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thesunshineriptide · 2 years

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Twisted Wonderland Whumptober

October 5th - hypothermia - Kalim

characters: kalim, azul, jade, floyd, yuu, grim

cw// spoilers for chapter 4, water, hypothermia, whump, one session therapy

The feeling of betrayal honestly hurt more than the rough landing directly into the near-frozen sand at the edge of Scarabia. Years upon years of trusting someone, only to find out that they hate you will always sting more than a serrated knife to the back.

The sand puffed up around them as the little group hit the ground, and while the merfolk seemed to recover quickly, the humans of the group took a little time.

“Sea Otter?” Kalim heard a voice gently say, with a prod to his side, “You alive?”

“‘M okay.” Kalim said quietly, finally shifting to sit up.

Floyd was hovering beside him, crouched down and leaning over to catch his eyes. He looked…genuinely worried, actually. His hald moon eyes were mournful, lips pointed into a light frown. Floyd wrapped one arm around Kalim’s back, helping him sit as he reoriented himself. “You hit the ground kinda hard. Does anything feel broken or wobbly?”

“How many fingers am I holding up?” Jade asked and- wait, when did he get over here? He was flanking Kalim’s other side, holding up three fingers. He, too, looked worried, though it was less plain to see than on his twin’s face.

“Three.” Kalim said, wiping his eyes with the heel of his palms. He found they were wet, and unfortunately extremely cold.

Jade nodded - not that Kalim could really see, he was not focused on the sand in his eyes - and Floyd began to tug Kalim to his feet, softly shushing his protestations.

“You’re alright, Sea Otter, we’ve got you.”

“Jamil hates me.” He whimpered, beginning to cry again, “He overblotted and its my fault, I should have…”

“It’s seriously cold out here, it’s like we’re under the ice floes.” Floyd commented, rubbing at his arms. He turned to look at Azul, who nodded slightly in agreement.

“Grim is a ball of fur, and we merfolk have some innate cold resistance, but…” Azul began. The scarabia housewarden began to shiver against the cold, his dorm uniform doing nothing to protect him. Short sleeves weren’t meant for freezing temperatures after all. He turned to find the Prefect in the same condition, and frowned. “I fear Yuu and Kalim will not last long in this cold.”

“We don’t have any brooms or carpets to fly out on. What does that leave us for options?” Jade asked, a slight bitter note to his voice. He took off his scarf, gently draping it around Kalim, who was softly weeping.

“It’s a slog, but walkin’s our only way back.” Floyd grumbled.

“We spent quite a while in flight before we landed. It could take hours - possibly days - to trudge back on foot.” Azul pointed out, watching their companions with a keen eye. He removed his glasses and gently cleaned some condensation from the temperature changes from them, frowning.

“Jamil…I trusted you…” Kalim whispered, his tears leaving bright red streaks down his cold cheeks.

“You cryin’, little Sea Otter? Your tears are gonna freeze over, y’know.” Floyd gently prodded, pulling Kalim closer for warmth, a little pat on his shoulders in an attempt at comfort.

“It’s all my fault. I drove Jamil to the brink without even realizing it.” He sniffled and wiped at his nose with the back of his hand. “The real Jamil would never do such things! He’s a good guy, he’s always helping me, giving me a shoulder to lean on, and-”

“Isn’t that attitude what drove him to the brink to begin with?” Yuu asked, interrupting him, an unimpressed look on their face.

“What?” Kalim asked, freezing to stare at them.

Grim let out a noise like he was being strangled, as he said, “Hoo boy, Yuu, you really go for the jugular sometimes.”

“I’m with little Shrimpy on this one.” Floyd admitted, “Sea Otter, you’re like…TOO nice. It’s kinda…grating.”

“Huh? Is it?” Kalim asked, looking genuinely surprised. He recoiled away from Floyd for a moment to catch his expression. He was mournfully serious, and it only served to make Kalim feel worse.

“Yes,” Jade spoke up, “If I were betrayed by someone the way you were…” He paused, looking down at Kalim, face set in a smile but eyes reading completely different, “I’d lash out with a torrent of unmitigated verbal abuse to break them down mentally, then bind them and drag them beneath the waves.” He smiled, a little bit more toothy, “Perhaps you should try something like that? As the way that you blame yourself and try to excuse his behavior is, quite frankly, a tad galling.”

“Galling? Really?” Kalim asked, voice wavering between upset and angered, “But, I mean, Jamil would never betray me. Ever.”

“Uh, newsflash, he did.” Floyd pointed out, tilting his head. “In fact, he was gonna make you out to be the bad guy and get you expelled. He’s an enormous Douchebag.”

“When it comes to underhanded ploys, Azul at his worst couldn't hold a candle to that.” Jade said, keen eyes watching Kalim. The poor boy hadnt stopped shaking, and it came to the point that Jade went to Azul and took his decorative coat, draping it around Kalim in an attempt to starve off the cold. Kalim was rapidly going from warm pink to pale-ish grey, which was not at all comforting.

“...know. It’s okay to hold your head high and denounce him for the traitor that he is.” Jade had said, though Kalim felt like it was underwater for a moment.

“You carry yourself like a goody-two-shoes, laughing off conflict with a flippant word or two. To twisted individuals like myself and Jamil- ah, I mean, to calculating individuals, those remarks are like barbs digging under our skin.” Azul adjusted his glasses, watching the panic rise on Kalim’s face as he continued, “I’d say you’ve been pushing Jamil since your formative years. Though, it’s not your fault in the least, of course. You were born into a very high social class. As showered as you were with affection from your family and everyone around you, you grew up with honesty and integrity. An upbringing like that would make anyone take certain things for granted.”

“That’s…not much of a compliment.” Yuu said.

“I would argue that in Kalim’s case, it might simply be a case of a naturally innocent disposition.” Jade added on, frowning slightly.

“Oh…” Kalim said softly, lips taking on a tint of periwinkle, “So Jamil is…bad?”

“Extremely.” Yuu said, shivering rather hard themself. They had bitten down on their cheek, forcing themself to muddle through it.

“In that case, I’d better get back fast!” Kalim said with newfound determination. He did his classic pose, fist clenched and all. He began to feel warm again, chalking it up to the coat and scarf around his neck, “I must punch him and yell ‘traitor!’ I owe him that much.”

“That, and we need to bring him to his senses fast. If we don’t, his life will be in danger.” Azul agreed. He covered his face with his hand, though it was clear there was a burning emotion eating at him. Guilt? Fear? Sadness? “We have to get back before his magic reserves run dry.”

“That puts us right back to where this conversation started.” Floyd grumbled, “How do we get back? Walkin’ really fast?” His sarcastic tone cut through the cold, letting a bit of levity hit Kalim, who giggled slightly.

“My nose is gonna freeze over if we stay out here much longer!” Grim yoweled, frowning.

“If there was a river, we could swim back.” Jade said, “Sadly, all the rivers here are dried out.”

River…river…water…Water! Kalim turned his attention to Jade, “So…a lack of water is the problem?” “Yes,” Azul hummed, “Jade and Floyd can easily outpace brooms when they're in their true forms. But we can’t exactly restore a dry river…”

“Maybe you can’t, but I can.” Kalim grinned, teeth chattering against the cold.

“HUH?” Each of the mermafia asked at once, taken aback at this claim.

“Kalim, has the cold perhaps gone to your head?” Jade asked hesitantly. He reached out to touch him, finding that his skin was cold enough to be felt through his gloves, and frowned.

“My signature spell, Oasis Maker, can produce an enormous volume of water with just a smidgen of magical power. If I make you a river, you can get us back to the dorm, right?” He said confidently, brushing off Jade’s hand.

“Y-you mean to tell me THAT’S your signature spell? That’s insane!” Azul gaped.

“Aha ha! It’s pretty useless when we’ve already got running water.”

“Don’t ‘aha ha’ me! Some countries don’t HAVE that sort of infrastructure. Your power would make you nothing short of a hero to those people! That’s…thats…ABSURDLY marketable!”

Jade rolled his eyes and shoved Azul away gently. “I think we can leave Azul to his get-rich-quick fantasies for a bit. Kalim, if you would oblige us?”

“You just need a river, right?” He nodded to himself, gathering his strength, “Okay, I’m on it!”

He called down the rains, hands held out as the sparkling water fell down around them, quickly filling up the trenches of rivers long before, and long since dried. He smiled in wonder, ignoring the shaking in his knees and the overwhelming heat blooming under his skin. He wanted to take everything off, to cool down. It burned, it made him feel feverish.

“....and Sea Otter, you’re with me.”

Kalim looked over to see his allies transformed into their true forms, and nearly laughed. He had almost forgotten they were merfolk, nearly forgotten why he had called the rain. He came over quickly to Floyd, gripping onto his arm, the Ramshackle prefect by his side. Both climbed onto Floyd’s back, legs wrapping around his middle for stability. Kalim was up near his neck, clinging with his arms wrapped around him in a hug, while Yuu did the same to Kalim.

They began to move as the ice cold rain kept beating down, stinging against the skin like tiny glass shards.

The world was a blur as Kalim drifted between being underwater and just above the surface. His hands began to feel numb and his eyes drooped. He found his shivering had returned, but barely noticed it, instead focusing on the pain.

He felt his eyelids grow heavy and his grip began to slip, leaving him limp against the prefect as Floyd swam as fast as he could. He felt the weightlessness of being underwater and heard several screams before he felt arms around him again, pulling him up and to the surface. Everything beyond that was a mystery.

-----------

“Kalim? Kalim, are you alright? Please, speak to me.” He heard a voice calling him distantly, with warm hands tugging him up.

He looked up to find Jade staring at him and - oh, this seemed familiar. Hadn’t this happened before?

“He’s alive.” Jade breathed to a group beyond him. Kalim noted that he was no longer in eel form, but rather back to being dressed, yet his hair was damp. He turned to look and found they were back in Scarabia, in the dining hall, and he was laid out on the table. He groaned, and Jade hushed him, “Quiet. Jamil is looking for you, and you are in no shape to fight.”

“I-”

“We will protect you.” Azul promised, “Rest. Warm up. We’ve got this.”

“Yeah, Sea Otter. You’re in good hands. But we’ll be sure to save you your revenge punch, don’t worry.”

#twistedtober #twisted wonderland whumptober #twst whumptober #whump #kalim al asim #twst kalim #overblot jamil #jamil viper #twst azul #azul ashengrotto #twst jamil #jade leech #floyd leech #twst mc #twst jade #twst floyd #twst yuu #twst grim

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itsmeimcathy · 2 years

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{ klarolineauseason } - week 6: crossovers/fusions

The Good Place AU. Caroline opens her eyes and finds herself alone in a non-descript waiting room with no memory of how she got there. A soft elevator music masks the awkward silence, and in front of her, on an otherwise empty wall, there's a green writing: Welcome! Everything is fine.

It doesn't look that fine to her.

A man named Silas welcomes her inside a boring beige and brown office that could belong anywhere: there are potted plants and pretty paintings and it just feels as if someone has decored it to calm and reassure its guests. The man keeps smiling and making off-kilter jokes, and in the end Caroline remembers her life and understands that 1) she's dead, 2) this is the afterlife, and 3) according to her previous moral conduct when she was alive, she has apparently scored the best part of it, that is - the Good Place.

Except, how did she end up there? She's pretty sure there must be a mistake - an identity swap - since all of the informations Silas has about her are wrong. But she's not about to turn down this gift and risk ending up in hell, right?

Silas walks her through the neighborhood where she will spend the rest of her eternity, shows her her house - a small monstrosity filled with clown paintings, a clear evidence of that fact that someone else was supposed to be there - and introduces her to her assigned soulmate, Enzo, and the couple living in the mansion nearby, Klaus and Katherine.

And as time passes and life in the supposedly peaceful afterlife becomes progressively worse, Caroline is even more certain that it's because of her - plus, she can't help but being drawn by not-her-soulmate Klaus, and this can't be happening, right?

Hopefully, if they work together and help each other she can avoid an eternity in the Bad Place...

*****

"Welcome to the Good Place. Sponsored by: otters holding hands while they sleep. You know the way you feel when you see a picture of two otters holding hands? That's how you're gonna feel every day."

[The Good Place, season 1, episode 1]

*****

"I'm not supposed to be here."

Klaus rolls his eyes, decadently sipping the bland whisky they have been served. "Of course not, sweetheart. It's such a lovely party and yet you dragged me to a broom closet..."

"No, you don't understand," Caroline hisses, raising on her toes to whisper against his ear - he tries to ignore the shudder that follows. "I don't belong here - in the Good Place. That's why everything is messed up and Silas is stressed out and I made shrimps rain! And I can't even do anything because Bonnie is always nearby-"

"Did you call?"

They both jump, turning to the mysterious entity - not a human, not a robot - whose only purpose seems to be accomodating their needs and/or potentialy spying on them. Her sudden apparition has made the closet all the more cramped, squishing them together.

"No, Bonnie, thank you. You may go," Caroline tells her wearily.

The - Bonnie - continues to smile brightly. "Okay." And she's gone.

Caroline puts some space between them as she glares at him, in a see-what-did-i-tell-you kind of way.

But Klaus is frowning, evidently thinking back to what she has just told him. "What do you mean, you don't belong here?" He keeps a low tone of voice, for which she's grateful. "And why are you telling me this, instead of - your soulmate, for example? Aren't you afraid I might go to Silas?"

He then blinks, perplexed, when Caroline puts her hand inside her dress - rummaging around her décolleté - until she fishes a folded note and hands it to him, nervous. "This is why."

Klaus abandons his glass on a shelf near the door and carefully opens the note, fingers smoothing the paper with her pretty handwriting on it.

Caroline - find Klaus.

She twists her fingers as she waits for his reaction, hoping that her past self had made the right choice in pushing her towards this man - a man who wasn't even her own soulmate, according to what Silas claimed. Not that Enzo wasn't great, but there was something in the back of her mind that kept nagging at her and made her question everything.

Caroline just wishes that he has the answer she's looking for, because otherwise she might just resign herself to the fact that she's going crazy in her life after death.

She speaks again before he has the chance to. "I think - something may have happened here, and I lost my memories, but before that I left myself that message. And honestly I feel that it's the only thing that makes sense, for me to trust you, so I'm with my gut feeling on this. And, and... I'm scared, okay, I don't want to end in the Bad Place, and I don't know what to do, and it seems like you have your life - or, well, death - together. So, that's why I'm here."

They remain in silence for a few agonizing seconds, looking at each other, Klaus holding the note close as if it were something precious instead of a random scrap of paper. A muscle twitches in his jaw and suddenly his hands grab her shoulders, delicately, drawing her near.

"Caroline, love, take a deep breath," he instructs, speaking softly. "Now, listen carefully - there is no need to be scared. I'm on your side, alright? We're friends. And I think you're right - something is definitely wrong here, because I can remember my life perfectly well and I assure you that I am not supposed to spend eternity in paradise."

Caroline widens her eyes, caught off guard. "What - you too? How is that possible? And how, how..." She stutters, on the verge of a panic attack. "Are they going to punish us when they find out?"

His thumbs are drawing small circles on her skin in a soothing way. "None of us will end up in the Bad Place if I can prevent it, sweetheart. Look - we should probably go back to the party, in case our soulmates or Silas are wondering where we are, and then we'll meet up later to discuss it, okay?"

She nods, biting her lips. "Yeah, sure, that's a good idea. I mean, it's not as if the neighborhood is falling apart, right? Mistakes happen all the time, why would heaven be any different?"

Klaus tries to smother a smirk. "Yes, exactly. Are you feeling a bit better?"

"I mean, I'm already dead, what's worse?" Then she closes her eyes, wincing. "Wait, don't answer that."

He smiles a bit, fondly, then takes a step back and slips her note in the inside pocket of his jacket. "Let's go now. Meet me afterwards at the lake behind our houses?"

Caroline nods again, then grabs his sleeve before he can open the door. "Klaus - thank you."

His answering smile keeps playing in the back of her mind for the rest of the evening, quieting her inner turmoil and making her feel hopeful for the first time since she has woken up in this place.

Too bad he wasn't her soulmate - right?

#klarolineauseason #auseason2022 #kc #klaroline #kcedits #i've always wanted to do something with klaroline and the good place!!#this is based on season2 so klaus and caroline are chidi and eleanor and they were together in the first afterlife #but now silas has separated them in the second reset and they have no memories except caroline's note from her past self #anyway you know the drill if you've seen the show lol #[silas as michael; katherine as tahaani; enzo as jason - who later falls in love with bonnie as janet]#nigliawrites

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lucky-draws · 2 years

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Ocelot is so interesting and tragic and insane because he was essentially raised in and molded for a world that the patriots weren’t so much dedicated to building as much as they believed that a man from such a world would be the perfect spy and ocelot is only able to find affirmation of such a world in the eyes and heart of Big Boss. He’s like an otter in the desert that fell in love with a goldfish in a bowl, the most water he’s ever seen in his life. A goldfish that tells him stories of the sea, a magical wonderful place neither of them have ever actually known.

YEEEAAAAS OMG. your mind your words!!! you're right + that's a very funky way of putting it. food for thought.

and like ocelot's childhood/his molding into shape by the philosophers is so so interesting to think abt honestly....... tragic and insane guy indeed.....

actually on this ive been thinking thoughts abt the philosophers etc bc i recently saw a page from the mgs4 novel on my dash, and like phew. (phew. i have the novel myself + i flicked through it to find the bit rather than dig up the post i saw and my god. what a novel.certainly some sentences in here.) anyway this bit:

the 'my insignificant personality' bit is very interesting and tasty to me....... i guess from childhood he's been raised to be an actor, to play numerous roles, as part of being a spy, and as such is used to sort of burying his true personality very deep, or pushing it aside. repressing it all. and i think...

like i often think of him in relation to bosselot as being like. he's raised to be working for various organisations, to be devoted to the philosophers and their will, and from childhood he's given all these ideas beyond his age about countries and politics and all these faceless organisations or powers, and i think of him as when he finds bb, it's like all that falls away and he suddenly finds someONE who's worth devoting his life, his skills to instead.

and maybe HE thinks of it as being far superior, far more meaningful than being loyal to any country or organisation, because bb is real and alive and smexy (sorry) and fascinating and all the rest of it. however.

i think the sort of tragedy of it is is that while bb might seem like that at the start, this goofy mgs3 eater of raw snakes, what bb becomes is essentially just another faceless concept; he loses his humanity, he becomes obsessed, he's this symbol of war, he IS war, he is a gun as he himself says, and i think it's like ocelot in his own mind is so infatuated that he doesn't see it maybe, or he does but it's too late , and the reality is that his devotion to big boss is hardly any less demeaning, or any less tragic, than devoting his life to the philosophers or to america or russia or whoever. idk. especially if you think of this is in a more canon sense of bosselot i.e. Not requited. because ocelot really does not get anything at all from his devotion.

Which. i guess links or mirrors the boss. Loyalty to the end. she's loyal to her country and gets nothing for it except you know. Exploitation and death. And ocelot is. Loyal to big boss and he THINKS he's on to something good, that bb is far more of a worthy cause than patriotism, but what does he get for it? the same thing really. it's a thankless task and it ends with his whole personality destroyed, except in his final moments, and death at the hands of a knock-off snake. idk.

kgnghfhffhjsk so yeah. well here we are with more bosselot discussion on this fine wednesday. thank u for dropping by!!!!!!! its very true what u say i enjoyed it and unfortunately was motivated to add my own ramblings.peace and love and meow meow meow meow meow miaow miao fucking mrreow on earth!!!!! 🐆

#lisette mumbles #bosselot #ocelot as a martyr .....ocelot's religious devotion ...big boss as a godlike figure ....#(who will therefore never return ocelots love in the same capacity)#things that are also really quite insanity inducing.#ALSO HELP.#at the bottom of that page it also says like.he became liquid snake blah blah.the son of big boss.#and blah blah perhaps that was what hed always wanted::#to become the son of the warrior who he idolized/was so impressed by .#AND IM LIKE WHATTT!!!!!!! dot jpeg.#so crazy i think in that passage it's big boss sort of telling ocelots tale and my god.#personally in my own opinion i do not thinm ocelot wanted to be your son #HOWEVER THOUGH LIKE #ocelot if yiu remove bosselot romance idea is just ewually fascinating #like it's just as crazy and tragic if u explore them being brothers ish like the sons of the boss thing properly idk .#it's really quite a lot #anyway .time to be normal again #👋#wrote this not long after breakfast so sorry if its full of post breakfast inchorencies #top secret documents

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moodandmist · 2 years

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🏃🏼☀️🐕WIP WEDNESDAY🐕☀️🏃🏼

Hiiii! It's been a long day and I'm exhausted! But I wanted to share something ridiculous with you before I head to bed. I haven't even had a chance to read anyone's shares yet today (or Sunday!! I'm so sorry), but that will be my reward in the morning!

Thank you so much for the tags today and Sunday! Love to you all! Hope you're all feeling good and loved. @fatalfangirl @bookish-bogwitch @whatevertheweather @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @facewithoutheart @captain-aralias @cutestkilla @artsyunderstudy @martsonmars @ivelovedhimthroughworse @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @confused-bi-queer @palimpsessed @technetiumai @johnwgrey @dragoneggo @aristocratic-otter @creepyspice @kherub @takitalks

Well, I started a new WIP, as one does. Because I HAD TO. Because something needed to be processed and worked out. 😆

This is *very rough* but it's a quick start. Baz sees Simon running through his neighborhood and forms a healthy lust for this golden, broad-shouldered man, and Simon of course, finds himself lusting after the tall posh bloke out walking his dog that he always passes on his run.

There we go...stick around after the share for a fun little dissection as to why this needed to be written NOW.

Under the cut for some suggestive stuff and length.

*****

BAZ

The first time was in the autumn.

Lupa was just a puppy and hadn't quite worked out all the ways in which to terrorize me just yet. I watched her loping up and down the embankment to the pond, the cool evening air momentarily warmed by the sun’s last push before its descent.

And then, there he was.

Coming toward me, golden curls catching the light. He ran past with a smile and a breathy “Hi”. And, just as quickly, he rounded the curve in the road and was gone.

I was sure he was an anomaly. Like when some beautiful bit of magic flits in and out of your field of view and you question whether you ever really saw it. Too beautiful. Too alive. A flash of lightning in an otherwise clear sky. A sunspot moving through the leaves. Here, and gone just as quickly.

But several weeks later I saw him again. And then again. Apparently he was made of flesh and blood after all. And what beautiful flesh it was. It's been nearly a year of this torment. Autumns golds and reds lighting him on fire. The cold winter days, making his breath visible to me. Spring petals falling around his shoulders.

And this, all this, would have been bad enough. It was bad enough.

But Summer, that cruel mistress and taunter of the truly thirsty, brought on the heat. I was not prepared to see him running in the height of Summer. Shirtless. Absolutely gleaming with sweat. Broad shoulders. The paintbrush splatter of freckles.

I wanted to chase him down. Pin him against a tree and---once and for all---lick the sweat from his neck. From his chest, his taut stomach. Get on my knees and run my tongue through the light line of hair leading to the band of his shorts.

Pain blooms in my bottom lip and I realize I've had it in a death grip between my teeth as I watch him go by.

Christ, this is getting bad.

******

Now friends, just for fun, let’s do a little IRL-to-fic pipeline exercise.

Let’s imagine you are a certain person in possession of a *large* dog of a youngish age. And this dog has recently been showing the troubling behavior of barking aggressively at cyclists and runners.

Now imagine, if you will, the perfect Simon-y man, that has been running by your house for the past year. A man with whom you shared a smile and hello the very first time he passed you. Now please imagine his broad shoulders and floppy golden hair (a la simon) and perfect pecs and tight stomach which you now know he is in possession of since he has taken up the summer routine of running shirtless, sweaty and absolutely *gleaming* and perfect.

Now, let’s just throw some chaos into this imagined scenario and say that you recently saw this gorgeous Simon runner coming up the road, this gorgeous, gleaming man, and thought to yourself, “well, standing by the road holding your dog still is a very good excuse to make eye contact and say hello”. And so, in a moment of total idiocy and evil plotting, you invite your dog outside with you.

And friends, this very large, very terrible dog decides to go against script and instead of helping you to peacefully and flirtatiously engage this runner, *immediately* eludes your grasp, in favor of barking and aggressively *chasing* this man as he passes your house, which sets *you* running after the dog, running after this perfect, sweaty, gleaming, shirtless man (who looks understandably terrified) while repeating “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, oh my god, I’m so sorry” as he runs away saying “it’s ok, it’s ok.”

And you watch him go in absolute horror, your idiot dog finally at your side.

What would you do??

Friends, you’d put it in a fic and fix that shit.

#I'm a constant disappointment to myself #snowbaz #my fic #my wip #Running Through My Mind working title because why not #idiot title for an idiot writer

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italiantnea · 1 year

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#2-3_kawauso/ a name I couldn't call

prev: 2-2 // next: 3-1

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—......Why?

The first thing that came to his mind was a question. Well, it couldn't be called the ‘first’ thing. It wasn't like he’d just been born on this earth. Anyhow, he thought, why?

Was he not dead? He’d just thought he was definitely dead.

Why wasn't he dead?

Well good, he wasn't dead. That’s right. He hadn't died.

He’d just experienced something that felt like dying. It wouldn't have been strange if he’d died. What had happened?

What was it…

He didn't really know, but there was light.

He could see light.

It wasn't bright. But at his feet, there was light.

Was he sitting? That seemed to be the case. Seemed like he was sat in a chair. He couldn't move. It felt like he was tied to the chair. Why a chair?

Oh right. He remembered.

The car.

He’d been run over by a car. A minivan. It had been a white minivan.

He’d been tailing a young man. He’d spotted him and fled. He’d tried to secure him, and the man had used a long cord-shaped, earthworm-like, tapeworm-like—

“...Zin…gai…”

That hadn't been a mere cord, or a long earthworm, or a mutant tapeworm.

It was an illusion with substance. A phantom body, it was called.

Another name for it was zingai¹.

It was a zingai.

¹ 人外=literally ‘human’+‘outside’, an inhuman being

That man had brought it along. It was the man’s zingai.

Speaking of zingai—

He looked to his right leg.

It was gone.

Or should he say, he was gone.

Olver, who’d melded with his right leg, was gone.

The Otter nodded and muttered, “Ok, ok.” English? He thought. Or is ‘ok’ not English? If it isn't English then what language is it? I guess it’s English.

Whatever had happened, he was still alive. He didn't know where he was, but it was a dark place. There was light. Probably from an electric light. The floor was made of concrete, and it was cracked here and there. He was definitely indoors. He was tied to a chair. Was it a factory? That, or an abandoned factory. Or it could be a warehouse.

Footsteps came.

The Otter raised his head. He strained his eyes, blinked, breathed in and out, and eventually he could see.

Someone was there. They were approaching. They stopped in front of the Otter. It was a woman. She had a short hairstyle. Or was it a man? Their figure was hard to make out. An oversized hoodie. Track pants. They weren't large; they were quite slender.

“...You awake?”

From the voice, it seemed like they were female.

The woman bent forward slightly and peered at the Otter’s face.

“Hey, I’m asking you a question. You’re awake, aren't you?”

The Otter tried to jerk his head up and down. The woman turned.

“Hey! He’s awake!”

The Otter and the woman weren't the only ones here. It seemed the woman had companions. It seemed she was summoning those companions.

The Otter confirmed his surroundings. Some kind of old machinery lay on its side. Rebar pillars and beams. The roof was corrugated iron. Here and there, shingles were missing. Was this an abandoned factory after all? Some distance away, a lantern like the type you used when camping was set down. That was the only source of light. The surroundings were dark.

If it was nighttime now, it must have been more than half a day since he’d been hit by the minivan. Thinking of it now, he seemed to have had a dream before he woke up. Had that been a dream? Or had it been something else. The Otter had woken up many times. But his head had felt fuzzy, and he’d fallen back asleep straight away. He’d probably lost consciousness.

At the edge of the lantern’s light, the minivan was parked. It was probably the minivan that had hit him. The backseat’s sliding door was open.

From there, a man stepped out. Military-style jacket. Denim pants. From the jacket’s sleeve, a long, earthworm-like, tapeworm-like—a zingai dangled out.

The young man walked, dragging his zingai.

“Ibe-kun,” the woman called out to the young man.

Was that his name? Ibe. it was probably his name.

The woman asked Ibe, “What about Hideyoshi-san?”

Ibe shook his head.

Hideyoshi. It didn't seem to be the woman’s name, nor Ibe’s given name. Meaning, there was one more person. Hideyoshi, as he was called, was probably in the car.

Was this a three person group?

Ibe, with the tapeworm zingai. The woman and Hideyoshi might have been riding in the minivan. The Otter had been run over just as he ran into the road. Had that been a coincidence? Who knows. He couldn't remember the moment he got hit clearly anyway, so he couldn't comment on it. But these people had taken the Otter to this abandoned factory by car. The severity of his injuries was unclear, but it was probably not just a scrape. Despite that, they had restrained him here instead of taking him to a hospital. That was not a common-sense procedure.

Ibe came next to the woman.

“You’re from the flower shop, aren't you.”

The Otter didn't answer. Ibe’s tapeworm zingai slithered forward on the concrete and approached the Otter’s foot.

“I know all about it. When an incident or accident involving zingai happens, you guys’ll set out and sniff around, won't you? All sneaky, like hungry stray dogs.”

This was the first time he’d looked properly at the tapeworm zingai. Its long body had a diameter of about one centimeter. From its rounded tip, what looked like a single snail’s antenna sprung out.

He thought of crushing it underfoot, but his ankles were tightly bound to the chair. Thanks to that, he could hardly move anything except his tiptoes.

“You guys are the pawns for that organization, aren't you?”

Ibe’s face pressed closer. The Otter didn't meet his gaze. He stared at Ibe’s tapeworm zingai.

“Yeah? I know, you know. That you’re the pawns for that organization. All the politicians, megacorporations, and mass media in the world. That organization’s hands can extend anywhere.”

“...You’re a classic conspiracy theorist, huh.”

The Otter couldn't help but let out an inappropriate laugh. Ibe grabbed his shoulder.

“Ough...”

The pain was dizzying.

“It’s no use, iiidiot.”

“We know the truth. Sullivan told us everything. Do you understand? I guess that organization’s pawns wouldn't understand. We, we’re awake now.”

He gasped. He continued breathing in, and quietly breathed out. He shouldn't have appeared to be shaken.

—Sullivan.

Ibe’s gang were connected with Sullivan.

Dhole-senpai and the Otter. It wasn't just their Dahlia 4 duo. The flower shop, flower house, special countermeasures, or the Special Cases Countermeasures Office, that the police spoke of, had multiple active divisions. Many of them, while handling special cases in their regular missions, were also searching for a character called Sullivan.

Something was slithering up the Otter’s left leg. It was the tapeworm zingai. Like a snake climbing a tree, the tapeworm zingai made its way up the Otter’s left leg.

“We understand it all. About you guys trying to find Sullivan too. We’ve seen right through everything.”

The Otter shook his left leg. He wanted to shake off the tapeworm zingai, but he was tied to the chair so he couldn't.

“I guess you guys aren't like stray dogs are you? You’re kept by that organization. I bet they feed you well. Considering that, you don't look that fat, huh? Oi.”

Ibe grabbed the Otter’s jaw with his right hand.

“Say something, florist. You guys belong under the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, don't you? What about your superiors? What kinda guys are they? How many are there like you? Just how much do you know about Sullivan?”

“Ibe-kun.”

The woman sighed. Ibe turned his head,

“Hah?”

“Rather than asking it all at once, isn't it better to ask them one by one?”

“...It’s fine. We’re gonna make this guy spit out everything he knows anyway.”

“Even so, there’s a way to go about doing it.”

“Then you do it, Yuki.”

“Eeh, what a pain.”

“The hell? Stop messing around…”

“I'm not messing around.”

“I’m a civil servant.”

The Otter spoke as he felt the tapeworm zingai was about to reach his neck.

Ibe applied force with the hand that gripped his jaw.

“What’d you say?”

“I’m just a run-of-the-mill civil servant. They said I was part of a ‘special position’ though. What do you mean, ‘that organization’? You mean the nation? The Japanese government?”

“Don't get carried away.”

Ibe licked his lips repeatedly. His lips were peeling. The tapeworm zingai poked at the back of the Otter’s neck. It probably hadn't broken the skin yet. The manner of death of the old woman from the apartment and the young man under the overpass flashed in his head. The tapeworm zingai was trying to use its antenna-like part to open a hole in the Otter’s neck. No doubt it would propagate through his blood vessels, all the way to his heart.

“Listen up. If you keep running that cheeky mouth of yours I’ll kill you in seconds.”

Ibe let go of his jaw. He seemed to be quite worked up. He clenched and unclenched his fists, and crossed his arms, seeming like he was trying to restrain himself.

“Don't you know? The government’s already under that organization’s thumb. They’re like its headquarters. Of course they are. Civil servant? That means you're definitely a pawn of that organization.”

“...Organization. Organization, huh.”

The Otter tried to compose himself as well, but he couldn't remain calm. To be honest, he was scared. He was so unbearably scared he couldn't feel the pain in his body.

It’d be better not to carelessly anger Ibe. Or did he just not want to anger him? Maybe the feeling of not wanting to die had won. The Otter himself didn't know.

“I don't have any idea about that…‘organization’ you’re talking about. That might be because I'm just an underling.”

“...You’re a zingai user, aren't you.”

“...I’m not familiar with that phrasing.”

“Ones who are the master of a zingai, and can see zingai. Those are called zingai seers. Aside from that, you can utilize zingai freely. That’s why you're a zingai user. You're the same as us.”

Ibe’s tapeworm zingai pushed its antenna against the back of the Otter’s neck. It felt like it could eat through his skin at any moment.

The Otter glanced at the woman Ibe had called Yuki. ‘the same as us’, Ibe had said. Was Yuki a master to a zingai as well? He wondered where Yuki’s zingai was.

“...It seems like we’re the same. A zingai user, huh. That’s right. Mm. We’re the same.”

“So?”

“...Eh?”

“Where’s your zingai?”

“My…”

His voice couldn't come out properly. The Otter tried to swallow some saliva. It was no use; his mouth was completely dry.

“...zingai? My—ahh…”

The Otter looked around as if to search for Olver.

“Where is it? It’s not here, my zingai. Huh? That’s weird… it’s gone. I was so sure it’d always be with me… but it’s gone. Where did it go…”

“For a zingai to disappear and the master be completely fine, is that even possible?” Ibe muttered.

The Otter could answer that question. Though there were always exceptions, a master who had lost their zingai would not be unharmed. But did he have the obligation to kindly tell them that? No way, like hell he did.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise. It was the sound of the door opening. It seemed like a door somewhere in the abandoned factory had swung open with great vigor.

Ibe and Yuki looked to the left.

“Wha—”

Ibe tried to say something. Before he could finish, he was attacked. It was a wolf. A wolf rushed in and leapt on Ibe ferociously. The wolf knocked him over and pinned him down in one fell swoop.

“...!”

Together with the chair he was tied to, the Otter collapsed to the ground. It was all or nothing. The tapeworm zingai could open up a hole in his neck and kill him in the blink of an eye. He managed not to lose his nerve thanks to senpai. The wolf. Of course, that was not a wolf. Garm. It was Garm. Senpai's Garm. Senpai had come for him.

Naturally, the concrete floor was hard. The impact reverberated through his entire body. Right after that, the weasel-like Olver ran soundlessly and poked his head between the Otter’s neck and the ground. What was Olver trying to do? He couldn't see, but he understood. It was the tapeworm zingai that was trying to invade his body. Olver bit into the tapeworm zingai and ripped it away.

Olver, who’d come out from between the floor and Otter’s neck, went berserk grappling with the tapeworm zingai.

“Ibe-kun…!”

Yuki kicked at Garm. It was a soccer kick. She missed; just before the kick landed, Garm leapt away from Ibe.

While Yuki helped Ibe get up, the tape or whatever it was tying the Otter to the chair began to tear apart.

“...Senpai.”

The black pantsuit, white pumps-clad Dhole-senpai was right by his side. She was squatting, cutting the tape or whatever it was away with a knife.

Senpai had let Garm rush in first.

She’d diverted their attention over there, and come to rescue the Otter herself. So that was it.

When the tape or whatever was all cut away, senpai took off without so much as sparing him a glance. How excessively cold she was. A word or two would have been nice. Well, she was senpai. She was generally acknowledged to be the ace of the Special Cases Countermeasures Office’s active divisions. The intimidating Dhole-senpai who could quiet even a crying child was referring to her.

The tapeworm zingai shook free from Olver and ran.

“Olver!”

The Otter opened his eyes wide and yelled.

“Garm!”

Senpai too, called for the werewolf-like Garm.

Olver rushed over and coiled around the Otter’s leg. Garm was even more daring. He jumped and embraced senpai. Every time he saw that, the Otter thought, That must be nice. I’m kind of jealous. If he said something like that, senpai would look at him in disdain. It felt like he would be subject to scathing verbal abuse. That was why he didn't say it though.

Garm hugged senpai close to his chest. Was that action even supposed to be described in such a romantic way?

Garm’s chest and abdomen ripped open. It seemed to suck senpai in, and she entered inside him.

Or rather, this phrasing may have been more appropriate.

The wolf had eaten senpai.

Garm hadn't opened his mouth wide like the wolf from the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood. his entire body split in two down the middle, and it ate senpai as if that were his mouth. Senpai was swallowed whole.

The bond between a zingai and its master was something special. Masters and zingai were paired one-to-one. Without exaggeration, there were no replacements. They made a completely unique combo. To use an idiom, she was the apple of his eye; he loved her so much he could have eaten her. Was that why Garm had eaten senpai?

There was no way that was true.

Senpai had not let Garm eat her, but had gone inside him. It was that, the thing that came up in the New Testament: a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Well it was the opposite. Senpai wasn't a sheep in the first place though.

What appeared was Dhole-senpai, who was not a sheep, in wolf’s clothing.

How to put it? Senpai had become a werewolf.

“—Kuh…!”

The Otter kicked off the ground with Olver’s right leg, and used the recoil to leap up. He landed with Olver’s right leg, and though he supported his body with his own left leg, he was quite uneasy. But so what if he was injured? Senpai was watching him. Was senpai watching him or not? It was a little unclear.

“Deathworm…!”

Ibe shouted. Was that his zingai’s name? Deathworm. He had quite the good naming sense. Deathworm, a.k.a. The tapeworm zingai, probably wanted to fulfill the expectations of its master. Instantly, it coiled around the Otter’s senpai-turned-wolf-woman. But it was meaningless.

Senpai, who was wearing a wolf’s skin—Garm’s skin—was dangerous to say the least.

She was fast, or rather, sharp, and violently strong.

Mercilessly ferocious, and savage to the point of cruelty.

Senpai bent backwards with the force of a backflip. Just like that, she dodged Deathworm, but she wasn't done. In the next instant, she leaned forward and sank her teeth into Deathworm. In one bite, she devoured the half of its body with the antenna on the end. Another bite or two, and she demolished the rest of it.

“Aah…”

Ibe collapsed.

For a zingai to disappear and the master be completely fine, is that even possible?

Just now, Ibe had asked that question. He ended up experiencing the answer firsthand.

After losing their zingai, the master would enter a state of shock. Their brain activity would drop dramatically, or stop completely. Their senses would be dulled, or numbed. Worst case scenario, they would fall into a coma, and they wouldn't recover for a very long time, possibly forever.

“She-she ate…”

Pulling Ibe back, Yuki fell on her butt.

“—Omen, come…!”

Was she driven by desperation? Had she meant to say ‘Amen’? It didn't seem that way. Just where had they been hiding? White things, about twenty centimeters long, fell from above. Were they dolls? Not Dhole like Dhole-senpai, but dolls. There was no way they were just dolls. They were zingai shaped like dolls. It seemed like they’d been hiding above the beams or something. Not just several, but several dozen white dolls rained down on them. They were huge in number. Omen. Were they all Yuki’s zingai?

“Sure is a rare type you’ve got…!”

The Otter kicked the ground with Olver’s right leg and jumped down. Everything except his right leg which had melded with Olver couldn't be put to use, so he could do little aside from take shelter. It was frustrating, but he had to put his feelings aside. The least he could do was get out of senpai’s way.

He just had to leave the rest to senpai.

Senpai, wearing Garm’s skin, ignored those things called Omen and went for Yuki.

Those white dolls didn't appear to be dangerous. Then again, a skilled hawk might hide its talons. If all the white dolls were Yuki’s zingai, there might be no choice but to take them out all at once. If that were the case, it would take time.

Senpai chose the quick way: ignore the zingai and take care of the master. A master without a zingai would not come out unscathed; aside from extremely rare cases, a zingai without a master couldn't even continue existing. If you couldn't eliminate the zingai, you just had to do something about the master.

However, if its master lost consciousness, a zingai wouldn't even be fazed. Then, what should you do?

It was simple.

If the master died, the zingai would be annihilated.

In other words, you had no choice but to kill the master—the human.

Fortunately, the Otter was yet to take a human life with his own hands. If the time came where he had no choice to do it, he would, without a question. That was his intention. But could he really do it? Would he be able to kill without hesitation?

Senpai was different. She wasn't an inexperienced softie like the Otter. If it was necessary, she would do it. Senpai could easily pull off what the Otter couldn't.

In reality, it had happened right in front of him. To take care of the dreadful zingai that harmed people, that couldn't be left unchecked, senpai had murdered its master, the human, right before the Otter’s eyes.

She was going to do it again. Senpai was probably going to kill Yuki.

“Senpai…!”

It wasn't like the Otter was trying to stop senpai. Senpai herself wasn't doing it because she wanted to, either. It was their job. To carry out their mission, they had no choice but to do what they had to. The Otter wasn't trying to change her mind. He was giving her a warning.

The car. Someone jumped out from the driver’s seat of the minivan. He was wearing a black jacket, and skinny black pants. He wore a black cap and had a beard. He was quite skinny; a man that was reminiscent of a spider. He was older than Ibe and Yuki, around his thirties. Yuki had asked Ibe, “What about Hideyoshi-san?” Hideyoshi. Was this spidery man Hideyoshi?

Both Ibe and Yuki were zingai users. Hideyoshi was not. Was that possible? Well, it was unlikely.

Zingai.

Was that Hideyoshi’s zingai?

Following Hideyoshi out of the white minivan came a flabby lump of meat that was humanoid, but spherical in form. Had that lump of meat been in the backseat? It slid out through the open sliding door. That was how it appeared.

Its appearance was strange, and it was big. It wasn't particularly tall, but it was still around the height of an adult man. Its width and breadth was far above average. The Otter had seen an image on TV of a man so fat he couldn't get up from his bed. This was worse than that.

Senpai noticing the meat lump and Hideyoshi, or the meat lump springing into the air with a boing; he didn't know which happened first.

Hideyoshi was holding something black in his hands. He readied it as soon as he got out of the car. That something was a handgun.

Senpai’s attention was on the gun. The same could be said for the Otter.

They were used to zingai. If you were talking animals, they’d fought with lion and brown bear zingai before. But zingai didn't use guns. This was Japan. Cases of zingai masters arming themselves with firearms were rare as well. Up till now, the Otter had never had a gun pointed at him before. What about senpai? He didn't know, but at least during the time she’d been paired with him, she shouldn't have. Even if she was senpai, there was no way she wouldn't get nervous at the sight of a gun.

Hideyoshi gripped the gun with one hand and held it sideways. It was quite the showy posture. He wasn't a trained professional. It was painfully obvious he was an amateur. Was that a real handgun? Maybe it was a model. That was possible. This was Japan after all. If you knew the channel, getting your hands on one was just a matter of money, but it wasn't something you could buy just anywhere. Was it a bluff?

Hideyoshi pulled the trigger.

“Bang!”

It wasn't the gun. It was his mouth.

Hideyoshi had said it with his mouth. He’d imitated the sound of a gun.

Of course, senpai hadn't been shot. Fucking around like that. The Otter was pissed. If Hideyoshi had been right beside him, he probably would've punched him. But had that really been just a practical joke?

“—..."

The Otter was speechless. It was the meat lump.

The meat lump dropped downwards, aiming for senpai. He couldn't believe it. Could you say that it had fattened up in its brief time in the air? It was clearly bigger than before.

Even fatness had its limits. What an enormous lump of meat it was. Still, this wasn't like senpai.

To think that senpai hadn't dodged.

It was all because of the gun. Because she’d turned her attention to the gun, her reaction was slowed. Her attention had been thoroughly diverted.

The meat lump completely squashed senpai.

She disappeared from view.

Senpai.

She’d been pinned beneath the lump of meat.

He had to help. He had to help senpai. The Otter tried to kick off the ground with Olver’s right leg. He’d been careless. Until that moment, he hadn't noticed it at all. It was Omen, Yuki’s zingai, the white dolls. They closed in. They began to swarm the Otter.

“Ah…!”

The white dolls jumped not at Olver’s right leg, but at his flesh left leg, his body, and his arms. In the blink of an eye, Omen had dragged him to the ground.

“Uahahaha-”

Grating laughter rang out. Hideyoshi. The spidery man was coming. Or rather, he was already here. His hollow-cheeked bearded face looked down at the Otter. He aimed his gun at him. At his head, between the eyebrows. The gun was still held sideways.

“You fucking ate Ibe’s zingai. That’s the end of the torture. We’re soldiers who offered up their souls to Sullivan’s ideals after all. The organizations dogs are the enemy. And we’ll kill the enemy. You’re dying too.”

No, it wasn't a model gun. It was real. He was going to be shot. Even with that grip, there was no discounting the distance he was at. There was no way he was going to miss. On top of that, Hideyoshi used his left hand to support the right hand gripping the gun. Like that, he pulled the trigger.

He was desperate. The Otter used all the strength he could muster to twist his neck to the left.

He wanted to praise himself for not closing his eyes and resigning himself in such an extreme situation. He was just a little bit proud of himself for trying to survive.

The Otter felt a strong impact on the right side of his head. His right eye burned terribly, but he wasn't hit directly. The bullet had not hit him. That was undeniable.

“Aah?! You bastard…!”

Hideyoshi flipped out, immediately reaching to fire the next bullet. It might it this time. If he was hit, the Otter would probably sustain life-threatening injuries. It was possible he could be hit in the head and die instantly.

“UAAAAAAAAAAAAH…!”

There was a beast-like roar. From that, the Otter understood. It was senpai. There was no mistaking that sound. It was senpai’s voice.

“Wha-...”

Hideyoshi looked to the side. He didn't mean to withdraw the gun, but the mouth of the gun turned away from the Otter.

“Olveeeer….!”

The Otter opened his eyes as wide as he could. He didn't think a thing about what he should do, or how. He entrusted it all to Olver.

The Olver melded with his leg jumped up the Otter’s body, shaking off Omen, the white dolls, and blowing Hideyoshi away with them.

The Otter spun. Not vertically or horizontally, but diagonally through the air. As he spun through the air, he caught a glimpse of the majestic figure of senpai wearing Garm’s skin lifting the meat lump zingai in the air—the wolf-woman, Dhole-senpai.

The Otter tumbled to the ground. Senpai was flinging the meat lump zingai in Hideyoshi’s direction. Hideyoshi jumped to the side, dodging the meat lump zingai just in time. It would have been funny for a master to be crushed to death by his own zingai though.

Hideyoshi barely managed to get up and yelled.

“Go, Fat Man…!”

Fat Man bounced and rushed to attack senpai again. Senpai faced it without running. She grasped Fat Man and snapped at it. Senpai and Fat Man rolled around, entangled together.

Senpai bit off chunks of meat. With all her strength, she tore the meat off the meat lump zingai. No blood came out. Even as meat scattered around, splintered, and collapsed in on itself, even more meat came out. It was meat. The meat lump zingai was just like a cluster of meat personified. Even so, the meat lump zingai expressed discomfort. It twisted its body, its meat, around, and tried to push senpai away. It couldn't. Senpai wouldn't let it.

Senpai had the upper hand.

But that didn't mean he could stand idly by and wait for the fight to conclude. Sorry about this, Olver. Just one last stretch. The Otter cheered on Olver’s right leg and stood up. He scolded his flesh and bone left leg, which hurt so much he could hardly put any force on it. The bones seemed to be broken. That didn't matter. He’d steeled his resolve.

The Otter pivoted on Olver’s right leg and rushed at him.

He would kill him.

Hideyoshi.

From now on, the Otter would kill people.

Call it murder or whatever you want, but it was the mission. He had to do it. More than that, he had to lend senpai his strength, if just a little. The Otter wanted to stay the kouhai who let their senpai handle all the dirty work. But he couldn't stay like this forever. He had to become a kouhai who could bear senpai’s burdens with her.

Hideyoshi knelt on one knee, watching over senpai and Fat Man’s tussle. He wasn't aware of it himself, but the Otter seemed to have let out something like a war cry. Thanks to that, he was spotted.

“��ah?!”

Hideyoshi shot immediately. He fired many shots in the Otter’s direction. He felt a strong impact like he’d just taken a baseball bat to the guts, and staggered, but he didn't stop. He tried to keep running. It was like his posture wasn't steady, and he couldn't run like he wanted to. And what of it? He was already covered in wounds and unsteady anyway. After that, his left arm was hit as well. It’s fine. The Otter decided to think. If it’s the arm, that’s fine.

“The bullets—”

Hideyoshi pulled the trigger, but no more bullets came out. It was right after that. Finally. The Otter caught Hideyoshi.

He grabbed Hideyoshi’s neck with his right hand, and pressed him to the ground.

That’s not it.

I have to kill this guy.

Then it was not his flesh and blood right hand, but Olver’s turn to shine.

“T…”

Hideyoshi was trying to say something, but his neck was constricted and he couldn't speak.

That’s good. Good.

Die.

Let’s keep my body weight on him like this. I’ll crush his throat. You’re dying.

Die.

He had intended to kill him, but what had happened?

—Goh.

He heard a loud noise. It wasn't Hideyoshi. Had something else shoved the Otter away? Had he been punched?

The Otter was on his hands and knees. Or was he lying on his back? He couldn't even discern if he was facing up or down.

Someone was there.

He was standing right nearby.

It was a large man.

He wore long boots, and had what seemed to be gloved hands.

The large man was wearing a mask. A mask with a bared teeth design drawn on it.

Did he have a shaved head? Or was he wearing a hat?

Hollow eyes stared down at the Otter.

“...Sullivan’s—”

Someone spoke. Was it Hideyoshi? Maybe Hideyoshi said that. Sullivan.

Sullivan’s.

Sullivan’s what?

The masked man lifted one leg. It seemed like he was going to step on the Otter with his long boots. It seemed like it would be painful. It probably wouldn't just be painful. The one who was about to be stepped on by the masked man was the Otter, but for some reason, he felt like that wasn't somebody else’s business. He felt his consciousness fading.

Was this the end?

It’s ending like this? I’m sorry, senpai.

If I apologize, would you get mad? Stop apologizing for everything, you’d say. But still, I’m sorry. Truly—

“NGAAAAAAAAAH…!”

Senpai.

Why did senpai’s voice…

Of course, it was because of senpai.

Senpai had rushed over and knocked the masked man flying.

Whenever her unreliable kouhai fell into a tight situation, she would come save him without fail. That was senpai.

“Who gave you the right…! You beat up my cute little kouhai, you pieces of shits….!”

When the time came, she would stand in the enemy’s way and have her kouhai’s back, hurling abuse defiantly. The Special Cases Countermeasures Office active force’s ace. Dahlia 4’s Dhole. Senpai, who wore Garm’s skin. The horrifying and beautiful wolf-woman. How about it? Isn't my senpai amazing? She’s awesome isn't she. She’s more awesome than anyone.

The Otter laughed. Well, he tried to laugh. His voice wouldn't come out. Maybe because of the pain or something, he couldn't move his body. He couldn't really see anything either. This might be bad. Aren't I dying? It was possible the Otter was on the verge of death. Even so, he wanted to laugh. He wanted to at least die laughing.

This wasn't the time to be laughing. The Otter couldn't understand that this wasn't a situation you could laugh in.

—Why?

Senpai suddenly shed Garm’s skin.

Why?

Garm picked up the Otter and carried him on his back.

What is this guy doing?

“I’ll leave the rest to you.”

That was what Senpai told him. Her voice was quiet, and her tone dull. Senpai didn't look at the Otter. But they were words aimed at the Otter. That, he understood.

Leave to him?

The rest?

What was that?

What did she mean?

Garm took off running. It seemed like Garm was carrying the Otter away from this abandoned factory. What’re you doing? What’re you doing for me? Stop it. The Otter tried to resist. Please stop. Let me down. I said no, Garm. Why’re you doing this? He wanted to stop Garm even if he had to use brute force. He would if he could. But the Otter was wandering the boundary of life and death. The surroundings were dark. Was this the darkness of the night? Or had he lost consciousness already? He called for senpai in the darkness. Again, and again, and again, and again, he called senpai’s name.

The Otter knew senpai’s real name.

Shima Touko.

He’d once tried to call senpai by her real name to tease her.

Touko-san, he’d called, and without missing a beat, senpai had shot back, What, Haizaki Itsuya?

How can you remain unbothered? Haizaki had protested, and senpai had let out a laugh through her nose. I mean, it’s just my name. I don't think anything of being called by it.

Senpai.

Dhole-senpai.

Shima Touko-senpai.

Touko-san.

Suddenly, the Otter was thrown into the darkness.

Garm, who was supposed to be carrying the Otter, was nowhere to be found. Where was this? He had no idea. But it seemed to be thick grass. Was a river flowing nearby? He could hear the faint sound of water. The Otter was alone.

Garm was gone.

He’d disappeared, suddenly.

Senpai’s zingai, Garm, had been eliminated without a trace.

What did that mean? The Otter didn't understand.

It was fine if he didn't understand right now.

He didn't want to be sure.

-----

prev: 2-2 // next: 3-1

#inochi no tabekata #inochi no tabekata light novel

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tripcabinet · 4 months

Text

Merlion Park, Singapore: Unveiling the Iconic Guardian of the City’s Spirit

Merlion Park, Singapore: Unveiling the Iconic Guardian of the City's Spirit

Introduction:

Nestled in the heart of Singapore, where the city’s skyline meets the waters of Marina Bay, Merlion Park stands as a symbol of Lyon’s spirit and a wonderful sentinel This spectacular site captivates locals and visitors alike, offering breathtaking views a perfect blend of beauty, cultural significance and extravagance Join as we unleash the magic of Merlion Park by offering an even more exclusive Trip Cabinet Singapore Tour Package, and discover why it is an iconic you have to see it in the warm fabric of Singapore.

The Legend Unveiled:

The Merlion Statue: At the leading edge of the park is the majestic Merlion, a legendary creature with the body of a fish and the top of a lion, embodying the town's name, Singapura, which means "Lion City." Standing at 8.6 meters tall, the Merlion statue is a testament to the fusion of Singapore's wealthy cultural history and its maritime roots, seamlessly covered in Trip Cabinet's meticulously deliberate itinerary.

Merlion Cub Statue: The Merlion Cub sculpture near its iconic parents adds some charm to the place. Standing 2 meters tall, the tiny fellow represents the sporting and youthful spirit of Singapore. Together they form a scenic backdrop to the spectacular Marina Bay skyline, all thoughtfully added to Trip Cabinet’s curated tour experience.

A Waterside Retreat:

Scenic Waterfront Views: Facilitated by the expertise of Trip Cabinet, Merlion Park offers a beautiful waterfront setting, with breathtaking views of the city, including landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands, Esplanade - Theaters on the Bay, Singapore Flyer Water it tranquilizes for a peaceful atmosphere, and invites visitors to enjoy a stroll along the promenade, seamlessly integrated into Trip Cabinet's well-planned itinerary.

Marina Bay Sands Skyline: The park’s scenic location makes it a great place to catch the breathtaking Marina Bay Sands skyline. As day turns to night, the city lights come alive, transforming the scene into a wonderland. It’s a photographer’s paradise, offering countless opportunities for stunning photography, all enhanced by Trip Cabinet travel insights.

Cultural Significance:

Symbol of Prosperity: The merlion is the royal seal and the shiny otter symbolizes prosperity and wealth. Locals and visitors alike believe that a visit to Merlion Park brings joy and positive energy, making it a popular destination for festivals and events, which are seamlessly integrated into the Travel Cabinet's cultural experiences.

Leisure and Recreation:

Merlion Park Bridge: Enhancing the revel in is the Merlion Park Bridge, connecting the park to the waterfront promenade. This architectural gem not best enables clean access but also provides a tremendous vantage factor for playing the panoramic perspectives of the encompassing region, all a part of Trip Cabinet's considerate additions to the journey.

Practical Tips for an Enchanting Visit:

Visit Early or Late: To avoid the crowds, consider visiting Merlion Park in the early morning or late evening when the weather is cooler and the city lights create a magical atmosphere, follow the cabinet of the tour good time.

Enjoy the Night Lights: At night, the park looks different, with city lights peeking out from the water. Soak in the breathtaking scenery and immerse yourself in a tranquil atmosphere, guided by the travel expertise of Trip Cabinet.

Conclusion:

With its iconic sculpture and breathtaking waterscapes, Merlion Park encapsulates the spirit and beauty of Singapore. Whether you want a cultural experience, a stroll, or a scenic spot for photos, this landmark offers you all the things. A visit to Merlion Park is not just a tourist activity; It’s an opportunity to tap into Singapore’s specialties and discover a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity. So, as you explore the Lion City with Trip Cabinet's unique Singapore tour package let Merlion be your guide, welcoming you into the heart of this magnificent city.

#MerlionPark #TripCabinetExperiences #SingaporeLandmarks #CityscapeMagic #IconicSingapore #MarinaBayViews #TravelWithTripCabinet #CulturalHeritage #WanderlustSG #SingaporeTourism

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brianedner · 1 year

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14 - Street Racing

14 – Streat Racing

Raith017 on AO3: street racing with the abomi-car

VROOM!

The car purred happily as Luz lightly pushed down on the accelerator while Amity looked at the engine.

“Ok, you can stop Luz.”

Amity then started pocking in a few more places around the engine. “The structural integrity appears to be holding well. The small amount of actual abomination goo to replace the oil is working much better than magic infused mud. And the lack of a normal battery hasn’t impacted its ability in the slightest.”

She then looked up at Luz. “Until we can actually give it a test drive, I think that the experiment is a success!”

Luz just beamed at her girlfriend. “That is great! I’ll talk to Hunter and Mami later to see if either is willing and able to take it on a test drive.” She then begins to frown a little before continuing. “We should also find a area where we can drive without anyone seeing us just in case something, exotic happens.”

Amity raises a eyebrow at that. “Exotic?”

“Like the car exploding, the engine coming to life, or it being shot out of the exhaust pipe.

Amity just rolled her eyes. “First, the exhaust pipe doesn’t work like that. Second, without any gas in it right now there is no way for the car to explode. Third, there is only a tiny amount of actual abomination goo in the engine, so unless Earth mud has a habit of becoming alive on its own, we are safe.”

Her face then briefly gains a panicked look. “Earth mud doesn’t have a habit of becoming alive on its own, right?”

“No Amity, it doesn’t.”

“That’s a relief. The worst that could happen to an outside eye would be the engine catching on fire. Now how about you turn that off, talk to the others, and I’ll set up a Azura movie marathon.”

Luz just smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”

She then turned off the car and walked to the door that connected the garage to the rest of the house. Before she could open the door, her cell began to ring. She quickly took it out to check the ID before answering.

“Hi this is Otter, is there a medical emergency coming my way Vet?”

The vet responded over the line “No Otter, everyone is ok right now. I just wanted to ask if you would be willing to assist me later this week.”

“Is it a school night?”

“No, Saturday night. There is a street race that asked me to be the on-hand doctor just in case of problem. My usual assistant can’t make it, so I was hoping that you could help.”

Luz just blinked a few times at that. “Quick question, how can you sign up to race and what are the prizes?”

The line was quiet for a few seconds before the vet replied. “Um, just show up and be willing to hand over a $10 entry fee. If you win, you get $10,000, 2nd place is $5,000, and 3rd place is $1,000. Do you even have a license though?”

Luz rolled her eyes. “A: I was not planning on driving myself, I just know someone who could. B: I will gladly help you out. And C: I don’t have a medical license either and that hasn’t stopped me.”

“Point. The position is paying, so you will get your usual rates.”

Luz just smiled. “Ok, I will see you Saturday then with a driver and a mechanic.”

“Sounds good Otter. Have a nice day.”

“You too.”

She then hung up and turned to Amity while smiling. “I found a way to make some guaranteed money, test your car, and maybe make lots more money!”

Amity was just looking at her. “Did you just sign up my untested prototype car in an illegal street race?”

“If Hunter agrees to drive, then yes.”

Amity just sighed and put her head in her hands. As she was groaning, Luz walked over and pulled her into a light hug.

“Hey there, it’ll be ok. I didn’t mean to stress you out with this. I just thought this would be a great way to put it through its paces and see how it holds up. Not to mention it is a great way to show off your mad engineering skills. If it bothers you that much, we can just not enter it. We already have multiple sources of income coming in, and the chance of us winning even 3rd place is incredibly unlikely, let alone 1st.”

Amity began to return the hug to Luz. “It’s ok. I would just feel more comfortable testing the car out on some backroads first. Depending on how it goes, we can see if it is a good idea to enter into the race. Ok?”

Luz backed up a little from the hug and gave her girlfriend a smile. “Sounds great to me.”

The two smiled at each other for a bit before moving in for a kiss.

Unfortunately, Camilla chose that moment to enter the garage and tell them dinner was ready.

Backroads

Hunter sat in the driver’s seat, getting the seats and mirrors to the best positions before he started driving.

As he was doing that, Amity was doing some last-minute checks to the engine to make sure everything was working for the test drive.

“Ok, everything looks ok on my end. Are you ready Hunter?”

“All ready on my end Amity.”

She then closed the hood and slammed it twice. “Ok, turn it on and give it a whirl.”

Hunter nodded and turned the key.

VROOM

The engine began to purr as Hunter shifted from park to drive and began to slowly move down the backroad.

“Are we sure testing this out on dirt roads is a good idea Luz?”

“We won’t get to that part until halfway through the course, so it should be ok. Since this is also seeing if Hunter is confident with driving in the race as well as putting the car through its paces, it is important to see if the car and Hunter can handle both.”

Luz then put a comforting hand on Amity’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, the car and Hunter will both be ok. Mami said that his driving lessons have been going great, and you said the car is working perfectly yourself. This is just a test run, there is nothing at stake here in the slightest.”

“I know that, but I am still nervous about how well the car is going to perform. I have never done anything like this before.” She then sighed. “I just can’t stop thinking about how much I want to show this to dad when we get back to the Isles.”

Luz could only pull her into a hug again and offer some comforting words. “I know how you feel. Back on the Isles, the first thing that always popped to mind when I discovered a new trick with magic was how much I wanted to show mami. But I promise you, the second we find a way back home, we will get your dad and that car in the same room so the two of you can talk shop for hours and hours.”

She then began to smile a little. “And if you’re lucky, it might become your step-mom.”

“WHAT! Luz, my father is not going to replace Odalia with a car I made.”

Amity then held up 2 fingers and touched one of them with her other hand. “1, the car would be either another kid or a grandkid.” She then touched another one. “2, the one most likely to replace Odalia would be Darius.”

If anything, Luz’s grin began to grow even bigger. “So, what you’re saying, is that the car is our first kid?”

Amity jumped out of Luz’s arms so fast she thought for a second that one would be forgiven for thinking she was using Flapjack to flash-step.

“LUZ!”

Hunter

The car was handling just fine. If Hunter was being honest, the suspension and breaks were a lot better on this new one than the Noceda’s usual car. So far, the only complaint he had about it was that the head lights weren’t working right now. Not a problem in the day time, but still a problem to worry about.

He returned to Luz and Amity and poked his head out.

“Hay guys, it did well with the normal driving on and off road.”

“Glad to hear it, Hunter. So how do you fell about doing the race?”

He gave them a smile. “I’ll find out after I do another round while ignoring the speed limit. Any objections from our mechanic?”

Both turned to look at Amity, who just sighed. “If you wreck it, you get to fix it. Ok?”

Luz and Hunter smiled in tandem before Hunter saluted her. “Aye Aye ma’am. Time me Luz.” HE then turned back to the road, closed the window and began to grip the wheel while reaving the engine.

“You ready Flap?”

“Tweet.”

Luz stud by the side of the road holding her beanie in her hand like a flag above her head. Her other hand was holding her phone with a finger over the start button on a timer.

The second she swung down her hat and hit the button on the timer, Hunter slammed down on the accelerator and sped down the road. He slowed down a little on the twists and turns, but sped up again as soon as he could. He ran the stop signs, thankful that Gus had been able of making it look like this section of back roads were off limits due to construction to keep bystanders and cops away.

“This is amazing!”

“Tweet!”

“Don’t worry buddy. You will always be my number one transport/friend, this car is just becoming number 2 on the list.”

Hunter couldn’t see because he was going 60 and keeping his eyes on the road, but Flapjack was shooting him a nasty look.

“Now lets see if this can do off road as well as on road.”

He then turned off the paved path and hit the dirt road with a bump as the suspension took a hit. Hunter kept on trucking though it, laughing out loud as he drove through a large puddle and coating the entire lower half of the car in mud.

“Remind me to go staff racing with Willow and Gus later. If this is fun, imagine how much fun it would be if I add all my favorite people to the mix.”

“Tweet.”

The two kept on driving in silence until they passed Luz and scratched to a stop.

Hunter and Flapjack exited the car and walked to her. “How did we do?”

She looked at the timer and then flipped over to the time table she had the vet send her to determine how good the times actually were.

“Based on the info the vet sent me, I’d say you are a strong contender for 5th place if you choose to compete.”

He just smiled at her. “I might not win, but racing would still be fun. Sign me up.”

Next Saturday night

The Abomi-car pulled into the parking field the race had set up for the event. About two dozen people were getting the booths set up to sell food and beverage to the almost hundred people expected to show up for the event.

Amity, Luz, and Hunter exited the car and headed over to the check in tent.

“Hello, we are here to register to race and for me to work at the doctor tent.”

The man working at the check in desk looked them both over before pulling up a piece of paper he had on his desk.

“Otter? The vet already told us you were going to come. If you want to also race-“

“I’m not racing, my brother is.”

Hunter raised his hand at that. The man just looked at him quickly before turning back to Luz.

“Ok then, you still have to pay the $10 fee.”

Hunter handed over a $10 he already had in his hand. “Here you go.”

The man grabbed it and then handed over a slip.

“You’ll be driver number 5, please put your car in the garage section to do any last-minute adjustments. Start time is in one hour. The med tent is over there.” He then pointed to a white tent with a red cross on it.

“Thank you.”

Luz headed over to the tent while Hunter and Amity moved the car to the garage space.

As she entered the tent, she waved to the Vet.

“Hi, how can I help?”

The vet looked up from the box she was looking through at her as she entered.

“Hi Otter. Do you think you can man the check in desk while I double check and make sure I have everything? We don’t have any patients yet, but we probably will shortly once the beer starts flowing.”

Luz just nodded and walked over to the table in front of the entrance and sat down in front of the cliff board set on it.

Race Time 10 PM

“Are you ready to rumble!”

“YES WE ARE!”

The bleachers around the start position were jam packed with dozens upon dozens of spectators all cheering. 12 cars of varying makes and models were lined up at the start line.

“Drivers, start your engines!”

Hunter began to rev up his engines, getting ready to start the second the signal was given.

“GO!”

Hunter slammed down on the gas pedal and shot down the road with the rest of contestants. Hunter had to swerve a fair amount to keep his position with the rest of the drivers, but he was able of maintaining what he thought was about 3rd place by the time they reached the first sharp turn.

“Hang on Flap.”

“Tweet!”

He had to slow down a little, but he made it. Unlike car number 8, which had the misfortune to hit the railing and flip over it.

Hunter didn’t worry too much about them, he was much more concerned with the next two hairpin turns he had coming up while also maintaining his position.

Luckily, he and the other 10 drivers were able of making it through to another straight. Hunter fell to 5th place, but started fighting for a better position to get 4th after the next hairpin turn.

Unfortunately, two other cars weren’t able of doing the turn and ended up in the lake in front of the turn.

The 9 cars left then started fighting for positions again, with Hunter able of getting 2nd place for a bit. He and #7 ended fighting over the spot, with 7 eventually getting it when they reach a section of windy road. No one else was knocked off the track during this section, but it was a close one.

After that, it was back to a straight section with a 90-degree turn coming up fast. Hunter slowed down a little for the turn, falling to 5th place in the process. This decision was validated when the turn claimed 2 more cars and left Hunter in 1st place.

“I can’t believe it Flap. We might actually have a shot at winning!”

“Tweet!”

“I see it!”

There were two more 90 degree turns coming up, on right after the other. He barley stayed on the road with the first turn and banged against a competitor in the 2nd one. The result was the lost of a side mirror and dropping to 2nd place.

“See Flap? Nothing to worry-“

“TWEET!”

“LOG?”

Hunter then saw the fallen tree that was on the side of the road he was unfortunate enough to be on, and a jerk driver keeping pace with him to prevent him from getting out of the way in time.

“TWEAT!”

“What? Are you crazy? You can’t flash-step a moving car!”

“Tweet!”

Hunter looked between the fast-approaching log and his best friend. “I hope you’re right about this.”

He the grabbed onto Flapjack and focused on the road on the other side of the log.

PING

Hunter suddenly found his car on the other side of the tree and heard the sound of a crash from behind him as the car trying to take him out ran off the road in shock and another one ran into the fallen tree.

He quickly spared a glance at Flapjack to see his buddy laying on the seat and taking deep breaths.

“You ok buddy?”

“tweet.”

“Don’t worry, we are never doing that again.”

He quickly took stock of his position in the race before the next set of turns. There were 5 car left counting them, and he was in 1st place with the other 4 crowding right behind him.

The next part of the road was a fast-approaching gentle right turn, followed by a immediate 90 degree left turn into a curve before a final straight until the finish line.

“Just take a nap Flap, I can get through the rest on my own with no issues.”

Flapjack just nodded.

Hunter was able of keeping his 1st place during the gentle turn, but fell to 3rd during the 90 degrees. He was able of regaining 2nd place during the curve after that through.

After that, it was constant fighting between all 5 to determine the exact position everyone would get in the race. Hunter was constantly shifting between 2nd and 3rd place during the run.

“Almost there.”

The finish line was fast approaching. He and the others were still fighting over their positions as they neared. As they crossed the line, the crowd went wild!

The races slowed their cars and went to the garage area near the track to park and hear the judge’s decisions.

As hunter pulled in next to Amity she rushed over.

“How did it go?”

Hunter didn’t hear her as he was busy fussing over Flapjack. When Amity noticed, she opened the passenger side door and let Ghost in.

“What happened?”

“We had to flash-jump to avoid being run into a tree. He will be ok, but he’s out of it for now.”

Amity could just stare at Hunter in shock.

“You TELEPORTED a 3,000 lbs car while going 60 miles a hour? I’m somewhere between impressed and disturbed.”

She then shook her head. “Never mind. Ghost, stay here with Flap and make sure he is alright. Me and Hunter are going to go see how he did in the race.”

The two then walked over to the judging area with the other racers that finished to await the judge’s decision. Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long.

“After reviewing the footage, we have determined the 3 winners!”

“3rd place goes to #6!”

“2nd place goes to #11!”

“and finaly, 1st place once again goes to #1!”

“numbers 5 and 9 got 4th and 5th place respectively.”

Hunter was disappointed, but not surprised. The fact that he got 4th place at all was a miracle in of itself.

“You go see if Luz needs help with the injured drivers, there were several nasty crashes. I’ll get Flapjack and meet you there.”

Amity just nodded and headed away.

As hunter walked back to the Abomi-car, one thought kept circling through his head.

“I am so doing this again.”

I don’t know anything about racing, and for a map I just goggled “streat racing map” and picked one I liked. The teleporting car with Flapjack was my favorite part.

I am doing “Fanfic info dumps” on multiple series to help other fanfic writers with their works. They are on DevientArt here (https://www.deviantart.com/1228248) because Fanfiction and AO3 both said I couldn’t post them there.

Fanfiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5646512/

Tumbler: https://at.tumblr.com/brianedner/luzs-crime-list-masterpost/dia848df51z4

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrianEdner1/works

#the owl house #owl house #the owl house hunter #the owl house flapjack #the owl house luz #the owl house amity

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the-great-chimera · 3 years

Text

Baby brother mc! Prt 3

[tags: mc is a minor./ M! Mc ( little brother!)/ belphie being a wholesome boi/ implied diaxluci/ barbatos becomes a surrogate father of 2 electric boogaloo/ dia spoiling little mc/

Belphegor-

- Brattyness at its finest.

- hes been the youngest for centuries and now suddenly you show up and hog all the attention?!? Belphie no likely >:(

- when you were first Introduced he didnt like you. his spot in the family pack unit was shifting. He was use to getting away with anything bc he was the baby of the house. But now he needed to " set a good example for you??" Ugh..

- regardless of if you are a young demon or a human child he will act the same either way.

- but as you grow closer he becomes very protective of you.

- He will wrap his tail around you when you are in large crowds so he can keep track of you. ( kinda like a kid leash?

- 👏nap👏 piles👏 are👏 mandatory 👏

- He will hold your hands and link arms when napping together. Lucifer once walked in while you two were asleep. It reminded him of that one marine mammal from the human world? What's that called again? An otter?? They hold hands so they cant drift away from each other while sleeping.

- the only "experience" he has with being an older sibling was when lilith was alive. After the fall he just shut down and lost most those skills. Now that you exist he feels like he's been given a 2nd chance. " I wont fuck up this time" he thinks to himself.

- the least likely to play with you but the most likely to bully/ tease you. " daaaawww does widdle baby have a cwuuuushh~" *kissy noises💔💔💋💋* " FUCK OFF YEEHAW MAN"

- you know how kittens will just Like. Attack their siblings? Regularless of what their doing? Belphie will be sleeping (or trying to at least) And you will be jumping on him, poking his face, pull his tail. 8 times out of 10 he will just sleep through it or grab you into a forced-cuddle session, but on a rare occasion he will yeet you out of his bed without hesitation.

- always knows where you are despite not seeing you for hours. You've asked mammon how tf that works but he just smirked, used jazz hands, and said " 🎇demon magic🎇"

- you make a lot of blanket forts for belphie. He thinks it's very cute. You'll ask Levi for one of his tablets and watch tv in your forts. Also You cant come in unless you know the password.

- you and beel drag him everywhere but honestly he cant complain. He's with his two favorite people so * shrugs*

- gets you into the " anti- lucifer squad" and you two get in trouble SO OFTEN. Lucifer despises it but it also makes him kinda happy that belphie is socializing with more than 8 people. ( introverted fucker)

- if beel isnt there to help you two complete a task you two will team up and get it done...slowly but surely..

* insert picture of you standing on belphie's shoulders to reach a cookie jar on a top shelf*

- you two gift each other cool rocks. He's been around for awhile and has quite a few cool rocks in his collection, and you...you try? You really try and that's what's important :)

Diavolo-

- As soon as You were adopted he made it his soul mission to spoil you rotten.

- you know when your parent gets a new boyfriend and they try to get on your good side to gain your approval? Yeah.

- maximum cool step dad energy.

- you'll walk in his line of sight and from all the way across the house you'll hear: " MC HELLO MY BOY HOW ARE YOU!" his voice booms. Hes spooked you a few times this way ( honestly how does a man that big move around the house so silently???)

- "hello lad! I saw this earlier and it reminded me of you, here" " sir this looks really expensive, are you sure you want ME to have this?" says the literal child.

- if you play any instruments; Lucifer will encourage you to play for an audience with the prince. You got stage fright mid way through the song and messed up.

- When tears of frustration started to fall from your eyes Lucifer and dia smiled, they were both very proud of you ( especially luci) , you did your best and performed the song well. You just got a bit of stage fright is all and its okay, you can practice and try again at a later time. :)

- Lucifer had to talk him down from gifting you with expensive or dangerous gifts.

- tries so hard to be hip...like...so hard.... " kids like battle axes ,right Lucifer?" "SIR I STRONGLY ADVISE YOU DONT-"

- he thinks it's cute how small you are. This man is a giant to it's cute to see you struggling to pick up something he could so easily pick up.

- he was an only child growing up but he remembers wanting play with adults and other demon children but wasn't allowed to. So he tries to play with you! He wants 12 more little ones just like you! ❤❤

- kinda scared he wont realize his own strength and might hurt you. The last thing he wants is to hurt you and ruin his image with his people.

- often the avatars will appear in photos with him. These photos are EVERYWHERE, the press always love to see pictures of the Prince and you In headlines:

"newest avatar of ___ and prince diavolo spend time sampling the newest chocolate ganache platter at the devil's kitchen!"

"Prince diavolo and mc steal the show! Wearing matching formal attire to this years' grand gala!"

" inside scoop from the Royal palace! The young mc, avatar of ___ helps himself to the throne! " if I was king I'd make pineapple on pizza illegal,gross!"

"family game night?? Prince diavolo, Lucifer the avatar of pride, and mc the avatar of ___ take a much needed break and hit the bowling alleys at ____. Read more to find out what mischief the young lad has gotten into this time~"

Barbatos-

- Now he has 2 little beings following him around like little lost ducklings. You and Luke have imprinted on him.

- you make him friendship bracelets all the time. He can't wear them 24/7 due to his job and he needs to use his hands a lot but he keeps them tucked away in a safe place.

- whenever you ask him his favorite color he changes his answer. So when you make him friendship bracelets you just pick a bunch of colors that look good together, he loves them no matter the color.

- he made you your own apron, its embroidered with your name on it in a pretty font. It matches with his but has little bits of your little artistic flair. You have buttons and pins on yours.

- you try to help. TRY BEING THE BIG WORD HERE... you arent strong enough to lift some of the stuff he can. Demon strength has its perks.

- he will hand you things that he knows you can handle. Small groceries.

- occasionally you'll go with him to get groceries. If you are good and helpful you can go get bubble tea and maybe a cookie! :D

- will help tutor you! Barb is a wonderful teacher!

- is very skilled in magic and can help teach you some very intricate spells.

- it will be time to go home and Lucifer will take your hand in his. " mc, we are going home now. say goodbye to the prince and barbatos" you turned to them, " bye barbatos! Bye your highness! Goodbye barbatos!" As you are leaving Lucifer asks "mc, may I ask why you said goodbye to barbatos twice?" You smiled at him " I like barbatos :) "

- if you break one of your toys he can fix it, regardless of how severe the damage

- has tried many times to get you to dress "like a little gentleman " but you are far to mischievous to stay clean for more than a few minutes at most.

- he will never admit it but he loves picking out all the tiny outfits for you. Something about small clothing is so adorable to him.

- he calls you " young master" a lot.

- absolutely will not tolerate bad table manners or bad manners at all. He WILL smack your hands with a ruler. No hesitation.

- wont let you eat too many sweets. It doesn't matter if you are a human or a demon, a tummy ache is a tummy ache through and through.

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chudleycanonficfest · 3 years

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Took Far Longer Than It Should've

Day 9, Story #1 is by CandyMan91

Title: Took Far Longer Than It Should've Author: CandyMan91 Pairing: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley Prompt: Soulmate AU Rating: General Audiences

A calm and quiet morning Ron Weasley woke up like it was any other day, except it wasn’t any other day, it was his birthday. Excitedly, he walked down the stairs in his too-short pyjamas that once belonged to his brother Charlie and settled down at the dinner table.

His mother had made him his favorite, pancakes with a side of bacon and pumpkin juice. As they sang happy birthday Ron suddenly felt a slight warm sensation on his left wrist, he dismissed it as nervousness or perhaps hunger. As he reached for the syrup the left sleeve of his pyjama shirt rolled up.

“What’s that?” asked Ginny sitting on the chair on the left of Ron.

“What’s what?” asked Ron as he poured the syrup over his pancakes.

“That mark on your wrist,” Ron turned his wrist over and indeed there was a stranger mark on his wrist. It looked to be a dog similar to a Crup, except it was missing its forked tail, a Jack Russel terrier if Ron was correct. There used to be one at Uncle Bilius’s place back when he was alive.

However, there was also a different mark, unlike the other which was a dark maroon. This one looked like a faint periwinkle blue. It was also not a dog, but instead an otter. It looked as if the dog was chasing the otter, but not like a hunter chasing its prey, but like a playmate.

This conversation was brought to their mother’s attention and as she settled her eyes on Ron’s stranger mark she gasped.

“Arthur!” she said in a loud voice. Ron’s father’s eyes shot up from his copy of the Daily Prophet, and as he saw the random mark on Ron’s wrist, his eyes widened beyond what Ron thought was possible. He looked at his wife as if to ask what to do, before he cleared his throat and settled down the newspaper.

“Listen son,” said his father. “There are special people in the magical world, more so in certain ways than if I may say powerful wizards like Albus Dumbledore.” Ron nodded, not getting his father’s explanation. “When these people turn 10 years of age, something weird occurs to them. They like you get marks.”

Ron’s eyes nearly bulged out of their skull, was his father serious? Was he really more special than the most powerful wizard since Merlin?

“They are known as soulmates,” said his father. “They are people who are destined to belong to one another. That mark you have on your wrist is or will appear on your soulmate at 10 years of age.”

So that was it. He had the same mark as another person, and according to his father that person and he were destined to be together. Ron could see by his parents’ faces that although it seemed like good news, they weren’t necessarily good ones.

“But,” said his mother. “You see Ronnie, some people are quite jealous or confused about this. When it’s time for you to grow up and get a girlfriend or a boyfriend, they won’t necessarily be your soulmate. And as such they won’t even bother staying with you, because to them someone with a soulmate is as good as stolen.”

Ron gulped, was that what made him so special? A sort of brand that turned him into some sort of freak?

“If you want to we can hide it of course,” said his mother hurriedly as he saw his face fall at the news. Ron couldn’t have nodded faster. Her mother went to her room and returned with Bill's old leather wristband. As she wrapped it around his mark he couldn’t help but ask.

“How will I know when I meet them?”

His mother gave him a warm encouraging smile. “You just will.”

On a simple house in Hampstead Hermione Granger couldn’t believe it. It was her birthday, not only on a Saturday giving her free time to read any book she liked and avoid her teasing and mocking classmates, but a witch had just turned into a cat in front of her. She couldn’t believe it, she was a witch, that’s why she could never fit in. She was special, and she was going to a place with special people like her.

It was her father who had brought up the thing as they had decided to dub it.

“Is that why Hermione has that peculiar mark on her wrist?” Professor McGonagall, if Hermione was correct, looked strangely at her father. Her mother put her hand on Hermione’s back, who felt her cheeks go pink at the attention. She removed the ribbon she used to hide the thing.

Professor McGonagall’s eyes widened as they saw a periwinkle blue otter being playfully chased by a Jack Russel terrier, unlike the otter the dog was a faint dark red or maroon.

“Oh my,” escaped from her mouth, before she realized it.

“Oh my?” repeated Hermione’s mother.

Professor McGonagall proceeded to explain everything she could about Soulmates, how they worked, their view in the wizarding world, as she continued to speak fear began to set in Hermione. Of course it wouldn't be that simple, as she asked what they could do the old witch suggested hiding the mark until she was older. It looked like Hermione would have to wear her red ribbon for a while longer.

Ron Weasley was talking to Harry Potter and not only that, but it seemed that he liked him as much as Ron was beginning to like the legendary boy. As he brandished his wand about to show his new friend a spell that hopefully turned his old grey rat yellow he was interrupted by the arrival of a girl.

She had bushy brown hair, a button nose, along with buck teeth, but she was still pretty. She has asked the same question as the other boy that had come through moments ago, as their eyes met Ron felt a tug in his stomach and he had to gulp and look away when he thought he was about to blush under her gaze. He missed as she too settled her gaze away from him.

He cleared his throat and hoped Fred and George hadn’t tricked him.

“Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid, fat rat yellow.” he said, and nothing happened. He felt incredibly embarrassed and the pretty girl wasn’t making it any easier.

“Are you sure that’s a real spell?” said the girl. “Well, it’s not very good is it?” And Ron stopped listening after she started rambling on. Maybe looks were deceiving as his mother said, as the pretty witch looked to be everything but sociable. “–I’m Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?”

“I’m Ron Weasley”

She didn’t know what she had done wrong, she was trying to help him. Perhaps, she had been a tad bossy or maybe she could have phrased it a bit better, but was she really as annoying in the Wizarding World as she was in the Muggle one. Perhaps, her classmates hadn’t been wrong about her.

And she wondered just why Ron’s words had hurt her more than any other. It had hurt enough for her to break down and go to the girl’s bathroom and miss not only her classes, but the Hallowe’en Feast as well.

As Hermione got out of the bathroom stall she was faced with horror as a troll was right in front of her, its foul smell filling the bathroom. She screamed, and then the door banged open. Had the teachers come for her? But, she only heard a slight familiar voice… and Ron’s voice.

As the troll’s club fell down on its small head and the three went back to the Gryffindor Tower they all thanked each other and went to bed. Why hadn’t she recognized Harry’s voice, but Ron’s voice was something like the voice of an old friend? The boy barely tolerated her, and he made no attempt at hiding it.

As she woke up the next morning she joined Harry and Ron on their way to breakfast. Ron went to talk to his brothers about something she hadn’t heard clearly leaving her alone with Harry.

“Thank you,” she said. “Again, for saving me… If you hadn’t got there in time…” she didn’t finish her sentence as a shiver ran down her spine at the memory of the beast.

“You should thank Ron,” said Harry to Hermione’s surprise. Her expression must have told Harry something because the next moment he was explaining himself. “I reminded him that you were still in the bathroom, and you didn’t know.” The green-eyed boy looked at the back of his ginger best friend. “Never saw anyone run that fast.”

Hermione too looked at the back of Ron, but instead of admiration as Harry had shown her cheeks went pink.

They were at a DA meeting, she looked as beautiful as ever of course. They were practicing their Patronus charm, Ron was having a hard time making it Corporeal, for the time being he could only get a wisp of smoke. He tried focusing on his happiest memories, but somehow most of them ended up with Hermione’s face.

But, that would only remind him of the truth, that he had a soulmate somewhere in the world, that destiny had set to screw him up with a bird or a bloke somewhere in the world, that no matter how much he wanted to he could never have what he so wanted, but he couldn’t control himself. He looked at her wild set of brown curls, her beautiful plump lips, her button nose and her beautiful brown eyes. To hell with his soulmate, if he had to carve the mark out of his skin with a knife he would bloody do so if it meant having Hermione.

Suddenly, there was applause and cheering in the room. Ron turned his head and his eyes just couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Hermione had successfully conjured her Patronus, but that wasn’t what shocked Ron, her patronus was an otter. She looked up at him, and seeing him had made her blush as she turned her gaze away from him.

An unrelenting barrage of happiness coursed through him and with the knowledge that Hermione Granger of all people was his soulmate he conjured his own Patronus.

“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” he casted and a Jack Russell Terrier shot out of his wand and ran around the Room of Requirement, there was another round of applause which was now directed to him. It ran around the room and started chasing around Hermione’s otter, it playfully ran behind the other Patronus and the otter started swimming in the air as Ron’s terrier happily barked at it.

Ron set his eyes back to Hermione who looked as shocked as he had felt moments before, Ron gulped and unwrapped his old leather wristband that he had always been careful to use as a way to cover his mark. The wristband fell to the floor and his mark was available to everyone in the room, with all his Gryffindor courage he walked across the room towards her and showed her his wrist.

The otter which had been a faint periwinkle blue seemed to shine as it was no longer translucent. Hermione gasped as he looked from his wrist back at his eyes. She unlaced that red ribbon she always wore in her right wrist and the same mark appeared. They looked back at each other, and something shunned bright in their eyes, Ron couldn’t take it anymore and he put his lips to hers. He could sense her momentary surprise, before he felt her arms wrapped around his neck.

The gasps, the cheers, everything seemed to pass over their heads. As they detached the look that they had for each other told Ron something.

It Took Far Longer Than It Should've.

#chudleycanonficfest2021 #HP fest #hp canon pairings #canon fest romantic #submission #romione #ron x hermione

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starr-fall-knight-rise · 4 years

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HASO, “Freak of Nature.”

A continuation from yesterday. I hope you all enjoy, and I hope you enjoy the setup for some other stories I am planning on doing :)

Have a good day!

Breaking News

The Galaxy is left stunned after the events of late yesterday evening, when a single armed shooter appeared from the crowd and fired on UNSC leader and cultural icon Admiral Vir during a routine press conference given at UNSC headquarters Fort Harmony on the eastern Mericandian coast. Reports describe the event as happening midway through Admiral Vir’s address as the single, hooded female pushed through the crowd and drew a handgun on the Admiral firing once before fleeing into the crowd. She was apprehended by armed security agents only moments later as she tried to flee the scene. On scene witnesses report that an accompanying marine tackled Admiral Vir to the ground just as the shot was fired.

In a statement made early this morning by Admiral Vir he reports that, “Thanks to the brave actions of Corporal Angel Ramirez I am alive and unharmed.” Corporal Angel Ramirez is a decorated veteren of the UNSC deep space division and served his first tour aboard the UNSC Enterprise on its maiden voyage. Since then he has served under Admiral Vir on both the UNSC Harbinger and most recently the Omen distinguishing himself in combat during the Burg war and the Kree engagement. Our sources report that Corporal Ramirez was once an up and coming champion in the Mericandian winter Olympic ice skating team before joining the marines.

Reports say that the corporal came out of surgery early this morning and is in stable but critical condition.

The only question remains is who would attempt an assasination on such a beloved cultural icon. More on that with our crime reporter Jim Shaw.

Thank you, Emily, early this morning we received reports from Fort harmony officials that the name and identity of the shooter is 37 year old Adrea Halen member of a traditionalist leaning moderate group the Hunt Party, who have condemned Admiral Vir in the past for his support of legalizing extrial relationships. President Hunt, leader of the hunt Party and CEO of Hunt Metals said in a statement today. “Our party had nothing to do with Ms. Halen’s actions, while we disagree with Admiral Vir on some fundamentals of government, we would never attempt to silence him through violence. At the end of the day Admiral Vir has done far more good than he has bad and no man deserves to die due to his political views. What Ms halen has done is condemnable, and the party does not support her actions.”

Further comment was withheld until a later date. As of yet police have been unable to determine if she acted alone or with the assistance of the group. Police chief Henry Winzer added in his statement today, “Ms. Halen has not, as of yet, divulged her motives behind the shooting, however based on preliminary evidence of the scene it seems as if these were the actions of a woman acting alone. Detectives have been unable to find any correspondence between her and a third party and even her husband had been out of the country for the past few months.”

Her motive remains, as of yet, unknown. There is evidence of a radicalized political view since she did attempt and target Admiral Vir, and some of her personal social media content has been leaked to the public reporting her dissatisfaction with going the GA and her open disgust for extrial activities especially in regards her oldest son who was in a relationship with a Finnari before moving to Noctropolis. We have since been unable to contact him.

In the past Admiral Vir has been known as a great political proponent in favor of extrial relationships, and a non isolationist view having once said that, “Cooperation and companionship with the GA will be the bedrock of human expansion into space.” With the popularity of Admiral Vir as a cultural Icon, it can be said that his political views have been influential on the younger upcoming generations of today, while the older populace still remains wary of political involvement with extraterrestrial life. In oth-

Adam shut off the TV sinking back into one of the stiff plastic chairs that adorned the hospital waiting room. His eyes felt grainy and dry, and his head ached dully behind his eyes. Off in the corner of the room much of Ramirez’s family lay asleep on the plastic chairs including his father and otters who had arrived late last night. They had fallen asleep after a nurse ventured in a few hours to go to let them know that he was stable and alive. Adam himself had not been able to sleep thinking about his friend, replaying the moment over and over in his head wondering if there was something he could have done to prevent all of this from happening. But the more he thought the more he realized that it was probably unlikely. He might have been able to dive out of the way himself before the shot was fired, but Ramirez was already in motion before that.

He couldn’t have seen it coming, no one could have, and no one did.

Ramirez had just been the fastest.

He sunk back into his chair miserably and stared at the wall. There were no windows in this room, the guard detail had insisted upon it incase someone else tried for his life. It all seemed so strange to him. Why would anyone want to kill him?

He knew the answer though, as much as he wanted to think he was just some nobody, he wasn’t anymore. He was… a political figure, someone who could influence what happened in the galaxy and there were plenty of people who weren’t bound to agree with him on a lot of things.

He just wondered why he hadn’t seen this coming sooner.

His implant buzzed, and he looked down to see that his mother was calling. Whoopse, she wasn’t going to be happy that she was just hearing about this over the news, but he knew he needed to talk to her. He stood and made his way into the hallway, where a protection detail eyed him hawkishly.

Closing the door behind him, so as not to disturb its sleeping occupants, he answered the call, speaking out loud as the implants in his throat and ear picked up the sound, “Hey, mom.”

“Adam! Adam are you alright! I just saw the news.”

“Yeah, yea I’m ok.” He took a deep breath, “Sorry I didn’t call. It’s just been kinda hectic.”

“And you’re sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah, I mean, I feel like shit but no bullet wounds….” he trailed off

There was silence for a moment, ‘I’m so sorry sweetheart, how is Ramirez?”

“Doctor’s haven’t given us all the details yet, but he's at least alive and survived surgery.”

“Thank goodness…. We owe that boy.”

“I know, mom…. I know.”

Just then he heard voices off down the hall and turned to see Dr. kill and Dr Katie approaching from the wings.

“Mom, I’ve gotta go, but I’ll call you as soon as I can, Ok?”

“Ok.”

She let him go and he hung up as the two doctors approached.

“How is he!”

They motioned him into the room and he followed just as Ramirez’s family members were waking up.

Adam hovered near the door not entirely sure if he was supposed to be there. Ramirez’s mother sat up, “Is h ok!”

Dr. Kati and Dr Krill glanced at Adam. Adam realized with Dr. patient confidentiality, and it being family, he probably wasn’t supposed to be here. He went to step outside, but Ramirez’s abuela waved him back.

Ramirez an Dr Katie nodded.

The little alien stepped forward towards the family, “I have both good and bad news.”

The group waited with bated breath.

“THe good news is that your son made it through surgery. He is stable and recovering in the ICU.” he glanced over at Katie, “The bullet went in through his back, through his right kidney and perforated some of his lower bowl. We were able to fix the tears but the kidney…. Was not salvageable.”

The family glanced back and forth between each other, “That…. That’s not so bad though. He has two….”

Krill shifted slightly, “Well that is the remarkable thing and also the bad news but…. Your son only had one kidney. We wouldn’t have noticed it were it not for our imaging, but it seems he has lived with this defect his entire life without complication.”

Dr. Katie Cut in just then, “Since he was born with the defect, his body compensated. The kidney that was destroyed was much larger than average…” She trailed off

The family members looked between each other, “So…. So what does this mean.”

“We have him on dialysis right now, and he is going to need a kidney transplant.” Dr. Katie folded her hands, “There are a few options, there is always the possibility of getting him a donor kidney or equally possible and more…. Advisable would be to have a kidney grown for him using his own stem cells, that way we can grow him one like the one he lost considering there is no way for us to give him two. If he were to get a donor kidney, he would have to undergo chronic gene therapy to avoid medications that would leave him immunocompromised. However in that case he would need to be medically discharged. If we were to grow him a new kidney, he would be able to return to his post without being discharged, but the cost is…. Admittedly much higher.”

The family glanced between each other their faces pulled into grimaces.

Adam knew their financial situation. He had heard stories about Ramirez growing up and knew enough to know that his family had never been well off. They had been close, his childhood had been excellent, but they had never been rich. Affording either of those options was going to be a stretch.

“Well we will have to talk about-”

“I’ll pay for it.”

The entire room turned to look at him.

“You-”

“I said I will pay for it. With the settlement for the court case, I can pay for it. He saved my life this is the least I can do, Please…”

His pleading was so plaintive that the family could hardly say no. He did have a point as well. Instead, he received an enthusiastic hug from Ramirez’s younger sister who clasped her arms around him and nearly snapped him in half with her strength. She was an olympic boxer after all, so he wasn’t surprised.

“Thank you thank you thank you.” She repeated.

Dr. Katie looked at him with a pointed expression, but she didn’t need to ask. He intended to pay for every last cent of Ramirez’s treatment even if he had to fight his abuela for it. He wasn’t entirely sure he’d win against her, but he would damn sure try if it meant doing something fo his friend.

He owed him after all.

And even if he didn’t Ramirez was his best friend. This wasn’t about owing him, this was about doing anything for someone he cared about.

Dr. Krill shifted in his place, “We will get the equipment ready and start later this week. I…. would be honored to perform the operation. I will be upfront with you and say that I am the universe's foremost surgeon, but I would also be the first Alien to perform a transplant”

“I of course, you saved his life last night-”

They seemed almost in shock. Everything was being paid for and the universe most renowned surgeon was practically begging to do it.

The only way this could have been better is if their son hadn’t been shot in the first place.

***

The steady beeping of the machine echoed around the room. Adam sat with one ankle crossed over a knee looking down at his implant and absently reading through that day’s news report as a soft whirring came from the machine just to his right. He wasn’ technically supposed to be here, but the doctors had made an exception for him and the family. On the other side of that a glass tube was busy growing an extra kidney. There was security outside the door and a doctor came in every few minutes to check on the kidney, and the man to which the kidney belonged.

Adam scrolled dow.

There was a shifting just to his side, and with relief Adam looked up to find Ramirez stirring. The man tried to open his eyes but squinted against the light and groaned raising one IV tethered hand to block the light.

Adam leaned over resting a hand on his arm, “Hey you’re finally awake.”

Ramirez cracked an eye at him and groaned.

“Come on ya freak wake up.”

Ramirez closed his eyes again, “Why…. When I wake up do I have to see your ugly ass.

Adam snorted, “How sweet, freak.”

“Freak, have you looked at yourself lately.”

“At least I was born with all my kidneys.”

Ramirez opened his eyes and frowned, “What?”

Adam smiled slightly, “Turns out your dumbass has lived his entire life with only one kidney. Congratulations, you are a freak of nature.”

“No shit, really? I had no idea.”

“We know, anyway the bullet sort of ruined it, so you have to get a new one. He pointed across the room to the glass tube and its slowly growing kidney which was no bigger than a jellybean right at that moment.”

Ramirez looked and frowned, “Ew, gross… wait who's paying for that,because I don’t think the military covers transplants.”

“It's taken care of.”

“By who.”

“By someone.”

“Someone who.”

“Someone who would rather remain unnamed.”

Ramirez looked at him,”It’s you isn't it.”

Adam sighed, “You saved my life, so shut up and let me buy you a new kidney. I owe you that much at least.”

“Fne, fine.”

There was a pause between them.

“I….. thank you, for saving my-”

“Dude don’t get all sappy and shit on me ok. You would have done it for me.” Adam went quiet still wishing to thank his friend but knowing Ramirez would never accept i.

Ramirez shifted to look at him, “So, you know why they tried to kill you?”

Adam shrugged, “Not really, the lady who did it has some political affiliations who don't tend to agree with me, but that connection doesn't seem to fit completely. Either that or she blames me for making her son an extrial in which case….. That hardly makes sense either.” he shrugged, “Either way she isn’t talking, and now I can’t go anywhere without five to six bodyguards spilling out my ass.”

Ramirez snorted, eyes closing, breathing deeply.

“You feeling ok.”

“Yeah…. I’m alright, just tired.”

“Then go back to sleep ya big idiot. Maybe if you’re a good boy santa will leave a kidney under your pillow.”

Ramirez let off a weak huff, “Didn’t know santa was a black market organ dealer.”

“He is this christmas, now shut up and go to sleep.” Ramirez didn’t argue with him beyond that point, and fell back asleep just as a nurse ws coming to check on him.

Adam was relieved.

Ramirez was, hopefully, going to be ok.

Though what remained were far more questions than there were answers.

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sepublic · 4 years

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Kipo Season 2 Thoughts!

-Wolf smiles a LOT in this Season, at least moreso than usual, and I’m living for it! Maybe one day I’ll make a “Smiles I want to protect” montage, but it’s just every shot of Wolf smiling...

-I have to wonder, is Fun Gus a result of the lab experiments as well, or did he just sort of move in after the place was blown open by Song?

-Emilia though... Ugh. Not really much else to say about her. She talks big about humans having built an empire or whatever, but she also seems to conveniently forget that it was humans who also brought it down. Or, not- Maybe Mutes deliberately had an uprising, but still. I wondered if we’d have Human characters who are very pro-human, but at the cost of Mutes as a result... I guess we got them, and in the form of a genocidal jerk!

-The Rats were my favorite Mute group followed by the Umlaut Snakes, so OF COURSE the show had to mess with me by having Scarlemagne attack them! Thankfully, Brad and Amy made it out alive and good, but I’m still depressed over them! Ratland was THEIR dream- Which confirms they were in charge, but also we saw other background rats? WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM??? But hey, at least Brad and Amy are okay, I just wish they got their Goat Cheese! Maybe they can make a NEW Ratland from the ruins of Aurum, that’d be fitting! Also the Umlauts are fine, although I didn’t see one of them... I think she was the one voiced by a famous celebrity? That’d explain the absence, guest voices can be hard to reprise. However...

-DANG, I did NOT expect the Mod Frogs to die like that! After Brad and Amy got away fine, I just... YIKES. I knew Scarlemagne was going to be upset at them for messing with his family, and in his own house no less, but... OOF. RIP to those frogs, they shall be missed- Really, I was just thinking about how much I enjoyed the designs and vibes of them before, y’know... Jamack really dodged a bullet there, huh? And talk about MESSED UP... The Mod Frog Boss got to choose her own place in Aurum, and that’s why she and the others were there before everyone else! That blessing by Scarlemagne led to a Butterfly’s effect of their horrific execution, I just... It’s messed up, especially knowing that their bodies are forever buried under who knows HOW many karats of gold?!

-I realized that the Goats adopted a reverence for Cheese because Goats have their milk used to make cheese (as well as other culinary purposes), but like... It didn’t really SINK IN that it was their milk until Dave asked. Brilliant way to end THAT episode, I tell you!

-Back to Wolf... WE GOT TO SEE HER SING! We saw her make Stalky! RIP Stalky... hopefully she makes a new one- Possibly from that same Death Stalker she beat, though I’m not sure if it’s still alive? Regardless, it was a TREAT to see more backstory for her, and how she learned to fight off the Death Stalkers, and then chose to attack one for its stinger! Anyhow, I need to hear her sing Heroes on Fire at least... TWELVE more times after this!

-Did NOT see that twist over the masked figures being the ones to put the collar on Song, not Scarlemagne! One might say that the show is ‘predictable’ in some ways, but in those ways that predictableness FEELS good and proper! Like how an actual story should go... At the same time, KatAoW still saves its genuine twists for what really matters!

-Love the usage of Mulholland by the way, glad to see the friendships made along the way have paid off! I wonder if he’ll be used to help Song speak to Kipo and Lio more! Also, it was weird to see some Fitness Raccoons boo Kipo and Co. while at Cappuccino’s place, but I guess the animators just needed some background variety.

-And, hey! Cappuccino has a fun design, although it feels awkward since I’ve just recently eaten shrimp... Although I HAVE recently visited some brunch places, so I can still appreciate her cafe!

-Did not expect the potential plot thread of Kipo losing control and hurting others as a Mega-Jaguar. I was legit concerned when she almost went for the kill on Gerard, and I love how Wolf, who is very much survival of the fittest, still respects and admires Kipo’s compassion to save her from doing that!

-Good for Jamack, by the way, getting the fame he also desired with those The-Otters! On a small note, I love the gag of the whole gang being unmasked, before we see one Otter, because then you remember that there was that one dude who was also in a costume! Pretty surreal seeing the gang play caricatures of themselves, in COSTUMES of themselves...!

-Zane and Greta are himbos, they’re total Kronks. Not much else to say, I just like that about them! I’ve seen TWO buff, himbo ladies working for the bad guys by Dreamworks -Scorpia and Greta- and I’m down for more!

-It was ADORABLE seeing Mandu try to mimic the tusks of those Boar-Mutes, and how they low-key were encouraging Mandu as well?

-Also, will Kipo’s community NOT LISTEN TO EMILIA SHUT UP YOU’RE THE WORST CHARACTER NOW I WAS WILLING TO GIVE SCARLEMAGNE A CHANCE BUT THEN YOU-

-Dave is apparently so immortal that he can survive being blown apart from the inside? Those Bats made a point that I’d become desensitized to, but... He really IS the weirdest character now that I think about it!

-Poor Kipo, each season ends with her thinking her journey is over, only for someone else to come in and change the current objective after the previous one was fulfilled! Give Kipo a break, dang it!

#kipo #kipo and the age of wonderbeasts #kataow #spoilers #kipo spoilers #kipo season 2 #wolf #kipo oak #jamack #scarlemagne #mulholland

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justanalto · 3 years

Note

Say yes to boots

Just say it

*sounds of brain exploding in the background*

"it's a sufboard to california"

"yeah until she falls off and gets concussed"

can you tell i think about this a lot

The first time she sleeps with Keyla Detmer, it's a rush -- hurried kisses scattered across Joann's collarbone hard enough to leave marks in the morning, soft sounds echoing off of the walls, satisfaction burrowing itself into both of their bloodstreams just as their hands intertwine at the end of the night.

The second time, it's harried for a different reason: two souls rushing to bathe in the relief that they're both alive to see another day, lingering gazes in disbelief and tears sliding down cheeks and kisses steeped in the panic of the possibility of losing the other at any other given moment.

The third time, it's with soft smiles and their fingers tangled casually together as they meander down the corridor from the mess hall. No questions get asked, only an eyebrow raised and the unspoken expectation that neither of them will be sleeping alone that night.

Joann replicates a set of sleeping clothes from the replicator in Keyla's quarters, switches almost seamlessly with the other woman in the bathroom when it's her turn to use the sink. An extension, if one had to define it, of their partnership on the bridge. Its easiness should strike fear in the both of them, she knows, but when Joann goes to search for it, said fear is nowhere to be found.

It's replaced instead with the heaviness of Keyla's childhood quilt, sent up from Düsseldorf after the Binaries, comforting and warm with memories and weighted yarn. "It's a Detmer heirloom," Keyla explains sleepily, reaching to tuck its outer edges around Joann. "First person that a Detmer sleeps in it with is going to end up their significant other for life."

Joann stares at her with just-as-sleepy eyes. Had Keyla already been thinking about that? It'd been all of three weeks, and quite honestly, she's loved Keyla Detmer long enough that she's not opposed to it, but... "Pretty long-term thinking for a pilot who goes by the seat of her pants."

"Yeah, but." The snark usually present in Keyla's grin is absent for once. "You never were a seat-of-the-pants decision."

She can't say the words yet, can she? Of course not. It's too early. It's definitely too early. But still, even as Joann fights to keep the words from spilling from her lips, she sees them present in the twinkle of Keyla's eyes. Maybe it's not.

Corners tucked and declarations made, Keyla wraps long, careful arms around Joann's body, chin tucked into the crook of her neck and torso flush to hers and...

"Keyla?"

"Mm?"

"Why are your toes so cold?"

Keyla wiggles her toes from where she's tucked them between Joann's calves. "Part of the Detmer charm, obviously," she jokes, and even half-asleep, Joann lets out a good-natured groan. "The universe couldn't make everything about me great, you know."

"I'm getting you fuzzy socks on next shore leave." The good ones, Joann muses, not the replicated ones that were thinner than Stamets' patience when dealing with Reno. If her girlfriend -- future wife, if the blanket's tradition continued -- was going to be in her bed, the last thing she was going to have was cold toes.

Keyla pauses. "Jo?"

"Yes, I'll get you the ones with the otters on them."

Satisfied, Keyla settles onto the pillow. "Mm."

#ask things #re clears out her inbox #aleksandrachaev #kat's quest for boots

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sebsunset · 3 years

Text

Creation, Both Haunted and Holy - CHAPTER 2!

I’ve been working on this thing for weeks straight, to make it as amazing as possible!

As always, I am dragging @muffinlance‘s AUs into my work

this is the angsty one :) yUP, the year-old au!

and don’t worry, i have another one in progress... also using a muffinlance- inspired au- one of the more obscure ones, i think!

Mother Hama is. Suspiciously nice to write, and very angsty

TRIGGERS: Graphic-ish descriptions of wounds and child abuse! Please beware, my dudes! Things will get better soon, but this is really really bad right now!

LINK: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25578904

OR, READ HERE :)

In the moon’s light, an urutau-vulture screeches out its song, pure and eerie grief ringing out in the wind.

And that’s how Zuko’s mind briefly comes back to reality.

Awareness fading in and out with each breath he wheezes through.

With wakefulness, comes the purest of agonies. A mouth open, voice too hoarse to scream out for help.

The hot pain, all over him, the memories tugging at his head, the memories of-

The burning. A cleanse that felt so dirty, like-

Oh, the sheer smell of it-

Of him.

The smell of cooked meat is his.

He wheezes out a cough, remembers the time Mom had no servants to help her, and had asked Azula to light up the fire for them to cook.

He tries thrashing about, to get a good view.

Mom ought to be around there, around somewhere.

(Even if it’s been so long since she was last around.)

She must be there, somewhere he can’t see, maybe in the blurry shade of the trees. She will bring a bucket and cool water, and she will hold him and-

“W-Where’s mom?” he tries asking, to nothing, to no one.

But only one of his ears hear it, the raspy, damaged sound that he can hardly recognize as his own voice.

He tries to ask again, words broken, tear tracks he can only feel in one cheek.

The burning pain he struggles to breathe over.

He doesn’t know what happened, but he can’t move. Can’t do anything, nothing but begging for it to go away.

“Where?” his voice comes out, finally.

The pain in his throat finally registers with the blabbered words, and suddenly he feels like he’s been screaming for all too long.

I’m sorry, Larva, says the feeling of hands on him. I’m so sorry it came to this.

Ghostly hands that don’t quite hurt when they touch his left side.

There is no shadow to hold him, though.

He can’t remember what happened, but the questions come to his mind nonetheless.

Why does it hurt so much? Why is his arm numb, why can’t-

Go to sleep. I’ll keep you safe, little Vessel.

The voice is soft, warm.

And, as the moon sings her song, his brief moment of awareness fades off.

Only one eye closing, as he breathes out again.

Painful, laboral.

His last thought is that he hates it.

The tone in the voice.

It’s all too-

It’s in the way the moon sings, as the boy’s skin peels off.

It’s in the way he doesn’t let any infection set in.

Scabbing away as the days pass, as Vaatu tries to heal him.

But there’s a reason the two of them were together. Glued, some might say.

Possessed, united fully.

He is part of Zuko, he is his mind and he is confined, locked away from seeking any further help. Not while the boy is that hurt, not while he can’t be awake and alive on his own.

Were it not a tragedy of occasion, his tendency to lock himself in the tiniest confides would be quite entertaining to watch.

Maybe, were it not happening to him, of all creatures.

Truly, he has been reduced to cowering on corners, to being not much more than a shadow.

Was it selfish, to wish for freedom when he had given it up to save his Vessel?

The two of them had done it.

An Avatar State of their own volition.

A sacrilege against the nature of a human body, a way to twist and bend their souls, braided together into a necklace of rope.

He doesn’t want to tell his boy what happened.

What the two of them had done.

He was too young to know what their purpose really was.

What would happen next, once he managed to get Zuko awake for more than a few minutes, enough time for them to scavenge, to do anything?

But keeping him awake, at that moment, would be nothing short of insane.

Yes, he must change. But this is too painful. Vaatu can feel the pulsing, the infection begging to seep in, to eat away at their flesh.

The way the dead limb hangs limply, charred black. The way the damaged leg attracts flies, like a plate of fruit slathered in honey, only kept away by him.

Blisters that look like they could open into eyes, watch the world for them all.

And so, Vaatu brushes off the sickness, scares away the vermin.

Lets his presence seep through, for nothing can keep him from affecting the world, not even being tied so deeply to his vessel.

The woods grow around them, thick foliage, colorful flowers in the vines.

No other spirit to bless or curse them.

Just the lonesome pocket of the world to which Vaatu and his Vessel have gone.

He is the eye of the shadow, the chaos that lurks deep in that tiny, undisturbed piece of the world.

He is a warning to the creatures.

He warns the world to stay away, lest it feel his disruption. His returning strength, his effect on the world around them finally taking place again.

Now that they are united, he can see that they could easily become unstoppable.

Rotting limbs thrown into any position, blackened flesh still smelling like it's been cooked.

The way it all brews in the two of them is nauseating.

The sickness is in the bursts of consciousness, when the one eye that can close opens up, blurry from tears.

When his head faces up and he sobs, lonesome and in pain.

Vaatu tries keeping the pain at bay, even if just by lulling him to bed.

Their vengeance is yet to be completed.

Disaster will strike again, he will make sure of it.

He tries telling, he tries consoling.

We will come back, he says. Rest for now, their fate is incoming.

But he is just a voice in his head, the feeling of a ghost-limb that can't really pull back hair, brush away feverish sweat.

Even if their Vessel is growing more powerful, Vaatu feels as weak as he can be.

But, as consciousness slips away again, he can’t help but notice the way the world is shifting around them.

The way the rabbit-mice has started chasing the otter-fox.

It is a victory, but it feels wrong.

Unsteady feet, weight put all into one as Zuko drags himself up.

The pain is hot and hard, it almost drives away the overwhelming hunger.

He didn’t think it could get that bad.

It could be worse, Vaatu says, but his voice still sounds angry.

Maybe not at him, but angry nonetheless.

(Angry like-)

When coherency slips away from his mind, when the pain is too much, as each of his slow, measured hops grows more and more exhaustive, he feels something in him beg for destruction.

But he won’t.

In the same way that Vaatu won’t bring him food, in the same way he will stay quiet, never saying a word of what happened to him.

Zuko wants to proclaim that he isn’t forgiven, but for the moment, his focus is on the steps.

Barely more than hops, as his one useful hand hangs onto trees.

Bare feet, grass scratching up against the angry, still-bleeding skin.

The question is pressing, rubbing against the back of his mind, as he cries out and whines, intense pain barely dimmed.

How is he alive?

All firebenders are taught about the sheer power of their fire, about the great deeds and prowesses they can achieve.

About how much damage they can inflict upon their enemies, when they chose not to end their suffering.

It should be infected.

I am trying not to let that happen, Vaatu whispers in his head, like it's a secret, like saying it out loud will destroy their chances of it getting any better.

He isn’t moving in the shadow.

“The left side feels green.” he says, barely noticing he’s speaking at all.

Sunlight streams in through the gaps in the foliage. The moon is going to rise up soon, and the world is orange and it all feels green.

Find help, the voice instructs. You need someone to help you.

“First, food.” he argues, hearing the rumbling of his stomach. “I mean- Where there is food, there are people.”

You make a surprisingly decent point, he says, and there ought to be some farmhouses around here.

Zuko shudders.

People watched back there, people saw his shame burned into skin, his last rite of passage.

His whining sounds pitiful to his own head, but he can’t make his mouth shut up.

Involuntary sounds, flinches and shudders, as he drifts through.

Tall grass scraping against his wound, every touch sending new jolts of it.

The gentle breeze, the falling petals of flowers, blown away by the wind.

All so gentle. The kind pulsing of the world’s fiery heart, a piece of peace in the battlefield of its little nations.

And all so, so very painful.

Maybe this tells more than it shows, but pain is hard to show through words, hard to show through barely coherent thoughts, by the mind of a child who had never been through such great agony before.

A bad leg that can’t sustain his weight much longer.

Tiny complaints amidst panting.

He feels like he is the only source of noise. The world is eerily still.

Holding its breath.

Zuko shudders, tree bark scraping at tiny hands.

He looks down on himself.

A foot half-blackened. White and violent red, all blistered and-

Cooked. Broken.

Zuko doesn’t look at his left arm.

He is all too broken, all too destroyed by the time he’s been through.

You aren’t, says the voice.

Scabs that peel away too easily, like they were never meant to form.

Droplets of blood calling for any animal. He is prey, and the world is so, so very much now.

The disorganization of the world doesn’t manage to feel quite right, quite how it should be.

Like someone’s disrupted it before, like they’ve re-organized the world into something it shouldn’t be.

Something hangs in the air, hidden but never overshadowed by the smell of his tracks.

Yes, deliberate.

They’re onto something, he realizes.

A pike of wood, somewhere from which a scarecrow once stood.

“A garden.” he says. “I think we’ve found a garden.”

Purring at the back of his head, his blurry eye half-focusing around him.

A bush at the entrance.

Calling to him.

Food.

It has to be food.

Overtaken by hunger, he can only see them.

The rest of the garden is just carrots, little beets and a cabbage or two.

Nothing that looks that sweet.

And so, Zuko drops down, hisses in pain and twitches about, before grabbing a handful of berries in his one hand.

Vaatu takes a minute too long to realize they’re the kind used to make rat poison.

Her abode is a humble one.

A tiny inn she’s set up, rooms rarely occupied.

Of course, she has other places for travelers to sleep in.

It’s her lair, made of damp wood, of floorboards that creak comfortably under her old feet. Of roofs that leak, of the smell of a harmless old person.

She has a thousand little closets, a million nooks and crannies.

Hidden memorabilia, memories she’s carved back up for herself.

All wheatered by rain and by soot, but kept clean and tidy, far away from the fire.

She didn’t have many clients, but she had more than enough time to tend to the ones she had.

And so she did, for a time.

She kept herself satisfied, working towards her goals day in and out.

Followed through with a routine, day in and day out. Cooked plenty for herself, made sure she had the energy to follow through with her tasks.

That night, she can feel the full moon.

A welcome presence above her, making the world pulse with her divinity.

She has blessed the woman with her presence, and so, that night, she will go…

Watch the moon.

It’s a nice way to talk about the indulgence in her favourite of all things.

When she can make the world malleable around her, when she can dance and sing, pulling at the strings that bind the world together.

She smiles, feels it pull at her eyes.

That night will be formidable, she thinks

With finality, she treks along.

Yet, she doesn’t feel alone.

How can she, when the full moon rises, making the world finally feel alive again?

The leaves crackling under her feet as she strides, the roots and branches snapping under her like she is a mighty beast.

Remainders of the sun’s warmth slowly seeping out, Tui taking her rightful place in the throne of the sky.

Her court of stars, rising slow and steady in its march.

And the world is silent around her. She knows it ought to be gawking at her, the last of her kind.

“Oh?” comes out of her mouth, before she can even stop herself.

An ear strained out.

“What is that…” she tsk-s in amusement, looks around with a half-absent mind.

Just what poor creature dares it, to choke in her garden, to foam over the leaves of her poison, to die in Hama’s territory?

Wakefulness comes slowly.

His brow furrows in confusion, only half his vision able to focus.

But he doesn’t need to.

All Zuko sees is darkness.

He shivers, suddenly hit with the sheer cold of the room.

It's eerie.

He doesn’t know where he is.

He lashes out, trashes about.

His feet burn. Tied together with rope.

There are no windows, the space cramped. The sickeningly sweet smell of mold, the only sound meeting his ears, his own panting.

Like a piece of bread that’s been left hanging around for all too long.

Something is wrong.

It’s in the way his tongue feels garbled when he tries to talk, it’s in the way he can’t quite move.

It’s in the involuntary twitching of a dead limb, that he can’t stop, even when it hurts.

He can’t sit up, wouldn’t even if the dizziness would let him.

Vessel, are you okay? comes to his head.

Why didn’t you stop me, he tries asking. Where are we? Why are we here?

There are no little hands in the shadows, no feeling of a ghost hand touching him.

But the pain is dulled, pushed back.

Cloaked.

“Where am I?” he looks around. “Va-Voice, where are we?”

Someone brought us here, Larva. Get up, I’m curious.

“Then move on your own.” he spits. “I’m tied up. Stupid.”

Regret makes him shake his head, but Vaatu is too old to hold up a grudge.

I can’t. We are united now, Larva. We are one in the same, and wherever you go, I go too.

“Chained?” he remembers. Like he is. Stuck, chained.

Chained. But fret not, my Larva, for stagnation will not come back to us. For now, though, you shall recover your energies.

A groan, as he lifts his hand, swipes a bug from his brow.

You sound like Uncle goes unsaid, but leaves the taste of bile on his mouth nonetheless.

Shudders, head shakes. The feeling of strands of patchy hair brushing against his shoulder.

He may not be alone, but there's no armor, no protection.

Zuko shivers, suddenly cold.

A part of him would give anything for that surge of power, for the feeling of the elements at his will, ready to be summoned up, to be harnessed and used as he deems fit.

For anything that can protect him, even with the collateral damage.

He can’t do anything, but he struggles to turn to his side nonetheless, to crawl out of the pile of rags that was his bed.

He can’t get up, so he drags his body along, pulls it slowly.

A trail of blood from his left side, scraped against the floorboards.

Dragged by his hand, whining and growling.

He can’t untie himself, no matter how much he tries.

Some kind of different knot - intricate, woven tight.

Vaatu guides him slowly, words that barely register to his mind.

Nausea, the feeling of ants crawling at the tips of his fingers as he drags himself to the door.

Get to the door - away from the fabric, it burns too easily - and then you can burn through the rope.

And suddenly, he wants to scream.

“I’m not burning myself. Shut up!” he plops onto his right side, drool pooling at the left corner of his mouth.

Beyond his control.

You know how to control the heat. It wouldn’t hurt. It's like pulling a bandage.

“Shut up.” he tries screaming, but his voice comes off hoarse.

… I apologize. I understand your fear, Vessel.

“I’m not forgiving you.”

I won’t let you stagnate for long, but feel free to stand your ground for a few more days.

“I’ll give you a week.” A bit of snark, that comes off soft.

A dry chuckle that breaks through the darkness.

He rolls his eyes, but can’t bring a smile up. He knows it would hurt. It would sting on his face, it would pull at the burns.

He reaches the door, struggles onto his knees, pulls at the handle.

Rattled, shaken, pulled and pushed with the feeblest of strengths.

Breaths growing quicker, as the weight of what he had done sets onto his shoulders.

Oh, what he did-

You should’ve eaten your vegetables, comes out as a light-hearted attempt, falling so very short.

“Shut up.” he wants to yell, because he’s locked in a strange home and oh Agni-

It’s dawning on him, slowly and steadily, just what he did.

Just what happened.

He hurt them.

(He did much worse.)

Falls to the floor. Looks at his one hand.

Now only one. Covered with little burns, old marks of his failures set onto his wrists. Little reminders of hands that were once there.

His breath, puffing out as smoke in the dark, cold room.

And suddenly, tears are falling down onto his hand.

(Father did that.)

No voice to comfort him. Nothing but the oppressiveness of his lonesome state.

Zuko wants to drown in tears, but his left eye refuses to cry, his bony body refuses to shake with sobs just yet.

So he just shrinks in there, holds himself close through the pain, pretends someone else is there to hold him.

"W-why?" He asks, feeling only half of his mouth move.

Words coming out garbled, blabbered through tears.

No answer comes, and he feels all alone.

He is a big boy, he wants to remind himself.

A big boy indeed, and that's why he cries and cries and cries, ignoring how the hollow place of the moon is soon filled by Agni’s eye.

The walks back home tend to be a less than exciting ordeal.

Oh, of course there's glee. Catharsis, even.

But lately, there’s some more than that. There’s the weight of the years on her shoulders, the soreness on her legs, the ache engraved deep into her bones.

That’s the vengeance of her people, of the men and women slain, torn down from the inside, overtaken by insanity.

She was meant to do it. It was why the art had come to her, it was why she had mastered it.

To bring down the rain of vengeance.

Nonetheless, that particular walk was made through with a quicker step, with a less vengeful head.

She had spent so long hurting, and the ones who hurt were the ones who learned how to heal the best.

She knew where to make it ache, and she had studied plenty of how to heal before.

(Kanna and her, studying scrolls that would be burned less than a day later, until late at the night.

Listening to the tribe's men sing and dance around the campfire, laughing and betting. Rolling their eyes, t hey healed eachother with little kisses by the moonlight, as Hama listened to Tui's song, to the calling of the full moon.

And with her friend's mittened hand in hers, she closed her eyes and felt the warm pulse of a world suddenly coming to life.

In the night's light, the cold wind whipping against their warm bodies, they danced together.

A dance that would soon turn into brisk movements, into desperate jabs.

But, at the moment and to that very day, the times before were painted with a rose-tinted glass.)

What mattered was that she had a patient, someone hurt as badly as she once was.

A son of ash and soot, a child with an eye burned open, blinded but still moving.

A child whose mere existence, whose life was astounding to her. How could that little thing keep going, how could he crawl to her and lay by her grassbed?

A little creature that proved her either insane or lucky enough to have a spirit in her hands.

He was going to be useful, she had decided when she found him foaming at the mouth, turning and twisting, rubbing dirt all over the open wound.

She’d cleaned him up, she had left him a nice little room, for an ashmaker that had yet to pay her back.

He would be grateful, that was certain.

And she’d seen first hand, how gratitude could destroy a man. Break down his flesh, make him bow and worship like a dog.

(She'd stood, suspended in her cell, watching an affair below.

The guard with bright yellow eyes, a glint like that of golden daggers, pointed towards her favorite prisoner.

A young woman, barely more than a girl.

She was from a neighboring tribe. Beautiful button nose and plump lips, bowing down low, foreign words slipping off her tongue.

She was meant to sing to the moon and the sea, but she sung their tribe’s songs upon anyone’s request. Danced as well as she could, tied up in chains.

A slap to the back of her head, something in the dirty ashmaker's speech.

A correction, two apologies delivered in a low bow.

Forgiveness in the form of a plump bowl of jook and not much else.)

Her garden blooms around her.

What little use she could make of the soil there. Little plants, poisonous berries. Nothing too beautiful or lavish. She was just a humble old woman, afterall.

She’d been nice, asked around the village. Seeds, some tools. She was sweet and defenseless, and nobody ever dared suspect her to her face.

The village had never been a tribe.

And the house she lived in had always been just that. A house. Some might stretch it and call it a lair.

Not quite a home, as much as she tries to keep it cold, to make it feel like one when she closed her eyes, and look like one when she dared open them up.

That place is still a land of fire. Lava below her, the sun all too hot, not a single break in his wicked reign.

She misses the polar winters. They’d always been so good for weeding out the weak and the fiery alike.

Perhaps her glasses are tinted blue, contrasting all too sharply against the blood-red of that place.

But the point still stands in her mind. That place is no real home.

It doesn't have the foundations to be one.

It doesn't have the people to make it one.

There’s no Kana or Panuk or any of the children running about. There is no tribe to embrace her, no new stories to tell around the campfire. No dealings with the neighbors, and no polar-bear sled dogs to lead to the market every month.

There’s only the oppressive loneliness of a single person lost in the sea of snakes.

But for now, she can rejoice in the luxury of a new toy. One that can be mended, sewn and filled up with the truth. A child of ash, all hers.

(Malleable as the water she’d once sculpted into ice.)

Slow footsteps, steady smile. A bit of excitement, despite the bits of a lazy cat in her demeanor.

The doors of the inn, all open and empty.

Until the locked closet.

It’s their smallest room. It’s perfect for someone that small, that frail.

A plant left in a pot too big will soon spread, grow out of control.

If he grows up well enough, if his leaves twist and bend and his roots stretch out as he tries to reach the sun, she will put him on a leash.

Hama had been wanting something to keep her entertained.

He sobs and heaves and nearly vomits once or twice.

Snot and bile, no comfort, no caress.

Not a word amidst the fit. Nothing that he can hear, nothing that can make itself noted in his mind.

His body hurts, but there is no infection to take him away, to lend him a hand.

He can’t think straight. Repulse fills his throat whenever he thinks of himself, whenever he opens his eye for enough time to truly see himself.

And he can’t do this, he thinks.

Like any child does, he slips into a spiral, falls down and down.

Thoughts swirling in his head, screams that his throat can't force out.

Until something breaks through, snaps him out of it.

The sound of a door creaking open.

A tiny stream of the morning’s light drifts into the room, so gentle yet so bright, revealing dust that doesn’t quite form bunnies and mold growing on the walls of a cramped closet.

The decrepit coldness is suddenly accentuated, with the gentle warmth that hits his back.

He shudders, suddenly, as the light is taken away.

When he turns, a figure stands, back-lit in the doorway.

Old and hunched, his blurry eyes barely able to focus on anything but her kind smile.

He turns to her, ready to question why she left his legs tied up, why she locked him there, how long he'd been alone, what she wants to do now-

“Are- Are you-” he tries stuttering out a question, but suddenly, he realizes he doesn’t know just what he wants to ask.

She comes closer, looks down upon him.

“Bow down and ask, young one.” she says, gently. “Be respectful of this old woman, won’t you?”

Vaatu growls at the back of his head, and, for a second, he forgets that his friend is simply locked inside his mind, with no real effect on the world once they’re not alone.

So, he breathes in deep, pretends there’s nothing wrong inside him.

And drops down in a rigit bow, so the kind woman won’t burn him.

“I am Hama. Who are you?” a cane pokes his burnt side, the arm that’s no longer there.

Deep breath. He knows who he is, and so will she.

“I’m Zuko. Son of-”

“Nobody.” she says. The harsh word startles him, slipped in such a gentle voice. “Not anymore. Not after what happened to you.”

He tries again.

“Zuko, son of P-”

A poke from the cane, right in a blister. He flinches and hisses, unable to stop himself.

“You are a son of nobody.” she says, her voice sweet as the smell of moldy grain. “After all that must’ve happened to you, it’s better as that. Poor thing.”

That silence lasts for a few seconds, before her voice returns, kinder, to his sight of nothing but fetid floorboards.

“Now, young one, tell me, what have they done to you?”

He won’t say. He won’t speak out again.

Not when Vaatu hisses, pure in his anger, taking over his head.

“Don’t you think you owe me that, after all I’ve helped you with?” a cane pokes his head, gently thumping against his skull. No real intention for pain, not on his bad side.

He gulps down something.

A single tear hits his lip, salty against the bitterness in his mouth.

Why does he cry? Why do the tears betray his mind, why does his gut feel so raw?

“I- I was burned.” he says.

“That I can see.” she says, gently. “Now come on, darling. I must know your affliction to heal you.”

“I was burned and banished.” he says. Words spilling out dirty and fetid and spat out like falling teeth.

But he tells no more. Hopefully, she won't see any tales of spirits, any curses or blessings to destroy.

(What if she wants to cleanse him, too?)

“Oh, dear.” she says, voice perfect in compassion.

Be careful, Vessel, Vaatu says in his head. His voice no longer a hiss, just a thought at the back of his mind. Do not trust her. Do not.

“That is very unfortunate.” she says. “Then, you aren’t Zuko, are you? As a banished boy, you have no name.”

“I- I still have my honor.” is the only defense he can give her.

And she laughs.

It would be warm, infectious as any other disease, were it not happening at that moment, when he felt raw and when his vulnerability was so easy to turn into anger.

“I am Hama, and you are Nobody.”

This is the point where the scene should end. Here, it should all fade away to silence, to maybe a sob or two, a twitch or whine at his own discomfort, until he is instructed to get up.

But please, remember just who we are talking about.

Nothing ends when or how it should, down here.

“B-But-” he tries stammering out, his heart thundering in his chest. His voice can’t come out as a scream, but it tries.

Maybe, a part of him thinks, his voice will be heard then.

She pokes him again, straight at the ribs.

“Nobody.” she says. “Nobody, with that attitude.”

If only she knew, he wanted to say.

Be nobody, Vaatu whispers, locked inside his head.

Zuko wants to fight. He wants to bite and gnash and destroy, to bend and twist and fall upon that state again, that state that made him-

“Not nobody,” he says. “I- I’ll prove to you. I’m not nobody. I swear on my honor.”

He can feel her smile.

“Son of nobody, then.” she says. “But make good on that promise, please.”

Hissing in his head, he looks up.

Tap, straight at a hollowed-out cheek.

“Stay down.” she says. “The light might hurt your eyes, so keep down low, son. I’ll get you something to eat.”

#writing #fanfic #atla #atla aang #atla zuko #atla hama #avatar #avatar zuko #vaatu #avatar vaatu #fanwork #fandom #fanfiction #fantasy #angst #muffinlance #mother hama au #hama #avatar hama

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be-the-creature-fan · 3 years

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My list of Questions I would ask the Kratt Brothers if I had the opportunity to interview the both of them. (Its a dream of mine)

My actual interview questions are beyond the read more. (Questions for Both is in Black, Questions for Martin is in Blue and Questions for Chris is in Green.)

So without further a do.....

1. What are your earliest childhood memories?

2. How does it feel to be the oldest?

3. How does it feel to be the youngest?

4. What are some of your favorite childhood memories?

5. Any major injuries or near death experiences as a kid?

6. Were you guys always close as kids or was until you guys were adults that you became close.

7. What was life like in the late 60s/70s

8. What was your guys favorite TV show, Movie and Song or Songs as a kid and what about now?

9. Any funny stories that your parents would constantly remind you of that you don't personally remember but is always good for a laugh?

10. How much did you enjoy school, were you a good student or not so much?

11. What's a talent that you have?

12. I heard that your father owned a Harmonica factory while watching a Mr. Rogers documentary that featured the factory in an episode. Have you worked at the factory? and if you have how was it?

13. Did you see the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion? And if so what was your reaction?

14. What's are your favorite sport teams?

15. How was it like growing up with sisters?

16. Would you ever have your sisters cameo in Wild Kratts if you could?

17. On a scale from 1-10 how would you rate your high school experience?

18. Were you always interested in having a job that involves animals or did you have other interests?

19. What's your favorite Christmas Movie/Special

20. Can you please translate what your seinor quote thing means? (Especially the Mamm do you have a dog?)

21. How did it feel to be the first one out of your siblings to go to college?

22. How did it feel when Martin went to college?

23. Any funny stories from when you worked at the Duke Lemur Center?

24. What was it like when you guys created your first ever video back in 1989 also any funny stories or close calls?

25. How did it feel when you got your first couple of rejection letters and what made you continue to pursue your dream?

26. How was business school?

27. How was your washing dishes job at Charlton?

28. When PBS Kids finally accepted your show Kratts Creatures,what was your reaction?

29. How was working on Kratts Creatures? Any funny stories or close calls?

30. Do you keep in contact with the person who played Allison and Ttark or any of the crew who worked on the show?

31. How was working on Zaboomafoo? Keep in contact with coworkers and crew who worked on the show?

32. How did you guys meet your wives? And what was the moment that made you know that they were the one?

33. How did you propose to your wives and how was the wedding?

34. What was the most memorable night of your lives? (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) (I would probably skip this question)

35. How did you react when you first found out you would become a dad? and how did your wives tell you?

36. How did it feel to go from working on Zaboomafoo to Be the Creature how was the shift from kids show to more of an adult show?

37. How would you rate working on Be the Creature? (my personal favorite show)

38. What had to be a low point in your life?

39. What year did you thought up of Wild Kratts? And what was the creative process for that?

40. Which people inspired Aviva, Koki, Jimmy, Zach, Donita, Dabio, Gormond, Paisley and Rex?

41. Where were you during 9/11? (I'm trying to ask people I know that were alive during 9/11 because most Americans alive during 9/11 never forgets where they were at.)

42. Who's the 3rd camera man in Be The Creature?

43. Would you ever make a biography about your adventures? (Please do)

44. What are your Favorite activities to do with your family?

45. Will you ever make another adult show like Be The Creature?

46. Have you ever participated in a Zaboomafoo or Wild Kratts drinking game or would you?

47. What's your Biggest pet peeve?

48. Who's actually the most organized?

49. What are your Hobbies?

50. What is something you wish you could do but can't no matter how hard you try?

51. What's your favorite book?

52. How does it feel to have a cartoon plush of yourself? Is it weird?

53. What's your reaction to receiving art from fans of your shows?

54. What is the most memorable fan encounters you ever had?

55. What country have you not visited that you really want to go to?

56. What is your favorite country that you have visited? (They better say Peru)

57. What's your favorite video game?/ If you played Super Smash Bros (The Nintendo video game) what's your main?

58. What do you do when your not working on Wild Kratts?

59. What was your best year and your worst year and why?

60. How was it like raising your kids when they were kids compared to when they were in their teens?

61. Do or did you watch Kratts Creatures, Zaboomafoo, Be the Creature and Wild Kratts with your family?

62. Do you like being recognized in public?

63. How often are you recognized by people?

64. Have you ever been in a fist fight? if so tell me the story.

65. Have you gone through a mid life crisis?

66. Where are your Disco outfit that you wore in Kratts Creatures and Zaboomafoo?

67. What was your reaction when Jovian the Lemer died?

68. What's a funny or a close call story of your time camping in Vermont as kids?

69. What's your number 1 Karaoke song?

70. Does pineapple belong on pizza?

71. Why has Jimmy not been given a CPS and will you give him one? (That Sea otter episode was a cruel joke)

72. WHY IS KOKI'S CPS ORANGE AND NOT RED OR YELLOW?!?!? (JIMMY'S CPS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ORANGE)

73. What's your favorite animal? (I want to know what the next episodes will be)

74. Fruit with chocolate yes or no and why?

75. Whats your most embarrassing moment that keeps you up at night?

76. What was up with your hair back in highschool?

77. Why was your hair so curly in highschool and when did it stop being curly?

78. What was your oh crap I'm getting old moment?

79. Have you seen the movie Grease from 1978 and did you like it?

80. What song represents you the best?

81. What animal represents you the most?

82. What's your favorite Theme Song?

83. How is working with Pure West? ( the guy who wrote the theme songs for BTC and Wild Kratts and maybe Zaboomafoo?)

84. Whats your Favorite sport to play?

85. What's your favorite sport to watch

86. What Fad that you lived through was the most Fun and which one did you absolutely lothe?

87. What's a little known fact about yourself?

88. Who's the bossy one?

89. Do you remember what your reaction was when your parents told you that your having a baby brother?

90. How many times did Martin pull the Because I'm older than you card?

91. What was something that you struggled with for a long time but finally over came it?

92. What is something that you are still struggling with?

93. What are your greatest strengths?

94. If you could give advice to your past self what would it be?

95. If you found a new species what would you name it?

96. What is something that you crossed off your bucket list?

97. What is something that you still want to cross off?

98. If you had a time machine what year would you go to?

99. Who do you admire/look up to?

100. What are you looking forward to most in the future/ what are your future predictions for wildlife?

If anyone knows how to send these to the Kratt Brothers that would be Great :)

I will come up with more questions in the future but this is it for now.

#wild kratts #kratt brothers #chris kratt #martin kratt #why am i doing this #please help me #interview questions

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