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a-reader-and-a-writer · 2 months

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The Life I Didn't Know

Fandom: Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, Mickey "Fanboy" Garcia, f!reader Summary: Mickey Garcia thought returning to Top Gun was the most life-changing thing to ever happen to him. And that was before a ghost from his past confronted him on the tarmac. What you tell him next will change both how he views his past and his vision for his future. Word Count: 4591 TW: Lies, Secret Reveals, Hidden Child, Ghosting, Confessions; Unplanned Pregnancy; Reader is a Mom Note: Written for day 12 of @whumpthemusical's event for "Unplanned Pregnancy" from Waitress. Thank you to @musings-of-a-rose for your ask that inspired this fic 🥰 I'm just sorry it's taken almost 10 months to finish (but I guess it fits thematically 😂). And thank you to @topguncortez and @lorecraft for beta reading for me! 💕

Mickey Garcia always expected the greatest honor of his career would be when he was accepted into Top Gun. However, he never imagined he would be chosen to return as one of the best of the best a few years later. Yet he had done it! Selected along with his pilot and close friend, Payback, as one of the few to train for a top-secret mission. It was a dream come true.

He met most of the other aviators the night before at the Hard Deck, and with one possible exception, everyone seemed very nice and supportive. Then, after the debriefing this morning, he was excited—if a little nervous—about the next few weeks of training. He still can’t believe he was selected as a potential member of the mission. He doesn’t have high expectations for being chosen, but he is still going to try his very best.

After running back out to his car to grab some paperwork, he’s heading for the row of hangars so he can meet Payback to prep their plane for their first practice, a wide grin spread across his face. The fact he is about to fly in a training dogfight with Maverick—the Maverick—still feels like a dream to him. It feels like he’s being trained by Han Solo or Captain Kirk! He is a legend that other legends look up to and Mickey had never imagined he would get an opportunity like this. Could this day get any better?

Mickey should have known better than to send something like that into the universe.

As he reaches the tarmac, Mickey suddenly stumbles to a stop and his face drops as he catches sight of the ghost from his past standing in the way, almost as if waiting for him. But it’s impossible. He double-checked the roster ten times just to make sure there was no chance you were going to be here.

And yet here you are. Five—almost six—years older but still the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

“Falcon…”

You worry your lip between your teeth just like you used to when you got nervous or were deep in thought, but your eyes shine brightly when your callsign slipped from his lips. “Hey there, Fanboy.”

Oh, God… that voice. Instantly, a thousand memories flash through Mickey’s mind: the first time he laid eyes on you at boot camp with your brilliant smile and Death Star tattoo; flying with you as his pilot, and how he instantly knew he never wanted to fly with anyone else; you dubbing him Fanboy after seeing him nearly burst into tears after running into William Shatner in a coffee shop and him naming you Falcon after the iconic Star Wars ship; all the stolen, secret moments and rendezvous as your friendship blossomed into something deeper despite the risk of Command finding out; the morning he found your letter left on his bunk saying you had transferred and had already left without a warning or a goodbye.

With a Herculean effort, Mickey pulls himself together enough to ask, “Wha…. What are you doing here?”

“I work here. I’ve been an instructor at Top Gun for the past two years.” Your leg is bouncing slightly and you keep clenching and unclenching your hands. “I guess you were in the class the year before I started, but I was so proud when I heard you made it. Of course, I always knew you could.”

Instructors. Mickey groans softly to himself. He had been so focused on what other aviators had been recruited for the mission it never crossed his mind to check who the instructors would be. But it’s too late to do anything about it now.

“So, does that mean you’ll be teaching me?” It’s hard enough seeing you standing before him. But if he has to see you on a daily basis, listen to your lessons, follow your orders…there is no way he’ll make it the next three weeks.

Luckily, you shake your head. “No, it’s all top secret and I don’t have the clearance. I’m not even sure what your mission is. All they’ve told us is that they need the best of the best in the hopes of completing it, so I wasn’t surprised to see your name on the list. I never flew better than with you in my backseat.”

Mickey silently sighs in relief before he jams his hands in his pockets and coldly asks, “If you don’t have anything to do with my mission, what do you want, Falcon? After you disappeared for almost six years, I don’t really have anything I want to say to you. I think it’s better if we keep things the way you wanted it and just pretend the other doesn’t exist.”

He starts to walk around you, but you step in front of him, holding up your hand to block his retreat. “Is that really what you think I did? Left and never gave you another thought? Because you’re wrong. I think about you every single day, Mickey. And I haven’t been able to get into a plane without you in my head. No matter who I’m flying with, your voice is in my headset giving me directions, or doing systems checks, or failing to stump me with random trivia about another movie or tv show just like it used to be.” You take a deep breath as you let your hand drop to your side. “But maybe if I didn’t care, it would make all of this easier. I–”

You are close to tears as your voice trembles with every word, but Mickey is having none of it. “No! Uh uh. You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to act like you’re the one who was hurt here,” he says, jamming his finger accusingly at you. “You’re the one who put in for a transfer without even talking to me about it first, so don’t act like you’re the victim. One day, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, flying with the woman I love at the stick, and the next, I wake up to a note telling me you’d left to fly with another unit. No explanation. No nothing. I never even got to say goodbye! You just disappeared from my life and you took my heart with you. But you never gave a shit.”

“Yes, I did! I swear!” Tears now begin to flow freely down your cheeks. You try to close the distance between you, but when Mickey steps back, you stop. Clutching your arms across your chest, you beg, “Mickey, I loved you. If there had been another way, I would have moved Heaven and Earth to stay with you but I didn’t have a choice.”

“Really?” Mickey scoffs. “Why not?”

“Because they found out about us.”

Needing no further context to understand what you are referring to, a cold dread washes over him. “W-who did?”

“Command. They heard from a few different people that we were ‘fraternizing’ outside of our duties. That we had started sleeping together a few months earlier and that it had evolved into an actual relationship.”

Mickey shakes his head as, in a softer tone, he says, “I never told anyone. I swear.”

Smiling warmly at him, you say, “I never doubted that. And just so you know, I didn’t either. But someone must have found some sort of evidence and turned us in. I tried to find out who, but I never had any luck. All I know is I got called into the discipline office and they said they were starting an investigation into our alleged relationship and if it were true…”

You take a deep breath as your arms tighten around your chest. “I knew if they went looking, they’d find out about us so I did the only thing I could think of to save our careers. I told them it wasn’t true but if they were still concerned, I would voluntarily opt for a different WSO or even transfer to another unit if that would clear things up. And they took me up on my offer.”

Missing pieces of Mickey’s past suddenly start to click into place. While it was against regulation for pilots and their backseaters to “fraternize” with any kind of romantic or sexual relationship, the rule was hardly ever enforced. However, around the time you disappeared, a pilot in another unit almost botched a mission saving his injured WSO instead of carrying out his assignment. When it was discovered they were in a romantic relationship at the time, Command began taking the regulation very seriously. Mickey recalls the two of you even had a nervous conversation about it at one point but just agreed to be more discreet while on base.

However, it still left some gaping holes in your excuse.

“But why did you do it? Some anonymous jerk claims we were dating and that’s it? We could have fought it. If you had told me what was going on, we could have both denied everything and there was no way they could prove it.”

“Yes, they could.” Your voice quivers slightly even as you scoff humorlessly. “There was one piece of undeniable proof that would have had us both discharged if they had discovered it.”

“What?”

Tears slip from your eyes as you whisper, “I was pregnant.”

All the air is sucked from Mickey’s lungs. He feels like he’s doing barrel rolls in his jet as the world spins around him and an immense pressure weighs on his chest. “You… you were… what?”

You nod gently. “I had only found out a few days before and I was trying to figure out how to tell you. But then the investigation was brought up and it changed everything. All they had was the word of someone else we were dating, but if they knew I was pregnant with your baby, well, that’s pretty solid evidence. I didn’t know if you wanted kids. Hell, I didn’t even know if I wanted kids. So, I didn’t say anything and they transferred me two days later.”

“How could you not tell me?” Mickey whispers, trying to wrap his head around this life-changing revelation. “I would have been by your side for every minute. We could have figured it out together, we could have found a way to make it work. But even if we couldn’t, I loved you. I wanted to spend my life with you. And if that meant giving up everything else, I would have done it.”

“I know you would have. And that’s why I couldn’t say anything.” You take a few steps towards him. This time, Mickey doesn’t move back, but you still keep a little space between you so you don’t overwhelm him. “I knew if I told you, you wouldn’t let me leave and it would be the end of both our careers. We’d both worked so hard to get where we were, I couldn’t let you throw everything away for a kid I still didn’t know if I even wanted. And by the time I had decided, it was too late to change what I’d done. So, when I reported to Command I was pregnant a few months later, I said it was from a nameless one-night stand I met at a bar right after I transferred.”

Mickey’s head is still reeling from everything you have told him, yet he catches one important detail in what you just said. “Wait. You reported it. Does that mean…did you…do we…?”

“Yeah, Mickey,” you half sob as more tears flow steadily down your face. “We have a son.”

“A son…”

It is the final straw. Stumbling over to the nearby wall, Mickey slides down it until he is sitting on the ground and rests his head on his knees. He has a son. A four- or five-year-old son that he never knew about. Someone who was already walking, and talking, and going to school. Who was his own person with his own personality and likes and dislikes. Who Mickey knows absolutely nothing about.

The two of you had never talked about whether you wanted kids or a family. Until the moment you disappeared, Mickey had never doubted you both loved each other deeply but your relationship had been too complicated by rules and regulations to face what might happen in the future. So, the two of you had lived in the moment and tried to enjoy what time you had together instead of talking about the future. But that didn’t mean Mickey hadn’t thought about it. He had known from a young age he wanted to be a father. He helped take care of his younger siblings growing up and he couldn’t wait to have a family of his own.

So to find out now that he has a child is simultaneously exhilarating and devastating. He could have had everything he had always dreamed of, but you had taken all those early milestones, all those precious irreplaceable moments with his son, and Mickey doesn’t know how to accept that. What if his son never forgives him for not being there? Mickey might not have known he even existed until a few moments ago, but that doesn’t change the fact his son has had to grow up not knowing what it was like to have a father. To have a void in his life where others around him had a loving, supportive presence. Will his son even want him in his life at this point?

He hears you walking over to him and can see your feet stop a few inches from him out of the corner of his eye.

In a voice thick with tears, you whisper, “I’m sorry. I’m so, so incredibly sorry. I just…I didn’t…I didn’t know…” You can’t find the words to finish that sentence.

“Why are you telling me this now?” Mickey raises his head to glare up at you, all of his swirling emotions finding a much-needed target to explode at. “Even if I accept why you let them transfer you or that you didn’t tell me right then, why didn’t you tell me at any point during the last five years! Is it just because I’m here? If I hadn’t come back to Top Gun, would you ever have told me?”

You open your mouth to respond but then close it again as you try to find the best way to answer. “Those are all fair questions. I figured if I told you while I was still pregnant or right after I gave birth, we would still get in trouble. My superiors weren’t happy that I had just transferred to fly with one of their WSOs and this happened but they had to accept it. I flew for another month or two but then I was placed on desk duty until I got this job at Top Gun. I hated being grounded but at least I was someplace consistent where I could go home to my family every night.”

“‘Your family’? Do you mean you…?” Maybe his son has had a father-figure in his life after all.

You seem confused for a moment but as soon as you realize what he is asking, you quickly clarify, “Oh, no, no, no! Nothing like that. My mom moved in a month before I gave birth and stayed so she could watch the kiddo while I was at work.” You duck your head to stare at the ground as you mutter, “But no, there, uh, there hasn’t been anyone like that since you. I’ve got one little man who has my whole heart, and between him and work, I don’t have the time or the energy to spend on anyone else.”

Mickey hates the way his heart warmed slightly at that. He should hate you right now, not be happy that you aren’t with someone. Quickly changing the topic before he lets himself dwell on that for too long, he says, “You still haven’t answered my question. Why now? Why are you telling me about him now?”

“He asked about you.”

“What?”

“Well, not you specifically but he started asking about his dad. He doesn’t understand….” Your voice breaks as your lip begins to quiver. Mickey’s resolve wavers and he starts to reach for your hand but then he remembers the reason you are upset in the first place and lets his hand fall. Taking a deep breath, you continue, “He’s too young to understand and I’m too selfish to admit it’s my fault you’re not there, so I just told him his dad was a Naval aviator like me and he’s off protecting everyone from danger. I was hoping…I don’t know what I was hoping, but it didn’t satisfy him like I thought it would. Two weeks ago, he told me all he wants for his birthday next month is to meet his dad.”

“He…he wants to meet me?” Mickey asks.

You nod. “And I didn’t know what to do. I had no idea where in the world you were, if you had your own family by now, or if you would even want to meet him once you knew. But then a few days ago I saw you were coming here and…it seemed like fate. I knew telling you would be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I couldn’t go home and look into our son’s eyes if I didn’t at least try. That’s why I’m telling you now.”

“So this is just a way for you to clear your conscience?” Mickey asks. “You finally tell me I have a son, and that’s supposed to absolve you of everything? You took nearly five years I could have had with him away from me! I missed out on so many firsts!” Mickey suddenly freezes, all the anger evaporating in an instant as a sober realization sets in. “I still don’t even know his name….”

“Miguel. His name’s Miguel.”

Tears spring to Mickey’s eyes as he whispers, “Miguel?”

You smile at the reverence on Mickey’s face. “It was the only name I ever considered.” Pulling out your phone and tapping the screen a few times, you offer it to him. “It turns out it was perfect. He’s the spitting image of his namesake.”

With shaking hands, Mickey takes the phone from you. Looking down, he sees a little boy staring back at him with a wide grin that’s too big for his face, a mess of dark curly hair, and rich brown eyes that make Mickey feel like he is looking into a mirror. You weren’t far off. Miguel looks almost exactly like the baby photos Mickey had seen of himself at that age. However, he can also see traces of you in the toddler’s face; in the shape of his lips and the cut of his jaw. There’s no way to deny it any longer. This was his kid. Yours and his together.

Watching the waves of emotions washing across his face, you murmur, “I swear, I never wanted to hurt you…either of you. I just didn’t know what to do and then, once I made a decision, I didn’t know how to tell you the truth. The longer I put it off, the more impossible it got to tell you. But you did nothing wrong and I just thought he should have another piece of you to carry with him, even if he doesn’t understand it yet.”

Mickey swipes his finger across the phone and the photo changes to one of you balancing Miguel on your hip as you point towards the camera. He looks younger here but the same joy is evident on his face as he clings to you with one arm and to a ratty-looking Spider-Man plush in the other. Another swipe shows Miguel blowing out a candle on a birthday cake shaped like a Stegosaurus. There is a big “4” balloon floating in the background next to a woman Mickey recognizes as your mother. He swipes again to see a picture of you fast asleep in a rocking chair with an infant Migual curled on your chest. He is so tiny that he could only have been a month or two old. You look disheveled and exhausted even in sleep, yet Mickey doesn’t think he can remember a time you were more breathtaking.

He is about to swipe again when something at the top of the picture stops him. Zooming in closer, he inhales sharply.

There is a small framed drawing hanging on the wall just above Miguel’s crib. It’s of two stick people looking at each other with little hearts above their heads. He doubts a single other person would have ever noticed it, but he would recognize it anywhere. He had doodled it on a note he slipped you right after his friendship with you had developed into a romance. And you had kept it all of these years then hung it so it would watch over your son.

Tears that have been threatening to fall finally crest over his eyes as Mickey chokes out, “Can I meet him?”

“You really want to?”

He nods before tearing his eyes from the phone to look up at you. “Yeah. More than anything.”

“Okay, then yeah, of course you can,” you say eagerly as your face lights up. But then it dims slightly as you add, “But, um, I think it’s better if we wait just a few days.” Mickey starts to protest but you hold up your hand. “I know I’ve already made you wait far too long for this, but we need to figure out some things first and I’m sure once you’ve had time to process everything, you’ll have a million questions. I just want you to be as prepared for this as possible so you both feel comfortable. It’s a big deal and Miguel is the sweetest kid you’ll ever meet, but he is pretty shy around new people and I don’t want to just spring this on him without talking to him first.”

Mickey can’t help smiling to himself. He was the exact same way when he was little. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I already have a thousand questions and I’m sure by tomorrow, I’ll have a thousand more. How ‘bout we say Friday after training? I could come over or meet you guys somewhere or whatever you think is best.”

You hesitate for a minute. “I have an appointment Friday afternoon and I’m not sure how long it’ll last. Why don’t we do Saturday morning? We could meet for pancakes. That’ll definitely get you on Miguel’s good side.”

“Pancakes it is.” Mickey climbs to his feet and holds out your phone to you. But just as you are about to take it, he pulls it back slightly. “Um…do you think…could you send me some photos of Miguel?”

Smiling softly, you say, “Of course, Mickey. As many as you want. And I have some videos too. Do you still have the same number?”

“You still have it saved?” Mickey asks in surprise.

You duck your head. “I couldn’t delete it. I stared at it countless nights with my finger hovering over the call button, but I always chickened out. However, I knew one day I’d find the strength to tell you everything, and when that happened, I’d need a way to contact you so I kept it. I’m still just so sorry it took me this long.”

Mickey sighs as he stares off across the open tarmac. “Part of me gets it, you know? It was a no-win situation given the circumstances.”

“Yeah…” you mutter, wrapping your arms around yourself once again. “I felt like I was in my own personal Kobayashi Maru except no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t figure out how to cheat the system.”

Oh God. The ease at which that perfect Star Trek metaphor slips from your lips once again has Mickey flashing back to all the little reasons he fell in love with you in the first place. However, after the secrets you revealed today, he can’t let himself fall back into what was.

“That might be true, but another part of me doesn’t know if I can ever forgive you for stealing these last five years I could have had with my son.” He scrubs his hand over his closely buzzed hair. “Right now, I just don’t know how to feel about you or what you did. However, I do know that I can be pleasant and get along when we’re around Miguel, though I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to get back to a point where we’re friends again.”

You bob your head, tears dampening your eyes even as a small smile spreads across your face. “That’s fair. That’s more than fair. Honestly, I half expected you never to want to see me again after I told you, so I’ll take pleasant. Thank you, Mickey.”

He nods and holds out your phone. As you take it, your fingers brush against his and Mickey feels a jolt run up his arm as he touches you for the first time in almost six years. And based on the way your eyes widened, you felt it too. The two of you gaze at each other, your hands still both holding the phone between you. Mickey feels his heart start to race slightly in his chest, and he wonders if maybe he’s wrong and forgiving you won’t be as difficult as he thinks it is.

But then you pull the phone from his hand and slip it into your pocket. Taking a few steps back, you mutter, “I’ll send you those pictures. And please do text me any questions you have this week. Otherwise, I’ll call you Friday to figure out the details for breakfast Saturday.”

And with that, you pivot and hurry across the tarmac before disappearing into one of the hangars.

For several minutes, Mickey continues to stare at where you had been standing, still half wondering if anything that just happened was real or not. He always knew returning to Top Gun would be life-changing, but he had never expected this in a million years.

Still in a daze, he stumbles off towards the hangar where his plane is housed. As he approaches, he sees Payback already dressed in his flight suit and busy checking out the plane. He looks up when he hears Mickey approaching.

“Hey, there you are. I thought you were just gonna be a minute.” As he gets closer, Payback does a double-take when he notices Mickey’s face. “Oh, man, are you okay?”

Mickey is still wondering that himself, but he says, “Yeah… yeah, I’m good.”

As Mickey walks past him to put his stuff in his locker and pull out his flight suit, Payback follows him, concern etched across his face. “Dude, you’re a mess.”

“I’m not a mess.”

“Yeah, you are. You look like you’re about to pass out and I can tell you’ve been crying.”

“Yeah, guess I have.” Just then, Mickey’s phone vibrates and he pulls it out to see you have sent him a link to a folder filled with hundreds of pictures and videos of Miguel. Just a brief scan of them makes tears begin to well up in his eyes once more. But when he looks back up at Payback, the smile on his face is so wide it hurts. “But it’s all good. In fact… It’s never been better.”

I have a few ideas for other parts if anyone is interested (but no promises at this point)

Taglist: @green-socks, @lorecraft, @heart-0n-fire, @mayhem24-7forever, @the-untamed-soul, @inglourious-imagines, @airhogger, @piscesvancouverite, @straightforwardly, @bonnieelizabethparker, @srry-itshockeyszn, @flyinlove, @fandomhopped, @sweetheartlizzie07, @yjwnoot, @wanderdreamer, @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy, @callsign-phoenix, @shanimallina87, @forever-sleepy-sloth, @blue-aconite, @notroosterbradshaw, @dezthegeek, @blessupblessup, @cherrycola27, @phoenix1389, @nicangelinee, @smells-like-perfect-senses, @boringusername3, @petlaufeyson, @cycbaby, @topguncortez, @fantasticcopeaglepasta, @writercole, @onebigfangirlworld, @wkndwlff, @ravenmoore14, @roosterforme, @clancycucumber230, @mamachasesmayhem, @slightly-psycho-multifan, @kmc1989, @ohtobeleah, @deppresseddyslexic, @horneybeach1, @mandylove1000, @aczhang777

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a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all · 2 months

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The Life I Didn't Know

Fandom: Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, Mickey "Fanboy" Garcia, f!reader Summary: Mickey Garcia thought returning to Top Gun was the most life-changing thing to ever happen to him. And that was before a ghost from his past confronted him on the tarmac. What you tell him next will change both how he views his past and his vision for his future. Word Count: 4591 TW: Lies, Secret Reveals, Hidden Child, Ghosting, Confessions Note: Thank you to @musings-of-a-rose for your ask that inspired this fic 🥰 I'm just sorry it's taken almost 10 months to finish (but I guess it fits thematically 😂). And thank you to @topguncortez and @lorecraft for beta reading for me! 💕

Mickey should have known better than to send something like that into the universe.

And yet here you are. Five—almost six—years older but still the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

“Falcon…”

With a Herculean effort, Mickey pulls himself together enough to ask, “Wha…. What are you doing here?”

“Really?” Mickey scoffs. “Why not?”

“Because they found out about us.”

Needing no further context to understand what you are referring to, a cold dread washes over him. “W-who did?”

Mickey shakes his head as, in a softer tone, he says, “I never told anyone. I swear.”

However, it still left some gaping holes in your excuse.

“Yes, they could.” Your voice quivers slightly even as you scoff humorlessly. “There was one piece of undeniable proof that would have had us both discharged if they had discovered it.”

“What?”

Tears slip from your eyes as you whisper, “I was pregnant.”

Mickey’s head is still reeling from everything you have told him, yet he catches one important detail in what you just said. “Wait. You reported it. Does that mean…did you…do we…?”

“Yeah, Mickey,” you half sob as more tears flow steadily down your face. “We have a son.”

“A son…”

He hears you walking over to him and can see your feet stop a few inches from him out of the corner of his eye.

In a voice thick with tears, you whisper, “I’m sorry. I’m so, so incredibly sorry. I just…I didn’t…I didn’t know…” You can’t find the words to finish that sentence.

“‘Your family’? Do you mean you…?” Maybe his son has had a father-figure in his life after all.

“He asked about you.”

“What?”

“He…he wants to meet me?” Mickey asks.

“Miguel. His name’s Miguel.”

Tears spring to Mickey’s eyes as he whispers, “Miguel?”

He is about to swipe again when something at the top of the picture stops him. Zooming in closer, he inhales sharply.

Tears that have been threatening to fall finally crest over his eyes as Mickey chokes out, “Can I meet him?”

“You really want to?”

He nods before tearing his eyes from the phone to look up at you. “Yeah. More than anything.”

Smiling softly, you say, “Of course, Mickey. As many as you want. And I have some videos too. Do you still have the same number?”

“You still have it saved?” Mickey asks in surprise.

Mickey sighs as he stares off across the open tarmac. “Part of me gets it, you know? It was a no-win situation given the circumstances.”

And with that, you pivot and hurry across the tarmac before disappearing into one of the hangars.

“Hey, there you are. I thought you were just gonna be a minute.” As he gets closer, Payback does a double-take when he notices Mickey’s face. “Oh, man, are you okay?”

Mickey is still wondering that himself, but he says, “Yeah… yeah, I’m good.”

As Mickey walks past him to put his stuff in his locker and pull out his flight suit, Payback follows him, concern etched across his face. “Dude, you’re a mess.”

“I’m not a mess.”

“Yeah, you are. You look like you’re about to pass out and I can tell you’ve been crying.”

I have a few ideas for other parts if anyone is interested (but no promises at this point)

Taglist: @valoraxxx-blog, @m3laniehearts, @autumnleaves1991-blog, @rule107, @vintageleather, @impossiblebagelcowboyfreak, @slutforadambanks, @americaarse, @reneki, @ynbutbetter, @sugarcoated-lame, @imagineadream, @sadpetalsstuff, @salty-thembo, @rachelizabethgraham, @duckandrobin, @queenbbarnes, @grincheveryday, @uselesslyromantic, @choochoo284, @littlebadariell, @thescarletknight2014, @dempy, @nik2blog, @dumb-fawkin-bitch, @shirley2996, @kkrenae, @zebralover, @startrekfangirl2233, @memeorydotcom

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north-noire · 5 months

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you're not helping me at all, mike--

you're making the nightmares worse.

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bonefall · 7 months

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What was Leopardstar and Carpwhisker’s relationship like?

You know how in Fire Emblem Awakening how there's that side character whose entire existence is dedicated to a running joke that he's the biggest person in the room... but no one sees him, ever? To the point where they even end up thinking an extra goblet at dinner must belong to a ghost?

Face obscured by Chrom's knee on the box art, Mike Wazowski magazine style?

Carpwhisker.

I'm GUTTING Leopardstar's Haggis. It is in the bottom 5 WC entries for me. Leopardstar's childhood bullying was cheap and brainless. How fucking dare they, actually?

How dare they take their ONE confident, intimidating female character, DEFINED by how she was beloved in RiverClan and by her apprentice generation, had no romance, and wasn't a mother figure, and fuck up ALL THREE THINGS???

So. Anyway.

If anyone gets bullied it's Carpwhisker, still by Skyheart.

Brightsky didn't die; she became a kittypet. There were four kits.

Carp, Oat, Leopard, Water.

Mudfur took Carp and Leopard home, due to their resemblance to their famous ancestor, Volestar.

If Mudfur knew what Leopardstar would become... he would have left her there, with her mother. He regrets bringing her back to RiverClan

He feels he should have known better. He became a Cleric shortly after returning because he came to believe that the constant fighting was wrong, and yet...

What did he expect?

Carpwhisker is a nervous wreck who can't stand up for herself despite being as big as a badger, and Leopardstar eventually booked herself a rock appointment

I feel like at some point, Carpwhisker learned the secret about Brightsky... but keeps it to herself.

She can't imagine Leopardstar taking it well, "and um, she's..." (Carpwhisker grasps for words not wanting to outright say she's terrified of her) "...she's a wee bit intense about bad news."

You know that one post about the kid who got severely bullied in school, the teacher put on Dumbo, and they watched every single one of their bullies cheer for the underdog? All the bullies think they're Dumbo.

That's poor Carp. I feel like she used to really like Aftergatherings until Leopardstar told her about the reputation of those events, and that attending them was making Carp look disloyal.

People often take credit for her achievements. She was the one who made the Bonehill practical-- it's not solid bone, it's a mud facade with a layer of bone around it. Tigerstar said it was TigerClan's achievement, and his by proxy.

When Carpwhisker was struggling for breath to correct him, Leopardstar gave her a sideways glance and killed the thought.

So, Carp's relationship with Leopardstar is not great. But Carp defends her, and loves her, and insist she knows best.

Leopardstar is a better friend of Skyheart than she is a sister of Carp. Leopard's beloved by that whole group, and a natural leader from a young age.

I think when Leopardstar dies, Carp is distraught by it. Inconsolable, and it's really hard to tell her in that moment that it sounds like she's a lot better off without her.

She'd probably end up hanging out with Mothwing a lot, seeking spiritual advice. Moth just gives her normal, mortal, nonspiritual advice, but Carpwhisker thinks it's divine.

After all... they both did just lose very toxic siblings that they still loved very much, and are kinda working through that.

In terms of politics, Carpwhisker is a weak-traditionalist. Really, she just goes along with what's popular at the moment, and doesn't make waves. She's conflict-avoidant, and just tries to make others happy with her hard work.

Most of all she just wants peace, really. What if there were no problems forever and everyone was just nice and well-fed and we all took a big nap in this warm den I made. What then.

SO all that to say... She loved Leopardstar. Leopardstar was awful to her. "We're sisters! It's just like that!" (It Is Not Like That.) She was hidden in her shadow. She thought the shadow was normal. She's destroyed when her sister dies. She can only begin to recover once she's gone.

#BB!Carpwhisker #BB!Leopardstar #Better bones au #BB!Mudfur #If BB had book covers I would even have it like Carp keeps getting hidden behind things lmaoo #Like Mudfur leaving the home and the angle causes leopardkit to obscure Carpkit #But then if she had a big role later talking to Mothwing #FINALLY she'd be visible on the boxart and smiling #She's also got like 3 major deaths to go through in TNP #Her dad her sister and a child #Something about RiverClan cats just makes me want to put them through The Horrors i swear #tw abuse

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kizukiti · 6 months

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no way sage posting non dca art? INSANE!!!!!!!!!

2 artists 1 pallette challenge from a few months ago woahwoahwoah?!?!

did this with one of my very best friends, @axoltii !!!! pspspsps go check her out they're super super cool!!

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iloveluxu · 1 year

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I feel like people aren’t legally obligated to have an opinion on the light-heartedness or darkness of the tone of the kh series until they learn that the main character, a fourteen year old boy, commits suicide in the first game

#tw suicide #suicide #i saw a youtube video that was titled 'kh is a dark series????' and i never wanted to attack a person more #the first game came out in 2002 #not to mention that every game ends with the main character not getting what they wanted #except for maybe kh2 and even then thats debatable #they're all tragedies #like kh sets the tone and its a downhill slope from there #like the amount of gaslighting and manipulation #dehumanization and mental illness #human experimentation #trauma and cult tactics #the fucking CHILD WARS #the copious amounts of murder and attempted murder outside of the war context #all neatly hidden under a layer of hypersaturization and disney

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shiroi---kumo · 5 months

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Misterican Memories || Accepting

expressionbean asked:

⏰ + Sumu

─── ⋆⋅ ♰ ⋅⋆ ─── "Smoke him out. I don't care what you have to do to get that little coward to show his face. The kingdom is already crumbling and it is his job to save us. So make him perform his sacred duty. Whatever it takes."

Cold eyes narrow down on the clergymen before him with a frown hanging on pale lips. The Kingdom was crumbling. Misterica in all her glory is falling into the deep dark that is spreading out from the sacred pillar. If something isn't done soon they'll all be lost and that damnable boy is nowhere to be found.

He blames Aurinko for this. He blames Kuu. He blames himself too for not doing something about that wretched woman sooner because if not for her, he could have swayed the King by now and the boy would have completed his duty in battle against the demon gunman.

If not for that, none of this would ever be happening. If not for her, he could have truly taken control of Aurinko ages ago. Then the boy, for as insufferable as he was, wouldn't have been able to refuse him.

He should have been rid of them ages ago. The brat and his mother. Aurinko and Kuu must have whisked the boy to safety because for some inane reason they insist on protecting him. That doesn't make any sense. The boy should be protecting Misterica. The last thing their Holy Savior needed right now or any other time was to be coddled but that wretched woman ruined the Celestial Mother's vessel by giving him independence and choice.

Now the boy thinks for himself and not the greater good. Now the boy thinks of himself as normal, which is the last thing he was in any sense of the word. How dare they take him from his sacred duty at a time like this?!

For being servants of the Misterican people, this is a betrayal at its highest form. The Royal Family should be bowing their heads but instead they have whisked the boy off to hide him from his fate. Undoubtedly those cowards are trying to avoid their duty. This is why his family has been taking on the task of trimming back the rot over these long to be sure that whomever was taking the seat of power was actually befitting of the position.

Misterica should come before all else and that includes their wretched lives.

Aurinko and Kuu were just children when they took the seats of power, and they were never fit to lead. He had assumed that the boy would have been easier to control considering how young their precious King of the Eclipse was when he took on the mantle of their true Lord, but he had that damnable woman on one side and he had Kenraali Taivas on the other. Both of them stepped out of their bounds and became far too much of an obstacle when it called for properly controlling Aurinko’s actions.

Cold eyes can only narrow further as the men before him start to file out of the room a little bit at a time, lips to parting as teeth clench together as silver toned mist floods from between them as he growls.

“NOW! Find that boy NOW! I don’t CARE what hole you have to drag him out of! His life belongs to Misterica! He’s never had the will to choose his own fate! Drag him out to force him to perform his duty. I don’t care what happens to him, but we’ll all die if he continues to hide like a coward. Burn the kingdom down if you must. It’s already crumbling and it’s all his fault. He’s failed us all and disgraced Lady Tiamat with his actions. What kind of vessel runs from his sacred duty? He was never our Savior to begin with. The prophecy chose the wrong boy.”

#meme || misterican memories #expressionbean #guest muse: piispa sumu #topic: hopea sumu #topic: misterica #topic: misterican religion #topic: tiamat #topic: misterican religious council #tw; long post #tw; death #tw; destruction #tw; religion #tw; murder #tw; violence #tw; threats #v; the child of white || before the fall #// is it before though?#// or during >.> ?#// trashmallow finally decides to make his first ask appearance with this shit #// this is why quen dubbed him trashmallow #// and why i asked her to give him a punchable face when she asked to draw him #// meet Hopea Sumu (Silver Fog) my most piece of shit Misterican #// he is a fucking moldy ass marshmallow and mean to Pilvi so Tiamat said that he was denied puff #// no fluffy hair for him because he is a mean old man and we hate him in this house #// oh you thought Misterica was pretty and chill and beautiful and a great place to live? hahahahahaha #// Misterica is one of those places that is pretty to look at until you start digging #// Misterica is fucked up but in that hidden sort of way #topic: a prince's life #topic: lord aurinko #topic: lady kuu

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blackbutler-readerinsertsandjunk · 8 months

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a very sad thought that just popped into my head, regarding Snake's comment about orphanages being horrible places... I was worried about it messing with my backstory for Snake, but actually it makes my headcanons even sadder

obviously he was in a terrible orphanage which probably abused and neglected their charges

that's not even the worst part, though, and he doesn't KNOW the worst part

after they were separated, Felicity looked for him everywhere she thought of to look

she never thought to look in circuses, because, well, the idea that her son was some freakshow to be gawked at never occurred to her

but she did look in orphanages, every single one in the area and traveling as far as she thought the people who took him would be willing to go

the orphanage where Snake wound up found his appearance off-putting, and the headmaster/headmistress or caregivers (such as they were, considering the God-awful care they gave) would make sure that nobody who came looking for children would see him

whenever someone came to the orphanage in hopes of adopting children, or in Felicity’s case looking for a missing child, these people would hide Snake in another room until the prospective parent left (with or without a child)

“look at yourself, boy. what parent would pick out a child like you?”

it makes my backstory for him hurt more, because he had a chance to reunite with his mother before he grew up

his mother was in the other room looking for her son, and he didn’t know it

she came looking for her child who’d been kidnapped, and the people who ran the orphanage hid him from her because they thought his appearance would drive people away

the people who took him were responsible for ripping a child away from his mother, but the people who ran the orphanage are at least as culpable for the fact that he went through hell in the following years, tortured and abused instead of with his mother

all because they couldn’t conceive of someone loving a child who looked like Snake.

#child abuse tw #Black Butler #Kuroshitsuji #Snake #headcanons #LISTEN I REALIZED JUST NOW HOW HORRIFIC THIS MAKES MY BACKSTORY FOR HIM #this poor fucking child at like five or six years old being HIDDEN while his mother desperately searches for him #she's a few km or so away but he's concealed away and being taught to be ashamed of himself #meanwhile there's this woman who loves him deeply and wants her child back #and he doesn't even know she's out there because other people are cruel #UGHHHHHH I'M GONNA LIE DOWN AND CRY ABOUT THIS FOR A FEW HOURS COME JOIN ME-

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bravest · 11 days

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the maw does not begin as an outright prison , at least not for the vast majority of children stashed within it's depths .

the enormous amount of meat needed to satiate the unending hunger of the guests takes a year to gather ... hence the annual nature of the feasting that takes place onboard . over the course of each year , children are shepherded to the ship that would one day become their tomb and kept as unwilling guests .

the meat tastes it's best when the little brats are freshly killed . crude though the chefs are , indifferent as the lady is to the fate of her visitors , the children are kept alive as long as possible in order to preserve the best taste . this is an experience that is advertised to lure in the hungry from all over the nowhere . it must live up to the fantastical tales of endless gluttony to some degree .

the prison exists as a temporary home .

roger is put to work on another matter alongside his usual duties - tending to the children . he deals in general upkeep and repairs around the ship , of course , but his priority is to be the containment and appeasement of their living food reserves .

escape is unforgivable . roger is patient , but there is a decisive limit to how many runaways he'll haul back to the beds before punishing the wrongdoing .

causing unrest among their peers or discussing any desire for freedom is sure to cause a watchful eye to be cast the offending child's way . if the behaviour continues , they are taken away . the others do not know where , but nobody ever returns .

the more unruly children can be outright killed to make an example of them as a last resort - though this tends to only happen once there is already unrest within the dormitories . once a point of no return has already been reached , once the maw's true purpose has somehow gotten out . some children are swept away and cast into cages .

on a very rare occasion , the lady might ask for a particular troublemaker to be brought before herself . roger obliges without question , of course . there is always a need for more nomes to cast into the depths of the maw to keep the engine humming ... always amusement to be sourced in keeping a little lost thing in a gilded cage within her residence while she muses over what is to become of it , watching it tremble in due deference .

roger does find enjoyment in the work . his actions could almost be construed as genuine care . the children are tucked into bed , where they remain until morning . they are counted with regularity , though it becomes harder and harder to keep up with escapees and ensure numbers are correct the more children are being held in the prison . the number steadily mounts as the year goes on . he becomes sloppy , careless - leaves the door cracked when scrambling in pursuit of one child ...

only for another runaway to take advantage of his mistake and slip out , too , a shackle still clamped around his little ankle .

the chefs prepare slop for the children and they are ushered into the cafeteria to eat whatever is put before them , drink a cup of water . in earlier days , they chatter among one another . as the feast draws closer , as more of them have come to understand the true nature of this terrible place , there will be a resounding silence and a few notably empty seats from some of their more outspoken peers being taken away in the night without explanation .

the playroom is bursting with toys of roger's own making . swings , model train sets , a little roundabout ... carefully carved dolls and blocks . the children are to spend their days playing together within , under his watchful eye . he used to unsettle them . many of them even hated him , in the beginning . but they come around ... or at least learn to ignore him as best as they can . he'll bring things on request sometimes . a silver music box , a whittled nome toy . he has yet to oblige the request for a television set many children have posed .

none of the children are happy to be there . all seek escape initially . they don't understand why they're here or why they can't leave , and roger certainly doesn't provide much in the way of answers . he doesn't like questions at all , actually . but they're treated well enough that most concede to remaining within the prison for a large chunk of their stay ... before the day of the feast draws close and they're all bundled up and sent off to the kitchen .

#look how the canary has flown it's cage . / six headcanons #you'll do better next time . / rk headcanons #he can't stay hidden forever . / mono headcanons #long post tw #child death tw #kidnapping tw #food mention tw #ask to tag!

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surveillance-0011 · 2 years

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Fishing Frenzy 2 behind the scenes aka the cellist might have anxiety and other assorted issues aka also a follow up to my first Inkgoretober post

#tw sui ideation #splatbands #my art #daemonvision’s art #yes salmonids have a different culture and therefore different music than inklingkind/mainland society #but I think this one’s wild even for the salmonids #and this guy’s bio said the only way he can express his feelings is in song so.#fish anxiety woo #cellisake tag #splatoon #ω-3 #the firstborn child of alkyne the hidden blade of yakiharas

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adoranoia · 11 months

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i've mentioned how saeyoung has managed to keep his empathy over the years, despite the agency's wishes. i've mentioned how, sometimes, he'll add their targets into his prayers before missions, at night, but... there's certainly times where this isn't the case, too.

these targets typically fall into a very specific categories: those in power who purposefully misuse it, child and spousal abusers, etc etc. he's got a strong moral code, and a bit of a vengeful side due to his childhood, and he isn't afraid to let it be known, if need be.

#* && OOC #* && 707 : HAPPY-GO-LUCKY / HACKER .#does this make sense. i hope it does. i just think he's interesting #hes got some hidden anger in there even tho he's generally a soft guy y'know ??? idk #abuse tw #child abuse tw

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demento · 1 year

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spits my splatoon ocs at you

#tw bad art under cut !! /hj #one on the left i have not thought of a name fir yet. but they r a giant fin squid !!#this means they are super tall and alsohave super long hair #they wear platform shoes to try and keep their tentacles off the griund but CLEARLY it doesnt work #horrendous fashion sense not included #one on right is chip ! do NOT call him a shrimp he is a king prawn. prawnling #i know i also hate fanmade soecies but this was a character i made when i was like ten or something and ive revamped him to make child me-#-happy :)#hes a part pf deep cuts soundcrew #btw both of these characters dont have fully fleshed out lore yet the ones that DO are hidden deep inside my brain #ocposting

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wildflowers-of-trolberg · 2 years

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So, I've talked extensively about Novel Johanna on here; about how I believe she's a bad mother, and how I would genuinely call her abusive. I think she's harsh to the point of cruelty more than once, refuses to understand her daughter, and, the thing that really makes her abusive, consistently manipulates Hilda and makes things about herself. So now, with the release of the audiobooks, I'm putting my money where my mouth is:

I've compiled every clip I think proves that she's abusive from the first five novels. I didn't include Hilda and the White Woff; in print, I thought Novel Johanna was surprisingly reasonable in that book, and although some of her voiced lines have been less kind than I was expecting in the audiobooks, I don't think there's any moment where she could really be called abusive in those. Obviously, I have also excluded any purely positive or neutral moments, but these are in the minority (off the top of my head, four interactions across the first three books are completely excluded, and one in Book 5, but I might be forgetting one or two.)

I'm open to doing more compilations like this, if anyone's interested (Hilda's bad friends is one I've been considering) - please let me know!

As for the clips I've included:

Hilda and the Hidden People:

00:00-01:30 - Johanna finds out Hilda went near a troll rock.

I wasn't originally going to include this moment, because Johanna's not completely unjustified here and her dialogue read as quite fond to me (I thought the "I'll tell you exactly what happened" bit was meant to come across as lighthearted). Her tone in the audiobook makes it very clear this isn't the case, and while she's not completely wrong to worry, she's very harsh and this establishes she doesn't really support Hilda's adventures (she does flip back and forth on that, though).

01:30-01:51 - Johanna firsts suggests moving.

Johanna had definitely been thinking about moving before this in both the show and the novels (she comes up with Trolberg quickly in both), but the way she brings it up here sounds to me like she's trying to hide that (more on that later). More importantly, she ignores Hilda's concerns completely, and sends her to bed to avoid talking about it, despite how much Hilda's upset.

01:51-02:48 - The next morning.

I wanted to include this one mainly just to prove that Johanna had no intention of discussing the move in the morning, although it does also have a bit of her being dismissive of Hilda's adventures (I have no problem with her telling Hilda to eat less peanut butter though).

02:48-03:18 - Johanna brings up the visit to Trolberg.

Johanna clearly lies directly to Hilda here about why they're going; she's already committed, and once again refuses to be honest with her daughter or show any understanding. Instead she resorts to being manipulative for the first of several times.

03:18-03:48 - Hilda struggles to sleep.

This is a direct continuation of the previous section, just with some intervening stuff with Alfur cut out; Hilda sees right through her mother's facade, and is deeply hurt by the possibility being forced onto her.

03:48-08:06 - The visit.

I did try and cut this up, but I ended up including so much of it that I decided to just feature the whole thing. This confirms that Hilda was right, and that her mother was lying and has fully committed to moving behind her back, and when Hilda gets upset about it, Johanna immediately makes it about herself ("please don't be difficult today, Hilda"). Hilda is kicking off a bit, but she has a very good reason to be upset, and she's not wrong about the city's founding; instead of understanding, or trying to reassure her and asking her to keep an open mind like her show counterpart, Johanna tries to guilt her. By the end, Hilda seems to genuinely be suffering a sensory overload, and again isn't unjustified when she gets upset, even if she isn't being kind; she directly calls her mother out, and Johanna's reaction proves that she was right.

08:06-09:30 - Hilda finds Johanna packing.

This is a moment I've previously overlooked, but it's a moment that doesn't happen in the show; Hilda comes home to find her mother in her room, going through her things without her and packing up. There still hasn't been a proper discussion of the move, and once again, Hilda's concerns are ignored; this is the closest Johanna ever comes to apologising for the whole thing in this book. I've also included the end of this scene just to show how much Hilda is hurt by this (compare the show, where she only cries once during the whole of the first two episodes).

09:30-09:58 - Hilda thinks she's about to die.

This moment really hurt me; Hilda genuinely believes she's about to die, and her last thoughts are about how awful she thinks she's been to Johanna. She doesn't think at all about how much her mother has hurt her, because Johanna has successfully manipulated her into thinking she's completely in the wrong, and that she's a bad person.

Hilda and the Great Parade:

09:58-13:03 - Hilda comes home after her friends abandoned her.

This is another moment where I wasn't originally planning on including the whole thing; I thought Johanna was supposed to be fond during the edelweiss exchange, but her tone is genuinely a little unkind. She does soften when Hilda breaks down, but she doesn't actually say anything reassuring, she just insults Hilda's friends (admittedly, they are terrible friends in this book, but throwing petty insults at eleven-year-olds is not really a good thing to do). The really important thing here is the ending; Johanna learns that she's been lied to and tricked into giving the raven away to someone Hilda hates and thinks is cruel, but she just doesn't care. Hilda's thoughts are excessive, but Johanna should care enough to try and fix things, like she does in the show (where she's even less culpable).

13:03-14:05 - Ms. Hallgrim berates Hilda in front of the parents.

Johanna isn't prominent in this, but I've included it for two reasons. Firstly, Johanna's immediate reaction is to blame Hilda the same way Ms. Hallgrim does, and glare at her across the room. Secondly, it's important context for the next scene, which is the first conversation Johanna has with Hilda after her daughter has been berated to the point of tears in front of mocking, jeering adults. I want that to be kept in mind.

14:05-14:55 - Johanna thinks Hilda is sick.

Johanna has just seen her daughter cry in front of everyone, and her immediate response is harsh; she knows full well that this situation is partially her fault, and she could resolve this by just talking to Ms. Hallgrim, but she doesn't, and the implication is that she cares more about her reputation than her child. Even when she is persuaded to help, it's reluctant, and seems more like she's just doing this to get Hilda to stop pestering her.

Hilda and the Nowhere Space:

14:55-15:22 - Why Hilda was signed up for Sparrow Scouts.

Johanna has always been excited for Hilda to follow her lead, in all versions of canon, but here that seems to be the only reason Hilda's been signed up. It was Johanna's idea, purely so that she could make her daughter more like her, and it seems Hilda wasn't given a choice in the matter. Moreover, all Johanna cares about is Hilda's attainment, to the point where that comes before asking how Hilda's day was or how she's feeling, every time; if she actually listened, she'd realise Hilda isn't actually enjoying Sparrow Scouts at all.

15:22-15:51 - Hilda's afraid of disappointing her mum.

Hilda genuinely thinks she's useless because she hasn't won any scouting badges; she's tying her self-worth to something that should be fun (and that's reinforced later) and she's acutely aware of how much pressure Johanna is putting her under. She isn't doing any of this because she wants to; it's all about what her mother wants her to be.

15:51-16:23 - Hilda is allowed to go on the trip.

This is right after Hilda invites Tontu in and the house gets trashed by the nisse; it starts with Johanna punishing Hilda for something that isn't her fault, which isn't great, but then the only reason she changes her mind is so that Hilda can earn a badge. That pretty much confirms that the pressure she's putting Hilda under is deliberate, and that all she cares about is her daughter being like her. She even explicitly states that she doesn't want Hilda befriending creatures, which is tantamount to saying she doesn't like who her daughter is and actually wants her to be 'normal' (in direct contrast to Show Johanna in both The Bird Parade and the ending of The Stone Forest).

16:23-16:43 - Hilda dreads the badge ceremony.

This just reinforces how bad Johanna has made Hilda feel, and how Hilda is measuring her self-worth by Sparrow Scout Badges.

16:43-17:19 - Johanna berates Hilda at the ceremony.

This is the moment that's normally cited as Novel Johanna's worst incident, and while I think the move as a whole is worse, she's outright cruel here, in public. She has already seen how upset Hilda is (Hilda's whispered an apology already), but she comes over, during the event itself, and insults her daughter for who she is and for not being good enough until she cries. She genuinely makes her own daughter cry over badges, knowingly, and leaves Hilda feeling worthless and alone over something that should have just been childish fun.

17:19-17:56 - Johanna's "apology".

What Johanna says here just isn't good enough; "please forgive me" puts the onus on Hilda to forgive, not on Johanna to make it right. It's an admission of guilt, but it isn't a proper apology, and it doesn't make up for what she said. I didn't trust her tone when I read the novels, and I don't trust it now; it feels more like she's saying this to assuage her own guilt (and stay on Hilda's good side) than actually because she wants to make right her daughter's hurt. Moreover, she doesn't actually apologise for everything; she doesn't mention the pressure she put Hilda under at all (even though her show counterpart did, and all she did was get a bit carried away in her excitement), and this doesn't come up in the ending scene with the handmade badge, either. I haven't included that because this is the only apology we get; Johanna does say that Hilda is the best daughter she could ask for, but she doesn't make any more apologies or promises to be better.

Hilda and the Time Worm:

17:56-18:44 - Hilda gets grounded.

I don't think Johanna is fair in the show version of this moment, and there she's far less harsh. Johanna actually has more cause to be upset here (her daughter has committed an actual crime), but she falls right back into genuinely manipulative behaviour by accusing her daughter of doing what she did (in this case, sabotaging the mechanical bellringers and then lying about it) just to hurt her mother; she makes it about herself, again, and only sounds tearful when she's trying to make her daughter feel guilty.

18:44-19:10 - Johanna talks to David and Frida about Hilda.

This is the second time Johanna outright says that she doesn't like the way Hilda is. She talks about her child caring so much as a bad thing, and once again effectively admits that she wants Hilda to be normal; she knows Hilda was trying to do the right thing, and she resents that. To his credit, David does actually defend Hilda right after the section I've clipped, and I think it's the only time in the entire series that Johanna's treatment is actually addressed; however, it's not acknowledged beyond that, and Johanna doesn't actually get to respond to her missteps being pointed out.

19:10-19:26 - Johanna refuses to unground Hilda.

This is just pursuant to above; David's words didn't stick, and Johanna still thinks she was completely justified. Her show counterpart effectively lifted Hilda's punishment before the day was even up, but Novel Johanna wants it to last up to a fortnight over Hilda caring too much. This is also how the book ends, and the first time Hilda and Johanna talk since the grounding scene (Hilda gives Johanna her Sonstansil present, Johanna says she loves her, and then we get this.)

Hilda and the Ghost Ship:

19:29-19:47 - Johanna talks about her parents.

I just wanted to include this because it's the only mention of Johanna's parents directly in the whole franchise, as far as I know, and basically confirms that they weren't kind either (and again, that Johanna doesn't like Hilda adventuring at all). It's basically a veiled threat.

Huge thanks to @sarasplenda and @stargazer-sappho for helping me get the books to compile this thing - if anyone has any thoughts, questions, or comments, please let me know! :))

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blind-as-a-noibat · 2 years

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You have searched for Caben Dubois. What do you know about them? (Heavy topics may come up.)

Public Domain - Semi-Public Information - Confidential Information

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Public Domain: (Anyone can know, though some require brief research.)

• A ruined and abandoned campsite was found on one of the routes in Kalos around 3 years ago that looked to have been robbed. In it clothes, some small personal items that would of held no value to a robber, and a trainer card was found. Authorities concluded that Caben Dubois must of been attacked or threatened by someone to leave his campsite for his things to be stolen later, there was no evidence that a battle of any kind happened so he may of just ran at the first sign of trouble. Since much was taken from the site and no one has reported seeing the boy even a few months after the case he has been presumed dead. ( Other than his death and what was found out in the investigation nothing else really comes up, he wasn't exactly an important or extremely memorable person to the general public. Didn't cause any problems and didn't do anything extraordinary )

_________________________________________

Semi-Public Information (A friend, someone who was in right place at the right time, may access this information.)

• The appearance of his attackers, a woman with long blonde hair that fades into blue along with a man with brown hair and purple streaks

• Caben was 12 years old at his death

• He's scared of ghosts

• Loves Grass and Electric-type Pokémon

• He grew up in a forest village called Stantlow

• A passing trainer gave Caben his Tropius egg so he hatched and raised Cheri himself, Cheri became his starter

• Won four gym badges before he died

• Summer birthday

• He enjoys putting small metal objects and rocks in his mouth now

• Has started to dumpster dive for still good food when he gets tired of eating berries

• Doesn't know much about pop or internet culture

_________________________________________

Confidential Information (Heavily guarded.)

• The location of his body, he doesn't want anyone messing with it. Caben also doesn't like the feeling he gets when looking at or being around his body so he decided to bury it.

#out of the forest (ooc)#mun talks #hidden ability (headcanons)#tw dead character mention #tw corpse mention #(( I hope this is good. Most of the information about Caben would be on the second entry ))#phantasmal child (phantump)

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ratdoeswriting · 2 years

Text

you’re useless

Summary: “Well, maybe if you weren’t so goddamn useless then we wouldn’t be stuck here.”

Juno hadn’t meant to say it. He didn’t even really believe it. Maybe he would have, when he was still a PI, before he had first met Peter, but he had changed so much since then. He still had bad days, but he handled them better now. He knew when he was in the wrong.

Prompt: "You're useless." from palettes-and-prompts

Pairings: background Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel, background Buddy Aurinko/Vespa Ilkay

Warnings: implied child abuse, descriptions of violence, hidden injury, hurt/comfort

Word count: 2.6K

A/N: this is crossposted on ao3 and my main blog - ik that repeticism isnt a word but im making it one for this fic

~~~

“Well, maybe if you weren’t so goddamn useless then we wouldn’t be stuck here.”

~~~

Rowan isn’t quite sure how they found themself on board the Carte Blanche and on the outskirts of the Aurinko crime family.

They had the typical, cliché backstory of a lone-wolf operating within the underbelly of society - a surface-perfect home life destroyed by something seemingly mundane blah blah blah, trust issues, a long line of enemies, enough friends to count on one hand, and nothing much else to show for over two decades of living.

One good thing about working alone is the need to get creative, and this is what had put them on Buddy’s radar in the first place. A few years ago, Rowan had been hired to acquire a tank of rare fish - this is about where they stopped asking questions, they didn't care as long as they got paid - and, after some very elaborate lies, an even more elaborate disguise and a rigged game of cards, they had managed to win a tank of the ugliest fish they had ever seen.

The part that caught Buddy’s attention, though, was the escape. Rowan had been found out before they had a chance to get out of the building, and had only managed to escape because they had memorised the security’s routes. It took a bit of guesswork, but they had been able to work out where the security would be coming from, found an unguarded window, clambered down a drain pipe, fish tank sloshing precariously in their bag, and landed near perfectly in a pile of rubbish bags outside the window - if you discount the broken bottle that had gouged their leg.

Buddy had picked Rowan up a few weeks after Juno and Rita, but it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, no matter how much anyone may have wanted it to be.

The problem wasn’t that Rowan couldn’t do their job - if that were the case they wouldn’t be here. No, the problem was that being thrown into close quarters with a bunch of strangers was… a lot. Especially for someone who had been alone for so long.

Rowan liked Jet well enough, he was straightforward and honest but intense; Buddy’s ‘take no shit but do no harm’ attitude aligned perfectly with her unwavering morals, and this was a welcome relief from the lies and deceit Rowan had lived with for so long. Rita and Peter were surprisingly welcoming, and Rowan formed a reluctant almost-friendship with Vespa. Juno, though. He and Rowan were too alike: fiercely independent, stubborn as a mule, and they both fell back into old habits as easily as anything.

Maybe this clash of bad habits, the deceptive comfort in being who you were, even for a moment, is how this job went so spectacularly wrong.

~~~

It was supposed to be a simple in-and-out job. Rita had taken out the security cameras, Jet was waiting in the car, and Juno was sneaking down the darkened hallways with Rowan.

“I still don’t understand why we need this goddamn painting. It looks like a baby threw up crayons and then just threw up on a canvas.”

“I’ve just eaten, Juno, shush if you don’t want me to throw up too.”

“Rowan, darling, please do not do that - this painting is priceless and highly sought after, which is why, Juno, we need to swap this for the information August Reid is refusing to give us. I did mention this in our family meeting before you left.”

Vespa’s aggravated voice piped up in the background of Buddy’s comms, “He was too busy swooning all over Ransom to pay attention.”

~~~

They had gotten the painting easily, so it was just a matter of getting out again. Rowan had been tasked with studying the guards’ shift patterns and routes, and had had no problem getting them in. Apparently, their luck couldn't hold.

They crept forwards, leading Juno left, right, left again, ducking this way and that to avoid the, quite frankly excessive, number of guards patrolling the halls. And that’s when it happened.

Rowan ducked right around a corner into another corridor, one that was supposed to be empty for another six minutes at least and there, at the other end, was a guard. A guard who was looking right at them.

“Crap.”

“What? Rowan we need to kee- crap.”

Both of their comms beeped, Buddy asking them questions with thinly veiled panic in her voice, but neither of them answered, stood frozen, eyes locked with the guard. Then all hell broke loose.

Everyone took out their guns and bullets started flying, the guard was shouting and footsteps could be heard thundering closer from all directions.

A tidal wave of de ja vu crashed over Rowan, “Fuck, this way,” they shouted, turning to run, voice tinged with something Juno didn’t have time to decipher, but Juno grabbed their sleeve and dragged them in the opposite direction.

“Hell no. You are done giving directions, I am not letting you get me killed here.”

They ran back the way they had come, and Juno skidded to a stop in front of a storage cupboard.

“Get in, quickly. There’s a vent at the top we need to get through. Do you think you can manage that?”

Rowan wasn't sure - there was a searing pain in their side that sent shocks of nausea through them with each breath and black dots into their vision with each movement. But this was their fault - they had failed at the one job they had - the one thing they were supposed to be able to do, they got themself shot and had put Juno in danger. They did not need to hold the job up any longer - they just had to get out of here and they could deal with the shot later.

It was a tight squeeze, both of them were crammed awkwardly into the vents, waiting for Rita to work out where they were so she could guide them out.

“Christ, it’s cramped in here - my side is killing me.” Rowan muttered to themself.

“Well, maybe if you weren’t so goddamn useless then we wouldn’t be stuck here.”

Everything seemed to shift and sharpen, Rowan suddenly violently aware of everything around them whilst simultaneously being blurred by memories they had tried so hard to bury: Juno was trying to listen and see if they had been found, there was shouting from down the hall, the smell of musty metal was almost overwhelming and Rowan jerked as if physically struck by Juno’s words, completely at a loss for what to say. Luckily, Rita, who had been on the comms, was not quite as speechless.

“Mistah Steel! That is a horrible thing to say, how could you-”

“Goddamnit Rita, I don't have time for this - how they hell do we get out of here?”

~~~

Jet was still outside with the car, and took off at break-neck speed as soon as the doors were shut. Juno sat in the front seat, the painting on his lap, talking to Buddy about something, and Rowan was slouched in the back, trying to cover up the fact that their organs were about to fall out. Well, that was an exaggeration. Probably. Just to be safe they grabbed a jacket they had left in the car weeks ago and slipped it on, wrapping it tightly around themself to try and hide the blood and hopefully-not-organs.

Juno had gotten a bit banged up in the vents, so when they arrived back at the Carte Blanche he went straight to the medical bay to meet Buddy with the painting and then to get checked.

“Rowan, it is recommended that you also get checked out. You look very ill,” Jet said as Rowan turned away from the medical bay and towards their room.

“No worries, Jet, I just want to get changed first - these clothes are filthy.”

~~~

“It was a mistake, darling, the best of us make them.”

“Yeah, well, it ws a stupid mistake - all they had to do was make sure they knew where the guards would be and then make sure we weren’t there!”

Vespa growled at Juno, who was gesticulating wildly whilst she was trying to wrap a bandage around his arm.

“Juno, I don’t care if Rowan walked straight up to that guard and told him why you were there - we are a family, and you will not speak to any member of this family like that.”

“That’s another thing - I get why everyone is here except Rowan - you said it was some daring escape that brought them here, but after today’s performance… what exactly do they bring to the table?”

“I’m going to leave that for you to work out, Juno.” Buddy said tersely.

He deflated a little, head tipping back to stare at the ceiling. Goddamnit.

“Are we about done here, Vespa, I’ve got places to be.”

~~~

Rowan would quite like a stiff drink right about now. Partially to actually drink, but mainly because they had run out of steriliser and this wound was definitely going to get infected and it would be this whole thing and they would get ill and-

“Get it together, Rowan.” They hissed, pulling out a sterile needle and taking a deep breath as they began to stitch themself up. This was not the first time, and likely wouldn’t be the last, that Rowan has had to do this - working alone and working recklessly meant most jobs ended with soft pink staining bandages and staining baths, throat and skin burning from cheap whiskey. Tonight didn’t have to be different.

The shot had skimmed their side so, luckily, no organs were falling out, but it was still going to be a bitch to heal, likely would be ripped open a few times and leave a nasty scar. This, unfortunately, was also not uncommon.

The painful repeticism of the needle going in and out lulled Rowan into a violent comfort they tried to avoid, the panicked calm soothing them until they couldn't quite hold back the memories they had been reminded of earlier.

Raised voices, gritted teeth and finger shaped bruises. Running, up stairs, through doors, arou-

There was a knock at their door. They flinched, snapping back to reality.

“Rowan, it’s Juno. Can I- can we talk?”

They almost said yes, just called Juno in like nothing was wrong. Then their brain kicked it’s way through the fog and realised they were sitting in bloody trousers, half stitched up wound and thread fully exposed to anyone who might walk in.

“Rowan?”

They picked up the shirt closest to them - part of a matching pyjama set - and tried to tuck the needle away so they could carry on when Juno was gone, and threw the door open.

“Sorry, I was just getting changed. Just sit anywhere.” They mumbled, haphazardly shoving piles of washing off of a chair.

“Thanks. Listen, about earlier, I know that you didn’t mean for that to happen. It’s been a rough week, not that that’s an excuse for what I said- are you alright?”

Rowan had half-sat, half-fallen back onto their seat on the bed and was focusing very hard on not fainting, so much so that they couldn’t really understand what Juno was saying. Maybe this wound was worse than they had thought. They nodded and hoped for the best.

“Right… Anyways, what I actually came to say is that I'm sorry I called you useless. You made a mistake, no one died, well I don’t think anyone died. Whatever, it couldn’t have been avoided. I know that I can be abrasive,” he said with a look that meant he had been told this many, many times before, “but that doesn’t mean that- Rowan, you really look like crap.”

“Wow, thanks, Juno, you say the sweetest things,” they took a deep breath and tried not to panic at the fact that they couldn’t really feel most of their torso anymore, “I know you didn’t mean it, we’re fine. Stop looking at me like that, I’m fine, I just need a nap.” The last words were pointed, hinting sharply at Juno to leave.

“Yeah, because slurred speech and sweating and shaking all scream ‘I’m fine’,” he paused for a moment and Rowan could almost see the cogs whirring, piecing together the information - bullets flying, the unidentified something in Rowan’s voice, the jacket they hadn’t been wearing before, the sterile wrappers on the bed… Then the last piece clicked into place, “Rowan, is that blood?”

They looked down at their top - their white pyjama top - as their vision began to fade out, their head too heavy to hold up and mouth too numb to speak, “No-”

~~~

When they came to, they were in the medical wing wearing a loose sleep shirt - distinctly not soaked in blood - and shorts. They tried to get up and go but a not-so-gentle hand pushed them back to lying down.

“Goddamnit, stop moving. You’ve already ripped your stitches once and you weren’t even awake,” Vespa growled, fussing with the bandages wrapped tight around Rowan’s middle.

“Sorry, I’ve always been lively in bed.”

“That’s cute, darling. What’s not cute is the stunt you pulled last night - if Juno hadn’t come to see you when he did... “ An uncomfortable look passed over Buddy’s face, “Let’s not dwell on that. I will want to talk about this later, but, for now, somebody else wants to see you.”

“Great,” Rowan tried to get up again, “Where are they?”

“Nice try, tough guy, but you’re staying right here until mean old Vespa lets you out.”

“Bite me, Steel.”

“No, thanks, I think I'll leave that to-” He cut himself off at Buddy's warning glance and didn't speak again until Buddy and Vespa had both left the room.

Rowan glanced at the bandage wrapped around Juno’s bicep, “Is it bad?”

“No, just a flesh wound, unlike that one you’re sporting - what was the plan? Stitch it up and hope you didn't drop dead in the middle of the next job?”

“Something like that.”

“Goddamnit. Okay, I don't know how much of what I said yesterday you heard but I'm sorry for what I said. I know we don't really… get along, but you remind me of,” he sighed, “You remind me of someone I used to know.”

“Juno, I really don't need a pep talk.”

“Well, here's the thing - you absolutely do because this,” he gestured to the bandages and the bed, “can’t happen again. You can't see that we care about you - you wouldn't be here if Buddy didn't think you were worth something and Rita is the best judge of character I know; she thinks you’re great. You have a goddamn family here, Rowan, stop trying to push us out.”

Rowan sighed, and Juno graciously didn't mention the tears in their eyes. “I don't know how to-” Rowan shook their head.

“We aren't going anywhere, Rowan, I know that's not what you want to hear but I don't care. For right now you need to stay here and stop ripping out your stitches. Take care of yourself for once. Then we can work on whatever complexes you’re holding onto so tight.” Juno said, squeezing Rowan’s shoulder as he stood.

Rowan didn’t say anything till he was half-way out the door, “Hey, Juno? Thanks.”

“Sure thing.”

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universestreasures · 20 days

Text

Release: Future Force! (Drabble)

(Note: This drabble is a 'canon' event for my Mokuba (both anime and manga wise, though it is written in the context of the manga for this drabble) as well as Tasuku and Gao's Yu-Gi-Oh! verses. What that means is this event might be referred by all three of them during interactions they have in these verses. This, though, as with my other headcanons or elements involving Mokuba and his friend group, can be discussed on the individual level if it is something my writing partner is not comfortable with having occurred for whatever reason)

Man, he didn't expect to be so busy. While Mokuba expected the disputes between Battle City competitors to be a moderate occurrence, mainly due to the ante rule his brother imposed, he wasn't prepared for just how many he'd have to do back-to-back not too long after the event started. It seemed like left and right he was running into issue upon issue. Did these duelists have no honor?

Regardless of his slight irritation, he does his job well. His elder brother trusted him with this position, and he wasn't about to let him down. Not only that, he felt a sense a pride being able to have such an important part in the tournament despite not being a competitor himself. He was helping make sure his brother's hard work wasn't going to be ruined by some sore losers or cheaters.

Mokuba now finds himself in one of the many alleyways of Domino City, places that he had quickly noticed became somewhat popular dueling spots for duelists looking to cause trouble. After all, being away from the central areas of the city meant there were fewer eyes on them. Well, as far as they knew, anyway. Kaiba Corporation had security cameras placed all throughout the city, something not just for the tournament but also so they could monitor anything in the future since his brother was now the city's official owner.

It doesn't take him long to find more duelists, or rather, a group of them. Weirdly enough, all of them were dressed in what appeared to be black robes, the group giving off a pretty creepy vibe if you asked the kid. That's when it hit him though, the realization that he might have just found who his brother had intended to lure with this tournament in the first place: The Ghouls.

They certainly matched the vibe of what had been reported about them through the media, and looking at their faces, Mokuba didn't recognize any of them from the registration list. He personally reviewed each and every duelist they invited to ensure he could recognize them while in the field. These guys didn't match up at all with anyone he reviewed, and yet, they had duel disks on their arms anyway. Seems like he hit the jackpot.

Mokuba moves then to take out his phone, fully intending to contact his brother that he found who he was looking for. Sadly, his idea is interrupted as soon as the group finally turns around and spots him. Seeing their creepy eyes made the pre-teen groan in disgust, all his instincts telling him it was time to get out of there now.

"Hey isn't that Seto Kaiba's bratty little brother?"

"What's he doing alone out here?"

"Who cares!? That kid's our ticket to one of our biggest targets! We can use him to lure about his brother!"

"Get him boys!!!"

Without delay, the group of five immediately begin to charge forward towards the younger Kaiba, who then starts to give chase himself. As he is running, he attempts to call out for help through Kaiba Corp's security team, knowing even with his recently taught self-defense skills, he wouldn't be able to fight back effectively, especially with a group this big.

Sadly almost before he can exit the alley and go back into the open streets of the city, a few of the men manage to block his view, having managed to pass him. In the shock of being stopped in his tracks, his cell phone drops his hands. Mokuba quickly tries to grab it before the effort is in vain as one of the Ghouls crushes it under his foot. This meant his location could no longer be tracked and he had no way of calling backup.

Oh, he really was in hot water now...or so he thought.

"Hey! Isn't five against one just a little unfair, guys?"

The group, along with Mokuba, then look over in the direction of the voice. The new individual on the scene was seemingly being framed by the harsh sunlight overhead, its light almost overpowering their sight. However, it didn't take the youngest Kaiba long to figure out who it was, for the voice and that silhouette he'd know anywhere by now.

"G-Gao?!"

"Whose this bratt? One of your little friends trying to play hero, huh?"

"Keh...Not quite..."

The confidence brimming off of his friend's voice and his sharp grin was striking, one that reminded the younger kid of his big brother. That confidence of Gao's was soon followed by him starting to remove his jacket, an action that seemed to cause a slight gasp of joy to escape his lips before it turned into a grin of his own. For he knew exactly what was about to go down.

"Eclipsing the darkness with flames...and brightening the hearts of the mistreated..."

"Oh, you guys are so in it for now..."

"The Mighty Sun Fighter is here...!!!"

"Now then, why don't I even things up a bit? After all, it wouldn't be fair to expect my pal to fight a whole mess of thugs at once, right?"

Mokuba could see the Ghouls getting no doubt annoyed by his friend's speech and 'theatrics', certainly underestimating him. Well, they were going to be in for a surprise for their foolishness, then. Since it was clear they did not know they were dealing with a martial arts national champion who had competed and won against adults countless times. If they did, they surely would have run off by now.

"Alright, you're asking for it, tough guy!"

That's when two of the five members then carelessly charged forward, preparing to grab Gao and no doubt subdue him. This, of course, the Mighty Fun Sighter saw coming, for he caught both of the men's arms, one in each hand, before flipping them both to the hard concrete ground.

"Nice one, Gao!" Mokuba exclaims as the rest of the creeps looked on in absolute shock. The younger Kaiba decides to take this chance to make his move, setting his sights on the two card hunters in front of him. He remembers what Gao's mother, one of his self-defense senseis, told him about dealing with guys like this. That one must be smart with what they use to attack with and where and when they wish to strike.

He then rushes forward towards one of the two thugs, lashing out his leg to kick him in the most sensitive spot he can think of: the crouch. His hit was hard, so hard that it caused the one Ghoul to stumble and crash into the other one, both falling to the ground. Mokuba smirks a bit in victory before heading over to join his friend, the two standing back to back.

"Keh. Guess you Ghouls ain't so tough, after all! If you think we're bad, just wait til my big brother finds you guys! He's going to eliminate all of you with his new power!" He then turns his head back towards his friend. "Come on, Gao! Let's get out of here!"

"Don't think you've won so easily, bratts!"

That's when, out of nowhere, a whole horde of Ghouls appeared on the rooftops, causing both kids' eyes to widen in shock. They quickly slide down the walls and surround the gaming duo, the entire group seeming to have tripled in size. Seems like during the commotion the two kids caused, the leader called for backup. Guess they really did speak too soon and should have just made a run for it the second they cleared the way forward.

"Got any bright ideas, Gao?"

"N-Not yet...but don't worry, Mokuba. We just gotta keep our cool and figure out how we can beat these guys!"

As the horde of hunters starts to take steps forward, both boys start to sweat. Mokuba tried to think of a way out of this, but he just couldn't. Not with this many people! Maybe he should have taken his brother's advice to have a bodyguard or two with him.

Suddenly though, as if answering the two kids prayers, the entire alley is cast in an orange barrier, one that seemingly blocked the only exit out of there. The forcefield not only seemingly trapped them all, but also caused all the security cameras to go temporarily offline, so what happened next could not be recorded. Everyone, including the two kids, looked to the sky, confused as to what was going on. Though, it didn't take a certain Buddyfighter too long piece it together.

"Hey...I know what this is. This is a Buddy Police Barrier!"

"A Buddy Police...Barrier? Then...does that mean-"

"Mind if I step in?"

That's when, as quick as the wind, Tasuku Ryuenji descends from the sky on the green rings from Jack's Buddy Skill, the sight causing the two boys to grin and the Ghouls to grit their teeth in anger. The Buddy Police had been the leading organization investigating the Ghoul's activities for some time now. So, it's only natural they'd show up at some point during the tournament. Mokuba was just surprised it was so soon. He certainly didn't leak his brother's plan to his friend. Did someone on the staff did, or did they figure it out from their own intel?

Speculation on that would have to wait as they had some creeps to deal with. The officer landed in front of the two boys, the Star Pulsar floating near him as well. Mokuba looked at the device with some curiosity, it seemingly having been upgraded since the last time he saw it. Was it because of the collaboration between the Amanosuzu Group and Kaiba Corporation? More questions he'd have to save for later.

"Tasuku Ryuenji...The Buddy Police Boy Wonder...Should have figured you'd show your face around here and use this cheap trick of yours..."

"My Buddy Police Barrier is no trick. You criminals can't run now." As the foes try and fail to escape the area, he then glances over his shoulder to his friends. He provides them a reassuring nod before looking back at the group's current leader. "As I see it, you Ghouls have two options before you. Surrender yourselves or else...accept my gaming challenge! I'll fight each and every single one of you if I have to!"

The Buddy Cop's words, accompanied by the serious glare of his ruby hues, are met with laughter by the group of Ghouls. Mokuba and Gao, in contrast, could only look at the other in admiration. The youngest Kaiba could feel the raw power of Tasuku's strength in the air, similar to how he could feel his big brother's. It made him wonder what would happen if the two of them clashed in the gaming area.

"You sure are bold Buddy Cop. I'll give you that...but...I think I got another option that's much...much more fun..."

Without any warning, that is when both Mokuba and Gao are grabbed by two pairs of hunters, strong-armed with guns pointed at their heads. Both of them attempted to break free, but the other's grip was just too tight. They made sure especially to be tight on both Gao's arms and Mokuba's legs, the two body parts they used in the earlier fight.

"Gao!!! Mokuba!!!" Tasuku shouts as he turns around and notices his friends' current conditions, his eyes widening as soon as he sees the weapons in their hands. "You...You bastards! Leave them out of this! Your battle is with me!"

"One of the first rules of gaming is that you should never play by your opponent's rules. Even if you'd stand no chance, we don't have time for you to battle every single one of us! So, be a good little boy and lower that barrier and hand over your Jackknife Dragon, or else these bratt's blood will spill!"

The sound of the gun's trigger being slightly pulled, but not enough to fire, causes Mokuba's heart to race in his ears, his breath increases, and his palms to start to sweat. He remembers that sound, it was the sound Pegasus' men had when he was kidnapped. Being restrained like this by the enemy reminds him of that instance too. It was happening again, he had allowed himself to get foolishly caught off guard and held hostage, but this time...he had no key, no 'saving grace' to prevent him from being kept alive.

He was...in true danger, at gunpoint with no Seto in sight or way to contact him. He was...He was going to...

"I..won't forgive you..."

The youngest Kaiba looks up then, the voice of his friend seemingly overlapping with the voice of his elder brother. It wasn't just his voice that was off. Mokuba can visualize it...visualize Seto's image overlayed with his friend's. Was his mind playing tricks on him because he was so stressed, or was it that Tasuku's strength was truly similar of that to his elder brothers, akin to that of a mighty dragon?

The boy's contemplation, along with the criminal's movements, was paused soon as a strange light noise began emitting from the Star Pulsar. The sounds were akin to that of locks being released, the clicking sharp. Then everyone in the area bore witness to the device slowly changing its appearance, with its inner machinery being revealed.

"What the..?" Mokuba thought to himself as he watched. "His Core Deck Case...is transforming?"

The green and blue electronic panels that were once hidden beneath the yellow exterior of the Star Pulsar soon began to cast a golden light. The glow not only blinded everyone around them, but also began radiating from Tasuku as well. With squinted eyes, both Gao and Mokuba see what happens next, a sight that seemed...impossible. For Tasuku's hair began to grow long, and his Buddyfight cards turned into light and were now floating around him on their own, similar to how they were in Lady Suzuha's live demonstration of the Core Deck Cases' holographic technology not too long ago. The cards then went back into his deck, as if they had just been shuffled for battle.

Though, as they would all soon find out, this wasn't a mere light show. Instead it was a miraculous power Tasuku has had dormant inside of him, a power hailing from the potential and strength of his future self. He just wasn't ready to awaken it until this moment, the moment he truly needed it to save those he cherished now in the present.

The blinding light begins to wane, and as it does, the Ghouls all stare in shock at the boy's power and change in appearance. They all started mumbling to themselves, wondering what this was, but they soon would have their answer. They would all bear witness to the full capacity of the power the young boy dubbed 'The Boy of Destiny' possesses: The Future Force.

"This...is..." Tasuku goes to draw one of the cards from his deck. The card soon vanishes and becomes replaced by a much larger object. A large halberd sword with a golden hilt manifests before him, along with silver armor for his arms and legs. With the Buddy Cop now equipped with protection, he grabs the blade in both his hands and picks it up with ease. Moving to swipe the sword causes the Ghouls to jump back to dodge, a massive gust of wind being felt with the huge blade's motion. The sight of this elicits shock from everyone around them, but especially Gao and Mokuba who also recognized the weapon itself.

Their friend wasn't using just a random sword. Rather, it was the Buddyfight card...Dragonblade Dragobrave, the item card Gao gave to Tasuku upon the Sun Figher's victory and as thanks for Tasuku giving him his rare and one-of-a-kind Gargantua Punisher impact card.

"Did Tasuku just..."

"Make the cards real? B-But that's impossible! Not even my big brother's Solid Vision technology could do something like this!"

"Then maybe it's not tech at all, Mokuba...Maybe it's...magic."

"M-Magic?"

That word immediately elicits a flashing image in the boy's mind, of the golden eye of Pegasus had and the blinding light he was exposed to before everything for him went blank. He never quite learned just what had happened to him in between being in the cell and waking up in that room in the castle surrounded by Yugi Muto and his friends, but whatever it was wasn't natural. The same went for when he was put into a capsule by his brother's rival after having lost to him in a game of Capsule Monsters Chess. Could there be a connection somehow?

Tasuku then points his blade at the Ghouls holding the two younger gamers hostage, his teeth gritted intensely. The fierce glare of his ruby hues sends a shiver down the thug's spine, as it should. It felt as if a dragon had descended and was ready to tear them limb from limb.

"H-Hey...! Don't forget we're the ones with the advantage! One wrong step and we pull-"

"I cast, Dragon Crush!!!"

Before the miserable Ghoul holding Mokuba can finish his sentence, Tasuku has already taken another one of the cards and seemingly activated it. A blue dragon manifests from the card and quickly bites the hands holding the guns of both Ghouls one after the other. The humans were unharmed but the same could not be said for their weapons. The guns broke and turned into scrap metal on the cold stone ground, the sight causing the two Ghouls holding the two boys to loosen their grips on them somewhat.

Quick to notice the opportunity for escape, both Gao and Mokuba land kicks on their foes that cause their grip to be fully released. They then run back towards Tasuku, all three of them standing back to back to ensure none of them would be snuck up on again. All of their hearts were racing, since they were not entirely out of the woods just yet.

"You little bratts...! Don't think we're done with you yet!" That's when the kids see all their enemies take out their guns, the size of them seemingly bigger than the small handguns the other two had. They were all pointed right at them, with the sounds indicating they were locked and loaded.

"'When you play with fire, you're gonna get burned'. Seems like it's time someone teaches you that lesson..."

"Get down!!!"

Tasuku, dropping Dragobrave which makes it vanish into light particles, grabs the shoulders of the two boys and pulls them to the ground. The Star Pulsar flies in front of the eldest, so Tasuku can draw another card he can use here to hopefully end this little charade once and for all, since it's obvious they don't want to fight with cards anymore.

"FIRE!!! SHOOT THEM DOWN TILL EVERY ONE OF THOSE BRATTS IS DEAD!!!"

"I cast, Red Dragon Shield!!!"

Just as the bullets are fired, unrelenting in their assault, a card in Tasuku's hand manifests in the form of a giant red shield with a dragon's head on it. The shield is placed over the kids like a dome, protecting them from the blasts. However, that was not the only thing the shield did, for in the game it has another ability than just 'negating an attack'.

Once the bullets hit the shield, they reflect off of it and start heading in the direction of the Ghouls who had no type of protection. Their own dirty weapons, which they unleashed on mere children, were now being used against them, the opposite of what they intended. Some of the stray bullets hit the ground or the walls, causing minor damage. Others hit some of the Ghouls themselves in non-lethal wounds, and were starting to drop to the ground like flies. Served them right for what they did.

"Remember it well, you outlaws. This is the blade of justice that terminates evil!"

After the commotion dies down, the shield dissipates. Gao helps Mokuba stand to his feet, with the two watching over Tasuku who was now standing above their fallen enemies. They all, including the group's head, cowered before him, as if they were frightened animals. Ruby hues with nothing but contempt stared them down as he made his final statement.

"What was it you were saying about 'playing with fire'? Seems like us 'bratts' just taught you guys that lesson." He then looks to the entire group of them, his anger-filled eyes being clear for all to see. "And just so we're clear. If you or your allies ever go after my friends again, you will regret it."

After his last words had been spoken, the Buddy Police Barrier finally dropped as several helicopters and police cars flooded the scene. The floating Core Gadget then turns off, as does Tasuku's powers, resulting in his physical appearance returning to normal. He then looks over at Gao, his expression having softened since talking to the criminals.

"Gao, get Mokuba out of here and somewhere safe. We'll take things from here."

"You got it, man." Gao nods, understanding his friend's wishes and agreeing it be for the best. "Thanks for saving our hinds."

"Yeah, thanks...We owe you one big time." Mokuba says just before the Buddy Cop starts walking off, which is when he then speaks again to interrupt that motion. "Tasuku, wait! I need to know how you did all that! How did you make the cards-

"It's better you don't know, Mokuba."

Tasuku stops and turns to face the pair again, his eyes conveying his conviction on this matter despite not being fully able to answer the other's questions. He did not exactly have the full information as to how this happened either, but he is certain Jack would be able to provide some answers. The dragon always seemed to have one at times like this.

"Gaming is supposed to be fun. I don't want that to change for the both of you. Besides, you two have been through enough for one day." He pauses then before continuing on, the two kids seemingly understanding they won't get an answer out of him. "Now, please, don't tell anyone what happened here today, and be on guard, especially you, Mokuba. I wouldn't be shocked if more of these Ghouls come after you."

"I know. I'm going to try and find Seto as soon as possible! With him around, no one will dare try to mess with me!"

"Sounds good. Take care you two. I hope our next meeting will be under better circumstances."

With that done, the boys take their leave. Gao, as Tasuku instructed, guided the younger to the safest location he could think of: Kaiba Corp HQ. It is there that Isano greets Mokuba and his friend, with the VP introducing Gao to his brother's right-hand man for the first time. The Kaiba's broken cell phone was then the topic of conversation, with both boys making up a story of it being accidentally stepped on after having dropped it while in the street. It was enough to be convincing, and Mokuba is provided a new phone right then and there, much to Gao's shock.

Mokuba then bids farewell to his friend, saying they'll hang out sometime after the tournament is over. Gao nods and gives him a high-five before running out to make it in time for his mom's class, something he was reminded of by the woman on the phone. It isn't too long before Mokuba himself heads back out in the city, making sure to grab a snack along with a pocket tazer and pepper spray before heading out. He made sure to bring proper safety equipment this time, even if he was proud of being able to implement some of what he learned from his self-defense classes today.

What transpired that morning would be something the gamer wouldn't ever forget. How could he after how insane it was? Keeping this under wraps from his brother was going to be tough, but knowing about it would just worry him more. He had a tournament to focus on that they both worked so hard into organzizing. Who was he to ruin that right out of the gate?

However, that doesn't mean his mind isn't curious as to the nature of both Tasuku's new ability and why he saw his brother's likeness in him. They would be questions he'd eventually get the answers to, but for now, he vows to continue to do his best as the Battle City Committee Chairmen, a job his brother especially assigned for him and him alone to do.

#💎 Crystalized Hidden Gems (Drabble)#💎 Vice Treasure (Mokuba Kaiba)#💎 Sun Treasure (Gao Mikado)#💎 Wonder Treasure (Tasuku Ryuenji)#💎 Vice's Monochromic Alternate Path (Mokuba Manga Verse)#💎 Sun's Game Of Life (Gao Yu-Gi-Oh! DM Verse)#💎 Wonder's Game Of Life (Tasuku Yu-Gi-Oh! DM Verse)#tw long post #tw gun #tw child endangerment #tw violence #tw injury #tw ptsd #(when you're the one to set up a plot for your muse to get kidnapped but he and his friends kick butt instead LOL #(this is probably not too long before the epic scene of Kaiba summoning Obelisk #(probably while Jou is dueling Espa Roba #(BUT YEAH THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME TASUKUS ACTIVATED THE FUTURE FORCE IN THIS VERSE #(DRIVEN BY HIS EMOTIONS AND DESIRE TO PROTECT #(HE'S SCARY MAN...#(this is also before Gao meets Drum so thats why he doesnt show up. jack was going to if tasukus force didnt activate #(also mokuba getting to kick a bit of butt due to his self defense training? hell yeah #(it's safe to say Mokuba DID NOT tell his brother about this AT ALL and is thankful it did not get recorded LOL #(also first time I think I've written Gao's Mighty Sun Fighter speech in something and Tasuku using his Future Force Actively. so neat

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