So One Of The Most Lore-indepth Wildcards Of Wild Life Would Be The Superpowers That Relates Past Seasons

Hero YJH x Demon King KDJ - Chapter 5 || pt.1 || pt.2 (incoming) Previous Chapter || Index || Next Chapter (incoming)

Decided to split the update and post early since I'm not sure when I'll have time (or energy) to continue working on it in the near future haha So this will do for now 😔😌

Also retroactively decided to make it a new chapter after all, it flows better this way

psycho elysium 100

the idea of isekai time loops is rlly good ive just decided

-

Martyn jerks awake, scream caught in his throat. He wobbles terribly in his hammock, then falls to the floor, gasping for breath.

Somewhere to his left, someone barks a startled laugh. “Woah, man,” Skizz says, voice a little shaky from the scare. “You good?”

“Yeah,” Martyn breathes, then gulps in air. “Yeah,” he repeats, steadier this time. “Sorry, dude. Nightmare, I guess.”

“Oh- I woulda’ woken you up if I’d known you were having a nightmare. You seemed like you needed the rest, so I figured I’d let you sleep in.” Skizz rubs at the back of his neck. “We’re late right now, actually.”

Martyn blinks. “For what?”

“The engagement party!” Skizz says. “For Prince Bdubs and his Majesty! Etho came in earlier to grab us, but I stayed back.”

“For me.”

“For you!” Skizz grins, and Martyn raises a brow. “No, really! I wasn’t slacking, I mean it!” A beat. “…It doesn’t matter. Let’s go get ready.”

-

Suiting up in armour is second nature enough that Martyn doesn’t really have to think about it. Thank whatever deities are up there for that, because Martyn needs to think.

Because, well, he’s back to the beginning of the game again, apparently. And it means all his work has failed.

On the other hand, it’s good that he’s back, because his last memory before an option box appeared before his eyes was Ren’s dead body in his arms.

His fingers freeze on a buckle at the thought.

Can he go through it again? Can he get Ren to love him again? Can he do that?

The idea is terrifying. That Ren might not even allow him to approach, and he’ll learn that Ren has died again and he won’t be able to do anything about it and-

“Suited up, dude?”

Martyn blinks. Turns to look at Skizz.

“Oh. Yeah! Yeah, lead the way.”

Skizz gives him a strange look, but starts out the door anyway. “Come on, man, let’s find Etho.”

-

Martyn didn’t manage to work up the nerve to speak to Cleo- not after what she’d done to take the Prince’s hand. He barely restrained himself from cussing her out, or crying.

He finished talking to her and then left as quickly as he could. He managed to bump into Scar again, and he was fine- cordial.

The moment he leaves the ballroom is a moment of relief.

And then he speaks:

“Knight? Have you seen the Prince?”

Ren.

“No,” Martyn says, voice shaky. “No, apologies, Mi’lord.”

And what a strange way to speak to him, after months of him being Ren, and familiar, and- and his.

“Ah… He’s later than I thought he would be,” Ren muses. “I suppose I still can’t go into the ballroom like this.”

“Or,” Martyn says before he can stop himself. “You don’t have to go into the ballroom at all.”

Too blunt, Martyn thinks. Too much- he doesn’t know you.

“Excuse me?” Ren asks, ears flicking up in surprise.

No where to go except forward, Martyn decides.

“The prince doesn’t… love you. He has half a dozen other suitors, and it’s going to break you to try to keep him.”

“I’m not- what are you implying?”

“I’m not implying anything, mi’lord,” Martyn says, steadying himself and staring Ren right in the eyes. “I’m saying exactly what I mean. You won’t like how it goes, to keep trying to chase after him if he tries to leave you.”

“Is that a threat?”

Ren’s jaw is clenched. His hands are hidden under his cloak. He’s ready to fight.

Martyn forces himself to relax. “No,” he says, soft. “Not a threat. It’s… a warning, I guess. I’ve seen how he acts. I’ve seen how- how you act. And I really do wish for you to be happy. And I don’t think he can do that for you.”

I think I can, rests under his tongue.

Martyn is slow as he holds his hand out. Ren doesn’t seem to even notice, as he places his own hand on top.

“I recognize that this is overstepping my station but… Whatever you choose, I would be willing to stand behind you. This was my advice, but if you continue to go after him, I could- I would help you. I pledge to keep you safe.”

As safe as I can.

Ren, dead in his arms. A box that asks him if he wants to start over. Waking up at the start of it, again.

It’s habitual - he’s done this to Ren, all the time, so it’s easy. He presses his lips to the back of Ren’s hand, then pulls back. “Thank you for the audience, Ren.”

Martyn turns and opens the door back to the ballroom and leaves.

(He doesn’t realize his slip up until ten minutes later, and hopes he hasn’t fucked his chance up terribly by being too familiar with the king.)

-

Ren sucks in a slow breath, cheeks red and warm in the darkness of the halls.

He feels like he’s burning.

He thinks he could get used to it.

The kiss is hot on the back of his gloved hand, and he rubs a thumb over it, tail wagging slowly behind him.

He didn’t trust it, at first. He doesn’t know if he should, even now.

But he does. Someone who knew his name, who used his name, who cared enough to press a kiss to his hand, when everyone else would avoid touching him like he was death.

Ren considers the knight’s words.

He could have been trying to flirt himself into royalty.

… Ren isn’t sure he would stop him if he kept trying.

(How could he not fall in love with him, every single time?)

IM GOING TO LOSE MY FUCKIJG MIND HELLO?????????????

THIS IS SO COOL. THIS IS SO SO SO COOL. OHH YOU UNDERSTOOD TJE ASSIGNMENT PERFECTLY FANTASTIC PERCECT MARKS EXTRA CREDIT

ohh there’s so many fun details in this. “i don’t think he can do that for you” (i think i can) is going to make me insane. i feel insane. that last line is going to make me cry actually. ohhh man. oh this is lovely. i absolutely adore this. i am reeling also thank you so much for writing this and sending it to me

Children of the Underworld

My cover for @cosmiccowzine ’s PJO zine! 

PEARL FIRST MCC WIN

lessgoo pearl first mcc winnn the Cyan Coyotes

taken from Pearl's stream

Hedgehog’s Dilemma

World's sexiest (and most traumatised) salaryman

@chaverrio

Chapter 14 - 15/01/25

Added the promised second part y’all!

77. Ballad of the Walking Machines — CG5, JT Music

All the sins remain with the pain inside They reskinned my face, but the paint won't dry If you're alive right now, survive right now That's all you can do

Ohhh I'm so glad I finally get to draw to Ballad of the Walking Machines!! This one has been rattling around in my head since last year's wrapped drawings, but I was never able to put any of my thoughts onto paper!

On Bdubs' playlist, this song has always stuck to me as a representation of the other side of all of the horrors Etho's undergone over the course of Season 8, set during Destruction as Bdubs waits outside of the lab for what's supposed to be a relative simple diagnostic appointment, so he was told. As Bdubs, completely unaware than anything was even wrong with Etho until the start of the season, waits with baited breath to hear if his friend is okay, he's remind of their rough beginnings and how far he's come, both as a person and as Etho's friend. The tension that had come from a place of fear now comes from a desperate hope that Etho will be okay, and Ballad of the Walking Machines really well represents the juxtaposition between Bdubs' original fears of androids and his fear and hope in the present day that his dear friend will be okay.