#can someone who knows how the fnaf world works tell me if the ghosts needed something to haunt to stay

[fyrefrostanimus]

I still need to finish full references for most of the characters in the Everyone Lives AU but I might as well infodump what I know about the FNaF 6 cast after the fire if anyone wants to read it.

Michael

So, Frailty's remnant logic. If you know you know, if you don't it basically means that he recovers really quickly because molten soul metal is a hell of a drug. Mike actually didn't start recovering until AFTER the fire, since most of his body was rotten to the point it would take forever. Then the fire burned the parts that were stopping the remnant from really working (as you may guess it did not burn as Henry had anticipated) and it really was a shock when Michael passed out in the middle of the floor in front of everyone because his lungs just completely reformed and he hadn't needed to breathe in so long he'd just forgotten.

After he fully recovered (basically he looks like a normal human being again), his eyes took on a silver tone instead of the previous gray-blue. A little nod to the Silver Eyes trilogy even if it's just me taking the name literally.

Honestly way too much of Mike's stuff here is just "yeah this is how having remnant in his bloodstream affects him", so last one: while ghosts just phase through most people, Michael's a solid object (usually ghosts can only physically interact with other ghosts/directly haunted objects). Also he's kinda stuck being 23 forever.

Michael really likes Mother Mother, his favorite album is O My Heart. This might seem random but just listen to Body and you'll probably get it.

Since this AU came from nostalgia from an ask blog I used to frequent, he figures out that the older animatronics are still out there and goes around collecting them one way or another.

Henry

Charlie kinda shoved his soul into Lefty. She refuses to elaborate why to him.

Henry's a bit upset that he's still here, but maybe that's a good thing since no one else seemed to die in the fire.

Charlie

Her main reason for shoving her dad into Lefty was that THIS being his solution to keep her there pissed her off. Before you get on me for mischaracterizing her, imagine trying to fall asleep, but whenever you're about to nod off something wakes you up again so you're just constantly cranky from being tired for a whole week. That's basically what it was like insider Lefty for her.

She was inside the Puppet for a week before leaving it, and most of that time was spent inside a cardboard box that Michael was about to put into recycling. Box is box and Charlie was tired.

Charlie can interact more with the physical world, unlike most ghosts (eg. picking objects up, having more choice in when she phases through things, etc.).

William

He's just completely out. Everyone else could at least move after the fire (although Mike did have one of his legs charred to the point it crumbled when he tried to walk on it), but he's in UCN right now. Elizabeth in CB had to carry him out of the building.

William does still twitch occasionally, so he's obviously not dead. To reduce suspicion from the house smelling like someone died inside, they keep him in the basement and check on him once in a while to see if he woke up.

Elizabeth and Circus Baby

I got a lot to say on Elizabeth, honestly the reason I made this post was because I thought about her a lot while drawing her and I didn't want to forget it. Eventually I just decided "screw it, this IS the main AU I think about anyways so why not give everyone who wants to know an intro?". I'll color the text as it corresponds to each (green for Liz, blue for CB).

Originally she planned on only staying at Michael's house until William woke up and they split off (not like she would tell him). Elizabeth only stayed longer because it became really apparent that he wasn't getting up for a long while and she didn't want to leave without William.

She died in 1987 shortly after the second Missing Childrens Incident, and hadn't actually left Circus Baby until after the fire. So she spent about 36 years with no break inside the 7-foot-tall robot, and was extremely used to that. Once she's out and herself again, Elizabeth is suddenly about 4 feet tall and feels completely different. The closest thing I think to how she'd feel is weak/defenseless.

Michael managed to tell Elizabeth that William full well knew that Circus Baby would kill her if she went near it because that's what she was created to do, even having an emergency override: he just didn't pay enough attention to use it in time. She does end up believing this but it left her in a situation where she just couldn't trust anyone in the house for a while. William was shown to not really care about her as much as she thought he did, and she still didn't trust Michael. Elizabeth didn't trust Henry or Charlie either, and the rest of the Funtimes kicked Circus Baby (and by extension her) out to survive on her own. Eventually she built enough trust with everyone but it really did take a while.

The original MCI kids and Evan show up eventually, and Elizabeth subconsciously would count them and only really interact closely with one at a time when it was just the two of them. It's a habit she picked up from her time in Circus Baby and I don't think it really ever left her. So Elizabeth looks really shy at first, but really she's just functioning off of something that she has for years.

Circus Baby is still Scrap Baby when it comes to looks, but still goes by her normal name.

She has the claw on her right arm but no actual reason to use it, so sometimes she'll clamp down on something and not let go just for fun. This annoys basically everyone else since occasionally it will be one of their arms.

CB and Elizabeth still get along really well. CB's the only one Elizabeth trusts during that time period where no one else seemed trustworthy.

Everyone just calls Circus Baby either by her full name or CB (like I did here sometimes). But no one under any circumstances calls her just Baby. More from their own preference.

Molten Freddy

The Funtimes (minus Circus Baby who is still exiled) aren't exactly Molten Freddy anymore. They separated into their different characters again but take their sweet time figuring out how to take a form other than just a blob again. They'll figure it out eventually.

By eventually, I mean when Michael finally caves and goes back to the bunker for their casings. If Circus Baby can do it and not get locked back in, there's no way he can't (I would not doubt that the remains of his previous internal organs are still there, but he wasn't thinking about that part).

They get really excited seeing some of the most mundane slice-of-life things. Mike's building a LEGO set since he hasn't had enough time to do so in a while? They're immediately over there watching. The Funtimes probably haven't seen vents that aren't large enough for a grown man to crawl through and are questioning about why they exist if not as a mode of quick transportation around the house.

The Rockstars

Not much about them, but there's some notable things about the Rockstars I wanted to put here to finish this post off.

Rockstar Freddy's fucking dead. I'm not even holding back, he overheated in the fire and no amount of repairs are going to bring him back (UCN reference lol).

All the surviving Rockstars have some pretty bad fire damage, but none of them really care about it. The nice part of not having as much of a programmed personality is that you don't care how you look quite as much.

With Freddy gone, Rockstar Bonnie and Foxy do vocals together. Despite their grouping being called the Rockstars they actually do more country songs than anything.

#fnaf #five nights at freddy's #fyrefrosts fnaf au hell #fnaf au #i find it funny how i can write whole paragraphs on everyone else but i have nothing to say on henry #like the man is the catalyst for the fire everyone survived here but i just completely draw a blank #i finished writing this at like 11:30 pm i think i'll post this and go to bed

[nanoficto92]

I know I’ve made a handful of post about the Garten of Banban games, so I thought I’d give my overall thoughts on the games so far.

I’m not going to say they were cash grabs. I know a lot of people are saying that. I do think though, they were made with a particular audience in mind given the popularity of games like FNAF, Poppy’s Playtime, and Bendy and the Ink Machine. The merch in the menu for the first game was evident of that, especially since that game was free. Trying to make something from it was understandable, but could’ve been gone about a bit better given how short the game was.

As someone who’s trying to make a game myself, I know it’s certainly not easy. There are many ways you can make a game. But the choices made when making the game are just as important as why you’re making it. Whether it was to jump on the mascot horror train or not, if you’re making a game that tells a story, you need to know what that story is to some extent and how the gameplay ties into it. I feel like the story was an afterthought, especially the whole plot about being a parent looking for their child. I feel like that just serves as a reminder of why the character is there rather than actually being the story they wanted to tell. Nothing in the game or how it plays makes me feel like there are actually any children in the kindergarten or that any of the mechanics would make sense for the story being told. Games like Outlast and Portal have core mechanics that make sense for the story and the characters we play as. Bioshock gives the player a weapon that would make sense for someone being thrown into this strange world of the game to use. But in Banban we get a drone that I still don’t think fits the story or the game other than to solve puzzles and be the mechanic it’s known for.

I don’t think the games are necessarily bad. They’re certainly games. But I feel like they could’ve been planned out a bit more. The first game didn’t need to be it’s own game. It could’ve easily been part of the second game and treated as the intro to the game, like how Bioshock(something they’re clearly taking some inspiration from based on the trailer music and how Banban is basically the game’s version of Atlas) uses the starting area leading up to the elevator as an introduction to the mechanics and the world of Rapture. Had they put a bit more time into the planning, I don’t think it would’ve needed to be separate games.

If they wanted to make a story about experiments gone wrong, they didn’t need to go the mascot horror route. Yes, it’s a popular game genre at the moment, but there are many sub genres in gaming that we forget about. There’s an audience for every story and every game. I just don’t know if they made this game fully taking the audience in mind.

As a writer more than a gamer, it probably seems like I shouldn’t be talking much about the game at all. But as someone who loves horror, watching let’s plays, and loved games that have story to them(which this is trying to have, and I can see that), it’s piqued my interest and curiosity. The more I look into it the more questions I have about the choices made. And as someone working on their own mascot horror story and game as a challenge to myself, it’s making me want to see where the genre can go. I know it has potential, but a lot of this feels very copy and paste or like a weird mish mash of different games that don’t completely work together.

The games aren’t the worst. They aren’t the best. But they’re certainly an addition to the genre. I’ve seen people use these games as reasons the mascot horror genre is collapsing, but I disagree. If anything, this is making people look into the genre more and will hopefully inspire others to see what they can do with the genre. It doesn’t have to be all about ghost kids, shady corporations, or experiments. There are so many different ways you can go with it. It’s just a matter of finding those different paths you can take it.

On a slightly different note that’s a bit more of a nitpick than a serious critique: if Banban is supposed to be pronounced Bonbon, would that mean Nabnab would be Nobnob? Just curious.

#garten of banban 2 #garten of banban #gaming #mascot games

[starlightshadowsworld]

Bendy and the dark revival part 3

Thonks and notes.

.

She was the fourth

👀

Something tells me this is about Audery? But... The fourth of what?

Better not be the fourth closet...

Listens to Jane Todd tape

So the fourth is Carly, a ghost girl Jane wants to join the Butcher gang.

That was rejected.

... Hmmm

.

So Nathan Arch, aka guy from Archgate productions bought the rights to Joey's characters.

He talks about Joey as an old friend but idk if its just cos of fnaf and Henry addressing William the same way.

But something doesn't seem right bout this.

.

Porter is interesting, I mean there's very few people nice down here.

I like how he just goes nope your name is Bobby now.

.. And he has ink magic 2.

Sure okay than.

I like him.

.

The power belongs to him

Apparently not just him.

.

Game needs to stop taunting me with Boris...

Boris plushi in the ink.

Boris cardboard cut out which is also bizarre cos it's usually bendy ones.

In the words of Susie Campbell's Alice Angel from the first game

"Give me back my Boris!"

.

Ohhh chain door.

This should be good.

They crawl

Okay than and there's a dead lost one? On the floor surrounded by ink.

And the ink demon is back.

Fun.

The deep abyss remembers you, Audery.

If the abyss is Wilson... Than tell him we're not here.

A child of the darkness.

Hmm that's werid cos everyone else is referred to as a child of the machine.

Just more and more hints that Audery is different to the others.

And remembers?

Has Audery been here before I wonder.

I mean Henry was stuck in a time loop so... Who knows.

.

Wandering ebat the difference between lost ones and searchers are... Other than one having legs and feet.

.

Your journey will end as you are consumed into my dark kingdom.

That's just late stage capitalism man, was already there in while working in a dark semi abandoned animation studio

Here you will find meaning in your pain.

That's what we call a paycheck.

And I doubt your giving one out.

Also.. Ink demon needs to clear his throat once in a while.

.

People saying I should watch Superhorrorbros videos on this rather than Mark's playthrough for lore.

And I will but it's nice seeing stuff for myself and making ideas and having thonks and than seeing it from someone else.

That and than I don't get to see Mark aggressively "wallopolise" lost ones with the wrench while screaming and cursing them with eternal damnation.

.

The sweat cannot be cleaned

I love the wall writings in this game but.... Ew.

Couldn't you go with idk blood or death or literally anything other than sweat.

.

We don't live forever.

When we're killed or finally pulled apart our diseased soils return to the ink to be reborn.

An unending cycle of torment.

But sometimes, something even worse can happen.

A soul can slip from the ink completely. It gets caught between worlds, unable to die or return.

They wail in the night. Drifting in shadow. The phantoms of the machine.

The ghosts.

So... You do live forever.

Liar.

Also this sounds like what happened to Henry.

Stuck in a loop of time unable to truly die and stuck in an endless cycle.

.

Werid how the ink demon doesn't have the ability to Flow like Audery and Porter do.

.

Ugh... Wilsons back.

Attention children of the machine. It's Wilson.

We know!

There have been lies that the Ink demon has been spotted in animation alley.

Pay no attention to these filthy rumours.

I destroyed the ink demon myself! Be died my hands do don't be afraid.

I legit forgot he said that.

He's a fucking liar.

I knew he was lying because obviously but wow.

If said demon kills him ima just turn the other way.

Didnt see it.

Your friend Wilson will protect you.

I'm more afraid of you than him frankly.

.

Without fear there's chaos

Wilson would love star wars with his whole with fear is order and with order there is no chaos and all that wallop.

.

Audery... Maybe don't punch through ink canisters.

Like I get it.

But you know could be glass or something. Hell there is a glass shattering sound.

Be careful.

.

Feels like Nathan is now going to the church of the ink machine.

Just like Joey before him.

.

And chapter 3 begins, the Eternal machine.

.

This is Wilson

Go away!

Anyone caught in the restricted areas will be taken immediately to the Pit.

Where a ballpit will send you to a Freddy Fazbear's pizzeria in the year 198-

... Wrong pit.

My bad.

So be a good egg.

Follow the rules.

.... Hmm nope.

.

Good to know the true enemy of Joey Drew studios is slow working lifts.

.

Audery gets in lift. Recalls in the 1st game how the lift crashed down and Susies Alice Angel stole Boris

...I have a bad feeling.

Unauthorised surface elevator in use. Manual lift ejection activated.

Knew it.

See lifts in this game... Not good.

Bad things in this game:

Lifts

And Wilson.

... And ink crabs now apparently.

Still better than Sea Bonnie's.

.

Audery finally gets the coffee she came for!

... Hold up its $15.

Jeez I knew Joey Drew studios went bankrupt and all that but... Who the fuck is paying that much for coffee.

Especially when it's called Compost Coffee.

... See this is scarier than the ink demon.

Late stage capitalism is the real enemy of this game.

.. And Wilson.

Fuck that guy.

... Actually don't.

#bendy and the dark revival #Thonks #bendy and the ink machine #Batim

[apenapaperandadoofus]

PLEASE SHARE IT. PLEASE, I NEED IT.

ASK AND YA SHALL RECIEVE

Keep in mind I was about 12-13-ish when I wrote it and I was in my angsty stage so this gets a bit dark pft

here are the first 2 chapters -there are like 9 in total I think- if ya want the fnaf one then tell me bc I actually have to translate it and everything bc I wrote it in Spanish lol 

.

.

.

TW mentions of abuse sorta and alcoholism

"Come back here you lil' shit!!!"

"I'll kill ya, I swear to God I'll kill ya!!!"

I could hear him behind me, stumbling and crashing into things, with that stupid glass bottle in his hand.

I have to keep going or he will really kill me. I kept running zig-zagging through the trees trying to lose him.

"You little fuck!!! How dare you run away from me after all I've done for you?! I was the one that gave you a roof under your head, the one that fed you and took care of you and THIS is how you repay me?!"

Yea right. I'd rather be in the streets than have to live with you in that damned house again. C'mon (Y/N) you're almost there!!

"I'll do the same thing I did with them to you!! You'll end up like all those kids, like all those dirty bastards!"

CRASH!

A flash of lightning crashed behind me.

Keep going, keep going.

Suddenly, as I keep climbing up I see something.

A cave.

Yes!! Now I can finally get rid of him! I quickly started climbing, finally getting into the cave. It was really chilly, but it would at least protect me from the rain, and since it was nighttime and he was drunk he'd have no chance of finding me.

Or that's what I thought.

"Ahh, there you are my dear (Y/N)~ You are quite slippery you know? You remind me so much of her, my little Frisk. But you both had to escape from me didn't ya. Do you know what happened to Frisk dear?"

He chuckled and came closer, while I was walking backward trying not to stumble.

"I killed her." He smiled. " It was an accident, I didn't want to, but she was being a naughty little girl~ [EW WTF WHY DID I WRITE IT LIKE THAT LMFAO GREAT WAY TO MAKE HIM CREEPY AF AMANDA]" he came closer, and the smell of booze reached my nose.

"G-get away from me you creep!"

He laughed and pushed me, making me stumble and fall down. I tried to crawl away but then he started kicking me.

IM ALSO NOT PUTTING THIS PART BC IT WAS CROSSING THE LINE A BIT AND I WANTED TO MAKE IT DARK ANYWAY THE THING IS THIS SHIT ESCALATED REALLY QUICKLY AND I GASPED BC HOLY SHIT WHAT WAS WITH ME

Basically, he said more creepy shit bc I wanted to make him a huge asshole, but I still don't feel comfortable putting it and I'm sure for other ppl its uncomfortable too so uh, lets just say the guy was just really really bad and wanted to do really bad things to uhh, the reader 

This, this guy had the nerve to- ugh!!

"S-stop it"

He quickly grabbed me by my hair and brought my face closer so we were locking eyes.

"Y'know no one cares about you! You're nothing! But if you stay with me you'll see I can be a good guy! I promise I  will treat you better! I will do anything for you. You just have to be a good girl and stay in your room."

"No!!"

I quickly spit on him and kicked him in the stomach. I was not going back there, not going to suffer through all that again. I got to my feet and ran deeper and deeper into the cave

"You can't escape (Y/N)~" I heard from behind me.

I ran faster. I'm not going to let him win. I'm not.

" You'll just end up like Frisk!"

Crash!!!

I yelped and tripped on a vine, falling into a hole, hearing his echoed taunts getting farther and farther away.

Is this it?

Is this how I die?

Will I really end up like Frisk?

No.

I won't die. I can't die. Not today.

Those were my last thoughts before I was surrounded by darkness.

Chapter 2 [this one is more fun  I lol]

"You little bitch!"

"Come back here!"

"You'll end up just like Frisk"

"I promise we'll get out of here....

Frisk"

I woke up with a start. My head dizzy from the fall.

Where...am I? Who's Frisk? Why can't I remember anything...? Hold on, did I loose my memory? What the-

"Heck!!" I heard someone say behind me. I quickly turned around, and saw a kid who looked to be around my age, floating a few feet away from me. Their hair was up to their shoulders and they were wearing shorts with a cute green stripped sweater.

"Seriously?! And just when I get used to being dead?! Do you hate me that much world!?" The kid yelled while waving their fist at the top of the cave.

Huh.....

Wait.....

Dead?

Am I dead?

If so where the heck am I?

Is this what the afterlife is like? Being stuck with a 10 year old ghost kid? Is it because of that one time I stole a ring pop from John? Because if it is he totally deserved it, he wasn't even gonna eat it!

"Am I really dead..?" I whispered.

Suddenly the ghost kid turned around and looked at me.

"Wat?" They asked.

"Am...am I dead?" I looked at my palms trying to figure out what was going on.

The kid sighed.

"No. You're not dead you dummy, you just fell down into the Underground, and somehow that awoke me...huh... that's weird."

Oh. So I'm not dead. That's nice I guess.

"Um, wait, the Underground?" I stood up, and stretched a bit, trying to check if everything was alright.

"Yea. With monsters and stuff. You just fell down from Mt.Ebott. You'd be the second human here to fall down."

Wait. The second one? I thought six more had disappeared in here a while ago.

"You mean the seventh human." I corrected them.

"Noooo, I mean the SECOND human, jeez are you deaf or something?"

They glared at me as if I was the dumbest person they had ever met.

"Nuh-uh. If there's one thing I remember is that 6 humans had fallen before me"

"Well then you remembered wrong because last time I checked I was the only one. That fall must've really damaged your brain" they chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. They really were stubborn and they were pretty rude too! If it were up to me I would've walked away by now but since I am down here somewhere I don't know with MONSTERS, I should really have an ally and they seem to be my only hope. Maybe they're nice once you get to know them, so I should really try to befriend them.

"So uh, ghost kid...what's your name?" I looked at them with a sweet smile, trying to be friendly.

"My name is Chara. And I was the first human to fall down here. What's yours?"

"My what"

"Your name, you idiot. Don't tell me you forgot that too." They smirked.

"Pshh I didn't forget my name!" I puffed my cheeks and looked the other way. I honestly had no idea what my name was but I wasn't going to let that ghost kid treat me like a dumbass again.

"Fine then, what is it?"

Shoot.

"U-um i-its uh..."

Let's seeeeee... what's a good name? Oh jeez what are some good names I could use right now?

As I was panicking suddenly something came to my mind.

"Frisk." I said.

I have no idea who Frisk is, but it felt just right. And it was the first thing that popped into my mind so.

"Oh. That's a peculiar name. But we'll then, Frisk. What are you going to do? Do you want to go back to the surface?" They eyed me with curiosity. I honestly had no idea what I would do. But I just had this urge to go back to the surface. But there was nothing up in there for me was there? I mean maybe I had a family or something's that's looking for me right now. Or maybe I could just be a homeless nobody.

"Do you promise me we'll get out of here?" "Yes. And we'll go and look at the stars in a field of golden flowers, like the ones in your book. It's a promise."

"I want to go back up."

That seemed to get Chara's attention.

"R-really? You want to go back up there? With those assholes?" They scoffed.

"Yep. I just feel as if I have something important to do over there. Like a promise."

"Ah...well, if you want I can show you the way! We can go meet these monsters, they took care of me while I was in here! They could help you!" They smiled and started going ahead of me.

"Uhm, sure, I guess! That'd be cool!" I said as I started walking behind them. If I manage to get those monsters' help, I'll be out of here and try to get my memory back and fulfill my promise.

CRINGY I KNOW BUT WERE GETTING TO THE PICKUP LINES AND THOSE ARE HILARIOUS IN A BAD WAY LMAO MAYBE I CAN LATER POST THE OTHER CHAPTERS PFT

Chapter 3 

"So uh..Chara..will these people have food?" I asked while walking behind them.

"Food?" "Yup" "You're stuck in a place full of monsters and all you can think of is food?"

Before I could answer though, my stomach let out a loud growl. I giggled.

"I guess that answers your question."

We became quiet again until Chara turned around and looked at me.

"So how old are you?" "I'm about to be twelve" "You're pretty mature for a twelve year old" they scoffed. "Well you're pretty immature to be whatever age you are." Chara laughed.

"I'm thirteen. So that basically means you have to do everything I say since I'm the older one" they stuck their tounge out.

"That's not fair!" I proclaimed. "The world isn't fair." The smirked. "Your face isn't fair"

"Damn, Frisk, you got me" they said with mockery.

"Shut up"

They laughed and then looked at me with a serious expression. "No but really, if you want to survive here you'll have to listen to me or else you'll die. And if you abuse the SAVE point it'll stop working. If you loose determination too."

"Woah. Wait what? A save point? Determination? I am really confused right now"

"Ugh, I'll explain later. Right now we have to get to the RUINS."

"Is that were you lived when you were stuck down here?"

"Tch, why do you care? And I wasn't stuck. I lived here because it's the only place were murder isn't the first option and monsters aren't assholes."

"Hey, stop being so rude, I just want to find out more about you! I really want us to have a good relationship if you're stuck with me for a while!"

"Just mind your own business."

"Ughh you're so-"

I suddenly stopped walking when I saw a single gold flower in the middle of the path.

"Why'd you sto- ohh that's creepy."

"It's just a flower. It won't do anything."

I kneeled down to look at the flower better, for some reason this flower looked different than all the other ones.. I was about to reach out for it when all of a sudden the flower turned around and smiled at me.

"Howdy! I'm Flowey! Flowey the Flower!"

What. The.

This flower could talk?! What?!

"Oooook Frisk this is definitely creepy, don't touch it and walk away."

I ignored Chara and smiled at the flower. They seemed friendly, so why not?

"Hey there! I'm, um, Frisk. I'm new around here."

Flowey noded and smiled at me.

"Oh! So since you're new you probably don't know how the Underground works! I guess lil' old me will have to teach you! Ready?"

"Frisk I'm not really getting good vibes from this guy." Chara said again, this time a little bit more serious.

"Shhh" I stood up and looked at Flowey, nodding.

"Thank you Flowey!! You're really nice! So how does this all wo-?" Suddenly I was being surrounded by darkness, with Flowey standing in front of me.

"Where is-" I suddenly stopped talking when I saw a red...heart? In front of me.

"See that red heart over there?" Flowey asked me.

I nodded.

"That is your SOUL, the very culmination of your being!"

"Woahh, that's so cool!"

"Your soul starts off weak, but it can get stronger if you gain a lot of LV."

Suddenly Chara appeared beside me and shook their head.

"Frisk I don't think he-"

"Frisk! You may be asking: Flowey, what does LV stand for? Well, for LOVE of course!!"

Oh. I guess in here is not that bad if their policy is like the place where the Carebears live.

"Fris-"

"You want some LOVE don't ya? Well don't worry! I'll share some with you."

After he said that a few white pettals appeared in front of Flowey. I guess that's how you get some LV right?

"Frisk, I'm serious right now, do not touch the bullets."

I looked at Chara.

"Thanks but what bu-"

"DOWN HERE" Flowey yelled to get my attention. I turned to look at him with a nervous smile, he just rolled his eyes and kept talking.

"LOVE, is shared through some....little...white... friendliness pellets!"

Ok. Now that was definitely suspicious. And where those the bullets Chara was talking about before? Jeez this guy really got me, but I mean. He's a flower why in the world would he kill me?

"Are you ready Frisk?! Catch as many as you can!" Then, the...white friendliness pellets, started moving towards me. How in the world was he doing that?! This place is so weird, filled with talking flowers and dead kids suddenly becoming alive again. I just want to go home!

"Frisk!! Watch out!!" Chara yelled beside me.

"What?"

I looked at Flowey and saw the pellets getting closer to me. Before I had the time to dodge they got me and I felt a huge amount of pain. I fell to the ground on my knees, gasping for air, trying to make it go away.

What was happening?! I quickly looked behind me when I noticed that the yellow bar that was once full, was suddenly empty. It said 1/20.

Chara rolled her eyes.

"You dummy! Those were bullets! And to even top it off you have literally one hp left!"

"One hp...? Wait Chara what is goin-"

"You idiot." I heard a creepy voice say behind me.

I slowly turned my head around, looking at Flowey, with my eyes widening.

"F-Flowey?"

"In this world, it's killed or be killed!"

"Wha-what?"

"Why would ANYONE pass up an opportunity like this?"

"Chara!" I yelled trying to get up, but a couple of bullets appeared beside me and surrounded me, trapping me where I was.

"DIE. " I heard Flowey yell, while the bullets started closing in on me.

Maybe I could dodge them? Or find a way to escape? Where was Chara and why weren't they helping me?

I heard Floweys's laughter get louder and louder while the bullets got closer and I shut my eyes.

I guess this is the end now. I will really die. Did I seriously think I would survive in this Underground world? Really? They're monsters for God's sake! Of course I would die here. And I wouldn't be able to fill my promise. My eyes started tearing up. I could feel the bullets really close now, about to touch me when-

All of a sudden, a fireball hit Flowey in the face, making him disappear with the bullets. Chara appeared beside me.

"Phew! That was close! At least she got here in time! I told you he wasn't a good person Frisk! If you want to survive here you'll have to do exactly what I tell you to do, or else you'll die." They nagged me.

I tried standing up once again, trying to see who saved me.

"What a horrible creature, torturing such a poor, innocent youth." Came a sweet voice from above me. I felt their hands go in my back and a weird warm feeling surrounded me.

When the warm feeling was gone, I didn't feel pain anymore. That was weird. I finally managed to stand up, and looked at the lady who saved me.

She's a.....goat? Lady? Monster?

She had a really pretty purple tunic, with a weird white symbol in the chest area.

She smiled at me and waved her hand.

"Ah do not be afraid my child. I am TORIEL, caretaker or the RUINS. I pass down here everyday to see if any humans have fallen down."

I looked at Chara, who looked to be about to cry. Maybe this was the monster they were talking about before? The ones that took care of them probably?

I shook my head and smiled at Toriel. She did look like she had good intentions, and yes, they did save me from that wretched flower. But I wasn't going to be dumb enough to fall into the same trap again, so this time I had to be cautious.

Toriel smiled back, and turned around, grabbing my hand.

"Come, my child, I will guide you through the catacombs!"

And with that, she grabbed my hand and walked with me, leading the way.

[queenofcats17]

Regrets, Joey?

After the last story I wrote in the Joeyverse FNAF AU, I decided to do another. 

Magenta belongs to @halfusek

Also a brief mention of @insane-control-room‘s Johan and @randomwriteronline‘s Duncle and Malcolm

------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as Freckle’s sister left with her daughter, Magenta returned to the underground maintenance area. He hoped the girl wouldn’t be back. He didn’t want to have to hurt her. Murdering adults and stuffing them into animatronics was one thing. But murdering children? He wasn’t that cruel. 

“That niece of yours is just like you, Freckle,” he said as he entered Freckle’s room. The robot that housed Freckle was smoking in a rather concerning manner, sparks eventually coming off of it. 

Magenta sighed. Freckle had overexerted his body again. He did that sometimes when his emotions got the better of him.

“You really need to stop doing this.” He gently lowered the robot to the ground, leaving and returning with his tools. “Eventually you’ll end up breaking yourself beyond what I can fix. And then where will you be? Just a ghost without a body to possess.”

A black mist rose out of the robot, coalescing into a form that resembled the silhouette of Freckle. His distinctive freckles dotted his black hole of a body like stars in the night sky. His eyes bored into Magenta as he floated above the metal prison he’d been confined to. 

“Don’t you dare hurt her,” he growled. His voice sounded strange and inhuman, as though he were speaking from inside an echo chamber.

“You make it sound like I want to hurt her,” Magenta scoffed. “As long as she doesn’t start meddling, she’ll be fine.” He glanced up at Freckle with a smile. “Remember, you’re in this situation because you went sticking your nose where it didn’t belong.” 

He hated Magenta’s smile. It was too wide, like that grinning demon he was so fond of. It was the sort of smile that made you feel cold inside. It was the smile of someone who had no qualms about hurting you if you got in his way. Which Freckle certainly had. 

“Besides, she seems like a lovely young lady,” Magenta continued, returning to working on the body. “She managed to find her way down here by herself, so she’s clearly clever. I have to respect that.”

“She is clever.” A note of pride entered Freckle’s inhuman and reverberating voice.  

“For her sake, let’s hope she’s not too clever.” Magenta allowed himself a sigh. He couldn’t imagine how angry Esther would be if he took her daughter away from her. He was almost certain she’d kill him if he did that. 

.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, Rachel was determined to get her uncle back somehow. She began to go to other locations in the franchise, trying to find something she could use against Magenta. She couldn’t get into the employee-only areas, but she certainly tried. The workers started to recognize her, immediately escorting her out upon spotting her. 

“Why do you keep coming back?” One of the night guards asked. She’d tried to sneak in after-hours, only to get caught by him. 

She’d been caught by him once or twice before and she actually kind of liked him. He was always nice to her and she thought his blue hair was pretty. Although, lately, he’d had really dark bags under his eyes. His nametag said Joey, but he’d told her she could call him Johan.

“I’m trying to find information,” she replied, folding her arms in determination. 

“Information?” He raised an eyebrow. 

“Yeah, information. Like if other people have gone missing here.”

“Other people?” Johan laughed nervously, glancing at the clock. “You think your uncle’s disappearance had something to with this place?” His voice had gone up an octave. 

“I don’t think, I know. And it sounds like you know something too,” she said, scooting her chair closer. It made an awful screeching sound as the metal dragged across the concrete. Johan had set her up on a folding chair from the main party area, joking a bit that he should put her name on it. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Johan looked quickly away. 

“What do you know?” Rachel demanded, getting up from her chair. Johan hunched his shoulders, angling his body away from her. 

“Please...Just drop it.” His voice went quiet. “Mag’s not a bad person. He’s not.” 

Rachel tried for a little longer to get any information out of him, but he wouldn’t say a word. They ended up sitting in silence until Esther came and collected Rachel. Johan wasn’t there the next time Rachel came back. She wondered if Magenta had killed him too.

She ran into other animatronics as well on her expeditions. Most didn’t pay her much mind, focused on other children. She did end up trapped at one point, though, by an elephant and a hippo animatronic who had a sort of magic/comedy show. She kept trying to leave, but one or the other kept dragging her back. She was there for almost 2 hours before a worker recognized her and threw her out.

She did this for months, going to various locations to try and get information about other disappearances. She learned of a few other employees who had disappeared at various other Fazbear’s locations, but nothing that could be connected to Magenta. There wasn’t much information on the people who had disappeared either. They’d been there one day and gone the next. Just like her uncle. 

She was starting to get discouraged and her mother was beginning to get anxious. Rachel’s exploits had to be attracting Magenta’s attention. Esther was sure of it. She didn’t want to lose her daughter and her brother. 

“Please, sweetheart, you have to stop this,” she said after she’d picked Rachel up from another Fazbear’s location. “You’re going to get hurt.”

“But I need to find something to take that asshole down!” Rachel insisted. “He killed Uncle Joey! I have to take him down!”

“Rachel, you’re 14. That isn’t something you can do by yourself.” Esther knelt in front of her daughter, brushing some hair out of her face. Rachel avoided her eyes, staring intently at the floor. She didn’t go to any of the locations for a month after that. 

.

Finally, Rachel decided just to go back to Circus Baby’s. Maybe she could succeed in breaking Freckle out. She could even convince him to take Magenta down himself! He was probably stronger than Magenta as a robot. Satisfied by this knowledge, she made her way to the underground storage area again. Once more, she managed to slip by unnoticed. It was actually easier than it had been the first time. Some part of her wondered if it was a trap. But she didn’t care. 

Her uncle was where he’d been the last time she’d been down there. He stood on the stage, singing and twirling. He wasn’t there at the moment. Probably sleeping inside the robot, she reasoned. She started toward the room, only to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder. 

“Oh, Miss Rachel. Why didn’t you just stay away?” Her blood ran cold at the sound of Magenta’s voice. He’d been waiting for her. She turned quickly around, her eyes burning with fury. She was a bit taken aback by the expression on his face, though. 

He looked...sad. Or maybe tired. She couldn’t tell. 

“I’m not going to abandon him,” she growled up at him, her whole body tensed. “I’m getting him out of here.”

“You aren’t going to be doing that.” Magenta shook his head, reaching for her arm.

“No!” Rachel jerked away. “I’m not letting you keep him here!”

“There’s not all that much you can do, dear,” Magenta said. “What do you intend to do? Kill me?”

“If I have to!”

Magenta sighed heavily, shaking his head again. “Miss Rachel, this argument isn’t going to serve any purpose other than to rile you up.”

His words fell on deaf ears, though. Rachel’s anger had washed over her like a flood, consuming her with white-hot rage. 

“Give him back!” She screamed. “Give him back! I want my uncle back! Give him back to me!”

“Your uncle is gone, Miss Rachel,” Magenta replied calmly. “I disposed of his body myself.”

“No, he’s not! He’s right there!” Rachel insisted, pointing to the animatronic housing her uncle’s soul. “He’s right there and you’re keeping him here!”

“That,” Magenta knelt in front of her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Is not your uncle. That is a robot. It may house his soul, but it is certainly not your uncle. Not anymore.”

“He talked to me!” Rachel protested, but her voice was getting weaker. 

“He talks to me too, but that doesn’t mean that thing is him.” Magenta smiled gently. “He’s not always there, either. Most of the time he remains sleeping inside that shell. He’s not here right now.” He gestured to the robot, still singing and spinning. 

Rachel sniffled, hunching her shoulders. “I want him back,” she whimpered. 

“Let me ask you something, Miss Rachel,” Magenta said, lifting her face so that their eyes met. “What will you do if you free him?”

“Take him home.”

“And what comes after that?” Magenta asked. “Life can’t exactly return to normal for your family. Your uncle is inside a giant robot. He can’t eat, he can’t sleep. If you go anywhere with him, people will stare. No one will believe you if you tell them the truth.”

“But....” Rachel wanted to come up with a response. She wanted to say something that would shut him up. But she couldn’t think of anything.

“And what of your poor mother?” He continued. “Do you think she wants to see her brother suffering like this? Trapped inside a prison of metal that he can never escape from. It wouldn’t be her brother anymore. Not really.”

Rachel tore herself away from him, scrunching her eyes closed and frantically shaking her head as if that would dispell what he’d said. 

Because he was right. He was completely right. 

And she hated it. 

“Please, Miss Rachel. Just go home,” Magenta all but begged. “Forget everything you’ve seen here. Go home.”

“I want him back,” she repeated weakly, starting to sob.

“I know you do,” Magenta said gently. “But he’s not coming back.”

.

Esther was immediately concerned when she’d received another call from Circus Baby’s Pizza World. However, when she’d picked up the phone, it was just that boy Wally saying Rachel needed to be picked up. She was rather surprised when she arrived at the pizzeria and found Rachel in tears, hugging Magenta.

“What happened?” She asked, stepping into the office.

“It’s a long story.” Magenta smiled gently, handing Rachel off to Esther. “I’d suggest you take her home and let her rest. She’s had a long day.” 

Esther frowned, but took Rachel and left the restaurant. Rachel didn’t say anything until they returned to the house. As Esther was tucking her into bed, she said,

“Uncle Joey’s not coming back.”

The defeated look in her eyes broke Esther’s heart. Just what had she seen in that place?

“I’m sorry, darling,” she whispered, kissing Rachel’s forehead. Rachel just sniffed and rolled over, burying herself in the blankets. Esther straightened up and left the room. Best to just give her some space. They could talk about it later. 

#bendy and the ink machine #fnaf au #joeyverse #fanfiction #joey drew #freckle drew #magenta drew #esther drew #esther klein #rachel klein #johan ramirez #duncle joey #malcolm mcnamara

[swiftwind3]

Everything We Lost

ao3 link here

Ahem endgame who

So, Infinity War destroyed my crops, murdered my family and spat in my face. So, I tried relieving myself with this sadkdfkshs. I don’t read the comics so,,,beware you hardcore ultras.

Also disappointment about how no one's torn The Winter Soldier theme from CATWS apart FNAF style is ruining my life as well. Heavy dialogue (i think) and lots of hyphens lmaoo. Enjoy. and don’t plagiarize of course

Summary: Bucky wakes up in the Soul Stone.

Insp: Nothing Lasts by Taska Black ft. Pauline Herr

Back to the other end, when we fell down

We could not believe we would lose it all

Now the dreams are gone, and faith has drowned

Everything we lost and we never found

Everything we lost and we never found

Uh, Steve…?

Bucky had been expecting one of two things: either the scorching flames of punishment and retribution or the gentle white of warmth and peace, maybe even forgiveness. Definitely not orange. Definitely not a reflective, watery floor under a similarly hued sky that radiated a gnawing hunger and desolation. At least, that was the aura this realm gave off to him.

The sky was full of arriving ashes. They swirl and plummet, becoming people. So many people. So much noise.

The crowd swells around him, people flickering in and out of sight like glitching ghosts. Some cry while hugging themselves. Others stare at their limbs; Bucky having done the same once he stood up. Their cries and shouts drill into his head, and for a weird minute, he thought he was in Hell.

"Cassie, where—Cassie!"

"Darcy! Jane!"

"Bill? Bill, what's happened—where are you?"

"Harley?"

"Excuse me—"

Before he can start his own calls, he whirls to face an elderly woman.

Like him, she seems dazed, eyes wide and watery.

"I'm looking for my husband, I—"

He chokes on a scream. She dissolves into ash, his own being following suit.

There's no description for being pushed out of existence, but that's how he would word it.

Time freezes, and it was like he didn't have to breathe, he couldn't. He couldn't see, or hear, or feel and it felt bad. But how could he be sure of that if he couldn't feel at all? Yet, in a split second, it was seemingly…over. He stands, palpable as ever. He almost heaves over the poor woman, holding her slash leaning on her.

"My God," she wheezes. "What was that?"

"I'm…not sure. But, sorry about that," he shakes his head. "What, uh—does your husband look like?”

Stuttering, she catches her breath. Her eyes flick past him and widen. "Ava!"

A younger woman bursts through the crowd, spinning almost comically. "Yes? Bill?"

The elder woman raises her arm and the girl freezes, recognition steadying her face. "Van Dyne..."

The woman looks her over frantically. "Are you okay? Are you alright? Are you in any pain?"

"No, not exactly. What's happening?"

"I'm not...sure."

"Janet," an elderly man shoves through, held by a young woman. “Janet!”

"Mom?"

"Hank! Jellybean," she cries. Before bolting, she places a hand over Bucky's. "Found them. Thank you."

He tries his best to smile. "No problem."

Ducking his head, he tries to move away, eyeing the sky, the people.

Ashes clump and disassemble, and he remains silent, calling no one. He only stares as he pushes through the groups of people, tripping to a stop before he ran over a poor man as he plummeted just in front of him. Muttering a few 'excuse mes', the world seems to shift. Again, his being, along with everyone else, crumbles into ash. His lungs disappear, and he chokes in momentary oblivion.

Yelping makes him spin.

A girl falls to her knees next to him, her voice hoarse. “What—what—no—what’s—Brother?"

Bucky’s stomach vanishes. “Princess.”

Large, wet eyes snap up to him, revealing the stricken face of Shuri Udaku.

“Bucky?”

Her orange blouse almost camouflages with the light, torn in a few spots. Her trembling hand rises, and he meets it, helping her up.

They hold each other as they crumble into nothingness. When they reform, she sobs.

“What is happening? What is going on?”

“I don’t know,” he rubs her back gently. “Are you okay?”

“No, I—I’m sorry—this is all—insane,” she hiccups. “First, those things got in while I was working on Vision and I got hit, so I pretended to stay down—”

“Wait, they got to Vision?”

Her head shakes. “He—he escaped. I shut down the extraction. I couldn’t get it out in time. My guards couldn’t take the—the thing that got to us and I had to leave it in. I tried fighting back, but I got hit. I heard the window shatter—and then, when I tried hiding, everyone started turning into this and—”

She jumps at him again with a cry.

Silence rings in their minds, the whisper of air hissing in their ears as they resurface. Falling back down into actuality, they gasp for air.

“We really need to get out of here,” they chorus.

With a wet chuckle, she holds his left hand. “Are you okay? I’m sorry—there’s…a lot going on.”

“Yeah, I’m having trouble processing all this, too,” he glances around. “And I’m…okay. For the most part. Got blown back by Thanos, but I lived.”

She nods with a hum, turning his hand. “Working okay?”

He smiles, squeezing her hand lightly. “Perfect. Even…wherever the Hell this is.”

As the ashes rise around them, he tries to hold them both together, failing spectacularly. But as they came back together, he accidentally made them stumble back into someone.

"Man, watch where you're going..."

He wheezes, red goggles and a flight vest intruding his vision. "Wilson?"

“Falcon,” Shuri’s grip is tight.

Dark eyes brighten. "Princess. Barnes," Sam pants. "Just my luck. Guess this is Hell. Well, maybe not since she’s here, but."

Bucky smirks. "Too bad. Was really looking forward to take a dip in a lake of sulfur.”

"Hilarious—"

The air hisses into a deafening silence as they fell apart again. They tried latching to each other, ice overriding their senses as they dissipated in one another's grasp.

The cluster of people phases and glitches. With a crack, their forms break into ashes and reassemble hauntingly.

"Man, what the hell is going on?" Sam stumbles into him. Shuri helps steadying him as he hugs himself for a moment, rubbing his arms roughly. "What the hell is this place?"

"Beats me," he grits.

“It’s not Earth, I think.” Shuri trembles. “I don’t have any of my scanners on me—”

She gasps, whirling. They crane their necks just as the air hissed and hacked above again. Ashes rose, voices becoming distant. Snapping back into arrangement, two women in red appeared before them.

A Dora Milaje holds the hand of another collapsed, young woman, shouting into the air.

"Ayo," Bucky and Shuri chorus.

The warrior turns, startled.

"White Wolf, Falcon—Princess!"

The young woman on the ground peers dejectedly over her shoulder, conceding to Ayo's pulling.

They speed to each other, staring warily at the sky.

"Well, I'm not quite sure if it is safe to say that I'm glad to see you here," Ayo addresses, dried tear tracks on her face. She cups Shuri’s face, bringing her in for an embrace.

"Well," Sam glances around. "It's not exactly Hell, so I think we're safe. You haven’t found Banner or anybody else?"

“Yeah, maybe he could tell us where this is.” Bucky nods. “Or what is this.”

"We are far from that," the young woman's voice is thick. "Hell, that is. And Banner’s…not here."

"Maximoff," Sam says gently. "You know what it does?"

"I know some of what it can do. This is the Soul Stone. I'm closer to the Mind Stone, but I know that this," she lightly spins her hand, churning ashes. "Is just the start of its work."

"In any case, I don't want to be here when it finishes its warm-up, " Ayo snorts. She turns and lets out another call, listening, hoping.

"What else can it do?" Sam leans forward.

"Nothing,” she shrugs. “At least, I think that’s it. The Soul Stone grants its user control over all souls in the Universe. We’re inside the pocket dimension inside it. Like a storage facility.”

"Got it," he says. "Anything on Vision?"

She flinches. "He’s…his consciousness is in the Mind Stone. He won't be anywhere in here."

"So, this is the Soul Stone. It eats souls basically," Bucky provides. "And it’s not going to use us to amplify its power or anything, right?"

"That’s the Power Stone," she shrugs again, weakly. “And…it might. Using our souls to amplify the other Stones’ powers doesn’t sound too absurd.”

He sighs through his nose. She’s lost a lot. All of them have, and he lets his heart ache momentarily.

The tired, perplexed look on Steve face flashes across his mind and he blinks it away.

“Don’t give it any ideas, Barnes.” Sam mumbles.

Bucky hears it, along with the manic whispers of some guy walking behind him.

“It’s okay, Sebastian. You just got a little bit too drunk. God, I just hope I don’t get mugged…”

He wishes he could live with that level of ignorance, for a little while longer anyway. His desire got swept away as a blobby…elf…person landed tripped beside him and immediately stumbled to its feet, resuming its foreign yelling.

"Well, one thing's for sure. This ain't no afterlife." Sam stares after it. "Pretty sure all languages would be mutually intelligible under Father God's roof."

“So, we know what’s happening,” Shuri hugs herself. “But the only why I can think of is…the worst.”

Wanda rubs her eyes. “Yeah. It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?”

All of them flinch when a wave of ash crashes above them, assembling into human shapes.

���O Great Bast,” Ayo almost doubles over. “We’ve lost.”

"Okay, okay, but let’s keep it together,” Sam goes to help her. “If Thanos did this with the gauntlet, then I’m assuming the only way to reverse it is doing the same thing. But…I don’t how he did this.”

“He snapped his fingers,” Wanda glared at her watery reflection. “I saw him do it. Thor landed his ax in his chest, but the bastard was still alive and—"

They freeze at the sound of roaring and trumpets filling the air and Bucky frowns at the massive cloud above.

"Wanda,” Bucky utters. “When you said all souls—”

Shuri follows his gaze. “Oh, Bast.”

“No,” Sam breathes. “Is that—are those—"

Bucky snatches Shuri, practically tearing Sam’s arm off. “Move, move, move!”

Animals fall from the ashes.

People scream and scatter.

With red light at her fingers, Wanda dissuades the lions, wolves, bears, hippos, and cassowaries that run too close. Elephants were the most obvious, and the roars from lions and tigers were loud enough to tell anyone where not to run.

She and Ayo run at a crowd, the water rippling from the stampede of horses and wildebeests people parted to let through.

“Make a force field,” Ayo yelled. “Sayefa! Sayefa!”

“I’m tired, you know,” a wall of red still rises, her face wincing. “I might hurt them…”

“They might hurt us,” Sam pants behind them, rolling his shoulder before clutching his knees. “Almost tore my arm off…”

“Sorry,” Bucky sets Shuri down.

"It's raining cats and dogs," his voice breaks with a bitter wheeze, gaping at the cascade of hooves around them. "Man, this place is something else."

As more people and animals appear, Bucky feels the air.

It’s not becoming...crowded. There definitely are a lot of people here, but there's also a lot of space. Too much.

A series of distant trills rise into the air, echoing.

"Sayefa! Ha hoo! Sayefa! Ha hoo!"

Shuri gasps, whirling as Ayo lets out a sharp sigh. "Oh, thank Bast.”

“Wakandaaa!"

"Sayefa! Ha hoo! Sayefa! Ha hoo!"

Bucky stumbles back as the atmosphere snaps again. His ashes fly in a brief, stormy sea.

The neighing and groaning of the animals was distant, as if he were underwater. And then, the roaring of humans was loud enough to startle him back into clarity.

Wanda and Sam flank him firmly. Wanda's hand grips his arm, face pale, perturbed.

Ayo wanders out of the shield as they see T'Challa emerging from a crowd, his warriors, along with some Jabari, following closely.

With a holler from T’Challa, a group of them charged, blanket shields flickering. Together, using nothing but their bodies and voices, they herd the poor beasts into small groups.

A few mares, foals, and stallions break away, only to be met with more men and Dora Milaje. Even the hollering of some civilians rises into the air as they seemed to join them. Expertly, they dodge both species’ bucking and rearing, their shouts scattering as they corralled them. 

Crowds of people cheer and clap from a distance, relief warming Bucky’s chest.

The King commands, “Yibambe!”

“Yibambe,” they all echo.

“Yibambe!”

“Yibambe!”

Shuri bolts in his direction and Bucky barely makes out the King’s soft, “Oh, no.”

"My King," Ayo calls, tailing the Princess.

T'Challa takes them for a brief embrace, and Bucky hears the clicks of isiXhosa.

"You fought well, Dora. You fought well for me and your country. We must now regroup. Find out what we can do. Be strong. Bast’s presence and power reside in me still. However, it feels...different. She is closer, but She is farther."

"Do not lose Her, Your Highness," Ayo pleads. Her arms cross over her chest, head bowed.

"Your Highness," Sam holds out his hand.

"I am not quite sure if I am glad to see some familiar faces in this place," T'Challa takes their hands in a strong shake. "But I suppose it tells us what we all feared," he looks around, face saddening at the sight of his warriors. "We have lost. And we are in a place beyond our current understanding."

"I am Groot," an odd, tree stump-like head appears behind him. It blinks at them with large, dark eyes.

Bucky was sure he'd seen it all after spinning a bipedal raccoon like Julie Andrews on the mountains to shoot a barrage of aliens. Said raccoon trying to buy his gun and his arm afterward. But now, he was completely sure he was done. Apparently, the talking tree from Pocahontas was real, too.

"And here is something else beyond my understanding," T'Challa sighs. "I don't know what it's saying."

"I am Groot," it seems to complain.

“Yep,” nods Sam. “Not an afterlife.”

“Wow, Brother,” Shuri smiles wetly. “You were meeting aliens without me? That’s unfair. Hello, Groot?”

"I am Groot," The tree nods at her and proceeds to poke T'Challa's suit. "I am Groot."

"Uh, it is vibranium,” the siblings chorus. “It is a very strong metal."

The tree points at Bucky. "I am Groot?"

"That is vibranium as well," the king's lip twitches.

"I am Groot," it taps his suit, gesturing and shrugging. "I am Groot. I am Groot." It looks at Bucky again, pointing at its own arm. "I am Groot?"

Bucky's head shakes. "I'm sorry?"

"I am Groot?"

"I'm sorry—your name is...Groot?"

The tree face deadpans at him. And he has to stomp on the embarrassment as everyone else also throws him blank looks.

The tree roars, "I am Groot!"

Sam pushes his shoulder. "Man, stop pissing off the tree alien!"

"Don't touch me—look, I don't know what it's saying, I just wanted to make sure—"

"I am Groot," Groot sighs exasperatedly. "I am Groot." It points at his arm and Sam's wings. "I am Groot. I am Groot."

"I'm—I'm Bucky." Confusion trickles through him.

The stump head shakes. "I am Groot. I am Groot. I—am—Groot."

"He's warning you about your arm and your wings," Wanda blinks with a small frown. She steps away, breathing shakily. "He says Rocket will try to buy and steal them."

"I am Groot,” it—he, apparently—gasps. “I am Groot—I am Groot!"

"I am, but this landscape is—it's amorphous. They could be at the very ends of it for all we know. I can't even sense how far it reaches."

The tree sags. "I am Groot..."

"Who the hell's Rocket?" asks Sam.

"The raccoon," it clicks in Bucky's head. "We helped each other out a while ago. And," he takes a breath. "He already tried."

Groot shakes his head again. He seemed to be smiling with what Bucky thinks is fondness. "I am Groot."

Sam gives him a glare he'd gotten used to. "Think I missed you fighting aliens with a rodent."

He shrugs. "Fine. Don't believe me."

"I am Groot," Groot chastises.

"Not a rodent, " Wanda's lips twitch. "Got it."

The air shakes violently and they cling to each other.

"I am Groot," he shrieks. "I am Groot!"

"I wouldn't want to die a second death either," she grits. "But—"

Around them, the shape of people flickers briefly, ash crashing in waves. They break and fall apart. And when they come back, on the watery surface, a small pagoda appears in the middle of them all, a rectangular, shimmering, translucent wall encasing it.

"What now?" Sam growls.

"There's…someone there," Bucky narrows his eyes.

Wanda leans forward. "A little—girl?"

"I am Groot? I am Groot! I am Groot!"

"’It’s Gamora’?" She stutters. "Who’s Gamora?"

Ash falls, and then, people were in front of the structure, yelling the name inside. A man's yell rises above the rest.

"Gamora—Gamora, it's me! It's Quill! Sweetheart, please..."

"Quill, you will not get to her," a woman with large eyes and antennae pulls on his arm. "There's too much pain—I can't do anything about it!"

"Mantis, come on, please—"

The little girl only stays with her back turned to them.

And then, Groot was yelling and running. "I am Groot! I am Groooot!"

"Groot," a larger man turns.

At least, Bucky thinks it’s a man.

Biped, broad, skin color wasn’t human though. Different culture, maybe?

Regardless, that man spins, looking in all directions. Red eyes land on the running flora-alien and his hand rises, pointing in their direction.

"Groooot!"

Wanda starts at a fast pace. T'Challa shouts an order to his soldiers and keeps pace with her as Shuri, Bucky and Sam follow.

"The large man," Wanda sniffs. "Is Drax. The woman is Mantis. And the man is Quill."

"And the other dude in red?" Sam cranes his neck.

"He didn't say."

"What dude?" Bucky frowns.

"He's," Sam stutters. "I just saw—man, this place is messing with my tech, too! There was another guy. Right there…Princess, do you think you check these out? I know you don’t have tools or whatever, but maybe you can figure out the wiring maybe?”

“Uh, sure,” Shuri squints as his goggles, pouting slightly. “How come you got to keep your tech…”

"Sorry,” his lip twitches. “I don’t know. But I guess we got more allies?"

Bucky shrugs again.

"Let us hope so," T'Challa says.

Groot sprints ahead of them. "I am Groot! I am Groot!"

Quill spins, sprinting with Drax and Mantis. "Groot? Oh, my God!"

"Groooot!"

Bucky relaxes his fist as Groot collides with them in a large embrace. Their questions drown each other's, and it occurs to him that this was a family.

"My God, what happened—"

"—I am Groot—"

"—Are you okay—"

"—Where is Thor—"

"—What about Rocket—"

"I am Groot! I am Groot!" Groot sobs, clinging to the man Wanda called Quill.

"Man," he breathes. "What the hell is happening?"

"That's the million-dollar question," Bucky says.

Quill looks up and narrows his eyes. He glances between him and the rest as they approach, a faint recognition lighting up his face.

"Quill, right?" Sam tries, sticking out his hand. The man eyes it for a moment before eyeing his goggles. "Name's Falcon. I also go by Sam."

The man in the red coat peers over his group and the woman Bucky noted was Mantis smiles, nodding.

With another quick once-over, he takes Sam's hand. “Yeah, I'm Quill. Let me guess. You guys are the Avengers, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." Sam pulls him up.

"Don't sell yourself short," Bucky shakes his hand next. "Everybody who fought today might as well be an Avenger, too. Name's Bucky."

Quill once again blinks rapidly, frowning at his prosthetic. "Thanks. And sorry about lookin' at you like that. That's—that's just gnarly to look at. Oh, wait is gnarly an insult now? I don’t know. I meant to say your arm's cool and stuff—God, sorry, Buck. But, nah. See, my group here, we got our own thing. That's Drax, and Mantis, and I guess you've already met Groot."

"We," Drax gestures. "Are the freaking Guardians of the Galaxy."

"We kick names and take ass," Mantis puts a proud arm around Groot.

Bucky elbows Sam when he snorts, stepping away with a blank face as the man's eyes narrow dangerously.

Quill winces as he finishes taking Wanda's hand and takes T'Challa's. "Jesus, she's working on that. But, quick question. Did Thor, Groot, and Rocket ever make it to you guys?"

"Yes, they did." T'Challa nods. "And they made quite the entrance, too. They all fought valiantly alongside us. I am T'Challa, King of Wakanda."

"Whoa—King?" He stiffens. "Do I—do we gotta bow or something?"

"I am Groot—"

"—We don't do that," they chorus.

"Of course Thor fought valiantly," Drax sighs, crossing his arms and looking forlornly to the sky. "To underestimate that sculpture of a man is an act of utmost sacrilege."

Bucky glances at Sam, the other man's brows knitting together and studying the air.

"Technically, he's a god but—you know what, okay. Aight. That's fine."

"Rocket tried to buy my arsenal," Bucky mutters, glancing down.

"Yeah," Quill's lips twitch again. "He does that—"

"I am Groot! I am Groot!"

"Yeah, but I don’t really know what that is. Say it again; vibra—what? Vibrium?”

"I am Groot," Groot shrugs. "I am Groot. I am Groot."

Quill stares at T'Challa. "Huh, that’s cool. He says your suits made out of it but—" He glances between Bucky's arm and T'Challa. "They look so different. Rocket’d kill to get his hands on this stuff. ‘course, he’d usually just steal them when you’re not looking—oh, wait. Avengers. Hey, Spider-Man! Spider-Man, come back! We found your Avenger buddies!"

"Spider..." Bucky stiffens.

"Wait, Avenger bud—he's not..." The words die in Sam's mouth as the lanky figure makes its way out of the crowd, the white patches widening.

"Hey, look who's here." Quill points. "You know these guys? And did you find him?"

"Uh, no, nah, I—I didn't see him anywhere," the voice broke, clearly shaken. "And Quill, I couldn't find a way in. I even tried digging—"

"'ey 'ey 'ey, relax. Calm down," Quill grabs his shoulder, glancing at the pagoda. "We'll get to her, too, eventually. We just gotta…we just gotta cool it. Steady, alright? We'll get her. But, uh, here. Here's Falcon—Sam, and Bucky and King T'Challa, his little sister Shuri and Wanda. Did I get that right?"

They all nod and he elbows Spider-Man. "Better at names than you are. By the way, don't you have a cool, superhero name, too, Wanda?"

"Scarlet Witch," she choruses with Spider-Man.

The Spider manages a weak chuckle. "Hey...Mr. Barnes. Mr. Wilson."

"Eh, just Sam's fine, man."

"Yeah, just Bucky's fine." Bucky holds out his hand.

The guy takes it, grip light.

It sort of freaks him out, and he didn't know why. Until his mask retreated downwards, and Bucky remembers.

The tear-stricken face of a young boy meets his eyes.

"Just Peter's fine for me, I guess."

With a shared glance, Bucky and Sam's gazes soften.

"Oh, so I share my name with the Footloose hater?" Quill shoulders him again gently.

Peter forces another smile, wiping away tears. "I thought your name was Star Lord? Or...Quill?"

"My real name, or earthen name, or whatever, is Peter. Peter Quill. You can just...you can just call me Quill. That way, no one gets confused."

"Yeah," Peter nods, sniffling. "Good idea."

"So, you got roped into this, too, huh?" Sam crosses his arms. "Was it Stark again?"

Peter's eyes water even more, and he shivers. "I—"

He falls into ashes and the rest follow suit.

"Damn it," Peter grits, clinging to Quill. "Damn it, I hate this place."

The girl under the pagoda answers him. "I hate it, too," her voice is small and sad. It cracks, but booms over the billions and billions of people they were trapped with. “But we can only leave if someone outside sets us free. Try as much as you want to use whatever magic you have, try to dig as much as you want, but you’re not getting anywhere. Thanos was granted control over our souls, and he trapped us here to fulfill his plans. Half of all life in this universe has been removed and placed where we are now. We’re trapped. And there is no escape. This Stone does not have cracks. And it will not release a single soul, no matter how far you wander, or whatever wall you try to reach. You're better off where you stand.”

"Oh, Gamora," Quill says forlornly. "What did he do to you..."

The little girl merely looks up at him, a darkness far too painful in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Quill. Nothing can really hurt you here."

Quill shakes his head. "I'm already hurting, sweetheart..."

The Guardians flank him, squeezing his hands, and his shoulders.

“What did she mean by this universe,” Bucky turns to Wanda.

“I’ve…never denied the possibility, but she might have been referring to the multiverse.” She pouts. “It’s more of a theory than anything concrete, I think.”

Shuri chimes in. “The multiverse? What does that have anything to do with here?”

“She just said this universe. I thought it was weird. Do you believe it?”

“I don’t exactly dispute it,” she gazes at the ground. “That’s not my area. But thinking that our universe is just one of an infinite number with infinite variations in between is sort of fun to think about every now and then. At least, to me. Maybe we can try asking her?”

“You can go,” Wanda shakes her head. “I’m still…I’m still trying to get my grip on things.”

Sam sighs again. "Spider—whoa. Peter. What can you tell us on Stark?"

Lead weighs in Bucky’s chest as the kid's eyes darken. It was a look no child should have on their face.

"Mr. Stark..." His head shakes. "I... We... I didn't mean to—"

"Peter," a female voice interjects. "I think Ned and MJ are here."

"Ned and...MJ? How—how do you know?"

"I picked up Ned's biometrics when he first found out you being a superhero. I picked up MJ's during the elevator incident."

"Oh. Where are they then?"

"South of here, behind Barnes."

They all turn.

"Ned?"

Ashes flying into the air before falling back down and another two teenagers stumbling past the crowd.

"Holy—MJ. MJ, look—there," a boy shakes the arm of the girl next to him. "I told you he'd be here—Pete!"

"Ned!" The boys crash into a hug, Peter wrapping his legs around the other boy.

"Hey, asshole, " the girl waves, sauntering. She starts conducting with her middle fingers and Sam snorts.

"Jesus," Wanda blinks. "So vulgar."

"What'd you do to her?" Bucky mutters.

"Nothing! She's—she's just like that—MJ!"

"She really is just like that, Mr. Winter Soldier, sir." The round-faced boy peers up at him, eyes wide, but not necessarily frightened. "You kinda get used to it."

"You really do," says MJ, coming up and clapping her hands slowly. "Way to go, champ. A for effort."

"For—what?" Peter tilts his head.

She nods her head. "You're Spider-Man, right?"

Ned freezes and Peter's eyes blow wide. "What—no—"

"—He's not—"

"—These aren't—these—"

"—That's not his—"

"—Yeah—no, these are—this is—these are just—"

"—his PJs!"

"My PJs."

MJ presses her lips together. "So…You brought your Spidey-PJs with you...for the trip?"

"Yep,” he hums.

"Come on, MJ. We're seniors."

"It's not weird. I—I'm allowed to have a thing for superheroes."

Sam coughs while Bucky bites his lip and MJ's eyebrows go up.

"Oh, okay."

"Nope," Peter shakes his head. "That’s not how it was supposed to come out..."

After a moment of odd glancing, she shrugs. "Alright then. Honestly, if anyone had half my mind, they'd just assume what you were up to by the third week of school."

"Nobody just assumes somebody's Spider-Man, MJ."

"You know what theorizing is, Ned, come on. It wasn't hard putting two and two together anyway."

"What do you mean?" says Peter.

"You weren't even trying to hide it, were you?"

"I was," he pouts. "Um...I think I was pretty subtle about it actually."

"Yeah, but you can't really call doing the most clichéd secret superhero shit in history subtle."

Peter splutters, blinking. "What—how was I being cliché?"

She counts her fingers. "Disappearing whenever there's aliens around, leaving your best friend at the party that's bound to boost your popularity, and blowing off your date, literally the prettiest girl in school, at homecoming prom because of something really important. Just those three pretty much fit the bill, but if you don't think so...go off, I guess."

Ned winces.

"Not to mention, you jumped out of the bus, probably thinking everybody was distracted and or apathetic enough to not notice you jumping out of a damn window," she shrugs. "It's pretty amateur stuff, Parker. I've seen better porn."

Peter sags as Ned coughs out a laugh.

"Damn, she has a point..."

"Also, you talked about stealing Captain America's shield during PE once. I was sitting," she pops her lips, rolling her eyes. "Right behind you."

“You were reading,” adds Ned.

“Said who,” she smirks.

Ned lets out a grunt while Peter winces.

"Now, that's just being reckless," Sam snorts quietly.

Bucky's mouth twists and Wanda twitches beside him, a weak smile on her face.

"What, you think you could do better or something?" Ned shakes his head, suddenly defensive.

"I could," she replies easily. "I can beat you at lying. That’s no contest."

Ned gives up. "That's fair."

“Well, sorry,” Peter rolled his eyes before flinching. "I—no. I really am sorry, you guys—I couldn't—we failed—"

"Whoa, hey, whoa whoa whoa. Relax. I'm chill." Ned shakes his head.

"Same,” she smiles. “And literally, we couldn't have done any better, Parker. If I'd put that thing on, I'd probably die instantly. That is, if Stark programmed it to your biometrics—ooh, hang on, can I try it?"

Peter steps back. "What—no."

"Buzzkill," she clicks, strolling up to Bucky.

"You're the Winter Soldier, right?" She holds out her hand. "Michelle Jones, or just MJ."

"Nice to meet you," he says automatically.

"You can still feel temperatures and fabrics with it, right?" She eyes his arm and Bucky smiles. He liked her forwardness.

"To a lesser extent than a regular arm, but yes. I can also still feel pain."

"Oof," she blinks. "That's still cool though. Does it bother you it can't produce body heat? Learned some stuff about trauma in my AP Psych class."

Holding it out, he shakes his head. "It used to? I didn't exactly have enough time to process the trauma. Nor did I let myself really. But she’s the one that can catch you up on the technological details," he nods at Shuri. “She knows better than me.”

“You made this,” MJ’s eyebrow quirks.

“Sure did,” Shuri smiles.

“Lit.”

She presses her fingertips against his and he smiles. He notes her eyes aren't exactly pitiful. They're more...annoyed.

"Nice. Oh, and thanks for your service, by the way. You, too, Falcon."

"You're welcome," they chorus.

“You’re quite relaxed for having technically died,” Sam smirks. “You done this before?”

“No,” she chuckles. “I think I’m just still in shock or something to be honest.”

Bucky nods. “Yeah, join the club.”

Ned trembles, tugging on her. "MJ, quit distracting the Avengers—I'm so sorry, Mr. Winter Soldier, sir, she has no self-control—MJ, you're going to get us killed."

"She's fine, man," Sam shrugs. "Not like we got any leads on what the hell we should be doing."

"You guys got anything?" Bucky smirks.

Ned stutters and MJ shrugs.

"Not the slightest fucking clue. We're just plebs. It's a hard-knock life for us," she sings. "It's a hard-knock life for us—"

"—'Steada treated," Ned joins.

"We get tricked," Peter’s voice is thick, but he joins with a wet chuckle.

"'Steada kisses,” the taller teen beams.

"We get kicked, it's a hard-knock life," the three of them finish.

"How did we get kicked, by the way? What exactly happened?" MJ peers up at Bucky. "Or is that—you know, classified?"

"Uh," he glances with a sigh. "Would you believe me if I said some purple alien overlord wanted to erase half the universe by getting six magic stones and succeeded?"

Her eyes glance away with a tentative hum and her lips press together.

It was an amusing thought when said aloud, and Bucky was afraid she’d straight up shut him down, but after a moment, she shrugged.

"Probably," her eyes flick to Peter. "You're more trustworthy than some people.”

"Hey," he complains.

"Alright, kids," Sam claps his hands with a large grin. He steps besides MJ and chokes on his own amused chuckle. "Let's not try and start fights here. I don't think the school nurse is gon' like the idea that Falcon couldn't keep some rowdy kids under control."

"Oh, don't worry, Mr. Wilson. We can both take down Ned instantly," MJ provides. "Peter would probably just knock me out or something—"

"MJ, no."

"MJ, yeah, sure, why not? By the way, is your suit different or something? I've seen videos of you—yeah, it's definitely different."

"Yeah, it is," Bucky says. "The one you had in Leipzig was—I don't know, softer?"

Sam hums, nodding. "This one's shinier."

"Yeah, uh, Mr. Stark. He...he made it for me." His voice quiets. The white patches shrink and removes his mask again, revealing the tears falling down his face.

“Oops, hit a nerve.” MJ nods while Peter bows his head, Ned putting a hand on his shoulder.

"We, um...God. God, why...why didn't I listen to him?"

His shoulders shake and Bucky taps Sam's arm, averting his gaze.

He nods, giving yet another sigh. "Look, Peter—"

"Peter!" The horror-stricken shriek makes them whirl around. "Peter Parker!"

"Oh, shit," MJ bolts behind Bucky. “Ned,” she hisses. “Hide!”

“What, why—"

Bucky almost falls with the breath of the stone this time, feeling his being split apart and drift back together. He picks up MJ before she crumples to her knees, letting her lean on Shuri.

A woman in a cream apron bursts out of the crowd.

"May..." Peter's tears fall without restraint as he stumbles forward. "May!"

"Oh, my God! Pete!" May's arms wrap tightly around the boy. Peter could only let his sobs go as he shook and shook, sobbing and blubbering May's name.

"I was so scared, May...I was so scared."

May presses kisses to his head, muttering reassurances before hugging him to her chest.

"Ugh, I'm going to kill that Stark," she snarls, rubbing Peter's hair.

"No—no, May, please, it's okay..."

"I would strongly advise against that, Miss Parker."

Bucky tenses again as a man walked up behind them, the red cloak on his shoulders hovering behind him.

"I understand your concern, but our fates rest with that Stark now."

“What—who are you?” May glares.

"Dr. Strange..." Peter sniffles. "What—what was it that you saw?"

"I tried to see as many paths to victory as fast as I could," the sorcerer answers as he grabs a woman's hand behind him, pulling her gently to his side. "I saw one."

"Stephen, did we—did we just die?" The woman frowns up at him, a hand around his waist.

"Not yet really, Christine. Not quite that lucky either."

"What was the one?" Sam pipes up.

Stephen takes him in, tilting his head. "Oh, more Avengers made it in here. Oh, boy. You're Sam Wilson, correct?"

"Yeah."

"And you must be Bucky Barnes. You must desperately miss the forties, no doubt."

Bucky sighs. "You have no idea."

Stephen smiles. "Your Highness, King T'Challa Udaku."

"Doctor," T'Challa nods.

"Sorry opening the borders brought you into the heat of things. I suppose power attracts chaos."

"That is very true—"

"Straaange!" Drax roars as he speeds back to them. He descends on the man, swinging. "Why—did you—give Thanos—the Stooone?"

The cloak on Stephen's shoulders rises. It wraps around Drax's fist when he jumps, pulling him away.

"You again? The Blanket of Death! I'll tear you at the seams—"

"—Drax, no! We're not fighting anyone here—"

Quill slams into his front, having Mantis jump on him from behind.

"Sleep! Sleep!"

"I will not sleep here, Mantis," Drax spits. "Both the man and his blankie are in serious need of retribution!"

"First of all, why did your buddy Star-Lord start attacking Thanos right when we were almost had it? And second of all, what if I told you that the reason I gave Thanos the Stone was so that we could win? More specifically, so Stark could win? So he could get us out of here?"

"Look, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please don't shoot me with your magic," Quill holds his hands up, wincing. "But how the hell is that even going to work?" he pants, pushing Drax back as he attempted to stomp forward. "Stark's still on Titan. And he's with Nebula! Who knows what she'll do to him?"

"She'll probably kill him," Mantis cries as she swayed with Drax.

"I am Groot—I am—Groot!"

MJ moves a little way apart where May is prodding Peter. “You know all these people?”

“Sort of,” he croaks sheepishly. “I don’t know Quill or all the alien guys that well yet. I met them in one of Thanos’s ships while heading to Titan with Dr. Stranger and Mr. Stark and—"

“Wait wait wait. Stark took you to an alien planet?” May shrieks. “Without telling me—no, that’s crossing too many lines, Peter—”

“Aunt May—May, please—”

“—insane—Peter Parker, I’m supposed to be protecting you—”

“I know, but—”

“—looking out for you—under my watch—”

“I know and I’m sorry!”

His sudden volume increase calls even the attention of nearby crowding civilians.

He gasps and bows his head, voice cracking. "God, I'm sorry. I am so sorry. He told me to go home but I didn't listen—and then I blamed it on him and I tried to take it back and—and—he warned me, May,” his hands hold hers tightly. “And he said that he didn't want my death on his conscience and now it is and you can't be mad at him, you can’t,” his voice breaks, tears streaming down. “He was trying to protect me, too. All the way to the end!"

May holds him close again, glaring flatly. "Okay—okay…fine," she sighed. "I won't—I won’t sue him or anything, alright? But he’s still getting a piece of my mind.”

Peter lets out a wet chuckle, hugging her tightly. "That's...that's better, I guess. But wait—" he wipes his face. "Will Nebula really kill him?"

“No, she won’t,” Stephen looks at him and May gently. “What I saw was the best outcome: all of us back, with minimal sacrifice. And Nebula won’t kill him because number one: she has no reason to. They’re fighting on the same side. Against Thanos. Two: they’ve both lost to him and now that they’re stranded together, they’re going to use each other to find a way of Titan and back home. And three: Nebula has no reason to lay off a human and waste energy when she knows a human body will just off itself after food and water deprivation.”

"You better elaborate on that, sorcerer. Director Fury's going to want to hear all about that."

A woman in a dark uniform appears behind them, hair in a neat bun.

"Agent Hill," Sam greets, voice dry. "Not glad to see you here."

"Likewise, Falcon." She smirks bitterly. "You must be Bucky Barnes."

Bucky smiles, holding out his hand. "You're with SHIELD, right?"

"That's right," she grabs his hand. "I'm Agent Maria Hill, second-in-command to Director Nick Fury. More detailed introductions can wait until we're out of here. First and foremost, on my agenda right now's gathering intel."

"Well, we can give you all the intel we have," T'Challa bows his head.

"Your Highness," she nods.

"—fucker, son of a bitch, what the hell happened this fucking time—"

"Good Lord..." Maria jumps a foot in the air as she bumps into none other than SHIELD Director Nick Fury.

Snorts come from the kids, meanwhile Bucky dampens his own chuckle as Agent Hill helps him stand.

"Hill—you're here? What the hell's going on—"

Fury takes in the faces of the Avengers, the sorcerer, and the Guardians. Rubbing his face, he sighs, settling down on the rippling floor.

"What?" Maria's smirk widens. "Thought Hell'd be nicer?"

"No, Agent Hill," Fury huffs with no venom, resigned. "This is much worse."

Wherever the Hell Bucky was, something in him loosens, his shoulders relaxing.

The shock was fading, people were getting their grips on things.

While everyone wasn’t here, they were still in one piece. For the most part. As long as it stayed that way, he could let himself relax. Just a little bit.

#avengers #marvel #bucky barnes #sam wilson #peter parker #shuri udaku #black panther #michelle jones #ned leeds #may parker #doctor strange #peter quill #starlord #drax #mantis #guardians of the galaxy #gotg #groot #wanda maximoff #rocket raccoon #gamora #thanos #steve rogers #tony stark #sebastian stan #anthony mackie #tom holland #benedict cumberbatch #zendaya #robert downey jr

[lettuce-king]

I was looking on my phone and found some notes and a theory for Jimmy Casket. I just want to warn that this is a few years old and does not consider any of the more recent P.I.E. videos.

《Anything that looks like this is new and added now as I Re-Read it》

So without further ado, I present a 2 year old theory and notes:

Dipper mod 1- March 9th 2016

Haunted by cardboard friend- Johnny Ghost gets some of Gregory/Jimmy' s flash backs like remembering the cardboard friend name and this confuses Ghost as he tries to connect the links in his brain.

CBF Theory: CBF is a manipulative entity that attacks and feeds off of the weak (This is proved by CBF attacking Ghost without his partner Toast and when he attacked Gregory because he had no one to interact with and caused them both to go crazy)

[Crossed Out] Babby doll hide and seek (gregory) Sep, 26 2013

[Crossed Out] Murder ep 1- Jan, 12 2012

[Crossed Out] Box friend original- Sep, 15 2013

《I think I was going to do a theory that dealt with the dates but Idk.》

Jimmy Casket Theory/Notes:

1. Tommy/Timothy Casket is Jimmy' s father and not Ghost's.

2. Jimmy Casket likes to win whether it's murder, hide and seek, find it so I can eat it, TTT, or just killing someone.

3. I believe that paranormal entities detect Jimmy Casket/Gregory instead of Johnny Ghost.

4. He is ticked off by not winning, blood, being away from Toast for along time, when Ghost is confused/scared of something, annoyed by people, doesn't get what he wants.

--‐----------------------------------------

In Gmod murder siblings 11 "Olaf" at 14:05 Jimmy Casket states that his name is Gregory

In KING BONNIE (Gmod castle mod) at 7:49 Ghost said that he grew up on a farm

[Crossed Out] January 8th 2014 "Johnny Ghost" Gmod 4 player prop hunt 27 Ghost and Toast first appearance

《Time for the Big Theory》

Jimmy Casket the world's most renowned murderer. To solve the theory of who is Jimmy Casket? And what is his backstory? We need to go over a few things first. The 1st thing we need to go over before we start talking about Jimmy Casket is how life and death works in the Gmod/VenturianTale world. Clearly life and death in the Gmod world is not normal like it is here in reality. We live and we die, that's how it is and that's how it will always be. But we can still explain why people come back from the dead. I believe the reason people can come back from the dead is Maxwell Acachalla. Now how does Maxwell have any thing to do with Jimmy Casket? You may ask well, I'm getting there. Let me explain why I think Maxwell has to do with people coming back from the dead first. In a bank robbery with Papa Acachalla and the gang, Maxwell was killed by the Bank Teller after they figured out they were trying to steal money. When Maxwell died he met with an evil and VERY powerful entity. Who this entity is? I don't know. It could be someone we haven't met yet, or will ever meet. It could be Satan himself. Or it could be someone we've seen before, but never suspected them to be evil.

Back to what I was saying, when Maxwell encountered the entity he was offered great power as a ghost and since Maxwell was power driven he accepted the gift. When the Acachalla household encountered Maxwell again there was a curse that made them become immortal, Maxwell didn't mind because he wanted to enternally tourture the Acachallas and especially Papa and his gang as revenge for his death. When Maxwell was starting to get out of hand the Acachallas called P.I.E. aka Johnny Ghost and Johnny Toast to get rid of him. When Ghost and Toast encountered Maxwell they were "killed" by him and that caused Ghost and Toast to come back from the dead.

Now, some people in the universe are also not 100% normal, for example Maloney is an alien and some people have special powers which I think is the reason Spooker and Mr. Sviggles can come back from the dead. Now that we have gone over the reason why I think some people come back from the dead, we can discuss the fact that some people aren't immortal and once they die they die. Some examples of this is John, M9KShotgun, and the ginger kid from "FNAF School Roleplay - Gmod Five Nights at Freddy's Animatronics mod (Garry's Mod)", other small one time characters, and Higgly Diggly Hoogen, yes before you start saying "But even if he gets killed he still keeps coming back" and you're kinda right, BUT he doesn't come back from the dead, one of his many other clones are sent. And the government will never run out as long as they keep cloning him. And you're still probably wondering what this all has to do with Jimmy Casket well I'm about to tell you how.

Remember that video "Gmod Cardboard Friend Mod" where Gregory was hanging out with Cardboard Friend and it slowly turned into a horror movie type scenario? Yeah? Well this is a big part of lore we need in order to solve the mystery of Jimmy Casket. Let's talk about what we know about Gregory and CBF then we'll go into what I think happened. We know that Gregory is a young easily manipulated boy that has gone through a lot. He lost his parents at an early age, he's been alone in a really creepy, old house and his only source or communication is CBF which is a ghost. Now let's get into the theories, I believe CBF is an evil, manipulative entity that is up to no good, and only wants to traumatize and kill people (and possibly take their souls). CBF's target was Gregory, CBF planned to slowly steal his soul by making him go mad, and it worked. In the video when CBF was chasing Gregory around the house it symbolized him killing Gregory, and when Gregory was sending CBF into the sky was him accepting the fact that he was dead, and finally Gregory walking out of the yard was him moving on into the afterlife. Now this is when things start to tie together, because when Gregory died he was faced with the same evil entity that gifted Maxwell great power. The entity offered Gregory something unbelievable.

BUT, before I say what the entity gifted Gregory I want to explain why he decided to gift Gregory and not some other random person. Think, this video was probably a flashback of Gregory's life which was in like the 1980s when technology was not at its peak and paranormal invenvestigating sounded pretty crazy, so there weren't many paranormal investigators. Therefore there was no hard cold proof that paranormal entities can kill people EXPECT for the "Bell Witch Haunting" which states that a poltergeist physically killed (in this case poisoned) John Bell in the 19th Centary. So death by paranormal entity was pretty rare. This caused the evil entity to bestow a gift upon Gregory, a boy that died by a paranormal entity at a young age.

Back to what the entity offered Gregory, the entity gave Gregory the chance to rule over personalities. So we're all correct when we say that Gregory is Jimmy Casket, but this goes a lot deeper than imagined...

Gregory is that insane, evil, devious side of you and your OC's when you/they lose at something, is scared, threatened, or confused. And Jimmy Casket is just one of his characters with their own backstory and a little bit of Gregory in it. Gregory is Samantha gravestone, Max Hunter, Melodie Casket, Amy Reaper, Ethan Dager, Karl Coffin, 《These are all people's "insane" OC's I looked up when originally making this》 Gavin Toast, he is even Antisepticeye and Darkiplier.

I also quickly want to mention that this personality can spread into our world too so to explain to you what I mean I'll tell you about the time I was scrolling through the comments of a story I found on WattPad and the users were talking about how they would sometimes feel the urge to stab, trip, or harm/kill people, like Jimmy Casket does, and that made it clear that the feelings they feel becomes a personality. Another thing to notice is how Jordan changes from the fun, energetic, and goofy person he is to an insane, psycopath...even his eyes change. That's right the addicting, fun, evil personality we all love to use today are one of Gregory's OCs .

And now, here we are nearing the end of the theory but there are still some things up in the air that we need to be solve before we go, Questions like Why is Ghost unaware of Jimmy Casket? And why does he act so strange around CBF? Well...I'm gonna solve these questions right now, Let's first start with why Ghost is unaware of Jimmy's existence. This simply deals with how powerful one's soul is. Johnny Ghost has been through a lot of stuff...too much stuff, this has caused his soul to weaken and decay. Since he has a weak soul Gregory's OC, Jimmy Casket had extra room to grow and fill so he added more of his own backstory in there too, in order to have a balance. This caused Ghost's childhood to get mixed up with the other backstories and whenever Jimmy/Gregory takes control it's over whelming and causes Ghost to black out. How I know this deals with how powerful one's soul is and not something else is shown in "Dipper Mod 1" when dipper's evil persona left his body and tried to stab him with an eraser. Dipper seemed to not care or worry about it and in "Dipper Mod 2" Dipper's evil clone was hanging around the store and Dipper was not worried or scared at all, he may have been a bit annoyed but that's all. That showed that Dipper has a strong soul and is very aware of his evil side the side Gregory controls.

And now to finally explain why Ghost acts the way he does around CBF. Johnny Ghost is a Paranormal Investigator which means he investigates paranormal entities wether it be a level 2 apparition or a demon he tries to get rid of it, and CBF is no exception. The powerful and smart entities notice Gregory and not Ghost so when Ghost runs into CBF Gregory starts to freak out because he is aware that CBF is his killer and CBF knows that Gregory is there and wants to traumatize him even further. Gregory acts as Jimmy Casket and not himself because he wants to try to stand up for himself in a more powerful and safer form. And if any other OC were to come face to face with CBF they would have the same reaction because they are all the same person, Gregory. So this solves the mystery of Jimmy Casket, He's just another one of Gregory's made up personalities that Gregory hides behind. And Gregory is just an unfortunate soul that was chosen to die by the hands of a ghost, which caused him to become the evil, mischievous side of everyone.

-----------‐----------------------------------

That's it! That's a theory that I wrote about 2 years ago and never did anything with.

I used to love Venturiantale and finding this and looking back to a few of their videos was a blast to the past. It was definitely one of the better fandoms I was in when was younger and I still don't regret it one bit.

#venturiantale #venturian #johnny ghost #johnny toast #jimmy casket #paranormal investigators extraordinaire #creepy pasta #p.i.e #pie #gregory casket #cardboard friend #Maxwell Acachalla