#the weird winds of winona
Photo
The New Scooby-Doo Movies
S02E06 - The Weird Winds of Winona (1973)
Hanna Barbera Productions
#the new scooby doo movies#speed buggy#shaggy rogers#scooby doo#mark debbie#the weird winds of winona#hanna barbera
237 notes
·
View notes
Note
hi hello so I was thinking about Givenson right & it kinda spiraled so here have this somewhat unhinged headcanon:
I love Married Givenson, but also I love Basically Married Givenson too as in they're clearly in love & committed to each other they've just never bothered with the paperwork & so I imagined Tim picking up a young Willa from a playdate or school or something & when the adult in charge asks who Tim is in relation to her Willa just says "he's our Tim" as tho it explains it (bc to her does) & Tim being well Tim instead of clarifying by saying he's Raylan's partner or boyfriend, he says something ridiculously untrue & it causes a bit of an incident that Raylan or Winona has to clear up but it makes Willa laugh so it becomes a game between the two of them for like years just coming up with increasingly weird or ridiculous answers esp as Willa gets older ("he was a feral child raised by rabid squirrels that my dad rescued once so now he looks after me to pay off his life debt" "rabid squirrels was a nice touch" "thanks figured wolves would be too much of a cliche for you") & it drives Raylan crazy but he's also a little bit weak for seeing his 2 favorite people having fun together so he mostly just lets it go (except for the time Tim straight up says "I'm her daddy's sugarbaby" & it causes more chaos than Raylan was prepared for, the worst of which is trying to find a way to explain to his 8yr old what the hell a sugarbaby is while Tim is in the background trying & failing to hide his laughter).
But then maybe, for the angst of it all, one or both starts to worry or get insecure that maybe not being married does bother the other?? Like Tim wonders if Raylan wants it but doesn't want push or pressure Tim so he's just like settling & Tim isn't giving him enough?? Or something?? Throw in the always present worry in the back of his mind of whether he's doing right by Willa & it becomes a whole Thing for a bit but eventually they talk about it & it winds up being lovely and sweet actually ("I don't need a piece of paper or a ceremony or hell even a declaration to know what you are to me. I don't mind one way or another, so if it's important to you then it's important to me. And sure there's some logistical things I guess that it would make easier. But you don't have to prove anything to me or anybody else. I'm yours and you're mine, and as long we both know that, that's enough for me. I swear to God, Tim, that's enough for me.") Willa just chucks a pillow at his head & rolls her eyes like "you're ours Tim, you always have been, so what if no one else outside of the family understands what that means because you're not technically my stepdad or whatever, we know what we mean to each other so stop being stupid and worrying about it" or something like that & Tim doesn't cry or anything but he smiles & hugs her & laughs when he sees that Raylan's maybe a little misty eyed so naturally Tim & Willa tease him for it because giving Raylan a hard time is their favorite pastime. (Tho Willa definitely uses the "he's my daddy's sugarbaby" line at some point when she's older because she thinks it's hilarious & Raylan nearly chokes on his coffee & Tim just throws his head back & laughs).
sorry this is so long & rambly & is probably silly & out of character maybe idk & like if it's super weird to just dump this in your inbox but I was overcome with Givenson feelings & thought of you so um yeah here???
not weird at all. i'll always approve of givenson in my ask box. sorry it took me a while to get around to answering though, my life has a lot of ups and downs and it was super down for a while. but i'm happy to finally have the time to share this with the givenson gang :)
everyone come feast your eyeballs on this fluff!!
i'm of the belief that tim would never take on a fatherly role to willa (she already has Raylan and Richard for that). he seems much more the type to be the non-judgmental but responsible adult figure that willa can confide in when she hates her parents or is scared to tell to them something. and i don't think tim would be "uncle tim" or anything like that either.
he's just tim to her.
the idea of him being HER tim is super cute ngl.
11 notes
·
View notes
Text
Almost none of the gym leaders so far wear glasses. I count only three where I’m sure that they’re wearing glasses and probably need them for seeing: Blaine, Roark, and Clemont.
There are others who have glasses on top of their head but they either seem to be sun glasses (Brawly) or glasses for wind protection (Winona).
The ratio is better with the Elite Four, but that might just be because there’s far fewer Elite Four in total: Lucian, Shauntal, Malva, and Molayne (only in USUM). I have no idea if what Will is wearing are glasses or just a mask.
It really feels weird.
30 notes
·
View notes
Text
A Mark edit I did. I wanted to him to look like he did in "The Weird Winds of Winona" as well as give him the gloves from that Fun-In comic cover.
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
rewatching stranger things season 1 is such an experience. fascinating things include:
matthew modine watches a tween girl snap a guy’s neck with her mind because she feels attacked and is like “surely the best way to bring her back to the lab is chase her down in many vans with many scary guys in suits with weapons”
will is TINY
they’re all tiny babies but will is SUPER baby
eleven is so traumatized from the incident with original flavor jace wayland that she barely talks
it’s been four years since the child massacre and banishing Bad Vibes Blondie and she’s had all of matthew modine’s nefarious attention since then
“forget spying on our enemies. you saw a terrifying monster that eats meat? you should say hi!”
knowing now how the lights work, I love love love how s4 used a lite brite but am kind of delighted to see the christmas lights alphabet and imagining will climbing on the couch to touch the bulbs.
we’ve spent a lot of time in the upside down now, so. jeez. Will can hear his mom screaming the whole time.
So...was the demogorgon sent by kit marlowe or did it just happen to make contact, sort of accidentally and his evil blondieness caught wind?
i forgot steve was homophobic at jonathan and talked shit about will too. no wonder he got his block knocked off. jonathan was being a creeper but as a rule, you shouldn’t insult a guy’s dead and/or missing adorable baby brother. also saying homophobic slurs is extra unwise when the baby brother is probably gay.
man he really got his ass whipped by jonathan
first episode: “nancy’s always with that douchebag steve harrington” mike says, blissfully unaware that within the week they will all be adopting him.
demogorgon is the worst tracker in the history of predators. it chases will for an entire week. dude you suck.
i forgot jonathan made the nail bat and steve was just better at using it.
there is a sort of weird thing with the lights. the primary gate opens when eleven touches the demogorgon and all rifts stem from that. presumably the original “gate” to banish One Singular Sensation was just a temporary rift that may have loosened the jar, so to speak, but neither he nor el could access the other side for another four years. Anyway, when the primary gate opens, the upside down is sundered from the mundane plane, such that all mundane objects are mirrored in the upside down at the moment of sundering. Except the lights, because will can see and touch the xmas lights that winona didn’t have before, and the older gang can write in the lite brite. but they also can’t really touch the lights? only pass through them. so why didn’t nancy have a gun she could see but not touch from the other side?
one of the things the first season did really well was making us give a shit about a character who isn’t even in half the episodes, partly through casting and the few scenes we do get with him, and partly through winona and the boys’ feelings about losing him.
the “category five woman moment incoming” post rotates in my brain forever but especially rewatching this show
10 notes
·
View notes
Photo
Shaggy (holding Tinker’s hand): Like, we’re running away to join the Olympics together.
Someone off panel: You’re what-
Been watching a lot of Laff-a-Lympics recently and it made me want to doodle a Shaggy/Tinker piece, which I ultimately ended up giving full color to. (Was too lazy to draw a background, though, so I just used a screenshot from “The Weird Winds of Winona” instead.)
First picture is the dialogue-based version and the second is a more typical no-dialogue ship piece.
11 notes
·
View notes
Text
Trust me when I say I 200% ++ do NOT mean this as an insult
I worry a lot about the things I make but watching the New Scooby-Doo Movies episode "Weird Winds of Winona" is making me feel like no matter how I mess up, as long as the characters are recognizeable and the story gets properly told, the minor things that are maybe a bit off kilter or not the best can actually be just as great as something more perfect.
The Mystery Inc gang all look weird and lumpy all over this, and while I prefer Mark's colouring in this show than in the original Speed Buggy, it's still a fact that it's different and an "error" here.
Idk. I'm not sure what it says about me, but the animation errors and weird quirks are one of the things that makes old cartoons like these so beautiful to me.
I'm going to try my best on the comic for sure. But I think I should be okay to let things go here and there if they aren't perfect.
1 note
·
View note
Note
My favorite episode of The New Scooby Doo Movies would have to be The Weird Winds Of Wionna. I just find the interactions between the Speed Buggs and the Scooby Crew to be super adorable, especially when they first met!
Sorry about not answering this earlier. I got busy yesterday. Also by the time I remembered to answer these, it was like 3 am. Which you know... I was too tired and my brain was sludge at that point, so I couldn’t possibly be cohesive in my answers.
But yeah! That episode was pretty okay! It probably wouldn’t be my personal favorite, but that’s namely because I have no connection to these characters, unlike you, and whenever there are two Shaggys on screen, it just distracts the hell out of me. Also I feel like the ending lagged there a bit. But I do absolutely agree that the interactions at the beginning were absolutely precious! Since I’m cutting clips out of episodes now, there’s a part of me that kinda wants to cut that first interaction out and post it, because it’s just cute... I don’t think that I’m going to, but the temptation is there. I’m not particularly interested in watching any of the Scooby-Doo knockoffs but watching the Laff-A-Lympics is making it half tempting! Because Speedy and Tinker are pretty cute in that.
For me, of the episodes in that second season that were crossovers with other Hanna-Barbera properties, that one is easily the best one. The Josie and the Pussycats crossover was kinda a mess, and the Jeannie crossover was a lot of a mess! And sadly the Harlem Globetrotters episode in season 2 was the only actually pretty bad Harlem Globetrotters episode in that series. And that’s tragic right there!
Personally my favorite episode of The New Scooby-Doo Movies would probably be “The Exterminator” because for me it was the first time Scooby-Doo actually felt... You know... Good?! I mean, I don’t know Don Adams either, but the writing felt good, there were some good and interesting character interactions, and the animation FINALLY felt like it matched the episode’s ambition! Plus that ending was cute as hell to boot.
#Anonymous#the new scooby doo movies#speed buggy#hanna-barbera#Scooby-Doo#the exterminator#the new scooby-doo movies#scooby doo#the weird winds of winona
2 notes
·
View notes
Photo
The New Scooby-Doo Movies
S02E06 - The Weird Winds of Winona (1973)
Hanna Barbera Productions
#the new scooby doo movies#speed buggy#scooby doo#shaggy rogers#daphne blake#velma dinkley#debbie#the weird winds of winona#hanna barbera
103 notes
·
View notes
Photo
The Weird Winds of Winona
The New Scooby Doo Movies Season 2 Episode 6
45 notes
·
View notes
Text
Captain Christopher Pike, the rec list
I had this almost finished and ready to post, and then the kitten wiped everything, so here it is, a gazillion years later than I wanted. Yay.
Ongoing - the fic is complete, but not all chapters are posted
WIP - fic isn’t finished
Incomplete - last-updated-more-than-a-year-ago WIPs
recs under the cut; spoilers abound
AOS
Gen
Pike’s Office by AnxiouslyGoing. Poor Jim has a Tarsus related panic attack, and ends up sleeping in Pike’s office/on Pike’s lap. Academy Era, bonus appearance by Spock, dad!Pike. 2k oneshot.
Another Life by LullabyKnell. Time travel fix it for ST2009. As ever, LullabyKnell gave us a spectacular, delightfully well-written fic. Dadmiral Pike, even if he’s technically a captain at this point. No pairings, everything is platonic. 12 chapters, 61k, T. Complete.
Watching the Cloud of Dust by AngelQueen. Pike runs into Spock Prime while seeing the Enterprise off. Cue melancholy fluff (it follows Spock Prime around like a dog). 1.7k oneshot, G.
Phil Boyce/Chris Pike
horizons universe by gracieminabox. Massive, massive series spanning the whole of Chris’ life. Not canon compliant, i.e. Pike Lives. “Christopher Pike, in word and in deed.” Series, 263k in seventeen parts, G-E.
Altered Horizons by InsaneSociopath. The bar fight goes very differently because Chris gets elbowed in the face. Featuring depressed!bipolar!Chris, who is Not Having A Good Time, Emergency Department (ED) doc Bones, and mother-hen!Jim. Phil is essentially Sir Not Appearing In This Fic, but he and Chris are married. Seven chapters, 14k, G. Incomplete. I adore this one.
When Darkness Drifts by InsaneSociopath. Tarsus fic. Jim gets adopted by Starfleet but still ends up on Tarsus, except Chris is there. All Tarsus-related warnings apply. Jim and Chris centric; Phil is most present in the last few chapters. Six chapters, 44k, M. Complete.
Kinktober 2017 by nerdqueenenterprise. What it says on the tin. Series, 13k in eight parts, T-E. Complete.
A Vacation Long Overdue by nerdqueenenterprise. Reunion sex, mostly. They haven’t seen each other in six months, so they take leave on a remote beach. ~9k oneshot, E.
The Weight of a Man by imachar. Another huge series charting the evolution of Chris and Phil’s relationship. Both canon compliant and canon non-compliant, so there’s a choice if you want it. Series, 174k in sixteen parts, M-E. Complete.
shatterproof by gracieminabox. Will Make You Cry. Phil’s POV, STID compliant, featuring a picture from their early days. 4.3k oneshot, M.
Winged Desires and Veiled Persuasions by imachar. Post-Narada, ignores/was written before STID. Bones ends up hanging out with Phil and Chris at Spuhura’s wedding reception, and then the three of them have sex in Phil and Chris’ hotel suite. Pretty much pure smut. 12k oneshot, E.
McPike
The Wind and Its Satellite by severinne. Long series, some BDSM, eventual Bones/Jim/Pike. Something of a McPike classic. Series, 186k in twenty parts, M-E.
Partridge Fallen From the Pear Tree by severinne. Post-divorce Bones works as a prostitute to make ends meet. Pike comes to town to recruit him, ends up paying for a night without knowing Bones is Bones, and then they both freak the fuck out when Pike realizes who he is. More-or-less just smut and angst. Pre-canon. Three chapters, 12k, E. Complete.
Singularities Verse by FrancescaMonterone. Bones and Pike fall in love, Pike adopts Chekov, Jim is Jim. Bonus Admirals Archer and Reed, and Archer/Reed. Mostly pre-canon, ace Pike. Series, 81k in six parts, T. WIP.
Need by Noranem. Post STID, Pike and Bones invite Jim into their relationship and their bed. Established McPike, early days Bones/Jim/Pike. Four chapters, 12k, E. Complete.
Pirk
See All The Stars by HoneyBeeBritt. Chris and Jim fell in love some time before Daystrom. Fluff and angst, with a happy ending promised in part four. I come back to this one regularly, especially part one. Series, 6.2k in three parts, T-M. Ongoing.
Shining On The Quay by topaz. Post-Narada through Beyond, ignores STID. Chris and Jim fall in love, get together, and figure out how to keep a relationship going when one of them is in space and the other is an admiral. Series, 32k in three parts, E. Complete.
You Still Got Wheels, Kid by withthepilot. Yes, this is partially on here because it’s one of the few (good) fem!Pike fics. Pre-canon, Pike finds out Jim’s alive because she (not Winona or Sam) is listed as his emergency contact. Prostitute Jim. Takes place two years before canon, I think. 12k oneshot, E.
Moments along the path by InsaneSociopath. Jim, through no fault of his own, is assigned to Pike as an aide bc Command thinks he’s a loose cannon. Pike is delighted /s. (he warms up eventually.) Some Tarsus PTSD; also a fair amount of fluff. Academy Era slow burn that goes right through to (immediately) post-Narada. 46k oneshot, M. Second chapter is artwork. Long but 100% worth it.
How Do You Want Me, How Do You Want Me? by babykid528. Get together via smut. Feelings abound but talking about them does not. 3k oneshot, E.
The Ocean Between Us by severinne. They get a drink in a bar. They’re both dead. Something of a get-together fic. Can and Will sucker punch you with feels. STID compliant. 1k oneshot, T.
Mutual Profusion of Good Feeling (aka Wherein the Aliens have a Flair for Mood Lighting) by kayliemalinza. This doesn’t really count as Pirk, but it’s not platonic enough for the gen category. Away mission, the premise is ‘aliens made them do it’ but there’s no sex or fade to black. Romantic, I guess? I really don’t know, but the prose is gorgeous. Also a Pike Lives/returns to the Enterprise AU. 5k oneshot, T.
Timeline Shenanigans
In plain view by IceCream_Junkie, Killermanatee. Pike/Pike. What can I say? The image of Greenwood’s Pike and Mount’s Pike together is very pretty. 2k oneshot, E.
Out of This World by TheAsexualofSpades. Space Puns. That is all. 1.1k oneshot, G.
Discovery/quasi-SNW
Gen
A Small Storm by EKthered. Spock goes to visit his captain and ends up comforting him instead. Post Boreth. 2.3k oneshot.
you were never broken by ordinary things by SiderumInCaelo. Michael Burnham & Chris Pike. Michael has only an inkling of what’s going on, but she manages to comfort Chris anyway. Post Boreth. 1.2k oneshot.
Piler | Chris Pike/Ash Tyler
the chair and the badge by ninjamcgarrett. The boys are soft and in love. Lots of smut, but a fair amount of plot. Their respective traumas are addressed too, so there’s plenty of h/c. Honestly? My favorite from this pairing. Series, 59k in five parts, M-E. Ongoing.
Reality by aishahiwatari. Initially a take on how these two idiots settled their differences, and evolution from there. Part two is post-season two of Disco. Series, 5k in two parts, E. Complete.
survival is insufficient by topaz. Post-Disco; they get together to remember Discovery’s crew, and then they get together. Traumas are addressed. Part two is a sort-of case fic, TW starvation. Series, 33k in two parts, E. WIP.
Feeling Too Deeply by NightOfTheLand. Established Piler, post-Disco season two couch sex. 6k oneshot, E.
dancing to a beat of our own, flying with the speakers blown by wolfhalls. Neither of them want to talk about anything, aka Horrible Coping Mechanisms TM. Bottom Pike, quasi-hurt/comfort. 2.7k oneshot, E.
Christmas in Sickbay by lah_mrh. Chris is accident- and injury-prone and has a new reason to hate spiders. Ash just wants to spend time with his boyfriend. 1k oneshot, G.
The Pillow Will Disappear When I Forget I Put a Pillow There, Worry Not by prototype_malice. Sleepy fluff and cuddles. (they deserve it.) 665 words, oneshot, G.
Chris Pike/Una | Number One
it will take place without witnesses by love_in_the_time_of_kohlinahr. Post Disco, Pike is struggling with the knowledge of his future, so he and Una play chess until stupid o’clock in the morning (as one does), and then he lowkey has a panic attack. Una POV. Also features sleepy sex, but it isn’t plot-important and can be skipped over, if you wish. 2k oneshot, E.
Overtime by Astronoddingoff. Una has Thoughts about Chris working doubles for the better part of a week. Also men get pegged. Definite sub!Chris. 7k oneshot, E.
Terminal Velocity by Astronoddingoff. Una pegs Chris and drags his favorite fantasy out of him. Chris is On Board with all of this. Implied poly!Chris (i.e. Boyce/Pike) and hardcore switch/sub vibes from Chris. 6.8k oneshot, E.
All for One by knightinmourning. D/s universe, where Pike had/has to hide the fact that he’s a sub to make (and stay) captain. Mostly reccing for part two, which has a fair amount of hurt/comfort (and also hints at threatened sexual assault and definite torture; be forewarned). Technically also Chris/Phil and Chris/Spock, but there’s no pairing sex, and part two is entirely Una’s POV. Series, 4.2k in two parts, M-E. Probably incomplete.
A Gentle Touch by jedi_harkness. Chris and Una shower together. Body worship, no sex. So Much Fluff (and also happy tears). It’s super sweet. 1.7k oneshot, T.
Phil Boyce/Chris Pike
Decompression by Astronoddingoff. Chris is elated by a recent treaty success and the time spent dirtside. Phil does his best to make him even happier. Lowkey sub Pike. Implied poly!Chris (i.e. Pike/One). 3.5k oneshot, E.
Most Pike/Boyce fics fall under the AOS tags
Una/Phil/Chris
Triangulate by Astronoddingoff. Sex pollen, but they’re already-kind-of-mostly in an established relationship. Recent miscommunications lead to angst. They all love each other and they’re all idiots. Lowkey sub Pike. Two chapters, 20k, E.
Holy by Astronoddingoff. Self-actualizing featuring religious guilt/conflict, i.e. Pike is a sub and religion is weird about enjoying yourself. 2.7k oneshot, E.
Happy Birthday by MeganMoonlight. It’s Phil’s birthday. Cue breakfast in bed. 530 word oneshot, G.
#christopher pike#star trek#trek aos#trek dis(co)#fic recs#christopher pike fic recs#pike/boyce#one/boyce/pike#pike/one#piler#mcpike#pirk#a couple disco-aos crossovers for funsies#captain dad pike#dadmiral pike
50 notes
·
View notes
Photo
The New Scooby Doo Movies Ep. 22 “The Weird Winds of Winona”
21 notes
·
View notes
Photo
More of my old pokemon drawings! Since... I’m apparently back in that obsession now. Frick. Oh well. These were for chapters 10 and 12 respectively. The Underground Hideout and The Taste of Freedom.
Basil: Bulbasaur. Belladonna: Weepinbell. Ansem: Eevee.
There is a lot of dark topics surrounding this story, such as kidnapping, trauma, and abuse, so... if that makes you uncomfortable please don’t keep reading.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/22998952/chapters/54987940
Grunt, the girl, is thirteen. Various factors such as stress, depression, and malnourishment had caused her growth to be greatly stunted so she looks like a small child. One of her hands is crooked from an injury she received growing up in Team Rocket, the majority of her arm numb as a result of poor healing. She met Steven YEARS ago, which is the very start of the story, when he was ten and she was four. They made a promise over a broken dawn stone to meet again after she was taken in by social services, but then Team Rocket happened. Because of her lack of a name they called her “Grunt” to mock her future as a Team Rocket grunt.
As a result of learning from the news that his very new friend got taken, Steven makes it a goal to track them down. Several years pass with no luck and everyone convinces him to give up, so he focuses on his career instead. But then... the headquarters blows up, because a certain legendary pokemon was told the truth and escaped. And he picks up where he left off, aiming to avenge the friend everyone is convinced is long dead or a member of Team Rocket, with Wallace and Winona’s help. (This is where the conspiracy theorist Steven drawing desire comes in, since he has all these old newspapers and stuff for all the Team Rocket sightings and missing children/pokemon)
Meanwhile, Grunt- having recently escaped due to the explosion- ends up journeying, very reluctantly might I add, with Brock and eventually Blue, to strengthen her pokemon by taking on the gym leaders, heading back to Hoenn, and freeing all the children/pokemon being held captive by Team Rocket, and hopefully reunite with that friend she can no longer truly remember- the dawn stone being the only thing she had that reminds her that he had once existed.
The man antagonists in this story are Richard (Rich) and Velga, Giovanni, and all of Team Rocket. (Jesse and James will make their appearance in ORAS)
Chapter 10 Bit: I had been more than prepared to defend myself against anything the adult could have done. The battle went by easier than expected, especially compared to Rich and Velga, and his tactics reminded me more of those random goons found lurking about in Mt. Moon when Brock and I had been searching for the fossils. What neither of us had been expecting, however, was what happened after I defeated him.
"Wh… What!?"
"I told you before," I growled, starting to feel the familiar sensation of frustration as my words continued to fail in being understood by this person, "I'm not joining you."
"But… with your skills you could totally become a top leader!" He protested. "Your pōkemon and leadership are incredible!" When he saw I was not being swayed he faltered, taking several steps back. His teeth ground together and his eyes lit up with rage, frustration on his face. "You and that boy… damn it all! Do you realize what you're turning down!? You selfish, spoiled little kids will never understand what it's like to be part of something great! Not like this! So I guess… I'll just have to show you."
"Explain!" Brock frowned deeply when the adult started to cackle, the teen stepping forward and readying to summon a pokemon at a moment's notice. "What are you trying to do? Why does Team Rocket want to use kids so badly?"
"Hm?" He tilted his head, blinking. "Oh, you haven't figured it out? You really are just a child."
I closed my eyes, expression growing empty and solemn. It was such an obvious answer, one I had learned a long time ago. Considering how he's acted so far, I knew my travelling companion would not like the answer. Ignorance, in cases like these, was complete and total bliss. But when living under such terrible conditions like I had for so long ignorance was a curse and knowledge was power. With his view of the world, I knew the truth would only enrage him further should he find out.
"Brock, don't…"
The boy looked back at me, confused when he heard my voice trail off and go quiet. "But you want to know, right? You deserve to know! Grunt, you-"
"Grunt?" The adult echoed. Realization dawned on his face and he whirled around, staring at me with big eyes. "You can't be… no, no, no- hold on. Yes, of course! How did I not realize!? You were there that day, weren't you? The day the headquarters blew up…"
The hate on his face intensified and Brock tensed, chills going down his spine as he took a fearful step back, holding a shaky arm up in front of me, the boy bravely pushing me behind him. His actions no longer surprised me, though the logic behind them did. "It wasn't her fault!" He protested, defending me. The way he said it made it almost sound like that sentence would solve everything; that it would make all the hurt go away. Brock, despite his fear, spoke with confidence.
Unfortunately, he knew nothing. I still haven't explained everything to him.
Him believing that I didn't know why children were being used was proof of that. I knew all too well why kids like me were targeted; I just… found it hard to speak about it. I think I just didn't want to upset him anymore than he already was over my situation, which was weird. He shouldn't be so upset about it; it wasn't like my life was something particularly special that should be deserving of attention, and yet… here we are.
He said I was the one who cared too much, but it was so obviously the other way around. This only showed more with Brock's kind words.
Unfortunately, the person across from us did not care to listen. He was bristling with rage, only hearing and focusing on what he wanted to. "It was… It was you! You little brat- my friend died in that fire!"
I flinched at those words, the guilt washing over me like a tidal wave. It was suffocating, the weight of the lives taken crushing me inside. My head ducked down as he continued to scream, Brock's back being the only thing blocking him from my view. The boy kept me behind him as best as he could as we started to become surrounded- all the trainers from before crowding around us and removing their disguises, revealing the large red R that was plastered over all of their chests.
"That's not on you," I heard Brock say firmly, speaking to me and momentarily snapping me out of my darker thoughts, his attention never leaving the evil trainers around us, "you didn't mean for it to happen."
But... I still caused it. I freed the legendary pōkemon that exploded the building.
Their deaths were on my hands. I murdered them.
And these people… those that were little kids had actually been wearing well-made masks, revealing very small adults. They were all Team Rocket. In my panic to rescue Blue I made a very grave mistake; I stopped observing. If I had paid the slightest bit of attention to their attire or appearance anymore than I had then this could have been avoided. I knew their tactics inside-out and yet I let this happen.
I… I screwed up. Frick.
Why do I keep making the simplest of mistakes? Was it because this was the outside world?
It was so much larger and vast than I had ever expected it to be, and despite my reluctance to trust strangers I still found myself letting down my guard, fooled by the kindness that had been shown to me by so many. This was going to cost us dearly.
The people started to grow closer and I tensed, watching as Ansem and Basil growled at the Team Rocket members. There were so many of them; I could handle one or two of them easily, but six? The leader yelled at me, cursing my existence, and without realizing I found myself grabbing onto the hem of Brock's jacket, scared as the consequences of my foolishness caught up with me, clinging onto the newer light shining before me in desperation for comfort.
I… caused this.
I failed. Just like back in the caves, I… couldn't protect anyone.
We were totally trapped.
Brock glanced over his shoulder at me before turning around, wrapping his arms around me. I was shaking, barely breathing as horror and guilt took over, the older teen keeping me pressed close to his chest protectively. He called out to my pōkemon, catching their attention as I started to shut down and surrender to my darker emotions. "Ansem, Belladonna, Basil! Get us out of here!"
"Oh, no you don't! Aerodactyl, go!" The violet-haired man raised a hand outwards, eyes flashing dangerously. A large gust of wind appeared, nearly blowing us all off our feet. Suddenly a big pōkemon appeared from a pōkeball, flying high into the air, beating its wings. An ear-piercing screech erupted from its throat, making it difficult to hear the goon speak. "If it weren't for the boss wanting you alive, I'd kill you myself! So instead, I'll have you all suffer! "
The ground began to shake, and Brock stumbled sideways- being forced to let go as I staggered backwards. Basil panicked and leapt into his arms, scared of being seperated, and Ansem started to bark again and dashed towards me, Belladonna right behind him.
Just where was this earthquake coming from? It wasn't from his Aerodactyl; it was coming from…
...underground?
Oh frick, oh frick, oh Arceus, oh gods-
I'm so sorry-!
We're going to be killed!
I screwed up!
This is all my fault!
Why did I escape so soon!?
The ground itself began to open up, shifting as two metal slabs drifted apart, and as I sat there frozen in terror Brock was shouting, calling out me as he stumbled over, trying to get to me and the rest of my pōkemon. Basil wailed loudly, tears in his eyes, and in my shock it took me a second too long to notice Brock's outstretched hand. I struggled to move, constantly knocked back down by the violent shaking of the earth, and in my desperation I reached out for him.
This was all too familiar.
In the recesses of my mind, buried deep into my memory from a time long ago, I remembered. It wasn't the first time I bore witness to such a thing, but I was certainly never on it when it happened. It was just like how the Hoenn base opened up when I was first stolen away and… when I left to Kanto on that cursed helicopter Rich and Velga made me ride.
And, deeper still, I had the feeling that I once reached out like this for someone. Who, I wasn't sure, but the sensation of a memory was there- trying to claw its way to the surface and tearing at my brain, forcing my skull to throb even more than it already was.
The Team Rocket goon raised his voice, shouting at us with a crazed grin, rage in his eyes. "Your pōkemon, your supplies; they'll all be ours!" He declared. "And you, Grunt, traitor to our kind, will suffer alongside your foolish companion!"
That was when the ground beneath me gave way, crumbling to pieces, and as I fell through the trap door I saw a quick flash of green-and-brown as Brock leapt after, following me down into the underground like a fool.
"Together forever! Trapped in the underground maze we've created!"
Rather than air, I thought of water- cold, freezing water that was filled with debris, and skies that seemed to boil with heat. Falling deeper and deeper, sinking below the surface.
Stuck… in the terrifying abyss of darkness.
As we tumbled deep into the black I muttered not so much as a word, not even able to scream, only watching with wide eyes as the light above us vanished. For a moment, as the trap doors closed and we continued to fall, all hope was lost. I found myself wondering if this was truly the end.
"A-Are you okay? What's wrong?"
It was still there- buried in the recesses of my mind. As much as I felt I should start ignoring it, I couldn't help but find that the traces of connection still held strong. My heart just couldn't let go. Everything always went back to that one person, after all, and I spent so long surviving on the pure hope of seeing him again. Even now he was haunting me, the memory of that promise keeping me rooted to this earth.
Earth…
So many years I spent living on this planet; obeying orders, acting as the puppet I was groomed to be, and plotting schemes that were only doomed to fail. Everything I ever dreamed of or desired to obtain was just too far out of reach, and they were all centered around that boy I had met so long ago. As time past my goals did shift, focusing more on the rescue of the other children, but the fact remained- I wanted to see him again.
To thank him for saving me so many times.
But… it was all an illusion. Even this freedom I have now is false.
I'm still trapped by Team Rocket.
And now… I've never felt more useless. Falling endlessly through nothingness, mind and heart slowly giving up as everything went downhill once more. It wasn't as if I truly desired to go on this journey in the first place; all I wanted was to find the police, inform them of the hideout, and then go on my way to find that mysterious boy whom I made a promise to. Yet… those plans failed too.
Everything I come up with just… fails.
Perhaps this was the world's cruel sense of justice- to get back at me for causing such a tragedy. Team Rocket was full of cruel and terrible people; they were evil beyond belief. But that didn't mean the deserved to die. Those evil enough to kidnap children and torture them, stealing them away from their families, and even go so far as to experiment on innocent pōkemon…
They needed to be imprisoned. That fate, that kind of suffering, was far worse and more befitting.
But… I was starting to believe that there was no such thing as justice. Only karma, the world making twists and turns to toy with the lives of those that lived on its back.
"Don't forget about me, you hear!?"
I'm sorry. I did. I remember your words, though the voice that once accompanied them is long gone. It was thanks to you that I became so good at surviving, yet I'm afraid that that itself was a grave mistake. My existence only ever seemed to cause others to hurt. Whether it be by putting them in danger or inadvertently hurting them with words…
I'm starting to think you should have let me rot on that street.
"Veeevaa!"
That cry snapped me back into my senses.
The world around me seemed to recollect sound and my eyes slowly opened, vision taking a while to adjust to the dark. In the distance, somewhere nearby, I could hear Ansem barking. Brock was screaming- calling out to me and trying to locate where I was. The guilt hit full force as I thought about the family that was waiting for him. They had told me to protect him, to keep him safe, and here he is falling to his death because of me.
There's… no way I can just let him die, can I?
Not like this.
Basil, Belladonna… they were all so innocent. Like the kind strangers I've met, they've only done things to help me. The pōkemon chose me as their trainer.
Did that… Did that condemn them to this fate? Because they outstretched their hands to me?
I don't… want that. I don't want them to suffer because of me.
Too much blood has already been spilled.
I can't help people; I'm only ever good at endangering them. My only real accomplishment was staying alive- so, that means��� I just have to figure out a way to extend that to those I surrounded myself with. The determination to reach my goal, the willingness to do whatever it took to reach the finish line. The reluctance of falling back into the arms of those who would hurt me, to accept those who would gather me.
Obligation, obedience. Fear, guilt. Cowardice, courage.
Hate… and love.
My eyes squeezed tightly shut, burning with tears as so many emotions welled up inside me, mixing together and creation a concoction that was far from healthy. As they bubbled up, some strange sensation rising in the back of my throat, I opened my mouth and out came a cry- a scream full of rage and frustration, aggravating my still-not-quite-healed vocal chords. A howl echoed out afterwards, coming from the ever loyal Ansem, the pōkemon reacting quite intensely to my overflowing emotions. My arms shot out and I reached blindly in the direction I heard them, body coiling around a large and soft body, fur tickling my face.
It was so dark I couldn't see anything and it hurt so much to keep my eyes open, but I have to get us through this! I have to survive, so they can survive! It's the only thing my foolish self is good at!
I had no idea how much longer we had before we splat against the ground, as we had been falling for quite a while, and as a result of this knowledge adrenaline started to pump through my veins, causing my heart to race as I hiccuped and choked, mind reeling with ideas and solutions to the problem we found ourselves in. That goon said we were heading into an underground maze, which meant it could very well be a Team Rocket hideout they've created. Our pōkemon, our supplies- he said they would be theirs.
This trap was most likely designed to capture those who refused their offer to join the organization, made with the intention of stealing their money and pōkemon.
That meant that there had to be some sort of safety mechanism at the bottom- or maybe they expected us to call the pōkemon back into their pōkeballs to save them, leaving us humans to splatter into goop at the bottom. Regardless the reason, the design, or their plans, we couldn't risk just falling forever until we became sludge on the ground. We had to take precautions. And, as someone who grown up learning how to plot and scheme by the very criminals that were entrapping us, they were greatly underestimating me.
No… they were underestimating us.
I'm not alone anymore. Brock, the pōkemon… we're all here working together. Journeying together. We're friends.
And Brock just so happened to be a retired gym leader, who owned a pōkemon that was so large that he could easily stop our fall if he so wished.
If memory served correctly, and I'm praying it did because I'm panicking so badly right now that it was rather hard to think straight, Onix was a pōkemon who liked to burrow in underground places. He could even evolve naturally into some kind of steel-type pōkemon once deep enough, becoming embedded with either crystals or diamonds, or maybe both.
It might hurt a bit, but… we could use him to our advantage here. Feeling Ansem nuzzle his face into the curve of my bandaged neck, I called out as loudly as I could, ignoring the sensation of what felt like glass piercing the inside of my throat. "Brooooock!"
"Grunt!?" The boy was alarmed. It sounded like he was coming somewhere from my… left… yet higher up. He jumped in after me, so it makes sense that I'm farther down than him. "Grunt, where are you!?"
"O-Over here!"
Ansem started to bark, sensing my pain as I started to cough. Frick- I seriously needed a drink now. It felt like needles were stabbing my neck from the inside. It was almost as if the pōkemon was trying to alert the others to our presence, so that I wouldn't have to.
Still, if we couldn't reach each other… the plan might not work. "Can you hear me!? G-Grab my hand!"
"Where!?"
I reached out above me, following the sound of his voice, trying to grasp some part of him.
Something brushed my fingers and, before I even had a chance to latch on, his hand grabbed onto my wrist and suddenly I was being pulling forward. I barely had time to let out a yelp before his arms were around my back, holding me and Ansem to him, the boy cradling the back of my head as if to shield my skull from anymore injury. I wasn't quite sure when it happened, how it happened, but sometime during the past few days his touches were starting to become less anxiety inducing and more comforting.
"I've got you!"
I didn't flinch away as much in the hospital when he was braiding my hair back then, either, so I could only assume it was because of something during my wretched stay there. Something that was actually making me reach out for touch. Keeping one hand on his shoulder and the other wrapped around Ansem so not to drop him, I was about to suggest my idea when Brock yelled again.
"W-We need to do something quick!"
"I-I know, just- where's Onix!?"
"Onix? Oh, of course!" Keeping an arm around my waist, Ansem wailing as his claws dug deep into my shoulder, Basil clinging to Brock's backpack while Belladonna cried from somewhere nearby, Brock reached out to his belt. Snatching a pōkeball and enlargening it, he held it up into the air and yelled, "Onix, come out! I choose you!"
Chapter 12 Bit:
I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, bringing the dawn stone up and resting my knuckles against my lips. My voice was muffled, but I didn't care. Everything just hurt so much, yet somehow not enough all the same. The cold, the numbness- it was all there. Amplified. Suffocating. Choking. I could barely think.
"H-he gave… he gave me the stone… t-to remind me. To remind him in case he… he forgot about me."
"...I see." Brock gave my shoulder a light squeeze, seeing how hard I was trying not to break down. "I'm glad he found you, then."
Yeah. But…
"I-I don't remember." Brock's eyebrows shot up, alarmed when he heard the sudden crack in my voice. I looked up at him, bottom lip quivering as a fresh wave of tears welled up. "I-I don't remember him, Brock. H-His face, his name, I- I can't… I can't r-recall…"
I can't recall anything.
Before he could say something to that and before I could say anything else, the woman suddenly spoke up- near flinching back when Ansem snarled at her. "W-We're here! T-Take this staircase and go through the teleporter, and you'll find the control room. See? I-I'll… I'll show you!"
Inhaling sharply, trying to distance myself from my emotions long enough to get through whatever the next encounter was, I pulled away from Brock and picked up the pace, moving my short legs as fast as they would go. I waited until the woman was through the teleporter to go myself, Ansem still being carried and stone back in my pocket, and Belladonna and Basil followed suit. Then it was Brock, then Machamp and Blue, and gradually the rest of the pōkemon…
But we weren't the only group here in the room. Without a word Machamp lowered Blue to the ground, leaving me to struggle in holding him up alone until Brock came over and grabbed the teen by the shoulders. Then the large muscular pōkemon stepped forward, standing in front of us three with Ansem and Umbreon on either side of him. Basil and Belladonna released the woman we were holding captive and she stumbled forward, rushing to the group of Team Rocket goons and… their pōkemon.
They were expecting us.
I mean, I can only imagine how much word got around about us kids when Brock was tending to Blue back in the lab- the people Belladonna knocked out must have woken up and alerted the higher-ups. These people, the adults, were more than ready to fight.
Or, rather, more than ready to have innocent pōkemon do the fighting for them.
The woman we had released whirled around with a gasp, striking the pose every goon had been forced to memorize. It took everything I had not to cringe at the sight of it, instead focusing on making sure I didn't topple over from Blue's body weight. "To infect the world with devastation, to blight all people in every nation! To denounce the goodness of truth and love, to extend our wrath to the stars above! We are Team Rocket circling the earth day and night, and you are just a bunch of brats in our way! C'mon, everyone- group attack!"
Oh no. Okay. Here we go.
A Tauros lowed and stomped a hoof against the floor, a Meowth residing atop its back. Two Zubats flew around them, flapping their wings as they stared at us nervously. Brock scowled, clicking his tongue and using one hand to reach to his belt. "Of course there are several here… Geodude, go! Help out the others!"
"M-Machamp…!" Blue began, voice hoarse from coughing. "Get them!"
"Ansem-!" I was unable to finish. Machamp was suddenly storming forward, locked onto its targets, swinging with all four fists at the Tauros when it charged. I cringed and ducked my head down upon hearing the bull-pōkemon's cries of pain, knowing full well it was fighting against its will. I hated this violence so much. "Belladonna, Basil…"
"Bulba!"
"Weeeepin!"
Vines erupted from their bodies and swung towards their foes, catching the Zubats before they could unleash a devasting flying-attack upon them. Meowth leapt up from the defeated Tauros' back, landing atop Machamp's head and using it to boost itself up again, and slashed at the vines. Basil cried out and loosened his hold, allowing a Zubat to escape, and the pōkemon hurriedly let loose several blades of wind.
Aerial Ace.
Belladonna was sent flying, several cuts lining her body as she crashed into the wall, vines retreated back into her body. Basil let out a concerned shout, but barely had time to recover himself when the second Zubat slammed itself right into him, head ramming into his side. No…
"Stand up!" My voice was panicked. Blue looked down at me in surprise as Brock ordered his Geodude to defend Belladonna as Meowth approached her. He never heard me sound so desperate and scared before. "Stand up now!"
Don't do this.
Don't you dare die.
"Basil!"
We haven't lost a single battle, so there was no way it could happen now. I won't let it.
Bulbasaur struggled to push himself up onto his feet, red eyes watering from the pain. Cuts now lined his legs from Zubat using Aerial Ace on him after the headbutt, but his expression was a determined one.
Ansem, seeing the way his companions were harmed, let out an angered roar, deciding to leave Meowth and Belladonna's Zubat alone for now, Geodude taking care of it with Machamp's help, and targeted Basil's Zubat instead. Stretching out his claws, Ansem jumped into the air as high as his legs would let him, and he caught his front paws on the pōkemon's wings, knocking it greatly off balance.
"Vaaaa!"
As they fell to the ground Ansem rolled over, biting down hard into its wings and tearing them. He was furious. The woman from before- the one we had guide us here- was glaring daggers at us, shaking with her fists held to her side in a rage. The other Team Rocket goons were both startled and very much angry, unable to believe they were now losing the battle. Worse of all, it was to a bunch of kids and their pōkemon.
Feeling Blue's weight increase I shifted in place, standing on my toes in an attempt to straighten my back and keep Blue from leaning over too much. Unfortunately, that was quite difficult as I was the smallest human in existence and these two were hecking towers in comparison. I could feel the heat coming off of Blue's face due to his fever- his heart pounding desperately in his chest in an attempt to keep him breathing. It was very unnerving.
"W-Weezings!" I glanced behind me as best as I could, trying to get a look at the other pōkemon, but auburn hair was in the way. "C-Can you help? Please?"
"Weeez?" They looked at me, surprised. "Weezing?"
The many Weezings looked at each other. If memory served right, these pōkemon had a variety of very useful moves- assuming they've already learned them, of course, and Belladonna was a bit too hurt to use her Sleeping Powder special on them.
"Weez…"
"Weez, Weezing!"
"Weez!"
"O-On the Team Rocket members!" I continued, voice cracking a little. Brock stopped issuing orders and looking back at me, alarmed. Then a bright grin spread across his face.
"Grunt, you're a genius!"
That was the wrong thing to say. The higher-up Team Rocket members shared a glance, their faces paling and somehow becoming disbelieving and enraged all at once. "Wait, what?"
"Grunt?"
One of them pointed at me, narrowing his eyes. "You're the escapee from headquarters? You? I knew you were a child, but… how old are you!? Eight?" The gaped, dumbfounded, and I tensed upon hearing their words. I was starting to believe that maybe going by my old title was a bad idea, and that maybe I should just go around titleless and nameless. "The fuck? Holy Arceus- if we bring you back to the boss…"
"We'll be promoted again!" A female Team Rocket member gasped, pressing her hands to her face. The woman from before looked exasperated by their behavior, her main goal being revenge for how we treated her. "And their pōkemon… they might be ours!"
"Who cares about that?" Another exclaimed. "Think of the pay raise!"
"Wow," Blue choked out, trying to joke, "you're famous, huh?"
My expression went blank at that, disliking the attention I was receiving. A flash of purple in the corner of my eyes snapped me back into attention, and I raised my head with wide eyes to see the many Weezings floating forward, Machamp carrying Belladonna and Basil back to us while Ansem removed his fangs from a fainted Zubat.
The Weezings continued forward, not stopping until they were past our pōkemon and residing over the fainted ones, facing the Team Rocket goons with a strange look in their eyes. The poison-type pōkemon looked angry, hurt, scared… and very fierce. "W-Weezings?"
Suddenly, and without warning, they all surged forward- flying over the crowd to the goons and headbutting them as hard as they possibly could. On impact the Weezings let out huge clouds of grey and purple smoke, causing the Team Rocket goons to start coughing as the smoke filled up the area. The many Zubats behind us, the ones we freed, decided they wanted to help out as well- swinging their wings forward and causing air blades to shoot towards them, slicing at the goons and tearing up their uniforms.
I tried not to flinch away this time upon hearing their screams, but it was too much. I just… couldn't not close my eyes. Machamp setting Basil and Belladonna by my feet, he dashed back into the action with Geodude, Ansem following behind. Together they all attacked the goons, knocking them out hard as they collapsed onto the ground. I think I heard a nasty crack from one of them, probably from the one Machamp punched in the ribs, but…
No. You know what? I'm not…
I'm not going to think about it. I cringed and shook my head, eyebrows knitting together as pain temporary flickered onto my expression. I tightened my hold on Blue's arm and waist, shifting once more as I nearly lost balance from standing on my toes for so long. "Um, frick. Okay. Uh- Brock, I-"
"I'm on it."
"Huh?" I blinked, eyes opening and turning to see him walking over there where the adults and pōkemon were, the Weezings' smoke clearing. He still had to hold part of his hood over his mouth so he wouldn't start coughing, since there was quite a bit left, but it was otherwise okay for him to head into it. "What are-"
Oh.
He knelt down, patting the adults down in an attempt to find what I could only assume to be a keycard or remote, or anything that would help us get out of here. He tossed whatever pōkeballs he found onto the ground, leaving Machamp to stomp on the empty ones- while freeing the others that remained inside. Brock also rummaged through their bags, pulling out several super potions and berries, and used those on the fainted and injured pōkemon.
Blue and I slowly waddled our way over there, and upon seeing the pōkemon's confused stares and the way the boys were looking at me… I had to greet the previously abused pōkemon. It was very awkward and uncomfortable, and it was only thanks to the other rescued pōkemon jumping into the conversation that the newly freed ones calmed down. It was mess.
Meowth looked especially lost.
"Meow…?"
A Weezing floated down and spoke to it. Understanding dawned on its face and relieved tears welled up in the pōkemon's eyes.
"Mrrooooooow!"
Haaaah, I need to get out of here. Brock shoved the remainder of the supplies into his own backpack, deciding that Team Rocket didn't need these supplies if they were just going to use them for villainy, and he slid the straps over his shoulders. Standing, he let out a heavy sigh and looked up, smiling softly at Geodude as he floated over. "Hey, buddy. You did great out there!" He raised a hand, petting the pōkemon lightly on the head.
"Geooo!" Geodude beamed, proud of himself. Shortly after, Brock recalled the pōkemon back into its ball. The boy turned, staring at the large array of computers behind him.
"I… think this might be the control panel you were talking about, Grunt."
Yeah. Yeah, he calls me by my title way too often.
He was a stupidly nice person, but every time he called me by that title it always sent whatever Team Rocket goon we were battling into a fury. And while, strategically, it could be a good thing as that meant the opponent would stop thinking clearly and act on impulse… it mostly depended on the person we were dealing with. And while deciding not to go by it anymore would prevent that from happening, chances are Team Rocket will now recognize me no matter what since so many have seen what I look like.
So… what should I do?
I bit down on my lip, thinking deeply as I glanced around at the many screens and buttons. They were all so familiar to me, yet strange all the same. How come? It wasn't from the Hoenn base, though I have seen many adults work with the computers there. I watched as Brock began to fiddle with the buttons, Basil marching up and nuzzling his leg, Belladonna and Ansem sitting at my feet. I've come to the conclusion that Basil really liked Brock, which just goes further to show what a kind person he is.
I'm surprised he didn't choose him as trainer instead.
#pokemon#let's go eevee#team rocket#brock#blue oak#gary oak#oc#fanfic#grunt#time lapse: reluctant hero#eevee#machamp#geodude#onix#weepinbell#umbreon#weezing#tauros#meowth#zubat#abuse#kidnapping#trigger warning#dark topics#blood#pokemon fanfic#bulbasaur#steven stone#old art of mine
23 notes
·
View notes
Text
31 Days of Wayhaven, Day 25
Prompt: Filthy
Rating: PG for Hammer Films levels of gore
Words: 1,633
Characters: Unit Charlie, circa 2019
Summary: Unit Charlie is dispatched to take care of an unknown monster making its home in service tunnels under the city.
For the @31daysofwayhaven event.
“And why are we attacking this thing with outdated weaponry again?” Winona asked, holding up her rapier and checking the edges.
“Because,” Penny replied, easily holding a longsword in both hands in a ready position as they made their way down a large service tunnel. The fact that she obviously knew how to handle the blade made Winona’s eyebrows raise up to her hairline. “Projectiles don’t seem to hurt it and we were ordered to dispatch and clear the area.”
They hadn’t been given a name as to what sort of monster they were facing, or at least, they hadn’t been given a name that Winona was familiar with. Even nearly four years in this new world, she still didn’t have the same familiarity with the beasts her unit were often asked to protect certain people from, but she really didn’t care. She left the particulars to Cam to research and followed orders he and Penny gave on ways to quickly kill the creatures they were asked to kill.
She hadn’t used a sword in some time, even when she was on the other side of the veil between worlds, so she just hoped that muscle memory would kick in before whatever they were hunting wound up eating them, just as they had eaten several humans unfortunate enough to cross its path.
She briefly closed her eyes and shuddered, feeling the ghost of an impression at her back. Nelros, laughing as he guided her arms into a proper fighting stance, his own arms wrapping around her middle and making her laugh as he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck, her laugh turning into a shriek as he blew a raspberry against her skin. Rina...
Winona blinked and the moment was gone, tucked safely away in the recesses of her memory where it was safe. Focus, she admonished herself, holding her weapon at the ready. She and Penny had tracked the monster down a winding set of tunnels and even though she was wearing waterproof boots, Winona imagined she felt the damp sink into her shoes and turn her toes pruney. There wasn’t a distinct reek of waste, seeing as this wasn’t a sewer system, but there was a pungent odor in the air, something stale and lingering, like mold that had been allowed to flourish in a damp environment. The sooner they got rid of this creature, the better, in her opinion.
“Any movement on your end?” Cam’s voice came through on their radios and was an instant soothing presence.
“Creepy monsters or sewer gators,” Nicky added, causing Winona to snort.
“Nothing to report,” Penny replied for them. “Anything where you’re at?”
“Absolutely nothing. Kinda getting bored.”
Winona rolled her eyes. “So sorry hunting down a weird monster known for eating civilians is boring. Next time we’ll make sure to get a more exciting assignment for you.” She would have said something else, but Penny stopped cold in her tracks and held a hand out.
“We’ve got more evidence of…” she curled her lip up. “Feeding patterns.”
Winona covered her nose with her sleeve as she used the point of her rapier to poke at the dark maroon pile of sludge. She didn’t have to prod much to uncover what looked like the skeletal remains of an arm. “Did we ever decide if this is monster shit or something like an owl pellet?” she asked, backing away from the pile.
“Whatever end this came out of,” Penny said, holding her sword at the ready, “I really don’t want to find myself inside one of these.”
“Agreed.” She looked to her right, where she saw another pile of a similar size. “Looks like the trail goes that way.”
The two of them followed the right hand trail, noticing that the ground shifted ever so slightly in a downward slope. The smell of rotting plant material was stronger, and Winona could hear the faintest trickle of water echo in front of them. She was about to comment that she was grateful that the small square safety lighting that illuminated the service tunnels were still working, when she realized that the way before them was dark. She also noticed that the smooth concrete floor had grown rough, her boots sinking into mud instead.
“Penny? You seeing what I’m seeing?”
Penny nodded. “Yeah. End of the line for the tunnel. Looks like it busted through from here.” She pressed at her shirt collar to relay their findings to Cam and Nicky, adding that it was probably for the best if they all explored the next area together as a team instead of trying to pinch this thing in on two sides.
Penny’s eyes grew wide and she took a breath before pressing on her collar again. “Cameron, move your ass.”
Winona dove out of the way as something massive barreled towards them, the stench of rot coming off it in waves so powerful that it made her gag. “What is that thing?” she yelled, using the wall of the tunnel to bounce off of to avoid getting hit by a large limb.
“What we came looking for!” Penny yelled, striking with a powerful two handed grip in a downward arc. The monster howled in pain and lashed out. Winona yelled out a warning, darting behind it to stab with her rapier before zipping out of range again. The fight went on for several minutes, Penny’s brute strength cutting off chunks of what Winona could only describe as a sort of being that looked like the monster out of the 80s version of The Blob, except instead of being a strange purple color, was a dark brown, almost as if some sludgy pile of mud had become sentient and decided to snack on humans. Winona did the best that she could to help, zipping in and out of range and providing weak points for Penny to focus on.
The fight was over when, with a mighty howl that echoed down the tunnel, Penny hefted her sword up and swung it in a dazzling arc, severing the lump of a head right before it lunged at her and tore into her body with its jagged, serrated teeth.
“Do you think we did it?” Winona asked, walking around the seemingly lifeless body warily, blade at the ready.
Penny took a few gulping lungfuls of air and did the same, the dim light from the last safety lantern in the tunnel behind them catching the sheen of sweat on her brow. “I sure hope so.”
She kept her attention on the fallen monster, but Winona’s head whipped back at the sound of feet running in their direction. “Penelope!” Her shoulders slumped forward in relief at the sound of Cameron’s worried voice reaching them long before he did. She was in the middle of shouting out an all-clear when Penny yelled out a warning, her sword sinking into the mass of fallen monster as it twitched.
It was probably a bad idea. The moment Penny’s longsword sank into the monster’s flesh, it erupted in a wave of gore, covering both of them in an explosion of filth. Winona happened to get the worst of it on her back - and she grimaced as she felt it slide down her back in chunks and drip into her boots - but Penny hadn’t been so lucky. She’d been facing the monster when it happened, and Winona slowly turned to see that her friend was covered, head to toe, in deep, viscus reddish brown ichor.
Both of them stood in silent horror, Penny breathing hard as she held her arms out from her body. “Add self-detonation post mortem to the list of unknown entity’s attributes,” she huffed out. “Oh god, I’m going to be sick.”
Winona winced in sympathy as Penny quickly turned away from the main mass and retched, her hands braced on the slippery brick wall of the tunnel as Cam rubbed comforting circles at her relatively clean back, his lips curled up as he tried to find a cleanish spot to grab her hair that had fallen out of her ponytail at to hold it away from her face for her.
“You two are not riding in the van on the way back to the Facility,” Nicky commented, daintily using a cotton swab on a long stick to collect a sample from Winona’s shoulder. “At least not without thoroughly hosing both of you down first.”
“Your concern is touching, Nicky, it really is.” Winona waited until Nicky had used his phone to call the all-clear to the agents waiting aboveground, informing them of their position and letting them know that the cleanup crews were definitely going to be needed. Once he put his phone away, she shook her arm in his direction, sending bits of ichor flying at him.
“Oh for fuck’s sake!” he yelled, jumping backwards to avoid the arc of gore. “It could have gotten in my mouth, piccolina!”
Listening to Nicky’s complaints, Winona began the trek back towards the surface, feet squelching in whatever she was covered in with every step. She really hoped that the cleanup crews had hot water on hand, because she was going to require almost boiling temperatures to rid herself of the cold, gross feeling she was now experiencing.
Another mass of filth slid from the back of her head down to the floor and she picked up her pace. Being huddled into an emergency shower and given paper underwear suddenly sounded like the best idea ever, if it meant being free of dead monster bits.
Her hand fumbled at the radio at her shirt collar. “Cam?”
“Yeah?”
“I want a milkshake after we get cleaned up. A big one.”
A fond chuckle crackled over the airwaves. “I’ll see what I can do.”
13 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hi! I have wanted to ask you these questions from the movie ask. And I will make it more challenging, five questions, please: 1, 2, 5, 8, 17! :D *hugs*
Aw, thanks!!! My pleasure to answer!
I have answered 1,2 and 8 before, but I’m gonna go for something else here, because after all, there are too many movies and so few memes about them XD.
1: A movie that made you so mad, you had to turn it off.
“Book Club” (2018) by Bill Holderman.I felt terribly embarrassed for Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, and even Jane Fonda. How anyone thought this movie was a good idea is beyond me. It’s just, pure satire material only played straight....the worst stereotypes about senior and middle aged rich white urban American women presented as something not only desirable and liberating, but also groundbreaking. That it was supposed to speak to me as a woman in any capacity was just the tipping point from embarassment into disgust.
2: A movie that unexpectedly made you sob.
I rewatched “At Eternity’s Gate” (2018) by Julian Schnabel with my mother, who also had adored it the first time, and I found myself tearing up, though that was nothing compared to the internal emotional response this movie provokes, every time. I just...wished I could go back in time and hug Vincent, tell him not to lose his courage and that he did well having that unwavering faith in his painting, because YES! he was right, and he indeed was a painter for people not born yet. What a beautiful, colorful, deep, moving film, and what a unique performance....(sinks nails in fists and tries not to shout about how snubbed this movie was) XD
5: Three movie outfits you would love to wear for a night out.
- The fetish outfit of Charlotte Rampling in the Night Porter (1974) by Liliana Cavani. (I still have the ambition to turn it into a carnival costume, toning down a little the more, ah, distasteful elements.)
- The white bustle ensemble with the azure velvet jacket and matching purse and parasol Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’ Hara wears while visiting Ashley in the Mill, in “Gone with the Wind” (1939) by Victor Fleming.
- The outfit Winona Ryder as Veronica Sawyer wears at Heather Chandler’s funeral in Heathers (1989) by Michael Lehmann.
8: Three foods or meals from a movie that you would love to eat.
- The imam baildi from “POLITIKI Kouzina” (2003) by Tassos Boulmetis. Actually, all the dishes from that movie I would gladly devour XD
- Those elegant pastel rococo desserts from “Marie Antoinette” (2006) by Sofia Coppola.
-....Again, I cannot stress enough how much I adore everything Vianne makes in her chocolaterie in “Chocolat” (2000) by Lasse Hallström.
17: Best movie wedding scene.
Oh, that’s a hard one! It will maybe sound weird, but I loved the wedding of Michael and Apollonia in the first installment of “The Godfather” (1972) by, of course, Francis Ford Coppola. The old baroque church of the remote village, the whole village in their Sunday clothes in the stone church square, the traditional Sicilian wedding customs, the dress of the bride and the Verdi operatic music adapted as a wedding waltz....it strikes at the same time very exotic for me, very familiar and very ancient and poetic.
Thanks again for asking! It was so much fun talking about all of it!
#thanks again!#that was fun!#movie ask#movie asks#ask game#ask meme#movie meme#questions#personal#movies#cinema
4 notes
·
View notes
Note
TBH, I've always shipped Fred with Mark from Speed Buggy, Shaggy with Tinker, and Daphne with Debbie, and I've always felt a little embarrassed about it. Also, I headcanon that Alex Super from the Mamba Wamba episode [it was a pretty cringeworthy and racist episode, IMO, Alex and his band were the only good part of the ep] is the brother of Butch Cassidy [also from a Hanna Barbera teen sleuth show, I recommend checking this one out].
that’s super valid tbh, and i can definitely see where you’re coming from with those ships (especially due to the Weird Winds of Winona)! so no need to feel embarrassed, cringe culture is dead after all :)
and i haven’t got around to watching Butch Cassidy yet, but i’ll definitely check it out!
#honestly; shipping the gang with any of their “counterparts” for other shows is very valid#and even characters that aren’t their counterparts — any shipping between the mystery solving gangs is valid#so no need to feel ashamed of anything#tw shipping#scooby doo#speed buggy#not an incorrect quote
3 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
puppydoggraham
It’s Beautiful🌙
rascosmicwisdom
Ra 🔮
neosisolastartercalls
Neo's Isola Starter Calls
amorfanfictions
a mess
ms-all-sunday
nico robin my everything