#and that's what i've got rn | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

scificrows · 9 months

Text

i like to make fun of murderbot for being all "i hate everyone, i don't care about anything or anyone, fuck off" while simultaneously caring very much about the people around it and the situations it finds itself in. i love how it "accidentally" ends up caring quite a lot about the friends it makes along the way. but i think something that i tend to forget is that murderbot actively decides to care - at least at some point in its story.

idk, as a person that struggles with depression, this paragraph from artificial condition really resonates with me. prior to all systems red, murderbot had contracts. it had routine and it had protocols. it knew what it had to do to just get by, how to perform so no one would notice it had disabled its governor module. it was deeply depressed, yes, but it was functioning (for lack of a better word). in artificial condition, murderbot's routine is gone. it cannot go on in that state of numbly going-from-contract-to-contract, putting in as little effort as possible, consuming media to cope. that option is gone because it escaped (and note that escaping the company was not an active choice, it kinda happened to it). murderbot has two options now: it can either gather all its energy; actively do something new and difficult and distressing; change something in its life and try. or it can let the numbness and the emptiness take over and stop trying. if murderbot wants to survive as a rogue secunit, it has to try. no matter how difficult that is. the wording in that paragraph really hits home for me. the way the non-caring sees an opportunity to slip in and to take over. does murderbot even care? does anything really matter? is anything really worth the hassle? wouldn't it be so much easier to just let your mind slip away a little, to go numb, to be passive, to watch media and wait for things to happen to you? wouldn't it be nice to stop thinking and struggling and feeling complicated things? to stop making an effort? you've been dealing with a lot lately and maybe it's time to just shut down. maybe you'll just take a little break. just slip deeper into this chair and start the show. time flies when you're not paying attention. trying is exhausting. who cares if you don't do the things you wanted to do, you were supposed to do. it'll be fine. let's just ignore those things for now. just let the non-caring take over. just stop thinking. you can deal with the aftermath later. just watch your shows. who cares. but murderbot cares. it decides to care. it decides to fight with all it has and i think that is so brave. and i think in the later books caring is less of an active decision for murderbot. once you start caring, it's easier to keep going than to stop; and murderbot, for all its "i'm a grumpy rogue secunit, leave me alone" behavior, knows just how important caring is. so it's not that it doesn't know what's happening; rather, it lets itself care. tl;dr: caring is not the default for murderbot, it's just the more difficult of two options. and it decides not to take the soft option. it decides to struggle. it decides to care. and so it does.

#sorry i'm rambling i'm a little depressed rn (hah) and i've been thinking about murderbot again #at least writing this got me out of the adhd/depression paralysis :) yeah this might be self-indulgent so what #the murderbot diaries #murderbot #𓄿 #i just love martha wells' writing for things like that #and i love murderbot as a character so very much #also i'm pretty sure some of this could be read in a way i did not intend #i'm not trying to say that depressed people have the option to just not be depressed #or that it's as easy as going “okay well i can either care or not care... i guess i should care! done!”#listen i know it's not like that; i know that first hand #but murderbot had just enough energy and fight in it to try and it had people in its life that cared about it and helped it #and it managed to get out of that deep dark hole #and we see it struggling with trauma etc in the later books #things are not magically better #just yeah #okay imma add #tw depression #tw suicide #(this is not about suicide though; this is about sitting on the couch while the dishes and the laundry pile up #and watching netflix because getting up and taking care of yourself and calling a friend or going outside are too difficult)#(but i can see how this might hit a little close to home if that is something someone's struggling with&better safe than sorry)#also sending lots of love to everyone who this resonates with

500 notes · View notes

samstatsupremacy · 4 months

Text

May 12 2024

i'm just putting this date here, with these specific tags, for no reason.

i hope those of you reading this, the fans of Interview with the Vampire (2022-), can put the pieces together and figure out what this date could mean without me having to say the words

time will tell ;)

#iwtv #amc iwtv #interview with the vampire #literally shaking rn #i'm assuming they’ll drop the trailer next month #and if this post gets too big ill delete it bc I've got someone's job to protect while also trying to feed you guys what i know 😅#cant wait for yall to see the trailer!!!

121 notes · View notes

polaraffect · 29 days

Text

oh god they made chaos in hades ii so fucking hot oh my god oh my g

#damien.txt #send help the gender on them..... oh my god....#i am looking SO. UNBELIEVABLY. HARD.#they made everyone hot tho. hephaestus. hecate. nemisis. and more.#oh god i've only seen moros once so far but the gender w/ them too....... man. idek if dating is a mechanic in this one but.#i want moros so bad i am down bad af #me after seeing the end of the game over a year from now looking back at this post: wow. what they didn't know would haunt them.#truly cannot tell if moros is going to be secretly bad or not. i hope not. but also. i hope they are. i love a good rivals fight.#anyways. yeah. i got hades ii. because i knew i would the instant it dropped. rip. i really did not need to be buying games rn #but hades ii.... omg...#ill probably be posting about it so pls block the hades ii tag if you don't wanna see anything #hades ii #hades 2 #(ill tag it both ways just in case)

74 notes · View notes

chrrywvea · 6 months

Text

a serotonin boost for today:

✨️imagine married lokius at a christmas market✨️

(or: my brain going haywire at 4 am for these two idiots & leaving me with this half fic half imagine-ramble-story thing)

mobius obsessing over all the little trinket shops

like immediately upon their arrival, he's over the moon

loki detests all the masses of people but nearly melts when he sees how mobius lights up

he does enjoy it later on as well, very much even

sharing mulled wine

butterfly kisses & red cheeks (loki i'm looking at you)

mobius wears the scarf loki made for him for his birthday (personal hc of mine: loki can crochet & knit insanely well)

mistletoes, so many mistletoes

snowflakes in loki's curls make him look even more mesmerising (mobius stop staring please)

mobius gets fairy lights for their apartment

loki shields his tiny husband from all the people bumping into everyone (inspo from the cutest gay couple i saw at the christmas market yesterday thanks guys♡)

they try out all the different food stands together

(since christmas markets tend to have lots of nordic food loki gets to teach mobius about his favourite dishes at home when he was a child)

mobius loves listening to loki anyway, no matter the topic, but hearing him speak so freely of the good aspects of his childhood always warms his heart

they search more quiet spots for breaks when they both get a little overwhelmed

loki sings (though this time only for his husband)

holding hands in each others coat pockets & hand kisses to warm cold skin up

beanies

they try on all the beanies in the whole market (mobius puts them on loki who eventually just surrenders to it)

in the end loki buys them real silly, matching ones (if any artists want to draw this, by all means, go ahead! i'd love that so much but i have zero talent when it comes to drawing)

loki drags mobius to the ice rink, the only thing he's weary of since he's never been ice skating before - but loki is there to help!

he's a pro at it, frosty heritage and stuff

yes i believe frost giants can ice skate really well shush

lots of laughter and banter ensue with mobius attempting to stay upright

the waist hold™ is now reversed to prevent mobius from falling on his butt

but honestly they were gonna be close anyway so

touchy touchy

mobius gets the hang of the whole ice skating ordeal and loki cheers him on when he manages one round around the rink on his own

though he completely rams into loki's back upon his return

when they tire out after a while they get more food, sit around one of the nearby bonfires and cuddle

star gazing when it gets dark & planning for christmas eve

they both sneakily buy gifts for one another when the other's busy with something

mobius gets a little tipsy

too many samples at the liquor shops oops

+ i might add more if anyone likes this but this is what came out for now, enjoy :-D

#lokius #loki #loki laufeyson #mobius #agent mobius #mobius m mobius #loki series #loki season two #some cuteness between all the angst #let's just ignore the question of how they even got there #i'm just gonna say date night and that's it #i've been trying to write complete fics for months but i only ever get tons of ideas when i write stuff like this #oof lol #i'd love to hear your lokius thoughts #or any additions too!♡#messy tags #writer is going through a heavy case of dysphoria rn #so what do we do?#rewatch our fav queer and/or queer coded tv shows

67 notes · View notes

brainworms-all-night-long · 2 months

Text

Little Nine, even before he dawned on that name, before he properly made the abandoned warehouse his home lab, before he finnally created means to protect himself, happily (internally, you could never show too much emotion around Eggforcers) carrying around a little invention he made.

He doesn't even remember what it was exactly, but he does remember being very proud of it at the time, he remembers holding onto it everywhere and thinking of it as a sort of a companion (that was stupid, it was just an inanimate object). He remembers spending weeks gathering materials and even longer assembling them.

He doesn't remember its color, but he remembers being cornered by much larger kids than himself(again), he remembers being forced to watch as the fragile creation got dismantled and destroyed right in front of him while he uselessly cried out for them to stop, he remembers being laughed at, he remembers being cut with the sharp remains of his project crafted with love, he remembers being scared that he lost his eye, he remembers being finally released after his screaming attracted the nearby patrol that dispersed the group tormenting him and confiscated what little was left of his mechanical friend (tampering with mechanics in any capacity wasn't exactly allowed, so he got off better than most).

He doesn't remember its purpose but he remembers not going outside for a very long time after that. He remembers promising to never get attached to his inventions ever again.

#sonic prime #I'm.bouncing around the guy in my head rn #all sorts of ideas in there #this one particularly is what I've decided is the story of how he got the scar under his eye that I draw him with #the invention was his version of the T-pup btw #haha sure makes it ironic that in the third season he makes robot friends haha #and they get ruthlessly smashed and destroyed right before him #but he's not attached to them in the slightest what are you talking abt #miles nine prower #nine the fox #silly brainworms

52 notes · View notes

jessenitrogen · 25 days

Text

gaddamn ,,,,,,

#I cannot be bothered to draw much rn I've been on that grind set #(warframe. it's so bad it's got a mad hold on me ur lucky ur seeing me)#anyway I think carrie is a new art muse of mine shes so nice to draw #also secretary birds bcuz the piece felt empty and that's what my friend said would be the nost fitting bird #for her #transformers #tf #maccadam #tf oc #transformers oc #mecha #robot #art #jnart #jntfocs

24 notes · View notes

badboyfriends · 4 months

Text

can someone tell me why im being abnormal about a character i've barely touched the content of. like yay yippie i watched like 20 hours of you. there's fucking 80 years of content get me OUT OF HERE?

#yeah this is about nightwing. yes im a freak about him no i don't do well with comics #shout out to duke thomas in the we are robin comic i've had in my browser tabs for three weeks now #sorry king.#i mean i guess it makes sense because theres So many characters in media that you can't even get 20 hours out of . but. BUT ITS NOT FAIR.#i want to read comics so bad. i try to. i have. i've started several #blue beetle 2009 nightwing 2016... superman & batman world's finest #i was able to finish teen titans world's finest but that was only. like. six issues #comics as a medium just has this thing where. you're dropped in and it kinda expects you to know what's happening #and leaves you feeling like you started on the wrong page. like blue beetle. loved you but man that was not the greatest first comic to rea #wait i forgot i read hawkeye 2011(?) and that also had the same issue. but more so each installment like #felt like it was starting on a point AFTER something happened like i was meant to be reading another comic before i got to that issue.#i got. like. idk 18? 19? comics into that one. and 12 into nightwing. nightwing wasn't as bad but it just. gah. like several-issue long #stories carried across batman and nightwing and its like.OUGH.#i know im mutuals with a comic person. hi. i know you're cringing.#there are so many good characters to come out of comics. its just SO HARD to get into.#rn i dont have an excuse with We Are Robin. just that i've been infected with needing to play the sims for 8 hours a day.#mika-posts

39 notes · View notes

hood-ex · 8 months

Note

I have seen you talking about Dick & Dami's relationship and Dick & Tim as well,but what are your takes on Dick and Jason actually?

Like how you wish their relationship should be portrayed today and where are them missing when it comes to making those two acting like siblings?

Do you think in the past their dynamic was better?

How Dick views Jason and how Jason views Dick?

This is difficult to answer because there are like 8 different stages to Dick and Jason's relationship with various dynamics. They also view each other a bit differently depending on which stage we're talking about.

The way I would like their relationship to be portrayed today isn’t necessarily possible thanks to Jason’s integration into the family and acceptance of the no killing moral code. For me, their ideal dynamic is portrayed in Outsiders #44-46. And I know people are gonna find that regressive as hell but, tbh, that dynamic is far more interesting than the kinda awkward thing they have going on now.

Although, I don't mind that they acknowledge their brotherhood in a serious manner now. Like before they'd kinda be like, "Eh... I mean... we were adopted from the same guy but... brothers? Eh..." And now they're more firmly in the, "We're brothers," camp. So that development is interesting.

Character progression wise, it wouldn't feel right for for them to be super close in the way that, say, Dick and Tim are (unless we saw a lot of trust and relationship building between them), but at the same time, there is part of me that kind of wants them to have that older sibling bond (except Jason is closer in age to Tim than he is to Dick sooo actually let's just leave older sibling things to Dick and Cass... not that Cass is much older than Jason though so LOL this is why Dick has to lone the oldest sibling thing by himself... which is funny because Dick is technically no longer the oldest sibling, he's a baby brother now... except Dick and Melinda's relationship really hasn't progressed much sooo you could say they share blood but don't consider each other family yet, in which case, Dick is still the oldest... I mean, regardless, Dick is the oldest sibling of the Waynes... god why did they have to make all of this so difficult 😫).

#jason's like blerghhh dad always loved you best. but also hey we should work together bc you're a killer like me #and then jason's also like hey dick you were the most amazing thing i've ever seen and idk you're cool but i won't say that to you #and then he's also like hey dick i've got girl advice for you and i also need your opinion on my hair. oh now bane is trying to kill us #and then he's also like oh you got amnesia? i don't give a fuck about you and maybe i'll kill you #and he's also like oh you trust me? okay well... we're brothers and i'm gonna save you #and then dick's like oh hey kid call me if you need me. oh you died? i am literally devastated i'm so sorry #and he's also like wow you're very good at what you do but i don't trust you... okay but i trust the intel you're giving me sooo....#and then he's like why the fuck are you dressing like me and killing people?? quit doing stupid shit!!#and then he's like jason what the fuck are you doing--let me help you!!#and then he's like kinda indifferent to jason but jason is still Ugh this family is stupid why am i here #and then dick's like ofc i'm gonna come help you if you need me but also this is awkward af and things are weird between us so bye #except not bye because i'm staying here to help you and your team #and then dick's like i'm being controlled by joker so i'm gonna kill yoooou #and then he's like eh i trust you and i'm gonna help you bc we're brothers but you literally wrecked bruce's car you numbskull #and then he's like you're doing dumb shit and i have to take you down but oh thanks for not letting the train kill me #and then they're both like meh we're doing shit w the batfam even though neither of us should be here rn #and yeah that's how it goes. that's. literally it. writers cannot keep their relationship consistent in the long term #Dick Grayson #Jason Todd #relationship analysis #anon

102 notes · View notes

theinfinitedivides · 5 months

Text

they f*cking killed him.

#lee sun kyun #lee sun gyun #i'm still shaking rn i don't think i've processed what those headlines mean. i haven't even fully read the articles bc i scrolled #down to where they found him and had such a visceral reaction to the briquettes (bc. Jonghyun.) i can't touch that. no #God. this is what they've done. they thought they could ruin his f*cking career and get away with no consequences his blood #is on their f*cking hands. everything they accused him of has no solid evidence he had a wife and two kids for f*ck's sake #A Million Roses playing as i got the news................... this world hates me that's a different kind of evil f*ck this #edit: and Epik High's Amor Fati in the queue. i'm not doing well

44 notes · View notes

royalarchivist · 10 months

Text

Translation:

7 DAYS LEFT!

On the 7th at 7 PM, we will go to the Nether.... I will create a way for everyone to escape this island! I promise!

#Forever #ForeverPlayerG #Forever Player #QSMP #Richarlyson #GIRL WHAT #I MISS ONE STREAM AND SUDDENLY MAN'S OFF TO OPEN THE NETHER??? EXCUSE ME???#Me: Wow I've worked so hard updating streams and the archive today #Me: I've got a billion clips to post later so I'm going to take a break and go out and about for a bit #Forever: *Drops this insane comment out of nowhere*#Me: FOREVER. PLEASE LET ME GO TOUCH GRASS IN PEACE #/hj #Apparently he's going to be moving soon and so NOW I'm like oh. oh ok cool he's gonna try and open the Nether and get kidnapped. Wonderful #either that or we'll get the new people on Sunday the day of the elections #and the Nether will open and that'll screw ALL of us over #anywayssssssssssss #Lots of clips to post but tomorrow probably #it's a bit late rn #ofc this is assuming Twitch doesn't screw me over yet again

269 notes · View notes

swinging-stars-from-satellites · 7 months

Text

I just had a whole actual married, mother of two adult woman be the first person older than about 21 to actually accept the fact that I don't want to get married and be willing to talk through what that means for me, instead of trying to convince me that I'll change my mind as I get older. I'm going to fucking cry

#I told her I'm lonely and why. and I told her that part of it is because I never want to get married #and so as the people I love move on to new seasons in their life I will always be left behind. because I don't ever want marriage #and she was just like ''okay. that just means you have to figure out what YOUR milestones are going to be #because that's going to look different than most of the people around you.''#I've never had an adult woman. especially not a church one. just accept it before #it's always been ''ok but everyone feels that way at your age [a blatant lie. most of the people I knew in high school #got married RIGHT out of high school] you'll feel differently in a few years''#or ''well don't shut yourself off from the possibilities!'' or ''oh but you'll meet The One''#so it's like. earthshattering for someone like this to just accept that I know my own heart in it and help me figure out what that means #for the future #like. I'm going to cry. I'm literally in tears.#Lu rambles #sorry for swearing. it's for emphasis. I'm very emotional rn

57 notes · View notes

blade-that-was-broken · 18 days

Note

Can we get more info about your I’m Still Here AU AU?

Oh I got one better.

I’m Still Here AU AU- Feel I Belong

Branch woke up coughing up water and one of his friend’s worried expressions filled his vision almost entirely. He blinked once, confused, before suddenly turning to the side in the sand to vomit out excess water. He let out several more coughs and it took minutes for him to actually hear what was being said to him.

“Thank goodness, ya alright?” The accent of his friend Holly was always prominent, especially with her people but it often got thick and sloshy when she was worried. Branch closed his eyes and sucked in a large breath.

“No,” he heaved. “But I’ll live. Is everyone else okay?”

Holly paused and looked around before grabbing Branch’s hand and helping him upright. “Darnell is holding Synth. He’s freaking out. Minuette is kind of hurt and a bit water logged but she’s conscious and coherent.”

“And she can hear you!” the familiar voice of the classical prodigy shouted, annoyed. “She’s fine! She just can’t fly at the moment.”

“What happened?” Branch asked before he realized the words were coming out of his mouth. They were on a beach, water gently lapping the water towards them. The sea looked fairly calm but there were tiny pieces of the destroyed boat Branch had built stuck in the sand and floating in the tides. He stood up, his brow furrowing, with Holly by his side, using her flank to help keep him upright if his balance wavered.

“We kind of got shipwrecked,” Holly admitted with a frown.

Branch wilted. He kind of figured that the boat he had built was destroyed, considering they were on a beach and he had no memory of how they got there. But it still hurt. He had taken a lot of time to make that thing and he was so proud of it. “Do we know why?”

Holly paused and glanced away. “We saw Hard Rock come out of the water with their angler beasts. The Techno trolls were attacked.”

Branch’s head spun towards her, eyes wide. He had never heard of another tribe outright attacking another. Angler beasts were only for the largest population of Hard Rock Trolls, splinter groups and sub genres were not only not allowed access to them but training them without the proper tools and process was practically impossible. He knew what Holly was implying. “Is everyone okay?”

“Branch…” her voice went sympathetic and soft. “They’re gone.”

“What do you mean, they’re gone? Where did they go?”

“They were taken!”

Branch tore his gaze away from her towards the sound of the new voice. Synth and Darnell approached from the water’s edge, the former with a fiery gaze Branch had never seen in his friend. Synth was a Techno Troll who, like all of his people, loved to party more than just about anything. And that was saying something. But despite their differences, he was also one of Branch’s closest friends.

Their group spanned several different genres and had a wide range of characters that just so happened to be friends now. It had taken years of time to get the point of friendship that they were all at, but they had gotten there. It had been a simple thing. They had orchestrated a get together, partially to celebrate the creation and ultimate test of the boat Branch had built. They wanted to be able to hang out closer to Synth without having to take the long journey underwater.

The boat worked, they were in the middle of the ocean, and were having fun just chilling out, talking and playing a couple card games. Branch’s brow furrowed as he tried to remember what happened.

“Synth?”

His friend was in tears and angrier than Branch had ever seen him before. Synth was not one to get angry or upset, a lot of times, things just kind of rolled off his back. It was part of the reason he and Branch got along. While Branch had a tendency to overanalyze and overthink, Synth did not and took things more at face value, which Branch learned to appreciate. Synth spoke what he meant and although it could be confusing at times, it worked out well for them. But seeing him so upset like this was more than just a little shocking.

“Hard Rock Trolls,” Darnell filed in, stomping a paw in the sand. Their friend group had a lot of diversity, which wasn’t particularly common with the tribes, as they often tended to keep to themselves. It had mostly been by accident, them finding each other and could probably be also partially blamed on the traveling Branch and his brother did. It was easier to befriend other tribes when you traveled while living, rather than just settling down in one area.

“Yeah, Holly said Angler Beasts came out of the water. What happened?”

“Synth and I went to check it out afterwards, since we weren’t hurt. It’s further away than expected,” Darnell continued. “Some of the structures are broken apart. Everyone is gone. The rock trolls took them.”

“But… why?”

“I don’t know.”

Darnell was by far the most important of their group, at least in terms of tribe status. Not that he would say that. He was the lone prince of the Funk Trolls and although everyone knew it, he would never tell anyone he was more important. Although everyone knew that too. Next in line to take care of an entire tribe was stressful as it was and it was hard to find friends within a tribe that knew that. People treated royalty differently; they always had.

But since none of the rest of them were Funk Trolls, they didn’t have that expectation or attachment to the tribe. He actually became Holly Darlin’s friend first - a situation neither of them talked about - and although hesitant at first, he latched onto Branch and the rest of them.

“We need to get Mini some help,” Holly insisted, now at the tiny Classical troll’s side. Her wings were sopping and would continue to be so for quite some time. Everyone knew how long it took for her wings to really dry out. It was another reason why the boat idea was brought up. “She’s hurt.”

“I’m fine, honest,” Minuette tried, sitting in the sand. There was blood dripping slowly down her arm.

“You can’t fly like that and we all know Classical trolls don’t really do much in the terms of walking,” Darnell pointed out.

“I can learn!”

Yeah, that sounded like her.

“Not immediately,” Holly huffed with the light roll of her eyes.

“You’re crazy talented, Mini but seriously, you really can’t,” Branch agreed as they got closer. “Holly, can you carry her?”

The country troll nodded and proceeded to scoop the little troll out of the sand, placing her on her back and giving her quiet instructions. “Of course.”

“We have to go and help my people,” Synth insisted.

“It doesn’t sound like there is much we can do yet,” Branch grimaced. He hated saying that. It felt so callous. “We need to get Mini some help, in case that wound on her arm is worse than we think, then we need to figure out what is even going on, make a plan and then go help.”

“That’s… a lot of steps.”

“Do you think the other tribes will be targeted too?” Darnell asked worriedly. It made sense that he would immediately be concerned for his own. It was the way he was raised. Put the tribe first and foremost. Branch knew, no matter what, he’d make a great king one day.

“I don’t know,” Branch admitted, truthfully. He had no idea what was even going on. The Rock Trolls didn’t really interact with anyone - even less than the other tribes. Aside from Branch’s group and his brother, most tribes didn’t really hang out or talk much with one another but the Rock Trolls even less so. He wondered if there was bad blood there. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. We have no idea what is happening, much less why. One thing at a time.”

“Where do we go?”

“Into the island,” Branch continued, glancing around. “Getting around through the beach looks hard, for any of us that can’t swim like you, Synth. And Minuette is in no condition for that.”

“What do you think we’ll find?”

“I don’t know,” he confessed, truthfully. “We just should get away from the water. Darnell, can you lead? I’m going to try to bandage Mini’s wound. “Just start straight through and see where we end up.” He grabbed a medium sized knife out of his hair and passed it over to his friend. It wasn’t very large like his brother’s machete, so it wouldn’t cut through everything but with a bit of work, it would get through some obstacles.

The group dove into the jungle with Branch walking beside Holly with the classical troll on her back, trying to clean the wound on her arm and wrap it. “Thanks, Branch,” she said, quietly.

“You okay?”

“I… I knew Rock was loud and crazy but… the way they came out of the water…” she whispered, shivering. “They… they must have had all the Techno trolls inside.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Branch tried to assure, attempting to put confidence in his tone.

“Do you think they’ll go after Symphonyville too?” she asked soft and scared but low enough that Darnell and Synth wouldn’t hear.

“We don’t know what is happening yet,” Branch continued. “Get some sleep, okay? We’ll wake you when we find something.”

“I don’t…” Minuette opened her mouth to start but Holly let her back buck in a quiet reminder. “I don’t agree with this.” It was barely fifteen minutes later when she was fast asleep and Holly dared to speak.

“If the Rock Trolls do go after the others, Classical is closest to Techno.”

“I know.”

“It won’t be long until they hit Lonesome Flatts.”

“I’m aware. We don’t know what is going on.”

“It’s easier for you, your family is all hidden away and-”

“Holly, you are just going to freak yourself out if you keep this up,” Branch swallowed. She wasn’t wrong. Branch only lived with one another pop troll and the home he and his brother lived in was rather hidden away. “I get it and I care. We just have no idea what is going on yet and we can’t do anything. Not yet. But that will change.”

“I’m just worried.”

“Me too.”

“Hey guys? I think we found something?” Darnell called back. The group got close together again on a ridge overlooking the far beach on the other side of the island. Music was playing and a giant sandcastle was plopped in the middle. Color swirled with flags and towels and other decorations. Movement was all around the sand and although they looked small from the distance, Branch knew the beings were giant.

“They are huge,” Minuette whispered, leaning off the side of Holly’s back. Her voice was trying not to tremble but Branch understood the fear. “Are they…?”

Branch knew what question she was trying to ask. “No, they aren’t… grotesque enough,” Branch shook his head. All of his friends knew about the dreadful Bergens and the horrifying things that they did to Pop Trolls. Branch had been so upset when he never went back to the Tree but over time, he got over it. It took a lot of talking but also he had settled into his new life eventually as well. That made it easier. He liked his life and his friends. They were different but they still fit together. Like a puzzle.

Branch loved puzzles.

“They look… okay?” Darnell’s voice cracked, a little, uncertainly. Branch took a pair of binoculars out of his hair and passed them to his friend as the Funk prince gave him back his knife. “But you’re the plan guy, B. And you have more experience with giants. You don’t think they are friendly?”

“Do you want to take that chance?”

“Good point,” Minuette agreed. “But how? This is an island. If we can’t get help from them, how do we get off?”

“Look! There is a ferry,” Holly said, pointing across the beach on the other side of the area. Branch squinted at the boat that was docked at the end, swaying gently in the tide. He didn’t see any giants on it.

“It looks automated too,” Darnell added, looking through Branch’s binoculars.

“So we just need to get across this… what is this?”

“Uh… the sign says Bruce and Sons,” Darnell said, looking around. “I think this is some sort of vacation spot. A resort, maybe? They seem to be just kind of chilling out.”

“Maybe they won’t notice us.”

“We should try to be stealthy when we can,” Branch added. “Try not to attract any attention yet. Synth, why don’t you swim around. You’ll get there before us. Maybe get a look at the Ferry and how it works.”

He nodded. “You got it bro.”

“Minuette, you’re gonna have to hold on tight sweetie,” Holly added. “In case we get a chase on our hands.”

The classical troll nodded.

“Try to follow me. If I say, run, you run,” Branch said and jumped down, making his way towards the beach and the people. They almost made it too. The giants weren’t really paying attention and the four of them tried to stick to the shadows anyway. Or, at least, what little shadow there was in the raging sunlight. Branch didn’t know if he tripped or made a sound or what it was but he heard a loud gasp and saw a giant’s eyes and attention on them.

“Oh! A troll!”

And suddenly the news was parroted around like an out loud game of telephone. “A troll!”

“Trolls!”

“There’s more!”

Holly’s mad dash was on. They didn’t check to see how many were chasing but they ran. Branch motioned for Holly to run ahead. Country Trolls were much faster runners than other types and she listened to him, racing across the sand towards their destination. “Darnell,” Branch called. “Go.”

“Dude!”

“Get that Ferry going!”

He hesitated but tore off after Holly, faster than Branch could go. “We won’t leave without you!” It was barely moments and then suddenly, Branch was left alone amidst giants.

“Tell the boss!”

Branch ran across the sand with a renewed fury and determination, dodging beach balls and the giant feet of the residents. His heart was pounding. He hadn’t been around Bergens for years but the fear of them still remained. And though these weren’t actually Bergens, he had no idea if they shared their taste for Trolls and their happiness.

“Bruce!” a giant’s voice called.

Branch paid no mind, eye on his destination closer and closer. He could see his friends waiting, eagerly staring. “Start it up!” he yelled.

They looked alarmed but Darnell obeyed, scurrying away and out of sight. Bare seconds after, the ferry began to move, slowly removing itself from the dock. For a moment, he was sure he wasn’t going to make it.

“Branch!”

“Holly!” he shouted and threw himself off the dock, extending his hair. In that moment, she threw the lasso she kept on her at all times, the rope curling around him the second his hair did the same.

“Branch!?” A voice called.

It didn’t sound familiar and he didn’t have any time to figure it out as he crashed into Holly on the deck of the ferry, hitting the wooden floor hard. He had made it. Branch sucked in a deep breath, his head pounding in fear and adrenaline.

He made it.

#btw this is all I have written rn #I've been kinda drenching it up while working bit by bit #it's not great by any means and def not my best writing but at this point #well it's what i got to offer #I'm still here au au #feel I belong au #idk if its better #its not really info but if you really want info... idk i feel like it would kinda be spoilers #ask whatever you like ill try to keep it not spoilery???

20 notes · View notes