I'm currently listening to "fire with fire" trying to figure out how to start this story. Do I start when everything went to hell at azure lions fight or when Redson helps him time travel. How should I get him to think of Ink!mk? Maybe make it Meis idea to get him and cause Mk to think of the reflection in the cauldron or does he just go up to the cauldron to have someone to talk to because he needs someone who isn't close to him. That he still knows won't judge or worry? Or maybe Ink!Mk thinks of him with his access to MKs memory's? Does Mei and Redson get him out in the first one. Second idea has Mk just pulling him out after Cauldron!Mk mimes have his palms flat on the cauldron like you would a window and just grabs on. If it's Idea three then have what ever they do to make Ink!Mk a actual stone monkey to the cauldron? If it's that maybe it disappears like Ink!MKs scroll or shrinks down to a wearable size? Like a charm?
Having them appear where they were in the pre canon at that point would cause so much chaos!
Cauldron!MK would be in the Cauldron! Having him burst out of it during court time only to throw it off the edge and jump back in to reach earth like a monkie made comet would be hilarious! All of the celestial court would be in shambles. So many flashbacks of sunwukong that are reinforced by Cauldron!MK's appearance and abilities! Only missing Monkey Kings staff. But not even sunwukong still the Cauldron! Then you have Ink!Mk jumping in straight after as the fall. And hell it's a tiny Six Eared Macaques at first glance. (It's no Macaques (: ). Traumatic.
Maybe that's think that someone messed with time (they did just not the way the celestials are think.(backwards not forwards)) and dragged a version those to forward. Though I don't think that would last long. Erlang shand might be the first one to think that sunwukong reproduced. And what would be Ne za's reaction?
Summary: Emmet wakes up alone on a mountain, not knowing how he got there, but certain he wasn't there before then. And yet, it seems as if the few pokemon and people he meets recognize him...?
Thank you to my patreons who supported me through the making of this chapter!
Genuinely!
I hesitated for a very long time before finally being convinced by loved ones to open a Patreon and I'm glad I did and found wonderful people who believe in my silly little comics. Whether you're here from Reconciliation or The Heart Never Lies, thank you so much!
Now time to work on ACT3!
Join my Patreon to get early access to pages and wips.
Thank you to my patreons who supported me through the making of this chapter!
Genuinely!
I hesitated for a very long time before finally being convinced by loved ones to open a Patreon and I'm glad I did and found wonderful people who believe in my silly little comics. Whether you're here from Reconciliation or The Heart Never Lies, thank you so much!
Now time to work on ACT3!
Join my Patreon to get early access to pages and wips.
All my friends know about this comic because when im in class and a new part gets uploaded i can’t help but squeal. They even go “new comic update?” And i am not ashamed, this is literally the only web comic i’ve ever consumed in my life and im proud of it. Its PEAK
Things have taken a bad turn in the roleplay regarding the android... (More context and reading under the readmore!)
The realization that this was one of the stray Shadow androids changed things. Sonic knew how these creations were at times. Usually cold, unrelenting, and with no personality to themselves at all. They were essentially made to be a kind of cannon fodder a long time ago, but Sonic had no idea they were capable of everything he'd seen over the past couple days. This one seemed like it showed a genuine sense of care for Mari and Sonic, it was so kind and gentle with them. Sonic still had his guard up, but now he had questions…
"Why are you here? What's the point of sneaking in while the real Shadow's been gone? We have no emeralds or anything else you'd want."
"I was supposed to retrieve an emerald you had." The android sighed and shook its head. "But things changed. I no longer want to steal from you. Well, not an emerald anyway." It reached out to touch Sonic's hand and carefully held it. "I want this life Shadow has with you and Mari."
"Woah woah, back up!" Sonic took a step back, but didn't take his hand away yet. "I'm only interested in Shadow, the real Shadow. Not you. But do you actually want to have a good life? I mean, that's something I can help you with. You don't need to go chasing after what Shadow has. And you definitely don't need to keep working for Eggman. Maybe me and Mari can help…"
The android watched carefully, and as Sonic talked, it started feeling… hopeful? As much as it wanted this life with Sonic and Mari, the real Shadow would be coming back eventually. And it knew it probably couldn't live up to the strength Shadow had to overtake him. If it couldn't have what was here, then maybe a real life with someone else, maybe with friends, and maybe-
A loud crack of thunder sounded through the building as a chaos spear was launched across the apartment and lodged completely through the androids chest. Sonic jumped away in shock and looked over in time to see Shadow warping over to grab the android. "Shadow wait!!"
Shadow, the real Shadow, turned with a fierce glare pointed directly at Sonic. His grip on the android's neck tightened as he observed the apartment. Pancake batter in a bowl on the counter, a sizeable dent in the wall of his weapons vault that had set off the silent alarm in his communicator, and not a single sign of any further struggle. All signs pointed to the fact that this android did not enter his home by force.
"You let this thing in here!?"
"No! No I- we didn't know it wasn't you! We-"
"Do not rope Mari into your screw up!" Shadow flung the android down and advanced on Sonic. "You let an android into my home, you let it get close to Mari! You know what these things are capable of!"
Sonic stood his ground, brow lowered in frustration at Shadow. "I'm serious, we didn't know it wasn't you! It acted just like you do!"
"Bullshit!"
"I'm telling the truth!"
"Do you have any idea how much danger Mari was in with that thing in here!?"
"Stop calling it that!"
"That's all it is! An object! Did you seriously let yourself get fooled by appearances alone!?"
"No!" Sonic let out a frustrated noise and shook his head. "It acted just like you! Same voice, same attitude, just… Just more like you on your good days."
Shadow's quills were rattling with how flared they were from his rage. He couldn't believe that Sonic allowed something like this to happen. These androids were only ever meant to be weapons, and Shadow knew how dangerous they were. He snarled and reached up to try smoothing his quills to keep calm, but it didn't help. "I cannot leave you alone for five minutes without something stupid happening! Just what do you mean by me on 'good days' anyway?"
Sonic sighed and shrugged as he looked back at the android. "I dunno, just… Vulnerable, with no walls. I thought maybe something went wrong on your mission. I- I really thought it was… you…" He looked back to Shadow, now clearly wearing an expression of regret and embarrassment with how his ears laid back.
Shadow raised an eyebrow at the sudden change in demeanor from Sonic. Why did he look so scared, and guilty…? He glanced to the android, then slowly looked back to Sonic. "… Did you sleep with it?"
Sonic's eyes widened, but he stayed uncharacteristically quiet.
That reaction was clearly the wrong one, because the next thing that happened was Sonic getting grabbed and slammed into the tile floor.
"Is it not enough that I let you fuck around all you like!? I grant you more freedom than anyone else would let you have, and you couldn't draw the line at a damn fake!?"
"I didn't know!"
"You knew something was different and you did nothing to confirm it was even me!? You think a glorified walking computer is just the same as the real person in front of you now!?"
"No!"
The air around Shadow crackled with static as his rage intensified. The mark on his back opened with gnashing teeth as he pressed his hand down with more force on Sonic's chest. "Was it better!? Is that what you want me to be!? You want me to just be vulnerable, soft, weak!? Am I supposed to just forgive you and pretend this never happened!?"
Sonic knew he'd fucked up big time, but he wasn't expecting Shadow to get this upset. He grabbed Shadow's arm and kicked him off, then sped to the other side of the apartment to get out of the way of Shadow's next punch. Dodging Shadow was already a tough task, but right now it was almost impossible. But Sonic couldn't keep this going in front of Mari. She'd already seen enough.
"You don't have to forgive me!" He narrowly missed a swipe from Shadow's claws and dashed for the patio door just as Shadow tackled him, and both fell from the building.
With both of them gone, the apartment was suddenly very quiet, save for the occasional spark from a broken wire inside the android. By now, a small puddle of oil had started to pool underneath it from severed lines. It sat up against the wall beside the front door, looking down at the spear in its chest. It looked sad, with drooped ears and a frown on its muzzle. Whatever Sonic wanted for its future was likely not happening now. Which was a shame, it had been looking forward to more nice things…
OKAY GANG, I had a busy day yesterday and so the Canned Bread Adventure had to wait. But now we begin the journey! Hopefully the price will not be too great. (Mentally, of course, as the can was free.)
Now, this is marked as ready-to-serve, but there ARE instructions for heating up and even baking it. But of course we need to try multiple options to get more of the experience. Interestingly, the instructions SPECIFICALLY say to open BOTH ends of the can. You are also advised to use a spoon if the bread proves recalcitrant.
As the can opens, I begin to see why; it is clearly In There.
So regarding my first reactions, there is an… interesting aroma. Very rich, hauntingly familiar yet somehow foreign. Where HAVE I smelled that before…?
Oh well lets get it out!
The bread was indeed happy in its can and Not Having Any Of That with just the spoon, so I was forced to take extreme measures and run a knife along the inside. BEHOLD THE TOWER OF CANNED BREAD! On a positive note, the can lines make excellent cutting guides.
Time to taste! I admit to some hesitance. WHAT IS that smell?? It’s so FAMILIAR and yet makes me wary! I am getting flashes of old homestyle cooking and pioneer theme parks.
Oh right. Maybe I should check the ingredients list.
So it turns out this canned marvel consists of, among other things, mostly molasses and rye wheat. And baking soda! That’s right, friends, we are looking at a log of pure heftiness in terms of flavor profile. It is sweet and moist and yet somehow also savory and utterly drying. I immediately require cherry 7UP. My friends, I can confirm that if you like molasses, THERE IS DEFINITELY MOLASSES. The texture is very soft and, again, moist; if I had been presented a slice of this at a church benefit dinner, I would have called it some type of cake (then possibly politely nudged it to the side of my plate).
Now, research (aka my aunt googling it at the food pantry) suggests this is indeed one of those polarizing foods—if I remember correctly, one source predicted that you will either love it of have an instant hatred, and that it has been known to cause sharp family disagreements. I believe this to be accurate, as while I would not say I HATE it, I’m reluctant to eat the whole slice and can confidently place it on Weird Things To Try Only Once.
But that doesn’t matter, because this is FOR SCIENCE, and there are INSTRUCTIONS WE MUST FOLLOW
I’m unsure how splitting of the loaf (for lack of a better descriptor) would affect cooking times, and I do not have a toaster oven besides. So we will be popping this whole baby (minus one slice) in the oven and then trying it out with and without some cream cheese.
Mmm canned bread burrito.
I will be DELIGHTED if this crisps it up like a more traditional bready crust, but I am reserved in my hopes. Regardless, I shall report back later!
Quick Extra Note: That molasses smell PERMEATES. I am at least 15 feet away from the table where I opened the can, and it lingers around me like the faint savory-sweet ghost of an Appalachian kitchen from the 1800s.
WOW, I think like FIFTEEN new people followed me today (who either aren’t bots or are very well-disguised bots!) and I can only conclude this surge was from a burning curiosity to know the final results of the Canned Bread Journey. Well, wait no longer, friends, for here we go!
First, I have to say that the smell of bread baking apparently does ALWAYS smell good, regardless of the type of bread. My kitchen smelled lovely.
The molasses scent reasserted itself the instant I opened the tinfoil, but oh well. I grabbed my cream cheese and my apricot jelly and headed to my desk for the unveiling.
So first thing I noticed (besides the odor de molasses) is that it looks EXACTLY the same! Probably because of the tinfoil, or maybe this kind of bread just can’t form a crust, idk I am not a baker.
I then cut a plain slice, because again, for SCIENCE, we must try multiple avenues here.
Verdict: It tasted… pretty much the same as before going in the oven? Very sweet/savory and moist and with that bitter rye flavor that some people like (I do not). But it was warmer, and that definitely had a positive effect. Most things that taste a little funny generally taste better at something other than room temperature, though. ESPECIALLY if it comes from a can. I ate one bite and did not feel compelled to experiment further down that road, so I just added the cream cheese spread (plain) to the piece and took my next bite.
Verdict: Okay! Now we’re getting somewhere! This is a nice balance - the sweet creaminess pairs well with the savory tones of the bread! I could finish a slice of this!
Now let’s add some jelly (apricot) on this bad boy:
Verdict: Nice! Nice! Refreshing balance! Ate two slices before rye aftertaste became too powerful. This is a very filling little bread, though, so I was satisfied.
Overall River (that’s me) Rating: 5/10. To be fair to the bread, I am not a fan of rye OR molasses (or other bitter flavors, like coffee or dark chocolate). But to be fair to ME, my and my aunt’s google searches suggest that this food often forms Strong Opinions in both directions, but especially if you are from Massachusetts (possibly Boston specifically), which as far as I can tell is the only place in the whole U.S. that knows about and sells this stuff. They also eat it with beans and hotdogs—it actually says so under the heating instructions (which I missed, but I just ate spaghetti and do not want to open a whole can of beans, so some other brave non-MA soul can try that if they so desire.)
In conclusion: If you like strong, savory/sweet flavors like rye and/or molasses, you may enjoy this! I didn’t think it tasted particularly “canned” (although there were some flecks that MAY have been pieces of the can caught by my knife removal technique). It has a cakey texture that I did not find unpleasant. But if you dislike such flavors wholesale, or just feel an uncontrollable aversion to anything that bears the same shape as cranberry sauce freshly removed from the can, you may want to abstain.
[For Comparison:]
This was fun to try, though! Thank you for coming on this journey with me, and remember, don’t be afraid to try new things sometimes! =D As for the rest of the loaf, I have foiled it up again and plan to give it to my oldest brother, who historically likes rye AND molasses (and every single other food in the world EXCEPT, for some reason, marshmallows).
Bonus: Stormy finds the canned bread uninteresting. But she is a cat, so her opinion should always be taken with a grain of salt.
Thank you for this flattering assessment of my post, I am honored, although we’re only at like 300+ notes, so it may be a bit premature. Not that I won’t be delighted if you have received the dodgeball of prophecy, mind you !
HEY GUYS! So because this post has gotten a bit popular and the people of New England have SPOKEN, I have a surprise extra report for you! My brother and I got together and did the penultimate test: BEANS
(Btw, I have been informed that I misspoke previously: Canned Bread is actually a NEW ENGLAND tradition, not just Massachusetts and/or Boston. This also led to me coming to learn that “New England” refers to SIX STATES COLLECTIVELY. Idk whenever I heard “New England Patriots” my brain would just go, “Yeah, New England, that’s definitely A State In These Uniteds” and move on without closer consideration. I am 33. NEVER STOP LEARNING)
So we used my parents’ kitchen since my brother was there working on the alpaca farm (btw we have a family alpaca farm!) I brought a plethora of ingredients, some of which I already tried but thought my bro would want to give a go.
While the beans (and sliced hotdogs, of course) heated up on the stove, we popped the bread in the microwave (it’s still quite moist after several days in the tin foil!), and Brother sampled the bread.
Verdict: “VERY MOLASSES.” So we concur on this point. He liked it, though! Cream cheese and then jelly were applied, with the opinion about which one he preferred being, “I always like jelly.”
Next, we tried butter, which I hadn’t tried yet, so we tackled this new frontier together. (For technicality’s sake, we used Country Crock margerine spread, but it’s delicious and was always butter to me growing up so THERE)
Verdict: YUM! Guys, for real, the butter is great! My niece also tried a piece later and summed it up nicely: “The bread makes the butter taste MORE salty!” These two pair VERY well together, so much so that I willingly ate another piece. Highly recommend this method if you are trying canned/brown bread! Brother also concurred that this was tasty!
Now came the time for the most dubious-sounding of recommendations: Baked Beans on canned bread. I’ll admit, though, that after the pleasant butter experience, I was feeling less dubious; I think my taste buds finally realized this was a Bread, and I have enjoyed bread in beans before.
Verdict: You know… it’s not bad! Not my favorite ever, although I did eat the whole slice. Brother found it very satisfying: “It mellows the bread” were his words, I believe. This seems accurate, because the bread is very strong, but the beans and sauce do a nice job of balancing it out. (I know I use that word a lot but I don’t know a ton of fancy chef critic words. Plus it fits!)
As our test drew to a close, I pressed Brother for his overall rating on a scale of 1 to 10. After some consideration, his response was, and I’m approximating here:
Brother Rating: “8.7456684.(yes, another point)238…”
(He is a very ridiculous individual, as you can no doubt tell from the next photograph, which I asked if I could post since his face might get spread everywhere. His response (which was valid, as he doesn’t use tumblr) was, “It’s really whether YOU care, I’m probably never gonna see it.”
And that concludes our final (I think) entry in the Canned Bread Journey! Brother quite enjoyed it in all its forms! I found it most palatable with spreadable butter, it’s very homey. My niece concurs that it tastes nice with butter, although my nephew tried it with and without butter and made THE FUNNIEST scrunchy face. XD So yes, this is gonna be one of those dishes you either like or you don’t.
Thanks for joining us and for all the nice comments and tags! :D I don’t know how to close this out now, so, HAVE A GOOD ONE
Reblogging to commemorate the time one of my most popular posts was involved molasses and was coincidentally posted very close to the anniversary of the Boston Molasses Flood!
Jason: Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that we're pretending not to notice the random boy who is trying to gaslight us into thinking he was adopted into the family?
Tim: I think it's fun. He just sat down at breakfast, called B dad, and pretended he had been here the whole time as part of the family. I appreciate his commitment.
Damian: It is a bit insulting that he assumes we would accept his presence without question but he has acknowledged that I am the true blood son. He may stay.
Dick: Besides, we are due for a new brother.
Bruce: I don't mind providing for any child in need, but I am curious how he got into the manor.
Alfred: I saw him climbing through the old laundry chute. Before laundry machines were invented, dirty clothes would be sent to the outside cleaning house to be washed by hand in the tubs built in the far back. Your grandfather kept the chutes because Master Thomas liked sliding down them.
Jason: So what, we're going along with it then?
Bruce: Yes. Let's see how this plays out.
Danny: Good evening family! What are we having for dinner?
Really weird take on this but please bear with me.
Danny didn't really just appear in the Manor, no, he was actually adopted by a Bat.
But then, the Flash happened.
One of the Flashes changed something in the past, a domino effect just kinda erases Danny's existent from them and because Time Shenanigans don't affect Danny due to the time medallion that was kinda fused in him, Danny was not effected by the change.
So in this, Danny was there because he was welcomed and he knows it. The others just kinda forgot.
