do short-cuts, you gotta earn what you work for, with your Slugs.

Sargent Slug: I see we got a Shane join'n us today. Eli: sorry but, my slug's won't be participating in your training, I'm just here for the water slide. Sargent Slug: [raises an eye brow] that so? anyone else here to leach? Mane: I'm just here for a nice back massage, Sargent. Sargent Slug: oh trying to impress the Shane now are we? Mane: okay, first how dare you assume I'm trying to impress a guy I've known for less than a month, and have seen loose at chess, horribly, no offence. Eli: none taken...? Mane: Second, I don't even Sling that way, and Third, if you haven't guessed from the Visor, I'm from New Neo Cavern, and we take training our Slug and Slug care to heart, so unless you wanna share your slug food recipe, count my slugs out of your little scam. Sargent Slug:[eye twitches]... eh fair enough, already got your gold away way! HAHA [walks off, and the group + a few others follow] Eli and Mane: Shadow's that guy sucks

Safe to say the Shane and Sharp-Shooter are not thrilled

but hey water slide and sap day- what could go wrong?

while everyone else voluntarily put their slug's through the training, Mane and Eli's Slug's make the most of it and have fun, either at the pool or relaxing in their slingers rooms.

While Mane gets her massage, her Midus Slug, Bling-Bling(She did not name it lol), gets his golden shell waxed.

And Eli and his Slug's make the most of the pool and Water Slide.

after about like, half a day since arriving the first round of training for the Slug's is done, and Sargent Slug ask's if anyone is up for a duel

Eli:[resurfacing from the pool, hanging on the ledge] Did Someone say Duel? Sargent Slug: Well how about it? who want's to test our there luck against a Shane? Kord: Oh ho! Count me in! Trixie: [to Mane] 10 gold Kord beats Eli this time Mane: your on! and while where at it, why don't we settle the score? loser dose the others laundry for a week. Trixie: Do your worst party girl!

Pronto is going to record the match between his friends/teammates, but Sargent Slug stops him.

apparently there's a no recording rule inside Club Slug.

Kord and Trixie, beat Eli and Mane, quite easily with how powerful their slugs have gotten.

Eli picked up Banger, the little Armashelt dazed after getting hit by Kords Rammstone, Bludgeon.

While Mane tares the webbing off Bling-Bling, her Midas slug, after he got slammed, hard, into the wall by Trixie's Arachnet, Webber(no official name so I'm making one up).

Bling-Bling trills an angry sound, and hisses at Webber, as Mane holds the golden slug. And Banger seem's rather irritated as well. though Bludgeon and Webber seem a little more amped and, well, aggressive?

Mane: ... Well I guess I'm doing your laundry for the week... Trixie: Come on, don't be such a sore loser Mane. Mane: [huffs, and holds Bling-Bling closer], I am not a 'sore loser' Trix, it's just- that [points to the small indent in the wall where Bling-Bling was slammed into] that was too much, my and Eli's slug's could have been seriously hurt! Kord: It wasn't that bad. Eli: Tell that to Banger! Bludgeon was out of control! Pronto: Uh, may Pronto remind you two, slug's get beat up all the time in duels? Mane and Eli: That's not the point! Sargent Slug: [clears throat] If I may, given the results, of this little practice duel, why don't you both let one of your slug participate? see the results first hand for yourself. Mane: Screw off! I don't know what crap your pulling, but its. Not. Normal- Eli: [looking at Banger, who nods] ... sure, Banger will do a round.

Mane is not happy with Eli and the others as they put their slugs through another round of Sargent Slug's training, after the little guy's ate more of the special Slug Food mix.

She storms off to her room. And the others give her space to cool off. They had never really seen Mane so upset, not even after Pronto ate her dissert that one time.

Thing is, instead of stewing in her anger, Mane puts it to use. And goes snooping. The Entertainment Duelist was going to figure out what that Slug Pellet mix is or she's burning Club Slug to the ground.

So while everyone else was made use of the Club facilities Mane and her slug's where on a mission. Unscrewing the vent cover in her and Trixie's room, Mane crawled through the vents, her slugs hopping ahead to scout out the connected rooms.

Eventually the New Neoite finds what she's looking for, the production room.

Sargent Slug is already in there along with one of the Staff.

Sargent Slug: AHAH! did you see the reaction from those idiots! it's barley been two rounds of 'training' and there hooked! Even the Shane is finally giving it a shot! can you imagen the gold that will come in once we advertise a Shane's part of Club Slug! Staff Member: ah, uhm, yeah... But that New Neoite- she could be a problem. Sargent Slug: [rolling his eye's] Yeah right, like one flashy glitter thrower is going to mess with us. If you ask me, party girl needs to loosen up, have fun. Bling-Bling and Mane's other Slug's: [growls] Mane, whispering: [rubs Bling-Bling's head] yeah, yeah, I hate it when creeps like him call me 'party girl' too. Staff Member: well... regardless, what do you wanna do for the next group? Sargent Slug: hmm, double the dose of 'that' ingredient [Mane tenses in the vent, and her slugs quiet down, Mane set's her visor to record] Staff Member: D-Double? but that- Sir! I get wanting to make the Slug's dependent- Sargent Slug: Double. The. Dose. I don't care what the repercussions are! Those Slug need to be hooked- so their Slinger's get hooked! That Dark Water stuff our supplier is sending, is the key to that! And the more we feed to those Slug's the faster they get hooked! Staff Member: Y-yes s-sir, I'll get to making the the nest batch of Slug Pellets with, double the amount of Dark Water. Sargent Slug: Good. Mane: [seething] Well now it's personal you muscle bound scumbag-

Sargent Slug was going to get slugged, point blank, in the face, then punched in the face repeatedly

Sargent Slug and his staff member leave the room and Mane's slug's quickly steal a sealed vial of the red liquid.

thank you 'Light's out Crew' training

by the time Mane get's back to the group with her evidence Eli has discovered part of the scam, with the slug's burning out after a few shots, and then needed to come back for more 'training' to keep their 'strength'

Obviously the rest of the Gang is against the use of artificial enhancers, but the other three guests that where staying with them?

eh, they seem 'okay' with it, if it meant their slugs would be stronger.

a Slug-Out with drugged up slugs ensues bringing Club Slug to the ground.

Literally.

Before Sargent Slug can sneak off with the gold he scammed, he gets gooped in place by a Jellyish.

Mane stalks over to him, her Jellyish hopping back to her, and the Entertainment Duelist loaded a Neotox slug in her blaster and takes aim.

Mane: [snarling as Sargent Slug] Shadow's, I so badly want to drown you in Neotox gas Eli: WHOA! HEY! Kord: Mane- put the Blaster down- Trixie: Yeah girl, you don't wanna do something you'll regret later Pronto: Do not gas the phony military man- it's not worth it! Sargent Slug: Y-yeah listen to your friends part-ACK[gets hit was a butt of Mane's blaster] Mane: Geez, have ye so little faith? I've never shot Powder unless I absolutely had too. Sides, this guy isn't worth it. Even if he's been dosing slugs with that red stuff [she holsters her blasters] Trixie: Wait- red stuff? Mane: yeah- [holds up the vial of red liquid] Called it Dark Water or something like that. Eli: hold up- I remember seeing that stuff in Blakk's office! He was using it to ghoul a slug! Pronto: well that can't be good. Kord, muttering to himself: ughh, why dose this sound familiar???

With Sargent Slug detained, Club Slug destroyed, and evidence collected, the Shane Gang slowly start to get the feeling this is only the beginning of something worse than they originally feared.

guess this scam was worth it.

✧★✧ Mecha Mutiny ✧★✧

Kord was... confused

It was about the parts for the Mecha Beasts

normally he would get parts/mods for Mecha Beats from the Beast Forge to field test. And the latest batch was... off somehow.

so, out of mild concern, and just general wanting to visit the other Toll's at the Beast Forge, Kord and the other members of the Shane Gang where going on a field trip.

The Beast Forge was huge, like, massive, and you could hear the metal work happening within.

Pronto: so what now? we knock on the front door? Kord: yeah, pretty much Pronto: Why am I not surprised...

To Kord's befuddlement(yes I know big words, fight me)a blond human, Darius Yorman, and he seemed annoyed.

What in the name of the Shadow Clan happened to Grendel and the others?

Apparently Grendel and the others had retired, and the Beast Forge was under new management.

In order to appease the Cave Troll, and show nothing is funny in going on, Darius invites the Shane Gang in for a tour as their Mecha's get serviced and polished, for free.

skeptical, curios and not wanting to pass on a free Mecha Servicing the Gang take the offer and are led around the Beast Forge.

As Darius leads them around, Kord picks up that their host, doesn't seem the know a whole lot about Mecha Beast's like he aught to.

Trixie even ask's a question, that Darius answers wrong and Kord corrects him on it.

They pass by a closed off wing and Eli asks what's going on there.

Darius: Oh its nothing special, just a new manufacturing wing that's under construction Kord: A new manufacturing wing? what's wrong with the old one? Darius: nothing, just another wing means more Mecha Beast production and all that. Trixie: But isn't the Beast Forge known for it's quality? Mane: yeah... wouldn't another wing mean less quality control? especially if you have new staff? or are you bringing back some of the old staff to help? Darius, muttering under his beath: well aren't you a mouthy group Pronto: What was that good sir? Darius: I said, aren't you all smart! yes, under normal circumstances, a brand new wing would mean our quality control is spread kind a thin, but I can assure you, we have brand new automated system in the works! [Darius continues walking, and Kord, Mane and Trixie follow, but Eli stops, and pulls Pronto off to the side with him under the excuse of them needing the bathroom] Pronto: Pronto dose not- Eli: shhhh- I don't either- we are going to check out that 'new manufacturing wing' something tells me its not what Darius say's it is Pronto: covert ops! do not fear- Pronto the magnificent is most efficient at that! Eli: good to know, now lets hurry before Darius or anyone else get's suspicious of us.

it dose not take long for Eli and Pronto to uncover the truth

The Cave Troll's who where once in charge of the Beast Forge where tied up, bound and it looked like who ever took over the Forge was going to have them melted with magma-

yeah, no time to put an and to this

Freeing Grendel and the rest of the Cave Toll's, the bust out of the closed off wing, and start what some might consider a riot to take back the Forge

In the chaos, the Gang finds out their Mecha Beast's, and more concerningly, all the Mecha Beast's in the facility have been corrupted.

and now the Gang's Mecha Beast's where raring to attack them

Trixie: Who! Boomer- come on you don't have to do this- Kord: Wyatt come on don't rush me- it's gonna hurt if you do- Pronto: Fernando! is this how you treat Pronto after all our adventuers! Mane: Agk- ouch- Chicky no your beck- I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE GONE FOR THE DULL MODLE! CURSE YOU AESTHETIC'S! Eli: ah, ha- Lucky please don't kill me-

Eli on a whim loads and fires Doc at Lucky.

and to his surprise, Doc purified whatever was corrupting his Mecha.

so with that bit of information, Eli makes the most of it, and use's Doc to cure the Mecha Beast's stopping them from attacking their owners.

Grendal and others, deal with Darius and the worker's that took over their Forge, tying them up to deal with later

Grendal would then explain that not along ago, someone wanted to commission some custom Mecha Beast's, nothing out of the ordinary, but the power source the Buyer wanted, and was going to provide, was not.

Obviously the Forge refused, thus prompting the Buyer to try and Buy out the whole Forge, and when that didn't work, hostile take over, with those Ghoul Slug's

Dr. Blakk

Eli and Doc cure all the other tainted Mecha's

but one thing is clear, Dr. Blakk is ramping up his methods, if his silent takeover of the Beast Forge was anything to go by. Because if the Shane Gang hadn't shown up when they did, a whole shipment of hundreds of Dark Water tainted Mecha's would have been sold to the public.

Eli... get's the feeling to check up on his dad a lot more often now... becuase if Blakk could take over the Beast Forge, he might do worse...

✧★✧ Dead Weed ✧★✧

Trixie was going to strangle Eli

They where riding past Dead Weed Cavern on their way home, and she, Mane, Kord and Pronto started swapping creepy stories about the place as they passed the entrance, even holding their breathes as to not 'let the ghost in'

Eli wasn't buying it. And, of course the young Shane would be the one to remember Dead Weed Cavern was where you could get Frightgeist slug's from...

So what dose Eli do against everyone's protest?

he goes in.

And not even a minute after entering they hear Eli scream bloody murder spurring them into action to rescue him.

Darting inside, the Gang franticly call out for the Shane only to hear a sound from behind and slowly turn around, to be met with Eli and Burpy jump scaring them

Pronto: YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH! Kord: NOT COOL MAN! Trixie: IM GOING TO KILL YOU! Mane: WHAT THE HECK ELI!? Eli & Burpy: *Laughing hysterically* Eli: Y-You sh-should have seen your faces! ahaha! Priceless! [A sudden gust of wind blows and shuts the entrance to the Mine] Eli: okay, okay- very funny, who's pulling jokes on who now? Kord:.. uh Trixie: that wasn't us... [que panic and intro]

So yeah, Trixie was going to strangle Eli, fair enough.

With the main entrance closed and Kord unable to kool aid man himself through the door, the Gang is forced to walk through the creepy mine in search of an alternate exit.

one Pronto insisted existed because all mines have more than one

which, yeah, in retrospect makes seance

Trixie, despite being thoroughly creeped out my the mine, starts recording, after all, not every day you can get footage like this

As they turn a bend, the Gang hears a gurgling groaning sound.

at first they think it's Pronto's stomach

but it's quickly proven not to be that, just as Trixie take's a snap shot and something that wasn't there before was right Infront of them

its the ghost of the miners who went missing!

"l̶e̴a̶v̷e̴ ̷t̶h̶i̷s̸ ̷p̸l̸a̶c̸e̵!̶"

Σ(°△° ꪱꪱꪱ) <( RUN!!!! )

in the hurry to get away, Mane trips over some tools, but doesn't have much time to register what it was as she gets back up and darts off to catch up with the rest of the team.

the Ghost stop following them at a certain point, almost like they where afraid, and that's when they see it.

and eerie red glow.

faint but persistent, coming from the end of the tunnel.

there where also the sounds of machinery and people talking coming from down there.

Mane: Please tell me we aren't going towards the red light- Kord: ... where going into the light Eli: oh yeah, totally Trixie: This goes against every single thing Horror movies tell you not to do. Pronto: time to become stereotypes then, Pronto demands to be the 'cool mysterious' one

carefully they approach the tunnel exit make sure to keep themselves hidden by the rocks.

and there they find a bunch of people from Blakk Industries, if the logo on the hazmat suites and crates is anything to go by.

And the fact El Diablos Nacho, Blakk's left hand, is also here...

and they where, harvesting something...

it was that Dark Water stuff, again

That's when Kord remembers where he's seen it before.

Karum-Zanul - as Cave Tolls called it. it seeped in from below, in parts of the caverns that went just a bit to deep.

Mane then feels very stupid, as she now recognizes the stuff herself, New Neo Cavern had a few literal underground clubs in Paleo, that would sometimes get leaks of the stuff.

But she's never seen this much of it, and by the looks of the set up, there was a whole harvesting operation going on, filling barrels, on barrels of the red liquid and shipping it Shadows knows where.

well, this isn't good!

Trixie trails her camera long the scene playout before them, capturing as much as she can, when she captures damning evidence.

a Hop Rock getting Ghouled

okay, that's it, they need to shut this operation down, like, now

they form a small plan, stealing some hazmat suites, and sneaking to on the the operation shacks where they find an old photo of the miners,

wow, they look a lot like the ghosts...

hopefully stopping what's going on will put them to rest...

Eli wonders how many families they would have to brake the knew too, or how many care still. If it was him, it would probably brake him, after all, its already eating at him to have his dad in a coma, if Will Shane ever did die...

Eli shakes the thought off, he needs to be locked in for this

no time for 'what if's'

despite their best efforts to remain stealthy, a shoot out inevitably brakes out, and Nacho nails Eli with a Nightgeist after braking out of some ice the young Shane and Chiller tried to trap him in

screaming due to his warped vision, Eli run's off down a random tunnel.

much to everyone's concern. but the Gang can't go after him, not right now- they just hope Eli snaps out of it soon and if okay

The Shane did snap out of it, and had to take a moment to catch his breath, and stave off the memories of the hallucinations

he was going to need sooo much therapy

but that's a problem for future Eli

spoiler alter, he never got that therapy-

While calming down, a Fightgeist a cute little guy, made himself known, Eli names the slug Spooker

Just as he obtained in his slug friend, the Ghost's come back.

this time, Eli isn't afraid.

Eli: ... I get it.. right, look, my friends and I are trying to stop what Nacho and rest of his men are trying to do, just like you are. let's run these jerks out of here and put an end to this! Ghost's: [looking at each other] w̸e̵r̶e̷ ̵w̵i̶t̶h̷ ̶y̸o̵u̴ ̵k̶i̵d̶

The Ghost and Eli lead a charge back into the harvesting chamber, overwhelming Nacho and his men.

It also helped Eli got a little pay back by slugging Nacho with Spooker, dialing up the corrupted elf looking man's fear response

With Blakk's goon's driven out of Dead Weed, and Pronto plugging up a valve that busted open during the fight with his rump, the Gang goes about closing the Dark Water valve off, for good

after all, they can't leave Pronto to keep it plugged up

With the valve closed, the Dark Water Vapors started to dissipate

and the Ghost's, as it turned out, weren't Ghost's

With the vapors gone the Ghost's returned to normal humans again, no longer stuck in their ghostly ghouled state.

Everyone get's a Frightgeist :)

one of the miners then explains what happened

some time ago, the Dead Weed mine was bought and the miners were ordered to dig down with no idea of what exactly they where looking for.

by the time they hit the Dark Water vain it was too late for them, and while stuck in their ghostly forms, they chased off anyone who entered for their safety, and tried fend off Blakk's men to no avail.

And while this most secretly was a win, Blakk had been harvesting from this place for months.

he more than likely has a massive stockpile of Dark Water just sitting somewhere.

and with you only needing a capsule of Dark Water to ghoul a slug...

plus, who's to say there aren't more Dark Water well's that are still being harvested

Mane: This is getting out of hand Kord: No kidding Eli: And were not backing down, Dr. Blakk is going to destroy Slugterra if he continues ghouling slugs. We have to stop him, no matter what. Pronto: Now your talking like a true Shane! Trixie: And we can use the footage I shot to our advantage! Expose Blakk, and his company for what they really are!

Blakk may have a stock pile of Dark Water, an army of ghoul slugs, but he wouldn't be ready for what was coming next.

even if Will Shane was out of commission, his son, Eli, was picking up the slack, and he was not alone in his crusade

───✧★✧───

ep 6, "The Slug Run" is actually getting moved to happen after ep 13, "Dawn of the Slug" this is becase I'm actually adding some extra content, and I kind a need Saturday for it to work out the way I need to. plus, "The Slug Run" is one of those episodes where it can happen just about anytime and still make sense. So that's why it wasn't included, and heads up, I will be shuffling a few more episodes around because I'm weird like that lol.[I have PLANS] THAT'S ALL FOALKS! im'a go work on that Storm Hawks thing I've been meaning to do... - Sad Mage, OUT ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

───✧★{TBC...}★✧───

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mirensiart · 8 months ago

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Hey that's me again ! I swear I got your notif all day long! Are you sometime sleeping ? And HOW are you doing so much art and answer questions so quickly EVERY DAY ! Just don't overwork yourself OK?

(But I've got another question for u 👀)

I've been thinking (sometime I'm thinking yeah) have Ravio and Legend any communication trick ? Are they using their pain cursed to communicate sometime. Like they pinch themselve? I mean to ask if the other's okay, one on them pinch himself on his arm the other respond by pinching his other arm to say yes or no (and if there is no answer, well that is obviously very bad).

Have a nice day and thank you for all your work !!

I work from home and sometimes work gets veeeeery boring and people like sending me asks lol so I just check my phone regularly (i can't open tumblr in my company pc lol) 🙈 that and I also draw fast! So sometimes I just draw stuff while on company time cause like, not my fault they're on the 1827392th zoom meeting of the day and I have ADHD lol

But thank you! I'm sorry for the constant spamming, especially last night, the booping saga was... a lot lol (and it CONTINUES)

Anyway, to answer your ask! That is such a cute mental image oh my god I can def see legend coming up with it 🥹💖 but the pain sharing curse would probably screw that up

I can absolutely see the others pinching themselves in revenge when legend does it the first time (they don't know why he's doing it lol) and now ravio is sitting in legend's living room feeling like 7 pinches in succession and being all ??????????

#and well i don't sleep much cause family stuff going on lol #it's why i do home office and also why i draw sm cause like best way to cope #but to be vague i am currently a caretaker of a family member #so yeah lol i'd rather be answering questions and drawing that be focused on my real life rn 🙈#miry's ask box #lu pain sharing au

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lovesickeros · 1 year ago

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lord its so dark in here the sahara desert of tsaritsa content you are like a shining oasis. your characterisation of her compels me & mihoyo would be hard pressed to top it imo.!! caaaaan i humbly request yr thoughts on her first meeting w a reader of any kind, or maybe even multiple kinds (sagau, sagau god au, isekai, etc) if you so desire...

it really is like a desert here. being the fan of a character we aren't getting until the last damn nation is driving me up a wall but i will persevere bc if nothing else i support morally bankrupt women in media. we r in a severe drought over here but i do my best. unfortunately nothing i say is ever coherent so pull out your translation notes its abt 2 be messy

also this got out of hand but thats bc first meetings w the tsaritsa are tricky to write + a LOT of her characterization lies in deeper exploration then just surface level yknow...NOT A DIG AT YOU this is just my excuse for rambling. gently pats the tsaritsa she can hold so much complexity i do not have the word count to delve into it completely :]

gonna talk cult au for a bit here though because that's 99% of my content. and honestly? she thrives in sub au's of the cult au like villain au + imposter au. it's basically made for her. i mean, early days, the imposter au had been going around for a little while but one of the first few ideas was the Fatui taking reader in so like. it kinda technically actually was. pretty sure cult au Tsaritsa popped up because of the imposter au. a lot of it's writers kinda left though which. man am i getting old or.

anyway.

there isn't much of a chance her first impression is all that positive. at best it's usually neutral, imo, but rarely if ever positive. specifically because i view the Tsaritsa as someone who isn't as fanatical as most of the acolytes typically are towards the creator. she's not exactly going to worship the ground you walk on unlike a certain geo lizard. which is partially why i think she thrives in the sub au's i mentioned.

imposter au, for example. she meets you at your lowest. there's no gaudy extravagance or pampering from the acolytes waiting for you because your own acolytes have turned on you. for all intents and purposes you aren't a "god" at all. which is why i don't think she meshes well with normal cult au reader. the Fatui are made up of outcasts, basically, and imposter au slots right in just perfectly. you're weak, at your lowest, when you meet the Fatui in the imposter au. and the Fatui can help you, too.

a mutual exchange, really. the Tsaritsa sees a tool she can use to one up the rest of the nations and especially Archons, and she has no qualms about you using her and the Fatui in turn. you both want something out of it, after all. whether you just want to be safe from the rest of the acolytes, or you want revenge, or whatever else..she'll give you the power to fulfill it, and she gains the strongest piece on the chessboard when all is said and done.

the best way i can describe the first meeting is "practical", i suppose. she sees an opportunity in you. the ultimate gamble. because if she "saves" you, and you dont trust anyone else because they tried to kill you, well..she holds all the cards, doesn't she?

but the Tsaritsa, imo, is just as capable of being just as fanatical towards you as anyone else. she just won't worship you as the creator. but as yourself? clawing your way back to your divine power and taking back what belongs to you? the Tsaritsa is, to me, a character who's character flourishes in long-term fics more because she changes a LOT between "just met reader" and after having been with reader for some time. she's practically apathetic at the beginning but a lot of her character, in my characterization, shines through LONG after the first meeting.

#asks #Anonymous #sagau #tsaritsa #like. am i explaining this coherently?? first meetings r GOOD and i could go on a tangent of like. first meetings w zl and make it work #but first meetings w the tsaritsa is like. you just cooked a 5 course meal. took one bite. called it a day.#so much of my characterization lies in the “after” of the first meeting #because her first meetings are generally the same. she's apathetic at best!! she does not gaf abt the creator in the SLIGHTEST #but show that you are more then the creator? that you do not cling to the title like a shield? that you do not rely on it?#youve got the worst person youve ever known ready to kill a man for you.#tsaritsa is very like. EXTREMELY hard to earn the trust of but when you do she will kill someone for you no hesitation no question #which is why she works SO WELL in villain au and imposter au!!!!!!!!!#esp if theres a fake “creator” calling you the imposter. she hates their ass and was .5 seconds from dethroning them anyway #you just made it 10x easier #also cant do just first meetings bc i am incapable of not shoving themes of love into every fic w her SORRY #tsaritsa going on a full multiple month long mental breakdown bc she is not in love with you but she would destroy everything for u..#(shes in denial)#tsaritsa and complex themes of love and what it means for the god of love to be incapable of feeling it + what it means when reader shows u #LIKE UGHHHHHH okay. i guess ill write another tsaritsa fic and put it in my vault #aka my drafts #i hold so many fics hostage there its crazy #this answered like 0 of ur questions sorry i see tsaritsa and black out and this happens #i just think first meetings dont let her character really come thru but my response got out of hand so uhhhhh everyone look away. please #putting tape over my mouth now so i shut up before this gets worse #basically tsaritsa gravitates more towards outcast reader rather then one who has already become accustomed to the adoration of the acolyte #does that make sense........#i havent slept in forever and im running on nothing but spite and dreams atp dont expect coherency when it comes 2 the tsaritsa from me #head in hands someone please stop me i keep rambling abt the tsaritsa it makes me go NUTS #lays down. explodes

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happiighost · 1 year ago

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FINALLY DID THIS DRAWING MEME (very poorly...) FOR BYLETH/SOTHIS! BYE ~

#also i guess ask me about my dumb au headcanon bullshit I you want #or dont lol #dont zoom in or ask questions #thats my art tag #sothis #byleth eisner #fe3h #fe #fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #why am i tagging this i dunno

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light-wrath-paradise · 2 months ago

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Someone stop me from adding yet another fucker to Chatterbird Corporations or so help me god. Come on I thought we had AliveWorld for this kind of fuckery.

#it's like ough it'd be so funny. but ChCorp is not funny. ChCorp is my emotional hell.#ChCorp is a self-contained long-form exploration of the human condition that was originally supposed to have TWO (2) repeating characters #and the rest would always appear for one act. But Dienes was an ok addition that made sense for the themes. i don't even know #why the hell he's there but he's been there since i was 14 so who cares.#Alexis was a random addition but she is actually a nice other side of the coin to Chatterbird and someone who is fully human #despite being robotic and on like 20 medications. she's the character who's there so I can make it clear that I'm NOT #saying that body mods and medication and prosthetics make you less human but that I'm instead saying that Chatterbird is a bigot.#and a victim. but also a bigot. Mockingbird was a shitpost but now he's there forever and hey it fucks hard #because he explores nature vs nurture. he's the 'Can Chatterbird change? What makes a person? What is an individual? Is it ingrained in our #DNA or is 'us' something that is created and if so can it be changed? How much? By what?' to Chatterbird's living ship of Theseus #she's humanity vs inhumanity and personhood vs tool and Mockingbird is nature vs nurture and individual vs collective guilt #she asks 'Am I human?' and he asks 'Who am I?'#Grey was added out of spite but funnily enough him and King actually make a great thematic square with Chatterbird and Mockingbird #because there's nobody who's Chatterbird's parallel as far as the question of humanity is considered.#since Alexis isn't really about that at all.#anyway my point is there are enough recurring characters we don't need more reoccurring characters.#AliveWorld was literally built in such a way that i could throw in an endless amount of characters forever for my own enjoyment #but the thing is it's a fantasy comedy turned dramedy. the guy whose concept is solidifying in my head does NOT fit into a fantasy setting #i have nowhere else to throw him because my only 3 surviving writing projects are AliveWorld; Chatterbird Corporations; and BDEF #and technically speaking Liliana's AUs but those are fanfictions.#oh yeah I forgot about Terror on Belgica. which is Schrödinger's fanfiction i guess. but regardless he can't be there either that's a horror #story

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the-way-astray · 6 months ago

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katie's new sokeefe fic reads like a strieefe fic

you don't understand the psychic damage i took reading this sentence. help me save me

#keefe would not like me and i don't like him #i just skimmed the first chapter and unfortunately i can see where the line of thinking comes from #my current question is if this is a human au how does keefe have a photographic memory and why does sophie not. lore's lowkey intriguing #but oh well. i am going to put it out of my mind and never read sokeefe-as-enemies-or-rivals fic again. or any sokeefe fic for that matter #the good news is that nobody is going to strieefe-ify this fic because if anyone other than katie did it that would be ~plagiarism~#and katie doesn't write strieefe fic. allegedly #kotlc #asks #anon #myfairkatiecat shenanigans #<- not really but. it's her fic. why not

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kalosian-woods · 14 days ago

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(synchro nonnie)

goodra be out here chilling in the wetlands while so many things are going on with the gang

bro(neutral) may not know the full thing but something definitely happened with them

Goodra really does just face change wherever they go. I guess it's a part of their arc in a way; to grow is to change, and to change is to be fluid and be exposed to different experiences until you are almost unrecognisable to who you were before. After basically scaring half the wetlands when they first came around, it was about time Goodra experienced change from the other side as well heh.

When they first came in as a Goomy, there was a newly evolved Frogadier and an Ash on the run with a happy winning streak, Serena having just committing to her dream of Showcases and free from burden with her mother but not entering one yet, and Clemont barely coming to terms with being a Gym Leader. When they left to protect the wetlands as a Goodra, they had left Ash learning to slow it down a little (a very tiny little that he forgets very quickly but still), Braixen newly evolved now with friendship and Serena renewing her conviction after a devestating setback, and Clemont rejoining the group after training for the most epic battle between friends ever. An okay level of growth, all things considered.

When Goodra comes back for the League, well, there is now:

Talonflame and Greninja (having evolved from last time). Apparently Talonflame fought Moltres? Greninja now has an alternative form that strangely resembles Ash...

A fully grown Noivern. Out of the blue. Talonflame is also coparenting with Hawlucha taking most of the work. This is compared to the fiercely independent Wrestling Pokemon that was at odds with the small bird. This Noivern evolved after fighting Zapdos, which may run in the family at this point.

A squishy blob that stays in the bag with Dedenne. They're roomies? And the blob is also Dragon-Type too.

They did watch it (somehow???), but it's still an unbelievable feat for Serena to have won 3 Princess Keys and get to the Master Class finals considering where they left off. Also a full blown Sylveon exists as well now (luckily Goodra has outgrown their fear of Fairy-Types).

Just the utter bewilderment they must be going through after all of that lol. It's kinda sad that Goodra didn't get to stick around that long or for us to see Goodra interact with the others, because that would've been so precious. Both Goodra and Sylveon used to be shy guys, but now that they're more open I'm sure they can be friends! Goodra connecting with Noivern over their Dragon typing and having an epic battle would've been so cool to see! And also just reconnecting with everyone else as well. It's the curse of XY to not give too much time to many things, but I felt like we really missed out on an amazing bonding session with Hawlu and Goodra in the wetlands. I mean, two strong Pokemon being anointed protecters of the weak in a wild Pokemon-only place? If we can't get it a bit before then definitely in the two-parter before they leave. And again, gives Hawlu some of that softness to be able to get along with Noibat later on.

But also you are on to something though: would Goodra notice how things are going on within the gang itself? For Goodra, life in the wetlands has been a lot of managing relationships with all inhabitants and making sure that everyone is safe and happy, along Florges and her gang. Coming back with all these new changes is going to throw Goodra off, and with not much time to be with the others (especially since League and Ash's mentality itself currently), I don't think Goodra is going to be able to pick up on much. Maybe hear a few stories and catch a few glimspe of the form change, but nothing concrete until idk maybe after the Crisis? And considering how Goodra is staying back after everyone goes back and all that, bro is probably still going to have contact with Clemont + Bonnie (with Dedenne!) since Lumiose is close by, along with Greninja and the blobs once in a while I imagine. Maybe then they can share stories and come to an understanding. But yeah, very much in confusion and raised eye emojis for the longest time lol.

Also btw I've got your two asks and to conserve space I'll just put them up under the cut here to conserve space (not too much to say but just to make it look neater):

And my responses: Cool signature (butterfly!!!! 🥺/pos)!!!! Will definitely remember you by that from now on (though I'll still call you synchro for ease if that's okay) and yah, we're really starting a party with all these anons heh! :D

#once again thanks a lot explosion anon. you've been real :)#yeah... laptop vs phone for emojis lol #wait omg goodra doesn't even know sawyer lol #coming out to that battle must be so strange fr. like why is my trainer having beef with this guy??#i expected not knowing alain but yeah that's so funny. also doesn't know about pumpkaboo evo as well #i'm giving so much credit to xy rn. i am pretending that we do get a lot more than in canon for the sake of this #like tbh goodra left so dang early. barely existed as it was :(#and i mean at least it went through an actual battle (unlike noivern) before the league but still. kinda sad ngl #goodra deserved more (real hashtag and real protest)#it's funny because clem barely changed from when goodra left and returned #which is also a sad fact in and of itself but i won't linger on it #does anyone else wonder why keanan (wetland guy) watch the master class? and with pokemon no less?#it's sweet but also goodra has not interacted with serena beyond the first ep it came. seriously #i doubt it knows what she's doing at all. i doubt it knows much about serena full stop #and this is why we need more pokemon time! otherwise i get so confused with things like this #even though i do want to pretend it's real. eh i'll just make it real in the au #more goodra in this au??? more likely than you think heh :P #goodra moisturising in the wetlands as greninja is dying to the vines post xy in the bg: this aint about him #but yeah i bet they became closer through that time. it's a safe haven and goodra doesn't ask questions + healing water #grenin and the blobs do leave whenever clem and bonnie come around though #also do you think that talonflame + hawlu + noivern fly by kalos once in a while? because they totally can #it would be hilarious but also oak. now that's just giving me ideas of them trying to disguise their exits #bribing bulbasuar or dragging the other mons into it #them getting lost at sea and ending up in different regions #WAIT imagine them meeting the other ash mons lol. imagine them finally finding primeape. lost media for sure #i need a fic on this *am a fic writer*#diancie delivers

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maiuoart · 2 months ago

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What do you think ribba would be like in undertale if she's a sweetheart in sfr and a prickly tsundere in swap.

Well; Here's the ordeal with that and how original Ribba came to be!

I was scouting and studying the normal Undertale verse and I was dying over the fact that I needed a replacement for this specific role in Swapfell Red... A role which, now? I think I made up just for story sakes and the fact I could see a Second Commander being NEEDED in a fucked up world like Swapfell Red or any fell worlds... (Don't think it's actually needed in Underswap when I think about it, lol.)

Low and behold; I see the bunnies...

But specifically; Rabbit Girl! The one who walks her younger brother, Cinnamon, on a child leash.

As for the question... She looks like the type to be very down to earth yet a bit of a helocopter parent to her siblings! Otherwise; Very sweet, loving, and one of those warm beings you would want to be friends with-- If not a bit of shy to new people!!

To be honest, I should really re-hash some stuff now with it all... Be cute for Ribba to subconsciously treat Black/Regal like a younger brother behind closed doors, or even out in public, because she's the elder, Regals the younger, and it would make for some hilarious bs--

But would make some funny interactions with Underswap, too-- LOL

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unfinishedslurs · 2 years ago

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Nancy's GBF (ghost best friend)

IT'S OCTOBER QUICK POST GHOST BARB FIC

She dreams about Barb every night.

She’s dreamed about her before, of course, but ever since Vecna died it’s different. She doesn’t scream. Doesn’t cry. There’s no blame placed on Nancy’s shoulders, no shrieking accusations about how it should have been her instead.

She’s a silent figure. Unmoving, unfeeling. No matter how far Nancy reaches, or how fast she runs, she can never get close.

Eventually, she comes into focus, and it’s awful because she seems younger than she ever did in real life. Her best friend died a child, closer to her little brother’s age than Nancy’s own now. The red shade of her hair, the exact outfit she had on, it’s all things she forgets in the waking world. But for these few minutes she can have Barb back. Even if she can never hug her best friend again, or exchange secrets, or laugh together, she still has this.

When she wakes up, it’s with tears on her face.

“Nancy?” Jonathan asks groggily, still half asleep. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Later, when he tells her he was accepted to Lenora Hills, she’ll wonder if she could have saved their relationship if she hadn’t started lying too.

Two months after the dreams start, Barb speaks.

“Nancy? Nancy, it’s so cold. I don’t like it here, Nancy, please–”

In that moment, Nancy can finally reach out and take her hand.

She wakes up shivering and automatically checks her surroundings. Mike bursts through her door when she shrieks, her mom not far behind him.

They both try to ask her what’s wrong, but she can’t answer, too busy staring at the dead girl in the corner.

“Nancy?” Barb asks, pool water dripping down her chin. “What’s wrong with me?”

She tries to ignore it.

She’s having a mental breakdown of some kind, that’s fine. It’s to be expected, really. She’s been struggling keeping up with school, and the end of the world, and breaking up with Jonathan. Of course she’d see Barb around every corner. Of course she’d be cold all the time. Of course. And everyone knows the first step of having a mental break is to not feed into the delusion.

She checks with El and Will, just to be safe.

They both look confused when they open the door, which makes sense. She and Jonathan have been split up for a month, she hasn’t exactly been around. Still, they accept her inside without question.

“I need you to make sure Henry isn’t back,” she blurts out as soon as the door shuts behind her. Both of them rear back in tandem, and something clatters in the kitchen.

“Nancy?” Jonathan pokes his head around the corner, bewildered. “Are you okay?”

“Jonathan!” She feels herself flush. Why didn’t she think he’d be home? She knows he doesn’t have a job anymore, and his friend Argyle went back to California a while ago. Where else would he be?

“Nance, you’re pale,” he says, like she hasn’t noticed. As if her mom hasn’t said the same thing a hundred times in the past few days. He reaches out to guide her to the couch, and flinches back as soon as he feels her bare skin. “You’re freezing. Let me get you a blanket.”

She turns and looks at the kids as soon as he’s out of sight, noticing the way Will is rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I’m sorry, I’ve been having weird dreams for a while, and lately it’s gotten…worse, I guess, and I need to make sure it’s not him. It doesn’t feel like him, but I need…I can’t…”

El’s face turns into something determined, and oh, Nancy hates asking this of her. But if Vecna isn’t really dead, if they can get a headstart on his next plan, well. The sooner the better.

Ten minutes later the three siblings are sitting across from her, El tying a blindfold around her eyes as a blanket sits on Nancy’s shoulders. It doesn’t do anything to help, of course. It’s nothing like when Will was possessed but the mindflayer. The heat doesn’t bother her, no matter how many times she brings a spare blanket to add to the pile on her bed or turns the shower faucet to its highest setting. In fact, she can’t feel it at all.

“Close your eyes,” El commands. “Focus. I need to be able to see inside you.”

She grimaces, involuntarily glancing at Barb in the corner. The past few days she’s been weeping nonstop. More than a few times, Nancy has cried with her. Now, though, she looks around the Byers’s new place curiously.

Nancy shuts her eyes.

“Don’t shut me out,” El reminds her gently, and then light floods her vision.

Barb, always Barb. When they were kids they would push each other on the swingset and dare each other to climb trees. The last time she saw her, reassuring her she’d be fine before following Steve upstairs. Vecna daring to taunt her, as if she could ever forget what she’d lost.

A million memories, some she’d almost forgotten. And then it’s over too soon.

El rips the blindfold off, breathing heavily. Jonathan hands her a tissue for her nose, looking at Nancy with so much concern it feels like it’s going to kill her.

“What did you see?” Will asks frantically. “Was it him?”

El shakes her head, confirming what Nancy already knew deep down. “It wasn’t him.”

“Then what was it?” Jonathan asks, eyes still on Nancy. She raises a shaking hand to her face, and it comes away wet.

“Nothingness,” El finally says. “And then sadness, and cold, and dark. And a light. There was a light, and a hand, and then there was warmth and feeling again. But the feelings are bad. They are not Henry, but they are not good.”

“So she’s real?” Nancy’s voice cracks.

“What? Who’s real? Nancy, what’s going on?” Jonathan asks. WIll just looks at her, concern in his big eyes.

El tilts her head. “I think so? But I do not know her. I can’t see her like you can.”

“Who is ‘she?’” Jonathan demands. “Will someone tell me what’s going on?”

“I actually have to go,” Nancy says, almost stumbling as she stands up. She takes a moment to fold the blanket Jonathan gave her so kindly. He’s still trying to get her attention, but she brushes him off as she heads out the door and to her car.

“Nance, please, I know we broke up but I still care–”

“I know!’ She says, whipping around. Barb watches curiously from the corner of her eye. “I know you do, and that’s great, really, but it’s none of your business. I didn’t even think you’d be here, so…”

“Where else would I be?”

“I don’t know, Jonathan, California?” She snaps. He rears back. “Isn’t that where you’re going anyway? Just– stop acting like this is any of your business! We broke up, we’re done, I don’t… I don’t want to talk, Jon! Just leave it alone.”

“Nancy…” he reaches out, and Nancy takes a step back. Barb appears between them in an instant, and his hand passes right through her. He jumps, swearing and turning pale. Nancy feels herself gasp, feeling warm for the first time in days in that split second before he pulls back.

He watches her silently, with those big eyes she’s always been weak to. She doesn’t have anything to say to him, or maybe she has too much to say. Either way, she gets in her car silently, driving off and leaving him standing in the rearview.

For once, she doesn’t startle when Barb jumps into existence in the front seat.

“Byers, huh?” She asks, something like humor in her voice. She always sounds distant now, like she’s underwater, or whispering from across a field. But Nancy understands what she’s saying. She always will.

Barb sighs when she doesn’t answer. “At least his brother’s alive, I guess.”

That makes Nancy laugh, a harsh cackle that would make her jump if it came out of someone else. “Yeah,” she agrees, speaking to the ghost of her best friend for the first time, “At least Will’s alive.”

It’s not like having Barb back. Not really.

She’s bitter, and angry, and she screams and yells and cries all the time. Sweeps her arm across Nancy’s desk like she’s trying to break something, and only gets angrier when she can’t. Yells at Nancy sometimes, which she knows she deserves.

There’s the blame for her death of course, which is nothing new. She’s been having nightmares about that for years. But then there’s the other stuff. The weird questions, like, “Why did you bring me back? Why couldn’t you let it be?”

When she asks about it, all she gets is Barb turning away from her.

“Nancy? Naaaaaaancy. Nance, are you listening to me?”

She turns her head and almost shrieks to see Robin staring at her, almost nose to nose. “What are you doing?”

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for, like, forever minutes,” she complains.

Nancy looks at Steve. “It was, like, forever,” he confirms, staring at her intensely. “You okay, Nance?”

Eddie rolls his eyes. “It’s been thirty seconds,” he deadpans.

Robin flops onto the floor. “Forever.”

“I’m starting to think getting you guys high was a mistake.”

“You say that every time. It’s not even your weed.” Steve yanks the dying bud out of his hand, taking a drag that has to be mostly ash at this point and putting it out on the ashtray. They don’t do this often, or at least Nancy doesn’t join them often. She’s not fond of the floaty feeling the weed gives her, preferring alcohol if she’s not going to be sober. But Eddie asked her to come, and Steve and Robin prefer having more people around if they’re going to get high. Something about what the Russians gave them.

She hasn’t seen Jonathan here since they broke up, but she thinks that’s less about them not inviting him and more about everyone trying to give them both space.

Nancy’s gaze has already wandered back to Barb. It’s been a quiet day today, which makes her nervous for tomorrow. But at least during quiet days she can seem semi-normal in front of her friends.

“Nancy? Seriously, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she tells Steve, not bothering to look away from Barb. She looks from Nancy to Steve, this new, older Steve she’s seeing for the first time, and pretends to gag herself on a finger. The pool water that never stops coming out of her mouth splatters silently on the floor. Nancy doesn’t laugh.

“Hey.” Steve moves in front of her, slightly wobbly as he sits cross legged across from her. She can barely see Barb past his hair. “Yanno, Jonathan asked about you.”

“What?” That breaks her from her trance.

“Yeah, he said he was worried about you. I asked him why he was asking me and not you, but he said you didn’t want to talk about it. But he was, like, really worried Nance. So, like, is everything alright?”

“Do you ever dream about dead people?” She blurts out.

All three of them go completely silent, staring at her. She laughs nervously. “Never mind! Never mind, that’s weird. Wow, why did I ask that? I think I took too many hits. Where’s your bathroom?”

“I mean,” Eddie says, after Steve doesn’t answer, “I dream about Chrissy all the time. How could I not? Shit was a real life nightmare, of course it made its way into my dreams.”

Steve shakes himself. “I guess I dream about Billy, but that’s different. I mean, it’s still a nightmare, but it’s not like…” his hand drifts unconsciously to the faint scar on his forehead. “It’s not about the Upside-Down, I guess. It’s not the same as my other nightmares.”

“I have dreams where people die all the time,” Robin declares, scooching herself across the floor until she can lay in Steve’s lap. “They suck.”

“Yeah, but are any of the dreams ever…weird to you guys? Like they’re not normal nightmares? Like they’re there all the time, just staring at you, and you try to reach for them but you never can?” She asks desperately.

The three of them look at each other, and shake their heads.

“Cool,” Nancy says, palms sweating. “Me neither.”

It’s raining when Mike storms into her room while Nancy is trying (and failing) to do college prep. “What is wrong with you?”

Barb starts laughing, a gurgling, chilling sound that Nancy heard once and made her summarily decide to never make a joke again.

“What are you talking about?” She asks, eyes flitting between Mike and Barb. “Get out!”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” he accuses. “You’re not even looking at me!”

“Maybe I just don’t want to see your dumb face.”

“Fuck off!”

“Michael!” Their mother hollers.

He rolls his eyes. “Ugh, sorry!”

#stranger things fanfic #nancy wheeler #barbara holland #ghost barbara holland #nancy's gbf au #barbs got JOKES in this frankly nancy should have laughed at them smh #the idea of barb coming back somehow to see how nancy has changed since she died is so intriguing to me #in my mind vecna dying released the spirits he was holding and somehow nancy's freshly reawakened regrets were so strong she like #summoned barb somehow instead of letting her rest or whatever #so thats what barb means when she asks nancy why she couldn't let her go #this doesn't happen with anyone else bc uhhhhh reasons. i am no longer taking questions at this time #or maybe max is going through the same thing #OHHHHH THAT WOUD BE SO FUN TO WRITE I LOVE NANCY AND MAX PARALLELS

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