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babyyoda234 · 4 months

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Cobblepot's Cabana

Summary: Working for Oswald Cobblepot has its perks. Mr. Cobblepot always gives out Christmas and summer bonuses, you get excellent health insurance... However, working at a pool owned by one of Batman rogues can put you at odds with the Caped Crusader himself. One day, the Riddler and Killer Croc team up to defeat Batman. This team endeavor doesn't work out the way they expected.

Lifeguard POV:

There wasn’t any mention of how to handle situations like this during the certification. Teenage boys doing back flips into the shallow end? Yes. Nose bleeds? Of course. Clocking into work to find the Gotham knight fighting not one, but two of his rogues on the pool deck? Absolutely not. Nothing could have prepared me to witness the all out brawl that was occurring during my shift. Or the fact that Killer Croc’s tail defensively slapped the Riddler, Batman, and Robin into the pool. Tyler hands me the lifeguard tube with a sly smile.

“Good luck with that. I’m going to go pee.”

If I wasn’t so concerned for the teenage vigilante getting his face pushed underwater by a crocodile, that would have been incredibly annoying.

Staring at the drowning quartet, I am faced with a dilemma.

Do I get paid enough for this? (No)

Would interrupting the feud end with my imminent death? (Probably)

Poor Eddie Nygma flails desperately against the waves made by Killer Croc and Batman wrestling. For such an intelligent guy, one would have assumed he would at least know how to doggy paddle... One would be wrong. Every time the man, known to the rest of the world as the Riddler, touches the water... He sinks. It's honestly impressive how quickly he can reach the bottom of the pool. His panicked green eyes cause my heart to swell.

Dammit... Fine.

Within moments, I plunge into the icy water. Of course today of all days Cobblepot would turn the temperature down for dramatic effect. Fighting against Killer Croc's waves, I lunge for Eddie first. Avoiding his panicked limbs, I shove the buoy flush against his chest. Eddie clings onto the life preserver with a grateful gaze as I meet a face full of salt water.

My eyes burn from the impact. Resurfacing a few feet away, the vigilante/ crocodilian brawl somehow managed to turn on the manual waves. I watch in disbelief as Eddie gets pulled in their direction. His feverishly pale skin and blue lips chill me to my core.

"Oh.. No you don't!" I gasp struggling against the current. Another wave pushes me under. Stay calm. You've done this before. Opening my eyes, my heart stops when I register what I am face to face with.

Void like black eyes stare emotionless in my direction. With skin so grey and smooth, I'm almost tempted to run my hand across. However, the hundreds of sharp teeth keep me at bay. There's a shark in the pool, King Shark, to be exact... and he's not happy about the wrestling match going on above. Typical Gotham. Funny enough, I checked the attendance log this morning. Nanaue canceled his membership months ago, but that's none of my business.

From the corner of my eye, I vaguely make out the faint outline of the drowning boy wonder. The kid’s head is above water for now, but the heavy plated Robin suit cannot be easy to swim in.

Sometimes, King Shark confuses the lifeguards for poolside snacks. Easy mistake really. Cobblepot had warned us previously of the last guard who got eaten. Unzipping my fanny pack, I fumble for my saving grace: a small tuna packet from my morning lunch. Offering it to the shark, I await his response. That must have been the right move because a smile emerges with hundreds of teeth barring all at once.

Pressure and panic spreads throughout my body from the lack of oxygen. Crawling to the surface, my lungs gasp for air while I assess the current situation. Eddie's conscious, yet even with the raft his lips are still tinged with blue from his underwater adventure. Robin's fighting with less vigor than before. He doesn't have much time. Killer Croc is in his element. And Batman? Well, like any Florida man wrestling with their local wildlife: he's doing his best. His sluggish movements are showing how much the cape and his weaponry are weighing him down.

Considering my options, I make the dumbest split second decision of my life: I ask for help. Diving under the oncoming waves, I gesture towards King Shark with as much pleading as I can muster. I don't speak Shark, but I motion to my fanny back to insinuate their would be more fish ahead. Nananue slowly nods his head before circling the water around me.

For a second, I think my life is over. Maybe my parents were right to throw a fit when I announced my acceptance into Gotham U. I'm sure Metropolis Lifeguards’ don't have to make bargains with their local trespassing aquatic life.

To my relief, King Shark doesn't bite my head off. With an impatient shimmy, he waits for me to hold on. I shrug before crawling on his back. We cut through the waves with such ease that I find myself in awe of the cartilaginous fish. If I swam like that, I would bum off Oswald Cobblepot too. The Riddler and his life raft tug loosely behind due to the harness around my waist.

Checking my watch, I frown.

Tyler was supposed to take me off stand ten minutes ago. That bastard. From the empty pool deck, I bet he left work early again... for the 3rd time this week.

Speeding past the giant iceberg in the center of the pool, King Shark reluctantly slows down once we near the frail looking teenager. Before I can hoist the kid up, Nananue eyes the young boy with interest.

"Don't even think about it. If you eat Robin, I have to explain to Cobblepot how you've been staying here for months without paying for a membership."

With an exaggerated sigh, the Shark man allows me to hull the kid half way out of the water. Somehow, Robins mask managed to stay on during the kerfuffle. His wet black hair sticks to his forehead. He's got a pulse. He's breathing. Reaching the pool deck, Robin’s limp form is proving ridiculously lofty to move.

Across the pool deck, Batman somehow managed to tranquilize Killer Croc. His damp armor makes a hilarious ~squish~ noise with every step. Eddie sprawls on his back muttering something I assume to be riddle associated. Robin's starting to regain color.

Thank goodness, I didn't have to do CPR; I do not want to be the one responsible for breaking the Boy Wonders ribs.

One eye flutters open, then the other. The intensity of his blue eyes catches me off guard.

"Instead of saving my life," He rasps with a mischievous grin, "Can you save my phone number?"

Very original.

I briefly consider shoving him back into the pool. If I hadn't spent the last 20 minutes trying to save his life, I would have. Instead of responding, I make eye contact with his Guardian.

"I'm going to need to ask you two to leave." I elaborate gesturing to my watch, "The pool closes at 9."

#iceberg lounge #batfamily #lifeguard #gotham x reader #the riddler x reader #edward nygma x reader #killer croc #king shark #gotham rogues #robin x reader #gotham #oswald cobblepot #batfamily x reader #batfamily fluff

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sbk-zgvlt · 10 months

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What if each type of fea had a special way to dignified who they want to court. Like for example crocodile fea tend to warp their tail around the arm of the person the like. So one day Ace is just chillin with Sebek, and all of a sudden Sebek brings out his tail and warps it around Ace arm.

Sebek the rizzler, unfortunately Ace is TOO good of a boyflop loser to actually realize Sebek is rizzing him up

"Crocodile male and females loser redheads may rub against each other..."

Sebek is (un)surprisingly the one to initiate most of the physical contact when he's with Ace. A hand on his shoulder, circles around his back, a full-on hug. Ace gets all blushy when he does it but plays it off like a pro (He does not play it off like a pro).

"...circle around..."

Sebek won't be able to do that without being called a weirdo, and he REALLY likes his dignity, but when the two are alone there's a chance that Sebek brings out his croc form. He can't actually circle around Ace, but he does circle his tail around him instead.

"...and perform swimming displays."

Sebek is the most prideful motherfucker if you ever bring him to a large body of water. If you can actually get him to swim. But it's just him and Ace, so he's ready to pull out the croc form and impress Ace (Ace is actually not all that impressed by Sebek being able to finish two laps across a big lake in under a minute, but don't tell anyone else- he thinks Sebek looks really pretty in his croc form).

Any fae or anyone knowledgeable enough about how each type of fae courts know exactly what Sebek is doing. So obviously, Diasomnia know that Sebek is courting Ace.

Lilia is MORTIFIED. He has seen Baul and Esme rizzing up their respective partners, but it was not as worst as watching the kid you consider your own youngest to be flirting with a FUCKING LOSER.

Malleus is subtly hyping Sebek up, but thinks that Sebek's taste in men could use some work. But he also thinks that Ace will end up being some sort of practice before Sebek moves on with a better grasp on how to court, so he leaves it be for the most part (Sebek does not move on and he bangs his head on the wall when Sebek brings Ace home for family dinners).

SILVER does not bother trying to hide how much he hates Ace. Sure, as an individual? He thinks Ace is passionate and driven, and he has a lot of potential. Nice kid. As SEBEK'S CRUSH? No. Absolutely not.

Unfortunately, he is the reason that Ace first finds out that Sebek is even courting him in the first place when he snaps at him after Ace disregards Sebek's courting. Cue realization, and the immediate need to rizz Sebek back.

So, Silver technically started Electraheart. Loser.

#twisted wonderland #sebek zigvolt #twst #twst sebek #sebek twisted wonderland #twst sebek zigvolt #my asks!#ace trappola #twst ace #twisted wonderland ace trappola #ace x sebek #electraheart

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tealmaskmybeloved · 2 months

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So when thinking about Kieran's corrupted team, I was trying to see more abstract thoughts, basically the inner desires of his pokemon being brought to life. As well as other things. SO :

Shiftry, The Ruthless Avian (Poison/Flying) (Ability: Toxic Chain + Wind Rider) (Moves: Poison Jab, Brave Bird, Tailwind, Sucker Punch) (Item: Black Sludge) (Nature: Adamant) (Perfect IVs) (EV spread: 252 Att, 252 Speed, 4 Sp.Def) (Desire: Wants to be able to fly again)(<-Based on its Kitakami dex entry where it states that Shiftry in a legend was a bird who had its beak and wings replaced)

Poliwrath, The Savage Amphibian (Poison/Ground) (Ability: Toxic Chain + Storm Drain) (Moves: Sludge Wave, Earth Power, Scald, Shadow Ball) (Item: Life Orb) (Nature: Modest) (Perfect IVs) (EV spread: 252 Sp.Att, 252 Defense, 4 Sp.Def) (Desire: Wants to be able to battle on land longer)(<-It's still a tadpole, so I don't think it lasts longer on land than Politoad)

Krookadile, The Patient Gharial (Poison/Water) (Ability: Toxic Chain + Opportunist) (Moves: Gunk Shot, Liquidation, Earthquake, Swords Dance) (Item: Sitrus Berry) (Nature: Adamant) (Perfect IVs) (EV spread: 252 Att, 252 Speed, 4 Def) (Desire: Wants to be able to swim without taking damage)(<-It's a crocodile, need I say more?)

Runerigus, The Chaotic Serpent (Poison/Dragon) (Ability: Toxic Chain + Merciless) (Moves: Sludge Wave, Dragon Pulse, Scale Shot, Crunch) (Item: Salac Berry) (Nature: Rash) (Perfect IVs) (EV Spread: 252 Att, 252 Sp.Att, 4 Spd) (Desire: The spirit wants to take control of the stone slab) (<-Galarian Yamask's dex entries talk about how the spirit's vitality or something is getting drained and later controlled by the slab, so, the slab most likely takes control of Runerigus but the spirit is still there and now wants payback. Also references Apep, the Egyptian god of chaos who's a serpent and a serpent painting is carved into the slab)

Hydrapple, The Satanic Overlord (Poison/Dark) (Ability: Toxic Chain + Parental Bond) (Moves: Sludge Wave, Dark Pulse, Fickle Beam, Trick Room) (Item: Leftovers) (Nature: Quiet) (Perfect IVs) (EV Spread: 252 Sp.Att, 252 Def, 4 Sp.Def) (Desire: Wants to become more intimidating and scary) (<-References how Satan in the bible, Satan, disguises as a snake, tricks Adam and Eve to eat an apple in the garden. So, I had to reference something demonic to a corrupted Hydrapple)

Ogerpon, The Tragic Victim (Poison/Grass) (Ability: Toxic Chain + Defiant + Mold Breaker + Water Absorb + Strudy) (Item: Toxic chained Mask(Corrupted Teal Mask)) (Nature: Quiet) (Moves: Ivy Cudgel, Horn Leech, Spikey Shield, Swords Dance) (Perfect IVs) (EV Spread: 252 Att, 252 Spd, 4 Sp.Def) (Desire: Wants to have the power to protect its friends) (<-References all of Ogerpon's masks, also, she is forced, you'll see soon ;) (And as for the other masks, you'll see in a bit)

Well I took the fun liberty of drawing these guys based on your ideas! And also because I was not proud of my previous designs

Here's Shiftry, except now he's BIRB

I changed their fans to actual wings but also gave him a kind of retractable leaf blade that Shiftry can use to strike opponents. I still kept some of the wood elements just for fun.

Here's Poliwrath!

I wanted to make it more frog-like (hence the webbed feet) and since it wanted to battle longer on land, I also took a page out of Machoke's Dex entry where its muscles are splitting open due to its strength.

Good ol Krookodile! Except now he swim

I gave this boy some fins, a nice blue covering, and a tail for efficient for swimming. I also gave him some glowy spots for when he's under da water and needs to see

Here's Runerigus!

I took some creative liberties with this one, and eventually decided to have the spirit emerge from the slab as its the one in control now. Since the pattern on the slab is a snake creature, I made the spirit into a snake! I also made the pattern on the slab darker and less vibrant, since the spirit is out and doing his own thing, but if it were to go back to the slab, it would glow again

The boy himself, Hydrapple!

I was REALLY torn on whether or not to keep the Toxic Chain as its neck, but eventually decided to just have it as a scarf. As for the tail, I was inspired by the whole Garden of Eden thing and made the tail longer with a vine and an apple. The tail part was partly inspired by 9's creature the Seamstress (where it lures victims with the thing attached to its tail and then attacks with the rest of its body.)

Now for Ogerpon!

I just altered her cloak/arms thing to be Pecharunt/Dokutaro's colors and made her eyes soulless and empty. I also made her tip of hair/fur(?) down and limp as she's probably very upset to be controlled by the evil peach gremlin.

Teal Mask version:

Made the Teal Mask similar to Pecharunt/Dokutaro while having some differences.

I didn't do the other masks yet, as I still need to work on designs for them

But yeah, those are my designs based on your ideas! What do you think?

#ask and ye shall receive #pokemon #pecharunt #ogerpon #mochi mayhem #pokemon dlc #dokutaro #toxic consequences au #poliwrath #hydrapple #shiftry #krookodile #runerigus #pokémon teal mask #pokemon dokutaro #pokemon pecharunt #toxic chain #toxic chain shenanigans #toxic chain theory

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ant1quarian · 2 months

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My Siren AU

Exists on Trappist 1-E, but there's always the possibility in the AU of humanity yoinking a couple sirens and taking them back to earth.

Alien Species - Sirens

Quick overview:

Sirens are elusive, curious, and dangerous. While not inherently aggressive, they also won’t hesitate to attack if threatened.

They are aquatic creatures and quite generally far larger than any human– with the exception of guppies.

Sirens possess a strange, alluring quality to them that tends to draw in Humans and Monsters alike. They have webbed hands (that are quite commonly bioluminescent), a long tail, a sail that goes up their back, fin-like ears, scaly upper-bodies, and sharp claws. Their teeth are also very sharp, as the vast majority are very high on the food chain and are carnivorous.

Sirens are highly intelligent, sentient and sapient creatures; they’re quick to learn and capable of complex thoughts and emotions. Though they may have a little difficulty understanding most human languages, they’re quite good at knowing what direction the conversation may be going in.

They are modelled similarly to the aquatic creatures back on earth such as; Sharks, Whales, Squid, Jellyfish, Stingrays, etc. Though there’s plenty of Human and Monster scientists wanting to give a name to them, they are incapable of doing so, and instead they compare them to this “danger level” that has 7 different levels.

The different Kinships can be confusing at times to be able to tell apart, but if you pay enough attention to the specific trinkets they have in their hair– or the patterns on their skin/tail– you’ll be able to tell where they came from.

Notable Features/Appearance Description

Adult sirens are very rarely smaller than 18 ft long, and have a humanoid upper body. While their entire body is scaled– save for their hair– it can change feeling and colour.

Depending on how deep the siren’s kinship lives, their scales will be a certain colour.

A Siren’s bioluminescent patterns can change depending on which Kinship they come from, and the kind of decorative accessories they wear will also change depending on what level of the ocean they come from.

Gills — Sirens have gills that move when they breathe.

Reflective Eyes — Sirens eyes are reflective, similar to the way a cat’s eyes are reflective.

Bioluminescent/Luminous Markings — Sirens typically spend a lot of time in deeper water, and along with being underwater, they’ve adapted to communicate using bioluminescent or luminous markings on their tails, arms, and torso.

Nictitating Membrane — Similar to crocodiles, Sirens have a nictitating membrane, a transparent third eyelid which protects and moistens their eyes whilst underwater.

Abilities

Aquatic Habitation — Sirens can survive and adapt to underwater environments such as high water pressure and extreme water temperatures.

Speed Swimming — A Siren's powerful and streamlined tail and huge flukes can propel them through the roughest waters with incredible speed, grace and agility with minimal restrictions to water resistance. Like a dolphin, their fins can propel them high out of the water.

Extraordinary Strength and Speed - Sirens are naturally stronger and faster than humans.

Enhanced Senses — Sirens have better hearing, sight, and smell than humans. They’re also particularly sensitive to changes in pressure, weather, and their environment.

Siren Song — Sirens are able to emit a captivating singing voice that lures anyone who hears it toward the singer. Apparently those who are exposed to it have lingering side effects; the exact nature of these symptoms are as of yet not clearly defined. It’s been compared to a drug, describing it as something one needs. Eventually, the Siren Song leads the person that hears it to hallucinate seeing that Siren everywhere and hearing their Siren Song out in the ocean. The person will then be driven into the water to find that Siren and eventually drown. The song can be effective on anything or anyone, including men, women, and even animals.

Voice Mimicry — Sirens are able to mimic the voices of others or imitate sounds such as animal noises and explosions. Any sound a Siren hears, they can replicate with perfect clarity along with any manner the sound was made.

Echolocation — Sirens can emit sound waves and use the echoes that return from various objects to locate and identify the objects. Alternatively, they can use ambient sounds to do the same. Sirens can perceive one's surroundings by making a noise and listening for the reverberating sound waves. They can determine the location of objects or other individuals in the environment by use of reflected sound or sound waves. Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects. Echolocation is used for navigation and for foraging or hunting in various environments.

Empathic Voice — Sirens can manipulate the emotions of other sentient beings through their voice. The effects depend on the Siren’s tone and intention: a joyful or mournful tone instils the same feelings in their listeners, etc. Evolved Sirens have been known to be able to enter someone’s mind and alter what they see, hear, and feel to their will, either as a defence mechanism or a way to protect whoever’s mind they’ve entered.

Fearful Scream — Sirens can utilise a scream attack that causes a shocking and paralysing fear in others.

Concussive Scream — Sirens can channel the force of a Banshee-like scream to create concussive bursts of air, almost like telekinetic force capable of breaking through solid steel doors, throwing grown men many metres away, and shattering glass, ear drums, and even skulls at their highest level.

Regeneration — Sirens possess greater regenerative capabilities than those of humans. They heal quickly from non-fatal injuries within a short period.

Rhythm Detection — Sirens have intuitive knowledge of the rhythm of soundwaves, enabling them to easily understand what kind of sound is being projected, where it comes from, where it is going, decipher the sound for any sort of code, etc.

Aquatic Zoopathy — Sirens can control aquatic creatures, along with the ability to create a deep bond with them.

Weaknesses

Water Dependency — Sirens are at their strongest and healthiest in seawater, they need ocean water to survive. Sirens can substitute sea water when above land with lake/river/rain/bath/shower water, although they become significantly weaker, more prone to illnesses and the substitution effects will eventually begin to fade – usually after 2 years – and the Siren will begin to die. Sirens can only last around 2-3 months from complete water deprivation(example; being held hostage without any access to any form of water).

Harpoons & Spears — Due to their regenerative properties, most weapons do not harm Sirens, harpoons and spears, things that stay embedded, are harmful to Sirens, as they have to be removed in order for the Siren to heal.

Bronze Dagger Coated in the Blood of Victim — A Siren can be killed by a bronze dagger coated in the blood of one of its victims.

Magic — Sirens are susceptible to the powers of magic.

Sensitive Necks — Due to having gills in both forms, Sirens have quite sensitive necks, specifically where their gills are situated. Siren’s gills are quite delicate and take longer to heal than other injuries. Sirens cannot transform to their natural form if their gills are injured in human form.

Light Sensitivity — Sirens are sensitive to sudden flashes or bursts of light. And most take a while to adapt to lighter environments, especially if said Siren is from a more colder ocean or from much deeper water than another.

Vulnerability to Love — Believe it or not, sirens are also vulnerable to love. Although they may be powerful and seductive, they are not immune to falling in love. Also, if a siren falls in love with a mortal or a non-siren creature, they can lose their powers and become mortal themselves.

Vulnerability to Reason — Lastly, sirens are vulnerable to reason. Their enchanting songs can cloud the judgement of their victims, but if someone is able to think clearly and logically, they can resist the sirens’ calls.

Hierarchy

The leader of a Kinship will always be the most experienced and strongest. As soon as the leader is not strong enough to lead once more, they become the advisor, and a new leader steps up to take their place.

Siren Laws

Attack Only When Threatened - Sirens have a very genocidal backstory, so the Ancients came up with this law that all abide by.

Don’t Harm The Young – Sirens have a moral code, and no one dares to break this rule. All Young– whether Guppies, Cubs, Or Babies– from any species will not be harmed.

Respect Territory - To make sure no all-out wars break out once more, this law has been erected.

Siren “Families”

Sirens don’t have the concept of last names, though they do have family. Siren families can be deciphered by the colour, kinship songs, and the scale quality of their tails. As every different family has their own way of scale care.

Union

An unbreakable connection between two Sirens of any gender or Kinship. Siren Weddings vary depending on where they’re from.

Gifts

As customary, when courting another Siren, you give each other gifts. The type of gift you give them describes the strength of the relationship.

Pearls — Pearls are typically given at the start of a relationship. The pearls signify that you hold affection for your partner. And depending on the quality of the pearl, it shows how much affection you hold and how you hope the relationship will progress.

Sea Shells — Sea shells are usually given to your partner on important dates, like birthdays, new tide cycles, and full moon celebrations, or just, dates. Though they can also be gifted at any time throughout the relationship. They’re like little presents.

Conch Shells — Conch shells are gifted on anniversaries. They’re meant to signify the strength of the relationship and how deep the bond has become. They also symbolise how your affection for your partner has deepend.

Serpentines — Serpentines are lovely gifts for full moon celebrations. It symbolises connection, exploration, and rebirth.

Ocean Jaspers — Ocean jaspers are engagement gifts, they’re given to your partner when you want to propose Union.

Live Sea Creatures — Live sea creatures are gifted the night of the Union, depending on the environment, the creature gifted can be a whale, manatee or orca calf, any kind of juvenile shark, stingray, manta ray, or turtle.

Scales — The most intimate gift a Siren can give their partner. It signifies the absolute deepest and most affectionate connection one can have.

Sayings and Phrases

“I have sea foam in my veins, I understand the language of waves.” — SAYING

“The sea is full of lost souls this night.” — SAYING

“I have found much beauty in the Dark as I have found a lot of horror in light.” — SAYING

“There is an unspoken rule amongst Sirens, one we all follow, like a natural instinct. Preservation.” — SAYING

“We are bound to the sea as much as you are bound to oxygen.” — SAYING

Traditions

Danger Catagories

Similar to Sea Levels, there are Siren Danger Catagories.

Sunzone

Sunzone Sirens are your “Reef Sirens” who are very generally passive– though will get violent if threatened. They’re the least dangerous and are the most willing to show the Landborn their ways.

These have reef-fish like patterns.

Shadowzone

Those who are defined as “Shadowzone Siren” likely exist within the Shadowzone area. They’re not particularly dangerous– more of a Neutral area– and they’re willing to communicate with Landborn. However, they do tend to prefer to stay away from their crafts.

They have warm colours– such as orange, yellow, pinks and warm blues.

Twilightzone

Twilightzone Siren are considered to be fully neutral. They will accept mild and small intrusions into their territory, but will immediately get territorial if too many Landborn get close to it.

These have varying autumn-like colours. Any “Warm” colours will be muted and usually have a bit of a colder aspect to them.

Midnightzone

Midnightzone Siren are territorial and don’t appreciate others pushing their boundaries. Any Landborn crafts that enter their territories are usually damaged or forcefully shoved back into another’s waters.

They have very dark colouring, but vibrant bioluminescent patterns.

Voidzone

Voidzone Siren are, for want of no better words, dangerous. Though they do not usually travel in Kinships, they are highly dangerous just by themselves. Most of the time they take the shape of Jellyfish or Squids, but the rarest and most deceptive form they can take is that of a Shark’s. Deceptive because they can pass as a Twilightzone– sometimes even a Shadowzone– Siren, while being incredibly dangerous.

The colours down here can vary from vibrant to really dark colours, considering it’s already so deep that nothing can see anything.

Mythology

Deities

Trappist 1

This Deity is that of the Sun, which shines light upon the Solar System. It is seen as the Mother, who embraces all of it’s children. Those in Trappist 1-G believe that The Mother once had another parent, The Pa. Mother and Parent had 7 children:

Trappist 1-b

Trappist 1-c

Trappist 1-d

Trappist 1-e

Trappist 1-f

Trappist 1-g

Trappist 1-h

And you can tell how old they are by how far away from The Mother they are.

The Mother is warm-hearted now and loves all of her children very much, but she was once narcassistic, pessimistic, and very angry. 1-H recieved the brunt of this, as The Mother was wracked with grief after The Parent died which turned her into what she was.

She regrets everything she did to 1-H and 1-G, but knows she cannot take it back, so she will offer as much warmth as she can until they either fully break away or come back to her.

Trappist 1-b

The youngest of them all. Trappist 1-b is considered to be clingy towards The Mother and had the closest relationship to it. Trappist 1-b has a firey temper and always has its eyes turned towards The Mother.

Trappist 1-b feels as if all but C have abandoned The Mother and don’t see her enough, causing a vengeful spirit to rise up within it.

Trappist 1-c

Trappist 1-c is the second youngest and craves attention from The Mother. They have a good relationship with The Mother, and is slowly being prepared to be sent out into the world. Trappist 1-c is anxious, nervous, but also optimistic. It’s also know for having a bit of a temper.

Its eye is always fixed upon The Mother.

Trappist 1-d

Trappist 1-d, the third youngest, is known for it’s resilience. Although it can be very stubborn, it’s caring, and depicted as a hard-working Deity. Its relationship with The Mother is good.

Its eye is always fixed upon The Mother.

Trappist 1-e

Trappist 1-e, the fourth youngest, is known for its kindness and peacefulness. It has a stubbornness about it and a sense of power, but it prefers to relax and chat with The Mother and its siblings, rather than being furious at the world.

Its eye is always fixed upon The Mother.

Trappist 1-f

Trappist 1-f, the Fifth youngest, is known for its exhaustion. 1-f is depicted as tired and numb, choosing not to talk much to its other siblings. This is due to their Moons crashing together in anger at each other before dissipating and creating a small ring around 1-F. Pieces of its friends, never to fully recover.

Its eye is always fixed upon The Mother.

Trappist 1-g

The saddest sibling, Trappist 1-g is the sixth youngest and perhaps the one with the most terrible tale. It had one moon, and they loved each other very much, but one day they got too close when the Moon attempted to hide from The Mother’s disapproving gaze and smashed into 1-G. Tears broke through the walls 1-G had created as it cried and cried now that it had lost its loved one. Moon’s remnants carried enough intent to create children, and the salty tears 1-G cried created a vast ocean covering its entirety for them to grow in. It’s melancholy and wistful, symbolising Lost Love and Sadness.

1-G does not have a very good relationship with The Mother, which is why their eye will face away from The Mother for the entirety of a Sol.

Trappist 1-h

Trappist 1-H, the oldest sibling, is cold-hearted and angry. It strongly dislikes The Mother, which is why it is the furthest away from Her light. The Mother was still learning how to parent when 1-H was born, which means many very wrong methods were used to teach 1-H lessons.

1-H is steadily looking away from The Mother constantly, while The Mother pines for the child she ruined. She regrets very much of it, and she was going through the grief of losing The Parent at the time of 1-H’s existence, but that is no excuse and 1-H continues to hate her.

#undertale fandom #sans x reader #arian's creations #Sirens #Sirentale #Trappist Sirens

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ignisuada · 2 years

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Were Appreciation Post

Werewolves: you are all such good wolves! Such a keen sense of sight and smell, such amazing hunters (and even better cuddlers)

Weredogs: Don’t worry so much about living up to your werewolf cousins, you are all good dogs in your own right! That’s right, wag that cute little tail of yours!

Werebears: Big and strong, but also big ol softies, ain’t that right? You’re rulers of the forest! Survivors of winter!

Were-birds/avians: Take flight, my dears, be free from the restraints of humanity!

Were-cows/bulls: I know you all are rarely represented in media, but I see you! You deserve as much love as any other were!

Were-aquatics: Swim swim far away from the constraints of the land! Make friends with the sea life! Rule the waves with your shining scales!

Werelizards: Another often forgotten group, but don’t let that distract you from being who you are! Wether you’re an adorable gecko or a fearsome crocodile, you are always deserving of love!

#otherkin #werewolves #werewolf #werebeasts #werebeast #werebear #let me know if I should as anything else

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cycloplasm · 4 months

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Bivalve Nymphs! Deeper explanations under the cut!

They're found in the Blue ocean and the Teal sea- as well as in the rivers that connects to the two of them. The Blue ocean is big enough that it reaches the polar areas, while the Teal sea is subtropical and tropical. For the freshwater species, they can be found on the Blue continent's rivers that are relatively close to sea- and at relatively low altitudes (so no mountain freshwater dwelling species).

Since it takes them years to fully develop their bodies, it's not unusual to see half formed arms or legs poking out of a large bivalve in the wild. They can be told apart from 'animal' ones by size- nymphs are usually much bigger, going from twice as big to more (even for big species like giant clams and Titanosarcolites). Depending on the parents, the juveniles can be taken care of and hidden from predators, or left to develop and learn on their own. Neither options are stigmatized by their culture. In either case, while forming their body, they mature in terms of mind and, once the eyes are formed, they learn from their surroundings. They only reach 'true' adulthood' once their body is fully formed, a decade or more after they reached adult size. Only then are they allowed to reproduce if they want to.

In the first pic the examples have 'rainbow' pearl eyes and bones- this is the most colorful type but depending on the color of their bones and species, the colors can be more or less monochrome or colorful. Like real pearls, the luster depends on the layers of nacre. Unlike real pearls, Bivalve Nymphs can naturally have different colors, though a one species have unique colors: Black Lipped Oysters? Their bone and eyes colors are always dark, but there's different shades of it (purple, green, black and all with a 'rainbow' iridescence).

Bivalve nymphs mostly filter feeders but can eat crustaceans (the animals, not the people) and small fish as well. Due to their anatomy, they're not the best swimmers- not the worst, but not the best. Their tail makes up for it most of the time, being the strongest and most intricate muscles of their bodies. However they're not meant to be good at swimming, given how, as fully formed adults, they're so rare that few animals choose to prey on them. They're just not a worthy prey as adults- being too big for most animals and can use tools to defend themselves, but as forming juveniles, their predators are animals, crabs and carnivorous fish. Some ill-willled people can strip half formed nymphs out of their flesh to sell the pearl bones, but it's illegal in all countries. However, certain aggressive, big species of animals can hunt and eat a Bivalve Nymph, but it's unlikely since the Blue continent and Teal sea have mostly 'safe' fauna near water. The only animals that Bivalve Nymphs fear is the lightmare- it's essentially an animal that looks like something between a wolf, crocodile and anglerfish, that is bigger than bears. It's a land-only animal, but that doesn't hinder the fear nymphs can have towards this creature, to the point where, like many Futh cultures, the lightmare is a common 'boogeyman', only it's real, non supernatural, and an animal just trying to survive.

Some species are hermaphrodites by default (giant clams), while others go through natural sex changes (protandry (male to female) for oysters for example). The reasons for sex change is out of the individual's control, so it doesn't have to influence their gender. Reasons for sex change can be temperature, and lack of food for example. Note that even with sex change, color of the skin is not affected- so amabs still darker and afabs lighter.

As for their culture, they live in social groups. Rarely seen by most people, the nymphs do not like interacting with other species- not because they dislike them, they just are taught to keep to themselves in general and their fleeing instinct is prevalent in most individuals. They're not racist, it's more like anyone seeing a being that can eat them if it wants to. It's very unlikely to see a Bivalve nymph in a merperson or general underwater community- but it happens to see one or two occasionally. The nymphs only ever heard of wars and people who want to steal their bones and pearls, so nymphs usually flee whenever they see someone that isn't one of them. It's their instinct to do so and therefore it's hard to make them stop doing that, even if they choose to be outside Bivalve nymph communities. Though it IS possible for one to grow past it, though they'll definitely remain 'jumpy'. Outside the individuals that choose to join other species' communities, Bivalve Nymphs can survive out of water as long as its humid around them, so they often choose to be out of water for fun, the same way land people go swimming and diving. They do so in group usually, with one or two individuals watching their surroundings for safety' These 'out of water fun' events can be once or several times a day depending on the communities.

There are leaders in Bivalve Nymph communities, that are chosen by traditional fights (it's pretty much wrestling); and once they have their title, the winning leader can wear animal-made pearls- the more they have, the higher is the respect they're owed. As a result, said leaders have pearl farms for their own use exclusively. important events, such as leader fighting and important multicommunity decision making happen in fjords, so that both marine and freshwater nymphs can attend. Due to hermaphroditism and biological sex change being common, there's no negativity towards nymphs changing genders, and/or choosing a same sex partner, or having no partner at all. However there ARE some individuals that believe that couples should be a male and a female, but they're a minority and even then, it doesn't always bother them if said male and female are trans or not. Nymphs wear clothes, they just don't do so in most of the examples drawn to show the variety in markings. They of course can use tools and have items like furniture- but the form of the 'home' where their belongings lay depend on the body of water they're in. Essentially, marine Bivalve nymphs usually have individual houses, because there's more than enough space in the ocean for them. In freshwater however, most nymphs don't have houses and have to live in something like a dormitory- where each individual have a 'sheet' to lay on (sheet in quotations because it can be real sheet or simply a piece of leather or discarded clothes). The inequality between marine and freshwater nymphs has been a source of heated debate between them for centuries. Bivalve nymphs not going outside of their communities unless they want to live elsewhere, nymphs just don't buy items from other species. Instead, they take items left by their owners in the wild. This makes a simple, somewhat common item in Futh like a tv a treasure among Bivalve nymphs- very few have one, which leads them to know very little media. They also don't keep up with news and history that isn't their own, outside of wars and other traumatic events that encourages them to stay among their kind. Instead of buying items and interacting with other cultures, Bivalve Nymphs always create their own things- that goes for media as well (since 98% of them don't have tvs, it's pointless to make movies- so instead media is plays and books made by other nymphs). Their technology is not as 'good' as other species', including mermen (that have special water tvs and such), but some found objects are being studied in order to be replicated with the nymph's accessible materials. The latter can be anything found in the water, incuding ore hidden beneath the sand.

The Bivalve nymphs that live in the deep are poorly understood by their kind, for the simple reason that neither can handle the pressure of the other's habitat. Deep sea nymphs just can't survive outside the depths, and they are ok with this- others are not so much, and want to learn more about their peers. However it's very hard to do so without equipement, because deep sea nymphs don't have eyes and communicate with clicking sounds rather than words. Only a few expeditions were made in the depths of the Blue Ocean by any species, and none by non-deep dwelling nymphs themselves since they don't have access to the same technology as other cultures. The 'mystery' behind deep sea nymphs leads others (including other species) to misconceptions about them, the most prevalent one being that they are feral, like troglodytes on the cave systems of Futh. However, that simply is not the case- deep sea nymphs are very similar to others of their kind, since they choose to keep to themselves and create their own items. They are just as sapient as other nymphs, just differently so- since none have eyes, they rely on other senses to communicate (hearing), create art (usually through touch) and make media (can be oral tales or hieroglyphs carved unto big bones).

Notes about anatomy: Bivalve Nymphs don't have tongues, and therefore can't detect taste. They have auditory holes, but they respond more strongly (by fleeing) to loud frequencies. Due to their uneven bones and literally self-made anatomy, it's far from uncommon to have disabled Bivalve Nymphs. They can be missing parts (due to various reasons- lost it, said part was never created to begin with, or the individual wanted to become an adult too quickly), have deficiencies or chronic pain. Shell placement depends on where the individual started building their body, so it can be anywhere- that includes on places where they cover limbs or eyes making them somewhat disabled. Hybrids between different types of Bivalve Nymphs exist- distinct features that can be passed on are Hieroglyph clams' unique markings, Thorny oysters' spikes, and Disco clam's tentacle 'hair'. Bivalve Nymphs can have facial hair or be bald, but the latter doesn't happen out of old age- instead it's either a choice by the individual or certain diseases. Due to their webbed fingers, they don't have as much dexterity as land species. They can create pearls as fully formed adults, by repeatedly putting something in their mouth, who's covered in nacre- but the process takes years of chewing on the same thing, so they usually use animals to create pearls instead- though some leaders are dedicated to chewing a lot. Due to the yes being pearls, they move more slowly than other species and makes a sound when they move.

Notes about the individual examples: they're not exact representation of each species, in the sense that body types/builds and markings are not exclusive to that species only- for example the mussel shown is thin and tall, but there's chubby, fat, small or muscular ones. No Bivalve Nymph is completely alike! There's just Giant Clams and Titanosarcolites that are usually taller than the others, while Kitten's paws are the smallest on average. The latter ARE adults (as shown before, juvenile bivalve nymphs are regular bivalves without bodies), but other species on Futh mistake them for children, which can lead to misconceptions about bivalve nymph's life cycle. As a result Kitten's paws individuals often make themselves look as adult as possible despite their size, like the example who built her body to be athletic and unmistakably adult. Also, most of these examples are cis or naturally hermaphrodites (Giant Clam, Titanosarcolite)- but the Oyster is transfem (since oysters can be protandrous) and the Rastellum Carinatum is agender (not biologically). In the species examples, some are depicted with afro hair and darker skin- this is not exclusive to those species, meaning any Bivalve Nymph can have afro hair and a darker complexion if at least one of their parent had those traits. The rule of amab being darker colored still apply to them though- but afabs are still dark colored as well, just not nearly as much as other species who can be pretty pale.

#o #futh species #body horror #<- for the not fully formed one in the first pic and the scallop's eyes- NOT about the disabled or deep ones!#this is my first 'real' in depth species chart so if there's flaws. it's ok actually bc we need to make mistakes to learn!#i might reblog this and add info i forgot because i thought of so much but don't always recall everything at once...#their insp might be more or less obvious but thats somewhat intentional- this species was born out of an hc #Bivalve nymph

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count-alucard-tepes · 11 months

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In honor of the little mermaid. Imagine the Op hotties with a S/O that is a mermaid, but can turn into human when she is out of the sea. With a beautiful voice too. 🧜🏽‍♀️😋

Kizaru ✨

He loves to listen to her and watch her swim as he can’t anymore so in a way he lives through her. He likes to touch her tail and compliment her.

Akainu🌋

He is very gentle with her and loves to listen to her sing. He adores her and always tells her that he does.

Ryokugyu 🌱

He is just in awe of his S/O every time he sees them transform into a mermaid and he always falls asleep so much faster when she sings for him.

Fujitora 🐅

He loves listening to his S/O singing as it is so pleasing to his ears. He also likes touching her tail as it feels so unusual.

Sir Crocodile 🐊

He loves to lavish his S/O with gifts that she could enjoy that her similar to her tail color. He likes to caress her tail.

Doflamingo Donquixote 🦩

He could listen to his S/O sing all day long and never get tired of it. He also loves to brag about how beautiful his S/O is.

Benn Beckman 🔫

He would love to go swimming with his S/O even though he knows he wouldn’t be as fast as they are but he’d try. He also loved underwater kisses from them.

Katakuri Charlotte 🍡

He thinks it’s simply amazing how perfect they are and he tells them that often.

Killer🔪

He lets them braid his hair and often goes swimming with them since he is able to hold his breath for a really long time.

Kaido🐉

He has a special fish tank for them in their bedroom so that when ever she wants to change her form, she can. He loves watching her swim around in it.

King 👑

He is very careful around that as he does tend to get a little hot so he needs to control himself so that he doesn’t hurt them accidentally. He loves singing with them as he is a very good singer.

Queen 👑

He loves singing with his S/O and making up songs as he rests on their lap. He also loves to brag about his mermaid girlfriend.

Izou🔫🔫

He doesn’t really like to swim much but he does it for them. He lets them braid his hair in different styles and he doesn’t their hair just like his. They genuinely just enjoy each others company.

Dragon D Monkey 🐉🐒

He loves talking to them about what’s under the sea as he can’t swim anymore and has always been very curious about what really goes on down there.

Oven Charlotte 🍞

He has to be careful that he doesn’t actually burn his S/O. He loves when his S/O sings as he feels they’re the most amazing singer.

Buggy🤡

He loves to hear different stories about the ocean from them and also tells them about the many adventures he had been on. He loves to watch them swimming about in the ocean.

Marco the Phoenix 🦅

He loves watching his S/O swim while he is flying in the air and tries to get close to them but they are so fast!

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octahedral-chaos · 25 days

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Asterism Borealis: Dobhar-Chu... AKA the starfolk that was actually sighted by people before they even realised it

You may heard me mention that starfolks are practically cryptids in the world of Asterism Borealis, with the sole exception being some starbeasts. However, there is one species of starfolk that is actually known by fairies, and by a lesser extent, humans: the Dobhar-chu.

Dobhar-chus (Or simply "Dobhars," "King Otters" or "Water Hounds") are a very, VERY strange subset of Hunters... or should we say huntress-type starfolks. The most prominent thing about them is the fact that, despite being light starfolks, they are completely immune to water, to the point where they spend all their time in it. Secondly, despite their closest relatives being rather humanoid, dobhars are more... otter-like with vaguely humanoid traits, as well as a long, crocodile-like tail. Due to how short their legs are, and how long their body is, they seem quite clumsy on land, albeit they are incredibly good at swimming and moving underwater.

And finally... they have no counterpart. In fact, they're the only species of starfolk known to not have a counterpart of the opposing polarity, making them even more bizarre compared to their relatives. They are also only found in one place: Ireland. The local fairies and the other native beings know very well about them, as they are rather common near bodies of water... and are quite protective of their homewaters as well! They can't use elemental abilities, save for weak lightning magic, but they make up for it using sheer speed and strength.

#OCTAfan says stuff #Asterism Borealis #Worldless headcanons #speculative fiction #Ask to tag

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smogteeth · 10 months

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I know this is really out of the blue but, an you maybe tell me a bit about your eel mermaid fin? (at least I think it is yours? Idk?) Like, where you got it, how it works and how you move with it and stuff? I found like, a 10 sec Video or so on twitter from 2017 and that thing fascinated me

Oh my goodness, Yes, absolutely! Unfortunately, the long answer to this is to everyone out there: This is a WARNING. Do not ever try to buy a tail or make a tail like this!

I discovered how dangerous it is for the human body to move like that in the water. Not because it's hard to swim, but our tendons and ligaments are meant for forward and backward locomotion. Side-to-side (or as I call it the sidewinder) movements is not something out body has developed the muscle, tendon, cartilage and protective tissue/lubrication for. On top of that, water adds "weight" or "resistance" with each of those movements. This can cause pulls, rips, and slips in those many different tissues, and I do not want to be the reason that anyone risks their bodies. I originally built the tail with a crocodile in mind. So I built the understructure (the fin, and articulated segments that follow) and then put a cheap fabric skin over it as a "garbage bag test". A term coined by Stan Winston Studio. It's a basic build of a creature with wood, sticks, plastic garbage bags, and the like, to make sure the silhouette/mechanism works before they waste a lot of time and money on materials and sculpting time. Luckily I did exactly that before I sculpted and cast a bunch of extremely expensive silicone! So, now I plan on working on a different tail. One that works with the dolphin kick, which our bodies were meant to move. I just gotta find a way to design something that is absolutely TERRIFYING.

#mermaid #danger #tail #caution #what not to do #Do as I say not as I do #please #Im begging #I didnt realize when I posted this tail originally what an influence I would have on folks #but now its out there #and I gotta take responsibility #and educate people at any chance and opportunity that I get #swimming #dangerous #warning

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moongothic · 5 months

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I want to preface this by saying that this is meant to be kind of a shitpost. I just. The thought passed my mind. I laughed at it. Thought about it again, laughed some more and I just had to get it out of my system. So here we are

So when I read the myth of Toyotama Hime I did start to wonder if it could be used as fuel for the Crocodad Fire, the myth being about Toyotama coming from Ryuugyuu Castle to give birth on land etc. And in One Piece, we do have that very castle on Fishman Island. Which isn't surprising or anything, Oda getting inspo/names from various mythologies is nothing new by a long shot, and it's unlikely you could somehow tie Crocodile to Fishman Island through that myth. Like Toyotama coming "from the ocean" could just be turned into "Crocodile coming from the sea as a pirate", doesn't have to be deeper than that

But then I thought

...Do we actually know Crocodile isn't part-merman

Like. You see--

We know half-merfolk-half-humans do keep their fishtails like full-merfolk (see Charlotte Praline), and we know that while mermaids split their tails after 30, mermen never do. So between that and us having The Most Scandalous Feet Pics of Sir Crocodile (from the jailbreak cover story), well, we know he has basic ass human feet, so we know for certain he can't be half-merman

But also

Chimney is 1/4th mermaid. The only mermaid features she inherited from her grandmother were her hair color and her being a "good swimmer". Chimney is part-mermaid, and she has human feet

Like the only thing that could debunk this idea (based on what we know about Chimney) would be if Crocodile was a shit swimmer, but he's a Devil Fruit user so of course he can't fucking swim. So we have literally nothing to prove or debunk the idea.

So like

You've heard of "Crocodile is Whitebeard's bio-son" You've heard of "Crocodile is the missing Kuja Empress" You've even heard of "Crocodile is Xebec's son".

So how about

"Crocodile is 1/4th merman"

Why the fuck not

But the funny thing is

Not only would it weirdly explain why the fuck our beloved Sand Man Who Can't Fucking Swim is named after an animal known for swimming (like OP has weird fucking names, see; Smoker, Baby 5, Monkey D. Dragon, etc. What bugs me about Crocodile is the slightly contradictatory theming, but if he was named "Crocodile" by his merfolk parents, suddenly, it kind of works)

But also like. We know Crocodile fucking Hates the Government. And to be fair, there's plenty of reasons for anyone to hate the World Government, you don't need a personal grudge to hate them.

But if he had merfolk parents (who might be stuck living on the surface because they wouldn't have been able to get their child to Fishman Island without someone essentially delivering him there, 'cause he wouldn't have been able to just SWIM there), then there's a genuinely possibility said parent(s) could've ended up getting caught and turned into slaves. And boy would that give someone A Personal Fucking Grudge Against The Government

But also, due to the in-universe discrimination against merfolk, if Crocodile was part-merman it could mean he could've been harassed for it since a young age, or worse yet, could've become a target for slavers if anybody found out. And somehow, having to hide that part about his heritage would work really well into his trust issues

Not to mention, after escaping Impel Down, Croc and Jinbei have this brief convo (that turns racist) where Croc expresses his surprise over Jinbei being able to summon fish, having thought only merfolk could do that. Of course, Croc being a seasoned pirate and all you could totally expect him to like know about mermaid legends etc, but him having no knowledge about Fishmen is a bit odd. Especially because we know he's been to the New World, so you'd think he must've gone to Fishman Island at least once before? Although, his former Shichibukai Rights probably would've allowed him to cross over the Red Line through Marijois instead of having to pass through Fishman Island, but regardless, it's odd, is it not? But if Crocodile did have merfolk parents whom he got separated from at a young age?? Maybe he learned a thing or two about that side of his family, but never enough?? And then having to hide that side of his heritage could've left him just estranged????

Also IDK if it's worth anything but in the cover stories, we were introduced to our first mermaid Camie at the tail end of Alabasta, while the Miss Goldenweek coverstory ran during Water 7 where we meet Kokoro and Chimney. IDK it's a funny coincidence

I just

Could you fucking imagine

How fucking insane would that be, if Crocodile was part-merman

#Moon posting #Sir Crocodile #OP Meta #Long post #This has been sitting in my drafts for over two weeks I need to yeet this out these drafts need to be fucking cleared #The worst part is that because this has been sitting in my drafts for so long the joke became an unironic headcanon #Help #But just to reiterate this again: I AM NOT SERIOUSLY SUGGESTING THIS. NOT A SERIOUS THEORY AT ALL #It'd just be The Right Type of Insane that if it happened in canon I'd just be like ''okay sure let's fucking go''#Also not gonna lie I feel like this'd be more plausible in canon than Crocodile being a former slave himself #Sidenote: No I don't think this'd be The Secret Ivankov was willing to blackmail him with (he's still trans (to me))#This could just be another layer in the Onion of Trust Issues that Crocodile is #Right between the ''not doing gender right as a kid'' and ''getting humbled by WB'' and ''betrayed by his crew'' and the divorce #It makes sense in my mind. Thematically it would make sense #Unrelated I 100% want Crocodile to be his birthname. Don't want him to have a deadname at all.

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silkendandelion · 6 months

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Mirage In The Desert - Chapter 12

Summary: Trapped in a cage, the Strawhat’s plan to confront Crocodile at Raindinners proceeds more poorly than they expected, and River is the nearest ally on the outside.

Rated Mature for language, graphic violence. Cross-posted to Ao3, same username. Send me a DM: yell at me, send flowers. Cheers.

~*~

The most comfort River had found at Raindinners was the saltwater swims.

And so, Crocodile stood on the shore, bored eyes watching him cling to the rocks with trembling, bleeding fingers. The Oasin’s breath came in labored, frightened puffs as he struggled to free himself from wani-infested waters.

“I knew I would find you here.”

But Crocodile wasn’t the cause of his distress, and River hauls himself to safety with one more good pull.

Water runs off him in sheets, down unsteady legs until he finds his footing. “I don’t try to hide, you know.”

“Oh, you do. But I can hardly blame you,” Crocodile said, stopping to study where River nursed his wounded hands, the scratches across his knuckles that colored the water dripping down his arms pink.

“Did the wani do that?”

“It was my fault. I was careless and fell in… I can hardly blame them.”

“Would you like me to administer first aid?”

River snorted, even as Crocodile watched him consider it, with a wet sheen over his tired eyes. Must be the saltwater. “I’ll be fine. Thank you. Though, I don’t recall asking you to join me,” he said with less bite than he hoped.

Although they were doomed to pretend to be business partners, Crocodile found himself wandering to stand by the water’s edge almost every day. To watch if he could get away with it, be close to him, even when his natural habitat kept them apart. With all the ease that the Oasin played the “shiny jewel of the desert”, charming and mild-mannered, buttoned-up in diamonds and finery, it was easy to forget that he belonged to the sea. Now, with salt on his eyelashes and sun beams in the width of his shoulders, the great lake felt too much like a bottomless ocean between them.

“Hm.” Crocodile contemplated the verbal rejection, and reached into his coat pocket for a plain, ribbon-bound box.

“I’ll leave your present here then. Don’t let the wani eat it.”

He made no move to accept, and waited until the door to the casino firmly latched shut to swim over, only his eyes out of the water to glare at the offending gift.

The blue box and white ribbon mocked him in it’s simplicity, a perfect copy of the box that cradled his surrendered earrings all those months ago. The first peace offering between them. And here was another.

He pulled the ribbon free by one of it’s tails, careful not to let it slip into the water, and removed the lid. ____ ___ __ _

11:30 AM, Operation Day.

For four of the Strawhats, bad luck could only take so much credit for their swift defeat in their front-door assault on Raindinners, having been bested by a hastily written “Pirates this way” sign and gravity. Consequently, Smoker’s foiled pursuit down to the same seastone cage was just bad timing and worse luck.

Imprisonment usually breeds allies, but apparently no amount of cohabitation could keep them from hissing at each other, and when Crocodile and River come to see what sprung their trap, Smoker has the pirate captain pinned by pressing his jute to his back.

“Since you’re going to die together, you can at least attempt to get along,” Crocodile says while taking a seat at the long table in the center of the room.

”Crocodile! I’ll kick your ass when I get out of—here.” Luffy’s threat dies on a breath, and he slips to the floor when he’s unable to hold onto the cage.

“Stop touching the bars! Weren’t you paying attention?!” Usopp yells at him.

“Spirited, aren’t they? The most powerful little pirate gang in the East Blue,” River takes his spot at Crocodile’s side.

Smoker adjusted his grip on his jute and pointed it through the bars. “Crocodile. You look every bit as despicable as I imagined… But your associate—”

He points the tip at River. “I don’t recognize you.”

“You wouldn’t,” River said, simply, and leaned down to light his cigarette from Crocodile’s outstretched hand. “Mr. Marine.”

“My favorite weapon: a well-kept secret to all of your people’s supposed intelligence, Smoker. Isn’t he magnificent?” Crocodile brushed a finger through his hanging earrings, and River blew smoke from his nose as he stepped away to approach the cage.

The sight of the young pirates locked up like animals twisted his stomach, it never more apparent that these were just kids. Frightened, only strong enough to refuse to cower. As dangerous as they supposedly were, whatever battles or villains they boasted, he couldn’t let them die here, so far from home, for the ambitions of a cruel man who saw them as little more than obstacles to be broken.

“This is who the Princess hired to help her? She would have been better off hiring the marine.” He took another drag and met Luffy’s eyes from where he sat on the ground.

You’ll only get one chance, Monkey D. Luffy.

“And they couldn’t even protect her. She and Miss All Sunday should already be on their way.” Crocodile said and gestured for River to sit beside him. No sense letting lunch grow cold while they waited.

“I knew it was a mistake to trust him,” Usopp whispered to them all.

‘No’, Luffy and Smoker were surprised they both spoke at once.

“He has a plan.” Zoro said.

They only had to wait a few minutes, long enough for River and Crocodile to both have a glass of wine when the Princess announced her presence.

“Crocodile!” She yelled, not wasting a moment to fly down the steps to try to catch the warlord off guard.

But River vaulted over the table faster than she could take aim, and her peacock blade shattered in his fist, sending fragments of metal and turquoise all over the floor.

“Your rage leaves little room for critical thinking, Princess.” Crocodile sipped his wine while River made easy work of tying her to one of the carved chairs with his own scarf.

“Too tight?” He asked her, but only risked getting a headbutt in response as she thrashed.

“I wish you had never come to this country at all! But I’ll amend that today, and finally kill you.” The chair scraped and tapped the floor with her struggling.

“Not like that, you won’t. Relax, the party is just beginning. Yes?” Crocodile looked to River and Miss All Sunday, who had appeared behind the furious Vivi.

She looked at her watch. “Yes, Sir. It’s noon, and Operation Utopia has officially begun.”

“What is—,” Crocodile held up his hand to hush the frightened murmurs and questions of the prisoners while they reeled.

“Perpetually late and always wrong, Princess. I never wanted to conquer this country—I wanted to wipe it from the face of the earth. And over a decade in the making, it won’t even be me. You’ll destroy yourselves, won’t you? Precious rebels and a worthless king are more volatile than gunpowder in this heat.”

“… You’re going to kill my father? What point does that serve?!” Vivi screeched and continued to yank at her bonds.

“You’re still. Not. Thinking.” He tapped his cigar in the ash tray. Tap. Tap. “Why would I kill him? He’ll suffer a fate worse than death. The king is going to fire the first shot.” ____ ___ __ _

Across the country in Nanohana, Koza and his black horse raced through the streets towards the center of the city.

Why now? Why would the king choose now, of all days, to speak to the people?

When his men brought him news that the king and a number of his troops were requesting an audience, he hadn’t known what to expect. Would it be a declaration of war? After all these months? Or a public claim of his innocence?

And he wanted to believe it didn’t matter. That it wouldn’t heal some part of him for the king to admit his wrongdoing and pledge to fix it. To say he still cared for his people, the way Koza remembered him.

Regarding unfinished business, Aurelio had arrived to the rebel camp before dawn, as planned, though he found there was little to do to sway the leader’s mind after the news that Cobra marched on Nanohana.

“You came all the way from the New World for little to nothing,” Koza had said as he yanked the straps tight on his saddle.

“Your letter came late, nearly illegible. If Dragon was any less of a suspicious man, he would have sent no one at all,” Aurelio said.

“So he sends a SINGLE scout, weeks late, and when we no longer have time to wait for reinforcements?” He gets into the older man’s space, nose to nose, close enough to realize he had stepped inside an imperceptible barrier. Too close, suffocating, now unable to back out—trapped until the other man said his peace.

“Do not let the fact that I am alone make you believe I cannot help you.” He said each word slowly, measured by syllable as proof of restraint, and Koza finally took a step back to breathe.

He looked to the sky to check the time, and an owl’s silhouette broke the sun. “Fine. Wait for my orders. We don’t have enough weapons, you can start by helping to arm the rest.”

Aurelio nodded.

The moment Koza’s dark horse disappeared down the road, the dissent among the troops was clear. “So why were the Oasins armed before us? They’ve only been here a few months.”

“Yeah, we’ve been here for almost a year and were never given a weapon.”

“Will that stop you from protecting yourself?” Aurelio said, beside them. “When you are afraid for your life, the safety of your families, even your bare hands will serve you. But if you insist on a crutch—”

He reached to the building that housed their troops and ripped a board from its wall with a swift yank, tossing the splintered wood at the soldier’s feet. “There. A weapon.”

By the time Koza made it to the center of the city, the king had already begun to speak. A man he hardly recognized stood before the crowd, no longer a king, but a tyrant that declared this city was the last piece of evidence to his deception against the rest of the country. And that they could no longer pretend to be useful to him.

So when he felt the bullet pierce his body, the air gone from his lungs and taking his spirited shout, he believed it to be justified. That the man he remembered was gone, and the rest of his home would soon follow. Should follow? They had little choice.

“Let’s finally destroy this country.” He said to the rebel that held him.

“Sir? What are you saying? Leader! Wake up!” They shook him but no response. His order’s were clear.

Aurelio arrived with the rest of their troops to carry out his wishes, though the borrowed revolutionary held no motives to obey, except to minimize civilian causalities. For all his sympathies, he had little patience to allow the rage of a betrayed nation, except to protect them from each other.

Smoke rose to the sky with the popping of gunshots, and the cracking of heat-weakened walls as rebels and the king’s men clashed in the streets.

“Watch out! Get away!” He heard clearer than the rest of the frightened howling, and looked to the sky to see a ship breaching the shore, skipping the harbor to fly towards the populated city center.

“Shit—” He ripped away from the civilians in his arms, shoved them towards the nearest intact building before taking off for the ship in a series of staccato blinks.

“Where is he going?!”

“Not that way!” They yelled after him.

On the deck, Miss Double-finger and Mr. 1 saw a tiny dot charge into their path.

“Impossible.”

“Is that—”

CRACK. The bang of the ship colliding with what felt like an invisible wall knocked the agents off their feet, deafening to the civilians that watched horrified as they saw the bow met by a—by—

“A man?!” They shouted, unable to look away.

His palms extended, he braced himself between the bow and the sandy street, his teeth gnashed and wide back ready to burst under the force of the ship pushing him back, burying his steel legs into the ground to carve their path. But he wouldn’t go down.

He didn’t stop the ship, no more than slow it down, but just one life spared was enough.

And he never went down.

The civilians that found him, buried under the shredded bow of the ship, ripped open under his reinforced hands like an eviscerated beast, found him alive. They pulled him from the splintered wood and broken ground, letting their tears patter on his face when they couldn’t wait for him to open his eyes to tell him he saved them.

And Koza, as he watched Aurelio awake with a gasp, coughing up powdered stone, wanted to tell him he was sorry.

“They really did send help.” ____ ___ __ _

Down in the bunker and forced to listen, Vivi found no more strength to struggle. “You’re a monster. Worse than that, pure evil.”

Luffy, despite the effort being moot, continued to gnaw at the bars of the cage, spurred on by hearing the warlord’s plan laid out in it’s meticulous and cruel entirety.

“Is he stupid?” River said with a raised eyebrow and another drag off his cigarette.

“Yeah. Yeah, he is,” Zoro said, smiling.

“And what about Oasis?” Vivi shouted when her fight returned, spitefully pleased when River turned to scowl at her.

“Why are you doing this, Mr. i? Oasis will fall without Alabasta. What do you hope to gain?”

“Never—,” he said, firmly, as he stubbed out his cigarette. “Presume to know anything about my motivations. Oasis existed when this island was nothing but warring states, and when it nearly killed itself to produce a king, WE survived. My island will go on with or without you, and I will do anything to ensure they survive.”

And it wasn’t a lie. He would do anything to protect his people. Oasis would go on with or without Alabasta. But he left unsaid that Oasis gave up their favorite son all those centuries ago, and would continue to give. Seth, the Hunter of the Ennead’s first General, left behind his family and father to fight beside the mainlanders to unite the island and help them find their peace.

He wouldn’t survive to see the monarchy that rose, or watch his children grow tall. It would be the duty of his descendants, on the eve of another war, to remind Oasis of their duty to the mainland, and that their “survival”, a hollow, fragmented existence, was the only guarantee as long as they continued to pretend Alabasta and Oasis were ever enemies.

Beside River, Miss All Sunday answered her snail phone. “Mr. 0, the Billions are ready to move on to Alubarna.”

“And we will follow. Princess, you have one more choice to make. Come with us, try to save your country and your father. Or stay, and save four pirates.”

He held up a golden key to twinkle in the lights, and all eyes in the cage leaned forward to watch it wave back and forth.

On queue, River cut the Princess free of her bonds, and her anger turned to momentum, lunging for the key, chasing it out of Crocodile’s grip and down to the floor. Never let it be said that Crocodile didn’t use every advantage at his disposal, and the key was out of her grip with just a tap of his heel to open a single floor tile. Down it went, to another room.

“You can still get it. Better hurry,” Crocodile watched her contemplate jumping until Bananawani began to fill the hole, believing the chute brought food. They hissed, searching and irritated to find none, and River heard the mechanical whirl of the lift winding itself up.

Not part of the plan.

“You said you would flood the basement, drown them,” River said, gesturing to the cage of pirates.

“And I didn’t lie. The princess needs a little motivation to decide quickly. And besides, once the water flooded in, pushed these stone walls to the point of breaking, what did you think would happen?”

From where Crocodile and Miss All Sunday walked to evacuate at their leisure, he waited only a short minute before calling over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”

“I—” River looked to Vivi as she crouched beside the chute, hot tears on her face. The Strawhats clamored for height as the water rose to their ankles and climbed. They looked back at him.

Didn’t you promise to help us?

“I’ll be right behind you. I... haven’t seen Coco in days, I want to make sure he eats.”

“You’re unbelievable. Don’t take too long.” Crocodile rolled his eyes and left River with a wave.

When he was sure they had walked out of earshot, the sound of the secondary lift confirming they had gone, he ran back to the hostages.

Vivi screamed into the mouth of the wani that arrived on the lift, and River’s boot came down hard on the sensitive skin of their snout. Their head whipped back, too far not to hurt, and the massive animal flopped over to retreat. On land, the wani were easy with the right amount of power, but when the chamber finally flooded, they would all be lucky to drown first.

“You took too long!” Vivi cried at him.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’ll let you do it next time!” River snapped at her, wading through the water to the cage.

“But what are we going to do? He threw the key in with the wani!” Nami said.

“There is no key! Don’t you get it? That key wouldn’t free you… It’s not fun for him unless you have hope.” River said, and Nami’s cheeks colored, embarrassed, as she watched him examine the lock.

Well, he decided, to just smash it was easier and quicker. He reinforced his fist and brought it down on both the lock and the hinge.

“Come on, faster, the bananas are getting—closerr.” Luffy scrabbled at the bars before melting into the water at his feet.

“Stop touching the cage!” Usopp yelled.

“So this was your plan all along,” came Crocodile’s low voice as it raked up all their spines like the tip of a sharp, poisoned hook.

River looked to him, fist primed to finish breaking the lock. “Not all along. Just after I knew I had found someone who could defeat you.”

“Does your partner know?”

“No. I mean, they must have some idea that I was planning something but I’ve never shared my intentions with them. They have never helped me.”

“And you wouldn’t lie about that. Not so well, at least.”

The damaged lock rattled in his shaking hands. “These kids are leaving here, Crocodile. I will free them.”

There’s a heavy beat of silence as the flooding chamber roars. Long enough for both of them to pick fight or flight, live or die, and decide if they could shoulder the consequences: the reality that only one of them would leave here.

“Fine. You are free to betray me. Just as I am free to be rid of you.”

River pounded his fist against the lock one more time and it snapped inward, letting the door fall open on it’s bent hinge.

“Get rid of me then!” He shook out one arm to grab his swords. “You have to kill me… But I only have to slow you down.”

“You—”

“Sorry I’m late! Vivi, my sweet! Nami, my world!”

Crocodile looked to the familiar voice to see a blonde in a suit, the same man who had called as he made ground and informed him of the second (successful) siege on the casino. He had entered the basement believing to find him, not his River.

“Get them out of here! Go!” River yelled to him, and Crocodile found it hard to comprehend any thought beyond the absurdity of Mr. Prince kicking back the Bananawani to further aid the hostages—on his River’s order.

CLANG. His hook rattled with the strike of a silver sword, and sand twisted up around them as they bared their teeth at each other.

“Don’t look away from me,” River ground out, demanded as he let loose swipe after swipe that Crocodile was forced to parry and dodge, or be cut by the blades that shone with a lapis blue coating.

A single arc of his sand, sharp and stinging, was enough to switch their roles as River stumbled back and back again. Though he was nimble, he was unused to fighting logia users that moved even quicker than he did. Crocodile quickly overpowered him, his body so much more than his human form as it whipped around them in millions of tiny granules that stung in microscopic wounds.

“He’s going to kill him, we have to go back!” Vivi yelled to her friends, but the collapsing walls of the bunker overpowered her voice with rushing water and crumbling stone.

A whip of sand shot out to drag River back into his striking range but was blocked by two crossed swords. Crocodile wanted to scream at him, berate him, demand he act like he was ready to kill him too.

But if River was going to see those kids get free, he just needed to survive a little longer.

“You don’t have to die here.” Crocodile’s growl rattles his chest, begging him—a threat that he hadn’t heard himself make in at least a decade. To want something so badly, that he would forgive almost anything.

“If living means I stand by your side as a prince to a savaged country, I have no other choice.”

Crocodile fist aches, he thinks his fingers might break as he stands under a wave of memories, of the crushing weight of never again, and the goodbye they weren’t strong enough to say out loud.

“No… You would have been a king.”

The air crackles, too thick to swallow, and River knows something has changed with the sudden dizzying force of Crocodile’s blows, one after another, uncaring of how River’s swords sting and bruise.

He holds up his arms to defend himself, all of his haki loaded to his front to prevent from being run clean through, and the connecting wave of sand that hits him slams his brain against his skull as it throws him across the room.

The floor passes his vision but he never lands, still falling, too far down, and into the feeding pit.

Water floods the room as the last wall gives, breaking the cage into pieces and forcing the Strawhats to flee, whether by water or up the stairs. The fight is over for now, and Crocodile is already leaving the way he came.

“No… NO!” Vivi screamed as Sanji put his arm around her waist to drag her away, harder than he meant to, and with apologies neither could really hear beyond her cries and the roar of the water rushing in to drown the bunker entirely.

From where Miss All Sunday watched the destruction from the safety of the street, the answer to her question came in the absolutely lost gaze of the warlord when he materialized on the city side of the bridge.

He swayed when his legs took his weight, his eyes unseeing while they stared fixed at… somewhere else. If he had orders, he didn’t say them out loud, and was back to sand before she could ask, off to Alubarna to turn his grief into results.

Robin looked to the lake, the commotion all but gone from her ears.

So you did it. The princess and the pirates are off to finish this.

Thank you, River. For all your hard work. ____ ___ __ _

“I don’t recall asking you to join me,” River said.

“Hm.” Crocodile contemplated the verbal rejection, and reached into his coat pocket for a plain, ribbon-bound box.

“I’ll leave your present here then. Don’t let the wani eat it.”

River pulled the ribbon free by one of it’s tails, careful not to let it slip into the water, and removed the lid.

It only took seconds for him to rush inside, passed the startled staff, down to Crocodile’s suite, uncaring of the water he trekked inside on bare feet and his soaked clothes, onto everything he touched from the dripping ends of his hair.

The thump of a book closing, leather-soled loafers suddenly on the floor, lead him down the hall to the parlor where they first danced together.

“River?” He called to him, perfectly still as he watched him stand in the doorway, soaked with a wild, aching stare.

River had never crossed the room in so few steps, leaping into ready arms that welcomed him to take, to soak his clothes through while he spoke his woes into his cheek.

“Why would you give me that? Why can’t you just...” He smothered his wet eyes in Crocodile’s shirt collar. The cool nose against his hair, paired with a gentle kiss, shushed him and stilled his shakes.

“4 days, River.”

Until the curtain falls.

“4… days,” he repeated, slowly.

He gripped his shirt until his nails ached, and Crocodile’s hand came up to cup his chin. But rather than ask for a kiss, he pressed his lips to his forehead. At least River wouldn’t see the way agony twisted his frown.

“Don’t kiss me. I can’t bear it,” River said into the warm air between their faces, though his arms were steel, unwilling to let go.

“Because you hate me?”

Crocodile met his wilting gaze, counting the seawater drops on his lashes and admiring the drip of his wet bangs onto his cheeks. It was as close to the ocean as he would ever know again, to swim in the eyes of his last love, the one that never refused to kiss him, even when he was outed as a weak man.

“Because I can never hate you.”

He doesn’t realize he’s holding his breath until River kisses him, and his good hand aches as he threads his fingers into wet hair. They both give easily under the weight of weeks without so much as a brush of their hands. River tastes the sorrow on his tongue, coffee on his breath, and wondered if to Crocodile, he tasted like “thank you”.

He knows Crocodile must feel it between them, safe in his pocket: his gift.

A single feather from a kingfisher bird, it’s silk hairs split between lapis blue and the orange-pink of a well-worn sunset.

A promise that in 4 days, he was free.

Whether they stood together or on opposite sides of the battlefield at Alubarna, even if their feelings were the only piece of them that survived the ravage of an ailing, prostrated nation. And in the embrace of one another, so close to goodbye, River could admit he mourned them, and Crocodile could admit he mourned himself.

That he wasn’t the kind of man anymore to change for something soft like love. Or for anyone.

That they weren’t lovers from a storybook, who might abandon everything and run off to an island where no one knew their names.

“Thank you, River,” he said against warm lips.

“For what?”

For reminding me I’m capable of love. Even if it wasn’t enough.

“For letting me touch the ocean again.”

River’s tears run silently down his cheeks to his lips, kissed away in gentle presses. A taste of the ocean.

“Thank you, Crocodile.” His breath stuttered, caught on tobacco and golden eyes. “For being kind to me.”

It was as close to goodbye as they could be. Not when they would see each other tomorrow, and the next day. Whether they died or lived to become enemies, they would never be strangers again, and River knew he would never be able to meet him, months later, years later, without remembering fennel toothpaste and a warm arm around his waist, swaying them to the beat of a band. ____ ___ __ _

Above ground, the fighting subsided at Raindinners, and Smoker found himself hauled from the saltwater lake by the second of the Strawhats, to the chagrin of his pride and the gratitude of his pounding heart. Zoro tensed beside him when he opened his stinging eyes, wondering if they would have a fight after all.

“… Go,” Smoker commanded with a rasp of his weak throat. “Before I change my mind.”

But Zoro just stared at him, too disbelieving to move until Nami called to him.

“Zoro, we need to go!”

He watched the kids retreat, and the surface of the water rippled with the stirring of the wani. A geyser of saltwater shot up towards the sky, soaking the marine again as he snatched his jute from his back.

But the wani that reared itself from the lake, gigantic body breaking the midday sun into streaks, made no move to attack him. It clung to the concrete edge, claws dug in like rail spikes, merely hissed at him.

Beside the wani’s enormous paw lay a body splayed on their back, long black hair tossed around them like seaweed and deadly still except a dribble of foam that slipped down his cheek from his lips.

“Mr. i—” SHIK. His movement towards River was cut off by a swipe of the wani’s vitiligo-white paw, and a roar from their speckled mouth.

“Stop that,” he snapped. “If no one helps him, he’s going to die. You big, banana—”

“Captain Smoker!” Tashigi’s shout interrupted him. She ran to his side with her own blade sheathed, hands reaching for his jute.

“Captain, put your weapon away! Please, Bananawani are highly territorial. You risk them taking the man back under the water if they’re frightened enough.”

She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pamphlet to show him. “I picked this up when we made land, it seemed important to brush up on all potential threats.”

Smoke puffed from his mouth as he read. “A Wayfarers Guide to Safety Protocol for A. Bananawani, by River Faustina. It’s for tourists.”

“It says their noses are sensitive, and that they like coconuts.”

“I don’t have any coconuts,” Smoker said with a growl, and gripped his jute again.

“Will you put that thing down?! I mean, sir!” Tashigi snatched the pamphlet back and held her hands up to the beast.

“That man needs medical attention, mister—misses—wani… I’m going to take him. There’s a coconut in it for you. Two coconuts if you’re lucky.”

“Why do you have coconuts?” Smoker grumbled, feeling a headache coming on.

“Potential threats, sir. How about it, wani? A crunchy coco—” She flinched when the wani hissed, all of it’s white teeth on display.

“HIYA!” She gave a war cry and rocketed the coconuts into the wani’s open mouth, hard enough to bounce off their uvula and knock them back into the lake.

Smoker dashed forward on white plumes, scooping up River’s limp body to carry him a safe distance from the water’s edge. He pressed a glove hand to his neck, worried when such a hard jostle didn’t wake him.

“Tashigi! Find a doctor!” ____ ___ __ _

He had always been a talented swimmer.

But when River found himself airborne, sent flying by a wall of compacted sand that bruised his arms and scratched his face, the crack of the water against his back sent all the air in his lungs rushing out in violent bubbles. Foam made for pitiful last words.

Hungry wani blacked out the light that shone down the shoot, and his body whipped around, back and forth with the water that was churned up from the wani biting at one another to lay claim over their unexpected snack. Stray claws nicked his skin, and a white muzzle clamping down on the neck of another wani left him blind in the suddenly red water.

But beneath the impossible pressure of the water in his ears, his lungs trading air for bloody bubbles, he heard that voice.

You are free to betray me. Just as I am free to be rid of you.

He pawed at the water, continuing struggle even as he tasted salty copper and only found stars behind his eyelids. His own voice responded.

For months, I prepared myself to die. I found danger, told my friends everything would be fine, and thought of nothing but you. That if I left only one person free of you, it was enough.

But to leave Claudia with nothing to bury, that I will not forgive.

Despite his efforts, his spilled blood and broken heart, River would be gone before he could feel the giant tooth that hooked onto his belt loop, lifting him to the surface and dropping him on the ground from a deceptively gentle, albeit hissing mouth.

He never felt the marine captain compressing his chest for long minutes, from the time he sent the lieutenant away to the moment she returned. He never felt his chest lurch to spew the water from his lungs in foam onto the street.

And when his eyes finally peeled open, he was staring up at the gilded, peeling ceiling of a hotel suite with overly-starched linens beneath his aching, naked back.

“You’re finally awake,” came a rumble of a voice beside his bed. The white-haired marine from the cage sat in a chair as fashionable but old as the rest of the room with official looking documents in his hands, carefully folded to prevent any peeking.

“What—” River’s voice came out a croak, weak and stinging from his near-drowning.

“Where are the kids?” He managed after a few swallows.

One of Smoker’s eyebrows shot up, surely the marine expected his first question to be different. He took in the hollows under his striking eyes, hair still damp and tangled around his shoulders, desperate hands gripped tight in the patched sheets.

“I’ll ask the questions, Mr. i.”

“No,” he ground out, his voice threatening to break under such sudden demands.

“No, where are those kids? Are they alive? Where is—,” a wet cough cut him off, “Where is that bastard Crocodile?”

“Are you going to fight him in your condition? The Strawhats are fine, they’ve gone to fight him in Alubarna. And I’m here with questions for one of his officers.”

River laid back, and the air slipped easily from his lungs with the knowledge of their safe escape. “Thank goodness… What’s your name, Mr. Marine?”

He felt a blush come to his face unbidden at the relaxed and patient gaze of the wounded man that was pillowed among his hair. “You can call me Captain Smoker. Your full name?”

“My name is River Joel Faustina, Mr. Smoker.”

“Captain—”

“Captain.” He smiled, wetting his cracked lips with his tongue to ensure his next words didn’t stutter.

“In my room, suite 309, there’s a suitcase under the bed. Please take it.”

“What’s in it?” Smoker regarded him with his usual hard-boiled suspicion.

“Evidence. There’s shipment manifests, financial statements, transcribed conversations and audio tapes.”

“Most people think to bargain with their evidence beforehand. What do you want for it?”

He wets his lips again, refusing to look away. “Nothing.”

“Everyone wants something. And while I’m not above sending you to Impel Down for your crimes alone…”

He smoked quietly for a moment, pondering the man who seemed downright gentle while he lay wounded, despite all he was accused. Who breathed a sigh of relief that the young pirates were not only safe but well enough to continue the fight. It knotted his stomach, the possibility that he was arresting a—not innocent—but coerced man, who would be killed in Impel Down if things went forward as they were. And yet, River refused to speak.

“… You have my ear, Mr. Faustina. Make a case for yourself right now, and we can propose a lesser sentence—”

Putter, putter, putter. The ringing of a snail phone interrupted him. Far away, presumably left in the pocket of his soaked coat when he hung it up in the other room.

“Don’t move,” he pointed a stern finger, and stood to answer the call.

“Where am I going to go, Mr. Smoker?” River gave a tired smile, a wet cough.

He left only long enough to fetch the snail, still ringing when he came back to find the bed empty and hear the shouts of his marines outside.

He yelled out the window. “Don’t kill him! That’s my witness!”

River outran them, no great feat with the statistically measured aim of the average marine, but it was enough to flee. The regrouping marines were still too scattered to catch him, and he was too desperate to care that he fled unarmed, half-dressed and barefooted.

He had to get to Alubarna. Crocodile was going to be defeated.

And he needed to see it.

#one piece #sir crocodile #sir crocodile x reader #sir crocodile x oc #mirage in the desert #male reader #ao3 fanfic #oc fanfiction #writing #x reader #x oc

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saradrewitt · 1 year

Text

The Six Demons of Elsewhere

LUX "SON OF MIDNIGHT"

Fun facts and just little things I thought of when I began writing for IMIE (Copy and pasted from the IMIE Docs)

I think, for those who know, that I have a lot more ideas, concepts, and writings for my favorite demon Lux. I just think he’s really neat and just a character that I enjoy using for my own religious crises when I get them. Lux is definitely a character that relates to a level of family dilemmas I go through, obviously his experiences are dramatized in the name of his own character design but as a youngest member, still struggling with familial acceptance and expectation, he’s just the best in my opinion. The man got his own spin off comic so I don’t know if that says anything about his character.

For those who don't know he was based off of one of the characters in the Killer in the Mirror music video by Set It Off, and since there was not that much to go off of from the source material I put it upon myself to add him in IMIE for throwback purposes.

This is the guy from the music video btw

In the music video it gave me a mob/cult-like aura to it which was perfect for the plot of IMIE given all the other music videos I wanted to connect together into the story. Even when I went back to writing the official outline for IMIE he and a few other characters like Con and Azah were there for easter eggs. In development, Midnight was the only era that had a good chunk of lore and I needed characters that would give Cody, Zach, and Maxx a hard time in pursuit of freedom.

Some parts of his character now are from ideals I grew up with and just rejected because of my own religious dilemmas in life. Now he’s not a vessel in that nature, he’s just a guy just trying to undo the stupid shit he’s done while trying to get back any form or normalcy in his life. The man literally pitches a cult-like group to collect souls for Nox because that’s the only thing he’s familiar with like c’mon tell me that isn’t religious trauma. On top of that, he definitely was written for me to just also consider other forms of acceptance that aren't from negative people/experiences. I’m not going to lie I'm very proud of this character in terms of writing because I always loved designing characters that fight for what they used to have, only to accept inevitable realities (hence why now it’s important for Lux’s sake that Chlorine is canon in IMIE). Anyway Enjoy!

His official Elsewhere title is Midnight, the people of Elsewhere often call him the “Midnight Demon” or the “Water Demon”

Lux likes polaroid cameras and photography. Having a secret collection of rock magazines and posters of rock starts at shows under his bed.

The only thing he got away with wearing in his childhood was all black, he only owned two band shirts but they were Christian bands but suddenly lost them (no he didn’t he threw them out).

Complete animal lover (animal planet binge watcher). He had a Crocodile Hunter phase.

In Chlorine he cannot stand the neighborhood kids that bother him. He will literally throw hands he dosen’t care, what are you going to do call the police on a dead guy?

Lux secretly owned a dog in an abandoned house in the woods, brought him food, toys, and a doggie bed for him (he named him Wishbone from the show). One day Lux could not find him until he saw him being held by a kid (tail wagging) as they exited a dog shelter. Lux came home happier than normal that day.

He wears eyeliner (prefers pencil) when he isn’t around family (wears it more often now as a demon).

Nearly almost drowned three separate times as a young child. Lux has aquaphobia with a mild tolerance of the ocean (thalassophobia). He cannot get behind swimming and only knows basic swimming methods for survival purposes. Do not expect him to go swimming or invite him to events involving swimming, pools, or large bodies of water. The only place he is fine with staying are the pools located in the abandoned school in Linoleum City.

Suffered from familial and religious abuse. Lived in a VERY religious household.

Lux is definitely left handed. Speaking of left handed, before he became a demon Lux had scars and joint problems from constant blows to it from rulers, belts, and even hardcover books. “The hand of the devil '' his mother would refer. Now those scars and pain have since vanished after his death.

He was neglected throughout most of his childhood, wasn’t a planned child and therefore gets shamed for it most of the time. He even was named after a random relative, who tf knows if it’s from his mother or father’s side he just knows that it was a family member no one talks about. His parents didn’t really care, a name is a name they already used up their planned ones.

Was forced to hide most of the secrets his family church were hiding, some of them involving stealing and laundering money from the church.

Mother encouraged his music interest as long it was for the benefit of his family and the church (absolutely despised his love for metal and rock, said that he would go to hell if he followed that dark and satanic path). Also scared him when it came to the rapture. Just doing her motherly duties by subjecting a 5 year old into a constant state of paranoia.

Father tried to teach him how to swim but grew frustrated with Lux and almost nearly drowned him, he tried to get his brothers to teach him but kind of the same thing almost happened. The first time he almost drowned was because a bunch of church bullies. They tried to push him into a river.

In elementary school he would get bullied, because he was the smallest and the loudest kid in class “my dad says you’re dad is going to hell!”. You would think his older brothers would be there to protect him willingly? No if their father ever found out that Lux got his ass beat and they didn’t do shit its ass kicking for all of them and then 2 weeks of church duties.

Middle school he calmed down until he got into the rock and metal scene and it all started from his music teacher, Mr. Johnson (best fucking teacher in the world).

He’s gotten bullied for getting dropped off to school then putting his mother’s eyeliners in his eyes to appear more grungy. A lot of new words were thrown at him since then. His parents were called one day because he showed up to school and spent an hour changing into his “true form” which was a rock band shirt he stole, some spiked bracelets, fake piercings, jeans and combat boots. His mother spend the entire weekend praying for her son’s soul. While his father beat the shit outta him in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit.

In high school all of that increased until he graduated. Most of his stubbornness was helped by Mrs. Johnson the school nurse (and yes Mr. Johnson’s wife). She was like a second mother to him at that point and he grew very protective of her because she was a veteran rocker in her younger years. She also was there when Lux’s parents died just before his graduation.

After high school he cut contact with his brothers (they moved and left town) and remianed alone since, leaving behind the only two people he cared for and working a shitty office job.

He wants out of Elsewhere so bad it’s like living with your parents. He admittedly missed Elsewhere when it was his era, when he was the top dog, but now it’s mainly because Lux is a punk at heart and current Elsewhere is just overstimulated eyestrain.

If there was anything he fought for before and during the events of Chlorine, it was Cult Linoleum. The one thing that he gave up his life for was purpose and power, so when Nox handed Red’s duties to him he was just living off that high.

He loved the siblings of the cult coming to him for “acceptance” and seeing the beauty in the night. Offering false guidance and relishing in worshiping the night (this was just something he wanted to further develop until Con came to interfere on Nox’s behalf).

In the aftermath of Chlorine we find out that in desperation, Lux “borrows” Con’s ideas for a....church?

Lux practically overpopulated the souls he produced for Nox to the point where a bunch of souls were just crowded in a Nowhere to snack on, but after some disappearing members and sketchy excuses, those numbers went down which is why Nox is really frustrated with him in the beginning of IMIE. Hence the events when Cody, Zach, and Maxx joined.

There was no telling what caused Lux to fail, it might have been growing suspicion, it could have been his own sloppy organization, or it could be someone who changed his motives... either way, he is getting back to earth no matter what…

#fan comic #imie #chlorine #chlorine spin it off comic #chlorine comic #it’s midnight in elsewhere #it’s midnight in elsewhere comic #sara jackalope’s art #sara drewitt’s art

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