#2-headed shark attack | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bethanythebogwitch · 11 months

Text

So a while back I made this post

And it became very popular. While many people already knew, I did get some asking why humboldt squids are scary. So for this Wet Beast Wednesday I'm going to teach you why you should be afraid, or at least respectful, of molluscoid menace that is the humboldt squid.

(image: a humboldt squid)

Known to scientists as Dosidicus gigas and to many others as the jumbo squid, pota, jibia, and diablo rojo, the humboldt squid is the 5th largest squid in the world and the largest of the flying squids. Don't worry, it can't actually fly. They reach an average mantle length (tat's excluding the head and arms) of 1.5 meters, with some specimens reaching up to 2 meters (6.5 ft) in mantle length. The arms can reach up to another meter in length. Adults can weigh up to 50 kg (150 lbs), with females generally being larger than males. They live in the Pacific along the cost of the Americas, from the tip of South America up to California in North America. Some individuals have been known to travel farther north, up to Alaska, which is outside of their historical range. It is possible that as the ocean warms, their native range will continue to expand north.

(image: a humboldt squid releasing ink as a defense mechanism)

Humboldt squids reproduce in deep waters, and as a result we don't know much about their courtship. Males use a modified arm called the heterocotylus to transfer sperm into the female's mantle. She then lays a transparent, gelatinous egg mass that is left to float in the water column. These masses can range between 1 and 4 meters in diameter can can contain up to 4 million eggs. Hatchlings receive no parental care and most will die before adulthood. They grow extremely rapidly, likely as a self-defense against cannibalism by larger squids. Like many squid, humboldts only live for a year and die shortly after mating.

(image: a humboldt squid next to a much braver diver than I will ever be)

As with most cephalopods, the humboldt squid has cells called chromatophores that allow it to change color. Cameras attached to captured and released specimens have show two types of color-changing behavior: flashing and flickering. Flashing is when the animal changes rapidly between red and white. This is done in the presence of other squid and is likely a means of communication, possibly a form of courtship or warning to stay away. Flickering is when waves of red and white travel down the body. This is likely a form of camouflage to blend in with light flickering through the water. In addition to flashing and flickering, cameras have seen multiple forms of color changes and communication behaviors, indicating that they have a rich social life. The red color the squid turns when hunting contributes to its nickname amongst Mexican fishermen: "diablo rojo", the "red devil".

(gif: humboldts changing color)

So all that sounds pretty normal, why are they scary? Well that comes down to their feeding behavior and aggression. Humboldt squids hunt in shoals that can include thousands of members and go into feeding frenzies that can make shark feeding frenzies look like a child's tea party. They are infamous for their aggression and there are many stories of them attacking divers and fishermen. Not even they are immune to their predation, as multiple studies have found between a half and a quarter of all dissected specimens have recently fed on others of their species. Cannibalism may make up a major portion of their diet, though cannibalistic behavior seems to increase in response to stress. Their typical diet consists of fish, crustaceans, and other squids. Humboldts typically keep their two long tentacles coiled up between their arms, only for them to suddenly lash out and grab prey. These tentacles have multiple sharp hooks that have been reported to cause severe cuts in humans. Captured prey is then pulled in toward the beak and consumed. Feeding happens so fast that scientists need to us high-speed cameras to record the capture as the tentacles move so fast they prey can be caught and reeled in between frames. Eating is also fast enough that they can grab a hooked fish and skeletonize it in the time it takes a frustrated angler to pull their catch in. And if that wren't enough, they also engage in cooperative hunting, working together to catch prey. When not feeding or being hunted, they have been described as curious, though they often react to unfamiliar stimuli with aggression. Some divers have reported that humboldts will come investigate them and even act friendly, though I can't say I'd be willing to try it.

(gif: a squid attacking a camera)

(gif: hunting squid)

Numerous fishermen's tales and news stories tell of attacks on humans, but the squid do have a reason to not like us. They are fished heavily, especially off the coat of Mexico and are the most important squid for commercial fisheries. Humboldt squids make up about a third of all squid fished every year and are the most popular food squid. Squid meat is saturated with ammonium chloride, which they use for buoyancy, and must be prepared to remove the taste before eating. Not much is known about threats to conservation, though some speculate that overfishing and global warming disrupting their food supply could threaten the population. They are listed as data deficient by the IUCN. As scary as they might be, humboldt squids serve a very important ecological role in their territories, both as primary predators and as prey to sharks and toothed whales, and more research on their sustainability and conservation needs is important.

(image: a scientist attaching a crittercam to a humboldt squid)

#wet beast wednesday #marine biology #biology #zoology #animals #ecology #animal facts #humboldt squid #jumbo squid #squid #cephalopod #that last picture is adorable #he has a little vest!

868 notes · View notes

manicplank · 16 days

Text

Ways The Noise Has Died

I have a headcanon that The Noise can die and respawn. (He's cursed, but sometimes he takes advantage of it.) These are just some of the ways he's died. He does a lot of stupid shit.

Hit by car: 3

Lung cancer: 2

Throat cancer: 1

Fallen from building/height: 2

Shot by police: 7

Drowned: 1

Execution by electric chair: 1

Eaten by alligators: 2

Smashed by piano: 2

Killed by Peppino: 15

Heart attack: 3

Diabetes: 3

Fire/burns: 5

Explosion: 22

Spontaneous combustion: 4

Eaten by shark: 1

Poisoned: 1

Internal bleeding: 2

Septic shock: 2

Execution by guillotine: 2

Bleeding out: 4

Head trauma: 5

Forgot to breathe: 18

Killed by Toppin Monster: 3

Mauled by bear: 1

Ate something inedible: 6

Forgot to eat (starved): 3

Alcohol poisoning: 6

Dehydration: 3

Eaten by tigers: 1

Strangled by Pizzahead: 2

Stung by bees: 1

Run over by boulder: 1

Struck by lightning: 2

Led poisoning: 2

Ate paint: 3

EDIT from replies:

Killed by Noisette: 1

Radiation exposure: 2

Choke on food: 12

Organ failure: 7

Froze to death: 1

Allergies: 3

Land mine testing: 2

Food poisoning: 28

Jetpack failure: 6

Sucked into black hole: 1

Inhaling carcinogenic gaz: 7

Talking back to his mama: 1

Banished into the shadow realm: 2

Dark magic spell failure: 4

Touching electric plug with a fork: 5

Stunt failure: 35

Edit from replies 2:

Got skewered in a magic trick gone wrong: 11

Got caught in a mousetrap: 6

Rat poison: 25

Burned alive: 4

(Feel free to suggest ways he's died. Silly little bastard is always up to no good.)

Hit by a train: 2

EDIT by replies 3:

Washed out to sea: 4

Battle with Doise: 1

Fallen into volcano: 7

Mocked Pepperman’s art: 3

Sucked into tornado: 3

Kicked by cow: 1

Crushed by his crusher: 4

Ate Fake Peppino’s food: 2

Slipped on banana peel: 18

Rabies: 4

Pissed off Dougie Jones: 1

Shot by alien raygun: 3

Crushed by tree: 1

Buried alive: 3

Shot by Vigilante: 2

Knife juggling: 4

challenged God to smite him: 1

Fallen into bottomless pit: 7

Eaten by piranhas: 3

Bitten by zombie: 1

Air balloon crash: 5

Tried to light his fart on fire (gone wrong): 1

#pizza tower #noise #the noise #headcanon #shitpost

131 notes · View notes

roosterm3attrash · 2 months

Text

101 ways to kill Barney Calhoun

I ended up making this list by going through multiple servers and people so here cuz I found it in my phone notes

Anyway the brilliant minds of the half-life fandom

1.) Waited pressure plate with tnt under it

2.) im going to leave mines under his mattress

3.) i’m setting a rake on his floor so he steps on it and whacks his face

4.) I'm giving him a bomb disguised as a cigar

5.) barney death 3: he ate what elvis presley ate….

6.) I would kill Barney Calhoun by slapping him so hard on the ass that it gives him cardiac arrest

7.) I drop him onto a pit of venomous snakes

8.) Im going to give Barney a beer but instead of beer it will be filled with deadly neurotoxin

9.) “now gordon, ive been keepin an eye out on this combine hideout for a while. they seem to walk in a certain pattern when crossing over to the entrance, which makes me think theyve buried mines all over the place. now, ive memorized the pattern, so im just gonna sneak on over, and you follow my lead, alright? dont worry, i know exactly where all the mines are.” and then he explodes

10.) that one episode of sponge bob where he eats the exploding pie and explodes

11.) set up tripwire then he falls into a tiger pit

12.) I type kill npc_barney into console

13.) slap the boobies off his chest so hard them fly around the world and hit the side of his head like water balloons

14.) i could marry him and slowly feed him mercury over a span for 3 years until he dies of mercury poisoning

15.) He tries to become a wwe wrestler but gets killed in a freak accident mid match

16.) I would kill him by making him a pizza but it’s covered in big chunks of lead but it’s hidden in the sauce and it’s a Chicago style pizza

17.) bring him to a highway and kiss him so hard he gets knocked onto the road and gets ran over

18.) Peeling him apart by the dna strand and eating it like spaghetti

19.) barney gets trampled by a stampede of horses

20.) giving him under the counter off brand viagra

21.) put him in a washing machine and turn it on

22.) shark attack

23.) pit of sharks

24.) barney gets criticized so badly he dies

25.) barney sits in an uncomfortable chair for too long

26.) He gets his arm caught in a bear trap w a beer used as a lure

27.) HE BECOMES THE CAT THAT TRAUMATIZED HIM. HE….YKNOW…..

28.) he gets stuck in a swimming pool like hes in the sims and dies from getting exhausted and drowning

29.) barney roasting marshmallows but his stick ignites into flames and he burns to death

30.) ATTACH SO MANY BALLOONS TO BARNEY HE FLOATS AWAY INTO THE SKY NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN

31.) barney gets rejected by gordon and he gets so sad his body shuts down

32.) I kiss him so tenderly on the lips that he melts into a puddle and dies

33.) i throw him in to a volcano so that he melt into a puddle and dies

34.) "I’ll turn him into a flea, a harmless, little flea, and then I’ll put that flea in a box, and then I’ll put that box inside of another box, and then I’ll mail that box to myself, and when it arrives…I’ll smash it with a hammer!"

35.) stick a bottle of beer into his throat, the whole bottle

36.) give Barney Calhoun a beer can full of poison

37.) hang a piano over the toilet and wait

38.) i think barney should have his spine ripped out through his mouth

39.) he goes to a bar and tries flirting with the bartender and the bartender takes out a shotgun and kills him on the spot

40.) punch him so hard in the penis that he shatters like a brittle glass

41.) bite him in half

42.) I'm grinding him in a giant shredder

43.) bro took a bath in hot mac 'n cheese

44.) i put him ina giant caldron full of water and i begin boiling him down to gelatin and broth

45.) barney accompanies the crew to the borealis and he steps over thin ice and gets dunked into the below zero water and freezes to death

46.) barney calhoun gets carried away by a tornado

47.) took barney on a vacation to Hawai’i and pushed him into a volcano

48.) He dies and he's never mentioned again and nobody cares

49.) died of tummy ache

50.) Stepped on by a strider

51.) shrinked until he disappeared completely

52.) blasted into the sun

53.) Stab him with 300 pencils made with real lead

54.) slip and falls and dies

55.) put him into a Minecraft furnace

56.) Barney ignores the wet floor sign and slips and cracks his head

57.) while swimming in the swimming pool he swims to fast and smashes his face against the pool's wall

58.) he gets a concussion and drowns

59.) i want to put him through a lunchmeat slicer

60.) He falls off a dumb huge cliff

61.) he lives his life to the fullest and at his deathbed at age 93, June 29th, 6:12 am he passes away

62.) he eats a burgie with too much grease and gets a heart attack

63.) testicular cancer

64.) He should get sucked into a fan while trying to fix it at Black Mesa and literally no one comes looking for him

65.) The Pita Bread Room

66.) slipped on a Banana peel

67.) ran over by a crap ton of shopping carts rolling down the hill

68.) barney overheats in a fursuit

69.) he has sex so bad that he dies

70.) Barney dies because i fucking kill him with a shovel 🖕

71.) barney eats the gas station sushi

72.) barney faints via twirling around and holding his hand in front of his forehead, and then slowly lying down with a flower in his hands to indicate death

73.) When they turn off the suppression fields he just blows up

74.) barney gets crushed by a giant boulder thats all i got son

75.) barney goes to the beach that makes you old

76.) His head spontaneously combusts and pops like corn

77.) erectile dysfunction

78.) we should also have him get carbon monoxide poisoning

79.) barney gets gaussian blurred into nothingness

80.) he eats 20 year old expired mcdonalds burger and contracts the worst case of food poisoning youve ever seen

81.) Have we done tying him to a train track like a damsel

82.) he dies in a glue trap

83.) barney develops lactose intolerance over the years of combine occupation and he drink milk and then dies from shitting hinself to death

84.) he should chocke on his favourite food

85.) barney gets lead poisoning from a 1990s garfield glass mug

86.) he chokes on plastic

87.) barney gets thrown throw a glass window from a 15 story building

88.) gordon gives barney a wedgie so bad that he splits in half and dies

89.) gordon and barney divorce and barney dies from heartbreak

90.) alyx and gordon have enough of barney’s snoring so they smother him in his sleep with a pillow

91.) he trips while walking with gordon and impales himself on gordons crowbar face

92.) if he were the size of an ant he'd be ok instead he blows up like a watermelon and his remains are fed to lamarr by a very delighted kleiner. he fucking hated barney

93.) dog roughhouses with barney and accidentally obliterates his spinal cord

94.) barney gets poisoned to death by his own chumtoad

95.) coats him in eggs and flour and fries him

96.) snatched by a hawk and eten alive

97.) barney gets to participate in a danganronpa killing game and gets executed

98.) barney opens the love-letter-for-you.txt.vbs file and it kills him

99.) elaborate rube goldberg machine to drop an anvil on barney

100.) barney dies in an Iron Maiden

101.) we should put barney under those old timey stone tablets meant to squish and torture people and make them talk

#half life #barney calhoun #half life 2 #hl

95 notes · View notes

ur-local-snowman · 5 days

Text

MerShark!Soap x Human!Ghost

Part 2/???

Soap absolutely delighted in seeing Ghost take the items he left for him. He made mental notes of what he took and what was left so he could find more for next time.

By this time, it'd been months of him just watching this strange human. He'd never stayed somewhere for this long. There was just something about this man that drew him in.

Soap slowly got more confident. Building his way up to wanting to meet the man. It wasn't until this particular night that soap had realized just how much he wanted to meet him.

Ghost, exhausted after a rather difficult day, had gotten home later than normal. Showered and changed into comfortable clothes before heading down to the pier, as per his usual routine. It'd been a few days since he'd seen a new pile of junk on the pier waiting for him, so this time he looked ahead of him to see if it were there.

Only this time, he saw something else waiting for him. From where he stood, it looked to be a man, sitting on the edge of the pier, placing down said pile of junk, dripping wet. Ghost couldn't make out any important details, other than the muscular looking frame and what looked to be a Mohawk hairstyle.

Ghost was about to call out to them when he took a step, some leaves crunching under the weight of his boot. The man at the pier seemed to startle, looking back towards Ghost before hurriedly sliding into the water, effectively disappearing from view.

Ghost took off, running the rest of the way to the pier and looking out into the water. His first thought was that the man had fell into the water. The pier could be rather slippery at times. But as he looked out into the water, he saw something beneath the surface that made him question it.

It was there and gone before he could blink. A grey-ish blue colored creature with black on the tips of the fins. If he didn't know any better, he'd say it were a shark. Except... Sharks didn't live out this far.

Soap knew he'd been caught. He knew he'd been seen. At this point he was faced with two choices. Stay underwater and pretend he was never there... Or go up and meet this man he'd been watching so closely over the past few months.

He looked up, seeing the man looking over the edge of the pier. He'd never really gotten such a good look at his face before. Even now the water distorts his features slightly.

Giving in to his own thoughts, soap slowly swam up to the surface, a bit away from the man so as to not startle him. He didn't show himself completely just yet, only the top of his head down to his nose showing over the water.

He was nervous, his stomach doing entire gymnastics routines as he watched the man lift his head. The eye contact they made seemed to be the only thing that mattered in the world.

Ghost heard movement in the water, looking up to see what it was. What he didn't expect to see were eyes. Human eyes. Staring dead at him, as if he were the only thing in existence.

The world seemed to stop in the moment, a good few minutes passing before Ghost finally spoke up, his Manc accent heavy in his words.

"You alright there mate?"

Soap could've sworn he forgot how to breathe in that moment. It was even better than he'd imagined. Months of watching this man, observing him, and this is the first time hearing his voice.

As if he'd just remembered something, the man straightened up, looking around in a calm sort of panic.

"Hey I coulda sworn I saw a shark in the water there.. c'mon lemme help you out before you get hurt."

He'd extended his hand out to soap, a gesture to get the man out of the water before some vicious creature came to attack. Soap rose a bit more out o the water, the surface of the water now being at shoulder level as he shook his head.

"No! N-no it's alright-" Soaps accent was just as heavy, Scottish in every way. Upon seeing the look of confusion and surprise on the man's face, he almost shied away.

Soap felt obligated to relieve the man of his confusion, sighing as he dove down I to the water, making sure to flick his tail at the surface to be seen before peeking out again.

TBC -

Part 1 linked 👇🏽 🫶🏽

#cod mw2 #mw2 #simon ghost riley #mermay #mershark #john soap mactavish #soap cod #soapghost #ghoap au #ghoap #ghoap fic

72 notes · View notes

jamieontheroof · 20 days

Text

Random things I noticed while playing What Remains Of Edith Finch

There was a poster of the cannery that Lewis worked at on the boat.

2. Edith Jr wears what appears to be an engagement on a necklace. Whether this is her ring or her mothers is not mentioned.

3. At the start of the game, Milton's missing posters are EVERYWHERE. There is even a giant pile of them in a nearby lake.

4. The dragon slide that crushed and killed Sven is still outside.

5. As you walk toward the house, the music gets louder.

6. The swing that Calvin flew off decades ago is still looped around the branch.

7. There was a spare peep hole in the garage that didn't have any names or dates on it.

8. At multiple points throughout the game you can hear a train in the background, despite the fact that the train tracks are clearly destroyed.

9. There are multiple pots throughout the Finch house that looks like they have eyes.

10. One of the books the Finches possessed was 'King in Yellow', a book known for making anyone who read it insane.

11. The house sounds alive, or like there are people constantly moving around it.

12. Walters bedroom is painted with both ocean and train designs. One of the paintings is the old house that Odin tried to bring to America.

13. There are drag marks on the ground of Walters bedroom (most likely made when his drawers were taken out of his room.)

14. The entrance to the tunnels is hidden by a book called 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, a classic sci-fi story about a sea monster.

15. Molly's room is filled entirely with animal books.

16. There is a jelly fish on Molly's bed (possible connection to the monster??).

17. Molly has a chalkboard in her bedroom where she is a princess in an underwater castle and Sven is about to get attacked by a sea monster (slightly resembling the dragon slide).

18. As shark!Molly starts falling down the cliff, she passes a road where headlights are briefly scene.

19. When the monster gets back to Molly's room, the window that cat!Molly jumped through is still open.

20. There are still Christmas decorations in Molly's room.

21. The curse is 500 years old. That is a lot of dead people.

22. In Odin's viewfinder, it states "His [Odin's] daughter, Edie, is already dreaming of new Finch house" showing that even though her own father died not even a week ago, Edie has already moved on.

23. The house is filled head to toe with books about death, including two that Odin wrote.

24. Sven's shrine does not have a log painting like the rest of the family. His portrait is painted on a simple canvas.

25. Edie has a number of strange tapes in her room including one titled "conspiracy now".

26. The toys from Gregory's final bath are still in the bathroom.

27. There is an old bottle of alcohol in the bathroom bin.

28. A lot of Sam's photos are based on Calvin (a swing, astronauts).

29. All of Milton's drawings are based on the death. (Molly = cat, Barbara = pumpkin)

30. There are cigarettes and gin on Sam's side of the room he shared with Calvin.

31. Calvin already had bruises, Band-Aids and a cast on his leg when he died.

32. Sam blames himself for challenging Calvin.

33. In the story, Calvin doesn't fall. He keeps flying.

34. Barbara's birthday cake is still in her room.

35. Barbara is holding crutches in her portrait.

36. There are totem-esc styles statues of both Calvin and Molly

37. Barbara's outfit is over the railing.

This is the same way the Hook-Man falls

38. "Performance of her life" can also mean that it is the performance she is known for.

39. There are spare portrait logs in the basement.

40. There is a fake window in the basement.

41. Edie's grave is finished despite her dying and then nobody else going to the house.

42. There is no grave for Milton.

43. Lewis' grave has a crown on it.

44. There are times wear it seems like you can hear sobbing (this one may just be me).

45. There is a box of Kay's old stuff in Sam's bedroom.

46. Odin has a park named after him.

47. This isn't a fact but I think this may be one of the funniest photos of the game (LIKE SIR? YOUR DAUGHTER IS SOBBING!).

48. Both Calvin and Dawn are on Sam's shrine.

49. Gus has a skateboard over his name.

50. Gregory has the soap bottle from his final bath in his shrine.

51. The music cuts out when Gregory isn't moving.

52. Same also blames himself for Gregory.

53. Gus never met his step mother.

54. Gus was crushed by the (totem) statues of his deceased relatives.

55. Dawn's light switch is the only one on

56. Most of the rules are about past deaths. (No playing outside without permission : Calvin, No answering door for strangers : Barbara, No messes after dark : Molly (???)).

57. Milton's garden has a castle (reference to the Unfinished Swan)

58. There is a small Sanjay shrine in the classroom

59. Edith JR did an assignment on her family history.

60. Lewis drew on his desk.

61. There is no death date for Milton on his peephole.

62. Edith JR wrote Milton's death date as 2003 (the year he disappeared).

63. The door from the flip book is in Milton's room.

64. Lewis' dream Palace is decorated with fish.

65. The gnomes scattered around the house are outside the original house in Edie's story.

66. The credits roll in reverse order.

AND THAT'S IT!! I had a few others I thought didn't need to go in.

69 notes · View notes

everlastlady · 6 months

Text

Bloody Legend Part 5

✘Posted: 11/10/2023

✘Story Contains: Anxiety attacks, Mammon being a cunt, Verosika, Striker, Rosemary, Charlie Morningstar, & Cute moments.

✘Word Count: 2685

✘Author's Note: Bloody Legend Friday. I'm taking it easy with writing because yesterday I had a seizure so I was drained. But I won't let y'all down. Remember to eat a meal or a snack, drink some water, get some fresh air, take your medicine, and remember that you are loved. If you loved this story remember to comment, click or tap that heart button, reblog with tags, and blaze if you can. Always remember to support your local writers. ♡♡♡

✘ Story Parts: Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4

“ Please stay… “ (Name) softly spoke as they glanced at Mammon who stood there. Mammon looked at (Name), they wanted him to stay. Did they really enjoy that dinner with him that much? This made Mammon smile, Mammon knew he wasn't a very well liked sin. The only person he considered a friend in the higher up places was Lucifer. But he didn’t really hangout with Lucifer. “ Sure, scoot over. “ Mammon lifted the blanket while (Name) scooted over the two laid in the bed looking at each other, locked into a staring contest before (Name) spoke up. “ Mam, I have a question… “ (Name) said while playing with the fabric of the green blanket. “ What’s your question? “ Mammon said while playing with (Name’s hair), he would answer any question they had as long as he got to be by their side. “ Are you using me for money? Am I just a puppet for profit? “ (Name) asked, looking away, hoping that their question wouldn’t upset Mammon. The greed lord taken back back this question, he didn’t expect them to ask this so soon. He didn’t know what to tell them;of course he was using them for profit, they were his cash cow. Making more money for him than Fizzarolli did. But he couldn’t tell (Name) that because what if you get upset and leave. He couldn’t have that; he couldn’t lose (Name). “ Of course, I’m not using you. Yes I’ve pushed you too hard which is why I set up that dinner and relaxing night for us, I promise to be more gentle with you to not work you so hard. But remember I saved you from that shithole comedy club in Wrath. “ Mammon placed his hand upon (Name’s) cheek. “ You promise, you aren’t using me? “ (Name) asked with a smile. “ I promise (Name) and I never break a promise. “ Mammon smiled. But deep down he knew this was wrong to lie to (Name). But he knew that (Name) would never find out. Because he wouldn’t let that happen. After a couple of moments (Name( fell asleep holding onto Mammon.

Mammon watched (Name) sleep, the covers were pulled up against them. Their chest rising and sinking with each peaceful breath escaping their soft lips. How he wanted to place a kiss on their lips but pulled that thought from his head. The green blanket was fluffy which was keeping both Mammon and (Name) warm. Mammon stared up at the ceiling, sometimes he could feel (Name) toss and turn in their sleep. They truly looked peaceful and happy, they deserved it. Mammon eventually fell asleep himself because he couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore. The next morning, Mammon woke up before (Name) he groaned and looked down to see (Name) was still sleeping, slightly drooling which Mammon found cute. Unlike (Name) who could sleep in because they were still recovering. Mammon got out of bed since he had many of his businesses to attend to. Mammon carefully got out of the bed and tucked in (Name) and left the room. “ Make sure to serve (Name), breakfast and that they take their vitamins if the doctor stops by then let them know I’m out. “ Mammon said to the small shark servant who nodded. Mammon got himself ready, his phone rang and he picked it up while adjusting his jester hat. “ Hello? “ Mammon adjusted his jester outfit. “ Uncle Mammon, Hi! “ A cheerful voice came from the other side of the line. Mammon’s large smile appeared already knowing who that cheerful tone belonged to. “ Charlie! My dear niece, how are you doing? What’s up, do ya need some money, business advice for that hotel that you’re doing, or need someone dead? “ Mammon sat down while a servant brought him breakfast. “ I’m doing good uncle Mon, I was wondering if (Name) could perform at the hotel in 2 weeks. It's the grand opening soon . “ Charlie asked. Mammon had forgotten about his niece's grand opening of her hotel. Her Hazbin Hotel, to help sinners get into Heaven. Mammon found the idea comical but he wouldn’t tell her that because he loved his niece and actually wanted to see how this would go. But she was requesting (Name) to perform for the grand opening.

“ Charlie-Bean… “ Mammon bites his lip thinking. He truly loved and cared about his niece, but he wasn’t sure if (Name) should perform. “ Dad will be there and he likes (Name’s) performance and a lot of other important people of Hell will be there so I thought (Name) would be good since they can sing and make people laugh. “Charlie sounded nervous as if she was hoping her uncle would say yes. Lucifer will be there and the other important people. Mammon couldn’t pass up this especially since Lucifer likes (Name’s) performance and if the important people of Hell would be there and if they like (Name’s) performance then many of them would try to request for (Name), he would make so much money. He was sure that could make (Name) perform a bit longer before making them quit. “ Charlie, (Name) will be there and I’ll make sure they give the best damn performance, thank you for requesting them; I’m sure they’ll be honored to perform at the grand opening. “ Mammon marked his calendar. “ Thank you so much uncle Mammon, I’ll be sure to give (Name) the best room, bye! “ Charlie said in a singful tone, like father like daughter. “ Goodbye Charlie, love ya. “After the call ended Mammon set his phone aside. “ They can hold out a little longer, they can hold out a little longer. “ Mammon held his head in his hands while repeating that to himself. Mammon looked at the picture of (Name) on his desk. “ I know you can hold out a little longer. '' Mammon stood up and walked out his office to go talk with (Name), he opened their bedroom door but didn’t find them. (Name)? “ He peeked his head out of the room, as he saw a small imp servant walking with a water can. “ Hey, Mae, where is (Name)? “ Mammon asked. “ They were in the garden eating breakfast, they were feeling stuffy in the room. “ Mae said. “ Thanks, carry on with your duties or whatever you are doing. “ Mammon walked past Mae who bowed. Mammon walked out into the garden as he saw (Name) sitting at the table surrounded by the beautiful flowers while they ate breakfast.

Mammon thought they looked beautiful surrounded by the flowers and plants. How the sun shined down on them. They looked like an angel, even though Mammon hated angels. If (Name) was an angel then he would repent. Mammon walked up. (Name) turned around as they could already hear the jiggles of Mammon’s hat. “ Mon, Hi. “ They smile. That smile that Mammon loved so much. He pulled out a chair and took a seat. “ (Name) since you are better in two weeks, you’ll be performing at my niece’s grand opening of her hotel. Ya know Lucifer’s daughter who is doing that Hazbin Hotel. “ Mammon said, picking up a fork and eating off your plate. “ Oh! I heard about her hotel. I think it's sweet what she is doing but can sinners really be saved? “ (Name) asked. “ No, once a sinner always a sinner it’s why those creepy looking angels come down and kill off sinners to make room for more that die and end up here. But hey, gotta let the kid dream. Besides, if she somehow does it, Lucifer won’t be happy, he’ll probably shut it down. “ Mammon laughed. But (Name) frowned, shouldn’t a father support his daughter. But (Name) nodded their head. “ Okay, sounds great, I can’t wait to perform. “ (Name) said while drinking their coffee. “ Good! Because a lot of important people including Lucifer will be there so don’t disappoint me, you’re a bloody legend (Name)! “ Mammon stood up and walked off. (Name) sat there frozen, Lucifer? Will be there. Their heart was thumping in against their chest it felt like they had lost all color, the breaths became shallow and their hands trembled as they dropped the cup that held their coffee onto the table as it fell. Their thoughts were scattered, body tensing up. They can’t let themself down… they can’t let their mom down. (Name) closed their eyes and took a deep breath. “ I’ve got this, I got this. I’m a bloody legend. “ (Name) still trembling stood up and decided a nice day at the spa would help so they called up Verosika. (Name) would not disappoint Mammon or her mother. They would do their best to perform and make sure that nothing went wrong.

(Name) waited outside of the gates of Mammon’s palace, soon Verosika’s hot pink and white limo pulled up blasting pop music. The door opened as Verosika sat there wearing a white tub top and a matching short skirt. Her legs crossed as Striker sat next to her. “ (Name)! Ready for a relaxing spa day, I booked the best session for us. “ Verosika purrs. (Name) smiled and got into the limo. As it pulled off. Verosika could tell that (Name) wasn't themself over the phone when (Name) had called and asked for a spa day with her. “ So sweetheart, are you okay? You didn’t sound too good on the phone. “ She asked, rubbing their thumb over the (Name’s) hand. “ Yes, I’m okay… It’s just Lucifer’s daughter Charlie, she booked me as the opening and closing act at the grand opening of the hotel. I'm kinda nervous because Lucifer himself will be there and other important people. “ (Name) rubbed the back of their neck. “ I just don’t want to let Mammon down. “ (Name) looked down as Striker rolled his eyes. But he didn’t want to cause a scene. “ Do you want to perform there? “ Striker asked. “ I do, I think what Charlie is doing is sweet and I would like to be able to perform again instead of laying in bed and taking vitamins, I’m already feeling much better and will be able to be up on stage again soon. “ (Name) smiled. “ Well, as long as you want to perform then that’s fine darlin’, you’ll do great I’m sure of it. “ Striker smiled.

Meanwhile Mammon was thinking of an outfit (Name) could wear to that grand opening. Something that would match him, so that (Name) and him would look cute. Maybe other people would think that he and (Name) are a couple which is great, because if people assume that (Name) belongs to Mammon then they wouldn’t mess with (Name) or dare to even touch them. “ No, No, too plain, too baggy, ugh! Not enough flash. “ Mammon didn’t like any of the outfits that the servants brought out. “ I need something that will make me and (Name) look like a power couple. “ Mammon said. “ But you two aren’t a couple. “ Rosemary said, laying in the chair. Mammon glared at the plant demon woman. “ I know that! But that doesn’t mean others can’t know that and besides (Name) wouldn’t mind matching. “ Mammon said. “ I only called you to help because I refused to ask Asmodeus for help. “ Mammon rolled his eyes. “ Or you could man up and ask him. “ Rosemary said while drinking her tea. “ If you want to be able to attend that grand opening, then you’ll quit being a bloody drongo and help me. “ Mammon said. “ Fine… go with the outfit on the left, you can get a custom one made and tailored for (Name) it will somewhat mirror what you’ll be wearing. “ Rosemary said. “Good good, you are right. “ Mammon tossed the outfit towards the goat servant. “ Go to the tailor shop and have them craft something for me and (Name) “ Mammon said and turned towards Rosemary. “ You know the dinner worked… We had a goodnight together and cuddled in bed. “ Mammon sheepishly said. “ Oh? What happened after that? Because I know you didn’t confess since you want to lie about being a couple with (Name) especially without their knowledge. “ Rosemary rolled her green eyes. “ I couldn’t, not yet but I will soon. “ Are ya sure, you’re a bit of a duffer. “ Rosemary sighed. “ I’m trying Rose. “ Mammon sat down. “ I love them, and I will tell them at the right time. “ Mammon looked down. “ Listen, take all the time you need; just don’t take too long or else someone else will go for it. And you won’t be able to stop it, I have to go because I have some mob boss named Crimson coming in for surgery and I need the money if I’m going to look my best at the grand opening, take care Mon. “ Rosemary walked out of Mammon's office.

Mammon sat there thinking about what Rosemary said. Could someone truly come in and sweep (Name) off their feet. And he would just have to stand by and pretend to be happy. Because he can’t just say no and force (Name) to love him, that’s the last thing Mammon wanted to force upon (Name). He sighed. “ Maybe at the grand opening, I’ll confess…” Mammon poured himself a drink and pulled out his phone. His lockscreen was a picture of (Name) and him when they first met. “ (Name), I love you, will you go out with me? “ He kept repeating this but when the door opened Mammon jumped dropping his phone and glass onto the floor luckily none of them broke. He looked up and saw (Name) standing there. “ (Name) you almost stopped my hearts! “ He picked up his phone while one of the servants cleaned up the spilled drink. “ Sorry, I just got back from the spa and did a little shopping. I saw this and it reminded me of you so I got it for you. “ (Name) pulled out this small plush toy that was a green centipede. Mammon chuckled and carefully took the centipede plush toy. “ Aww, thanks (Name) this is quite special. I'll keep it on my shelf. “ Mammon stood up and walked over to his shelf and set the plush toy down next to some other items which were just simple old pictures before Mammon donned the green outfit and other nick nacks. '' Mammon, do you think I’ll do a good job at the grand opening? “ (Name) asked. Mammon turned around and saw (Name) looking at the ground, Mammon smiled and walked over. “ Of course, you’ll do great (Name) you’re a bloody… you’re a great performer, someone who knows how to bring laughter to others and I know you can do this, because you never failed a performance. “ Mammon placed his hands on (Name’s) shoulders. (Name) smiled and felt their anxiety ease just a bit. “ Thank you, Mammon. “ (Name) said. The door again slammed open as the goat servant from earlier came back. “ The matching outfits for him and (Name) are ready! “ The goat demon said. Shit shit, Mammon wanted those outfits to be a surprise. “ Matching outfits? “ (Name) looked at Mammon and then walked over to the outfits.

They ran their fingers against the fabric and picked up the outfit, they looked over at Mammon who had a nervous and flustered look. “ I love them! “ (Name) squeals. And hugged the outfit close to their chest. “ Y-You do? Great! Because I thought matching outfits would be great for business, and we’ll also look better than anyone else at the party. Maybe even better than Luci and his wife. “ Mammon teased. (Name) laughed. “ Looking better than Lilith and Lucifer, I don't think we'll be able to pull that off. “ (Name) said, setting down the outfit. “ But I don’t care what others think, because I know we’ll both look great. “ (Name) said with sparkles in their eyes. Suddenly Mammon didn’t care about looking better than anyone else at that grand opening. “ You’re right, I can’t wait to attend the grand opening with you. “ Mammon smiled. “ How about we go work on your act and then go out for lunch? “ Mammon held (Name’s) hands. (Name) nodded their head with a toothy grin, Mammon and (Name) walked out of his office holding hands, there was so much to do for the grand opening.

Mammon Tag list aka The Bloody Legends:

@hellbornediamonddreams

@mizavia

@lbcreations-blog

@sylum

@a-library-of-old

@queenfishie

@lizzywizzyeatsart

@universallyweaselwobblermuffin

@lucasisstupid

@stinkykittypet

@g0dwat3r

@polaris107

Special thank you these lovely people for supporting this series, y'all are bloody legends! I'm also sure Mammon appreciates your love and support.

If you are loving this series and wanna be added to the tag list let me know.

#helluva boss #hazbin hotel #hazbin charlie #helluva mammon #helluva verosika #helluva striker #helluva mammon x gn reader #helluva mammon x reader #helluva x gn reader #helluva x reader #helluva fanfiction #helluva fandom #helluva everlasting #fanfiction #fanfic #fan fiction #fandom #bloody legend #everlasting request 🪻

138 notes · View notes

phantomtwitch · 9 months

Text

Sooo I wrote a Part 2 for the Everyone Knows AU part of angstfest. (Anything to avoid editing my IB fic right now, apparently)

Part One of this fic is here if you missed it!

Danny sits in the passenger seat of Jazz’s car, leaning his head against the window as his Mom drives them in silence, her hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. His Dad and sister are back at FentonWorks, since his parents insisted it would be best if Danny and his Mom went alone, and it’s been hours since he’s seen any real signs of civilization. The further they travel from home the worse he feels, some nagging sense of discomfort and uneasiness that won’t relent, even as he knows this is to help him.

For over a year and a half, he’s been experiencing fainting spells and blackouts every time there’s a ghost attack. He’s lucky his friends have managed to keep it hidden from his peers at school, since he knows Dash’s bullying would only increase if he knew Danny was so terrified of the ghosts that he fainted every time one appeared. They tried to keep it from his parents, too, with his sister Jazz’s help, even as Danny couldn’t understand why. But every time he thought about telling them in the past, his jaw would lock up and the words would die before he could utter even a single syllable.

Yet now they know. He remembers waking up in the lab, not sure how he made it there, his parents sobbing as Jazz hovered in the corner, arms crossed over her chest as she watched the three of them warily. They said something to him, explained something even as they lectured Jazz, too, about keeping this a secret, but the words slipped from his fingers within minutes, and whatever confession they made was lost to him. But he can remember the fear in their eyes, the way they trembled and shook, and the odd sense that they were afraid of him rather than for him. He can remember asking if he should go to a doctor and the way they paled, adamantly refusing to bring him to anyone for weeks. It’s only now that they’ve finally agreed to bring him to see some specialist way out in Wisconsin.

It used to be that whenever this happened, something would push back in his own subconscious eventually, reassuring him that it was fine, that he was fine, that there was nothing to worry about. It would smother him like a comforter in the middle of a snowstorm, warm and inviting and soft even as it felt entirely too heavy and like he really ought to be outside helping to dig out from the blizzard instead of hiding inside beneath his covers, but he still let it, the embrace too kind and safe for him to push back against. But this time he could not forget, not when his parents flinched every time he entered a room, not when they seemed so afraid even after so many weeks. Danny wishes he knew what he did wrong, what they fear about him, why they seem to almost hate him at times. It hurts, the ache so intense that there are moments when he swears something within him is fracturing and slowly crumbling to pieces, and he hopes this specialist can help repair whatever’s been broken.

When they finally arrive, though, it’s not at a doctor’s office but a massive mansion. “Are you sure we’re in the right place?” he asks, cocking an eyebrow.

“I’m sure,” she insists as she unbuckles her seatbelt while Danny steps out of the car. Despite the bright colors and decor, something in him uncurls in his gut like a snake, rearing back and ready to strike, and Danny shivers as he fights back against the odd sensation.

The man who greets them is tall with silver hair pulled back into an elegant ponytail tied with a red silk ribbon that probably costs more than Danny’s entire wardrobe. He’s wearing a dark black suit and red tie, and the way he smiles reminds Danny of a crocodile or a shark. It’s as if he’s slime given form and Danny shudders.

“Hello, Vlad,” says Mom.

“My dearest Maddie,” he says, kissing his mother on both cheeks. “How lovely to see you after so long. And what a pleasure to meet you, young Daniel. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.” He offers him his hand and Danny shakes it, barely resisting the urge to pull away immediately since the man’s grip is too hot, like fire burns beneath his fingertips. A small, absurd part of him wonders if he’s the devil, if his parents are planning to make some terrible deal (or admit to having done so long ago given his issues), but he pushes his fears down.

“Thanks, I guess, but I don’t know anything about you,” replies Danny, and the man flinches briefly before recovering. “My Mom said you could help me with my fainting spells and blackouts, though.”

“Ah, yes. Your ‘fainting spells,’” he says bemusedly, as if in quotes, and that defensive, roiling in his gut returns, more pronounced than before.

“Vlad,” says Mom sternly. “Please. Can you help him?”

“That depends entirely on what you mean by help, but I’ll see what I can do,” he says with a small smirk, and Danny bristles even as his Mom seems satisfied with the response. “Follow me.”

The two of them walk through the massive mansion. It’s decked out in Packers paraphernalia, which seems completely at odds with the perfectly poised man in front of him. “You’re a cheesehead?” says Danny.

“Indeed. I’ve tried to buy the Packers several times, too, but to no avail,” he says, teeth gritted, and Danny suspects the man isn’t told ‘no’ very often. He worries what that means for him and his potential treatment.

“What kind of specialist are you?” he asks.

“I am technically a business owner, but I’ve done extensive research into unique types of ecto entities,” he says, watching Danny out of the corner of his eye. “Entities like yourself.”

“I’m not–I’m human,” he objects, and he can feel that buzzing, that comfortable embrace pulling on him, and he tries to resist it but finds himself unwilling to do so for long, and by the time he’s aware once more he’s standing on the stairs to a basement lab, unable to remember what Vlad’s specialty is, what else they talked about or how they even made it here.

“What did you say you specialized in?” he asks, and Vlad pauses on the stairs in front of them, turning to him with a frown.

“See?” says Mom. “I told you already, Vlad, he can’t remember for more than a minute or two.”

“Remember what?” asks Danny irritably.

“That I’m a specialist who can help you with your blackouts and medical issues,” says Vlad, and Danny frowns. That’s frustratingly non-specific, even as it’s almost certainly, technically true.

“So like a neurologist?” he presses.

“Something like that,” he says, and Danny scowls as he follows him the rest of the way into the lab, not sure why they won’t tell him the truth, not sure why he can’t remember if they already did.

The lab itself is incredibly high-tech. There’s no repurposed household items like there are in his parents’ lab, and everything is carefully organized, labeled, and tucked away. In one corner sits a massive portal, and Danny’s eyes widen as he takes in the green swirling within it, recognizing it for what it is. “You’re an ecto scientist?” he says, turning to the man as he puts on a lab coat.

“Indeed, though I specialize in many other areas, too,” he says. “Maddie, dear, why don’t you have a seat over there while I examine young Daniel?”

His Mom pauses, eyeing Vlad warily for a moment before finally relenting and taking a seat at one of the empty lab benches. “And you, child, come here,” he insists, beckoning to him like Danny’s an obedient puppy, and Danny glares as he takes a seat on the bed, crossing his arms over his chest. “I need to do a quick scan. Please lay back.”

“What kind of scan?” He won’t simply do what this man asks, not without knowing more first. Not when even his Mom looks nervous.

“Think of it like an MRI or x-ray. I promise, it’s harmless,” he says, flashing his teeth in a way that’s meant to be reassuring but is far too predatory, and Danny shivers as he looks at his Mom. She gives a small smile that’s not half as reassuring as he hoped even as she nods for him to do as Vlad says, and Danny sighs as he lays down on the bed, letting his hands rest on his stomach, his fingers twisting around in his shirt as he ignores the pounding of his heart and the sweat on his palms.

‘I’ll be fine,’ he thinks stubbornly to himself, and he feels that odd sense of warmth, of a hug from something within his chest and relaxes as Vlad wheels over some strange scanner. It moves slowly over him, hovering for a long time near where his heart and lungs are before progressing, and then Vlad sits down at a computer for a few minutes as he reviews the results, humming thoughtfully as Danny’s Mom walks over and peers over his shoulder.

“Is that . . .?” she asks, pointing to something on the screen.

“Yes. But see this? There’s disconnection here,” he says, pointing to it and moving his finger, and Danny angles his head to try and see what they’re looking at but he can’t, the screen angled away from him too much. He starts to sit up when his Mom looks at him and shakes her head, and with a sigh he lays back down, drumming his fingers on his stomach impatiently. Clearly they’ve found something, and he feels like he has a right to know what. “The pathways didn’t form properly, and if they aren’t repaired, he’s not going to survive for much longer. You can already see the damage to his internal organs.”

Danny swallows, his blood running cold. He’s going to die? He didn’t–he can’t be–

“Can you fix it?” she asks, interrupting his thoughts.

“I think so, but it may be a bit traumatic,” Vlad says, “and with the disconnection having lasted so long, I’m not certain how cooperative he’ll be when it comes to the required treatment. Still, the memory issues are more severe than they ought to be even in this case. I have my suspicions about the cause, but I’ll need to provoke him to confirm it.”

“What?” Danny’s heart is beating rapidly and he’s sitting up now, staring at them with wide eyes, unable to hold back his terror even as he can begin to feel that tug at him, that warmth, but he won’t give into it this time. He can’t. He needs to know.

“I would explain it, child, but you won’t remember,” sighs Vlad as he stands up. “Do you trust your mother?”

“I–what?” he sputters. Aside from it sounding like he’s probably dying, Danny’s still not sure what’s happening here, even as Vlad and his mom do seem to understand, and he desperately wants them to explain it to him, to tell him the truth, for someone to be honest with him just once.

“I would prefer your consent, of course, but you literally cannot give it due to your condition,” he explains, which makes absolutely no sense to Danny. “I’m asking if you trust your mother so she can at least grant it on your behalf.”

His mouth opens automatically to say that of course he trusts her, but then he pauses, the words dying on his tongue. Does he trust her? She’s brought him here with little to no explanation, and like with his sister and his friends, Danny knows nothing about why or what’s happening to him besides the blackouts. They all claim they’ve told him about it before–even this Vlad guy seems to suggest as much–but he hates that he can’t remember, hates that he has nothing to fall back on to confirm that they all have his best interest at heart beyond his own gut feeling. And his instincts right now are diametrically opposed, screaming at each other to reassure Vlad that he trusts her even as another part insists that he can’t, that he shouldn’t, that she’ll hurt him and he needs to be kept safe and he can feel that part forcibly pushing down on his ability to say yes, to let them know they can do the treatment, that they need to move forward and–

Danny blinks, struggling to remember what he was thinking about, what question he was supposed to answer. “I–sorry–can you . . . what did you say?” he whispers, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment, and Vlad tilts his head to the side.

“Interesting,” he hums. “But it does provide more proof for what I suspect is occurring. Maddie, dear, do I have your permission?”

“But he–”

“I’m not sure he can,” interrupts Vlad as Danny stares at them cluelessly, not sure what they’re talking about again. He’s lost some more time, he’s sure, but he doesn’t know why. He doesn’t think he fainted or fully blacked out, yet the last thing he can remember is laying down on the table before Vlad prepared to start the scan, and he shivers, rubbing his arms.

She turns to look at him, and then walks over, putting a hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay, hon,” she says and then she gives him a hug, squeezing him tightly, but he can feel her trembling even as she tries to reassure him. “I promise, okay?”

“I–okay,” he manages, the word choking its way past, and then she walks back to Vlad.

“Maddie, my dear, you’ll need to stay here, please,” he insists, and Mom nods as Vlad comes over with something Danny recognizes. It’s a portable ghost shield, although the design is different from the one his parents use, and Vlad presses a finger against a sensor, activating around them as Danny’s heart beats faster now and the thing in his gut rears back, ready to strike as Vlad’s eyes flash impossibly red and a set of black rings appear around his waist, and–

Danny’s body drops to the table as Phantom emerges, hissing and shrieking at the intruder and ghost before him, tackling him with his claws as his brain screams at him to protect, protect, protect! The ghost puts up a shield, eyeing him lazily as he speaks, his words full of fire and ash even as they sound human, too, smothered beneath the surface of the water. “Enough, child,” he insists, using human words, but he can see the ripples in his aura, the subtle shifts that indicate his intentions, and he pauses with his claws outstretched, ectoblast building between the black tips. “So you are sentient enough, at least, to understand. Can you speak?”

He hisses, echoes and static and chirps as his aura flares in response, letting him know that he sees the threat but that he’s unafraid, that he will protect Danny and his mother from the ghost in front of him. There are no real words, not in the way there is with human speech simply because there doesn’t need to be, his intentions and meaning clear enough for any ghost to understand.

“Ah. I thought not, based on what we saw in the scans,” he muses. Black rings appear around his waist and he shifts, the dark haired ghost with bluish skin and fire in his hands and eyes vanishing beneath a human facade. “I promise I intend no harm.”

The words mean less to Phantom now than they would’ve if Vlad spoke them before transforming. Vlad’s aura is muted this way, his intentions less clear even as Phantom can taste the ash on his tongue as the man speaks, the echo of Vlad’s otherness apparent to him, and Phantom floats forward, tilting his head around as he puts a clawed hand on Vlad’s chest to better feel the pulsing of his core beneath his flesh.

“Vlad, are you–” begins Mom, her words sounding distant and submerged beneath waves. It’s always so hard for him to hear and understand the humans that speak to him, even as he tries since he doesn’t want to hurt them. He needs to protect them. He needs to keep them safe.

“I’m quite fine,” he insists, even as Phantom hisses a warning at him. “Are you done posturing? I’m here to help you, Daniel. Or do you prefer Phantom?” Phantom’s aura flares, spiking and sending a mixture of signals. “You are not helping him.” His claws extend, pushing intangibly through his skin, grasping his core, but Vlad remains calm despite the clear threat. “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. You are disconnected from yourself this way. You leave behind your body each time, and eventually, no matter how much your friends and family intervene, you will not be able to return to it.”

He turns his head more, floating upside down, his tail spiraling behind him as he considers the words. Vlad’s core is too tightly grasped between his fingers for him to hide his intentions, and there’s truth there, at least as far as Vlad sees it, and Phantom sends a questioning chirp. “You are meant to be a single entity,” he says. “But your core is not fully connected to your biological systems. It’s created a barrier between you and Daniel, an artificial wall that should not exist, and it’s harming both of you.”

Phantom hisses reflexively, showing his sharp teeth as he lets one of his claws dig into Vlad’s core, and the man winces but otherwise hides his distress at the intrusion. “You can’t keep denying it and hiding the truth from your human half. I know you’re trying to protect him. I know you’re trying to help. But it’s hurting him. He’s confused and upset and scared. You’re leaving his body behind whenever you respond to the intruders in your haunt, as you’ve done here. You risk him being discovered, being captured by the GIW or other ghost hunters who, unlike your parents, would not be willing to try to help you. They would experiment on him, dissect him, and ultimately destroy both of you.”

“And it’s hurting him physically, too,” says Vlad. “My scans are showing damage to his internal organs and structures. If this continues for much longer, your human half will not survive. It cannot.”

He relaxes his hand, the words coming out in a whisper of echoes and static, of uneasiness and fear.

Vlad responds quietly in kind, sending an oddly comforting response from a man whose core burns with impossible anger and resentment at the world. “I know you’re worried about how he’ll manage knowing the truth of who he is. But you cannot hide it from him forever, not without destroying him and yourself. Please, child. Allow me to help you be whole again,” he says.

He withdraws his hand, sending out a questioning burst of noise, of inquiry. Because he doesn’t want Danny to die. He doesn’t want to die.

“The integration was prevented due to the interference of your family and friends,” he explains, and his Mom flinches. “Our transformation is not meant to have artificial triggers. The use of the AED to resuscitate you, to fill your core with electricity so it can artificially force the ectoplasm within your body to bring you back, has prevented it from fully bonding to your own systems and sending the spark from within itself to revive your human half upon your transformation. You must re-enter Daniel and trigger the change yourself. You must use the energy from your own core, your own essence.”

A soft, pleading whine.

“You can,” insists Vlad. “More than that, you must.”

He moves from the man, floating over to himself, to his other half, to the part that he misses and aches for every time he leaves to take care of the ghostly threats that intrude on his haunt. Reaching out, Phantom places his hand on Danny’s chest, feeling the absence of breath, the missing life that should be there, and the gentle hum of a fragment of his own core pulsing within, that keeps him whole and alive despite the loss of his spirit even if humans can’t sense it.

And with a terrified shiver, he pushes himself inside, letting him flow into the body, to not merely overshadow and reattach but become one again as he tries to seek the spark from within his core, tries to connect his spirit and body in full. He’s not sure he can, not without the external boost, and he can feel himself holding back, his worry over how Danny will handle the truth about knowing what he is, knowing that his parents almost certainly hate him and fear him, that his friends will never accept him–

“--focus,” says Vlad, and then he feels someone gripping Danny’s hand and he opens Danny’s eyes, expecting the half-ghost, but it’s not Vlad.

It’s his Mom.

“Please, son,” she whispers, tears burning in her eyes. “Please.”

And he mumbles something in response, his aura flickering as he speaks in a language she can’t understand, and he feels her grip Danny’s hand–their hand, his hand–more tightly, trying to reassure him, to let him know he’s okay, he’s safe, that they love him and care about him as he–

–Danny blinks, gasping as he sits up, clutching at his chest. It hurts, like ice and lightning and fire pouring through his veins and he wants to scream even as it feels right, as a bright light passes over him and he shifts, feeling oddly weightless and absent for a moment before they pass over him again and he shifts once more, back to being heavy and human and present. It’s painful and terrifying yet oh so right, and somehow, that makes it worse.

And he sits for a moment, hand still clutching his chest even as his mother hasn’t let go of his other hand, as his world crashes around him, as he remembers who they are, who he is, what he is. As his memories he’s kept from himself in an effort to protect his human half crash back, slamming into him impossibly hard, moments spent in ghost fights and then burrowing himself inside his own helpless corpse as his friends were forced to endure the burden of caring for him and protecting him, and Danny lets out a keening wail that’s neither human nor ghostly in its sound but some odd blend of the two.

“I’m a monster,” he whispers, sobbing as his shoulders shake, and his Mom shifts, moving to hold him tightly to herself.

“Oh, hon,” she says, but no words follow, no gentle affirmations that she loves him, no denials about him being the horrifying creature he knows they’ve seen him as, that they’ve hunted and shot at and threatened to experiment on and–

“It’ll be okay,” she says, interrupting his spiraling thoughts as she strokes his hair. “We’ll figure it out, Danny. I promise.”

Maybe someday he’ll believe her.

#angstfest2023 #danny phantom #dp fanfiction #my writing #everyone knows au #electric core au #if you squint #corpse au even if you don't #I want to edit this and post it to AO3 at some point but that will require coming up with a fic title #Sooooooooo #we'll see

191 notes · View notes