Hey guys sorry for the constant Secret Life SMP reblogs I have this for you while I go insane about those other guys💥

[CLICK FOR BETTER QUALITY!!!]

(Likes and Reblogs are appreciated!!)

Soooo I was sucked into Poppy Playtime again because of these goobers!! I don’t think I’ve ever posted Poppy Playtime stuff on here before, buttt I think I will now, I just wish the fandom was a bit bigger and more lively lmao 🤣

Catnap is my #1 favorite, then DogDay, then KC, and then Hoppy! I love the others too, but Bubba and Crafty are so hard to draw atm. I just need to practice more with them!😓

{Colorless Lines Below!!}

Headcannons for them below too!!!

———————

Some headcannons in the show universe cause I’m feeling fun:

- Catnap is the youngest! DogDay is the oldest of the crew! Their age order goes (oldest to youngest) DogDay, Bubba, Picky, Kickin, Crafty, Bobby, Hoppy, Catnap!

- Catnap doesn’t talk much, but he can. Just with a low voice that tends to be calming, and very sweet sounding. He usually just points, says short answers like yes or no, and nods.

- While Kickin (or KC) is the most egocentric and confident, Hoppy is the most energetic and tends to like talking people’s heads off, which causes them to butt heads at times, all while Picky tends to be the usual third wheel, often just quietly eating.

- Crafty is the most creative while Bubba is the most thoughtful and intelligent, which usually allows them to have deep, meaningful conversations of the wonders of life together.

-Crafty is the shyest out of the bunch, usually drawing with Catnap calmly, sharing her creations with him or hanging out with Bubba.

- Bobby and Picky tend to share their love for the world together, usually playing dress up with each other, talking about crushes. or cooking of course! Bobby always has something lovely to share and Picky, in contrast to her name, always is open to trying something new, as long as she thinks she may like it.

- In contrast to the canon, all of the crew just magically woke up in the Playcare, with no memories of before they opened their eyes to the colorful world around them. DogDay and Bubba were the first to appear, Picky, Crafty and Kickin spawning after, Bobby and Hoppy spawning together and Catnap spawning alone. There seems to be no way out, so the crew just embraces their situation and tries their best to not think about it too much.

- Catnap was the last and most unexpected to spawn in. From the time he opened his eyes to the new world around him, he had felt like something was off, like he didn’t belong there. While most of the others treated him nice, some of the crew were uneasy about his sudden appearance, seemingly years after the last of the previous arrivals had spawned in.

- Catnap begins to grow close to DogDay, almost becoming like his little brother. They spend the most time together, due to DDs kindness and warm welcoming energy towards him on his arrival! Also them both noticing they wore opposite necklaces, Cat being the moon and DD being the sun helped with that connection too!

- Kickin doesn’t really like or trust Catnap much, and doesn’t try to hide it, making snarky remarks and comments to clearly express his dislike for him.

- Catnap is super playful with the others, his best friends being Dog Day, Hoppy and Crafty! He tends to move like a ghost, the crew not usually noticing they are in his presence until they turn around! A lot of times, he hangs by his tail on the trees to say hello, or can be found in the fields laying in the grass and sleeping.

- Cat can sleep anywhere that is a surface, and is not wet.

- Every once and while, Cat swears he can see a skinny, metallic hand in the shadows, beckoning his attention. He’s tried to bring it up to the others, but they either think he’s acting weird, insane, or tell him not to worry about it.

———————

If you want to hear more, my asks are open!!! And I will be drawing them inbetween my Absolutely Chapters for Murder Drones, which I am STILL working on and Chapter 4 is coming out soon!! Promise, I didn’t forget, things have just been busy!!

ALSOOOOO New Murder Drones Comic for King Solver N coming this weekend 👀👀👀 Perhaps some angst or something fun?

OMG REO FIC REO FIC!!!!! oouuughhhhh that was SOOOO cute and funny and heartwarming i loved it so much!!! reo's such a loser HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHA but a charming one! you wrote him super well!! he's boyish and sweet and kind of goofy like did he spend the entire night writing up that 15 page contract ??? did he get someone else to do it???? did he just have one on him just in case he ever got a partner to fake date with?? why is he daunted by the supermarket.... this guy .... i bet when the sprinklers go off at the vegetable/fruit section he screams. what a nerd. who wears watches in this economy (lovingly)

i loooooove the reader insert for this fic! they perfectly embody the youthful summer spirit of a student (you can tell im getting older with this sentence. ough *back cracking sfx*) they're so silly but also so nice!! the banter with reo was so perfect!! if i was reo i'd also fall for them too.... i want my date to take me to the grocery market and reward me with chocoshrooms.... 😳 also reader's older siblings being nosy and irritating is SOOO fucking funny. one of my favorite tropes!!

the kiss scene the kiss scene 🥹🥹🥹 them falling over in a fountain is so romcom of you .... i love it!! and the confession and the actual kiss tasting like gross water filled with lead HEHGNDNSEJWJWHDYDM and them getting chased by the police is truly a cherry on top 💖💖 congrats to reo for finally getting another topic to talk about 🙏 (football, nagi, and now reader)

(referencing this fic)

AHHHHHH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS ASK!!! I REREAD IT SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF HOW SWEET IT WAS!!! I'M SO GLAD YOU ENJOYED MY REO FIC HEHE <3 my silly little goober....

Reo is a charming loser!!! I'm not fooled by any of his speeches or his attitude. I mean, look at him. He has wet cat written all over his face... He probably did spend all night typing and retyping that 15 page contract and printing it out only for reader to go "I'm not reading all that" HAHA. He thinks he's cool. He acts like he's cool. But he's so squishy and underneath that facade is a dripping pathetic wet cat of a guy......

Reader was such a joy to write!! I'm so so so glad you like them, too!! I just thought a more peppy headstrong reader would work so well with Reo bc they would just see through all his crap while also being emotionally intelligent enough to support him... They both take care of each other, haha! Their older siblings were super fun to write bc I know their household is chaotic as hell!! A huge change of page for single child Reo!!!! (It's okay... I feel you on being older lol... my hs days feel so far behind me..... we're withering away together....)

I wanted Reo and reader's first kiss to suck LMAO. Nagi and Chigiri both have such sweet kiss scenes in their fics, and I thought Reo having a disastrous one would fit the romcom vibes!! It's ok bc he'll have plenty of excuses to kiss them again!! I also wanted to change up the pace a little <3 they're also running from the police for disturbing the public order HAHA like what a messy duo... I'm sure reader is enjoying themself while Reo is freaking out!!!!

Reo would say he actually talks about four things (soccer, nagi, reader and the economy) but this is not actually the flex he thinks it is......

What would you say makes Tara and Rocky compatible with each other? What does Rocky find attractive in Tara? What does Tara like in Rocky?

Oh god you're asking a severely ace person about why a relationship works this will not go well

So just to be fair, the pups in the show don't have much personality. Like out of the first 2 seasons (where they had the most character and was honestly up to the point I could sit through the show) these were all the notes I got:

Chase: He’s allergic to both cats and feathers, also flowers. He can be a bit panicky at times. Thinks spooky cursed things are cool. Cries at weddings but won’t admit it. Scared of the dentist but kinda got over it.

Marshall: Good with animals and is very awkward, often speaking when he should keep quiet. Birds REALLY like him. He sometimes struggles with self-confidence and can be really hard on himself when he makes a mistake. He appears to be frightened by snakes or at least big ones. Thinks ghosts and creepy stuff is cool. Scared of flying.

Skye: Likes dressing up for Halloween and spa days. She loves animals though, thinks they’re all super cute. Loves weddings, thinks they’re very exciting. Was sprayed by a skunk before. Scared of eagles.

Rubble: Loves kittens and skateboarding. Sleeps with blinders. Is kinda cowardly of “monsters”. Also thinks old “cursed” ruins are cool. Enjoys naps and adores food. Scared of spiders. Is a DDR MASTER

Zuma: Really likes snacks. Loves legends (specifically Merpups). Also super good at DDR

Rocky: Bit of a morning grump. Hates getting wet. Is a packrat. Is a little scared of wolves.

Everest: Little bit sassy, gets lonely though. She likes jokes and is hungry all the time, her favorite food being liver. She’s a bit of a showoff at times.

This is why fanon interpretations are inconsistent, the pups are usually just generic "nice" without any discernible traits. (This is why Sweetie was such a breath of fresh air. Go forth, sassy queen).

You might notice Zuma and Rocky have the least notes, which means they have the least to go off of. I generally try to stay as close to canon as I can, but I also somewhat feel unqualified to talk about compatibility with a character who's entire personality is hoarding trash and hating baths.

So, let me define my fanon interpretation of Rocky:

He still loves fixing and saving things, but it actually becomes a bit of a problem how much stuff he refuses to let go. Of course with his environmental job, he also likes gardening, a hobby he gets his kids into and even Rita likes helping with, though Kino usually runs the show. He just loves spending time with kids and educating people on how to take care of our planet. He's also a little goofy (maybe not intentionally, but it's hard not be a goober when your hobbies include hoarding literal garbage) and slightly awkward if he gets nervous. He does hate water, but he's able to overcome it when someone he cares about is in danger. He loves his friends and would go to the ends of the earth for them.

Actually that might be why he and Tara get on. He IS her friend and cares about her. It's important to note that they were best friends before dating. Byte kinda became the team dad and looked after her, but Rocky saw someone who needed a friend and didn't give up on her.

They'd work together, Tara would sarcastically tease him and he grew fond of it, even teasing her back on occasion. He'd love seeing Tara in her environment going nuts over a rock, allowing him to learn even more about nature. They probably had a few dates grabbing a bite at Mr. Porter's Tara didn't even realize were dates because she just enjoyed hanging out and eating with a friend.

I don't know if I can say at what point attraction hit Rocky or even what it was, but he knew he wanted to spend his life with her. Tara adored their bond and decided that was fine with her.

Maybe that's not the answer you were looking for, but it's about the best one I can give.

HELLOO, JUST FOUND OUT HOW ANONYMOUS ASKS WORK SO IM GOING FOR EVERYONE THAT I HAVE WANTED TO COMPLIMENT FOR THEIR ART 👊💥 (/j I don't want to fight anyone)

TO START OFF, YOUR GEM IN LIMITED LIFE ART WITH ETHO LOOKING LIKE THIS ABSOLUTELY SOGGY WET CAT. HE LOOKS SO PATHETIC AND SQUISHABLE /POS LITERALLY THIS: ◉_◉

NEXT UP, THE BUMBLEBEE ART WITH THE BLOODY NECK. IT LOOKS SO COOL I LOVE IT DESPITE NOT BEING THAT INTERESTED IN TRANSFORMERS SINCE I WAS 11 OR SOMETHING

ALSO THE BDUBS ART FOR DAY 11 OF THE HERMITTOBER. I WANT TO SQUISH HIM SO BAD /POS

ALSO IVE ALREADY SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT THE GEM AND PEARL ART. GEM LOOKS SO SQUISHY LIKE MOCHI. I COULD SQUISH HER FACE /POS

ALSO THE BDUBS AND ETHO SKATING ART. I HOLD SO DEARLY TO MY HEART. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

AND BDUBS ANIMATED IS SO ADORABLE, ITS LIKE PUPPY DOG EYES. SO SPARKLY

I actually love your Etho and Bdubs art so much, they're so adorable

ALSO THE MUMBO BUTTERCUPS ART, SUCH A LITTLE GUY

MARTYN FOR DAY 3 OF HERMITTOBER IS ALSO ONE OF MY FAVORITES

ANYWAYS, HAVE A GREAT AND AMAZING DAY/NIGHT \o/

(also i'm gonna eat the silly goober from your story's eyes)

STOP IT

STOP IT RN

IM GONNA CRY

TEARS

EVERYWHERE

YOUR FAULT!!!

HOW DARE YOU

ASKDNSKSNSKASJFJEBDJWBDJBEDISBWOSMWOFBWAKSNAKSNWIXBWISBWIDHQLDNROCHWOWJEASHSDJSJANSQMEAWKWIAA

(Also pls do not eat my eyes, I need those, there's nothing else on my face ☹)

Peach Bottom - Chapter Two

<-ch1-    -ch3->

The door slammed shut behind her. She locked it, even though that wouldn’t do any -

Xena had screamed. Shit, Goober was barking - Xena darted out from the bedroom, face twisted up with worry. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt and boxers. She wasn’t -

“Change,” Tye said, and then bit her tongue when Xena flinched, “I mean, I need you to - to change, Sugar, put on something more durable, hurry.”

“What? What’s happening? Ma, I heard-”

“I know! I know! So I need you to change now, Xena, right now.”

She had seen them down the street - two human officers in riot gear and one copbot blinking like a sentinel, this small force leading the Waters family out at gunpoint with barely more than backpacks. Mr. Waters sobbing, pleading, Bet Waters yelling, throwing her stuff down and holding out a hand to stop her kids from taking that last step down and away from their home. Running at the cop leading her husband with nothing more than her small fists and they’d taken the gun and -

It had been a phasor with a stun setting. But that meant ‘mild’ brain damage, minimum. And it had a kill setting, too. Tye didn’t know. Didn’t know which one had been used right there, in front of Bet Waters’ children and husband. The fact that a gun had been used on her at all meant -

Tye dumped the largest compartment of Xena’s backpack out. Neat little binders tumbling, pencils falling - went into Xena’s room where she had changed into jean shorts and was buttoning a flannel with hands quaking like terrified birds, her thick glasses askew, oh my baby, can’t worry about that now, no - collected Xena’s pajamas, a more durable change of clothes, went into the kitchen and dumped in all the insulin and regulation tablets, all the snacks that kept-

The door slammed open. Xena screamed again and Tye ran out just as two officers walked methodically in, the bot hovering outside, its red eye glowing like a coal.

Goober lunged for one and they took aim and Tye yelled at top volume “GOOBS, HEEL,” and thank god, thank god, thank god she did, she stopped, they stopped. Xena fell forwards onto her dog, holding her, shielding her with her own body, as if that would’ve stopped them.

“You have ten minutes to pack what valuables you need before we escort you to a designated holding area.”

“What’s happening?” Tye asked, trying, failing to keep her voice steady, calm, nothing too hard.

“All squatters in this district are being evacuated due to flood risk. More will be explained at the holding area. Do not attempt to hide any member of this household inside the house; they will be in serious danger of accidental harm. If discovered, they will be arrested for disorderly conduct.”

“We only have ten minutes? It’s not even raining yet!” Tye said, pleading, voice rising to a shout without her permission, and when the cop looked at her his face was blank, eyebrows just a little together, a hint of annoyance.

“You now have eight. Stop talking and pack.”

“You’ve had more than enough time to do it already,” the other one muttered.

Tye turned to Xena, shivering on the floor, still wrapped around a low, growling Goober. Tye’s heart thrummed hard in her throat. “Sweet pea, go set Goober up with her special harness and pack. Now.”

Xena nodded, stumbled to her feet. Dragged her monster of a dog over to the corner table where her things were kept.

Tye backed out of the room, keeping her eyes on them for as long as she could, backed into the kitchen and dropped in Goober’s food, a large water bottle, her own favorite tin cup, and -

She glanced back. The cops were still preoccupied with Goober, who was still staring them down as Xena shakily attached her collar and little pack.

And a stunner. One from back in the day. A small, simple stunner zipped down into Xena’s dark purple backpack with the duct tape on the bottom, safety pins reinforcing the left strap, she’d said it made her look ‘punk’ and that she liked it and didn’t need a new one, like Xena was ‘punk.’

Like Xena was someone who could wield any kind of weapon.

For a moment it all seemed to crush up into her head, a pressure, her breath going faster, the familiar feeling rising, but no, she couldn’t, no.

“One minute warning!”

Tye grabbed her own meds off the table and shakily took one for the first time in weeks. Shoved them in her pocket and at the last second grabbed her harmonica from off the table, dropped that into Xena’s bag for herself, the only things she really needed, the only things for herself she’d had for two years at one point, it didn’t matter, for her it didn’t matter, but for Xena-

“Ten minutes are up! Move out.”

The shorter cop was around her age. He came from that, too, then, came from where she’d come from, but had stayed cold, had stayed there, and that gave her more fear than anything else they’d done so far, save for aiming those guns at Goober.

They were marched out the door and down the street to a huddle of their neighbors at the end, some still in pajamas and robes, all clutching backpacks and bundles and hastily packed suitcases. A little boy was holding a cat. There was blood in front of the Waters’ house, probably (please) from a nosebleed, but no sign of Bet. Mr. Waters was crouched down and clutching his confused and sobbing children, his face stony and pale. Martha cried silently beside them, a falling-apart sunflower duffle clutched in her arms. Three guards circled their huddle, all armored up, all with guns level.

Tye brought them to Mr. Waters and Martha; dropped her hand down on Mr. Waters’ shoulder.

Somewhere, shots rang out again. He and Xena both flinched. And then again, and then yelling, rapid firing, the second sound definitely not regulation phasors. Tye’s hand gripped. She dropped down and whispered in his ear, “Someone’s fighting back.”

He nodded. He was a gentle man, very soft, taught the local preschoolers, but he whispered, “Good,” back at her in a voice that snapped in the air. She stood again, wrapped an arm around Xena, who was pushing against her side like she was a little kid again, asking to be picked up.

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Xena whispered. Behind her glasses, her eyes were scrunched practically closed, “We don’t have to fight. We can just sit down! Peaceful resistance; we don’t have to fight-”

“Shh, baby, shh,” Tye said. She didn’t know what else to say.

All their doors were open in a row, down the street - each a different color, the ramshackleness of ground houses lovingly spruced up with paint, murals on the side of some, all of them gutted like fish. No lights on. It took Tye a moment to realize they hadn’t had lights on in their house - had only had the TV, which had gone out, and Xena’s comp - Xena’s comp that wasn’t tied into any grid, but it’d still gone out, so it must’ve been something on purpose then, some tool used to blow out all electronics. She looked up, though she didn’t need to, to see the towers - shining pillars of light like always. Unaffected.

Electronic disruption surges. They had used them during the war, something to fuck up tracking systems on one plane but not another, but why now? Why use it now?

So that they couldn’t… what?

Film?

Tye was an empty vessel, consciousness like a tethered hawk overhead, circling, looking down on their huddled crowd, their street, so lovely and familiar and bleeding, on Xena shivering in her arms, soft warm wind brushing over them all as if from another moment, another kind of existence. Her lungs were huge and her heart was nowhere, pushed out, or maybe with Xena, in Xena’s hand on her arm, gripping so tightly.

“Move!”

The crowd was moving around her. The street had been cleared, all their houses empty. Now they were being lead along the main road down to the town center - dark, streetlights all gone out, even the huddled trailers in the empty lot gaping, the brick row houses, the shacks taking up the right side of the street - they were shuffled along quickly, all of them trying to keep the pace of the guards, and as they approached their destination, it got noisier.

The old traffic circle-converted-to-market-area had been cleared, tables thrown off to the side in a pile, stands that had been there for years unmoored and shoved away. All of it forming what couldn’t have been an accidental barricade, all streets except two cut off. One street, Tye could see, brimming with busses. Actual old-fashioned land-roving buses, painted an unassuming grey, roofs glinting with solar panel shells.

The only lights still on were new ones, stage lights set up to face the steps up to the large church that’d been somewhat repurposed as a town hall/community center for the weekdays. There was a green sheet backdrop hanging down before the doors, covering the mural Tye and Martha had helped paint last year, and a white podium before it.

There were people huddled under trees, children crying, adults crying, hunched elderly people being held up by their children and neighbors. Little crowds here and there were grouped near the back, as far away as they could be from the podium. From the cops.

Those were gathered beside the makeshift stage, surrounded by their parked bikes, barricaded again by a row of six copbots gleaming in the dark like wet teeth, shields deployed. One small craft hovered near them, windows tinted. She could tell without knowing who was inside that they were important - she recognized a news anchor pod near the front, a cameraman and some sound folks and assistants waiting. Plus, the craft was higher, hovered at top-of-stair height, podium height, not their height.

Right before the steps, the citizens of Mt. Danu were boiling.

Confusion, but also - rage, also - resistance, a thriving knot of it, right there at the front, and as they approached, the craft door opened and out stepped Admiral Carver, mayor of Philadelphia.

‘This is the end,’ Tye realized. Any question of where they would be standing shriveled and died in her mind. She pulled Xena into the throng, which had only quieted for a shocked moment in the face of the mayor before starting up again, tenfold.

“-the meaning of this?! Answer us! We need an answer, we deserve-”

“-pull us from our homes, terrify our children-”

“- treated like criminals! We do not deserve to be treated like criminals! We do not-”

Carver smiled tight-lipped like no one was yelling, like it was a different place he was at, like it didn’t matter.

Tye took a deep breath and then joined as the second voice of the chant of the woman behind her, who she recognized as Hava, one of the witches at the local coven and the wife of the local Rabbi. The woman was in a pale pink robe and wearing boots, her bag clutched in one hand and one hand in the air as she continued her shout, “When our homes are under attack what do we do?” and Tye joined, her voice raw as an exposed nerve, “Stand up! Fight back!”

More people joined after a few rounds, and before the encompassing wave of it being the central chant, Tye recognized Xena’s small voice among them, saw her daughter’s face go from ‘scared’ to ‘angry,’ and felt pride like mourning, like grief. Oh, Xena.

“What do we do?”

“Stand up!”

“Fight back!”

What do we do?”

Stand up. Fight back.

Back when the war first started, Tye and Zenia - her girlfriend at the time - had managed to sneak off to a few anti-war protests. They’d skipped school and ended up in the streets of this same city, so weird to think about now, that she hadn’t known it would become home, but they’d marched with the rest of the protesters. Their voices had risen like a wave, an electric energy tingling down her spine, her rage suddenly a solid thing in the air, hovering like a god, supported by all their collected belief that what was happening was wrong.

And the unexpected thing - she had felt so safe, safer than she’d felt in months with the draft looming over their young heads. In this crowd of thousands, all yelling, it had seemed impossible that such a force would fail to change things in time. Their voices one instrument, the smell of sweat and human breath in the air like they were all one animal, Zenia’s fist clenched in hers, the worst of life still ahead of them. She hadn’t even realized.

Now. Now the god was a raw and bloody thing, and their rage was like an incandescent glass shield cracking down the center, all of her scraped away to support it but her body still suspended and empty. Doors. Their doors open like the mouths of dead fish, lined up around the square, their voices rising, screaming, Stand up! Fight Back! and the police muttering to one another, Admiral-Mayor Carver’s mouth in a thin line, practically bored by them and their desperation.

“When our homes are under attack -”

Someone held a microphone to a speaker and there was an electronic scream, bursting like a bomb through their voices, scattering them as people covered their ears and yelled.

The cameras turned on, facing the mayor.

He grinned, holding a hand to his ear, “Jeez, be more careful with that thing, will you?” he said, stepping up to the podium. He smiled, seemingly at them, and nodded. Four cops stood behind him, all of them more cleaned up than the others that surrounded their huddle, all of them with gleaming next generation phasers with the stunner light glowing bright on the side facing the camera. The old phasers, the ones primarily in use, had no such indicator of setting.

“When our homes are under attack, what do we do?!” Hava yelled, but she was quickly hushed by those around her. The cops, off to the side and away from the cameras, shifted upright and scanned immediately through the crowd, one prowling forward a bit, a bubble of space surrounding him as their neighbors parted, backed away. Tye bit her tongue, hard, rage boiling under her skin, but she didn’t talk, didn’t talk because of Xena, and because of herself, because of her own dumb mortal fear, and because she wanted to know like the rest of them, know why.

“Citizens of Philadelphia,” Admiral-Mayor Carver said, and he said it like a gentle concession, patronizing, “Due to the threat of an oncoming storm and the likelihood of flooding during the coming spring season, this area is being evacuated.”

Jeers, yells, liar!

“As it is also land owned by SkyLife Corporations,” Carver said, voice rising hard and low over the fray, “It is indeed true that, in all likelihood, they will attempt to begin work on their development before the rains start. I keep no secrets from you.”

“These are our homes!” Someone in front yelled. 

There was movement with the cops, but unexpectedly, Carver said, “No, let her talk.”

Someone Tye had never seen, and Tye had seen everyone in this goddamn pea pod of a neighborhood, stepped up onto the first step and was handed a microphone. She was an old Black woman, stooped a little, wearing thick glasses and a floral print dress, not at all dressed like she’d been yanked from her bed and given ten minutes to prepare. There was confusion in the crowd, but the cameras turned on her.

“These structures are no longer classified as homes,” Carver said, voice suddenly gentle, “They’ve been flooding for years; these streets have been flooding every season for years, you must know that.”

“I do,” the woman said, “I do know, I know better than you! Why, I’ve been livin here my whole dang life!”

Carver smiled in a vacant, posed kind of way, “Which I understand must make it hard to let go of. But the fact is, this is for your own safety. Think about it - grounder children get sick more frequently, electrical and plumbing problems occur more often, and there’s more violence down here where the streets aren’t monitored the way the halls of the towers are.”

“Well that’s all dandy,” the woman said, “But I sure can’t afford to move to the towers!”

“You know,” Carver said, “the money SkyLife paid each of you for your homes is just enough for a downpayment in a Microsoft tower unit!”

“Oh, well,” the woman said, “That was so long ago… I spent it soon as I got it! I guess I wasn’t thinking ahead.”

It was at this point when the crowd’s general suspicions that this was all bullshit became searing, offended certainties, and the hushed whispers rose to an incredulous roar.

When Carver spoke, his voice had risen to its famously deep, booming tenor, “Well, I’m not the best with money either,” a grin, “That’s why I’m not treasurer!”

The actress playing the old woman giggled.

“Lucky for you - and anyone else who maybe didn’t invest in the best ways - Nomstamo Industries has graciously offered you all a place with them! That’s right folks, that means a home, a job, and healthcare, all in one!”

“Lies!” Hava bellowed, her voice huge for someone in a bathrobe.

The bots blipped. The closest one begane scanning. Two human cops started again to pick through the crowd towards them, and Tye turned, grabbing Hava’s arm, “Are you crazy?” She hissed, pulling the lady back a bit. Luckily, she wasn’t alone - the crowd got thicker where the cops were trying to push through. Around them, voices were rising again.

“Am I crazy?” Hava said to her, voice cracking with strength, not caring about being detected, “A mega-farm known for its violations of human rights is harvesting workers from the helpless, fueling their workhouses, apparently asking nothing in return. Why aren’t you suspicious? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Tye felt a humiliated kind of rage stir, and she wordlessly raised the hand holding Xena’s. Hava’s eyes softened. “Well, I don’t have a young child.” She said. And then yelled, “We’ve all heard about Nomstamo! We know what we’re being offered!”

Carver was staring directly at her, mouth still drawn in that tight, bland smile. He turned and nodded to an officer before turning his attention back to the actress. The woman, before the cameras, was thanking them profusely. Then the lights went off, the news pod whizzed up and away, and it was then, after that, that the officers to the side began to push through the crowd in earnest.

Heart on fire with the traitorous effort of it, Tye gripped Xena with one hand and Martha with the other, dragging them back.

“They give you a home if you work! They give you healthcare if you work! And we’ve all heard the stories, we all know that they give you a stipend so small you can barely afford to feed yourself with it, much less your children!” Hava was still yelling, head held high, and Tye rarely went to church, hadn’t been to any kind of religious service since Dom had died, but she could see in that moment, so clearly, how this woman could summon faith to a room. How the rafters of the community center must fill with her voice like nature, how a crowd could come to a stand-still, like this one, her words like vines, growing over them, taking over, “And then they say ‘we have a food-loan, here, take this, you can work off what you owe next month,’ and you work, you work night and day until your hands are cracked and bleeding, and it’s still not enough, it’s not ever gonna be enough because it’s not designed to work that way! The point is to lock you down!”

Roars from the crowd. The cops were moving quicker, shoving now that the cameras were off, headed straight for Hava, and Tye was gripping Martha and Xena so tightly she must be hurting them, tethering herself, do not step forward, do not fight-

“And what alternative do you suggest?” Carver called across the crowd to her with a sneer.

“Anything!” Hava yelled, “Anything else!”

The cop had reached her. Others jumped forward, but he grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked, and her feet went out under her, an oof, yells, and Tye suddenly realized with a shocking clarity that she couldn’t do this.

She turned to Xena, squeezing her arm once, and whispered, ‘Stay here,” and then dove forward, maneuvering herself between the cop and Hava in one quick motion, relying on surprise as she’d learned, being rather tiny in a war full of giants, and shoved the witch out of the way.

Instantly, Hava was taken into the crowd, pushed back, hidden by a wall of linked arms, faces of scraped out rage, and Tye felt the bat in the air before it came down on her head, whizzing. She collapsed, reality twisting up before her eyes, pain so deep it rattled her ears, and was kicked out of the way in one motion. Xena was screaming “Ma? Ma, what happened?” Arms were on her, pulling her back, voices rising, another person running at the cop, this one audibly shocked, spasming, collapsing before the bot, which started to whine its high-pitched alert, charging itself again for another charge. More neighbors rose up immediately though, the cop going down in the crowd, the bot flung back before it could take out someone else, and Tye knew, abruptly, what was about to happen.

She grabbed Xena by the collar and yanked it up before the cans hit the ground, before gas exploded out of them and the screams turned to hacking, coughing fits, cries of agony, Carver disappearing into his craft up ahead. They ran, all stumbling, but there was nowhere to go, all of them stopped at the blockade, now fronted with more cops.

Another voice bellowed into the microphone - an officer with a hard face and badges gleaming on his chest. “Those that have a legal, flood-safe residence they can stay at for a period of two weeks at least can line up on the left to have that situation validated. Those that are taking advantage of Nomstamo’s housing program can line up on the right to begin boarding buses. The third option is Homeless Citizen Rehabilitation Facilities.” Prison. The third option was prison.

There were cries from the crowd, yells, sobbing. People huddled together, families arguing about what to do, voices at a frenzied pitch.

Martha was crying, hand over her mouth. Xena’s eyes were shut and streaming from gas, her arms around her mother, supporting more of Tye than Tye wanted her to, Goober helplessly rubbing her eyes with her paws and whining, the gas still stinging. Mr. Waters had thought like Tye, pulling his children’s shirts up over their faces just in time, but he himself was red-eyed and vicious looking, now, rage all over him, eyes streaming, and from inside their shirts the kids were crying again.

Tye spoke quietly, like anyone could hear them from where they were, “We’re running.”

“What?” Mr. Waters said, voice shaking, “How? Even if we get past all this, where will we go?”

“Doesn’t matter. Out. Out of Philly.”

“But… the wall-”

“It doesn’t matter! We gotta do it, so we’ll do it. Simple as that.”

She looked closely at all of them. They were hazy through the poison on her eyes, stinging clouds of loved ones, but she could see Waters hesitant, Martha determined, and Xena, darling Xena, fierce and terrified.

Rage like poison, helpless poison.

“I can’t,” Waters said finally, “I’m going with Nomstamo.”

“What?” Xena whispered, the word almost like a sob.

“You can’t!” Martha said, frantic, “You heard what Hava said!”

“You know what life you’re signing yourself and your children up for,” Tye said, trying to keep calm, “You know what’s waiting.”

“Maybe,” said Waters, “it’s an exaggeration. I know it won’t be easy to get out, I know. But not impossible, I don’t think it’d be impossible. At least I know what’s waiting for me. I don’t know what’s out there.”

“Something better, at least! It’s not all chaos and violence like they say it is outside the walls, you know that, I grew up out there, it’s not-”

He shook his head. His hands were still holding his girls’ shirts up over their heads, both of them clinging to him, and behind him, Tye could see people organizing again, huddled groups, a few already obediently lined up. They didn’t have much time. “See,” Waters said, “you did grow up out there, and now you’re here. What does that say? It might not be something better. To me it just sounds like a struggle either way. But I know this struggle. I know. I know my kids won’t get shot while we’re running. I know we’ll have a bed to sleep in tonight. And I know… I know my wife will be able to find us, if… when she gets out. They said she’s in the hospital, that they took her for medical attention, and-”

His voice was reaching a pitch again, and Tye leaned forward and hugged him quickly, shutting him up, squeezing hard, “I understand,” she whispered, even though she didn’t. “I get it, it’s ok.”

They all hugged him and his kids. They’d honestly never talked much before - Tye’d watched their daughters a few times, and Martha helped out at the preschool, but they were by no means friends. But this night felt like it had already lasted a week, and he’d been there through it all with them.

Behind them, sudden shouts. Two surges from bots - two more spasming bodies hitting the ground. More phasor fire. Screaming.

“Now,” Tye hissed, “we have to move now.”

And apparently they weren’t alone - as the struggle by the buses grew, four more huddled groups shot off in two directions, all towards the barricades that led to other streets. There was yelling, another canister was dropped up front where the fight was, a gentle wind sucking the gas towards them, and though diluted, Tye coughed, hacking, her head throbbing, still moving, but not fast enough. Martha - Martha wasn’t fast enough. She felt the woman go down beside her, and it took Tye only a second, a second of feeling Xena’s hand in hers and the rolling storm of horror behind them for her to decide ‘keep going.’

They were almost to the barrier.

A shout behind her. Stomping feet. And then someone collided with her, and she spun before she hit the ground hard with her knees, and then Xena was yelling, pulling her up, not moving, not running, and Tye pushed upwards and shoved Xena off, forward, as behind them, the cops started barking orders, more phasor fire, Tye screamed, “Run! Just run! I’m right behind you!” And shoved her girl ahead, Goober already pulling her, but Xena waited until Tye was back on her feet to listen, tried to grab her mother’s hand again, but Tye batted it away, shoved again, ran with her a few steps before -

Something hit her shoulder, hard. ‘Phasor fire,’ she thought. But unconsciousness didn’t come. Just a blink, up and then down with no memory of in-between, the blink just enough that she didn’t put her arms forward, didn’t try and catch herself, hit the ground knees, stomach, heart, chin.

Up, and then down, gasping like a dying fish, all the air pushed out of her, and Xena, Xena disappeared in an instant.

Tye pushed to her hands and knees, crawling forward, a burst of pain as someone stepped on her hand, a fresh, frozen wave of terror crashing over her, not knowing if she should yell ‘wait’ or ‘run,’ not sure what a good mother was supposed to do here if there’s danger behind but also ahead, if she’s alone, she can’t be alone, but then someone tripped over her and they both went down again, the choice taken from her, and then there was a stamping pressure on her back, a foot to her head as someone else stumbled over, screaming and pressure and no air, no air -

The world went fuzzy, and then dark.

The last thing she felt were hands on her arm, nails digging in like claws, and the pavement moving under her, bare knees dragging in a burning scrape as she made one last fruitless effort to rise.

Rise.

Run!

<-ch1-    -ch3->

Not to be scary but I want to know everything abt ur cat

honestly ive done this to so many people it was only a matter of time before someone told me to answer every question so its cool lol

1. Name?: ive got 2 but ill use Smokey for this since i hand picked him as a kitten2. Fur color?: grey with a white patch on his chest, mouth, and feet like little socks. some patches actually turn brown in the sun and when he was a kitten he had stripes3. Any family you know (other than you)?: i met both his parents and he has two siblings however we only have him. and my other cat Princess is his reluctant roommate4. Age?: hes a grandpa now at like 13/145. Favorite toy?: we have these plastic cage balls with tiny bells in them and he absolutely loses his mind when he hears it6. Nicknames?: dumbass, weiner, goober, smoters, buddy, dumb butt, poop machine, my boi, the list goes on man7. Cinnamon roll or problematic fave?: problematic fave for sure. hes a little shit. but i would also die for him8. Length of fluff?: i guess he would be a medium length9. Any funny habits?: literally everything he does. he makes this adorable little noise thats basically the “???” noise and when he drinks out of the toilet he stands on his hind legs and daintily dips his head down. he also looks like a galloping horse when he runs and his tail does this weird curve10. How old were they when you met?: i hand picked him as a kitten when i was like 1111. What does their food bowl look like?: a fuckin mess cause hes a slob. its shallow cause if we put too much food he eats until he throws up, thus the dumbass nickname12. Indoor or outdoor cat?: indoor for the same reason as Princess13. Recent picture?: boop and boop14. Old picture?: precious baby15. Cuddly?: oh hell yes he loves to snuggle up in your lap or on your chest. he would sleep hanging over my dads shoulder as a kitten and loves to be in contact with you16. Ever changed their name?: no i gave them the most stereotypical name since i was 11 and kept it18. Eye color?: a pretty emerald green with a tiny little brown speck in the right one19. How do they express love for you?: hes always licking me. every inch of skin. and he sounds like a motor boat when he snuggles up20. How do you express love for them?: i smother him with kisses and give him the chin scitchies he loves21. Any theories on what breed?: no idea. i honestly dont know much about cat breeds. they are just.. cats22. Do they ever wake you up?: GOD YES every single goddamn morning he is in my face licking me and pawing me cause he wants food23. How much do they meow?: he never used to be very vocal, only making that “???” noise but he meows more now. mostly when hes curious about something and not getting answers or when we come home24. Any hiding spots?: if he can get under it he will be there. the bed, the table, your chair, the china cabinet, you name it25. Do they enjoy guests?: yes and no. hes pretty friendly if theres only one person and theyre quiet but the moment my cousins step in he is gone26. Lofty objects to sit on?: loves to sit on desks and the backs of couches/chairs. we put the ottoman by the window so he can sit there too27. Wear a collar? (and describe collar?): no collar cause they never leave the apartment28. How much shedding?: lots. not as much as Princess and ive managed to clean him up a bit but man for a while there i wanted to fucking shave him29. Do they enjoy brushing?: yes though he is always trying to rub his face on the brush and will not sit still30. Ever drink from the toilet?: yea and he looks so silly doing it31. How do they get your attention?: stares at me for an uncomfortable amount of time, sometimes he meows, most of the time he licks himself cause i hate when they do that right beside me32. Embarrassing thing they’ve done?: i once saw him trip up the stairs cartoon style, back legs went up over his head and i could practically hear the sound effect33. Weirdest thing they try to eat?: cat eats his own fucking vomit man. he is a vile creature who will eat just about anything34. Are they like your siblings, children, or friends?: he is my boi, my son, my precious companion35. What time do they eat breakfast?: before we leave for work so usually 7:30-8ish36. Do you cut their nails?: yes tho he doesnt like it one bit37. Do you think they understand you?: hes done things in the past that suggest he can tell when i need comfort but other than that hes an idiot38. Ever make fun of them?: literally all the time. im doing it right now39. Do you take their picture often?: my computer is filled with cat pictures like you have no idea40. Ever hiss at you?: not that i recall41. Ever try to scratch or bite you?: he goes for the bite all the time but im so used to it i dont care42. If you try to grab their paw, what do they do?: pulls away or tries to lick my hand43. Do they ever eat bugs?: he has a few times if it ended up on the floor. but mostly he just likes to stare at it44. Canned or dry food?: dry food. god help me if he only wanted wet45. Weight?: we used to make fun of him for being fat but honestly he has always been lean and solid. hes mostly heavy cause of his size and build.46. Ever got lost?: not lost per se but there was one instance where he somehow got out  of the house without anyone noticing (back when he was with my dad) and suddenly he was just in the window panting from being out and about. im so glad he came back cause we never would have known otherwise47. Do you buy them presents?: not really. we have so many toys as it is48. Do they respond when you call?: most times. if hes hyper and i over the top call him over he comes bolting49. Do they ever see other cats?: he grew up with two cats, one old female and the other a male around his age. now he lives with Princess50. Declawed?: unfortunately yes. i was too young to have any say and it was a long time ago51. Funniest expression?: his wide eyed empty stare52. Favorite place to be pet?: he likes chin and butt scritchies and will always move his head to meet your hand53. Worst thing they’ve destroyed?: nothing really comes to mind but he has ruined some plants by eating them and then the carpet when he threw them back up54. Give them a head kiss.: absolutely55. What time of the year is most exciting for them?: i dont think he can tell the difference56. Are they good at hunting real prey?: i doubt it. hes a little too hyper for his own good57. Do they ever attack nothing?: sometimes yea58. What are they doing right now?: no idea cause hes in the other room. probably cuddling with my mom59. How long have you had them?: his whole life so about 13/14 years60. If you could have them stay as a kitten forever, would you?: honestly he still acts like one so the only difference is the size. but i like him as an adult. more to cuddle61. Ever baby-talk to them?: all the time. certain nicknames i will say in a baby voice62. Favorite napping position?: he likes to curl into a ball and turn his head upside down63. Have you ever stepped on their paw?: yes :(64. Ever tripped you on stairs?: not on the stairs but just about everywhere else cause hes so damn fast65. Any ear hair?: i think? idk i dont really look in his ears66. Favorite view from a window?: he likes to watch birds and cars67. Describe why they are precious.: he has been my baby for so long and i picked him myself and i can tell he is happy with me68. Fit the cat stereotype?: practically to a T69. Chaotic neutral?: chaotic chaotic more like it70. Do they enjoy following/ keeping you company?: yes he follows me around if im home alone and wandering from room to room thinking out loud71. Are you their favorite human?: i like to think so72. Do they like tv?: not so much recently but we used to leave the aquarium channel on for him73. Favorite noise to make?: his “???” noise makes my heart make a “!!!” noise74. If they were a Neko Atsume cat, what would their momento be?: a string with a bell on the end

thanks for the questions!