#you can ask questions if you'd like

[chubby-aphrodite]

yep ive decided im just gonna unfollow people who are stupid about it, especially today 👍

like what do you get out posting that. what do you get out of retraumatizing people by posting pictures from the attacks with dumbass edits. is it the shock humor? or what?

i know this is a false dichotomy and ive debated saying it for years knowing people might clown on me for it, but it feels like if people made memey edits of school shootings, especially of pictures of victims or of the emergency response. and i know there's probably people doing that, making memes out of school shootings and crime scenes and natural disasters and gore, but i think we nigh universally agree that that's a bad thing, right? that that's something only assholes do?

and i know i KNOW it's been "shoved down your throat" for over two decades. and you're probably tired of it. but i think as someone immediately materially affected by it, i'm more qualified than anyone in knowing what it feels like to have it shoved down your throat constantly every day all the time no matter what! i'm tired of it too, and i'd love to be able to move on! but because of the general culture surrounding the events and the aftermath, and because of the general irreverence about it starting to take over that displaces it from "really bad thing that happened" to "shock humor i can pull out to offend people," i can't! we can't! my whole goddamn family can't!

and it's absolutely gut-punching, soul-crushing, whatever compound word you wanna use, watching people i thought would know better treat it like a joke. and i get that it's easy to treat it like a joke when you're so disconnected from it, but there are still people you're hurting when you do.

and for the love of all that is good in the world, i'd like to be done decentering my own feelings about it. when i was little i didn't understand and didn't have much of an opinion on it, but i knew it made my family sad and it was the reason i didn't have a dad. as a teenager, i learned the social and global ramifications that arose in the aftermath, and i thought that was more important than processing my own baggage. and don't get me wrong, they are important. meatgrinder forever-wars over greed and extremely loud bigotry and the steps to stop them are important to learn about. and i'd get yelled at if i didn't mention that because this is the piss on the poor website.

but i'd really like to be fucking done with having to bottle up my own feelings about it.

[pinkestlittlebutterfly]

Here’s what I’d do if I made a Servamp hospital AU except that I have no plot, only vibes. 

Mahiru – head nurse in charge of one of the wards, often working the shifts no one else wants. He’s beloved by some patients for being genuine and kind, annoying to others for his no-nonsense-attitude, and adored by young doctors for providing useful advice. In his locker there’s a stash of necessities for patients with no one to bring them – toothbrushes, phone chargers, a small selection of candy…

Kuro – nursing assistant, unwillingly provided with a job by his housemate and head nurse Mahiru. He spends most of his work day either complaining or hiding in the bathrooms, but is kept on the team for the soothing aura he exudes. Sometimes he lets terrified kids borrow his Nintendo Switch. 

Hugh – cardiothoracic surgeon. He is absolutely brilliant at his job, but struggles with the parts of surgery that require a bit of physical strength. Though he cares deeply for his colleagues he’s known for his very specific demands regarding surgery preparation, and occasional bouts of arrogance that are rumoured to be an attempt at compensation. Working with Tetsu has made him mellow out.

Tetsu – surgical nurse, and everyone’s favourite. Among the surgical team he’s deeply appreciated for the help he provides with physically demanding tasks, like positioning patients, and being gentle and careful despite his strength. Hugh insists on having Tetsu assist him whenever a challenging surgery is coming up, even if he has to stand on a step to mitigate their height difference. 

Lily – paediatrician who excels at handling fussy children and difficult family members. Outwardly he appears sweet and saccharine in advocating for those in his care, but he knows his rights well and will happily manipulate, lie or go behind a parent’s back should he find it necessary. He’s often called in for patients with suspicious bruises or injuries, and works closely with Misono from clinical forensics. 

Misono – specialist in clinical forensics. He’s known for his meticulous, court-proof documentation, which not a single lawyer has managed to get dismissed yet. Though he can’t work long shifts and used to be called in for consultations only, he has recently campaigned to establish a small outpatient department he can run some days of the week. He works closely with Lily from paediatrics. 

Mikuni – former member of the security team, now working in administration. Thus, he spends most of his days annoying anyone unlucky enough to catch his attention, preferably Jeje from radiology or Shuuhei from hygiene management, and seems to know everything about everyone. Sometimes Lily or Misono still call him to handle issues they’d rather not involve the actual security team in. 

Jeje – radiologist who has not seen the sun in months. He chose his job specifically to avoid contact with others, but must frequently leave the dark, little room he likes to stay holed up in to help out with punctures and other interventions since no one else has hands as steady as his. He’s often visited by Mikuni from administration or Lily from paediatrics, who bring him vitamin d supplements. 

Tsurugi – leader of the security team, infamous and mysterious to anyone who hasn’t witnessed him in line for lunch at the cafeteria yet. He only answers to one of the higher-ups among the administration team. Whether it’s a problem that security lies entirely in the hands of the administration is an ongoing discussion among the medical staff, but no one knows whether Tsurugi is aware of it. 

Shuuhei – head of hygiene management, living off coffee from spill-proof reusable cups. He’s said to be pedantic, but that’s what makes him good at his job. Though it’s a thankless endeavour, he works tirelessly to make sure everyone knows when to use which disinfectant and how to properly put on rubber gloves. Only the resident microbiologist seems to take him completely seriously. 

[waterfallofspace]

~Ask List~

Let's Drop The Stigma And Talk About It

A little list of questions/asks that people may be wondering, but aren't sure if it's appropriate to ask. Or that creators worry would be 'bragging' or 'complaining' by talking about. Let's throw out those thoughts, and just talk about it~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1) What's one piece of feedback you would give someone starting out? (writing, drawing, wav making, etc~)

2) What’s one piece of advice you see often that you don’t find works for you/helpful?

3) What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started making content?

4) What piece of work are you proudest of? Why are you proud of it?

5) What piece of work are you not proud of? Is there anything you could do to change your feelings on it?

6) What’s a part of sharing your work that you really enjoy?

7) What’s a struggle you face with sharing your work?

8) What feedback do you most enjoy receiving?

9) What feedback, if any, do you not enjoy receiving?

10) What feedback do you enjoy giving?

11) What feedback, if any, do you not enjoy giving?

12) Do you believe you deserve what you’ve gotten, or that it’s not been earned? Either way, why?

13) Which asks do you like getting the most?

14) Which asks do you wish you got more of?

15) Are there any asks you don’t like getting?

16) Do you find it easier, or harder, to get a lot of feedback on content?

17) What kind of requests, if any, do you enjoy getting?

18) What kind of requests, if any, do you wish you got more of?

19) What kind of requests, if any, do you not enjoy getting?

20) Free Square: Tell Us Anything~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[itsdefinitely]

How long does it take you usually to fulfill requests? They seem fairly detailed 🤔

i'll be completely honest, i don't really know! i mean, it depends on exactly what you mean. sometimes it takes weeks for me to even get to some requests with how my inbox is (the oldest one right now is from the very beginning of december, so sorry if you've been waiting that long!!), but from sketching to the finished piece varys greatly

my estimate is anywhere between 20-30 minutes to a few hours. i think there's only been a few times where it takes me multiple days, and thats usually when i start them right before going to bed

[ponydoodles]

my apologies, but i sent a request a few years ago and i dont think it ever happened. is there a protocol on what i should do here? or just keep waiting

Hi! I'm sorry if your request was important to you and never got drawn. Many mods have a backlog of old requests we haven't gotten to, or it may have been either a repeat request that we've done similarly before, or something nobody claimed before one of our inbox clearouts. We've said it many times previously on this blog but we don't get to everything since we get so many asks at once, and since we just do this blog for fun rather than fulfilling every request we receive like a job. So there is no "protocol" since we do not draw every single one, but whenever we next open the box you're free to request what you asked for back then if you wish!

- mod softie💗

[afriendofmara]

Happy one year anniversary to my ex-best friend who got married 5 minutes away from my home and didn't invite me. I thought we were still chill and good enough for wedding invites but, I guess not. Still hurts, hope y'all are happy tho.

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

Between Sonic and Tails, who do you think would end up confessing their feelings first?

Good question. Definitely depends upon the iteration and context, but for the most part (at least in my head) getting either of them to confess (and in some cases even ruminate on their feelings and admit to themselves the nature of them) is hard

Like, for example, I personally think that game!Sonic (and post sgw Archie Sonic and IDW Sonic) kind of take Tails' presence for granted in a way. To them, it will always be the two of them (Sonic and Tails). The ideal future is that they keep on hanging out and still fight side by side sometimes and that even if Sonic goes it alone he can always come back from his adventures to chill with Tails or crash at his place. In other words, in Sonic's fantasies of the future, things like getting married or raising families or anything like that are just kind of tacked on as something that will just kind of be true at best and ignored at worst. If he even considers a future where things are a bit different because Tails is together™ with someone, to him it's only natural that Tails would be in his life the same way and nothing would really change. And so to that end, even if Sonic DOES realize his own feelings, he probably wouldn't see any good reason to confess. It would make things more complicated, especially if Tails doesn't share those feelings, and he doesn't have to worry anyways because Tails will always prioritize the two of them and be at his side, right?

And then it's even worse for versions of Sonic more akin to, say, pre sgw Archie Sonic. This is because in addition to the already existing unwillingness to change things and the assumption that he doesn't ever have to worry about no longer being the center of Tails' world (or a major figure in it at least), there is some palpable internalized homophobia within that hedgehog with an added complexity. For Archie Sonic in particular, I think even if he realized that he wanted to even be with Tails forever in a strictly non brothers fashion, he would feel mixed feelings about that (perhaps that coming out about it would ruin things or make things weird, or that getting together with Tails at any point would deprive him of "normalcy", or that he'd pressured Tails into it, or even just weird or a bit creepy).

As for Tails, I actually think that most iterations of him have figured their feelings out by this point. In all honesty, there's only so long you can go on fixating on someone and admiring them, and structuring your life around them before you realize your "I want to be with them" isn't just about simply admiring them. It's just that Tails' main obstacle to me is the avoidance of ruining anything.

On one hand, there's Sonic's avoidance to being tied down. We've seen time and time again Sonic rejecting people who pursue him openly or looking uncomfortable with them. Archie Sonic in particular made it clear that this version of Sonic couldn't stand the idea of not being able to freely be himself or adventure. He couldn't stand the idea of having to tie himself down and taking on extra responsibilities and expectations simply because he's with someone. I can see Tails being afraid that by confessing, he could scare Sonic away. If he happened to confess and Sonic thought Tails meant to stifle him or Sonic felt uncomfortable by that open expression, wouldn't that risk their relationship? Even if Sonic wouldn't go so far as to drop him as a best friend (which he never would do that for the record), there's still real fear in making things weird or different between himself and Sonic.

And that feeds right into the other hand. On the other hand, Sonic probably doesn't see him that way, right? Though Sonic is special to him and Sonic also cares for him back, at best Sonic has never thought about it and never will, or he just wouldn't feel the same (in Tails' eyes). With Archie Tails in particular, even if Tails gets over his own interlized homophobia about it and recognizes his feelings for what they are, he probably feels that there's no way to be anything different than a brother to Sonic, and thus confessing would be a terrible move. If Tails confesses and Sonic doesn't feel the same, it also runs the risk of making things weird between them or (in Tails' eyes) ruining it.

All this to say that my general opinion is that as long as things stay exactly the way they are forever, even if they start spending even more time together, I find it hard to believe either of the two will opt into confessing on purpose

But, with that being said, a confession is not an impossibility. I don't think either of the two are immune to being put in a position where they finally confess (and no, with the state of things for them, simply saying "I love you" will not count as a confession). And if we barred situations where like. They're literally about to die or one can do anything they like without the other (or themselves) remembering the outcome, I actually can give you an answer

And honestly, if one of them had to confess eventually, I believe it would probably end up being Sonic.

Why? Well, out of the two, Tails actually sits back and thinks about his emotions more often than not. I think even before he figured out the exact nature of his feelings he knew he felt very strongly for Sonic. But, no matter which media you're touching upon, I feel as if Tails fits into that archetype of "person who has been in love with their best friend since literally forever, but knows their best friend will never feel the same". The longer Tails ruminates on these feelings, the stronger he feels them, the more he watches Sonic (especially as someone who cares about plenty of people other than him), the more time he spends with Sonic, the less incentivized he feels to actually confess. Especially if Sonic would never feel the same, the best Tails can hope for is that things stay the same between them and Sonic never replaces his role.

Or in short, Tails is so in his head about it at this point, it's very hard to convince him that confessing is ever a good idea or necessary.

But while Tails is more obviously attached to Sonic, Sonic is much less obviously attached to Tails and other people as a whole. With him being "free as the wind" and the kind of figure he is, he kind of benefits from having the persona of a guy who doesn't need his friends but (nevertheless) can be assisted by them. He probably seems cool for being so strong and independent while equally caring that people live. But this doesn't mean Sonic doesn't have attachments (far from it). Rather, for Sonic, his attachments to others seem to naturally grow. And the more time he spends with them, the more he grows used to their presence. And especially with someone like Tails, who has been around as his companion the longest, he doesn't sit around long enough to consider that Tails would ever leave his side. Once he grows used to that person, he doesn't have to recognize his attachment or even think about the nature of his own feelings because it is and always has been whatever it is. So, in other words, even if he becomes more and more reliant on the fact that Tails will always be around or that Tails will always assist him, he doesn't have to admit more than "This is what our best friendship is. This is what it's like"

All of this is to say that while my idea of present Tails would be trying to do anything in his power to stay with Sonic (as long as Sonic is willing of course), even if that means never confessing the exact nature of his feelings for the hedgehog, Sonic isn't already thinking about these things. This means that while Tails has very few pathways to confession, Sonic has plenty!...if you scare him well enough.

For example, Idw Sonic has been more clearly spending more time with Tails (even baseline just. Crashing at his place more often) after the metal virus arc. Couple this with post neo metal incident 2 electric boogaloo idw Sonic who just wants to have a break and live peacefully for a minute, this is a Sonic who has become scared enough to want to indulge in spending more time with Tails. I also think that post Sonic Prime Sonic is also a version of him who would start to spend more time with Tails than before after having already lost him and having to deal with the Tails shaped hole in his life once.

So, if you got a Sonic to the point where he'd fully accepted his feelings and he felt like confessing them would be necessary to secure the future he wants, then he'd confess. Honestly, the easiest way I'd see this going about would be a story where Tails is framed as leaving him to go do something or be somewhere else, away for Sonic, possibly indefinitely, or if Sonic actually has to spend enough time without Tails after initially telling himself his own feelings wouldn't matter so long as Tails is happy wherever he is. But, if it came down to confessing being something that might actually bring Sonic to his desired future (especially if Tails rejecting him is no different from prolonging the separation they already have if he says nothing), then I think he could work up the courage to do it.

And in the end...I think it has to be Sonic. Although I on occasion enjoy fantasizing about moments where Tails can't take it anymore and confesses, only for Sonic to realize his own feelings in the process, I think that Sonic would have to be the one who confesses his feelings/wishes for the future for Tails to even believe that his pipe dreams are a possibility. I think it's Sonic who would need to pull Tails out of his head, because the probability that Tails works up the courage to confess is more unlikely.

So...yeah. In my head, Sonic is driven to a point where he confesses and pulls Tails out of his head about it.

[skunkes]

Did or does anything inspire your art? It’s so fun and unique

I do have artists (both Established and like Peers/Mutuals) I enjoy and I do pluck traits from art I like as I see fit to mold my own but I don't have any conscious inspiration ykwim...ive had ppl tell me my art looks like or reminds them of things i like, whether "vibe based" (stuffed animals) or a specific media (care bears) but i dont consciously draw inspiration from care bears ykwim... I could tell u i loved archie comics as a kid and i love the art style but thats not a good answer to the question bc it doesnt present itself in my work (and if it does its not on purpose) ykwim...i hope dis makes sense.

I always bring up Urasawa when this question comes up, like I love urasawa's art and often save lots of it for inspiration but my work doesnt really ever come out as an emulation of his as a result, it's more osmosed as I try to figure out how I want to draw, bc I haven't seen anyone who draws the way I'd like to yet. (Also using him as an example, as this is how I feel about all my other "inspirations").

Theres tons of different ways to draw every possible trait of a face or body etc, so I just do that, taking shapes and such from other artists i observe along the way without really picking up the influence (and if i do its never for very long), since I've yet to find anything im very happy with

[imperatorrrrr]

https://www.tumblr.com/imperatorrrrr/758939010992357376/can-you-please-do-nico-hischier-scholars-report

I really love this, is there part 3?

Hi Anon!

I've made two Nico Hischier Scholar type posts since the one you linked above.

Protective Nico Hischier: A Study

Nico Hischier Charms Opposing Players

Happy to do more! Happy to take requests on topics!

[bangcakes]

.

[altruistic-meme]

if you could... describe aftg in 5 words

oh this is not as easy a question to answer as it should be akfhsdkf bc like. i could describe its plot, or my thoughts on it as a fan, or how it makes me feel, or just make a joke, or or or and bc idk why you're asking it makes it harder :'))

but let's see...

plot: gay sports mafia found family.

fan: drama, familiarity, trauma, comedy, home

feelings: love, understanding, chaos, joy, comfort

joke: you know, i get it-

(as you can see, i couldn't pick which one to go with, so choose whichever 5 words you want lmao)

[mitano-omori]

(I am very slow and only now finally added to my pinned post that you can send questions for characters to be answered by them SO...)

Yeah. If you want to ask any character a question, go ahead!! And they'll answer!!

Just... Try to avoid spoiler-ish questions. Mitaño won't like that~...

[rocketrrush]

team sol thoughts?

Ok this questions very vague so I'm just gonna talk about why I think they work perfectly as a team and should totally be canon and are so #awesome

Ok first off they check the heroes typing boxes,Silver is obviously the fly type because he’s the only one that can do so meaning he can use his powers to levitate himself and others. Not only that but his level design in Sonic 06 is based on flight and platforming much like Tails and Rouge

Now onto Blaze, personally I believe Blaze should be the power type of the team. Now I know she's an established speed character in the games, but doing so would leave marine as the power type which does NOT fit. Along with her pyrokinesis, she’s been shown to be very athletic and has great physical strength (who remembers that time she punched knuckles so hard into a cliffside he got trapped under the rocks, tell me that isn't some power type shit), making her the most qualified of the team for that role.

Marine is a bit tough since she’s never had a playable appearance, but I think she works the best as a speed type. She’s been shown running alongside Sonic and zipping around in cutscenes, plus her hyperactive nature definitely makes her a great fit for the role.

Second off I think they just. fit yknow, their personalities make a really fun dynamic (found family, 2 me) plus I think being in a team together benefits the 3 of them, Blaze has 2 close friends to help her open up more and develop as a person, Marine has 2 strong older sibling figures to look up to and has the chance to sail around like she wanted, and Silver gets a place to stay that isn’t a future where he knows nobody and all of his friends are dead. everyone wins!!!!!!

speaking of silver i really talk about how I think he'd interact with marine because they're the only ones who haven't met in canon (sad) and because my awesome mutual asked me about them. Anyway I think they would be unstoppable together, I think at first marine would feel a little jealous when she saw how close he is with blaze but she'd get over it in less than a minute because he has cool telekinesis and completely believes every story she tells. silver swears he's not gonna get caught up in her shenanigans but an hour layer they're both in a whale’s stomach, blaze swears she's the voice of reason but she's also stuck in there. I will spread the silver blaze marine sibling agenda until the day I die

anyways that's all I can type for now it's night and I'm tired team sol forever sega please let me into the writers room

[fireheartedpup]

3 7 17!!!

Hi!!

A song you’d choose to introduce someone to your favorite genre:

Uhhhh. I used to use Wanna Talk About Me to convince people country isn't that bad. It worked.

This is how I was introduced to it btw:

These days I'm more likely to recommend someone like Darius Rucker (Wagon Wheel, it was all over every popular radio station here a few years back) because uhhh I am not a conservative Christian anymore. It's been. Interesting. I hate it, honestly. I'm glad I know better now, but believing in something was simpler.

I was thinking the other day. That the fact that I don't want to let go of things like this is probably related to how the church told me to get rid of everything "demonic." I got rid of some comic books I loved because of that. They burned a tapestry I got on a mission trip (while we were still on the trip) because of that.

I don't want to burn it. I want to keep what it means to me and leave the bad shit behind.

Anyway. I don't know if most people know that Darius Rucker is black. I keep meaning to build a list of black country musicians, because they get a lot of flack from racists.

I don't actually have a favorite genre. This one is just inextricably linked with my upbringing.

A song you know every word to:

I'm slowly memorizing most of Dessa's discography, I think. Very thankful for the person who introduced me to The Bullpen.

Yes, it's Marvel. The editing is great. Shh.

Dessa has this line in Dutch that says

"I keep Pope in glovebox, Plath on the dash"

I think that's a good way to summarize her writing. There's a play on words every other line. It's the sort of shit I could probably write essays about. I love her.

You kind of have to be in a specific mental place to appreciate her, I think. I wasn't ready for her at first when another blogger on here started mentioning her. Most of her lyrics are kinda moody and jaded. It felt oppressive until I got sad enough.

She tried to write an upbeat song and came out with something melancholy. She kept trying and came up with one of my favorites, and she's still comparing love to a business transaction. I'm obsessed with her.

"Sealed with a kiss, signed with an epipen

You gotta tolerate some risk if you wanna make a margin

Wanna make a friend? We can live a little large and split the dividends"

Listening to an album feels like reading a book. I like to mix it up most of the time, but sometimes it's time to just listen to a Dessa album again.

If anyone wants a simpler option, I sang Can't Help Falling in Love to myself at least three times today. There's a lot of options here, really.

A cover song:

Haley Reinhart's version of Benny and the Jets. First time I'd heard a woman growl. I want bucketfuls of this please. I'm not kidding, please give it to me

[mackmp3]

Some reading questions (for books you have read this year):

What was your favourite book of the year?

A book that you havent stopped thinking about?

Least favourite book?

Book you have recommended the most?

Best book that has been recommended to you?

Most read genre?

What decade have you mostly read from?

Reading goals for next year?

XD <3 /np

AHHH THANKS ELI :DD

favourite book of the year - ough i think Neverwhere - i didn't reread it or anything which i usually do with books i like but i really enjoyed it & it was very good & vibey hehe

book i haven't stopped thinking about - good omens. for Reasons. also the starless sea but i was thinking about that a lot last year as well <3

least favourite book - yknow i think i've managed to avoid reading anything i didn't actually like this year! which is pretty good

book i've recommended the most - the starless sea babeyyyyyyyy thank you to the four (possibly five) people who've read it on my account

best book recommended to me - babel (thanks <3333)

most read genre - fantasy! i love fantasy

what decade have you mostly read from - hmm i think probably 2010s or 20s, haven't read nearly as many old ones as previous years

reading goals for next (this!!!!) year - not stop reading for three months in the middle lol. & i want to read more terry pratchett books :D

[beforeyesterdaybegan]

Before Yesterday Began

Chapter 1 of the fic. I figured I'd put it here, since I'm still waiting on an invite from AO3.

-

Summary

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A time displaced knight learns about how the world is generations after the great war of monsters and humans.

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Chapter 1: A Knight Named Pike

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“Your Majesty.”

“Hm? Yes, Sir Pike?”

Queen Toriel smiled back at me from her place among the flower beds. She looked at peace, and I almost cursed myself for disturbing that. But I could not understand the detour she had chosen to take. The war was raging as always, and it was my job to get her back safely. Yet, as always it seemed, she liked to make that very hard to accomplish. 

“We must be getting back soon. The King-” I started, trying to keep my voice even and respectful. 

Queen Toriel batted at the air dismissively, “Oh, Gorey can wait. Do not worry yourself now.”

I tried not to sigh or tap my foot in my anxiousness. She was the Queen, and therefore, her word was my law. There was no argument to be had, and yet I wish I could have. Her safety was of utmost importance, and I will lay my life out for her when that time comes. And yet I still could not convince her to leave for her own well-being. At the very least, I wish she would have requested more guards to accompany her today. I do not doubt mine or my majesty's abilities in a fight, but it would have made me feel better nonetheless. 

“Sir Pike, come.” The Queen gestured for me, and so I was at her side a moment later. 

In her hands that she held out for me, bending down so it was at my height, she held a snail. It was a small thing, with a tan colored shell and yellowish color everywhere else. Snails. Of course her majesty had been looking for snails, I honestly should have known that. 

“It is the first one I have seen this calendar year.” She spoke joyfully, with a brightness in her eyes that could have made me melt. “Soon, there will be enough for Snail pie. Oh, are you not excited?”

I let out a small laugh, for her sake. Truth be told, I had never been fond of her majesty's snail pies, but I ate every bite she had ever offered me. If Queen Toriel was happy, so was I. 

“That is wonderful, Your Majesty. I shall be looking forward to it.” I nodded my head respectfully, and she beamed at me.

Queen Toriel leaned back into the grass to release the snail, before standing up tall. She took in one last look at the view before turning my way again.

“Alright then, I suppose it is time for us to return to our usual duties. Thank you, for indulging me, Sir Pike.” 

Never have I been sure why she always thanked me for things like this. It was my job, this is what was expected. Queen Toriel, I had learned over my years serving her, was simply exceptionally kind and profusely polite, even when she did not have to be. It was not her place to thank me, an average member of her royal guard, but she did regardless. This was very different from the human king I had heard of. Serving him would most likely have been a much more miserable experience. So I came to thank my good fortune to end up with King Asgore and Queen Toriel instead.

-

On our way back, it was an easy trip. Queen Toriel had invited me to ride in the carriage with her, but as always I declined. It simply was not my place, and I had to be outside so I could be aware of any threats that could endanger my Queen. That was my job.

Luckily, nothing happened. And we made it back into the walls with no trouble. The palace, and surrounding city inside the walls was the most secure place in the entire kingdom. Many refugees found their way here during this war. It was the royal family's pride and joy. It was completely self-sustaining, and everyone here had peaceful lives. Though I knew the King and Queen's souls ached with the wish their whole kingdom could live this way, as they had before the humans started being aggressive. No matter how much I tried, I could never ease those worries of the Queen. 

“Oh! Stop the carriage!” Queen Toriel's voice suddenly called out. Instantly our carriage driver obliged and I wondered what this was about.

“My dearest apologies, but look!” She stepped out of the carriage without even waiting for someone to open the door, and pointed out to a show happening in the town square.

It seems as if a group of dancers were performing for the crowd, and the clapping and cheering filled the air. Children were joining in, and the music being played was certainly delightful, no wonder it had captured the Queen's attention.

“Sir Pike, come with me. We must get a chance to dance!” 

I nearly tripped over my own feet trying to catch up with her. Adjusting my cape as it threatened to fall off my shoulders. The citizens lit up when they saw Queen Toriel, and parted ways so she could get closer. My Queen was happy, clapping along with everyone and swaying back and forth with the rhythm. I stood at her side, keeping alert and minding the participants of the crowd. Some eyed me cautiously and I did not have to question why. It did not matter how many years I served, the kingdom I served would always be wary of me. I understood. I understood all too well. 

“Sir Pike!” Toriel called to me, holding out her pawed hands, “Come now, you should dance too!”

For a moment, I froze. I was not a dancer, and it would be unbecoming to dance while I was on duty protecting the Queen. But the look on her face was insistent, and knowing her majesty, she was too stubborn to let me say no. So, I joined in. I spun and moved my feet in a way I am sure was awkward. It really was quite hard, with my scaled armor and heavy boots. But Queen Toriel was overjoyed, and that makes it all worth it I suppose.

If only it had stayed this way. But that was too much to hope for, unfortunately. It seemed only moments later that cries of terror broke through the city. The dance came to a halt, and citizens began gathering their children. We knew what this meant. There was an attack, this time at our walls. 

Instantly, I moved. Placing myself in front of the Queen I urged her back to the carriage. My eyes scanned the crowd making sure the young ones had all made it back to their guardians. 

“Your Majesty, we must get you somewhere safe!” I shouted over the chaos. And this time she allowed me to do so.

Sir Pike.” Her voice had changed, it was firm and determined, she was issuing me an order. “Once I am inside the palace, locate Sir Gerson and follow whatever plan he has. Keep everyone safe as you are able.” 

I nodded affirmatively, and escorted her back to the carriage. As we moved swiftly down the street, many people were running and there were plenty of crying. Over my shoulder I could see the signs of human weapons and magic working their way through the walls. Our soldiers stationed there were fighting valiantly, and I sent my best hopes to them under my breath even though they could not hear me.

When we were at the steps, I watched Queen Toriel go. Truthfully, I wanted to follow her, so I could be with her and ensure her safety. But an order was an order, and I had to find Sir Gerson. Thinking quickly, I reasoned that him and whatever soldiers he had with him would already be moving to the epicenter of the attack. I knew all the routes, and I made a guess as to which he would take. So I sprinted back through the city with the hope of intercepting them. On my way I ushered a few people inside and shouted for everyone to make sure every member of their family was present and accounted for. I do not know if anyone heard me, but it was all I could do at the moment.

But I never made it to the walls, nor did I meet up with Sir Gerson. Before I could, something strange happened to me. It was a blinding light, and a sparkling sensation traveling through my limbs. Has someone struck me? Why had I not heard them coming? 

It must be a mage, nasty servants of the human rulers. Their magic, while not as potent as a monsters, were always used in ways that struck fear into anyones soul. But no matter what I concluded, I could not do anything, as my movement was seemingly stopped. And in an instant the ground beneath me disappeared and I felt like I was falling. 

Teleportation. I was familiar with it. That is what this was, a strangely powerful long-range teleportation spell. That would be a new one, as contact was usually a requirement, but you could never truly know anything these days I suppose. For what purpose, I had yet to find out. Mentally, I prepared to land amongst enemies. I was prepared to put up a fight. 

-

It took a long time before I stopped falling. And the result was that I was very disoriented when I finally met the ground again. The first thing I registered was the fact that I had landed hard, and my legs buckled sending me crashing into the ground. The second thing was that I was not alone. The sounds of multiple people shuffling around me, shouts of words I could not make out and a strange buzzing filled my ears. A hand reached down to grab my arm, and in dizziness I did not see who it was. 

Not willing to risk being taken captive by human enemies, I got to my feet quickly and with the attackers still on my arm I threw them off of me. Drawing my sword and shaking my head to clear it. 

“Woah! Hey, I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” The voice was… surprisingly kind and concerned sounding. 

I focused my gaze and what I saw was a surprise. There were multiple skeleton monsters staring back at me. Their expressions varied from surprise, to a defensive fear to one that just looked completely exhausted. The one directly in front of me looked concerned, with bright blue eyes that were taking in my stance with a practiced calculating sort of expression. He was wearing a uniform, with the royal insignia on it. He was a soldier then, I could not identify his division, which was strange. But there was no doubt, he was an ally, and I had just made a terrible first impression. 

My sword found its sheath moments later. I righted myself and stood up straight, keeping myself composed. I took a moment to get a look at my surroundings. It was dark, with only a few dull overhead lights, strange metal contraptions layed around, with two tables full of papers and tools filled the space. Whatever had brought me here was a mystery, but I could figure it out at a later date. 

“I am terribly sorry, my friend.” My words came out quickly as I tried to keep myself from getting flustered. “I did not realize you were one of our own, my head got a bit turned around, and as such I confused you for the enemy. I am Sir Pike.” I bowed my head apologetically. I could not afford to be mistrusted any further. 

He did not say anything and looked over his shoulder at the other three monsters. There were two others as short as he was, though wearing different, stranger attire and a tall one in a loose hooded garment who looked much like he wanted to say something but was choosing not to. 

“You are a soldier.” I continued analyzing his outfit, it was not one I recognized, I really must be a long way from the palace. “Could you tell me what division you are a part of? And where I have found myself?”

I hope the battle was going in our favor, we may have yet to acquire power that equals the humans, but that does not mean we could not be winning. We had won battles before, and I truly felt we could escape the fate the humans wanted us to face. 

The monster's face grew more confused as I spoke more, and he took a tentative step towards me. I folded my arms behind my back, not only does it appear polite but it shows I have no intention to draw my weapon again. He seemed to notice that, and relaxed his shoulders.

“Hello, I’m Blue. Sorry about-” He waved his hand around in a circular motion, “-all this. You’re in Ebott.” He furrowed the bones above his eyes like a brow, like he was trying to figure something out, “...Are you a royal guard?”

… That was odd. Everyone had heard gossip about me, the human knight in the royal guard. And our specialized uniform was very recognizable. He seemed confused, maybe he just thought I’d look different? Also, Ebott? I have never heard of it, this was all becoming stranger by the minute.

I nodded, “That is correct.” I noticed he did not answer my question about his division. Which was odd. But he seemed respectable, and was clearly a kind soul. I would have to find a record of this ‘Blue’ later, once I returned to the Queens side. 

The others behind him were murmuring amongst themselves. They seemed to be panicking, like something bad had happened.

“Apologies, I hope not to interrupt, but is everything alright?” I addressed them directly, which caused them all to pause and glance over at me.

A different skeleton stepped forward, it was one of the shorter ones, in a dusty blue, strangely styled, long sleeved top with a hood attached. He was the tired looking one, who looked at me with a grim expression. Something was going on here, and an unsettling feeling washed over me.

“Can you tell me where you’re from?” He asked, “And be specific.”

His tone was a bit off putting, but I suppose I did just startle them by appearing here, so I obliged, “I am Sir Pike.” I repeated, “I serve in the kingdom's royal guard, and was stationed to be on call for Queen Toriel.” I hesitated watching their eyes grow wide, “The palace is under attack, there must have been human mages there, as I was teleported unexpectedly to this location.”

Blue covered his mouth with his hands, and the other one who had approached rubbed his temple. The other too shared an unknowable look between them.

“...What exactly is going on here?” I questioned, maybe a bit too defensively. 

Blue moved towards me again, offering out a hand to me, which I took. He had this starstruck lookin his eyes that made me feel warm under my armor.

“Stars above, you’re from the monster-human war!” He said it like it was unbelievable.

But of course I was. What other war would I be a part of? My head could not put the pieces together of this mystery that had been set in front of me. Blue hesitated looking over his shoulder at the one in the blue hooded outfit, who just shrugged in response to a question they hadn’t needed to communicate verbally. Blue turned back to me.

“This is going to sound weird.” Everything was weird right now, so that was not a surprise. “But you’ve been brought forward in time. The war is long over.”

Oh. Well I was not expecting that.