#But then I learned that you can only encounter them in Pearl

[zahri-melitor]

Look out, it's time for the Potted Fanon History of the one, the only...BRUCE WAYNE!

Bruce, 8: His parents were shot dead by [Someone/Joe Chill/the Mafia] outside the theatre in Park Row where they just saw Zorro. Kneeling in blood, pearls, etc etc.

Bruce, 8: Jim Gordon was the cop who responded to the scene and took care of Bruce.

Bruce, 8: Alfred takes custody of Bruce and they live in the Manor together.

Bruce, 12-16 (optional): Bruce attends school with people like Oliver Queen and Lex Luthor (at a boarding school), or Zatanna and Harvey Dent (at a regular Gotham school). Bruce is known as the cryptid who hides in the library reading forensic pathology textbooks in his free time.

Bruce, 16-18: Bruce finishes school and embarks on a Secret World Training Tour. Highlights of the Tour definitely involve the League of Assassins and probably several nameless monks. Bruce may have an intense homoerotic relationship with Minhkhoa Khan. The following individuals may be namechecked but are unlikely: [Shiva, David Cain, Henri Ducard, Richard Dragon]

Bruce, World Training Tour Edition: Bruce will first meet Talia at this time, and they may get married/conceive Damian. Do not look at the timeline too closely.

Bruce, early-mid 20s: returns to Gotham, is reminded that he is scared of bats. "Yes father, I will become...a Bat!"

Bruce, early-mid 20s: has encounter with An Individual (name varies, solidifying to 'Red Hood' these days as everyone's hung up on Jason) in the ACME Chemical company vats, the other person falls into the chemicals. The Joker is born hahahahahahahHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Bruce, mid 20s: meets Superman and Clark Kent, they simultaneously figure each other's identities out. Shortly after they form the Justice League with Wonder Woman.

Bruce, mid 20s: Bruce goes out for the night to see Haly's Circus when it visits town. Graysons fall, Bruce sees crying kneeling Dick Grayson and immediately imprints on him and takes him home.

Bruce, mid 20s: Dick Grayson becomes Bruce's Ward (TM). Dick also becomes Robin. They swear an Oath (TM) by candlelight to "fight together against crime and corruption and never to swerve from the path of righteousness!" (Actually I don't think the words of the oath are that well known but I couldn't help myself)

Bruce, mid 20s: has many undetailed adventures with Dick. I cannot reinforce how big a blank hole this period is.

Bruce, early 30s ish: Bruce runs into Talia and sleeps with her again (as written by people who CAN count to 10)

Bruce, 30s: Dick gets injured during a fight. Maybe with Joker, maybe with Two-Face, quite possibly with no details. Bruce tries to ground Dick for his own good. Bruce and Dick have a big fight over Dick being an adult now and you can’t tell me what to do. End result: Dick is no longer Robin and moves out (to Blüdhaven). Bruce immediately sulks.

Bruce, 30s: Batman parks his Batmobile in the middle of Crime Alley and comes back to find the tyres being jacked. The teenager attempting this then hits Batman with a tyre iron. Bruce, missing Dick yelling at him, is immediately charmed and takes Jason home and proceeds to instantly adopt him and make him Robin.

Bruce, 30s: Bruce learns about classism from Jason. Bruce Wayne, a man with the biggest charities running in Gotham, years of criminology experience and who travelled the poorest parts of the world in his quest for training, had never contemplated that poor people commit crime because they’re poor and the laws are against them. This rocks his world.

Bruce, 30s: Bruce fails to call Dick to tell him about his new adopted Jason!Robin. Dick comes over to have a screaming match with Bruce in the Manor/Cave about this. These will be a regular feature of Jason’s entire time as Robin.

Bruce, late 30s: Felipe Garzonas occurs. Bruce accuses Jason of killing Garzonas. Bruce will shortly feel intense guilt for this.

Bruce, late 30s: Jason runs away to Ethiopia and is blown by the Joker in a warehouse. Bruce arrives just out of time, to find Jason's body. He is devastated and blames both himself and Jason. He takes Jason's body back to Gotham where there is an autopsy. Joker just disappears with no trace.

Bruce, late 30s: gets more and more violent in his despair over Jason's death. Tim comes to him to explain why Batman is going off the rails and offers to be Robin.

Bruce, middle aged (don't look too closely): Bruce accepts Tim as his new Robin, however insists they are Just Coworkers. He may still be suicidal at times. He probably calls Tim 'Jason' by accident. He insists he never wants to be close to another child again.

Bruce, middle aged: Bruce comes face to face with Bane, who Breaks His Back (TM). Bruce then recovers. This is a very important moment, however any details of the recovery or who was Batman in the interim are unknown. Good job, Gotham healthcare services set up by Thomas Wayne!

Bruce, middle aged: Bruce becomes worried about Tim's parents (as he's reluctantly become attached to Tim). They are never around, which is how Tim manages to be Robin. They are definitely neglecting him. They might be abusing him! Bruce either fosters Tim because of his terrible neglectful parents OR Janet dies and Jack ends up in a coma and Bruce fosters Tim. Either way, Bruce becomes Tim's guardian.

Bruce, middle aged: there's a new crime lord in Gotham called the Red Hood. Batman must track him down. Bruce discovers that this is Jason. Jason begs for Bruce to kill the Joker to avenge his death and Bruce refuses because He Has A Code. Bruce throws a batarang at Jason's neck and slits his throat.

Bruce, JLA edition: at some point Bruce made some Protocols, or possibly some Killer Robots, just in case someone else on the Justice League goes evil. The rest of the Justice League find this out, due to this situation going wrong and the plans being activated by something. Everyone on the Justice League gets very upset with Bruce.

Bruce, middle aged: at some point Bruce adopts Dick and Tim and Cass. Details of when or where are scanty. They're his kids now. Everyone moves into the Manor (except Dick, who visits from Bludhaven every weekend to see his siblings).

Bruce, middle aged: Talia drops Damian off on the doorstep. Bruce now has a (biological) son! Unfortunately Ra's Al Ghul wants to steal his body. Damian must be protected.

Bruce, middle aged: dies. How does this happen? What are you, a cop? Fortunately Bruce being ultraprepared for anything including incipient death, he has left extensive notes about who deals with what when he's dead. Dick gets custody of Damian (but only Damian). Tim gets Wayne Enterprises.

Bruce, middle aged: returns from being lost in time (not dead). Thanks, Tim. No I will not return to being the main Batman in Gotham or take back Wayne Enterprises, it's time for me to travel the world and create Batman Incorporated in every nation on Earth!

Bruce, middle aged: eventually returns home and moves back into the Manor. Damian is now his Robin. Everyone else may still be living in the Manor, may have moved out because of Sad Conflict Drama because Tim feels like he's Just A Coworker or Cass is In Hong Kong. Dick may or may not return to Bludhaven now.

Bruce, middle aged: begins to reconcile with Jason, because he finds out about Jason's Pit Rage and trauma. Jason promises to use Rubber Bullets or to just shoot people in the knee, and says he will patrol Crime Alley because nobody else understands it and the people inside it like him. Bruce is just fine with this.

Bruce, middle aged (Damian edition): Damian dies. Bruce is extremely distraught about this due to his trauma over Jason and immediately works to hunt down a way to resurrect Damian.

Bruce, middle aged: meets Duke and seeing another teenager who is trying to fight crime, immediately brings him home to foster/adopt.

Bruce, Good Dad edition: at some point Bruce has Seen A Therapist and gotten Therapy. He is now completely au fait with the latest things you read online about complex PTSD and is sorry for the hurt he has ever caused any of his children. He goes around talking his children down from disassociation and panic attacks and nightmares. He wraps them up in weighted blankets and watches TV shows You Like with them. He has a new Ace, who is a Therapy Dog for Trauma. When someone has a bad night the entire family sleeps in his giant bed as a sleepover. He is completely focused on the mental health of his children.

Bruce, Bad Dad edition: Bruce has punched Dick/Jason/Tim/Damian (choose whichever set you want) in the face and accused them of not following orders. He has rages and demanding expectations on everyone. Multiple of his children can no longer put up with it any more. He does bad things to them and says it's for their own good.

Bruce, currently: Bruce is a Good Dad! Everyone is either living at the Manor or stays over after patrol regularly. They have regular movie nights. Bruce is actively running Wayne Enterprises. If he sees an unattached teenage vigilante anywhere he might adopt them and bring them home too! He looks after all the associated Gotham vigilantes and does not know what money is worth. This is hilarious as he tips 3000% or whatever on every purchase.

Bruce, currently (alternatively): Bruce is a Bad Dad! After failing his children nobody wants to be near him and he needs to apologise to all his children so they forgive him. Bruce has left Damian for Dick to raise all by himself (that's ok, Dick is really Damian's adoptive dad) and Tim to struggle with the pressure of being a high school dropout CEO of Wayne Enterprises. He is fighting with Jason over the One Killing Rule and won't compromise, even to kill the Joker, despite Jason desperately wanting that proof that Bruce loves him more than he loves the killing rule.

Bruce, currently: Bruce is dating one of Selina, Talia, Clark or Minhkhoa. Whichever on this list he is dating, he would never ever consider getting with Selina and/or Talia again (delete whoever necessary).

#potted bat fanon histories #apologies for the delay but Bruce took some effort #additions for this edition are welcomed #bruce you have done everything (and nothing)

[fruitysewerrat]

Delving into Pearl and Marina’s relationship

After seeing the new trailer for Splatoon 3’s DLC, Side Order, which seems to focus on Off the Hook, I wanted to make a quick recap of their relationship up until now.

The idol duo Off the Hook consists of its two members, Pearl and Marina. Pearl being the more outgoing inkling rapper of the group and Marina being a clever octoling DJ.

Firstly, their base designs make it clear that they are supposed to be opposites. Marina being tall and having big ears and Pearl being shorter than the average inkling and having small ears, would be one example of this. Another would be their clothing. Whereas Pearl wears a white dress with golden accents, Marina mainly wears black clothing with silver details. Unlike the Squid Sisters, Off the Hook’s idol outfits only match in certain aspects, like their boots and zippers, yet they still look like a cohesive duo despite that. The most prominent opposite would be the fact that Pearl is an inkling and Marina is an octoling, however. Also keep in mind that Marina was one of the first octolings coming to the surface after she heard the Calamari Inkantation.

You first encounter Off the Hook in game during their stage announcements*, where you learn small bits about their personality. Here you see how they mock each other in a playful way, but are still supportive of one another as friends. It also highlights how close they are, as they know a lot about each other and seem to spend a lot of time together.

Though Off the Hook doesn’t play a major role in the base game, they really have a chance to shine in the Octo Expansion DLC. Most of their characterization here is done through chat rooms* that add a lot of personality as well as some more information regarding their relationship. While still joking and mocking each other, they also frequently compliment and show admiration for the other. For instance, when Marina calls Pearl “srsly the coolest” (Session 3), as well as Pearl considering Marina “one of the best people [she knows]” (Session 6). On some occasions, their close bond is even displayed through pictures, like when Pearl shares a photo of Marina napping on a Pearl pillow. But even in more serious moments like when Pearl learns of Marina’s past, she still decides to trust her and even goes as far as to threaten Craig Cuttlefish. Marina is also incredibly grateful to Pearl and thanks her when she assures Marina that she will still be accepted in Inkopolis.

Off the Hooks’ admiration for each other is also clearly displayed in their backstory. Though Pearl probably was the first inkling she encountered on the surface, Marina had a “feeling about [her]” (session 8) and asked her to form a band after only meeting a few times prior on Mount Nantai. She even went as far as to go to the Mountain for a whole week in hopes of seeing Pearl again. Later on, Pearl taught Marina “everything [she] needed to know” (Session 8) and is still extremely thankful to her.

By the time the player reaches the final boss of Octo Expansion, they finally meet Off the Hook in person. Though the player’s time with them is cut short due to the looming battle, their characteristics still shine through. Marina clearly idolizes Pearl, as seen in her drawing during the explanation of the fight. After defeating the NILS statue, Marina immediately rushes to hug Pearl, which clearly indicates how important Pearl is to her.

Furthermore, the Final Splatfest really illustrates their bond well. The new special shifty station “MC. Princess Diaries” or also known as “Dear Senpai” in the Japanese version depicts Marina’s admiration for Pearl again. Senpai describes an upperclassman mentoring an underclassman in Japan. As Pearl taught Marina everything about Inkopolis, she can be considered an upperclassman to Marina. Additionally, Marina is the one responsible for building the shifty station, which in this case is in the image of the Octo Expansions final boss, so we can assume the title reflects her standpoint. Marina clearly has a deep affection towards Pearl and cherishes her. I’d also like to add that the title almost sounds like the beginning of a letter, like Marina having learned everything there is to know and now saying farewell, which might have something to do with Side Order (I might be reading too much into this, though). Perhaps it could also reflect a love letter written for Pearl. In addition, Pearl could also consider Marina an upperclassman to her, as she taught Pearl a lot about music, such as meter and rhythm.

During the Final Splatfests announcement, Marina voices her concerns about Off the Hook breaking apart. Lines such as “Off the Hook means everything to me! It's all I have in this world...” show clearly how grateful she is to have met Pearl. Yet, Pearl also reassures her by stating that Marina has “WAAAY more going for [her] than just Off the Hook.”, displaying Pearl’s trust in her.

After the Final Fest reached its conclusion, the results were announced. Pearl begins by describing the time she has spent with Marina as “the best years of [her] life” which worries Marina, as she believes Off the Hook is going to break up. But to everyone’s relieve, Pearl just wants the duo to break into new genres of music as they “take over the world” together. After promising that they are going to stay together, Pearl reassures Marina, that she loves her, really conveying the close bond they have. This part of the dialogue wouldn’t have changed if Team Order had won, highlighting its importance. Besides, we can still see them making music together with the band Damp Socks in Splatoon 3.

Lastly, I want to talk about some media outside the games. In an Octotune interview with Pearl, she states that meeting Marina is the best gift she has ever received, signaling how she cherishes Marina and how much the time they have spent together means to her. Furthermore, the Splatoon manga includes a short shōjo manga (a type of manga targeted towards teen girls) addressed to Pearl called “Dear Pearl” where Pearl is drawn in a very idolized style, similar to shōjo love interests, as well. The last panel of the manga depicts a love letter addressed to Pearl. In the Japanese version, the manga ends with Marina dreaming about shouting out "these feelings [for Pearl]" through a megaphone. Similarly, the relationship between Pearl and Marina is described as ”Marina, let's make the whole world ours!" - "Yes, Pearl-senpai!”  in the official Splatoon 2 character chart. In another official relationship chart, Marina is described as a “maiden in love” with Pearl’s description stating “it is me”, implying Marina has romantic feelings for Pearl.

Whether you ship them or not, you cannot deny that they don’t have a lot of respect and adoration for each other. Their relationship is really sweet, and I can’t wait to see how Side Order will develop it further. Their ink colors really became something special after being mixed together.

Stay fresh and thank you for reading!

“It's you and me against the universe, 'Rina!”

(Also, I tried to keep this as neutral as possible, but those two are definitely in a relationship)

*Here’s some stage announcements as examples:

Port Mackerel:

   Pearl : Marina! What's the appeal of using a brella on this stage?

   Marina : Protecting my precious Pearlie at all costs!

Wahoo World:

   Pearl : Remember when we rode the roller coaster for six hours straight?

   Marina : That was nothing compared to the eight hours we spent on the Death Drop!

   Pearl : Yo, at night, the Ferris wheel's all... like...sparkly and junk.

   Marina : You're so adorable, Pearl.

The Reef:

   Pearl : Look at me! I'm Marina! BLAH BLAH BLAH!

   Marina : Ahaha! Yeah, that's so me!

   Pearl : My best friend took me to this amazing cake shop in The Reef the other day!

   Marina : But I don't remember going to a cake shop...

Snapper Canal:

   Pearl : I've been here before. A boy from school brought me when I was a kid...

   Marina : REALLY?! Was it a date? A battle? Spill it, Pearlie!

Kelp Dome:

   Pearl : I bet you looooove all the weird machinery here, don't you, Marina?

   Marina : Is it that obvious?!

   Pearl : Yo, I'll splat a dude with attitude, I don't carrot all like rabbit food!

   Marina : OHHHHHHHHHHHH! Best rapper alive.

New Albacore Hotel:

   Pearl : Remember that time you tried to drown me here? Good times.

   Marina : For the last time, I was trying to help you get to the floating stage!

Manta Maria:

   Pearl : Let's sail across the seas and make our debut in the new world!

   Marina : OK, but only if you learn how to at least say hi in another language first.

   Pearl : The ocean is breathtaking, yo... I wonder if there are any little fishies around.

   Marina : Fishies? Aww! Pearl, you're so cute...

Moray Towers:

   Pearl : Hey! How come I always have to talk first when we announce the stages?

   Marina : To set up the punch line, of course! How else am I supposed to poke fun at you?

Arowana Mall:

   Pearl : The shops here sell different stuff than the ones in The Reef. I love it!

   Marina : I know! It's so cool you found a place that carries XXXS-size shirts!

*Some examples from the chat rooms:

Session 3:

MC.Princess > Yo how do I make the chat window full screen? DJ_Hyperfresh > Alt-F4 ■Webmaster■ > MC.Princess has left the chatroom. DJ_Hyperfresh > Can't believe that actually worked...

DJ_Hyperfresh > Don't tell her I said this, but Pearl is srsly the coolest.

Session 6:

MC.Princess > So you probably can't tell but just between you and me, Marina's kind of a weirdo. She's like freakishly tall and way to smart for her own good MC.Princess > just the other day she built an entire battle stage all by herself. It had huge floating rocks and everything. Crazy right?

MC.Princess > WHAT. Nah, Marina would never design something like that CraigCuttlefish > its right there in the file MC.Princess > now that you mention it, Marina IS totally obsessed with machines. And she's definitely the hardest working person i know

MC.Princess > Right?! She might have some skeletons in her closet, but who doesn't am i right? Marina is one of the best people i know. CraigCuttlefish > i guess shes okay for an octo MC.Princess > I swear, cuttlefish. If you try to splat Marina I WILL CUT A FISH. U GOT THAT?

Session 7:

DJ_Hyperfresh > Do you think I'll still be welcome in Inkopolis? Once everyone knows I'm an Octoling? MC.Princess > ARE YOU KIDDING? Of course you will! everyone loves you! DJ_Hyperfresh > Thanks, Pearlie. ;__;

Session 8:

DJ_Hyperfresh > That makes sense. You've got a knack for teaching. ♪

DJ_Hyperfresh > Haha, remember when we first met, Pearl? I had just come to the surface, and I didn't understand Inkopolis at all. You taught me everything I needed to know.

DJ_Hyperfresh > I went to Mount Nantai every day for a week, just hoping you would show up again.

MC.Princess > LOL Marina I just remembered you made that entire demo using that half-busted keyboard you had. But somehow the hook was still dope

DJ_Hyperfresh > I was shocked the first time I heard you rap. I thought for sure you were gonna be wack tbh, but once you started spittin I was like, "dang, this munchkin got bars."

DJ_Hyperfresh > Anyway, I know we talk a lot of smack on the show and all, but I just wanted to say thanks. For everything.

Octotune interview:

Q17: What is the best gift you have ever received? Pearl: The chance to meet Marina.

Sources:

#splatoon #splatoon2 #splatoon octo expansion #off the hook #pearlina #pearl houzuki #marina ida #side order

[bonefall]

so are wild boar still considered “extinct” locally by the humans? given that wild boar in england are currently considered extinct, even though there are pockets of population

(context: i was looking up animals that england has driven to extinction with my partner last night because we were both feeling Some Kind Of Way about species conservation, and how england is basically the worst monster historically in terms of driving entire species to extinction, and continues to be hugely negligible. then i remembered boars in better bones i was like “aren’t there boars?” and then saw that they were also considered extinct, which surprised me)

Yeah England is a fucking monster in terms of bad conservation, and its colonial influence in how OTHER places view conservation can't be understated. But anyway I'll save that for another time

(But like it fucks me up that you guys only have one protected river in the whole UK and it's mostly in Wales. What the fuck. It's been 30 years and they're just now thinking about adding another. Brits in the audience who can i kill for you? If we throw someone in the thames maybe they'll dissolve)

Here's the thing I have in mind; England is so fucked that people don't even know how fucked it is. Do you know how important hogs are to a mixed-oak woodland? What types of moors need burning, grazing, or being left alone? That the entire island of Great Britan is supposed to have a thriving freshwater pearl mussel population? That England isn't supposed to have pine forests?

There is so so so much here to cover and talk about, AND I'm telling this story from the perspective of cats! They have to have encountered the things to know about them, even if it was culturally!

And what that means is that I am willing to bend a couple of things SO that I can include them as part of the story! Things that SHOULD be here, that should be or ARE being reintroduced, especially when they're lesser known.

(In fact I think your boar thing is a perfect example. You're telling me the story I want to hear-- that you heard something offhand, went "woah arent those in this work I'm a fan of?" And then you learned more. Goal accomplished!)

In my head I file boars and mussels under the "Eagle Exception." Something that, with a bit of alt history, could be seen in this environment.

It's based off the canon eagles (which ironically I'm massively downplaying in my rework of the BB!Tribe). The golden eagle has been extinct in England for a very long time, but it's right there in canon, so logically there could be similar animals or reintroduction projects.

List so far;

(Also BB!Great Britan is called Albion to mark that it's a little different.)

Freshwater Pearl Mussels (extinct in White Hart, populated in Sanctuary Lake)

Boars (rare in White Hart, populated in Sanctuary Lake. Replacing the majority of deadly badger and fox encounters because badgers arent bears and foxes arent coyotes, Erin :/)

Golden Eagle (exclusive to Tribe mountain)

Beavers (Being actively reintroduced to parts of Albion in the 2010s)

Wolves (extinct)

Lynxes (suspected extinct; there may be some around specifically because I want to make an example of how non-domestic cats in this universe are non-sapient.)

Salmon (uncommon in White Hart, populated in Sanctuary Lake)

Atlantic Sturgeon (exclusive to Sanctuary Lake, rare even there)

Medicinal Leech (dying population in White Hart since Chelford expansion, extinct in Sanctuary Lake)

Additionally I'm keeping my eye on the European Buffalo (wiseant) reintroduction, but that's not in my modeled region and I don't want to jump the gun on it. Last I checked the project JUST managed to get its bull this year after a long 2020-induced delay

#better bones au #Ecological Overhauls #Guiding Principle

[targaryensluttt]

muse on fire (chapter four)

pairing: fem!reader x aemond targaryen

warnings: light suggestions of violence, he WILL kill for you, aegon being a dick, light oc character descriptions but you can envision her looking like whatever you'd like, none really this is another fluffy chapter

notes: thank you all so much for your continued support. i was so excited by people asking to join the taglist! the next chapter may take me longer than just a few days because i want that shit to be really good, you know?

at the bottom I have included a picture of what I was envisioning OC to wear to the dinner.

word count: 3,191

chapter one

chapter two

chapter three

Getting ready to dine with the Targaryens was always nerve wracking since you were old enough to understand that you were a ward of theirs, not blood, here only at the King’s grace.

  These days, it was rare at all that everyone would gather for dinner, as Alicent and Viserys’s children grew, it was clear that they did not mesh well. Between Aegon assaulting the servants,, Helaena unable to control her prophetic outbursts, Aemond’s attitude, topped with Alicent’s desire to control them all, it made for stressful gatherings. Now, they all much preferred to dine apart. Many of the families evenings were spent with Helaena and her mother in one room, babes playing on the floor, King Viserys sick in bed being hand fed and Aegon drunk in bed, passed out, Otto alone, as well as Aemond alone, enthralled with his studies, hastily eating dinner over his books.

It was not lost on you that being chosen to dine with the royal family was a privilege. Even just as a friend to the family, they were impressive to behold. It was said Targaryens are closer to Gods than men. All your life, you felt the separation. They were all regal. Every single one had a power about them. Aemond and Rhanerya were the only ones of the King’s children who had started to learn how to hone theirs. The Princess more so than Aemond, as she was older and more experienced with the ways of court, while he still was quick to betray his emotions and positions. 

The dress you chose was all black, strapless and off the shoulder with a flattering bodice and long sleeves. The fabric ruched around your ample hips perfectly, accentuating your curves, and the gold embroidery of seashells and vines were a favorite design of yours. You accompanied this look with black pearl earrings  and a ring, and placed a delicate headband that held your wavy hair perfectly.

Just then, Millie, your favorite maid servant and long time lady in waiting and companion to your house in the North, entered in your chamber. Smiling, she stepped to you. 

“You look stunning, my lady.”

You thanked her, and smiled weakly. This was to be the first time you had seen Aemond since last night in his room, and a good chunk of his family were going to be there. You wanted to be perfect. Of course, Millie did not know of your encounter with the Prince, so she was surprised at your hesitation.

She must have seen the look on your face, because she asked you- 

“Nervous, are you, after all this time?” 

“Of course not” You lied, and took a deep breath. Your bodice had been laced too tightly, and the slight feeling of struggling to get air was not helping your nerves. 

“I will escort you when you are ready, Miss.”

Holding your shoulders back and your head high, you steeled yourself, and began to head to the dining room. 

It was customary to be announced, still, even after you had grown up with this family, so you waited patiently by the door for the footman to say your name and let your dinner companions know you were here to join them. 

Entering the room, you saw the family gathered round the table. So, you were the last one here. Great. Helaena, welcoming as always, gestured to an empty chair between her-and Aemond. 

You wanted to be by him, for sure. But suddenly you two being physically close in front of his family made you even more uncomfortable, afraid you’d somehow reveal what you two had been doing the night before and the new level of intimacy that had been achieved. You could not meet his eye,although you felt his stare burning into you. 

“Your Graces” you said, sitting and acknowledging the King and Queen. 

“The King and I are excited to have you join us tonight, Y/N.”

“I am honored, truly.” you polietly responded. 

“A prayer, then we may begin.” Alicent said.

Aegon scoffed loudy.

Side eyeing him and choosing to ignore his behavior (as she was good at), the Queen began the blessing.

Though you weren’t one who cared much for religion, you understood its power, and bowed your head, closed your eyes and clasped your hands respectfully, until you heard a whisper in your ear:

“You were supposed to leave your panties” Aemond said, casually, as if he had just announced the weather.

At this, you had to stifle your laughter with the back of your hand. 

“Check under your pillow” you mouthed back, grateful he was able to ease some of your tension with the jest, and then regained your composure, though a slight smirk remained on your face the rest of the prayer.

The food was excellent, of course. But being so close to Aemond in front of his close kin had your stomach in knots. Instead of truly having a meal, you choose to sip wine and eat the occasional bite, as to not appear rude. You were good at engaging at small talk, and speaking to Helaena was always nice. 

You kept your hands in your lap when you were not actively using them, because they were shaking slightly. You felt lightheaded and dizzy, likely overwhelmed at the situation and lacking oxygen from your corset being laced too tightly. Aemond’s gaze had seldom left you the whole time, only when someone directly addressed him, and that did make you feel elated, but in the moment you were worried he was being far too obvious.

 His expression morphed to one of concern when he saw your fingers tremble to pick up the heavy goblet from the table. He was not stupid. You were sure the Prince sensed your nervousness. 

You took a small sip, and again placed your hands back in your lap, gripping above your knees slightly in order to ground yourself. Your chest rose and fell quickly, thirsting for air. It was not long after that you felt his hand gently reach for yours under the table, and he intertwined your fingers. He rested them together on his strong thigh, and stroked the inside of your palm with his thumb reassuringly. The gesture was so sweet, you wished you could throw your arms around him at the table right then. 

While her son’s hand was still in yours under the table, the Queen began to specify to you what she wanted done in the background of the portrait the family was to sit for soon.

“And draw me with a big cock.”  Aegon said, slurring his words and laughing while he interrupted his mother to address you. Helaena looked down, ashamed of her husband’s behavior, while you stared back at him with a disgusted look on your face. The last thing you wished to think about was Aegon’s cock. You suddenly had a need to hurl.

“Stop.” Aemond said, addressing his brother, warning him.

Seeing your grimace, Aegon cruelly added,

“What, Y/N? You could even paint yourself on your knees, sucking it. Since you desire to be a part of this family so badly, as you haven’t one of your own, seems perfect to include yourself as well.”

“That is enough-” Alicent began, when Aemond’s free hand, the one not holding yours, came down hard on the table. 

“Do not. Do not speak to her like that.”

Aegon did not challenge his younger brother often, but tonight, he was especially drunk, and it made him bold. 

“Why should you care, brother?” he said, knowingly.

You swear you heard Aemond growl. You gripped his hand harder under the table.

For a moment, you looked at him as if he were the only person in the room with you, trying to convey your message. Please, don’t, you thought, as if he was in your mind. This was not the time. The thought of your presence causing strife and ruining the dinner was mortifying for you, even more so than being humiliated by Aegon at the table. You sweeped your eyes over the other silent, staring family members at the table, and chuckled rather falsely.

“It’s fine, really.” You nodded, desperately attempting to get the situation under control and the dinner back on track,  and the Queen actually gave you a small sincere smile, recognizing you trying to keep the peace. 

“No, it is not.” Aemond said, fist still clenched on top of the table. You had not noticed before, but he had his small dagger gripped tightly in his hand.

“She’d look great with my cock in her mouth. A true work of art.” Aegon taunted the younger Prince, unwisely. 

At hearing this, Aemond leapt across the table, with a snarl ripping from his throat, and held the thin dagger to Aegon’s neck. 

You felt so nauseous. It was too hot. The situation was escalating fast. Your body was buzzing, and your head spinning. Afraid you would let your stomach contents of red wine all over the table, you ripped your clammy hand from Aemonds, which had been revealed to all when he jumped across the table and did not let go- harshly yanking your arm with him, and scraped your chair against the floor, rising suddenly. You began to turn to the hall, so you could be sick without the whole royal family watching you-when you felt yourself falling to the floor- and everything went black.

When you regained consciousness, the first thing you felt was the cold, hard floor. Then, your head throbbing. Groaning, you opened your eyes, to see three of the Targaryens staring right back over you. The Queen, Helaena, and even Aemond had released the dagger from under his disrespectful brother’s chin to come to your aid when he heard you hit the ground. It would have been funny, all of them peering at you like that, and you almost laughed, until you remembered what had just happened. 

“I’m so sor-“ you began, ashamed of yourself for not being able to keep it together. 

“Don’t. Say nothing of the sort” Aemond insisted, and in one swoop, you felt your body lifted from the stone floor. 

Aemond had gathered you up in your arms and began to exit the room. You attempted to wiggle out of his grip, weakly kicking your feet to try and stand on your own,  still embarrassed. 

He gripped you tighter, making it clear he had no intention of setting you down. 

Still fighting for air and very dizzy, you gave in, allowing him to take you up the stairs, two at a time. You kept focus on his face. He had a dangerous look. Despite the miserable situation, and how badly you felt you had shamed yourself, you were cradled in your Prince’s arms once again, and couldn’t help feeling joyful about it. 

Prince Aemond was lean, yes, but did not lack strength. It wasn’t as if you were one of the most petite ladies in the castle, but it seemed no challenge for him, because he was able to maintain his stride all the way to your room. 

With you still in his arms, he roughly kicked open your door. 

Millie was there, preparing your nightclothes, and gasped in surprise at the sight of the Prince busting into your room with you in his arms. 

He cut her off before she could get one word out. 

“Water. And the maester. Now.” 

The sharp edge of his voice made it clear he would allow no debate on this. 

Looking you over once, Millie then quickly exited the room, presumably to follow Aemond’s plan. 

“I-” You again began, breathlessly, but Aemond was having none of it. The stern look on his face told you it was best if you kept quiet, at least for now.

He gently laid you down on your bed. Keeping eye contact, he again drew his pencil thin dagger, sat you up, and drew it down the ribbon laces of your bodice that had been stealing your air. Finally feeling able to take a deep breath, you greedily sucked in oxygen.

“Yes, that’s right, breathe, baby.” he said, holding your face and rubbing circles on your bare back.

“Where is that damn girl with that goddamn maester?” 

“Aemond. Look at me. I’m fine. It was just a fainting spell. My corset was far too tight, and you just remedied the issue” you insisted, trying to keep him calm, reaching up to the side of his face.

“I will have my brother’s tongue for distressing you so.” he hissed, holding you to his chest.

Laughing lightly, you reached up farther into his hair to anchor yourself (and him) and then reassured him,  “You underestimate me, my Prince. Aegon will not be the death of me, of this I am sure.”

The look he gave you in return made you want to squirm in his lap. Intense did not cover it. He had murder in his eyes. He was fierce. You moved your thighs closer together, guilty that his anger at his brother was slightly making you feel aroused.

“I will not see you disrespected so.” He said this plainly, posing no room for argument.

Your cunt throbbed, and you bit your lip, nodding your head. 

Opening your mouth to reply, you were interrupted with three people entering your room. Queen Alicent, Millie, and the Maester had come in together. They all saw Aemond holding you to him, still rubbing your back and  staring into your face.

He did not move, nor flinch as you did when he recognized the new presences in the room. Instead, he demanded-

“Check the back of her head. I want to make sure she is not in danger of a concussion.”

“My son. I wish to have a word.” The Queen said.

He did not respond. 

“Go,” you told him, “I will be fine.”

He laid you down on the spread of pillows, and rose to speak to his mother in the hallway,

As the Maester and Millie fussed over you, confirming that you were, indeed well, you heard bits of Aemond and his mother’s conversation through the cracked door.

“You would spill your own brother’s blood over this girl?! She questioned him, no doubt astounded at the turn of the night’s events.

“Yes, mother, I would.” He replied simply, as if she was asking him if he would run an errand for her, in a tone that was much too calm to be reassuring to his mother.

All three of you had been listening in on the conversation. Millie and the Maester’s eyes widened at Aemond’s confession, they gave each other a knowing look, and you blushed deeply. 

The Queen’s voice grew hush after this, and the conversation no longer carried into the room. After a few minutes, Aemond returned.

Standing up from your side, the Maester said, “She is well, your Grace. She just needs some rest, and her window opened tonight so she may breathe some fresh air.”

Aemond nodded, and returned to sit at your side. He gestured with two of his fingers for the cool washcloth that Millie had been holding. 

“Leave us” he said, dismissing them.

At first, Mille protested. “But, my Prince, this is most improper, it is nighttime, I should stay with her.”

Without lifting his gaze from yours, he told her frankly, “I care not.”

She looked at you with worry in her eyes. You gave her a small smile and nodded reassuringly. Reluctantly, she gathered those damn ribbons that had nearly suffocated you, which now laid shredded on the floor, and exited the room with the Maester. 

Aemond reached for the silver bowl full of cool water, and dampened the cloth. He delicately wiped your face and upper arms with it. Words did not pass between you two for some time. You let yourself relax in his arms and enjoyed the feeling of the washcloth soothing your overheated skin. You were able to look up at his face while he was doing so, and you admired his features. He was not a “typical” beauty, but rather a strange, unique one. You had known him all his life, and your attraction to him had not wavered. Not even when he lost his eye and began to don his now signature eyepatch. To you, it just made him more interesting. You thought about how badly you wanted to draw him at that moment, but you knew it was unlikely he would let you exert yourself. So you just observed. Watched the candlelight flicker off of his proud features. How it made his hair gleam even more so in the moonlight streaming in from your open window. Frowning, you started to worry his hunched over sitting position in your bed was uncomfortable for him.

“Lay with me?” You asked him, too tired to dance around the subject. You wanted to cuddle with him. To hold and be held. He eagerly agreed, nodding his head yes, and  you sat up while he began to shed his outer jacket and shoes he wore to dinner, which made you grateful, because you wanted to feel his skin closer to yours. He wore a billowy black v-neck shirt underneath that was cuffed at the wrists and ruffled out around his hands.

He situated himself amongst your fluffy pillows, and you waited for him to get comfortable. His long body was spread out on your bed, and he motioned for you to join him. Standing up, you kicked off your flats, and let your dress, now unrestrained to your body, fall, so you were left in your underclothes. You figured he had already seen nearly as much the night before. His mouth fell open slightly at the sight, and you could see his chest begin to rise a bit faster. He smiled at you, his eyes twinkling. You grabbed the nightgown Millie had left for you, put it over your head, and joined Aemond in bed, laying your head on his chest, and wrapping your arms around his broad upper half, and threw one of your legs over both of his. He wrapped his arms around you and held you close to his chest. After some time of listening to his heart beat, which was quickly becoming one of your favorite new pastimes, you broke the silence.

“I am worried we revealed ourselves at dinner, Aemond.”

At hearing this, he lifted his head to look at you. 

“I have no intention to hide you, darling.” he said, and then kissed your forehead softly. 

Your heart swelled, and though your head was full of worries and reservations, you let yourself just enjoy having him in your arms, saving your concerns for later.

You could feel yourself drifting off, so you kissed his chest, the pale skin that was exposed under his shirt that covered his glorious heart, wanting to express to him in some small way how much the last twenty four hours had meant to you.

This was the second night in a row you had fallen asleep to the soothing beat of The Prince’s heart.

character's dress:

Taglist:

@daddysfavoritesexkitten

@xcharlottemikaelsonx

@mrswhitethornbelikov

@joniinoj

@criesinsagitarius

thank you, lovlies!

message me if you want removed!

#aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x you #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen imagine #aemond targaryen x oc #aemond targaryen fanfiction #aemond x reader #aemond x y/n #prince aemond #prince aemond targaryen #house of the dragon fanfiction #aemond targaryen fluff

[jaynovz]

Madi Fic Rec List

Well hello again! I’ve been compiling this list for quite awhile, but I finally sat down to finish it. 

To me, Madi is characterized by this strict balance between her fiery spirit and the poise she must display as someone raised from birth to be a leader, to be royalty. She’s wicked smart, but also desperately young and inexperienced. She’s thoughtful and conscientious, but with an underlying desire to just go, explore the world, be part of something big, and effect change for her people.

Anyway I just love Madi a lot, and these are some of my favorite stories featuring her in the fandom. They’ve been helpfully categorized into sub-sections! 

Enjoy~~

--

Madi-centric:

Burial at sea by le_mru:

Summary: Two years after Skeleton Island, Madi sets out to find Flint and recover the treasure for the Maroon community, Flint is adjusting to a life after death, and Silver interferes as usual.

in a vault of starlight by whimsicalimages:

Summary: The distance between Nassau and Savannah can be measured as: six hundred and thirteen nautical miles, five thousand pounds’ worth of pearls, or four extraordinary lifetimes.

Alternatively: in the aftermath, Madi writes her own story.

Lightbringer Verse by ElDiablito_SF:

Summary: After failing to fix her relationship with Silver, Madi sets off to find Captain Flint again.

i’m a black ocean leaping and wide by loosedindecember:

Summary: “I am going to Jamaica,” she tells Long John Silver, pirate-killer and pirate king, “and I will have my war after all. And you are going to help me.”

Madi gets her war, and a life beyond war, too.

Quid Pro Quo by annbonny:

Summary: "Trust is a strong word, particularly pertaining to pirates.

She trusts John Silver, but with every day that passes, she is gradually realising that he may not always be around. If Flint ends up killing him- or more likely, she suspects, they kill each other- who will guarantee that the alliance will hold? What is to keep Teach from wiping out her and her people when he feels they inconvenience him?”

OR: Madi adjusts to her role as queen. It is a steep learning curve.

armed with the past and the will by whimsicalimages:

Summary: The language of winning and losing, this language that men favor – Madi can speak this language, though she disagrees with its precepts. Success takes different forms, and failing once does not mean failing forever. It does not even mean failing the next time.

lacuna by doomcountry:

Summary: Madi loves him, and that is her misery. She hates him, too, and the two are at war without ceasing in her breast; the torment, now, after sixteen years together all told, is that it has all dulled, all settled out like water undisturbed.

SilverMadi:

Where There Is Great Love by stele3:

Summary: A brief interlude in the Tether series that jumps back in time to...establish certain things.

“Do you not have a comb?”

Twitching with surprise, Silver turns. The princess—Madi—stands on the shoreline, only a few feet away. Silver quickly glances around and finds her bodyguard standing back near the treeline. Kofi, that’s his name. (Stoic man, much taller than Silver, always has a knife and knows how to use it. Silver would need the captain or Billy with him to survive an encounter.)

He smiles for the princess. “I fear that would only make the problem worse. We had little to eat in the doldrums, and that made all of this quite breakable.” He gestures to his hair but lets his hand trail longer through the air. Better that she think them weak and easily overcome. If his own body is to be a metaphor, well, at least he finds it apt.

Love and Kindness by Wildehack:

Summary: “This is insulting,” John complains, as Madi fastens the shackles around his wrists, looping a chain through to the hook in the bulwark above his bed. “I’m not rabid.”

(Or: the inevitable sex-pollen AU.)

anything for your queen by urca:

Summary: the Silvermadi pegging fic, as promised!

lover please do not fall to your knees by lucystonersix:

Summary: Despite themselves, despite everything, Madi and Silver fall in love. Missing scenes, with spoilers only through the end of season 3.

Into the Blue Blue Sea by Magnetism_bind:

Summary: Madi slowly realizes she's drawn to the pirate with the blue eyes.

FlintMadi:

Maybe in Another Life by samedifference61:

Summary: At the rail of a ship James doesn’t command, they stand shoulder to shoulder.

"John still thinks you’re dead,” James states, because it’s something that needs to be said aloud before they continue.

With eyes unblinking toward the rolling sea, Madi says, “And he still thinks you should be dead.”

James’ lip curls in anger. The wounds of betrayal are too fresh for either to say anymore.

your legs are the north star by jaynovz:

Summary: Then there’s a hand on his shoulder, warmth seeping through his shirt. He peers up into deep solemn eyes. Madi. They've struggled, side by side, ruling in concert, for weeks. Through the toil of retaking Nassau, hardening themselves from this feeling which weakens his knees in its intensity, the sheer hopelessness swamping him like dark waves.

Flint cannot let himself fall away into the abyss, he cannot fade and forget. There is at least one thing left, standing strong and entrenched as a mangrove tree, even as she mirrors his own sorrow.

"Come, Captain, it is late. Let us rest."

taking orders by le_mru:

Summary: Written for the Black Sails Rare Pair Week:

“To be entirely frank,” Madi says, her voice loud and clear in the silence of the evening, “I am concerned if you can take orders, Captain.”

“Orders?” He scoffs. “From whom? Blackbeard?”

There has been some discussion around making Teach Admiral of the fleet, which Flint was, of course, firmly against.

“No.” Madi takes a step to the side and turns graciously, facing him fully. “From me.”

she hangs upon the cheek of night by ElDiablito_SF:

Summary: Madi won't let Flint sleep, but he secretly doesn't mind.

(Set after 4x05)

Line of Sight by samedifference61:

Summary: Flint leans in close so the others won’t hear him. “She wants me to teach her how to use a blade.”

Or, Flint finds it difficult to refuse Madi, and Silver has insecurities.

On Gossamer Wings by khazadspoon:

Summary: It was the first time he had seen a woman naked since Miranda.

Miranda had been slender. Her skin was pale and soft, her hands lightly calloused but still delicate when they touched him. She had been commanding in her sexuality and he had loved her because of it. She had taken control from him, taken the reins and lead their lovemaking with confident and caring hands.

But Madi… Madi was not Miranda.

stitched with its color by x_etoile_x:

Summary: He is my friend too.

She’d reached out to him for the first time after he’d said those damning words, slipping her small hand into his and leaning against his side. Had duty not pulled them back into the world, he thinks they might yet be standing on that beach, like silent watchers in some myth, fading away to nothing with their eyes fixed on the sea.

-

The scene where Madi tells Flint that Silver is alive.

let it rain, cuz you and I remain the same by jaynovz:

Summary: “We have some time yet to wait,” Madi says, taking note of the sun’s position. Their contact isn’t due at the tavern until after dark.

James strides over to the bookshelf. "What would you suggest?" he asks, humming. He strokes a finger along the spines. "I bought a new book in the last port. If you wish, I could read it aloud." James casts her a hopeful smile over his shoulder, standing at a loose parade rest, eyes crinkled and warm.

Madi is so helplessly fond of him in this moment, the way he brims with excitement at the thought of such a simple pleasure. It is appealing, she admits, the thought of settling against James’ sturdy chest as he reads to her, feeling his voice rumble against her back while Madi is charged with turning the pages. Madi stretches languidly and rises from her seat. As much as she enjoys that type of quiet domesticity, she has a more adventurous suggestion for how to pass the time. In truth, it’s something that she's been considering for a while.

Madi cuts James a sly glance as she approaches. "Do you remember the time I caught you in here with John?"

something beyond by eleutherya:

Summary: "The bay isn’t visible from the rebel encampment, but he faces it as surely as a compass points north. Up on the fort, Flint stands with his back straight and his shoulders set, his hands folded neatly behind him. He stands there as though, if he simply waits long enough, if he hopes hard enough, the sea will return John Silver to him."

Madi and Flint have a discussion about grief after losing John Silver. Set directly after 4x01.

OT3, MadiSilverFlint:

I’m getting tired, and i need somewhere to begin by lacecat:

Summary: Madi watches him steadily as he approaches her. “Perhaps one day,” she begins, but cuts herself off with a swallow, blinking back tears. They won’t be able to fill the hole between them, but maybe they can try to build around it, accommodate it.

He lays a rough palm on her cheek, gentle. He loves her so much. “Perhaps,” Silver says, even though they both know it’s the furthest from a promise. They have survived on far less, after all.

how we could be brought here by love by mapped:

Summary: A 4x03 AU where Flint receives a minor injury in the battle of Nassau Town and Silver is very shaken by it.

I wish for once we could stay gold by jaynovz:

Summary: Madi has discovered that pirates truly are a grimy bunch, but her two have managed to keep fairly clean the last few months when they had access to fresh water.

The governor’s mansion is filled with bustle, men scurrying about, seeking answers from both Captain Flint and their new King, but there is time enough to steal them away. Time enough this evening for some respite, to cleanse the grief and violence from the last few days alongside the dirt.

Good Morning by bana05:

Summary: As Madi prepares to take care of her lovers, they instead decide to take care of her first.

the only way out is the way back in by samedifference61:

Summary: And Silver obviously means to further agitate Flint’s state when he says, “Do you know what she said to me this morning? She said, ‘I cannot understand why the two of you have not been intimate yet.’”

a shared bath, a conversation about death, and a promise

a three way knot by jauneclair:

Summary: Flint knits; Silver pries; and Madi secretly doesn't mind at all.

your heart is the only place I call home by vowelinthug:

Summary: Madi learns the secret of John Silver's past: he used to be the worst.

pass on your way, then, with a smiling face by youremyqueen:

Summary: Flint sleeps in the spare room until he doesn't.

join your hands to your hearts by jauneclair:

Summary: Madi's approach to diplomacy in negotiating relationships is not what Flint expected.

Two Points In Space by illgiveyouallofme:

Summary: Since Silver returned from the dead, Madi has watched him and Flint dance around each other. She decides to take matters into her own hands.

And then everyone takes some things into their own hands.

--

As always, if you have a potential inclusion, feel free to DM me and I will check it out! Thanks.

#madi black sails #silvermadi #black sails #jay's esoteric rec lists #madisilverflint #it's ot3 o clock #john silver #james flint #fics recs #black sails fic recs #madi #flintmadi #long post

[darkaviarymc]

I kinda did a half-ass job explaining my views in the tags of that last post because, well, there's only so much you can concisely put into tags. So I'm just gonna make my own post.

I'm going to preface this by saying that you can do whatever you want forever and I'm not here to be the analysis police.

HOWEVER! I have Opinions and a right to voice them.

Grian is a very important, significant, and integral part of Scar's arc through the life series and vice versa. You cannot effectively discuss one without acknowledging the impact and involvement of the other. Even analyzing SL in a vacuum, Scar being forced to turn down Grian’s offer of friendship when both of them were desperate for alliances was a significant event for both Grian and Scar in the series. Desert Duo is important to Scar's win, and Scar's win is important to Desert Duo.

IT IS 100% GOOD AND CORRECT TO FACTOR THIS IN.

So I get it. I'm as feral a Desert Duo enjoyer as the next person. It's easy to get fixated on your favorite part, especially for the 90% of us who are some flavor of ADHD/Autistic. Hyperfixating is what we do best.

But so is overanalyzing.

SO THAT BEING SAID...

Scar is his own separate character away from Grian, and I think people centering Grian/Desert Duo when discussing Scar's win and journey through the Life Series to get there are doing a disservice to Scar's character and arc. Especially when people focus on Grian at the expense of Scar himself.

The loneliness of Magical Mountain and effectively losing Joel in LL was a stark contrast to 3L and forced Scar to learn self-sufficiency. The rivalry and subsequent tentative alliance with Team Rancher and the disruption to his alliance caused by BigB in DL forced Scar to rethink everything he thought he knew about how alliances worked. The family dynamic and watching Bdubs die in LimLife was the first time he’d ever had to truly grieve a perma-death, even if only for a short time before his own demise.

And Scar took all of this with him into SL. With the knowledge and experience he gained from everyone he'd crossed paths, hearts, and swords with, he made himself into the Scar we watched push that final success button.

He did that. He did that as all of his experience plus his own wit, tenacity, and resilience. He is far more than the sum of his parts, those parts being allies and enemies of every season.

And yes, one of those parts (and a very significant foundation piece at that) was Grian and that damn desert.

We are all shaped by our lived experiences and those we shared them with. But no person can be defined by a single thing. The cactus ring isn't the only thing that made Scar who he is. Grian isn't the only person who made Scar who he is. Magical Mountain, Joel, Jimmy, Tango, Cleo, Etho, Pearl, Bdubs, BigB, Gem... all of them contributed.

But more importantly, Scar made Scar who he is.

I think something ccScar says a lot can be applied to cScar here: life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. And it's how Scar reacted to the people and events that he encountered that won him Secret Life.

TL;DR: It's OK and even important to bring Grian into the discussion of Scar's arc. But it's a great disservice to Scar's character to make Grian his ENTIRE arc.

PS: Yeah ok fine I'll say it now: I THINK THEY FINALLY LEFT THAT DESERT!

#long post #desert duo #gtwscar #trafficblr #slsmp #3lsmp #llsmp #dlsmp #limlife

[quaranmine]

The Background People of Firewatch AU

There's a couple of oc characters in firewatch au that diverge from this, but early on I knew I wanted the majority of people (originally everyone) Grian encountered to be nice to him. I wanted the story to be full of people that, whether Grian saw it or not, cared enough to help. Probably because the closing lines of The Martian by Andy Weir permanently rewired my brain ever since I read it like 9 years ago:

“If a hiker gets lost in the mountains, people will coordinate a search. If a train crashes, people will line up to give blood. If an earthquake levels a city, people all over the world will send emergency supplies. This is so fundamentally human that it's found in every culture without exception. Yes, there are assholes who just don't care, but they're massively outnumbered by the people who do.”

Grian's client in the first chapter, the rich guy he's not very fond of, actually releases Grian early from a meeting because he can tell he's distracted. He's a little rude about it, but he lets Grian go because he recognizes Grian is worried about something.

The lady who accepts Grian's call when he reports Mumbo missing is sweet and calls him darling. She's the same person at the desk when Grian appears the next day to join the search, and she gently directs him to a motel to get some sleep in. She sees a man she's never met, and wants him to rest.

Scar, of course, is the whole point of the story. He was always determined to care.

The unnamed ranger who tells Grian they have to suspend the search because of nearby fires does so both candidly and kindly.

It's not a direct interaction with Grian, but the lady in the Forest Service office gives information to Scar (possibly at risk of her job since it was not allowed) to help him out on behalf of Grian.

Pearl and Jimmy, of course, are trying desperately to support Grian in their respective flashback sequences.

We learn in Pearl's flashback sequence that Grian's acquaintances in Colorado were also hoping to help support him before he ghosted them instead.

The pair of seasonal employees that come to collect Mumbo's bike are both stated to be super friendly to Grian, and try to help him with information even though they're new.

Linda, the woman working the desk at the District Ranger station, is actually nothing but nice to Grian the entire time. His perception of her is only negatively colored by his own paranoia/suspicion/grief, but reading between the lines all her actions are either kind or highly reasonable given the circumstances. Like, of course she's critical of Grian when she catches him breaking into the office, but even then she tries to gently defuse the situation.

Martinez the hotshot wildland firefighter is very happy to help save Grian, and does his best to keep trying to reassure/cheer Grian.

There's a few exceptions for people who the narrative doesn't paint in a good light. Idiots with fireworks will be idiots. Scar's boss reprimands him, but only very reasonably: Scar had been accessing information he wasn't cleared to (a massive no-no in government.) Grian's former boss is terrible towards him—rightfully upset at Grian's failure to show up to work, but expressing it with zero empathy or regards to Grian's situation.

Larry the District Ranger is displayed in a fairly bad light, but his response is mostly measured exactly with Grian's. He starts off understanding toward Grian, but as Grian begins to be more hostile, he reacts to that energy while still maintaining his professionalism. He's meant to be genuine in the scene above when he apologizes to Grian for not finding Mumbo, it's just Grian who doesn't believe it.

But like? Does this all make sense? Do you see it? There's people at every turn who want to help Grian. Nearly everyone he meets is actually kind. Grian may think that the world is out to get him, or that people are hiding things from him, but they're not. I like to think it seeps through the cracks in this story, despite the narrative being influenced by Grian's persistent self-isolation and suspicion. He may be a cynic, but I'm not.

One of my reviewers said this wasn't a story about how unfair life was, but that it was a story about love. I think that's true. I think it's about our connections to people and how we lean on them in the worst of times.

#hc_firewatch_au #more details and this time it was 100% planned from the start

[savvythepirate]

Just as much, maybe more

Pairing: Jack Sparrow x reader

Warnings: None

Requested by: @roguesknights

The Request:

Could I request Jack with a reader who's just as protective as he is and has saved him just as many times as he's saved them?

***

Jack Sparrow had been a lifetime friend of yours and to this day, you both remain together and inseparable.

It was easy for you to agree and come along with him when he had become captain of the Black Pearl. Throughout your journey together, you continuously save each other from what would have been certain death, you’ve done it so much that it started becoming difficult to keep track of the number of times and settle the score.

On your adventures, Jack had always been protective of you as you have been protective of him in just about the same amount. Everyone that knew you both best often liked to say that you and Jack needed each other in order to survive, which of course is entirely untrue. If it ever comes to a point down the road where you would both for any reason, had to drift apart, the truth was that you would both do just as fine solo. However, you drifted apart after an unexpected ambush from pirates no one in the world would want to meet or have a chance encounter with somehow. During that ambush, things had gone from zero to one hundred in a blink of an eye and you got badly hurt in the process. There was no stopping Jack Sparrow from blaming himself of your current condition, it didn’t matter how many times you tried to reassure him it wasn’t his fault.

How it wasn’t your fault either, as you were both innocent in all of this. But Jack saw it as only too close of a call in nearly losing you and took it upon himself that you would be safer if he took you home. Against your protests, pleas, and wishes, he went through with it, seemingly not listen to you at all in the slightest. A few years had gone by since than and you were still upset at Jack Sparrow for basically abandoning you, so you set out to find him, to continue your adventures together. Knowing you would want to mention an important turn of event in your speech, you wrote them down as you rowed your way across the ocean’s waters. The waters can turn deadly at any given moment, but you were so determined to find your friend that you stopped at nothing to continue. Later on, you would learn that Jack Sparrow had been keeping a huge secret from you when you thought you had known everything.

Right now, Jack was keeping out of sight of Davy Jones, the most feared man roaming the seas on that of the Flying Dutchman. Part of that secret was of having no knowledge of Jack Sparrow striking a deal with Davy Jones in order to become captain of the Black Pearl. Jack could be really foolish at times and this scenario takes the cake on that statement of him being a fool. Through Jack Sparrow, you knew Barbossa and Barbossa is the man you had witnessed to be dead after that bundle between Jack and himself. It was quite a surprise to learn that Calypso had resurrected him and brought him back from the dead shortly after encountering him and Elizabeth Swann. They both go onto inform you of their mission to rescue Jack Sparrow from the locker, and you agreed to go along. The whole rescue mission was a thrill, making you miss the adventures shared together more and more.

You were growing anxious and excited the closer you got to seeing Jack again after these few years had gone by. Your purpose in this was hoping to rekindle whatever may be left of your friendship. When you arrived, you watch along with everyone in line as Jack Sparrow makes his appearance trying to pull a ship behind him. Getting a closer look, you could tell he was for at the time, in a delusional like state, his true self not present. Although you knew you had him back, you couldn’t help but feel worried of your friend’s well-being. Elizabeth must have notice it in your demeanor as she whispers something to you.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be okay. The delusional state he’s in won’t last.”

Before you could respond, Jack Sparrow stumbles over with a look of utter betrayal on his face before speaking out.

“Keeping secrets are we?”

Jack looks at Elizabeth, than to you. When he does, you see a change in him almost instantly the second you lock eyes. Jack was still in there, that was just it.

He seemed to snap out of whatever it was causing him to live in a delusion world of his own.

“(Y/n)? Is that really you?” Jack asks, noticeably in disbelief.

You nod as if to say “Yes.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Same reason as the rest of us here, Jack Sparrow. I’m here to rescue you.”

That response seemed to have snapped him out it fully, no longer living in the delusional world.

“Rescue me?”

You nod again.

“How many times is that now?”

“Too many to count.”

You shrug, needless to say, the rescue mission was a complete success.

You have never felt so proud.

***

@savvythepirate

Tags: @princessofthornsandroses @justafairytailofinnocence @royisrandom @marsswann @friendlynova @imalittleoutthere @mypookiebeardavyjones @personlovinganime @always-on-hiatus

Requests: open

#jack sparrow imagines #jack sparrow imagine #jack sparrow x reader #jack sparrow #hector barbossa imagines #hector barbossa imagine #hector barbossa x reader #hector barbossa #will turner x reader #will turner #davy jones imagines #davy jones imagine #davy jones x reader #davy jones #pirates of the caribbean imagines #pirates of the caribbean imagine #pirates of the caribbean x reader #pirates of the carribean #i take requests #taking requests #requests are welcome #requests are open #requests wanted #requested #request #requests #send in an ask #ask box is open #ask box

[driftingballoons]

Playing the pmd games first definitely affects your perception of the rest of the franchise. I played explorers before i got into diamond and pearl, and i was shocked to learn after the fact that so many people hated bidoof in dp. If you played explorers first, you could never!

Yeah! Like all those pokemon you encounter in explorers…whenever I see them anywhere else it’s like that’s THE guy! There are permanently the characters to me lol. 

I definitely did feel it impacted my thoughts about the rest of the franchise as well. After explorers I played HG, and honestly it felt a little weird to be a pokemon “trainer” vs. one of the actively fighting “teammates”. Had to get used to having one fairly consistent team, as opposed to just cycling several in and out based on dungeon type advantages. Also has to adjust to how much slower the leveling up could be. I mean, there was a fair amount of grinding in pmd, but tying that to missions made it a little less tedious than running around in tall grass. Overall, pmd made the mainline games feel…kind of impersonal in a way. Less pokemon-centric. Like they’re certainly there, but you don’t get that pmd hero/partner relationship, and even though they have “personalities,” beyond the effects of battle stats, they seem mostly irrelevant. Plus, when they removed the overworld sprites, you really only really saw your team during battles or whatever mini game/gimmick they had going on, but it felt more like they were games featuring pokemon, as opposed to games about them. I always preferred the spin-offs; I think that’s where the franchise really gets creative and makes good use of the premise. It’s also fun playing as a pokemon—you get to be a human in most games, after all, but how frequently do you get the chance to play as a tiny lizard that can also kick your ass? Definitely a great game to enter the franchise with, and also the reason why I’m still So Normal about it, even today :)

#Heinousactszx #How could anyone hate Bidoof I mean look at him #Just a little guy. Very polite #Explorers was fantastic but also set my expectations sky high #And ESPECIALLY when I played BW was like hmmm #This is….remarkably similar to HG #Gameplay-wise #When I realized the mainline games had a very similar formula they started becoming less fun 😅 #That being said I did play them all until they went on the switch #They were still fun. But not everyone can be explorers 🤷🏼‍♀️

[lenardslittlemeowmeow]

Hello again! This is a post for people who have read my recently published fic "To The Unfriendly Neighborhood"!

I promised, didn't I?

This is an art piece I did while writing the fic! Major spoilers for the fic underneath the read more! Please give it a read and then come back and check this out :D

Now that only people who have read the fic (or are willing to spoil themselves) are here…

I proudly present: Jewel!

Yep! She needed a different name during the concept and ideas process because half-Unfriendly Junebug was too long, so we (me and a friend) decided on Jewel! Because Jewel beetles look very similar to Junebugs and are closely related.

And this is her!

This is her normal everyday wear! Her hair is tipped bright green because she convinced Gordon to buy her hair dye. Her skirt is long because it helps to hide her legs without them getting tangled up (I wanted to show them off lol). She's supposed to be disproportionate by the way.

This is her jacket outfit. She wears it when she's having a bad day and needs more of a "shield" from the world. It doesn't quite fit perfectly because it's an old employee's jacket.

And now the fun part, details and extras about Jewel and the story!

Story details:

- The reason Norman and Lenard thought Jewel didn't actually meet Gordon is because they hadn't encountered him themselves and made assumptions.

- Pearl actually knew who Gordon was, but she didn't think he was coming back and thought Jewel was just being wishful and naive.

Jewel details:

- Absolutely despises Norman. Particularly the Norman who wasn't aware of Gordon's existence and was the first to tell her he wasn't real, even when he was. She's sorta indifferent and standoffish to the other Normans, but she's downright aggressive to the original.

- When it comes to the puppets, she gets along best with Lenard, since he helped her through her transformation and the whole ordeal afterwards. They're very close.

- Struggles with delusions and hallucinations, often Lenard and Gordon are the only ones who can help her out of them.

- Very protective of Gordon. Almost constantly by his side. On bad days she'll growl at anyone who gets too close to him. Can and should be likened to an overprotective attack dog.

- Will sometimes just. Pick Gordon up. Like when you hold a cat by the armpits. Carries him around like a teddy bear. (He learns not to fight it lol)

- This is made funnier by the fact that she's 6'3, and I HC Gordon as 5'2.

- Has chronic pain in her legs and missing eye.

- So many body insecurities. So many.

- Intrusive thoughts galore. Do you know how many times this girlie has vividly imagined tearing her friends apart? Hates it with a passion.

- She becomes pretty cynical, but she tries to see the best in others regardless.

- Picks up cursing from Gordon, gains quite the potty mouth. I HC that the puppets are literally incapable of cursing until they turn Unfriendly, and Jewel is just Unfriendly enough that she's not blocked from it.

- Pretending to be friendlier than she is is incredibly difficult, so sometimes she'll go deeper into the studio, find an abandoned room, and just tear it to fucking shreds. Goes absolutely apeshit. Sometimes she just needs to let it all out.

And with that, I am done! Please ask questions about her or this AU if you have any, I love her lots and would adore if someone else had an interest in her!

I'm sort of working on a post-TTUFN fic about that last point on Jewel, so stay tuned! No guarantees cause I'm burning myself out a little, but I should have a short one out sometime, at the least :3

See ya!

#meowmeow thoughts #meowmeow arts #my friendly neighborhood #my friendly neighborhood junebug #mfn #mfn game #mfn junebug #junebug mfn #(Un)Friendly #<- AU tag! anything relating to Jewel or To The Unfriendly Neighborhood will be tagged with it!

[pink-heart-jam]

Ten BL titles to make you cry

Special thanks to @ghaniblue who inspired this reclist!

If you’re like me and enjoy your BL occasionally sprinkled with trauma & heartbreak, I got you some good food. As you can probably tell, these BL stories are not for the faint of heart so make sure to check the tags before jumping in. Apart from Momentum - which compiles both happy and sad shorts - these are really tough reads that tackle heavy themes such as depression, prostitution, sexual and psychological abuse, addiction and the likes. Some of these are just a series of unfortunate and painful events, really. But I promise that all the suffering comes with moving love stories about healing, endurance, redemption and hope; so if you enjoy complex characters, complicated relationships, amazing world building and compelling plots, you can’t go wrong with these. Completed works are marked with an *. Stay safe and enjoy!

*Dark Heaven by Juns

Conor, a Korean-American, lives in a city where same-sex marriage has been legalized, but where racist and homophobic hate crimes are still frequent. He joins a band with Simon and the two go on to create their own “dark heaven” in an abandoned church. Feelings develop between the pair, but light cannot dwell with dark, and their time together will soon come to an end.

*December Rain by Kimon

Fresh out of the army, Suchae decides to take some time off and travel around the country by himself. On the first day of his trip, he spots a guy who looks totally his type at a rundown bus terminal. Despite the possibility of him being a creep, Suchae is drawn to the mysterious stranger. Cw: tragedy

Given by Kizu Natsuki

The series follows a group of four students in an amateur rock band, and the dual romantic relationships that form among them: between electric guitarist Ritsuka Uenoyama and vocalist Mafuyu Satō, and between bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji.

Missing Love by In hyerin

While celebrating his engagement at a reunion, Lim Wooyeon encounters Lee Geom, who has gone missing for eight years. In a dark alley, Lee Geom, who disappeared after suddenly kissing him, awakens the regret buried in his heart.

*Momentum by Park ji-yeon

“Momentum” is a series of beautifully drawn vignettes that glimpse into the life-altering moments of several couples as they fall in and out of love. This BL features a series of characters learning how to love, understand, and forgive one another – and in some cases, the world – at different moments in their lives.

*Ouroboros by Songhyel

Woo Hyung’s life has hit rock bottom. He’s traumatized after several days of being imprisoned and abused by his brother-in-law, an event that eventually left him both wifeless and jobless. His only way of coping is sex, and two very different men who can provide exactly that show up in his life.

*Pearl Boy by Zoy, Inking

Dooshik is in a bind. After making off with the takings from the gay bar where he worked, he seeks refuge in a small, coastal town. As his funds dwindle, he desperately needs a way to make ends meet.

Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai by Yoneda Kou

Yakuza Yashiro who only ever loved Kageyama, meets his new bodyguard, Doumeki Chikara. The masochistic, lewd and beautiful Yashiro and his silent, clumsy, impotent subordinate, Doumeki. This is the story of a man who has never known happiness and a man who is reborn by getting to know him.

*Stigma by Marloong

In the dark alleys of the city, there's no hope for trash like Sehyun. Having sex with strangers in the cramped stall behind a bar is just a typical Thursday night. But after a chance encounter with the brash and violent Boris, he begins to dream of living a normal life and putting an end to his restless nights.

Under the Plum Blossom Tree by Bori, Baekha

As the son of a prestigious political figure in Joseon, Hajin has only ever been interested in studying to become like his father. That is, until he meets Kim Namwoo, a young man who takes on various odd jobs as he struggles to pass his exams. As they overcome hardships together and learn more about each other's history, they soon realize that their lives are intertwined in more ways than they thought.

#bl recs #bl manhwa #boys love

[duckprintspress]

Celebrate World Folktales and Fables Week with 10 of Our Favorite Folktale Collections

This week, March 19th to 25th, is World Folktales and Fables Week! Duck Prints Press is celebrating with two blog posts: today’s, which focuses on the folktales, fables, and myths that influenced us as creators, and tomorrow’s, about our favorite folktale-inspired fiction (queer and otherwise).

Love folktales and fables? Join us now and learn about the ones we love – some you may know, some you may not!

D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d’Aulaire & Edgar Parin d’Aulaire (an inspiration for Shadaras)

The first book that comes to mind is D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths (I had to look up the title, but the cover is burned into my memory). While there may be other collections of fairytales and folklore that struck me, this is one of the first ones I read, and it set the stage for my love of mythology in general.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka & Lane Smith (an inspiration for Veronica Sanders)

I remember being really inspired by the genre of “a well-known story told from a different perspective” after reading the Jon Scieszka/Lane Smith books in 2nd grade, like The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. I always really liked thinking about folktales and fables from the POV of the “villain.”

Folktale-Inspired Disney Films (an inspiration for Adrian Harley)

I was a Disney-loving child of the 90s, so I am still unpacking the ways that shaped my view of folk stories, stories as a whole, and the world—and reconciling the positive ways these stories shaped me vs. the harms of the Disney corporation.

The Onion Girl (and other stories) by Charles de Lint (an inspiration for Anonymous)

He did an amazing job of blending American and European folklore with ordinary life in all its highs and lows. I don’t know if I could point to a specific story that’s retelling any one folktale, but I can absolutely point to the author as a whole for his folkloric style and tender exploration of magic, queerness, and being outcast. He helped invent the Mythic Fiction subgenre. The Onion Girl lives in my head rent-free.

Folktales of the Amur: Stories from the Russian Far East by Dmitri Nagishkin (an inspiration for Nina Waters)

A collection of eastern Russian folktales that really had a huge impact on me. 30+ years on from when I read them, I honestly couldn’t relate a single one of the stories, but they burrowed so deep into my psyche that when I imagine “folktales that really mattered to me” the first image that comes to mind is the cover. The art throughout the book is just absolutely gorgeous.

The Rose-Beauty – a Turkish Fairy Tale (an inspiration for Alessa Riel)

This is a Turkish fairytale that impressed me because it was cruel even for a fairytale. It‘s about a young woman who is blessed from birth to grow roses in her hair, cry pearls and grow grass wherever she walks and the cruel fate she is dealt because people are jealous of her gifts. It has a happy ending but only just.

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (an inspiration for Sebastian Marie)

It had a HUGE influence on me as a kid, for two main reasons. One, the events of a lot of European fairytales are told as happening to the same two kids and their parents, which creates a really interesting story structure. Two, it’s unabashedly mean and gory and cruel and well, dark and grim. It says that sometimes people are terrible and sometimes bad things happen to decent people. It’s one of the things that made me want to write fairy tales, or at least stories that are a bit gruesome and meant to be told to children.

The Swan-Maiden – a fairy tale (an inspiration for Alessa Riel)

This is a variant of the selkie tale as far as I can tell, only that the women don‘t turn into seals but beautiful swans. It was the version of the lore I first encountered and the unfairness of the women being forced to marry their captor and abuser and then also being cursed for abandoning the children these men forced onto them always resonated deeply with me.

The Blue Light by The Brothers Grimm (an inspiration for Alessa Riel)

In this fairytale a veteran soldier is unjustly treated by the king and then a witch sets him three challenges. The third one is getting her a blue light from a deep well. He refuses to give her the light and she drops him into the well along with the light. It turns out the light can fulfill wishes. Up to this part the veteran looks like a sympathetic person, but he uses those wishes to have the princess dragged to his room three nights in a row to do his bidding against her will. He is finally found out and sentenced to death for this transgression but manages to escape that fate by using the blue light and he gets the kingdom and the princess to boot. I always found this supremely unfair.

Egyptian Mythology (an inspiration for Dei Walker)

I think one of the first books of folktales, legends, or fairy tales I can remember reading repeatedly is a copy of Egyptian myths and legends I used to get out of my local public library when I was young. It was already an old edition in the 1980s and its pages were yellowed, but I would borrow it regularly and lose myself in the stories of life and (un)death along the Nile.

What are some folktales and fables that have inspired YOU? We’d love to hear about them, and maybe find some classical stories to add to our To Be Read piles!

Who we are: Duck Prints Press LLC is an independent publisher based in New York State. Our founding vision is to help fanfiction authors navigate the complex process of bringing their original works from first draft to print, culminating in publishing their work under our imprint. We are particularly dedicated to working with queer authors and publishing stories featuring characters from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. Love what we do? Want to make sure you don’t miss the announcement for future giveaways? Sign up for our monthly newsletter and get previews, behind-the-scenes information, coupons, and more!

Want to support the Press, read about us behind-the-scenes, learn about what’s coming down the pipeline, get exclusive teasers, and claim free stories? Back us on Patreon or ko-fi monthly!

#duck prints press #rec list #folktales #fables #myths #mythology #world folktales and fables week

[imfluentinfangirlandgay]

Casting Pearls Before Time - Ch 3

Six months after suddenly reappearing, Ingo encounters someone he thinks he remembers. Only problem is, he can't remember anything before he returned to Unova, so it's hard to say

Words: ~1700

"Hello." Emmet made sure to enunciate the word very slowly. 

"Hel-lllllo." Pearl's lips struggled to form the words. 

Emmet nodded eagerly. "Hello!" 

"Hel-lo!" 

"Good!" He paused, then pointed to himself. "My name is Emmet." Then he gently used her own hand to point to herself. "My name is Pearl." 

She cocked her head. Then she pointed to herself. "Mee naime es Pearl." 

"Close!" 

Ingo came into the room, dropping off drinks. Coffee for Emmet, tea for Pearl. "How goes it?" 

"She is struggling a bit with pronunciation, but I will not hold that against her." 

"What phrases are you trying?" 

"Just simple ones." Emmet picked up his mug and blew on it, taking a scalding sip. "I feel like you would have better luck because you can translate." 

Ingo nodded. "You are correct. Here." He turned to their guest and spoke in Sinnohan, and then said "My name is Ingo," before explaining something else in Sinnohan. Pearl nodded, saying "My name is Pearl" with much better inflection. Ingo praised her in Sinnohan, having a fast conversation. 

When they had breached the topic of languages with Pearl, she had insisted on learning their language. Ingo said that she believed it was a more effective usage of time for her to just learn their way of speech. 

Granted, Emmet told himself he would learn some of her language. It was only the polite thing to do. 

The language lesson lasted for another hour or so before Pearl could not properly enunciate anymore and announced she was done for now. A joltik rested on Emmet's shoulder, sending static into his hair. Pearl sipped her tea, making a comment to Ingo that sounded positive. He beamed. 

Pearl had grown fond of the tea after her awful bout of sickness the day prior. Ingo had said that the food was not sitting right in her stomach, that she'd never had something so greasy before. She seemed to be recovering, though, after eating some plain crackers and some fruit. 

It reminded Emmet of when Ingo had first come home, but worse. Ingo had gotten some digestive problems, but nothing like what poor Pearl had. They must not have had a Nimbasa diet wherever they went. 

Emmet leaned back, just listening to the conversation he could not understand. The way they spoke and the words led so fluidly into one another, one might think they had known each other for years. Granted, there was no evidence they hadn't. Ingo had been gone for three years and Emmet had no idea when they had met. Pearl reached forward and sipped her tea again. Emmet wondered what they were talking about. 

His phone buzzed. Emmet glanced at it, seeing a text from Elesa. 

Electric Slide: clay said hed meet us tomorrow around noon in driftveil. that sound good?

Emmet glanced up at the pair still talking. He typed out a response. 

Me: schedule is set

He hoped they found out something tomorrow. If not for them, then for Pearl's sake. 

—-----

The four figures sat in the booth on the train to Driftveil. Ingo and Emmet chatted idly about train things, the model they were riding in and critiquing the performance of the depot agents here. Elesa scrolled her phone. Pearl alternated between glancing out the window and staring around at the other passengers, gaze lingering on any pokemon around. She pulled her orange sweater sleeves as she watched someone's Purrloin try to hop up to grab their bagel, a passenger that was sat down in a seat with their Pansage in their lap, playing a game, a few Timburr that had on hard hats and were headed by a man in a matching hat and an orange construction vest. 

"NOW APPROACHING DRIFTVEIL STATION. ALL PASSENGERS DISEMBARKING AT DRIFTVEIL STATION PLEASE PREPARE TO DEPART. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE DOORS UNTIL THE TRAIN COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP." 

The group stood, Pearl standing last and following them blindly. The doors hissed open, making her flinch. Her eyes were wide as saucers as the river of people flowed in, through, and around the doors. 

Emmet grabbed her hand and maneuvered it to the back of his coat. She grabbed on tight and he made sure to walk slowly so that she could keep up. He made sure he could feel the small hand tugging on his coat all the way out of the station until they stood in the sunlight. By the time she released his coat, her knuckles were white. 

Ingo asked her a question Emmet couldn't catch, concern in his voice. Pearl nodded. She said nothing. 

"Oooh-kay, he said he'd like us to meet him in the back of the gym. He's taking a quick lunch break." Elesa tugged them along in a small train of their own, her, Emmet, Ingo, and Pearl as the caboose. They weaved through the midday crowd, heading towards the gym. 

Elesa opened a door in the back of the building, ushering them all inside. She took the lead as she led them down a hallway, hung a left, and then knocked on a random doorframe. "Hello, hello, Clay!" 

A booming, slightly accented voice came from beyond. "Elesa, come in." She gestured to the others and led them in. 

Clay sat at a table, five more chairs empty around him. He grinned at them, tipping his hat. "Ah, the Subway Bosses. To what might I owe ya the pleasure?" 

"Good afternoon, Clay," Ingo said. 

"Hello!" Emmet said. 

"He-llo." Pearl said, unsure. She got two nods of reassurance from the twins. 

"Who is this little lass?" Clay asked, leaning forward and squinting. "She don't seem like she's from around these parts." 

"That's because she's not!" Emmet said. Ingo was quietly translating everything that was said to Pearl so that she understood. 

Elesa sat down in a chair. "Remember how Ingo just reappeared out of the blue about six months ago in Sinnoh with no memories?" 

Clay nodded his head. 

"The boys just found this girl in a random alleyway the other day. Ingo says he somewhat remembers her, but she can't remember where she came from, either. She speaks some kind of Sinnohan, but it's different from the normal dialect. We've just been calling her Pearl in the meantime. Since your family came from Sinnoh, I thought you might have some idea of what version it is so we could figure out where in the region she's from."

"Hmm." He tapped at his chin. "It's been awhile since I spoke Sinnohan, it was more my grandpappys thing, but I can give it my best shot." He leaned back and cleared his throat, looking at Pearl. Info was still murmuring, his translation finishing. She looked at Clay, her eyes not leaving his hat. 

He spoke to her in that same language, Emmet still unsure what they were saying. Pearl cocked her head, her brows knitted, and responded, albeit confused. Clay's eyebrows shot up and he spoke again. Pearl responded. They did a few back-and-forth exchanges before he rubbed his chin once again. 

"That's somethin'. She's speakin' the same way my grandpappy did. That's technically a language more ghostly than that Chandelure of yours, Ingo." Everyone's eyebrows raised. "I ain't heard grammar like that since I was tiny." 

She spoke again, gesturing to his hat. That made him laugh as he responded. 

"What is it?" Elesa asked, her curiosity piqued. 

"She says she recognizes my ole cap," Clay grinned. "It's a family heirloom. I heard it belonged to my great-great grandpappy. I ain't sure about all that, but it will go to my daughter when she's old enough." 

He stood. "Now, I need to get back to my gym. I hope you find out more about Pearl, she seems a fun little lass." He spoke to Pearl in that broken dialect and she smiled warmly at him and responded. 

As they left the gym out the front this time, Pearl was still staring at Clay's hat, watching closely as he released his partner Excadrill for practice and held his signature pickaxe for the next challenger. 

—--------

"So that was a bust," Elesa grumbled. 

"Not entirely," Ingo said. "Something he said made me think… I remember his hat, too. He said it was a family heirloom? Perhaps we met his father at one point…" 

"Clay's family came to Unova decades before any of us were born," Elesa retorted. "He's had that hat since he was young. How would you remember that hat on his father if he'd already had it before any of us existed?" 

Emmet mused over this. It was certainly an odd occurrence. 

"Well, I've gotta go back to work tomorrow. When will you two be heading back?" Elesa changed the subject. 

"We took the week off to help Pearl settle in," Ingo said as he scratched his chin. He was deep in thought. Pearl was watching out the window again, seeing the landscape of Unova go by before it was swallowed up by the subway tunnels. 

"Dragons, really? I don't remember the last time you took time off." Elesa sighed and shut off her phone. "I'm gonna head off when we reach Nimbasa. I need to get ready for the gym tomorrow." 

The train pulled into the station before long, Elesa waving and saying her goodbyes as she released her Emolga twins and began her trek home. Ingo and Emmet walked in the opposite direction with Pearl beside them, sticking close. 

"I know Elesa said it was impossible, and by all accounts it is…" Emmet turned his attention to his brother. "But I know I've seen that hat before and it wasn't on Clay. Right down to the jewel. And he said that we both speak a dead form of Sinnohan…" 

Emmet patted his shoulder. "We'll figure it out, Ingo. Perhaps… perhaps there is another destination we can try." Ingo looked up at Emmet, his brow furrowed. 

"Do you remember Lenora?"

[First] - [Previous] - [Next]

#submas #subway bosses #subway boss ingo #pokemon legends arceus #my writing #ingo #subway boss emmet #clan leader irida #pokemon #pokemon irida #pokemon clay #gym leader elesa #pokemon elesa

[ihaveatheoryonthat]

Whumptober Day 25: Lost Voice

Full disclosure: this was supposed to be a completely different prompt, and then I happened to get sick. Monkey feel, monkey write.

---

It just figured that Ingo would wait until Emmet had made it to Hisui to essentially vanish from the face of the region. With no sign in Jubilife Village, Emmet had been directed to the Pearl Clan’s settlement, only to learn that his twin didn’t actually live there, and he was best off visiting the Coronet Highlands.

He spent three hours blindly fighting his way though a cave system, fending off an absurd number of Golbat and trying to keep himself from getting turned around before he had even the slightest amount of luck... if one could call encountering the Diamond Warden ‘lucky’. While it had culminated in some helpful information, Emmet hesitated to call it a positive encounter; he worried that perhaps his brother wasn’t here, either, if Melli’s ranting and the cave’s extinguished torches were anything to go by.

But he was already here, and now that he had directions to the Templeside Arena and its adjoining campsite, he may as well investigate.

The first sign that he was on the right track were what seemed, to the best of his knowledge, species that weren’t native to this part of the Coronet Highlands. There was a Machamp halfheartedly fighting a much-worn practice dummy, an Alakazam hovering in meditation that opened one eye at his approach, and then did a double-take, and a Tangrowth languidly sorting through a variety of limp flowers. All of them were suspiciously evolved, given the methods required and their proximity to one another-- certainly not a gathering of wild Pokemon.

The Tangrowth sat up straighter as he neared the tent it was camped out next to, abandoning its sets of flowers to reach a vine out to him and grab the end of his coat; he humored it as it shook the fabric. When it seemed satisfied with whatever test it was running, it blinked at him, warbled, and settled back in place but, noticeably, didn’t go back to its original distraction.

There were a great number of eyes on him-- even more if he counted the nearby Magnezone and Probopass-- though none of the Pokemon made to intercept as he laid a hand on the tent’s door.

Half a second after stepping through the threshold, Emmet wondered if it actually was any better inside, in that regard. While there were fewer Pokemon to stare at him in here, it was made up for with the intensity of the Gliscor’s glare. It chattered his way, clearly scolding him, and shuffled minutely in place.

Somewhat unwisely, he took a step closer. It growled in return, and only stopped when something jostled it from below with a pathetic, muffled cough.

And there it was: the reason Emmet had dared to draw nearer, in spite of the defensive predator mantling over the bed. He was not the only human present. The other was visible only through the shroud of a blanket, any glimpse of their upper half hidden beneath the angry bat who’d been so thoughtful as to greet him.

Said Gliscor continued to stare at him in reproach, but didn’t make any further noises.

“It is alright,” He told it, voice low in lieu of any false inflection, “I am not here to hurt anyone. Are you protecting your trainer? Are they functioning properly?”

Its eyes flickered, uncertain, toward a small pile of offerings on the floor. There were a number of berries beginning to shrivel, a couple of the flowers from Tangrowth’s collection-- all completely withered-- and, among them, one very dry looking rice ball. Emmet wasn’t sure what any of it was meant to accomplish, but had to trust that the contributing Pokemon were motivated by some kind of logic.

After several second’s worth of consideration, the Gliscor ducked its head, burying its face into the flash of silver beneath and emerging just enough to keep an eye on Emmet.

He took another cautious step forward. “I am Emmet. You have been trying verrrry hard to take care of your trainer. I believe I can assist.” Its ears flicked; he inched forward again, “Can you help me in return? I am looking for my brother. We are identical. Twins. And we were separated a verrry long time ago.”

Gliscor rumbled around the clump of hair it was nibbling on and, without ever tearing its eyes away from Emmet, slowly drew a wing back. There was a weak hiss of protest, a shiver clear in the stuttering exhalation that followed, and Gliscor squeaked, hurrying to right itself.

It was a short window, but there was nothing wrong with that. They both wanted the same thing when it came down to it, right?

Emmet could play caretaker. He could handle Ingo being sick or injured. So long as his twin was actually here, he would be fine, and would ensure both of their well being.

“Good job.” He told Gliscor, once the bat had settled itself sufficiently, “You have done a verrry good job.”

---

Perhaps soothed by the fact that this strange new human hadn’t attacked in the night, Gliscor seemed comfortable enough to leave the tent the next morning, to hunt and properly stretch its wings. Chandelure gleefully took the opportunity to channel her emotions into thermal energy and steadily increased the tent’s temperature until Emmet was forced to ask her, quite literally, to cool it.

It was early afternoon by the time Ingo dragged himself to some degree of awareness, visibly trying to figure out where Gliscor had gone.

He was almost immediately confronted with seventy five pounds of lamp in his face, which would have been a lot to wake up to, even on a good day. Emmet tried to coax Chandelure away, but, at the same time, found it hard to blame her when all he wanted was to follow a similar track.

There was a glazed look to Ingo’s eyes as he absently pet Chandelure’s globe-- something distinct from the haze of fever-- and it only intensified as his attention skirted up, toward the only other human in the tent.

He was getting overwhelmed. That was understandable, considering how out of it he’d been the last time he’d been forced to take sick leave; he’d woken expecting his Gliscor and, instead, been met with two uninvited guests.

Ingo managed an odd, mostly-soundless croak as Emmet eased Chandelure away, coughing feebly into his opposite elbow as his twin propped him up to get a drink. It was one of those illnesses, then. In the past, there had been something comedic about his human megaphone of a sibling being silenced, albeit tempered by how poorly he felt. Here and now, combined with the fact that he’d been left to weather this on his own, bereft of any human assistance, it was just sad.

“I am Emmet,” Emmet announced as he stepped away, letting Ingo ease back onto his side, “I will help you recover. Do not worry.”

Though without a whisper of sound, he recognized the shape of his name as Ingo echoed it.

He smoothed a hand over the topmost blanket and nodded. “Yep. I am Emmet. I am here.”

#ihaveatheoryonthat pkmn #submas #fanfic #whumptober

[justafairytailofinnocence]

Barbossa x reader🍏🍓

A drunken night🍺

Synopsis: Y/n spends a night inside the pearl at a party when she investigates the navigations.

Warning: none

It was the stroke of nine at night; the black pearl was settled with lights illuminating the cabin. Laughter filled the cabin from the two wenches beside Jack Sparrow: one with blonde and the other with red hair. The two women drank and laughed as Jack whispered sweet nothings to them. Seating in front of them was a woman wearing a golden white gown with full skirtings and hair done in a la pouffe. Jack had planned a little shindig to celebrate his latest find on a coffer full of gold and jewels. The young woman sat awkwardly while the two wenches caressed Jack’s face. Jack smiled, introducing the two wenches he got from Tortuga. “This ere’s Scarlett, and this ere’s Giselle”.

The two women were undoubtedly different from what she saw at the ports of London; most would be appalled to be touched on the chest or neck. “It’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance’s ladies; I’m certain Sparrow’s lucky to have friends like you” Y/n smiled politely. Giselle glanced at the young woman commenting, “You’s looks a bit young to be in this place”. Y/n took a slight offence to that comment. Was she really that young? “I can assure you I’m of age, “ she said quietly. Scarlett and Giselle grabbed another bottle of rum; the two ladies giggled and leaned into Jack’s hold.

Giselle giggled and asked, “Where’s you from anyways, love? Did Jack pick ya up from Tortuga” Scarlett commented, “Bit plain-faced isn’t she”. Y/n didn’t understand the goals of these two wenches or even why they would follow someone like Jack Sparrow, who only valued the pearl and freedom. “how’s about another round of rum, eh?” Jack suggested.

“My father was a merchant; he was a sailor from the ports of London”, Y/n explained. For most of her childhood, it revolved around books of naval vessels, the function of a ship, the sails, the types of riggings, the positions, navigations, and the routes. Ships had always fascinated the young woman, unlike others that wished to become a lady, noble or, at most, a housewife. Y/n fancied the naval boats; most women thought it rather tedious. Y/n had kept documents and old journals from old sailors that explored the seas; the exciting part is that most note the case of the black pearl. The infamous ship was faster at sea; even mentioning the name would send many shivers and fascinate them. Y/n had an instead, not so rather excellent encounter when first boarding the black pearl. It always starts with a kidnapped lass from a sinking ship caused by pirates; at least Jack Sparrow had ‘saved’ her. “I used to study the routes of naval history and sailing as a child,” Y/n told them; perhaps these two knew of Jack’s adventures and his ship. Alas, they did not.

“Study ships? Sounds a bit boring, don’t it” Giselle admitted. “See, if I was young like you, I wouldn’t be dreamin’ bout some fancy boat; I would be dreamin’ about catching me fancy with a dashing captain” She looked at Jack dreamily.

The thought of settling down with a drunken captain as a wench made y/n flinch with disgust. “I would much rather read than catch myself of ill repute with a grog-blossomed buccaneer”.

“I assume Jack’s ‘teachings’ involve rum,” y/n thought correctly.

“Come now, lass, I’m sure they’s didn’t mean ta make ya hang yer jib, ere’ ave some rum”, Master Gibbs had been sitting at the front of the black wooden dining table. He held out the bottle toward the young woman.

“See here, sweetheart, there’s a thin or two you can learn from Jackie” Scarlett smiled in a flirtatious manner toward Jack.

Jack swallowed the liquor and agreed, “Aye, y/n darlin’, I’ll teach ya sometime”.

Scarlett excitedly asked, “Jackie, aren’t-chou going to tell er’ o’ you getting hitched”.

Y/n’s eyes widened with astonishment. Is Jack Sparrow getting married? Indeed, Jack was chaotic and unpredictable, but getting married? This was news to her, even to Master Gibbs. “You’re getting married?” y/n said in disbelief. The young woman pointed a finger toward Scarlett and Giselle, the two suspects. “And which one did he propose to”.

“Well…” Before Jack could finish his sentence, both the women stood up in sync and said, “ME!”. The two turned to each other in a confused state, looking at their ring, the same encrusted jewelled red stone. Giselle gasped with the realisation that the two women had been played. Giselle and Scarlett both turned to Jack with angry expressions. Jack awkwardly replied, “Bit of a mystery, innit”. At first, Giselle slapped Jack across the face, and Scarlett followed suit, both wenches leaving the docked pearl in annoyance.

Y/n secretly smiled at the karma played with the wenches; she sat up from her seat and ventured outside the dining cabin to find the other captain, no, not Sparrow, Barbossa. Jack and Barbossa had made an accord for sharing the pearl, only for the time being until Hector steals it. When Captain Barbossa captured y/n, she learnt many things from him, her knowledge of piracy and the vast navigations to the briny deep. Y/n had managed to impress the captain; she used her knowledge from studying in the past to get her way around the ship. Hector hadn’t met many women that were into sailing, well, aside from Mrs Turner. At night, y/n would stay up looking at maps and documents to navigate the ship to a port; of course, Hector would poke fun at the girl’s knowledge.

Captain Barbossa stood at the front of the forecastle’s deck, looking above at the stars. Y/n climbed the steps to approach the captain curiously; she placed both hands behind her back formally, saying, “Quiet night is it not?”.

“An’ by Quiet, ya mean Sparrah and his wenches ain’t out ere”, Barbossa sarcastically answered back.

Y/n observed the ship’s sail, and putting her knowledge of navigation to use, she tried to figure out the direction they would first head off for Pirates Cove. “Captain, if we’re set to sail toward the direction of pirates cove, then—” the young woman pointed toward the East “, I believe the ship’s direction would be in the constellation of Sirius”.

“So, we would sail east”, Y/n confidently pointed out. That was until Hector smiled for a moment making the girl think she was correct, but he pointed with his finger toward the other direction, “North, yer facin’ east, ye need ta face north toward port”.

“Whatever, I was close anyways” Y/n placed a hand on her forehead, annoyed. She was still getting used to using the constellations on a map instead of a compass. Captains were more competent because they knew more about the maps than just a regular landlubber; direction, coordination, longitude and latitude, constellation and, of course, the ways to go about it. Barbossa was more intelligent than any other captain; aside from Sparrow, he memorised the map and was an expert in sailing. Y/n only knew the general knowledge of how to read maps and use the tools necessary; however, there was more to it, and it was clear she still had a lot to learn.

The captain smirked with a sarcastic expression. “Oh~, “Close” were ye”.

“Aye, captain, I was”, Y/n spoke back.

“Well than, Miss’s Highness”, he turned to y/n and bowed, holding out his hand “, I’ll reward yer fer yer efforts”.

Hector held his hand out; y/n was curious if this was some trick compared to when they first met. She was taught a lot about survival thanks to being surrounded by pirates. Hector held the young woman’s hand and pulled her hand gently toward him when it touched his rough lips. His lips against her palm felt rough yet soft simultaneously; his beard felt scraggly against her skin. Y/n felt rather bashful but smiled in politeness. However, her face soon turned to a frown when she realised he wasn’t kidding around in a friendly manner; in fact, his other hand trailed up to reach her cheek. He lightly used one finger to touch the young woman’s chin, she stared in confusion, but he leaned forward, pressing his lips on the young woman’s mouth. The lips of the man were rougher and patchier; his beard felt scratchy when it touched her chin. He didn’t stop, though; the kiss sooner turned from a soft one to an utterly passionate embrace. Had the young woman known he felt this way about her; she would’ve said something sooner. Her emotions ran from excitement, confusion, stun, shock, and bewilderment. The captain stroked y/n’s chin as she closed her eyes and placed her arm around his head. The sound of the gentle current brushing against the bottom of the ship. It was a relatively peaceful sound, taking her mind off what was happening now. To anyone seeing this, it wouldn’t be a pretty sight; a young woman kissing a man that’s not got the looks of Sparrow is somewhat uncomfortable to the naked eye. Y/n heard something in the distance; her eyes turned to a figure resembling Jack Sparrow!

“What a hideous sight to see”, He cringed, twitching his lips in disgust.

Y/n pulled away in embarrassment; she covered her face when Jack sat offensively, watching them. Barbossa rolled his eyes and grabbed his flintlock pistol; he aimed it at Jack as he shot it. Y/n flinched; luckily, the bullet only just missed Jack. “Oi, watch where you aim, could’ve killed me”.

“I’ll do tha deed if ye say one more word Jack” Hector shouted.

“I would’ve preferred the sight of you in that hideous wig than that”, Jack gagged. “Question—How can you handle putting your lips on something like that” He pointed toward Hector. Barbossa pulled the trigger again and let off another shot, this time towards Jack’s hat. “Would yarr like ta’ lose that tongue of yer’s Sparrah” Barbossa shouted once more. Jack didn’t feel like risking it with Hector’s temper tonight; after all, he was celebrating. Y/n tried to stop the two from fighting before someone ended up with a bullet. She asked Jack, “Jack, perhaps we ought to cast off and set sail to Pirates Cove; I say we start by heading north over the horizon”.

“Fine idea, see, them books about sailin’ did come in handy, aye, love” Jack went off to order his men to prepare to set sail. Y/n smiled as she turned toward Hector, who scoffed, expecting a ‘thank you’ in return.

Y/n pressed her finger toward her lips, remembering the feeling of his. It was somewhat surprising, was the captain one sheet to the wind? He couldn’t have been grog blossomed, though still confused her why the captain kissed her of all people.

Suppose it’s a mystery.

Anyways that's all I have for now:

Ta Ta ✨

#pirates of the caribbean #pirates of the caribbean x reader #potc x reader #hector barbossa x reader #barbossa x reader #barbossa fanfic #barbossa oneshot #potc #potc fanfic

[greentrickster]

For The Ace Parable and Stanley Attorney AU, I think it’s set post AA6 with established-relationship Wrightworth, and post-TSPUD with pre-Stanarrator. Because that way Miles and Phoenix can have weird flirty fun (and the bucket) and the Narrator can encounter Pearl and be given as many existential crises as you can fit into an approximately two-week period. It’s time to take this shipping shipper who ships of a spirit medium and channel her powers for good.

Pearl: You and Mr. Stanley remind me of Mr. Nick and Mr. Edgeworth, Mr. Narrator!

The Narrator: (puffing up a little at being told his protagonist compares favorably to the characters of such a popular, character-driven series) Why thank-you, Miss, I-

Pearl: Are you two Special Someones, too?

The Narrator: ...what?

Pearl: Special Someones! You know, are you and Mr. Stanley... (looks around furtively then learns in with a hand cupped to her mouth) ...dating?

The Narrator: 8I ABSOLUTELY NOT, Stanley is my protagonist, I created him, down to the smallest detail, to star in my game’s story, not to- to date him!

Pearl: (shocked expression) Oh.

The Narrator: Exactly. Now what was this about-

Pearl: (clasping hands, eyes sparkling) That’s so romantic!

The Narrator: What-?!

Pearl: (hands to cheeks) Writers put so much thought and love into their stories and characters, and if he’s your main character then that means you put the most time and thought into him, and- oh, you’re his Narrator now because you love him so much you wanted to be part of his story too, but make sure it stayed about him, didn’t you? And then you fell in love with him once you got there! (logic is gone for the moment, there is only Romance (because she’s at least 18 now, and has unlocked the AO3 Member achievement and found the exciting ships))

The Narrator: (panicking) No, that- that’s not it at all- STANLEY, tell her she’s got it wrong!!!

Stanley: (who has been standing to the side and watching in amusement) (makes direct eye contact with Pearl, nods seriously, then signs ‘I love you’ at the Narrator)

The Narrator: (who should have expected gremlin-ness from this man but somehow never does, and is also now blushing for reasons beyond his ken) Stanley!!!

Stanley: (blows the Narrator a kiss, then abandons him to Pearl with a wink)

Pearl: (dreamy sigh) You’re just like Mr. Nick and Mr. Edgeworth were before they started dating.

The Narrator: (confused, flustered, and wrong-footed) ...we are?

Athena: (joining the conversation) Extremely. Though... like, no disrespect, but (jerks a thumb at Stanley) that’s seriously your type?

The Narrator: It had better not be.

He then spends the rest of his time there being on and off horrifically aware of how interacting with Stanley makes him feel and also desperately claiming that it’s all just a result of this temporary case of humanity he’s caught, it’s just a bunch of chemicals and electrical signals he’s not used to having, it’s not real.

Then they get back to the Parable and, haha, nope, humanity gone, feelings intact, better focus on what those two idiot lawyers got up to with his script instead... O_OUUUUU

Meanwhile, when questioned about his and the Narrator’s relationship, Stanley just writes, “I like them stupid, but in a really smart way.”

Athena: Oh. (looks at the Narrator then back at Stanley) Yeah, that tracks.

#the stanley parable #tsp narrator #stanarrator #pearl fey #tsp stanley #The Ace Parable and Stanley Attorney AU #athena cykes #it takes a really smart person to be as dumb as the Narrator can be at times #which is why I like him